Friday Follies - U.K. Edition...
I apologise for being just a tad late this morning, but there was this wedding I just HAD to "attend".
Now, I wasn't "in" with all the PRE-wedding hype from every envisionable media source for the last several weeks...
I'm one of those "cut-to-the-chase" kind of guys...so I tuned in THIS morning to watch the festivities.
And, I have to admit that I wasn't disappointed in the least.
In fact, I had a kind of pride for being one of "those colonials"...lol.
Let's face it, when the Brits decide to hold a royal wedding, they DO indeed pull out ALL the stops!
Kate and William actually give me hope for a better world, having seen them at the altar at Westminster Abbey, and then make their way to Buckingham palace.
This is the stuff of legends, as they used to say.
And without sounding crass, or drawing a reprimand from the Missus, I have to admit that Kate Middleton (now the Duchess of Cambridge) IS (with all due respect) ...a smokin' hottie!
William is one LUCKY (you-know what)...right?
Elegance seemed to rule the day...the carriage, her gown, the Beefeaters, the service...ALL of this had the proper pomp.
Actually, I had another reason for wanting to "stand in attendance" for today's wedding...
(and I think you'll fully understand it)
I will embrace any and all occasions to see how CIVILIZED PEOPLE behave.
I have so few opportunities where we live these days, as it is.
(perhaps that's why I enjoy talking to anyone who comes to our house to fix or repair anything)
Yes, I often become THAT starved for the company of PROPER PEOPLE.
And I suppose that's also why I come to enjoy grocery shopping on Saturdays...imagine that.
A nation, city, town, or borough should be a place of VITALITY; a place where a myriad of people, cultures, and beliefs come to mingle.
Granted that in America, we have our pockets of like-minded folks, and that works for us...we seek a commonality of goals, and of hope for our future AS Americans. That has a uniqueness to it unsurpassed in ANY nation on earth.
But when certain forces conspire to strip us OF such things as liberty, integrity, and even courage, we become lessened as a nation, and even as individuals.
We cease our quest for betterment, and settle in for the mundane.
THAT is why I had to tune in to watch the royal wedding today.
I need that "reminder" of what civilization is, aside from within our four walls.
I need that reassurance that people ELSEWHERE can come together in a kinder spirit to celebrate something important to them.
And I need to see how people truly LIVE their life, and not merely meander through it aimlessly and without purpose.
That becomes the inspiration that I need to stay my course, and re-enforce MY belief in the HUMAN condition.
I think many of us need that "bump" from time to time.
We see the level of complacency or apathy swirling about us from others who might have strayed from life's path, and we try NOT to be compelled to follow suit. We may even try to urge those others to move from their "comfort zone" and back onto life's trail, where they need to be.
Yes, THAT is why I tuned into the wedding today.
I understand that Kate is the first "commoner" to stand on the balcony of Buckingham since Winston Churchill, and is the first to enter the monarchy family.
Score one for "our" side, eh?
Still, I have to admit to being a bit awestruck by it all.
Being a former choir member (and yes, we DID have choirs THAT far back...lol), I was loving the vocal arrangements for the Abbey's music.
I've always been one of those people that so appreciates the architecture and acoustics within the walls of any decent sized church.
After attending a few high masses (back in Philly) at S.S. Peter & Paul along the Franklin Parkway, all I can add , is that if you ever have the chance to go to a big, honking church for a REAL service...GO. Even if it's not YOUR particular denomination (or religion).
You will not go away without a better sense of who God really is, after hearing the music and voices carry throughout the place.
As I say, it's all about being CIVILIZED.
And, in a civilized society, that kind of works out REAL conveniently, doesn't it?
So, you can appreciate my "predicament" down here in Fort Wayne's societal underbelly (actually, more like a CROTCH).
Far be it for me to detract from today's wedding celebration in England...
I find it all too wonderful to behold...and yeah, I'm an old-fashioned romantic when it comes to affairs such as these.
The RAF fly-over with the Lancaster, Hurricane and Spitfire brought a lump to this person's throat. Yeah...I'm a romantic.
And I also consider myself to be more than a bit of an IDEALIST.
(and that often plays hell with my evolving cynicism...LOL)
I hearken back to that famous saying:
"I see things not as they are and ask 'why?'...I see things as they could be and ask 'why not?'..."
