Barnes & Noble Butt-Slam

So I get a gift card from my coworkers to Barnes & Noble. I can't wait to get online and look for some much needed new reading material. I scan the newest releases, intent on getting the most bang I can for my forty bucks. I decide on three selections: "My Life Decoded," "The Portable Atheist," and "The Book of General Ignorance." The first is an autobiography of Craig Venter, the scientist who mapped the human genome. The second is a compilation of great writers and scientists making the case for atheism, the introduction written by Christopher Hitchens, one of my favorites. The last is a book of obscure facts and useless information. Something I cannot live without.

I place the order on December 4, 2007, at 8:42AM. The sky was clear on that day and I remember a refreshing cool breeze coming in from the North. Now, on the order screen, it asked me if I wanted to spend an extra $14.00 to have the items sent rush delivery. The free shipping was supposed to be from 8-11 business days. I figured I'd have the books in no more than eleven days, way before Christmas. Boy was I wrong. I can envision some cigar puffing order taker shoving my order into some cyber-backlogged void and chuckling a la Robert Deniro in "Cape Fear," where he's taunting the terrified family. "Don't want to pay the shipping, eh, boy? I'll take care of that. You won't be seeing this anytime soon."

So what happened was almost comical. The shipping, from 8-11 days, was only part of the delay. I received an order confirmation that informed me my order would be shipped sometime on or around 12-17-07. The seventeenth? You mean to tell me it takes two weeks to put my books in the mail. I can't help but believe Barnes & Noble punished me for not paying their exorbitant rush shipping fees. "We'll show him." I got my books today, though. And as mad as I am at Barnes & Noble, I'm damn happy to have something new to read.

So screw you belligerent malformed order taker. I hope whatever dungeon they have you sitting in catches fire.

Sue Happy

The following stories are just a few examples of how people hold everyone but themselves responsible for their own kids:

A pioneering elementary school district outside Chicago has been sued for installing a wireless computer network by parents worried that exposure to the network's radio waves could harm their children.
According to the complaint (PDF), filed last month in Illinois state court, parents of five children assert that a growing body of evidence outlines "serious health risks that exposure to low intensity, but high radio frequency radiation poses to human beings, particularly children."

The Wi-Fi Alliance says Wi-Fi networks are safe. The radio waves in a Wi-Fi network use the same frequency as wireless home phones, and have one-thirtieth the power of cordless phones, said Grimm, the spokesman for the group.
http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2003/10/60769




Incompetent Parents Sue MySpace
Here’s the most interesting claim in the lawsuit filed by parents against MySpace alleging its negligent failure to protect their daughters:
14. Plaintiffs allege and are prepared to show proof that, at all times relevant to the claims alleged herein, said parents were variously too busy, preoccupied, or self-absorbed to attend to their ordinary parenting duties. Alternatively and additionally, the willfullness and independence of their victim children was intimidating and exhausting, for which reason responsibility for defending and guarding the interests of said victims shifted to defendant MySpace.
http://www.techliberation.com/archives/041796.php


By MICHAEL GRABELL / The Dallas Morning News mgrabell@dallasnews.com

The parents of a California teenager who committed suicide after being sexually assaulted by a Celina man she met through MySpace are suing the popular social-networking Web site in Dallas court.
Also Online
Document: Lawsuit filed against MySpace
Link: Tips from MySpace on how users can protect themselves.
According to the lawsuit, the 14-year-old girl, identified as Julie Doe, began a "cyber-relationship" with Kiley Ryan Bowers of Celina in 2005. Their online conversations led to a face-to-face meeting and the sexual assault near her home in Southern California.
Mr. Bowers broke off the relationship several months later, and the girl fell into "a deep depression as a result of the failed, despicable relationship fostered over MySpace," the lawsuit states. She killed herself in July 2006.
Mr. Bowers, 30, pleaded guilty to traveling across state lines to have sex with a minor and was sentenced this summer to nine years in federal prison.
"MySpace knows that it is a haven for sexual predators, yet doesn't put in any security measures to protect young girls," said the family's attorney, Jason Itkin. "We think that with MySpace's right to make a profit comes a responsibility to protect its customers."
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/121207dnmetmyspace.201c77f.html

