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The Annoyed Man wrote:Earlier, cars were made with doors that hinged at the trailing edge rather than the leading edge, and it was common for drivers and passengers to be ejected forward and outward through doors that burst open.

They were called "suicide doors."

I remember in the 1970s, a man who was a licensed professional engineer (and my boss at the time) telling me that it was better to be ejected from a vehicle during a crash, because you would be "relaxed."

While he refilled his pipe. Back then people were allowed to smoke at work.

I don't know that it is low IQ, per se. Mentally retarded people tend to function by routines. They do what they have been taught, or learned works for them.

I think it's more denial.

Don't get me started about people who use high-tech stuff without having a clue how it works—oh, you did. We all do it. I'm an electrical engineer, and I don't understand the details of many things that I use. I have only a vague idea how crude oil is ditsilled into gasoline. I certainly don't understand most pharmaceuticals.

Sadly, they breed. That's one thing they do really REALLY well.

Yeah. I remember one of my friends, years ago, remarking that two yuppies (talking about himself) with fertility problems could spend tens of thousands of dollars on medical treatments, while two teenagers in the back seat knocked out a home run in one at-bat.

- Jim

The Annoyed Man wrote:I just don't understand these people.

Many people survive day-to-day only by denying probability. If they didn't get killed yesterday doing the stupid stuff that they do, nyeh, today should be OK.

That said, my uncle, who had seven children, used to let an infant sit in his lap and steer the car. This was in the 1960s, when such things were not illegal, and seat belts were rare. I'm sure those of you who are old enough remember when most seat belts were stuffed into a crack, and some assertive libertarians would cut them out.

I also remember from that era the infant car seats that hung by a couple of bent wires over the back of the front seat of the car. The poor kid would have become a human cannonball in the event of a crash.

- Jim

anygunanywhere wrote:When I have the opportunity I compliment the driver on their beautiful children. This usually ellicits a beaming smile and a thank you.
I then ask why if they love them so much why are they not restrained per the law. The responses vary.

I can only imagine how the responses vary, but I'll guess some involve half a peace sign.

One day I was riding my bike on the Seawall when I saw some little kids getting out of a minivan. I smiled, thinking of them enjoying their day at the beach. Then some more kids got out, and some more. It was like a clown car. There must have been something like a dozen kids in a minvan. Obviously there could not have been enough child seats or seat belts for all of them.

- Jim

It does not seem any of them were his own children. The story says two of them were "related," which could mean nieces, nephews, cousins, or something.

If you want to do something about this kind of garbage, aside from getting a divinity degree, the place to go is the courts and the legislature. The police can only arrest someone for an obvious offense. Then "the system" kicks in, and they return the children to the same morons who abused them in the first place.

- Jim

In Galveston Sunday someone reported a vehicle driving at an excessive speed on the southbound causeway (which is an interstate, for those who have not been here). Police stopped a pickup truck and arrested the driver, a 30-year-old Hispanic man from Houston, for felony child endangerment.

The man allegedly had a 3-year-old in a car seat in the bed of a pickup truck, along with a 4-year-old and a 14-year-old "loose" in the back and four improperly restrained children in the passenger compartment.

Subscription-only link:
http://www.galvestondailynews.com/news/ ... f6878.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There must be an explanation, but I can't guess what.

- Jim

Today's mope, a 33-year-old black man from Texas City, was allegedly sleeping in a car on the Seawall at 1:55 a.m. Tuesday.

When the police went to question the man*, he allegedly ran from the car and into the surf and threw something in the water. The officer ran after the man, who struck the officer. Another officer gave the suspect a whiff of capsaicin. The suspect was charged with assaulting an officer and was in jail with $250,000 bond.

Subscription-only link:
http://www.galvestondailynews.com/news/ ... f6878.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

*It is illegal to sleep on the Seawall or beach in Galveston, and the police will investigate indications of people doing so.

- Jim

Today's mopes allegedly stole the purse of a 61-year-old woman in the parking lot of Walmart in Galveston around 7 p.m. Monday. The victim was slightly injured (making it aggravated robbery).

