Humpday Happenings...
Well boys and girls, here we are again...middle of the week.
Why does it always seem like the week is dragging UNTIL we hit the weekend...and THEN time goes by like a bat out of hell?
I've never been able to figure that one out...
Must be another one of those parallel universe / multi-dimension thingys.
Of course that WOULD explain why this world seems SO damn screwed up, right?
Our dimension must have slipped into an alternate one...where logic went out the window along with a lot of common sense.
Yeah, that's GOTTA be it...LOL.
In the meantime, until we return to OUR universe, let's see what's been kicking around the yard, shall we?
*** Seems we've got more "Wild In The Streets" gigs going on...like THIS one Monday in Times Square:
http://wcbstv.com/local/midtown.manhattan.gunfire.2.1611605.html



Gee, didn't we JUST see something like this in PHILLY...and before that CHICAGO?


And weren't they all mostly young BLACK males?
It would appear that all these "poor" people must need a "more creative outlet" for their exuberance, don'cha think?
Don't see scores of WHITE youths doing this (yet)...do we? Wonder WHY that is?
*** More on the most recent homicide in our fair city:
(( Published: April 6, 2010 3:00 a.m.
Alleged robber’s slaying ruled a homicide / Holly Abrams
The stabbing death Saturday of a Fort Wayne teenager police say had tried to rob another man has been ruled a homicide.
Tyrell Lavon Williams, 18, died of blood loss as a result of being stabbed, according to results from an autopsy released Monday by the Allen County Coroner’s Office. Williams’ death is the 10th homicide this year.
All but one of those deaths occurred in the city.
Williams, along with two other people, approached a Fort Wayne resident about 4:30 a.m. Saturday as he walked his dog on the Rivergreenway, police said.
The three then tried to rob the man at gunpoint, taking the man to his apartment at 1001 Edgewater Ave., and going inside the apartment, police previously said.
Once inside, the three men and the apartment resident began to struggle. Police believe the resident stabbed Williams with a knife. The resident told The Journal Gazette he stabbed Williams in self-defense after a gun was pointed at him. The trigger was pulled but the gun never went off, he told The Journal Gazette.
Police say when they arrived they found Williams inside the apartment suffering from stab wounds. Williams was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
The other two robbery suspects fled and have not been arrested, said officer Raquel Foster, a spokeswoman for the police department. Foster said some cash was taken from the apartment resident, along with some personal belongings.
Meanwhile, Williams’ mother said Monday that she had told her son to go to sleep and to stay out of trouble – and he didn’t listen. The last time Kathy Williams said she saw her youngest son was about 3 a.m. Saturday. He had been drinking alcohol – provided to him by someone of age, she said. Who that person was, she said she didn’t know.
Within hours, he was dead.
Now she says she is numb, trying to comprehend what happened. Kathy Williams, of Fort Wayne, said her son lived on and off with her and his girlfriend. The night of the stabbing, he left home, but did not say where he was going, or who he was with, his mother said.
"He had his good days and his bad days. Most of all he was a good child," she said. "He just got in with the wrong crowd, you could say."
Tyrell Williams was born and raised in Fort Wayne and attended South Side High School. He later received his GED, his mother said. He is survived by two other brothers and an older sister.
"I’m still trying to believe that he (is) gone," she said.
Williams has no felony criminal history, according to Allen Superior Court records. His only arrest as an adult was last year, for operating a vehicle while intoxicated and minor consumption, records state. Funeral arrangements for Williams are being made at Ellis Funeral Home, his family said.
The stabbing remains under investigation. The police findings will be handed over to the Allen County
prosecutor, who will determine whether the stabbing death was justified.
Foster said complete descriptions of the other suspected robbers are not available. Anyone with information on the suspects should call CrimeStoppers at 436-STOP. Callers can remain anonymous.
habrams@jg.net ))
So, by and large, Tyrell WAS a decent kid...or about AS DECENT as urban black kids are today, I suppose.
He dropped out of school (GED, but did he have a JOB?), managed to find a girlfriend(urban girls love boys that are dangerous), they both cribbed with mom off and on, and he had a drinking problem (and obviously managed to get himself a set of wheels). But he WAS a good child (aren't they all?), emphasis on the "WAS".
You hang with the wrong people, don't be surprised if you wind up as the city's latest statistic...simple as that.
You PLAY...you PAY. (sooner or later - in this case, it was SOONER)
Kinda makes a good case for all that RESPECTING OTHERS stuff parents from OUR era used to drill into us daily, doesn't it?
*** Now THIS story might cause your breakfast to become unsettled:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100407/LOCAL07/304079944
Seems we got a "father" who decided to head down to FLORIDA with his "girlfriend" for a time...
Sounds innocent enough, right?
Well, Mr. Urbano thought it would be nice to leave his son locked in the basement while he frolicked in the sun.
Not the "best" choice to make, was it?
The boy's mom lives out of state, and the boy has "developmental" problems...
Well who the hell WOULDN'T?
Lock someone in a basement and make them piss in a damn cup...yeah, that's an EVOLVED method of parenting if EVER I saw one.
And we wonder why kids are the way they are, and decide to hang with other bad kids or go shoot some people in Times Square.
I have ALWAYS said it is a SOCIETAL problem, and by that, I mean the lack of PARENTING SKILLS.
Bringing a child into the world is probably the BIGGEST responsibility anyone can undertake.
And it doesn't end when the child's born....it continues until they go out on their own.
It's a DAILY, WEEKLY, MONTHLY, YEARLY thing.
It doesn't end when the sun goes down, either.
In today's world, you (as a parent), have to be on guard ALL the damn time.
We've got predators out there that would LOVE to add YOUR child to their "trophy room", as it were.
You've got others would would love nothing more than to INDOCTRINATE your child into a gang.
And whenever that child does something BAD, they are held initially RESPONSIBLE.
But the REAL lack of responsibility comes back to the PARENTS (or the lack thereof).
People that show no want to parent are forcing the hand of the government to take these children over, and raise than as a "ward of the state", and that brings a whole different dynamic to the mix.
We should never become that callous or uncaring that we would allow such a thing to occur.
You want to procreate...fine.
KNOW your place in the accountability "food chain", or don't even bother to drop your pants or skirt.
It's like the old saying: "You break it - you bought it".
You're in for the WHOLE game..all 18 (or so) years.
If you, as a parent are willing to do the tough things such as impart proper discipline when required, unconditional love, and understanding that we ALL are capable of error in life, and also instill a sense of integrity, morality and decency TO your children, the rewards will be far more than your expenditures.
But, if all you want to do is toss a child into the "wild", because YOUR needs come first, then maybe you should seriously rethink the reason behind WHY you had that child in the first place, because you're nowhere close to being a model parent.
And kids aren't dumb...they'll pick up on this when they get older...and they'll remember all too well.
But you parents that ARE raising (or have raised) your children well already KNEW that, didn't 'ya?
Yeah, I thought so.
Be well, make a difference today, and...
Stay safe out there, America.

