07 April 2011

It Could Be Worse...Just Not By Much...
My Dad was fond of using that phrase, and it's been one of those marvelous "catch-all" ones...for every occasion.
He would use it to describe work, or our financial state as I was growing up, or whenever something would go wrong around the house (as things will often do). It's stuck with me through all these years.
And since the repair shop has had the Wifeymobile overnight, one would hope it means that all the problems are being addressed AND properly, which translates to - it COULD be worse...lol
See, you can apply that phrase anywhere...and for free.
I prefer to use it in conjunction with our "living arrangements" aka the LOCATION of where our domicile resides, namely that good old Fort Wayne south side ghettohood...the one no one wants to ADMIT to having, but is there nonetheless.
Now, those of you who read this blog faithfully (God Bless the few, the proud, the thinking folks) know what I'm talking about.
You read your papers and see what happens in MY part of my city, or what happens in a similar area in YOUR city or town, and you wonder WHY people could act in such a reprehensible manner towards their fellow man.
Simply put, it happens because the government has permitted it to happen. When times were a lot more "civil" in nature, we had a LOT LESS of the seven kinds of crap we see and hear about these days.
Take for example the situation with welfare (and the many who abuse it with such abandon).
Without going into a lengthy explanation of it (which will be reserved for a future post), let's just say it was a way of ensuring a "new" class of citizen, and one, that through carefully orchestrated programs designed to "keep the addict wanting that next fix", is meant only to create a group of people whose only purpose is to take from those who work for a living in order to provide for THEIR own...simple as that.
I've often said (here) that with a generational "addiction", it produces a new form of "slavery", only those sucking down the taxpayer money can't see that.
Those that DO manage to see this for what it's worth, manage to extricate themselves FROM the welfare roll and make it ON THEIR OWN.
It's not easy, but it CAN be done, and God bless those that do.
With that in mind, it's little wonder we see our cities in decline almost all over the place.
And, as a result of such decline, we see city budgets busting at the seams.
Police forces are taxed to their limit, and officers are becoming targets of those people who are nothing more than social predators.
Let's face it, WHEN was the LAST time you heard of a roaming pack of DOCTORS looking to ambush a few officers cruising their neighborhood?
Few are the people who work for a living, and are productive citizens with no societal issues or mental illness that would even think of waging urban warfare on those tasked with maintaining the peace, right?
Now, I say all that to say THIS:
When people cease to be capable of doing for themselves (when there is NO physical or mental impairment that would preclude such capabilities) they becomes "wards of the state", and that means everyone ELSE takes cares of them. In some, well-warranted cases, this is perfectly normal and acceptable. We take care of those infirm, aged, and indigent who would love to still be capable of doing FOR THEMSELVES, but can no longer.
That's what being CHARITABLE is all about...and we all pretty much get on board with performing that charity to those that require it...
But we have to stop when charity becomes some sort of "right"...and is expected whenever someone does not WANT to do for themselves any longer.
Receiving charity (from anyone) is a PRIVILEGE...period.
Just like receiving an education...or driving a car...or owning a cell phone.
And privileges are REWARDED or DESERVED...or even REVOKED depending on the individual (and their actions).
THAT becomes the big "sticking point" to me.
When did every privilege in this nation become a God-given right?
And WHY should it ever BE that way?
When people do NOTHING to EARN a privilege, WHY bother to issue it to them in the first place?
Have they demonstrated the ability to WARRANT the issuance OF that privilege?
Are they aware of the responsibilities that often ACCOMPANY such privileges?
And if not, why not?
Well, you can quickly see that THIS is the situation all of us face these days. And it usually comes with all the abhorrent behavior and crime in it's wake.
Thing is, no matter how much MONEY you toss as this problem, and no matter how many PROGRAMS you enact to "better" the system, it's not going to work. All you're going to do is produce more people that will want even more for doing a lot less. That is NOT the American way.
