16 April 2010

Weekend Roundup...
Made it to another weekend, didn't we?
Tell you one thing, there are some weeks that seem to NEVER end, at least not in "my" neighborhood.
Tax day is behind us, so that's a relief.
But there are other items that will need our attention soon enough.
Lawns need to be mowed, and gardens have to be prepped for whatever you're going to be adding to them.
Now we in the SE side of the "ghettohood", take pride in our garden, small as it is (compared to those lucky people with a lot more room between houses). But that doesn't mean we skimp because of it's size.
We stop at the nursery to see what's available, cruise the garden department at K-Mart and even order from catalogs.
Now to THIS city boy, gardening is kinda fun, if a bit taxing on the old arthritic joints.



It's nice to plant something, nurture it to "adulthood", and then reap the benefits of a mature plant.
That's why I always plant some tomatoes.
Goes well with the oregano I have.
It makes a nice addition to the hot peppers we also plant each year. I usually plant Jalapenos, but we have done some Habeneros as well.
I used to get the larger tomatoes, but opted for the cherry size, as I couldn't eat ALL the bigger ones fast enough. That, and the fact that our one neighbor passed away almost 2 years ago. I used to give him all the tomatoes I couldn't eat...and that was a sizable amount.
But, I'm weird like that...sharing my bounty with others.
The sad part comes with the African't-American (and white-trash) "neighbors" living all around.
THEY can't be bothered with such "whack" sh*t.
All they CAN be bothered with, is bothering what few normal people (like us) are left, so they can force US out of the area, to have it ALL to themselves.
And don't think this isn't their "game plan".
The city seems to make SURE it is.
If these locals think there is ONE person that can be a "thorn in their side" when they "conduct business", they will annoy the hell out of you, in an attempt to oust you from YOUR home, forcing YOU to move away from them.
The city looks the other way.
Some of these throwbacks will even escalate their annoyance to downright violence, as is witnessed by houses being torched or shot at. Hell they'll even shoot you in your car.
Now, forgive me for being a bit "dense" in this matter, but aren't THEY the problem, and not people like ME?
Shouldn't THEY be the ones that need to be "forced" from where THEY live...and not US?
Yeah, in a NORMAL world where logic and common sense prevail, that WOULD be correct. Good people are rewarded, bad people are punished.
Apparently, that's NOT what happens in this city, at least not in THIS part OF the city.
It should be said that I am NOT adverse to "low-income" housing. Hell, growing up, that's pretty much all we were able to rent into, until Dad purchased a row home when I was in high school, for the exorbitant sum of $16K!.
But low INCOME housing should be just that; housing for people of a LOWER INCOME than the median.
It should NOT be FREE housing, nor should it be housing for the LAZY asses unwilling to work a single damn day.
A house is an investment, even in today's economy.
It may not be the monetary investment you hoped for, but it becomes an investment in your LIFE...your FUTURE, and the future of your children. It takes on a different meaning than just being "a place to hang your hat".
And you do what's needed to ensure that investment doesn't get pulled out from under you.
You put money into the house, develop a sense of "sweat equity" in maintaining it, and take pride in having something you worked towards having...and hopefully keeping. That's called being a GOOD STEWARD.
However, when it comes to low-income housing THESE days, it's a whole different matter.
Questionable people are dumped into places that are always borderline condemnation hovels, because whoever owns the house just wants that monthly check from whoever else is signing it.
Time and again, whenever a person leaves one of the houses around HERE, someone goes in, patches a few holes in the drywall, slaps a coat of paint on the walls, and steam cleans the carpets, and it's good-to-go for the NEXT bunch of losers that will eventually dump their pickup load of "belongings" into it to start the cycle anew once again.
Saying this part of town has a high turnover rate of "tenants" would be an understatement.
And whatever slumlord is buying these cribs up at record pace needs to be checked out...thoroughly!
What bothers me is that there ARE decent landlords around, and it's sad to have to see them repair the place after they kick out some "bad seeds", only to have those people move into another house nearby, along with their drama and other emotional baggage.
We had one woman, who bought the house NEXT to her, and had her sons remodel the place. She took me on a walk-through, and those boys of hers did a fantastic job, too!
Before she could even get the place on the market, scrappers came in and took the basement piping!
I didn't mention this woman was WHITE, so I will now.
Yes, we've got a scrapping problem in the area, so that means you don't leave the house unattended for protracted periods of time, even with an alarm system, because the police will always arrive AFTER the break-in.
That brings me to the whole issue of POLICE PATROLS.
Um...we really don't HAVE any to speak of.
And believe me, I LOOK for 'em!
Back in Philly, the sector car would drive THROUGH neighborhoods...that was part of the shift.
Around here, the ONLY time I see ANY police cars is when they're traveling from one call to the next, or have pulled someone over, because the "chief" told them to get those traffic-stop numbers UP.
I monitor the radio daily, and that's pretty much ALL that goes on.
Everyone's busy chasing the radio.
Nobody is "available" to monitor that house down the street that has over TEN "visitors" per day, or to set up a noise checkpoint to enforce the city ordinance, or even to check out all the POS pickups with all this "metal" being carried around.
Hell, the OPEN DOOR calls alone (signal 101 here) are usually made by CITIZENS who happen to notice something hinky around their area, and thank God for THEIR diligence.
Makes me wonder exactly WHAT would happen if ALL the phone systems "went dark" for a single day.
Officers would have to PATROL...get some "eyes on" in the neighborhoods, and be able to spot things that look a bit "out of place".
I've always said that when it comes to neighborhood "intel", the best person to ask is NOT the police officer assigned to the area for an 8-hour shift, but the concerned citizen that LIVES in the same area 24/7/365.
THEY know what's going on a LOT better.
THEY see what's going on...THEY hear what's going on.
And it would behoove the department to not take such information with the proverbial grain of salt, but rather pay attention to trends, especially if some of those people have prior knowledge about spotting dubious activities.
An ounce of prevention is ALWAYS worth a pound of cure.
And therein lies the lesson for today...and the week.
Have yourselves a great weekend, make a difference to someone, and as always,
Stay safe out there, America.
(The Good Lord willing, we'll see you on Monday)

