Friday Follies - "Only In America" Edition...

We live in the greatest nation on the planet, right?
What?
You beg to differ?
Surely I jest?
I've got to be kidding?

Let's take a look at WHY we're so darned better than everyone else, and how we're managing to retain that coveted top position in the global scheme of things.

Only in America...can we have athletic shoes ESPECIALLY manufactured for the FEET of NATIVE AMERICANS (guess having the government killing them and running them from THEIR land wasn't good enough...besides how many FOOT LOCKERS are there on reservations today?)

Only in America... can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance...or the police (but the police and EMTs never offer FREE CHEESY BREAD).

Only in America... are there handicap parking places in front of a skating rink (yep, that's the first thing we always did with anyone who broke a leg...take 'em SKATING).

Only in America... do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front (and after they SEE THE PRICES for the ciggies, they might just NEED medication to get their hearts regulated again).

Only in America... do people order double cheeseburgers,large fries, and a DIET coke (glad I'm not wondering why Americans are becoming more at risk for obesity and diabetes).

Only in America... do banks leave both doors open and then chain the pens to the counters (and stealing those pens used to have a $500 fine).

Only in America... do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage (or if you live on the south side of Fort Wayne, you see useless junk being DRIVEN by useless people).

Only in America... do we use answering machines to screen calls and then have call waiting so we won't miss a call from someone we didn't want to talk to in the first place.

Only in America... do we use the word 'politics' to describe the process so well:
'Poli' in Latin meaning 'many' and 'tics' meaning 'bloodsucking creatures'.
Yeah, that about sums it up PERFECTLY!

Only in America... do they have drive-up ATM machines and parking garages with BRAILLE lettering (I'd like to know who's letting all these BLIND people drive in the FIRST place).

And while we at it...

Why does the sun lighten our hair, but darken our skin?

Why women can't put on mascara with their mouth closed?

Why don't you ever see the headline "Psychic Wins Lottery"?

Why is "abbreviated" such a long word?

Why is it that doctors call what they do"practice"?

Why is it that to stop Windows 98, you have to click on "Start"?

Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, & dishwashing liquid is made with real lemons?

Why is the man who invests all your money called a BROKER?

Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called RUSH hour?

Why isn't there MOUSE-FLAVORED cat food?

When dog food has new and improved taste, WHO tests it?

Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes?

Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?

Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?

Why are they called APARTments when they are all stuck together?

If CON is the opposite of PRO, is CONGRESS the opposite of PROGRESS?

If flying is SO SAFE, why do they call the airport theTERMINAL?

Now if THAT doesn't make you proud to live in the greatest country in the whole dang world, or AT LEAST turn your frown upside down...better check your pulse, and then call the EMT's...(or perhaps the pizza guy instead).

Have a SAFE weekend.

Word Of The Day...

APATHY: N (Greek - apatheia; French-apathes - without feeling)

1: lack of feeling or emotion: impassiveness

2: lack of interest or concern: indifference

*******************

Now I've lived in several states and visited several countries, yet nowhere have I seen today's word in such regular practice as I have in the beautifully mundane state of Indiana. You can argue the point I'm making, and maybe you're right and I'm wrong, but from where *I* stand and what I see and what I hear, perhaps you might rethink YOUR stance instead, if you were to walk a few miles in MY shoes.

No place is apathy more apparent than at the voting booths, not only here but across America. But in Indiana, apathy excels. We have 253,000 people just in Fort Wayne, yet check the numbers of people at the polls come election night....pitiful.

Apathy also reigns on our streets. Look at most any crime that occurs. With few exceptions by those even fewer brave souls that are not bothered by "doing the right thing" who come forward and provide information to the authorities, hardly ANYONE ever sees anything or knows anything about what happened at "the house up the street" (let's say it was a beating), even though they were outside taking cellphone pictures of the "event" to post on YouTube later that day. We can't simply chalk this up to "honor among thieves" either. Whether or not these people are in cahoots with whatever took place, or whoever "did the deed", they just don't HAVE any honor to speak of in the first place.

Funny thing is, many times these very same people are the ones pissing and moaning about how their trash wasn't picked up for over a week (editor's note: see today's JG- Frank Gray's column). They never lift a finger to make things better UNTIL they feel they can get some attention (as if their area has been ignored by the bad old city departments, which it hasn't).

They seem to live by the creed: "If it's not entertaining and takes more than 30 seconds...don't bother with it". And that's why THEIR neighborhoods look the way they do. It's not poverty at work, people...it's APATHY. You can be poor AND still give a damn about something or someone.

In my area alone, there are but a mere handful of *us* that are attempting to at least keep things from getting worse. Maybe there's only ONE of us on every other block, but WE are doing SOMETHING, and that's a crapload more than everyone else is doing (which would be not one damn thing). Even if it's something as small as picking up a piece of litter (or catching someone tossing something on the sidewalk, and calling them on it when it happens). It might be as simple as just keeping OUR properties looking nice.

We can't help ourselves...WE were brought up better than the rest of these "people" around here, and we didn't have silver spoons in our mouths when we were born (stainless steel...or plastic).

We just had something called GOOD PARENTS WITH DECENT VALUES. That basically translates to not suffering from CHRONIC APATHY. We take care of what we're allowed to have in life, and strive to pass values such as this along to OUR next generation. And that's a FAR CRY from what is passing along to subsequent generations of people in this city. We simply don't allow apathy a place to dig in it's heels.

We might not be able to show equal conviction and passion to EVERY facet of living here...that would take a person with superhuman abilities, but we do what we can with what we have available to us. We at least TRY. We don't treat the entire area as OUR personal playground. We don't pursue illegal activities on a regular basis. We don't seek to annoy others without just cause (the golden rule thing). We care about what happens AROUND us, as it will invariably have some impact UPON us, and anyone who believes otherwise is fooling themselves.

When we see someone in need...we assist.

When something needs being done...we DO it.

When action is required...we act.

And those who are not with us (as the saying goes), must be against us. Life, as many will find out soon enough, does NOT run itself for you.
Now that doesn't mean that we respond to everything all the time. Again, that requires superhuman effort, and usually by a LOT more people than our merry handful of people who still happen to give a damn.

We sort of hope that those who ARE apathetic would catch on to what WE do and how we act, and how we treat others, because we "teach" by example, but they're too damned apathetic to even bother. How's THAT for irony?

Apathy has managed to invade every aspect of the human condition in recent years. The good news is that not everyone subscribes to that mindset...yet. We can spend too much time pointing too many fingers at too many people while never scratching the surface of the real problem. What we need to do is continue to do what we KNOW is right. Those of us who will not embrace apathy as a lifestyle need to stay the course in our lives. We might not change any minds, but we can be assured that OUR lives are better for it. We might not like the outcome of the masses' indifference, but it's the few that have the ability to change minds.

