Monday, September 10, 2007

September 10

City police are investigating the "suspicious" deaths of two people whose bodies were found early this morning inside a house in the 3500 block of Elmley Ave in the Belair-Edison neighborhood of Northeast Baltimore.
UPDATE: The Sun has updated the above link to note that it was a male/female murder/suicide in the 3600 block of Elmley Ave. Police identified the female victim as Khonji Walton, 27, and the man was identified as 36-year-old Antonio Clyburn.

An unidentified man was found shot on the 800 block of North Chester Street just before 2 a.m. Saturday. No suspects, no motive.

A 30-year-old woman was shot and died in Dundalk at 5:45 this morning.
UPDATE: She was identified as Lymaris Mejias, 29, a Latina exotic dancer and mother of four who used the stage name Chyna. A neighbor says that she told him she had a lot of enemies.

Baltimore County police are looking for Emory Lamont Lewis, 24, who allegedly shot Felicia Ann Spratley, 22, of Silerton Road, after she ran from him during a fight.

In Woodlawn, "A male in his 20s was shot in the face outside a house in the 1600 block of Kirkwood Road in the West Edmondale community shortly before 9 p.m. yesterday and was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he was admitted in critical condition. Police were seeking two males seen running from the scene." Also lots of robbery, burglary and theft in the Blotter.

There's a new home for pregnant nonviolent offenders in Park Heights.

Dept. of Negligent Snack-Food Culture
imagesDan Rodricks moderates a discussion on crime
Anyway, crappy education, lack of employment opportunities and kids eating Doritos® for breakfast are all blamed ... yet no one has the 'nads to blame the culture and people who see no shame in letting kids drop out of school and serving them Doritos® for breakfast.
We musn't be culturally insensitive!

* New slang alert!
Dorito: [noun] A lazily slipshod and dilatory individual, undeservedly prideful and violence-prone; a person who serves children snack foods for breakfast
"He had to overcome a lot to get to college, his parents are total Doritos."
"You don't want to buy that house, there's a whole bunch of Doritos living next door."

Speaking of Britney Spears, we read an article in out favorite paper a while back that she was addicted to opiate lollipops-- turns out they're for real!

56 comments:

Caederus said...

I had Doritos for Breakfast this morning. Does that mean I'm due to go on a crime spree?

I hope the 2 hard boiled eggs I had with the Doritos counter ballances the evil nature of Doritos for breakfast.

Anonymous said...

I thought that 'human roadkill' was a more apt term...

ppatin said...

I had a slice of pizza for breakfast last Tuesday. Made me want to go bust a cap in someone's ass.

Maurice Bradbury said...

Barf!
Now I can call you DoritoJoe.
Extra points if your kids have no bedtimes, drink Kool-Aid from a baby bottle and make you a grandparent before they turn 16.

Maurice Bradbury said...

ps. you only get the title if you feed said processed corn products to your kids. Only then you have the reached the point of truly not giving a shit. If you're over 18 and don't have any kids, you'll probably never get there. Sorry PP. All that constipation for nothing.

Almond Smash said...

So thats whats wrong with people in violent south of the border countries! Corn tortillas for breakfast. Who knew?

Malnurtured Snay said...

Mmmmhmmm. Doritos.

Maurice Bradbury said...

Ok then readers, how would you characterize the "Dorito" culture we enjoy here.... I'm looking for a more multicultural term than "redneck: or "cracker."
-- which none of you but BCynic seemed to get the point of at all.
But why think when you can make flippant & nitpicky comments eh?

Maurice Bradbury said...

torillas: low-fat, source of thiamin, folate, protein, fiber.
Doritos: high-fat, high sodium disgusting breakfast.

Caederus said...

8:30PM bed time. They don't like Kool aid, (I make it like my mother did 1/3 of the sugar called for), and have no idea what chocolate milk is. I hope they don't make me a grandparent before they are 16, but the 2yo seems to have a way with the little girls in the neighborhood, and he bullies his older brother, so he could be headed for a suburban gangster life.


I think the culture has been identified long ago. A culture of neglect. A couple of generations have grown up neglected, but many parts of society, and part of the neglect was that no one taught them how to behave in a civilized society. The smart ones figured it out on their own, while many of the others managed to breed and carry on the neglect before they were removed from society.