Perhaps we need to remind ourselves of who said that and why it was spoken...
And maybe that should be the phrase of this day...not for some, but for ALL of us.
Why not, hmm?
So, I wish the newlywed couple the very best that God and life has to offer them. May they seek guidance and wisdom from above and from those with such gifts to freely give to them.
May they be blessed beyond their years together.
Have yourselves a fantastic weekend, and take a moment to please say a prayer for those throughout our South who have suffered with those terrible storms this past week, and if possible, send a gift of love to those devastated by the weather there.
Remember...even a little bit goes a very long way when it comes to charity.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and as always...
Stay safe out there, America.

Tales From The SOUTH Side...
I've always been a person who liked a bit of "intrigue" when it comes to life.
I like music that intrigues me, reading a book with intriguing characters and plot line, and revel in a TV show that displays a level of intrigue that keeps me captivated.
Much of our life is filled with such things.
Life should NEVER become boring or banal.
Our journey through life is like those hikes through a wooded area...lots of sights and sounds, and always something interesting just around the next bend in the trail.
And sometimes, you slip, tumble and trip your way through some dense underbrush when that trail seems to all but disappear, right?
Case in point...our pending roof repair.
*** Now it's always been said that when you plan something, there will usually be "something else" that will want to get in the way...and THAT is why you always try and have a "plan B" handy.
Other times, there IS no plan B, so you turn your collar up against the wind and rain and soldier forward.
We've been waiting better than one week for the men to come out and repair the damage to our roof, but there has been ONE obnoxious obstacle in our way...all this damn RAIN.
Well, the rain is what's leaking into the house, and is why we're TRYING to get the damn roof repaired.
But, in order to make THAT happen, you need a little bit of FAIR WEATHER, so the guys can get the job done.
That's not been happening.
We've had off and on rain for the last seven days...not enough of a break in this inclemency to get the repair done.
And the roof ain't fixing itself, that's for sure.
That's the one downside to shingled roofs versus rubber and hot tar (like we had in those row homes in Philly).
The hot tar gig takes a couple hours and basically seals the seams on the rubber rooftop...simple enough.
Shingles, on the other hand are a bit more "complex", especially if there's a tear off involved.
And on a single house, there are the dormers, the flashing, and various roof pitches to deal with.
So here we are...STILL waiting to get the repair done...
Sooner or later, it WILL happen...that's inevitable.
A couple stumbles, and a decent trip, and we're hopefully back ON the trail of life.
Then, we address the side fence and/or the front steps...and then the front door...and so on and so forth.
Naturally ALL of this stuff will go just SO FAR to improve the "value" of the house...ROFLMAO!
Nah, it won't...not one damn bit, thanks to everyone ELSE who has helped to bring our value the hell DOWN over the years.
That would be the local "zombies".
And the deteriorating conditions down HERE bring me to my next little gem in this morning's paper.
*** It's about the democrats running for the 6th district city council seat.
(finding a opposing candidate down here is harder than finding shopping or a decent neighbor)
Anyway, here's the lowdown (with my pungent commentary included):
(( 2 challengers take on Hines - Benjamin Lanka The Journal Gazette
Two Democrats are trying to unseat one of their own from the City Council.
The Rev. Michael Latham and Leon Williams both filed to challenge Councilman Glynn Hines, the Democrat who has been the representative for the 6th District since April 1999. The four-year term pays $21,414 this year.
The district encompasses southeast Fort Wayne, extending generally south from downtown and the Maumee River and east from Calhoun Street.
Williams, a telecommunications technician for the Indiana Air National Guard, said he decided to make his first foray into politics after becoming concerned that problems in the southeast weren’t being addressed.
"I was not comfortable with our district falling farther and farther behind," he said.
(now THIS gentleman has got my attention and for the RIGHT reason - he's CORRECT)
He said he isn’t a politician and would only want one term in office to help the city.
Williams said his focus would be on bringing new investors and businesses to the district. To do this, he said, the city needs to look outside its borders to attract something new for residents.
He also said the area needs to address its vacant properties, and he would propose razing them and converting them into city gardens to be shared by neighbors.
(Gee, that's JUST what I said...years ago and right here on this blog)
Latham has been an unpaid volunteer pastor for years locally, but he is probably best known for his time leading the local NAACP.