History has proven as much to us.

All we have to do is not be content to rest on our laurels.

Cruel And Unusual Punishment???
The Supreme Court today will be taking a hard look at the whole "Lethal Injection" issue, and ascertain whether or not it's constitutionality is indeed valid.
This is based on two Kentucky inmates who claim the practice amounts to cruel and unusual punishment, in flagrant violation of the 8th amendment.
Now without getting into all the details as to how lethal injection is administered, what chemicals are used, and said efficacy of them, let's just back up a country mile and take a "hard look" at this practice OURSELVES...shall we?
Lethal injection was devised as a "more humane" alternative to the gas chamber or the electric chair (both of which worked damn well I might add), but even this has come under attack in recent years amid reports of the drugs used not working as quickly as intended (wow....so it takes TWELVE minutes to off a societal monster instead of THREE...big frigging deal).

As history has shown us, there have been MANY (tried and true) methods for "disposing" of humanity's criminal flotsam, such as hanging, the guillotine, drawn and quartering, firing squad, and the aforementioned electric chair and the gas chamber. Some methods WERE quick (bullets never take more than a moment when they strike a target), while some were slower (a poorly made noose might "only" break an inmate's neck, leaving him dangling, gasping for his next breath). Yet ALL of them worked, as does lethal injection. But we usually save lethal injection for the domain of putting down a pet, a diseased or violent animal, or an animal that cannot be saved by any medical means (remember Barbero?) currently at hand. The operative word here people...is ANIMAL. It's called EUTHANASIA.
Today, rather than EXECUTING criminals, we're preferring to EUTHANIZE them. We're putting them down, just like our 16 year old dog with the arthritic hips and blind eyes. We want our pets to pass from us with as little pain as possible, so we do the HUMANE thing...we "put them down".

Now, who in their right mind feels that NOT executing criminals who commit heinous atrocities upon their fellow man, is fine and dandy? The victims don't really have a say in this...they're usually DEAD, and their families, struggling for SOME level of equal justice, are relegated to watching the perpetrators get a "death sentence" vis-a-vis death by OLD AGE, otherwise known as a life sentence with no chance of parole. The victims were deprived of THEIR lives, but we seem to revel in making these perps "pay" by languishing in some prison, with everyday amenities for however long they are to remain alive on this earth...all at the taxpayers' expense as well. They don't pay nearly enough as much as WE pay (to keep them incarcerated).

And we pat ourselves on our backs, saying what a marvelously EVOLVED society we have become. And yet the criminals, relatively undeterred by consequences, still do what they do...and they are imprisoned....every day. It's there that they sit...and sit...and sit some more, while we wring our hands wondering how humane we can be when it comes time to send them to THEIR just rewards.

It makes me wonder if ALL these people that want to do away with the death penalty (in any form) might think differently *IF* the types of horrific crimes these perps are executed for hit a tad closer to home. I can't envision someone losing all their family members to a mass murderer saying: "That's OK, don't kill him...just give him LIFE in prison, while I sit home alone, wondering why MY family was denied LIFE because of him".
Yeah, that makes sense (probably in San Francisco).



Instead of looking at more HUMANE ways to execute criminals, we should be focusing on HARSHER methods; methods that make a criminal FEAR death (as it rapidly approaches).
We've already seen that lethal injection doesn't seem to deter those groups of criminals intent on killing, but perhaps being juiced with 50,000 volts for a few minutes, or swinging in the breeze beneath a gallows, or even taking in the refreshing aroma of cyanide might do more to change some of these people's minds about committing the crimes we execute criminals for.
They don't warrant any HUMANE treatment simply due to their actions that PUT them on death row in the first place.
And that hardly seems "cruel and unusual".

At the risk of allowing my morbidity to show, what WOULD be cruel and usual punishment would be DEATH BY PIRANHA, or maybe DEATH BY FIRE ANTS, or how about just shoving someone out of a plane at 8,000 feet, sans parachute? It wouldn't be the fall that kills them, it would be the sudden STOP at the bottom. Or how about just making the punishment EQUAL to the crime? Doesn't that sound fair enough to you?

We need to treat criminals as the bane to society that they are, namely by dealing as harshly as we can, instead of trying to rehabilitate them, because there are some that will not be able to be rehabilitated, no matter what we do or try.
And although that in and of itself speaks volumes as far as ABORTION goes, we need not cross into that realm. We are already fine with killing fetuses, and THAT is VERY cruel...we proven that over the few decades that Roe v Wade has been in place, so why are we so conversely against sentencing someone to DEATH at a later stage in their lives? Can't we just call it a VERY late-term "abortion" and let it go at that? There is a duplicity at work here, and that needs to be addressed FIRST, before we even attempt to change one methodology of killing for another.

As a society, when all else fails, we must be willing to ERADICATE the evil element, while striving to PRESERVE that part of ourselves that holds our future, and if that comes off sounding like I'm AGAINST abortion but FOR the death penalty, and thereby making ME "as culpable" as the ones FOR abortion and AGAINST the death penalty...so be it.

At least any duplicity on MY part shows compassion for the innocent...instead of unjustly rewarding the guilty.

If Nominated, I Will Not Run...

Ah, yes, the immortal words of William Tecumseh Sherman. Now don't get all worried that I'm trying to ascend (or DESCEND in many cases) to some public office, and that I'd turn the city on it's butt in the process.

I'm just doing a service for someone who IS running for office (place gratuitous plug for city council 6th district Libertarian hopeful Robert Enders here). We just happen to have the SAME first name. Therein lies the similarity. I'd figure I'd at least give those "Henry" signs across the street some competition! So don't fret yourselves into a tizzy.

The city is safe...for now...LOL.

Item - UAW talks break down; GM workers hit picket line:
Strikes are never "fun", and the "pay" really sucks. Many times, it's not even over MORE money (as in years past). It's more likely to be about BENEFITS, as in will this frigging company keep me long enough to RETIRE, and will I be able to survive on SSI, along with what we used to call a PENSION? Man, I'd like to see THOSE days again.
(Pension? What the hell is a PENSION?)
We always worried about Dad's place going on strike (back in Philly), as we KNEW we'd be eating SOUPS for a while...all week...twice a day! I was in the sheet-metal worker's union for a time, and that was no picnic. Other locals got more money, and we got nothing. Guess it all depends on WHO your local rep was and how much HIS pockets were lined, as he drove away in HIS MERCEDES.

