Friday Follies...
Well my friends, we have made it to another weekend...relatively UNSCATHED, unless you include the fact that CRUDE OIL has DROPPED to $85 a barrel, and we're STILL forking over $3.85 (and UP...mostly up) at the pumps, or the FACT that the Dow took a nosedive yesterday since our "debt-ceiling crisis" has been averted (yeah, the rest of the world is shaking now, too).
And that's about the BEST news we can find to end this week on...amazing.
Sure glad the government isn't "all that bad"...ROFLMAO!
This was the last Friday grocery trip for the Missus and I (we return to Saturdays next week...joy), and the Waynedale Scotts gave us a great "send-off"...a LONG wait in the checkout line (only ONE register was initially open)...astounding!
Still, it wasn't that bad..traffic was light (the "locals" are still nestled on the mattresses on the floors on their government-sponsored hovels, Lord bless them), and even before we set off, we had our OTHER "friends" stopping by...like my buddy, Gimpy the squirrel.
Wifey and I were talking about the traffic patterns down south here, and we've noticed the INCREASES all over the place.
Now, before you go and say it's "due to all the new businesses"...you're not correct in that thinking.
It's because these neighborhoods were FIRST designed with single family houses with perhaps ONE (maybe TWO cars), and not for EVERY damn household. THAT is why when people are allowed to park on BOTH sides of the street, it makes it damn near impossible to STILL have two-way traffic.
As for the larger, main thoroughfares?
Well, they're stretched to the limit when it comes to traffic flow. Look at South Anthony...or Lafayette, or even McKinnie (where all the FWCS bus stops seem to be), or even Rudisill or Oxford. They often back up like cheap toilets (which can be found in most any rental down here, btw).
Bad traffic patterns only ADD to the reasons that businesses shy away from down here, and if you drive up NORTH (where all the businesses seem to be), traffic there is HORRIBLE. It's like hurry up and WAIT when it comes to major intersections, but that is what happens when over development trumps proper traffic planning...
"Let's put the STORES in first...we'll worry about access and egress LATER..."
Yeah, that ALWAYS works...NOT!
(and then, due to CONSTRUCTION that has to occur to make traffic flow BETTER, traffic backs up EVEN MORE...)
You can never seem to win, that's for sure.
So, Happy Motoring, gang...enjoy the ride.
*** And speaking of "rides"...how's about a FREE one...like to DOWNTOWN?
(( Published: August 5, 2011 3:00 a.m.
Robber stages 3 heists in 5 hours, police say - Jeff Wiehe The Journal Gazette
He hit two drugstores and one gas station on Fort Wayne’s north side early Thursday.
Each time he’d pretend to browse around before making his way to the register. He’d demand money from the cashier and, if questioned, he’d reachbehind his back or root around in his pockets, making it at least look like he had a weapon.
His loot: cash, a bottle of vodka, orange juice, cigarettes and an energy drink.
And now Fort Wayne police are looking for him.
The man, described as 5-foot-8 to 6 feet tall, black with a medium build and a teardrop tattoo under one eye, began his robbery spree a little after midnight and ended it just before 5 a.m., struggling with one cashier along the way.
First, the man went into the CVS at 2802 E. State Blvd. at 12:35 a.m. and left with some cash, the vodka and the orange juice.
At the time he wore a red shirt, which police said he later shed.
He walked into the Walgreens at 2410 Coliseum Blvd. N. wearing a yellow shirt at 4:26 a.m. and left with just a carton of cigarettes. According to police, he had a struggle with the cashier before leaving.
Less than a half-hour later, at 4:51 a.m., he robbed the Marathon gas station at 5830 Coldwater Road of money and one energy drink.
Fort Wayne police are asking anyone with information to call the department at 427-1222 or Crime Stoppers at 436-7867. ))
But, WAIT...there IS a happy ending...
(( Editor's note: The man , Christopher Miles, suspected of robbing 3 Fort Wayne stores early Thursday morning was arrested in Decatur Friday, according to WANE. According to Decatur Police Chief Ken Ketzler, Christopher Miles was picked up between 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. after several tips led officers to find him at the 17th Street Apartments. ))
Now, he's a "guest" of the Allen County lockup...enjoy your stay, Christopher.
