Fuel For Thought...
You can't help but see the headlines about RECORD GAS PRICES (again), and the funny thing (not funny ha-ha, but funny peculiar), is that here in Fort Wayne, we're substantially HIGHER than the current national average of $3.61 per gallon. Amazing that for the past several years, when the weather gets warmer, WE here in Northern have been the recipients of even HIGHER prices than the average citizens elsewhere across the U.S. (except CA).
Yeah...funny.
Now granted that fuel prices LAST year were about a DOLLAR LESS than current rates, but has the increase in prices stopped or even slowed consumption by people here?
Apparently NOT.
I know my wife and I are careful as hell when it comes to "planning" our automotive excursions. We've even had to cut back on visiting Portland, IN to see our aunt and uncle (but we do call twice a week or so). No "unnecessary" trips for us. None of that "come and go as you please" mentality I see displayed (proudly) by the locals in our area, where whatever the price of fuel is, it doesn't seem to bother THEM one damn bit. They must have a "WIC" card for GASOLINE now!
I've already spoken here often to the fact that higher fuel costs will produce higher "everything" costs...that's a given. Truckers are being hammered with prices for diesel fuel that have them making second thoughts over whether or not to park the damn rig and call it a day (and career). Delivery services have to pass on the rising costs to consumers...ditto for produce haulers. Everything that CAN be moved, shipped or sent is costing more. No getting around that. Air freight and airlines are passing on costs to consumers and passengers alike.
And while we think that only cars, trucks, planes, and buses are feeling this pinch, many overlook another fact; TRAINS (still) deliver a HEAP o' stuff daily, and they run exclusively on diesel. Gone are the days of overhead catenary-wired locomotives hauling freight along the eastern seaboard powered by ELECTRICITY. The last vestige of such a locomotive was the venerable GG-1 engine, which was eventually phased out in the 1980s.
But I wax nostalgic...
This nation, and it's corporations and utility companies KNEW that something like this COULD happen (and eventually would), and sat around, securing their pensions, paying the stockholders, and otherwise thumbing their collective noses at the rest of us, and we seemed to not be bothered by that...at least it sure looked that way.
And now we're paying the price (literally)...or we don't go anywhere (or at least not nearly as FAR as we used to).
Simple, huh?
Well, one thing that COULD have been implemented in a lot more cities than has been would be to have all the USPS carriers to drive LPG-powered vehicles. They don't have to go fast, usually stick to urban areas, and are cleaner running. If ANY service could use a hybridized vehicle...it's them. That's a start anyway.
We COULD have pursued solar power for home heating a lot sooner...and didn't.
We COULD have investigated ethanol from crops OTHER than CORN over the past 3-4 decades...and didn't (switchgrass shows real promise with better yields per crop, and we're not reliant on it for nutrition).
We COULD have demanded that automakers go smaller with their vehicles...and didn't.
We COULD have allowed more drilling in U.S. territories...and didn't.
Yeah, we as a nation "could" have done a lot more...and this crosses political party lines. Neither democrats nor republicans are exempt. They're EQUALLY to blame.
OK...wild idea....we build a bridge or dig a tunnel across the Bering Strait and hook up with Russia for their oil in return for technologies that can aid their country, and we both can then tell OPEC to kiss our lily-white asses.
Just a thought (albeit a damn good one).
There is a huge problem with rising gas prices, that's not directly related to the average consumer. I'd like to propose a fictitious (hopefully) scenario:
((Gas prices rise to the point where the Joe and Jane Does of this city can't effectively conduct their daily errands, relying on public transit for that. Muggings and even bus hijacking becomes the "new gig" in town. The police have to carefully weigh which calls they have to respond to, because their fuel supplies are limited (it's either combine calls or park the cars and place officers on foot or bikes). Police become the target of gangs, and the ones ruling our streets are the drug dealers, because they STILL have enough money to get gas for all their vehicles. Drug users become squatters in homes abandoned by people leaving the area in droves. Rural areas will be hit even worse, as things like stores are a lot farther apart than in cities. The Amish will do OK, as sales for HORSES and horse-powered buggies will skyrocket!))
Sounds like MAD MAX, or even ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK now, doesn't it?
Yeah, that's just fiction...worse case scenario, right?
Parts of it are true...already.
The drug dealers don't have to worry about higher prices at the pumps...they're making LOTS of money and paying no taxes on it, so you know they're going to have plenty of gas, even if they resort to stealing it from YOUR tank.
We hear talk of eliminating the gas tax...
Seeing is believing to me...show me the money (savings).
I'm sorry, but I've been extremely frugal when it comes to fueling our cars...always have been. When gas was 80 cents a gallon, things were a little different, but everything ELSE was relative to the prices, so you still practiced being a tight-wad when behind the wheel. Ten gallons STILL equalled 8 bucks (then), and 30 years ago, that 8 bucks was worth almost 2 cases of beer (lol), or a week of McDs lunches on the road.
Where will this all end?
Who the hell knows at this point.
All we can do is hunker down and ride this one out, because if nothing else is made clear to us, one thing is certain; it IS going to be one HELLUVA ride.
And that is the truth.
Don't forget the Dramamine.

