I already know that the last time I put up a quote was probably an eon ago, but this is for all those students who, like me, are practically falling asleep in class only to have your professor ask you some random question--as if you actually read last night's 300 page homework assignment:
“Wow. ... That's a good question. ... Is `I don't know' an acceptable answer?”
Dave Chappelle
Enjoy the Fall air Knoxarazzi!
9.30.2009
NAACP Game Night
Last night NAACP sponsored a game night in NO LIMIT CLEMENT, in order for "students to take a break from the everyday grind and stress that comes from being at UT," according to the president, Robyn Davidson. Although I was a little skeptical at how many people were actually going to come (I was early), to my pleasant surprise, the basement was actually packed at one point last night--and those present actually played some of the games, instead of just looking around and (or) bouncing. Never doubt the power that spades, dominoes, and free food have on the residents of Clement Hall, I guess. Classic games such as Monopoly, Cranium and Scrabble were only a few of the games that were available to play, but it seems the most popular attractions were: XBox, Spades, and Dominoes. Me--I preferred the X-Box simply because Spades and I do not actually see eye to eye, and I have a higher chance to win at any game on the Xbox then I ever--in my entire life--will be able to have playing Dominoes. Although at first glance it seems that the basement was teeming with underclassmen, that was actually not the case, proving that even us oldheads still come to functions such as this one. On top of all this goodness came another little bonus, there was also a raffle, and lucky people won goodies such as the $5 and $10 gift cards to Fye Music and Subway. All in all, I would say that it went very well to be on a Tuesday!!
9.22.2009
Hilarious (or otherwise known as a bad case of judgement)
Polk Undercover Drug Investigators Play Wii During Raid
By STEVE ANDREWS | News Channel 8
Published: September 21, 2009
With guns drawn and flashlights cutting through darkened rooms, Polk County undercover drug investigators stormed the home of convicted drug dealer Michael Difalco near Lakeland in March.
As investigators searched the home for drugs, some drug task force members found other ways to occupy their time. Within 20 minutes of entering Difalco's house, some of the investigators found a Wii video bowling game and began bowling frame after frame.
While some detectives hauled out evidence such as flat screen televisions and shotguns, others threw strikes, gutter balls and worked on picking up spares.
A Polk County sheriff's detective cataloging evidence repeatedly put down her work and picked up a Wii remote to bowl. When she hit two strikes in a row, she raised her arms above her head, jumping and kicking.
While a female detective lifted a nearby couch looking for evidence, another sheriff's detective focused on pin action.
But detectives with the Polk County Sheriff's Office, the Auburndale, Lakeland and Winter Haven police departments did not know that a wireless security camera connected to a computer inside Difalco's home was recording their activity.
The recording obtained by News Channel 8 showed several members of the county's High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force entering the house shortly after 8 a.m. According to the search warrant, their mission was to search for drugs, stolen property and the fruits of any illegal drug activity.
Now there are questions on how the impromptu bowling tournament might affect the case against Difalco.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd denies it will have any effect.
"That absolutely is not true; that doesn't invalidate the search at all," Judd said. "Now the defendant would like for it to invalidate the search, but unfortunately for him, it won't."
Judd, who watched the video during an interview last week, called the situation an embarrassment.
"I'm not pleased that they played that Wii bowling game," Judd said. The sheriff's office oversees the drug task force. Judd said he initiated an internal administrative investigation of the incident.
"That is not appropriate conduct at a search warrant," he said. "But I am less pleased with the supervision that didn't walk in and say, turn that off. That's what supervision should have done."
Task force members played the video game at various times during the day, for a total of a little over an hour of playing time. The competition proved to be quite competitive at times. A task force supervisor from the Lakeland Police Department, gun at his side, pumped his fist after picking up a strike on the first ball he threw. The video showed he continued bowling frame after frame, competing with another undercover detective.
"Obviously, this is not the kind of behavior we condone," Lakeland Police Chief Roger Boatner said. "There was a lot of down time, but that does not excuse the fact that we should act as the consummate professionals."
"Certainly this was a case of bad judgment," Auburndale Police Chief Nolan McLeod said. "We will handle it appropriately."
Winter Haven police Sgt. Brad Coleman said Chief E.C. Waters had not viewed the video. "If there is any indication that someone did something inappropriately, we will do something about it," Coleman said.
Court records show detectives placed Difalco's home under surveillance as far back as December 2008.
"We knew he had weapons," Judd said. "He's a bad guy."
His history includes an extensive arrest record dating back to 1995. Difalco, 43, served three years in state prison from 2002 to 2005 for trafficking drugs, owning and operating a chop shop, and grand theft.
In what Judd called "brilliant police work," the task force placed Difalco under surveillance and took him into custody, away from his home and weapons, during the early morning hours of March 6, in the parking lot of a Circle K convenience store on Highway 98.
Documents filed with the court say, in the March raid, detectives removed methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, weapons and more than $30,000 in stolen property.
The 11 charges against Difalco include trafficking methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and operating a chop shop.
According to sheriff's office records, 13 detectives and three sergeants spent nine hours searching Difalco's property, for drugs, stolen property and signs of any illegal drug activity.
