Recession Increasing Crimes

By most reliable statistics post the 1960's even, it does appear that the violent property and personal crime rates throughout most of the U.S. metro cities is on the rise, and ten fold what they were back in the day from this boomer's point of view and personal experiences. Especially in the last five years post my exile from the State of Arizona after the National Guard was called out due to public demand back in 2006 when the housing crisis and mortgage mess was in full swing.

Recently, I had another experience with our out of control rates of criminal activity by the younger generation especially, it appears.

A generation raised on computer and video games, and also expensive calculators and computers for their research and learning in our "New Age" schools which are predominately focused on teaching children how to use these machines, rather than to think, reason or even read. Vocabulary lessons are pretty much gone in favor of the btw and lol shorthand of the computer generation.

I left Arizona, of course, almost five years ago after having experienced the criminal activity in the banking and foreclosure industry there, an industry highly supported by most of the legislature in one manner or another in order to, of course, fund their campaign war chests for their next election runs.

The banking and real estate market is a very lucrative one, and also one in which has progressively taken some rather unethical and immoral turns in the past thirty years since the 1970's in that tourism and retirement state after having foresaken long ago most of its historical industries in cotton, cattle, copper, climate (for the health impaired) and citrus.

I moved to the Midwest first but unfortunately the spring and summer crop seasons and crop dusting and humidity did not agree with this asthmatic.

I then moved to the South where I had family members living to somewhat assist my parents with their increasing difficulties due to their aging and health declines, and was there for one of the hurricanes and then progressively contracted a lung infection which got worse the longer I stayed.

During that time while staying at a nearby hotel after one of my mother's surgeries, I had the first of several automobile thefts, in which they appropriated some of my luggage, a quarter collection, and even a soup bowl I used for my Cup o' Noodles. Louisiana truly is hurting post all the devastation of the past five years in that particular state.

This taken in light of the break-in I had just prior to leaving Arizona when my car was broken into at one of the truck rental establishments near the freeway when I had to rent a truck overnight to move what I had left of my personal property and effects after having sold most of them in order to pay off debts which were "due" concerning my house and what occurred which led to the loss.

In that instance, the perpetrators tried to get a small cheap CD player I had in the car, and broke the panel attempting to remove it, and stole of course most of the few CDs I had in the car along with damaging it, although it is a 16 year old automobile at this point.

Then several weeks ago, another property crime once again.

After having been cited for a traffic violation in another area of the country in which I have attempted to live in order to get as well as can be expected considering my health issues as an asthmatic, I decided one snowy day to walk to a nearby store in order to purchase some cream for my coffee. I have also been politically targeted due to the positions I have taken on many issues facing this country in the border situation, health care and housing mess from a Constitutional perspective, which of course has created enemies in those who hold with their "illegal" views for the benefit of the few, at the cost of the many.

As I was walking past one of those portable lunch wagons along a major city street, a young man of about 25-28 blocked my route, grabbed my purse, and took off across an open field with it. A blur of a dark haired youth in a blue jacket is all I really can remember, it happened so fast.

With it, he got about $10.00 in cash, and all my personal identification for the most part. My social security card, my birth certificate, and even pictures of my children when they were mere babes. Of what I had left, most of what I held dear.

Of course, there are fees and charges involved with replacing even those documents which were stolen. And inside it also was about three years worth of work I had done as a graphic artist and designer on some of the photographs I had begun to edit during the time my health was up and down and during my parents health crisis and hospitalizations these past several years.

I was, of course, outraged and angry.

It wasn't the fact that there are not programs for those that need them in order to eat, as at least those programs have not been cut in food stamps and the civic organizations that provide food for the hungry.

In fact, I have had to avail myself of the services of some of those civic organizations after having lost most everything I owned and unable to work other than at my small art endeavor this past several years, and mostly living in weekly rentals due to the fact that I really do not have all those deposits nor a credit rating that will afford me to "permanently" relocate anywhere - and meet the legal definitions and guidelines for refugee status, although there are no benefits provided for American refugees of the border wars even after the Guard had been called out as my former home state truly and continues to be under invasion from those open and porous southern borders and the crime that has occurred there and increased in leaps and bounds post-Reagan and the widening of that interstate from Nogales to Flagstaff.

