And the Hits Keep Coming...
I didn't know whether to file this as a "Believe it or Else" or a "Tales from the South Side" spot, so I decided it would be better as a "tale", rather than something beyond belief.
Yesterday about 1530 hrs, there were three teens walking north on our street. Not a biggie, as it IS the time they all come home, and I had no reason to do anything other than acknowledge them as coming home. But it was when one of them stopped at OUR mailbox, that I really took notice. Let me preface this by saying that as they came up the street, not ONE SINGLE other mailbox on the whole block was touched in ANY way.
This young black male proceeded to tug at the door on the mailbox, and after opening it and finding nothing inside, began to rock, pull and all but yank the box (and post) from the frigging ground. I had cemented the new post in 2 years ago (when I got a new box, and the old post was rotting anyway - this one is metal)...and it WAS secure in the ground.
He then walked away from the box after leaving the post at a 45 degree angle (and it WAS upright a minute before). I went outside and said loudly: "Hey, put that mailbox BACK the way you found it". And it was then that this punk-ass little Aborigine replied: "Dat IS deway I founit" (sic). I thought "You arrogant little f$ck...what the hell IS your malfunction?".
Well, he didn't give a crap what I had to say, as he obviously was brought up to hate WHITE people, so he meandered up the street with his two "friends".
We can blame his demeanor on POVERTY, right?
Bullshit!
I had to go to the box and straighten it back up myself, because people such as this ONLY DESTROY...never create anything (but TROUBLE for others as well as job-security for the local LEOs).
I am still kicking myself for NOT having my camera nearby (I plan to call Parkview later and see if I can get one GRAFTED into my forehead so I'll not be without one in the future), but I DID manage to dash off an (irate) email to the quadrant captain to notify her of the situation. And I won't repeat myself by posting the content of the email. Suffice it to say, anyone that reads it will KNOW beyond all doubt that I was infuriated by the behavior and the disrespect displayed by this "thug-in-training". I will also be contacting the postmaster in Ft. Wayne to see what can be done. After all, tampering with the USPS and/or mailboxes can get you a fine UP TO A $250,000 FINE! Fine by me.
Some people find creative ways to alleviate tampering, such as this man in TEXAS. (where else?)

Now THAT is a MAILBOX!
I really feel like Phil (Marx) here; I don't want to hide behind the FWPD's shield at every turn, but I realize that I also am not allowed to SHOOT any of these idiots, so therein lies my conundrum. I'll be honest with you....give me your WORST LIBERAL, and I WILL be able to turn them into a full-fledged, card-carrying RACIST in LESS THAN ONE MONTH...all I have to do I bring them to my area and let them LIVE HERE and see and hear all the $hit that goes on, as well as the disrespect shown daily. And for those who think I'm racist..well, I AM..as long as you're talking about STUPID F$CKING MORONS (like our mailbox tugger). I hate EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. And since we have EVERY COLOR OF THOSE people around here, the "typical" definition of "racist" doesn't really apply. White, black, brown, yellow or plaid...doesn't matter...if you go out of your way to prove to me you're a frigging idiot, I'll probably despise you.
Now what this teen did is nothing short of VANDALISM, but since the FWPD didn't SEE him do it...nothing comes of it (again), so why even bother to call this in, right? I suppose if I shot his ass dead, and the FWPD (also) didn't SEE me do it, THAT situation would work the same way?
Hell no, it wouldn't.

You know it and I know it.
THIS is exactly the kind of crap people like Phil and myself have to deal with...every day. I know I can never be allowed to live MY life as long as I have to monitor every window, door, and property line 24/7/365. And I'm NOT on anyone's PAYROLL and have no hope of "retiring" any time soon. It's costing me...a lot. So where the hell does that leave me, aside from having very few options?
And if all that isn't enough, how about having some small black child remove a city Water Department's "blue flag" from your property that they were using to mark off water turnoffs in the area? Blame that on POVERTY. (does the word TOY have any meaning?)
Now good enough?
How about two black teens sucking face and doing the "slap and tickle" for over an hour on the sidewalk near your house around 9PM? Umm...where ARE the parents and WHY are THEY allowing this...on a SCHOOL night? Same kids that NEVER seem to bring home ANY schoolbooks.

Blame it on POVERTY, right?

I will admit that's the FIRST time I've seen ANY of them actually USE the sidewalk for anything OTHER THAN spitting or tossing trash. Simply amazing. Makes me wish they'd turn the monkeys at the zoo loose in our area...at least they'd run away when I went outside to shoo them, and they'd probably have better manners, except for the $hit-tossing at one another. I know there's a metaphor there...
We can thank this city's clusterf$cked realty system and lack of departmental intervention WHEN WARRANTED for all of this. Allowing these sub-humans to infest OUR neighborhoods with their "cultural nuances of destructive behavior"and lack of motivation to perform anything CONSTRUCTIVE does nothing but bring my property value down every time they are allowed to draw a breath.