All Quiet On the Southside Front...
As obnoxious as the locals were down here this past weekend, there are those (very) few times when SOLACE may be called the word of the day. Well, it's AS CLOSE to solace as one can get down here, and by that I mean less noise and fewer of life's 2-legged or 4-wheeled interruptions.
There were a couple items on the police radio worth noting.
~One black male was observed attempting a break in some blocks over from us, and the police responding were notified he might be armed. One officer who saw him running into an alley called to the other officers: "Oh, yeah...he's definitely *62* (armed)". A few minutes later, he was apprehended.
Nice job, people!
~Another call was for a puddle under a man's vehicle in his driveway. Seems we had a gas theft, and the perp just poked a hole in the victim's fuel tank, drained what he wanted and then plugged the hole with some quick-patch agent, leaving a puddle of fuel underneath. Nice way to cause a fire or explosion should that patch leak. Cripes...too damn lazy to buy (read steal) a siphon pump and some tubing at a local store and do it the right way.
Only on the SOUTH side, folks.
~I've also been noticing the typical behavior from our "new neighbors" down the block that has been demonstrated by most everyone else that has moved to this area over the past several years.

And without exception, it follows a specific pattern of behavior.

The order in which it occurs might differ, but all the items mentioned DO happen sooner or later

It goes something like this:
1) Single mom moves into the house with two loads of stuff in some friend's pickup, & brings her 3 (or more)"Bebe's kids".
2) Act like someone who will "appear" responsible to others in the area.
3) After several weeks, begin to have friends stop over...a LOT of friends.
4) Tell those friends to bring THEIR friends as well.
5) Start to play your music louder and louder.
6) See how long it takes for the FWPD to respond to complaints against you.
7) Have rental furniture delivered (and that big screen TV).
8) Break something in the house that requires the landlord to upgrade it for free.
9) Have cable or Fios installed with all the bells and whistles.
10) Start parking cars all over the block.
11) Begin to have loud parties/cookouts every weekend, all weekend.
12) Let the kids run rampant in the neighborhood.
13) Buy a police scanner, so you can go quiet & scatter when they're called to your house.
14) Let your scrapper friends know which houses are unoccupied on the block.
15) Collect welfare check every month.
16) Under no circumstances bother to look for a job (and that goes for whatever boyfriend you have this month).
17) See how well the drug trade is thriving in the area,
18) Move more people into the house in violation of the lease agreement.
19) Never mow your lawn, and never put your trash bin back.
20) Move away in the middle of the night before the rent is due and trash the place in the process.
~Yeah, that about sums it all up.
This is called the GHETTO LIFESTYLE. I know it because I SEE it...but will NEVER practice it.
And THIS is what our part of the city must endure, thanks to city and community leaders that can't see past THEIR OWN billfolds and agendas. They promise the moon, but deliver nothing. Like I said...typical.
So they "toss us a bone" to shut us up, such as Menards or Wal-mart. And we're supposed to act like Scooby-Doo when he gets a treat from Shaggy...rolling over in quasi-erotic ecstasy. Gimme a break.
Now while I grant you that Menards is a blessing, Wal-mart...not so much. As I stated here before, I much prefer K-Mart. Our Menards down here is actually LARGER than the one out on Rt 37 north.
We never have gotten anyone to buy that vacant TARGET building, but there is a VERY good reason...it's RIGHT NEAR one of the worst crime areas in the city. That would be the 7900 block of (get this) SERENITY DRIVE. Ironic, right?
The new Mc'Ds is right near there as well. The Long John Silvers pulled out and moved to Bluffton Rd last year due to crime. The Hardees that is now the Mc'Ds closed as well. And anyone who lives down here KNOWS that the CRIME brought about the demise of Southtown Mall.
Over the past ten years, we have LOST over FIFTY businesses, and recouped about 25% of them. Not a very good showing, is it? We're still operating in a "retail deficit". And that goes hand-in-hand with our "housing deficit". Yeah, I know we have over 400 houses sitting vacant, and that isn't a deficit. Putting quality people who act with civility INTO all those houses is the problem, and that's why this Renaissance Pointe project was shoved in our faces. Changing the AREA is ONE thing; changing the PEOPLE (and their mindset) in order for them to fully APPRECIATE it is quite the other.
The city and their developers could get a LOT MORE "bang for their buck" by renovating existing houses and getting DECENT people back into them. We lost so many due to jobs going away, and that basically left the older residents. And as THEY are passing away, they're being replaced by even more "tenants" with NO vested interest in ownership, responsibility, or respect.
The city also smiles all the way to the bank as the federal monies pour in to "support" these tenants with all the freebie programs designed to ASSIST them in life. And if you can keep them ALL in ONE part of the city (to keep an eye on them)...all the better.
But I better not open THAT can of worms...not today anyway.

And just as Scarlett O'Hara once noted:

"Tomorrow is another day".

Monday Musings...
Well, it wasn't a "bad" weekend (all things considered). Both of our vehicles are now the proud possessors of brand new LOCKING GAS FILLER CAPS. Only cost about $12.99.
And the fellow at Auto Zone (on Bluffton Rd) said he's noticed an increase in such caps being purchased, so MAYBE there's more than EIGHT of you out there reading this blog.
The Missus and I figured while we were out in Waynedale, we'd do all the trips there (and practice our "hyper-miling")....it turned out to be a rather mixed bag of satisfaction.
And that surprised even me. Waynedale's always worked well for us.
While at the Scotts/Krogers there, we got our lunch meats at the deli (nicely refurbished), but the woman there (who happened to be black) could NOT figure out what the hell the word THIN meant (as in THINLY-SLICED). Cripes, Kraft Singles slices were thinner than what WE wound up with (think SLAB instead of SLICE). Sorry, not going to go back there again for QUITE a while. We're just plain white folks desiring THIN sliced cold cuts, so you can go right ahead and give us ANY thickness YOU want, because we won't say anything...we're too guilty over your oppression (rolls eyes)...yeah, right...

