R.I.P. Tim Russert and all our missing DADS on this Father Day

As one who grew up in a fatherless home, Father Day has become a day to honor friends who now are bless to be call "DADS". Yet on this day we celebrate Fatherhood, lets take a moment to cherish the fathers who are no longer with us.

Whether they be the likes of Tim Russert, our young Fathers who have died fighting for their country, LAPD Officer Randal Simmons and teachers who were father figures in my case (and grammar correctors on occasion). Lets take a vow to spend the day in "Celebration of Dad" both living and others in a better place.

.......and to David, I know you are smiling on your children today from above, peace.

Memo to Tim Rutten: "RIGHT ON!!"...for once

Former Los Angeles Times media writer Tim Rutten who nows opines from the "left" on the Op-ed pages, nails Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today, and this one is going to hurt.

In brief, this blogger and others such as Patterico, have taken Rutten to task for his strident defence of the "main stream media" and false hoods in past columns.

These past examples have earn him the moniker of "KIM IL RUTTEN" the "Dear Leader" of "objective bias in main stream reporting". Others have refer to him as simply "Mr. Leslie Abramson".

But today we put that all aside, at least until his next myopic missive, for he hits a home run regarding the Mayor's speech at Officer Randal Simmons funeral.

Some excerpts,

Now, few politicians can be fully trusted near a microphone, particularly
before a large audience on an occasion as emotionally charged as Friday's, but
nobody could have predicted the reckless digression in Villaraigosa's eulogy of
Simmons. First, he informed the audience that "the newspapers" only "tell the
truth" about LAPD officers in obituaries. Then the mayor went on to say, "We
know that the central story of this department has never been written in consent
decrees or the reports of inspectors general."

Really?

We can understand Tim getting his "Depends" in a bunch over that comment, some more.

Maybe he just has lousy speechwriters? Unlikely. Pandering is the more likely
explanation. The mayor has been taking a battering from the Police Protective
League over new financial disclosure regulations required by the consent decree.
Maybe he thought that denigrating the agreement in front of all those blue
shirts would win over some of his critics. Lots of luck on that one.

Holy Moses, Viva Hahn!!! Tim's view of Angelino thought have penetrated the walls of the "OLD GREY LADY ON SPRING STREET", and in mentioning Hahn, this.

Perhaps the mayor simply hoped to demonstrate that he really is a "friend
to the department." After all, the ongoing reduction in crime in L.A. is one of
the few unambiguous achievements of a mayoral administration that seems to
generate more unfinished initiatives than an ADD clinic.

That's Bratton's doing, of course, and one of the things Villaraigosa
doesn't want anyone to remember is that he didn't bring the chief here. His
predecessor, James Hahn, did -- and took a political hit for doing it that
probably cost him his job.

In closing Tim, let me commend you on a column well done, and remember those platitudes came from a "BLOGGER".

A Guardian Angel laid to rest. The "City of Angels" mourns

This is your thread to opine on today's services for LAPD Officer Randal Simmons.

I would call upon Chief Bratton to create the "Officer Randal Simmons Award" for service On and Off duty in the Community.

May God watch over the Simmons Family as they move forward without a "TRUE ANGELINO HERO".

"Duty, Honor, Character" A Fallen Hero

This from the LAPD Blog.

Shortly, after 9:00 last night, the Los Angeles Police Department's Communications Division received a 911 call from a home in West Valley in the 19000 block of Welby Way. The caller indicated he had killed 3 of his family members. West Valley Patrol Units responded to conduct an investigation.

The suspect refused to leave the home and LAPD SWAT was called to the scene. Around 12:30 this morning, SWAT made entry into the home and an exchange of gunfire between the officers and the suspect occurred. Two veteran SWAT officers were shot, removed from the home and rushed to Northridge Medical Center. The incident at the home in West Valley is still ongoing, and for that reason there will be no more tactical information released at this time.

Despite the efforts of the Los Angeles Fire Department and hospital personnel, one of the officers passed away just after one'clock this morning. The other officer was seriously wounded but will survive. The names of the officers will not be released until all of their family members have been notified.

The members of the Los Angeles Police Department are deeply saddened this morning having lost a member of their family. Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of these two brave officers. Both have served this city for more than 25-years and have been a part of SWAT for 20 of those years.

The concept of SWAT originated in the late 1960s, and became fully operational in 1971 when personnel were assigned on a full-time basis to Metropolitan Division. Until this morning, no SWAT officer had been killed in the line of duty despite thousands of incidents this elite unit has responded to in thirty plus years. The only other SWAT Officer to have died on duty was Officer Lou Villalobos, who died during a training accident in March 2000.

Lieutenant Ruben De La Torre

Los Angeles: Due to overwhelming support for LAPD Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team Officers Randal Simmons and James Veenstra, trust funds have been established in both their names through the Los Angeles Police Federal Credit Union (LAPFC).

To make a donation, please go to: www.lapfcu.org and click on the red square titled “LAPFCU Community Corner.” Donations may also be received by mail:

LAPFCUBlue Ribbon Trust Fund/ Officer Randal SimmonsAcct. 2030077-product code S4.1216150 Sherman WayVan Nuys, CA 91410(877) 695-2732

LAPFCUBlue Ribbon Trust Fund/ Officer James VeenstraAcct. 2030077-product code S4.1316150 Sherman WayVan Nuys, CA 91410(877) 695-2732

Link to LAPD Blog for more information