12 comments:

Ann T. said...

Dear Bob,
Even when we lived in apartments, my husband grew tomatoes on the balcony. Sometimes I would look at our tiny farm and say, "Can't we have flowers?" But he found it very satisfying to grow useful crops, however small. My flowers bloomed between massive posts with tomato cages stuck in them.

I am shocked--shocked--that somebody from the Midwest eats jalapeno peppers. Where I live now, in the bland new england, everyone looks at me twice when I ask for them.

Furthermore, you have me beat. I do not, under any known circumstance, choose the mighty habanero.

Fresh tomatoes and peppers--best summer food of all.

The neighborliness you have is a form of expression that now seems denied to you. They don't know what they're missing, and that's for sure.

I hope your weekend is bearable, my dear electronic neighbor! I enjoy talking over the fence with you daily.

Ann T.

ms nk rey said...

We are having a mini crime wave here in small town Indiana. We only have 2 officers. (Lucky me one lives very close to me.) So as you can see that leaves us unprotected the much of the day and night. But when they are on duty they most certainly make themselves known. The downside is everyone knows the route they patrol and where and when they take a break. All in all I think they do a great job of keeping us as safe as society will let them. I can't imagine living in your area. Scares me just to think of it. Stay safe and I will work on the flyers and job apps for your neighborhood. :)

Bob G. said...

Ann:
And who says REAL men never can grow a "green thumb", eh?

I'm Philly born & raised...I only "dwell" in the Heartland of America (Indiana), and if you've ever eaten at any GOOD Italian place, hot peppers are where it's at!

We even had one Mexican place (Tippy's Taco House) near Jefferson Hospital that had sauce SO hot, we went back to work in FEBRUARY with our parkas over our arms...and it was like 15 degrees outside...LOL.
(true story - still makes me smile)

Any neighborliness I retain was born from years of good parenting (watching how THEY treated others), and living on blocks with row homes (60 families per block).
You learn to get along (and bond) with a LOT of people...and they with you.

I miss those days.

Thanks for sharing the "fence" by stopping by.

Have a great weekend.

Bob G. said...

Msn:
When you see a significant pattern in a neighborhood (regarding criminal activity), THAT is the time to see who your allies are.
Keep notes, stay alert, and never fail to report suspicious activity or vehicles in the area.

Chat with neighbors and make sure relatives who visit are also aware of this.

If I were the PD chief there, I'd change up the patrol routes...keep the criminals guessing.
In today's world with all the technology like cell phones and stuff, you ahve to stay more than a FEW steps ahaed of the thugs.
That's how you get to KEEP any neighborhood.

