Wednesday, July 05, 2006

WHY...........

.....Does Jim Hendry Still have a job?

.....Have we reduced our Status of Forces on the Korean Penninsula, when the NoKos are led by an aggressive whack job?

.....Can't store clerks count change backwards without a microchip?

.....Can't youth baseball players have a non-All Star league to play in from about July 4 to the time school starts?

.....Are there so many new Start-up excercise facilities and so many really, really fat people not joining them?

......Did the Quincy Medical Group have 55 non-essential employees on their payroll in the first place?

.....Do some people get so stirred up about the Illinois State Police patrolling in Quincy when, last time I looked, Quincy is, indeed in Illinois?

......Do parents have no clue what their teens are putting on MySpace?

......Do the Illinois Republicans have an overwhelming desire to run Guys named "Ryan" for Statewide Office.

......Does the United States administration think it's OK that Japan is building militarily in response to the NoKo threat?

......Doesn't anybody seem to remember what Japan did with full militarization last time they had it?

.....Does our country talk about bringing democracy to other countries while we suck up to a country with a leader who took over by military coup (Pakistan);

.....Don't most of our local industries and governmental units have an extended evacuation plan?

.....Can't the Cubs figure out that having baserunners is first prerequisite to having muli-run innings.

28 Comments:

At 8:26 AM, July 05, 2006, Blogger UMRBlog said...

For the most part, the County gets around $35.00 a pop to handle a small file once. Why do you think the ACB uses the Circuit Clerk's office to fund so much of County Government? It's such a cash cow.

Fortunately for us, it is staffed by topnotch people who make it hum like a well-oiled machine.

On the other topic, I'm on step zero of my 12 step program. I take a little peek, get curious about what body part is going to fall off of Prior next and soon, I'm a viewer.

Thanks for coming by

 
At 10:00 AM, July 05, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

You'all waited for Prior to get back, and he's, eh eh, 0-4.

How bout all-star snubs, 9-1 pitcher from Minn, Rolen not starting @ 3rd, Haffner & Schilling, etc. It ain't fair!!!


Also, re-arm Japan, let them sneak attack the guy with the Harry Cary glasses, let them take out his bottle rocket sites, they used to run Korea once, didn't they? LOL

 
At 10:30 AM, July 05, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Doesn't the city of Quincy have 77 sworn officers on staff?

If ISP wants soley patrol the city of Quincy as they are doing, shouldn't the city council look into reducing the number within their rank to 67? If the State Police wants to do the Quincy police job then the city should take advantage of it and reduce the QPD budget, thus reducing taxpayers costs. For that matter don't we have 5 TRAINED and sworn officer patrol officers sitting behind desks doing menial jobs such as "research and development"? We could knock that number down to 62 if we put these officers on the street where they belong!

Lets add 2 more. It is the counties responsiblity to control animals within their jurisdiction which includes the city of Quincy. They should be taking on the task not the QPD. I know these are not sworn officer jobs but what the hell are we paying money to do a job that is someone else's responsibility!

That ought to take care of my QPD rant for at least an hour or so!

;)

 
At 10:34 AM, July 05, 2006, Blogger UMRBlog said...

Nooner,

You're right. All Screws. One thing I do have to say for Bud the Dud is that he's really endeavored to make All Star voting a bit more fair. Still a built-in Coastal bias, though. Kid from Minn is a bigger screw than Schilling.

Having Japan strong enough to whack little pervert from Korea is short sighted. How'd that work out for us after the Shah of Iran had the bad judgment to get cancer? We had to build up Iraq to maintain the balance of power. Now McFlightsuit wants to fight 'em both.

I think Japan should continue to build its little gizmos and contemplate how inferior Occidentals are and the world will be a safer place. Little Harry Caray will probably blow himself up doing a reprise of Slim Pickens' role in "Dr. Strangelove".

 
At 5:00 PM, July 05, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"the County gets around $35.00 a pop to handle a small file once"


$35 is not much when you consider what we have wrapped up in it. Cost of Clerks office personels time/pension/insurance. Cost of Judges time/pension/insurance. Cost of States attorneys office time/pension/insurance.

Cost to society child molesters and drugs being on our streets while ISP prioritizes seatbelt enforcement.

