Scofflaw

For the past 10 years or so, monthly we receive a letter from our city's 'processing center' listing parking violations. Responsible citizens that we are, this letter goes straight to the trash. Over the years, we received similar letters from Kalamazoo and Madison, WI but fortunately they know when to give up. A few months ago, we received a letter stating that this would be the last letter we ever receive and that a court judgement has been issued to seize our car on sight. One problem that they may have with that is the car in question was junked 3 years ago along with its plates. Yesterday we received another letter: my first thought was Great, now Naomi is following in her brother's negligent ways but no, they are still trying to collect from before. They were just kidding about the last letter part.

Our fair city is divided into University land (state) and city. Since my former employer's land has since been sold for a song to the University, the University part has grown. No taxes generated on this land! Students living in the University section send their children to our schools without paying a lick of taxes! Often these kids are high needs too-ESL for starters. For some reason, parking violations in the University section cost 3 times more than the city's section. All these violations were in the University section with Josh visiting his buddies.
The University students sometimes don't appreciate the 'town and gown' distinction. Back in the early 70s, the city council run by the so-called Human Rights Party (whose emblem was a hippo) set the fine for smoking grass at $5. Yay! said the students. However this fine only applied to violations in the city proper; the University land (containing the students)still went by the State's considerably harsher law.

See how careful I am not to even mention the name of my fair city here! A few hours later of me posting a complaint about a certain communications giant, I received a comment from their public relations department stating the FCC makes them do this testing and I should see what I missed "On Demand" which I do have. Still they do have some discretion when to conduct these tests. I am sure they don't choose the final moments of the SuperBowl. Lesson learned: if you post the name of an actual entity, they will find you quickly.

It was spring like yesterday; birds chirping and the sun shining improving everyone's mood. I did run though when there was still some ice. I met up with some friends for lunch. A business we went by: Stylin' in Milan. (oxymoron anyone?)Only in this neck of the woods would those words rhyme. Proper pronunciation is not our forte; many of the streets of Detroit (itself mispronounced)were named after the original French settlers. My favorite: Gratiot-not Grah-tee-oh but Graaaa-shit.

Steve is still gone. Shanna and her family will drive from Boston today down to Brooklyn where so many have amassed. Back here at the ranch, I watch the Olympics and live in temporary squalor. I'll clean up before Steve comes back. Naomi had some sort of stomach ache last night and called me hourly crying and worrying that the baby would be impacted though it still was kicking.

Now she is here in person bellyaching.