Item - Farm Bureau has "solution" to property tax debate:
They want to RAISE the income tax from 3.4% to 4.4%, and RAISE the sales tax 1% to 7 cents on the dollar. That is pretty much what I said they'd have to do to lower property taxes. But even that in itself is NOT a real solution, just a postponement, because you ALL know that these taxes will only keep creeping UPWARD. Damn shame our salaries don't keep creeping in the same direction to keep pace with all this, isn't it?

Item - Sheriff "Joe" strikes AGAIN:
Maricopa County sheriff Joe Arpaio anc his department found several dogs buried at rapper DMX's house. The dogs had serious wounds, indicative of fighting and that neglect allegations were being investigated. The north Phoenix home also had 12 live pit bulls, numerous weapons and about a quarter-ounce of marijuana in a bedroom which were all seized (horrors...I would have NEVER guesses that). No charges had been filed, but Arpaio said that may change. (go get 'em, Joe!!) Be nice to see DMX eating bologna and wearing pink overalls in a tent out in the desert!
(rap "artist" my left nut)

Item - "King Richard" vows siege:
No, this isn't some medieval headline taken from a history book . This is our own mayor telling the media he will fight Fort Wayne City Council's bipartisan proposal to cut property taxes, saying it will bankrupt the city over the next decade.
OK, first off, IF this city were not known for molly-coddling the limp, lame and lazy, we'd HAVE more money to run everything. IF the real estate association would take to task all these "landlords", we'd HAVE better housing throughout the city, and not be having neighborhoods in such decline. and IF we had the FIRST two things firmly in place, we'd HAVE more responsible people working and OWNING homes IN Fort Wayne, eliminating the need to overtax those that STILL DO own homes here, as well as not annexing everyone around us that doesn't want to BE annexed in the first place.
But that's what happens when your city's tax base is eroding faster than a Louisiana levy in a force 5 storm! I saw the same thing happening in Philly.
Didn't know THIS city wanted to be that bad off this soon, though. But I suppose we DO have to "Keep up with the Joneses".

There you are then...today's food for thought.
Remember to chew it well.
Just don't pop a vein in the process, kapesh?

Monday Musings - New TV Season Edition...

When it comes to watching TV, I have to admit to loving a GOOD documentary, and when it comes to documentaries, you just HAVE to admit that Ken Burns is about as good as you can get.

Whether it was his film about the CIVIL WAR, which in my opinion is the quintessential work, or his films about Twain, Jefferson, or even his work of the history of jazz, it not only tells the story, but put voices to all the faces that are involved.

It's as though YOU are there, as a part of it, rather than a casual observer.

Burns breathes new life into the pages of our history.

And he has done so again with his latest film: THE WAR, chronicling four America towns and the people in them who were affected by World War II. It follows four veterans of that war, and their reasons for signing up, and doing "what had to be done" in order to preserve OUR way of life.

With this film Burns strives to let us know the sacrifices made by everyone during this time in our history, as well as the fact that 1000 vets from that war are passing from us every day, and that if we don't tell their story NOW...we may never get the chance.

If you haven't watched it, it's much like this blog; you're missing too much for your own good. I'm recording it, not only for me, but also as an homage to MY departed dad, who served in India during WW2, as a radio operator in Barackpore. I'd kind of like to think he's right along side me again as I view it.

Thanks, Ken for telling the story that deserves to be told...lest we forget.

On the other side of the viewing coin, was the one-hour season premiere of FAMILY GUY, which did a marvelous parody of STAR WARS...probably one of the BEST I've ever seen. And I've been there (with Star Wars) since the beginning.

And as poignantly representative of WW2 as THE WAR was, this was hilariously off the chart. Talk about extremes...and in ONE NIGHT (at the same time) no less! The best part about this show was the ORIGINAL MUSIC by John Williams (who is even shown conducting the orchestra...on TATOOINE...freakin' sweet!), and the animation digitally superimposed over the original film was simply brilliant.

Of course, without giving TOO much away, if you can get past Brian and Stewie as Chewie and Vader (respectively) being as "vertically-challenged" as they are, it becomes perfect typecasting, as anyone who regularly watches Family Guy will tell you. Lois is Leia, Peter is Han, Chris is Luke with C3PO and R2D2 "played" by Quagmire and Cleveland. Obi-Wan is lovingly (mmmmm....mmmmmm) portrayed by the old perved up neighbor, Mr. Herbert, who always have a "thing" for any young boy, Jedi or not.It just makes you beg for the "sequel".

Nice going, guys. Very entertaining.

It's also premiere week all over the channels, so we get to see if Sara drowns on CSI, what is up with Shark's daughter, whether or not THE UNIT can ever get back together (in one piece), which HERO will survive and which one will die, and who gunning for "H" on CSI: Miami. Cliff-hangers galore. And of course we can't just have new episodes for old shows without completely NEW shows, which means even MORE "reality" programs to become video voyeurs with (yawn). When it comes to REALITY shows...I watch COPS, the show that started it all.

Well, that or the PBS home-repair shows. Can't get more REAL that This Old House, can we?

SO...enjoy the fare that's available on TV, skip the crap, and pass the pretzels!

More (black) Power To 'Ya...
You can't turn on the TV or pick up the paper without hearing SOMETHING about the uproar in Jena, Louisiana over six black boys that beat one white boy into unconsciousness. Problem is, this brouhaha is over how the six black boys were being treated...forget the victim...AGAIN.
We apparently don't recognize REVERSE racism when it kicks us in the ass these days.

Sharpton, Jackson, and their merry band of devolved civil rights "advocates" basically stormed into this small Louisiana town (shades of the Gestapo) of 3500 like a plague of locusts, and with a fervor unparalleled in recent years have taken it upon THEMSELVES to mete out what THEY feel is "justice" in the form of a street-filled protest. Now anyone who read my LAST post this week concerning justice will get an idea how I feel about this and where I plan to go with THIS post. But for those of you who didn't bother to avail yourselves of this enlightening rant, allow me to reiterate here.

Between 15,000 to 20,000 "marchers" (some said 50,000) converged on Jena, LA with signs saying "FREE THE JENA SIX", and "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH". They have come from all over the nation, showing a wonderfully misplaced demonstration of solidarity for something being blown WAY out of proportion, and for the wrong reasons.
But that's what we've come to expect from the likes of the "Jesse & Al Show". The protesters are accusing the local prosecutors of RACIAL BIAS (the old, dog-eared race card in play again, folks) setting their aggressiveness in the beating case against their decision not to seek charges against white students accused of hanging nooses in a tree months ago (the tree was cut down...poor tree didn't do anything).
One might say this all stemmed from an intrusion that could be labelled a turf war of sorts. The white kids always sat under this tree. The black students wanted to do the same (what's yours is mine, and what's mine is my own in play here), and therein lies the basis for this societal problem. Reminds me of that kid that would swipe YOUR soda bottle because HE wanted some and was too damn lazy to BUY his own. The D. A. contends his office acted appropriately, and that he could NOT find ANY state law that would allow him to file charges in the noose hanging, which he called "villainous".

