What the hell?

I like to check my e-mail and check out a few websites as I'm drinking my coffee in the morning trying to wake up. I check the Halifax Daily News website, the Chronicle Herald, CBC etc. Then I check my work e-mail to see what I missed overnight and get the police report. Lately, I've almost become numb to the amount of violence being reported. Today, I was not numb. Today, I was absolutely outraged by the assault against the 65-year old woman in the Commons. 3 girls, two 15-year olds and a 16-year old allegedly beat this woman with baseball bats, for apparently no reason. There was no robbery motive and thank god, they were arrested. I am so sick of these things happening!! It's pretty bad when I think, hey I should go downtown to see a movie, but then second guess it because I don't want to walk through the Commons. I never listen to music in the Commons and I am constantly looking around and behind my back. However, no matter how hard I look, if I come up against 3 people with bats - well, there's not much I can do about that except maybe run.

This Youth Criminal Justice Act is an absolute joke and even Deputy Chief Chris MacNeil wants it changed. He was very interesting to listen to today. I wished he was running for office! (He's Liberal leader Stephen MacNeil's brother). CM made some awesome points today including the fact police don't have the resources to keep tabs on every youth on a curfew and that the world's new terrorists are disenfranchised kids. He is also calling on governments to start addressing the root causes of crime, something I mentioned in the blog yesterday. Nothing will change though. Politics is just about that - politics. The issues don't matter, or else this issue would have been dealt with and not met with empty words after months of hard work by Justice Nunn.

During one of the commercials I asked CM about the police definition of a swarming. He told me they don't like that term. Well, I don't like the term or the act, but in reality, it does happen and it is a problem in Halifax. When I publish my half year crime report right here in this blog this fall, you will be shocked by what you read. Because of August being so violent too, the stats I'm collecting get worse and worse everyday. Rick and I were talking about moving to a safer city, you know, something like Johannesburg.


If you're interested in going to that rally tonight calling on the city to ratify with the bus drivers - it starts at Grand Parade at 7PM. I know a lot of people who would be adversely affected if they did go on strike, so I'm glad they are continuing their contract talks and hope there is a tentative agreement soon.

So...mark your calendars for next year. August 27th is Stan Friedman day!! I love listening to Stan and as Rick said - he's a genius. I hope he comes down to Halifax soon because that would be great to have him in studio. You can check out his website at: www.stantonfriedman.com. As if he named dropped Carl Sagan!

When I was in Munich, my friend Emily mentioned something about Rodney MacDonald's communications person leaving her post and then Deb sent me a Facebook message about it. So...Sasha Irving is leaving? I wonder if this means the Premier will come on the show. I asked Rick if we should send her a card! LOL.

Another great day - enjoy it!

Talk to you tomorrow,

Amber