But it IS the way that things like THIS happen:
(( Occupied car shot 5 times

Updated: Wednesday, 06 Apr 2011, 1:00 PM EDT Published : Wednesday, 06 Apr 2011, 12:50 PM EDT
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Police are looking into a car shooting at the Eden Green apartment complex, near the Reed Street and Creighton Avenue intersection in Fort Wayne Wednesday afternoon. Just before noon, police said someone shot at a car, leaving at least five bullet holes.
Police said there were people in car, parked behind the apartments when the shooting happened.
Afterward, they drove to the police department nearby.
Police found 14 shell casings where the shooting happened and are talking to persons of interest, but no arrests have yet been made. ))
When you run out people to shoot...just shoot at the cars (at a public housing site), hmm?
Beats working for a living, doesn't it?
Now, I've seen that car in my ghettohood, and he's a "thumper", so if someone wanted to quiet his ass by shooting at the damn car...fine by me.
It's better than having ME go and do it, that's for sure.
And trust me, there are more than a few of those around here who would be worth using a few rounds on... (actually, there are several HUNDRED...and the FWPD can't seem to catch ANY of them despite me sending along TODs and vehicle tag numbers...amazing).
I look at this whole "entitlement trap" (for that is what it REALLY is, or if you prefer, a "pyramid scheme") as one of the most unfair practices EVER waged against the working class (as well as the well-off). It's certainly not that "I want MY share"...I don't.
I find that having to be "beholding to a bunch of strangers" very offensive. Apparently, a lot of others do not...and that's very troubling.
I also don't begrudge the wealthy from kicking back and doing nothing...in most all cases, they busted their asses to GET that wealthy, and those that didn't (through bloodlines, inheritance, etc) and still do nothing are JUST as bad as those on the dole...only it's THEIR OWN DOLE they're on...!
And it always leads to a severe lack of morality...and integrity...and civility...and what we used to call NORMAL societal behavior.
Combine such a mindset with substance abuse, and you have a blue-ribbon winning recipe for disaster.
But, it could ALWAYS be worse, right?
Well, let's just hope that it doesn't come down to THAT.
Lord knows we're already hip-deep in BS, bureaucracy, and society's woes (and that's what's just OUTSIDE our front doors).
We can do better, and we really need to if we are to continue.
This nation needs help, and maybe it's high time we did something about that.
We can blog, we can write, and we can vote. That's THREE good starts right there.
Let's hope that we never see anymore of the "worse".
Be well, make a difference to someone, and... Stay safe out there, America.

((Also, tonight is the season premiere of POLICE WOMEN OF BROWARD COUNTY followed by the series premiere of UNLEASHED: K-9 BROWARD COUNTY. The ladies are returning, and have brought some "back up" with them on TLC tonight))

05 April 2011

Humpday Happenings... PART 1: This is going to be a "two-parter" today, as Wifey and I are heading out to the repair shop in order to get her buggy "set to rights" again. I'll be following her...or, if I take a different route and miss a few lights, get there BEFORE she does. (warp speed...NOW)! Yeah, it's a "temporal thing"...LOL. The Missus has to get that heater fixed (just in time for the WARM weather - isn't that ALWAYS the way?), her R/R brake squeals like we're running over pigs when we come to a stop (hope the drum or rotor isn't scored), replacing the glass on the passenger side mirror that was "spiderwebbed" when someone left a trashbin in the damn street early in the morning a few weeks back, and lastly, the obligatory OIL CHANGE (and new filter). THAT should pay for a mechanic of two for another week...always LOVE to "help the economy", right? *** Now, there is one thing about cars I've noticed of late...that damn "SMILE" on the front grille! Take a look at MOST of the newer cars...they all seem to have this sh*t-eating GRIN on them, like "they" know something WE don't (like HOW MUCH it's going to COST to FIX most of the stuff on board), am I right? I like my cars to NOT "smile" at me (or anyone else)...OR "frown"..or even look like they've been sucking on a damn LEMON! (anyone remember those EDSELS?) Cars will have their OWN "personalities"...they shouldn't need any HELP from so-called body "stylists" from anywhere on the planet. The Wifeymobile ('96 Caprice Classic) has the basic grille...no smile, no frown...just a egg-crate grille...fine by me. It doesn't divulge it's