That teardrop tattoo usually signifies how many people HE killed, or it can also mean the number of "friends" lost to rival gangs.
Either way, he's a loser!
*** And this story is interesting because of a "personal" involvement in years past.
(( Published: August 5, 2011 3:00 a.m.
‘Drano’ bomb left at city park
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - A suspicious item found by a Fort Wayne police officer in Lawton Park was blown up by the FWPD bomb squad Thursday morning.
According to the Fort Wayne Police Department, the bomb squad was called to Lawton Park after a person walking in the park found a swollen 2-liter plastic bottle containing some type of substance at 6:52 a.m., according to police. The bomb technician responded and deemed the bottle a "Drano bomb," made out of a combination of materials including the product that helps unclog pipes.
FWPD said the officer found a two liter bottle that was elongated to twice its normal size, distorted, capped and filled with some kind of foamy substance.
The bomb had not exploded, and the bomb technician "disturbed" the bottle to make sure it was safe, police said.
Shortly before 8:00 a.m., the bomb squad blew up the bottle, which turned out to be a Drano Bomb that had not blown up.
A summer camp with Lakewood Park visited the area Thursday. Supervisor Colette Swathwood was disappointed someone would leave the bottle there, especially because so many kids visit.
"One of our things that we try to teach the kids is not to litter. So a lot of our kids go around and they're picking up trash and they're trying to be supportive of their community," Swathwood said. "To have them try and go up and do a good thing and be injured from something like that, we're going to have to go through and make sure we're educating our students."
Police do not know who put it in the park.
Thursday’s case marked the second time the department has investigated a bottle-type bomb – not necessarily a Drano bomb – this year, Foster said. There were 11 such cases last year.
Anyone who might have information about who left the bomb, is asked to call the police department at 427-1222. ))
About TEN (or so) years ago, we had a bottle bomb tossed on OUR lawn, and when it went off, you thought either a transformer popped or a damn water heater blew the hell up...yeah, they're THAT loud, especially when within 20 feet of your house.
I went outside the next morning and saw the remains of the bottle and some foil, so I "gloved-up", and placed the shards in a plastic bag, and then emailed our quadrant captain to see if they wanted to come by and pick it up.
To this day...not a word was said regarding this....Maybe, I should call the media and let them know how "involved" the command staff of the FWPD seemed to be all those years ago?
Now, I could "suppose" that bomb was there to "chase" us away...sorry, I don't scare THAT easily (and now, I can return fire with glee - note to criminals that think they're bad-assed...you have been warned, and ONE warning is ALL you will ever receive.)
These bottle bombs are VERY easy to manufacture, and I can attest that I could make one in a few minutes...without using DRANO...and I could make it a LOT more "effective"...yeah, some things you never forget, even if it was in another "lifetime".
People are becoming more adept at making this homemade crap, thanks to the Internet, and items like The Anarchist's Cookbook...like we really need THAT these days to motivate these twisted individuals.
The FWPD bomb squad did an OK job of dealing with the "device", but it could have been handled a bit differently.
They could have just used a set of long-handled "grips" (or the robot "BOB"), then PLACED the bottle into a "containment" vessel, and then taken it away to be detonated ELSEWHERE, instead of ON THE DAMN BRIDGE.
As it stands now, the bridge suffered TWO damaged planks, that will have to be replaced.
And, if the device had something "else" inside it, there could have been frag damage within a radius of a good TWENTY feet.
But, it's not like I know anything about such stuff...
(and I was never here, either...lol)
*** Lastly today, are you ready for difficult times?
If we rolled back to Depression-Era times, how well would you fare?
Can you cook? Sew? How are those survival instincts doing?
Now, I'm not saying we're all soon to become Grizzly Adams, living off the land, for in such times as these, society has been all but weaned off of the self-sufficiency that our predecessors enjoyed.
I don't think we're heading towards Armageddon yet, but with the state of the GLOBAL economies, and the manner in which America fits into the mix, it could rough-going for a while.
