Would you pay for something and not get it?

Of course not but the City Council is expecting all of us to do just that!

Let me explain.  The beautiful Garbage Fee is set to go from $6 a month to $13 a month starting in January.  Any homeowner who pays for water will be billed for this useless piece of shit fee that was dreamed up by Ransburg and the council a few years back. When you have a fat wallet, what’s a few bucks right? If you live from paycheck to paycheck, well, tough toenails. Remember folks, we were promised by council members that this fee would never go up and in fact would be a temporary fee.  Lie #1 and lie #2.  Also remember how some council members campaigned on the promise to remove this fee.  Lie #3.  Guess what? Ever seen a tax or a fee go away? Not in Peoria you won’t so how are you going to be paying for something and not get it?

Enter PDC. Our garbage company, locally owned and you can bet wine and dine buddies of a few council members and movers and shakers. They are to provide totes as part of that fee increase.  The rental fee of those totes is to be included in the $13 monthly fee.  Only thing is, the PDC company doesn’t have the totes and have to order them AFTER they mail out a survey to all Peoria residents next month.  Then, if we are lucky, we will get a tote by June or maybe July.  In the meantime, we will still pay that good ol monthly fee of $13 and get no tote for up to 6 months.  What a total crock of shit.

Hell, it’s just another tax that until the tote rental was factored in, had NOTHING to do with garbage collection which is charged by contract for the year and incorporated into your property taxes.  Property taxes?  Yes, something the council could have raised a tiny bit and they could have done away with the Garbage Fee, and the $80k a year Illinois-American Water collects for putting the damn fee on their bills.  They could have added police something the Lord knows Peoria could use and balanced the budget of the costs of running the city which is what property taxes are for. The property tax increase would have been something like $40 a year more per $100,000 home and everyone, residents and businesses (which use police, water, fire, and streets) would be paying a fair share.  But no.  For some reason, our city council avoids property tax increases like it was a fresh turd laying in the middle of a room.  You know it smells, but no one is going to touch it.   Our council would have to hire a consultant at a huge waste of money to come in, smell it, feel it, and then conclude it’s shit.  Then our council would have to form a department, hire a department head and staff so they in turn could recommend a person to pick up the turd.  Then, the council would argue for 45 minutes over the hiring and whether the turd is actually there or not before they would vote.  Then someone in the crowd leaving the council chambers would slip and fall on the turd and a lawsuit would ensue.  Randy Ray would look at the council with his usual straight face and say; “Yes, we could be liable for this turd.”  That’ll be $400 please.

This is why this city is ass backwards.  This is why when people are trying with all their might to keep their Peoria home, our council fiddles and builds glass museum's and hotels.  Meanwhile, just outside their doors, bullets are flying and nobody goes downtown. 

It amazes me that people are being led like sheep over this garbage fee and the fact we don’t have totes so we shouldn’t be paying for the rent.  If CILCO charged you for the neighbors electricity, you’d be up in arms. Why haven’t we run this council and Mayor out of town.  Can’t do it on a rail, they sold that but we could do it on one of those new buses.  Someone explain this to me please!  Why are we paying PDC for a service they haven’t provided????

And please do it before Turner suggests we get billed $3.25 a week for this Garbage Fee because he doesn’t want to stress the pocketbook of those on a fixed income.  Crock of shit.

 

Hat Tip: To my private email friend.

Well, that didn’t take long…

Sorry to interrupt the festive holiday mood but…..

1. You can’t fix stupid.  Stupid is unfixable.

2. If you want to direct traffic, apply at the police station and if hired, you can direct traffic, otherwise, stop directing traffic from your car seat you dumbasses. You aren’t being kind, nor generous, or even courteous. You are creating a traffic hazard and the possibility of an accident.  Let me explain….