I just wonder, if those police had been instead of harassing Americans post the Patriot Act for their own self-serving ends, or facilitating and assisting in the rising costs of insurance in this country which now few can afford at all in most metro areas throughout the country, and instead patrolling neighborhoods as they did in the olden days, would the property and personal crime figures be as high as they are today?

Instead of incarcerating or citing low level DUIs without injury or property damage, seat belt violators, or those who have not at all committed any true measurable crime under the common law in which our Constitution is based?

Some of the laws which are clearly used by those public servants are merely exercises in harassment, rather than addressing the symptoms (such as with the border situation) rather than the problems themselves and curing those.

So for all those "personal responsibility" Republicans, and all those "bleeding heart" Democrats believing in "human" rights rather than the inalienable rights of native born or naturalized Americans, it isn't the victims who are responsible for their circumstances, or their increasing poverty, especially those in the boomer generation.

A country without a conscience, as has occurred progressively post 9-11, is mostly to blame.

And that, once again, is fact.

Governor Thompson Stands Up To Public Employee Unions

This week there has been wide-spread reporting of the teacher's strike in Wisconsin in response to the actions undertaken by the Wisconsin State Governor in order to address the out of control public employee unions, particularly the teacher's union.

Under the federal and state Constitutions, of course, which is used by union organizers and their organizations, it is the "right to assemble" and petition that is used as the basis for this supposed "right" of public and government employees to form unions and then "elect" a representative (their union) to represent them at the collective bargaining table for their "contract" negotiations.

Only problem is, those who are paying their salaries are not at all a part of those negotiating sessions.

The taxpayers.

The right to assemble and petition was given to the private citizens in this country clearly under our Constitution in order to bring their grievances to the attention of their representatives.

Not government employees.

Would that it be that teacher, firemen and police salaries were determined as they should be, by the voters of their respective districts. Their benefactors and true employers.

If the salaries are not what they should be, then "free association" and fundraising efforts should be undertaken collectively in order to fund their members in their retirement years, as with any private sector "special interest" or benevolent group. Nonprofits could be then formed in order to also give a boost to those underprivileged schools through local churches and other civic organizations.

Not guaranteed employment with tenure, but base voter approved salaries with incentives based on length of service to the community, supplemented and guided by the local school boards within those communities and district elected personnel.

Public employee unions are nothing more than government employees organizing in order to lobby for more American tax dollars, without any real accountability to those paying many of those lofty salaries, which exceed many of the salaries and benefits of those whom they serve.

Here's a quote, the "liberal" element will not at all like, but was made by Franklin D. Roosevelt regarding public employee unions:


Please Read the Following Paragraph Carefully and Guess Who Said It

All Government employees should realize that the process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service. It has its distinct and insurmountable limitations when applied to public personnel management.

The very nature and purposes of Government make it impossible for administrative officials to represent fully or to bind the employer in mutual discussions with Government employee organizations. The employer is the whole people, who speak by means of laws enacted by their representatives in Congress. Accordingly, administrative officials and employees alike are governed and guided, and in many instances restricted, by laws which establish policies, procedures, or rules in personnel matters.

Particularly, I want to emphasize my conviction that militant tactics have no place in the functions of any organization of Government employees. Upon employees in the Federal service rests the obligation to serve the whole people, whose interests and welfare require orderliness and continuity in the conduct of Government activities. This obligation is paramount. Since their own services have to do with the functioning of the Government, a strike of public employees manifests nothing less than an intent on their part to prevent or obstruct the operations of Government until their demands are satisfied. Such action, looking toward the paralysis of Government by those who have sworn to support it, is unthinkable and intolerable. It is, therefore, with a feeling of gratification that I have noted in the constitution of the National Federation of Federal Employees the provision that "under no circumstances shall this Federation engage in or support strikes against the United States Government."