We might have to do without some things...we might have to prioritize what we deem as NECESSITIES, and even do the unthinkable...SAVE MONEY (or look for alternatives to money).
If that means getting precious metals...fine.
If that means precious gems as well, okie-dokie. (because even the gemstone markets are RISING past levels I could never imagine)
The price of DIAMONDS are following the price of GOLD...and SILVER.
And, if we look back to antiquity, precious STONES were some of the FIRST currencies we had on the face of the planet.
There are many ways we can see ourselves through such things, but the foremost method is knowing what to do when the unexpected comes along.
We can never prepare for EVERY eventuality, but by God, we can sure prepare for a FEW of them.
And if every one of us takes some time to re-evaluate our life, and how we can make it as good as we can, for as long as we can, we WILL come out the other side of this none the worse for wear.
That, my friends is much of the story of THIS nation; people who LEARNED...people who can LEAD, and people who can TEACH.
We can always do better, but it should never have to take a Sword of Damocles hanging over our head to urge us into motivating ourselves.
THAT we should be able to accomplish BY OURSELVES...FOR ourselves, and then to help others do likewise.
It's who we are..and who we should be...all the time.
Have yourselves a great weekend.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and as always...
Stay SAFE out there, America.
"TRUTH WILL ULTIMATELY PREVAIL WHERE THERE IS PAINS TO BRING IT TO LIGHT." ~ (George Washington) ~ Submitted for your contemplation is a compendium of commentary, news, opinions, contrasts, and similarities regarding the many facets of the human condition be they found in Indiana, or Pennsylvania, or wherever else the 4 winds blow ~ It's COMMON SENSE for the common man (or woman) ~ Your mileage may vary.
05 August 2011
04 August 2011
It's Not a Bad Day - So Far...
I was thinking about what to blog about today...perhaps something like decrying how BAD the government is...or how most all my "neighbors" are dirty AND lazy...or even hearkening back to days "when I was young", but I figured many of you already do that (and quite well on YOUR blogs, I must say)...LOL.
Yes, there are a few out there who attempt to suggest what you should (or should not) post about, but hey, this IS still America, and the last time I checked, the FIRST AMENDMENT was in full-swing, so to any detractors out there...find another channel to peruse, because only THE TRUTH will be appointed to reign HERE...
With that said, let's move on...
*** Da Prez turns the Big "5-0"...
(and we thought the 5-0 meant the po-po were coming...silly us)
Yep, President Obama turns 50 today, and it's kinda sad to see him share the same horoscope sign as myself (LEO - no police pun intended there...lol). In some ways, we share a few traits (we like to be right...thing is, I AM a lot more than HE is...), so maybe we should switch places?
Nah, the world does NOT want me to have the "football" THAT close to me.
I can see a LOT of nations looking for a big table to crawl under quickly.
But, if I were President, let's just say that America would be some place the terrorists would NEVER want to screw with ever again.
Oh, and that goes for illegal aliens...from ANY other nation.
Now, the President celebrated with a $38,500 a plate "reception" (fundraiser) in Chi-Town last evening...
Wish I could charge that much for all the kids that used to come to my parties (I was lucky to get a lousy CARD)...hell, I could have retired 20 years ago...LOL!
I wonder if Obama had to get a special EPA waiver for all those candles (and their carbon-footprint) ...or did they just use CFL substitutes, in lieu of the "greening" of America?
And isn't that BIRTHDAY CAKE on the "endangered species" list of foods Michelle (my belle) Obama is trying to eradicate?
(perhaps it was made from TOFU...with ALGAE ICING)
I can truthfully say that although I do not have the "privileged" background in scholastic achievements or that "sheepskin" from some prestigious university, I've got a LOT more "on the ball" that our fearless leader - and SO DO YOU.
Like COMMON SENSE (which must NOT be taught at those colleges, OR at any social activist rallies), or LOGIC and REASON.
Well, Obama's got another NINE years to get to where I'm at chronologically, so MAY-BE he'll catch on during that time...we can but hope.
Just because everyone gets OLDER, doesn't mean everyone becomes SMARTER...or WISER.
(That is reserved for those of us that HAVE paid attention and actually LEARNED things from life's experiences)
Elsewhere...
