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National Police Week
Look at any city’s crime stats and you have all the evidence you need for the reason behind this week’s celebration. Every town has experienced crime on some level, making the jobs of the community’s police force that much more important. Welcome to National Police Week!
Consider these facts:
- Seattle posed decreases in major crimes for four out of five precincts in 2011.
- Homicides declined 19 percent in 2011 compared to 2007 in Philadelphia.
- Homicides in Nashville dropped 25 percent in 2010 compared to 2009 figures.
This is only a sampling of the strides that law enforcement has made to keep America safe. They do the job that no one else wants to do.
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Honor the Men in Blue for National Police Officers’ Memorial Day
Unlike a lot of so-called national days, this one is for real. Today is the day to honor the men and women who work faithfully and ceaselessly to protect the masses. Welcome to National Police Officers’ Memorial Day!
These are the people who put their jobs first. They do the nasty work that many would never consider. Because of them, we are a safer nation. With the recent negative press about the police, it is fitting that this day comes to pass now as a reminder of their service. Let’s put this in perspective. We are not the wild west anymore because of these individuals. They deserve our undying, unadulterated gratitude. Period.
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Writing Tip: As Strange As Real Life
When you are at a loss for ideas, sometimes, you needn’t look further than real life for a virtual treasure trove of plots, characters and starting points. Real time copycat stories may be topical, but may come off as trite. That’s where history comes into play. Take the story of French surgeon, Dr. Serge Voronoff.
The Monkey Gland Technique
Dr. Voronoff’s claim to fame was an outlandish-sounding surgical procedure implemented in the 1920s. The gist of it was this. Voronoff took pieces of monkey testicles and implanted them into a human’s scrotum–willingly. The idea was that it may restore your sexual drive and vitality, with a bit of longevity thrown into the mix.
What is more disturbing is the fact that the initial procedures used tissue from criminals until the supply could not keep up the demand. You read that right. Over 500 people consented to this procedure.
Back in the day, he was the talk of the town, understandably so. He was praised and revered. Mention of him made it into songs and movies. There was even a drink created in the procedure’s honor called the Monkey Gland. The drink is actually quite tasty, though a bit heavy with the anise flavor.
As quickly as he rose to flame, his star burned out, causing him to languish in ridicule and shame. Just goes to show how fleeting those 15 minutes can be. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle loosely based one of his Sherlock Holmes
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Of course, the first rule is not to draw the picture too realistic, even though it happened so long ago. There is such as thing as showing some respect for the dead. However, Dr. Voronoff’s story is great. It has fame, failure, genius (taken in context) and originality. I mean, come on, who would have thought of the elements of this one coming together? We’re so used to the stringent controls of prison and prisoner rights that exist today. Men being used for scientific experimentation? Get real!
What I find even more amazing about this whole story is its obscurity. Even by today’s standards, it certainly would raise an eyebrow or 20. Why has it died out? Why is someone who even warranted mention in a Marx brothers movie unknown today? What’s funny is that there probably is a drink today of a similar nature with a very different name.
History is full of Dr. Voronoff stories and ones of other individuals who tried and failed. It’s up to you to uncover the tales and give them new light.
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