The Walgreens down there didn't have several items I was looking for. At least the trek to K-Mart prior netted us some nice plants (and some cheap footwear).
On our return to "Homestead Heights", we also stopped by Broadview Nursery and picked up some more plants/flowers for the garden, because WE are among those of you that still DO give a rat's ass about how nice "our" property SHOULD look (as opposed to the "locals" around my area who can ONLY think of when "Mary Jane" is coming to the 'hood).
I also tried out the NEW brand of Ortho-Max for the lawn...the kind that kills WEEDS ONLY, and leaves the lawn alone. We'll see how that shakes out.
Still, MY lawn still looks nicer than most everyone else's (like the person's "lawn" pictured here - the field of dandelions). Then again, I get OUT of it what I put INTO it (and that would be some "sweat equity" IN - Satisfaction OUT).
So that was basically the extent of "Bob's Excellent Adventure" for the past 48 hours.
It's what was allowed to transpire all around us during that time that makes for better commentary. Read on.
Some house down the block was having a "Gathering".
And like some Stephen King novel (think Children of the Corn), nothing good could possibly come of that. You get used to KNOWING that around here.
These gatherings would seem innocuous enough in other, nicer neighborhoods, IF ONLY certain aspects of CIVILITY were maintained in THIS neighborhood. Such is not the case around here. Gatherings are to be enjoyed by anyone AND everyone...no matter if you WANT to participate in them or not. You simply have NO CHOICE (and few options).
I'm talking about (mainly) NOISE...as in cacophony of what is supposed to pass for "music" these days, as well as screaming, honking, etc.
Now, I've been to MY share of shindigs, parties, cookouts...whatever, and NEVER in ALL those events over ALL those years were the police called on us, or were we so damn loud that it bothered people at the other ends of other blocks. WE practiced something the aborigines around here talk about, but obviously have NO CONCEPT as to what the words they are using actually MEAN.
And that is good old-fashioned RESPECT.
We RESPECTED other people (as well as THEIR property), because we were brought up to NOT go out of our way to piss people off. People (usually) don't LIKE to be pissed off.
Ask anyone.
Or better yet, go piss them off FIRST, and THEN ask them if they ENJOYED it (as you're dodging a fist or something worse). Bet you'll get an answer quick enough.
But of course, I'm referring to CIVILIZED PEOPLE...NOT my "neighbors".
Over the past 10 years, we've seen more and more LOUD, and less and less QUIET. And there's only ONE explanation for it. It's the PEOPLE (and their cultural nuances). Those that have LEFT the area, took the "quiet" with THEM, and those moving INTO the area brought their "noise" with THEM.
Curiously enough, the ones moving in were all BLACK. Now is this a racist comment? Hell no...it's a factual observation of skewed cultural mores. Since I just happen to be WHITE, it will appear racist, and those who perceive it as such DON'T LIVE in this area, and DON'T KNOW me. It's that simple.
But back to these "gatherings"...
When these folks crank it up, you feel as if the area has developed a "heartbeat", because that's ALL you hear...thump...thump..thump, for as long as the gathering lasts.
There are the rare times when music is not the issue. It could be street football, or something similar. Whatever the case, rest assured that wherever the gathering takes place, it WILL eventually filter down onto or at least very near YOUR house. Then we have to call the police to shoo these critters away (until they forget what the police told them a few minutes ago and return). Like many other things in life, selective memory loss for these people is CYCLICAL.
Makes you long for the days when you USED to be able to sit down a READ A BOOK, or watch a HOUR of TV, or just put some music on, and think of nothing or no one for a spell, all SANS interruptions.
Just doesn't happen these days (unless the police are IN the area, and then all goes deader than a doornail for 15 minutes). Time for a POWER NAP!
You just pray there's nothing like last year's week-long "party" for that dead girl up the block...over a hundred vehicles coming and going to all hours, some even trying to park IN YOUR DRIVEWAY.
Yeah...lots of "respect" being shown there, right?
"But have you tried talking to them about this?", is the question I am always asked. And I have to say that in the beginning, I tried to do that (being polite, smiling...the whole 9 yards)...and got nowhere, real fast (unless you call having a gun pulled on you diversified progress in communication). I do not.
So now, I won't waste my time nor the expenditure of my energy in some vain attempt to REASON with them.

Plainly put, there is little if any "reasoning" with ANY of them. I would much rather attempt to reason with an injured and hungry lion than I would these folks. And yet WE (whites) are always the ones MADE to feel guilty. Doesn't work for me. I won't buy into that propaganda no matter HOW CHEAP it's priced.
But I will state that those "people" I have mentioned DO need to think about others instead of themselves...and a lot more often. They are NOT the ONLY ones living on this planet, nor this neighborhood.
When I hear about "embracing diversity", I get sick to my stomach. Not one single mook around here since my good neighbors have moved has even attempted the slightest foray into "embracing MY diversity".

And it's not that I'm UN-embraceable.
Quite the reverse.

