Hump-Day Happenings...

Another Wednesday - middle of the work week (where DOES all the time go?) bringing you more of what you've come to expect, namely stories wrenched (like an impacted molar) from the headlines, laced with pungent social commentary, as well as shots from the hip, placed squarely in the "ten ring".

So pour another cup of coffee, sit back and let me take the wheel for a spell...

Barry Bonds Breaks Hank Aaron's Record:

Ron Blum, sports writer for the AP said it best - *yawn*.

I've ALWAYS been a fan of Hank Aaron, so forgive my bias, but fair IS fair. Where Hammerin' Hank was a gentleman by ANY standard, Bonds has been quite the reverse. Controversial at his best, and blatantly an "RPIA" to many others at his worst, Bonds is a product of our "modern" society...a society that rewards bad behavior, lauds those who break the rules, and elevates dysfunctional behavior to a lofty status.

Can't say that about Mr Aaron...and never will. Mr. Blum, in his column says that: "While Babe Ruth was viewed as a DEITY, and Hank Aaron as a KING, Bonds is akin to some epaulet-shouldered generalissimo staging a coup-d-etat - an unwanted occupant holding that top spot while a more legitimate leader is awaited." To that I would say "Amen".

Baseball will survive, however....it always has, and most likely always will.

But Hank...you're STILL #1 with me.

Judge Declares Mistrial Thanks To Juror:

This is one of THOSE reasons I refuse to sit on ANY jury (at least in INDIANA). Superior Court Judge John Surbeck granted a mistrial ruling to defense attorney Robert Gevers (remember him...the guy who lost or could not produce court records when he was the county prosecutor?) after an alternate juror declared that the defendant robbed her nephew. Well, since this could "taint" the jury's opinion of this "fine, upstanding young man who is accused of MURDER", and who already has a rap sheet that's as long as your grocery list, Gevers made a motion to declare the mistrial, which was granted.

How stupid is this? If the original 12 members of the jury were ALREADY selected, and you were ONLY looking for alternates in case one of the 12 could not fulfill their obligation, why have the alternates in the same room? Shouldn't the jury be excused until the alternates were selected, just to play it "safe"? Oh, I forgot, the judicial system FAVORS those accused, and ignores the innocent victims...what was I thinking?

Let's hope they "get it right" when this murderer goes BACK on trial in October, wasting more of the taxpayers' money in the process. Better yet, why not say the murderer wasn't SMART ENOUGH to know what he was doing (like they tried with the RIOS case)...do it enough times, and someone's BOUND to walk, right? That's what it's all about anyway - turning murderers loose, right? Give it a shot, Gevers...you're good at "bull$hit-101". This should be a SLAM-DUNK for you.

Police Audit Finds Detective Shortage:

And no, we're not saying the detectives ARE short...we just need some MORE of them, height not withstanding...lol! FWPD detective bureau is understaffed ('ya think?) which could cause slower case investigation (no way) and lower morale (you're kidding), according to an internal audit. The April audit showed an increase in the levels of crime and coverage area because of the annexation of Aboite Township, while the number of detectives has remained static.

Now before anyone goes off on this, remember that the focus should be on the COVERAGE area and NOT the crime, as Aboite has not seen an increase in crime, unlike my neighborhood and the rest of the city proper. Aboite is at about the same level for crime as it has been, and the FWPD doesn't see more crime happening (not with all the cops LIVING there, like Rusty).

The neighborhoods are easy to patrol, neighbors look out for one another, and people don't have drug dealers, gambling houses, party houses, and renters living all around them (as do I), so it's a much easier area to police (wow...what an epiphany).

Now I'm not going to bash Rusty. After all, he's got enough to worry about with the NAACP and the ACLU watching his department's every move (especially on the SOUTH side of town), and making sure he doesn't go out and target BLACKS (in all black areas) for being black.

Yeah...(rolls eyes)...that makes sense.

Newark, NJ Sees Rise In Violent Crime...

No huge surprise...look at who LIVES there (you guessed right). You could just change the name and it would read like dozens of other cities (or headlines) we read about. More black-on-black crime.

Four young people were shot execution style in a schoolyard days before they were to head off to college in a city where gun violence is an all too common part of daily life. Three died and one is still in serious condition. New Jersey must be so proud of it's LARGEST city now. The murder rate has risen there 50% since 1998, and it's given Gary, Indiana some serious competition for the "top spot".

I've been to Newark a few times...not the nicest place to be, I can tell you. It's like one huge cesspool of ghetto-slum. And to think that Camden (the REAL slum of NJ) doesn't even get a nod on this, makes you wonder what can be so wrong here.

Well, it's like this - take a whole bunch of people who don't WANT to work, but just want to sit around all day and do nothing but get wasted on booze or drugs, label them as "poverty-stricken", paint a pathetically poignant picture of them, give them every government freebie you can think of, keep the police from arresting them for being of an ethnic nature, and then sit back, and watch the "fun". Just don't decry their situation as hopeless...it's been all "planned out".

But you didn't hear that from me....

And there you are...the "Rest of the story", as they say.

So remember...A bird in the hand is safer then unprotected sex...a Rolling Stone doesn't gather moss, just Social Security...and if at first you don't succeed, welcome to the "you're doing about average" club!

Catch you on the flip side!