To Tech Or Not To Tech...
Now THAT is the question, isn't it?
We live in a marvelous age where so much can be done by the touch of a button, the click of a mouse, or even the tap on a screen.
And yet, no matter how far we come, we've always got just as far to go to find solutions to all the questions we seem to have.
When it comes to having our LEOs patrol out streets and highways, there certainly is NO end in sight.
Every week seems to have something new to aid in enforcing the law.
In an age where our officers are (seemingly) just as much of a "social worker" as patrol officer, these men and women are wearing hats they never knew they signed up for.
As our society changes, the LEOs have to adapt along with it...it's part of the job. Most of the changes are beneficial...like body armor, or TASERS.
Others...not so much.
Here's an interesting article about technology in the cruiser:
(( Published: April 3, 2010 3:00 a.m.
Cell phone distracts you? Try being a police officer
Jeff Wiehe / Cathie Rowand / The Journal Gazette
In their squad cars, Fort Wayne police officers have a wealth of technology and information at their fingertips.
They have a mini-dispatch center at their fingertips, complete with a computer screen, radio and mapping system.
And many of them look at and process information from all those sources while driving city streets, sometimes at high speed.
At a time when distracted driving – especially texting and driving – is striking a chord with the public and lawmakers across the country, police officers are driving squad cars with more technology surrounding them than ever before. Officers are bombarded with information as they maneuver to crime scenes or just coast through neighborhoods on patrol.
The technology is essential to an officer’s daily duties, especially the in-car computer, according to officers.
Because the computer provides updates on crimes in progress and even pictures of possible suspects when the information is available, Fort Wayne police officers routinely glance at the screen while driving.
Add officer cell phones to the mix, and it means officers at times will have to multi-task like never before. "With the amount of information that we pump out on the computer, you almost have to have it up and running," Police Chief Rusty York said of the computers called Mobile Data Terminals that are mounted in every squad car. "It’s definitely a distraction, but it’s something the officers have come to depend on so much."
The police department denied The Journal Gazette’s request to ride along with a Fort Wayne police officer to observe how much multi-tasking is needed on a daily basis.
Officer Raquel Foster, police spokeswoman, said the department suspended its ride-along program last year and limited it to special instances. An officer can request a ride-along for family, or an exception can be made for some media stories, she said. Information coming from the radio is no real distraction, police officials said.
Officers become attuned to the radio traffic relatively easily, and it’s just like someone driving to work listening to music.
The computers, though, pose the real distraction threat.
They look like laptops and provide an officer with calls the agency has received that day, access to criminal histories, photographs and maps. In the near future, the computers in Fort Wayne police squad cars will be equipped with GPS to let them know where other squad cars are in the city. "I don’t own a computer at home, but I can’t be without the one in my squad car," said Sgt. William Walsh, a 50-year veteran Fort Wayne officer who has witnessed dramatic advances in technology in the department.
Different policies -
Ambulances with the Three Rivers Ambulance Authority and squad cars with the Allen County Sheriff’s Department also have these types of computers, but officials with those agencies said policies set in place limit the distractions they might cause.
TRAA paramedics usually ride two per ambulance. When going to a scene, one paramedic will drive while the other uses the computer to either get updates on the situation they’re driving to or help navigate using a map. The TRAA computers also have a touch screen, whereas Fort Wayne and Allen County police use keyboards.
While taking a patient to a hospital, though, the paramedic driving the ambulance is free to use the computer if his or her partner is in the back with that patient.
"Are there potential disadvantages with distraction? Maybe, but the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages," said Gary Booher, executive director of the ambulance authority.