 
At 8:46 PM, July 05, 2006, Blogger Rocky Cola said...

I went to myspace and ran a Quincy, IL search and my 10 year old does not have a site. But there are many Quincy kids with their own sites.

I agree, how hard can it be to check on your kid ?

Also, Disney/Sprint now has a phone that has GPS, and limits of time and phone calls for parents...

It is very possible to monitor your kids. Most parents are just lazy and want to transfer the job to others, such as schools, clubs, etc.

Thanks for letting me stop by...

 
At 6:24 AM, July 06, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Cubs win!!!!
Cubs win!!!

 
At 6:50 AM, July 06, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Re: Cubs, big changes sposed to happen over all-star break, any predictions? Dusty? or Hendry? Wood? Prior? whoose in, whoose out?

 
At 7:08 AM, July 06, 2006, Blogger UMRBlog said...

Anon 1900,

Go watch one session of 0900 Court in Courtroom 1A and tell me $35/pop doesn't add up to real money. @about two minutes a file that's $1050.00 an hour. Plus, I'll bet it comes out to more like one minute per file because some guys have two, three tickets they process at once.

 
At 7:15 AM, July 06, 2006, Blogger UMRBlog said...

Even computer-illiterate parents can keep a lid on it by simply insisting the computer be in a public place in the house.

If the parents are even marginally computer literate, there are lots of ways to make sure you child is not borrowing trouble.

Adams.Net is very proactive in helping parents, as is the Adams County Sheriff's Department and the Illinois Attorney General's office. The FTC web site used to be better than it is now, but it's still pretty good and Microsoft used to have a good source page (I haven't looked lately, being no great microsoft fan.).

But, anyhow, you did what everybody should do, see what your kid is putting up.

Thanks for coming by.

 
At 7:45 AM, July 06, 2006, Blogger UMRBlog said...

Dusty is not a very sound MLB manager but he has been given a very weak hand to play. Nothing is gained by firing him with just a few months left on his contract.

Hendry has stayed out of the way and allowed the Player Development staff to complete stack the Cubs' minor league system with Killer Pitchers and Five tool players.

The Skill Set that's missing is to translate that talent load into Major League success. Cleveland had the great farm system in the early to mid 90's and traded some, developed and signed some. Mostly they traded their talent for proven pitching. That got them to the World Series in '97. The Cubs have developed, then traded pitching for position players. They have utterly ignored the MLB skill of reaching base, as opposed to just hitting. As a consequence, they had to overpay for a Jacques Jones, have no established LH thumper and really no established LF. They have no chance to break an egg this year, yet they allow Felix Pie to languish in the minors. He might as well get some MLB at bats. They move Angel Guzman (two years ago, he was the Hope Diamond) up and down like a yo-yo and gave up on Farnsworth (who admittedly is a whack job)and Cruz.

All of this is my way of saying that, when your problem is the failure of your organization to translate overwhelming minor league talent into a good team on the MLB level, firing the manager is "solving" the wrong problem. The problem is either Hendry or McPhail. Since McPhail is fireproof. Hendry has gotta go.

Do I think this will happen? Hell, no. It's pretty clear by now that Hendry has spotted McPhail's car parked at the wrong motel at the wrong time. There is no other explanation for this incompetent, poorly dressed boob having this job, even into this year.

Several people have said this team is underachieving. I don't think so. I think they're just that bad. Pitchers go out there knowing if they give up four runs,they're smoked.

Now, even though, I think Dusty should finish the season, It must be said that what he did to Corey Patterson was criminal. CP was a 4.5 tool player when the Cubs got him and they wanted to turn him into freaking Richie Ashburn at the plate. He didn't have it in his DNA to take a lot of pitches or to be a punch and judy hitter. He's a free swinger. They took his confidence away and it was a sad thing to watch. A lot of credit to the Orioles for rehabbing him. They will get value from him that the Cubs were too stupid to extract.

What the Cubs really need is Mark Cuban, an owner committed to excellence, not just skyboxes.

Finally, the Chicago scuttlebutt is that Maddux still has value. Dodgers, Mets, A's, Rangers and Reds are all interested in him. I don't get it. Greatest fielding pitcher of all time, who now throws moon pies, but I'd make a deal that included an up and coming LH power hitter.

End of Rant.

