17 August 2012

Friday Follies...
Welcome to the weekend...and it's going to be a very nice day weather-wise here in the Heartland (at least where WE are), with temps topping out in the LOW 70s...now THAT I can live with (and so can our ELECTRIC BILL...LOL).
And I suppose that we'll be seeing those Halloween sales abounding very shortly, with Christmas sales right behind them...you know marketing LOVES to push things WAY in advance.
But, for now, we're going to see if we can get the next 72 hours off nice and easy, instead of with a ton of angst and trepidation.
So let's get rolling and get this load hauled to market.
*** First up, I want to thank ALL of you (deeply) that allowed this blog to PASS the 200K PAGE VIEW mark!
I checked the stats the other day and went..."WOW"...!
Two Hundred Thousand...I'm totally astounded by your loyal readership (or at least the ability to wander in here by accident, and poke about a bit...lol).
Thanks, again.
*** Yesterday, I was talking about the FWPD cruiser fleet taking a few whacks, courtesy of the dumbass drivers in and around this city, and then, as I was watching the local news, they mentioned this device that can potentially LOWER the number of crashes at intersections.
Made here in INDIANA, it's called the ELIMINATOR...and wouldn't you JUST know it...
WAY, WAY back on 27 August 2008, I posted here (check the archives for that date - it's THERE still) about a Fort Wayne City Council meeting I had just watched, where they discussed the possibility of using a device for "traffic light control" (priority vehicles aka police and fire) called...(...you guessed it...)...
THE ELIMINATOR...!
Well, at least I've been doing MY homework all these years.
Here's the website for the device:
And coincidently, here is the story from last night's news (with video):
It amazes me that this city has not had the chance to USE this yet...Indy has done so for FIVE years - ditto for St. Louis.
And given the recent rash of accidents when citizens have crashed INTO FWPD cruisers, you'd "think" it was high time we gave this device a SERIOUS look.
Not so fast, believes FWPD chief Rusty York.
He's not convinced this will aid enough to pay for itself.
I dunno...weigh the COST of a damn police CRUISER (or a fire engine), fully-outfitted and the possible hospital costs of an officer or firefighter(s) AGAINST the price to hook up this device around town...I'm sure the OFFICERS (and FIREFIGHTERS) might believe OTHERWISE when THEIR LIVES are in jeopardy, right, Rus?
Seems to ME to be a "NO-BRAINER", Chief York...something you SHOULD be well-acquainted with...LOL.
Now, the interesting thing about traffic control devices (as I stated back in 2008) is that for a nominal cost (as much as a high-end radar detector), I can go to a website and get me a little thing that can CHANGE TRAFFIC LIGHTS for ME...!
((...WTF???...))
Yep, you heard me right...
YOU can have the ability to do what our FWPD chief would deny his officers.
(imagine that)
Now, THIS device, called the MIRT, is nowhere AS sophisticated as the Eliminator, BUT, what it does is trip the sensor that is built into those BIG RED "buttons" you push to cross the street, thereby turning a RED light to GREEN...pretty cool, huh?
Here's THEIR website with links for ordering:
http://www.themirt.com/
However, if you happen to be strapped for cash (and who isn't under THIS regime?), you can go to AMAZON and order up something called the the TRAFFIC LIGHT CHANGER, and THIS baby can be had for around $16, and is made for your moped, scooter or motorcycle.
Here's the link:
Or THIS one for even LESS:
But, if you wish to be REALLY up-to-date with your technology...they HAVE AN APP for it now (what...you thought otherwise?)
And here's THIS link:
There are a bunch more, but you can easily see that the CITIZENS can handily have more control over traffic signals than our police chief would allow for first responders.
Now, what all these other devices do (as I just said above) is trip the preemptive sensor in the signal...like pushing that button, if you were standing on the corner, waiting to cross.
The ELIMINATOR would work with ANY light, providing it was tied into the system.
I think that considering that the president and CEO of the company (Dave Gross) wants to GIVE the devices to Fort Wayne, I think it can only be a help, and not any sort of hindrance.
City Council should really think on this again...and 3rd district councilman Tom Didier should lead the charge, as he was one of those very interested back in 2008.
But, it's not like I wind up sitting at lights that don't change for no reason...as do we all, right?
*** I've been a "fan" of John Stossel when he used to be on ABC, and that was a long time.
I enjoy his take on the issues facing us, and the common sense reasoning behind why things need to change, or even if they don't.
He's got some great videos on YouTube, including one about those damnable BOOMCARS (and why the idiots have them).
Now, he's got a show on FBN (Fox Business) that is re-aired on Fox News (check listings for local times), and last night's show was nothing short of brilliant. I love when I hear the TRUTH being told.
He showed us TEN PROMISES that politicians don't keep...
(I supposed that time constraints prevented the other 379...LOL)
Here's a link that gives you a "CLIFFS NOTES" on the episode:
You have to say one thing about Stossel...he does HIS homework, too.
(wow, that's like DEJA VU...all over again...LOL)
It's definitely worth a watch...and you can learn so DAMN much in that hour.
And yes, KNOWLEDGE is STILL power, people.
*** Lastly today, Fort Wayne has a gang problem...a GROWING one, and we've recently had articles addressing the issue, but no REAL solutions, and sometimes, no idea how to even attempt to control the problem.
(I've got MY ideas, and that's why I'll NEVER be elected to public office...think Judge Roy Bean...or The Punisher...heh, heh, heh)
So, I'm going to do a gratuitous plug for another show on (this) Saturday called THE FORT REPORT.
It's on at 5:30PM (local time here) on Comcast channel 57 - FiOS channel 27, and is slated to have FWPD chief Rusty York on.
Kevin Leininger will be discussing the gang issue with him, and that should be (quite) interesting.
I know I will be watching...intently.
This city COULD have taken a more proactive stance with gangs and crime back when Helmke was mayor...and crack cocaine first came to town...but we see that was not the case.
And successive city leaders have followed suit and done as little as possible to keep the SE side (and now, parts of the SW side as well) from falling into the societal abyss.
I've always said that:
 "ANY CITY IS ONLY AS GOOD AS IT'S WORST AREA."
And that seems to apply all to well to the Summit City.
Remember, I come from PHILADELPHIA - a city that has had democrat leadership for way too long and suffers a worse fate than we do here, because THEIR problem is much wider spread, and was allowed to grow damn near exponentially over the past few decades.
I have already seen (back there) where Fort Wayne might be heading, and it's not a pretty picture.
I believe the citizens of Ft. Wayne have it within them (most of them anyway) to get all those "civil servants" to OWN UP to the problems, call them out on them, and get them rectified to the betterment of ALL the citizenry.
It's not a pipe dream...but it can be the future for this city.
And the future is one place where most ALL of us will be spending damn near ALL of our time.
Have yourselves a great weekend.
Be well, make a difference to someone today, and as always...
Stay SAFE out there, America.