Parents sue Pi Kappa Phi fraternity
Cal State U.-ChicoThe Orion
(U-WIRE) CHICO, Calif. - The parents of an 18-year-old California State University-Chico student who died of alcohol poisoning last October are suing the fraternity he belonged to for wrongful death, negligence and unfair business practices.
First-year student and Pi Kappa Phi fraternity pledge Adrian Heideman died last fall after drinking an entire bottle of blackberry brandy during an initiation ceremony, according to the lawsuit filed in San Francisco Superior Court.
Now, almost a year after their son's death, Michael and Edith Heideman are suing the national organization Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, the local chapter of Pi Kappa Phi, and fraternity members Brandon Bettar, Mark Yates, Daniel Santos, Richard DeLuna, Theodore Bloemendaal, Benjamin Hopfer, Sam Dobbyn and Nicholas Sutton, according to the lawsuit.
The Heidemans claim the national and local fraternal organizations are to blame for wrongful death, hazing, dangerous initiation rituals, endangerment and abandonment, improper medical care, failure to supervise initiation events, failure to provide supervision, negligence and unfair business practices.
http://www.illinimedia.com/di/aug01/aug31/news/printer/campus01-printer.shtml

Speaking for the first time since the crash, John and June Aruanno said they don't blame the school district. They have filed a lawsuit against Badke and his father, the owner of the Civic, alleging that the teen was speeding when he collided into their minivan, causing their son's death and the extreme distress of the aftermath."Steven Badke made a decision to go far in excess of the speed limit, and that's what caused him to lose control, Bob Sullivan, the family's attorney, of Mineola, said last week. Badke's family has not replied to requests for comment.The Aruannos aren't stopping there. They will be filing a suit against New York State, claiming that Jericho Turnpike's design and lack of barriers between opposing lanes through Caleb Smith State Park encourages speeding and is an undue risk. There have been four other fatal crashes along that stretch in the last seven years. Yet a 2001 state Department of Transportation study concluded installing a stop light wouldn't improve safety.http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/longisland/ny-liarua125457526nov12,0,1724809.story


Do we begin to see a pattern here. Someone has to be held responsible in every situation. Parents sue, as if everyone else in the world has an absolute responsibility for a child's safety except the parent. The first story is a beautiful example of frivolous litigation. I'll bet if these parents had to pay for such an action, they would rationalize the venture as too expensive. I like that the entire case is based on no scientific evidence whatsoever. The second example would be comical if it wasn't a shocking display of what's clogging the court system. The parents allege, because they were too busy to watch their children, Myspace became responsible for the child's well being. People want to hold others "absolutely" responsible, especially when "others" are faceless corporations lawyers can extort. But they rationalize their own responsibility away to others. The third example, and another Myspace catastrophe, involves a young woman who meets and has a sexual relationship with an older man online. Where were the parents here? How can your fourteen-year-old have the freedom to meet an older man in the first place? Didn't they ask her who she chatted with? Or who she was meeting? Did they drive her? I don't see how the website is responsible for neglect.

The fourth example is again ridiculous. If your kid makes bad decisions and overdoses on alcohol, why blame the fraternity? Did they force the kid to drink?

The last story reminds me of a case here in Raleigh. This family was struck by speeding teens resulting in their son's fatality. But, for some reason, they want to sue the state, alleging the road needs more barriers and obstructions to slow speeders down. Here in Raleigh, four teens died crossing a bridge at nearly 120 mph. I heard callers on a local radio show actually blaming the bridge, rather than the behavior. It's not the state's fault these people were driving like madmen. The responsibility lies with the person.

