Tuesday, June 28, 2005

PARENT ALERT FOR "DUST-OFF"

A very heavy post from me. Unfortunately, I received the following at work. I work with a lot of law enforcement personnel so I know this is not an urban legend. Also checked Urban legends.com and the following story is true.

I don't think many parents are aware of the new threat (thrill for the kids) going around, but it is deadly. I will just copy the entire email here because it is very powerful and moving.

At the end, I will add some links I found to other sites that talk about this latest fatal fad.

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Grieving Officer Shares Crucial Safety Warning, Embodies Police Spirit

The following warning (verified by PoliceOne) was forwarded to us by P-1 member Harold Gray, an agent with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, in response to a request made by its author Jeff Williams, a police officer in East Cleveland, Ohio. Jeff's 14-year-old son, Kyle, was tragically killed three months ago after inhaling the contents of a can of Dust-Off, a widely sold compressed air product. Please take serious note of this warning for the safety of your own children and make an effort to spread the word.

Also note the heroism here. Even in the midst of crushing personal tragedy, Jeff instinctively does what a true police officer is driven to do: Keep others safe. Cleveland "Plain Dealer" columnist Connie Schultz, who attended Kyle's funeral and wrote about it in one of her pieces, made this observation the day of the service, "Jeff Williams sat a few feet away from his 14-year-old son's open casket on Monday [3/7/05] and talked about saving other children's lives. Most parents can't focus beyond their own grief in the wake of such a loss, but Williams is not like most parents. He's an East Cleveland police officer, and he's seen too many kids die too many ways. This is how he copes, pulling threads of hope from unraveling lives."

Read the column

Our deepest sympathies go out to Jeff and his wife, Kathy. We hope you can find peace in knowing that your efforts will save others.

Jeff's Message

First I'm going to tell you a little about me and my family. My name is Jeff. I am a Police Officer for a city which is known nationwide for its crime rate. We have a lot of gangs and drugs. At one point we were number two in the nation in homicides per capita. I also have a police K-9 named Thor. He was certified in drugs and general duty. He retired at three years old because he was shot in the line of duty. He lives with us now and I still train with him because he likes it. I always liked the fact that there was no way to bring drugs into my house. Thor wouldn't allow it. He would tell on you. The reason I say this is so you understand that I know about drugs. I have taught in schools about drugs. My wife asks all our kids at least once a week if they used any drugs. Makes them promise they won't.

I like building computers occasionally and started building a new one in February 2005. I also was working on some of my older computers. They were full of dust so on one of my trips to the computer store I bought a 3 pack of DUST OFF. Dust Off is a can of compressed air to blow dust off a computer. A few weeks later when I went to use them they were all used. I talked to my kids and my two sons both said they had used them on their computer and were messing around with them. I yelled at them for wasting the 10 dollars I paid for them. On Feb. 28 I went back to the computer store. They didn't have the three-pack I had bought on sale so I bought a single jumbo can of Dust Off. I went home and set it down beside my computer.

On March 1 I left for work at 10 p.m. At 11 p.m. my wife went down and kissed Kyle goodnight. At 5:30 a.m. the next morning Kathy went downstairs to wake Kyle up for school before she left for work. He was sitting up in bed with his legs crossed and his head leaning over. She called to him a few times to get up. He didn't move. He would sometimes tease her like this and pretend he fell back asleep. He was never easy to get up. She went in and shook his arm. He fell over. He was pale white and had the straw from the Dust Off can coming out of his mouth. He had the new can of Dust Off in his hands. Kyle was dead.

I am a police officer and I had never heard of this. My wife is a nurse and she had never heard of this. We later found out from the coroner, after the autopsy, that only the propellant from the can of Dust off was in his system. No other drugs. Kyle had died between midnight and 1 a.m.

I found out that using Dust Off is being done mostly by kids ages 9 through 15. They even have a name for it - it's called dusting, a take off from the Dust Off name. It gives them a slight high for about 10 seconds. It makes them dizzy. A boy who lives down the street from us showed Kyle how to do this about a month before. Kyle showed his best friend, told him it was cool and it couldn't hurt you. It's just compressed air. It can't hurt you. His best friend said 'no.'

