02 January 2009

The FIRST Weekend of the New Year...
Seems like we just finished having some "down time", and now here we go again.
Hey, I'm not griping ONE bit.
Sometimes you need a rest from all the "fun", anyway.
And speaking of bread and circuses...
--Didn't get many homicides solved last year in our city, did we?
In today's J/G is an article about the nuts and bolts of the past year's murders around the city, and they all DID occur within the city limits, with most occurring on the (all together people...) SOUTH SIDE (thank you).
Police have only an 11% "success" rate, compared to 2007's 48% rate. Well, if you NEED to kill someone, I'd suggest come HERE and do it. I mean what the hell...the chance of it being solved is LOW enough, and people are not forthcoming with information, will lie to protect family, and so on and so forth.
I will say one thing...Philly, PA saw a nice drop in homicides..better than 15% from the previous year, so they've got a plan in place, it would seem. Then again, all it takes is ONE person to go out and for no good reason known to man, commit multiple homicides to skew the stats.
We saw that happen here at the end of 2006.
But this IS a new year, and we still have HOPE (and our new President promises CHANGE).
--Speaking of things that might last...
*Dan Turkette/AWB had a good post yesterday at his blog (FortWayneNews) about the former mayor, Graham Richard's "legacy", and that is worth a read.
*Leo Morris's blog is always topical and oft times funny as hell.
*Sgt. Murphy can spin a yarn better than damn near anyone (imho).
*Kenn Gividen is my "go-to" guy for statistical truth...period.
*Phil Marx (MyHUDhouse) is someone I can REALLY relate to.
*Everett White - great photographer!
And I KNOW I'm forgetting SO many others of you, but I promise that THIS year, I'll devote posts to many (if not ALL) of you, in some fashion.
If there is ONE thing about the list of fellow "bloggers" and linked sites on MY blog, it's that it is DIVERSE in opinion.
Take the time to click on some of them, and you'll find people from all over the nation with wonderful views and commentary on a multitude of things.
And I suppose that's one thing I really enjoy about these blogs.
It's the humor, the candidness, the pungent social commentary, and even the pathos.
I've only met ONE person on my list, spoken to a very few, and yet, I find a nice kinship with them.
Doesn't matter if you're in Salt Lake City, Florida, the Texas panhandle, or even in Fort Wayne, because everyone has a story to tell, and many times it's not the content as the manner a tale is told that grabs you.
Now I'm a traditionalist, which means I like sending letters, taking real pictures, and otherwise conversing face to face with friends, relatives and people. yet today, I find this scenario as fulfilling as being there in person.
Here is a classic case of technology actually becoming beneficial to others, instead of being an intrusion or an annoyance (like texting while driving).
Now I said all that to say this...
I'm not into blogging for the money.
God knows that to be true.
For me, there is not one red cent in compensation for what is typed here. I suppose there "could" be, and maybe I'll pursue that later, but for now, free is fine.
I'm not into blogging because of boredom or an overabundance of solitude, either. I can always find things to occupy my time (and in this neighborhood, it can often become a full-time job, sans paycheck).
I blog because, like many of you, there is something to say, or needs to be said. As is often the case, the differing viewpoints help make or break a person's stand on something...anything. I look at this blog as a way to better understand my fellow man or woman. It's a way of continuing my "education", if you will, by allowing me to know what you know, see through YOUR eyes, listen to what YOU have heard.
If it all sounds a bit vicarious, I suppose it is, but it IS still a method of increasing one's ability to comprehend what other's might think, feel, or understand themselves.
It's a marvelous journey into who we are, and where we might be going.
And it's relatively free.
You can't beat that with a stick. I don't care who you are.
So the rest of you out there with something to say....keep right on saying it. It probably needs to be said anyway, and that's what (and who) our Constitution was written for.
As for me?
I will do likewise, as long as there is even ONE person willing to listen.
DO have a SAFE weekend out there.

2 comments:

Murphy said...

Might not have a great record for solving murders, but I hear there's a pretty good 'guy-with-a-laser-calls' response rate...

Bob G. said...

Sarge:
ROFLMAO...!
(you just made my weekend)

Keep those hits coming!!!

Carry On