TheTrenchcoat Chronicles

Author: Trench Reynolds

  • 1/16/05 From The Mail Sack

    1/16/05 From The Mail Sack

    We got a lot of lengthy mail this week, so if you have to pee, go now. I’ll wait. Are you back? Good. Ok, on with the mail. And surprise, surprise, they’re all from my entry on the Eric Harris Journal. I know it’s long, but please be patient and read it all. Especially if you have kids.

    First comment…

    I don’t think Eric and Dylan did the right thing necessarily but I think they did what they felt they had to. Whenever you’re being harassed all the time by people at some point you are going to lash out. I think they could have found a better solution but I think they also showed kids who were being harassed one solution to the serious problem of being bullied.

    And for all you psychopaths (like mac and trench) who go ON and ON and ON about eric and dylan being “scum bags”, “pieces of trash,” and “burning in hell” you are just as hateful as the people you claim to hate. Just listen to yourselves talk about 2 kids and if this world were a perfect one you guys would be in jail or a mental institution because you’re crazy.

    People need to learn empathy. You guys need to try to see it from Eric and Dylan’s point of view. Maybe they were driven to the point of insanity by all the bullying and being kids didn’t know a better way of solving the problem. Whatever you do, don’t act like an idiot and start ranting about the kids being sick and so and so.

    People don’t just do those things for no reason, there’s always a reason. The reason why we’re (the USA) trillions of dollars in debt and supporting a president who’s ruining the country and at the same time angering the rest of the world while completely failing to control Iraq is the same reason why people like Eric and Dylan do what they do. For years we bullied the Middle East and stole oil and other things and Sept 11 was the result.

    You people just don’t understand that you have to respect other people and you have to show love/empathy for other people and try to prevent other Columbines by protecting kids from bullies and trying to set up a culture of respect on schools. Schools that don’t tolerate violence or hatred are much less likely to have Columbines then schools where people like Mac have a survival of the fittest fuck kids who get bullied attitude.

    And if you guys don’t learn to put aside your hate and look at the real reason why Eric and Dylan did what they did, then I guarantee you you’ll never accomplish anything and in a few years we’ll hear about David and Julian or Eric and Randy or someone killing 200 kids with a pipe bomb or some kid blowing himself up in a crowded mall or something.

    And for anyone here who wants to rant about Eric and Dylan going to hell or anything else you sound like demons and will find yourself going to the same hell. 🙂

    Comment by Julian – Tuesday Jan 11, 2005 @ 9:37 am

    I really need to get some macros so I can just press a button and have my usual responses typed out.

    First of all, I don’t think Harris and Klebold were bullied at all. In this day and age of instant information, I have yet to hear of one name of the people who allegedly harassed them. Personally, I think if it wasn’t the whole bullying myth surrounding them, they would have found some other reason to shoot up their school.

    It’s been proven time and time again that these kids, especially Harris, were mentally defective. Even if they were bullied, say it with me folks, it’s still no excuse to kill people.

    How many times do we have to go through this? If you think that killing in response to bullying is an acceptable resolution, then you need some serious psychiatric help.

    And for me calling them scumbags, well, the fact remains they killed 13 unarmed innocent people and I didn’t. So by my estimations, they are scumbags who are burning in hell.

    Empathy? I’d have been on their side if in fact they were harassed. So have millions of other people. Again, the difference is we didn’t kill anyone over it.

    What is wrong with you kids who think that killing is cool. Trust me. You’re not being cool, or a rebel. It’s got nothing to do with being goth, punk, or whatever. It means you’re fucking stupid. It means you need mental help.

    And how the fuck do you draw a comparison to Iraq and Columbine? That’s apples and oranges. But then again, leftists blame everything on the President. Why didn’t the Clinton administration do something to prevent a situation like Columbine? They were the ones in charge at the time.

