If you ignore it, It keeps getting worse.

When you see those less fortunate than yourself, perhaps living rough, you think, “They’ve had a rough enough go of things I’ll leave them be.” 

Out of kindness you might make sure that these folks have water, or food. Or you choose not to call the police to have them move on. These days in California, calling the police is a useless exercise if these folks are on public land, or even in your home or vacation home. Turns out squatters have more rights than owners.

I could probably wax politically about this state of affairs. I’ll sum up by saying, Squatters have more rights than property owners because the State doesn’t want private ownership of houses or land. If ownership of houses or property confers no advantage, then people will forego the horrendous expense of home ownership and rent or squat because it’s the fiscally logical thing to do.

Remember Klaus Schwab famously said, “You will own nothing and be happy”

It looks like laws may have been enacted, which bit by bit are moving us toward that supposed utopian end point.

I always ask utopian for who? 

What Schwab is saying essentially is, “The underclasses, will own nothing and be happy with the largess of the Elites who allow them to live as long as their numbers are few and their usefulness is moderate.” In Schwab’s version of utopia the elites are wealthy and own everything, possibly even large swaths of people living as something akin to serfs. 

This has been explored in countless dystopian books and movies. Elysium and Altered Carbon for example. Altered Carbon is a bit more layered about it.

I choose these two works because the dystopian societies explored are not the result of nuclear war. Instead, the society is the result of technological innovation coupled with unbridled greed, and laws which failed to keep up with technological innovation. You might be able to include Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049 in my list as well.

There are countless other books, short stories, and movies exploring ‘what if’ scenarios from a cultural standpoint, so my list above is by no means exhaustive.

I digress a bit. I was considering all of this over the past 2 weeks for a number of reasons. One reason has been that the squatter issue is increasingly in my face.

First, it was just a little trash left behind by snow players. A few brightly colored bits of plastic from broken sleds.

Had the snow players been sledding in a designated ares instead of the rocky areas where they were, their sled would have lasted longer.

The Winter always brings this kind of trash, and includes water bottles, dirty diapers, food containers and food waste which can endanger the neighborhoods by attracting large predators.

The Snowplayers have zero concern for any of that. They tend to treat the homeowners here in the mountains as though we’re employees at Disneyland, as if we exist to serve their needs.

They’re here to have fun and we, the residents are supposed to shut up, keep the roads and our driveways clear so they can park, provide bathrooms for them, and allow their children to play in our yards.

Second, was a sleeping bag, blanket and pillow. These items kept moving around indicating that they were being used by someone. Recently, the wind carried these items into the wash bed. At that point they were collected and put in a pile for trash pickup.

Third, was a campsite that lasted a couple of days which was built on an abandoned trailer that has been along my walking path for years. Under the trailer the person or persons stored mats and a few items presumably with the intent to come back for them. Oddly, there was also a rather expensive looking telescope mount left behind as well.

Fourth, Jesse noticed a crack pipe off the access road to the wash, When I called him away from it two stoned out people jumped out of the bushes to protect their pipe.

Neither Jesse or I appreciated being surprised like this and to his credit he remained between me and what he perceived as a threat.

When we returned from our walk the pipe and the people were gone. The next day we found more detritus where we had encountered the druggies.

Fifth, it appears that someone decided to use the wash access road as a dumping spot for difficult to dispose of items. At this point I think it was a single person emptying the bed of their truck.

In this case they left a can of paint. It’s been reported to the flood control folks since they’re supposed to police the lands they’re responsible for. They have a camera on a pole to watch the wash during storms. Perhaps they need to improve the camera so that license plates or photos of perpetrators can be turned over to police.

Sixth, we get to the full encampment. Which popped up and was then abandoned.

This left behind a ton of trash all of which will have to be packed out of the area if the locals clean up the mess. Although again, this is adjacent to the flood control access road and the flood control folks could pull right up with a pickup truck (since they have the keys to the gates,) and easily load the trash.

Seeing the images of colleges & universities across the nation after the pro-terrorism encampments, and the aftermath when the encampments were removed. Then recalling the CHAZ bullshit in Seattle during the “Sumer of mostly peaceful protests,” while encountering the trash left behind by people, on my daily walks.

