Alexandra Bogdanovic's Blog: That's life..., page 6

Without warriors...

In the ongoing quest to broaden my horizons, I recently did something a bit out of character.
I invested in (okay, purchased) the novel Coup D'Etat by Harry Turtledove, which I found in the bargain book bin at a nearby office supply store. While it's clearly not unusual for me to buy a book, it is unusual for me to read "alternate history." In fact, this is the first such book I've ever tackled.
At any rate, I'm now approximately halfway through the 416-page tome and will refrain from commenting on the contents until I've finished it. For now I will only say that what I've read so far makes me more grateful than ever that everything transpired as it did and the real-life allies triumphed.
It also makes me more grateful than ever that there are still those who are willing to defend everything we hold so dear. After all, it is a sad and unpleasant truth that without warriors we cannot have freedom -- and we cannot have peace.
To quote Golda Meir, "We don't thrive on military acts. We do them because we have to, and thank God we are efficient."
And as Nishan Panwar put it, "Your freedom is brought to you courtesy of the outstanding Men and Women who serve and have served this country with honor, dedication, pride and sacrifice!"
Until next time, "That's life..."

For what it's worth

A lot has been said about freedom in the past few days. Politicians, pundits, publishers and the general public have spent considerable time extolling the virtues of freedom of speech. And with good reason.
At this point, it's likely there's little I can add to the conversation. But as you know by now, I am a former journalist and an award-winning author. More importantly, I am a first-generation American raised in a multicultural household. My father was a political refugee who was forced to flee a Communist country because of his political beliefs.
As a result, I have always valued the liberties afforded me as an American. I am fully aware of how precious freedom is; and of the price so many paid to attain it. Hard won, it is hardly guaranteed -- yet for some reason, so many take it for granted.
That being stated, here are a few of my favorite quotes about freedom of speech:
1. "What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist.” ― Salman Rushdie
2. “Everyone is in favor of free speech. Hardly a day passes without its being extolled, but some people's idea of it is that they are free to say what they like, but if anyone else says anything back, that is an outrage.” ― Winston S. Churchill
3. “Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets..” ― Napoléon Bonaparte
4. “The framers of the constitution knew human nature as well as we do. They too had lived in dangerous days; they too knew the suffocating influence of orthodoxy and standardized thought. They weighed the compulsions for restrained speech and thought against the abuses of liberty. They chose liberty."
[Beauharnais v.Illinois, 342 U.S. 250, 287 (1952) (dissenting)]”
― William O. Douglas
5. “The only security of all is in a free press.” ― Thomas Jefferson
6. “If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” ― George Orwell
7. “If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” ― George Washington
8. “I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.” ― Voltaire
9. “Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.” ― Benjamin Franklin, Silence Dogood, The Busy-Body, and Early Writings
10. “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” ― United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Until next time, "That's life..."

Eli's advice for a successful 2015

January 1 is a very important day at our house. We don't just celebrate the beginning of the new year around here. We also celebrate Eli's birthday.
For those of you keeping score at home, he just turned nine.
Of course, I'm not sure whether he's on his "first" life or his "ninth." But any way you slice it, he's definitely been through a lot.
So, with tongue in cheek, I present Eli's guide to longevity and happiness in 2015.
1. Read.
2. Get plenty of rest.
3. Eat only the finest foods.
4. Meditate.
5. Spend plenty of time with family.
6. Avoid stress.
7. Play.
8. Exercise.
9. Do not work too hard.
10. Find joy in simple things.
11. Bask in the sunshine.
12. Ignore negativity.
13. Appreciate true friends.
14. Forgive those who have used or betrayed you.
15. Stand up for yourself.
16. Bite and scratch (fight) only as a last resort.
17. Take pride in your appearance but do not succumb to vanity.
18. Take nothing for granted.
19. Never forget how awesome you truly are.
20. Live.
Until next time, "That's life..."

All I want for 2015 is...

Another Christmas has come and gone. I suppose it's time to dismantle the "Charlie Brown" Christmas Tree I made out of some branches from our back yard (even though I just put it up a few days ago).
It's time to bid adieu to 2014, and start thinking about the coming year. And with that in mind, I thought I'd share some of my hopes, dreams and aspirations for 2015.
In no particular order, here they are:
-- I hope I hit the lottery. I don't really care which one. Mega-Millions, Power Ball... It doesn't really matter, as long as the jackpot is worthwhile.
-- Barring that, I hope I continue to do well in my online paralegal certificate program and graduate in March as planned.
-- I hope that a few New York City-area lawyers in need of a good paralegal read this and keep me in mind.
-- I hope my memoir receives some more accolades in the regional literary contests I entered. I'll find out soon, so please keep all bendable appendages crossed.
-- I hope a few more people actually decide to read my memoir.
-- I hope I actually find the time to write my second book.
-- I hope I actually find the time to read a few good books.
-- I hope to make it to the family reunion that's been planned in honor of my grandfather's 100th birthday in the spring.
-- I hope I get to laugh more and worry less.
-- I hope the world stops going "sideways."
-- I hope our leaders stop engaging in hateful rhetoric.
-- I hope that all of my friends in law enforcement go home safely after every shift.
-- I hope we learn to be kind to one another.
-- I hope we learn to respect each other's differences, even if we don't fully understand them.
-- I hope each and every one of you has a happy, safe and healthy 2015!
Until next time, "That's life..."