intent...I like that. And MY car...the '83 Firebird...NO grille at ALL to speak of...even BETTER. Just that bird-like beak along the front fascia...like a predator...waiting to strike. Two amber slits for "eyes" (the running lights/turn signals)...the only way you can tell it's on the prowl. Now THAT'S what I'm talking about...you have NO idea what the car is "saying"...perfection on 4 wheels! Like I said, the personality of a car comes when YOU get behind the wheel and drive it. THEN, you know. And believe you me, after 26 YEARS with my car, we are pretty much "one". I tell the Missus that when it comes to a personal vehicle: "You treat her right, and she'll bring 'ya home." My Dad always said that if you take care of a car, it will take care of you. Sound advice, whether it's a vehicle...OR most anything else in life. Well, we'll see 'ya in a little bit on the flip side of this run... **************************** PART 2: 0845 hrs. *** As with ANY mode of transportaion, there MUST come maintenance. (if you care about the damn thing running properly, that is) Now you CAN wait until something goes breaks, and THEN decide to FIX it - not the BEST way to keep something running. OR, you can do what is know as PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE. That means at the first sign of something acting, looking, or sounding "hinky", you get it into the shop and get it fixed, because the vehicle is TRYING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. When something RUNS right...you KNOW it (or you should), and when something OTHER than that occurs, you should know THAT as well. And that way, you don't stop getting busy being a driver and start getting busy becoming a pedestrian (again), right? Now, with this recent SOUTHWEST AIRLINES event with the roof peeling back, it has to make you wonder WTF is going on here? Airplanes are NOT cars (or even trucks)...they are called upon to operate in conditions FAR beyond what we encounter on a mere road or highway. And they do it EVERY day (pretty much). STRINGENT repair schedules are in place to avoid failures that would place peoples' lives in danger. And that's a good thing (especially for those FLYING...or looking up). Engines are given complete overhauls after so many hours, tires are checked after every landing, control surfaces and the airframes are given "walk-around" checks (visual inspections) before all flights, but even all this is not enough. This article as in today's appear, and shed a bit of light on procedures: http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20110406/NEWS03/304069937 Now the SWA event took Boeing "by surprise", and I really have to ask "WHY???" Just because the airframes are (only) 15 years old, that doesn't mean they can't suffer what's known as STRUCTURAL FATIGUE. And a good movie from the 1950s that fills in the blanks here is called: NO HIGHWAY IN THE SKY (starring James Stewart). It's a Brit pic with a good cast, but it explains WHY metal used in airliners fails. Hell, The DeHavilland COMET had similar instances and the fleet was removed from service back in the early days of jetliners. Whenever the alloy used in aircraft bodies and frames is exposed to REPEATED pressurization and depressurization, air turbulence, foul weather, extreme temperature shifts (and more) it has the unnique possibility of changing it's MOLECULAR STRUCTURE...and that can happen from one second to the next. When that occurs, something catastrophic can't be far behind. The situation with SWA can be just this scenario...or it could EVEN be that the structure of the RIVETS used to hold the panel fatigued. The NTSB will have to conduct a litany of tests before we find out all the facts here. And the movie I mentioned above does a similar test (in England). Boeing says it will conduct EM resonance testing of the airframes, but it WOULD be nice to ALSO include an X-RAY evaluation of the aircraft at those critical points (as well as areas surrounding them)...JUST to be totally sure. The passengers and crew were VERY fortunate that this was a small rupture of the airframe and not anything that reulted in death or disaster, like that ALOHA flight that had well over 15 feet of it's roof blow off, sucking a flight attendant out of the aircraft - the ONLY fatality on board. That flight made it back to an airport. It does ALL comes down to maintenance... And if you drive a car, an ounce of that prevention IS worth a LOT more than a pound of cure. (especially in THIS economy) Just something to make you think...and save you some money. Lord knows we can always use a bit more of THAT, eh? Be well, make a difference to someone, and... Stay safe out there, America.