I noticed a lot of similarity between the two.

I’ve been annoyed more than once in the Winters when people pile out of their Tesla exuding an air of smug self righteousness, claiming their “RIGHT” (which they don’t have,) to play in the snow on private property.

I’ve heard stupid things like “You can’t own the land”, and “We’re just going to be here a few minutes…” as they set up a hibachi grill and light charcoal.

These people have no limits, no shame, and no courtesy. Some of them upon seeing how their batteries have discharged in the 20° F temps get upset to find the nearest charging station is 30 miles away. Then you’re told somehow you’ve failed them because you don’t have a compatible socket for their car and that you should because you have solar panels on the roof. Apparently they think you’re  supposed to give them power for free.

All of that is annoying enough. Then there’s all that they leave behind. The detritus of humanity, the 21st century petroglyphs on any available rock, the cartons, wrappers, boxes, and plastic containers.

Somehow these folks have rationalized their entitled-ness and justify it with virtue signaling, instead of real actions. Their entitled behavior continues even when they’ve been forced into the “lower rungs of society”. 

We’ve had the occasional squatter here in town. But never to this extent and certainly not the numbers along the 1.5 mile stretch of access road next to the wash. The squatters/campers of the past at least did a decent job of cleaning up after themselves. They might have been living rough but they didn’t live like animals who shit in their own nests. 

In years past you’d see a trash bag suddenly appear next to your trash cans on trash pickup day. It was the trash from a squatter/homeless person’s campsite. Back then, we’d look the other way because at least the person or persons had respect for the forest. 

These people today have no clue how to camp. They definitely don’t know they’re supposed to pack out the trash they generate, and they’re filthy. Not necessarily in their person but they camp, trash their campsite, and move to the next clean place, repeating the process.

As I walk and encounter these things I ask myself, “Is this where we’re heading?” 

We all know that the economy is bad, regardless of the LIES being told from podiums in Washington D.C. or elsewhere along the reelection trail.

Will the economy being this bad result in more squatters and camps such as I’ve seen in the past 2 or 3 weeks?

What I’ve seen is only on one side of the wash. Jesse likes to walk the other side of the wash and when there’s no water flowing we’ll make a loop crossing at a high point in the national forest then walking down and back up. Right now we’d have to walk a “U” because I don’t want him to play in the muddy water flowing in the wash.

On the other side of the wash after about 1/4 of a mile, there’s National Forest land. There’s also plenty of flat ground that would be good for camping. My concern is that folks might start cooking over open fires. The evening winds coming up the canyon could spread a campfires’ embers quickly into dry brush.

Since I recently saw a video of a young man testing the fire retardant qualities of his clothing while he was wearing said garments in his bedroom.

I have real concerns that some dumb ass will burn the forest down and perhaps the town with it.

In all honesty, I think that perhaps fire is a technology that is beyond some people these days.

All of this contemplation has led me to this inescapable conclusion. I cannot look the other way. I’ve got to report all that I see to proper authorities for the safety and security of the town and my neighbors.

I feel bad that there are people who are having a rough time. But folks trashing the forest, or squatting wherever they can, if tolerated will become the “Norm”. 

That seems to be a universal truth. If you ignore unacceptable behavior, not only does the first unacceptable behavior become normal, but additional worse behaviors will occur. 

God Help me! I’m going to have become a “Karen”

You realize they’re stealing from you don’t you?

I’m not just talking about the government. They’re ALWAYS stealing from you.

I’m talking about the criminals running rampant throughout society. The hooligans running around smashing and grabbing. The thieves waving guns in folks faces and in barely intelligible speech saying “Rolex, Rolex, Rolex” then scampering off on foot or scooter.

I’m talking about the squatters, and entitled illegals, the muslims who refuse to eat food graciously given to them by people who can barely feed themselves.

Attachment Doug Ibendahl Facebook.jpg.

I’m speaking of the animals knocking people onto subway tracks, and the assholes punching women & children on the street because they know there will be no punishment.

I’m talking about the people with no common sense, civility, or decorum who will suddenly start brawling in a restaurant.

