Monday, December 16, 2013

How The Grinch Stole A Christmas Tree

 Amherst Boy Scouts Kendrick Park Christmas Tree oasis

Another less heartwarming Amherst tradition coinciding with the Boy Scout Christmas Tree Sale in Kendrick Park -- also dating back 50 years -- is the tradition of nitwit college aged youth trying to steal one of their Christmas trees.  And getting caught.

The Judge usually fines them $100 each with the fine money going to the Boy Scouts; so in this case, $400 for the attempted theft of one $40/tree.




11 comments:

  1. "Another less heartwarming Amherst tradition coinciding with the Boy Scout Christmas Tree Sale in Kendrick Park"

    Oh, it's very heartwarming. Gives me a good laugh every year.

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  2. You would think in this day and age of social media, the word would get out.

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  3. As an Eagle Scout, I have a real problem with this.

    Have a loud party, which is not intentionally malicious and you each get a $300 fine and are arrested.

    By contrast, stealing a tree from the Boy Scouts is malicious, it's one of those "Thou Shalt Not" things. You know it ain't yours -- and isn't like they left a couple 20's and a note where the kids would find it in the morning.

    It appears that the APD had these perps "dead to rights" -- a witness seeing them taking it, an officer seeing them carrying it and then seeing them drop it.

    Why is the fine for this only a third of what it would have been for a party that got louder than intended? Why weren't they arrested?

    I argue that mens rea ought to apply here -- these perps did something knowing that it was wrong. Those having a party (which itself isn't illegal) may not have intended to violate the noise ordinance, even though they wound up doing so.

    Shouldn't these perps be fined AT LEAST AS MUCH?!?!?!?!?

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  4. On the other hand, maybe they smoked too much pot as teenagers. There is this interesting tidbit:

    "The study also shows the marijuana-related brain abnormalities are correlated with a poor working memory performance and look similar to schizophrenia-related brain abnormalities."

    See http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-12-heavy-marijuana-users-abnormal-brain.html

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  5. I think a 100 hours community service pick up garbage on the high way would be a good one!

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  6. This is a puff piece, Larry. Keep to the hard stuff like flags and sunsets.

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  7. This is news to me Larry, so please clarify. Is this done with the knowledge of the perps that they will be caught and fined, thereby simply perpetuating a tradition, and in effect simply donating to the Boy Scouts? If not, why is the point? Thanks, Richard Marsh.

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  8. Define "exposing." Is it your goal to find out who we/I am? if so, this is my last post. The last thing I need is a creep like you tailing me.

    BTW, without us CANs, your site is basically you, Walter, Ed, Richard and a couple other random dudes railing against society - we anons bring the controversy and interest to this... whatever it is.

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  9. Consider yourself exposed.

    Congratulations, CAN.

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  10. CAN't we just get Wally and ED some help or something? They're both so bitter and alone, you can hear it in their never ending cries for HELP.

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  11. "The study also shows the marijuana-related brain abnormalities are correlated with a poor working memory performance and look similar to schizophrenia-related brain abnormalities."

    Sorry phd Ed:

    http://www.spring.org.uk/2013/12/marijuana-does-not-cause-schizophrenia.php#utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PsychologyBlog+%28PsyBlog%29

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