Words can hurt us

As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.
I took this one at Ground Zero a couple of years ago. Because I photographed a reflection, the image of the police officers on duty there that day is a little distorted. Needless to say, the irony didn't escape me.
But a distorted reflection in a photograph is one thing. The recent vilification and distorted portrayal of law enforcement -- specifically the NYPD -- by politicians, activists and the mainstream media is another thing altogether.
While one cannot be certain that their hateful rhetoric directly resulted in the brutal slaying of two New York police officers December 20, one can certainly argue it was a contributing factor.
Former New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik and PBA President Pat Lynch have no doubt about it. In published reports, both have said the politicians and others who have engaged in anti-police rhetoric now "have blood on their hands."
Lynch vowed that they will be held fully accountable. Personally I hope they are -- in a court of law as well as the court of public opinion.
At the very least this tragedy should serve as a powerful reminder that another old saying -- the old saying about sticks and stones -- is an absolute fallacy. Words can hurt us.
Until next time, "That's life..."

Anti-Social Media

In an unprecedented act of narcissism, I recently quoted myself on Twitter - twice.
Judging by the number of followers I've lost since then, some people weren't too impressed. I suppose that should bother me, but it doesn't.
Having said that, I was pleasantly surprised to see that one of my quotes resonated with a couple of people who were kind enough to "favorite" and re-Tweet it.
For the record, the quote they liked was simply, "Common decency cannot prevail where it does not exist."
Given such a broad statement, one might think I was referring to the lack of civility among politicians or the lack of manners among holiday shoppers. I was actually referring to the continuing lack of common decency and civility online.
All one has to do is visit the comment section following any online article to find people engaged in bad behavior. Mutual hostility manifests itself in name-calling, foul language and other brands of verbal abuse.
This activity is especially rampant in the comment sections following certain news stories, especially those pertaining to politics. However, poor behavior isn't limited to that realm. Trash-talking among sports fans is par for the course, and I've seen some pretty nasty comments (bordering on all-out vitriol) on home-decorating blogs.
There's no need to discuss what transpires on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter... Sadly that speaks for itself.
And while much is made about the effects of poor online behavior, specifically cyber bullying, on children and teens, the fact is that adults are just as guilty, if not more so than young young people of engaging in unacceptable behavior on the Internet.
So as the U.S. politicians debate the merits of "Net neutrality," the proposed rules meant to regulate Internet access costs, the fact remains there is no way the government, Internet administrators or anyone else can regulate the far more pressing issue that is the lack of civility online.
In the end, it is up to us to regulate our own behavior on the Internet and in society at large. I just hope common sense will prevail.
Until next time, "That's life..."

Injustice, indeed

Blogger's Note: As an award-winning journalist who spent 17 of my 21-plus years on the job covering law enforcement in three states, I feel compelled to share my feelings in light of recent events that have transpired across America and the mainstream media coverage thereof.
By writing this, I in no way deny or refute that there are some really bad cops out there. Frankly, I am fully aware that there are racists, bullies and thugs in uniform who have no business wearing a badge. In many cases, their conduct is reprehensible; and in a perfect world, those who in any way violated the laws they swore to uphold would be held fully accountable.
But as we all know the world is far from perfect and the system is hardly infallible. Moral outrage is perfectly understandable when it fails. In the United States, where we have a right to engage in peaceful protest, civil disobedience provides a powerful outlet for our fear, frustration and anger.
However, we simply cannot give in to those emotions. We cannot let them consume us. We cannot let them tear us apart. We must not lose sight of the big picture. Courage, common sense and common decency must prevail.
With that being stated, I respectfully ask you to consider the following:

