Rocky

U 2 kiddo! And I have seen girls scouts at the local grocery store set up to sell those yummy baked treats... thankfully, I had eaten lunch before going to the store, so I had no problem smiling, saying "no thank you" and walking on by. Make no mistake, though, I'm not "dieting"... I just snack on apples (or other in-season fruit), low fat yogurt, and sometimes instant oatmeal (good for cholesterol, ya know) and I treat myself by putting a small bit of real maple syrup on the oatmeal. yummmmmmm! Anyway, I'm feeling good and shaping up (slowly but surely). And TommyStrange... ... do you like getting caught in the rain?

Average summer electric bill/mo could easily top $200.00 and depending on other factors (such as shade trees or lack thereof/pool/how well insulated your home is/how frequently kids (or anyone else) might go in and out) could exceed $400.00 without a whole lot of effort. When I had a regular single family, one-story, two BR/two BA detached house, I sometimes exceeded $150. BUT evap coolers can help a lot, except during the more humid summer months (monsoon runs roughly mid-July to mid-Sept). And in that house, my property tax bill was about $90/mo.

Oh? But do you like Pina Coladas?

Can you stand the HEAT? Well, I live in a retirement community on an Indian Reservation (right next door to Snottsdale, er, Scottsdale). I do NOT have a mortgage, and my property tax bill last year was less than $100 (yes, one hundred dollars). However, 10 miles north, in newer Scottsdale areas, lots of celebrities, plenty of professional athletes... they, of course, pay much more in property taxes than I do. BUT with that comes a whole lot of population growth, serious traffic problems, strained infrastructure, plenty dirty air (I know, as does just about every metropolitan area in the US), drought conditions (and impending water shortages)... but the winters are nice! ;) Oh yeah... and what we don't pay in property taxes, we start to make up in summer electric bills... :blink:

P-Mosh, I hope you don't mind me proofing and correcting your text above. Clearly, YOU are an expert in what YOU can offer... but I'm thinking you haven't met most of us (and certainly not me), so, you apparently misspoke when you projected your SELF-expertise to apply your judgement to what others (including me) have experience from which to offer insights. (And YES, I'm being polite, but if necessary, that is, if I'm not being clear enough for you, I'd be happy to be more blunt, direct, and specific).

Trees budding here too... Ash trees and, of course, my Indian Rosewood (aka Sissou tree). Spring training games start Thursday. Across the street, there were some pretty loud and rambunctous birds apparently having a good time in an Orange tree. Citrus should start blossoming within a week to 10 days (because we had some colder nights than usual, it might take a little longer). AND just about the sweetest springtime fragrance is that of Orange Blossoms...

Just because YOU are not in the midst of it all doesn't mean your suggestion is unreasonable. I've not been in THAT particular situation, but I have been in situations where community/neighborhood organizing could and did make a major positive difference, caused the situation to change, that is. Moving out of that neighborhood (Dot's) is premature and if THAT is the only reason, not a good idea. IF Dot has other reasons to move out (like, someplace in particular wanting to go, because of whatever that place has to offer that Dot and family need/want) then fine. But to just give up and move out is to declare that you've lost. And moving out just to escape can be hard to keep from prospective buyers... which then has a negative impact on property values. IF and ONLY if the situation becomes completely helpless and hopeless would moving just to escape be the best choice. But at this stage, it's not likely they are without the power to change their neighborhood for the better. P-Mosh, we've been over this territory already. It sounds like you have pretty much accepted a defeatist perspective. That's unfortunate, because organizing neighborhoods/communities doesn't have to be overwhelmingly hard. In fact, the whole idea is to get others to join with you. THEN it becomes a very rewarding endeavor from many angles.

Yeah... I understand. You could see how he could have done so much better with his life as he grew up, made choices... it's hard not to have some anger. Because you only wanted the best for him (and them).... I sorta feel some of this with my daughter (who I haven't seen in more than two years/haven't heard her voice for more than a year and a half... and now she's having substantial trouble with school). Perhaps you could think about why you're angry with him... maybe it IS because you love him... and if you can focus that energy into a more compassionate way to think about him... anyway... even if my suggestion is off base (and if so, I apologize), I'll be thinking good things, praying for you and them... truly sad, tragic.

Ain't THAT the truth! (yes, it IS the truth)

He/she who has eyes to see and ears to hear... will know that Jonny Lingo(ers) here watching your every move... ! :ph34r:

sew wuz eye :P

look who's talking starring alfakat travolta! :dance::dance:

what you say!? 44 IS young... don't grow old in your mind too early, eh! Sorry to hear about the heart achey situation. Any time someone has lied to you in such a way, it's a real kicker when you find out. Hopefully, you have a good (non-cyber) support system... but even if not, you have good friends here. And with a good support system, you'll get through this soon. :) Wish I had better insight... but can just really let you know I understand. Yikes! Not someone worth ANYONE'S vote!!! Your ability to be honest with yourself and your friends is very valuable indeed. Obviously, that bozo had some serious self-esteem issues that he managed by overinflating himself in the eyes of others. Pretty soon, you'll be VERY thankful you found out before wasting ANY more time with him.