Carjacked robbed.Even if you haven’t been directly affected, beaten, robbed, or disturbed, I submit that you’ve been stolen from.

They’ve stolen from you, every time you’ve chosen to take your beater car to the store, instead of your nice car because you’re worried about being carjacked.  

Every time you’ve left your nice jewelry or Rolex in the safe instead of wearing it out on the town for a night, you’ve been stolen from.

NJ sneaker store robbery img.

Every time you’ve triple checked your door locks and security system before you left your home for a few days, or you’ve cut your vacation short because you didn’t want to have your home vacant, you’ve lost some of your freedom.

In short, any and every change you’ve made in your life to accommodate the possibility, or in some cases the probability that you’ll come to harm, has been theft.

Your peace of mind and security have been stolen from you.

While yes, the criminals are at fault for the crime. There is an overarching fault, or source of this theft.

Look to your left, look to your right, now look in the mirror.

Black lives matter protest nyc.

In at least one of those directions you’ll see someone who said defund the police and voted for such.

You’ll see someone who said smash and grab crime is “Victimless” because the insurance companies will pay for the loss.

You’ll see someone who consistently supported lax criminal prosecution because there were too many of this or that kind of person in prison. You’ll see someone who took it on faith that the border would sort itself out.

You’ll see a person who disarmed you because they were afraid to protect themselves and imposed their fear and their will upon you unbidden.

You’ll see a person who believed that their cruelty was kindness, who knew they were “right” and that their “rightness” should apply to all. Any and all evidence to the contrary notwithstanding.

That person or persons, exercised their will by voting (usually), or by protesting for some cause that they were only obliquely aware of.

Not out of belief or commitment, but to brag about to their colleagues on Monday morning at work. They wanted to be able to answer their coworker’s question, “What did you do this weekend?” With something supremely virtuous.

Only very rarely did one of these people actually investigate, analyze, evaluate the end point, or unintended consequences, of what they were supporting by protesting.

They needed the social credit with their coworkers, and instagram likes.

So they stole from the rest of us. Maybe they didn’t realize that’s what they were doing at the time. But they did it nonetheless, using authoritarian intimidation tactics and “consensus”. 

Bear in mind these people are often the “Karens” in our society. These people were the people saying the unvaccinated should be put in camps. These are the people who demand mask wearing for their protection not yours, and tried to implement vaccine IDs to enter venues.

They’re the ones who supported mandatory vaccinations, while at the same time screaming about abortion rights and how important a woman’s bodily autonomy is.

These are the people who will gasp and cry at female genital mutilation, saying it’s abhorrent. But will strap their infant son to a board to be circumcised.

These people are profoundly confused when they’re mugged, their homes are burglarized, or their neighborhood vandalized.

They somehow think their “Virtue” should make them immune from such things and that their virtue should be obviously visible to would be criminals.

They’re outraged that the police didn’t show up until several hours after their 911 call. Yet instead of admitting that the police are necessary and require more funding, they’ll suggest less police funding. Then they’ll demand a social services person address non violent issues.

They’ll quietly hire private security for their perfectly planned HOA community. Doing so allows them to continue virtue signaling, and blame the private security firm for mishandling a situation if someone gets hurt.

Any logical thinking person, regardless of political affiliation or even closely held beliefs, can see objectively that we’re swirling around the maelstrom.

There’s still time to escape, time to right the ship and choose a better course.

Florida Sheriff Tells Residents To Shoot Home Intruders And save Taxpayers Money 60555 1.The trouble is, the deeper into this particular maelstrom we go, the more brutal the corrective action must be.

We’re past the point of simply hiring more police. We may be at the point now where the police must become everything the liberal progressives feared they would become.

It’s quite possible that police will have to shoot first and hope the criminal survives to be tried in court.

That too will make us all less safe, and once again we as a society have something stolen from us. That intangible thing, is our safety out in public.

High speed chases are supposedly limited in California because of the excessive collateral damage these chases inevitably cause. What happens when police by necessity are quick on the draw, exchanging gunfire with criminals? What does that collateral damage look like?

Soft enforcement of the law, does not make things better. It creates more lawlessness.

