Monday Musings...
And, it's another rainy day (morning at least) here in Fort Wayne, but, unlike the old Carpenters' song, it shouldn't "get us down" (not even me, surprisingly).
A new week, and lots of new "stuff" out there for our perusal, so let's get our feet wet, metaphorically-speaking that is, unless you'd prefer walking about this AM sans footwear...

*** Today in the Summit City, we "officially" kick off our LEAF-PICKUP schedule (up North, of course - the south gets last-ups, as usual).
I was out yesterday morning blowing OUR leaves to the curb-strip (2nd time - out front), and to the edge of the "berm" along the side street (as per the guidelines set about BY the city)...no problem for me at all.
Like I said the other week, there is ALWAYS a RIGHT WAY to do something, as well as a WRONG WAY.
I prefer the RIGHT way, and not because my values tend towards the conservative...lol.
Others...not so much.
This excerpt is from the WPTA website from the leaf collection story:
(( ...The city asks that residents check storm drains and clear leaves from the drains in order to prevent street flooding.
The schedule is as follows:
October 24-28 North
October 31-Nov 4 Central
November 7-10 South
November 14-18 North
November 28- Dec 2 Central
December 5-9 South
The shortened week of Thanksgiving, November 21-23, 2011 will be a catch-up week.
Leaf collection can occur on any day of the designated collection week. It is important for residents to have leaves ready for pick-up by 7:00am on Monday of their designated week. Crews cannot backtrack through neighborhoods.
Leaf collection is provided at the street only. Leaves are to be raked to the curb or park strip in front of the residence or placed in biodegradable bags for collection. Other yard waste should not be mixed with the leaves, and cars should not be parked over the leaves. ))
Last evening on the news when they AGAIN made the pickup announcements, they SPECIFICALLY mentioned about NOT placing leaves in (or near) sewer inlets or culverts, because of a backup problem...guess some folks have "selective hearing" when it comes to doing what's correct.
Next up, a ray of "hope" at the end of a VERY long tunnel, perhaps?
*** The house 2 doors down was recently purchased by Hispanics (at least I won't be hearing ebonics), and apparently, the place needed a NEW roof.
So, on Saturday, several men showed up and did a complete tear-off and replacement of the roof (not that easy, given the slope of the main structure - much like OURS...very severe in nature).
Suffice it to say, those buggers worked their butts off ALL DAY Saturday until the sun set, and then cleaned up AFTER themselves (that is a major accomplishment by damn near anyone around here, except for yours truly).



