Monday Musings...
Well, I can't think of any better way to satrt of the month of December than with a nice snowfall.
Kinda gets 'ya in that old "holiday spirit", doesn't it?
It also makes dollar signs dance in the eyes of most every AUTO BODY SHOP in the area!
And with good reason:
People have to re acclimate themselves to driving in cold, inclement weather.
Many will fail miserably, thinking that snow is only VERY cold, crystallized water, and treat driving in THAT just like driving in the rain...WRONG!
It's a whole other animal...this snow.
Without getting into the physics of all this, let's just say that conventional driving just took a day or two off.
Toss conventionality out the window (but not that empty beer bottle, you moron).
I've driven for a living...not the big rigs, mind you, but cars and other trucks, and I can say it's an exercise in one thing - PATIENCE.
If you don't have THAT, you might as well drop the keys on the coffee table, kick off the shoes and stay the hell home.
Now I've always been a tad on the IMPATIENT side, especially where (as Klatuu would say) STUPIDITY is concerned.
I simply do NOT have time for it.
But when it comes to driving in snow, sleet or ice, you adapt (quickly) or suffer the consequences.
You LEARN patience...you DEVELOP it, if for no other reason, than to make sure YOU come home at the end of the day.
The last 24 hours of (local) news bears this much out to no small degree.
With that preamble, let's look to other happenings around here.
**Fort Wayne appears to have it's 23rd homicide (by shooting) of the year (I predicted 25...or more), up at the DAYS INN along Washington Center Road. It'd be interesting to find out what two OTHER people had to say when they showed up at St.Joe Hospital with gunshot wounds. The vehicle that dropped them off (according to reports) had what looked like damage related to gunshots (um, I guess that would be BULLET HOLES???), and was described as a white SUV (well that covers quite a few HUNDRED vehicles just around MY part of the city).
**Speaking of the police, I was watching the BEHIND THE BADGE show on cable access , and Chief Rusty York was the guest.
He stated that crime had gone UP about 5% (been saying that for years), and that personal and residential robberies are UP (ditto on that). Now consider this:
York also said that DETROIT is about 1100 officers SHORT (staffing, that is), and basically, their department is answering FELONY calls only (so much for the broken window theory...the whole BUILDING is "broken" now).
York DID say he didn't expect anything like that here. I certainly hope not...we're having trouble keeping the small shit under wraps, let alone the BIG shit...like drug dealing in certain neighborhoods (and drugs coming INTO Ft. Wayne), as well as all the little things that develop (exponentially) into the much larger (and often more violent) crimes we have today.
Let's just say that so much is expected from the officers these days that it makes it that more difficult to fully realize any progress being made in certain areas of crime (due to the fact that OTHER areas of crime take center stage).
**Black Friday wasn't all that. People are being a bit more frugal (and particular) when it comes to raiding the old "hip-national-bank". I personally find it amusing at times...seeing all the ads touting sales galore.
Fact is...the "sale" was basically some item which had it's price initially RAISED...and then a "20%" off tag was tacked on, so you're not really saving AS MUCH as you think.
Some people are learning, so there is still hope for humanity.
But we're not done yet...TODAY is "Cyber Monday" for all the ONLINE shoppers (oh...joy...be still my beating heart).
**I find it amazing that 3 terrorists could hold off so many of India's military at that hotel in Mumbai (before finally getting offed). And to lose close to 200 civilians along the way says much as to the lack of efficacy of their not-so-special forces.
Perhaps this will be the learning experience they need to correct that issue. Let's just hope they don't go postal on Pakistan in the process (when it wasn't even their fault...at least it doesn't appear so yet). With both nations being NUCLEAR powers, twitchy fingers on buttons is not necessarily a good thing, because we don't know what that button is connected to.
**Lastly, I want you to take the time to read Phil Marx's blog (posted Saturday). That will clue you in to what he has to deal with daily. I have a to deal with it as well, just to a lesser degree...and I want to keep it that way, but I'm not seeing the light at the end of any tunnel (soon)...and the tunnel is getting harder to see as well.
So be careful on the roads today, it may LOOK clear, but never let your guard down when it comes to driving (and especially other drivers). Play it safe and stay aware.
And remember the word of the day:
PATIENCE (it's not just for doctors anymore)...LOL!