Maurice Bradbury said...

well sure, but what do you call it?
"Negligent breeder culture?'

ppatin said...

You know, I used to think that tortillas were horrible for you, but I guess they're not as bad as I thought. You learn something new every day.

ppatin said...

"Babymomma culture" maybe?

ppatin said...

Or is "babymama" the correct spelling? I shall have to check.

Caederus said...

BTW Kool Aid isn’t all bad if it get's people to eat more veggies .

I'd just call it "the Negligent culture?'

And "babymama" is correct.

Maurice Bradbury said...

I just found out soda can change your DNA, yikes!

Maurice Bradbury said...

that is one freaky pickle.
Once in N. Carolina I was served a co-cola with dill pickle juice garnished w/slices... they called it a "Witch Doctor."
Try it with your Doritos sometime

Maurice Bradbury said...

tortilla + shredded jack cheese + microwave 45 seconds + salsa= delish breakfast!

add beans & then fold it over before you cook it for b-fast burrito action. Cheap, fast, healthy, protein, fiber, lo-fat if you're easy on the cheese...

the Doritos could learn a lot from the Mexicans. But by definition they're reactive, clannish and never learn anything from anyone.

Maurice Bradbury said...

"Babymomma" excludes married and gay Doritos.
"Negligent culture" is good but it needs to be a noun. Negligents? It seems too passive, though, not nearly derisive enough.

C Love "The Rap Addict" said...

your first entry is wrong!

C Love "The Rap Addict" said...

seriously...all jokes aside....

what did all of you eat for breakfast?

They say you are what you eat!

C Love "The Rap Addict" said...

what is the value of a human life?

who determines who's life is worth something (or valuable)?

white people?

ppatin said...

Damn, I think I'm going to have a breakfast burrito for dinner now. I've got some eggs, salsa & cheddar sitting around my place, so all I need are tortillas and I'm good to go. Nice.

ppatin said...

"who determines who's life is worth something (or valuable)?

white people?"

More race-baiting? I don't care what color someone is, I hate white criminals just as much as I hate black/hispanic/asian/pacific islander criminals. They are all equally worthless.

C Love "The Rap Addict" said...

i dont have to race bait...you all do it enough!

You throw stones but call the police when its time to fight.

You are a coward. I wish some of you would tell some of your opinions to the very ppl you are talking about.

You have a sympathetic audience so you feel empowered...why don't cha call 88.9 FM on any night of the week (5-9PM: call in talk shows back to back)and air out a few dorritos.

Maurice Bradbury said...

I had Life cereal for breakfast. It was worth about $2.69 at Giant.

Sean said...

Hee hee! Best comment ever re: Life.

ppatin said...

"You are a coward. I wish some of you would tell some of your opinions to the very ppl you are talking about."

The people I'm talking about are the same sorts of people who'll pull out a knife or gun if they feel "disrespected." Therefore you are correct, I would not tell my opinions to them, and that's mainly because I don't feel like ending up like Zach Sowers.

Maurice Bradbury said...

Thanks for the roundtable link, galt! I just realized you left it on Sunday.

Gor said...

A bowl of steel-cut oats, with a little honey and cream, and a cup of tea (nothing like the simple pleasures in life to put the world in perspective).

c love does a "drive by" post every once in awhile, just to keep us on our toes, I guess. Much of the time she actually makes sense, but sometimes, like today, she seems to just what to antagonize. It may be out of frustration over the violent and senseless acts of the statistically problimatic citizenry. Due to polictical correctness, and/or loyalty, to the largest offending group (and their culture) she can not lay blame where it really belongs, so she must denounce outsiders of that culture for noticing and commenting on the problem.

Of course I could be wrong and she is just race-baiting like ppatin said or she is overly sensitive to other people's criticism.

Either way, attacking the commentors and not acknowledging who is really at fault for the level of crimes in our city is not going to solve anything.

Mel Lingerman said...

The "urban community" will not repair itself until they hold each other accountable for their actions.

A black on a jury who states that she, "will not convict a young black man" only perpetuates the disease.

C Love "The Rap Addict" said...