Thanks for coming by.

 
At 3:43 PM, July 06, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

no comment on the proposal to reduce our taxes by reducing the number of QPD patorolling Quincy since ISP is doing thier job for them?

;)

 
At 6:45 PM, July 06, 2006, Blogger UMRBlog said...

Anon 1743,

Sorry, I didn't think it was a serious proposal.

ISP serves a different function from city police all over the state. That they may patrol our streets from time to time maybe helps us do specialized things like anti-gang work.

When folks call Quincy Police things like "Revenue Enhancers", they do so out of ignorance. Most folks have no idea, how may drug gangs have tried to get a toehold here and failed because of creative efforts by QPD.

I don't hear anybody making the argument that there should be fewer road deputies in Adams or Pike Counties because there are ISP patrolling there. Why should it be different simply because our guys wear blue suits?

As to the number of patrol officers doing administrative or Planning work, you info is dated and this is an issue the department has been addressing for the last two years. Besides that, there is real value to a great many of the things that officers do when they are given a planning or administrative assignment.

As to the number of police officers on the force, the department is almost never at full complement (this is a universal truth in policing). Folks are temporarily disabled, in the academy, in distant residential training or spots are simply unfilled because the process takes time.

It is the farthest thing from the truth that ISP "does their jobs for them".

Quincy used to be an easier city to police because it was so isolated from the rest of the universe. Law Enforcement pretty much knew all the criminals. Now, with an interstate connection, there are more diverse threats to our safety. Quincy was once safe because it was essentially law abiding and peaceful (and isolated its vice from the general citizenry). Now its safe for that reason but safer from outside threats because it is well served by modern police.

It strikes me as a bit hollow to sit in our safe houses and grouse about being overpoliced or about tickets for speeding in school zones. Maybe the safe and secure house you live in is that way in some significant measure because QPD polices in a modern and effective way. And just maybe it needs the staff that it has to keep you that way.

Lootie has made some comments about "style points" in the way police services are delivered and they are worthy of consideration. Still the idea that we should downsize our police force because ISP comes here from time to time is pretty fatuous in my opinion.

Thanks for stopping by. Hope things are well with you.

 
At 8:26 AM, July 07, 2006, Blogger UMRBlog said...

Nobody argued for unchecked power. The issue was a Reduction in Force, which I oppose.

Everybody's Chuck Norris when discussing hypothetical home invasions. That kind of misses the point. If the Police Department can discourage criminal enterprises from even coming to to town, your house, your car and your space are safer.

Nobody's saying things are perfect the way they are. But to say ISP sometimes patrols in Quincy and therefore QPD should have a RIF is not really a very serious combination of premises.

Thanks for dropping by.

ABC

 
At 9:19 AM, July 07, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Overall I agree with Lootie here, it just seems like we are over-policed these days. At least now we have some semblence as to what it must have been like to come up in the old Soviet Union.

 
At 9:37 AM, July 07, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"That they may patrol our streets from time to time maybe helps us do specialized things like anti-gang work."

We allready had a street crime division prior to the ISP beginning to patrol the city of quincy. Isp has added 10 new officers to this district most of which soley patrol the city of quincy.

"I don't hear anybody making the argument that there should be fewer road deputies in Adams or Pike Counties because there are ISP patrolling there."

The Adams county Sheriffs department does not have near the number of patroll officers per 1000 that the QPD does. You can do better than this argument.

"As to the number of patrol officers doing administrative or Planning work, you info is dated and this is an issue the department has been addressing for the last two years."

Your right we have one less patrol officer sitting at a desk than than 1 month ago. Officer Wheeler. So the number still stands at 4. Nice Spin Buddy.

"Now, with an interstate connection, there are more diverse threats to our safety."

Exactly. ISP should be working on the interstate to slow this process. By issuing moving violations on the interstate they are going to inherently catch interstate traffic of drugs etc...

"Maybe the safe and secure house you live in is that way in some significant measure because QPD polices in a modern and effective way."

No, my house is safe due to the Second Amendmant and a couple large dogs.

"Still the idea that we should downsize our police force because ISP comes here from time to time is pretty fatuous in my opinion."

