In Memoriam

Back on September 12th, Chris Muir - this scribe's favorite cartoonist - began a sabbatical, citing several family members' battles with cancer.

On September 30th, amidst all the hubbub surrounding the debates, Forgerygate, et. al, Chris lost one of those family members.  Carole S. Muir was 73.

On behalf of the management team here at the Rott and my Denizens over at the Realm™, I offer condolences, tears and prayers to Chris in his loss.  Chris, we're here if you need us.

Self-defense:  Void where prohibited by company policy

You guys know about how bad it is in England, where you can't even defend your property without getting hauled off to the hoosegow by the bobbies.

That mousy, "give the baddies what they want" milquetoast attitude is seeping increasingly into American business, it seems.

People's Exhibit Number One is the case of a Long John Silver's restaurant manager in Richardson who foiled a robbery attempt, saving his own life (and likely that of his subordinates) in the process.

His reward for his heroism?  He was fired.

The robbery passed in a blur – rough voices, barked orders, workers forced to the floor, a bag of money changing hands.  Then one of the robbers ordered the supervisor at the Richardson Long John Silver's to the back of the restaurant.

"He's going to kill me," the man recalled thinking. So he grabbed a hammer, turned and swung.  The robber fell, then fled, his accomplice with him. The bag of money lay on the floor.

A few days after the Sept. 18 robbery attempt, the supervisor got another shock:  Officials at Long John Silver's fired him.  He'd risked his co-workers' lives and violated company policy, he said they told him.

"We're firing you for not acting like a sheep.  Sheep good.  Pansy-@$$es good.  People who like living too much to let jerk-offs take their lives from them - baaaaaaaaad.

A company spokesman declined to discuss specifics, acknowledging the attempted robbery at the Belt Line Road restaurant and the policy.

Spokesman Rick Maynard said, "Our policy outlines the steps that should be taken to prevent putting customers or employees at risk, including directing employees not to attempt to disarm a robber."

Yeah, but does your half-@$$ed policy outline the steps you're supposed to take when you about to be killed,  Maynard, you little nancy-boy?  Why do I get the impression that you would've responded differently had you been one of the subordinates, hmmmmmmmmm?

Scratch one more  establishment from my patronage list.

F.E.T.E, as BC would say...