"drive by" has a negative connotation.....that says that you find my presence and/or decision to post as an intrusion. Im not sure how I should take that?

I guess it is a drive by a person comes through expressing ideologies sympathetic to the black Baltimoreans plight. What is your problem with me coming through expressing myself in the manner I see fit. Further more...as much as you all dish it around here...Im sure you can take a little too.

I dont comment because it is obvious from your posts that you all see this as an issue of crime and punishment.

You welcome the comparisons to Baltimore and a war zone.

You love sitting back criticizing ppl who have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with fixing the root causes of Baltimore's crime problem.

Blaming the mayor or the police commission is not the answer, but you all love to do it.

Baltimore's educational system is broken. Lack of education (even if they finish).....limited jobs for unskilled labor......steady stream of drug customers......great risk/benefit ration......

what do you expect to come from that situation? Rhodes Scholars?Most of the ppl walking around Baltimore are not evil or diaboluical ppl. Most are a ppl that are living with the hand they were dealt.

Its so much fun to sit back and make jokes about black ppl you don't know. You calll neighborhoods like Park Heights hell....WHY DO YOU CARE? Is it lowering your property value?


I could see if it was your neighborhood, but you even had ignorant jokes when the news from PH was good.


It still bothers me to this day...JG's comment about "hoodies"....it is comments just like that that make it easy to maintain the status quo- the good majority of black ppl (the men in particular are good for nothing).

Why is it that the US govt can talk about how jobs will make the young Iraqi's stop joining the militias ......and we have world diplomats that get in front of congress and go on NPR talking about how face to face talks btw factions are essential to ending war and or bring about cease fires....YET we can't even utilize any of this expertise at home?

There is a war going on in the streets of Baltimore....my heart goes out to Zach Sowers and his beautiful and strong wife (i've read her blog).....but for every Zach there is a Markita, an Antoion, a Malik, a Peanut, a John John...that you nor anyone else could care less about. Would spit on their grave and call them gang bangers without an after thought....simply because their family aren't as computer savvy.


Those of you that are not from the mean streets of Baltimore have no respect for obstacles many black ppl over come each day all across America. When my ppl stop caring about gaining another man's respect....we will snap out of this spell we are in during these days and times. Most of you dont have GUMPTION- THE GET UP AND GO- THE AMBITION- THE TENACITY - that we weild every day in your pinky. I know you can't see it.....but I guess that's our gift (making our burden seem light).

You sit on this message board being all disrespect for in typical "insert whatever first comes to mind" fashion and cry foul when some one calls you on it. Most of you would not make it a day....if you had to live and survive under the same stressors as black ppl.


I dont comment because you ppl are funny to me. You dont want to solve crime......you just want to talk. so for the most part...I look....I love the blog - real talk. But many of your opinions are plain ignorant, disrespectful and cowardly.

As for your comment:
"Due to polictical correctness, and/or loyalty, to the largest offending group (and their culture) she can not lay blame where it really belongs, so she must denounce outsiders of that culture for noticing and commenting on the problem."


It is your comments that are digusting. The issue has never been whether the facts are true...this site cronicles Baltimore crime. I would not come here talking to you all about solutions because quite frankly...they don't involve you.

Gor said...

"Most of you would not make it a day....if you had to live and survive under the same stressors as black ppl."

You would think that people made of sterner stuff than the rest of us would have the ability and will not to allow the predation of their own, instead of blaming others.

What is really disgusting is:

1. Defending the "poor me" victim culture where any slight is cause not to improve oneself and to accept mediocrity as the limit of one's acheivement,

2. when heros are the indivduals who celebrate the criminal lifestyle and disrepect woman and education, and

3. failure to control their own or teach their youth to be better than themselves.

You use the word cowardly alot, but the biggest cowards I see are the ones who allow drug dealing, assualts and murders in their community without a fight or is that just "keeping it real".

olegna said...

c-love, wow! that was a hot blast of truth!

By the way, cybrarian, as long as you're criticizing the nutritional choices of a certain "culture" in Baltimore, don't forget that white-bread educated parents also can't seem to feed their kids a proper diet. The obesity epidemic seems to be everywhere these days.