We can thank good old SECTION 8 and HUD (you know I don't mean YOU, Phil) for placing refuse such as these vandals in our midst...and to what end?
Well, it IS a helluva quick way to chase out the rest of the GOOD (tax-paying) PEOPLE, that's for sure. And OUR numbers are fewer every month...make no mistake about that. All we want to do is live our lives and be left the hell alone...too much to ask? Apparently so.
But until this city decides to change the parameters that define homicide in MY favor, I'm pretty much stuck (unless I do as the PPD used to advise...drag them INTO my house after shooting them and claim a breaking and entry).
Gary, Indiana...we might not be like you YET...but we're sure as hell TRYING our damnedest!
Do have a SAFE weekend.
(and watch your mailbox)

Dope N Go (directly to jail)...
Do NOT pass "go"...do NOT collect $200 dollars.
You people just KNOW I would be on this like flies on s....well, never mind.
A "walk-up" crack house was busted Tuesday, and the resident, one Vicki Lynn Rogers (49) was arrested at the home, located at 725 E. Jefferson Blvd, right off of Hanna Street.
Police said that those wishing to buy crack cocaine would walk up to the window on the west side of the house by way of a narrow sidewalk that runs between the home and the neighboring house, and ring a doorbell attached to the window frame.
The buyer would then place the order and slide the money through a hole in the window. Rogers would then hand the drugs back through the window. Total time of transaction: 30 seconds (give or take).
Rogers was booked into the Allen County jail on 2 counts of dealing cocaine and was being held in lieu of $100,000.
A poster was taped to the front window of the house that shows a picture of narcotics officers and proclaims, "SURPRISE PARTY...DON'T GET INVITED". The poster is courtesy of the police department.
Most of the windows of the house were covered by newspapers and blankets and a PEPSI machine sat on the front porch (I guess a refreshment is in order when the weather gets warm, or the line gets too long). No one answered the door Wednesday (gee, I wonder why?) afternoon.
According to the probable cause affidavit, narcotics officers used a CI to purchase $20 worth of crack from Rogers back on 8 April. Narcotics detectives said there could be more arrests in the case.
Now isn't that just typical of the type of people living (I mean renting) on the southeast side of town?
What I find amazing is that after ONLY FOUR MONTHS, they get THIS house closed up (nice house too...probably another early 20th century construct, from the way it looks, architecturally-speaking), while I have houses in MY neighborhood that have "operated" for close to 2 YEARS with impunity. Some might believe (erroneously) that the houses I speak of aren't really drug houses. Well, if you check the criteria for the "warning signs" listed below, you begin to believe otherwise.
Warning Signs of a Drug House:
1) Unusually high volume of car/foot traffic.
2) Short visits, 5-30 minutes.
3) Groups of people loitering, acting nervous and constantly looking around.
4) Cars playing loud music
5) Busy traffic days
6) Daytime activity matching after school schedules.
7) Repeat visitors, regulars (possible "mules"/delivery vehicles).
8) Cigarette smoking, scruffy appearance, similar "colors" or ganglike clothing.
9) Point man outside, especially during multiple-car gatherings.
10) People using cellular phones
((courtesy of News Sentinel article - 6 years ago- "Burbs fight back"))
Now I can say with assurance that I have SEVERAL HOUSES in JUST my neighborhood that fit ALL TEN parameters, and yet they remain open (or at best, the residents move, another group moves in, and we start the 'game" all over again...so much for tenant SCREENING by the landlords).
I have been documenting in word AS WELL AS in pictures what has been transpiring around here for the last 7 years, as I began to notice behaviors that were far from what I was raised to think was "normal".
Vicki Rogers wasn't doing anything that any other drug dealer was doing...she just found a more "creative" way to do it...and will pay the price for her arrogance.
Around my neighborhood, we have activities at the curb (mostly), but a lot of activity is the traditional "Stop-By" as I call it. Car pulls up, one person gets out, goes into house, comes back after 2-3 minutes, gets into car, car drives off...done deal. Then there are the "Two-Car Pullups". One car pulls up, another arrives shortly afterward, person gets out of car A, goes to car B, leans in window, gets "item", goes back to car A, cars A & B drive off in different directions. And this can take less than a minute (the time needed to steal a car).
What I'm starting to see now, is a lot of "backpackers"...people NOT of school age toting backpacks to and from houses, and with mobile meth labs all the rage now (cook it in a 2 liter bottle or smaller) that could be a huge problem. Never have seen a person explode yet, but I'd wager it'd be really neat to watch. Meth isn't the big issue down here, though.
It's mainly crack and pot. Those are the 'big ticket" items of choice up for sale around here. You can get a LOT of pot or crack into a backpack, can't you?
And it's plentiful as all get out. When you see people boldly walking down the middle of some street (a cultural thang) passing a joint, or toking on a blunt, you have to wonder where the police are, and why THEY don't manage to see this crap going on. I know I do...all too often.
Yet, you have to laugh at the situation. "We're POOR, so we've nothing better to do than smoke dope". I'm sorry, but I fail to see any logic behind such behavior,,,and so should you.
Poverty is this blanket "crutch" for anything people don't WANT to take responsibility for (like their own lives, and the lives of their children). And I grow weary of hearing about all these "po people" when in fact, all they have to do is get off their drugged-out asses and become productive members. NO ONE is holding them back BUT THEMSELVES, and I for one, refuse to knuckle under to all this "poverty" crap.
I suppose that statement they had back in the 70s still rings true:
"They call it DOPE for a reason"
To paraphrase a line from the movie - Forrest Gump:
"DOPEY IS...AS DOPEY DOES".
...And there lies the moral to this tale.