Latham earned praise for his work with youths, but membership dropped toward the end of his tenure, and some members publicly deemed him a divisive and ineffective leader.
(Gee, and to think he USED to be a REPUBLICAN back in 2006 - who knew?)
He lost his job as the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s chaplain when the agency eliminated his position in 2007. He filed for personal bankruptcy later that year and stepped down from the NAACP in 2008.
(and Latham attempted to stage a boycott at the Wal-mart at the Southtown site -my blog archives from 14 SEP and 18-20 SEP 2006-, but that fell apart like a cheap sweater because he was WRONG in his diatribe against the store and it's practices - major FAIL there, too.)
This history prompted Hines to label Latham as someone who has failed in everything he’s done.
Latham, however, said his experiences in working with the community would make him an excellent council representative.
(You ain't working hard ENOUGH, Rev...and you HAVE failed - This part of town SUCKS big time, largely because of YOUR people)
"I think I probably get more calls than Glynn Hines does," Latham said, noting many residents don’t know their council representative.
(consider yourself fortunate that I never called you)
He said he believes not enough residents are becoming involved in their community. To help rectify this, Latham said he would make himself available to residents regularly. For example, he said, he plans to have office hours every Wednesday morning so people can discuss the previous night’s council meeting.
(Gee, I'm MORE involved that I ever wanted to be over the last DOZEN YEARS, considering all the crime and other crap that goes on...like all that damn NOISE, and I don't get any awards or compensation for it...just a lot of static from everyone around us. Nice way to disrespect white folks with that reverse racism, isn't it?)
Hines said he is not surprised to hear critics attacking his record, but he said he has been able to achieve some important successes while his opponents offer only rhetoric.
(and not one frigging ONE of them did MY area any damn good, Glynn...you're just another political hack.)
For example, Hines said, his district has benefited from the renewal at the site of the former Southtown Mall and the new Urban League complex. The new Renaissance YMCA has also been a win for his district, even though he’s heard concerns that two YMCA branches were closed to accommodate the new center.
"I feel really good about what we’ve done," he said.
(and everything for BLACK PEOPLE...hey, you STILL have a about 40% of the OTHER races down here...what about THEM? Oh wait, we all get the SH*T end of that stick...I forgot)
Hines said he is running for another term to accomplish three objectives.
First, the Renaissance Pointe area near Hanna Street and Creighton Avenue needs more development, and he is pleased that the most recent rent-to-own project will better meet the needs of the neighborhood.
Second, the community needs to decide how it wants to use the McMillen Ice Arena, which he said could be converted into a community center.
Finally, he said the city needs to find a good development to replace the McMillen Park Apartments.
(Glynn, it's not "rent-to-own"...it's RENT-TO-TRASH. Get it right. And nothing about removing ALL those vacant houses...nothing about reducing CRIME, and nothing about reducing NOISE or LITTER...now THAT is REALLY "helping " down here, Glynn...you're just a typical political BS artist!)
Light lease
More than $40 million is expected to become available for city use this summer, and an additional $35 million will be paid over the next 15 years. Deciding how to use the money provided by the lease and sale of the former city electric utility will be one of the key near-term decisions of the city.
Hines said the city needs to use the money as a foundation would use a large endowment. It needs to be invested wisely to generate as much revenue as possible.
(At least THAT makes sense...for once, as long as EVERYONE benefits, and not a select few)
He said the money should be divided between council districts to ensure that all residents feel they are benefiting from the settlement. He said many people simply want sidewalks in their neighborhoods.
Latham said the money needs to be used to help bring the southeast up to speed with the other quadrants.
"The southeast has not been taken care of," he said.
(Finally got SOMETHING right, Rev...BUT let's help EVERYONE and not just certain races down here, OK?)
But the money should be used for more than just making the area look nicer, Latham said; it should be used to help provide jobs for residents.
(Rev, you show these people down here a JOB APP, and you'd think someone SPLASHED some HOLY WATER on a damn VAMPIRE...they can't run fast enough in the other direction from it...
THAT is the damn TRUTH...they don't WANT TO WORK because the government GIVES them damn near everything, and they up and steal the rest from anyone they happen across...again, THAT is the damn TRUTH. I thought preacher always DEALT with truth...)