Allen County sheriff’s officers are to have their computers closed while driving their squad cars, a policy put in place by Sheriff Ken Fries about a year ago after he decided they could be too distracting
He has yet to discipline anyone for driving with a computer open.
Fries is also concerned with how much equipment is in squad cars – a radio and a camera set up to record what happens in front of the car both take up space.
"I don’t know how much more you can put in a car," Fries said.
No evidence has been found to suggest that any crashes involving county squad cars were the result of an officer distracted by the technology, Fries said.
York, though, said in recent years one or two accidents involving city police officers were the result of what’s in the car, mainly something blocking an officer’s vision.
"We’ve worked on the location of the computer so as not to block anyone’s vision," York said.
Indiana Sen. Tom Wyss, R-Fort Wayne, has tried to ban texting while driving. One law he was a part of banned cell phone use for young drivers.
A recent bill – which would’ve banned texting for all drivers and was the product of Rep. Win Moses, D-Fort Wayne, and Rep. Phyllis Pond, R-New Haven – failed to pass in Indiana this year.
Wyss said that distractions while driving are dangers for everybody, but he noted there can be a difference between what distracts a civilian driver and what distracts an officer accustomed to processing more information at once because of the nature of the job.
He understands an officer needs to be updated on what he or she may be getting into while going to a scene.
"The stuff we put in those vehicles, it’s not only for the protection of the officer but also the citizenry," he said.
Still, Wyss did express concern. "I don’t expect police to be driving down the street looking at a computer screen," he said.
Better in the future?
Newer technology is on the horizon that might someday alleviate some distractions, making tools hands-free for officers.
Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have recently introduced Project54 for law enforcement in that state, setting all electronics in a squad car to a voice- activation system.
The system has been put into more than 1,000 cars, according to the researchers’ Web site.
"While officers still need to be trained to use the devices, gone are the multitude of individual user interfaces that added complexity to the interaction," the Web site reads. "Officers can use voice commands to tell the system what they want to accomplish."
York said he has heard of similar technology as well as systems that would put information closer to eye level or at the steering wheel so the officer isn’t looking at a computer screen.
For Fort Wayne, though, something like that might be far off.
"Because of the cost, that technology is not taking off or anything," York said.
jeffwiehe@jg.net ))
WHEW...now that's a lot to take in, right?
Well, I'm all for giving the GOOD GUYS the best gear when it comes to catching the BAD GUYS, and I'm sure you'd agree.
But, as the story says, you eventually get to a "tipping point" in all this technology.
Sure, *I* can work on the computer, listen to the radio and monitor a PD scanner, but I've done it in the past for so long, it becomes routine for me...and I'm also AT HOME, and NOT in a patrol cruiser.
When I DRIVE...I'm all business. I rarely even listen to the radio.
Now think about an officer, monitoring radio traffic, listening for the next call, glancing at that computer screen from time to time, as well as having his/her head on a swivel eyeing the STREETS (and passersby) for suspicious activity, bad tags, erratic driving, traffic lights and signage...well, you get the idea. These guys and gals are pretty damn BUSY, don'cha think?
Used to be a time when you ALWAYS had a TWO-MAN squad car in a big city. Today, you'd be hard-pressed to see that in a lot of cities that actually would benefit from a return to such tactics.
But that was a time when officers had a LOT LESS "stuff" in the cruiser. Lights, sirens, radio, partner...that was IT!
In dense traffic, one officer drove, and the other "navigated"...aka called out cross-streets, kept a eye out for civilians, traffic, perps, stolen cars...whatever. It worked damn well, too. But that changed. We have one officer per car (except for probies and their PTOs).
With the sheer amount of tech being crammed into cruisers today (and the amount of road traffic), it makes damn good sense to GET a second set of eyes into that vehicle.
As one officer drives, the other can view the monitor for calls and suspects, call up records on scene, or anything else that will ensure a BETTER process for policing all around.
Hell, it might even make for FEWER overall vehicle purchases...and that would SAVE MONEY.

