15 December 2008

Monday Musings...
Yes, Virginia, there were a few things that caught my interest enough to bloviate about this past weekend (you honestly thought OTHERWISE? Shame on you).
Before I begin, I'd like to thank all of you out there...I've hit the 10.5K page views mark. Wow, some folks I guess still DO appreciate truth, justice and the American way.
Imagine that.
Give yourselves a pat on the back.
You deserve it.
--First up, President Bush had a pair of shoes tossed at him while he was speaking in Baghdad. Oh, the MSM hacks are going to love this.
While the protester definitely showed his "love for this infidel", the inappropriateness alone speaks volumes to the degradation of the value system of the human race as a whole.
Fortunately, he missed the President (candy arm).
I've said this often enough; Doesn't matter what you might think of the MAN, it's the OFFICE which should hold the respect of others.
There's been a few things I was diametrically opposed with President Bush over, but he is STILL "THE" President of MY United States, and deserves the respect that the office demands as a head of state and world leader. He's no fascist dictator hell-bent on world domination, and espouses many values that this nation was founded upon, unlike a Hitler, or a Mussolini, or a Saddam Hussein.
Ease up, people. You want to protest, do it in a proper manner, and one which doesn't reflect negatively on your nation AND your people.
--Next, we hear that CRIME across our beloved state has gone DOWN...
(Now, for the facts)
VIOLENT crime HAS gone UP (big surprise).
So, in other words, the "small $hit" has gravitated to the realm of the "BIG $hit".
Our FWPD chief has stated that crime has RISEN close to 5% right HERE, in "River City" (with a capital "C", and that rhymes with "P", and that stands for pissed off citizens...or they SHOULD be).
--The FWPD also has a a new PBA president, Shane Hopkins, a 13 year vet of the department.
His main thrust will be to target the low morale the officers have.
With the way the laws are constructed today, and the plethora of loopholes perps can wriggle through, it's a challenge worthy of the Labors of Hercules. Hopkins also hopes to have better communication between the rank & file and the administration, which has been an issue over the last few years. He wants to have each shift fairly represented with more union stewards, as well as gathering every officer's email address to keep them all updated on meetings and PBA news.
And with contract negotiations also underway, Hopkins hopes to alleviate any stonewalling, saying that equitable solutions can be found if everyone goes about it the right way.
Good luck, Shane.
--And speaking of the law and it's pertinence...
Frank Gray had an article in yesterday's paper over this new "light" addition to the noise ordinance.
Here's the link to the entire story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081214/LOCAL0201/812140397
All I will say is that Frank has missed the boat on this, although he makes a few good points.
While he cites the City Council's "governance by pet peeve", he makes a case that people often complain for no good reason.
He says: "Some people don't like those (loud bass) speakers because when a car with a woofer system drives past their house, they get rocked by the beat - for about TEN seconds".
Frank, I truly WISH it were AS EASY as all that, but you don't get it at all.
If it were ONLY as simplistic as having a handful of those acoustically-challenged morons thumping past each DAY, that would be a lot more tolerable.
But when you hear them coming past damn near every FIFTEEN MINUTES over the course of several HOURS on ANY given day (holidays and Sundays not excluded), you tend to become a lot more sensitive to the din. Not to mention the regular sleep deprivation, thanks to some form of "cultural entitlement".
Try dealing with several THOUSAND occurrences EVERY year past YOUR house, Frank, and then we'll see if you feel a complaint to have this ordinance ENFORCED with some zeal isn't warranted, OK?
And who pays for the structural cracks in my walls caused by such boomcars? The CITY? The stereo MANUFACTURERS?
Nope, it's all on ME.
Trouble is, this ordinance is not enforced as much as it SHOULD be, and has a low priority on the call list, even if someone is sitting across the street thumping their ass off, rocking YOUR house. And the officer has to WITNESS it. I was told that catching them on VIDEO won't cut it.
How's THAT for "enforceability"? I'd really love to challenge that.
But that's just the BOOMCARS, Frank. You didn't EVEN get into the ordinance which PROHIBITS firing a weapon for "entertainment" purposes within the city limits (like what will occur in MY neighborhood this New Year's Eve as it HAS been for the last DECADE).
Seems THAT law should be enforceable as well, but year after year, I practically BEG the FWPD to have a car in OUR area JUST to catch these "shooters"...and nothing. Luckily, the house wasn't hit, but that can change this year...or practically ANY day as well.
And nothing said about LITTERING LAWS...still on the books as I recall.
Okay, so I'm only ONE person who makes a (damn) good case, and yet like your article says, becomes summarily dismissed or ignored as a potential "chronic complainer". Guess Phil Marx knows all about THAT (right, Phil?), but people like US are only trying to HELP make the city safer for EVERYONE, not just for ourselves.
That's why this "light" ordinance needs to be thrown the hell out.
Light is like sound in that it travels farther than intended, thanks to something I like to call PHYSICS.
Sure, we currently have a noise ordinance which does not allow the playing of a radio/car stereo that can be heard from THIRTY FEET AWAY. Well, Frank, if you can hear the damn moron THREE BLOCKS AWAY, you damn well can hear him at 3 feet...or 30 feet, or even 300 feet.
I can't get the FWPD to target chronic boomcar drivers who ALWAYS play music that can be heard blocks away, let alone 30 feet, so the law is toothless in that regard, UNLESS you want to ambush some of these perps (watch out for the ACLU, who will cite SOME form of racism and NOT target the irresponsible behavior being demonstrated).
Sorry, Frank, but until you spend some quality time down here, you don't "get it".
Life should be a study in responsibility and betterment, not an exercise in survival tactics.
--Lastly, oh, the weather outside is (or could be) frightful, so amend your driving techniques accordingly. We're ooking at falling temps today with rain changing to sleet and snow.
By 1800 hrs, it should be anything but real fun out there, so be careful!
Or, the cold front could miss us, and nothing will happen.
That's what I like about Indiana.
(in Forrest Gump mode)...It's like a box of chocolates...
You NEVER know what you're gonna get.
And that especially applies to the WEATHER.
Do stay dry and safe out there.