Williams said the city should save half the money and use the rest to encourage economic growth in the district.
(Not a bad start)
For example, he said, the city could convert Franke Park into an amusement park with roller coasters. The city could also use the money to create a soap box derby and ski hill at Reservoir Park, he said.
(Those are BOTH very noble concepts...BUT, we all know that such venues will get trashed in less than a damn year, the way these creatures behave)
These attractions would bring people into the area, helping spur its development, he said.))
(Get rid of the CRIME - and those committing it FIRST - and you WILL see redevelopment...but not before. I firmly believe that!)
Still, I don't think I can roll my eyes ENOUGH after hearing SUCH nonsense from TWO of the candidates.
At least Mr. Williams does have his heart AND mind in the RIGHT place, doesn't appear to have any race card up his sleeve, and would most likely do a helluva lot MORE for this blighted part of town than the other two put together.
Love to see HIM get the win on this, but we have another "good old boys club" down here...just a different "hue" than the one up north.
*** Now, let's take a look at how just ONE person is back making a difference.
(( Published: April 28, 2011 3:00 a.m.
On job, with guts of highest proof
Liquor store clerk’s alleged shooter surrenders to police - Dominic Adams / Journal Gazette
David Kissinger now carries his .45-caliber Ruger handgun in a holster in front of his left hip.
He can rest a little easier knowing the man accused of shooting him twice during a liquor store robbery is behind bars.
Kissinger, 50, of Fort Wayne, was shot in the back of the head and in his back Jan. 7 while working the night shift at Wildwood Liquors, 3019 Broadway.
Quinton D. Jones, 22, was charged in February with attempted murder, robbery and battery in the shooting. Jones, of the 4900 block of Tyler Street, turned himself in to police Tuesday. He was being held in lieu of $85,000 bail.
Kissinger stood behind the store’s counter Wednesday night retelling the events of the most recent night he was shot: He was also shot during a 1998 robbery while working at Wildwood.
If he had been carrying his gun in plain view, instead of on his back, it might have prevented the shooting, he said.
He said Jones came into the store, talked to him for five minutes and bought a case of Bud Light and a fifth of cognac. When Kissinger asked for identification, Jones left the store saying he forgot his wallet, Kissinger said.
When Jones returned, Kissinger asked him whether he found his ID. Jones pulled a pistol and demanded the money in the cash register, Kissinger said.
"I whipped (the gun) away from my face and tried to grab it," Kissinger said. "When I could see he was going to shoot, I turned my head."
Kissinger fell to the floor and covered his head after being shot. That’s when he said Jones reached over the counter and shot him in the back.
Kissinger said that after he crawled on the floor behind the counter, Jones fired a third shot into the floor where he initially fell.
"I guess I got lucky," said Kissinger, who lost his right index finger after being shot in the 1998 holdup. "I am lucky it was a .22 that he shot me with. If it would have been a bigger gun, I’d have been gone."
Jones began emptying the cash register and when Kissinger moved, it scared Jones and he fled the store, leaving his gun, Kissinger said.
He said he was able to get up and fire two shots at Jones through the store’s front window.
Jones was caught on tape shooting Kissinger, according to Crime Stoppers.
Police also found Jones’ wallet with identification inside after he fled the scene, according to court documents.
After taking a week off of work, Kissinger returned.
He said he was born and raised near the liquor store and never thought about quitting.
"I’m just not a pushover," Kissinger said. "I treat everybody like I’d like to be treated.
When I’m running this place, it’s mine. I don’t own it, but I protect the stuff in it." ))
Amazing story that I covered here the day after it happened.
Nice to see a somewhat HAPPY ENDING.
Would have been better if the perp was killed outright like what happened down at the Belmont Liquor store near the K-Mart a couple years back.
That clerk pumped a .45 ACP round into an armed robber, who then stumbled outside into Tillman road where he died.
So much for free booze and money, and another citizen SAVED by the 2nd Amendment.
*** My Dad always said to be real careful when dealing with strangers, and I have found that to be a TWO-WAY street. Those strangers need to be real careful who THEY deal with.
That's why I keep to myself, and it would benefit others down here to do likewise when it comes to "me".
I will not bother unless bothered first...that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
You cross MY property line uninvited or unwanted...you just made a huge mistake.
