No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear.--Edmund Burke

Today is wifey's birthday. I could tell you how "young" she is, but it might get back to her that I did so, and I don't want to have to face that kind of beating.

More piddle that puddled on the forum page:

Walking tour of Plaza -- El, 21:18:27 08/07/05 Sun [1] Of course you can walk in the plaza now, there are more police in that area now then ever before. The vagarants don't want to be hassled. Ironic isn't it? But I think you maybe missing the point, it is not about you walking thru the area armed. But how about anyone's wife, daughter, grandparent, or grandchildren going into the pet store or a college kid using the laundromat. I don't think they are armed or a match to some of these lowlifes. These guys are not Charlie Weiss, who I don't think can walk two blocks let alone run them. I don't think the Druby family thinks that they are nothing to worry about. When an arrest is made it may just turn out to be a lowly panhandler. I am glad that you are proud of your history of beating up drunks in the 70s and 80s, must be why you still wear the same glasses. But this is a different class they are armed too. So becareful out there.

Now??? You're suggesting that I haven't found my way to that area before yesterday, and nothing could be farther from the truth. And trust me on this, only a complete maroon wouldn't recognize the fact that your run of the mill female would not be able to bark down the very worst of the miscreants begging for whatever it may be that floats their listing boats. You keep pointing out stuff that we're all well aware of.

As far as the once omnipresent Charlie is concerned, your ignorance of the facts is showing. Once upon a time, he was a nasty, ornery cuss who liked to mix it up. But how could you know that? You probably crossed the street whenever he was heading your way. Beating up drunks? Yeah. So what? You see, I was being paid good money to protect the property, the employees and the customers from the likes of the folks you seem to think are uncontrollable. When I cashed my paychecks, I had zero regrets. Ask yourself why one bar may be historically rowdy, while the next is a quiet and safe place. The management of said establishments dictates the atmosphere, and in that respect, I did my job. And again, you've made a mistake by incorrectly assuming that I had never had a weapon pulled on me in those days. Did I not make reference to the scars I managed to earn?

My glasses? Um...alright. Whatever, Al. The plain truth is that heredity has done me wrong. I have very poor vision and prefer lenses as wide as I can get them. Besides, I never understood why anyone would wear those teeny, tiny wire-framed glasses that are technically too small for your average hamster. No matter what direction you flirt your eyes toward, you are looking outside of the lenses. Makes no sense to this blind man.

And get this through your thick skull. When did I say there was nothing to worry about? What I have said all along is that I pay attention to my immediate surroundings, and I make it a habit to be armed. While you're busy worrying, I'm usually out and about enjoying what still remains of my city. This city of ours is the social services capitol of the entire county. In other words, we've got idiot magnets up the whazoo. Sorry, but I refuse to sit here chewing my nails and whining on cue about this decaying country of ours. You can sit in your panic room and make fun of my glasses all you like. But I will never hide inside of my personal fortress.

Be careful?

You betcha.

Billy Badass: Or How Zorcong Taught Us to Defend Ourselves -- Mr. Oblivious, 09:53:16 08/08/05 Mon [1] I love all the Stanley Kubrick-inspired headlines, by the way. It's great to see a true, praying to the altar of Bush-type like yourself inspired by a satirical movie dealing with the Cold War. Ironic, isn't it? So El, what have you learned this week from Billy Badass Zorcong? Grow a pair? Pack some heat? Start kicking in the nuts? Go for the spleen? Quit being an idiot? Quit being a pussy? There's no Real problem? The police have it all undercontrol? Start bashing heads against a cigarette machine? Break the bums in two? If your around bad people, bad things will happen to you? The crime rate reflects bad criminals on bad criminals? Wow, and to think all this has been done before by Billy Badass and the problem is still around. Maybe we need Badass to start a S. Main St. watch program and teach 80 year old deaf ladies how to rips eyes and tongues out. Or teach Wilkes co-eds how to 'grow a pair' and snap necks. Billy Zorcong remains so predictable. Tell everyone how much of a Badass he is and that everyone else should act the same in life. I guess the only way to 'Believe' is to 'Grow a Pair' and quit being a 'Pussy.'

Bush? How in the hell did Bush get mixed up in all of this gibberish? Still smarting over the 2004 election results, heh? Diebold got you down? Don't sweat it, George Soros is gonna makes things right one of these days when he retires from causing near banking collapses.