The trouble with enforcing the law, is that often the lower classes in society bear the brunt of enforcement. To truly make things better, to pull us back from the brink, law enforcement must be equal and perhaps draconian for a time across all levels of society.

Meaning that from The President, to his family, to members of Congress and their families, not one single person is above the law, ever. Our Society must insure that no-one can buy their way out of prosecution or punishment regardless of who they are, how much money they have, or to some extent even their mental capacity. 

Equal justice under the law is a precept of this nation. It’s time to get back to making examples of people that break the law by punishing those people. Corruption in high office or amongst those charged with enforcing the law is, in my mind, a high crime. Corrupt prosecutors, judges, lawyers, politicians, or police should be the most harshly punished.

In cases where a corrupt prosecutor obtained a false conviction, they should have to serve time for their corruption and the sentence from the false conviction(s). For example, the George Floyd case. Floyd died from an overdose, not from Derek Chauvin pinning him to the ground.

False accusations of crime should be harshly punished as well. This is especially true in cases where the false accusation resulted in imprisonment or excessive fines & compensatory damages. For example, the E Jean Carrol case, and the Trump real estate case in New York.

I also ask why Jon Stewart has not been indicted for falsely estimating the worth of his New York property.

There is the appearance that Leticia James and Alvin Bragg have used the law to obtain their desired results, NOT justice. I would very much like to see their allegations and evidence of guilt against Trump & have them explain their lack of concern about Stewart. I want their entire process exposed to full public inquiry.

I say this is not in defense of Trump. It’s in defense of one of the foundational concepts of our nation.

I’ve written this because the lawlessness has pissed me off. I see no end to it, only escalation. I refuse to live in fear but at the same time, unconsciously have been making decisions which result in self limitation while exercising my freedoms because I’m adapting to avoid the problems.

In that I’m as guilty of capitulating to the criminals as the stores which unlock their doors only when you ask to be allowed in.

We’re told this behavior is based in safety for the employees and the customers. In reality it’s based in fear. Fear that self defense isn’t permitted. Fear that a customer will be injured in a crime and subsequently sue for damages, Fear that the criminal may be injured and also be able to sue even though they were injured in the commission of a crime.

Even my choice to drive the beater vehicle is based in fear. Fear that my nice vehicle will be carjacked, fear that the insurance company will never pay me enough to replace the nice vehicle.

I’ve experienced that already. An illegal totaled my paid for, well maintained vehicle. The insurance company paid off less than the cost of a comparable used vehicle & I ended up with another car loan that I didn’t want. That illegal with no drivers license, or insurance, took something from me and I got to pick up the difference. She stole from me personally, and from everyone else paying for car insurance in Southern California.

Had the immigration laws been enforced, she wouldn’t have been in the country. So once again lack of enforcement of the law resulted in tangible harm being visited upon an innocent victim.

These are the hidden costs of not enforcing the law. 

Closed mall.I find that I feel no pity for neighborhoods where fast food restaurants, grocery stores, pharmacies, and other necessary stores, are closing due to crime.

I know that the shopping centers closest to me are probably looking at closing. If not the entire shopping center, then stores within the center. I’m expecting to loose the nearby Taco Bell, Burger King, McDonald’s, and probably a number of smaller independent restaurants, due to the new minimum wage in California, the criminal element, and too few customers in a day. 

Lincoln mall 1 min.I suspect that the shopping centers will follow suit. I’ve seen it before. There was a shopping mall in San Bernardino years ago.

I worked right across the street from it. I shopped there on my lunch hour, and did my Christmas shopping after work. That mall wasn’t where you’d find top of the line things, but for a sweater, or a shirt, or a pair of socks it was perfect and convenient.  

I remember at some point walking through the place with my other half and commenting that the clientele was getting kind of low class. Then on another occasion we witnessed petty shoplifting and reported it to the employees of the store.

They shrugged and said there wasn’t anything they could do. By the time the police would show up, the criminals would be gone.

Within a few years all the major stores had vacated. What was left, was a strange collection of stores mostly involved in the wig, weave, and cheap cosmetics industries.