I'm pretty easy to befriend, but I will not take anything or anyone at face value, and especially not around here. After a few decades, you can size most everyone up in about 5 seconds, and it's very rare that you are incorrect in your appraisal of that person or persons.
When you demonstrate by your actions and behavior that you are the type of person I can call friend, wild horses can't stop that from happening.
I simply just don't see it here...and probably never will again.
And that's perhaps the best reason as to why I dread any "gathering" in our neighborhood. It's not that I'm excluded FROM them, which is actually a godsend for me, for I wouldn't want to associate with them, it's that these folks want to include my PROPERTY in their partying as part of their own personal communal playground.
Sorry, it's a "package deal".
You want my property? Treat ME with respect first.
You don't want me? Then stay off of the property...period.
I don't think that's asking too much of them...but when you stop to consider THE WAY THEY ARE...it probably is too much complex thinking for them (white and black trash alike) to process at one sitting anyway.
So it becomes a love-hate relationship.
I love my house AND I hate them.
And THEY have to live with what THEY have created...which would be (among other things) my ever-so-pleasing demeanor towards them.
But hey, how many civilized nations can YOU name where you can bother absolutely NO ONE, and yet GET BOTHERED by everyone...all in the name of freedom, eh?
Somehow, I don't think the framers of the Constitution had anything like "this" in mind when they spoke of freedom, OR liberty.

Friday Follies...
~First off, those loyal readers (yeah, all EIGHT of you...LOL) might have seen news stories recently (on TV) that talked about something I've blogged about a few times here...GAS THEFT.
Just this past Humpday, I reiterated what WOULD BE happening...and it looks like I'm right AGAIN.
But that's WHY all you fine people READ this blog anyway (to become forewarned AS WELL AS informed), correct?
WANE ran a spot last night about the increasing thefts (13 so far) from people's gas tanks.
We're almost equal to LAST YEAR'S TOTAL (14), and we're not even into MAY.
Nice to know WANE appears to be reading this blog now...at least it sure looks that way (a little hat tip would be nice, guys...I can always use a free plug)!
And gas thefts will be (again, as I stated previously) occurring ON our streets (gas stations have nice cameras, so smile next time you fill up...AND PAY), so if you've got a garage, best to park your vehicle in there, and LOCK the garage. That will at least slow down the die hard thieves. I mean it IS easy to get a universal remote that can read the code and possibly open your door (unless you have "rolling code" technology), but the trusty bar latch takes care of that,unless they come in through a window.
So as these thefts become more frequent (and you just KNOW they will), YOU (as a consumer) will have to get more creative...and steadfast to keep from becoming a victim of this latest criminal "fad".
And for God's sake...go out this weekend and buy a LOCKING GAS FILLER CAP. Take a run to AUTO ZONE or ADVANCE AUTO PARTS or HIRES and get yourself one of these little gems for EACH of the family vehicles.
The few bucks you spend on these caps to secure your fuel will far outweigh the loss you'll suffer from any two-legged, siphon-toting fuel sucker looking for some (of your) free gas.


Hey, like O'Reilly...I'm looking out FOR YOU.
You got a problem with that?
(Didn't think so)
~Next we have a story that appeared in today's paper. It was the annual NAACP Community Leader Award dinner (yeah, I "could" make some comment about "Hope you like fried pork rinds, collard greens and chitlins"...but I won't, 'cause I knew some black women that could REALLY cook GREAT food). What I will say is how wonderfully AMUSING the article was, and let me explain WHY (trust me, you'll LIKE this).
Our good old Reverend Michael Latham spoke last night, and I have to say that if I were an officer in attendance, I would have him arrested. I would go so far as to say that he should be charged with attempted MURDER OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. Here's the snippet that caught my attention:
(From the News Sentinel)
"I don't like it when anyone criticized African-Americans that have gave themselves to the community. We cannot tolerate anybody to take our leaders and criticize them publicly".
(Whew...that's even painful to type)
Now "Rev"...lemme "splain" something to you...
When former mayor Graham Richard voiced concerns over Mike Cunegin's work performance for the FWPD from 1980-2006, it was not to denigrate the man, but to call into question the WORK of the man...let's get THAT much clear, OK? Almost ANY police officer has been called on the carpet at SOME time for SOME reason, however small, because the ethical standard in this particular civil service occupation is supposed to be above reproach. They're ALL held to a higher standard, and anything that reflects otherwise WILL be noticed, and will come back to bite the officer, the department and the city right in the ass. It's that simple.
And though I feel Cunegin IS deserving of the award he received last night, there were questionable aspects to his appointment to Exec. Dir - Indiana Dept. of Corrections. Cunegin even admitted that much himself, as he stated that his resume was incorrect when he "embellished" a college degree notation (he's working on it).
And as I recall, Rev, you weren't doing all that stellar a job when you were hired on as chaplain for the Family & Social Services Administration, being paid TWICE what other chaplains were getting, working from Fort Wayne with little supervision. That's why the job was eliminated. And we won't even get into the Wal-Mart debacle, will we? By the way, you'll be happy to know that SHOPLIFTING at the SOUTHTOWN Wal-Mart has been steadily rising...wonder why?
Makes you wonder where the civic leaders really are, doesn't it?
Latham DID have something good to say about the FWPD's Chief York."York has worked closely with the NAACP to reduce complaints.", Latham said. Now I would take THAT to mean that you got him running scared and doing the "eggshell two-step", afraid of any repercussions that might escalate into civil suits against the department, and maybe that's why neighborhood's like MINE and those of Phil Marx aren't really seeing anything change for the BETTER...how am I doing SO far, Rev? Sound about right?
It's like this, Rev....if someone does wrong, you don't summarily dismiss it, or shove it to the back burner, no matter what the color of their skin is. We man up and deal with it as adults. That way, people LEARN from it, and don't (usually) do it again. We don't REWARD bad behavior, passing it off as acceptable in everyone's eyes.
That isn't progress. Get with the program, Rev.
Some good news did come from the awards dinner: Kevin Leininger and Dan Stockman both received an award (WTG, Kevin). The down side to that was that (FWPD Captain) Annanias Brooks also won an award, while Deputy Chief Nancy Becher did not. Gee, and here Brooks USED to be the SE quadrant "boss", and was taken (down) from that position to serve UNDER Becher's command. Hmm...wonder why?
The FWCS received an award, but NOT Wendy Robinson...curious. Ellis Funeral Home received an award (guess they've been SO busy lately), as did Wal-Mart (low prices AND high crime...Always) and Menards (Hovel Repairs R Us).
And to think that this city can do SO much better when it comes to REAL BLACK LEADERSHIP for it's community. Just think how much REAL PROGRESS could have been made if Vince Robinson or Pastor Bill McGill were head of the local NAACP.
Maybe the NAACP should update that acronym...get with the "times" and become more 21st century as well as politically correct.
Perhaps change it to:
the National Association for the Advancement of African Americans.
Let's see what that would look like...and if it would be any better.
NAAAA......doesn't work for me.