The suspects fled in a car. Witnesses followed them and led police to the car. They were stopped and arrested around 40th Street and Avenue S (about 2 miles away).

The suspects, a 23-year-old white woman and a 43-year-old white man, were jailed with five-figure bonds. Nobody looks good in their mug shot, but she's a real honey.

http://www.galvestondailynews.com/news/ ... f6878.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Life stinks when no one thinks it's worthwhile to bail you out.

- Jim

Dude is 30 years old. Maybe he's a slow learner. I don't understand how these mopes manage to get someone to post bond, but his girlfriend or mommy may just have a bit of trouble coming up with eight grand (10% of $80,000).

- Jim

Today's mope allegedly racked up a bar tab at the Float bar at 29th and Seawall, and walked out without paying around 2 a.m. yesterday. An employee followed him to demand payment. The mope pulled a pistol on the employee, who retreated and called 911. Police arrested the mope within minutes. He was charged with aggravated robbery and is in the slammer with $80,000 bond.

Subscription only: http://www.galvestondailynews.com/news/ ... f6878.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Margarita: .................................... $9.95
Tip: ........................................... $2
Bail: ........................................... $80,000
Turning a bar bill into a 1st-degree felony: Priceless

- Jim

In Galveston a police officer was sitting in his vehicle near the Quiznos restaurant at 61st & Avenue T 1/2 around 7 p.m. Saturday when he saw two people chasing a man.

The officer chased and arrested the man. The suspect reportedly tried to steal the cash register and knocked down a female employee twice. A customer tripped the man as he left the restaurant.

http://www.galvestondailynews.com/news/ ... f6878.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

Four young men were arrested and charged with felony criminal mischief for setting off fire extinguishers and causing other damage aboard the USS Stewart, which is basically a museum piece in Seawolf Park on Pelican Island. The "other damage" included relieving themselves.

They are being held in jail on $10,000 bond each.

The USS Stewart is still U.S. Navy property. It was restored extensively after Hurricane Ike, mostly by private donations and volunteer labor.

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas ... 243685.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.galvestondailynews.com/news/ ... f6878.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Police did not say whether alcohol was involved.

The parents of these young men must be proud.

- Jim

Today we have a major-league dope.

On Monday at Kroger in Galveston, a 22-year-old man was stopped for suspected shoplifting. He went to an upstairs office with an off-duty Galveston police officer who was working security at the store.

Apparently he panicked, tried to flee, and pushed the officer down the stairs. The officer reportedly suffered a minor injury.

Two male store managers chased the suspect and subdued him. In the process the suspect bit and otherwise assaulted the men.

The suspect was arrested and charged with two counts of robbery and one count of assaulting a public servant. He was held on $105,000 bond, and actually is not eligible for bail because he is in violation of parole.

http://www.galvestondailynews.com/news/ ... f6878.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

We haven't had many amusing mopes lately.

On Friday a 31-year-old man from Lufkin was convicted of felony theft of a boat that was stolen in Galveston. He had put the boat up for sale on Craigslist, with photos.

He faces 25 to life because of having previous felony convictions.

http://www.galvestondailynews.com/news/ ... f6878.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This link might not work if you're not a subscriber. Sorry about that.

- Jim

A lot of people let their kids play with cell phones. Most cell phones have games on them, and at younger ages they just like the beeps and changing displays.

It's not necessarily a functional phone, either. Nearly everyone has old cell phones that got flaky. My wife and I have probably gone through half a dozen in 10 years.

- Jim

Today's mope allegedly robbed a 5-year-old kid.

A 22-year-old black man allegedly took a cell phone from a 5-year-old boy and pushed the victim to the ground around 8 p.m. Saturday in Wright Cuney Park at 41st and Winnie.

He ran away, eluding a witness tried to catch him.

One witness knew him by name.

He was arrested a short time later and charged with robbery. As of Monday he was being held on a $25,000 bond.

http://galvestondailynews.com/story/348410" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I guess the tats are a warning that he is a real tough guy.

- Jim