NYPD

Oh the infamous NYPD....ah where to start with them? First off, I am not one of those kill-all-cops people. In fact, there have been times in my life where I was ecstatic to see the cops. But at the same time, I am a semi-anacharist. I believe that people, in their true nature, are violent mammals. I believe that we are territorial, overprotective, overbearing creatures that are not afraid to stand up for our values, property, posessions,etc. That's how Evolution began; with the weakest being exterminated, and the strongest surviving. In the same right, I believe that because we are unique from other animals, due to our capability to control our natural urges (most of the time) with thanks to our brains, there is a certain level of respect and authority. We all have the inifite right to respect one another, and the police are there to ensure those lines are not crossed. I also believe that because of our brain capacity, many of these people take advantage of their position of power, corrupting the system that once stood for a sole priniciple. Out of all the corrupt men and women on the force: the drug pushers, the police working for the bad guys, etc. nothing is worse than the dreaded Traffic Police. This may sound ridiculous, but if you own a car in this city, you know they are the worst. They demand you move your car from a space that is perfect in that it is not blocking anything or anyone, just so they can in fact give you a ticket. Can someone explain to me why the hell the sanitation department wastes money on a big dumpster with a little broom at the bottom? Isn't that why it rains and we have gutters? Isn't that a waste of tax-paying dollars? THERE IT IS. The reason this city has so much cash available. Not only do i pay practically 25% of my check to my city, and my country, but because they know the ratio of cars to people (2 cars for every person in this city. why so many cars? good question!) they know there is not enough space for people to find parking when the time comes for the 4 hours your not supposed to park that long mile. So at times, you have no choice but to leave your car there, and no choice but to pay $45 bucks, or $50 or even $70!!! yes, dear friends, Seventy dollars because you didnt move your car for 4 freakin hours. I have had my car in the city for two months, and I have (so far) accumulated five tickets.I'm horrible at this but lets do some math...lets say all my tickets are $50...50 times 5=$250....Practically a whole paycheckof mine (me=broke college students)...Now if lets say....your in an area witha limited parking capacity of 300 cars, and there are 450 cars that need to get parked....so 150 people get one ticket that day...thats 150 x 50= 7500....thats almost eight thousand dollars RIGHT THERE! That only includes about a 2 mile space. Imagine throughout the city, how much money they accumulate in ONE DAY! Yes my friends, I have discovered how NYC maintains in appeal and pays off all of its troubles...through the drivers pockets!!! I think I'm going to start a peititon about this ridiculous alternate parking crap real soon. I pay enough living here between rent, bills, overall living expenses (don't even get me start on the gas prices....$3 here and thats from when it went down), I don't want to have to pay for the price of what it takes to live here. Don't worry Mr. Mayor...you'll be here from me soon!
Hope everyone is having a great day!

OH Today....

When people find out I'm from NYC the first question is usually "Where in NYC you from?" The second is "Were you there that day?" To answer the burning question yes. I was roughly a half mile away. Enough to feel the tremor when the buildings fell. No matter what you see on TV or what they show today, it is nothing compared to the real thing. NYC is my home. It was my heart and soul at this time. I moved to a million places, and NYC is the only place i ever got attached to. No matter what anyone said about New York, I jumped down their throats if it was a negative comment. That day, other than worrying about my aunt Janet (shes fine), my friend Gabriella Waisman who was giving a presentation there for the first time (she didnt make it :( and some of my firefighter friends (half of them didnt come back), the thing i remember most is the next day. I had to take the train home after being deserted there all night. The stench of the city is something one who was there would only understand...if you took the train that day all you could smell was burning fumes and flesh. I swear bloggers, it must be what hell smells like. burning skin. I dunno, I don't ever EVER talk about it, because once people ask if i was there, after about the zillionth time, you get kinda numb to it. I never wanted to get numb to it so i stopped talking about it. After that day, I decided never to invest too much feeling into a place i live. Imagine...look outside your window...your home, your computer, your cell phone, your family, your friends...all gone. your world gone even if it was only in your mind...even if for a minute, an hour. I left NYC in 2004 and just moved back this year...it still feels different. Since then, I have always felt different.