Tales From the South Side... Yes friends, another journey into that wonderful place that I LOVE to refer to as The Ghettoland Abusement Park (and discount house of worship). It never ceases to amaze me just HOW a government agency (such as HUD) can take an otherwise quaint and innocuous neighborhood, that once was filled with home OWNERS who took care of their properties, had well-behaved children, and who knew what it was to be RESPONSIBLE...AND WORKED FOR A LIVING, turn it around 180 degrees into a blighted area teetering on the brink of slumdom.
If there is ANY government waste, it would most certainly be found HERE.
When you have a better rapport with the indigenous birds, squirrels, rabbits and garden plants than with most ANY of the two-legged (sub) species that inhabit the area (on YOUR dime, I might add), that kinda says it all.
But enough about all the charming NUANCES of city life in Fort Wayne, let's see what's happening around the "hood", shall we? *** On tap today, an update to an ongoing story.
Here's the link that is reprinted below:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20110405/LOCAL07/304059942 (( Published: April 5, 2011 3:00 a.m. Murder suspect in court - Boy watched as dad slain Dominic Adams The Journal Gazette FORT WAYNE – Although witness accounts of the events that led to Friday’s shooting death of a Fort Wayne man vary, police believe it was Antjuan M. Okey who pulled the trigger and killed the man as the victim’s 10-year-old son watched. Okey, 32, of the 4900 block of Oliver Street, made his initial appearance Monday in Allen Superior Court.He is preliminarily charged with murder in connection with the death of William Earl Derrick. Okey is being held without bail at the Allen County Lockup. About 8:20 p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a shooting and found Derrick, 30, of Fort Wayne, dead in the 5000 block of Oliver Street. Police observed Okey and another man fighting across the street, according to court documents.
After Okey was handcuffed he told police, "Dude was on me and I shot him," according to court documents.
The original 911 caller told police he was traveling north on Oliver Street when he saw three men fighting, court documents said. The caller said he saw a woman try to break up the fight and after passing the fight he saw muzzle flashes from gunshots in his rearview mirror, according to court documents. Police later learned the woman trying to break up the fight was Okey’s mom. She told police Okey was in a dispute with the other man and Derrick, but the woman declined to comment further to police without a lawyer, court documents said. Derrick’s 10-year-old son, who witnessed the shooting, told police he went to Okey’s with his father and that Okey and the other man were there, court documents said. The boy said his dad gave him the keys to start the car so they could leave and that Derrick was about to get into the started car when he got into an argument with the other man, who was holding Derrick back, court documents said. Frankye Derrick, Derrick’s mother, said her grandson is doing "OK" after witnessing the shooting. "I think it’s slowly just hitting him that his dad is dead and he’s never going to see him again," she said. "He had his son with him because he thought he was in a safe environment. He would’ve never put his son in anything like that. "He was a beautiful person," Frankye Derrick said of her son. "He liked to have fun and he enjoyed being with his family. He was like a comedian. If you weren’t feeling good, he was the one that would make you laugh. He was just a fun person, and he loved life."
The boy told police Okey swung at his father and the two started to walk in circles as if they were going to fight, according to court documents.
The son saw his father punch Okey and, then, Okey pulled out a gun and shot Derrick, the son told police. Derrick ran across the street holding his chest and Okey continued to shoot at him, according to court documents. Derrick’s son got out of the car and saw his dad lying in a yard across the street, court documents said.
The other man at Okey’s home at the time told police he’d met Derrick at the barbershop earlier in the day and the two went to the liquor store, according to court documents.
The two eventually went to Okey’s house because Derrick wanted to buy a stereo amplifier. The three men were drinking alcohol and got into an argument about shots of tequila, court documents said. After calming down, the men continued to drink and another argument erupted and they went outside, the man told police. Derrick and the other man were about to leave when Okey called Derrick a name, according to court documents. The witness told police he tried to break up the fight when he saw Okey pull out a handgun from his waistband, according to court documents. Police later found a black handgun without a magazine lying on the kitchen table of a home, but the address where the gun was found was blacked out in court records. Derrick’s death is the sixth homicide in Allen County this year, all of which have occurred in Fort Wayne. Visitation for Derrick will be 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Ellis Funeral Home, 1021 E. Lewis St. A Celebration of Life will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Fort Wayne Christian Center, 6901 S. Hanna St. Derrick worked for Press-Seal Gasket and is survived by his son; mother; father, G. Dennis Powell; brothers, Alonzo, Carlos, Joseph, Daniel and Fred Derrick and DeAndre Powell; sisters, Jackie Derrick and Chaminda Hill. ))
Finally, the prosecutor's office made the call.