Humpday Happenings...
Let's take a spin around the block, and see what's going on (fasten your seatbelt - it's the LAW, regardless of how stupid it might be). Keep your head down. After all, we are in the southside of the city.
And no, that wasn't a speed-bump. It was just another body.
~McCain wants to do away with the gas tax. Well, at least someone's got some kind of interim solution. Now, if we only would have set the shattered bones of that energy-dependant leg back in the 1970s, instead of placing a band-aid on it and kissing that nasty boo-boo all these years, MAYBE we'd not be in the situation we are.
~WANE had a story regarding witnesses (or people who know something) not being forthcoming with information about the NINE homicides the other week. Well, aside from the fact that Meghan Stembol (imho) is a real "hottie", I wouldn't mind sitting down with her and giving her an earful as to WHY people are the way they ARE down here. And you readers of this blog know FULL WELL what I'm talking about...don't you?
~The Northwest and Delta airline merger is going to be a bumpy one. Well spank me rosy...didn't see that one coming, did we? A merger of THIS magnitude will lead to some very interesting problems, not the least of which will be the LACK of competition. And isn't the FREE ENTERPRISE system deeply based in good, healthy competition? Makes you long for the days of PAN AM and TWA (again), doesn't it?
~I've recently noticed a NEW "speeding" commercial on TV. There's this jogger going down a street, with a driver pacing her. Fortunately for all, the woman in the car is going at the appropriate speed when the jogger hangs a "louey", and darts into the path of the car, so the driver DOES stop (happy ending?). Not quite. The irony comes when the stopped car is TAIL-ENDED by someone else who is only NOT paying attention, but is going OVER the limit. Yeah...well, commericals like that work well in areas with EDUCATED people, unlike in MY part of Ft. Wayne. Sorry, guys, that commercial means as much to these aborigines as finding a job. I, however did find it "enlightening", from a visceral perspective.
~Speaking of jobs...and commercials, have you noticed the Tomkinson Dodge blond with the killer smile and ebullient attitude? I have (...wow), and I swear she looks so damn much like that Dancing With the Stars (dancer) Julienne Hough, that's it's not funny. Be nice to find out. Makes me ALMOST want to drive up there, buy a Dodge and trade in the old Firebird. I DID say "almost", people!
~Sewer rates to climb 7% for HOW long? Well, let's put it this way: If you're paying about $28 NOW, then by the year 2025, you'll be paying $85! And Fort Wayne might be a lot more like Detroit by then too. I guess all those OTHER rates, taxes, surcharges, and rising costs will simply GO AWAY, so we can concentrate of paying off the SEWER bill, right? You know THAT just isn't going to happen. Wonder which section 8 family WE will be paying for?
~Today marks the 1st anniversary of the VT shootings, and will be remembered with a special service on campus. It took something like this to make people aware of how people fall through the cracks of our society. Makes you think about every time you take a step, if YOU are going to be the next one to slip between those planks. It's kind of like searching for landmines by using your foot, and covering your ears. Eventually you clear the field, but the COST is tremendous.
~The Pope is in America, and he's blasting away at the sexual scandals that have hit the Catholic church in recent years. And we've also got a principal that is in the judicial "system" now, thanks to his showing girls porn sights and asking them about their sex lives. Perverted as well as perplexing, that something like this could go unchecked for as long as it did. Makes me want to look up the (45) known sexual predators again within a mile of my house, so I can see how well the system is working to help children in MY area (not).
~My wife and I are in the middle of an ARBITRON rating thing. We were sent a package (and a few Washingtons) to monitor what we listen to on the radio. I jumped at this, because I only listen to ONE station -94.1FM (that's the classical station to all you rockers, punkers, and rappers). I have to say that if it were NOT for this station, I would have shot someone by now...a lot. Nothing like that William Tell Overture to take one's mind off of "culling the herd" and recalling those "thrilling days of yesteryear" as the Lone Ranger rides again.
~You probably never heard of the name Ollie Johnston, right? Well, he died at the age of 95. And although that's not all that remarkable, what WAS remarkable is that he was one of the "Nine Old Men" who animated the original SNOW WHITE for Walt Disney, and the last one surviving. All the beautiful animation that garnered so many awards and kudos, and the men that created it, now belong to the ages.
~On a more personal note, a dear friend back on the East coast lost his father this past weekend, and the funeral is today. I actually found out how easy it was to wire flowers, as opposed to the "old-fashioned" method of calling a florist. The prices aren't too bad, but my friend (and his father, who I knew quite well) is definitely worth it.
When it comes to REAL friends, there is no compromising. You do what you have to do. I could have just sent a card, but it's my FRIEND, and that alone predicates my decisions in matters such as these.
There you have it...all the news you'll need today.
Now please remain seated until the ride comes to a complete stop, and don't forget to remove all personal items when exiting the car.
((Let me see, since tomorrow is our trash day, how can I get all these neighbors to jump in the damn Serv-All truck so we can really clean up this neighborhood?))
Things to think about....

A Hero (still) Isn't Just a Sandwich...
Oops, looks like we're having a philosophical study today.
Look at it this way...it'll take your mind off of filing those taxes (and you should have by now anyway), because today IS the deadline, unless you filed for an extension (to either 15 Aug or 15 Oct).
But back to this philosophical thing...
CAUTION - YOU MIGHT LEARN SOMETHING HERE.
I couldn't help but think as I recently viewed the Lord of the Rings trilogy as well as the Star Wars saga (yet again) how wonderful in execution were the stories about what a hero is, and what it takes to be one.
We've all that feeling at some time or another...when we wanted to be like someone else. We could relate to that person in so many ways, and we watched as THEY managed to overcome whatever obstacles fate had placed in their path. And we sat back, admired it, and thought "I want to do that, too".
It might have been that star quarterback from a bygone era, an action hero from the TV, movies or even a character from literature (when there was a time that people actually READ BOOKS), or perhaps it was someone closer to home like a teacher or coach, but whoever it was, we wanted to be just like them.
I always had a fondness for The Lone Ranger myself.
We saw qualities THEY had, and wanted those qualities as part of ourselves. And I would have to say that there are three basic criteria for what makes up any hero. They are NURTURE (how one is defined by those around them), NATURE (how one is defined by their genetic makeup) and TENACITY (how one is defined by their ability to persevere for however long it may take to achieve their goal).
Now, every one of us has had AT LEAST ONE hero in our lives...and others, even more.
As for me...I've got a list.