*** Had a visit yesterday from my friend, Phil Marx, and I must say that it's ALWAYS refreshing and enlightening to have someone over to our "Fortress" that not only has a brain, but knows HOW to use it (unlike the locals here).
Conversations with him are always great, no matter how light (or deep) the topics might be.
He KNOWS what it's like when crime comes to your corner...he's been there.
We may not be on the exact same page politically, but we DO agree on other things and we both KNOW what should work, and what does not when to comes to deterring crime in our respective areas. And yes, most of it IS plain old common sense.
*** A new "Mega-Kroger" comes to Fort Wayne (soon).
Here's the link to the story:
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/local/kroger-store-size-doubles-with-marketplace-model?ref=scroller&categoryId=20000&status=true
Now, our mayor is all giddy with this, and why not? It's a HUGE store, complete with a marketplace, furniture gallery and other sundry home goods.
it will be the LARGEST Kroger in the whole damn state.
Only trouble is...it will be UP NORTH (where all the OTHER real businesses already are, and have been for quite some time)...!
Meanwhile, on the SE side, we're busy trying to build NEW rentals for indigent transients...what a damn disconnect (must be all the CRIME down here).
We don't OPEN a new Krogers down here...we tend to CLOSE them instead...like the one on Decatur Road (the large cornucopia sign) that's been vacant for OVER TWO YEARS (and counting).
And that's why the Missus and I prefer to trek out to Waynedale to shop...a lot better than the Kroger at Southgate Plaza (which although larger, has way too many undesirable elements to make me feel warm and fuzzy...and we prefer to have OUR CAR where we left it when we come back outside).
Hey, maybe we can get that "Shop With A Cop" gig working for us when we go GROCERY shopping (they only do it for kids at Christmas)?
*** This story shows that ONE person (or maybe even two) CAN make a difference. here's the link:
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/local/neighbors-help-nab-burglary-suspect
Now this demonstrates what is meant by a sense of COMMUNITY...took this dumbass perp to ground!
I love it.
The perp broke into the house after the police and family left the residence because of an elderly woman's death.
What do I tell you about OTHER people watching YOUR house...they DO, and often enough.
Preying on an already distressed family...how pathetic.
At least neighbors know what to do in HUNTINGTON, Indiana...!
And at least people HAVE decent neighbors there...wish I could say the same thing (I used to years ago).
*** If you didn't get gas by late last night, you might see some "sticker-shock" at the pumps THIS morning around Fort Wayne.
(( Gas prices are up again at some FW stations - $3.85 a gallon.
Updated: Thursday, 04 Aug 2011, 4:14 AM EDT
Published : Thursday, 04 Aug 2011, 3:54 AM EDT
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - If you need gas Thursday morning, and drive by a station that's less than $3.70 a gallon you might want to stop.
A few stations around Fort Wayne increased prices to $3.85 late Wednesday night.
Most are in the southwest and northern parts of town. ))
Here we go AGAIN...(you might want to see to getting that LOCKING GAS CAP pretty soon)
*** Finally this morning, when was the last time you tried to make your life MORE difficult?
When did you go out of your way to actively seek strife?
You're probably saying: "Hell no, I NEVER do that...I try to do the EXACT OPPOSITE".
(good for you)
Yet, try as we might, trouble will invariably come along and meet us.
We do not have to look for it.
And, many times, all we can do with such a "wild ride" is to hold on for dear life.
Sometimes, it can be OBVIOUS...other times, more subtle than a summer breeze at sundown.
We can never plan for EVERY eventuality...we just don't have the time or the resources...
But, we can take some time to ponder our preparedness.
Are we doing what we can to be aware that something wicked this way could come?
Or are we just riding the waves of life, oblivious to the pitfalls that will find us?
I believe we are made of sterner stuff...and we can more often that not, prevail.
We can't spend every waking hour worrying about things, either...that only gets us an early grave and some nice flowers on top.
We need to find a balance...between CONCERN and LIVING.
Too much of one dispels the other, and life is too short AND complex for that.
Each of us can do both...in proper moderation, but that also takes some work on our part.
