Light, Camera, Action!

Since George Orwell wrote the book 1984, the term "Big Brother is watching" has been commonplace in the American lexicon. It was normally spoken as a warning of the days to come. Well people, those days are here with a vengeance. I have been all across this nation. Almost all major cities, all except for Miami. (I've only gotten as close as Ft. Lauderdale). And now in many of them they have red light cameras. In my current city of residence Phoenix, Arizona, they also have cameras to catch you speeding. All of this has made for a formidable journey on our roads. For those of you who are blessed to live in a city without any of these cameras, let me be the one to prepare you for what's probably coming to an intersection, or roadway near you.

It all began sometime back in the 90's. (Sounds like such a long time ago). I lived in Los Angeles back in 1996 and 97. At the corner of Desoto Avenue and Roscoe Boulevard there was this contraption that sat right next to the bus stop. I had absolutely no clue what the hell this thing was. I consider myself a pretty intelligent person, so I came up with what I thought to be a reasonable explanation for what I saw. "This is obviously a means by which the bus can change the light so that it can breeze through intersections". It was a plausable explanation, I had just moved back to L.A. from Chicago, and the newest rave in the suburbs of Chicago was that all emergency vehicles could change the light to green so as to minimize the possibility of a collision as they came through the intersection. Brilliant. Well in the city that invented, patented, and perfected the art of the traffic jam, I thought it was great that L.A. had found a way to at least keep public transportation moving. Plus given that back then I actually rode the bus at times, that would only mean that my time spent on the bus would be lessened.

But as I traveled throghout the city, I began to see this contraption more and more. And not always next to bus stops. And then the moment of despair, I saw a sign that indicated that the intersection was photo enforced for red light violations. And the fine was $280. Damn! They weren't playing at all. So now the cops don't have to actually be there to catch you making a quick dash through a yellow that quickly turned red on you, they have a camera that catches your moment of weakness. And the penalty was ungodly in my opinion. I had no idea that this was just a first in what the police would use in combat against those who broke even the slightest of laws.

In late 96 and early 97, I spent some time in Phoenix, Arizona. The city of Tempe, a suburb most known for being the home of Arizona State University, devised a program to combat speeders. The police department took an innocuous white minivan, and parked it on the side of the road. unbeknownst to the passing motorists, this van was equipped with a radar gun, and a camera to snap pictures of both the driver and license plate of any vehicle caught speeding. I heard about this during a local news program, and almost choked. This was patently unfair. What happened to having to look out for motorcycle cops wedged in between two parked cars? Or a squad car conveniently positioned behind a high bush? This pushed entrapment to the extreme in my opinion.

Fast forward, oh maybe 7 years. I began to come out to Phoenix on a semi-regular basis. Of course I'd continue to see the vans on the side of the road. Unfortunately, many more cities throughout the Phoenix area had caught on to this new racket. However, there was a new one. On the 101 freeway, the road was now equipped with cameras that would catch you speeding. This was crap. I mean, yeah, I know that speeding is a crime. I know its not something that we should be doing, but we all do it. And for them to post a camera on the freeway was wholly different from them posting it on the streets. I understand that on the streets we're talking about a more confined space that includes other motorists, and pedestrians. But the freeways were off limits in my opinion. If the speed limit is 65, and I don't have somebody in front of me, and I decide to go say 75, what's the big deal. If there's a highway trooper that catches me, so be it. How fair is it though that the camera catches me? How much more danger am I placing myself or other motorists in by going 75? Actually in my many miles of travel, I've actually come to the conclusion that you have greater attention and care at higher speeds than you do at lower speeds. When you're going, say 80 in a 65, you're much more likely to be checking for police, road hazards, and other drivers that may get in your way. If you're only doing 65 in that very same 65 mph zone, a lot of people put the car, and subsequently their brains, on cruise control. I would bet money that there are just as many accidents caused by people going the speed limit as there are by people speeding. I tried to do a little research, but I was unable to find any specific statistics to neither prove or disprove my theory. They must keep that information under wraps. (If John Stossel ever reads this, you are more than welcome to use this as an inspiration for your next issue of "Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity").

On the other hand, there are individuals who push things to the limit, and make it bad for the rest of us. I mean, I'm no stickler when it comes to speeding, but going 114 in a 65 is well over the top. That was the case on January 21, 2008 when rapper DMX was caught speeding in his 1966 Nova by the before mentioned cameras on the 101 freeway in Scottsdale, AZ. DMX, or Earl Simmons as his government name, was arrested for criminal speeding (anything 25 mph or more over the speed limit), public endangerment, reckless driving, and driving on a suspended license. I would love to defend a hip-hop titan, but in this case I can not. This latest run in with the law by DMX was definitely of his own doing. And not that I want them to throw the book at him, but I have to admit that he deserves whatever he gets.

