Friday, August 31, 2012

Oddities of the week

First, was this website, created by Mr. Wilson, the prolific blogger who publishes Lincolnite.  The subtle humor is that if you can't figure out whether your address is odd or even, you won't be able to figure out how to navigate to or read a webpage.  I also admire the fact that it actually works, and the numbers go up high enough to cover almost all the address in Lincoln that are within the city limits--I think it only misses one: the largest numeric address in the City.

Second, I snapped this photo while on my way to a meeting on the University of Nebraska campus Wednesday morning.  I spotted this on T Street,  just south of Memorial Stadium, which was on my route from the parking garage to Avery Hall. I wonder how many other Big 10 Universities have custom manhole covers.



22 comments:

Steve said...

There's something sad about the fact that the University has money to spend on custome manhole covers, but the city can't afford to fix the streets.

Anonymous said...

Wanna bet that manhole cover ends up on the wall of some Husker Man Cave?
Not to give anyone any ideas.
Gun Nut

Anonymous said...

Steve,

Maybe that huge endowment fund and being able to make the city council/mayor roll over, beg, and play dead has something to do with that. What they want, they get.

Anonymous said...

What, pray tell, is the highest address in Lincoln?

Tom Casady said...

5:53,

Whew. That took all day for someone to ask. I'm hanging my hat on 11500 S. 25th St.

Anonymous said...

I know this is completely unrelated, but I would like to compliant of the Lincoln police department's treatment of me when I was struggling with flight episodes for the last two years. The officers were calm, caring, kind, and understanding -even when I am sure I didn't make any since - to me when I needed it the most. Thank you so much for finding me and bring me home.
Thankful citizen

Steve said...

I'd bet on 1445 K.

Tom Casady said...

Steve,

You win.

Anonymous said...

Deeter Foundries in Lincoln specializes in these "custom" manhole covers and makes plain label ones as well. I have seen Deeter Foundries-labeled manhole covers in many cities. If the Athletic Department (not the university) has these, I suspect Deeter actually donated them.

Steve said...

What do I win, a get out of jail free card? :)

Tom Casady said...

10:14,

They also melt seized firearms for their local police department. Oh, if those manhole covers could talk.

Steve,

I was thinking more like one extra day of watering. Just tell the SWAT Team when they arrive. ;-)

Steve said...

Swat might have their hands full if I can get Gun Nut and Arrrg!!!! to help me. :)

Anonymous said...

Do they also melt down seized vehicles for the local police department? In not, then why guns? They're not inherently illegal, just because they were stolen or used in a crime. This isn't fantasy fiction, where a sword becomes evil, if used in an evil way. Why don't you auction them off, like you do with other seized property?

Steve said...

I don't know how the Director feels about it (melting down guns), but I'm sure it wasn't his decision. I have mixed feelings on the subject. I agree that it seems wasteful to melt down something that is worth something to someone and reduce its value from hundreds, or thousands, of dollars to a few cents worth of scrap metal. I also agree that the gun itself is not the problem when it comes to violent death or injuries from gun shots. On the other hand, every gun is potentially one that may end up causing death or injury to an innocent person, so there is a bit of logic to the notion that the fewer guns there are, the less likely an innocent person will be harmed by one. I can also understand from a police officer's point of view, that they may have risked their life to get that gun from the hands of a criminal, and they don't want to have to do it again for the same gun. I doubt if the revenue from confiscated guns in Lincoln would really amount to all that much anyway.

Anonymous said...

Steve,

In that case, they should definitely melt down seized vehicles, because using the same "logic", that would mean less vehicles on the street, and thus less death and injury due to collisions. Every vehicle is potentially one that could end up causing injury or death to an innocent person, right? Close to 40,000 deaths per year, that's nothing to sneeze at. From the police officer's point of view, they may have risked their life to get that stolen car from a criminal. and they don't want to have to do it again with the same car. I doubt if the revenue from confiscated vehicles in Lincoln would really amount to all that much anyway.

Anonymous said...

My question is: How much effort is taken to put recovered stolen guns back in the hands of the rightful owner?

I have owned several guns worth thousands of dollars. Luckily none of them were ever stolen. However if a valuable gun was stolen and then found by Police and melted down instead of being returned to me I would NOT be a happy camper.

I have a feeling there is no consistent policy on this from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.

Gun Nut

ARRRRG!!!! said...

I don't think the guns are destroyed because they are 'evil' but because of liability. If they sell the guns and someone gets killed or injured with one of them, the City could get sued.

Steve,
You're on your own with the SWAT team if they melt down my weapons.

Steve said...

9:06

I wouldn't have a problem with that (melting down cars). I'm not saying either is the best way to go, just expressing some ways of thinking about it.

Steve said...

Gun Nut:

I would like to think that if a gun was registered with the city (mandatory for gun sales since the ordinance was passed), that LPD would make every effort to return it to the rightful owner once it is no longer needed for evidence. Obviously, if it was never registered, it would be difficult to find the true owner.

Steve said...

Arrrrg!!!!

If they melt down those weapons, I'm guessing you've already had run in with SWAT, and lost.

Tom Casady said...

Gun Nut,

Recovered stolen guns would always be returned to the rightful owner, unless for some reason that is impossible (for example, the owner cannot legally possess a firearm).

I think this is probably quite consistent across jurisdictions. We don't auction off unclaimed guns or guns used in crime simply because we don't want to run the risk of returning guns into circulation that have already been involved in crime. We also always, always follow specific court orders to destroy and/ or release firearms, if such an order is received.

Anonymous said...

Not every gun in police custody gets destroyed. If the gun hasn't had the serial number scratched off (defaced) or made into an illegal weapon (sawed off etc.) then they will be returned to the rightful owner if he/she can legally possess a firearm.