I snagged this from DiamondCityWeekly.com. I don't normally bother reading that, that, that...whatever the funk it portends to be, but the article about Skrep's new bar caught my eye.

Anywho, this Coincidence? They think not. story listed a plethora of thoughts from the folks that used to frequent the Cafe Metropolis. And the e-mail listed below struck me kind of odd. Give it a quick glimpse:

"I think this entire situation is terrible. Cafe Metropolis has been like a second home to so many kids around this area. What does closing them down accomplish? More gain and revenue for the future stores and movie theater of downtown Wilkes-Barre? That is exactly what these people hope to accomplish. It is no secret that Cafe Metropolis and the alley and area behind are viewed by some as a nuisance, and I am also sure the stabbings that took place there not to long ago didn't do anything but solidify that view in some peoples minds. But the truth is that this place keeps a lot of kids out of trouble, period. Kids and adults alike frequent Metropolis for the pure enjoyment of music and being with friends. I personally can't count how many great bands I have seen, and how many close friends I have made there. I think it is ridiculous that all of a sudden after 10 years of existence, Cafe Metropolis is just now violating fire codes. Why couldn't officials address years ago and get it over and done with, rather than waiting until now? Because all it took was one incident to give them a reason to decide that the crowd that they think consists of misfit kids and juvenile delinquents isn't fit for their future "beautiful downtown Wilkes-Barre." What I want to know is: what do they plan to do about the drugs, the drug dealers, and the prostitutes that pretty much live on the corners of "beautiful downtown Wilkes-Barre?" I always hear about all the crackdown and effort that is being put forth into dealing with the drug problem down there, yet I don't see any improvement. This city and the people running it need to get their priorities straight. I hope they know and understand that they are destroying one of the last places around here for young people to go and enjoy themselves without the aid of drugs and/or alcohol. Then when more kids start getting involved in more crime and turn to vandalism and theft to pass their time, you will all be wondering what you can do to keep so many youth from being mislead. At that moment, I hope you look back at this moment and realize the huge mistake you all made." - Ryan Klubeck, Fighting Zero

Because all it took was one incident to give them a reason to decide that the crowd that they think consists of misfit kids and juvenile delinquents isn't fit for their future "beautiful downtown Wilkes-Barre."

Yeah, man! All because of one incident, the administration unleashed it’s storm troopers of death (S.O.D) masked as zoning guys loose on those innocent little kiddies. It’s not right, man. They’re not misfit kids. They’re not juvenile delinquents. They’re just punk music lovers.

Next:

I hope they know and understand that they are destroying one of the last places around here for young people to go and enjoy themselves without the aid of drugs and/or alcohol. Then when more kids start getting involved in more crime and turn to vandalism and theft to pass their time, you will all be wondering what you can do to keep so many youth from being mislead. At that moment, I hope you look back at this moment and realize the huge mistake you all made."

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! What happened to the freakin’ Eagle Scouts? Without Café Metropolis they’re going to start committing random acts of crime, vandalism and theft??? What sort of gibberish is that?

I have a question for all of the folks old enough to remember what it was like before electricity was invented. Did you have a punk rock club to hang out in when you were a struggling young sprat? No? That’s what I thought. And did that huge void in your life cause you to turn to a life of crime? That’s what I thought.

Talk about taking personal responsibility, rolling it up, lighting it with a teeny tiny sulfur preparation and smoking it! If a big crime wave perpetrated by juveniles breaks out now that Club Eagle Scout is shuttered--it’s the fault of the city’s administration? These are all great kids, but without the club the city might need to procure itself some riot shields? Sorry, but this is complete bunkum.

If lil’ Johnny starts going berserk it’s because his parents have no idea where he’s at and no idea what he’s doing. In fact, telling his parents he was off to the punk club would be the perfect cover for his going elsewhere and performing all sorts of misdeeds.

If they’re not misfit kids and juvenile delinquents then they’re not. But if they are misfit kids and juvenile delinquents it’s no one’s fault other than his and his gullible parent’s. And it has nothing to do with any boredom caused by the city‘s actions.

Imagine what these very same people would be saying if the club burned to the foundation with all of the borderline criminals/kiddies trapped inside of it, and then it came out afterward that the sprinkler system was totally deficient.

Coincidence? Who gives a flyin’ funk!

Pool all of the money you can steal from Mom’s purse and replace the sprinkler system, or clam the fu>k up already.

One other thing: I have yet to hear someone explain why there was ALWAYS broken glass in the alley and parking lot behind that club. The last time I checked, they stopped selling Pepsi in glass bottles many, many moons ago. So, you want me to believe that there was absolutely no under-aged drinking going on out back?

Coming soon: Choir Boys Gone Wild.

(The Clash--Guns of Brixton…sort of)

Incorrect!

I am the one person in this area willing to admit that where there’s demand, there’s supply, and I’ve said as much in print many times over. One more time: The brown folks grow it, the black folks sell it and the white folks buy it and use it. I realize that’s painting with a very broad brush, but my point is that the white folk in this area seem to have a voracious appetite for illegal narcotics.

But make no mistake about it, the druggies that get to shooting at each other in this town are not homegrown boys by any stretch of the imagination. 99% of the time they hail from but a handful of nearby larger cities. Plus, we had two imports staying at the local rehab center who took to murdering people for drug money. The people around here want the drug dealers to pack up their drugs, guns and money and head back to their own inner-city neighborhoods. The only problem being that said folks have no idea that their wonderful offspring are the ones keeping the out-of-town dealers in business.

