True Notebooks

In an attempt to make the graveyard shift less painful I've taken to reading, my favorite subject being true crime stories, ironic I know.I believe the last book I picked up was "Angela's Ashes" by Frank McCourt a few months ago, but I'm not sure if that even counts because I read that back in high school, and prior to my second reading of "Angela's Ashes" was the first installment of the "Harry Potter" series, that being said I was only able to make it through the first book as I don't have a large attention span for fantasy.


The first installment of my new "hobby" is a memoir by author Mark Salzman titled "True Notebooks". Salzman was a free lance writer whom had been previously nominated for a pulitzer prize, and through a friend was introduced to the world of juvenile hall. This juvenile detention facility was located in Los Angeles, the world capitol of juvenile gangs & violence. As a naive outsider, Salzman was predictibly intimidated and unprepared for what he was about to encounter. Invited to "shadow" in his friend's free writing program at the facility, his initial goal was to be able to finish his own novel, but Salzman ended up participating in his own free writing class in that same facility.





Written entirely on the authors memory, this memoir gives the reader insight to the mind of what many consider, a "throw away" member of society. The writing samples included are actual samples written by inmates, and are surpisingly well constructed and thought out. The memoir is a good example of the inner struggle the author was expieriencing, having to seperate the boys he "knew" from the crimes they've committed.


This book also raises the question, are these juveniles led to a life of crime and gangs because of "nature vs nurture" or are they genuinely just born "bad". I believe its a combination, most of the time, of the nature vs nature, even though I think it's rare, for someone to actually be inately "bad" from birth, but it could happen. The writing of the inmates reveals a life devoid of a father figure, or if he's present he's abusive or in one case the boy's parent's were killed in a car accident. Also being in the hub of gang land, these juveniles describe having to walk through gang territory in order to get home from school, these kids were involuntarily immeresed into gang activity. If a juvenile has no one to call "family" of their own, they're going to find the next closest thing, a gang. I'm not excusing the deeds of these young criminals, but just explaining the nature of the beast.


There are parts in the memoir where these young criminals come to realize the wrong in their actions, and show remorse for their crimes. In one instance a teenager got on his knees in front of the whole unit, to beg forgiveness to his victims brother (whom was also incarcerated). To "watch" the transformation in these boys is very rewarding to the reader, and I found this book to be a facinating look into the heart of America's delinquient youth.

My Blood Boils!!!

Excerpt from CNN.com:


"New evidence in the case of slain Florida toddler Caylee Anthony shows that her body was placed in a laundry-hamper bag and then secured in a plastic garbage bag before it was left behind in the woods.

Documents the state attorney's office in Orlando released Wednesday also show the girl's mouth was covered with silver duct tape that had been adorned with a heart-shaped sticker. Duct tape also was attached to her head.

A utility worker found the 3-year-old's body last December in woods near where she lived with her mother and grandparents. Her mother, 22-year-old Casey Anthony, has been charged with killing her.

The toddler was reported missing to authorities in July, almost a month after she was last seen. Her third birthday passed while she was missing."


I really can't stand it. It makes my blood boil. Unfourtuneatly from the very beginning this story first broke last summer, I along with most people, had a gut feeling that this poor little girl was killed by her mother. Even if you completely disregard the facts of Casey Anthony's "parenting skills", she waited a month before reporting to the authorities that her 2 1/2 year old was missing. I panic after my kid is quiet after 5 minutes! What kind of person drugs their child so they can go clubbing? Or researches "neck breaking" or "chloroform".


In my opinion, Casey Anthony had plenty of motive to kill her innocent child. First of all Caylee was an unplanned and reportedly unwanted pregnancy, that Casey was "forced" to continue with. Second of all she had no job, and seemingly no direction in life and leached off her parents. Caylee would have added to the already existing emotional and economic stress placed within the Anthony home. From all the reports it sounds like little Caylee was just "in the way" of Casey living the life that she wanted.


It makes me sick to think about what poor Caylee went through. It's reported that the body was double bagged, first in a laundry bag, then a black garbage bag. With the body was a winnie the pooh blanket and some kind of horse toy. And the sickest part was that on top of the duct tape that covered the baby's mouth was the reminence of a heart shaped sticker. WHO DOES THAT!! Not a random killer, a random killer would finish the act and dispose of the body without taking care of personal details like that. That is something that someone who would not only be close to the victim, but have access to those materials would do. Traditionally when victims are killed by people close to them, particularly family members, it is not unusual for the killer to almost "take care" of the victim (i.e. clean up the body, add personal affects, etc).