I'd still like to be a JEDI (think Obi-BOB Kenobi). Heaven KNOWS that the "Force" is strong in me, because after all this time, I haven't "gone postal yet". Not that I lack for reasons to do so. But I digress...
There was even a time when young boys wanted to be the PRESIDENT. Don't think we have that many takers these days.
And curiously enough, we have the very same media to thank for that; the media that brought into our lives many of our heroes have now managed to malign much of what they stood for, with their incessant nit-picking.
All are under some watchful eye, and flaws in people are being exploited to the Nth degree, all for the sake of sensationalism. They all "want us to be informed". Sorry, but if any of MY heroes happen to have character flaws, I didn't need to know about it. it was the POSITIVE qualities in all of them that I wanted to emulate.
Even my Dad, who was (and still is) one of the greatest heroes in MY life had his flaws. But it wasn't those "chinks in his armor" that concerned me. Just as I knew he would overcome his flaws, I was looking up to his positive qualities that made him (seem to me)10 feet tall whenever he walked into the room (and at 5'5", that WAS a feat...LOL).
Now we have all these "anti-heroes", which to me seems rather incongruous. An "anti-hero" should be a VILLAIN, should he not? Well, we DO have "heroes" that use their interpretation of justice to achieve the greater good (think Batman, Dirty Harry, or the Punisher), and there are those heroes who are rogues at heart,,,those who have "been around the block" a few times (Robin Hood, Han Solo, Rooster Cogburn, or Jack Sparrow), as well as so many more that walk the tightrope between good guy and bad guy . We also have those heroes who are never soiled by the evil surrounding them, no matter how often it beckons.
We also have heroes that police our streets, put out our fires, resuscitate our dying, and proudly serve in our military. Just because you don't raise your M-16 and shoot some baddies, doesn't make you any LESS a hero in someone's eye.
Author Joseph Campbell spoke of a HERO as being a person destined for something more than he already is (or has), and usually must undergo a personal testing on some quest to achieve "hero" status. It's a common person that dares to overcome uncommon circumstances; the ordinary individual that masters an extraordinary situation.
But that refers to "myth".
Or does it?
We have heroes among us at this very moment. Some we are fortunate enough to have in our own families. Some receive the accolades of an appreciating public. Some remain nameless.
And yet, when we strive to be like them, are we aware of what is required OF US to make that adjustment in our lives? Are we willing to commit to a set of principles, guidelines, and behavior that might at first, seem foreign to us? Can we divine enough wisdom to make this transition plausible to our intellect? And are we willing to fail on occasion, only to get back up, and remain focused and on course to continue emulating our hero? Can we feel comfortable that those qualities WILL make us better human beings during that time, or even at the end of whatever trial awaits us?
You don't get anything without giving something. The human condition is not a "free ride", and demands attention. What I (or anyone else) might have to give up to be like my heroes (which would be a lot of unnecessary emotional baggage full of bad junk) pales in comparison to ALL that I could miss out on throughout my life should I decide not to.
And when the credit and debit columns in life are all added up, the net result would be worth the sacrifice.
So it IS good to want to be like a hero, whoever that person might be. But always remember, you can never be EXACTLY like them, but only glean FROM them what YOU can apply to become a better person yourself and a better person for all the other lives you will touch.
And never EXPECT to become a hero in the process.
The life you live will take care of that for you.
(We now return you to your regularly scheduled lives)