But this is not about food at all, is it? This is about you wanting to find a word, phrase, or picture into which you can compactly roll up all your negative impressions about that "culture". Sorry, but that never works and that never accomplishes anything of value.

Caederus said...

olegna,

Thr culture of neglect has nothing to do with race. It happens when one generation neglects to do their duty in raising the next generation. Teaching them what is and is not acceptable in civilization. When isolated it's bad, when systematic it's a hell that Baltimore is descending into.

Just look at Kevin Klink. White boy from the burbs living in what the Feds call the 4th richest county in the country. He didn't just make a mistake. Someone neglected to raise this kid to understand you just don't go to a gang fight and crack someones skull open with a baseball bat.

C Love "The Rap Addict" said...

gor...last comment...because I respect your opinion.....

you speak as if the MAJORITY of black ppl participate and celebrate in the crime that occurs in our community.

You talk as if the majority of black ppl are satisfied with the way the media portrays us.

You talk as if you have it all figured out....I stand by my comments about black ppl being stronger and most of you being cowards (look up the definition). I dont have the time or inclination to break it down further for you.

Because you write and speak so eloquently and provide what looks like facts to support your claims....some one is power is more likely to listen to you......and that is VERY scary to me.

Your views show that you've lived a sheltered or should I say NORMAL life where everything is white or black and you had someone to point you in the right direction at various milestones in your life.

I cannot expect you to understand the people you say I "defend"....nor can you expect me to agree with your assessment of this very complicated situation (ghetto culture).



I agree with you that ppl that sell drugs are cowards.....ok. Murders and molestors are the worse. Lock em up - I dont care. The problem comes into play because still in 2007...when you say something about a black person....you are not just talking about that person....you are talking about all of us. And even if that was not your intention....that's the way I feel. Partly because I feel everything, but also because what you all state in the status quo in this racist azz country we call America.

And for the record..... my comments were reserved for all of you. Ive never heard a drug dealer talk about how ignorant white ppl are? I've never heard one talk about how all white ppl should be in jail or aborted at birth. If I did...I'd have words for them as well.

Hating anyone is wrong....making judgements about ppl you don't know based on their skin color or ethnic background is wrong is irresponsible. Searching for someone's criminal background online to substantiate your point that a person is scum is WRONG!!! Are you adults? DO any of you believe in GOD?


White ppl throughout history have always been able to justify their hatred, dislike, dissaproval, "insert word", curiosity about black life. I've never heard a white person I didn't know say anything positive about black ppl. Nothing that is said on here is surprising to me.


Nothing any of you are doing is novel or original to me. Finding out who murdered a black man has never been a priority. Peace in the Streets is not a priority. Complain about crime, but send your doctors here to get med surg training before going to Iraq. Hate drugs, but recognize that malls like Mondawnmin thrive off of it.


Thinking that a black life is less value has always been the status quo. White ppl in America were in a UPROAR about some damn dogs a few weeks ago.....where is some of that fire for finding out "who killed Cornbread"?

Stop Snitchin has always been the mantra when it comes finding out who kiled a black man. Any one ever heard of OMERTA? Yet you all would probably attibite this to "my culture" as well.

ppatin said...

"Searching for someone's criminal background online to substantiate your point that a person is scum is WRONG!!! Are you adults? DO any of you believe in GOD?"

Why is it wrong? If someone has a string of violent felony convictions then he's probably a dirtbag. And no, I don't believe in God.

Sean said...

"Hate drugs, but recognize that malls like Mondawnmin thrive off of it."

Ehh, yeah, that's probably ONE of the reasons why nobody on here would ever go to Mondawmin mall...

Maybe not the best example to use. But I guess White Marsh wouldn't really work in that context.

Sean said...

"Stop Snitchin has always been the mantra when it comes finding out who kiled a black man. Any one ever heard of OMERTA? Yet you all would probably attibite this to "my culture" as well."

Ummm, sounds to me like YOU'RE attributing that to "your culture"...

Maurice Bradbury said...

Well it was certainly a hot blast of something...
You're right, O, it's not all about food, and one certainly doesn't have to be any particular hue or income level to be trashy. We could have the best schools in the world, but if kids have no bedtimes, are unsupervised, their parents feed them Doritos for breakfast, disparage book-learnin and teach them working out conflicts means going ballistic over the slightest percieved insult, that won't do much good. We're not going to get anywhere until we address that culture, specifically the part of culture that deals with conflict resolution.