    And yes I agree that the schools need to do something about bullying, but people need to take responsibility for their own actions. T

    he only reason that 13 people are dead from Columbine is that those scumbags Harris and Klebold killed them. No other reason. Maybe if Harris and Klebold had put aside their hate, than we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

    And the opposite side of the coin…

    what up? sorry if i affended the people who feel bad for eric and dylan. i just don’t really understand why someone would want to kill people. and in a way, i do agree w/ u, alex. its their fault that they tried so hard to be outcasts. i mean just try to be normal and then u won’t really have to worry about evryone hating u. and julian, why do u think that eric and dylan were protecting columbine (they shot people who DID NOT deserve to die). where’s your empathy? Peace. 🙁

    Comment by xxmatrixevolvexx – Tuesday Jan 11, 2005 @ 11:24 am

    First off never feel bad about offending the mutants. Secondly, do you want everyone to dress the same and act the same? Do you want them all to be the same color too? The same religion? I can think of some other groups that wanted everyone to act the same. The Klan, Nazis, The Communist Bloc, Al-Qaeda. If you want everyone to fit your definition of normal, then I feel sorry for you because it shows you have no sense of self-expression and no imagination.

    Another one from the first commenter. A lot of it is repetition so if you want to check out the whole comment you can go here…

    After all, school CAN be very bad sometimes. And in response to trench’s self-righteous tirade about being bullied in school and not taking it out on people I have several questions: How do you know that Eric/Dylan weren’t bullied far more horribily than you? Maybe you had someone restraining those bullies. People are different. Some respond to bullying by trying to fit in, many others through drug and crime and some by being bullies themselves. Others just bear it and take teh abuse until they can escape, and some commit suicide. Eric/Dylan simply chose the very direct route of violence ❗

    And another thing remember that the United States has more crime than any of the other wealthy industrialized nations. When you look at all the serial rapists, killers, child murderers, gangbangers, drug dealers, robbers, weak legal system and generally rude atmosphere that make this country a difficult place to live in do you guys even think for one second that Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold could just be one small part of a much larger problem ❓

    Comment by Julian – Tuesday Jan 11, 2005 @ 2:54 pm

    It doesn’t matter if Harris and Klebold were bullied worse than I was. And yeah, I really had someone restraining those bullies.

    Sorry, Sunshine, but I had no help. It was me against them, as it is in most of those situations. And again, show me the proof that Harris and Klebold were bullied. I just don’t buy it. Violence wasn’t a direct route. It was a very cowardly one. And your Michael Moore blames the U.S. attitude is exactly what’s wrong with our country.

    Rather than placing the blame on the person responsible, you place it on everything else. Harris was a psychopath and Klebold was his lackey. They are the ones who pulled the trigger. Society isn’t to blame. They are.

    And lastly…

    I know this reply is very very late, but i would not say that the people that died got what tehy deserved, but i do think that you know Eric and Dylan did get picked on a lot and i know from experience that it is not fun, not only do you wnat to kill others you want to kill yourself, when you get that low you feel like there is no way out, i swallowed all my anger and now i am in therapy for self-mutilation, and i have attacked people at school, i choked two girls and threw one accross the cafeteria, and there is another kid at my school, who threw three kids across a teachers room and chocked one, and then there is another kid at my school who gets picked ona lot and he tried to seriously hurt a class mate by flipping over a table he was standing on (it is a long story as to why he was standing on the table), but i think that everyone needs to notice the fact that they killed themselves after killing others, no one pays attention to that lose, everyone thinks that because they killed people they are evil, well fuck that idea. evil is made not born, after years of emotional, physical and mental abuse form not your parents but your peers, the ones who are supposed to except you for who you are, you get to a point where you don’t need it, you know i mean no one ever thinks about the fact that maybe Eric and Dylan were trying to stop the treatment that they got from happening to anyone else. think about it from their point of view before you judge, i mean we are killing people in Iraq does that make us horrible people because we are killing people to protect ourselves and others from getting the treatment we got. Think about that and then when you can justify why we are in Iraq, and think you know why those boys should not have ended the lives of other as well as THEIR OWN!!! you can ge bakc to me my email is wanabebaby@hotmail.com, oh and this is comming form a 17 year old girl, who also had a cousin who went to Colubine during the shooting, but she was safe, so don’t sit there and tell me i have no idea how the family of teh teens who were there feels.

    Comment by Katie – Thursday Jan 13, 2005 @ 7:33 pm

    Let’s take that in for a moment.