More than 20,260 American law enforcement officers (20,267, to be precise) died as a direct result of job-related incidents, illnesses or other causes in the past 222 years (1791-2013).
Between 2004 and 2013, 1,501 American law enforcement officers lost their lives due to job-related incidents, illnesses or other causes. Of those, 548 died as the result of gunshot wounds. Four-hundred-and-thirty-four died as the result of motor vehicle crashes.
In a July press release detailing the number of American law enforcement officer fatalities for the first six months of 2014, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund noted that 67 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty, reflecting a 31 percent increase over the same six-month period in 2013. Alarmingly, there were 25 firearms-related deaths, reflecting a 56 percent increase over the first six months of 2013. From January through June 2014, six law enforcement officers were fatally shot while investigating suspicious persons or situations; and five were shot and killed in ambushes.
Through the first 11 months (January through December) of this year, there have been 111 American law enforcement fatalities due to job-related incidents, illnesses or other causes. That reflects a 26 percent increase from the same time period last year, when the total stood at 88.
Of the total number of U.S. law enforcement officer deaths from Jan. 1 2014 to December 1, 2014, 45 were firearms-related. That represents a 67 percent increase from the same time period last year, when the number of firearms-related deaths was just 27.
Of the total number of U.S. law enforcement officer deaths from Jan. 1, 2014 to December 1, 2014, 42 were traffic-related. That represents a 14 percent increase from the same time period last year, when the number of traffic-related deaths was 37.
Of the total number of U.S. law enforcement officer fatalities from Jan. 1, 2014 to December 1, 2014, 24 were attributed to “other causes” including job-related illnesses. That represents a 0 percent increase from the same time period last year, when “other causes” resulted in the same number of fatalities.
As of December 1, 2014, California led the country with 14 law enforcement officer fatalities. There were 11 in Texas, six in New York and five in Florida. Alabama, Georgia, Indiana and Virginia each had four law enforcement officer fatalities. Arizona, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Tennessee each had three law enforcement officer deaths. Alaska, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina and Ohio each had two law enforcement officer deaths. Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin each suffered one law enforcement officer fatality.
Five of the law enforcement officers who died worked for federal agencies, one served in the military and four worked in U.S. territories.
Alone, these statistics are staggering. But there is a much bigger picture. For each one of these facts and figures, there is a mother without a child; a brother or sister without a sibling; or, perhaps, a child without a parent. For each life cut short, there is grief. There is sadness. There is anger. There is an empty seat at the dinner table. There is a dream that will never be realized. There is untold, incalculable loss. And then there is the haunting question: Why?
Maybe with time, those who knew these men and women best will find comfort by remembering how they lived. The rest of us cannot and must not, ignore or forget the way they died.
Here are just a few of their stories:
➢ On November 22, 2014, Deputy Sheriff Christopher Smith of the Leon County Sheriff’s Office was shot and killed in an ambush while responding to a house fire. He was the fifth law enforcement fatality in the State of Florida this year.
➢ On November 16, 2014, Police Officer Justin Winebrenner of the Akron Police Department was shot and killed while confronting an armed suspect at an establishment. He was the second law enforcement fatality in the State of Ohio this year.
➢ On November 2, 2014, Deputy Sheriff Matthew Chism of the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office was shot and killed following a vehicle chase and foot pursuit. He was the second law enforcement fatality in the State of Missouri this year.
➢ On November 1, 2014, Constable Robert White of the El Paso County Constable’s Office, Precinct 1, was injured struggling with a suspect while working a security detail. He was pronounced dead a short time later at the hospital. He was the 10th law enforcement fatality from the State of Texas this year.
➢ On October 29, 2014, SWAT Officer Shaun Diamond of the Pomona Police Department was shot and killed while attempting to serve a warrant. He succumbed to his injuries the following morning. He was the 14th law enforcement fatality in the State of California this year.
Now ask yourself this: Where were the national headlines about their deaths? Where was the moral outrage about the senseless loss of their lives? Where were the protestors? Where were the activists and professional agitators then?
Were these men's lives worth less than anybody else’s simply because of their chosen profession?
Why is it acceptable to stereotype, judge and vilify a whole group of people in a given profession based on the actions of a few, when it is unacceptable to stereotype, judge and vilify whole group of people in a given race or religion based on the actions of a few?
Why is a mob mentality promoting divisiveness being fomented at a time when we should be focused on finding ways to come together?
Our society is not perfect. Injustices – both real and perceived -- can and should be addressed. But rule of law must also be upheld, and that cannot happen without the dedication and courage of those who enforce it. To continue to undermine them would be a grave injustice, indeed.
Until next time, "That's life..."
(Preliminary data for 2014 courtesy of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.)

Black Friday? Bah-humbug!

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone. The turkey's been stuffed, cooked, and at least partially eaten. The tryptophan-induced naps and football games are over.
In just a few hours, a post-holiday tradition will be in the books, too. No, I'm not talking about chowing down on leftovers. That post-Thanksgiving tradition goes on for days.
No, I'm talking about Black Friday -- my least favorite day of the whole year. Don't get me wrong -- I'm an avowed capitalist -- and judging by some of my credit card bills, I have no problem contributing to the free market economy.
But even I have my limits. It doesn't matter how many circulars show up in the mail, or how many ads extolling God knows how many bargains are shown on TV, or how many emails from online boutiques or big box stores land in my inbox.
Nothing can make me get me get up at some ungodly hour of the morning so I can stand around in the freezing cold waiting for some store to open so I can buy a whole bunch of stuff that I don't need and no one on my gift list wants.
Honestly, I already have too much stuff. If you think about it, you probably do, too. After all, we live in an incredibly materialistic society.
I don't know why we put so much emphasis on the acquisition of stuff, or why we use it to measure our happiness and success. Perhaps it's just human nature. But when push comes to shove the material things don't really matter. They are easily replaced.
On the other had, the truly important things in life are priceless.
Until next time, "That's life..."

