Friday Follies - Pre-4th of July Edition...
Here we finally are...at the doorsteps of another Birthday of America.
Lots to dive into this AM, so let's get started...
And again, I apologize for the tardiness of today's post, but the grocery beckoned and we made out pretty well.
More about that later, but for now, an update to yesterday's shooting death:
*** (( Published: July 1, 2011 3:00 a.m.
12th homicide victim dies at shooting scene - Archie Ingersoll The Journal Gazette
A man with a gunshot wound to his chest was found dead early Thursday on a sidewalk in southeast Fort Wayne.
A neighbor looking out a window saw the man lying along Bowser Avenue, south of the intersection with McKee Street, and called authorities about 1:15 a.m. to make a report, said officer Scott Tegtmeyer, a Fort Wayne police spokesman.
"They didn’t see anybody else," Tegtmeyer said of the neighbor. "They just saw him on the sidewalk."
Officers were dispatched to the neighborhood, near South Anthony Boulevard and East Pontiac Street, and found the man unresponsive. Medics arrived and declared him dead at the scene, police said.
The man has not been identified, but the Allen County Coroner’s Office declared his death a homicide from a gunshot wound or wounds. His death is the 12th homicide in Fort Wayne and
Allen County in 2011. Tegtmeyer said police have no suspects and have made no arrests in connection with the shooting.
Peyton Gunn, who lives with his grandma near Bowser and McKee, said he was at home at the time of the shooting, which, by his estimate, was about 12:30 a.m.
"The only thing I heard was a gunshot last night, and I kept myself in the room," the 21-year-old said, adding that he didn’t see anyone when he looked outside. ))
Well, told 'ya it WAS a homicide...after a while, you just KNOW what IS...and what ISN'T.
And given the nature of the "people" in a given area, it only reinforces one's perspective as to WHO is really living all around you.
*** Take our "newbies" across the side street (puh-lease)...another "family" (this time of Hispanic persuasion on the male side) moves in and after I "size them up", I find I'm correct about my take on them...AGAIN.
The male has tattoos on both arms and shoulders, and has people stopping by that I personally would not want hanging around OUR place, many with backpacks (muling street-corner pharmaceuticals?).
Well, this morning around 0230 hrs., this male and a black cohort were busy setting off FIREWORKS (and rather nice loud ones, too).
I "thought" that some officer would be in the area, hear the din, and tell them to quit (it WAS after the times allotted by city ORDINANCES).
Nope...not a glimmer, even AFTER a solid FORTY-FIVE MINUTES.
So, I called it into dispatch and that had to cause an officer to swing by the area...and it must have worked, because the fireworks stopped and I was able to steal a few more Z's from the sandman.
Now, I have enough bother trying to sleep in this ghettohood as it is (and sleep with a loaded pistol very close at hand as a result), but when we start pulling this pre-holiday "Somnius Interruptus" (from Bob's Lexicon for Latin Dropouts), enough becomes truly enough.
Suffice it to say, that I have yet ANOTHER house to "keep tabs" on...seems the fun never stops.
Oh, and if they decide to hold MORE "garage sales" THIS weekend, they WILL be reported to Neighborhood Code Enforcement.
You want to sell sh*t EVERY week?
Go somewhere ELSE and OPEN a damn STORE...!
This is a RESIDENTIAL AREA...and NOT a "business zone", got it?
And now, for something completely different...
*** I watched Glenn Beck's LAST daily show on FOX yesterday (at 5 PM), and I wasn't disappointed one damn bit.
It was a wonderful retrospective into those all too brief two and a half years (more, since I used to watch him on CNN when he had a show there), and I found myself laughing at some of those antics he played again.
Who else would talk about using a chainsaw on a cute bunny rabbit? (he never did, btw)
And who else would have as much FOOD on his show (more than Giada DeLaurentiis)?
It was indeed a show of LEARNING...as well as a show full of "firsts".
The guests he had on wised me up on a lot of things from history to economics to politics...and back again.
It was refreshing to see people I had never heard of before his show, come on, and make SENSE to such a degree that I would want to follow up and read even more about what they discussed.
Thought my "learnin' days" were over....guess not quite yet...LOL.
My Dad always said that "The day you stop learning, son, is the day they plant you in the ground"...and he was right on that, too.
To me, Glenn's show was a combination of Mister Rogers, Morton Downey Jr, Edward R. Murrow, and Captain Kangaroo.
Yeah, I know THOSE are a weird combination, but you had to follow the show AND know about those other gentlemen in depth to fully appreciate what Beck has accomplished.
Like I said, much of history that I'd either forgotten about, or never even learned to begin with came ALIVE.
What this nation stands for meant something I had long taken for granted.
And this Monday, we'll be talking about THAT a little more in depth.
So stay tuned, my friends.
*** At the top, I mentioned about grocery shopping...and considering it was before the 4th, it was not a bad experience today.
The shelves were stocked, and checkout went SMOOTHLY (and that was a surprise AND a godsend).
Then again we get rolling before 0800...when all the morons are still asleep from being drunk, high and shooting off fireworks at 0300 hrs.
We only spent $60 (and change) and got meat (boneless beef ribs), AND a 12 pk of Sam Adams Summer Ale ($10.88). Funny thing, the SIX-PACK was $9.49, so I think we made out like bandits on the "twelve", don'cha think?
The best thing was that no one on the roads attempted to KILL us, as is normally the case whenever morons hit the highways of America.
Traffic was light (amazingly), and very easy to navigate to AND from the store....exceptional!
Hell, we even had a red-tailed HAWK park his butt on our patio fence (until the missus screamed for me to come in there and see...which scared the bugger off...LOL)
According to Indian lore, the spirit of a loved one often resides in the embodiment of a creature of nature, such as a hawk...or a bear...or wolf.
Maybe it's one of my parents or even a dear friend come to "visit" and make sure I'm doing OK.
And perhaps they wanted to assure me that things will work out for the best.
Hey, it all works for me.
I've always believed the native Americans had a special "rapport" with the GREAT SPIRIT, so who am I to argue with folks that are "connected", right?
*** Finally this week, we're getting set to "celebrate" America's BIRTHDAY, and I want all of you to take to heart WHAT THAT MEANS.
Think about the SALES...the BBQs...the FIREWORKS...the PARTIES...
Also think about the drunkenness, the inappropriate behavior, the kids running loose all over, and drug usage.
Is THAT what's important to this nation when it comes to commemorating the BIRTH of America?
Is that what's important to YOU?
Sure, its nice to get together with family and friends, but take heed that you not lose sight of the main REASON behind the celebration.
This nation's birthday is NOT a reason to see how STUPID you can become under the influence of alcohol or ghettohood "pharms".
And it certainly isn't a cause to actively seek to BOTHER OTHERS with your stupidity...that you should keep well at home
There ARE many of us that KNOW (or are in the process of learning) WHAT is meant by our INDEPENDENCE DAY.
Other nations also have their own days of freedom, but they have never achieved the success WE did in THIS country, and many are STILL seeking it, through constant strife and bloodshed.
My parents were always fond of saying: "Think before you act", and I think that carries a lot of weight when wanting to celebrate ANY special day, but even more so when it come to OUR day of INDEPENDENCE.
I would think that many of us WILL be thinking this July 4th...and not only about our nation's PAST (or even present), but more importantly, about our FUTURE.
We're all headed there anyway, right?
Have yourselves a fantastic weekend, and we'll catch you all on Monday the 4th.
In the meantime:
Be well, make a difference to someone, and as always...
Stay safe out there, America.