The thing that bothers me the most, why would she tape Caylee's mouth if she were already dead? A dead body doesn't cry or scream. Fucking think about it. That child suffered. I hope Casey gets the fucking chair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Adolf Hitler Gets Taken By The State

Boy Named Hitler, His Sisters Taken From Family By State
Last Edited: Wednesday, 14 Jan 2009, 4:56 PM EST
Created: Wednesday, 14 Jan 2009, 11:27 AM EST
Adolf Hitler Campbell (MyFoxPhilly)
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Child Named Hitler Has Problem Getting Birthday Cake
MyFoxPhilly and wire reports

HOLLAND TOWNSHIP, N.J. --

Three New Jersey siblings whose names have Nazi connotations have been placed in state custody, police said.

The children, ranging in age from 3 to under 1, were removed from their home Friday. They drew attention last month when a supermarket bakery refused to put the name of the oldest (video: MyFoxNY) — Adolf Hitler Campbell — on a birthday cake.

Video: Hitler Baby Parents Speak | Slideshow: Meet Adolf's Family | More from MyFoxPhilly

State workers didn't tell police why the children were taken, police Sgt. John Harris said.

A spokeswoman for the state Division of Youth and Family Services, Kate Bernyk, said she would not comment on any specific case, but she said the state would not remove children from a home simply because of their names.

A family court hearing is scheduled for Thursday. Court officials said the matter is sealed and they could not release information about what might be decided at the hearing.

The other two children, both girls, are JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell.

The father, Heath Campbell, had no comment when contacted by The Express-Times of Easton, Pa. The Associated Press could not locate a working telephone number for the family Wednesday.
The story was first reported by the Easton-Express Times of Easton, Pa.

The Land Of Ikea

Last weekend I ventured over to Stoughton to the land of swedish home furnishings, otherwise known as Ikea. I had been curious, but not entirely motivated to make the 45 minute drive because the catalogue they put out makes their products look like something you would have made in shop back in junior high. But in my quest to have an actual grown up looking bedroom I decided to take the trip.



Upon arriving to Ikea it resembles a small logan airport, not just in sheer size, but the thing has it's own highway signs, rotary and alphabatized parking garage. You arrive in the parking garage and head to the entrance and find the coolest thing I've ever seen .... an escaltor for your carriage. I'm sure they're in exisatance in other stores, but I've never seen a flat escalator before so I was easily amused.





I can't remember exactly but I believe there's 3 floors of shopping expieience awaiting you once you're done (and by you I mean ME) standing in awe of the flat escalator. They have a pamphlet with a map of the whole store, which also reminds me of logan airport for some reason, maybe it's because the different sections of the store resemeble loading gates on the map. I dunno. Anyways I was pleasantly surprised at all the Ikea furnishings, much better than what the catologue has to offer. Ikea is so much more than dorm style furniture, they have adorable kids bedroom sets, toys, art, and even swedish food. There's a cafe on the (I think) 2nd floor with the kids bedroom sets (I even saw a sign that said 99 cents for kids meal!) and on the way out theres another swedish food cafe and a mini swedish grocery section. Possibly the coolest thing I've seen to date. This place is huge, I found myself secretly wanting a tram :) Well if you've got a day with nothing to do I would check it out, even if you don't need swedish furniture, that place is boss.

Snagged From Stuff White People Like

Because I get through the midnight shift in 1/2 hour incriments, and found this to be incredibily hillarious:

"Regardless of how much a white person cooks or how long they have lived in their current home, they all have a tube of sea salt in their pantry. In fact, it’s one of the few foodstuffs that white people will actually bring with them when they move. This is because sea salt is expensive and while white people have money, they didn’t get that way by throwing away $7 packages of salt.

When white people think about regular salt, all they can think about sodium and poor health. When they think about Sea Salt they think about France. So it’s no surprise that it has become so popular.

But Sea Salt is like Trader Joes, Banksy, or The Shins-entry level to their respective field. Therefore, it is important that you learn about other more expensive salts so that you can complain about not having them. To a white person, this shows that you know and love expensive things but feel sad that you can’t yet afford them.

From here you can fill up an entire evening by making the same complaints about art, real estate or Europe."