They had until THURSDAY to decide to charge Okey with the homicide.
After all, we wouldn't want him to "just walk"...would we? Besides, isn't there that whole "former felon in possession of firearm" thing to consider, too? Now, you saw the rap sheet on Derrick (and Okey) yesterday, and although there were no entries since 2009 for Derrick, he DID have a slightly checkered past, especially when it came to DRIVING A VEHICLE...and alcohol and drug citations tossed in for good measure. Okay, so he DID have a job...that was a PLUS, but it's usually not representative of the TYPICAL lifestyle down here. I can count (excluding the Missus) on ONE hand (and several fingers missing) HOW MANY black males work on OUR block (and we've got more of them than we do cribs to house them, as they love to "shack up" with the welfare baby-mamas). Derrick was an exception to this "rule", apparently. Also, IF he had a "lifetime" suspension, WHY was he STILL DRIVING, as evidenced by having his TEN-YEAR-OLD go and "start the car" for him? AND, he was drinking and driving...with a 10-year old in the vehicle. REAL smart, right? That's very odd, don'cha think? BUT...(as is always the case) he WAS a "fun person"..gotta give him that much (as described by his family).
If by "fun" you mean LOUDER than all the rest, I could possibly agree with you there, because I happen to "know" ALL the "fun guys" in OUR part of the ghettohood (unfortunately).
See, they don't give us ANY other choice THAN to notice them (when they thump that damn stereo the hell off in that God-awfully painted and graphics-laden POS complete with those 26 inch rims). You have a SON...and we used to call it HAVING PRIORITIES. Maybe if Derrick was AT HOME with his son, being a BETTER FATHER, instead of drinking with "friends" and driving when he had a lifetime suspension (which obviously was ignored very well), he'd STILL be alive today, and his son would have a much better chance of growing up with SOME level of accountability. One thing that doesn't "mix well" is men with obvious self-esteem issues...AND BOOZE (or drugs)!
If you want to talk about being CONFRONTATIONAL...THIS is the way to go, and would make for some interesting writings for those who study abhorrent social behavior. That's why it's often called "liquid courage".
When you break down the barriers of self-control (by ANY means), and you've never LEARNED what is meant by BOUNDARIES or have practiced ANY level of CIVILITY towards your fellow man, scenarios JUST like this one above are the typical result.
Doesn't matter how decent a person YOU are...it can always come down to that OTHER PERSON...and you have little control over that (or him/her), except to not involve yourself with such people in the first place. Now, I sure ain't no psychologist or sociologist...I just pay the hell attention to people...and learn BOTH about them and about myself.
That's the way it should be...and has been for a long time.
*** Funny thing, all you have to do is WATCH, and most all the time, the people will tell you a LOT about themselves. It's kind of neat to be able to learn by viewing...kick back and take it all in. But it works. Life is interesting in that regard...Life teaches us SO damn much...all WE have to do is pay attention.
But, how often are we distracted?
What do we place IN PLACE of that learning possibility?

And WHY do we we do it?
Granted, life DOES have it's entertaining aspects, but it also has many lessons that we can absorb and profit from as individuals. All WE have to do is discern the differences.
THAT is how we become better people than we were the previous day.
THAT is how we grow as a person....how we develop and become better able to teach others through our experiences. If we do NOT make such things an integral part of our persona, we are diminshed, and can often become a hinderance to ourselves as we journey through life. In some ways, we have allowed ourselves to become socially disabled, and Lord knows there are plenty of physical impairments to help us all along that disability path in life, especially as we grow older (and wiser, hopefully). We certainly don't need ANY more. What we DO need to remember from this, is that we always need to make the best choices we can, in order to minimize any negative repercussions. We can never be "perfect", but there is not ONE damn thing that is stopping us from wanting to ACHIEVE something better...BECOME someone better than we currently are, and not just for ourselves, but for our families and for others (so that THEY may learn from our example)...
