08 July 2014

Tales From The SOUTH Side...
Yes friends,  time for another "fun-filled" excursion into the societal black hole (no pun intended...lol) we've come to know as the south side of Fort Wayne.
And we'll be taking this sojourn directly, but first, what is going on with the weather, anyway?
Today will find the Hoosierland a bit on the "soft" side (a British term), meaning we'll see some rain...and lots of clouds masking the sun...and a fair amount of humidity along for the ride.
The good news is that the temps will rise to around 80 degrees, so with that humidity it may feel like 85 outside...
Some comfort there?
Anyway, let's get that morning cup of coffee, tea, or whatever poured and start the day off with a SMILE...it'll confound the hell out of most folks and even honk off a few, because THEY won't know what's going on...
*** First out of the cereal bowl today is the bi-yearly trek Wifey and I make to the Southtown Wal-Mart.
Walmart - Where America shoplifts...!
We set off around 9-ish yesterday morning, which gives US an edge when it comes to the number of undesirables out and about in this part of Fort Wayne.
Since many of them don't roll off the mattress on their floor until 1100 hrs, it's safe to conclude that they are still crapped out from whatever problems they've caused the previous day.
Wifey wanted to get some school supplies, which she did (I got a 2-pack of retractable gel-ink pens for LESS than a buck). I looked for some graphic t-shirts (nothing struck my fancy, even in the boys LARGE sizes), and later settled for a couple action figures.
((Note - NEVER grow up SO much that you forget to acknowledge your "inner child".))
Thor - Captain America - Hulk - Hawkeye - Iron Man
Still working on getting "the band back together"...lol.
The Black Widow figure is going to be hard to get...(ditto for Nick Fury) as they only ship one or two per BOX to stores...go figure.
And I also got a SanDisk 8Gb flash drive for $5!
This is LARGER than ACTUAL size!
Actually, the damn things should be called a PINKY-DRIVE, because that's how frigging SMALL the thing is...seriously. it's half the size of the regular flash drive...amazing.
The DVD section was less than enthralling with the prices for movies (better to shop eBay for those...or Amazon). They did have some CDs for $5 that might be worth a look later on. Good "best of" albums.
We then strolled into the garden section and snagged some decent plants (hosta, gellardia, and some sort of dahlia), and with yesterday's rain, they perked right back up (lots of seed pods on them, and the hosta hasn't even bloomed yet).
That went well, and the car was still where we left it...again, amazing...lol.
Around 4PM, the TV man (named Chuck, and a 'Nam vet) stopped by to fix my Mitsubishi TV (from the 1980s). Seems it has a slight tuner problem, but the "fix" was easier than I could imagine.
It has THREE selections for input reception - TV, EXT1 and EXT2. I already have the DVD player on the EXT1, so Chuck took my RCA plug set (spare for the VCRs), and plugged the cable box into the EXT2, and PRESTO, the set comes on right away without any noise or scrambled picture - no waiting to warm up.
There 'ta go then...he had to charge the diagnostic fee, but his business does NOT bill for a TRIP CHARGE or SERVICE FEE.
The place is called AAA-TRI COLOR TV SERVICE, located off of Bluffton Rd, past the Marathon and Scotts...he knows his stuff.
I don't mind telling people where to go...lol.
But, I did feel like I should have known this...I used to be a service center parts manager for Circuit City in Philly.
(yeah, you DO forget more than you learn...that's a fact)
AND...just to end on a good (er) note...I bought another Beta VCR (same model as the one I have) on eBay...and it was slightly more than 2 Franklins (in Alaska of all places), so, HOPEFULLY, I won't wind up getting burned and soon once again be able to watch those movies (get some popcorn, Chris...lol)
Another one on the way...cross yer fingers.
Ebay DOES have a money-back guarantee on this as well...so, we shall see.
Meanwhile, back at the welfare line...
*** If you got yesterday's J-G paper, you saw the front page story about (here we go again)...POVERTY.
Well, here's the story link, just in case it got by you:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140707/LOCAL/307079964/0/SEARCH
Here we go again...just tell ALL the truth.
It "appears" we have MORE people in poverty in Fort Wayne than we USED to have.
And I say that with much caution, because we NEVER get the whole story, as we SHOULD.
Within ten short years, our fair city has seen it's "poor" DOUBLE in numbers.
Graphs are nice, but FACTS are better.
Some point to those who show up at the local food bank, and I don't think that should be THE barometer to measure poverty.
Instead, let's approach this from a COMMON SENSE standpoint.
If you make a specific INCOME LEVEL as the bar by which one measures poverty, that's fine.
For example, if you say that $20K is the "poverty level" (for a family of 4, typically), it's a foregone conclusion that there WILL be some that fall at or below THAT level....BUT, if you RAISE that number to say...$40K, then a LOT MORE folks will suddenly "become" poor, according to your new income level.
It's a convenient way to fudge the figures, and it often works to pull the wool over many eyes.
And, if you KEEP raising that income level, you WILL "create" MORE poor people, according to the assessment of what is defined AS "the poverty level"
It's a vicious circle, but it DOES create a good way to secure funding for various projects that never really ELEVATE those out of poverty, otherwise we'd see PROGRESS and lower figures for those once labelled as poor, right?
Nice ride...
THAT costs WELL over $30K
Wow...ANOTHER Caddy
Naturally, the SE part of Fort Wayne falls into the "poverty" category (as a whole), and yet, there are MORE Cadillac CTS and Escalades driving about than anyplace else.
