Sunday 03 August 2008
You better live your best and act your best and think your best today, for today is the sure preparation for tomorrow and all the other tomorrows that follow.
Hi, my name is Rob, and this is a web site about my street in Fresno.
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Posted by Rob Defrees on Sunday 03 August 2008 - 12:38:35 |
Monday 08 September 2008
Calaveras needs to find its soul
Hi, my name is Rob, and this is a web site about my road in Fresno.
Right, this snap is of a road somewhere in China and not in Fresno, California. Let's allow our imagination to wander a bit.
However mean the above road looks, there are some interests to note in the snap. The chap with the pail does not look as if he is happy, and there is nothing attractive about the views one can see round the chap. It is a hard, mean road. Life does not look as if it would be fun lived on this road.
However mean the road, one notices some interesting things. There is no rubbish in the road, it is remarkably clean, and there is no graffiti on the walls either. Neglect to be sure and mean, but there is a sense of order to the road.
Calaveras is a patchwork of good parts of the road and not so good parts of the road. There are homes that are well maintained and there are homes that are in much need of some love. There are parts of the road that neighbors have tried to keep clean and there are other parts of the road that look as if a broom has never touched the pavement.
It is not just Calaveras but parts of Glenn, Voorman and even Blackstone have areas that are in need of attention. The signs of neglect have been here for so long that folks do not even notice them anymore. To a visitor to the area, all of the small things come together and one gets the sense that there is trouble in the neighborhood. You can not put your finger on it, but you know, just know that something is not quite right with the neighborhood.
Along with the broken windows, peeling paint, roofs caved in and road signs bent and disfigured, you pass the denizens of the community and can clearly see the absence of joy in their faces. Many have that hard, beaten down look and when one passes many on the road is oft the case that you can not get them to look up and show their faces. Mind, the clever clogs are brazen in their manner and they strut the road as if they have not a care in the world, and the wasted drug users appear to be completely oblivious to their condition.
The poverty of the neighborhood is sharply contrasted by the expensive clothes worn by some. It is hard to imagine one spending $30.00 for a ball cap, or $50.00 for a shirt, when there are more important things to get to make life easier. Add to that the expensive motors that drive round the neighborhood. Folks line up a pay phone booths at the far end of the road to make calls, but even that is strange, as in the wee hours of the night, one sees so many on the road chatting into mobiles. Some are ever so fortunate, the have multiple mobiles, and are so important that they have both open and working as they drop coins into a pay booth to chat to even more folks.
Over the course of the past 17 months, MOI has taken many snaps of life on Calaveras and the roads near. MOI is no Mathew Brady but they serve as a vivid record of what has changed and what has not changed during the past months. One thing is quite clean, if there is a programme called 'No Neighborhood Left Behind', someone forgot to tell Calaveras. Or to remind DWARF Perea of that fact. Even the mayor needs to be reminded of that fact.
Grinding poverty is still very much a part of daily life on Calaveras and in the neighborhood. Folks still can not find jobs, and children are still exposed to the visage of what life will be if no one gives them a fighting change to get out.
My dears, it is not just the fault of local government. It is not just the lack of action on the part of Ms. Sterling or the mayor making big with the slogan of 'A Tale of Two Cities'. Much of the blame for the human condition on Calaveras and in the neighborhood lies with the folks who live on the road and in the community. When a weekend passes and there are mounds of empty beer containers, broken bottles and crushed cans scattered all over the community, one can see where folks who live here set their priorities. When one sees fast food wrappers and containers all over the community, an more dumping in the alleys one knows that there is a lesson unlearned in this community.
When one passes the one playground in the community and sees folks throwing rubbish about, one knows that the folks in most need of a clean and safe playground do not appreciate keeping it clean.
MOI has traveled far and wide, and will always carry the image of poor ladies living in a part of London, coming out in the morning hours and washing off the steps leading into their flats. However poor they may have been, they were not going to let the neighbors think them dirty.
MOI is constantly reminded to pick the battles to fight. That one has to stay focused or will burn out. MOI believes that all of the conditions seen on a daily basis are important to address. It is the little things that matter so very much. Pick up one piece of rubbish and there is one less piece on the road, A little water turns a barren spot of earth a little greener and spreads to a larger area. Make folks aware of bad behaviors and perhaps the language gets toned done a bit, and folks are more civil to one another.
Calaveras and the community did not die over night, and it will take some effort to bring it back to life. It has to start somewhere. There will be folks who will never buy into Civic Pride or be Morally Responsible, but if enough do, the bad lot will stand out ever so more, and the coppers will be able to catch them.
It is not easy to do the right thing. One makes enemies. MOI lives on Calaveras and is not prepared to roll over and play dead. Whatever the cost to improve the road and the community is just going to have to be paid. That is just the way of it.
It is the only way that folks on different roads are going to believe that Calaveras is a changed road, and that is the whole point of all of the effort.
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Posted by Rob Defrees on Monday 08 September 2008 - 01:18:20 |
Sunday 07 September 2008
Calaveras cares, do you?
What ever ails my road or neighborhood one must always be aware that there are horrid things that need to be addressed on other roads and in other communities.