Poor Little Thief

Selma — A grand jury could decide Monday if a Selma man should face charges in a case that ended with the death of a suspected intruder. John Reid said he was trying to block two men from leaving his property on Nov. 8 when he says he accidentally hit the gas pedal. Reid's pickup hit Cornelius Brown, pinning him between the truck and a fence. Brown died the next day at the hospital. Another man, Mark Ray McNair, 46, of Dudley, was charged with trespassing and larceny in connection with the incident.

Reid said his property had been burglarized several times in recent months. Investigators found a piece of machinery belonging to Reid into the back of the suspects' car.
Johnston County District Attorney Susan Doyle sent the case to the grand jury because of the unusual facts and complex legal issues.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/2148635/

Poor thief. I mean, all he did was break into this guy's home and steal equipment the man uses to make a living. And it looks like this guy has been victimized several times in the past. I think when you take risks to commit a crime and things don't work out, the courts should chalk it up to an occupational hazard. This thief died and the world is better off for it.

I don't believe for one second Mr. Reid intended to kill the crook. I think he over-reacted and the man died as a result. Too bad for Mr. thief. Give Mr. Reid back his auger, stick the other thief in prison, and lets all get on with life!

Monkey see

NEW DELHI (AFP) — The mayor of the Indian capital said Monday that authorities could not deal with the scourge of violent monkeys, blamed for the death of a top city official over the weekend.
The danger posed by the estimated 10,000 monkeys that roam the city was brought home sharply on Sunday when deputy mayor S.S. Bajwa, 52, died after falling from his apartment while fighting a horde of wild simians.
"We have neither the expertise nor the infrastructure to deal with the situation," said Delhi's mayor Aarti Mehra, amid a barrage of criticism.
If the animals are caught, "we are under pressure to release them due to pressure from animal activists and from people due to religious reasons," Mehra said.
Culling is unacceptable to Hindus who revere the monkeys as a living link to the deity Hanuman, a monkey god who symbolises strength.
The animals routinely invade parliament, ministries, courts and government offices.
In May, federal lawmakers demanded protection from the marauding simians, which have even broken into the complex that houses Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's office.
Several city residential districts petitioned local courts in 2001 to initiate steps to make New Delhi "monkey-free."
But primatologist Iqbal Malik said local authorities have failed to take action.
"I was first approached by the authorities in 1987 when I drew up a plan to relocate the monkeys," she told AFP. "But all that the authorities have done is listen."
Activist Kartick Satyanarayanan, who heads Wildlife SOS, said the problem was due to the "constant erosion" of the animal's natural habitat.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jSKXsBakPuU2p8-0pTjeizOBFgjg

I had to post this story. The mayor attacked and thrown to his death by marauding monkeys? Unbelievable. But even more so are the activists and religious nuts who rally against any form of controlling monkey populations. The credulous churchies obviously believe the monkeys are a sign from God, rather than a band of pests rifled with disease. The activists most likely live elsewhere, in suburbia, and don't have the fear of being viciously attacked, or contracting some horrible virus. So the citizens of New Delhi will just have to suck it up.

The Great Score Keeper

As I've hypothesized before, it is understandable that, as beings in which every cell is programmed for survival, it only makes sense that we humans have devised a scenario in which we survive eternally. Religion gives us this comfort. As sentient beings we are cursed with a tacit knowledge of mortality. A deity or deities release us from an imminent end, promoting a myopic view of the world. "God cares about me." Few ponder a world without themselves.

But, from an evolutionary viewpoint, a cultural pattern is apparent. God as the great score keeper. Our brains evolved so efficiently in response to reciprocal altruism, the key ingredient to every culture on Earth. You do for me and I for you. Alas, the brain had to keep a running tally, and, as populations grew, devise tracking systems and elaborate language to keep up.

A byproduct of altruism is the need to be rewarded for participating. This is where God steps in. It comforts people to know a supreme being is keeping score. Reward is eternal. It makes current injustices more palatable knowing the culprit will only benefit temporarily, as God will no doubt judge the offender in the end.