Now...what are we all going to buy this weekend?
(hint: it's a real fuel-saver )
Rrrrriiiiiight.......
And don't forget to stop by WENDY'S and offer your condolences for them having been bought out by ARBY'S...(damn shame - Dave Thomas is rolling in his grave)
Be Well, and DO have a safe weekend!

That Time of Year Again...
Two little words that mean money, sweat, sore muscles, a sense of dread, but perhaps (hopefully) an even greater sense of accomplishment.
YARD WORK!
Yep...something I never really had the opportunity to "enjoy" back in Philly, living in a rowhouse.
OK, maybe we DID have a small patch of grass out front (about a 10'x10' area) that you could cut with a set of electric shears once a month for 3-5 months, but nothing on the scale I currently have on our corner "estate".
Over the years, I've learned more than I care to remember when it comes to doing THIS nasty. And you never learn it all, either.
There's a myriad of fertilizers (one size doesn't fit all in this case), different TYPES of grass (and here I though it was just GREEN), insect pests (the kind that love to munch at the roots and turn that green to brown real fast), and of course...WEEDS.
Now naturally, there is everyone's "favorite"...the DANDELION (which I found out is NOT an effeminate large cat). Every year, I deploy an array of "ordinance" designed to eradicate these buggers...with the usual results; they keep coming back (kinda like the neighbors from hell you can't get rid of...or that creepy relative that can't stay sober).
While MY lawn has the FEWEST weeds, I still have to use the PRE-emergent fertilizer to get them before they pop up (it works when it wants to...which is even more than all our neighbors).
Then I use a knife to dig out those pesky weeds that are immune to herbicides.
I also have a "weed hound" (nice device that pulls the weed out by the root) for the large ones.
Then we apply a POST-emergent fertilizer (being careful to not chemically burn the good grass in the process). And then...we pray we got them all (which we never do).
Now a lot of this toil on MY part COULD have been eliminated IF ONLY other people in our area did likewise as far as weed removal goes. But anyone that knows MY part of town knows that the people around here are ONLY concerned with the GRASS YOU SMOKE...and NOT the grass you have to MOW (unless you hear someone say "mo grass...dat's whut we need, dawg"), so that's a lost cause.
When it comes to OTHER people 's lawns, the best way to get rid of THEIR weeds is to call NCE and get the city to CITE THEIR ASS for a violation. That's how MOST lawns are cut around here. Oh, and did I mention that these are the SAME people that having NOTHING TO DO ALL DAMN DAY, EVERY DAY?
Yeah, amazing what a lawn mower, and some MOTIVATION could do...like put a few "Hamiltons" in your Hip-National Bank for that bottle of cheap-ass brandy you been dying to buy. Even THAT is too much to ask of them.
There are a few entrepreneurs around, who shuttle the "community mower" from house to house in the trunk of their new Lincoln, do a half-ass job just so NCE doesn't bust on them (because they're black...and NOT lazy as the day is long). That's the status quo around here anyway.
It all comes down to this: If THEY would mow and cut the weeds down, I wouldn't HAVE any weeds on MY lawn. These people must think that a garden consists of dandelions IN BLOOM (dem flowers sho look nice). Yeah, Bozo, but after they bloom, those seeds blow over onto MY lawn, you jackass! Thanks for nothing.
So it's with this demeanor that I tackle what I HAVE to do...with mixed emotions.
I use an ELECTRIC mower (what carbon footprint?) and an electric weed-whacker, so piss off, Al Gore!
Me and my trusty B&D MM675 say "Bring it On".
I've always preferred electric over gas, simply because the property isn't all THAT huge. I know I'd need a LOT more extension cords to do my buddy's "back 40" up near Harlan!
But when all is said and done, the lawn looks damn nice....and it's a damn shame we can't enjoy it in the manner it was meant to be enjoyed. I say that because when you DO go outside to take in all that you've done to make it look pristine and inviting, some loud mouth baby momma will be shouting at her illegitimate kids, or some alpha male will need to flex his testosterone by thumping his stereo to alert the rest of the tribe to the "po-po" in the area.
Well, it's rewarding to ME, not that it means that much down here. I can say that I'm "leading by example" with the way my wife and I maintain our lawn and garden, but these cretins could care less....they don't OWN anything (except a lot of OUR tax money, which they spend on useless $hit anyway), and can't see or even attempt to appreciate the niceties you attempt to provide (gratis to them).
Hell, they can't even see past their next high!
Well, I plan to keep on doing what I've been doing when it comes to MY lawn and MY property. It's soothing to look out upon a nicely kept yard and garden. And It keeps me from wanting to walk out onto the street and start shooting people that disrespect me and my property.
Yes friends, it's my lawn and garden that is keeping a lot of these folks around here ALIVE. And it would benefit them greatly to KNOW that...
Wow, the power of horticulture...who'da thunk?
Bet they don't teach THAT at any 4-H meeting.