None of that was of any interest to us so we stopped going to that mall entirely. A few years after that, the mall was closed.

The last few times I’ve been to the local malls, and even the newest outdoor shopping plaza, I’ve noticed the same pattern and signs. Boarded up stores, “For Lease” signs, a more shady element in the clientele, the feeling that too many eyes were looking for opportunity, and once again I’ve seen petty theft brazenly happening. 

I thought a year or two ago, these were residual effects from the COVID lockdowns. Indeed that may have been the start, but the damage is taking a long time to correct.

I’m thinking now that the years of lawlessness, “mostly peacful” protests followed by looting and general destruction have contributed to the damage.

Uncertainty about what will be done to enforce the law, & loss of clientele due to their concerns for safety, may well end the era of some shopping centers in my local area.

Ironically, the thieves end up stealing from themselves. They’re just not smart enough to see it. 

Few people think about what happens when the cost to open a business’s doors go up. 

There’s a finite cost just to open a store every day. Power, employees, insurance, merchandise, just to name a few things. If these cost more, then the cost of merchandise to the consumer will go up. This reduces the consumer’s buying power and as I understand it, is called inflation. If the consumer’s salary doesn’t keep up, then they’ll buy less, forego purchases altogether,  or find cheaper alternatives. 

Eventually there’s a point where the business cannot remain in business because the cost to open is greater than the profit to be had from selling merchandise. If the business is also dealing with shoplifting, that point is reached faster. A smart business owner will sell off everything, then find greener pastures.

California is a perfect petrie dish demonstrating these concepts.

Since it’s essentially legal to steal $900 a day from a store. Plus in some areas there are multiple thieves or gangs of thieves the losses rapidly add up.

Cost of mitigation to slow the theft down may exceed the profitability of the store in a particular location, so logic dictates the store must close to protect the shareholders. 

We’ve seen this in San Francisco, & Oakland. Fast food restaurants are closing because of increasing violence toward their employees and robberies. (A.K.A. Increased liability.) Retail stores have or are closing because the theft has exceeded the profitability of the store and the cost of insurance + limitations on coverage make the policy no longer affordable.

Lawlessness, & failure to enforce laws are directly responsible for the resulting “Food Deserts” and lack of neighborhood stores and services.

It doesn’t take long.

Aside from the loss of jobs, the loss of services, loss of pharmacies, loss of grocery stores, and the loss of places to eat… What happens to the people left in these “No go zones?” One could conclude that Ghettos are a result of lawlessness.

Perhaps the conclusion could be reached that said, Black Lives Matter and the Defund the police movement have done far worse things to African Americans and other minorities than the police or racism ever could.

Once again, a whole group of people has been stolen from. This time by people claiming to help. In this case these folks may have had their futures stolen too.

This is shit that goes through my mind often. I think to myself I can’t be the only one who sees it.

I’ve written this long assed post because this rattling around my brain is like a splinter. I really needed to dig it out of my head and put it in yours!

You’re Welcome!

Okay I’m really over this!

California retailers are responding to the insanity of legal thieving ($900).

Stealing is okay according to the morons in California’s legislature, as long as you don’t steal too much. (They should heed their own advice!)

California retailers are locking the damn doors, even though they’re open. So someone like me. You know, a decent law abiding person for whom stealing is the furthest thing from their mind, can’t just shop.

No, I have to ask permission to walk into some stores. I have to be buzzed in, or I have to be escorted while I’m in the store.

People don’t understand that when I’m shopping I’m moving. I’m not lingering over something unless it catches my eye. My mode of shopping annoys retailers who’ve had to open locked doors and give the super secret hand shake.

I’ll zip through a store in 5 minutes or less, if I don’t see something I like, I’m gone!

If we’ve gotten to the point that lawlessness is the rule, not the exception, we’ve got serious problems. Problems that might only be solved by gunfire.

Unfortunately if retailers are resorting to these tactics in my area (60 miles away from Los Angeles, 500 miles from Oakland and San Francisco, 100 miles north of San Diego), then in California at least, crime has apparently become the norm.

I remember being told in school that one major difference between America and Russia was that, in Russia there were lots of criminals and high crime. In America we had law and order, we could safely walk the streets.

