News Items and Ponderings - With one "rant"

There is a car dealership in Massachusetts that has incited anger across the land.  F & R Auto Sales in Westport called Palace Pizza and ordered $42 worth of pizzas and drinks.  Jarrid Tansey was the delivery driver and they handed him $50.  He left but had to return when his manager got a complaint call saying Jarrid had kept the change without permission.  A video of him returning the change was posted and went viral. 

 

 

 

Now the dealership's sales manager has apologized, said the man in the blue shirt isn't an employee and that the woman who said something about putting her foot up his a@@ has been fired.  A fundraising effort has generated more than $7,000 for Jarrid, mostly in donations of $7.  Reporter's note:  The people who mistreated this guy are idiots.  Yelp now contains hundreds of negative reviews, most linking to various versions of this video.  One even added a link to someone who posted a negative statement about the owner's employment practices on Craigslist.  One little incident has probably cost them tens of thousands in sales, and might just put them out of business.  Act in haste, repent in leisure.  OTOH, if someone with half a brain works there, most of those negative reviews can be removed for violating Yelp's TOS. 

 

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Because he was present (and performing) at two night spots where there were shootings, Chris Brown has had his probation revoked.  The L. A. County Probation Department wants the singer to spend more time focusing on his community service and less pursuing his career, according to a report they filed with the judge.  A hearing will be held on March 20th to see if Brown will wind up in prison.  Reporter's note:  If he had no criminal involvement with these shootings, then revoking his probation isn't appropriate. 

 

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In case you missed it, Jennifer Aniston copped a feel of Kate Hudson's posterior on the Red Carpet at Sunday's Golden Globe Awards.  Reporter's note:  So what?

 

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Caesar's Palace has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Chicago. Some of their creditors have filed their own action in the bankruptcy court in Delaware, challenging the company's reorganization play.  These investors hold debt that is at the end of the line to get paid in the reorganization and they aren't happy.  Reporter's note:  These investors aren't individuals, they're in that business.  Caesar's hasn't shown profit since 2009.  Why in hell would they invest in something that risky and then whine when it goes bad?  Wonder if Mariah Carey, who just signed a big deal to take over the "residence" in their Vegas casino has insisted on money up front?

 

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Women are going to be allowed to attend the U. S. Army's Ranger Training program, although at present they won't be allowed to serve in combat.  Those who can finish the grueling 62 day course will earn the right to wear the coveted Ranger tab on their uniforms.  Roughly 60 women qualified to attend the program.  Reporter's note:  It's tough to qualify just to get in.  See for yourself.  Do 49 push-ups within two minutes.  Now do 50 sit-ups within two minutes.  Run five miles in less than 40 minutes.  The chin-up requirement is a tad easier, six chin-ups, palms in.  To go through all that and then be denied the ability to serve in combat??

 

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The Washington Times is reporting that billionaire George Soros contributed more than $30 million to support groups who were protesting in Ferguson, MO.  Reporter's note:  There is no question that when it comes to labeling the political position of media outlets, the Washington Times is definitely conservative.  I do find it interesting that the Wikipedia article on the Washington Times mentions its political leanings, while the same cannot be said of the Los Angeles Times (which clearly has a liberal editorial staff).

 

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 For the first time in NBA history, a father will be his son's head coach.  Doc Rivers, who is the bench general for the Clippers, now has his son Austin Rivers on his roster.  Reporter's note:  The Clippers released Jordan Farmar to make room for the younger Rivers.  Last season, Rivers ranked 415th out of 437 players in the NBA in "RPM" (Real Plus-Minus) while Farmar ranked all the way up at 56th.  No, there's no nepotism at work here...

 

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Arroyo Valley High School's Girls Basketball team recently won a game by an incredibly lopsided score.  The final score was 161 to 2.  Their hapless opponent, Bloomington High wasn't happy about the game and the margin of victory.  Seems that the Arroyo Valley coach kept a full-court pressure defense on throughout the first half, which ended with the score of 104-1.  Now Coach Michael Anderson has received a two-game suspension for his actions in running up the score this way.  Reporter's note:  While Coach Anderson has expressed regret, when his team was up by more than 50 points, it was time to turn off the pressure defense.  This is a no-brainer.  Even if you are preparing for a tough opponent, at that point it is definitely time to ease off the throttle.

 

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An 18 year old has been arrested in Northwest England in connection with the cyber-attack that took down Xbox Live and Playstation consoles right around Christmas.  There are reports he may also have been involved in several "swatting" episodes.  Reporter's note:  It is a bit frightening that teenagers can take down such important systems with apparent ease.

 

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For years, the organizers of the Northern Trust Golf Tournament, held in the Pacific Palisades, had relied on nearly 3,000 parking spaces on the VA campus located in Westwood.  Now, because of an ongoing lawsuit, the parking spaces are not available.  As a result, the tournament has demanded the VA return 2,000 tickets to the event that were donated for veterans to use.  Reporter's note:  The issue of the VA profiting by renting out parts of the large facility's North side is going to remain a mess until this lawsuit is resolved.  Doesn't look like that will happen anytime soon.

 

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There's no headline for this one.  I went and saw "American Sniper" today.  It is the first day the film has been in wider release.  Snipers and what they do is something I have long held a special interest in (my affinity for so many things is why I'm a major information junkie).  I've read "One Shot: One Kill," "Marine Sniper: 93 Confirmed Kills" and "Carlos Hathcock White Feather.  For those who aren't familiar with this amazing man, check his page on Wikipedia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Hathcock.  As you'll notice, while he had 93 confirmed kills, the standard was different during Vietnam than it was when the subject of the movie "American Sniper," Chris Kyle was serving in Iraq.  CPO Kyle had 160 confirmed kills, out of 255 probable kills.  CPO Kyle only needed one witness to confirm a kill.  GSGT Hathcock needed three witnesses, one of needed to be an officer, in order for a kill to be confirmed.  GSGT Hathcock, who sometimes patrolled on his own, estimated his probable kill number as being over 300.  I don't mean to denigrate CPO Kyle's accomplishments, but I think Gunny Hathcock has been forgotten too soon.

 

You've seen it in the movies.  The sniper shooting the other sniper through his telescopic sight.  No?

 

 

Carlos Hathcock made such a shot during his time in Vietnam.  I was afraid that someone involved with "American Sniper" might have taken poetic license with his story and had him make a similar shot.  They did not.  There is some "creative license" taken with actual events during CPO Kyle's time in Iraq, but they do not harm or detract from the excellent job that director Clint Eastwood did in making this movie.

 

There is little public knowledge regarding the SEAL Sniper training program, but we know that the Army Sniper training and Marine Corps Sniper training programs both have attrition rates well in excess of 50%.  It is intensive, grueling training. Then again, that's a good description of SEAL training. 

 

The movie is excellent and Bradley Cooper definitely earned his Best Actor Oscar nomination.  He may not win, but he was brilliant.