I post my Christmas message this morning and felt good. I really did and decided to leave and finish the last of our Christmas shopping, mail some cards and even grab some lunch out.  That lasted 5 minutes. Follow me here.  Driving on Western in the left lane making the curve onto Main (east bound) coming up to the Farmington Rd light. The light just turned green and nobody is behind me but for some reason, this idiot in the Ford Ranger pickup in front of me dead stopped in my lane. There was a car, westbound on Main wanting to turn left onto Rebecca St, ya know.  Where the $200,000 arbor was built?  Well, I am not too frickin happy to sit behind this idiot while he directs traffic on his lard ass and directs the car to turn in front of him. If I went around, I feared the driver turning left wouldn’t see me yet, if this simpleton just went, instead of directing traffic, we would be gone by now and the guy could make his turn.
Now, I am wondering if I am going to even get the light at Farmington Rd which has been green long enough for the traffic to move. Ok the guy turns but guess what?  There was another car behind that guy that also wanted to turn left onto Rebecca.  So, my simpleton cop wannabe idiot flags him through also and he goes…..bamm!!!!  A car in the right lane coming around the curve who had no idea that some idiot was directing traffic from his ass seat, slammed into the left turner.  Guess who took off, blew the light at Farmington Rd and went left down the hill?  Yep, Mr. Traffic director.  I witnessed the accident and I stuck around.  No one was hurt but it could have been worse. In my job, I have seen worse caused by the exact same thing. The police officer most likely will ticket the left turning driver but IMO, that assbag who stopped in a traffic lane should also have a ticket.  The officer confirmed this to me too.  I took his plate number so who knows.

The whole point folks is this.  Everyone wants to do something nice.  Well most of us do.  It’s one thing if you are on a two way street, say near a stop sign or traffic light, to let someone in, but to stop and direct your lane and another lane is dangerous and stupid.  This accident is a prim point.  I saw this same accident a few years ago on N University at McClure when someone stopped in the right lane and flagged a driver, who was making a left onto University from the gas station parking lot.  (Why you wouldn’t pull out onto McClure and then use the traffic light to make your turn onto University makes me wonder, but again, stupid is stupid) The driver went and was t-boned from a car in the left lane trying to make the light.  That accident had some serious injuries and that traffic directing assbag left the scene too!

So remember, you are violating the law by stopping in a traffic lane when you stop, when you should be going, to let someone out.  You would be ticketed if you stopped your car in any lane of traffic and got out so why would stopping to direct traffic be any different?  It’s not. BTW, nobody, and I mean nobody seems to care if the speed limit on Main has been lowered to 25mph.  I drive it 25 because I refuse to be one that gets a ticket but I am passed liked I am standing still and even tailgated.  FEH. 

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Seriously, I want to take a little breather for Christmas and enjoy life with the family and good friends.  There is enough hate and discontent in the world and our problems we have in this city will still be there after the holidays so I know I can take a break.  lol

This time of year, we should all reflect and realize how blessed we are in what we have.  It’s not a matter of getting what you want, but more of wanting what you got, to coin a phrase.  So, no matter what you believe or how you practice your beliefs, I want to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season and yes, that means Merry Christmas!  Unless one of our boneheaded politicians does something incredibly stupid between now and New Years, I catch ya all next year.

Thanks for reading.  PAP (Emtronics) Randall

Must see…

This little homemade video is what teachers put up with on a daily basis.  It is by no means as rough as District 150 but it is what kids today expect.

News……

Peoria High School.  Dateline today:  Three girls in the lunch line get into a knock down drag out fight ruining lunch for many others as they knocked over trays and food onto the floor as innocent (?) bystanders ran for cover.  Police, not Security, but Peoria Police arrive.  Girl threatens to kick cops ass.  Cop smiles and says go for it and you’ll be tased.  Other girl lips off to cafeteria manager.  Manager tells her to stop acting like an animal and get out and don’t come back until you act civilized.  

Let’s see…..these kids are animals and they are running the zoo.  The only time the keepers enter the cage is when the animals fight each other. I wonder why we didn’t have police or fights in high school when I went.  What was missing then?  hmmmmm.

