Get Ready...Get Set...Snow...
That's right, the Midwest is not immune to Old Man Winter. What the East coast "enjoyed" a few days ago is coming to a city near US. Actually, it IS us.
Weather prognosticators are still watching their models, tracking this winter weather, and figuring out what the final tally will be as far as snowfall on our fair city. The predictions are "anywhere from 2-14 inches" (so far). And that's a pretty big deal, I'd say.
I've already shoveled once, and I KNOW I'll be shovelling again...and again...and probably again.
Luckily, the snow is powdery, good for removal (until the wind kicks up), and easy on the old hips and back.
And, as usual, OUR HOUSE will be the ONLY house having a sidewalk cleared of snow. A few others will pay to have someone else do it, but everyone else will just "let it stay there", being too damn lazy to lift a shovel. Yeah, that's like "work", you know.
With such Aborigines, you KNOW they'll ALL be walking IN THE STREET (where cars and plow like to drive), so getting about will be less than enjoyable.
Now, there IS a city ordinance that says that SNOW has to be removed from SIDEWALKS BEFORE 0900 hr, but I have NEVER seen that enforced at all. Nice waste of ink, and loss of revenue, isn't it? I don't really want to hear the city piss & moan about NOT having money in it's till, when they pass up obvious sources of revenue like I just mentioned.
Luckily, the schools are closed, so that means kids will be stopping by to "shova yo payment"? to which I'll replay "I do it myself...for free...bet'cha can't beat THAT price, huh?".
Once in a while, you get a black man, and you can tell he's looking for booze money, because this is the ONLY time you'll ever see this guy. He gets the same "tag line" from me. I treat everyone the same around here...with carefully-placed disdain. And that's only because I've yet to meet anyone that moves around here that has demonstrated to me that they deserve more. Simple, right?
So, the missus and I will pretty much hunker down for the duration of this snow "event"...we've plenty of eats, bottled water, juices and sodas (and booze for "warmth"), and a nice array of snacking stuff.
I will say one thing about a snowfall...it's always nice to look at. Doesn't matter if it's the way it covers the tree limbs, turning them into works of art, or the quiet that rides along on the coattails of such a winter storm. I'm sorry, I said quiet, and in my neighborhood, that's an erroneous assumption. We'll STILL have boomcar drivers thumping the snow from their vehicles as they attempt to wake the dead with the incessant, endorphin-producing, ear-damaging noise. Another city ordinance that goes relatively unenforced.
Never fear, though...I plan to take some pictures to show you.
Yes indeed, how I like a good snowfall.
Interestingly enough, we've another "type" of snow, as well...the kind we tend to call a SNOWJOB.
And that doesn't mean a job for people clearing snow.
I think you KNOW what it really means.
And we've got snowjobs aplenty in this part of town...even in SUMMER.
*** Case in point, the recent closing of several restaurants in the city.
Now, we all know this recession is taking it's toll on businesses everywhere, right?
But, what is really curious about the last THREE establishments that have closed, or are closing, is that they are ALL on the SOUTH SIDE of the city (my neck o' the woods). Imagine that.
Some claim it's the recession. They're partially correct.
Others say it's because of a lack of clientele...getting warmer.
A few even say it's due to a relocation of a hospital...oops, getting colder, now.
What NO ONE wants to say, is that it is mainly due to the CRIME in the area.
We can always find plenty of blame elsewhere, so let's never mention the REAL, underlying reason for the closings, shall we?
I mean forget that more crime in an area will all but chase everyone the hell AWAY from even the most established businesses.
Forget that having a restaurant, surrounded by HUD rentals is not REALLY such an eyesore.
Forget that having one's car broken into while dining, makes the experience less than "memorable", shall we?
Forget that having your business robbed more than once is indicative of a blighted area the city has ignored for decades.
Yeah...we know the REAL reason these places close.
The restaurants in question are Hartley's on Fairfield Ave, Lambro's on Tillman Rd, and Casa D'Angelo on Fairfield Ave.
I've been to Lambro's and Casa, and I can say that dining there was CIVILIZED.
Real "sit-down" kind of places...the ones where you can talk and not SHOUT at one another while eating. And the aromas found there were not rooted in some hydrogenated vegetable oil aka all fried stuff.
The food was well priced, service was always good, and the meals were always delicious.