Monday Musings...
Neighborhoods are exactly like mankind in one aspect; they are meant to EVOLVE. Now I want you to think about your neighborhood and then see HOW MUCH that first statement applies to YOUR area. Hopefully, you can say with assurance that it's true beyond all reasonable doubt.
And a good neighborhood will continue to progress...and grow...and prosper.
A bad neighborhood, on the other hand, will do none of those (in a predictable manner).
Sadly, too many inner urban neighborhoods are in a state of turmoil. They wallow in a stagnant pool of filth. And we've conveniently labelled that filth an a number of ways. We can call it poverty. We can call it crime. Or we can all it apathy. Sometimes, we call it all three.
Quaint streets lined with older houses steeped in history, all wonderfully unique in their architecture are being lost...and for what reason, other than someone else's all-mighty dollar. Many have given up on the "sweat-equity" that goes along with home ownership, supplanting it for the cookie-cutter, quasi-affluent aspects of suburbia. People claim they don't have the time to invest in these older homes. Others have stated that crime has infested the area and they cannot deal with it. Still others are looking for that American Dream, and hope they'll find it somewhere other than within the confines of a city. And these reasons all seem logical by nature.
Now my particular neighborhood is one in (as I like to call it among other things) "transition". It's been that way since my wife and I moved here over 10 years ago, but the process of "transitioning" has accelerated over the past 5-7 years. I can tell you what it has transitioned FROM, as well as where it is transitioning TO very easily.
This area WAS a neighborhood where people had mutual respect for one another. Crime was all but non-existent, and everyone had some type of job somewhere, and some were retired; relegated to being able to finally enjoy the fruits of their lives. Properties were maintained, the local Neighborhood Association was intact with a well-represented membership that functioned as it should, and people were doing pretty damn well for the working middle class households that filled the area. We even used to sit outside at other neighbors steps or porches and just chat a spell.
But within a mere DECADE, things changed about 180 degrees in the OTHER direction.
My neighborhood stopped EVOLVING...and began to DEVOLVE.
An area that reminded me SO much of where my late grandmother used to live in Philly (the Rhawnhurst section of the northeast), was turning into an urban cesspool that you'd find in most ANY major city...and Fort Wayne was far from becoming a "major" city.
People began moving away for various reasons. The crime that affected areas further north was infiltrating OUR part of the Southeast. Like some rising tide of sewage, it flowed inexorably southward, neighborhood by neighborhood, block by block, until we were becoming victims of crime ourselves.
No longer could we leave windows up during the summer, or doors unlocked (I never did anyway, coming from Philly), but people not from the area were taking notice to OUR houses, watching US to see when we went to work, when we came home, and when we went to bed. More and more strange vehicles came and went through the area, and at first, you paid it no never mind. But after a time, you started to watch and be aware of those that have no business in your neighborhood. They were (and still are) checking out your area...and you.
A few people passed away and their homes went up for "sale". And of course, someone was always willing to "buy" that house. But instead of placing someone willing to OWN a house in these properties, and otherwise embrace the relative calm this area provided, they placed renters into these houses, and the resulting transience, along with the problems these nomadic people brought with them proved nothing if not fatal to the evolution of this neighborhood.
Not ALL renters are BAD people...I know this from experience. For the first 16 years of my life, my parents RENTED, and never ONCE were WE a problem to ANY neighborhood we in (I have 3 elementary schools to show for our nomadic times).
Some of the people still left in the area tried to ignore the problems that were coming. Having been to many areas in various cities that were much worse off than ours, I could already see the writing on the wall, and where all this was heading. Those that ignored the problem eventually moved, saying they "just couldn't put up with it anymore".
Well, running away is one thing (and works well for cowards), but a strategic retreat to the rear (to regroup) is quite the other. I wouldn't go so far to call my former neighbors cowards...some are simply not deserving of that, but I will say that many just "bailed", because they didn't know HOW to stand their ground. All this "newness" was foreign to them. They would rather give this sub-human trash THEIR house as a victory laurel, rather than say, "No...you can't have what I busted my ass for all these years". Maybe they were never taught how to grow some balls.
Some neighbors came into some serious money (think a hundred thousand bucks and change) from an estate and they moved WAY out in Allen County (they own two horses) so it was justifiable to them and understandable to me. The irony is that they happen to live ACROSS the road from a pig farm now, while my wife and I happen to (currently) live SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF ONE...!
And without exception, EVERY person that moved away was replaced by members of that tide of sewage I mentioned above. No one has been the least bit friendly to us (they can't even say HI, but usually are always HIGH), took every opportunity to disrespect us (I don't want to hear THEIR music to all hours 3 blocks away), showed NO respect to our property (they parked ON OUR SIDE LAWN, nibbling away at our property line). The flotsam that inhabited areas further north had arrived down here, and acted like they were given the keys to the candy store. Nothing was beyond their reach. And boy, could they EVER reach for anything and everything (that wasn't theirs).
We started to see displays of public urination, more break-ins (especially with the more recent copper thefts), more domestic disputes, more loud parties, more gunshots, more fireworks (when they were still illegal), more vandalism, more barking dogs, and an overall sense of anarchy taking hold of our neighborhood. And I know my wife and I had not changed one damn bit. It wasn't US...it was THEM.
During all this time, I must say that the city/county did little if nothing to change, halt or reverse this trend in OUR area. If anything, the city/county saw fit to RAISE all of the property taxes on the houses belonging to predominantly WHITE households (average rise in 2004 was close to 90%). And that helped force more good people the hell out of here. Fortunately, the latest reassessment is giving back a portion of the overinflated monies stolen from the working class survivors in the area. Big frigging deal. Another case of "too little, too late". We can't sell our houses now for assessed value, so why attempt to sell, and lose all the money sunk into them?
How's that for a reward for staying in a (now) blighted area of Fort Wayne?
Now I said ALL that to say this...
The latest news in our neighborhood is another family moving out. Since they were trying to become white trash anyway (the woman there had that "meth-skinny" regimen going for her...helluva diet plan), I say fine...take a hike. They basically "snuck" out of the area Saturday morning...no clue as to WHY...and I don't really care at this point.
Another guy (I call him Drunk Joe, because he never COULD walk a straight line) down the block looks like HE moved as well, because I saw 2 pickups full of "stuff" being moved into the place. Yeah, nothing says ghetto-single-mom-trash quite like the "overfilled pickup truck movers in 2 hours" bunch, does it? I already KNOW what she and her tribe will be like, and as for who will move into the other house 2 doors down? If it's anything like the other houses that were "sold" (and turned around faster than normal behavior on the south side...into rentals) I can expect even more of the same crap that we already "enjoy".

So it begins anew...and becomes more and more like the "Last Man Standing" from where I see it. At least my wife and I are still EVOLVING. That's more than I can say about the others around here...OR the neighborhood.
I'd like to petition the city to change the name of this area from Pettit-Rudisill to "Little Nigeria".
Then I would be a (real) minority, and could start getting all the "perks" those others have been getting for so long for no reason at everyone else's expense.
Tell you one thing...it's damn hard being the LAST island of reason within a sea of chaos.
Like a drop of white paint on a black driveway. That's us.
...And it's ONLY Monday (again)...

Weekend Roundup...