A two-member "crew" of an ambulance makes sense, so why not revisit this in a police car (especially if one of those officers is CROSS-TRAINED in EMT protocol)?
When you consider that most of the front interior of a police vehicle is FILLED with all types of technology, the passenger seat usually has the "gear bag", and the trunk is also filled with a long gun chest, aux battery (to drive the systems), forms, emergency kits, and component hubs and antennae, aren't we expecting a little MUCH from an individual officer?
Now, what happens when the technology "goes wrong"?
Almost EVERY day, I can hear officers throughout the city with "computer problems"...(welcome to MY personal PC world...lol). If it isn't the hardware not being able to "take the lumps" along the uneven roads and streets of the city, it's a software issue. We hear air-cards not working, system crashes, and numerous requests for a "Spillman Unit" (technical support).
On top of all this, the FWPD is looking to get NEW RADIOS (again) within a year or two.
Cost for that?
A few (more) HUNDRED THOUSAND BUCKS, people.
The current system isn't that "old" to begin with.
Not to mention, as WE, (civilians) soon find out...any GOOD system just HAS to have a "service contract" (and support) to go with it, right?
And THEY ain't cheap, either, friends!
Think about it...why DO we keep having the need to constantly upgrade the equipment for our LEOs?
Because the BAD GUYS are constantly upgrading THEIRS.
THEY get semi autos, so LEOs adopt semi autos (capacity of firepower issue)
LEOs have to wear body armor , because the BAD GUYS are using hi-velocity rounds (assault rifles).
LEOs have to start carrying A-4s (M-16s) in their trunk to prevent another incident like back in 1997 in North Hollywood.
LEOs have to employ "less-than-lethal" technologies to prevent having to resort to DEADLY force (and to avoid frivolous lawsuits).
It's not easy having to remain several (large) steps AHEAD of the "competition" these days...it's costs MONEY.
And money is something in short supply in many departments across the nation. Still, GRANTS are available (and are regularly utilized whenever possible).
Whether or not a department procurement officer is savvy enough to stay on top of the latest "toys", and is either willing or desirous of applying FOR these grants to protect those patrolling our streets is the real matter here, however.
One would believe that PUBLIC SAFETY and the safety OF THE OFFICERS would be "Job-One".
But sometimes, you have to wonder if another priority might be in play here..
People are only human, and can slip up.
As is often the case, many of these grants are "time-sensitive"...vis-a-vis you snooze, you lose!.
Technology is great when it comes to POLICING...but ONLY if it works AS CLAIMED...and claimed when required.
We don't need to go out and buy something, sight-unseen and not properly field-tested, though.
No department can ever do it all, but they should ALWAYS be able to do a little more than "just enough".
In the end, no matter WHAT goodies and gadgets you DO jam and cram into a police cruiser, it will ALWAYS come down to one, VERY important part OF that cruiser...
The OFFICER that holds the steering wheel.
THAT is where the rubber truly meets the road.
Everything else is ancillary.
I could be wrong...but I don't think so.
After all, it IS just common sense, right?
Be well, make a difference, and...
Stay safe out there, America.

