Jake’s Life

http://www.streaming-clips.com/videoclips/2017/Three-Of-A-Kind/Babycakes.php

Okay, I admit, that’s one of them. Shhhh.

Well, it’s finals time. I’m trudging along quite slowly with them as well. I picked up some extra oomph this morning though, and am half way through the first assignment on my agenda. My first assignment is providing a critique of rational choice theory from a feminist criminology standpoint. The second assignment is choosing four of the criminological theories we have covered this quarter and showing how they are able to connect using four different criminology inquiries. Fun. Not really though. My third final is for a pretty easy class, but it’s quite long. It’s one I can just start writing and get through though, hardly any research is needed.

The new job is going great. I’ve caught onto the computer system faster than I though I would. Okay, maybe about as fast as I thought I would. Some of the people I work with seem pretty standoffish, including someone I met about 7 or 8 months ago who most likely doesn’t even remember me. That’s okay, because he was an ass. Overall, my supervisors, trainer, and a few other officers seem to be friendly enough, which is enough for me.

A Russian diplomat, apparently under the influence, struck an NYPD officer with his vehicle on Saturday. Read the full article here.

Thanks to diplomatic immunity, he may get off with no punishment for this. Sure, he may lose his position within his government, or be demoted or suspended from office, but how does that sort of punishment compare with what he did?

This is not just about who or what he struck while driving drunk. It just so happened that it was a police officer that was the victim, but it could have easily been anyone else: you, your grandmother, an eight year old girl.

I am going to broaden this up a bit here and stray away from this driver. What makes anyone still think that they are able to get behind the wheel of a car after they have been drinking? Yes, I know, they are in an inebriated state, lacking judgment and common sense, but what about before? When he went to the location where he was drinking, he drove. He put his keys in his pocket, and kept them there while he was ordering drinks, I’m assuming. This seems to be the case for many folks.

I like to drink on occasion. After a hard night of work I’ll come home and have a beer or two. Sometimes I will go out with friends and have a few (or more) drinks, but even in that state I know I can’t drive, and I don’t let others do it either. To me, this is as if someone were to put a loaded gun to their head, knowing it is loaded and knowing what damage it can cause, and pulling the trigger. “Oh, it was an accident! He didn’t mean to!” Whether or not it was a concious choice, it was still a matter of common sense, and ignorance is no reason to break the law.

I had orientation at my new job today, which went well except for the fact that I was dead tired. It’s a fairly large set of training modules that I won’t be done with for a while, but I am looking forward to it. This place is geared more towards being efficient and prepared, something the other place wasn’t, so it is going to be different to say the least. At my old job I always tried to be efficient, see alternate ways of making things work that didn’t take forever, and did the best I could, but the new job raises the bar. Don’t misunderstand, I’m not opposed to it at all, I just see myself as being one of, if not the most efficient person at my last job, and now I have to relearn the system.

I can’t wait for my insurance settlement…having to go without a car right now is killing me.

My final projects are almost due for school, which means after that I will have a few weeks off between terms. Since my schooling is mostly online-based we go by a different schedule than the usual ‘quarters’ at other schools.

My first two quarters in college I noticed that I was having a real hard time expressing myself when writing. Enter: beer. One night I got so fed up with homework I sat down in front of an episode of The Shield and had a beer. I figured I still need to finish the essay, so I continued on it. After the wonderful Hefeweizen, it was a lot easier. I’ve also charted the grades I’ve received after a beer or two versus none at all…much higher. Coincidence? I think not.

Monday will be my last day at my current employer. I am relieved I am leaving, as I don’t desire high blood pressure and heart problems being only 23 years old. My new employer is somehat of a gold standard in the region, so it will definitely be a positive change.

Speaking of positive changes, I am single again. Maybe that sounded wrong; I hope not. I realized that I am at a certain stage in my life, and I need someone at that stage. It was nothing he said, or did, or anything about himself. He is great. I really mean that, and I still care for him a lot, hopeful I will be in his life after this, but I need someone who understands a bit more of what I’ve been through, where I’m going, and what life holds.