_______________________________________________________________________________

In my former home state of Arizona, a right to work state mind you, public employee teacher can "double dip" retiring after a mere 20 years service with full pension benefits, and then obtain employment in another district earning a full salary. Police and fire officials also make sums which afford them to invest in high price real estate, and retire with full benefits - although granted those government employees are putting their very lives on the line for the citizenry each and every day due to the increases in violent personal and property crimes in most metro cities.

Instead of providing pension, retirement and all those other perks of public employment which are now breaking the parents of those children, maybe recognizing once again that public employees work for the people whom they serve, and should clearly be accountable not only for their performance, but for the salaries and benefits they earn for doing a job that was never supposed to be a high paying job to begin with. The one room school room and school marm of years ago appears turned out more leaders than we are today, and without 10(K) plans.

Just what are our children learning with over 40% of the teachers in Wisconsin now calling in sick, a job that actually has more days off also than many in the private sector to begin with?

Twenty year retirement plans? In what other occupation can you retire in a mere 20 years, with full pension benefits?

Seems the increasing number of homeschoolers may be right.

Public or private, the school room is the new war zone.

Reading, writing and arithmetic will have to wait for the bureaucrats and union foremen to settle their differences at their parents and their own ultimate expense.

Liberal Lunacy: Colt Isn't The Tommy Gun

Contrary to the progressively lunatic "liberal" fringe element, the Arizona State legislature has proposed a bill that will make the single action Colt which harkens back to Arizona's territorial days the "official" state firearm.

To me, the world "liberal" with respect to the second amendment, and also so very many other provisions of the first ten amendments makes that label for the clearly socialist and communist bent a conundrum in terms.

I mean the socialist/communistic media is now even scrutinizing and stalking the house and parents of the man-child accused in the January shooting deaths of six Arizonans and wounding many others who have reportedly taken to isolating themselves in their home also in response to the curiosity seeking press camped on their doorstep, and neighbors who obviously also wish their 15 minutes of fame regardless of the reason.

As a former long term Arizonan, I truly believe the legislature has better things to do in light of also Arizona's progressive decline under the two political party system, and I really had to ALMOST laugh at the outrage over this one.

I mean the Colt is hardly an assault weapon, nor is it akin to Chicago's brutal history and love affair with the Tommy Gun.

What worries me, however, is that this move just might spread and Illinois may move to make the Tommy Gun its official state firearm.

Utah is also on the move to favor the Browning semi-automatic weapon as their gun of choice. One upmanship maybe?

I mean, doesn't the state have much better things to do and needed legislation in so very many areas with respect to the border situation and that open desert in which progressively more people have died there than in all Arizona's history at the hands of a cowboy bearing a Colt?

Another border agent was killed recently from all reports, just another of so very many on both sides of that expanse of desert.

Will wonders never cease?

Misaligned Priorities: Organizing Campaigns Rather Than Representation

It was announced in the mainstream media recently that while Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is recovering from the events which occurred in Tucson in early January in which six Americans and Arizonans were attacked during a political forum at an area shopping center,
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Reps. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) have been hard at work organizing fundraisers and creating a PAC organization in order to raise monies for Ms. Gifford's 2012 re-election campaign.

This tragedy notwithstanding nor Ms. Gifford's amazing recovery from all reports, aren't the priorities in Washington a little off base insofar as just what their jobs truly are once again?

I mean it has been reported that it will take months and months of rehabilitation therapy in order for Ms. Giffords to recover whatever brain functions may have been lost in this attack.

Meanwhile, the citizens in her district are without representation, while members of Congress are hard at work insuring their survival and that of their political parties after this heinous attack?

It is quite unbelieveable that procedures would not be in place in order to temporarily elect another citizen to represent the citizens in District 5 while Ms. Gifford's is recovering, if it is even her intention to continue to serve after what she has been through. I wonder, has anyone consulted her insofar as her future intentions? I mean one article even spoke of a Senate race, for heaven's sake.

Politics as usual, and just wonder whose political livelihoods and future best interests these politicians are attempting to secure?

