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Highlands Today

Whatever happened to 'Thanks'?

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By Norm Cukras | Highlands Today

Published: July 31, 2009

Whether or not the complete accurate story of what happened between the policeman and the professor is ever revealed remains to be seen. But the repercussions of the encounter will always leave in their wake certain wonderments.

If I were a policeman who received a 911 call that two individuals were breaking into a suburban home I would approach the dwelling very cautiously. If I entered and only found one intruder I would wonder where the second one was and what he might be planning. During this critical time stress can be at a high level while patience is low. Only the players know what happened and how things are interpreted. The rest of us who are outside of the actual encounter are the second-guessers, making judgments based on what we want to believe. Life is not a DVD that can be reviewed.

And for some reason the police, who have to deal with every imaginable human degradation, are all too often painted as the bad guys.

It appears that some factions of our society are trying to Mark Fuhrmanize Sgt. James Crowley. If you recall, Detective Fuhrman was accused of just about every crime except the actual murder in the infamous OJ Simpson trial.

Nowhere have I read where the professor has thanked the Cambridge Police Department for watching out for his property and responding so quickly to a 911 call reporting a suspected break-in at his home. That would have been a nice gesture. There hasn't been an ounce of understanding for the police who are never sure of what sort of danger they may be faced with during an investigation.

Nor has there been any thanks to the "concerned citizen" who reported the incident. In fact the caller has retained an attorney to represent her. I wonder if she'll call the police the next time she's faced with a similar suspicious event. I wonder how many others will not want to "get involved" for fear that their actions will fall under scrutiny?

And I can't help but wonder how many people will now feel that it is their right to scream near obscenities at the police as long as they are standing on their own property. After all, the governor of Massachucetts says a person should be able to raise his voice in his own home. And holler at the police?

Isn't their job tough enough?

What's the rush?

It's been 16 years since we were introduced to Hillarycare. For 16 years we've waited for a health care plan. Suddenly we've been given Obamacare, but for some reason there seems to be an immediacy to its enactment. Every time the new program is pitched I hear about all of its advantages. I'd like to hear about this one's shortfalls.

I recently went shopping for health insurance. One insurer advertised that I could go to a doctor of my "choice" for health care. In the fine print was written as long as the doctor I chose participated in their plan. Upon further checking I only found three doctors in a 50-mile radius who were in their plan - none of which I have been going to for the last 20 years.

What exactly will be my options be under Obamacare? Is it the best plan available for the cost? Yes there has been a lot written about it, but I'm sure that somewhere in the 1,100 page plan there must be some fine print that is not in my best interests. Let's move a little slower and get it right.

Did you check yours?

If after reading my column on Social Security Numbers you were confused because you were born in Florida and your "area number" (the first 3 digits) are different from the 589-595 that I mentioned it's because I only gave you one series of area numbers assigned to this state. The area numbers can also be between 261-267 or 766-772. Further, if you were born before 1973 when the current area numbers were assigned your number may differ from these.

My thanks to the observant readers who called this to my attention.

Overheard

Overheard at the checkout counter: You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

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