There lies the lesson for today.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and... Stay safe out there, America.

04 April 2011

Monday Musings...
With the worst of the blogger "glitches" now behind me, I can now get with the vanguard of those of us lading the charge into this week.
Starting off with some rain and wind, the temps are mild for now, and I believe the last remnants of winter will fade into history.
As always, I have those wonderful observation about my part of the ghettohood, but first up, we have THIS:
*** (( Fight leads to shooting on Oliver; 1 left dead FWPD makes arrest in Oliver St. shooting; victim identified
Updated: Saturday, 02 Apr 2011, 12:06 PM EDT
Published : Friday, 01 Apr 2011, 8:39 PM EDT
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - A Fort Wayne man was arrested Saturday morning in connection with the shooting that left one man dead on Oliver Street Friday night.
According to the Fort Wayne Police Department, Antjuan M. Okey, 32, was taken to the Allen County Jail for aggravated battery. He was one of two men questioned by Fort Wayne detectives Friday as ‘persons of interest’ in the shooting. The other man was determined to be a witness and was released.
Police said the shooting happened just before 8:30 p.m. near the 5000 block of Oliver Street.
When police got to the scene, they found William Earl Derrick, 30, with a gunshot wound lying in the front yard of the home. Police said he died at the scene. The Allen County Coroner’s Office released his identity Saturday following an autopsy that confirmed Derrick died of a gunshot wound.
According to the coroner's report, Derrick was found outside a home in the 5000 block of Oliver Street after he was apparently shot in the 4900 block. Investigators said it appeared there had been some sort of altercation involving the victim that escalated into gunfire.
The FWPD also said Saturday, detectives believe to have recovered the weapon involved in the shooting.
There are no other suspects at this time and no other arrests have been made in this investigation. According to the coroner's report, Derrick's death is the 6th homicide in Fort Wayne and Allen County in 2011.
The incident remains under investigation with the Fort Wayne Police Department, the Allen County Coroner’s Officer, and the Allen County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. ))
Yes friends, homicide number SIX (we are on track to make that "magic" number of TWENTY FIVE...in case you've got your pool going on either at work or at home).
But, the tale doesn't end there.
Here is Antjuan Okey's rap sheet:
01/05/1996 - Criminal Misdemeanor - MINOR TRANSPORT ALCOHOL / LEARNER'S PERMIT VIOL
03/24/1999 - Criminal Misdemeanor POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA MINOR IN POSS OF ALCOHOL FAILURE WEAR SAFETY BELT
06/07/2000 - Local Ordinance Violation - VIOL NOISE ORDINANCE (FW)
12/26/2001 - Criminal Misdemeanor OPERATING WHILE INTOXICATED (CLASS C) OPERATING WHILE INTOXICATED (CLASS A) OPER VEH W/BAC OF .15% + (CLASS A) VIOL FT WAYNE SPEED ORD
03/13/2002 - Infraction - FAILURE WEAR SAFETY BELT
10/21/2002 - Miscellaneous Criminal - OPER WHILE INTOX W/5YRS / FAILURE TO USE LIGHTS
10/24/2002 - Class D Felony - FELONY & HCSO / OWI .08%: FELONY & HCSO
02/16/2011 New Haven City Court OV - Local Ordinance Violation Obedience to signal indicating approach of railway train/NHV
03/03/2011 - Infraction Decided 9-21-3-7/IFC: Disregard Lighted Signal - Signals Exhibiting Colored Light
*** And here is the William E. Derrick's rap sheet:
10/12/1995- Criminal Misdemeanor / NEVER RECEIVE LICENSE / FALSE & FICTITIOUS REG'N
10/16/1995 - Criminal Misdemeanor - MINOR CONSUMING ALCOHOL
01/03/2000 - Criminal Misdemeanor - NEVER RECEIVE LICENSE / IMPROPER HEADLIGHT
05/05/2000 - Infraction - OPERATE WHILE SUSP (INFR) / VIOL NOISE ORDINANCE (FW) 04/26/2001 - Criminal Misdemeanor - FALSE INFORMING (B) / MINOR CONSUMING ALCOHOL