We'll make this short and sweet today.
We've made it to another weekend, and our homicide rate hasn't grown during the past few days. Whether or not we will see another round of killings is anyone's guess.
People that perpetrate crimes like this operate in the realm devoid of remorse. On thing's for certain, it DOES keep a person on their toes. And anyone that becomes too complacent and lets their guard down doesn't understand the mindset OF these people.
This is nothing short of TERRORISM.
And as I (along with Webster's Dictionary) have stated here before, ANYTHING (detrimental in nature) that causes anyone to deviate from their usual routine of living is considered an act of terrorism.
That's why if I HAVE to fear anything or anyone (other than God), I fear those in OUR OWN cities that commit wanton (and often random) acts of violence against one another, without regard for ancillary injury or damage. I fear THOSE terrorists...the ones who might live on our very own streets, that the media doesn't talk about all that much, who kill our OWN citizens at a (daily) rate far surpassing the deaths of our troops in the Middle East. THESE are the ones we need to be even MORE concerned about because they are HERE...NOW.
And one would be wise to fear such people.
Fear sharpens the senses, and keeps one alert.
But I don't want to go off on this tangent...not yet, anyway. We can save that "bad boy" for another day.
Instead, let's take a look elsewhere around the area and nation, and see what everyone else is up to and who might be "stirrin' the pot".

~So far, it seems as if the extra police presence at our high schools in Fort Wayne is keeping things calmer.
(Having extra police at the SCHOOLS is fine, but what about the STREETS?)
~Code Blue Schools attempting to unseat FWCS board members.
(If something's broke, you apparently try to fix it)
~Thousands of American Airline flights are grounded,
(And we're finding out about all these potential aircraft problems NOW???)
~Northwest and Delta airlines back to haggling.
(Could be the next MAJOR merger since last night's Survivor episode)
~Sheriff Fries seeks funding for outdoor training facility.
(Well God bless him...at least he seems to be trying his darnedest to do something positive and needed for law enforcement in this area. I think I have $20 I'm not doing anything with.)
~Train hits and kills two men walking along tracks in Defiance, Ohio.
(Just at the wrong place at the wrong time...simple as that)
~Robbers target bank less than 3 miles from Obama speech in Gary.
(So damn typical...Then again, it IS Gary, Indiana)
~Convenience store/gas station not wanted by residents near Coldwater & Gump Roads.
(Finally, people are getting sick and tired of this crap...sadly, developers suffer from "selective deafness")
~London foundry that cast the Liberty Bell celebrates 150th birthday of the casting of Big Ben.
(At least there is some GOOD news once in a while)

And there you go...all the news you'll need as you hit the ground running.
Just don't hit it TOO hard...or TOO often.
Stay safe and DO have a good weekend.

Go, Speed Racer...
Well, since the live-action movie isn't out yet, I can't really do a critique of it, nor will I attempt to review the old animated series from Japan.
What I will do is spend a few minutes of everyone's time pondering the latest "crackdown" of speeders in the city of Fort Wayne.
Let me preface this by saying that SPEED KILLS...doesn't get any simpler than that. The ONLY places speed will have any relevance is when you're racing other drivers for that checkered flag, vying for a timed win, trying to make a Guinness Book record, launching an attack against a foe (and that includes getting rid of hand grenades after pulling the pin), or trying to escape the earth's atmosphere and achieve orbit.
Anything else is relatively pointless.
That's why this week, we have police officers monitoring our highways and roads looking for people who feel that "need for speed".
I guess the seatbelt gig was waining.
I think in that regard, I am the best judge as to whether or not I choose to WEAR a seatbelt. It's MY car, MY life, and MY choice, but others have seen fit to decide FOR me.
Thank you ever so much for all the "caring" you've shown for my existence.
But we just can't stop there...oh, no. Now we're looking for SPEEDERS.
Well, OK then. That's not intrusive (as the seatbelt thing is). And it DOES promote safer driving. Hey, but didn't the sobriety checkpoints do the SAME thing (and were also called unconstitutional as a result?) and are no longer in place during "peak" holiday times.
But I digress...
So we're looking for people SPEEDING...sounds like a plan. Where EXACTLY will the police be targeting? Well, I can tell you with certainty where they will NOT be targeting. That would be MY neighborhood. And every day, I can see SO many people driving (more like flying low on two OR four wheels) up and down the streets in OUR area at what anyone would consider an excessive speed (it's a helluva lot faster than 25 MPH, I can assure you). This occurs day OR night, every day of the week, and even when children are present.
Now since this area is ALREADY a problem as far as dubious people and behavior, rentals, drugs, guns, gangs, and improperly illuminated vehicles go, it would "make sense" that THIS area would be a focus for speeders, as we seem to have SO damn many. That's what one would THINK, anyway.
Sorry, Charlie....no can do.
Haven't seen ANY 30T/S (police code for traffic stops) in the area when speeding is most prevalent (which is almost any time of day or night). If there ARE any traffic stops initiated, it's because of a suspect vehicle (erratic driving, failure to stop, maybe a noise violation), and nothing else.
Again, we see much of the SOUTH side being ignored. Sure the police might be looking for speeders along Coliseum, or Lafayette, or Clinton, but what about ALL the side streets, where, thanks to the pattern of STOP and YIELD signs, the city has created what amounts to "dragstrips" for several blocks?
I have never seen any SPEEDTRAPS along our streets in ten years. Never once have I seen one officer with a radar gun sitting in some alley or driveway, tagging speeders, while another officer waits a block away to pull him over (the method often employed in Philly). Wonder why that is?
What I DO know is that if a car that even LOOKS like a police car is sitting at some busy intersection, the majority of people WILL SLOW DOWN. One creative agency even had a dummy sitting behind the wheel of an older "unmarked car" (ex-police car). I want to say it was somewhere up north by the zoo, and for a while, everyone was passing the area doing the limit (or less), and NOT speeding. One intersection around here had a white 4 door 1989 Chevy Caprice Classic sitting on a corner lot, and not only did the number of speeders go DOWN, but loud music shut off before the corner was reached, and overall annoying behavior actually abated for a time (until the locals caught on). So ploys such as these DO work.
Yet for all the "hype" connected with trying to catch speeders, nothing (once again) is being done to take these freaks from the areas that can cause the most harm to the greatest number of pedestrians.
You want crime to go DOWN on the south side? I've said this too many times...you have GOT TO START going after the small $hit. Make it costly to behave in such a bad manner. You don't necessarily need jail time, but hit the morons where it REALLY hurts...namely in the HIP-NATIONAL BANK! DO that, revoke some licenses in the process, and do it often enough that such behavior becomes the thing NOT to do on the streets. When you target seemingly innocuous things like speeding and make the price steep enough to deter people from doing it...it will not happen. Sure, the EASY way to do this is wait at major intersections or long stretches of road away from the inner city. Sgt. Bonar LOVES the area of Lima/Coliseum/Coldwater. He KNOWS there is money to be made for traffic stops THERE.
Well...DUH!
If you get over 50,000+ vehicles passing there during any day, you're BOUND to get quite a few dumbasses doing something they're not supposed to do. The hard thing to do is to go onto the REAL streets and get all THOSE people that get a "free ride" from traffic stops daily, for so many reasons.
In Decatur, if you play your car stereo loudly, you WILL get pulled over, and these cops seem to come out of the woodwork. You never see it until they've got you in the "spotlight". People have conveyed this much to me over the years, so they don't bother with loud stereos there. Easy, huh?
Don't get me wrong...the FWPD does a commendable job with the boots they have on the ground, but even THEY don't know it all...and never will. That's where people like "US" come into play. We can see things from a perspective many officers and commanders simply cannot, for no other reason than the fact that most all the officers DO NOT LIVE DOWN HERE.
We LIVE here 24/7/365. We SEE what happens. We HEAR what happens. We KNOW what happens. And WE can provide the (needed) input for the department to act upon. All the department has to do is listen, and then we can ALL learn a bit more than we thought we knew yesterday.
Not much to ask...is it?