We all have responsibilities to attend to, be they the children, the household, our careers...whatever.
We also have a responsibility to OURSELVES.
And that is perhaps the best place to begin.
Maybe life has beaten us up a little...or a lot. No matter.
We need to keep our path and press forward.
The strength of our resolve can often be the deciding factor when it comes to how we live our lives, as well as how we deal with life's problems.
Our character, born of our parents, and their parents before them helps to determine WHO we have become, and HOW we meet challenges of everyday life. We make up the balance.
We strive to be strong in those aspects, so that we can remain strong...for ourselves and for those who care for.
It's always YOUR choice...no matter what.
Make it as good a choice as you can...every day.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.
I was thinking about what to blog about today...perhaps something like decrying how BAD the government is...or how most all my "neighbors" are dirty AND lazy...or even hearkening back to days "when I was young", but I figured many of you already do that (and quite well on YOUR blogs, I must say)...LOL.
Yes, there are a few out there who attempt to suggest what you should (or should not) post about, but hey, this IS still America, and the last time I checked, the FIRST AMENDMENT was in full-swing, so to any detractors out there...find another channel to peruse, because only THE TRUTH will be appointed to reign HERE...
With that said, let's move on...
*** Da Prez turns the Big "5-0"...
(and we thought the 5-0 meant the po-po were coming...silly us)
Yep, President Obama turns 50 today, and it's kinda sad to see him share the same horoscope sign as myself (LEO - no police pun intended there...lol). In some ways, we share a few traits (we like to be right...thing is, I AM a lot more than HE is...), so maybe we should switch places?
Nah, the world does NOT want me to have the "football" THAT close to me.
I can see a LOT of nations looking for a big table to crawl under quickly.
But, if I were President, let's just say that America would be some place the terrorists would NEVER want to screw with ever again.
Oh, and that goes for illegal aliens...from ANY other nation.
Now, the President celebrated with a $38,500 a plate "reception" (fundraiser) in Chi-Town last evening...
Wish I could charge that much for all the kids that used to come to my parties (I was lucky to get a lousy CARD)...hell, I could have retired 20 years ago...LOL!
I wonder if Obama had to get a special EPA waiver for all those candles (and their carbon-footprint) ...or did they just use CFL substitutes, in lieu of the "greening" of America?
And isn't that BIRTHDAY CAKE on the "endangered species" list of foods Michelle (my belle) Obama is trying to eradicate?
(perhaps it was made from TOFU...with ALGAE ICING)
I can truthfully say that although I do not have the "privileged" background in scholastic achievements or that "sheepskin" from some prestigious university, I've got a LOT more "on the ball" that our fearless leader - and SO DO YOU.
Like COMMON SENSE (which must NOT be taught at those colleges, OR at any social activist rallies), or LOGIC and REASON.
Well, Obama's got another NINE years to get to where I'm at chronologically, so MAY-BE he'll catch on during that time...we can but hope.
Just because everyone gets OLDER, doesn't mean everyone becomes SMARTER...or WISER.
(That is reserved for those of us that HAVE paid attention and actually LEARNED things from life's experiences)
Elsewhere...
*** Had a visit yesterday from my friend, Phil Marx, and I must say that it's ALWAYS refreshing and enlightening to have someone over to our "Fortress" that not only has a brain, but knows HOW to use it (unlike the locals here).
Conversations with him are always great, no matter how light (or deep) the topics might be.
He KNOWS what it's like when crime comes to your corner...he's been there.
We may not be on the exact same page politically, but we DO agree on other things and we both KNOW what should work, and what does not when to comes to deterring crime in our respective areas. And yes, most of it IS plain old common sense.
*** A new "Mega-Kroger" comes to Fort Wayne (soon).
Here's the link to the story:
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/local/kroger-store-size-doubles-with-marketplace-model?ref=scroller&categoryId=20000&status=true
Now, our mayor is all giddy with this, and why not? It's a HUGE store, complete with a marketplace, furniture gallery and other sundry home goods.
it will be the LARGEST Kroger in the whole damn state.
Only trouble is...it will be UP NORTH (where all the OTHER real businesses already are, and have been for quite some time)...!