06/11/2001 - Criminal Misdemeanor - OPERATE WHILE SUSP (MISD) /FAIL STOP AT THRU-HIGHWAY
11/01/2001 - Criminal Misdemeanor / NEVER RECEIVE LICENSE / NO OPR'S LIC. WHEN REQ'D 03/07/2003 - Infraction - NO SAFETY BELT/PASSENGER
12/29/2003 - Miscellaneous Criminal - P.C. HABITUAL TRAFF. OFF./ POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA 01/02/2004 - Class D Felony - HABITUAL TRAFFIC VIOLATOR / POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA HASH OIL OR HASHISH
02/13/2006 - Miscellaneous Criminal - P.C.HABITUAL TRA OFF(LIFE)
02/16/2006 - Class C Felony - AMENDED HABITUAL TRAFFIC VIOLATOR
03/23/2009 - Miscellaneous Criminal - P.C.HABITUAL TRA OFF(LIFE) - OPERATING WHILE INTOXICATED (CLASS C)
03/26/2009 - Class C Felony - OPERATING VEHICLE AFTER LIFETIME SUSPENSION / OWI: MISD *HABITUAL TRAFFIC VIOLATOR
So, I wonder is this is less of a crime, per se, and more like a "public service" ?
I know, TWO "wrongs" (or in this case criminal histories) don't make a right (OR a better neighborhood).
Now there SHOULD be an addition to "Antjuan" (who the f*ck spells the names of these thugs???) sheet sometime today, that being the "aggravated assault" upon Williams. It was a homicide (no matter how justifiable, as can often be the case here), and it sure didn't look like an "accident".
Notice there were NO FORMAL charges filed yet. (and the clock's running...only have 72 hours right?) There had to have been some level of premeditation...somewhere. Still, nice to know that such things like MURDER go relatively UNnoticed in the south end of Fort Wayne. I suppose the CRIME STATS need to be "adjusted" to show that crime is "going DOWN", and lull all of us into that false sense of security. Sorry folks, I'm not biting on that hook. I know the TRUTH down here, nasty as it might seem and as unwilling as the media (here) might be to report it. And speaking of reporting...
*** Everyone is connected with the education system in this country.
Hell, we ALL had to go through it in some fashion, so you all might find THIS series from the Philadelphia Inquirer more than a bit "disturbing"...
The series in entitled: ASSAULT ON LEARNING. Here's the link to the series (and it is one HELLUVA read, trust me): http://www.philly.com/philly/news/special_packages/inquirer/school-violence/118812644.html
And so many people think it's primarily the schools and the educators to "blame" (erroneously) for many of the problems encountered by students today...think again.
It's like that TRIANGLE I mentioned a few weeks back. It takes ALL THREE sides to make it work, and TWO of those sides are PARENTS...and the STUDENTS.
Therein lies the biggest problem with education today.
I must say, it sure wasn't like that when I went to school, and it should make you more aware of the difficulties encountered in every classroom.
*** Japan's reactor woes continue.
If it's not one damn thing it's another, and I can fully understand the anger the people are beginning to feel there. Radiation is now leaking into the ocean, thanks to a crack in a holding tank away from the reactor (proper).
Sealing that will be another challenge to face, along with irradiated crops. Workers on site have actually run low on protective gear...because you just can't do the "wash 'n wear" gig with such items.
THEY also have to be disposed of like any radioactive material.
And although the people are starting to hold protests to nuclear power there, there is STILL none of the looting or rioting we would have seen here (and for a lot less severe problem). Remember, here the people are free to riot at the drop of a hat, such as when a doctored video of police arresting a suspect is looped to look as if the police are beating a man senseless..which led to the L.A. arsons and looting. Just wait until politicians start cutting ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS...! Can't take away ANYTHING from WELFARE, can you?