"It's not just about Jena, but about inequalities and injustices across the country", said Stephanie Brown, national youth director for the NAACP.
So the fact that a portion of YOUR own people CHOOSE to do drugs, sell drugs, rape, intimidate, litter, annoy, steal, burglarize, strong-arm, and otherwise create the problems within you OWN communities across America (as well as within the general populace) in the first place is representative of the INJUSTICE and INEQUALITY you speak of, yet NEVER enters into YOUR equation...that sound about right, dear? When YOUR people are wronged...you bitch (and many times, rightfully so), but...when YOUR people ARE wrong...you STILL bitch. Man, talk about the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing!

This was a case of SIX blacks beating ONE white. And the SIX blacks are the VICTIMS here? What the f$ck is WRONG with this picture? If it were the OTHER way around, I could see the AL & JESSE bandwagon coming to town...that would be considered some sort of HATE CRIME. But because the ONE WHITE BOY was beaten and the SIX BLACK BOYS were arrested, that's perfectly OK, and the perpetrators are the ones being "wronged" and it's NOT considered a "hate crime".
Sorry, I wouldn't buy THAT line of crap for all the tea in China!
I have said that *IF* there is to be another Civil War, it will be instigated by these radical blacks that seek ONLY to have what they WANT, at anyone Else's expense, don't want to strive or otherwise WORK for it, and they want it all...immediately. Think of this as a MACROCOSM of what transpires in neighborhoods daily. This "civil war", has already started in some aspects. When you see bad behavior "rewarded", people GIVEN things they SHOULD be working for, and a "free-pass" through their life so they can procreate a new generation of people with THEIR hands out...well, you know what I mean there, right?

When the police are called to a house that has had numerous domestics and disturbances, and the woman living there berates the police officer and his superiors because "De PO-lice is always comin tomahouse...dis is harassment", what other conclusion can you draw? If the police do NOTHING (to allay the anger of the black woman)...they're NOT doing enough for crime. If the police ENFORCE the law by showing the hell UP...they're being "overly aggressive" with their tactics.
These people don't WANT the law...they raise their kids from little on up NOT to respect or trust the law (in any form), so why should the Jena case be such a hotbed of so-called "civil-rights"? Considering that too damn many of them don't work for a living, choosing instead to ride the government gravy-train, that at least explains the reason SO MANY showed the hell up!

It's a damn shame that Jackson & Sharpton don't devote AS MUCH energy and time to IMPROVING their race, instead of trying to set them back 150 years! Imagine the PROGRESS that COULD be made in that arena.

All the charges against the black boys have been reduced (some even dropped), but one 16 year old has had prior criminal conduct. Even HIS sentence was reduced in appeals court. So why "free" any of them. They all got off light and ARE free. But the white boy hasn't received as much as an APOLOGY from anyone connected to the beating.

But it IS nice to know that tables were set up...food and beverages were served and that people were DANCING as a man played the drum. How "tribal" of them all. It's not even about CIVIL RIGHTS anymore...it's all about having another PARTY.

And isn't that what it's REALLY all about anyway with these people?
EVERY day is a day off for them.

Dr. King is rolling in his grave over this...I can "feel" it.

Have a safe weekend, and remember:
The civil rights you party for...just might belong to someone else.

Two Sides To Every Military...

When someone says the word "soldier", Marine", "sailor", or "pilot", the first thing that probably comes to mind are the brave men and women placing themselves in harm's way in Iraq, Afghanistan, or any other number of places on the planet. And considering that's most of what we have seen for the past several years, that's understandable.

But it's not all about fighting, shooting, bombing, or sinking an enemy.

There are the other sides to our military that few see. There are the poignant, yet powerfully emotional changing of the guard ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. There are the evening Marine band concerts they used to have on the steps of the Capitol (wonder if they even still do those?) in D.C. There are the remarkably beautiful graduation ceremonies at West Point & Annapolis (both great places to visit should you ever get the chance). Then there are all the proud parents that can't help but feel their emotions well up seeing their son or daughter in uniform.

And as many personnel as we have in theater, fighting for freedom, we have almost 3-4 times as many "behind the scenes" across the globe, doing the common jobs, the dirty jobs, and the mundane jobs. The G.I. Joes and Janes around the world who change tires, fuel aircraft, swab decks, and otherwise make it possible for our fighting forces to represent the USA are in many cases the unsung heroes of our armed forces. They may never lift a rile in combat, but they make it possible for those men and women that DO.

As a nation, we OWE every one of them...big time.

I would be one of the first to tell you that being in ANY military service organization is NOT, I repeat NOT for everyone. It's not ALL "guts and glory". In our "all volunteer" armed services, many already know they're not "military material", and don't bother. Many who "thought" one thing about military life soon realize they might have had a brain-fart, and are either summarily discharged or wash out in any number of ways. And there are even some that, although they were hesitant at first about joining up, find it better than they could imagine, while others feel that signing up is "just the right thing to do".

Now I said all that to say this:

When our troops start coming home (as they most assuredly will soon enough), should we entertain the notion of some type of "national service" for our young adults? With growing violent youth crime, dysfunctional families out the wazoo, educational testing scores hovering between several levels of mediocrity, would it not be prudent to avail our young adults of some "structure" to their lives, before the streets take whatever shred of civility they still might have away from them? In countries that already have some sort of national service in place, young adults are becoming a lot less prone to violence and have the attributes to make a sizable contribution to their societies.

Would it hurt them (in America) to be taught some integrity, honor, pride, and ethics in a stricter setting than they currently have at their disposal? And would we all not benefit from this as as Americans?

I'd like to think it's a "win-win" all around.

Let's face it...neither the educational system, nor the police, nor any civil social agency can do everything that is needed to get a lot of these kids "back on track" in life, when they're gone astray. Hell, it's hard enough to try and undo in 8 hours (in school) what they are taught the rest of the time (ask ANY teacher).
When their own families fail them, we turn to the schools to become a surrogate parent, and that dog just won't hunt. And our police are there primarily to ENFORCE the laws, and arrest law-breakers. They cannot become adjudicators or ombudsmen for every little squabble that arises with a family already in turmoil. I'd wager that many people would love to see these kids never get the chance to "do the wrong thing" in the first place.