(DMX's photo being taken on the 101 in Scottsdale, AZ).

The last thing I want to discuss in the area of "Big Brother is Watching" are what I will call community policing cameras. These cameras hit the scene in Chicago a couple of years ago. They have blue lights that flash constantly, and can be seen from a mile away. (Probably further than that). I have also seen these cameras in use in Philadelphia. As my brother discussed in an earlier blog, these cameras are used as a deterrant for illegal activity. They have a range of several blocks, but its amazing that it seems like the negative element of the neighborhood doesn't seem to be very far from the cameras. I guess that as long as you're out of the direct view of the camera, there's really no reason to actually cease your potentially illegal activity. These cameras don't trouble me as much as the others. I don't hang out on street corners, and I guess that if they're somewhat of a deterrent, then by all means use them. Those flashing lights can be annoying though. And of course there's a slippery slope effect. I mean, depending on the camera placement, can the police have access to view what may be going on inside a person's home? That I can say I will never be in support of, but for the moment I can give community policing cameras a pass.

As I said before, right now, there's really no way to know where we'll end up when it comes to Big Brother watching us. In London, England, they have 10,000 closed circuit cameras throughout the city. I can't remember the exact statistic, but your picture is taken something like 10-20 times per minute. (Forgive me if you find the exact statistic and I'm slightly off). In the case of the bombings of July 7th, 2005, the cameras helped Scotland Yard discover the identities of the bombers. So there are very good uses of cameras in our society. I just hope that we're not giving up more in privacy than we get in safety.


-DrizaDre-

Only In The Hood

Although I live in the suburbs I was born and raised in the "hood" for a good portion of my life. I have friends and family that still live in the "hood." So, at times I find myself driving through the hood. Well if you've ever been in the hood or through the hood then you know that there are some very unique things that you will observe and won't see anywhere else. So, I've taken the time to compile a list of things you will see "Only In the Hood." This may be an on going segment so please look for more to come. But I'll be your ghetto tour guide so sit back and relax as we explore the hood. By the way, if any of you have never been to the hood you may want to pay close attention. If you happen to be driving and you notice any of the things listed below that means you're in the hood and you may want to turn your ass around quickly. Do Not Pass Go do not collect $200. LoL.

(DJ Khaled - "I'm So Hood" Remix)

Bootleg Movies/CDs

Going to the movies is expensive now a days. Even a matinee will cost you $7. But who really goes to the movies alone? So, add another $7 for your date then popcorn/refreshments and you've easily spent close to $30 or more to watch one movie. Also, what does a new CD cost? About $10-$16? Well luckily in any hood you can find someone selling bootleg movies/CDs. If you are unable to find anyone just look for your local barbershop or beauty salon. If they're not inside then just ask one of the barbers or beauticians most likely someone has their number in their phone. As far as prices go, most times you can get 3 for $20 and if your negotiation skills are up to par you will pay even less. My rule when buying is pull out only what you are willing to spend. If you got $10 say I need the 3 for $10. Trust me if they can make $10 and it's right in they're face they're not going to turn it down. But if you pull out a $20 bill and say I need change they're going to want the whole $20. *Warning* Don't purchase any bootleg Movie or CD expecting top notch quality. Sometimes they have the portable DVD players so you can view before you buy, which I do advise you do. Because trust me the movies can have anything from babies crying, cats meowing, to people laughing and walking past the screen. Also, that new Lil' Wayne The Carter III CD will most likely have songs from The Carter I & II mixed in with the new songs. So be forewarned.

Loose Squares (Cigarettes)

I don't smoke cigarettes but I do know that smoking is an expensive ass habit. Here in the Chi I'm sure with the new Cook County Sales Tax most are paying well over $6 a pack. It's sad when an illegal habit (i.e. smoking a $5 nickel bag of weed) is cheaper. But luckily in the Hood someone has already spent the $6 for a pack of cigarettes. So, if you happen to be craving a smoke just listen for the person yelling "Loose Squares!!" Now if someone spent $6 for a box of 20 cigarettes that's about $0.30 cents per cigarette. But you're going to come out of pocket with at least $1 if you're trying to get one of these loosies. Your best bet is to negotiate and try to get maybe 3 for $2. The same negotiation rules apply. Exact change only!! Oh and don't expect a huge variety of cigarette brands to choose from. Newport is the Hood favorite so that's what you'll be getting when buying a loose square.

Speed Humps

Now you're probably thinking speed bumps are everywhere. Well the hood is the only place I've seen speed humps on residential streets. Some blocks have 2 or 3 of them on that one block. I don't know exactly what brought about these speed humps. Perhaps people were speeding so much that residents complained and this was the answer. But I think more than anything this was a tactic to help police. No one wants to be running from the police driving 50+ mph and hit one of these speed humps. That's one car chase that will end quite quickly and leave your front end pretty messed up.