Vehicles with THOUSANDS poured into earth-shaking stereos systems, fancy-ass ghetto rims and tires, gag-a-maggot paint jobs and logos all over...none of that stuff doesn't come for pennies on ANY dollar.
Rims/tires cost more than the car...
Then there are the BMWs, the Mercedes, the Corvettes, and sundry OTHER brand new vehicles.
With such poverty attributed to OUR part of town, one WOULD think that we'd have FEWER new vehicles, and fewer vehicles in general, but the REVERSE is the case, so WHERE do all these poor people GET the resources to buy such vehicles?
Gotta be illegal means like drugs, prostitution, or some other criminal activity, because the number of JOBS both here and everywhere else are limited, and I'm not seeing evidence of a plethora of doctors, lawyers, and other professional around here...except semi-professional criminals.
Gots MAH money
And, just to toss another log on this poverty fire, the SOUTHEAST has been tallied as the area with the SECOND LARGEST AMOUNT OF DISPOSABLE INCOME for the city (the NW being number one), and THAT stat was tossed out here YEARS ago...nothing to make me think that has changed one damn bit.
Yet, to look at this part of town, you'd immediately think the opposite...boarded up houses by the score, trash-strewn streets, highest levels of ALL criminal activity in the city...yeah, they're all poverty-stricken down here.
No, too many of these people have managed to GAME THE SYSTEM and make it a bloody ART FORM in the process.
We also have the highest number of children in the free lunch program, the highest number of people on assistance programs, and the like.
They get to pay less for damn near everything, and yet drive about in a new car.
Rent-A Center LOVES this part of town (except when someone moves and takes merchandise with them)
A fun "game"...for the whole family.
You HAVE to see the truth in this for what it is...and it's NOT all about poverty...it never really is, except for a small number of people who ARE truly destitute, because of extenuating circumstances.
The rest is (as typical for liberals) all smoke...and mirrors.
*** Next up, .in lieu of the recent deaths of police officers in Indiana (killed in the line of duty) there comes this editorial from the J-G.
Here's the link to the OP-ED page:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140708/EDIT07/307089999/1021/EDIT
Now, overall, it's NOT a bad editorial, but as usual, it just misses being a GREAT editorial.
Got street time, Garry?
I feel it dwells to much on what FWPD chief Garry Hamilton has to say, and should rather speak to how the OFFICERS in the FWPD feel.
Sure, Garry was brought up through the ranks (at an astronomical pace, I might add), but spent little time on the streets, as opposed to those "grunts in the trenches", so his perspective may be lacking more so than a regular rank and file officer "in the bag" (in uniform and not undercover).
Hell, I could say as much, and I haven't been "on the streets" in years...it's only from what I see on MY streets daily HERE.
Hamilton said "Officers have to be vigilant in dealing with the people they encounter."...
Really? 'Ya think so?
When is any officer NOT vigilant when on the job? Even when at a lunch stop, your head's on a damn swivel, and that carries over to when you're not even on the clock, but at home.
It becomes INGRAINED to any real LEO...just ask them.
And even when you're no longer behind the shield, you NEVER forget it...you still practice that "situational awareness" wherever you go.
In the cruiser...
The article DOES mention what I said yesterday - that some officers DO have the M-4 variant of the AR-15 assault rifle in their cruisers.
And...in the field.
I know this to be fact...and it's been this way for years.
Naturally, the case for more GUN regulations comes into play, and all of you are intelligent enough to KNOW it's NOT about GUNS...but PEOPLE, so I won't belabor that point (today, anyway...lol)
The article ends with how to conduct YOURSELF should you ever are stopped by an officer...(a no-brainer for me.)
--Don't make furtive or suspicious moves in your car
--Keep BOTH hands in plain view of an approaching officer
--Be courteous - they're only doing THEIR job. Do YOURS and be a good citizen.
--Don't get snotty if another police car rolls up - it's there to assist the first officer.
LEOs have a thankless job...their task is to protect all of us (especially when we can't protect ourselves), and the best thing we can do along those lines is to provide ALL of them with the respect they deserve. After all, it's OUR tax money at work, isn't it?
*** Last back to the stables today...I am a firm believer in being as PROACTIVE in life as is possible.
Being able to "sess out" a situation before it gets completely out-of-hand is always preferred than waiting until the proverbial "sh*t hits the fan"...then you're just performing DAMAGE CONTROL to keep the bad from getting worse, right?
And you don't have to be a LEO (or military personnel) to make that evaluation in your life.
There are common, everyday things you can do to ensure a higher level of safety for you and yours.
People who leave doors unlocked, windows open, items in plain sight in vehicles ALL are just asking to become a victim in petty crimes.
And many times, they are.
I suppose the best advice would be to get to KNOW WHO YOU ARE...seriously.
It sounds a little ridiculous, but think about it.
YOU spend the MOST time with YOU, so who better to make changes that will affect you (and your loved ones and your hard-earned possessions)?
Learn to be more aware...check things, make lists, and then do what you need to do to make things better in your life.
And in this case, better means safer.
It's not the world of our parents and grandparents any longer...God knows that.
Also, it falls to us who follow to keep this world from coming unraveled at the seams
We can do this...we're no less than those who came before us...we just have to learn that again...and believe it to be true.
Therein lies the lesson for today.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.

