Archive for the ‘culture’ Category

Fitchburg 11:30 AM Wednesday June 3rd. Update 12:51 AM Thursday

Posted: June 4, 2020 by datechguy in crime, culture, media, News/opinion
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I am scheduled to work on Wednesday from 3:30 till Midnight so as I write this I have no idea how things went in the 1st of two Fitchburg “protests”.

Wednesday’s protest is sponsored by 3 pyramids a local black organization and is scheduled to be a march from Crocker Field to the City Hall (I presume the temporary city hall as the regular one is under re-construction) and is supposed to begin at 2:30 which is just about the time that I will be finishing getting ready for work.

I took a drive, both to pay the water bills but actually to scope out the route. Externally things seem to be OK there is a city crew watering the common and clearing a monument, people are at Market Basket there is some traffic but thanks to the covid stuff the streets are pretty empty. I’m informed by DaWife that the local Dunkin Donuts has closed it’s lobby at noon but other than that I’m not aware of any other business closing although as you can see by the picture Enterprise Rent-a-Car has boarded up their windows (but oddly not moved their cars to a different location. While on social media there is at least one report of bricks hidden under some debris I scoped the potential path and didn’t see this, and I was looking for it.

Local business that would be in the path of any crowd that got out of hand that I talked to are worried but see little they can do about it. At one business an employee was instructed to close up & get out if there are sirens indicating trouble to close and leave. They seemed resigned that what will happen will happen, but people are on edge.

These are the days I miss the World War 2 generation and the Sicilians that once lived in the patch.

It’s very possible (even probable for Wednesday’s protest) that there will be little or not trouble but the potential is there, fed by the media and the desire to turn a local crime in Minnesota into a national story for the sake of scoring election points.

Here is the video I shot, sorry about the quality as I was walking with no monopod.

Again I am writing this at 12:52 PM EST on Wednesday. By the time this posts we will know if Fitchburg had a protest or a riot or both on Wednesday but the results of Friday will still be up in the air. But this description of previous protests from the Sentinal & Enterprise tell me that whatever happens will be spun to death:

On Sunday, peaceful protests were carried out in Boston throughout the day until the demonstrations turned violent in the evening, with reports of fires being set and looting.

Boston police later released a list of the 53 people who were arrested after the violence began.

In Worcester on Monday, thousands of people demonstrated peacefully during the day to protest Floyd’s killing. However, things took a downward turn at night when some demonstrators threw rocks and police in riot gear used tear gas to disperse the crowds.

God willing we’ll have good news.

Update: Got out of work at midnight it was a 20 minute drive back to Fitchburg and I checked out the area, I saw no signs of damage so I presume everything was peaceful or at least under control.

Several notes:

When I left for work I made it a point to drive toward downtown. There was a chopper hovering over the center of the city. Not sure if that was the authorities or the media.

Espresso’s pizza whose manager I interviewed a bit ago during my american success story series which was directly in the line of march of the protest as scheduled was simply plastered with Black Lives Matters signs all over the place. I don’t know if this was cheap insurance or not but the windows were all whole. Perhaps next time I order I’ll ask if my life and my family’s lives matters to them and will decide if I order then again based on their answer.

There was a solid police presence both on main street. Cruisers seems to be strategically placed to keep an eye on key spots from the policeman’s monument to key intersections. I saw car in the parking lot of the temporary city hall in a line that would block access to anyone attempting to drive by. There were a group of men in the lot, I presume officers. I presume they will be there for a while till the morning.

I saw very few people on the streets, when I stopped at Espresso to read the signs one person walking by seemed almost smug bragging about Fitchburg because there was no trouble. I pointed out that the Tea Party had held events on main street and protests and prayers had been in front of the planned parenthood that moved into town and no businesses had worried about violence or felt the need to close. But as violence & rioting (frankly there’s not much worth looting here) to my city was a worry I don’t mind grading them on a curve for the day. I also noted a few people in odd places who seemed to be watching things. Not sure who or what they were and frankly after a late night at work didn’t feel like checking

As I headed home from downtown I noted that Domino’s which is usually open till 2 AM was closed. I turned around to check out way and saw a sign on the door saying: “We are closed so our employees can support black lives matter.” Again I don’t know if this is their feeling or if it’s insurance but I’ll be sure to ask if my life and my family’s life matter next time I order.

When I got home I was told things were quiet but was also told that the National Guard was in town deployed at the Civic Center for a time but I’ve found no evidence of it online of course I’m not on facebook so I don’t know if there is some info there.

When it comes down to it, the bottom line is no trouble at least not yet. Hopefully the weekend with be the same, if it is I’ll be pleased but I still resent the fact that I had to worry about my city , my friends, my property and my family because the MSM decided to elevate a local story to play politics.

