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Passive Agressive Cops Foster Crime
December 30, 2012
— 7 Comments
Joe Bonnano
I live in central Tucson, where we are surrounded with gun dealing, dope dealing, human dealing, and we are not sure what else. Here everyone knows that these illegal businesses are perhaps the strongest part of our economy. Tucson works on that trickle down theory…if we let lots of crime money circulate in the city, somebody will buy something from the legal merchants. We are well aware that cops do not make extra money enforcing laws, but rather by strategically ignoring them.
People in other parts of the country might be shocked by what is called the neighborhood watch program in this city.. Our neighbors have had three visits from the neighborhood watch cop. We had a functional handful of neighbors who regularly e mailed and gave information to each other about crime, safety, and suspicious activity. We met with her to find out how to enhance our skills and coordinate with the TPD. She came but told us we did not meet the requirements she had to follow, so she could not work with us. We went ahead the same way, just using our e mail list to contact each other.
The second meeting set up to form an official watch was a few days before a sales tax election that was of great importance to the officer. Although we had far fewer attendees at the second meeting, she decided that this time we could make it official. So she stayed for an hour and promoted the sales tax and told us we already had no hope of law enforcement, but if the sales tax did not pass she might loose her job. I remember thinking, she really should loose her job since she is out here not doing it at all right now. After the official status was granted I contacted her to help eliminate the extreme flaming crime that we had to tolerate full time in the form of a charity scam operating in our public areas. She refused to help or respond. She told me to call the parking authority to try to remove the log jam of cars that blocked us into our houses while they made donations to the criminals. The parking authority did arrive six months later and ticket a neighbor who had been illegally parked for a decade, but all the neighborhhod had to live with full time fully public crime by three of the thirty houses in our condo village. Since they were in the scam business for years, our property value has been reduced to almost nothing. Nobody would come to look at a property where the residents were fully parked in to their homes with crime traffic.
The third meeting with the officer was even more poorly attended, with only three other homes represented, other than the full time criminals. So, with the threashhold of a minimum of 16 participants, she went ahead with a brief meeting to sanction the tiny, close knit, and full time criminal group who sat before her as our official neighborhood watch. The other homeowners would just be able to watch while their quality of life is trashed by this group. I raised the issue that there were not close to a majority there, which was met with hostility by both the charity scammers and the cop. What they have in common that aligns them is a desire to be hostile rather than aware. I watched a functioning group of neighbors turn into a crime enhancing group of punks under the guidance of the TPD. No exchange of information has been done since she sanctioned the criminal group. They refuse to respond, just like the TPD. I want to recognize the important work being done by this branch of law enforcement, and I want to stop paying for it. It seems to damage society when cops pretend that crime is not their problem. We don’t need to pay tax dollars to extend willful blindness to crime. We already have that.
As Above, so Below-the Border
December 24, 2012
— 1 Comment
How irresistible is untaxed profit? So magnetic that a Border Patrol agent just was stupid enough to load a large shipment of dirt weed into to his migramobile for transport right next to the border recently. I live in Tucson, in the slipstream of untaxed profit provided by the border. It feels to me like the economy that transpires outside the law, under the table, is much greater than legal business in my state. We are so damn fast, furious, heavily armed, and racist that anything can and does happen. South of the border, down Mexico way, kingpins of crime created a much stronger economy than the local legal economy. They now have their own saint which is a sure sign that they are in control. The border itself offers them the risk reward system of illegal commerce that increases their power and wealth. Sure, they have guns (supplied by us), but they only enforce their special jurisdiction with guns. If they had no economy based on smuggling they would have no power in Mexico or the US, thus no need for a saint.
- The closer to the border, the higher the risk/reward.
- The closer to the border, the more violent the scene
- The closer to the border, the higher the pay for crime
- The closer to the border, the higher the bribes
At the border everything is exponentially magnified and all the cops are criminals, all the sinners saints. Stakes are high and the dominant criminal precedent has been set in place forever. Smuggling pays well, and pays law enforcement the highest salaries, one would imagine. The fence that was built to solve our bizzillion border issues has magnetized them. The pay is now higher to break laws at the border, and the violence much greater. Every pendejo who loves lawlessness is attracted to the Arizona/Sonora border. Why? It is simple. The pinche-punk criminals flock to both sides of the border because the border itself is pura pendejada. The migra doesn’t even have a saint. How pathetic is that?
Hip Shopping and Sugar Plums
November 23, 2012
— 3 Comments
By definition, a purchase at a small business is an act of individuation. The effort to save small business, slow food, craft quality, and organic farming is valid from an economic standpoint. The local business keeps currency flowing in the local stream. Home Depot takes as much profit as possible home to the stockholders, as is their mandate. This does not make Home Depot evil, but it does mean that it is impossible to purchase anything hip at that Depot. The interaction with the customer is done to scale, as in, ‘What do we need to order from China for next season?”, or “How do we create a new line of seasonal treats our customers have requested?” The hip gift giver looks for the unique match, which is not to be found in the massive crush of deep discount mall shopping.