Humpday Happenings...
OK, let's see what type and manner of "hump" we'll all have to find a way to get over today.
Gas Prices to see $4 a gallon this summer:
Well now, I'm thinking that will bother a lot of those who want to take those trips via the family vehicle, won't it?
And forget air travel...jet fuel costs aren't going to go down just because you're NOT taking the car on that road trip 3 states over.
Well, what about rail lines?
Don't make me laugh.
This nation all but killed passenger rail travel when it founded AMTRAK (it should have stayed LOST...very lost).
The article I read goes on to say that people will be staying CLOSER to home...hmm...that's going to be interesting, as a lot of people have already LEFT cities to move out into the "burbs", where you practically have to drive everywhere to get anywhere, and that DOES include shopping.

Betcha couldn't see THAT one coming, eh?

~~Heightened School Security Stories Vanish:
Yesterday was the SECOND day that increased police presence was at our high schools. In light of the recent shootings in Ft. Wayne, it has been said (police radio chatter) that there are those from DETROIT who might be coming down for retaliation.
Funny, how THAT story was never mentioned, or anything related to it.
I find it odd that the media chooses NOT to keep this "in our face" as a constant reminder as to the safety touted by this city towards it's citizenry. Must be the societal ADHD kicking in...or I guess it's not "entertaining" enough now. What the hell...we'll just wait for the next homicide...should be along ANY day now.
And speaking of homicides and other crimes...
Anyone that (still) lives in our wonderfully blighted areas of this city should be aware that certain times of the month are ripe for drug deals (and the related potential for collateral damage). I've been noticing increased "activity" several times of any given month. The first week is ALWAYS busy (welfare time - dem checks be here), but we're also seeing more "business" occurring around the 9th, 19th and the 29th of the month. Must be a numerical thing. At least all the "active" houses in MY area seem to "like" those days. We see more vehicles from out of state or out of county around this time.
~~Signs of Springtime:
Been seeing a lot more robins singing around the area, and that's always a nice thing. Haven't seen any crows for a while. And Lord knows we have plenty of reasons why crows are around...it's called LITTERING, as in "I didn't like that Wendy's burger, so I'll be a f$cking idiot, and just toss it out the car window (along with my half-finished Frosty) onto the street". The stupidity of low income (read lazy) human flotsam never ceases to make me laugh, while at the same time, makes me want to go out and put a bullet through their primate skull. (I'm sorry...did I just say that?)
This is the FIRST time I have lived in an area where people of lesser income meant lesser intelligence. Wonder when that changed?
I used to know a lot of low income people that were smarter than the managers and boardroom rejects running major companies.
Then there are all the boomcars..a new crop EVERY year, and an acoustical bane to most ANY city, that the police have little if any concern about due to the very low "priority" a noise violation is given. And even if an officer does stop a thumper, they usually get a warning (you're on your 35th "second chance", Demetrius) , or maybe a citation (if quotas demand). Start taking the damn noise making crap AWAY from them for a change. It's called CONFISCATION of destructive materials...and it WORKS in other cities quite well. Grow some balls, you city officials, and stop the small crap like THIS from happening, so we 're not hip deep in all this BIG crap!
It's also the time for garage or yard sales.
Around here, that apparently means you gather up all the stuff you STOLE, place it on the lawn for over a week tying up traffic near the corner with all those "lookie-loos" trying to find a bargain, and let the city sit back and again...do nothing.
Isn't there some sort of LIMIT on the number of consecutive days one can sell crap this way?