Kyle's death

Kyle was wrong. It's not just compressed air. It also contains a propellant. I think its R2. It's a refrigerant like what is used in your refrigerator. It is a heavy gas. Heavier than air. When you inhale it, it fills your lungs and keeps the good air, with oxygen, out. That's why you feel dizzy, buzzed. It decreases the oxygen to your brain, to your heart. Kyle was right. It can't hurt you. IT KILLS YOU. The horrible part about this is there is no warning. There is no level that kills you. It's not cumulative or an overdose; it can just go randomly, terribly wrong. Roll the dice and if your number comes up you die. IT'S NOT AN OVERDOSE. It's Russian roulette. You don't die later. Or not feel good and say I've had too much. You usually die as you're breathing it in. If not you die within 2 seconds of finishing "the hit." That's why the straw was still in Kyle's mouth when he died. Why his eyes were still open.

The experts want to call this huffing. The kids don't believe its huffing. As adults we tend to lump many things together. But it doesn't fit here. And that's why it's more accepted. There is no chemical reaction. No strong odor. It doesn't follow the huffing signals. Kyle complained a few days before he died of his tongue hurting. It probably did. The propellant causes frostbite. If I had only known.

It's easy to say 'hey, it's my life and I'll do what I want.' But it isn't. Others are always affected. This has forever changed our family's life. I have a hole in my heart and soul that can never be fixed. The pain is so immense I can't describe it. There's nowhere to run from it. I cry all the time and I don't ever cry. I do what I'm supposed to do but I don't really care. My kids are messed up. One won't talk about it. The other will only sleep in our room at night. And my wife, I can't even describe how bad she is taking this. I thought we were safe because of Thor. I thought we were safe because we knew about drugs and talked to our kids about them.

After Kyle died another story came out. A Probation Officer went to the school system next to ours to speak with a student. While there he found a student using Dust Off in the bathroom. This student told him about another student who also had some in his locker. This is a rather affluent school system. They will tell you they don't have a drug problem there. They don't even have a DARE or PLUS program there. So rather than tell everyone about this "new" way of getting high they found, they hid it. The probation officer told the media after Kyle's death and they, the school, then admitted to it. I know that if they would have told the media and I had heard, it wouldn't have been in my house.

We need to get this out of our homes and school computer labs.

Using Dust Off isn't new and some "professionals" do know about. It just isn't talked about much, except by the kids. They know about it.

April 2 was one month since Kyle died. April 5 would have been his fifteenth birthday. And every weekday I catch myself sitting on the living room couch at 2:30 in the afternoon and waiting to see him get off the bus. I know Kyle is in heaven but I can't help but wonder if I died and went to Hell.

Jeff
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Another worthy article from "sooevening news".

Monday, June 27, 2005

TNT-T (third installment)

See the previous posts here and here from the blog meet at Tammi's World...

"I want some spiced pork." T1G of Drunken Wisdom
"I've got some spiced pork for you" Tammi of Tammi's World
"But I don't know where your pork has been!" T1G

"If you've seen one woman naked, you want to see them all!" Graumagus of Frizzen Sparks

"I can make it bigger, I just can't make it more." Little Joe of Little Joe's Soapbox

"I'm coming." TNT of Smiling Dynamite

"You don't know how to eat it right." Little Joe to TNT

"What is poking me in the back?" Anathematized1 of Rivers of Blood

"Your mango shit tastes like oranges." Little Joe

"Tammi's fell in the well." Cody of Tammi's World

"If I can't love myself, I can hate everyone else." Anathematized1

"I'm going to be spitting out hair for a week!" Harvey of Bad Example to Tammi

"Oh look! It's Bill (Graumagus). I can tell by his three asses." Anathematized1

"I'm going to slowly roast your meat." Tammi to T1G

"We're going to make it nice and creamy...We're going to 'glop' it on." Tammi

"You like a lot of nuts?!" Sissy of What's Next to Tammi

"I am white trash." Tammi

"I just roll around in the mud for a good patina." Anathematized1

"Mmmmm, solo mud fighting!" Tammi

"You are one of my favorite fruits." Sissy to ??? (probably all of us)

"She keeps that in a special place." Teresa of Technicalities
"She wasn't going to go digging in that special place." T1G

"My courtesy suck with Bill. I figured I should give you a courtesy suck." Anathematized1

Th..th..th..at's all folks! (At least until the next, soon to come, blog meet!)

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

FAST FOOD

Have you ever noticed how close "fast food" is to "fats food"?

Just a casual observation as I was stuck at a red light because the 'big lady' in her 'big vehicle' had to cut in front of me, drive two blocks, and pull into a Burger King. Thus not allowing me to make the green light.