I won't go on your property, so it would be in your best interest to refrain from doing such to MY place...simple as that.
If any of these people are THAT stupid as to test my resolve, well, let's say they're gonna get a crash-course in "education".
And when it comes to "diplomacy", I'm as subtle as a brick through a plate glass window.
I deal in FACTS...TRUTH...REALITY when it comes to these zombies.
If they don't like it...THEY can move elsewhere where the "sheep" are more societally-maleable.
Ain't NO sheep here...just one "lone wolf" that prefers to be left alone.
That's not asking for much...
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.

Humpday Happenings...
We've got a full plate this rainy morning in Fort Wayne.
Some good news, some bad news, and a whole lot of "typical" news, and pungent social commentary from yours truly.
So, without any further ado, let's "Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war", as the bard would say.
(woof)
*** First up, I was channel surfing last evening, and found out that the Philadelphia Flyers were in the Stanley Cup semi-finals!
(well, spank me rosy)
Now, you have to remember that I'm from those halcyon days when they won back-to-back Stanley Cups in the early mid-70s at the (no longer standing) arena called the Spectrum down on Pattison Avenue.
So, although I no longer have a "dog in the hunt" (living in Fort Wayne's Ghettoland), I still found it intriguing to discover that the team made it THIS far this season.
I had no idea they were playing that well (been a little busy with ghettohood crap to bother with sports these days).
Being curious about the Flyers, I decided to tune the hell in on game 7 of the series against the Buffalo Sabres.
I was NOT disappointed one damn bit.
It was a 5-2 final score, with the FLYERS taking the series, and looking much like the old Broad Street Bullies from the past (not as much fighting, though...I miss that).
Still, there was some EXCELLENT goal tending by Brian Boucher (him I have heard of before), as he stopped 26 shots from Buffalo.
The Flyers offensively outshot the Sabres by almost 3-1.













I mean, Boucher's NO Bernie Parent (as seen above, and only the LORD saved more in THOSE days), but Boucher DOES have talent...that's for sure.
But there was ONE thing that happened before the game started that made be BELIEVE the Flyers would win...
It was seeing the late KATE SMITH on the overhead TV belting out GOD BLESS AMERICA.
She became an iconic figure for the Flyers as they made their way to those two Stanley Cups.
I don't know HOW (or when) it all began, but one night (back in the 70s) instead of playing the National Anthem, someone put on God Bless America...and the Flyers WON that night.


















So, they did it a few more times (in games that were "must-wins"), and good old Kate came through damn near EVERY SINGLE TIME.
She wound up with a pretty decent win/loss record. (for her age)
When the Flyers went to the cup FINALS, she actually appeared IN PERSON to sing her "trademark" song, and they Flyers WON THE CUP.
The place went wild when she came onto the ice.
Yeah, THOSE were indeed, the days!
I'm kind of stoked for the next series, and I hope these kids can win another cup from Lord Stanley...God knows Philly can use the GOOD PRESS, given the state of that welfare/sanctuary city that suffers from bad politicians, public safety cuts and an entitlement-driven minority that has JUST become the new MAJORITY, according to the latest demographics...welcome to the "new" DETROIT, folks.
Damn shame that our cradle of liberty has devolved into this...breaks my heart!
But, in any event, I'm cheering on the Flyers...!
*** Another update to a story from Good Friday...
(( Published: April 27, 2011 3:00 a.m.
Sole regret in murder try: Failing
/ Archie Ingersoll - Journal Gazette
A Fort Wayne man accused of shooting his child’s mother has admitted to the crime, telling police that he’s not remorseful and would do it again, court records said.
Patrick O. Long, 23, is charged with attempted murder in the Thursday shooting of Radiance Upshaw, 22, outside his parents’ home in the 5200 block of Yorkshire Drive. Police arrested Long shortly after the shooting.
During an interview with police, Long said he confronted Upshaw about a number of issues, including certain phone calls, infidelity and threats he thought she was involved in, according to documents filed last week in Allen Superior Court.
Long told police he "snapped" and tried to shoot Upshaw in the face through her windshield with his Colt .45-caliber handgun but was unsuccessful. He told police he then chased Upshaw around her car and shot at her, aiming to "empty" the gun into her, court records said.