Liquor Store near a Church

Only in the hood have I seen a Church that is on the same block as a Liquor Store. Sometimes they're so close they're practically next door. This is the old chicken and egg theory so I couldn't tell you which came first. But it's one of the biggest contradictions there can be. I get it though. You come from church where they preach about Saint John and then you go to the liquor store to get a 40 oz. of St. Ides. Or you go from listening to the Old Testament and then grab you a 40 of Old English. Or after hearing about his crown of thorns you get you a bottle of Crown Royal. I can go on all day. But you get the point. LoL!

Food Stamp/Link Card Hook Up

Even groceries are more expensive these days. However, if you find yourself in the store shopping and have a cart full of items be on the look out. You know that your grocery bill is going to easily be $100 or more. But if someone walks by looks in your cart and asks you are you paying in cash don't be alarmed. Hear them out. This little conversation may actually save you some money. And who doesn't like to save money? So how does it work? Well the person that asked you that question will say let me pay for your groceries on my Link Card. They will say if you have $100 worth of groceries you can pay me $75 in cash to use my Link Card. Now don't forget your negotiation skills because if they said $75 you can easily get them to $60. All you have to say is that you were going to pay with your debit/credit card and you only have $60 in cash. Trust me they will take it. However, here's the other rule. Make sure the person walks through the line with you and after all the groceries are rang up and the total displays have them run their card through and input the pin and make sure the transaction is approved first. Once it is and your groceries are bagged and in the cart then you can pay them the money. Keep in mind the link will only cover food/beverage items (liquor doesn't count). **Warning** You may want to have the grocery bagger carry your groceries out to the car, because you don't want the same person that gave you the hook up to hit you over the head in the parking lot and make off with your groceries and the $60.

The Best Chicken

I'm not talking about fake ass KFC chicken. Other than your momma or grand momma's fried chicken the best chicken will always be found in the hood. Whether it's Harold's Chicken (Chicago), Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles (Los Angeles), or Mr. P's (Memphis). If you want some good chicken go to the hood and ask someone where the best chicken is and they will let you know. But please keep a couple things in mind when visiting these fine establishments. One, they may appear to be a hole in the wall, but don't judge the chicken by the look of the building inside or out. And two, don't expect great or even moderate service. Again, you're not paying for good service or a good looking building, you're paying for great chicken. If you can keep these things in mind you'll get to taste some of the best chicken money can buy. On a side note, if you want great service you won't find it at any restaurant in the hood fast food or otherwise. LoL.

Undercover Police Cars

I'm sure I'm not the only one that hates when they see a Ford Crown Victoria and thinks it's the cops so you either slow down, stash your weed, guns, drink etc for nothing. Lol. Although under cover cop cars are not just in the hood, you will see a good number of them while you ride throughout the hood blocks. But you better not get caught doing any illegal activity when they ride past they don't call them the "Jump Out Boys" for nothing. Oh and here's a hood fact for those of you that don't know, the best way to tell if it's really a cop car is by the license plates. The plate numbers will usually start with a green M.

Police Cameras

Speaking of Police. They no longer have to patrol every block in the hood as frequently. Many Police Departments now have an eye in the sky to assist them. So if you're driving through the hood at night and see a blue light above the lamp post blinking don't worry you didn't see a shooting star or a UFO it's simply the police camera. Now I don't know how much of a crime deterrent these cameras are but you'll find them strategically placed on "high crime" blocks and neighborhoods. However, there have been plenty of times where I've driven through the hood and as I pass the police camera all is quiet on the home front. But as soon as I turn the corner of the next block I see plenty of illegal activity going on. (I was vague so I'm not snitchin. LoL). **Warning** For those of you that are involved in illegal activity remember that these cameras can zoom in up to several blocks away. So don't think that if you're 2 blocks away doing what you do that it can't see you.

Target: Rat Signs

Ever since I was born my grandmother has lived in the same house. There is an alley right next to her house. And since I can remember even up until recently they have had this sign on the telephone pole. Although I've seen plenty of "hood rats," in the 28 years I've been around this house I have never a rat in this alley. Nor have I ever seen one in any Chicago alley. I guess the targeting is working. Good Job Mayor Daley maybe the head of the rat targeting should be the Police Chief. Actually, the only time I have seen a rat was in one of the lower parts of downtown Chicago.

Ignorant Rims

"Only in the Hood" will you see a car with rims that are bigger and taller than your average 5 year old. What is the fascination is with these rims? Well your guess is as good as mines. It doesn't really make sense to me to have to carry a step ladder with you just to get in and out of your car, but hey everyone is free to waste and spend their money as they feel. If nothing else the owner of these rims has definitely achieved their goal of being seen. Is a car like this even street legal?