The raid cost taxpayers more than $4,000.
Judd, Boatner and McLeod agree the bowling was inappropriate. But they challenge the notion that taxpayer dollars were wasted.
"It was an expansive scene, a lot of searching to be done, a lot of waiting," Boatner said.
"The nature of a search warrant is hurry up and wait," Judd said. "Am I trying to defend the fact that they were bowling, not at all. That was inappropriate."
Not just inappropriate, but Tampa defense attorney Rick Escobar would argue the moment detectives turned on that video game and effectively seized it, they turned the search warrant into an illegal search.
"I've never seen anything like this," Escobar said after he viewed some of the video. Escobar does not represent Difalco and has no connection to the case.
"All the citizens are thinking, 'Wait a minute, we are paying these people to go out and protect us and here they are playing bowling on our time,' " he said.
"The real question here is have they seized property that wasn't described in the search warrant?" Escobar asked. "Clearly if they're using it, they've seized it and for totally improper purposes, because it's for entertainment. Investigations are not for entertainment."
Difalco's attorney declined comment.
Chip Tulberry, a spokesperson for the Polk County State Attorney, declined to comment on the video, or the validity of the search warrant.
"That's a discussion that will occur in court," he said.
News Channel 8 reporter Steve Andrews can be reached at (813) 221-5779.
Now, you have to admit that that article was funny. What would the world be like if more cops simply used the things that they were confiscating--such as a wii, the xbox, weed, cocaine--rather than harassing us all the time. Instead of arresting people left and right, giving out bogus tickets for speeding and parking, racial profiling us minority folks, they could just have a great time like the rest of us. the world would be a better place.....(signs remorsefully)
By STEVE ANDREWS | News Channel 8
Published: September 21, 2009
With guns drawn and flashlights cutting through darkened rooms, Polk County undercover drug investigators stormed the home of convicted drug dealer Michael Difalco near Lakeland in March.
As investigators searched the home for drugs, some drug task force members found other ways to occupy their time. Within 20 minutes of entering Difalco's house, some of the investigators found a Wii video bowling game and began bowling frame after frame.
While some detectives hauled out evidence such as flat screen televisions and shotguns, others threw strikes, gutter balls and worked on picking up spares.
A Polk County sheriff's detective cataloging evidence repeatedly put down her work and picked up a Wii remote to bowl. When she hit two strikes in a row, she raised her arms above her head, jumping and kicking.
While a female detective lifted a nearby couch looking for evidence, another sheriff's detective focused on pin action.
But detectives with the Polk County Sheriff's Office, the Auburndale, Lakeland and Winter Haven police departments did not know that a wireless security camera connected to a computer inside Difalco's home was recording their activity.
The recording obtained by News Channel 8 showed several members of the county's High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force entering the house shortly after 8 a.m. According to the search warrant, their mission was to search for drugs, stolen property and the fruits of any illegal drug activity.
Now there are questions on how the impromptu bowling tournament might affect the case against Difalco.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd denies it will have any effect.
"That absolutely is not true; that doesn't invalidate the search at all," Judd said. "Now the defendant would like for it to invalidate the search, but unfortunately for him, it won't."
Judd, who watched the video during an interview last week, called the situation an embarrassment.
"I'm not pleased that they played that Wii bowling game," Judd said. The sheriff's office oversees the drug task force. Judd said he initiated an internal administrative investigation of the incident.
"That is not appropriate conduct at a search warrant," he said. "But I am less pleased with the supervision that didn't walk in and say, turn that off. That's what supervision should have done."
Task force members played the video game at various times during the day, for a total of a little over an hour of playing time. The competition proved to be quite competitive at times. A task force supervisor from the Lakeland Police Department, gun at his side, pumped his fist after picking up a strike on the first ball he threw. The video showed he continued bowling frame after frame, competing with another undercover detective.
"Obviously, this is not the kind of behavior we condone," Lakeland Police Chief Roger Boatner said. "There was a lot of down time, but that does not excuse the fact that we should act as the consummate professionals."
"Certainly this was a case of bad judgment," Auburndale Police Chief Nolan McLeod said. "We will handle it appropriately."
Winter Haven police Sgt. Brad Coleman said Chief E.C. Waters had not viewed the video. "If there is any indication that someone did something inappropriately, we will do something about it," Coleman said.
Court records show detectives placed Difalco's home under surveillance as far back as December 2008.
"We knew he had weapons," Judd said. "He's a bad guy."
His history includes an extensive arrest record dating back to 1995. Difalco, 43, served three years in state prison from 2002 to 2005 for trafficking drugs, owning and operating a chop shop, and grand theft.
In what Judd called "brilliant police work," the task force placed Difalco under surveillance and took him into custody, away from his home and weapons, during the early morning hours of March 6, in the parking lot of a Circle K convenience store on Highway 98.
Documents filed with the court say, in the March raid, detectives removed methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, weapons and more than $30,000 in stolen property.
The 11 charges against Difalco include trafficking methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and operating a chop shop.