What's your best low fat variety of GS (Girl Scout) cookie? Spring? One might not think it today here... high barely made it to 60F ! :P and was very windy today.... BUT the Indian Rosewood tree on the east side of my house (morning shade) has already started with ITS spring... new leaves popping out all over. :) News? Hmmm, nothing personally, but looking forward to an intriguing segment on 60 Minutes this week. A group of more than 1000 members of the US armed forces have signed a petition to tell Congress they oppose THIS particular war... Nice to see you niKa. :)

Dot, I think your attitude toward use of lethal force is good. As in, "let's not be too quick" with it. That you have a concealed carry permit AND have a less than gung ho approach, IMO, is good. I'd hope that you'd be capable of using your weapon IF absolutely necessary, but having respect for the inherent danger associated with it is probably healthy. AND there's NO question that IF a middle schooler or early high school kid were shot, you'd have a seriously chaotic mess on your hands. AND that's NOT to mention the personal emotional/psych issues that would certainly be there, especially for the shooter. So, in light of some of the posts suggesting use of lethal force, I applaud you for your, somewhat reserved, approach to that aspect of any potential situation.

Gee, what a devious attention seeker!

I agree with White Dove... IF you can make the connection somehow to get your community funded for a federal grant like that, I'd bet those gangsters would move on pretty quickly...

Sam I AM! And I do NOT like GREEN EGGS and HAM! (so there!)

FIRST... I'm SURE there are plenty of NUTS that will advocate arming the entire neighborhood. I do NOT believe that will make you SAFER. You kill one of those kids and unless there are numerous witnesses who can truthfully attest to it being in self-defense or in addressing someone UNlawfully using lethal force, YOU RISK A LIFE IN PRISON. As to the underlying issue of community safety, THAT is a LOCAL issue. Which elected official(s) is/are responsible for your community safety? Probably the city council and the county board of supervisors (or whatever it's called in your state). You MUST effectively: ORGANIZE your neighbors FIRST. ESTABLISH communications/relationships with editors and reporters working for your local newspaper(s). Start with the ones who reach the largest portion of your community. THEN you have leverage to influence the city council and the executive management of the city government and police department. Some of these things can be done simultaneously, but I listed them in order of importance, and must emphasize that NONE of those first three keys can be left out. IF you have the ear of even a handful of your neighbors, and if they are stirred up as much as you, then it will grow. With journalists, you can both give them news items (such as events that illustrate the problems you are concerned with, who and why you have met to begin organizing your neighbors, what you believe needs to be done) AND ask them for their insights on contacts for organizing and advocacy (to the elected and hired city officials). You'd be surprised what these people know beyond what they've even been able to publish in their collective body of news articles published. All they do is RESEARCH things and write about them. And they learn more than they get to include in their published articles. AND do not cease to LEARN, LEARN, LEARN. Learn from books/websites. Learn from experienced advocates. Learn from your mistakes (which WILL happen some, but if you don't let your mistakes stop you, you WILL learn and become more effective advocates). A couple more keys to leverage with elected officials -- they ALL want to be re-elected/want supporters. So they WANT to demonstrate that they are tough on crime, for example. They want to be able to demonstrate that neighborhood activists support them. They only get that support by helping YOU. So, the first approach is to show THEM how your group can get them that support. It's called quid pro quo... or you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. Forget what Wierwille said about that concept. It is a fundamental principle in activism and in working with elected officials. THEN if the cooperative approach doesn't work (and you have to give it some time... do NOT issue threats, especially at the start of a relationship with a councilman), a committed group of naysayers can put the "fear of god" in a politician real quick. Anyway, you'll need to know and do more than I can provide you in this forum. Your best bet is to connect with other thoughtful, committed, smart people and tap their insights and resources too.

Okay, I'll bite. Here's my two cents worth... (it's actually worth substantially more, but what matters is what YOU do with it) Overworked and understaffed is a "PAT answer." It is BOTH true AND not true. All government functions/agencies have to fight for funding. What that means to you is: They are trying to get away with NOT responding to your group's demand for stepped up patrols. They are HOPING you buy their line (of crap), because for them, it is the path of least resistance IF you accept it. Frankly, they ARE (most likely) both overworked AND underfunded/understaffed. BUT it's up to whoever speaks for your group (the vocal leader) to effectively put the burden BACK on the police chief/department. That's done by making it clear that your group refuses to accept that they have too few resources to do their job. On the contrary, you tell them, IF they CANNOT do their job, then they get two choices: your group presses for changing in agency leadership/oversight (possible actions range from replacing a police chief to recalling the city council); OR they (the agency management) gets the city council to provide the resources. While my insight might seem overly simplistic, I'm only summarizing it for you. The fact is there is a plethora of publications available to give you specific guidance on HOW to effectively organize neighborhood groups for political action. And what you have described is a need for organized political action on the neighborhood level. Perhaps one good place to start would be your local library. Find a book entitled "Rules for Radicals" by Saul Alinsky. Read it. Do it. It WILL work. Time would fail me to expound on how I know.

Me too.

I'm pretty sure Dr Strangelove was intentionally (jokingly) making that particular juxtaposed suggestion. That's why I mentioned his "buddy Dirk N." (who happens to play basketball... for the Dallas Mavericks).

From Daily Catholic (dot) Org http://www.dailycatholic.org/issue/04Feb/feb29qds.htm The ashes are also a sign of our mortality. As the priest traces the ashes on our forehead in the sign of a cross, he says, Memento, homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris - that is, Remember, man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return (Gen. 3:19). Those were the terrible words spoken to Adam after his fall, and through him, to us. It is because of Adam's sin that we have need of an Ash Wednesday, which necessarily takes us to Good Friday's Passion, and ultimately leads us to Resurrection Sunday.

That's similar to my reaction to something ChattyKathy posted not too long ago on another thread! (though NOT for the same reasons)

How do you define NORMAL? :P ---------- What does this mean? ;)