6 comments:

Jana said...

Yeah, I heard about the journalist who threw his shoe at the President yesterday.

And the number one piece of irony in all this? If he had tried that nonsense when Saddam was around, he and his family would have been tortured and killed.

An aquaintance of mine REALLY wanted to tell this journalist, "You're welcome jerk."

~jana

Bob G. said...

J:
Yeah..."if only" Saddam were around..."Off with his head".

AT least Bush made light of it...
After all, he DID get about to freeing those poor people over there after decades of oppressive dictatorship rule.

How SOON people forget about THAT, eh?

B.G.
(resident infidel)

Anonymous said...

well i voted for bush the first time around and the second time.....oh yes i did. it wasnt about the man at that point. it was basically i wanted to keep the same commander in cheif to bring the troops out of iraq.....welll alrightty then THAT is another story. but, i wont toss a shoe at him. (thats all it was just tossing. i could have done better)

to help with the officers morale they will have union officals...lol that is humorous. i am getting more and more anti union everyday. the UNION only helps out their worthless buddies that dont want to show up for work. then they file fliverous claims that cost our employeers money. most of the time the union is in managements back pocket. union isnt about poo. in fact in our contract (my union) it says before they excess in a certain area even if the union steward is junior he dont go first. he has super senority. lol so he's protected from being excessed and we are spoosed to go and trust him in saving our jobs. whatever. they dont really give a rats axx becouse they dont go first when excessed out of a section. i say the union sucks more then bush and that is saying alot from me

my exact point. why enforce a light orderance when you cant enforce the noise orderance. i would have a neighbor playing his rap at his moms house everyday at noon for YEARS unpon end. the cops could never help me. so for the last week i've gotten a little payback and came home at 3am rapping my axx off too. wont do it every night just once in a while. then sit there in my car for about 10min giving them some freaking payback for all the years i worked nights. they got the point. i heard the mom cuss out the 20 someting young man the other day and said that i am paying her back for his shixx...lol well she gets a break now from me until something else happens.

and gun shots on new years eve. i am scared that my man has to work on that day and he will be getting home while all the shixx is hitting the fan. i am tempted to tell him to call in. or try to go home early. but i know he wont be able to leave. so i dont know...sigh. something to talk about thanks

and thanks for the weather reminder. i will be out in the mess myself this evening...oh yea...

at least i am not one of the 2,000 people that showed up 90 min early to get on of the 100 jobs at rolls royce and got turned away. thank God i got the job i got.

merry christmas

Bob G. said...

Indy:
I've always believed that to help officer morale, it's best to let them DO THEIR JOBS...guess we don't really do that these days?

I like to use a laser pointer to shine at these boomers...some turn it right off, others aren't even bothered (too busy texting, I'll bet).
It's the quietest way to "bother them back".
Next step:
My PAINTBALL PISTOL!

Even had one jerk come to my door. I told him he's got a nasty habit of playing his music loud. I have a nasty habit too...I shine lasers at boomers. Live with it.

Even had the FWPD over once, thinking I was pointing a gun at these people. If I pointed a gun AT them, they wouldn't be able to CALL the police, trust me...lol.

I'll meet ANYONE & EVERYONE half-way when it comes to respect, but you have to GIVE it FIRST...in order to GET it from others.
That's just the way I was brought up.
It don't ever come along for free.
And you can't demand from others what you aren't willing to give back...it's that simple.

Thanks for the comment.

B.G.

Anonymous said...

I think the State of Indiana should ask the US Federal Governmant to let us succeed from the Union.

We are one of the few states in the US Union in the Green.

I'm done with the lobbyists to our Congress, Senate, & our President.

It's time for a revolution!

Bobett

Bob G. said...

Bobett:
The down side to secession is the likes of a "civil war"...we'd be trying to keep all those that want to come INTO the state OUT, while the rest of the nation tries to keep us "penned in".
Not the best way to go, but an intriguing thought, none the less.

Thanks for commenting.

B.G.