For Our NEXT Apocalypse...
I don't know about all of you, but every day, whenever I pick up the paper or watch what passes for "news" on the TV, I am confronted by Chicken Little. Now this quaint fowl might come in a myriad of forms, but the message is ALWAYS the same...the SKY IS FALLING.
Record high fuel prices - a tsunami of food shortages - record foreclosure rates - wheat crops at an all time low...at every turn we're bombarded by situations that hearken back to those science fiction films that depicted a world depleted of resources, with scraggly bands of humanity, attempting to hold onto their last vestige OF that humanity, while protecting what minuscule resources remain.
I'm talking about the MAD MAX movies.
The way the news depicts things, we're certainly headed in that direction.
Still, there may be a glimmer of hope for us all...if we pay attention.
I've stated time and again (here) about this domino effect regarding the fuel situation, so it's not as though all of you weren't ready for it. Perhaps if England would have NOT bowed out of the Middle East after WW2, but kept those territories it claimed a few centuries ago, a lot of this COULD have been avoided. We'll never know NOW, will we?
Oh believe me, there is PLENTY of "what if" to go around.
~What if we decided to drill for more oil HERE?
~What if we had relied on NUCLEAR power a lot more and a lot sooner?
~What if the 1970s oil embargo really DID make an impression on U.S. auto makers?
~What if we didn't ALL jump on the ethanol bandwagon at once?
~What if Americans had never embraced the SUV/minivan craze?
You see? Plenty to go around....and so many more I'm sure you can think of.
And I didn't EVEN mention Global Climate Change...yet.
The oil companies have not built ANY new refineries in OVER THIRTY YEARS. The nuclear power industry...ditto. Car companies have thumbed their noses at economy, instead opting for "creature comforts" that sap power and consume fuel at a rate rivalling the 300+ horsepower monstrosities under the hoods of our vehicles. Makes me happy my little 2.8 Liter V-6 only has 115 BHP. We've RAISED the speed limits on our highways, only to find that the truckers can no longer MAINTAIN those speeds do to THEIR fuel consumption woes. Expect the limit to DROP...and soon, back to "double nickels" (where it should be).
The environmentalists have not ALLOWED any new drilling for oil in areas that might very well fill our needs. One thing I do find mildly amusing, is that most ALL the major oil-producing nations have some sort of ongoing unrest attached to them, whether it's Venezuela, Nigeria, or anywhere in the Middle East.
Auto manufacturers have also seen fit to produce vehicles that are basically disposable. The days when mechanics actually FIXED cars to keep them on the road are dying faster than people in Darfur. Better to swap it out than fix it, and that applies to most ANYTHING these days. But that is only an adjunct to this much greater problem.
Can you imagine how things "could" wind up in say 20 years, if nothing turns around and gets better?
Like I said...MAD MAX.
I plan to go out this weekend and get my wife and I some LOCKING FILLER CAPS for our cars. It only take several minutes to siphon the fuel from your tank (thanks to a portable drill, "pump" bit attachment, and a container for the gas). No more using a hose and your mouth...no sir. That's "old school". And don't think it won't start happening (pssst... it has already). Every time you're in some parking lot at some store, another person might be casing the lot, looking for that crime of opportunity. Doesn't take much smarts to figure out who's tank is FULL...a tap in the right place gives it all away.
And of course, it will begin in "poverty-ridden" areas and then spread outward like a plague, until it hits the "riches", and after they piss and moan, something might get done (as usual).
Here's a very intersting link:
http://www.gastheft.com/
Some good stuff here...and it's all too true.
If there is a silver lining to this cloud, it's that most stores DO have security cameras for the lots, so gas thefts will quickly be relegated to the street level (as is our thriving drug trade here).
Still...although I, like everyone else feels the pinch of higher EVERYTHING these days, I am going to get a tad pissed when someone says to me (on TV)..."You have to CUT BACK". My frugality is running on empty as it is (pun intended), so please tell me HOW the hell I'm supposed to notch my belt tighter when the price of leather is so high I can't afford the damn belt in the first place, not to mention that PETA would be all over my ass? You want me to go "Jethro", and use a chunk of rope?
Seriously, having grown up with not all that much, It's made me aware of taking care of what I DO have, and to not frivolously spend, waste, or throw away. My wife and I live within our means, and only spend when needed. There is the (once in a blue moon) spree, but it's like a reward for doing so well the rest of the time...and we ALL need that.
Someone once said (and I know my DAD said this a lot) that: "Things just HAVE to get better, because they sure as hell can't get much WORSE". Well, sorry Dad...but they CAN get worse, and most likely will...for a time.
Perhaps it's what we all need...some shortages, perhaps a dose of RATIONING, and some humility tossed in for good measure to wean us from this dependency of "things" we've long taken for granted and blown our collective noses on. Then we can all get back to working TOGETHER the way we used to.
Yeah, that sounds Utopian, right? But it's when people all pull together that things do get done.
Those that lived during the depression and WW2 made it through OK. Sure, they sacrificed, and maybe that's what WE ALL need to do. But we also need to do what we have to so we at least have a better future.
All the alternative fuel people (the "air" engine and the "water" engine and the fuel cell tech) need to take priority, along with solar and wind technology. We also need to move some of these environmentalists aside for the time being...the planet will still be here in a century or so.
Be nice to look back some day and watch everyone drive by in their hydrogen/air/water/solar-powered vehicles...while I pull up to the pump and fill up with some 93 octane fuel...that costs less than $1.50 a gallon because so many people have been weaned off of gasoline and the oil companies still need some profit any way they can get it.
Nice dream.
And like Dad used to say:
"If you're going to dream...dream BIG".