10 comments:

Momma Fargo said...

Hah. I want one of those ghettopoly games. Didn't you know the prized possessions of the ghetto are the Black Cadillac and big screen tvs. LOL

Bob G. said...

Momma Fargo:
Hey, girl...how 'ya been?

Yeah...these ghetto-fleas have got that whole PRIORITY thing in life ALL screwed the hell up, right?
They rather HAVE that Caddy and big-screen than put food on their tables...or clothes on their kids' backs!
(that's the giveaway free stuff they snag)
You just CAN'T feel sorry for those that CHOOSE to be so damn stupid.

Hey, thanks for rolling up today and commenting.

Stay safe down there.
(and that invite is still open...anytime - free coffee!)
:)

John DuMond said...

Some good tips on minimizing problems when dealing with LEOs. I would add this: Don't pull out your camera phone and stick in the cop's face to record the interaction. That should be a no-brainer, But based on some stuff I've seen on Youtube, it's not as self-evident as you'd think.

Bob G. said...

John D.:
Oh, definitely...without ANY doubt!
Some of the morons on YouTube LIVE for such things, and there are some others who live to label ALL law-enforcement as jack-booted goose-steppers.
That's beyond pathetic (imho).

Personally, if you're DRIVING, THAT is your FIRST CONCERN (or it should be.
You shouldn't have the phone out at all, but I'm SUCH a "throwback"...LOL.

Hey, thanks much for stopping by o comment today.
(good advice, too)

You stay safe out there.