Did anyone else notice that no one brought up race until C-Love did? It's a shame for you (and everyone else) that you have such a dislike for "white people" and have so many stereotypes of "black people," but as I've said before this isn't the place to vent your racism. And you'll never hear me say nice things about "black people" or "white people" because that would mean I was making an ignorant, probably racist generalization.

Sean said...

Ya know, I was thinking the same thing. Race wasn't even mentioned until everyone here was suddenly, oddly accused of being racist and hating black people, etc. Very odd. But hey, I'm apparently just a white coward, I guess. Wait, sorry, isn't that redundant?

John Galt said...

C:

Glad you brought up omerta.

Proof that the institutionalization of criminal misconduct is not a function of the melanin in your skin.

If I were writing this 100 years ago, I'd probably say "I'm sick and tired of the ghetto (it's an italian word, you know) behavior of those Sicilian hoodlums. And the Italian community tacitly supports their conduct."

Most of the criminals in U.S. cities were immigrants, either italian, jewish, or irish. And a certain group of them were into crime. And because they were all together in the ghetto, their law-abiding neighbors were faced with criminal complicity or retaliation.

Sound familiar? One of the tools the Unione Siciliana used to encourage complicity was group culture. 'Were all discriminated against as italians. Americans are not your friends. Only we will take care of you. We have a unique culture. They cannot understand us. It's Our Thing.'

Sound familiar?

But the majority of italians were not Sicilian, and they didn't want to be hoodlums. So they mainstreamed. Many of them worked tireless hours at thankless jobs so their kids could step up to the next level.

Today, few italan-americans have any first-hand familiarity with cosa nostra.

They decided to adopt the culture of the country they call home.

Facts: like in the case of oldtime (sicilian) gangstas, over 80% of today's offenders, p&p cases, and prisoners here are black. And this in a jurisdiction where offenders routinely get off easy.

I have personally observed the mothers and girlfriends and even victims of these hoodies - yes, I'll say it again - aid and abet them because 'we in the hood' and 'it's a black thing'.

It's not. It's a ghetto thing. White ghetto. Black ghetto. Chicano ghetto.

Some black folks have moved out of nasty Baltimore to outer ring suburbs, some out of state. They want better for their children. They teach them 'Uh-uh! Don't you be getting all ghetto under my roof!'.

Sounds familiar. But not here.

The fact that a subculture exists doesn't validate it. Abiding by the broader social norms does. And that kinda implies that it will mainstream within a generation or so.

Sean said...

'Uh-uh! Don't you be getting all ghetto under my roof!'.

Okay, well, maybe making poor approximations of Ebonics is a little bit racist...

Maurice Bradbury said...

Er, yeah, maybe.
but a very fine essay, Galt!

John Galt said...

Hey, look, that's how it's said by my overwhelomingly AA neighbors. And I think the exact expression is 'in my house', not 'under my roof'.

But it's very clear that some reject ghetto culture and some draw their identity from it.

Sean said...

Well, wouldn't it be 'Uh-uh! Don't you be gettin' all ghetto under my roof!'? I believe the "g" you added in "getting" is superfluous.

Wait, how many of your neighbors actually say this? Is this a common occurence? Have you witnessed this? Huh.

Sean said...

Clearly I'm just taking the piss, to use the language of my culture.

John Galt said...

One last observation on 'black culture':

In the early seventies, some of the less militant Black Power types read Malcolm X and headed to places in west Africa to live among their own people.

When they arrived and told Ghanaians 'Hello, black brother!', they were often unceremoniously informed that 'I know my brother. You look nothing like him.' As for being black, they were told 'Look all around you. Who is not black ?? In fact, you look rather light.'

Sean said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
C Love "The Rap Addict" said...

Mondawnmin was the example I wanted to use. You obviously did not get the point.

who gives a damn if any of you would shop at Mondawnmin?

There is a reason Target, Marshalls and Shoppers Food Warehouse is building on the Grounds of Mondawnmin - $$$$$. If you looked up the demographics of the ppl that live near and shop at Mondawnmin....I bet you'd find that many do not have jobs. However they get their money....someone is employed, somone is sending their kid to college....so rich guy is building his second home in Florida.