FYI - I hate all drivers on the road but me! I should own all the roads in the world.

"Megalomania", yeah that's my 'word of the week'.

Main Entry: meg·a·lo·ma·nia
Pronunciation: "me-g&-lO-'mA-nE-&, -ny&
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin
1 : a mania for great or grandiose performance
2 : a delusional mental disorder that is marked by infantile feelings of personal omnipotence and grandeur

Hmmm, but I don't think I'm delusional at all....

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

I was hit with the ‘Childhood Meme' a couple of weeks ago from Little Joe of Little Joe’s Soapbox. I think y’all know how it works already so I will make it short and sweet. Share three things that you miss from your childhood….

At first, I didn’t think I would be able to come up with anything. However, after pondering my youth, I realized almost everything good about it was wrapped up in memories of my Grandmother.

It actually got me crying because I miss her so much so I will be dedicating a future entry entirely to her memory.

1. Summers with absolutely no schedule of stuff that had to be done. I spent one summer reading until 6:00am every evening/morning and then sleeping until noon. Did you know there is a whole set of books with “Shirley Temple” as the main character?

2. My grandmother was the epitome of ‘unconditional love’. I could get away with anything with her and she loved me just the same.

3. Second breakfasts. My mom had me on a diet since I was about 5 years old. (She has issues.) On Saturdays she had to work, she would give me a piece of toast or two for breakfast and drop me off at my Grandmother’s.

She would immediately ask me what I wanted to eat. I would get toast, milk, OJ, eggs, sausages, cereal; whatever I wanted. And seconds, too! All of this wonderful food AND I got to watch “Fury” at the same time. Mom never figured out why I gained rather than loss weight on those weeks! 

Not passing it on, as I'm sure this noxious strain of a meme has struck most everyone already.


Sunday, June 19, 2005

DEATH AND SEX

So I'm reading a very good Dean Koontz book right now, and this action plot comes up...

Detective's partner gets killed. He turns to new girlfriend for comfort. They end up having sex. At first they feel guilty, but then realize it is just a joyous statement to their still being alive when others are dead.

Okay, I have heard this sentiment before. Death brings out sexual drives because you are all wrought up and yet thankful that you are still alive...Blah, blah, blah.

I'm sorry, but that's just macabre to me.

When relatives/friends have died, the thought of sex is one of the last things on my mind. All I truly want to do is sleep away the memory of all of it. And sex as a comfort tool...NOT!

I guess everyone handles grief differently, but sex??? I just don't get the concept.

Anyone else want to share an opinion?

Friday, June 17, 2005

TNT-T (Second Installment)

More quotes from the Tammi's World get together a few weekends ago...

To start things off...since he thought he was free and clear...

"I feel pretty and witty and gay...and you can quote me!" Little Joe of Little Joe's Soapbox

"I'm going to score some of Tammi's Mexican manicotti!" Graumagus of FrizzenSparks

"I have a really nice pit." Tammi

"You go ahead and ride that." T1G of Drunken Wisdom

"I will eat all the nuts." T1G
"You like Sissy's nuts?" T1G
"Technically, they're mine." Tammi

"Add wood right!" Little Joe

"Would you like a butt-ride?" Little Joe
"You bounce around - its better than Disneyland!" Anathematized1 of Rivers of Blood
"She sits on my butt while I flex." Little Joe

"I put spice in his life and I make his head explode." Tammi
"You like making heads explode, Tammi?" TNT

"I'm damp." Tammi

"I heard it was nasty; I had to try it!" Anathematized1

Gee, that takes care of ONE page of notes. I think I have 3 or 4 more. We were on quite a roll!!



Wednesday, June 15, 2005

TNT-T

A Totally Naughty Teaser from the Tammi'sWorld blog get together.

Okay, this was two weekends ago, but I've been busy. For some reason, I have people nagging me to post the quotes taken with the almighty "quote pen". Trust me, there were many. Considering this was only one evening, as compared to the weekend blog meet in Tammi's World in Orlando, we were on a record setting quote pace.

Here's your teaser with MANY more to come...

"Lick, slam, suck!" Tammi
"Sounds like the perfect date to me!" T1G of Drunken Wisdom

Saturday, June 11, 2005

ITS A WHOLE NEW WORLD

I went and laid out by the pool at our health club yesterday. I haven't done this for year. However, I decided to indulge myself in a day of peaceful sun and sloth.