Easter Monday Musings...
I am taking it that you all had a very nice Easter, and that you knew the real reason for the season, as it were.
I've always looked at Easter as the REAL (unofficial) "official" beginning of Spring.
Around our neighborhoods, though, it was just another day (full of noise and obnoxious people posing as neighbors).
Amazing how many heathens you can find JUST by listening.
And that brings me to the center of this shrubbery maze...
There were a few articles that caught my attention over the weekend, and, curiously enough, they ALL are tied together (although the lame-stream media doesn't go that far...and they should).
Article #1:
Pertains to the death rates on newborns in Indiana, which is on the rise in only THREE counties - Lake, Marion, and Allen (our county). All three counties have large black populations, AND have seen the highest increase of infant mortality.
Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100404/LOCAL/304049906/1002/LOCAL
Article #2:
Pertains to the wounding of a toddler INSIDE a car during a drive-by shooting in the SE quadrant.
here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100403/LOCAL07/304039967/1043
Article #3:
Pertains to a man walking his dog, then taken at gunpoint back to his house, where a robbery is attempted. The result is ONE robber dead, the homeowner shaken, and two suspects at large.
Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100404/LOCAL07/304049905/1043
Now, before I proceed, you may wish to view those stories, as much of what I'll be talking about refers directly to them....
(I'll wait....)
I've stated numerous times, that we (now) live in what we USED to refer to back in Philly as..."The Badlands".
And I've also gone on record (here, as well as on other blogs) to referring to our "locals" as Aborigines (which is unfair to those living in the outback of Australia), but I feel the analogy fits pretty well, nonetheless.
What I'm going to do, is piece together this puzzle which seems to elude most media sources in our city.
Since Allen county has one of the higher black populations (and close to 80 other ethnicities), it's only fair that we go to the source when we speak about behavior, which many of us would deem unfit for a normal societal environment.
Face it, we have people who have NO knowledge of good and evil...that's a given, otherwise we wouldn't see things like toddlers being shot inside a car, or the other man that was ALSO shot inside HIS car last week, would we?
We have a minority within a minority that has NO feelings whatsoever when it comes to PUBLIC safety. I mentioned last week, that on most ANY night you can see the FWPD blotter showing a signal *113* (shots fired), and usually, it occurs on the SE side of town (and with alarming frequency).
It really surprises me that no one (at the top of the FWPD food chain) can seem to get a handle on this. I mean we already KNOW they can't seem to get a handle on NOISE violators (down here), so they MUST be concentrating their efforts with "bigger things"?
(We'll address all that in another post, trust me.)
Still, with such a large number of ethnics down here, who are more than ready (and willing) to SUE anyone for some MORE "free money", it's small wonder little gets done at this point in time. Perhaps when we begin looking more like DETROIT, something will be accomplished?
Hey, that's an idea...we could re-brand Fort Wayne by saying:
"Visit Fort Wayne - See Detroit's past before it's too late...AGAIN!"
Oh, that's sure to bring 'em in.
Anyway, when it comes to the increase in infant mortality, we can look no further than these black "men" who think it perfectly normal to toss a crying baby around like some dog chew-toy or rag doll.
Much like THIS "upstanding citizen":
http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100325/LOCAL07/303259902
It IS interesting to note that the Infant mortality article begins as follows:
"Indiana has some of the highest infant morality rates in the nation, and for black babies in Allen county, the rate has been comparable to that of DEVELOPING NATIONS." (my emphasis).
A "developing nation" to ME means something like ETHIOPIA...or SIERRA LEONE. Sorry, but when people don't bother to learn and adhere to "the rules", and go about shooting off guns after midnight, taking people prisoner at 4AM, and otherwise demonstrating to the REST of us that by the mere act of walking down the middle of the street at midday (instead of that sidewalk a few feet away) they are, in fact, exhibiting the exact same BEHAVIORAL TRAITS of those currently residing IN a 3rd world nation, so what else are we to expect?
These people are NOT being held responsible for their own actions...it's that simple. It would almost appear that any "law" certainly doesn't apply to THEM, would it not?
What makes THESE people so damn "special" that THEY are not required to be held to the SAME STANDARDS as the rest of us, hmm? Because, if they WERE held to the same standards, we sure wouldn't be seeing all the crap we have "...right here in River City", would we?