Benjamin Franklin once remarked religion is a wonderful tool for controlling people. Through the ages we've had thousands of Gods, all sworn to pass judgment on those who cheat the system. And who knows, maybe it is a necessary component of society, as fear of eternal damnation seems to work.

Homeless School

Shivering for a Cause
By RACHEL STOKES Next Correspondent Updated: 12/06/07 11:26 AM


Staying warm in temperature that were in the teens, are, Matt Webb, Andrea Barajas, Jessie Lea Appenheimer, Donovan Block, Liza Fiorello and Sarah Brooks. It was 11 p.m. Friday, the last day of November, with a wind advisory issued for all the counties in Western New York. Instead of being dark, empty and quiet, Cheektowaga Central High School’s front lawn was filled with cardboard boxes, news trucks and dozens of overly excited students. This could only mean one thing: It was time for the Sleepout for the Homeless.
This was Cheektowaga Central’s 10th sleepout, something that school social worker Joan Conti is always very excited about. The sleepout is organized and sponsored by the school’s “Challenge” team, a group that promotes healthy lifestyles, leadership development and social justice. Conti runs the group.

“It takes weeks to prepare,” said senior Liza Fiorello, who has participated in the sleepout three times and is also a member of Challenge. “We call many places to sponsor us, and they each donate $150 for us. And then we ask Dunkin Donuts and even Pizza Hut to donate food and coffee.” Patricia Carter, StudentCouncil adviser, was also excited about the event. “Student Council donated $150,” she said.

Students who sleep out also add to the donation tally. Conti said students must collect sponsorships of “at least $25 to participate, but some pay more.” There are also prizes for a few students who personally raise the most money. Over the years the sleepout has raised more than $20,000, bringing in at least $2,000 this year alone. Half of the money donated goes to Friends of the Night People and the other half to Compass House; both are organizations that give aid to the homeless.

Most students were very excited about the occasion. “I think it’s really cool, this is my fourth year doing this,” said senior Angel Barajas. “It’s also a privilege.”
Freshmen Margaret Drzewiecki, Allyson Maguda and Brenda Soukaseum had always heard good things about the event, and couldn’t wait for 9 p.m. to come so they could experience their first sleepout. All three said that it definitely would not be their last. “It was a learning experience,” said Margaret, and the trio is already planning for the next sleepout. Allyson said what everyone at the event was thinking when she added: “Hopefully [next year] it’ll be warmer.” (The National Weather Service reported a low of 18 degrees overnight.)

The wintry weather definitely made the students realize the conditions that the homeless face. Most participants found out that wearing lots of layers and huddling by the fire was the best way to stay somewhat warm. Sophomore Nicole Scherrer dressed like a pro, despite the fact that it was her first time sleeping out. “I’m wearing two pairs of leggings, a few shirts, and a coat and a hat.” Students are allowed into the school building to warm up and grab some pizza or hot chocolate, while some even chose to bring their boxes inside for the night. Cardboard boxes are an essential part of the sleepout. Friends often combine their boxes to create a larger area, or help each other decorate. Liza’s box featured hearts, stars, and the words “Liza’s Home.” There is a box-decorating contest, with the winner receiving a gift card, but the things inside the box are more important to those participating. “Some people have air mattresses, some people have sleeping bags and pillows and blankets, I have a broken Frisbee in mine. I think one girl has a portable DVD player to watch ‘Happy Feet,’” said Nicole.

Along with helping out those who are less fortunate, the sleepout provides an eye-opening experience for students as well as giving participants the chance to have a whole night of good times with friends. Since the event lasts from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., the 75 students participating on Friday came up with some interesting ways to keep themselves amused. During sleepouts the gym is always open, with participating teachers playing basketball with the students. Games of Truth or Dare, Manhunt, and hideand- seek are often seen taking place. Seniors Dan Stachewicz and Angel Barajas even played Twister in the hallway with a group of friends. Earlier that night the same group was having a good time pulling each other around the school in their sleeping bags.