Well, I definitely got the sun (temperature was in the 90s) and I definitely got the sloth (as I laid out for over 4 hours).

However, the "peaceful" part did not completely work out. I was fine for an hour until pernicious people started arriving.

First, the three young girls next to me. As I was privy to their inane chatter, I knew they had all just graduated from high school. All had cell phones with them and must have received at least six phone calls and placed other calls.

One had to inform her cohorts on the evils of a male friend who was dissing President Clinton. Yeah, cuz you see she maintained he was the best president ever because he was the only president that had ever reduced the national debt! And look at Bush, he started a war! (It took all I had not to knock them silly with their cell phones.)

And one of the girls kept complaining that 'its so hot'. Well then get off your lazy skinny ass, yet incredibly out-of-shape ass, and do some laps in the pool!

Then there was the business type guy across the pool. He was doing business on his cell phone in a very loud voice. Yes, he needed wooden pallets from the "All American Pallet" company. He had to have made or received at least 10 calls. Then I heard him say in one of his conversations that, "When I get off of probation..."

GREAT! This is probably somebody I see at work and here I am in my bikini! Hopefully, he won't recognize me with clothes on. :)

What happened to the wonderful days with no cell phones and no stupid, ignorant kids who have no clue, actually being allowed to graduate from high schools and feel they have the right to espouse their opinions as law to everyone within earshot?

BEST/WORST PICK-UP LINES

Heard the other night...

"Yeah, our team plays softball for this bar. Our motto is 'Licking won't cause pregnancy.' "??!!

What's the best/worst pick-up line you've heard?

Saturday, June 04, 2005

RE-ENACTMENT AT FORT ATKINSON

Just a few memories of the re-enactment that Beloved Husband and I visited. We went to Fort Atkinson's Buckskinners' event and met with Little Joe, Graumagus, Anathematized, Contagion and his family.

We we enjoyed ourselves immensly despite less than favorable weather conditions. Like any good homesteader, they provided us food and a comfortable shelter. Thank-you all for a very enjoyable time.


LITTLE JOE of Little Joe's Soapbox

-Gives the best hugs ever!

-Beneath his rough exterior, lies a heart of gold. Add some camo paint, and you have instant "Shrek"!

GRAUMAGUS of Frizzen Sparks (Described previously from Chicago, but a few more tidbits...)

-His wick doesn't always spark and he can't always get a good bang!

-However, he was kind enough to allow Harvey and I to try out his gun. When it does fire, watch out...it's pretty hot!


CONTAGION of Miasmatic Review

-He really does eat some of the disgusting things he has blogged about!

-He is actually a pretty good marksman.

CONTAGION's WIFE - Ktreva


-A very sweet woman. I have no IDEA how Contagion managed to entrap her. (There is a rumor of an exchange for much gold and jewlery.)

-Made sure this homestead guest was warm and comfortable. Tucked a blanket around me and practically gave me the coat off her back!

LITTLE CONTAGION - CLONE

-Full of piss and vinegar - just like his father.

-Likes his beer - just like his father.

ANATHEMATIZED of Rivers of Blood

-Very hilarious! I enjoyed meeting her immensly.

-Almost always has a hysterical comment to share...constantly!

-Oh, and she is only a size "B" - just ask her. The general view amongst her audience (who kept getting peeps of the corset she could barely keep from popping out of) was that must be a large hive of BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBs!

Friday, June 03, 2005

SURE YOU NEVER HEAR THIS ON THE NIGHTLY NEWS!

Found this on Fox News "Things to GRRRR About" yesterday:

Indeed
KGET-TV in California reports that a white social worker who wanted to attend a meeting of the National Association of Black Social Workers was told he was not welcome because of his skin pigment.

Bakersfield, Calif., social worker Brain Parnell wanted to attend the New Orleans meeting along with five of his colleagues because he often works with minority children. When he tried to enter, however, he was turned away.

"I approached the registration table and was greeted by a very friendly fellow who looked me in the eye and said, 'Are you black?'" said Parnell. "I told him that I'm not and he told me that the conference was only for people who were black and so I wasn't able to register to attend the conference."

"I was shocked," said Parnell. "I was surprised that in 2005, I could be singled out because of the color of my skin."

The original article states that the organization's website is down and the National Association of Black Social Workers were not commenting at this time.

Mr. Parnell has filed a civil rights claim with the federal government. Wonder how far that will go?


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