Odds N Ends...
I wish I had this neon sign out front (well, not really...it'd get stolen in less than a week around here). More crimes to talk about today, and an update on a previous story.
Let's just see how busy it's been, because as everyone knows:
Crime Never Takes a Holiday.
~IPFW stabbing addresses security concerns.
Damn shame it takes a homicide to motivate people, isn't it? The student, who was stabbed to death last Friday by her room mate's mother had gotten into a "tiff" and the mother alleges that Ms Martinez (the victim) had "said some things about her daughter". Well, "mom"...wasn't it kinda stupid to "settle" THEIR argument by killing the girl that "said something"? Betcha NEVER saw this coming from YOUR actions, did you...you aboriginal idiot.
Amazing how certain people have this propensity for violent behavior...like it's bred into them or something. Maybe it's the violent culture they embrace and expose themselves to (as well as all those "uncles" living with their baby-momma). Here we have a part of our society that has so many problems that are (chronically) never addressed. And all the rest of us can seem to do it create (more) programs to EDUCATE these morons. We can all see HOW WELL that's been working (for all the money flushed into them) over the past 30 years...can't we?
This roomie's mom was LIVING ON CAMPUS for two weeks prior to the murder. WTF is wrong with this? What about all the houses down here she could move into and create more problems for people like ME, hmm? As far as security goes, I can see IPFW rethinking their "apartment-style" dorms policies, if not doing away with the whole "suite living" arrangements. You want an apartment, do it the old-fashioned way...live OFF CAMPUS!
~Blind man subdues attacker.
This story had me cheering. A blind man in Indianapolis had a home invasion. When his dog acted strangely, he went to find out what was wrong, and walked right INTO the perp who had broken in. After a scuffle where the blind man had the perp on the floor, he managed to get a knife for defense, and (get this)...the perp got so scared, offered to dial *911* for the blind man. The perp is in jail, and the man attacked suffered no injuries. I say pin a damn MEDAL on this guy. He has done more in HIS community (sans sight) than people in MY NEIGHBORHOOD do with 20-20 vision (they just refuse to see).
~Two killed in motorcycle accident on South side.
I've done my share of motorcycle riding...even got to "duel up" with a former member of the Warlocks once (back in Philly), and while it was intoxicating to say the least, you always practice SAFE riding...no matter what.
Well, two people down here didn't...and paid the price: A free trip to the morgue (bike not included). Two riders, travelling at a high rate of speed, failed to negotiate a turn, were thrown from the bike, where they both struck a guard rail and were killed at the scene. This occurred along Paulding Road near Fairfield. around 2300 hrs last night.
Personally, I have NO sympathy for them. They got exactly what they deserved, and I do enjoy riding motorcycles myself. They were not wearing helmets, going too fast, and most likely, didn't know the characteristics of the bike they were on. It's not like your BICYCLE, kids. Each bike has it's own "quirks", and you LEARN to know what they are, or you wind up a statistic.
I see (and hear) morons like this every day as they zoom from the nearest cross street up to 60MPH+ and go flying uptown. The manner in which the signage currently is contributes to this "dragstrip" venue around here, What the city NEEDS to do (among several thousand OTHER things) is to change the signage, post the speed limit (25), and get these people CITED...often. That's how you educate people...and save lives.
~Woman admits to child abuse.
Ebony N. Porter (now I wonder what "ethnicity" SHE might be, hmm?) of the 800 block of Oaklawn Court, admitted to burning and hitting her son, causing a skull fracture and several other injuries. Police were first notified about possibility of abuse back on 17 January. Porter showed police another child she had instead of the abused one, after it was reported she threw her child down the apartment steps.
She also admitted to striking the child with her hand and a can of hairspray, beating him with a spoon that had been in hot frying oil, and that the burns did not heal properly. As of this post, she has NOT been booked into Allen County lockup (for 3 counts of battery).
This is ONE f$cked up "parent". This b*tch needs to be locked the hell up, have her tubes tied, and made to suffer the same indignities she perpetrated on her child...in no particular order (I say do all 3 at once).
~Retirement Home Gets Thumbs Down.
A Southwest Ft. Wayne neighborhood expressed concerns over a proposed retirement home to be located at Winchester and Ardis Roads, citing lower property values, and that it didn't properly fit the surrounding neighborhoods. The neighborhood also doesn't want a planned child care facility, stating they don't need the increased traffic that could damage drainage.
Good for them!
Well, I can tell you from experience that all the crap I have around MY house lowered the hell out of it's value (assessments say otherwise), and did NOT "fit" in to MY concept of what this neighborhood WAS (and should be) like. But hardly anyone at any city/county level gives a rat's ass about people like ME....because it's more profitable to have places that bring DOWN area values when an neighborhood is becoming "questionable". Yep, better to bring it DOWN, than build it UP, right?
Say one thing...the city has done a highly marvelous job in MY neighborhood with THAT type of mentality over the past ten years!
Whew....it never gets any easier out there, does it?
Some criminals get their just desserts, while others...
Well...you can fill in the blank there, eh?