Nice spin again. The key words are from time to time. If this were true, this conversation would not be taking place and the residents of our community would not continue to bitch about this situation. The truth is several of the ISP officers would not know what a state highway was if you stood them on one. The fact is ISP has moved into the city of Quincy to increase thier numbers and revenue. More population, more opportunities to ticket.

;)

 
At 9:39 AM, July 07, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Damn! Just noticed that Lootie used the same line about the 2nd Amend and dogs! LOL. You beat me to that line buddy! Guess both our homes have the same security system.

;)

 
At 9:45 AM, July 07, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

" Nobody argued for unchecked power. The issue was a Reduction in Force, which I oppose."

But it is not actually a reduction of force. We will have the same amount of officers patrolling our streets as we had a couple years ago. Remember ISP has added new officers to this district which are now in the city of Quincy. The City will just not have the same amount of cost wrapped up in it.


On a side note. I drove to Pittsfield (home of ISP district office) and back lastweekend. Drove right past ISP headquarters to goto Foiles sporting goods. Want to guess how many ISP I saw on my drive to, from and past their headquarters?









You guessed it none!

Now care to guess how many ISP I saw within the 1 mile it took me to get from the edge of the city limits to my home?

;)

 
At 10:18 AM, July 07, 2006, Blogger UMRBlog said...

That whole "Insured by Smith and Wesson" approach is not wrong. It's just not complete. The lawfulness or lawlessness of the community in which you live has a lot to do with whether your defenses ever have to be activated.

Also, the catch phrase in Home Defense is the same as Homeland Security. "We only have to wrong once". Nobody's human-based or technology based perimeter defense is perfect. It's kind of nice that prompt help is phone call away, no matter what tough guy one might be.

A different way to think about it is it's kind of nice to have an ample number of cars cruising around with AED's in them and people who know how to use them. None of would like our older friends or parents to die needlessly of a heart attack while an unequipped or untrained officer watches helplessly.

 
At 10:27 AM, July 07, 2006, Blogger UMRBlog said...

"Most of which solely patrol in Quincy".

You know something I don't know. Increasingly, for any number of reasons, they live in Quincy so that's where they go on duty but they don't patrol solely in Quincy. In fact, I don't think anyone has a Quincy-only beat.

Let's just get it out on the table, are you opposed to one officer being assigned to Planning and Development? If you are, who do you think should do that work? Or do you think it should be abandoned?

Finally, I'm sure you are aware that ISP will never enforce Quincy's ordinances. A number of our ordinances are designed to prevent crime-producing situations.

I try to stay out of City Policy on this site because of my part time job. So I'm going to abandon this debate with a question for some of the adamant commentators: "What is it that best explains your apparent hostility to the Quincy Police Department and its current alignment?" It is so strong, I can feel it when you write. (Lootie, you can pass on this one, I already know your story and understand.)

Thanks for coming by

 
At 1:02 PM, July 07, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"A different way to think about it is it's kind of nice to have an ample number of cars cruising around with AED's in them and people who know how to use them."

Isn't the QFD our first responders? If not why are they being paid for it? Not trying to bang the QFD, as they do a very good job at prioritizing compared to QPD. Can't have two frist responders or one has to be considered the "second" responder.

"In fact, I don't think anyone has a Quincy-only beat."

We all know that you are a good family man so a few things might slip past that you due to the nature of you being home with your lovely wife early each evening. Drive around town after 9pm some evening. Your impression will definately change. I can almost set my watch by when they will be two blocks away doing a "safety check". Guess what? These all take place in Quincy city limits. Not a criticism but I think you are not aware of what is really going on in our community on this matter.

"Let's just get it out on the table, are you opposed to one officer being assigned to Planning and Development?"

How about you answer me this question. Besides the little lighted school crossing signs (which he has to give an assist to the public schools system) what has Mr. Cress come up with in the last 2 years?

"Finally, I'm sure you are aware that ISP will never enforce Quincy's ordinances"

How many ordinances does the QPD really enforce besides curfew? Has the number of of ordinance violations increased in the last couple years or has the number of state violations?


""What is it that best explains your apparent hostility to the Quincy Police Department and its current alignment?"

Simply put its "Priorities, Community perception, and Organization"

We seemed to have become obsessed with traffic tickets and not focusing on community policing. Its a vicious cycle. The more tickets officers write the more they can justify thier need for more officers on the street. The more DUI tickets they issue, the more money they get from organizations such as MADD. They want more of these grants so they add more enforcement each year to get a bigger piece of the pie.