My mom just loved being swept away by merchandise. She shopped all over the world and stocked up on gifts for unknown future receivers. These ghost recipients were just taking up some of the slack in her giant shopping disorder. She was good anywhere, from the street market in Asia to Wal-Mart. She loved acquisition for no apparent reason. I spent way too much time in my childhood shopping for my taste. I believe this experience shaped me into the psychic speed shopper that I am today. First of all, like many traits we reverse (only to end at the same place), my goal is always to spend as little time as possible. Exactly like my mother I start with no need to shop, owning already more stuff than I could ever possibly use in this lifetime. If I buy something I need to feel that I have been guided, like the Star of Bethlehem, to that object. I want to feel like shopping commando, in and out without even being detected in the marketplace. Ruby (my mom) wanted to hang out and try on everything, being stimulated and thrilled by dressing rooms and the hollow compliments of commissioned sales people. She burned me out long before I was 9 on that situation. I never go to malls, and would simply die if I had to go to one on Black Friday.
Today for Green Friday I have no particular need to buy anything. It is the perfect day, however to take the public bus to Fourth Avenue to buy pecans and pistachios at the Food Conspiracy. There is a local party with live music, discount shopping and dining, and a chance to see the streetcar tracks they have been building for what seems like forever. By taking the bus right in front of home I will avoid all traffic/parking/road construction issues. I like to create gifts I decide to give, to make it a personal deal. The recipient will never be thrilled as in wow the expensive brand name thingy everyone else has!!!!!!!, but maybe years later will be able to remember how the sugar plums tasted. I freestyle my own sugar plums from nuts and fruit I find or have. This year I dried some awesome pears in September that are delicious. I want to try mixing them with pistachios and pecans, both of which are grown in Arizona. I encourage you to do your own, since it is almost impossible to make them taste bad. I think Alton is way off base with the fennel seed, and would never do that in mine, but that is why the creation is an individual gift. The ones in The Night Before Christmas were sugar-coated coriander …..drastic flavor if you ask me. I goes to show that your flavor will be savored by individuals, so take some time to do something tailored to them. Thoughtful and personal is the new mindless overconsumption.
Apathy, the Mother of All Crime
November 15, 2012
— 5 Comments
fledgling hawk at the condo village
We know there is fraud and corruption all around us. We are aware that we pay these highly disputed tax dollars to government employees less than interested in serving the public. We know laws are broken all the time because there is not even a tiny itsy bitsy effort to enforce them. I am not sure why we have so many (but that is another subject) if they are all just recorded somewhere in case lawyers need to use them. The public believes that somehow having cops is having law enforcement, but this highly simplistic notion is every criminal’s best friend. People allow bold and disgusting crime to happen before their very eyes without trying to stop it just because apathy is so strong that they are basically controlled by it. There is no expectation that our surroundings can be kept crime free, but rather a new normal of home security and paranoid, anti social collection of weaponry. Full disclosure, I live in Arizona, so I am speaking about my own ‘hood.
I live in a condo village that looks like a fake Taos Pueblo in central Tucson. There are only 30 homes, a pool, a jacuzzi and a small guest parking area. For the last 10 years the HOA board has had the same two members every year. They return to office, even though they are not even known to most residents or owners by keeping completely out of touch. They meet without any interaction with the other homeowners, send a paper newsletter with vague and meaningless report of the meeting in the mail, and continue to survive in this isolated way because they discovered apathy. When one of them celebrated the death of her father by stealing $50 from our dues money and making a donation to a hospice in her father’s name, I called to inform her stealing dues money is both disgusting and illegal. She hung up on me. I learned by asking for neighbors to help get them out of office that the most important element of life for them is denial and ignorance about what is happening in the real estate market and in their surroundings. I reported the theft of the $50 to the attorney general of AZ who responded that they did not handle such cases. I inquired at the city council office to locate the office that could handle this crime. The real estate department no longer helps HOAs with crime infested boards, and the fire department is now in some way attached, but there is no resolution other than to get the homeowners to get the stolen money returned. The homeowners’ prime goal was continued apathy, so that was not workable.
They continued in office and started running a charity scam in our public areas. They solicit food, money , and any kind of junk to their keep the homeless outside campaign. They do not believe in supporting the existing shelters and non profits that serve the homeless community. They believe in trashing the environment of their neighborhood, and some other neighborhood with a public park, in order to feed the homeless outside like animals. They think they are entitled to run a charity scam blocking our driveways and driving down the price of our real estate value because they know that apathy will protect them. They have run this operation for years in broad daylight begging on the internet for donations. I have reported the crime to the IRS, AZ revenue, the County Health Dept, the Ward 3 council office, and of course the TPD. None of these entities cares if we have a charity scam operating in our neighborhood. Neither do the owners of the homes that have lost more than half of their value while these board members made this special jurisdiction for themselves in our public areas. The neighborhood watch cop tells a story of neighbors watching a house be cleared out by thieves, but never report it because nobody knows their neighbors. Here, the homeowners sat silently inside their own homes while their very own property value and quality of life was willfully destroyed and decided that it must be fate. I own a lot across the street from the HOA property with a rising value, while these home values have sunk like rocks. Foreclosure has come and stayed.