But crime doesn't give a damn about such amenities.
The "locals" that inhabit (or is that INFEST?) the areas surrounding these restaurants are of the "crack rock for lunch bunch" anyway, so venues like these are never frequented by such vermin (except when they decide to rob such places).
Be nice if people stopped walking on eggshells and stated the TRUTH for a change.
It's the PEOPLE that caused the CRIME, that is causing the CLOSURE of these restaurants.
The other Casa D'Angelos around the city aren't even close to closing, and are in fact doing quite well...
Now why the hell do you think that IS, anyway, hmm?
It's the NEIGHBORHOODS near those other restaurants...they're NOT a slum, nor a ghetto, nor enjoy a tenth of the crime we have to endure daily down here. They are located in areas that civilized people still live...and work...and thrive.
Unlike down here where the "people" (and I use that word loosely) don't work and never have, and are getting damn near everything GRATIS, thanks to the government. And they show absolutely NO appreciation or respect for what they've been "given" or to those doing the "giving". They have no past, no present, and no future...they simple "are".
And they exist to breed, to annoy, and to further their insidious crime-ridden, drug-infused plague upon even larger parts of the cities in this nation .
THAT...is the TRUTH, like it or not.
So whenever I hear of another place closing down on the south side, I know the excuses that will be given for the closing, as opposed to the REASONS that so many know, but will be too afraid to mention.
*** Lastly, we know the ID of the man shot in his car (refer to yesterday's blog post).
(( Police Searching For Suspect In Reed Street Shooting By Scott Sarvay
Story Published: Feb 8, 2010 at 5:04 PM EST
Story Updated: Feb 8, 2010 at 5:36 PM EST
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Indiana's NewsCenter) - Fort Wayne Police are searching for a suspect said to have fled the scene of a shooting Saturday.
Investigators say 20-year-old Marteques (pronounced Mar-TEE-kus) Black was shot when a man attempted to rob him on Reed Street.
This marks the third shooting on that street in the past ten days.
Police say this activity is unusual and they have no plans to increase patrol.
Officer Mike Joyner says, "I don't think just because we see this momentary upswing that you'll see an additional presence of police. I think you'll probably see those officers that work that specific area taking note of it and doing everything they can to discourage robberies being a motive."
Black was taken to the hospital in critical condition Saturday. ))
Yeah, right. I'll believe it when I see it.
The ONLY way you can discourage robberies like this is to be EVERYWHERE...ALL THE TIME.
And that dog just ain't gonna hunt.
You can "hope" to avoid situations like this, but ONLY through constant PATROLLING of the area.
If YOU (a police officer) are in a specific neighborhood, it's a damn good chance that the crime will NOT BE in that neighborhood (until you leave, then the bold-ass thugs crawl out from under their rocks once again).
Gee, Mike, be nice TO SEE more officers in an area that had THREE shootings in ONE WEEK, don'cha think?
Hell, I get well over a THOUSAND BOOMCARS thumping past my house EVERY year, and I sure as hell don;t see more officers trying to write citations and confiscate these vehicles. THAT would make too much sense (to me). I mean who really wants to garner ALL THAT REVENUE from noise violations for the city's coffers anyway, right?
Like I say, when you direct your officers to do ONE thing, they can't do much else (being under orders), can they?
Nothing worse than being written up for NOT being "at your post", when you were busy rolling up on some loudasses, pulling them over, finding contraband on board with an illegal firearm and then calling a hook to remove the vehicle, right?
That can happen in this city to an officer.
When mandates come down from "the top", it's damn hard to take the "initiative" on your own, for that whole "Protect and Serve" gig, doesn't it?
Still, I suppose it's better than nothing...
But it could always be a lot better.
We need to take a page from the books that founded this nation.
We need to become a LOT more PROACTIVE in the policing of our cities, towns, and boroughs.
As it stands, we've pretty much got a REACTIVE law-enforcement stance.
And with criminals like this, who have no compunction about shooting someone while kids are still coming home from school, reacting to such a scenario is nowhere near as good as being able to prevent it from happening in the first place.
It's not impossible, but it IS difficult.
When we all learn to DO the difficult in life, what we thought was once "impossible" doesn't seem that far out of reach then, does it?
Take it easy with the winter weather, pace yourselves, and remember to...
Stay safe out there, America.