    She feels that the people who were killed at Columbine got what they deserved. She feels that 13 people that had little or no connection to those scumbags, Harris and Klebold, got what they deserved.

    So what if Harris and Klebold killed themselves. You don’t think they wouldn’t be sitting on death row if they were caught. Death was inevitable for them, and now they’re facing an even greater punishment. I was at their point, and again I didn’t kill anybody.

    And again bringing Iraq into this. Are you people coming from the same message board or something? The two have nothing to do with each other. If, in fact, you did have a cousin at Columbine, would you feel the same way if she was among the dead? If you would, then I feel sorry for you.

  • Marshfield Development

    Marshfield Development

    Marshfield student was expelled before:

    Joe Nee’s lawyer, Thomas Drechsler, is pulling out all the stops in trying to make Toby Kerns look as bad as possible in order to get his client released. Dreschler made public that Kerns was expelled from a school in Washington State for threatening to shoot a classmate even though that local authorities in Washington concluded that Kerns ”was not an imminent threat” to the girl, but that ”he definitely needed counseling and supervision.” He apologized to the girl, her parents, police, and the school.

    Nee’s lawyer, Thomas Drechsler, argued yesterday that it was unfair to keep Nee jailed without bail while allowing Kerns to roam free. Unlike Kerns, who was on probation when he was arrested in September, Nee has no prior criminal record.

    Which is all well and good, but Joe Nee was the one wore a homemade shirt with the date of the Columbine massacre and “Remember the Heroes” – a reference to Columbine killers Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris and dressed as Harris for Halloween at school. Not to mention, the only reason Joe Nee may not have a criminal record is that any time he may have been picked up he might have said: “my dad is the head of the Boston Police union”.

    But what’s scary is this…

    A judge agreed yesterday to schedule a hearing Tuesday on Drechsler’s contention that Nee should be freed on bail because of new evidence he received that raises questions about the strength of the case.

    That evidence, he said, includes information that a girl who told police that she saw Nee carrying a gun on a school bus last June testified before a grand jury last fall that she wasn’t sure if it was real. And a student who is a key witness against Nee had previously committed crimes with Kerns, Drechsler said, adding that the revelation raises questions about the witness’s credibility.

    Let’s hope a judge can see past Toby’s past problems and realize that just because someone doesn’t have a criminal record doesn’t mean they can’t be a criminal.

    And as a side note, I’m still waiting for someone to send me an e-mail or a comment in defense of Joe Nee.

  • Osantowski to stand trial

    Osantowski to stand trial

    Teen accused of planning an attack on his high school ordered to stand trial:

    No news of any great significance except that Andrew Osantowski has been ordered to stand trial for the charges against him and will be arraigned on February 7th.

    I guess it’s a procedural thing because I thought it was pretty much a given that he was going to be tried. What struck me as odd in this article was the following…

    Dozens of Chippewa Valley students attended Wednesday’s hearing as part of a government class at the high school.

    One of them, student government president Tom Novik, said he and his fellow students could have sat in on another case. But the 17-year-old said it was important to come to Osantowski’s hearing.

    “I took it personally when it happened,” Novik said. “I was worried for everyone. … As of now, I think it’s behind us.”

    Now, I’m no supporter of Andrew Osantowski, but I don’t see the point of allowing students from the school that he intended to show up to attend the proceedings. Could the defense make an issue of this, or have I been watching too much Law and Order?

  • Another Marshfield Observation

    Another Marshfield Observation

    No place like home:

    This is another article about how Toby Kerns is adjusting to life at home again. What struck me about this particular article was the quote about Joe Nee’s family…

    Joe Nee’s family has chosen not to speak to the press, but Nee’s lawyer has argued that Nee is a hero for turning in Kerns and that Nee was arrested only after witnesses “came out of the woodwork” because the police went public with the investigation.

    That is eerily reminiscent of the parents of Eric Harris, who have refused to talk to the press.

    Just an observation.

  • Courts to decide on Columbine tapes

    Courts to decide on Columbine tapes

    Court to decide on release of Columbine killers’ tapes, diaries:

    I’m actually torn on this issue. On the one hand, I hate how the media, in this case, The Denver Post, feel like they have the God-given right to have access to any and all information, no matter how detrimental it may be if it’s released to the public.