Rather than representation for the benefit of the citizens of District 5?

Sedona and Tucson: Who Decides?

This week other than the Egyptian crisis, there have been two stories which were carried in the mainstream media which also demonstrates how regional news and stories get buried by the big box media in the second or third pages of most American newspapers, even less than a month or year after the events.

One was the pending trial of the Jim Jones of Sedona, James Arthur Ray, who was the leader of a for profit organization of "Spiritual Warriors" and Californian who was conducting a lucrative retreat in Sedona, Arizona in which two women and a man perished after being mentally browbeaten from leaving a plastic tent filled with other devotees a little over a year ago and died of suffocation and heat related illness.

The other, of course, was the accused from the Tucson massacre, Jared Loughner, and his trial in which it was recently also reported that due to the fact that he is charged with both federal and state crimes in the incident in which Mr. Loughner used a 9mm Glock (an automatic police weapon) in order to gun down six people, including a federal judge and U.S. Congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords, it may take "years" for his case to wind through the criminal justice system.

So much for speedy trials, in which the true evidence may be still fresh.

What is interesting about both these cases is the politics which are occurring with respect to the prosecution of them, and just who has jurisdiction and who will be responsible for determining these two individual's fate.

The Sedona incident occurred in Yavapai County, Arizona in a California style "new age" community, and was allegedly committed by an out state resident in which most of the attendees of this paid event were also not Arizona residents, but from the East Coast, Midwest or California. Apparently, due to the media coverage the defense wishes to move this case out of Yavapai County and into Maricopa County (Phoenix) so that the accused can be assured of a "fair trial," in the hopes that Phoenix or Phoenicians would be more likely to be unbiased with respect to the facts and evidence in the case.

Although would state as a former Arizonan, that the media coverage of what occurred shortly thereafter and the interviews with the victims' families were carried far more in the metro Phoenix papers than those in Yavapai County, and those in Yavapai County most likely would not know personally any of the victims.

Witness costs also would not be impacted, since most of the witnesses also were out state residents from all reports.

Mr. Ray's actions brought shame to the State of Arizona, a state in which such an unregulated commercial enterprise could even occur by one who had no medical training or had any true knowledge of even the spiritual practices behind his highly publicized and profitable venture.

Two women were killed, and one older man. Women have far fewer sweat glands than men and thus do not biologically have the means to cool down their bodies, which is why such practices by the American Indian community were restricted to males as a "rite of male passage" into adulthood, and in which a tribal healer was always present.

Our Constitution does specially provide that in any capital offense, the trial must be held in the jurisdiction in which the crime occurred, if the accused is a U.S. citizen and the victims also U.S. citizens.

Mr. Loughner's crime, of course, was witnessed by a great many, all Arizonans.

Mr. Loughner himself was an Arizonan from Tucson and so were all of his victims, whether governmental or civilian, a life is a life.

And the loss of that life at the hands of another is a matter of state, not the federal government.

Between the border situation, and now Mr. Loughner's crimes, it appears the federal government is perhaps failing to carry out its true functions under our Constitution (such as securing our porous and exposed southern borders), while then prosecuting a case which ocurred within state borders that just may have been the result of the political arena and climate in the community in which it occurred.

After all, it did occur at a political event, and purportedly a politician was one of the targets along with other Arizonans. All of the witnesses are Arizonans from Tucson.

If this crime was in no way political, as so many in the media have stated, but merely committed by a "disturbed" loner, and man-child as has been written and widely publicized, then why is the trial now becoming so very, very political?

Rather than Constitutional?

Free Speech and Right of Petition Merely An Illusion

With all the political fallout post the recent tragedy in Arizona, an event which precipitated all the dialogue between the political analysts on television with respect to free speech and civility, the fact remains that in the land of the free and home of the brave free speech and the right of petition is merely an illusion, no matter how civil.

How would I know? My personal story post my exile from my former home of 45 years is proof positive.

I am a 57 year old white female and mother of three grown adult children. Hardly a threat to anyone, and in fact have been the victim of numerous property crimes within the past ten years, including the loss of a home I had lived in for over 12 years, my last home in Arizona as a single mom raising my children.