As the night wears on, some students get groggy and quiet, but the goal for most participants is to make it through the night without falling asleep. According to Liza, “some people get crazy and they smash their boxes.” She also added that there are always “diehards” who stay up for the entire time, and stay outdoors.

http://www.buffalonews.com/185/story/221811.html

This is supposed to be a realistic experience simulating being homeless. The last time I went down to the Boylan Street Bridge, where a group of homeless day laborers sleep, I don't recall seeing pizza, donuts, and coffee. And I certainly don't remember them playing Truth or Dare, Manhunt, or Hide-and-Seek. There was no gymnasium for these guys to shoot basketball to warm up. In fact, if these guys went inside the local gym, the neighbors would call 911 and they'd be immediately arrested for trespassing.

And where were the liquor and drugs? Most homeless are homeless because they struggle with substance abuse problems. Lets get the kids ridiculously drunk and toss them out in a field somewhere to replicate the experience. It would probably end in a Lord of the Flies scenario, most of the kids either freezing to death or being murdered. Then they could really see what it's like to be homeless.

Shame

Despite Attacks and Escape, Cooper Freed After 12 Years


Posted: Nov. 30, 2007 Updated: Dec. 2, 2007

Raleigh — Many people are asking questions about a man accused of being a serial killer and his previous prison sentence.
Did Samuel Cooper serve enough time for his earlier crimes before he was released? Did the system fail? Sentenced to 20 years for armed robbery, Samuel Cooper served eight years of that sentence. He also served four more years before being released because, while serving the robbery sentence, he escaped, attacked four law-enforcement officers, stole a Department of Correction van, and attacked an elderly man and stole his car. Wake County Sheriff’s Deputy Yalanda Moore was just a few months out of the police academy when she came face to face with Samuel Cooper in the county courthouse.“I do recall one of my first emotions being that I had to survive,” Moore said Friday.It was eight years ago when Moore was bringing Cooper back to his holding cell.“I unlocked his handcuff. The swivel came around, and he came up and he punched me in the jaw,” Moore said. “I was thinking I cannot let this individual take my weapon from my holster.”“He was yanking it up,” trying to get the gun free, she said.For that attack and attempting to escape, Samuel Cooper served an additional 14 months.“It was surprising to me that the assault on an officer in the courthouse was a misdemeanor,” said Department of Correction spokesman Keith Acree. Cooper attacked a total of four officers while in custody, Acree said. “One of these is an officer that got attacked in the prison library. One of these is a sergeant who was head-butted in a case manager’s office,” Acree said.Cooper also attacked another correction officer when he escaped from a work crew and stole the officer's van. Before his capture, Cooper attacked an elderly man and stole his car as well. Why was he released?“He served what the law required him to serve,” Acree said, explaining that the prison system had no choice but to release Cooper.Cooper walked out of prison last year after serving eight of the 20 years for the initial armed robbery and a total of four more years for his attacks on officers and the elderly man and for the escape.“Is this system working? When you look at a case like this, it's hard to say it does. You would certainly think for behavior like this, you should serve more time in prison,” Acree said.“We enforce the sentences handed down by the courts based on the laws the Legislature writes,” Acree said.
Earlier this year, lawmakers failed to pass a bill that would have upgraded the charge for assaulting a law enforcement officer.
The bill would have made any inflicted injury, not only "serious assaults," a felony. That could add a year in prison to the sentence of anyone convicted of an assault similar to Cooper's.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/2109367/

In summary, Cooper was sentenced to prison for a string of armed robberies. He attacked and tried to kill a deputy at the time of his trial. He assaulted correctional staff while in prison, and at some point, violently attacked a staff member and escaped. He then car-jacked an old man, injuring him in the process. He's now committed at least five felonies after escaping prison, which is a felony also. His actions demonstrate an imminent danger to society, and yet he only served eight years. He should have had to serve at least the whole twenty year sentence once he was caught after the escape.

