Monday Musings...

This was one of those weekends where we definitely needed a larger fan because of all the s**t that hit it.

There are so many stories to talk about, that It's difficult to know where to begin.

But here goes:

---First off, some good news.

Another local blog has appeared, and it's a very good read. Phil Marx, a fellow Ft. Wayne resident and molotov cocktail "survivor" of the south side (where else?) presents a POV that few will get to see about this area (unless you've ever read THIS blog). And if there are any that would label Phil (or myself) a loon, whacko, nutjob, or anything similar....remember that YOU don't live where HE does (or I do), so don't draw conclusions until you have spent some "quality" time in the "badlands".

It's NOT your father's southside any longer!

If either of us appear "biased" in any way, well, at least OUR biases are out in the open, unlike many who deny even having any (because it's more "politically-correct"). People like Phil (and myself) STILL believe that ONE person can indeed make a difference (and even effect change for the better). It's just that we have to shout a helluva lot louder...and at more people than in years past to get all those with their heads in the sand to wake the hell up. So, welcome aboard, Phil...great to nave another ally in "the trenches".

Now...onto the "other" news.

---After a few "false starts", Fort Wayne finally had it's first homicide of 2008. I was wondering how LONG it would be before someone got LUCKY enough to HIT what the hell they were aiming at. And of course, it happened (where else?) but the beautiful SOUTH SIDE of the city. The TWIN OAKS Apartments along the 2700 block of Paulding Rd was the scene of the shooting that left one man dead.

But the really incredulous thing, is that one neighbor there, after she heard two gunshots, tried to GO BACK TO SLEEP! Like this is "typical" behavior (and in some circles, it truly IS), but was awakened when another woman began screaming in her hallway.

Nice to know SOMETHING will wake people the hell up.

I look at it this way; If you hear gunshots THAT close to your house or apartment, you should be doing one of TWO things (if not both):

1) calling the FWPD...ASAP.

2) Returning fire!

If some thug wants to ruin someone's life, the best YOU can do is help ruin HIS FIRST.

--- Leave it to those "appointed" leaders of this fair city to be making the BIG BUCKS. The short list of (really) high-paid people in this city are either connected to the LIBRARY or the AIRPORT. And anyone who has read my posts over the past year (or wants to view the archives from last year) can see that both the ACPL and the FWIA are just TWO of those THIRTY PLUS ENTITIES that can levy PROPERTY TAX INCREASES on your humble abode (and usually DO). Nice to see our tax money going to such GOOD causes. Tory Richardson leads the pack at the FWIA. I don't recall the former head of the FWIA Authority (Skip Miller) making that much. How times have changed (better for them, worse for us).

--And along those lines of INCREASES, how about having the I&M raising their rates about FOURTEEN PERCENT (on average)? Electricity (once the boon to mankind) is costing us more and more, as we still have to fuel the plants that produce this commodity. Granted I&M hasn't had a rate increase in 15 years, so now it's time to stick it to us (as the State Utility Forecasting Group predicts electric rates to rise TWENTY percent through 2012), along with all the property taxes (which are "supposed" to be going down...don't hold your breath just yet), the FWCS (former $500 million) building repair costs, the water rate hike (about 25%), the natural gas rate hike (17% - 20% depending on supply & demand), and even the (miniscule by comparison) trash rate hike (about $1 more). We're looking at a nice chunk of paycheck going "bye-bye" real soon.

Wonder if all our EMPLOYERS will ante up and accomodate US by providing all of us "cost-of-living" raises to offset these hikes (I'm thinking we have a snowball's chance in hell on this one).

-- 122nd ANG to be the "bad guys" as they participate in air combat scenarios with the new F-22 Raptor down in Florida.

This is akin to the old "Red Star" (USAF version of "Top Gun") they used to conduct back in the 80s and 90s, where combat tactics of other nations are used to hone the skills of our pilots here. And it's nothing short of what helped our pilots win the air war over Korea in the early 1950s, and has kept us ever since at the forefront of air combat.

It's always about TACTICS.

Sun Tsu once said:

"Know your enemy...and know yourself".

I can say with confidence that the men of the 122nd wing of the 163rd Squadron will be fortunate IF they can get ANY kills on the F-22s. Even F-15 drivers were unsuccessful in early tests against the Raptor.

The F-22 just plain outclasses every other fighter it has gone up against...it's that fine a ship. But it will be good experience all the way around for everyone involved.

And it's OK to taste little "humble pie" once in a while.

It's a learning experience.

It's what makes us ALL a bit stronger.

One should never get USED to the taste, though.