Long’s father tackled him, causing him to drop the handgun, which had no more bullets. Long told police he retrieved his AK-47 and started shooting at Upshaw again, court records said.
By then, Upshaw had been able to get into her car and was driving in reverse down the street. Long told police he chased the car and fired more shots trying to hit Upshaw, according to the report.
Long estimated he unleashed a total of 47 rounds – seven from the handgun, 30 from one AK-47 magazine and 10 from a second magazine, court records said.
According to the report, Long told police he intended to kill Upshaw. He said he was "not sorry and that if he could turn back time that he would do it again," the report said.
Upshaw was found a short distance away and taken to a hospital. According to the report, she was put in a medically induced coma and was to have surgery. She was shot in the face, arm and chest, suffering at least three gunshot wounds, the report said.
Long was being held without bail. He is set to appear in court Thursday. ))
Oh, yeah, the Brady gun folks will be licking their chops over THIS incident!
What surprises me, is HOW this guy managed to get BOTH a .45 Colt (obviously a 1911 model) AND an AK-47 (with multiple magazines and the ammo to fill them). Aside from the obvious psychological FAIL this boy's got going for him, that sh*t all costs MONEY!
Ammo isn't cheap, and the pistol ALONE could run anywhere from $700 up to $1000 (a decent one, and not some poor man's knock off).
I guess no one bothered to question WHERE this was purchased, if in fact it was purchased and not stolen outright (or bought elsewhere in the state or even OUT of state). There needs to be some investigation as to how these weapons were acquired, as well as all that 7.65mm ammo.
Hey, maybe he felt "unsafe" living on the SOUTHEAST SIDE of FORT WAYNE?
(Ya think?)
I mean even I could even relate to THAT crap!
And I'll tell you...some days, it's a REAL internal struggle to keep from going all "Frank Castle" on these moolies around here!
But, I've got some help in that regard...call it divine intervention, if you will.
Still, that Latin motto (Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum) rings true for me.
"If you want peace, prepare for war", or to be more precise - "Peace Through Strength".
*** One thing I've been wondering, is WHY, when houses are rented to the lowest form of humanity on the planet (at least from what I can see and hear), do they either begin with NO car or maybe ONE car at most...and then for some unknown reason, those cars MULTIPLY?
It's just like the PEOPLE in those ghetto-cribs!
I suppose that piece of paper called a LEASE-AGREEMENT means nothing these days?
There was a time when you signed a lease with the knowledge between both tenant and landlord that a SPECIFIED NUMBER OF PEOPLE were to dwell in that place for the length of said lease.
If you said that ONLY 3 people were to reside there...fine (mom, dad and child)...there was NO debate and NO gray area to ponder.
Today, whatever passes for a landlord doesn't seem to be bothered with HOW MANY come to crash at these rentals.
What BEGINS as a family of 3 very soon becomes a tribe of about TEN, and given the mere SIZE of some of these hovels, that doesn't leave a lot of square footage PER person.
That becomes a Neighborhood Code violation, but that is (yet) ANOTHER thing that is NEVER ENFORCED, because it's all done on the "down-low"...just sneak 'em all in under cover of night,...no one will know.
Even when you mention to NCE that there "might" be a violation of the lease agreement, they obviously cannot do anything (or won't).
And the landlord doesn't give a damn...as long as that payment comes his way every month (thanks in no small part to ALL the taxpayers of this nation who DO work their asses off...but you all knew that).
So what can you do?
Not a whole helluva lot, apparently.
And when more people decide to "move in", they bring their car with them (naturally). That means a house that only USED to accommodate ONE car now has to "double down" and accommodate TWO (or more...usually MORE), which spells trouble for YOUR property, as they will invariably find some way to have a ton of people over and spread out down the block (like that picture I showed you all on Monday - NINE cars on the damn street...all over the place).
Again, NO sense of boundaries, and to hell with anyone ELSE living on the street (especially if the others are "other-raced").
Nothing is ever done with THIS problem, either...
Time for the city "leaders" to get their collective heads from out their asses and do SOMETHING to change all this.
Upholding the LAWS and ORDINANCES would be a fine start (...It's "alimentary", Watson...lol)!