Monday Musings...
A pretty much "all-crime" Monday post that begins by begging the universal question:
WHY?
~An IPFW student was found stabbed to death in her dorm Friday, and that's been the big story over the weekend. Fort Wayne now has THIRTEEN homicides (for those keeping count). A woman was found in possession of the student's car in Indy (with New Mexico tags - great place to "hide out" with THOSE plates, stupid), and after turning herself into police,she was extradited back to Ft. Wayne. Turns out she was the room mate's mother.
Tina Lorraine Morris (36, Ft. Wayne) was arrested Saturday on the preliminary charges of murder and auto theft. This is the FIRST homicide that has been solved this year.
I do find it odd that the other TWELVE murders have not, in spite of the "people of interest", and despite that someone definitely KNOWS what went down.
And I'm NOT down on the FWPD on this. I would like to smack down all the people that DO know something about the other homicides and never come forward, for whatever lame-ass excuse, because the way I see it, there simply is NO REASON to NOT be forthcoming with information that could lead to an arrest, so these killers don't make someone else their next victim. I'm sure the families of all the slain would echo my sentiments.
~ Over 120 POUNDS of marijuana was found in a GMC truck travelling from Indy to Ft. Wayne (big surprise there). ISP officers stopped the vehicle after it exhibited erratic driving and speeding. Both of the occupants of the truck appeared "intoxicated" (never toke while you're "muling", dipshits). The driver (Kevin L. Walker of Indianapolis), and his passenger (Laquentin Harden, who has a Ft. Wayne address and probably lives within a mile of my house) are now the guests of the Huntington County jail pending their respective court hearings. That's some good police work there!
~A Ft. Wayne police officer was injured when answering a call this weekend. With lights AND siren on, he was following other police cars travelling through an intersection along S. Anthony Blvd., when he swerved to avoid being t-boned by a driver entering the intersection, hitting another car. Several passengers in those cars were also injured in the 3 car crash, but none of the injuries were severe. I would have run the names of the others involved "just in case"...you might find some active "14s" in the mix, especially down here.
~ Last year ISP dismantled 820 meth labs compared to 766 in 2006, and that counters the past two years when we've seen drops in those numbers. Still, it's LOWER than the record number set back in 2004 (1115 labs). The increasing mobility of these labs is getting to a point where an old Gatorade bottle can be utilized...and that's JUST what we want tossed from some car onto an area where a child could possibly find it. Not to mention that it becomes one helluva bottle bomb if NOT handled properly.
~The balance of today's post is not related to "crime" per se, although it does involve things that could be construed as being criminal to some degree, depending on your POV.
~The venerable Colt army rifle (called the M-16 and now the M-4 carbine) is back under fire (no pun intended) from a senator from Oklahoma (Tom Coburn, R). Seems the senator is concerned about Colt's fat government contract and the profits they are making from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
First off, let's face one glaring fact: ANY war is going to make SOMEONE richer than all get out. War is (always) good for someone's bottom line. Always has been...always will be. NO getting around that.
The senator claims that the rifle (at $1500) is overpriced. I tend to agree with him on that point. The price "could" be lower. He goes on to state that the weapon is prone to jamming in sandy environments and requires more maintenance than other comparable rifles. I sort of agree with that assessment, provisionally speaking.
In Vietnam, the main problem with the M-16 was that it was very prone to jamming. Well, in a climate replete with humidity out the ass, rainy seasons where nothing is dry for months, and all that mud, very few weapons will function for long. The AK-47 is a perfect example of the exception to that rule.
And there's a damn good reason.
The tolerances for the AK are less than on the M-16. Parts on the AK have "more room to maneuver", so sand and dirt won't jam it. You can go longer without cleaning it. Add to that the fact that in 'Nam, it was a bitch to keep ANYTHING clean (or dry for that matter) for long, especially your rifle. Because the ammo powder initially issued caused frequent fouling, it was subsequently reformulated back to standard ball ammo powder (you lost some distance, but at least it wasn't jamming every other clip). The manufacturer (Colt) and the inventor of the original Ar-15 (Eugene Stoner) also chromed the receiving bolt, which lends itself to a lot less jamming, as particle buildup wouldn't stick to the bolt. Add those improvements together, and you had a rifle that worked a helluva lot better, AND a lot more often (which is highly desirable when you're in combat).
But the problems initially caused (what I believe to be) more than our share of casualties in 'Nam.
Still, with a weapon that has redeemed itself very well over the decades, I have to take exception to the good senator's comments. EVERY weapon is never going to perform 100% of the time in EVERY climactic condition, for however long you wish it to work. You simply cannot "rock and roll" and never think of keeping the weapon cleaned and lubricated. Would you buy a car, own it for 3-5 years, and NEVER wash it , vacuum it, or change the oil?
I didn't think so.
And when you depend on something that will save your life, you tend to be a bit more "particular" about it's condition. The alternative is a body bag, a flag for the family, and a free ride home to the cemetery of your choice.
Are there better rifles out there? Perhaps.
Should our troops have the best? Definitely.
Currently, the military is testing several replacement rifles for the M-16. And some of the stuff they have out there is pretty damn cool. Expect the newer rifles to trade up to a slightly larger round, as the 5.56mm is getting long in the tooth when going against an AK with the 7.65mm round. But above all the bells, whistles, and hype, it will always come down to two things:
1-Will it kill the enemy?
2-Will it work when the soldier NEEDS it to work?
And the ones that know that the best are in Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD (as well as other rifle manufacturers around the world) who are finding out.
Have a safe week...and keep 'em in the 10 ring!