The Night before Fantasy Football Championships

Now Schaub, now Rodgers! Now, Cassell and Forte!
On, Tolbert! On Woodhead! On, Harvin and Jackson!
To the top of the end zone, to the Lambeau wall,
now, score today, score today, score TD's all!
As the players get loose before the wild passes fly, when they meet a linebacker, shoulders squared to their thigh, a fake to the left a spin to the right, they run to the end zone my Fantasy Football Championship full in sight.

Las Vegas Metro Police Department

     It's good to see that the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is busy training the new recruits and to the new recruits I wish you well.  I have the upmost respect for police officers.  Day in and day out they put their lives on the line to protect and serve us.  Officers I applaud you!

     However, do we really need more officers?  Really, do we?   Now before I get started I want to let you know I've supported law enforcement at the polls at every opportunity, money for raises, more officers, etc.  My belief is that you support your police department and they support you, it's a two way street that works well. 

     Unfortunately, Metro has a disconnect with its community.  Here in Las Vegas we have a city that is leading or is at the top in many of the national recession categories unemployment, foreclosures, auto repossessions, bankruptcy and small business failures. 

     However, it's evident that Metro isn't feeling the pinch of the recession the way the rest of us are.  On a  busy Saturday morning, the Saturday before Christmas streets packed with shoppers you would think that Metro would have it's units out on the streets visible as a constant reminder to adhere to the driving rules of the road on a busy hectic day.  Instead Metro has it's officers parking on residential streets at 10:30am walking up and down giving tickets to each and every car on the street that parked in the wrong direction.  The take $190 per car roughly 6-10 cars per street, easy  $1200 - $2000 minimum taken out of a neighborhood that suffers as most Las Vegas neighborhoods do as a result of this Great Recession, all in a quick twenty minutes.  I was surprised to find many others who have told me that Metro has done this in their neighborhoods also.  This is one street, one day, 20 minutes.  That alone done daily would gross well over $500,000 annually taken from the budgets of Las Vegans, struggling to make ends meet and keep food on the table.  Metro I just want to be the first to thank you for your leadership in these tough economic times and for looking out for the best interests of our community.  You call that chi-ching.

     So I get it, sometimes it takes me awhile but I do eventually get it.  Metro makes money giving out parking tickets and that is what rules the day, making money.  As a citizen I would rather see officers on the streets giving tickets for moving violations that can advert injuries and/or death instead of giving tickets to parked cars.  However, I don't make those day to day decisions.  I just pay my taxes and vote.

     To those new recruits that are knocking down the obstacles in their path to become police officers.  All the best.  We know you'll do a great job protecting and serving us.  Just don't forget to dot those i's and cross those t's when your leaders send you out to be meter maids!