According to sheriff's office records, 13 detectives and three sergeants spent nine hours searching Difalco's property, for drugs, stolen property and signs of any illegal drug activity.
The raid cost taxpayers more than $4,000.
Judd, Boatner and McLeod agree the bowling was inappropriate. But they challenge the notion that taxpayer dollars were wasted.
"It was an expansive scene, a lot of searching to be done, a lot of waiting," Boatner said.
"The nature of a search warrant is hurry up and wait," Judd said. "Am I trying to defend the fact that they were bowling, not at all. That was inappropriate."
Not just inappropriate, but Tampa defense attorney Rick Escobar would argue the moment detectives turned on that video game and effectively seized it, they turned the search warrant into an illegal search.
"I've never seen anything like this," Escobar said after he viewed some of the video. Escobar does not represent Difalco and has no connection to the case.
"All the citizens are thinking, 'Wait a minute, we are paying these people to go out and protect us and here they are playing bowling on our time,' " he said.
"The real question here is have they seized property that wasn't described in the search warrant?" Escobar asked. "Clearly if they're using it, they've seized it and for totally improper purposes, because it's for entertainment. Investigations are not for entertainment."
Difalco's attorney declined comment.
Chip Tulberry, a spokesperson for the Polk County State Attorney, declined to comment on the video, or the validity of the search warrant.
"That's a discussion that will occur in court," he said.
News Channel 8 reporter Steve Andrews can be reached at (813) 221-5779.
Now, you have to admit that that article was funny. What would the world be like if more cops simply used the things that they were confiscating--such as a wii, the xbox, weed, cocaine--rather than harassing us all the time. Instead of arresting people left and right, giving out bogus tickets for speeding and parking, racial profiling us minority folks, they could just have a great time like the rest of us. the world would be a better place.....(signs remorsefully)
9.05.2009
Where They Do That At?
Representing Memphis, K. Michelle. This is an AMAZING song and she's amazing. Love it! I listen to this song everyday
9.04.2009
Football Time In Tennessee!
Even though I won't be in attendance at the game or any of the games for that matter, I'm excited about this season. You can thank Lane Kiffin for that. With that said we better win with all that trash he was talking, because mane if we lose to Western Kentucky which I've never heard of...you know the rest.
But um what yall wanna know? VOL WALK starts at 10:35 AM @ The Torchbearer, down Peyton Manning pass, then they making a left on Philip Fulmer Way into Gate 21A. Nooooow I don't know if that's different from before except for the Torchbearer starting point but um now you know!
If you can't make the game it'll be on the SEC Network...don't know the channel....I probably ain't got it but I'll be watching with my Eric Berry jersey on (I am not a Stan I just had to buy it for work). AND since we're talking bout work.....
HIT CALHOUN'S ON THE RIVER up SATURDAY preferably between the hours of 4-10pm because that's when I'm working and I need money....please and thank you!
GO VOLS!
9.02.2009
Quote for the Week!!!!!!!
Ahh. Senior year. Should be the best year of my life so far—again, anyway—since graduation is just around the corner, right? Unfortunately, I seemed to have joined the ranks of fifth year senior, so there goes actually graduating on time (goodbye four year scholarships!!). Getting back on track, I’ve been having an inner debate on what exactly I should write on since I am now a full fledged member of Knoxarazzi, and very much worried about whether writer’s block is going to be my downfall this year. Thankfully, I did divine on one idea that should not be too hard for me to keep up with, and those of you who have at anytime visited my facebook page may already be familiar with this, with slight modifications: Quote for the week!! This one goes out to all my would be seniors who would prefer to graduate this year but for whatever great reason, you aint. Enjoy!!!
“It was but yesterday I thought myself a fragment quivering without rhythm in the sphere of life.
Now I know that I am the sphere, and all life in rhythmic fragments moves within me.”
Kahlil Gibran
How many of us resign ourselves to the fringes of life, never considering ourselves the center of attention, containing no gravity, floating along watching the fireworks of others who have reached that impossible plateau of success and fulfillment? Or even worse, how many of us feel that we do not even deserve recognition for our place in this show we call life? I guess what I trying to say here is, why do we work so hard at dimming our own lights? Yes, I used to be one of those pitiful creatures who became addicted to not only hiding my glow underneath a giant comforter, but I’m also guilty of unplugging the lamp completely and throwing it in the closet! As if it never existed! Even if you are one of those people who claim to not let anything tarnish your silver lining in life, at one time or another ALL of us have been guilty of this. Is it because you were afraid of letting others know who you were? Or were you just unsure of your words, your opinions, you talents, because they are untested and you would rather choose silence to rejection? Fellow UT students, all I want you to know today is this—you are NOT an insignificant fragment, but the center of your own play, production, movie—basically, your life. From the moment you are born to the day you close your eyes forever, you ARE alive!! Inside you dances the very essence of life itself!! Remember that the next time you look at someone else’s light and consider yourself fringe—you are the star in your own movie, so act like it!!
That was pretty sappy, even for me, but I hope this encourages anybody and everybody who has ever at any time forgotten that they deserve star treatment.
Have a good year!!
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