Children Fundraising

You're probably thinking awww what's wrong with children raising funds for their schools or sports teams? Well if I could verify that's where my funds were going then I wouldn't have a problem donating and supporting. However, I've driven through the hood and stopped at plenty intersections and had kids ask me to donate to their sports team. Now the first problem I have is not a one of these kids has on a jersey, pair of cleats, team hat, or anything representing the sports team their collecting money for. Not even a damn Bulls or Cubs jersey come on! All they have is an old tootsie roll bank or jar with white paper around it and something scribbled on it. So, I don't know if I'm contributing towards team uniforms or to some kid's new pair of Jordans. Now some of the kids I've seen at least have the fundraiser box of M&Ms and they give you a pack for $1. Although those fundraiser boxes can be purchased at any Sam's Club, at least you're getting something for your money. I remember one time years ago I saw some kids collecting money to help their momma go to the Million Woman March. True Story!!

Ghetto Entrepreneurs

Some may call them Street Vendors but in the hood you can call them Hustle Man or the PC term I came up with Ghetto Entrepreneurs. Basically at any given busy intersection in the hood you're liable to find these individuals selling almost anything you can think of. I already mentioned a few of them earlier, the loose cigarettes and the bootleg movies/CDs. But other examples I've seen for sale are as follows: Bean Pies, Final Call Newspapers, The Chicago Tribune, candy, socks, towels, t-shirts, framed pictures, etc. Also, they are very opportunistic so they won't hesitate to take advantage of an opportunity. For instance, if it's hot outside they have cold water and or pop/soda. If it's a holiday like Mother's Day or Valentines Day they will have flowers and teddy bears for sale. If the city's sports team wins a championship they have plenty t-shirts, hat, and team memorabilia for sale. The funny thing is that on some intersections you will have up to 5 or more different hustle men selling different things. Not to mention the kids "raising" money for their team and at least one bum panhandling. Don't ask me how they all get along out there perhaps Rodney King would know. But good thing it's not drugs they are selling because I don't think most dealers like sharing corners.

Hood Sports

In the hood most parents have little or no resources to provide sports equipment for their children. However, as you know a kid is going to find a way to play regardless. Sometimes it just takes a little innovation. That's how a milk crate with the bottom broken out or a wire hanger bent into a circle can become a basket ball hoop. Or that's how some old extension cords can become jump ropes. Also, this is how a stick can become a base ball bat. I remember my brother and I broke my aunt's broom using it as a bat once. We got our asses whooped of course but we had a ball playing with it. Last time I was in the hood I drove past a group of kids (one being my little cousin) playing hockey in the street. They were using an empty water bottle as a puck and everyone had something different as their hockey stick. My cousin had a single crutch. It was funny and sad to think that somewhere someone was hobbling around looking for their other crutch. LoL. Guess this is why I should donate to the kids' sports teams more often huh?

Crackheads aka Hypes

Well I saved the best for last. Now I know you were all wondering when I was going to get to them the whole time you were reading this? How could I forget about the crackheads? They're like what makes the Hood go round. Just as they say there's one in every family so you better believe that I'm not exempt. So, when I speak it's from a personal level. With that said although crackheads are every where there is an abundant number of them in the Hood. Why, do you ask? Well it's simple that's where the drugs are. A hype will steal from their own momma (I've seen it done) to get money for their next fix. So, if you come across one of these unique inividuals you never quite know what the encounter will be like. They will sell any and everything in order to raise capital to fund their habit. I've come across hypes selling all kinds of items. Whether it be food stamps as previously mentioned, or actual food. Here's a random list of items I've seen hypes selling in no particular order: Shoes (not new shoes I'm talking a pair off of someone's feet), half way working TV sets, DVDs, VCRs, food out of the freezer, used clothing, appliances, furniture, perscription glasses, purses, wallets, gloves, coats, etc. You name it a crackhead has probably stolen and sold it. I'm sure I'm not the only one that has purchased merchandise from a crackhead. Hell, Some of you may be reading this blog on a computer you bought from a crackhead. But I'm not mad at you one bit unfortunately someone else's loss can be your gain. Now I know we've discussed negotiation skills throughout this blog. But when dealing with a hype you need to just remember 2 things. Low Ball the hell out of em'!! With the other negotiations the other person you were dealing with had a totatlly different mentatilty. However, this is crackhead mentality you're dealing with so if they want $20 then you offer no more than $5. If they want $50 then you offer no more than $20. You get the idea. Basically, there may be some haggling back and forth but once you low ball them you've established that you're not paying over a certain amount. So the likely response to your initial offer will be "come on man you can give me at least $10 you know this TV is at least worth that." Feel free to either accept or counter offer here. But as always make sure you have exact change for the transaction.

That concludes our Hood Tour. Come back soon we'll be adding more attractions. In closing, I'll leave you with a few comedic interpretations of crackheads and how they act.

(Crackhead Night)

(Menace II Society)

(Tyrone Biggums)

--C-Recks--