Train Wreck First, a correction. I wrote yesterday, “Engine 20 was apparently dispatched after all, then cancelled and failed to take in the incident even when they knew they were closer.” I was relying on Post coverage and I was wrong. As readers pointed out, neither Engine 20 nor Ambulance 20 were ever dispatched. They […]

Technology as Cover-up The Washington Post reports that the city released a scathing review this week on the choking death of  a 13-month old infant after the closest unit failed to respond. Thanks to the apparently faulty rollout of a dime-store solution to GPS tracking, the communications center had inaccurate information regarding who was available […]

“I Want to be Led Astray” We Americans have an imperfect and  overly proper view of Brits perhaps influenced by their wonderful way of speaking and all that royal pomp. After all, how could anyone speaking like that be naughty? Well. Lord Sewel, a.k.a., Baron Sewel of Gilcomstoun, helps us understand. The Baron is a bit […]

Timing is Everything Dare I say it, but I easily recall when J.J. Pollard was busted for selling US secrets to the Israelis in 1985. He pled guilty in 1987 and received a life sentence, becoming a cause-celeb in Israel as someone whose jail term was unfair as he was only selling US secrets to […]

Hitler and Westboro Baptist Tea Party supporter and Hitler-admirer John Houser killed two and wounded nine more in a shooting rampage in Lafayette, LA, this week. News sources report that Houser admired Oklahoma City bomber Tim McVeigh and often described America as a “financially failing filth farm” a not especially optimistic alliteration. He also was […]

Watergate at 41 This is the week 41 years ago when the House Judiciary Committee voted to impeach then president Richard Nixon on a charge of obstruction of justice. Republican operatives planned and executed a scheme to break into the Democratic National Headquarters in Washington, DC, in order to tap phones. The June 1972 burglary […]

The Knights of Summer So, it was exactly a year ago that delegates including local, state, and provincial leaders strangled that newborn called ethics in a crushing defeat at the convention. They were led, of course, by King Harold and his knights-errant, on their crusade to pillage the IAFF. How it must feel because, “to […]

A Cool Spot on a Very Hot Day There’s a bit of web-inspired kerfuffle this morning over a photo of visitors standing in the water at the WWII Memorial in front of a sign saying not to. The sign says, “Honor Your Veterans, No Wading…” obviously implying that standing in water up to your ankles […]

Long Island Crash Kills Four Four young women riding in a chauffeured limousine making a U-turn were killed when their car was rammed by a pick-up truck. The driver of the truck has been charged with driving while intoxicated and is being held on a $1M bond. Risk Factors? Being on Long Island is apparently […]