Thank CNN the Democrats and the left for the Looting & Riots (per DaTechGuy’s Laws of Media outrage) UPDATE well this inspires confidence:

Posted: June 3, 2020 by datechguy in crime, culture, media
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One of the distinguising features of DaTechGuy’s laws of media outrage is how they so readilty apply to the situations going on in the news. The current riots taking place in generally Democrat cities are an excellent example. To wit:

DaTechGuy’s 3rd law of media outrage

The MSM’s elevation and continued classification of any story as Nationally Newsworthy rather than only of local interest is in direct correlation to said story’s current ability to affirm any current Democrat/Liberal/Media meme/talking point, particularly on the subject of race or sexuality.

In an election where the Democrat/Media/Left is afraid that the black community is not energized the George Floyd case was a golden opportunity for the media to inject race in the campaign in the hopes that black voters would respond associating the police and authority with the GOP in general and Donald Trump in particular.

That’s why his death was national news but the murders of Ronald Lewis, Devin King, Justin Snipe, Troy Shelton, Brandon Brown, Tabaire Nix , Anthony Robinson, Gerrod Gibson, Jaquon Burke, Donnie Hill & Alex Wilson were not. None of these murders of black men were national stories because they did serve to advance a talking point.

Make no mistake the only reason why parts of Minneapolis are torched and Macy’s is looted and the College Football Hall of Fame is gone was because the Democrat/media/left wanted a talking point to motivate their base for election 2020.

DaTechGuy’s 2nd law of media outrage

The level of acceptance of the positions and/or actions of any group or organization by the left and media is directly proportional to their current or potential value in electing liberal Democrats.

The media did all they could to justify the riots at the start again in order to

  1. Portray them as valid response to the death of George Floyd.
  2. Not offend their Black base as images of black citizens looting appears
  3. Not offend the members of their violent antifa base who were rioting

However as soon as it became apparent that the riots were becoming counterproductive in terms of generating votes to Democrats and actually driving some how have suffered from it to the right its value to electing democrats were gone thus narrative changed to “white supremacists” & “Russians”.

DatechGuy’s 4th Law of Media outrage:

The degree of media exposure of the corruption or illegality committed by any individual or organization under investigation is directly proportional to its distance from the media’s ideology.

As soon as it became apparent that the President was ready to go after ANTIFA the media rushed to defend them both on air and in articles. The violence they had committed previously, particularity in the northwest was a non story to national media and was not worth of discussing or critiquing or was minimized.

Finally:

DaTechGuy’s 1st law of media outrage:

The level of Outrage or interest of the media and their allies on the left concerning any insult or prevarication concerning a person or thing will routinely be equal to the inverse of the degree of the political distance between said media / leftists and the target of said insult or prevarication at the time it is made

If Donald Trump for example attacking rioting and looting, the media spins him as a person trying to suppress “peaceful” protest because the media and left are against him. However if any democrat or black leader suggest riots and looting are wrong he is he is considered to be trying to bring peace to a volatile situation.

Closing thought: In my city 1000 miles from Minnesota there are going to be two “protests” local business’ have been advised to board up their windows because of course a cop going over the line in Minnesota reflects on our police force. My own home is less than a mile from where this is going to take place.

If something happens to my home or family during tomorrow or Friday’s scheduled “protests” this Sicilian-American will not forget the role of the Democrats in general and the media in particular in making it happen.

Update: Instalanche, thanks Ed. I’ve been through fitchburg this morning along the path of the protest and talked to what few business’ are there. They’re all pretty worried. Oddly enough there was a drive by shooting earlier this week and later a body found in the Nashua river, purportedly both men were of color (although I don’t have police confirmation on race, I suspect they’re rather occupied today)

Enterprise Rent a car in Fitchburg MA near where the “protests” will be

As today’s protest is being done by local groups and will be in broad daylight people the danger is likely less, Friday might be a different story, we shall see.

Reminder I’ll be discussing this on the DaTechGuy off DaRadio No Frills Livestream podcast on Friday at 3:00 PM EST (right after rush)

Update 2; You can’t make this up This is the Sentinel / Enterprise on the scheduled Fitchburg Protests

Since Floyd’s death, protests, some of which have been described as violent or destructive by officials, have taken place daily in cities across the country.

On Sunday, peaceful protests were carried out in Boston throughout the day until the demonstrations turned violent in the evening, with reports of fires being set and looting.

Boston police later released a list of the 53 people who were arrested after the violence began.

In Worcester on Monday, thousands of people demonstrated peacefully during the day to protest Floyd’s killing. However, things took a downward turn at night when some demonstrators threw rocks and police in riot gear used tear gas to disperse the crowds.

