Some thoughts on recent crime/security news--and Easter Sunday rant

• Cham reports that she believes a wave of Oxycontin use will sweep the city this summer. See her comment on Baltimorecrime.blogspot.com.  As this deep recession evolves into a depression, I guess people don't want to feel any pain.
• One of Buz's job seeking clients at his part-time job expressed concern about working shift work at a plant at Park Circle. Though he lives within walking distance and is "in recovery" from the drug world, he said his neighborhood in "not safe" because of all the "young hoppers" hanging out in the streets of lower Park Heights.
• The newest coffee house/cafe in Lauraville/Hamilton got broken into last week by bad guys who threw a cinder block through its glass door; heavy $$ losses resulted. Buz admires small business entrepreneurs who take risks by opening their dream business. All too often, though, many small businesses get robbed physically, get broken into, or their employees steal them blind.
• My favorite liquor store near the Roland Park water tower got held up again--the third time in as many years. So far no one's been hurt there. A nearby liquor store clerk told Buz: huh, I dare them to come in here and try that! They'll be sorry! Hmmmmmm. Sounds like a guy who'd be dear to Sebastian's heart.
• Everyone is a bit buoyed because the stock market went up a a bit this week. Don't get your hopes up too high, folks. Really, not much in the fundamentals of the economy have changed lately. We just see some bottom-feeders snatching up some cheap stuff. The banksters still wanta do what they want to do (take big risks and get big commissions), and when things go bad, they want the government (us) to bail them out. And they'll do it again! Of course, they want to have it both ways: they want the government to give 'em the money to help 'em out, but don't want the government to tell them what to do. {Omighosh! that would be "nationalization"}.
• And did you all see that Larry Summers, former Prez of Harvard, and one of the O-man's economic big shots made for working one day a week at one of the big hedge funds? Like millions for his advice and stuff. Sheesh. and this is from a guy who thinks women can't do science. Did he really mean lying, cheating, and stealing? Ooops, I mean finance. Look, these bank guys have been lying, cheating, and stealing to each other for so long, it's hardly a surprise that none of them trust each other now. And until that happens and/or the gumment buys all their zombie stuff, not much is gonna change anytime soon.
• Speaking of hedge funds: Buz has learned that the University of Maryland and its Assistant Football Coach are running their own little hedge fund! That is, UM has guaranteed that it will pay him 1 million bucks if he IS NOT selected by them to be the Head Football Coach when the current paragon of physical fitness finally decides to retire. And he'll get no less than $2.5 million per year for leading this mostly mediocre team of "student athletes". We're very glad that Maryland's values are in the right place. 
• The city has decided to "double down" its bet on the survival of the Senator. A few weeks ago, they were going to loan the beleaguered movie house $300K, but now they're (we're) gonna spend more than $600K to buy the mortgage--this less than a week when a study group concluded that turning the place into a nonprofit would not be fiscally do-able. HMmmmmm. How 'bout a real big nightclub like the ones on Market Place and Fed Hill and the Point. Strategically situated between Towson U. and Loyola and Hopkins, and not far from Morgan, it would immediately be $$$$ successful. And the kids from Towson and Loyola wouldn't have to drive! Since the Preakness is apparently so important, we could build a retractable roof and have Preakness there every Saturday--year round. [horse races? what horse races? you mean running drunkenly across the portapots while your "friends" throw beer cans at you in between their throwing up?!] Seriously, Preakness day was/is the only day of the year that Pimlico actually made money.
• And, seriously, the city is probably worried that if the Senator is bought by the "wrong" kind of "investor", or, worse, is left empty, it places at risk all those neighborhoods at the top of York Road, many of which have seen crime and blight drift into their area from time to time recently.
• Osama bin Laden is probably laughing his butt off at the U.S.: "hey, we thought we did good, knocking down the Twin Towers. We couldn't hold a candle to what they are doing to themselves! Killing police 3 and 4 at a time. Not a single martyr needed. Killing lots of people a bunch at a time in upstate New York, and Washington, and all over. They completely destroyed the U.S. and world economy without us zealots lifting a finger. Oh, and they're selling guns to our Mexican narco friends that are  used to kill hundreds of police and soldiers so their country can smoke weed and do coke that the narco-trafficantes bring into the U.S. Oh, and I forgot, heroin, too. Oh, and I forgot, they also destroyed their own auto industry. Sheesh what can we do to them? Oh, well, might as well go ahead and de-stabilize Pakistan."
• Buz has mixed feelings about the demise of PAL, but whatever you may have thought about Frazier, he was kinda on the right track here.

Security tip of the day--ATMs

Buz was going to the bank to get some money at an ATM in order to finance his ravenous appetite for pizza. As he was pulling up, your consultant noticed a man get out of his car at the ATM, leaving the engine running with keys in the ignition and the door to his car open as he did a "quick" visit for some money to the machine.

Now, have realize that this was Roland Park, but come on. I've noticed that many people often have a false sense of confidence: It can't happen here; I don't need to worry; it won't happen to me.

This was the same ATM where a young mom was car-jacked at night and driven around the city for several hours several years ago. Fortunately, though terrified, she still had her cellphone while locked in the trunk of her car. Police were able to home in on her cell and found her car in Clifton Park-abandoned by the robber/abductors. And in front of this same bank, a woman's purse was snatched in Broad Daylight (I love that term!) several months ago.

It only takes a few seconds for a dirt-ball to rob you, then jump into your car and you've-provided him with the means to escape or a second car for his group.

Buz's advice:

• Avoid using ATMs at night. Most are well lit, but you'll stand out like a sore thumb. If you must, use one inside somewhere that doesn't have a window. For example, the one in the 3100 block of St. Paul is inside, but anyone can stand outside and watch you get money and see where you put it. Try to use one in Whole Foods at Mt. Washington.
• Avoid ATMs in high-crime on the street locations, where the machine is right there outside on the street--unless the guard is present. I don't, for example, recommend using the one at 26th and Charles anytime, unless both your car and the guard is there. 
• If you're going to use one, survey the area as you approach, either on foot or in your car. Look for people "hanging around"--both in cars or on foot. If you see anyone staring at you, however briefly, consider not engaging in the transaction. Seriously. 
• Watch out for corners and right angles of buildings, where someone could just be out of your sight. 
• Don't leave your car running, even for  a moment, if you're not in it; and don't leave the door open. It draws attention and puts ideas in people's heads. You'd be surprised how many women leave the rest of their purse on the front seat.
• If you do get confronted by a robber, try to make the transaction as quick as an ATM withdrawal--and as pleasant as possible. Do not resist unless you are specially trained or skilled to do so (I don't mean a self-defense class several years ago). Many of these stickup artists are drunk or high, have poor decision-making skills, and are impulsive. They are disinclined to put up with any "disrespect". You can say something like: here, you can have it, that's all I've got.
• I would recommend at all costs not getting into their car or your car with  them. You may not have an option depending on your situation, but it should certainly be only if you have no other choice.
• And of course a lot of people have almost stopped carrying cash altogether so they don't have to visit ATM machines hardly at all.