Well, It's Not ALL BAD News...

We just like to say that some of it is a LOT LESS GOOD than the rest...that's all. If there's one thing that shines through all of my pessimistic cynicism...it's the optimistic cynicism. So let's see what's shaking with all the news that's PRINT TO FIT, shall we?

Allen County Courthouse Cell-ban a "?"...

After SIX months of the cellphone ban in the courthouse here, people are STILL trying to bring them in. Chalk it up to a flagrant disregard for the law? There ARE signs posted damn near everywhere. Security officers have already confiscated and destroyed TWENTY-FIVE cellphones (wow, if they would ONLY do the same with BOOMCARS...), and unfortunately bear the brunt of peoples' ire as a result. But the law IS the law, right? No civilian exemptions have been granted thus far, and people have resorted to stashing them in the shrubs outside the courthouse (anyone need a FREE pre-paid phone....check it out). Or they can pay between $2-$4 for a third party to hold the phone in a cart outside.
We could ask: Who's your dumbass? Or is that "HOOSIER" Dumbass?

* * *

Leonard Pitts, Jr. has a riveting article on the OP-ED page of today's J-G. He was recently in Philly (ah, I can smell the cheesesteaks already) observing a program called YouthBuild U.S.A. He asked some of the YB students a simple question:
"Why are black kids failing in disproportionate numbers?"
And the answers he got were interesting.

One student said, "Some parents can't even provide a stable home for their kids".
Another chimed in, "It's a lot of teenagers having babies...immature people who haven't grown up themselves. So when you raise a child, you're giving them that same attitude...a domino effect". "The parents don't have enough structure to teach their kids structure", he added. Still another 20 year old woman stated that, "You might be grown up (when you have a baby), but my 25 year old cousin STILL runs the streets...and is going to do what she wants to do. Having a baby didn't stop her...she's got to hit rock bottom".

Now this is simply amazing...this mirrors what I see every day around my part of Fort Wayne. You can see the lack of care in their eyes. It's all about this moment..nothing else matters.

Mr. Pitts then asked another question of these students: "Have black kids come to define academic success as something white"?
Again, the answers were interesting.
"Most of the people we see are in sports or music, and we strive to become athletes, or enter the music business. If we blacks don't stop wanting to hurt each other, we're not going to have that many successful people out there", said one student. Another quickly added, "It seems like another black person don't ever want to see their own color doing good. But you go to them white people, they congratulate their own color. I don't understand that. I never really got that". One student, Lisa Rollins , 21 said, " We need to stop blaming other people for OUR faults. Step up and take the lead for our OWN problems".

I guess there IS hope for the black community....if more of them listen to this latest generation of THINKING people. Looks like the corner is in sight, and it WILL be able to be turned.
Don''t need me to get go into a diatribe about this...the students in Philly have said more than I possibly could, and I applaud them for that!

* * *

Lastly, it looks like the city may have found a way to cut property tax (they like to use the word "relief"), but hold onto your Pepto-Bismol...it ain't gonna be as pretty a picture as you might think. The city is examining the RAISING of the INCOME TAX as "relief". OK, so how do YOU spell relief? I didn't think it was T-A-X.
THIS is a tax CUT?
Isn't this like putting money back into my pocket with the left hand and then taking it back out with the right? Still robbing Peter to pay Paul, eh? The operative word here is TAX. Now if the city (and the county) had a better handle on money management (like most working families subsist on), things' wouldn't be this f$cked up, would they? Oh wait, we've got all those freebies for the lazy-assed in this city...forgot about THOSE (poor) people...THAT'S what sucking the city dry...how did I miss that one?
SO the city raises the INCOME TAX...and I get a "whopping" (read minuscule) cut in my property tax. I suppose this is where I get on my knees and thank every supreme being in the cosmos for this, right? Don't hold your breath.
I guess the city isn't taking into account the higher fuel prices to get us to our jobs (which don't really keep pace with inflation), and the higher grocery costs (thanks to trucks that USE fuel that costs more), and let's not forget that hostage deal with FWCS for $500 million that will (if passed) most assuredly raise my PROPERTY TAX anyway. Oh, the FWIA has a 20 year plan for expansion, and they want some of MY MONEY to boot.
This is sounding so like the CITY WAGE TAX in Philly....winds up about TRIPLE the state tax you pay there (all for the "privilege" of either living OR working within Philadelphia).

But like I said...it's not all BAD news...just a lot less "GOODER" (sic) than we'd prefer. Toss caution to the winds, stop by Ribfest downtown, but take it easy in the heat.

And in the words of Buckaroo Banzai: "Wherever you go...there you are!"