I'm not saying that every single young adult that enters any national service program HAS to become an uncompromising military machine - that's a whole other ballgame, and only for a select chosen few that can pass the muster. But giving the youth of today some guidance, some structure, some ability to become so much more than could ever hope to be on our streets (dealing drugs and getting into God knows what else) by learning a trade and acquiring the skills to compete in today's world should be the hope of every parent out there.

And with the rising cost of college, it makes it more difficult for the "everyman" to get their children through the ivy-covered walls without some severe financial hardships.You always want better for your kids, and when the methods that we employ just don't seem to work as well as in generations past (if at all), where can we turn to ensure our progeny a decent life, a better life?

We ALL have a vested interest in making it possible for all our young people to have the means to achieve. And if we can make better PEOPLE out of them along the way by imbuing them with a sense of price and integrity, should we at least explore the possibilities?

Like I'm fond of saying, it's not just THEIR future at stake...it's EVERYONE'S.

Believe It...Or ELSE!

Time for some real fun at the expense of all those out there posing as human beings (and failing miserably in the attempt). WE KNOW who you are, where you live, and what you've done. And we're going to be as subtle as a brick through a plate glass window with these folks.

So, without any further delay...Let's bring it!

The Allen County Courthouse has gotten into "spruce up" mode by trimming their shrubs outside. And they've found a bunch of knives and cellphones, and even 2 pot pipes in the process.
(At least they haven't found any guns..or bodies...yet. Now, if we could ONLY get them motivated into dealing with the "shrubs" on our streets...'ya think?)

A bald man went into a pharmacy in Ossing, NY and STOLE 5 bottles of hair loss treatment, but was caught while running away. He was jailed in lieu of $3000 bail and is due in court tomorrow.
(Kinda EXPENSIVE "treatment" in the long run, wasn't it, Bub? Does the phrase HAIR CLUB FOR MEN ring any bells?)

A South Carolina woman who went to court to pay a TRAFFIC fine drove there...in a STOLEN car, ending up behind bars.
(Next time...take the BUS, stupid. Who the hell GROWS these morons?)

L.A. County officers conducted a "chimney sweep" when they discovered a man lodged in a woman's chimney while attempting a burglary. The man was released (from the chimney that is) and was promptly arrested and will serve 2 years in jail, as well as pay $10,000 in restitution.
(And you NEVER tell the police you were "doing construction work" ...at some weird hour...from the INSIDE of the chimney...at a former girlfriend's house...alone...without permission.)

The Feds have slashed the key rate 1/2 percent and the DOW soars.
(Time for another ride on the *E* ticket roller coaster, folks!)

Children playing with a lighter sparked a fire at the Eden Green apartment complex. The kids had set a couch on fire that was on a patio...at 8 in the evening!
(Let the place burn the hell down...we've got enough problems with that area as it is. Besides, the FWPD could use a little "down time" around there.)

A former navy supply officer pleaded guilty to possessing SIXTY unregistered machine guns that were found in his Wisconsin home. Prosecutors aren't sure HOW he got the weapons. The officer faces up to TEN years in prison and a $250,000 fine, but could get a lighter sentence for entering a guilty plea.
(OK...he was a S-U-P-P-L-Y OFFICER...what's THAT tell you, Mr. prosecutor? Can someone just say "OOPS" here, people? At least IF he was a sex offender or a drug dealer in FORT WAYNE, he would have gotten off a LOT easier, right?)

O.J. has been charged with kidnapping in a sports memorabilia heist.
(Well, well, well.....at least there isn't a bloody glove that doesn't fit, Al Cowlings sold the Bronco, Johnny Cochrane has passed away, and Kato is nowhere to be found. Looks like a slam dunk THIS time around. See 'ya Juice.....it's been real, and it's been fun, but it ain't been REAL FUN)

Judge Paul Sacco, of Fort Lupton, Colorado has been ordering noise ordinance violators to listen to Barry Manilow, Barney songs, The Carpenters, and the like as punishment for their offenses. He rounds them up 4 times a year, and makes them attend a "session" where they are NOT allowed to sleep, read, talk, or chew gum. The music is played LOUDLY as well, to let these perps know how it feels. He has not seen any repeat offenders as a result.
(This guy is MY new hero! And I could add some music to the judge's list, such as ANY Hindu music, Yoko Ono, bagpipes, the chicken dance, the song that never ends, and definitely some SLIM WHITMAN...now THAT is entertainment. Nice to know at least ONE city is doing SOMETHING about this...kudos to Judge Sacco...you Are "The Man", right up there with Sheriff Joe Arpaio-the toughest sheriff in the West. I LOVE it!)

So there you have it guys & gals.
Believe It...Or ELSE!

And Justice For All?

Patrick Henry once proclaimed before the Virginia House of Burgesses: "Give me liberty...or give me death". Not to take this out of context, but now, convicted murderer Simon Rios can claim the former of Mr. Henry's time-honored statement.

Rios was sentenced to life imprisonment without any chance of parole PLUS 100 years by Allen County courts, and the same but with PLUS 50 years in Delaware county for the murders of his wife, 3 daughters, and Alexandria Gutierrez. And while we know with all certainty that Rios will NOT see the light of day outside of the prison he will die in, he HAS been given a modicum of liberty in the form of being spared the death sentence.

And the question I just HAVE to ask at this point is: Were Rios's family and Alexandria granted the SAME accords? The answer would have to be NO.

Sure Rios will have the rest of his pitiful life to "think" about what he had done to those 5 people (as well as their families)...snatching their lives from them without their consent. And shouldn't Mr. Rios be given the exact SAME consideration he gave TO those 5 people?

Now we can debate the entire death penalty issue until the cows come home, and we will, in all likelihood never reach a consensus that satisfies the masses. But given the heinous nature of the crimes perpetrated by Rios, should we not take into account those whose lives were taken BY Mr. Rios? Many will argue we have done so, and that the "punishment" fits the crime.

I beg to differ.
Putting Mr. Rios to death would only tip the scales for ONE of the five people murdered, and that leaves the other four unable to balance the scales of justice.

But I would still like to see SOME measure of capital punishment attributed to Simon Rios. If it were MY daughter...or YOUR daughter, would you not seek retribution other than "death by old age"? Will Rios use the rest of his life to the betterment of society?

It's highly doubtful.

Will he be remorseful?

Not hardly.

And unless he's deeply cloistered away in some penitentiary, I wouldn't be surprised if he dies at the hands of another inmate for the crimes he committed. And that (IMHO) would at least be more compensation than the inexcusable sentences for life without parole that he received. And that brings me to the crux of the matter. Do we make the punishments fit the crimes these days? From what I see and read, I have to say a flat-out NO.