Here's the gig, Mr. Anonymous. Oops! Sorry, Mr. Oblivious. Forget the "mean" streets, you're afraid to even have at the on the internet without hiding your identity. You just don't get it, do you? You can hack on me until the Susquehanna is a sparkling shade of blue. But, the fact remains that I will not live my life being afraid to trim the hedges out front. If I wanna ride down Sambourne Street, (which I very often do) then I'm gonna ride down Sambourne Street. And if feel like hanging out on the Square or South Main Street, I'm gonna do it. And if the need arises to pin some idiots head to a curb, I reserve the right to defend myself from needless harassment. If mixing it up is beyond your capabilities, so be it. Remain safe in your sanctuary with the curtains drawn, the four dead-bolts locked and continue to see to it that you remain the anonymous, cowardly sniper. As for me, I'll be out there somewhere enjoying myself. Therein lies the biggest difference between yourself and myself. I'm not afraid, and I'm not prone to bouts of incessant whining about how utterly dangerous the real world happens to be. You just don't get it, do you?

Now go and check the back-up battery in your back-up alarm system.

By the way, Dennis Bonvie is coming back to town.

I'll bet you're excited as all hell.

The following e-mail was unsigned.

I will assume that you are who you claim to be, but don't expect me to suddenly backpedal simply because you may be related to the lady that was attacked and killed in her apartment.

At some point even you have to admit that a brutal crime like this on an 87 year old woman minding her own business in the supposed safety of her home is an outrage.

Excuse me, but, when did I say that it was not an outrage? Of course it was an outrage. It was a despicable act. It was an unthinkable act...in these parts.

Also, someone who genuinely cares took it upon themselves to start a reward fund to help catch this animal and you accuse them of using this tragedy for their own agenda.

Goddamn right!!! Consider the source.

People in this city are livid that this senseless murder occurred and you pass it off as another every day occurrence.

I passed it off as another every day occurrence? What? When was that?

Wake up, we are in deep trouble and it needs to be addressed immediately to protect all the residents now, not after another innocent person has to die.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the last time I checked, the police department was addressing what needs to be done to immediately protect the residents. I have complete faith in them.

We can build all the theaters, transportation centers, and restaurants in downtown but if we don't feel safe going to them, then we won't. Don't get me wrong I would love nothing more than to see this city revitalized and vibrant again, especially downtown. But we need to do something to decrease crime and make us feel safe walking the streets and especially be protected hopefully in our own homes. I strongly feel this is our priority and nothing else. Without an all out campaign to rid this city of its crime, I strongly feel we will never turn W-B into the city we all remember and love.

I can't take issue with any of that, but did you happen to notice that this city has hired 11 new police officers during this current fiscal year? What might we envision those cops doing once they complete their training? Checking coats and hats at the theater complex? Cut me a break, will you?

Let's back up a tad:

Everytime there is a negative situation that arises involving the police, the mayor, etc. you always argue to support them no matter how bad the circumstances are. If you want to "believe", that is your choice, but reality has to confront you at some point.

The thing is, if some lowlife scumball decides to kick in a door and wreak havoc upon whomever happens to live beyond that shattered door, that is not proof that anyone employed by the City of Wilkes-Barre is not doing their job to the best of their abilities.

And I do not "support them" no matter what. What I do is to confront the reality that seems to have been lost on so many of the city's residents. Let's revisit reality shall we?

The previous mayor of this city allowed our police force to dwindle to frighteningly low numbers. Our current mayor has hired 11 new police officers this year alone.

The previous mayor bought a hovercraft, one half of a soda pop truck, WPUU, a pile of Radio Shack antennas, and then told us of his undying committment to public safety. Meanwhile, our aged and oft-broken down fire trucks got even older. Our current mayor has put enough money aside to replace those ancient fire trucks. He has seen to it that two of our firehouses recieve the long overdue upgrades they needed, and he even budgeted for the construction of a new firehouse.

The previous mayor ballyhooed his stupid curbside pick-up calendar to the point of absurdity, while our curbside pick-ups were being done by pickup trucks, dump trucks and front-end loaders. Our current mayor went and purchased two new garbage packers. Efficiency should count for something, no?