    Not to mention all the mutant websites that will pop up advertising that they have all the tapes and documents available for download, which will, in turn, cause the Harris and Klebold worshiping mutants to cream their jeans over seeing videos of their heroes.

    On the other hand, I think the materials should be released, so people could see just how much of a bunch of psychopaths they really were and how their parents let this all go on under their noses. I also think that every parent that has a kid in school should see the materials so they’ll realize that something like Columbine can happen anywhere at any time and, yes, even with your kid if you don’t do something about it. Unfortunately, most parents are in denial about such matters, which is a damn shame.

  • The Guilty will be punished

    The Guilty will be punished

    Excuse me while I let my inner geek come out. Last night I watched the DVD of The Punisher. The reason I watched it was because I used to be a huge fan of The Punisher in the comic books.

    The Punisher was one of the heroes that I based my screen name on. I used to own his first appearance ever in a 1970s issue of Spider-Man and the first issue of his own series from back in the late ’80s. And as usual, with most comic book to movie translations, this movie blew goats.

    As a matter of fact, I know I’m committing comic book and movie heresy by saying this, but I actually liked the 1989 movie version of The Punisher with Dolph Lundgren better. I’ll even admit that I even own the 1989 version, and I’ll defend it to anyone who says the new version is better. I’ll even do a side by side comparison to prove my point.

    What sucked about both movies:
    First off, NO JIGSAW!!!! How can you have a true Punisher movie without Jigsaw? It’s like having a Batman without The Joker or Superman without Lex Luthor. It just shouldn’t be done.

    Secondly, both movies screwed up the way his family was killed. Frank Castle was a Vietnam vet whose family was killed in Central Park in New York when they got caught in the crossfire between two organized crime families.

    In the first movie, Frank Castle was a cop whose family was killed by a car bomb set by the Mafia. In the recent movie, Frank Castle was an ex-FBI agent whose family was killed in Puerto Rico after an organized crime boss’ son was killed during a bust led by Castle. Neither of which was remotely even close.

    The Actors:
    First off, we have Dolph Lundgren. Not the greatest actor in the world, I know, but look at him. When I first saw him with the black hair and leather jacket, to me, he looked like Frank Castle. The only problem was, Dolph didn’t wear the skull.

    Then, on the other hand, you have the man with the woman’s name, Mr. Patricia Arquette, Tom Jane. He looks like a cross between Christopher Lambert and Oswald from the Drew Carey Show. That is not meant as a compliment. Plus, he looks like he weighs about 90 lbs. He may have better clothes than Dolph, but he is not Frank Castle.

    The Movie:
    The 1989 movie may have been over the top cheesy, but it was non-stop from start to finish. The new film dragged on and on and on.

    If you’re going to make a Punisher movie, it needs to have non-stop killing. They made the Punisher too human in the new flick. Sorry, but I like my Punisher to be an emotionless killing machine.

    The Punisher doesn’t cry. In the first movie, Dolph cauterizes his wounds with a glowing hot knife. Tom Jane has to have a little stab wound sewn shut by Rebecca Romijn.

    The new movie takes place in Tampa. The Punisher is not from Florida, of all places.

    The Villain names were lame at best. Howard Saint? What kind of name is that without some kind of “saintly” gimmick to back it up. While it was one of the few characters in the new Punisher, I liked, what kind of name is Harry Heck?

    So, then you need someone big and mean who can take out The Punisher so you get wrestler Kevin Nash, shave his beard, give him a bleach blonde haircut, put him in a red and white striped shirt that makes him look like he should be in the French navy, and you call him “The Russian”? The original rumor was that Kevin Nash was going to play Tombstone, which would have been a lot cooler even though Tombstone was more of a Spider-Man villain.

    Granted that Dolph only fought generic Yakuza and Mafia types, but The Punisher didn’t always fight the super villains. He also fought everyday scum.

    The Closing Lines:
    This pretty much sums up the entire argument for me.

    From the 2004 version: Those who do evil to others – the killers, the rapists, psychos, sadists – you will come to know me well. Frank Castle is dead. Call me The Punisher.

