Wednesday, October 06, 2010

White or Blue Collar?

Check out #9.

Hat tip Tim.

18 comments:

Charley said...

Yea, the neighborhood surrounding the Washington Navy Yard is pretty rough in some areas.  It's an odd mix of the Yard, the SE Federal Center, commercial office space, high rise senior housing, public housing projects, and attached housing.  It least the Yard, SEFC, and the commercial areas are looking better...

CDR K said...

In 1996, I witnessed a murder in broad daylight 1 block east of the Ft McNair entrance, 3-4 blocks north of Coast Guard headquarters.  Joggers find bodies on an irregular basis.  Nearly became a victim myself one late night walk (hell, run) to a car shortly after 9/11.  The whole area is one running sore, a monument to the wisdom of "projects."

LT Rusty said...

#13, too.  Charleston Naval Complex.

C-dore 14 said...

The Navy Yard area was dangerous back when I did my first DC tour 30 years ago.  The Navy Yard itself wasn't the safest place in the world either until the CNO moved down there after he got evicted from his quarters at the Naval Observatory by the VP.

Wharf Rat said...

And yet 96% of the voters continue to vote left each election cycle - a testament to the dependency on government.  I could say more, but I'd get myself in trouble.

Southern Air Pirate said...

I don't know why you are so suprised boss. Just look at all the military bases you have been stationed at whether if or out of CONUS. Nearly all of them have a little bit of shady neighborhoods start to grow up right outside the gates. It always seems to start with an auto dealer or two that sell used cars E-1+ financing available or you have a couple of those ready overnight check cashing places; from there you esclate to a couple of bars that even the Hells Angles would avoid and that are best described by the quote "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy."; add in some motels that if they could charge by the minute they would and a good night is only have the local SWAT team raid it once a night,  after a few of those come in it always seems to begin its descent into safety heck. All the while each base CO when they have face time with the police politico's and the rest of the citiy government politicos question and ask for help cleaning up the area, only to get a "You, betcha; but..." answer. In the end every one knows the area is unsafe and short of death by powerpoint safety speeches, there isn't much people are willing to do.
I mean look at 32nd street in SD, tidewater blvd and oceanside neighborhoods in Norfolk, Front street in Philly, Hiltop area outside of McChord/Ft Lewis in Washington, Pearl City in Hawaii, Orange Park in Jacksonville FL, San Jaun PR, if my memory serves me right New Orleans NSA sits right on the border of the 9th Ward, and my all time favorite the neighborhoods around both Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Northrup/Grumman Newport News Shipyard and Dry-dock. Where both times I have lived inside the base fence line, there were drive by shootings and rounds went into our barracks from the cross-fire.

Sad state of affairs, but seems to be the truth.

UltimaRatioRegis said...

But, in Chicago or DC, can I carry my trusty 1911 to defend myself?  Absolutely not.  I must go unarmed if I have any business there.  Why?  Because guns cause crime. 

There are drugs and gangs in lil' old Vermont, too.  But crime rate?  Zilch.  Why?  Right to carry state.  Homey an' his posse might very well get four hollow points to the chest for his troubles if they break into a house or assault someone on the street.  Same population roughly as DC.  Less than 1/100th of the crime.

But Eric Holder hates the Second Amendment.  So does Hillary Clinton, Sotomayor, Kagan, Arne Duncan, Chuck Schumer, Michael Bloomberg, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and Barbara Boxer.

That is okay, the Government will protect us.  It has worked so well in the past.

Southern Air Pirate said...

URR,

Don't forget that on base as well are gun free zones. I just wonder what would have happened at Ft. Hood if more then a few of those trained soliders were authorized CCW's or even had thier Army issued PDW's strapped to them. So even if DC got rid of all its gun banning laws/regulations, it still wouldn't be an option for you to carry from home to work (if you worked at the Naval Yard) simply cause you would have to turn the weapon in at the gate.

UltimaRatioRegis said...

Roger that.  And that is after I fly through BWI and go through a security checkpoint manned by some lady in a hijab who barely speaks English. 

However, if the citizens of DC were able to protect themselves, then the neighborhoods would be a hell of a lot safer.

Anonymous said...

I will risk a bit of stereotyping here:

I bet that 90% of the inhabitants of at least 20 out of the 25 areas:

a.  Voted Democrat if they voted at all.
b.  Are receiving welfare in one or more form (AFDC, food stamps, disability, SSI, unemployment, etc)
c.  Never bothered to take advantage of free public schools
d.  Are the product of, and perpetuating, illegitmacy with multiple fathers where there are multiple children.
e.  Have criminal records.
f.  Abuse illegal drugs
g.  Are members of a racial minority, mostly African American.

Every attempt to provide resources for betterment of their conditions have been unsuccessful, and thanks to the "community agitator" types, largely unappreciated.  They have created a welfare plantation and killed the innate human yearning for freedom and betterment, but gained a reliable block of voters.  Courtesy of our liberal politicians.

kmadams85 said...

The area around the Yard is improving because of two factors:
(1) Bulldozers
(2) More bulldozers

Former 3364 said...

That hit a little close to home, well work anyway.  The Navy is still here (sort of)...

Former 3364 said...

The only Navy base that I ever felt safe walking off of was the old NTC Orlando. 

Retired Now said...

Area INSIDE the Navy Yard - a vast improvement would be to RIF every NAVSEA HQ GS-14 and above who has completed their DEFENSE ACQUISITION UNIVERSITY (DAU) required courses.

Our Navy would be a Lot safer is NAVSEA workers Inside the Naval Yard had never even heard of DAU or DAWIA, which really started going around 2000-2001.    In the years since,  NAVSEA has failed to produce a single new class of warship that isn't a disaster.

Coincidence ?   DAU requirements has "educated" NAVSEA acquisition folks for 10 years.   Disasterous results.   Yet DAU/DAWAI keeps getting well funded and eating up 25 percent or more of the time of NAVSEA employees.

Washington DC Naval Yard is very Unsafe.

Retired Now said...

Safe future ?   More USN Sailors and Marines will die riding onboard LCS, LPD-17, and DDG-1000 new "warships" than will die outside any Base or Station or Camp in the 50 States.  

wilber said...

still interested in how much of this post baseball drunkeness. I go through there several times a week at all hours walking and census'd down there too.  There is almost no small scale housing left in the area and like 3 bars total.

Steeljaw said...

Actually, kind of surprised Anacostia didn't make the list.  While geo-baching it during one DC tour I stayed at the Anacostia BOQ and went to bed to the sound of gunfire a few blocks away. Additionally, a Marine Capt who was one of the COLLOPS watch officers was shot in his front yard on his way to work in broad daylight...and for good measure, the stoplight across from the main gate At Anacostia was one that I never stopped at late at night when headed on base.  
No way, no how.

w/r, SJS

Spade said...

The first week I worked in that area the starbucks in the DOT building was robbed. At gunpoint. At around 0800.