In my younger years, I worked in law and also the travel industry after my divorce, making not a whole lot of money but with hours that afforded me to continue to be a present parent during the tumultuous teen years. My kids all had their rebellious years, and my birth family was spread out throughout the country due to jobs and marriages. I and one of my children were asthmatics so Arizona remained home throughout their growing up years.

My youth was also somewhat rebellious, but mild in comparison in looking back. I excelled in academics, and also was involved in civic and extra-curricular activities and eventually married my high school sweetheart, although it did not last.

After the mortgage boom and bust, and due to other corporate friendly laws and statutes in Arizona, I eventually lost my home or at least any enjoyment in it my last child's final year in high school.

Graduation plans were intermingled with listing my home and attempting to find a buyer while the market was tanking. I had had to refinance during the boom due to increasing property taxes and insurance, and got caught up in a loan underwritten by Indy Mac bank which also then factored into the eventual loss. But the lawyers, realtors, title companies and bank made out as I was able to eventually find a buyer and got off much better than some, although also lost a small business I had during this time in which I worked from home in order to be around until the last graduated.

I sold most of what I owned to pay off the debts, and also borrowed from relatives in order to pay off more. From parents who were living off a small pension from my father's former employment, and their social security and whose health was failing - and who were also residents of Louisiana and had been evacuated for Katrina. Both had undiagnosed heart disease for literally decades.

I moved to the Midwest first, but unfortunately the climate did not agree with me, and subsequently got involved in the housing and mortgage situation writing articles on a small blog and letters to my former representatives in Arizona about how and what occurred that resulted in the loss of my home. Moving at 20 is hard. At 50 it is much, much harder.

After several months there, I was stalked in my apartment complex parking lot.

A lawsuit had been filed against me over a matter which had occurred over four and half years prior over an insurance claim, and in which it wasn't even filed until four months after I had left the State of Arizona, and after I had returned most of the monies sought to the insurance company for settlement with the contractor. The amount sought with interest was over three times the claimed debt in addition after four and a half years.

I then heard through the family grapevine that my parents health was not at all good, and decided to travel to Louisiana to be nearer to them at least. Another mistake, as that climate definitely did nothing for my also up and down health after the move, although with the multiple hospitalizations of my parents ended up staying there almost two years. I was there for Gustav, and then got even sicker as mold is one of my asthma triggers. I couldn't even lift my arms for an extended period of time, and was eventually recommended by a doctor that I leave and seek a drier climate just prior to my father's massive heart attack in January, 2010. He, of course, had all the symptoms of heart disease for literally a decade, but was only given blood thinners until the inevitable occurred as a Medicare patient, with a 95% blockage in a major artery.

I continued to write on my small blog (with about 200 views), and also my letters to my former representatives in Arizona. I also began writing on a globally focused website (which also had minimal circulation) my political take after my experiences on the housing and mortgage crisis, border issue, and the health care debate as an "expert" due to my experiences and longevity living in Arizona, and my personal experiences and having gone through the health care system with my parents progressive disease. I also had a mother-in-law that died at 54 of undiagnosed heart disease, so it is a disease that goes undiagnosed in women and men many times until it is far too late.

Most of my petitions were civil, although held much truth due to my experiences. But my free speech rights nor my rights of petition have been respected, and have not at all been unaffected by my continued involvement. Even though it is also those politicians lives and that of their children that are also my concern. Even those who wish me ill.

Presently, I get Golf Digest magazine although never subscribed to it. I have been followed and chased from state to state as I seek a climate in which I can actually breathe by those who obviously are threatened by what I have to say.

Imagine that. A mere 57 year old woman, with a readership of less than 300, if that.

My voice is simply one of many, but there is no civility when you challenge the powers that be. There is simply stalking.

I have less than $4.00 in my bank account, and the contents of what I have left of my possessions now fill less than a 5x10 foot area from a 1,900 square foot house in North Phoenix. Most of them are merely Christmas decorations, dishes, towels and personal records.