Then he gets out and murders five people. I, and I think the majority of concerned citizens, don't understand how someone like this gets out of prison. He should have never had this opportunity. There should be no second and third chances for violent felons. Leave them in prison where they belong.

Environmental Castes

Raleigh introduced a tiered system of water resource management this week. Due to severe draught conditions, the city has scaled back watering lawns and washing cars. Mayor Meeker has asked citizens to drastically cut the amount of water used for showers, waste removal, and even asked people to eat meals on paper plates to conserve. But at the same time the city has decided to tier the system. What this means is those who consume the most water will pay higher rates. I understand the shrewd leaders of Raleigh recognize a revenue potential when they see it, but this gives us two messages. Those on the bottom rung of the ladder, the poor, are encouraged to conserve water. Don't flush the toilet unless you've had a bowel movement. Let your lawn die. But those at the top, the rich, can use as much water as they need, at a higher rate. You can't have it both ways. If we are truly having a water crisis, everyone should be encouraged to conserve. You can't tell one segment of society to conserve while encouraging another to consume. It sends the message: If you are rich, you can do whatever you want.

Along the same line of reasoning is Al Gore's Kyoto Protocol logic. This is another tiered system in which the very rich can by "carbon credits" to off-set their own carbon footprint on the environment. Another logical fallacy. If we truly have an environmental crisis of epic proportions, why are the rich allowed to pollute at will while the rest of us are lectured about our destructive lifestyles. If Al Gore buys carbon credits, does this somehow negate the gases emitted from flying his private jet back and forth across the country.

I am in no way slighting the efforts to help the environment, only pointing out you can't have it both ways. Besides, convincing people to change their habits is next to impossible. People don't want to be inconvenienced by having to wait ten minutes for the bus. They want instant gratification. They want green grass, no matter the cost. They want freedom of movement, even if gas prices are five dollars a gallon.

But the answer is not to allow a few to buy their way out of conservation. We all conserve or we don't.

Too Much For a Hooker

A young white guy came to the station to report he'd been robbed. He claimed meeting a black man on Saunders Street, at a convenience store, and giving the guy a ride. At some point the man demanded he take money out of his ATM. He said the man intimated harming him if he failed to do so. His story was "iffy" at best, but due to the serious allegations, detectives had to treat the case like he was truly a robbery victim.

The man's car was printed by a CCBI technician. Detectives went to every store the man visited throughout the day. This took quite a bit of time. Two days later detectives had collected all evidence and reviewed the tapes. The video painted a different story. The white guy was visible in every shot, and he didn't look like a victim. He looked like someone hanging around with a friend. This led detectives to believe he had some unspoken motive for reporting the crime in the first place.

He was given a polygraph test and failed miserably. It was at this point, three days into an investigation and no less than forty man hours, that he decided to come clean. The real story is as follows:

He was at a convenience store on Saunders Street when he suddenly had an epiphany. He'd never had sex with a prostitute before. Some sort of "Pretty Woman" scenario played out in his head. How wonderful would that be? Then came the conundrum every potential "John" is faced with, "How does someone broker such a deal?" That's when he noticed a black guy hanging around the pay phone next to the store. This street ruffian must know how to go about such things, he thought.

"Hell yeah I can get you some ass, boy!"

He was as happy as a pig in mud. The man said all he had to do was come up with five hundred bucks and they could do business. At this point the black man got inside dummy's car and the two of them drove to the bank teller, where dummy withdrew five hundred bucks and gave it to the guy. The black man then had the white guy chauffeur him around town for several hours, running numerous personal errands, before hopping out of the car at a stop light, leaving the white guy in the middle of downtown Raleigh, much poorer.

He figured he could get even with the trickster by reporting it to the police. I guess he envisioned us rushing out to retrieve his hard earned money and then locking up the bad guy. Instead, the white guy went to jail for filing a false police report and had to call his mommy to get bailed out.