MOI believes that ONE is an organization that is making a difference. It has got to the folks who matter and with their help and ours, the world can be a better place.
The greatest gift is to know that you can made a difference, however small, it matters. In giving, we receive so very much more.
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Posted by Rob Defrees on Sunday 07 September 2008 - 13:25:20 |
Saturday 06 September 2008
Ms. Sterling revisited
Cynthia Sterling, elected sitting member for District 3, serving on the City Council.
Ages ago MOI was told by a brilliant lady, Senator Dianne Feinstein, the politics is local, and how local can you get when you try to reach out to that person who is directly responsible for affairs that concern the road lived on and the community that it is a art of.
From the very start, MOI has reached out to Ms. Sterling and been pedantic in writing letters an emails to her about the conditions on Calaveras and in the neighborhood. The results of these efforts have been mixed.
Ms. Sterling did attend the Neighborhood Watch meeting held in my flat. When asked hard questions with the films crew ready to capture her comments, she begged that camera be turned off and left in a flash. Ms. Sterling is clever enough to not leave a filmed record to her replies. MOI has had Ms. Sterling visit home twice and Ms. Sterling chatted at length about what she felt about the community and made promises to become more engaged. MOI felt that she promised much but delivered less.
Ms. Sterling did attend the 'Evening of Music', she had been responsible for getting another high school band to play at the event. Mind, she pushed to have that band play before scheduled time, knowing that a contract had been made for another group to play first.
Ms. Sterling chatted with MOI and pointed out the mistakes that had been made in planning the event. Ms. Sterling told MOI that a much better turnout could have been had if MOI had set up a 'soup kitchen' and provided FREE food to the world. Most negative she was about the event.
In the beginning of the year, Ms. Sterling had sent MOI a letter about why there could not be a more productive method used to clean the road, flat out told that she was against such a plan and that got MOI to send this reply:
Let me chat about "prohibitive" cost. Is the cost of maintaining the roads in Fresno so great that it out weighs the benefits? How much can it cost to provide neighborhoods with a clean and positive image? Is that cost so great that having piles of rubbish catch on fire due to a discarded fag, having the Fire Department come out to deal with is not costly?? Is the cost so great that allowing standing water, trapped by piles of leaves, and a poor grading of the road, that children playing on the road might get sick worth the risk? Is the cost so great that razor blades and other items thrown into the piles by punters of drug dealers, that children playing might harm selves??
Now, on to the "unknown" costs. It will remain unknown, the number of folks who will not rent, buy, fix up or abandon properties on the road. It will remain unknown, the cost in tax dollars lost because properties owned by folks local or absent just give up. It will remain unknown, the number of drug dealers and punters, who OD, commit crimes, get AIDS or murder. It will remain unknown, the number of fire personnel, who responding to an abandoned building set on fire, that might be hurt. It will remain unknown, the number of coppers who in dealing with crime on the road, could be placed in grave danger or worse. It will remain unknown, the number of young people who think the easy money made by playing look out for the drug dealers, or using the poison they cover for, will drop out of school and live a life of crime.
What is known to Councilwoman Sterling is that the city of Fresno does not have buckets of cash, that can be used to address the conditions she already knows. She knows that the cost of providing coppers to deal with crime, drugs and preventing absent landlords' properties being used for illegal purposes is rising. She knows that the cost of providing health care to the poor is rising. She knows the cost of welfare is rising. She knows that the cost of housing criminals is rising.
At present there are road crews working on Calaveras to correct the problem of 'standing water' and to her credit, Ms. Sterling did get Mr. Patrick Wiemiller to come out and take a good look at the problem. The repairs will greatly help the condition of the road. If we could only get a proper program in place to remove the gathered rubbish from the road, that would be something.
Ms. Sterling has contacted Code Enforcement and there have been many cases opened about the conditions in the alleys in this neighborhood. 195 cases in all. Mind, her Chief-of-Staff still rails about MOI pointing out the illegal dumping of rubbish in alleys and thinks that property owners are to blame. Not taken into consideration that who places these items in alley creates an unsafe and unhealthy condition for the entire community and the City should not allow it to happen.
At the recent 'National Night Out' event, Ms. Sterling said a lot of lovely things about this old geezer. MOI has even tried to made some sort of contact with Ms. Sterling to get her to realize that it is not personal, just one person reminding an elected official her sworn duty to do the very best for the road and the community.
MOI still believes it is not proper for an elected official on 'queer street' to be in a position of trust on the City Council, even if the City Attorney says there is not problems with that. Still feels it is wrong for Ms. Sterling to vote NO on the 'Safe Neighborhood Act' and wrong to miss so many City council meeting. Were it not fr her Chief-of-Staff handing cue cards, it is possible that Ms. Sterling would have no knowledge of what is going on at City Council Meetings.
MOI is still waiting to see who Ms. Sterling will bless with the Beautification project for her district. If that road was even aware of such an event or did Ms. Sterling make sure that another road put in a request. One will never know.