Yesterday, another guy came out (with a friend) and finished it off...looks pretty good, too.
I have to say that THOSE SEVERAL HISPANICS have done MORE WORK on this block than ALL the black men (combined) have done in TEN YEARS...
That says something about not being AFRAID to work...or being "allergic" to lifting a hammer.
Granted, this doesn't say much about turning this ghettohood BACK into a real neighborhood, BUT...it says SOMETHING, and something positive (no matter how small) is ALWAYS preferred over NOTHING (like the city's done, along with all the section 8ers that have taken the hell over).
Fortunately, I DO like Julio Inglesias AND Mariachi music...and tacos...LOL.
All I can do is hope this bodes better than the last dozen or so renters I've had the distinct DIS-pleasure to be exposed to.
Moving on...
*** It seems you can't even talk a stroll along the (...all together, gang...) SOUTHEAST SIDE of the city, even on a nice fall day, as evidenced by THIS story:
(( No suspect in afternoon shooting
Updated: Sunday, 23 Oct 2011, 2:27 PM EDT
Published : Sunday, 23 Oct 2011, 2:16 PM EDT
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) -
Police said they do not have any details about who shot a man in a Fort Wayne neighborhood intersection Sunday afternoon.
According to Fort Wayne Police Department Sgt. Mark Dolezal, a man in his late teens or early twenties was shot in the neck just after 1 p.m. Sunday after talking with someone that pulled up alongside him while he was walking in the 4100 block of Buell Drive, near Branning Avenue intersection.
Dolezal said the man was shot once in the neck and then walked into the intersection where passers-by saw him and called police.
Emergency personnel took him to Lutheran Hospital in serious condition.
People in the area told police they heard the gunshot, but did not actually see the shooting happen.
One witness did say the gunman drove off in a car but could not remember what either the person or car looked like.
Due to a lack of detail, investigators do not have any leads about a suspect at this time. ))
*** And then...there's THIS:
(( Fatal shooting considered accidental - Archie Ingersoll The Journal Gazette
A man died Sunday after accidentally shooting himself with a gun in a north-side home, a Fort Wayne police spokesman said.
Officer John Chambers said the man was believed to be in the basement of the home when the gun went off about 10 a.m.
Medics were sent to the home in the 1000 block of Curdes Avenue, but the man, whose name and exact age were not disclosed, died at the scene.
Chambers said investigating officers determined that the shooting appeared to be accidental.
Information on what led police to that conclusion was not released.
The Allen County Coroner’s Office will make a final ruling on the man’s cause and manner of death. ))
When it comes to GUN SAFETY, the FIRST thing you need to know is to CLEAR THE WEAPON...!!!
Lose the magazine, rack the action to expel any rounds chambered, and lock the action back.
Long guns are easier...dump the mag (if it has one), clear the action...done.
Lever and bolt actions - ditto.
Shotguns need to be racked with fingers OFF the damn trigger, until empty (or take the damn choke end off).
Side-by-sides or over/unders need to be "broken" open and shells extracted.
With a wheelgun, extract the rounds to empty the chambers...doesn't get ANY simpler than that, does it?
And you clear it safely, and in a direction AWAY from you, or anyone else...
THEN, and only then, can you proceed with whatever needs doing in that matter...period.
People do NOT need to be the results of bad decisions when clearing their weapons.
*** Gadhafi is STILL dead...AND on ice (at a Libyan supermarket)...literally!
How marvelously ironic that such a dictator would be on view right next to the Birds Eye veggie pallet and lamb chops?
Personally, I think it's great.
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
The only thing is that the interim government is liking SHARIA LAW...not particularly a good thing.
*** Violence ramping up at OWS events, with even reporters being set upon..
- Chicago is having a "face-off" of sorts (and with hockey season upon us) with disorderly crowds at their "occupy" protests.
- Arrests in NYC have topped 900 (so far) at a cost to the city (for NYPD O/T) surpassing $4 MILLION BUCKS!
- Philly is almost at the half-million dollar mark themselves.
- And here in Fort Wayne, the public toilets at Headwaters Park (staging and campground for the occupiers) are set to CLOSE this weekend...
Amazing how little we've heard about anyone occupying Washington, D.C.?
If you want a really excellent take on this whole situation, take a bop over to the News-Sentinel website and read Kevin Leininger's article about it.
here's the link (and it's a good read):
http://news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111022/COL01/310229989
Kevin not only covers the fort Wayne occupation, but does a service to expound upon the greater issue, that being "peace through appeasement"...and how history has taught us that this never works.
You give into such people, and they will want more...it's this whole "entitlement" scenario for them. These people have grown dependent on this, and pretty much expect it...from anyone for any reason.
*** Lastly today, I've become a big "fan" of the movie V For Vendetta, and not for the reasons you think.
I am planning a much more "in depth" post soon about the movie, the graphic novel, and the whole ideology behind them and the OWSers, and why whenever I see a Guy Fawkes mask on any of these protesters, I think it's painting the wrong picture, and such protesters don't understand the symbolism behind that mask, but rather see it ONLY as a form of (any) revolution as they impose their OWN symbolism upon it, period.




-- To that, I have become an owner of one of those masks (and not for Halloween), as well as picking up a 12 inch "V" figure that TALKS.
I did get it out-of-box on eBay for HALF/PRICE...can't beat that with a stick.
I look at this anti-hero NOT as a terrorist outright, but as someone who wants to do the RIGHT thing...for the RIGHT reasons (personal vengeance aside from the bigger issue of freedom and liberty for a nation's people).
And sometimes, you have to pursue JUSTICE in means other than what is considered "acceptable" by those that would have us be apathetic followers of whatever dictates a government would impose upon us.
Our own Revolutionary War spoke as much to that end...We (America) wanted to be free from tyranny, and we weren't going to get there without some bloodshed and violence. But we did NOT fire that first shot...we just made sure we fired the LAST one, and that after the carnage was over, we would rise from it a better nation...and a better people for having done what we needed to do.
I think, in that, there has been (since) a sense of establishment, as to our liberty and freedom from England.
Where and how we have proceeded from there is what comprises our history to date.
Where we go from NOW, is what we need to set our minds to, and how we proceed will be under scrutiny...make no mistake.
We should always want to do what is right and just for ourselves and this nation.
And we should should never have to settle for anything less.
Now there's something to ponder...
Have yourselves a great week.
Be well, make a difference to someone today, and...
Stay safe out there, America.