Christmas Party

We had the squad's annual Christmas get-together at Rio Churrascaria last night. Our former Sergeant and new Sergeant were both in attendance. The restaurant is a Brazilian Steak-House and has quite an atmosphere. If you've never been to one of these, there is no menu. Everyone has "all you can eat." I don't think humans are supposed to eat all they can eat, but that's beside the point. The food is excellent. Gaucho's come out with giant skewers of meat, the tips resting in circular panels to avoid dripping grease on the customer. You flip your table card to green, indicating you're ready to make a gluttonous ass of yourself, and they stream, one by one, to cut off slices of fourteen different kinds of meat. Perfect venue for a carnivore. Not so great for a vegetarian.

But, alas, today I feel nauseous. No, that's not really a good description of how I feel. I feel like a hot water bottle stuffed full of ground meat. That's more like it.

Starbucks Nutjob

I'm leaving the District when the call goes out. A woman is reporting she's been burned by coffee at the local Starbucks. As I drive to my private nirvana, another officer tries to swap the call from me. I tell him I would not be able to live with myself if I didn't handle the call, as I can hardly wait to hear the complainant describe how Starbucks is responsible for the burn.

I arrive and find the woman waiting in the parking lot. She's short, squat, and looks completely insane, her eyes slightly crossed and focused on my chest rather than my eyes. Her horn rimmed glasses are hanging low on her nose and she pushes them up as she talks.

"Officer!" She yells.

"How can I help you?" I reply.

"I got burned in Starbucks and they refused to get me medical attention."

I had carefully read the call notes on the way. The dispatcher asked her three times if she wanted an ambulance dispatched for immediate medical attention and each time she said, "no."

"Do you need an ambulance?" I ask.

"I'm not sure, yet. But they wouldn't help me in Starbucks."

"What happened?" I ask.

"The coffee got on me and burned my wrist. It was swollen and blistered so I asked for medical attention, but they refused."
"Can I see you wrist?" I ask.

She pulls back the sleeve of her shirt to expose the area. There is no redness, swelling, or blistering.

"Can I see your other wrist?" I ask. The two appendages are identical, both lily white and splotched with scattered freckles. "I don'[t see anything, mam."

She looked as if her feelings are hurt by my comment. "Well, I put ice on it."

"Where did you get ice?" I ask.

"Starbucks."

"I thought they refused to give you medical attention."

"They gave me ice." She says, uncomfortably.

"How long ago?" I ask.

"Five minutes."

" Mam, if your arm was blistering five minutes ago, I would be able to see some sort of injury."

"Well it was," she says, twisting her mouth into a scowl, as if I'm the idiot instead of herself. "I see what you are doing here. It isn't your job to determine who's right or wrong."

"You are right," I say. "I'm here to investigate what happened, and that is exactly what I'm trying to do." "She fidgets and looks around the parking lot, as if suddenly embarrassed to be speaking with a police officer.

"Lets get back to what happened, mam. Did the Barista pour the coffee on your arm?"

"No. I was putting cream into it and the coffee came out on my arm."

"Came out on your arm?" I ask.

"Yeah, I popped the top and the coffee came out on my arm."

"So you spilled the coffee?"

"Well, it was an accident. It just came out."

"So they gave you the coffee and you took it to the condiment table. Then, you removed the lid and spilled the coffee on your own arm. Is that about right?"

"Well, I don't like how you make it sound. They should've taken some money out and given it to me so I could go to the Urgent Care."I'm sorry I even called you here, Officer. I''m going to leave now."

"Okay," I say. She gets into a dilapidated Honda Accord full of shoe boxes, magazines, and clothing. "Goodbye, crazy lady," I mumble to myself.

Starbucks is packed. I can smell the pleasing aroma of the coffee beans and hear the Barista foaming someones latte. The manager, who I've seen most every day for a couple of years, has an expression of concern as he approaches. "Did that lady call the police?"

"Oh yeah," I reply. "She wanted to complain that she burned herself and you refused to give her money from the cash register. Don't you guys normally take cash from the till undocumented?"

"Never," he says, smiling. "You want a cup of coffee?" He asks.

"Damn right I do."