Random links:

HS2000 Talk Forums (Springfield Armory–MSgt. Badass Hayden, check this one out, biotch!)
Ubuntu and EasyUbuntu
Pride Behind The Badge
Drug Street Terms (Brush up on your narco)

I got the job I was interviewing for, and I start next Tuesday (the 18th), but may be working both jobs for a few more days to cover at the old job. Why? Why would I do this for an employer who has given me the equivalent of a professional prison gang rape, you may ask? Simple: My beef is with my employer, not my coworkers. My current supervisor is nice, and the guys I work with would only be put out by my doing something brash and immature like that. When it comes right down to it though, I need to watch out for me, not them.

I’ve also discovered the wonder that is iTunes. I know, a little late. I’ve sometimes used it as a media player, but I’m never home to catch the episodes of Law & Order that I like (mainly SVU and CI), so I’ve been downloading them lately.

With my work schedule lately (hectic), it’s been hard to work on homework, and impossible to attend seminars. I caught up a little bit in the last day or two, but not being able to attend the seminars is really going to affect my overall grades. I’m doing my best to get through this quarter, and make it to the next (when they will be upping the price of tuition about $25 per credit). Still, I consider my education paramount. I think this is what separates me from what I do now (and those I work with) and what I aim to do.

Well, they called me back and want me to come in for another interview for a position opening up in the next couple of weeks. Hopefully all will go great.

I made some new friends at work. Got close enough to take a picture with my SK2.

Well, last night was interesting.

At work I saw a way to get the shift and hours I want so that I don’t have to withdraw from school. This is a good thing because I am not willing to sacrifice my education right now for my current employer. I also got to talk to someone that I haven’t talked to in about eight years. We went to high school together, and at the time both being hormonal, angry, sarcastic pricks, I didn’t realize he actually considered me a friend. We had a good chat and will hopefully be able to kick it soon.

When I got home from work I got the insurance paperwork for my settlement, so in the next few weeks I’ll be looking at cars. Yes, finally a car. And tac lights, sexy gear, and other toys. But after the car I will most likely (comment directed towards those with initials “A.C.”) save it. Never had a car, even though for the last year I’ve spent 40+ hours a week driving one.

This case makes me pretty angry. Not in the fact that it happened, because things like this happen all the time. No, it makes me angry because this person has essentially turned around and literally slapped those who protect her.

Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney was on her way into a building when she walked around a metal detector and entered the restricted portion of a building. By my understanding of all of the articles lately, this happens frequently, and those who are permitted to bypass these security measures are given a lapel pin to identify themselves. McKinney was not wearing her pin, and rarely does. When a Capitol Police Officer attempted to stop her, she slapped/punched (assaulted) him. She claims it was to fend off an “inappropriate” grab of some sort.

News flash, if a police officer tells you to stop, and you don’t, they can use force to make you comply. They also usually don’t give you a pat on the butt as you’re trying to get away from them.

We all have jobs where we have had to deal with this sort of person. When I worked at a gym, people rarely handed us their membership cards to check them in…we just knew who they were. We had to. When I was a barista, half the time you knew what drink to start making when you saw them walking in. And of course, there were those you could never make happy (the “Do you know who I am” and “You must be new here” crowd). But this takes it to a whole other level in my opinion.

The way I see it, this is pretty clear cut.

She knows she has to wear her lapel pin, which she verbally opposes. She chose not to wear her pin, and chose to assault a police officer who was doing his job. How dare him! First he was “inappropriately” grabbing her, which then turned into a personal issue the CPD has with her specifically. Then, of course, this isn’t an issue of a lapel pin, it’s racism. I’m not saying racism doesn’t exist in this world, but what angers me about this is when people cry wolf. Do it enough times and it devalues the true event. Somewhere in the nation, a black woman will report a form of racism, and she will be compared to McKinney and her story dismissed.

She seems like a person that just won’t be happy, no matter what they do. Imagine if she observed them letting people around the metal detectors who also wore no lapel pin that she didn’t recognize. What kind of situation would that escalate into? No, she believes this courtesy to be extended to only her, and nobody else.

Read a great editorial on this issue at Officer.com.