Dateline last weekend:  Imagine you are leaving a high end Peoria Heights restaurant (is there one in the Heights other than the Pizza Works?) . Anyway, you are a young girl, 20 years old and you had a little bit too much to drink at that restaurant and while driving out of the parking lot, you hit a car and leave. You are latter stopped by police but instead of jail, DUI, lawyers, notice in the paper, you are quietly released to your mother.  How? If your mother is the Peoria County Coroner  then maybe you have some pull.  I love laws for us and laws for them, don’t you?  How do you buy drinks while being under 21?  Why isn’t the restaurant's liquor license in question here? Ask the Sheriff.  I mean his son hit a dear in a county owned car while under cover and drunk???

Well if you are underage and drunk and have a hit and run and aren’t from the privileged few, then be prepared to have your ass stripped search and thrown in the county lockup out on Maxwell Road.  Ya got to love politics on the local level.

Dateline: Today.  I see that guy who beat that 16 year old boy to death because he allegedly caught him breaking into his house, is charged among others, with second degree murder.  He claims he was alone and confronted and defended himself.  The burglars claim he had friends.  Who to believe? The thugs or the thug?

Dateline: Monday.  Yet another new program is being offered in District 150 at Lincoln School.  Called ADVID.  Supposed to be a good program.  Programs cost money and most that District 150 have had…failed.  Why is it that for a certain segment of society we have to have special programs.  We have had special programs for over 40 years of some sort and have we seen any results?  I guess if you count ex-prison guards making 6th graders march in hallways, that is a success.  Here’s a thought.  Do the fricking school work offered!  It worked for generations of people for years and years.  No frills. Math, reading, History, the basics.  People were educated and went on.  Why yet another special program?  Throw more money at it?  What a waste.  The schools aren’t the problem nor are the teachers.  It’s the idiots who are allowed to bear children without accountability for generation after generation that has caused this.  Hold the damn parents responsible for their kids and stop making up programs and drop off points so they can unload their kids and blame the system.  It’s always the system at fault.  FEH 

Of course these stories are alleged.  Only the innocent will post and swear that it isn’t true.  Of course.

12 Days of Christmas, Peoria Style….

You all know the tune…..

On the first day of Christmas the city gave to me…a hike in the stinken garbage fee

On the second day of Christmas the city gave to me…2 armed robbers and a hike in the stinken garbage fee.

On the third day of Christmas the city gave to me….3 drug deals, 2 armed robbers, and a hike in the stinken garbage fee.

On the fourth day of Christmas the city gave to me…4 huge potholes, 3 drug deals, 2 armed robbers, and a hike in the stinken garbage fee.

On the fifth day of Christmas the city gave to me..5 garbage totes, 4 huge potholes, 3 drug deals, 2 armed robbers, and a hike in the stinken garbage fee.

On the sixth day of Christmas the city gave to me.. 6 cops on 3rd shift, 5 garbage totes…..4 huge potholes, 3 drug deals, 2 armed robbers, and a hike in the stinken garbage fee.

On the seventh day of Christmas the city gave to me…7 home invasions, 6 cops on 3rd shift, 5 garbage totes…4 huge potholes, 3 drug deals, 2 armed robbers, and a hike in the stinken garbage fee.

On the eighth day of Christmas the city gave to me.. 8 votes for a hotel, 7 home invasions, 6 cops on 3rd shift, 5 garbage totes….4 huge potholes, 3 drug deals, 2 armed robbers, and a hike in the stinken  garbage fee.

On the ninth day of Christmas the city gave to me… 9 bullets flying, 8 votes for a hotel, 7 home invasions, 6 cops on 3rd shift, 5 garbage totes….4 huge potholes, 3 drug deals, 2 armed robbers, and a hike in the stinken garbage fee.

On the tenth day of Christmas the city gave to me… 10 parking tickets, 9 bullets flying, 8 votes for a hotel, 7 home invasions, 6 cops on 3rd shift, 5 garbage totes….4 huge potholes, 3 drug deals, 2 armed robbers, and a hike in the stinken garbage fee.