And for God's sake, start holding everyone to the exact SAME standard...no more of this "one group does one thing, and the other group does whatever the hell they want to"...that's sh*t for the birds!
I suppose that's why I have NO love lost for these cretins in my area...I have NO pity for them either, as well as NO TIME to waste on them.
They say "get to know your neighbors"...are you freaking KIDDING ME?
Why on God's green earth would I EVER want to "get to know" people who work LESS than the recently deceased, deal and/or use drugs, prostitute themselves, are deaf beyond their years (as the loud music and constant yelling displays), have no taste in clothing, friends, or music, spend more time in jail than the guards, and more time in front of a judge than a defense attorney, and seek to devote their meaningless lives to making fools of themselves in public whenever the mood strikes them?
I could pound my genitalia flat with a wooden mallet and have a better time than to get to know THESE "people".
*** Lastly today, there has to come a time in everyone's life when you just KNOW that YOU have to govern YOURSELF.
You come to understand what is meant by SELF-control.
You realize that to live beyond your means is financial suicide, and to live off of others, take from others, or assault others because you can is something that makes you sick.
Real Americans have railed against such prescripts, and that's what made this nation. We rely on OURSELVES first and foremost...and when we know we can indeed take care of ourselves, THEN, we can help others and allow them to help us.
We don't cry "foul", and don't weep crocodile tears because we're too damn lazy to perform the most basic of society's tasks.
We man (or woman) up and get the job DONE...period.
THAT is how society EVOLVES.
THAT is how we become better today then we were the day before.
And we don't do it in leaps and bounds...
We do it by incremental "baby-steps"...one at a damn time.
It's worked pretty well for us in the past, and whatever worked then WILL work now.
All we have to do is take time to participate.
And I hope that gets all of you throwing a fist into the air and yelling "YEAH!"
It's nothing new...just some plain old common sense that you can take to the bank.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.

A Final Postscript on Easter...
As I had predicted (and as many of you in law-enforcement have come to know) crime NEVER seems to take a holiday.
Easter is not any exception, especially in MY little part of the Fort Wayne Ghettohood.
On Saturday and Sunday, we had a grand total of THIRTY-TWO boomcars that were loud enough to make you stop what you were doing and take notice.
That would include shaking the house, drowning out the TV (or radio), or even waking the dead...and that naturally excludes those "walking dead" we have cribbing on my block.
That's 32 citations that COULD have been written had just ONE officer been around to do so.
And, at $150.00 a pop, that was a nice chunk of change..about $4800.00 that was otherwise NOT collected for the city and remains in the (saggy) pockets of the socially-illiterate and societally-dysfunctional.
Now, the FWPD states that they "made close to six HUNDRED noise citations JUST last year"...
((*rolls eyes*))
...AHEM...
Wow, I'm just so damn impressed that I could crap PLAID!
That is about the smallest drop in the biggest bucket that I have ever heard of.
Now, you know my feelings about those who display their audio prowess (read manhood) by invading the houses of all the decent folks.
And it's not up to me to address the issues of certain male inadequacies versus bass kicker-box sizes, either
But I do profess to know a little bit about something we call THE LAW...as well as the way it SHOULD be upheld.
For years, I have belabored my point about patrolling the area to PREVENT the rise not only of noise, but also of crime.
A (very) few have listened to what I had to say...too few to make the impact needed to halt such a rise.
There used to be something the city called QUALITY-OF-LIFE, and is bound to pursue that for it's citizenry.
Down here...not so much.
Otherwise, we'd be seeing a lot more noise violations being written up, right?
Hell, neither the department NOR Parking Control can figure out all those that block driveways, and sidewalks with their vehicles, as well as parking the wrong damn way on their side of the street...and that should be some REALLY EASY sh*t to figure out.
Now, if you call dispatch, THEN (and only then) will that illicit the police to move on it.
But that is a REACTIVE stance, and not a PROACTIVE one.
Funny, how in other cities, even SMALLER than Fort Wayne, the police don't seem to have this particular problem, OR are taking the steps needed to quiet the din of these audio-terrorists in our midst.
In Roseville, Michigan, they are fighting back against such boomcars.
Here's the source article (and a damn good read):
http://www.noisefree.org/newsroom/pressrelease-display.php?id=111
Imagine that, taking AWAY the offending vehicle and placing a nice hefty FINE to get it back...works for me.