I’ve been to Queens many, many times. Unfortunately, I used to deliver to a monstrous nursing home every Tuesday morning before the roosters got to stirring. (Does NYC even have roosters? Never mind.) I can’t remember how many times I heard gunfire while out on the loading dock. And I’ll never forget how the cafeteria workers sitting on plastic milk crates and puffing away rarely batted a single eyelid because of that gunfire. In fact, right down the street a ways some heavy hitter drug dealers decided to send a message to the NYPD by executing a rookie cop while he sat in his patrol car. I forget the year…1994, maybe 1996.

I ran routes as far west as Bath, New York and well past the Amish country due west of Selinsgrove. I went as far east as Milford, Connecticut, and as far south as Washington D.C., and Rebobeth Beach, Delaware. But there was only one city that caused me to carry concealed weapons with a built-in redundancy. You got it--New York City. Been there, done that. And more often than I ever cared to. I fully realize that there are good people living there, but don’t try to blow smoke up my ass. There are plenty of good reason why the Poconos are filling up fast with New York City’s escapees. The biggest being they are trying to escape the likes of which are traveling here to supply our thousands upon thousands of local junkies.

We had another shooting incident at the White House Café last night. One fellow was flown to CMC in Scranton. The other shooting “victim” ran away from the scene, but later showed up at Geisinger South claiming that he was shot in a road rage incident. I’m assuming this was drug-related and I’m assuming that the folks shooting at each other hail from either New York City, or Philthydumpia. Care to bet against that being the case? That’s what I thought.

Look, take a chill pill. I realize this is a backward area in many respects, but we’re not that bad. Or are we?

Thanx, man. Did you ever hear Zappa’s “Pajama People?” If not, do yourself a favor and download it. That “Boxer Dude” blurb cracked me up.

Check this out. I went to the nearby Turkey Hill today and the lady behind the register recognized me from the Times Leader photo. She said it was nice that I got some recognition for my efforts and then asked of me, “Were you really sitting there in your underwear?”

I’m no boxer, but Boxer Dude just might stick. We shall see.

Good to hear from you.

There’s a helluva lot more going on than just the theater complex. Real quick, there’s the theater, the new streetlights, the riverfront project, the Sterling remodeling, the intermodal (spelling?) bus center that will allow vertical parking on the Square, and the proposed riverfront museum.

The canopies came down, the huge Murray complex was purchased by some mall/retail developer extraordinaire, the station complex is supposed to be acquired by the county for some sort of rail link-up with NYC, the former call center was purchased by Wilkes University which is really going to increase the foot traffic for the second and third blocks of South Main street. The Wilkes security office is moving to the second block of South Main which can only bolster our safety and security in the downtown area.

As far as the tax credits--the KOZ zones---are concerned, I’m sure the politicos and Chambericos are desperately trying to fill those sites. But at this point, tax free zones are like assholes--everybody’s got one. Believe me, the rush is on to attract companies to Wilkes-Barre. The latest is that IGourmet .com is going to open their first brick-and-mortar store in our downtown. That’s exactly the unique type of retail businesses that we need to attract. I guess there’s no shortage of historic buildings when you consider that you can’t scrap a doghouse without the state’s historic gurus signing off on the idea first.

As far as the downtown’s rebirth is concerned, the most important thing going on is the push to attract more people to live in the downtown. Without an indigenous population, no downtown can remain open 18 hours a day. On a personal note, I’d love to live above the theater in one of those loft apartments, but I’d be afraid to ask how much the going price will be. I’m picturing those being kind of pricey and limited to being occupied by the well-heeled professional types.

If that downtown ever starts producing significant income for the city again, the city would be able to invest more money in infrastructure improvements, neighborhood enhancements, and maybe even some more police officers. We’re talking ‘quality of life’ issues, and if we can get to that point, the entire area will benefit.

Schmuck politicians??? Maybe in the past. I think the current crop of elected folks in this city understand that a sense of urgency was clearly needed from the bunch of them, and so far they have delivered. There is more economic development going on in this city as I type than during the entire time I have been associated with this city, sans the post-flood reconstruction period.

I’m excited. But I’m also disappointed to know that some others are so completely focused on the negative that they can’t even admit that anything positive is afoot. At one time, this city was home to one powerful vindictive little prick (VLP). These days, we’ve got a collection of vindictive little pricks clamoring to be powerful. And they’re all registered Republicans.

Everyone I talk to yearns for those lazy days spent wandering around downtown Wilkes-Barre with a shopping bag in one hand and bag of freshly roasted peanuts in the other. The peanut store may not make a comeback, but downtown Wilkes-Barre has an excellent chance of doing so. I’m jazzed. I’m ready to take the grandrodents to the movies, I’m ready to take Wifey shopping , and I’m looking forward to just leaning my bicycle against a bench, taking a seat and watching downtown Wilkes-Barre hustle on by me. Just like when I was a kid.

But the only way we’re going to have any businesses downtown is if we support those downtown businesses. I’m ready.

Who’ll join me?

Ten minutes of fame? Those pricks promised me the typically allotted fifteen minutes.

Sons’a bitches!!!

And a rock feels no pain.

And an island never cries.

Buh-bye