I find it funny that this one particular person (in our area..where else?) keeps bringing stuff to put in his yard. He even had a frigging golf cart last week. Now who the hell uses a golf cart ANYWHERE but at a GOLF COURSE? Guess it's OK to use them on a south side street though, because that's what was going on.
And this person with the week-old yard sale is one of the "problem" houses in the area (oh, big surprise there). Actually, he's been a problem for the better part of seven years, and although the police have arrested him several times for DUI, he's always back out soon enough, AND driving again.
Hey Judge, ever hear the term LIFETIME LOSS OF LICENSE?
Justice? What justice?
I don see no steenkin justice!
Ah yes...the signs of Spring on the South side of Fort Wayne.
What would we EVER do without them?
Lemme see....
~Get some sleep for a change.
~Have a lot less crime in the area.
~Have neighbors that didn't feel the "need" to move away.
~Mow my lawn without wearing my gun.
~Feel safer at night (no decent people walk our streets after dark)
~Feel safer in general.
...And that's just for starters.
But it's NOT like this is a problem that's totally and utterly incurable.
It is...you just need some C-4 or Torpex, a good set of ear protectors...and NO questions!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This just in....FLASH...the weekend IS expected to arrive this Friday around 3PM.!

In the meantime...
We're takin' what they're givin', 'cause we're workin' for a livin'!
Good old Huey...

Technology Uber Alles...
Fort Wayne Community School high school children were the recipients of increased police presence yesterday when rumors of possible violence were sent through the airwaves only to arrive on students' cellphones as text messages. The rumors appear to be unfounded at this time, as there were no incidents at any school. Sure like to know who as behind all the "rumors".
As a result, attendence was down.
While being able to notify people instantaneously of some sort of impending doom or imminent threat via their cellphones can very well be a good thing, there is the inherent down side to this. And we saw it yesterday throughout the FWCS system, especially in the high schools.
Well...at least we know the technology works.


We also know that people will still do most anything to "cut" school.
Funny, can't seem to get much of an education THAT way, can you?
"Well, I was jus protectin' mah baby".
Right.
"My children have a right to be safe".
They're safer IN school than ON the streets, stupid!
"I ain't sendin mah kid to no school dat's gonna have mo shootin goin on".
Fine. Let them grow up as uninformed , disrespectful, and as self-effacing as YOU are.
You can see that whenever a rumor gets started, people will inherently overreact.
Then again, maybe having a cellphone should NOT become any child's God-given right. At least not the cellphones they currently have in their hormonal little paws. If a child NEEDS to have a parent contacted, the schools THEMSELVES still DO have phones available. I checked.
And that's the crux of the problem...technology being used haphazardly with little (if any) regard to the subsequent impact it can have to social interaction.
Well, text messaging is putting a whole NEW slant of "social intercourse" as it is. People are spending too MUCH time screwing around with the technology...!
I suppose that sometimes, you just have to bow to the absurd.
Erring on the side of caution CAN be a two-edged sword on occasion. Keeping your child safe is one thing...sacrificing their education due to any and all "rumors" (or even a hint of some rumor) that come down the pike isn't going to be placing them on any primrose path leading to that Summa Cum Laude college graduation anytime soon, though...right?
My Dad had a quaint way of putting this into perspective. He once said to me:
"There are pretty much TWO ways life can screw you up. One is by the actions of OTHER PEOPLE, and that's bad enough, but the other way is by YOUR OWN ACTIONS, and that will screw things up even WORSE."
Ah yes, words to live by indeed.
I would have to say that in this FWCS matter yesterday, there WAS one thing sorely lacking by many of the students, and that was DISCERNMENT, or as we also used to say in church...WISDOM. Now you have to admit that most every teenager has even LESS wisdom than common sense...I know I sure did, BUT...as I grew older, I became WISER...meaning I not only went from being a "Wise Guy" to a WISE PERSON (it's a work in progress...lol), but I began to question things, and seek answers TO those questions. I became inquisitive for knowledge. I stopped taking every single thing at face value, but rather started to look beneath the surface. That led to a much better understanding of people and things in general, as well as the way the "system" works.
Wisdom and knowledge DO go hand-in-hand.
Can't really have one without the other.
None of this happens all at once or overnight, but it DOES happen...IF you want to acquire wisdom. You can't learn this by any book or course. Most times, you have to EXPERIENCE it. Other times you can learn from those who have travelled the road before you did. And with knowledge and wisdom DOES come a level of responsibility.
The main thing is, unless you're totally oblivious to everything else around you, you WILL glean some wisdom throughout your life. Many, sadly will not. Or, they will acquire wisdom, but without the knowledge to properly apply it, will drift through life like a ship without a rudder in a force 5 gale (keep the dramamine handy).
Yesterday's rumor mill driven "high-alert" at the high schools was one of those times when DISCERNMENT would have went a lot farther than having all the police around the schools, instead of having them on the streets. Now I'm not just blowing this whole thing off, as most rumors have "some" basis in truth. Maybe sometime later, there will be some increased violence...perhaps (hopefully) not.
Maybe this was all some elaborate practical joke (more than likely), perpetrated to just get some kids out of school for the day. After all, it was a nice day outside yesterday, and who wants to be saddled with World History or Geometry, when they can be to some crap that is fleeting and has nothing to do about improving the human conditon, eh?
Gee, some people just can't wait until Summer, can they?
And didn't Spring Break JUST end?
You have to admit that even for the kids that still showed up for school...having all the police around WAS, if nothing else...entertaining.
And that's what life is "apparently" supposed to be all about.
Better to be happy and entertained, than content and educated.
Helluva future staring at us then, isn't it?