“some of which have been described as violent and destructive by officials?” I wonder how Danial Monahan describes arson and the destruction of 170+businesses in Minneapolis and widespread looting in NYC? High spirits? perhaps.

The Media/Left Goal for these Riots: A Dead Useful Idiot

Posted: June 2, 2020 by datechguy in crime, culture
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Let me bluntly state what the goal for the Democrat/Media/left here is.

A dead “protester” (preferably of color) shot by a supporter of the president (preferably white) .

It won’t matter if said “protester” was looting, it won’t matter if they were throwing bricks or Molotov cocktails or even armed and threatening said Trump supporter, his business or his family.

One they have their dead protester they will label Trump supporters as killers throughout the media, just as they have blamed all police for the incident in Minnesota (while oddly INSISTING that all protesters not be blamed for riots, arson etc committed by some).

Furthermore the longer this goes on the greater the need for said dead protester as people generally don’t like having to worry about mobs torching & looting business, neighborhoods and have a dim view of pols who a week ago were willing to arrest people who went to beaches or cut hair but are not willing to speak up for fear that it might cost them votes from their base.

At that point they will need to change the subject, and the best way to change the subject is a body. After all this certainly changed the subject from the successful reopening of Florida, Texas & Georgia and the revelations concerning the Flynn investigations.

All they need is a body oh useful idiot, beware as they will be happy to have yours.

You have been warned

The desecration of the Cook County Forest Preserves

Posted: May 31, 2020 by John Ruberry in culture, economy, News/opinion, politics
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By John Ruberry

One respite from the hectic way of life in Chicago and its suburbs are the 70,000 acres that comprise the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. I run on trails there that are near my home. I take nature photos there. Others walk, ride bicycles, or just sit and collect their thoughts. Some picnic in the preserves, whether it’s a family or a group of hundreds.

On there is a seamy side too. Some parking lots at the preserves are popular spots for romantic hookups, once in a while some of those large picnics turn violent, occasionally the bodies of murder victims are dumped there, and the Forest Preserve District has a reputation of hiring otherwise unemployable Democratic Party patronage workers. Charles “Cap” Sauer ran the preserves for years. He once confided to Chicago newspaper columnist Mike Royko about some of his workers, “They know that if they are going to receive a day’s pay, they must give me at least a half a day’s work.”

Despite little or no evidence that outdoor activities pose COVID-19 risks, the FPDCC is making using the preserves more difficult and less enjoyable for the owners of them, that is taxpayers, even though exercise is essential for maintaining good physical and mental health. 

Many forest preserve parking lots, which are often strewn with potholes, are closed on weekends and even daily in some cases because of alleged overcrowding. Oh, if a parking lot is full, drivers do what? They leave. Public washrooms are closed. Where are people supposed to relieve themselves? As a runner, I know how to, let’s say, improvise a short distance from a trail. Let’s say you’d like to sit down during a long walk and you don’t care to plop down on the grass. There’s a rare bench here and there but during normal times people find a picnic table. At most of the preserves near me the tables are now stacked. wrapped in police tape, and barricaded by snow fences. There are “snitch signs” placed all through the preserves asking those full-bladdered visitors to rat-out large groups. Even though for most people their forest preserve experience is a solitary one, as it is with me, or it’s done in twos-or-threes.

Story continues below the photograph.

Barricaded picnic shelter with stacked tables at St. Paul Woods Forest Preserve

Water fountains have not been turned back on after being shut off last year for the winter. Yes, today is the last day of May. Oh, there is no shortage of FPDCC workers–none have been laid off.

Those most revealing sign is one outside St. Paul Woods here in Morton Grove. “Keep it moving. No picnicking. No congregating.” Or as Dean Wormer famously phrased it in Animal House, “No more fun of any kind.”

How did it come to this situation? Yeah, I know, the coronavirus outbreak. Cook County has over 5 million residents. There have been 45,000 confirmed cases of it in Cook with about 2,100 confirmed deaths. And of course most of those fatalities consist of people who were already quite ill.

But we got here because Cook County voters elected a hardened leftist,  Chicago Democrat Toni Preckwinkle, as president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. Part of that job is overseeing the Forest Preserve District. Leftists remind me of the smug titular character in the underrated Coen Brothers movie Barton Fink. He loves “the people” but Fink doesn’t like people. The same goes with Preckwinkle and other leftists in government. And their idea of government is that we are a government with a people, not the other way around. 

These are their woods, not ours.

Stay out of my parking lot! 

Stay away from other people! 

No water fountains for you!

Hold your bladders!

No more fun of any kind!

John Ruberry regularly blogs at Marathon Pundit.

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