What’s in the Mailbag?
The NightFly writes in from our mobile command unit:
| O Dreaded Awfulness: I have been at some pains to identify the player that GP is channeling in the photo on your hockey bet post. (The ferret guards will look quite fetching, by the way, though Dr J couldn’t resist using Preds colors for the uniforms. Hi-level trolling right there.) In any case, I couldn’t place the image until I zeroed in on the Titan stick, a brand whose zenith occurred in the 1980’s. Left shooter, 80’s, #8 – my goodness, that’s Jeff Norton’s music! Norton was a defenseman whose career started with the post-dynasty, pre-Milbury Islanders, drafted by Bill Torrey himself. He had his best seasons there as a young man before his hockey nomad days. He played for six other teams at least, including both Florida expansion clubs, and two separate stints as a Shark – heck, the expansion teams loved them some Jeff Norton. With all the injured Isles defensemen right now, they might be tempted to bring him back… or even ‘Puter. Good luck to the Hawks from here out, and thanks for Mr. Leddy. We Long Islanders have taken a shine to that gentleman’s game. From the Mobile Command Unit |
Yes, the Czar just said that. Anyway, that’s some Monk-level OCD detective work, there, big guy. Nice work. The Czar is curious where Ghettoputer obtained the copy of Norton’s sweater, although if there’s blood on it, it’s probably not a copy. Anyone seen Mr. Norton lately?
Also, thanks for pointing out the ferret guards’ uniforms. The Czar expected red, but did note they were in gold and blue. We didn’t think much of it until your letter. Dr. J.! Is there no evil of which he is not capable?
Finally, yes, the good doctor publicly admitted his Predators did not perform as he expected, and Shea Weber, as you know, is recovering from lightning burns. The Czar fully expects to see them next year in the playoffs—awesome team.
Meantime, Operative BJ asks about the rioting in Baltimore:
| Your Majesty, This lowly one watches the events in Baltimore unfold, considers the events in Ferguson and New York City, and wonders if we are seeing something more than just riots. This one wonders – forgive me for asking this – whether we are seeing the leading edge of national race-based riots that would make Crown Heights or Watts seem like quiet protests in comparison. This one notes that protesters do not pick up rocks and bricks and throw them at police, at bystanders, or through shop windows. Those are the actions of rioters, people who have abandoned law in favor of lawlessness, who are using the excuse of “protest” to commit property destruction, loot, and pillage their own neighborhoods. In Baltimore, local officials claim that “known agitators from out of town” are sparking the violence. Ferguson officials made the same claim, as did New York City officials. Why aren’t these local officials finding and arresting those “known agitators from out of town” and charging them appropriately? Are local officials using the “known agitators from out of town” excuse to avoid arresting those who are known local agitators for fear of irritating and infuriating local leaders (and a visit by Sharpton)? |
BJ has read us for years, and knows full well the Czar’s assessment of riots—they are all professionally organized by factions of the Left, ever hungry for their next October revolution. Hey, not only do the police know these agitators are from out of town, but know their names and addresses.
The problem is that you can’t always just arrest someone for showing up in a town before a riot. The known out-of-town elements are not the ones throwing the rocks, setting fires, or even passing out fliers for the riots. They are good at what they do, and hole up in some motel on the outskirts and mind their manners. But they are calling all the shots, absolutely. These folks lose nothing if the locals they agitate burn down their own neighborhoods.
And the locals, who believe the crap about Broken Windows, believe the Man will weep in pity and buy them all new, shiny businesses and homes for this neighborhood once the smoke clears. Remember—a lot of these folks believe they’re doing good for the community, and another big chunk believe they’re owed compensation. Both forms of violent seduction originate from the folks in those motel rooms.
Incidentally, you may not remember, in 2004 the New York City Police Department trumped up charges on these out-of-towners at the Republican National Convention, arresting most of them with the result being no violent protests. Unfortunately, the NYPD overstepped their idea by arresting a heap-ton of innocent people, some of whom weren’t even protesting but just going about their business. They were held for the duration. In Minneapolis-St. Paul, in 2008, the police did much the same strategy by arresting the known violent thugs while they were assembling on the charge of violating their scheduled protest window. This worked, and the protests were almost completely incident free.
So yeah, these guys are well-known to law enforcement, and yes—sometimes they’re detained as soon as they arrive. But no big deal: with no real charges, they’re free to go. And they’ll be back—somewhere, waiting for the next event to call them out of the gloaming shadows of Leftism.
Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.