And those other cities seem to be on track when it comes to taking care of it's tax-paying citizens.
Wish I could say likewise for down here.
The Elkhart, Indiana story especially puts a smile on MY face.
Here's the source article on this:
http://www.wndu.com/hometop/headlines/102908324.html
In a city like Elkhart, which is considerably SMALLER than Fort Wayne, the police THERE have written several hundred MORE tickets...astounding!
Wonder why THEY can do it there, and we can't seem to do that here?
The funny thing about the ONE OFFICER assigned to the "NOISE DETAIL", is that he has made MORE DRUG BUSTS (as a result of stops from violation of the noise ordinance there) than the narcotics team in that city!
That's just a-freaking-mazing!
So WHY can't that be done here, and especially in areas such as mine?
I mean, it's NOT like I haven't been forthcoming with vehicle descriptions, tag numbers and occupancy (when you can see past that damn too dark tint)...I HAVE BEEN...and for the LAST SEVEN YEARS!
Hell, I've got HUNDREDS of digital pictures eating up my computer storage OF such vehicles, complete with a T.O.D. and tag numbers. I have a corroborating written LIST of them also.
And I regularly pass this along to the quadrant captain, hoping that something gets done.
So far...not a whole helluva lot.
I keep seeing the same vehicles thumping through the area, sometimes for YEARS, so it doesn't appear as if ANYONE is confiscating the vehicles, does it?
And since I keep hearing them, they HAVE to be "repeat offenders"...more money missed.
When you have THAT many vehicles coming past your house, you have to wonder WHY that is...and the answer is so damn simple:
It's because these drivers KNOW the police aren't gonna be around to stop them or ticket them.
That ALSO explains the curbside drug deals I manage to get pictures off.
Calling these items in is a waste of time, too.
By the time the police even GET to the area, these druggies will be long gone.
But that's not the officer who's driving the cruiser's fault...it's the fault of the command staff.
THEY are the ones who assign and place officers "where they're most needed"....like up NORTH, where ticketing people at specific intersections is a helluva lot easier (and the people tend to PAY the citations, unlike the scofflaws down here).
Still, if the jerks down here WERE cited often enough, they would find somewhere else to go, and pronto.
After all, business is business.
Traffic stops for noise are about as rare down here as a decent neighbor.
And given the number of vehicles I see AT NIGHT with blown out headlights, tail lights and license plate lights, that manage to fly under the radar for months, if not years, one can only conclude that THEY aren't being stopped either, right?
I suggested what the FWPD could do to "lower the boom" in my ghettohood.
And all it would take would be one officer in a beach chair on my property with a radio and another in an UNMARKED car down the street.
It's worked damn well in OTHER cities...helluva "sting-op", and perfectly well within the law.
When the offending vehicle is stopped, it's TOWED to impound...none of this "let's make a deal" BS...period.
Tack on a nice STIFF fine of say...$250.00 (per violation), and do that for a few weeks during ALL shifts, and presto...instant quiet!
And it would NOT surprise me one damn bit that THESE officers would wind up making MORE DRUG BUSTS than our vice/narcotics team...not to mention any illegal GUNS being carried around. Hell, we could put the officers on "commission", and they could retire early, given the sheer numbers of offensive vehicles down here...LOL.
Like I say, I DO know something about THE LAW...and the way it SHOULD be followed AND upheld.
There is simply NO reason why decent people need be subjected to such interruptions of their repose...none at all.
But there IS a solution to such a problem, as long as someone is willing to make the right call in the FWPD to make it happen.
It's not ONE man pitching a fit out here....there are others that are too scared to say anything, or feel as I have in the past - that nothing can be done.
Well, time for that "nothing" to take a hike, because something CAN be done...and SHOULD BE.
This affects more than "just me"...it affects everyone exposed to such noise, and particularly those INSIDE such vehicles, especially the kids.
That hurts not only their ears, but their future, and we all know that drug dealers make no bones about taking kids "along for the ride" down here.
Taking care of the NOISE would go a LONG way to stopping a lot bigger sh*t from occurring down here, that's for sure.
And who knows...it might even bring back a little bit of CIVILITY into a wasteland of ignorance.
That's always a good thing, no matter where you live.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.