We've given them a free pass, when it comes to accountability....because they're POOR (oh, please)...they've been oppressed for SO long (gimme a break), and aren't given the"same chance" that others are (because they don't know what the hell it means to be self-reliant OR self-motivated). Everything has been done FOR them, and they are expected only to sit back and suck it all up (apparently).
So much for any real "black leaders" in their communities, right?
Curiously enough, when we speak about the levels of "poverty" these people would APPEAR to be in, we hear from the mouth of our own 6th District City Councilman (Glynn Hines) that HIS district (most of the southeast - where THIS white person happens to live...imagine that) has the HIGHEST level of...DISPOSABLE INCOME of ALL the city...!!!
Yeah, I'll let that sink for a moment...
The HIGHEST level of DISPOSABLE INCOME...and then we also hear the SE has the HIGHEST LEVEL OF POVERTY.
W...T...F...???
Gee, I didn't KNOW you could have BOTH at the SAME TIME.
SO many poor people...with so much MONEY to spend...who the hell would thought THAT, eh?
Personally, I'm suspecting a circle-jerk somewhere in THAT logic.
Someone's talking out their ass AND both sides of their mouth...(must be a LIBERAL...lol!)
We hear all this "jaw-jackin", and many believe the lies, but nothing EVER seems to come close to any TRUTH being told, does it?
The same old crap goes on and on...day after day...year after year.
Let's not hold these people responsible in ANY way...they don't need to be productive. Let's give them everything for free.
And heaven help anyone from any OTHER race that even "hints" at asking them to ante up and get in the game with the rest of us...!
Such people can't be bothered pulling themselves up by their own bootstraps, and instead always fall back upon the teat of our governmental agencies, suckling until they fall fast asleep in a stuporous bout of socio-economic gluttony.
Yet, one would think we'd have a solution at hand...
Well, we DO, but such people can't be bothered with a solution...it's not entertaining enough for them.
They have no concept of what it means to challenge themselves.
And that is why you have "mothers" who fall asleep on the couch at midday (either with or without a controlled substance amendment to their demeanor) with their latest addition to the census (welfare role) nestled close to the body.
Then, baby-mama rolls over, smothering the child, or breaking it's tiny bones, and well, another infant mortality for the books.
That is how a LOT of these "sudden deaths" are committed.
Other ways include baby-mama's "BFOTM" (boyfriend of the month) who can't stand the crying that ALL babies are prone to (it's dissing his "high" ), and so he smacks the child around a bit, burns it, or tosses it against the nearest hard, solid object...yeah, that tends to quiet 'em down REAL fast, and makes "Mr. boyfriend" a murderer in the process, with baby-mama an accomplice for allowing this creature near her infant in the first place.
Takes one helluva "man" to batter an infant, doesn't it, Jermetrious?
Another committee or "task force" will be created to investigate the mortality of black babies in our county.
Like we already don't KNOW the causes?
(used to be called chronic stupidity)
It's the lack of normal societal FUNCTIONALITY, people.
We've got a bunch of people with "broken mindsets", that need to be fixed.
Education isn't working (as expected)...they don't LIKE being "educated"....to much of a "white thing" (as they say).
They believe they can do everything themselves (well, they can certainly KILL one another damn well, that's for sure).
They're too poor to know better (yeah, and that nice CADDY and that BIG SCREEN TV just screams "POVERTY" to ME as well).
Stop with all the double-standard BS for a start.
You want equality, then do what everyone else does...WORK TOWARDS IT.
You may all be equal in God's eyes, and biologically, that pretty much follows, but we're living in the realm of MAN...not GOD.
Men look at your character...WHO you are, and if you display nothing but a worthless piece of humanity to everyone, don't go crying "we wanna be equal, even though we're lazier than hell".
You get OFF your ass (and that sofa), and get busy being HUMAN...don't go through the motions and expect acceptance from everyone because you breathe the same air.
You don't get something for nothing...everything has "strings attached".
God doesn't hold a gun to anyone's head (unlike those robbers), and forces you to do anything. These people need to get off the "ME" train.
YOU choose...It all begins with YOU.
YOU learn...YOU understand...YOU love...YOU move forward.
Funny thing, when you learn about YOU, you wind up knowing a LOT more about others.
And that seems as good a way as any to proceed in this life.
Therein lies the lesson for today.
In the meantime...Be well, make a difference to someone, and, as always...
Stay safe out there, America.
(( Tomorrow, we delve into modern police technology, and how it has become both a help as well as a hindrance on our streets))