40 some odd years later and i find myself asking is that still true?

I found myself enjoying that the Russians had found four of the assholes who shot up a music hall within 2 days. They didn’t give a shit about those pieces of filth. The Russians went ‘old school ‘to get information out of the criminals. One dude had his private parts wired up to some electrical device. Another had an eyeball fall out, (oops), a Third had an ear removed, the fourth was beat senseless and appeared for his arraignment unconscious.

Apparently, these criminals started singing like birds. So the Russians knew who to hunt down next.

The Russian people walk the streets of Moscow tonight safe. They get onto and off of subway trains that are clean. They walk through stations that are brightly lit, clean and beautiful.

We used to be the same.

If you’ve ever been to San Francisco, you may have seen BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) Stations. There was a time 30 years or so ago when me going to the Bay Area meant riding BART. I loved it. The stations were all clean, the trains were clean, it was safe and I think many, if not all of the stations were unique works of art. it was a pleasure to use the system, and I looked forward to my visits.

San Francisco was a beautiful jewel of a city. It was safe. It was a walking town, and if you got tired there were always the Streetcars, MUNI busses, or BART. On a sunny day, walking the streets of the city was a joy. The color and vibrancy, the oddball businesses tucked into old buildings made every block a new discovery.

I wanted to live in San Francisco. I wanted to get rid of my car, use mass transit, live in a quirky old building, work in the city, and watch the sun set over the bay every night. Of every place I’d been, San Francisco was the first and only city I’ve ever fallen in love with.

The last time I was there was about 10 years ago. I felt unsafe from the moment I walked into the BART station from the airport. At every station, there were people who were obviously ill. Either from drug addiction or psychological impairment, they appeared to be homeless, living in the stations. It was necessary to run a gauntlet of mentally ill or “high” people just to get to a train.

The trains formerly, sparkling clean and comfortable, were filthy as were the stations. When the train I was riding entered the tunnel going under San Francisco Bay, I hoped that at least the tunnel maintenance had been done properly. That had never been a concern for me before.

That was the last time I was in San Francisco. Now in the post COVID era I have no desire to go back since it’s gotten so much worse. It’s heart breaking what has happened to what was a model of efficient transportation, and a spectacularly beautiful city itself.

Permissiveness, has destroyed or is destroying California. It has been eroding all aspects of the state for a very long time.

I’d really like to see police allowed to do whatever it takes to put a stop to crime. If that means nightsticks liberally applied, or saving the taxpayers money by putting down criminals with a bullet I’m good with it.

I suppose I’m saying, I no longer see criminals as humans. They rip through stores like locusts and I’m all for them being exterminated like locusts.

Probably a little harsh… I’m just really tired of accommodating criminal behavior.


Update: 3/29/2024

Well, I’m going to be looking for a new barber. The owner of the shop has decided that they need to charge 1/2 upfront for an appointment.

This was slightly annoying when I booked my every 4 week appointment. Then I thought about it.

My Barber said the upfront charge was because of excessive cancellations, without the individuals having the courtesy to call.

Okay, but… I’ve never missed an appointment, and the 1 time in a year that I needed to reschedule. I called to reschedule 2.5 weeks ahead of the appointment. In contrast, due to health issues my barber has rescheduled on me 2 or 3 times.

I really like my barber, but I really don’t like being punished for the “crimes” of other people. I understand that the shop has a problem with the appearance of preferential treatment so they have to treat everyone equally.

I on the other hand, can express my displeasure with this new policy by not making appointments in the future. This will likely mean I will take my trade elsewhere. Being able to walk in for a haircut isn’t something that works because as the only barber shop in town they’re pretty busy.

OR maybe they were busy. I honestly wonder what this new policy is going to do to the business.

I can say, they’re pricy. I’ve stuck with them for two reasons. 1) I like my barber. 2) I like to support local businesses.

I’ll not be making another appointment. Especially since perhaps Sports Clips will work out better for me. I can combine a less expensive hair cut with shopping for groceries, and puppy supplies.

This is just another example of how the breakdown of civil behavior, courtesy and professionalism, negatively affects us all.