INZINODZ

• I’m not surprised that a Marine drill sergeant was recently charged with negligent homicide, assault and failure to obey an order recently. The instructor, Staff Sgt. Nadya Y. Lopez apparently was complicit in the drowning death of Pvt. Jason Tharp, 19, of Sutton, West Virginia. I am not surprised because almost fifteen years ago I went through the U.S. Army’s basic training. I was an old fart by most standards – 29 yrs old. Anyway, if the two month experience wasn’t my closest experience to hell on earth (and it wasn’t), then it probably comes in second. I distinctly remember thinking at various times, while being “smoked” (made to exercise strenuously to torturous degrees while enduring verbal abuse) that they were trying to kill us. Granted, that was probably a bit hyperbolic, but in the same situation I don’t doubt that many would have the same thoughts. The military is not for everyone and I believe that basic training is meant, in part, to weed out those who would be more liability than asset. This is certainly not meant to be a defense of the means and policies by which the various branches of the U.S. military do their business; neither frankly is it meant to be an indictment. It just is the way it is.

• A man in Massachusetts lost it and shot a man to death in a fit of road rage. Big deal, you say? The victim was sitting in the front seat of his car with his 10-month old daughter next to him. The alleged shooter, 60-yr old Walter R. Bishop, returned to the scene of an earlier argument that he had with 27-yr old Sandro Andrade after he dropped his wife off, and shot the man four times in broad daylight! A witness, Louis McPhee, reported that, "The guy was lying there in his own blood with a hole in his head and his arm still on the baby." People are losing control. Tread lightly.

• Is it just me, or is this at least mildly humorous? In an article in USA Today online there is an article about how giant waves may be more common than previously thought. They go on to explain how scientific instruments on the sea floor are detecting some of these huge waves. Then they say, “Because shipping tends to try to avoid hurricanes, many large waves are unseen by humans, let alone measured.” What’s so funny? “Because shipping tends to try to avoid hurricanes…”?!? I’m wondering who would think that someone piloting a boat might head toward a hurricane; hoping for a little excitement, maybe?

• About the press covering the disappearance of Latoyia Figueroa, the missing, pregnant black woman in Philly? No they’re not. They covered the fact that a few people and publications were covering it. End of subject. She isn’t white. What was I thinking?