We have laws for people who go against the current of human evolution; those who would do anything and everything to another person because they can. Laws are created and enforced to PUNISH the law-breakers, and PROTECT the law-abiding. It doesn't get any more simpler than that.

I've always admired the laws in Turkey...you STEAL something...they cut OFF your hand! And that it makes it REAL easy to spot a "former offender" in that aspect. So either you DON'T steal, or you get accustomed to being called "Lefty". Used to be if you lied, they cut OUT your tongue. Now we, in our "uber-civilized" country can't fathom that manner of punishment. We like to think we're so much more "above" that type of reactionary behavior. Still, I would wager that CRIME there is a LOT lower in Turkey, knowing the severity of the consequences. So maybe we could use some of that here.

One thing we HAVE done in OUR society over the decades is make the LAW (whatever the law might be) so much less BLACK and WHITE. We've "traded up" for a more "civilized" assortment of GRAYS.

Our lawmakers have decided (for us) that to blur the lines of right and wrong makes it better for everyone. Well, that's just wrong on SO many levels. When you DENY justice to the innocent, you have empowered the guilty. You've emboldened them on a level unrivaled in human history.

When Socrates stated that "Democracy is but one step ABOVE anarchy", he wasn't just screwing around. He KNEW damn well what he was saying, and wasn't just blowing smoke out his arse to please those that followed his writings. And how THIN we make the line that divides democracy FROM anarchy will be measured by not only how we "reward" the law-abiding, but how we "punish" the law-breakers. Think of this as trying to balance barefoot on the edge of a razor-sharp sword. If you look at the statue of justice, not only does she hold the scales in one hand, but she wields a sword in the other. That should speak volumes to every one of us.

Now I'd be the first one to tell you that we surely don't need anarchy (although in some areas, it looks like we've got it already). But by the same token, we're much too close to reaching it to make me feel all that warm and fuzzy. "An eye for an eye" sounds good when you say it, and looks damn fine when written, yet how often is this actually practiced by the judicial system? And if not, why not? Don't the VICTIMS of crime deserve (by our own laws) the justice they deserve anymore? Don't the perpetrators of crime deserve whatever punishment is befitting them?

We're on a very slippery slope when it comes to JUSTICE these days. And if we're not willing to put to death those we KNOW deserve it, we must be willing to PAY their way for the remainder of their pathetic lives in whatever facility they find themselves incarcerated.

These criminals are still committing crimes (against the taxpaying populace) every day they are allowed to live. It's called THEFT. They've already stolen lives of innocent people....and now they will get to steal from YOU, as you pay for them to be confined, away from the general public, having all that time to ponder the actions that brought them to their jail cell in the first place.

Justice for ALL? Justice for SOME? Justice for ANY?

Like I say....it's going to be a LONG debate over this.

Monday Musings - 5 Star Morning Edition
"All the news that's fit to print" has been the catchphrase of many a morning read. And as that other saying goes: Everything old is once new again, and our local papers have followed the beat of that particular drum and become *new* again.
Well, actually, they're STILL the same two papers we USED to have, but with a better look to them.
CAUTION: EDUCATIONAL ALERT (yeah, you might accidentally LEARN something here)

After a 4 year building project and renovation, both the Journal-Gazette and the News-Sentinel have proudly unveiled their *new* editions, and it's not to shabby at all. Having worked in the printing field eons ago (seems like yet another lifetime), I have to admit that they "done good" with this. The overall look of the paper is what first catches your eye.

The papers are actually a tad SMALLER in size, but haven't sacrificed type quality in the process. And don't you JUST HATE IT when a typeface becomes small enough to ONLY be legible under a magnifying glass?
I know as I get older, I don't like it one bit. And having done proof-reading, that gets real old real fast.
It's nice to know that offset printing has not fallen by the wayside. If anything, our papers have given the trade a nice, healthy (performance) shot-in-the-arm. Their new press (which is a monster at about 63 feet TALL and twice as long in length) can spew out papers to the tune of 90,000 per HOUR. That's a far cry from the "old" days when 10K (an hour) was doing something, and considered fast.

Then again, it IS a roll-fed press, and that paper literally FLIES through the impression rollers. I've seen the forerunners of presses like this one, and this puppy is like a Shelby Cobra when we're talking about raw speed.
But with digital technology, we're ALSO talking about a lot less photos that are "out-of-register". You've seen those pictures in the paper that "looked" blurry, right? NO, you didn't need glasses, and no, they weren't blurry. Someone just didn't match up one of the FOUR colors during the run. The result is a picture that ONLY becomes clearer when you quickly jiggle the paper...go ahead, try it...it works...LOL!

The feel of the paper is better as well. The paper is a bit less flimsy, so I can only think that the "formula" has changed. Oh, you didn't KNOW that different formulae were used in paper-making? Well, it's true. Everything from the paper one wipes one's....posterior with, to the closely-guarded secret ingredients that go into the Treasury Department's "folding money" (which I am still not at liberty to divulge, but still changes every year). There are as many different types of paper we use daily (that we just take for granted), as there are sneakers at Foot Locker (and perhaps a few more). I just hope this new paper's absorbency works as well under the cat's LITTER PAN...!

So..with all this high tech in place, do I feel that newspapers are still destined for the "circular file"? I don't think so. I spite of the advent of the Internet, and the speed at which news CAN travel into our homes, we will still have some need for the "written" (or in this case PRINTED) word. It's nice to HOLD something tangible...something to read on that carpool trip to work, or something to swat an annoying fly with. Try hitting a mosquito with a LAPTOP...doesn't work all that well, and can get REAL expensive if you hit it OR miss.
Newspapers (fortunately) will remain with us for some time, until someone manages to develop a floppy acetate electronic version that can be uploaded daily with archive referrals stored in it's memory. Of course, that WILL cost you some change, but everything comes with it's price, doesn't it?

At least the paperboys will have an easier time of it with smaller papers....all the better to more accurately "hit the mark" when tossed onto your steps. You think NASA had something to do with this streamlined look for the papers?
I can't imagine having some freckle-faced 10 year old on a bicycle with a sackful of papers in the wind tunnel at gale force 2 velocities...that's just downright weird! But anything IS possible.

Now...if they would change the television program guide BACK to the way it WAS, and make those damn TV grids able to be understood by someone withOUT a doctorate in engineering from M.I.T. I've ONLY got a 131 I.Q., for heaven's sake!

And NO, I won't get into being more fair & balanced with the reporting, either...that's for you journalism majors (and fellow bloggers) to debate...LOL!

