Carnival Triumph the Cruise Ship from Hell

Taking a Cruise is a wonderful experience. I’ve taken three cruises and will continue to cruise for the rest of my life. That is not the case for the passengers of the cruise ship the Carnival Triumph. The Carnival Triumph left Galveston, Texas, on February 7, 2013 carrying 3,143 passengers and 1,086 crew and was due to return there on February 11, 2013. On February 10, 2013 there was a fire in the engine room causing the ship to have no power. The passengers on the ship went through 5 days of pure hell. There was a shortage of food and raw sewage in the cabins and in the hallways. Passengers were forced to sleep on deck to get away from the stench. It was two days before a tug boat reached the Carnival Triumph to pull the 893 foot ship to the port in Mobile, Alabama. The Triumph arrived on February 14, 2013, passengers were cheering on deck and from the balconies they were finally getting off the filthy ship from hell. I don’t know what it is about Carnival Cruise line. Just over a year ago the Costa Concordia which was part of Carnival Cruise line. Hit the rocks and sank killing 32 people. It seems to me that Carnival Cruise line does not know how to hire the right crew to operate their ships or that the ships are too old and need to be tired. Carnival Cruise line had the nerve to offer a full refund and $500.00 to every passenger. I don’t think so!

Everyone I have talked to on the cruises I have been on has nothing good to say about Carnival Cruise Line. One of the biggest complaints was the service sucked. I have only cruised Royal Caribbean and there sister ship Celebrity. I must say Royal Caribbean is my favorite by far. I’m a service driven person. I feel that if I’m spending all that money I want my service and experience spot on. For $100.00 more I’ll pay that for peace of mind. I just want to say don’t be afraid to cruise it is so fun. I think everyone should experience one time.

LM

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/02/15/stranded-carnival-cruise-expected-to-dock-in-alabama-after-four-days-with/

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/nightmare-sea-carnival-cruise-liner-nears-port-18506777

California Prisoners Causing Tax Payers Two Hundred Million Dollars in Lawsuits

When I read the head line “Prison inmate lawsuits cost California $200M”, I know had to read more. This article made mad me upset, because some California prisons have state of the art facilities. Prisoners get better health care than the law abiding citizens that pay their taxes and mentally ill person living on the street. I personally have a family member that is mentally ill, who has been in and out of prison all his life. When he gets out he says he can’t handle it. He says he likes having three squares a day. He feels that being in prison is the best place for him.

Governor Jerry Brown has been challenging the federal court oversight of California's prison system. He says it is a costly conflict of interest: The private law firms representing inmates and the judges' own hand-picked authorities benefit financially by keeping the cases alive. The Associated Press collected from three state agencies, that California taxpayers spent $182 million for inmates' attorneys and court-appointed authorities over the past 15 years. The payments cover a dozens of lawsuits filed over the treatment of state prisoners, parolees and incarcerated juveniles, some of which have been settled. The total surpasses $200 million when the states own legal costs are added. Brown also says the complaints are expensive, frivolous and motivated by attorneys' own financial interest. "They don't want to go away," he said last month, standing behind a stack of court documents. "I mean, the name of the game here is, 'Come to Sacramento and get your little piece of the pie.” Michael Bien, the lead attorney representing the welfare of mentally ill inmates in one of the major class-action lawsuits, is wasting more of the state's money on a legal fight he has little hope of winning said Brown. "He's litigating with your money and my money." Michael Bien, of the San Francisco law firm Rosen Bien Galvan and Grunfeld, is one of the law firms that have been paid $19 million by the state in the inmate mental health lawsuit.

What I don’t get is that they treat prisoner better than a law abiding citizens that are struggling every day to get by. Their prisoners for goodness sake, their rights should not be better. How messed up is that. I hope Governor Jerry Brown will continue to challenge this. We need to stop treating our prisoner like they have not done anything wrong. I know I’m tired of my taxes being raised and having to pay for these law suits it is utterly ridiculous.

LM

http://www.willitsnews.com/ci_22564993/ap-exclusive-inmate-lawsuits-cost-calif-200m

Christopher Dorner Vendetta against Los Angeles Police Department

When I first heard the news on Monday February 6, 2013 about ex-cop Christopher Dorner going on a shooting spree, I said to myself what made him snap. Christopher Dorner was honorable discharged from the military days before his shooting spree. In his manifesto he blames the Los Angeles Police Department for unjustly firing him from the L.AP.D. In 2006 because he reported a fellow LAPD Sergeant abusing someone, I guess when you cross that “thin blue line” you get screwed. The Los Angeles Police Department has been known for its brutality and shootings. On February 7, 2013 Los Angeles Police Department shot up a truck that looked like the one Christopher Dorner was driving. The truck had two women in it. They did not resemble a big bald African American man. Los Angeles Police are known to shot first and ask questions later. Christopher Dorner has the Los Angeles Police Department and their families fearing for their lives and the surrounding communities. Christopher Dorner is a disturbed individual in his manifesto he said "I will bring unconventional and asymmetrical warfare to those in LAPD uniform whether on or off duty”, "You will now live the life of the prey." Christopher Dorner’s action is so wrong targeting the family of Los Angeles Police officers is senseless. Authorities are hunting Christopher Dorner in the Big Bear area in Southern California. They have not found him and probably won’t for some time because of his military training. I hope he does not kill more innocent people. Check back for the ongoing story.