*** Which brings me to my next item...
Why is it whenever politicians talk about cutting an entitlement program, they ALWAYS mention either MEDICARE/MEDICAID or SOCIAL SECURITY (or both)? Why is WELFARE NEVER mentioned? SSI is something working-class people have been FORCED to pay into, rather than being allowed to take the money and place it somewhere else for retirement? The money has (instead) been used to pad the pockets of those who can already afford to pay for their own retirements PRIVATELY. Now, this isn't in ALL the cases, but it happens in more than a few. With medicare, much of the cost is from the pharmaceuticals AND fraud committed against the system. Yet nothing is EVER said about WELFARE (and all the fraud THERE)...wonder why?
It's because it would cause all these "poor folk" to take to the streets and riot and loot to get what they want. (kind of like what's happening now) Remember the post I had that included how a baby-mama becomes the "breadwinner of the family"? It was because of having KIDS and passing them on to grandma (who "volunteers" to be a FOSTER PARENT), and then spending that undeserved money and perks.
When you're "on welfare", you DON'T have a 52 inch TV in the living room NOR a new ESCALADE in the damn driveway...do you? Apparently, it's normal now for such government handouts.
That produces a whole new class of slave in America, because someone DOES "own yer ass". And what better way to tear a nation apart than by CLASS-warfare.
*** I think I might have a new "weapon" in my arsenal to combat the slugs in my ghettohood passing as human beings... Now, these "people" believe that I could be considered racist...so, let's unveil the TRUTH here.
THEY are the racists...period.
We don't really bother a soul in the area (who'd really want to?), and we keep to ourselves, because there is actually NO ONE to talk with or be neighborly towards. It's the entitlement-driven renters with their whole lotta LOUD and annoying habits that would make aborigines cringe that are the racists...as in REVERSE RACISM.
It's just never mentioned...until now. I am going to start playing MY "race card", and as often as I feel I need to.
When WE are disrespected, scorned, and looked down at...I'm sorry, but that's racism.
And we have done nothing to give anyone that impression. If anything, we do the OPPOSITE.
We live (and teach) by EXAMPLE. We keep OUR place nice. We don't toss litter on THEIR property, or play OUR music so damn loud the police have to come (and warn someone for the 4,286th time). That's not US (but it is them). Yet, through all that, "we" still get the shit end of the racial stick down here. So, in lieu of fairness to everyone, I will now begin using their RACE CARD...ON THEM, and anytime I "have" to encounter one of these intellectual indigents, I'll just call THEM racists. Hey, who knows, this could be the start of a real movement in this country...one that could lead to a lot more EQUALITY among people. I mean, there IS more black-on-white crime than the other way around...that's documented as FACT. You never know until you try.
I would love to see this area turn back around, with DECENT people moving back here, but as long as some parts of our society are permitted to do as they please, that's not going to happen...and change (for the better) will be long in coming.
Be nice to recapture some of that good old MIDWESTERN charm that I used to read about (instead of recapturing escaped convicts that move here)...be REAL nice.
Yeah, I can ALWAYS dream, because the price is right.
Have yourselves a great week. Be well, make a difference to someone, and... Stay safe out there, America

02 April 2011

...And SOMETIMES, you SUCCEED...
Well, friends, it appears as if the WORST of the editorial issues have been resolved, no thanks to my perspicacity...(kinda like having a mean ole' junkyard dog attached to your leg...lol)
I DON'T like to ever give up.
The blog sure looks "different", but I couldn't find a practical way to "lighten" the damn background...so I dumped it in favor of something a bit more "user-friendly" to the eyes. (especially when using dark font colors on a dark background...must be that printer's ink in my veins from my Father).
I do have to give a thumbs up and a hat tip to both MSNRKEY and GADFLY for their assistance, as it got the cobwebs cleaned out of my brain to think back to a time when I used to work with "hex" on large mainframe 1st gen computers.
That was a couple of lifetimes ago...LOL.
In any event, let me know how this "new look" works for you.
I might be "tweaking" it and ironing out some kinks for a while until it suits MY stringent "requirements". I like to have something that goes "BANG!" every single time riding in MY holster, if you get my drift.
Have yourselves a great weekend.
Be well, make the difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.