Friday Follies...

Having decided to make this primarily a Crimestoppers Textbook edition, let's cut through all the crap, and plunge right into it, shall we?

You Just KNEW This Was Coming -
More on the shooting of a would-be robber at VIP Adult Video: The TEENAGE (that's right, we was 17) black male that was killed by the store clerk was a Wayne H.S. student, a member of the wrestling team, was enrolled at Anthis as a welding student, and has been described by family and friends as "a guy that was very comical. He was goofy and funny. He always had me rolling".

Yeah, armed robbery is ALWAYS good for a laugh, right?

Willie Winder recently made some "new friends" as well. Let me guess...these "friends" were nothing short of the kind of people I see every damn day tooling around my neighborhood with nothing to do but nothing at all? Winder's girlfriend even knew he was "packing" a lot of the time.
And you though this was perfectly OK for a 17 year old.....HOW?

Winder's mom (Sondra Tolbert) said the clerk could have just yelled at him, and he probably would have left. Given a choice of either YELLING or SHOOTING at someone with a gun pointed at me, I'll opt for the SHOOTING thing, Sondra...every time. Get some reality under your belts, people. He got in with some "bangers", made a $hitload of REAL bad mistakes REAL fast, and that LAST brain-fart cost him BIG TIME. So much for THAT initiate into the "clique".
There IS a lesson to be learned here...if you're smart enough to SEE it.

Philly PD asks for "Volunteers" -
My old hometown is going through some REALLY rough times. With 294 murders (so far - and you thought INDY was bad, hmm?) this year, the 6th largest city in America (with a black population NOW of 44%) is "under the gun" to halt this recent increase in crime (no pun intended). And 80% of the slayings involve handguns (guess that automatic 5 year term for crimes with a handgun ain't going over all that well...time to ARM the CITIZENS). Amazing how when an ethnic population RISES...so does CRIME (especially the VIOLENT crime). Commissioner Sylvester Johnson (where is Frank Rizzo when you NEED him?) is calling for 10,000 men to patrol their neighborhoods to send a visible message to criminals. The program is called: "Call to Action: 10,000 Men. It's a New Day".
Bit of a stretch, don'cha think?
While he's encouraging black men to get involved, he would not turn away men of other races. Yeah, I can see some ASIAN guys walking the streets of NORTH PHILLY, trying to "talk" these thugs into a peaceful solution...!
Good freaking luck, Bub.
The local Guardian Angels chapter there managed to recruit ONLY SEVEN members in the past TWO years. Sylvester won't get anywhere NEAR that 10,000 number he wants. He'd be damn lucky to get even 1,000!
The volunteers will NOT carry weapons (even the MAILMEN carry MACE) and will NOT have arresting powers (can they shake their finger and chide a criminal once in a while?), but will emphasize conflict resolution (yeah, that works well when confronted with 5 big black gangstas all armed with firearms wanting your money). In neighborhoods where the "don't snitch" mentality holds court, these volunteers will no doubt be in harm's way. Commissioner Sylvester will be retiring after year's end. About time, too. Get someone in who won't take any $hit when it comes to dealing with the criminal element!

Lastly, some briefs (not boxers) with "my" take on them:

City rethinks parking rates downtown - (Ft. Wayne)
How's about getting SOME parking downtown first? Cart before the horse time again.

Angry Husband Thrown From Hood - (Anderson)
They call it "getting IN the car" for a reason, jackass!

Nine Car Crash Near IPFW - (Ft Wayne)
They call it "safe distancing" for a reason, morons!

U.S. Deaths Rise for 2005 - (national AP)
At least homicide is #15 (of 15), so the odds are WITH us there, eh?
(btw - #1 was diseases of the heart)

So there you have it...the rest of the story.
Now, get your asses out there and have a great weekend.

(just don't try robbing those video porn shops, kapesh?)

And The Final Score Was...
Store clerk: 1
Robber: 0

Looks like homicide #18 in Fort Wayne (all have been in the city limits) will be worth talking about for a time. At least it's the kind of death by firearm that I find particularly intriguing. A would-be ROBBER gets more than he could have bargained for, namely a free ride to a cemetery in a brand new Lincoln or Cadillac (hearse).

VIP (adult) video store in the 7500 block of S. Anthony Blvd in Fort Wayne (actually it's on the tail end of the K-Mart Plaza there) had an "attempted" robbery yesterday at 4:40PM. A man came into the store, pulled a handgun on the store clerk there, and told him to get behind the counter. The clerk complied, and the robber quickly learned that by choosing THIS store to rob, he would most likely not see his next birthday.
He was correct in that assumption.
Now with the new Jodie Foster Movie, THE BRAVE ONE coming to theaters this weekend, one has to consider the actions one can take on both sides of the crime equation. There is a thinner line between being VIGILANT and being a VIGILANTE than many people realize (shades of Charles Bronson in DEATH WISH).

You have to think about the options (or to be more precise, the ramifications) when choosing to rob someone or some place, and conversely, one has to choose to comply or resist. And once steps are put into motion, can we just "turn it all off" when everything is said and done? The human condition dictates that the road less travelled is the one most problematic, and thereby less chosen.
Now I said all that to say this:

When EXACTLY do we, as average citizens decide and say "Enough is enough" when it comes to personal assaults and other people wanting to illegally "relieve" us of what we have worked for? Personally, I'm of the "Castle Doctrine with the NO retreat clause" persuasion. ANYONE who is seeking to freely TAKE from me or my family and/or wishes to do us harm in the process will be dealt with severely, as well as quickly.

I HAVE had enough, as I'm sure many of you also have. Criminals don't know who they're screwing with when they choose a stranger to enact a crime upon. Then again, we never said criminals were the brightest crayon in the box, did we?

We have to ask ourselves if we were justified by the actions we take, and can we also live with whatever consequences come our way. If we have done nothing more than protect ourselves, our family, or our property, I'd say sure...no problem. If, however we actively sought to do someone harm, we can soon become that which we despise.

Many would argue that the best defense is a good offense. That works well on the field of athletic combat, but when faced with a life or death situation, you only have milliseconds to make "the right call". And it better be made ASAP, because criminals don't like to "wait". Given the severity of today's crimes against people, being ready to "get offensive" is something each of us has to decide upon. DO we merely give up the wallet and HOPE we don't ALSO get killed (because the robber knows WE know what he looks like), or do we resist, and apply every tactic we have at our disposal to eliminate the threat? In the latter scenario, you MUST be willing to act...act quickly, and fiercely...without compassion, with only ONE (immediate) thing in mind, namely YOUR survival, because you won't get another chance (criminals do allow "do-overs", either). There is no easy solution, as every situation has it's own unique perspectives.
You DO...what HAS to be done...period.