LM

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/02/christopher-dorners-police-training-makes-him-a-lethal-adversary/

http://laist.com/2013/02/07/christopher_dorners_manifesto_in_fu.php

Baltimore Ravens Win Super Bowl

Super Bowl XLVII was one of the most hype games ever. The Harbaugh brothers finally met in Super Bowl XLVII. They came close last year, but Jim Harbaugh the younger brother and his team could not pull it off. Most the sports analysts and sports fans were going for the 49ers. They were so underestimating the Baltimore Ravens. When the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens were going to the Super Bowl, my husband born and raised in Baltimore and a San Francisco 49er fan all his life was telling everyone don’t underestimate the Ravens. The first half of the game looked like Baltimore Ravens with a 21-6 lead and their momentum was going to carry them to a victory. When Baltimore’s Jacoby Jones ran back a 109 kick return in the third quarter opener it seemed to look like Baltimore Ravens were on their way to victory. The 49ers had the ball it was 3^rd down and 13 yard to go for a first down and the stadium lights went out on the San Francisco 49ers side. The lights went out for 35 minutes. The first thing I said was they pulled the plug to stop the Ravens from getting the ball back and scoring. After the light came back on the San Francisco 49ers went on a 23 point scoring frenzy making the score 34-29. It look like the lights going off was a definitely in the 49ers favor. It was not meant to be the final score was 34-31 Baltimore Ravens. San Francisco 49ers fans don’t be bitter, the 49ers played their heart out they should be proud. There is always next year.

LM

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1514646-49ers-vs-ravens-san-franciscos-biggest-winners-and-losers-in-the-super-bowl

Are Illegal Car Sideshows on the rise in Oakland?

On January 26, 2013 several persons who had no regards for the safety of others, got together and decided to do one of the stupidest things I have ever seen. The motorist shut down interstate 880 northbound lanes near the Oakland Coliseum complex and began spinning their cars in circles. This stunt is known as doing doughnuts. This was not the only event that happened that day several motorists were videotaped doing donuts at MacArthur Boulevard and Seminary Avenue in Oakland. There were also calls to the police of 50 to 60 cars in West and East Oakland parading up and down the streets. Oakland police recorded 18 calls and incidents related to sideshow activity Saturday. In 2002 the last reported case of a freeway sideshow was inside the Caldecott Tunnel between Oakland, Berkeley and Orinda. Sideshows back in 2005 were at its peak the Oakland police received over 700 sideshow-related complaints. On Saturday January 26, 2013 Oakland Police logged 60 sideshow-related calls and incidents. Is this what’s to come for 2013 in Oakland, a repeat of 2005? This was definitely a planned event, with the access to social media these kinds of events are easy to plan and probably will continue to happen. I feel that every one that participated in this dangerous event needs to be punished severely. They need to be made an example of, so that this kind of activity will make others think twice about endangering lives.

This just in “It wasn’t me, I wasn’t the one driving it,” said 35-year-old Erik Dellafosse of Vallejo. “It was my car, yes, but I wasn’t driving it. Erik Dellafosse said he was at a car meet in San Leandro on Saturday when a man gave him $7,000 to test drive his bright purple Nissan 240SX with orange rims. How stupid was this idiot. Erik said “He was gone for about 30 minutes,” Dellafosse said. “Then he called his friend [who] told us where my car was, we loaded my car in the tow truck, we came home, and then I started getting hella videos about my car doing donuts on the freeway.” “I let a stupid ass idiot test drive my car … and now I’ve got to take care of whatever has to happen.” He is an idiot too, apparently had not heard the saying “all money is not good money”. Erik Dellafosse said he had to repaint his car red, “Because my car is hot. What can I do with it? I can’t go nowhere with it.” That sounds a little suspect to me because maybe he knew what was happening or he’s playing dumb so he won’t get in trouble.

LM

http://www.insidebayarea.com/breaking-news/ci_22465283/oakland-chp-investigates-weekend-sideshow-busy-i-880

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2013/01/30/man-says-his-car-was-on-test-drive-during-oakland-sideshow/