10 comments:

CWMartin said...

As soon as I saw the Eliminator story, I said, "Bob'll be all over THAT tomorrow!" Caught my eye where the dude said 50-70% of cities have some form of this, and Rusty said he doubted that. Well, hopefully he'll remove his head from his rectum before a preventable police death occurs. I wouldn't be too optimistic on the Fort Report though. This city's policy for controlling gangs has always been "What gangs?"

Bob G. said...

CWM:
I was on that story when they FIRST mentioned it on City Council...and that WAS 4 years ago.

And we can get it FOR FREE...!!!

Rusty is squeaking WAY too much these days...WD-40 anyone?

I'd rather have RUSTY VENTURE (Venture Bros on CTN) running the FWPD...(as would most of the rank and file) LOL.

Kevin asks some good questions usually, but I agree that TOO MANY folks in this city hierarchy have been in the STATE OF DENIAL...rather than the STATE OF INDIANA.
(geographically-challenged, no doubt)

And DENIAL is STILL not just a river in Eqypt.
(right Mr. Twain?)

This city CAN do better for MOST, rather than just for some...and that's a FACT, my friend.

Thanks for stopping on by today and commenting.

You have a great (picture-filled) weekend and do stay safe up there.

John DuMond said...

Congrats on passing the 200k mark, Bob.

I'm a big fan of John Stossel too. I generally don't watch FBN, but I do see him on O'Reilly every week. And I read his columns at Townhall.com. Definitely a sharp guy. Too smart for ABC News, which is probably why he jumped to Fox.

Bob G. said...

John D,"
Thanks for "my passing"...ROFL!

(time sure flies when you're ranting and raving as I often do)

Stossel's a good egg...knows his stuff, and also knows how to PRESENT it so that even a college dropout like ME can fathom it all.

He talks TO me...not AT me.
I like that.

(Now, if he'd ONLY JUST post a "BABE OF THE WEEK" once in a while...LOL)

I am glad he's on FOX now.

Thanks again for your readership.
You have yourselves a great weekend and be sure to roll safe out there.

Slamdunk said...

Congrats on the 200,000+ Bob. I am sure it is an equal mix of stalkers and admirers.

Interesting on the Eliminator. Hopefully, the chief will come around on the issue and at least give those a test run.

Enjoy your weekend Bob.

Bob G. said...

Slamdunk:
I'm very honored by ALL the readers I have as well as those who stop on by to comment.
(comment moderation is SO damn cool...heh)

I do think some people just got LOST on the Internet and stumbled into HERE!

--The only way the chief will come around is when he is REPLACED with someone who happens to be more of the VERTEBRATE persuasion...
(wink, wink...nudge nudge)

Hope you folks had a nice time at the shore and didn't get burned.

Thanks for the congrats and I trust that you and all the other assorted "Slamdunks" will have a very nice weekend (winding down from the beach).

Stay safe out there.

Jana said...

It's also about time for Labor Day sale commercials to start hitting the air too. I haven't seen one yet in our area, but I'm waiting for one.

Bob G. said...

Jana:
Yeah, y'know...I haven't seen any ADS yet in the paper, either...(?)

They must be waiting until NEXT week.
(not that any of that matters where WE live...anything LABOR-related is lost on these "primate screwheads" (gratuitous Army of Darkness phrase)...LOL.

They simply DO NOT WORK...at all.

Hey, thanks for stopping by today and commenting.

You and Hubs have a great weekend
Stay safe out there.

gadfly said...

John Stossel had a dandy piece in the newspapers and elsewhere this week - which asks why we still have troops in Europe, Korea, and an AFB in Greenland. He also takes some cracks at Obama's military endeavors.

http://www.creators.com/opinion/john-stossel/wars-to-end-war.html

I say we get the hell out of Afghanistan, close down unneeded bases and bring all the troops home. Even our wonderful military spends far too much money with the their crony capitalist suppliers.

Bob G. said...

Gadfly:
One of the things I enjoy abut Stossel is that he asks what I wonder about...like ALL our military bases all over the globe...
DO we REALLY need THAT many bases with THAT many troops in peaceful zones?
I will definitely check out that link!

If we took ALL those troops and turned them over to endeavors HERE in the USA (like patrolling our BORDERS, or other forms of infrastructure repair or upkeep), it would probably AMAZE most Americans at what ALL we could get done.
But, I'm sure the TRADE union bosses would pitch a fit over that, as would the ACLU (for some lame reason).

Thanks for dropping on by today and commenting.
Have yourself a very nice weelend and stay safe out there.