Nothing Else Is Required...















'Nuff said.
(Stay safe out there, America)

(Good) Friday Thoughts...

As you're no doubt aware, today is...GOOD FRIDAY, and that doesn't just mean that it's the start to another weekend.
It's the start to the end of Holy Week, culminating in the Easter celebration on Sunday.
It's about life...and death...and rebirth.

(and new clothes, Easter eggs and candy for the kids, but let's stay on topic here)
It's about one giving all...and all giving much.
Mom used to have this "quaint" tradition in our house.

On Good Friday, you had to be "quiet" from NOON until 3PM. Now she didn't mean sit in a corner and do nothing...she just meant you don't act like some hellion or banshee for a few hours...no biggie.
That's what coloring books were for.
It was supposed to be the "time" that Christ hung on the cross - 3 hours. And NO meat at all.
It was a "showing some respect" thing, and it taught me a lot.
And we were Methodists!
Later on, I attended special Good Friday services at our church..again a show of respect, and it was a small price to pay for all that I was being allowed to enjoy in life.
Today, many of us are doing something (similar) that we probably thought we'd never do...SACRIFICE.
We buy the "off-brands" at the market, do without that nice house or new car, because the debt incurred would far outweigh any benefit from ownership. We are being frugal...and practical, so we do without.
And, after a spell, we find that we can still make out pretty well for ourselves.
Sure, we might not have the leanest meat at the table, or the newest plasma TV, or even the latest technological marvel.
But we're still doing OK, aren't we?

We might be struggling, but we're still going.

We may slow down, but we will NOT stop.

We may think today really sucks...BUT, there is always tomorrow to work towards.

We become better defined NOT by what we HAVE...but rather WHO WE ARE and WHAT WE DO.
I've always believed that springtime is a time for rebirth.
I look upon it as a time for reflection...and renewal.
And if one were to invoke the religious aspect to this day, one might say it is also about SACRIFICE.
One man sacrificed ALL...for many.
We have men and women (here and abroad) who have sworn an oath, or taken a pledge and devoted themselves to our way of life in America; a life founded by people who knew their place as well as God's place in that life
They sacrifice every day they're on the job...in whatever country they may find themselves.
And they are no more remarkable than you or I.
But what they DO is nothing short OF remarkable. Those who give their all so that we might enjoy our lives are well aware of what it means to sacrifice.
Some have given their very lives in order to preserve ours.
THAT...is truly remarkable.
And such sacrifice, or charity on THEIR behalf, is worthy of our respect and admiration.
We need to understand that as Americans, as people who believe in a "higher authority".
They do what they do because they CHOOSE to.
It may not be the BEST choice...just the RIGHT one for them.
So, any sacrifice on OUR part should never be made with a grudge, or with the attitude of "Do I HAVE to?" because we are ALL expected or compelled at some time in our lives to fulfill this obligation.
That's part of being human.
You can call it compassion, love, devotion...whatever, but it IS within every one of us...has been from the get-go.
We are a charitable people, and we DO know about having to make a sacrifice now and then.
What we can do is make that sacrifice with a good heart, knowing it's for something better.
And should we ever forget to remember this, or the reasoning behind such things, we'd need look no further than back to that cross on the hill of Golgotha...all those years ago.
Be well, take a little time to reflect and to renew your faith and beliefs, have yourselves a very GOOD Friday, a blessed Easter, and, as always...
Stay safe out there, America.