Yes, Virginia, it is a Scam

To paraphrase an old saying; you can take the girl out of journalism but you can't take a police reporter's instincts out of the girl.
Or something like that.
For the past couple of years, I've been the target of a known scam that makes my blood boil. While it's garnered regional and national publicity, I decided to investigate and write about it myself. After all, knowledge is power and if what I am sharing prevents even one unsuspecting computer user from falling prey to bogus telephone solicitation schemes, I've done my job.
The type of con I'm referring to typically occurs when someone with an Indian or nondescript North American accent claiming to be from Microsoft or Windows Systems calls you out of the blue. The next thing you know, they're telling you there's a "problem" with your computer.
I can't tell you much more than that based on personal experience because that's where I usually use some extremely colorful language to end the call.
According to Microsoft (my link text), however, the perpetrators "offer to help solve your computer problems." Once they've convinced you to let them do so, the cybercrooks "attempt to steal from you and damage your computer with malicious software including viruses and spyware."
The callers identify themselves as representatives of the following groups or organizations:
- Windows Help Desk
- Windows Service Center
- Microsoft Tech Support
- Microsoft Support
- Windows Technical Department Support Group
- Microsoft Research and Development Team (Microsoft R&D Team)
As a result, Microsoft advises the public to "treat all unsolicited phone calls with skepticism." Recipients of such calls -- including those from anyone claiming to be from Microsoft Tech Support -- should end them without granting the caller access to your computer or divulging personal information.
"Although law enforcement can trace phone numbers, perpetrators often use pay phones, disposable cellular phones or stolen cellular phone numbers," Microsoft notes the portion of its website devoted to online security and privacy. "It's better to avoid being conned rather than try to repair the damage afterwards."
In spite of repeated warnings and calls for public awareness, so-called tech support scams have been pervasive for several years.
In a 2012 blog (my link text), Consumer Education Specialist Nicole Vincent of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said the agency "cracked down on a massive international scam" that "played upon people's fear of computer infections and hackers."
The perpetrators of that particular scam allegedly called the victims claiming to be associated with legitimate companies including Microsoft, Dell, MacAfee and Norton.
Collectively, they were accused of fooling "tens of thousands of computer users" into believing something was wrong with their machines and then charging each victim $130 to $300 for bogus repairs.
U.S. residents should report these and other phone scams to the FTC. For information about resources available in other countries, visit the section of microsoft.com dedicated to online security and privacy.
Until next time, "That's life..."

The last laugh

So I had a very interesting time in New York City last weekend.
Trying to ignore the fact that it was freezing cold, I took the 9:46 Metro North commuter train to Grand Central. From there I took the 6 Train to the Flatiron District, where I joined a couple of people from the Memoirs Only Book Club for brunch. We discussed Life on the Line by Grant Achatz. Although I hadn't finished the book, I enjoyed the conversation... and the food.
Afterwards, I ventured back into the cold with camera in hand. I planned to do some street photography before heading uptown to get some shots of the Manhattan skyline from Top of the Rock.
I had walked less than a block when I stumbled upon a street fair where vendors were selling food, jewelry and durable goods. At one booth, two women were doing astrological readings. I had no intention of having for one, but one of the women accosted me.
To make a long story short, she insisted on reading my palm -- for a small fee. Reluctantly I agreed, and listened while she told me about my past, present and future. Sometimes she spoke in generalizations, making statements that could apply to anyone. She could have reached some conclusions by reading body language. Some of her questions and predictions were uncanny.
She asked me about the significance of California and Florida, and it just so happens that I recently entered literary contests in those states. I don't know how she could have known about that, unless she had some sort of super-duper X-Ray scanning device that saw the post office receipts in my wallet.
The reading went on... and on. I grew increasingly wary as it continued. There had to be a catch -- and of course there was.
I learned that there is a lot of negativity in my life and that I am spiritually weak. I needed five crystals to restore my spiritual balance, thereby "fixing" everything in my life for a mere $500.
That did it. I'd had enough, and expressed my opinion in no uncertain terms. It was one thing to fleece unsuspecting people out of a few dollars for a reading. Fleecing someone out of a few hundred dollars is another thing altogether.
Call it karma or call it fate, but I got the last laugh. I'd agreed to let this woman do the reading for $20. But when I looked, I only had $17 in my wallet...
Until next time, "That's life.."