This is America, and I am living proof that there is no free speech no matter how civil.

Or how true.

Egypt Uprising One Big Commercial For Social Networking?

Is it me or does it seem that the recent unrest and protests in Egypt appear to be one long, very long commercial for social networking and Twitter, Facebook and the rest? I mean, it does appear that after the government in Egypt shut down the internet, all the newscasters talk about is the "news" they are getting through the social networking sites, with now even "experts" in social networking giving their perspective alongside those highly paid political analysts and commentators.

I mean, ever since this uprising began it has dominated our news on ever single station, and it is not like there is not other true, hard news stories regarding the United States and what is happening on our shores.

This global media really has also lost its way, a media that is fed mainly with U.S. dollars yet the concerns of Egyptians, rather than Americans, seems to be now in its second straight week with no real end in sight.

Most Americans are unaware of what is going on in their contiguous states and regions, and even less concerned with Egypt and its problems rather than their own country's. And the fact that the Egyptian government is so very dissimilar to our own, which is based more on the British form of government than that of the U.S., with a Parliament rather than a Congress, and no "states" to speak of.

Now the news that the U.S. would recognize and "deal" with a "representative" government in Egypt? Say what?

There hasn't been a representative government in the good old U.S.A. due to our campaign finance laws which are diametrically opposed to a representative government as intended in our Constitution in literally decades.

And in a country in which there is clearly a "national" religion quite different than the religions primarily practiced in the United States, so how can our country and its leadership even begin to understand all the various complexities of what is now going on in Egypt, not to mention those news readers.

The Middle East certainly is a hotbed of political unrest, that much is for certain. And getting worse, with each passing year since the 1960's at the very least.

I guess that is the only similarity between it and what has been occuring in the United States in our government's attempts to quash dissent, and those with opposing views from the two parties who have remained in charge against the will of more and more Americans and the ever increasing "independents."

Notice too how "Facebook evidence" is factoring in more and more crimes in America. Supposed posts published that who knows who REALLY made them but released as "evidence" then later after-the-fact.

Using civil disobedience and unrest once again to promote instead the tech industry? In 140 characters or less...

Not sound bites. But sound bits.

Twitter that.

MYOB Mayor Bloomberg: Arizona Isn't New York, Thank Goodness

It appears the greenhorns and Eastern dandies are hell bent on using the tragedy which recently occurred in Arizona for their own nefarious ends once again.

Case in point: Mayor Michael Bloomberg's sting operation in Arizona at a Tucson gun show wherein he took his New York thugs to Arizona in order to expose the ease with which someone can buy a gun in the Grand Canyon State.

As one who believes there should be at least some laws governing the sales of assault or automatic weapons throughout the country, which did not exist at the time our Constitution was ratified, I found the Mayor's grandstanding rather revolting, as also a former long term Arizonan.

Arizona is, after all, the epitomy of the west, and just so happens to border a foreign country and government.

One in which there has been historically a great deal of cross borders crime and trafficking ever since Arizona entered into the union. And in which a great deal of the war refugees from these increasingly aggressive wars are also now being resettled, unlike greater Manhattan.

Mr. Bloomberg, your pure ignorance of the differences between Arizona and New York are telling. And so are your methods in order to gain political power at the cost of the recent occurrences in Arizona, and of course the rest of the nation also who have not at all stood behind Arizonans calling for a physical solution to our country's greatest threat: securing and fencing our open and exposed desert expanse and southern borders.

A great deal of the crime which occurs in Arizona is actually facilitated by foreigners, whether domestic or international. Or our youth who have been polluted by the political betrayals of many of our political leaders the past half century, clearly a scenario which is increasing.

Not native Arizonans or longer term residents. But by those from New York and Los Angeles who are primarily responsible for the road rage and gang violence, for example.

MYOB, Mayor Bloomberg.

Arizona isn't New York (and thank goodness).

And it is mainly true collectors that attend such venues as the one in which you staged your political propaganda.

The events which occurred in Tucson were not the result of an attack with a Colt .45.