The previous mayor mothballed our street sweepers for all of three years. The current mayor has them rumbling down Pennsylvania Avenue each and every morning.

The previous mayor promised us a monster of a downtown theater, but couldn't make it happen. Our current mayor did make it happen.

The previous mayor promised us an Intermodel facility and vertical parking throughout the downtown, but couldn't make it happen. Thanks to our current mayor, it will happen soon enough.

Our previous mayor turned a few fallen streetlights into a three ring circus, and replaced them with god only knows what. Our current mayor has presided over a bunch of folks that can feel proud when all of our downtown streetlights are replaced real soon like, not to mention the new streetscaping to go along with them.

The previous mayor promised more foot traffic in the downtown when he penned the deal to build the call center. Not only has our current mayor cleaned that financial mess up, he's going to cut the ribbon when the Labor & Industry building opens with 250 employees in tow.

The previous mayor was called "inept" by the previous governor in a well-publicized flap. Our current mayor was paid a visit by the new governor as he delivered millions of dollars to Wilkes-Barre's future.

The previous mayor was named the worst mayor in the state by a political website that attracts more visitors than this site ever will. Our current mayor has the backing of some very, very prominent business leaders, those Chamber of Commerce folks, the governor of this state and more of the hoi polloi than you might care to believe.

The previous mayor spent money as if the city owned a grove of Viagra-laced money trees. Our current mayor has stuck to the five-year-plan that the expensive bean counters said was absolutely necessary to get this city back to where we all want it to be.

Face it, the previous mayor drove this city lower than it could ever imagine being driven. And our current mayor is setting in place the firm foundation from which Wilkes-Barre can rise again.

I "support them no matter how bad the circumstances are?" Nah, I beg to differ with that complete bilge. What I do is remember things. And if I'm remembering things correctly, the Leighton administration is to the McGroarty administration what winning the powerball drawing is to being on welfare.

I'm certainly not happy about what happened to that lil' old lady, but I'm not going to freak out because of it. What happened there was a random, senseless, brutal act and it in no way can be construed to be the 'norm in this city. I'm sure I'll catch hell for this, but direct family members and friends aside, I think the reason that so many out there are so filled with revulsion is the fact that one of the white folks got killed. When the blacks were shooting at, or stabbing the other blacks, nobody was calling for the elimination of all crime in our lifetimes. Call me whatever names you wish, but I'm telling you there's a racial component to this outrage. Think about it. While idly speculating about who exactly had committed this heinous crime, tell me you weren't imagining the next Larry Tooley, or the next Daniel Stubbs. I dare anyone to tell me I'm wrong.

If the scuzzball of a murderer didn't jump on a fast boat to China, our cops will find him and clamp the cuffs tightly around his wrists. They have no need of rewards, or hysterical calls for drastic action the likes of which even Russian citizens have never seen. Our cops are professional, committed and self-motivated. If there's enough forensic evidence to be had, or just enough intel gleaned from the pounding of the pavement...they'll get the scurfball. Is that what you'd call supporting them no matter what? If so, I could care less what you wish to call it. I know a few of these guys, I've ridden through the city with a couple of these guys, and I've listened to enough of their exploits on the scanner to know that the vast amount of money spent on our police department is money well spent.

I support the Wilkes-Barre Police Department???

You can bet your ass I do, and I support my mayor too!!!

Roll that up and smoke it!

Whatever, man. I really gotta go. Gage Andrew wants to watch Lake Placid on the imported DVD player. And after that, I think I'll spin the new Bruce Willis flick one more time. He's a, dare I say it, Ethel?...tough guy. I know Ethel...er, Mr. Oblivion hates tough guys, but I really like the rough and tumble stuff. (Sue me if I beat the snot out of one of your drunken, or homeless relatives a while back.) You'd swear I'd been there once or twice. Then, I think we'll spin Team America: World Police. Violence is cool even when puppets are doing the nasty stuff.

America!!! F**k Yeah!!!

For those of you not too completely afraid to attend a block party after dark, I made a $400 enhancement to that gargantuan PA system that somehow passes as a home stereo system in this house.

This is gonna be good.

I'll see you there. Or, here.

Billy Badass out.

A timid person is frightened before a danger, a coward during the time, and a courageous person afterward.--Jean Paul Richter