So, I’m moving this blog to the following URL:

http://ericalj.wordpress.com/

Blogsome has been good, but I find a ton more features and themes through wordpress…

http://blog.elj.us/ is set up to go to the appropriate place though.

During the holiday season, I can’t help but think about the many people who have paid the ultimate price during this previous year.  How many families are without their loved ones because of the selfless acts of these people.

So far, for the year 2008, the numbers actually look better than they have in a while for law enforcement:

As of this date, 123 police officers have died in the line of duty for 2008. So far, that number looks like it could be lower than it has been in many many years.

As of this date, 107 firefighters have died in the line of duty for 2008.  That could be lower than last year, but looks to be about on par with other years.

Sadly, there isn’t an easy way to glean the same information for the EMS personnel that have died LODD as well.  But it’s important to remember that that does happen as well.  This is often the first forgotten.

What I find most tragic is that with the 123 LEOs that died…1 of them died from 9/11 related illness.  It grieves me to see how that day is still taking people from us. Unfortunately, I don’t quite have the same info for firefighters or EMS personnel, I’m sure there are some there as well.

What can we do though? We can help to remember the families of the finest and bravest.  There are several organizations that help to support the families after:

• Honor Every Responsible Officer’s Eternal Sacrifice (HEROES)
  
• Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS)
• National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF)
• National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

"It is not how these officers died that made them heroes; it is how they lived" - Vivian Eney, wife of Sgt Eney, USCP

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. - John 15:13

Last night, I went to a bar in Fairfax for "open mic night".  A friend’s band was going to play during this and I’d been wanting catch a live show of theirs for a while now.

While they only had approximately 25 minutes to play, they were pretty good!   Definitely going to have to catch a longer live show of theirs.

So, I recommend checking them out here: Pollock.  That is their myspace music page.  While they only have 4 songs up, they are definitely worth checking out.

 Amusing note of the night: There was a spoken word artist there…basically, think a more artistic version of eminem.  At least, to me, the guy sounded like eminem.  One "song" of his began with "When you put people in boxes, they end up in boxes"  I get the metaphor, but damn that was stupid   Also, the other artists there have now made me hate the djembe I think.