It Must Be Monday Again...

I read somewhere last week that thefts and burglaries are down across the U-S because the dynamics of risk vs. profit have diminished. A robber these days finds it difficult to sell a stolen camcorder because models like flip and Aiptek sell for around the hundred dollar mark. A burglar in Kansas couldn't unload a flip video on the street for more than 15 or 20 dollars, while the going rate on the streets of New York is just 5 dollars! The advent of cheap technology is dampening the crook culture.

So crooks must get crafty. A report on CBS news this morning about a "Hypnotist Bandit" who mesmerizes cashiers in grocery stores and steals the register contents might spur thieves and con-artists on American soil to employ a little "street magic" while on daily rounds.

With Easter passed, Spring is near and here and so are the Gypsies: they should be passing through the Capital Region of New York within the next 30 to 90 days, depending on weather. Keep your homes, cars, garages, bikes, etc. locked and beware of phoney driveway paving offers and other schemes.

Be careful what you wish for: I think I saw on a blog somewhere somebody ragging about Osama Bin Laden's latest media message, wondering why Ayman al-Zawahri didn't deliver it. Looks like the #2 man read the same blog comment, and promptly issued a new tape!

And speaking about ragging in comments, a couple of Cheesus (the Cheeto Jesus) fans showed up on this blog:

You totally missed the point with Cragg's comments about Cheesus......read and listen to the interviews and know what you speak of before criticizing. Also, have a sense of humor. He used this as a visual to describe the way God appears in out lives when we are least expecting it....Never have I seen the true nature of Jesus in anyone more than I have in S. Cragg....one of the finest men of God ever.
mother in Cragg's youth group | 03.22.08 - 10:47 am | #

I echo the comment from the mother in Mr. Cragg's youth group. You have taken his statements completely out of context, and mindlessly attacked a man of deep faith and compassion. Steve does not "venerate" (a word that, judging by the quality of your writing on this and other blog posts, I assume you had to look up) the Cheeto -- he simply finds it amusing, and an interesting reminder of God's ability to "show up" when and wherever we look for Him.
Friend of Steve's | 03.23.08 - 1:02 am | #

MY RESPONSE TO THE COMMENTERS:
To " Friend of Steve's" and "mother in Cragg's youth group" - this blog is mostly about current events delivered via media that impact our daily lives. Steve may well be "a fine man of God," but I wrote about Cheesus after experiencing the event via a television news story (the same way millions of other Americans experienced it) where the minister was portrayed by the snickering talking head news anchors as a wacko who kept his Jesus Cheeto in a piece of carefully hollowed out foam rubber inside a cardboard container.

As for the remark "...a word that, judging by the quality of your writing on this and other blog posts, I assume you had to look up..." - remember what happens when you ASSume?

I rest my case.

Tired of Cheesus? There's always Obama Miracle Toast...