This Weren't No APRIL Fool...
I had hoped to wake up this morning, wipe the "sand" from my eyes, turn on the TV, grab the paper and find out that this past year was nothing more than a dream; a marvelous hoax perpetrated upon yours truly.
Alas, I was wrong.
The sky was turning that really neat shade of blue...the cornflower color you see right before Old Man Sol makes his daily showing. Birds were chirping...REAL ones, and lots of 'em.
The air smelled a bit cleaner than usual (the nearby Burger King hadn't ramped up for the breakfast rush yet, and the wind hadn't shifted OUR way, so no smell of vegetable oil anywhere)...I MUST be dreaming. This CAN'T be the same neighborhood I went to sleep in last night (actually early this morning) .
It's too..."nice". Made me wanna look for Grandma.
But aside from nature welcoming me into another day, everything else WAS THE SAME as the day before.
We STILL had a foundering economy, rampant spending in government, an educational system in wonderful disarray, and crime in abundance everywhere.
The REAL dichotomy came when seeing those beautiful cherry blossoms in D.C. on TV. Then, I read about a drive-by shooting in the same city that killed 4 and injured 5 more.
Yeah...reality check, Bob.
You're STILL on "BIZARRO WORLD"....April Fool!
But, in all this mess, there was one ray of light, shining through my darkness.
Ann T. Hathaway (her blog is at left - "the usual suspects"), has bestowed upon me (and this blog) a rather prestigious award.
Well, it's prestigious to ME...so ease up, and back away from the keyboard...slowly...LOL.
I am now the recipient of the:
QUILL FEATHER AWARD, given to me for, as Ann put it:
"...For flowers and bald eagles, crime reports, and boot-strappin' philosophy".
(wow...boot'strappin, huh? Move over Hegel and Kant...there's a NEW "Pale Rider" in town...LOL)
Now, I am requested to speak about how I prefer my eggs (part of the initiation), so here goes:
When I was working for the Treasury Department back in Philly, we had a black cook (rather older gentleman) in our cafeteria. He was one of those people you just KNOW God sent into your life. Salt-of-the-earth kinda folk, you know?
I wish to hell I could recall his name, as it wasn't a typical name...I think it may have been an Old Testament name.
Let's call him "Cookie" for now.
Once he knew you...he knew you for life, and always got your order perfect!
Took real PRIDE in his work, and we loved him for it.
Now, I've always been one of those people that when it comes to EGGS for breakfast....anything goes.
I've had 'em soft-boiled, hard boiled, poached, scrambled, fried, over easy...you name it.
And yes, anything is good in MY omelets.
I even liked to bust on Mom once in a while by asking her to prepare them the way MOE (of the Three Stooges) wanted them:
"Sunny side DOWN...and DON'T turn 'em over!"
That confused the hell out of a LOT of folks as I grew up...Mom just said "Don't be a smart ass."
(well, it was way better than being a DUMB ass, right?)
But this cook at the department got me HOOKED on lightly scrambled eggs...forever.
He folded them ever so nicely, and it was poetry to watch him make them.
Cookie was FAST...AND GOOD at the same time.
He'd shout out "the man says TWO...and WRECK 'em", and then turn around to you and laugh.
He used butter on the griddle, and his hands were a blur all the while.
And the really neat thing...he could hold a conversation with you the WHOLE DAMN TIME, and never miss a flip of the hen-fruit.
He's probably passed on now.
Lord knows he was at least old enough to be my Dad.
And if I know him well enough, I'd wager he's STILL making those scrambled eggs...somewhere much more in tune with his demeanor.
Yeah, people of such quality are few and far between these days.
When I go to a restaurant for breakfast, I ask for scrambled...JUST to see if they make 'em the same when "Cookie" made 'em.
Nope....not even close, but fluffy...I give 'em a 6 out of 10.
I still try to emulate the way HE made them, and once in a great while...I get close, but never AS CLOSE as I would like.
I'm still in the "fives" when it comes to that.
So that's my story that I will take to my grave...
Next, who to pass this award on to?
...lemme see now.
I have to choose at least TWO, so here goes...
Please note that the ones I pick are not a slight to anyone else.
I'd choose all of you for different reasons.
But, I'm weird like that, remember?
(and mind you, I have NO idea if they already WON one or not)
--FIRST, I want to present the award to Bunkermeister at the blog:
"SGT SAYS"
He's got great LEO expertise, speaks common sense, and provides good tips to people on BOTH sides of the shield.
--SECOND, I want to present the award to the blog:
"I'M WAITING FOR GOD"
This wonderful woman (MSNRKEY) never fails to make me smile, especially on MONDAYS, and I love her for it. She comes up with some good (deep) thoughts, insightful observations, and down-home humor.
--THIRD, the award goes to Dan over at the blog:
"ANGRY WHITE BOY" (aka AWB'S GIG)
Now, he's not REALLY angry (much...just "misunderstood" when it comes to chipmunks...lol) and his blog is mostly about a lot of local issues (Fort Wayne), but Dan also covers politics, crime (sex offenders - he KNOWS where you live and work) and a LOT of dumb-asses (local as well as national), and he also creates (and finds) some damn funny videos along the way. Not to mention, he knows computers inside and out.
(my check IS in the mail, right?)
And there we have it...if you already got this award...well, 'ya got TWO now, so suck it up, trooper...LOL.
Lastly, today IS April Fool's Day, and I would be remiss to not mention that a LONG time ago, I used to look forward to tying ALL my Dad's shoes together into one LONG "shoe", which, as a youth of elementary school age, wasn't the "best" way to endear oneself with one's paternal figure, especially if he was running a bit late for work.
Fortunately, Dad was ahead of the curve in that regard...and switched to wearing LOAFERS...!?!
Well, that shot my gig in the ass, but I did consider placing an EGG in each shoe...
It would be SCRAMBLED...that much is certain...
And I would have been eating MY eggs standing up for about a week, would I have done that.
So, here's to the start of another month, and may all your fools be APRIL ones (mine will just be loud and obnoxious).
Now...about those SHOWERS that bring those MAY flowers...
Be well, make a difference today, and...
Stay safe out there, America.