CWMartin said...

I have spent the last two days defending LEOs to a friend who is convinced that any American PD is the local repository for jack booted thugs. And I have to say that incidents like the ones in California, hell the one in Rochester IN don't make that job easier.

We have had SO many cases of police corruption in just OUR area... and every other week, some idiot with a badge is making their "film debut" thrashing someone above and beyond the call of duty.

I refuse to see it that way... I respect the honest cops for the job they do... But damn it, guys, does EVERY small town Barney Fife have to railroad someone just for something to do?

The three positions in this nation that should wield the most honor and respect- the President, the pastor, and the cop- and each one has seemingly been rotted by individuals who go beyond, "Well he's only human" and into the kind of person that those who are just looking to trash our way of life have been licking their chops waiting on.

Is this then the fate of our world? To watch every structure that good men have built up to establish us crumble under the damage done by the godless termites we've become? Some may chuckle and say, Martin's facing reality". I don't look at it as reality. I look at it as a shit shame. Everyone out for themselves. Morality defined as whatever I can get away with.

Remind me they're wrong, Bob. Remind me and keep reminding me as long as one good man, one good priest, one good beat rookie stands up, there's still hope. Even Paul says, "This world has been subjected to futility". Please keep reminding me that finding the worth in this world doesn't HAVE to require total divorce from the humanity thereon.

Slamdunk said...

Glad you survived a trip to Wallyworld and when I lived in a city you use the same effective strategy that I did: most of the disorderly folks don't roll out of bed until after 10 am .

Love your figures. I was always partial to the old Justice League characters. My favorite was the Flash and I got the old 1970s cartoons of them (Challenge of the Super Friends) in which all of them have enjoyed for years now.

Like you, the tips for acting when stop by the police are common sense of course. The police officers that I know encourage their kids to choose other professions--it is a difficult job that is not going to change anytime soon.

Dodging thunderstorms this evening Bob--hope the sun is shining on you there.

gadfly said...

John and Bob - Is there a law against recording the conversation between LEO and citizen? If not, then the LEO's should not be offended, since they are recording the stop from the camera mounted atop the squad dashboard.

R E S P E C T ... and as Ronaldus Magnus advised, trust but verify.

Bob G. said...

Chris:
There has been) corruption found in almost everything that MAN has devised, and police are not "above the law" on this one.
I see evidence of a definite EVIL at work to undermine damn near everything these days.
I will also hold fast to any and ALL honest officers in this regard.
Ditto for pastors.
The few that surface and are discovered who have been committing wrong will and should be punished, but we must never allow the entire barrel to be spoiled for a few rotten apples as many out there would have us do.
That is lunacy and will lead to anarchy...and we don;t want that at ALL.
It will ALWAYS be that one person who can (and will) make that difference in OR out of uniform.

Thanks for stopping by today and commenting.
Much appreciated.

Stay safe up there.

Bob G. said...

Slamdunk:
Yeah, W-Mart is always an "adventure" for me...lol.
Whenever I want to remind myself as to WHY I miss all those smaller stores and the marvelous people who worked at them all...I go to WallyWorld.

Glad you like the figures...I did change one of them to better represent the people they represent.

Chris has seen "the room" upstairs with ALL the rest of my ill-gotten gain...!
(and then, there are the boxes with UNOPENED figures)

We did have some sun today...so you'll be getting that soon enough. I called it in.
:)
Thanks for taking time to drop bu and comment today.

Stay safe out there.

Bob G. said...

Gadfly:
I honestly do NOT know if there is a "blanket rule" when it comes to recording officers.
(individual discretion, perhaps?)

If you try it covertly, it COULD come back to bit you in the ass...and to ASK them would seem like you "want" to set them up (from their POV).

I can see where it could be construed as an invasion of privacy and even an interference of an investigation, but I have ALSO seem where people get rousted for recording from a distance...

Other officers will even POSE with citizens while on-duty.
It's a curious blend of what should and should not be done, though.
I'd love to get some definitive answers myself.
(never had such problems 25+ years ago...lol)

Thanks much for stopping by to comment.
You stay safe out there.