I do not believe in competing unfairly with legitimate non profits that need all the help they can get today. It is easy to pitch in, volunteer, or donate to many worthy and wholesome programs that assist the homeless, rather than demean them ( and possibly give them food poisoning) in a public park. I would think that most people would be grossed out by this, but strangers drive through and donate junk without thinking, “What am I doing in a residential condo village blocking the fire lane to do my charity work ?” But then, those people are just dropping off a few old socks they no longer want. The homeowners have been willing to loose their socks just to stay apathetic.
Day of the Dead
October 5, 2012
— 1 Comment
death photo
All Souls Day in the Catholic tradition is a time to honor and remember the dead. In native belief systems of the Americas death played a central part. Making fun of death, or mocking the fanciest parts of life have gone together forever, everywhere. In Basel Switzerland I saw a collection of art from the middle ages portraying the same dancing skeletons used in Mexico to show death as a fiesta. Being mindful of mortality is known as memento mori. Skulls and other reminders of the transience of life were used in churches and religious settings. Ancestors graves have been a place of reverence for almost all peoples. Art depicting death in a whimsical or dramatic way has been with us in many cultures around the world. To remember mortality is essential to living a full life.
If there are rituals in the entire culture that honor the souls of departed there is a continuity. Fear of of death is made comical when portrayed as the dance of death or the fancy dressed skeleton. The folly of amassing worldly goods seems obvious when the fiddler and the dancers have nothing but bones and clothing. In 1839 the possibility of capturing the image of a dead person became very popular. I have seen quite a few graves embellished with photos. Others use symbols. Have you ever given any thought to your own death, your own grave and epitaph?
Tucson celebrates All Souls Weekend in a mixed tech cultural expression of art and celebration. By building personal or community altars, by artful masquerade, and by watching or participating in the procession Tucsonans have the opportunity to bring mortality to life. Come on down to the Old Pueblo for an old time custom revived.
dance macabre
marigold offering
Local Color
July 10, 2012
On Saturday we checked into the Windmill Inn at St. Philip’s Plaza in Tucson for a one night staycation. I have recently made an arrangement to offer exotic aquatic packages, mermaid makeovers, and Floatli training to the guests of the hotel. We will be able to offer guests a very good price to stay at this great location. Since it is impossible to know how well a hotel operates without checking in, we did. I am more than pleased with every aspect of the property. They do allow dogs, & ours loves hotels. She was impressed right from the start when she received a welcome bag of dog treats at check in.
The staff at the hotel is well trained and helpful at every turn . They have a few services we did not try, such as room service delivery of breakfast and a paper at the requested hour. There was also an in room dining menu from a local provider that we did not use, since we decided to try a local hot spot for dinner. Union is the latest cool bar with urban post industrial decor, hip cocktails, and some pretty good food. It is popular with all ages, and gets crowded in the evening. We went at about 4:30 to avoid the rush. The decor and atmosphere was pleasing, food and drinks good, but the service at the table, disappointing. We decided we might return, but will sit at the bar to try for better service next time.
hotel hound does a site inspection
sunflowers bloom in St Philip’s Plaza
trendy cool pub
beer and cocktail
On Sunday morning at St Philips’s Plaza the farmers’ market sets up early. We are happy to have many farmers as well as artisan cheese, bread, salsa, jelly, and butter makers attending the market as vendors each week. There are prepared treats from food trucks like Planet of the Crepes, and organic produce of all kinds available for shoppers. Live music usually serenades the customers, many of who bring dogs to the plaza with them. Everything from prickly pear syrup, to squash blossoms, to herb plants is on sale. For me, this is as close as I get in regular daily life to a European street market. For a foodie in Tucson this market is the best place to discover the tastiest of any season. This week we are savoring some local melons, cucumbers, tomatoes and greens.
local farmers
Fresh eggplant
herb plants for sale
purple asparagus and beans
The reason I am so crazy about the location is not just the farmer’s market. The river walk is right outside the door, and several excellent restaurants surround the property. Right across the street is Trader Joe’s in case you need to pick up some specialty groceries, wine or beer. Body Works Studio offers classes and private lessons in Fletcher Pilates method. I had a great time having my make up air brushed on for our video shoot right across the street at Heat, a new concept for looking good. The high quality, locally owned businesses, the convenience of walking to experience them, and the recreation available by walking, running or riding the river walk make St. Philip’s Plaza Tucson’s best location for discovering local art and culture. Why travel if not to discover?
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