It‘s funny, when the folks hoping to replace the current council folks get to disparaging them, they usually make vague statements about how the entrenched incumbents will do just about anything to hang onto their “power.” It sounds so sinister.

Well, I talked to one of those incumbents today. And I had some questions for him concerning the upcoming election, as well as the campaigning sure to kick off immediately after the Easter holiday. We discussed what we thought of the dynamics in a couple of voting districts. And you might be surprised by what he had to say about his chances of being reelected.

Basically, he was very nonchalant whereas the campaign trail and the election itself are concerned. He says he’s going to try to cover his entire district while going door to door, he’ll give it his best shot and that’s about it. Not exactly what you’d expect from some despot desperately clinging to his tainted throne.

Despite what the charlatans might lead you to believe, not all of the incumbents would sacrifice virgins to keep their positions. It’s just as well, though, since virginity seems to have been outlawed or something.

Whatever.

Slow news day? Why, let’s stir up that firehouse hornet’s nest all over again.

From the Citizen’s Voice:

Mayor: No cash to fix firehouse A firehouse in the Heights and more firefighters on the payroll are touchy subjects for Mayor Tom Leighton. Leighton said he has heard many people’s ideas about fixing the closed firehouse, building a new firehouse and hiring more firefighters, but no one has presented a good idea about how to pay for these goals.

The battle lines have been clearly delineated on this issue. There are those who do not have to balance the city’s books and say spend, spend, spend.

And then there are those who must balance the city’s books and say no, no, no.

How quickly we forget the overdue, unpaid debts, the bi-yearly Tax Anticipation Notes, the damage done to the bond rating and the embarrassment that is spending millions upon millions of dollars on high-profile projects that went bust almost overnight. How quickly we forget.

And how utterly and stupidly selective our collective memory seems to be after 2 previously unattended to firehouses were retrofitted, a new one was built, 3 new fire engines were acquired and 2 new ambulances were had.

Despite all of the relentless bickering about the closed firehouse in the Heights, no one has proven even one iota that there has been any appreciable drop-off in the quality or the timeliness of our emergency services. And that would be because there has been no drop-off. None.

The bottom line is, the bottom line needs to be protected. But the syncopated sycophants don’t want to hear that. And neither do the political neophytes promising damn near this, that and everything.

Very many of the local Web sites administered by private residents have either ceased operations altogether, or have offered very infrequent postings. It’s been very, very quiet lately, and growing more so.

I’m not sure why that is, except to suggest that writing on the internet can eat up a lot of time that could be used for all sorts of other meaningful pursuits. I think people just run out of steam after awhile. Some seem committed, but committed to what? Better put, why do we do this? Why do we bother?

Anyway, there is this new site put together by a regular caller to WILK.

Give it a look.

As I cycled past the Central Park ‘n’ Lock early this afternoon, I noticed the cones at the entrance restricting it’s use. It was full. I think it was barely 1:30 pm, so you are correct. On one hand it’s a good problem , but a problem just the same. Although, there was a mob in front of the theater. Holy Thursday? Let’s do a movie.

Although, they do have 2 major projects in the works. We’ve got the footer frames being constructed at the site of the new intermodel garage, so the construction will be moving forward soon enough. So, there’s over 700 new parking spaces. Certainly nothing to sneeze at.

And we’ve heard of a proposed parking garage at the site of the stripped-down Hotel Sterling, so hopefully that will come to pass as the 18-month long Sterling transformation is already underway. I remember somebody envisioning a 600 slot garage there, but I could be mistaken.

I honestly think the 700-plus additional parking spots in the intermodel garage will go a long way towards alleviating the situation. 700. That’s a helluva lot of new parking to hit the downtown in one fell swoop.

By the way, I still see motorists trying and failing to enter the basement garage under the theater. That garage is strictly for the employees of that entire complex, and the future tenants of the second and third-floor loft apartments.

I always park in the ground lot across from the YMCA, the former Lazarus property, and I am yet to be denied entrance. Um, that is, park the car.

Not a bicycle.

To those of you who have tried to defend the recent actions of Bob Kadluboski by way of the e-mail inbox, you need not.

Obviously I don’t agree with what he did. But the thing I objected to the most was local talk radio hosts encouraging other people to do likewise. As far as I’m concerned, that was inexorably irresponsible on their parts. And if you can find a single city police officer that wholeheartedly encourages us untrained, inexperienced folks to grab a gun and join a manhunt for an armed and dangerous assailant, I’ll tell him right to his face he ought to reconsider his chosen career.

Listen to this latest bilge. Steve Corbett later went on to say that “Kobbie” was only defending himself after the miniature criminal in question tried to carjack his tow truck. To say that that is beyond sophistry is too timid on my part. Dumb is dumb, but this is dumb with ancillary stupidities thrown in for good measure.

Steve, if you purposely seek out a desperate criminal on the lam, bad things just might come about. If you choose to engage them, to apprehend them, you are not a victim. If you confront them, you get what you get. But, you put yourself in that situation, when you had absolutely no business doing so in the first place.

But, “defending himself?” Boy, that’s an effing stretch.

Look, don’t bother arguing with either Steve or Sue. Apparently, they are all in favor of armed vigilantes roaming the streets in search of reward money. That is, until one of their own family members have their glossy appearing on the posters down at the local post office. Then they’ll be telling us it’s a matter for the local police to handle.

I promise, I won’t shoot your wayward kid unless he gets to hacking on the New York football Giants. Oh, and the Braves.

Ready…aim…OOPS!!!

Sorry, officer. When can I pick up that reward money?

What are the odds against this one?

During the past ten days, somehow, I have found 2 lost drivers licenses. Not one, but two. The first was of the junior operator variety issued in Pennsylvania. And the second was issued by the State of Maryland.

I’ve already returned the first one I found to a student at Wyoming Seminary. And I’m still working on the other one.

Weirdness.

Domino‘s Pizza, anyone?

From The Beacon:

What’s up with that?

Us common folks can grab a gun and a scanner and play police officer. But public safety officers are not allowed to play pizza delivery guy?

It hardly seems fair.

Being that Easter is almost upon us, I thought you might want to take a look at this video of the Easter Bunny. He comes to town one a day a year, we never actually get to meet him and it turns out he’s a really, really nasty bastard.

Later