    Is that corny as hell or what? Now let me give you one of the greatest movie lines ever…

    From The 1989 Version: I still talk to God sometimes, I ask him if what I’m doing is right or wrong, I’m still waiting for an answer, and until I get one, I’ll be waiting, watching, THE GUILTY WILL BE PUNISHED!

    How fucking cool is that?

    So all you movie elitists can kiss my ass because to me, Dolph Lundgren is Frank Castle.

    Geek mode off.

  • Yates conviction overturned

    Yates conviction overturned

    Andrea Yates’ Conviction Overturned:

    I’m not too worried about this. I’m actually looking at it as a positive thing. Why? Because she will be retried, and she will be found guilty again. And hopefully this time the Texas jury will do what they should have done originally and sentence her to death.

    May God have mercy on her soul.

  • Toby Kerns Released

    Toby Kerns Released

    Toby Kerns released on $20,000 bail:

    Toby Kerns has been released on $20,000 bail. Prosecutors argued the bail should be set at $1 million cash due to the severity of the charges, but luckily, Juvenile Court Judge Louis Coffin did not agree.

    The article also states that Kern’s attorney William McElligott believes the Marshfield Police are withholding evidence that the defense is entitled to see. Considering the other suspect is the son of a cop, this comes off as very suspicious.

    What doesn’t look good is that the Assistant District Attorney John McLaughlin said the maps found in Toby’s home were analyzed by the state crime lab, and it was determined they were in Toby’s handwriting. However, William McElligott said the tests on the maps and other written material, including the hit list, have been inconclusive.

    For now, Toby will not be returning to school and will be more or less homeschooled. I guess that would be in Toby’s best interest as well. Could you imagine how much he would be harassed in school, even if his involvement in the plot was little to none? Unfortunately, that’s the nature of high school.

    Enjoy your pancakes, Toby.

  • Lost Boys

    Lost Boys

    The Lost Boys:

    This is a great article from Boston Magazine that goes over the entire Marshfield saga in great detail. When you get a chance, read the entire article to get a look into the mind of Joseph Nee.

    I found it interesting that the night Joe Nee showed up at the Kerns’ house, this is what happened…

    Two days after Joe Nee showed up at the Kernses’ door seeking shelter on the night of May 6, Ben Kerns called the Nee home. He says Joe’s mother told him Joe had punched his father and that Joe was the abusive one. “We don’t want him back,” Ben quotes her as saying. “If you don’t want him, throw him out on the street.” Tom Nee declined to be interviewed for this story.

    Yet, Tom Nee keeps saying…

    Tom Nee told reporters, “There was no Columbine because my son had courage and conviction to seek out a police officer.”

    At one point you throw him out of your house and say you don’t want him back, then you say he had courage and conviction. It sounds like to me that a cop is refusing to admit that his son might have broken the law. But that’s just my opinion.

    I still have yet to receive any comments or e-mails in defense of Joseph Nee, and this article will probably make it harder for anyone to do so.

  • The 2004 Trenchie Awards

    The 2004 Trenchie Awards

    It’s the post that I look forward to all year long. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the 4th annual Trenchie awards. The best and worst of my year, as voted for by me. Let’s get right to it.

    Best Move I’ve Seen This Year:
    Veronica Guerin. This movie about an Irish journalist is assassinated by drug dealers she wrote about in a series of stories moved me in a way that I’ve never been moved before. I was first made aware of the story by the song “Veronica Guerin” off the Savatage album “Wake of Magellan”. If you get a chance, check out both the movie and the CD.

    Worst Movie I’ve Seen This Year:
    There were a plethora of movies to choose from this year. There was the unspeakable 13th Child, which was supposed to be a horror movie about the legend of the Jersey Devil. I don’t know what that crap was, though.

    Then there was the British indie flick Blood about a girl who was genetically altered to have narcotic blood.

    But the winner/loser has to be Elephant. This movie about a Columbine-like school shooting has to be the most boring piece of crap I’ve ever seen. The critics creamed their jeans over this movie, calling its writer/director Gus Van Sant a genius. As usual, the critics are on crack. It was like having a tooth drilled with no Novocaine for 81 minutes.