On the eleventh day of Christmas the city gave to me… 11 drive by shootings,  10 parking tickets, 9 bullets flying, 8 votes for a hotel, 7 home invasions, 6 cops on 3rd shift, 5 garbage totes….4 huge potholes, 3 drug deals, 2 armed robbers, and a hike in the stinken garbage fee.

On the twelfth day of Christmas the city gave to me… 12 laid off workers, 11 drive by shootings, 10 parking tickets, 9 bullets flying, 8 votes for a hotel, 7 home invasions, 6 cops on 3rd shift, 5 garbage totes….4 huge potholes, 3 drug deals, 2 armed robbers, and a hike in the stinken garbage fee.

Merry Christmas! 

Wondering…..

I was listening to 93.3 FM the other day and they were having a radiothon for something or another.  I am always being asked to donate a buck to this or that when shopping.  I don’t have a problem with all that and I really think it’s great that people step forward and give.  I mean, these days it’s hard to give money when things are so tight.

But, and this is a big but, after losing yet another close friend today, to cancer (again) I have to wonder…What the hell are they curing? I mean yes, technology has advanced and they can administer drugs better and chemotherapy better but what exactly after decades and decades of research have or has anyone cured?  Nothing!  Nada nill nuttin.  Sure you get cancer and if you are lucky, you can have it removed or blasted out of your system and if you are even luckier, you might be able to afford the treatments. Your not cured as you will always need to be checked and most of the time, the damn cancer returns. All a person gets is extra time on Earth.  In the end, the Obit reads;”….after a long and brave battle with cancer..”

It seems in a country where healthcare is a profit run business, nothing is cured.  It’s almost like the big health companies want you sick and if you are sick, the more they profit.  Look at the pharmaceutical companies. They have invented a pill for everything.  Shit, when I was a kid and you got sick you had 3 things.  Aspirin, band aides, and that nasty tasting cough syrup. 

Now you got a pill for everything.  You name it, take their pill and if it doesn’t make you go blind, give you anal leakage, drop your blood pressure to dangerous levels, cause a rash, make you puke, or kill you, you can take it and then smell flowers.

Point?  After over 30+ years of Jerry’s kids, Race for the Cure, JDF, Easter Seals, and all the others, How about a cure!!! For something!  Anything! Otherwise, one can become cynical about all these fund raising events and wonder if these organizations like the American Cancer Society, Lung Association, Heart, or whatever exist solely to provide jobs to top executives who make a nice living off running these places.

No one, not even me wants to see a child get sick, or an adult succumb to a disease but with today’s technology where I can Bluetooth my iPhone to a stereo system, where you can call anyone on the planet from your pocket, where you can find a bottle of ketchup simply by asking your iPhone where to go,  why do I have to have friends die after a courageous battle with some sickness?

Instead of Peace on Earth for Christmas, this year I want a cure…for something….anything.  I would love to see the American Cancer Society shut down because we can cure it!

Dear City of Peoria…

I wish to present to you my Christmas List as a citizen of this community.

Since you as a collective have no concern about crime or how the streets are maintained, I thought that with all the taxes and fees I pay and how we are going to make a local garbage company rich along with a hotel developer and since you upped the garbage fee by over 110% and taken money from fixed income people who have no choice but to pay for this circus, I would like to ask you for one single present this year….  a useful one……

A Stick!  So I can burn it to keep warm you idiots.

Thanks for nothing….

Watch Out…

The City, I don’t know when, has changed the speed limit on Main Street between Farmington Rd and University street from 30 mph, to 25 mph.

That means radar cars will be out for sure because what the Uplands and Arbor residents want, including Bradley, they get.

I have no problem except that many un-expecting motorists will probably get tickets.  I have no problem with tickets as it were because if you are on Main heading towards University, you know that is the “Chute”. Cars will actually race you in the right lane just to pass and get over before the mandatory right turn lane at University.  I have seen cars I know must be doing 50 and 60 mph racing to the stop light.  I myself, was driving and was doing almost 40 and I was passed by 3 cars on the right.

Still how they quietly got approval and changed the speed limit is amazing.  It is a major street whether the Uplands likes it or not and if they are going to ticket speeders, as they should, then they better write some tickets to those Bradley students who think of nothing of walking across the street anywhere they want.