As our buddy Lootie has stated earlier. Why patrol a community based event like they did last weekend in freakin riot gear. We have to motorcycle trained officers. Please name a better place for them to show thier faces instead of street crimes? Let me give you guys a hint, outlaw bikers wouldn;t be within 50 miles of a community based event such as this one! I doubt many doctors, lawyers, and sucessful business men need to be controlled by our street crimes division.

Wouldn't it be nice to open the Sunday paper and see our force stopped or prevented a MAJOR crime instead of seeing 50 seatbelt violations and 10 DUI's listed "on the Record"? Give the comunity something to get behind instead of feeling like they are constantly harrassing upstanding citizens who make an occasion mistake driving.

On organization. Why have a person we PAID to have trained now sitting behind a desk pushing paper and not doing what they were trained to do? In private industry, you would not train a person to do one job and then have them do an entirely different job. This shows a total lack of vision by QPD superiors.

Also this gets back to the need for 77 officers. If you don't NEED them because another agency has uped thier numbers you should make organizational moves to find another niche for these officers. Some can be eliminated through attrition. If you think we have such a potential gang problem then move a few more to that department. Add a few to an investigative department or drug taskforce so that we can prevent or solve more REAL crimes.

Just a few thoughts.


Hope I didn't stir you up too badly before the weekend!

;)

p.s. I know these guys help pay for your day job, but I still have to give ya some hell!

 
At 1:05 PM, July 07, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

ooops, one more thing I missed.

"It is so strong, I can feel it when you write."

What does it tell you when law abiding citizens such as myself and poor ole lootie are upset?

Where there is smoke . . . .


;)

 
At 1:29 PM, July 07, 2006, Blogger UMRBlog said...

As I said, I don't want to be drawn too deeply into City Policy. I already conceded Lootie had arguments about "Style Points" (SCU unies at CBD events a good example).

Going all the way back to Harry Cramer, some of our best policing concepts and policies have come from the efforts of P&D officer. Further, to have a non-sworn person in there would run the risk of too much down time and too much explanation. Chief Gruber started the position as a full time position and it has proved valuable. I realize how popular it is to take shots at Patrol Officers with "Desk Jobs" but the Chief's job is to utilize everyone's skills to the department's best policing advantage.

You just disagree with the Illinois Sec'y of State and the USDOT that DUI is a serious problem in the USA. Their view has a pretty strong statistical basis.

I don't mind you giving me the business. It's good to think about this stuff.

Hey, Lootie, you're missing the point on the Gang prevention. I'm talking about the dog that didn't bark, the really bad guy who took their mountain bikes and their baggies and went back to ESL and Rocky because SCU was in their Fruit of the Looms from the moment they hit town. I agree, we have wonderful judges but effective policing prevents gang crimes--all those guys are going before other judges in other counties.

Don't forget to stop by Lootie's house this week and flush his toilet.

ABC

 
At 2:33 PM, July 07, 2006, Blogger UMRBlog said...

WHEW!,

That was a close call. That rant was almost interrupted by a lucid interval.

Have a great weekend @ FlushFest!

 
At 2:44 PM, July 08, 2006, Blogger UMRBlog said...

LOOT OLSON,

I think we've got the right case. Soon J.J. Reddick will be able to afford the legal fees.

 
At 4:16 PM, July 08, 2006, Blogger UMRBlog said...

Actually, a better prediction of what JLP would say is to ask where in the constitution anyone is guaranteed the right to use a publicly funded and owned roadway and to exercise a regulated privilege (operator's license) without some government (police) interference?

I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm saying you're a little short on reasoning so far.

 
At 9:19 PM, July 08, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

6:16

I guess we're the land of the free and the home of the detained. What I don't like is when the question as to where you're going when you haven't even been charged with anything, too intrusive. Why should they be apprised of where you're going when you not in violation of anything?

 
At 10:42 AM, July 09, 2006, Blogger UMRBlog said...

Anon 2328,

Now that's an entirely different conversation. It will be fun to watch Padilla percolate back through the Federal Courts.

Thanks for your comments.

 

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