Witness Protection Program

Don't recognize her do you?

Hungry?

Cover Girl

The Mysterious Neighbors

Once upon a time (less than a year ago) a single woman and her two sons moved into the house across the alley. She doesn't work. How can she afford a house that might cost $4000/month? She mows her own yard, I guess to save money.

Every indication is that she bought the houseYet it's for sale again. Why did she buy it, throw in some improvements and then put it up for sale again so soon? This is not a sellers market.

And then there's her boyfriend (?). He never spends the night. He doesn't spend time alone with the two boys, so he's probably not their dad. When he visits he always comes alone, and if he were a brother he would at least occasionally bring a wife/gf or maybe some buddies. So every indication is the man and woman are seeing each other. I'm guessing both are in their early forties. Is it a religious thing that they don't sleep together? If that's the case, why doesn't she go to church each Sunday?

And why isn't the boys' dad ever around? You would think he would come visit or pick them up. Horrors! Could that mean she's a widow and used life insurance proceeds to buy that house? And if she is a widow it must have been at least a year since her husband died. It's time to get on with her life and give the boys a step-dad.

Why doesn't he spend the night?

Why There Are No Women Valet Parkers

I'm gonna catch hell for this.

August 31, 1988

Twenty years ago a Delta 727 crashed during takeoff at DFW. I was in the vicinity and had to go to the airport for work. As I pulled over on the shoulder of International Parkway I saw the most surreal sight in my life. There in the middle of a field was a huge jet on its belly and broken in two. No evidence of fire, but smoke was coming out from both sides and mixing with the dust that had yet to settle. A triage tent had just been set up, though I didn't know where it came from as there were no vehicles in sight. Sirens! Here came one fire truck followed by one ambulance. The chain link fence was no match for the fire truck. Off in the field one man was just wandering as if in a daze. A few others had stumbled out but were near the plane and appeared dazed as well. A strange longing between wanting to stay and watch and wanting to leave pulled at me. The necessity of work prevailed and I left.

To use airline jargon, 14 "souls" were lost that day.

The Porch Light's On But Nobody's Home

A month ago in the remote village of Baba Kot, Pakistan, five women decided to defy tribal elders and arrange their own marriages in a civil court. Local leaders were outraged and the women were beaten, shot and thrown into a ditch. They were still breathing as their bodies were covered with rocks and mud. Buried alive!

And as if that wasn't barbaric enough, a Pakistani lawmaker on Saturday defended the act. "These are centuries-old traditions, and I will continue to defend them. Only those who indulge in immoral acts should be afraid."