Ah hell.  Who am I kidding.  That is probably why they lowered the speed limit in the first place.  So the kids can cross where they want.  It will be interesting to see if traffic slows down as people in this town don’t drive. They qualify.  Like it was NASCAR.  I have actually witnessed a driver tailgating another and swerving back and forth like he was trying to keep his tires hot.  Amazing.

If this pace keeps up, I predict speed bumps, 15 mph limit, no turns, and maybe a toll just to drive down Main, a public and very major thoroughfare inside of 2 years.  

Before you post and tell me blah blah blah, First, I have no problem with the lower speed limit but be fair and enforce the jay walking too.  If you want a private street, fine, don’t expect my tax money to plow it or upkeep it.  If you want privacy and a quiet traffic free neighborhood, then buying a house across from a major University off a main street, named Main Street wasn’t probably a good idea.  Maybe back in the 30s when most of those home were built but not now.  So I think it’s wrong to penalize the whole city for a few and really, this is what this lower speed limit does and so does the No Turn signs posted and the cut backs installed to discourage cut throughs.  I mean, if I wanted to smell vinegar, I’d move next to a vinegar factory, want students and parking problems with traffic?  Move next to a University.  Want quiet?  Move to the country or Idlebrook.

What Smells?

 

Old Garbage smells.

Garbage totes full of old garbage smells.

Being forced to rent a tote from one garbage company smells.

Being told a few years back that WM had to go because they were too expensive smells.

Raising the Garbage Fee which we were told would be a temporary fee and would never go up smells.

Being told that PDC can do it cheaper smells.

Now being told PDC is too expensive and tote rentals is the only way for them to cut costs smells.

Having a high management type person at PDC being a very close friend of a council member smells.

Huh.  Lying to the public and backroom hand shakes smell even worse.

Let’s bribe our neighborhoods…

That is exactly what the city council is doing especially in the East Bluff.  The city council is in effect withholding funds that are to be used for small short term loans to home owners to fix and repair their houses and even buy and invest homes in the neighborhood.  So you know what Councilman Riggenbach suggests?

He says that the money should be used to pay for extra police protection instead and when he told their committee (East Bluff Neighborhood committee) that, they almost hung him with a rope.  His response?  Well if the city can’t spend it on police then we will put the money in escrow until our next meeting in January and see how things are then.  In other words, nobody gets the funds.

This is the biggest crock of shit that has been pulled ever by the city and council on a promise to a neighborhood association.  If this damn bunch of clowns didn’t value museums, warehouses, shiny new hotels more than it does it’s citizens, then we are in deep deep shit. 

A city, is in the business of providing for it’s citizens first and foremost.  It’s not a bank, yet our city makes loans. It’s not a hotel yet our city invests in hotels. It’s not a recreation club, yet our city invests and builds the RiverPlex in direct competition with private health clubs and guess who ends up with the VIP passes?  OSF and CAT.  You and I pay out the ass for a membership. 

A city should provide fire, police and streets.  Only when they do this correctly, will crime be checked, insurance rates will drop for homeowners and cars and people will want to come.  This in turn attracts small business which pays taxes and in turn draws bigger businesses.  Giving tax breaks to the big places like CAT and OSF is bullshit.  There are so many loop holes now that these places pay little or none as it is and OSF is supposed to be non-profit.  They pay nothing but enjoy all the city services.

Wow, all I can say about this East Bluff finance thing is What a bunch of dolts and the biggest one is Riggenbach.  Has it come down to the point now where we as citizens will be required to slip an officer a twenty when we need help?  Will we have to pay to get or streets cleared of snow? Wait, we pay now for this and if it isn’t happening, then these people better starting cutting out the glitter and dump the hotel!  I’ll be damned if I have to pay yet another idiot fee for something we all are entitled to via our property taxes, like the frickin Garbage Fee.  Get with it and start living within our means city council.  That shiny new car is going to have to wait.  People first!!!!!  Damn!