Being on 'queer street' did not prevent Ms. Sterling from going to the Democratic Convention. She is hell bent on getting DWARF Perea elected as the next mayor, remember, she is to be redundant and is desperate for another pay packet. Ms. Sterling and DWARF Perea are the sort of folks John McCain means when he tells of folks being in government to serve them selves and not the 'people'.
My dears, MOI is being ever so kind.............DWARF and STUPID............never left me lips to attached to Ms. Sterling........MOI is hoping to get a filmed report with Ms. Sterling at the soirée to be held at the Dickey Youth Development Centre.
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Posted by Rob Defrees on Saturday 06 September 2008 - 03:01:53 |
Friday 05 September 2008
MOI IS GUTTED!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsYJyVEUaC4 So, the tune is bid dated, and MOI is not crying over a bloke, but the tune tells how MOI feels the day after the failed soirée on Calaveras............
MOI had taken time to make sure that the flat was perfect. MOI hoovered the floors, dusted, washed windows, waxed bath floors, laid out guest towels. There was plenty of bottled water(why do folks buy water?) non-alcoholic beverages and there was food. Bloody hell, was there food. MOI spared no expense. MOI has quiche, Havarti cheese, Genoa Salami, Milton Crackers, French bread, lovely veggie platter, and favourite British sweets. There were American Flags for the guests, along with post cards, and other party favours. MOI had even had a 'theme' T-Shirt printed up for the soirée.
The appointed hour came ad went and NO guests arrived. Not a one of the 20 folks who had asked to attend bothered to email to cancel or to show up for the soirée.
All of the guests were got from an advert placed on McCain website offering to have folks come to home and watch the Convention speech of John McCain. MOI bought all of the item from own pocket. There was no cost to the Republican Party or to the guests.
MOI is gutted!!!!! How very rude to accept an invite and not come.
It would appear that local Republicans are a rude lot and do not live up to the challenge of what John McCain is all about. How very sad indeed. They have told MOI that the road he lives on is one they do not want to be faced with and thereby give truth to the belief that there is a 'Tale of Two Cities' very much alive in Fresno. You can be a smart Republican, only if you live on a proper road and look like all of the other 'smart' Republicans. MIND, MOI also believes that the same would apply to Democrats, as they stay away in droves as well.
How very sad, and did they ever miss a brilliant evening.
The missing guests did not get to watch Cindy McCain prepare the arrival of her husband's chat. They did not get to hear her tell of feeling that the hand on shoulder was of Abe Lincoln. Did not get to hear the words remembers of her father; 'just leave this earth a better place than when you got here'. Did not get to see a truly grand Republican lady who is posh in every sense of the word.
MOI wonders if the missing guests went to a smarter soirée to hobnob with like 'daft' Republicans who sipped whatever and stuffed cake-holes as the listened to John McCain give his speech. On a smart road, trying to pretend that they are truly in tune with the spirit of John McCain's run for the White House.
John McCain talked about how 'My country saved me', that there was a 'greater happiness serving a cause greater than self'. John McCain reminded folks that however grand his life was, he was very much aware of the plight of the less fortunate among his fellow Americans.
John McCain asked folks to STAND UP. Stand up for each other. John McCain asked folks to FIGHT. 'Fight for what is right for our country.
There is no doubt that MOI is passionate about the man that John McCain is. That he truly loves America and wants only the best for her.
The folks who live on Calaveras need such a friend. Calaveras needs to get folks to treat the road with respect and compassion. To truly believe in the right of all of the neighborhood to be a better place and to be a true part of the American Dream.
It shames MOI to no end that smart Republicans stayed away from the soirée. Were the flat on a smart road, they would have been lined up to drink and eat with mirror images of themselves. They showed no faith last night. Gutted........there is no other way to tell how MOI feels this day.
MOI as been air kissed before and knows how meaningless it is. Smoke is being blown up me bum.
John McCain may well never visit Calaveras. He is right busy and his folks can pick a different road to make the point of poor folks missing out on the American Dream. MOI knows that John McCain cares, even if MOI never gets to meet the great man.
MOI also knows that Mr. Obama will never come onto the road. And on a local level DWARF Perea will never set foot on the road in his quest to become the next mayor. MOI is impressed with Ashley Swearengin, she is very smart and has all of the right connections and rumour has it that she will sweep the bums out of local government. MOI has met the lady and is much impressed but is not holding breath that the lovely lady will come onto road and do a walkabout. WHY??? There are few votes here and one can pretend to be concerned and not risk coming into a blighted neighborhood.
There is to be a smart soirée at the Dickey Youth Development Centre on September 17th, 2008. To be held between half 5 and half 7 in the evening. Early enough that all of the exalted personages can come and depart before the sun sets on the road. Have no doubt that many will come and pat selves on back at the wondrous thing they have done in the community.
MOI has been invited to attend the soirée as the personal guest of Mr. Randy Cooper. MOI has to give a hard think on as to how to dress and what to say. As a guest one wants not to be rude, but one also must point out the blatant. "The Emperor has no Clothes". Still trying to work out how to address the exalted personages from inside the tent.
MOI is gutted...............but MOI is one tough old geezer and with a little wound licking will bounce back.
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Posted by Rob Defrees on Friday 05 September 2008 - 03:26:39 |
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