Sean, you proved again that you dont read or comprehend......go back and read my stop snitching comment again. My point is....when it comes to who killed a black person.....the STOP SNITCHING attitude has always been prevelant. When the clan were hanging us by trees....no one wanted to come forward either. I am not saying this is right....but these are the facts. Citizens kept quiet about what they saw because the people doing the terrorizing were their friends or family. What's the difference today?.....many folk still think they (black men, in most cases) deserved to die.

Thanks for the history lesson JG....your hoodie comment is still ignorant as hell. Do your AA neighbors know you talk like that?

cyb....I like your deversion tactic.

Still does not change the fact that some of your comments are low. You are probably a very fake person. I heard you on Marc Steiner show......I would have never known the type of person you are if i never came to this blog...by listening to you that day.

My point was and still is....most of you that post comments on here are COWARDS. You are preaching to the choir...a sympathetic audience....trying sharing some of your views with the ppl you are talking about once in a while or grow some balls and go into a forum where your opinion is against the grain (like me) and see if you can handle it (baptism by fire).

You folks don't even realize how your words hurt and belittle people that have never done anything to any of you.

C Love "The Rap Addict" said...

sean, its funny you brought up liz.....LOL! from what I gather...it was an ignorant comment made by one of you that lead to you making her acquaintance.

Bad example......

Its cool that she got over it....but she is no indicator of how anyone else will react to the comments posted on this blog site

ppatin said...

"You folks don't even realize how your words hurt and belittle people that have never done anything to any of you."

Oh dear god forbid that we belittle people with a big ole string of felony convictions.

Sean said...

Ugh. This is really getting boring. One quick point - the clan isn't killing black people in Baltimore now, are they? Who is...?

I honestly have no idea what "from what I gather...it was an ignorant comment made by one of you that lead to you making her acquaintance" is supposed to mean. Your posts are getting more nonsensical each time.

Anyway, my point, since you can't read or comprehend, is that we don't just care about the Zach Sowers in this city. We don't just assume that every dead black person is a gang banger, etc. You're the one making blanket assumptions, generalizations, etc. You're the one who brought up race. You're frankly just annoying.

A forum where my opinion is against the grain? Sure, good advice. SO can you point me in the direction of a forum where people don't care about the city, don't live in the city, don't want the city to improve, don't work with their communities to make the changes, who actually (like you) believe that everyone of a certain race must be a certain way? Cuz yeah, I'd love to see it. I'll be waiting...

And man, I used to love Doritos. But now... they just taste bitter.

John Galt said...

C:

Not only do my neighbors hear me discussing the problem with hoodieboys... they've usually started the discussion.

Time to get away from the mistaken notion that working-class black families embrace ghetto culture. They're sick of this sh!t too. And they don't want their sons to get arrested or killed trying to be in with hip street culture.

Just last night my neighbor up the street told me he's selling the house and getting his children out of state because his young sons were being taught flags and gang signs by their older half-brother (who will remain in Baltimore).

And yes, that bit about 'not getting ghetto in my house' was his wording.

The remaining population in this city is increasingly the ones who either a) embrace being ghetto or b) can't get outta here.


And then of course there are the yuppies paying $400,000 to live in this open air penitentiary.

{...laughter fades to silence...}

Sean said...

Ya know, there's this woman on my community listserve who always spouts negative things about African-Americans in our neighborhood. She's always talking about how our area's turning into a ghetto, about how people shouldn't go to our grocery store at certain hours, and especially not on Sundays, due to a "certain element" that gathers there, about how bad black teens are, about how the increased AA presence is driving down prop values and driving up crime, about how the cops won't just snatch black teens off the streets for loitering when she calls, etc. I just imagined her to be some shrewish old white lady, longing for the days of Reagan, afraid to step out on her porch, probably referring to African Americans as "negroes" in private. One of those people, stuck in time. Racist and antiquated.

Turned out she was African American. Blew my mind.

Maurice Bradbury said...

Yes my points exactly, race-based assumptions are made to be disproven and Doritos are foul. Now let's all move on...