And just like this store clerk, someone walks away...and someone gets carried away.

Like I have stated time and again...your FIRST line of defense in ANY situation is NOT the police, nor any governmental agency. It's YOU. The police cannot be everywhere all the time, and they know this all too well. You, however are "with you" most all the time (unless you're a tad schizophrenic, in which case, you're with a few more people), and who better to determine your situational awareness that YOU at any moment.

The store clerk made a good choice (IMHO), as have others over the past few years when they took down a perp intent on robbery. It's not easy to stare down the barrel of ANY weapon pointed at you and make a life-or-death decision. It could be YOUR death, OR the death of the robber. Either way. Now, let's see if the clerk can deal with the aftermath in his life. You indeed reap what you sow. I'd wager no one will screw with him in any event.
The business needs to remove the vertical blinds in the windows, though. It makes any passing surveillance of the property by police impossible, so no one can see what's going on. Then again, it IS an "adult" video store. I'm sure the robber thought of that before he tried to get some quick cash. No one could see him (as he fell to the floor DEAD).

Hell, I'd take the blinds down, and put a sign in the window saying:
"We SHOOT robbers FIRST...THEN call the coroner's office, THEN the police".

Let that be the message being sent to criminals...We're just fed up with crime, and we will NOT become victims any longer!

And like the old Special Forces motto goes:
"Kill 'em all...let GOD sort 'em out"

Hump Day Happenings...


If there is one certainty in today's ever-changing world, it's the fact that people will STILL do the damnedest stuff...for no apparent reason, other than that they CAN.

And with that, let us waltz (or is that mambo?) through the goings on in the world, and thank the Maker we're not THAT screwed up.

"Rap Wars"?
Seems that Kanye West is outselling his competitor 50 Cent as far as their latest albums are concerned.
BIG FAT F$CKING DEAL!!!
First off, NEITHER of them sells "albums" - they sell CDs. Albums are reserved for the former realm of VINYL platters (the ORIGINAL compact disc). You remember those, right? Cardboard covers with great art work and lyrics in the liner you could actually READ without the aid of a magnifying glass were the "final word" back in the day.
Next, NEITHER of them is anything close to being called an "artist". All they do is talk some jive rhymes over a lame-ass 4-4 bass beat with some random digitally-enhanced synthesizer making more noise over that.
I wouldn't give you 2 cents for 50 Cent, and as for Kanye, well, he's nothing short of being a treasonous, anti-American with his comments over Katrina and Bush. Nuff said there. Both of them can go in the "role model" Hall of Shame, (IMHO).
Treat yourselves to some REAL music...get a PAVAROTTI CD instead.

"Another Role Model"?
Indiana is becoming a haven for dysfunctional athletes...I mean basketball players. The 2006 1st round draft choice was busted for what he was caught WITH, namely marijuana. What he was NOT caught with was a DRIVER'S LICENSE. He also was "caught" with an expired tag on his new ESCALADE, AND he failed to signal a lane change. Nice to know that law-enforcement officers still pull people over for that.
Larry Bird, Pacers' president was not sympathetic toward the team's forward, Shawne Williams, and was extremely disappointed with the conduct (as well he should be).
Williams came to Indiana from Memphis last year, and this latest arrest for a Pacer marks the THIRD time in a year that a player from the team has made the police blotter. So much for social skills being taught in the Tennessee school system. Better add a DECISION-MAKING course to that curriculum, cause this boy sure needs one (idiot).

"City Council Comedy Hour"
Last night's meeting of the mind(less)s had even ME scratching my head. They spend all this time enacting ENFORCEMENT of a sign ordinance that has BEEN on the books for however long.
And they're doing this....WHY?
Laws are enacted and placed on the books TO BE ENFORCED in the first damn place. Why have a stupid-ass meeting JUST to overstate the obvious? Oh, hold on a minute...it's Fort Wayne City Council....I forgot.
Silly me!
Of course the realtors are bothered by this, as they rely on signage along streets and roads to sell their houses. Well, that's just too darn bad now, ain't it?
Let's take a look at this and crunch some "numbers".
1) - Don't we have technology (like a TELEPHONE...or a COMPUTER) that allows people to search ONLINE (or call) for homes that are for sale, making it easier to get in touch with realtors and view the property?
2) - We still teach READING in the schools, so WHY can't people pick up a copy of the "Realty Times" or just buy a stinking NEWSPAPER and check the classified under HOMES?
3) - We still have plenty of REALTY OFFICES, so WHY can't people just walk in, take a look at the listings, and then have a realtor SHOW them the property?
(novel ideas...all)
I don't know about YOU, but that adds up just FINE to me, no matter how you try to rearrange the figures.
Sorry, but nothing says "we don't give a damn about our neighborhood" MORE than signs all along the right-of-way and on utility poles for "cash for junk cars", "garage sales", "lost pets", etc. You have to advertise in that manner...find the PROPER venue, like the local papers, or online, or even at the "bulletin boards" most every larger store has near the entrance/exit. Don't be a bunch of freaking a$$holes...(you a$$holes).
Same goes for you politicians....place your signs on PRIVATE property (with permission) and stop being SO damn presumptive with the placement of your signage.
Now...IF ONLY City Council could do SOMETHING about putting a few "teeth" into the NOISE ordinance (I'd even settle for DENTURES at this juncture).

"A Roob-Goldberg Assessment?"
A recent audit shows that Indiana should refund $88 MILLION bucks in federal money used to operate three state mental health facilities. The audit cites Logansport State Hospital for under staffing, inadequate record-keeping, and not enough therapy for it's 360 patients. Although human services chief Mitch Roob states that they're not at a crisis point, they're getting close. And again, we hear that word - PRIVATIZATION.
Roob states they are providing adequate care, but not excellent care. Gee, I thought all these mentally-disabled people lived on our STREETS, not in hospitals. It's called "mainstreaming" them back into society, and could be considered an adjunct to those we call "special ed". We seemed to have blurred that line sufficiently so as not to disseminate the real from the perceived in this instance.
Would a private company provide better care? Should they be the caregivers for those with severe mental disabilities? Are we shuffling off this problem for the quick fix? And what about all the George Romero "extras" we have walking along our streets daily (talking to themselves quite well, I might add)? Who speaks for them, and should we consider wider ranges of institutionalization instead of all this "mainstreaming"?
Time will tell.

Now if all that doesn't make you shake your head, or at least reach for a barf bag (or another cup of coffee)...better check your pulse.

Remember, it's all downhill from here on (or uphill, depending on YOUR POV).