    Best Album of the Year:
    This was tough. It was a pretty good year for music. There was Master of the Moon by the metal god that is Dio. There was also Inner Circle by Evergrey. However, this year’s winner took the title early and never let go. It was The Glorious Burden by Iced Earth. Their first album with new vocalist and one-time Judas Priest frontman Tim “Ripper” Owens. A themed album that dealt mostly with the history of war. This album is the definition of metal.

    Worst Album of the Year:
    The Neon God Part 1: The Rise by W.A.S.P. The first part of a concept album released by the lesser of the metal gods Blackie Lawless. While I am a huge fan of the first W.A.S.P. concept album The Crimson Idol, this one just doesn’t even come close. Made me not want to pick up Vol 2.

    Best TV Show of the Year:
    The winner and new champion is House, the medical drama on Fox. It knocked 24 out of the top spot, since season 3 of 24 was all over the map in terms of storyline. House is about a doctor who solves patients diagnoses that other doctors can’t discern. Did I mention that he hates people? My kind of doctor.

    Worst TV Show of the Year:
    I have to give dishonorable mention to The 4400. The concept of that show started out great about 4400 people who were returned to earth after being abducted by aliens through the past 7 decades and returning with no knowledge of them being gone or having aged a day. Then they all started getting SUPERPOWERS. I stopped watching at that point. But the winner/loser has to go to Stephen King’s Kingdom Hospital. This show was so painful to watch. Stephen King should just stick to books.

    Best Wrestling Moment of the Year:
    Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit winning their respective world titles at WrestleMania XX. It showed that popular world champions don’t have to be big, juiced out freaks. Sadly, from what I hear, we’re getting more huge juiced out freaks in the future from Vinny Mac.

    Worst Wrestling Moment of the Year: Apparently the WWE is very tightfisted about allowing people to post pics on the web. Bastards. Anyway, it has to be the Lita/Kane pregnancy angle. Not only was this possibly the worst storyline ever, it may also go down in history as the most offensive. Plus, it’s the angle that put old moon face himself Gene Snitsky on our TVs. That should be reason enough right there.

    Best Video Game of the Year:
    I know what you’re saying. What about Halo? What about San Andreas? I have one word for you. Baaaaaaaaaa. Front Mission 4 from Square-Enix was the most engrossing and addictive game I played all year. It’s a turn-based tactics style game where you battle evil in giant robots armed with giant machine guns, shotguns, and missiles.

    Honorable mention has to go to Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne. A groundbreaking RPG. Instead of saving the world, the world has already been destroyed and you have to survive. My only complaint is that some of the levels are long and boring.

    Worst Video Game of the Year:
    Samurai Warriors by Koei. While Little Jay and I are big fans of the hack and slash Dynasty Warrior series, Samurai Warriors didn’t live up to its predecessors. The incredibly lousy camera angles totally ruined any chance of decent gameplay.

    Best Movie Line of the Year:
    From The Boondock Saints when Rocco fondles the passed out strippers breast. Connor MacManus says”What the fuck are you doing?” Rocco screams, “I’ll tip her”. I’m not doing it justice. See the movie.

    Biggest Dumbass of the Year:
    Bruce Friedrich of PETA, who compared the chickens KFC uses to the time in our country when blacks were used as slaves.

    Most Inane Political Agenda of the Year:
    Remember the woman who refused to have a C-section and ended up killing one of her babies that we lovingly refer to as Scarzilla. Well, at the time of her court appearances pro-death organizations like NOW, NARAL and the ACLU were saying that the prosecutors’ attempt to charge her with murder was somehow a conspiracy against abortion rights.

    Biggest Jackass Celebrity of the Year: My wife gave me the idea for this one. Everyone’s favorite skank ho, Britney Spears. Two marriages, one over in less than 24 hours. The other to a no-name dancer with no prenup while his ex-girlfriend was pregnant with his child. Going into gas station bathrooms in bare feet. And the list goes on and on. You can take the girl out of the trailer park, but you can’t take the trailer park out of the girl.

    That’s it for this year, kids. Have a safe Amateur night.