Thanks for stopping by and voicing your concerns. Hope what I said here helps you.

Have a great weekend.

indy said...

i hope i havent missed my chance to plant tomatoes this year. i think i'm going to whimp out and buy the plants instead. and i want some flowers. perhaps just one or two. but something pretty. lol you can keep your peppers. they are starting to get to me as i get older. (and i am still younger then you....lol) the rest of your post you hit it on the nail.

Bob G. said...

INdy:
Tomatoes can be had at all teh home-improvement store like LOWE's, MENARD's, and Home Depot.
K-Mart usually has a great sale on ALL varieties...and for under $4 for like SIX plants...that's a deal!

DOn't forget some MIRACLE-GROW (generic k-mart band is just as good), too.
Place some in an old (clean) squirt bottle and mix 2 spoonfuls with water.
Then spritz down the foliage twice a week.
Makes 'em sprout flowers REAL fast, and after the flowers come the tomatoes!!!

Petunias do (and look) well in HANGING POTS, but no smell.

Some other good annuals are snapdragons, cosmos, verbena (purple is cool), dianthus (sweet william...smells good - cousin to the carnation), and zinnias (very colorful).
And they're all very "forgiving"...lol!

Hope that gets 'ya started.

Thanks for stopping by, and have yourself a great weekend!

Slamdunk said...

Our brush pile is getting bigger and bigger--and screaming my name since I need to take it away.

Can't some of those folks just park or abandon more cars on their lawns to keep the grass from growing? At least, they do that here.

Bob G. said...

Slamdunk:
Dealing with dead brush is like working in a stable...
The work never seems to stop piling up...LOL!

In the hills of W.VA, they DO just that with old cars...and some make damn nice planters (even with the doors off)...goes REAL well with that potbelly pig momma's got on her lap in that rocking chair...on that porch...next to grandpa...and his dentures..on that old sofa.

:)

Thanks for swinging on by.

Have a great weekend!

Diane said...

Each year I get hopeful with tomato plants - last year was a banner year - I got 4 tomatoes off a plant. Usually I'm lucky to get 1. And I even name the buggers!

Bob G. said...

Diane:
Hey, if THIS row-home livin' former Philly fart can grow tomatoes...damn near ANYONE can...LOL.
(and more than just FOUR).

Several things...
1) Some sort of vegetable food...once a week (dry food, sprinkle at base - liquid, spray all over plants.
2) Water daily (or maybe twice daily,especially if it's DRY...).
3) Sun, sun, and more sun.
4) Cover if the temps drop below 40 degrees at night - dark trash bags retain heat better after dark.

Follow these guidelines, and you just CAN'T go wrong.
(oh, and keep the pets outta the place...lol.

Happy gardening, and thanks for dropping by.
Have a great weekend.

Phil Marx said...

Don't worry Bob, Paul Helmke has the solution for all this crime.

First, he'll takes the guns away from law-abiding citizens like you and I.

Next, the criminals (who are still armed) will kill us.

Finally, when there are no productive citizens for them to feed off of, they will turn on each other and start robbing and killing themselves.

Got to give that Helmke credit for pointing out that only a few whackos like you and I (who proudly carry our guns while mowing the lawn) stand in the way of his great plan. If we'd simply give up our delusional belief that we have a right to survive, eventually the criminals would be gone.

Note: This approach would also work for curing AIDS, cancer or any other problem faced by the human population. If we kill all the infected/afflicted patients, then the disease no longer exists.

Bob G. said...

Phil:
You know I've got to agree with you...
We "live the adventure", as the saying goes.
So many don't know what it's all about, and someone has to get the truth out.

WHEN GUNS ARE OUTLAWED, ONLY OUTLAWS WILL HAVE GUNS.
Remember that little ditty?

It may interest you to know that Arizona is now the THIRD state to pass a carry law that requires NO "permit".
How's about that?
Be nice to walk into a BK around HERE, loaded pistol on hip, in plain sight, and watch the "locals" back away from the counter...
Be like a Moses parting the Red Sea moment...LOL.

Helmke needs to take a trip to KNOB CREEK gun range in West Point, KY...during one of ther bi-annual FULL AUTO shoots!
He can stand around and TRY to ask how many people there are living in "fantasy worlds", or how many of them are (in his words) "not normal"...
That would so damn fun to watch.

Hell, I wouldn't even trust that shrub to pick up my spent brass!

Thanks for stopping on by, and stay safe up there, buddy.