Humpday Happenings...
Well, the good news is that we came through the foul weather yesterday fine, here in our bastion of reason (our house). The bad news is that others didn't make out so well.
In rural areas, power lines were taken down, barns were levelled, and more than a few houses were battered by the high winds and rain.
We had confirmation of several tornadoes that touched down outside of Fort Wayne.
When the warning was issued for a tornado on the radio (they interrupted ALL broadcasting), I got my collective sh*t together, and grabbed my pistols, shotgun and "go-bag" (rucksack), and moved further inward in our house...just in case. No panic, really, just a sense of urgency, coupled with concern.
Our cats had been acting "antsy" when the winds kicked up, so they were also nearby.
I had candles handy, a couple bottles of Powerade, and a few flashlights and an emergency lantern, in case power went out.
Curiously, it did not.
After less than an hour the immediate threat was gone, and lessening winds remained.
Now, you're probably thinking "all that for nothing", right?
Not really...it's always good to "practice" being able to think and move on the fly, if need be.
And thankfully, leaf pickup WAS halted...woulda been one helluva time TRYING to gather them up.
Fortunately, my leaf piles are still relatively intact, with only fallen leaves on the lawn to move TO those piles.
I know...really boring stuff, hmm?
Well, that's what you have to expect living in an area where the weather changes from hour to hour sometimes.
I know the radio was humming with proactive procedures dealing with everything from trailer bans on the highways to mopping up fallen trees in the area, so the LEOs were really hopping about, and managed to do a commendable job having to be OUT in that crappy weather...congrats to them all.
But all this apparently did not stop those "less fortunate" in our city from availing themselves of "free stuff" before the bad weather hit yesterday;
*** (( Published: October 27, 2010 3:00 a.m.
Tips sought in 2 robberies at Southgate store
- Holly Abrams The Journal Gazette
Fort Wayne police are asking the public’s help in finding the people involved in two separate armed robberies this month.

Officers were called to a holdup just after 7:30 a.m. Oct. 20 at Shoe Show, 324 E. Pettit Ave. Two men posing as shoppers entered the business and brandished a handgun. The men demanded money from a clerk and left with an undisclosed amount of cash.
One robber was described as being in his 20s, black, about 6-foot-3, 215 to 220 pounds, with a dark complexion.
He wore a light tan coat and a white T-shirt with lettering on it. He also wore a tan baseball cap.
The second robber was also in his 20s, black, about 5-foot-11 and had a medium complexion. He wore a red hat with an "A" on the front, dark brown coat and blue jeans.
The second robbery was reported just before 7:30 p.m. Monday at Boudoir Noir, 1002 Coliseum Blvd. N. A man entered the store, brandished a handgun and demanded money.
The robber left with an undisclosed amount of cash, a report said.
The man in that robbery is described as being about 5-foot-10 and black, with a thin build and a thin mustache.
He wore a gray sweatshirt with black pinstripes on the sleeves and a black cap. ))
Not a bad haul for those "po folk" in our city, hmm? Now the one guy is definitely* wearing an Oakland "A's" hat, and I KNOW I've seen someone wearing such a hat, but I don't know the person (I really don't WANT to know any of the locals, trust me), and I would wager that the OTHER hat is most likely a NY Yankees hat, as I have seen a few tan ones of those around the area (so much for individuality...everyone looks the damn SAME...lol)
* (( Editor's update - Fellow blogger "SLAMDUNK" mentioned the hat could be an ATLANTA BRAVES logo, and, after checking around, I do believe he is correct.))
I tried to clean up the pictures the best I can, but the cameras need to be better focused and adjusted in store to get the best reception.
I looked at the checkout cameras, and the focal plane definitely needed tweaking. The counter and register were perfectly focused, but anyone standing AT the counter was very slightly blurred (enough to smudge small details).
Oh, if it seems that I know something about these things...I DO!
I worked for Loss Prevention for a now-defunct major retailer a while back and used to install and maintain such systems for THREE states (PA, NJ, and DE), and the worst thing anyone can do is install cameras and NOT optimize their ability.
That's like tossing good money after bad.
Besides, isn't 7: 30 AM a little "early" to be shopping for Nikes?
But if you think that was the ONLY crimes around...think again.
*** This city STINKS...literally, as well as figuratively.
I mean the air has smelled like VOMIT for the last several weeks, and not all the time, but varying times during the day OR night.
Naturally, the "locals" don't seem to mind...probably smells BETTER than the hovel they recently trashed after moving the hell in.
I, on the other hand, pride myself on being able to detect things that smell...LMAO...now there just HAS to be some IRONY mixed in that , don'cha think?
Consider WHERE we live...that alone is hilarious beyond belief, when it comes to "odors".
Anyway, the "smell" has been traced to several sources (none are my "neighbors"...dammit).
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20101027/LOCAL/310279984
A farm in Waynedale had drying manure on the fields there, and catch water basins are low due to insufficient rainfall.
Now, I don't know about YOU, but a SEWER or COWSH*T pile smells a damn sight different than VOMIT does.
It's like the difference between rotting ham and rotting people, got it?
(BTW, you don't really want to smell EITHER of those)
Well, at least it's not the "Kokomo Hum" (google that one up for a giggle).
*** And City Council APPROVED both a 1% pay RAISE for city employees, as well as a 2.9% INCREASE in PROPERTY TAXES here in the Summit City.
So every person will be paying about $11 for every $100,000 of ASSESSED value.
(pause for effect)
Now for US here in the ghettohood, that should cost about....TWO BUCKS (perhaps a little less)...ROFLMAO!
Yeah, see what property DEVALUATION can do for your TAX BILL?
Gotta thank the Section 8'ers for making that possible.
There we were, paying close to SEVEN HUNDRED BUCKS A YEAR to the city for property taxes...BEFORE the neighborhood went down the crapper.
NOW, we're laughing at the city, because we don't EVEN pay $100 a year on the same taxes.
Of course, we DO have to deal with the human refuse that society created, and then decided to move DOWN here all around us, and of course, all the assorted crime that goes with it (and them), but hey, I can shoot fairly well, and almost ALWAYS hit what I aim at...
Talk about a MIXED BLESSING...(indeed).
By allowing OUR part of town to decline, the city as effectively cut off it's tax-gathering nose to spite it's overinflated primate face....not a bad return on the "investment".
Of course, all the people living in NICE neighborhoods and new developments will feel the increase a bit more, and that's too bad.
They SHOULD have stayed down here in a smaller home, and kept the neighborhood ALIVE.
At least WE save more than a few hundred each year for the city's flawed decision to turn it's back on the south side...THANKS, everyone at City Hall.
You people make our lives a bit better, and I appreciate that.
Now, if you want MORE of OUR money, get your asses in gear and chase the damn crime and human trash the hell OUT of the area.
Then, maybe your budgets each year wouldn't be laced with so much RED ink, and you wouldn't have to CUT anything.
Just a thought, guys and gals...'ya never know UNTIL you try it, right?
Or, as Yoda might say:
"DO...or DO NOT...there IS no try."
From a fictional character comes some sage advice....for ANYONE...in ANY position...in ANY government.
May all of us also glean wisdom from souces we might not consider.
That is one of the nice things about life...we can ALWAYS learn so much.
Trouble is, a lot of us don't devote the time we often need to do so.
Part of living IS learning.
Therein lies today's lesson.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.