Meanwhile, on the SE side, we're busy trying to build NEW rentals for indigent transients...what a damn disconnect (must be all the CRIME down here).
We don't OPEN a new Krogers down here...we tend to CLOSE them instead...like the one on Decatur Road (the large cornucopia sign) that's been vacant for OVER TWO YEARS (and counting).
And that's why the Missus and I prefer to trek out to Waynedale to shop...a lot better than the Kroger at Southgate Plaza (which although larger, has way too many undesirable elements to make me feel warm and fuzzy...and we prefer to have OUR CAR where we left it when we come back outside).
Hey, maybe we can get that "Shop With A Cop" gig working for us when we go GROCERY shopping (they only do it for kids at Christmas)?
*** This story shows that ONE person (or maybe even two) CAN make a difference. here's the link:
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/local/neighbors-help-nab-burglary-suspect
Now this demonstrates what is meant by a sense of COMMUNITY...took this dumbass perp to ground!
I love it.
The perp broke into the house after the police and family left the residence because of an elderly woman's death.
What do I tell you about OTHER people watching YOUR house...they DO, and often enough.
Preying on an already distressed family...how pathetic.
At least neighbors know what to do in HUNTINGTON, Indiana...!
And at least people HAVE decent neighbors there...wish I could say the same thing (I used to years ago).
*** If you didn't get gas by late last night, you might see some "sticker-shock" at the pumps THIS morning around Fort Wayne.
(( Gas prices are up again at some FW stations - $3.85 a gallon.
Updated: Thursday, 04 Aug 2011, 4:14 AM EDT
Published : Thursday, 04 Aug 2011, 3:54 AM EDT
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - If you need gas Thursday morning, and drive by a station that's less than $3.70 a gallon you might want to stop.
A few stations around Fort Wayne increased prices to $3.85 late Wednesday night.
Most are in the southwest and northern parts of town. ))
Here we go AGAIN...(you might want to see to getting that LOCKING GAS CAP pretty soon)
*** Finally this morning, when was the last time you tried to make your life MORE difficult?
When did you go out of your way to actively seek strife?
You're probably saying: "Hell no, I NEVER do that...I try to do the EXACT OPPOSITE".
(good for you)
Yet, try as we might, trouble will invariably come along and meet us.
We do not have to look for it.
And, many times, all we can do with such a "wild ride" is to hold on for dear life.
Sometimes, it can be OBVIOUS...other times, more subtle than a summer breeze at sundown.
We can never plan for EVERY eventuality...we just don't have the time or the resources...
But, we can take some time to ponder our preparedness.
Are we doing what we can to be aware that something wicked this way could come?
Or are we just riding the waves of life, oblivious to the pitfalls that will find us?
I believe we are made of sterner stuff...and we can more often that not, prevail.
We can't spend every waking hour worrying about things, either...that only gets us an early grave and some nice flowers on top.
We need to find a balance...between CONCERN and LIVING.
Too much of one dispels the other, and life is too short AND complex for that.
Each of us can do both...in proper moderation, but that also takes some work on our part.
We all have responsibilities to attend to, be they the children, the household, our careers...whatever.
We also have a responsibility to OURSELVES.
And that is perhaps the best place to begin.
Maybe life has beaten us up a little...or a lot. No matter.
We need to keep our path and press forward.
The strength of our resolve can often be the deciding factor when it comes to how we live our lives, as well as how we deal with life's problems.
Our character, born of our parents, and their parents before them helps to determine WHO we have become, and HOW we meet challenges of everyday life. We make up the balance.
We strive to be strong in those aspects, so that we can remain strong...for ourselves and for those who care for.
It's always YOUR choice...no matter what.
Make it as good a choice as you can...every day.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.
03 August 2011
Humpday Happenings...
A slightly MORE humid and a slightly LESS hot day awaits us in the Heartland today.
We got some THUNDERSTORMS last night and early this AM...imagine THAT!
And they are much needed around here...a far cry from the early Springtime showers we had DAILY.
We went from near-floods to near-drought in several weeks in the Midwest.
It's certainly playing holy hell with the farmers' crops, that's for sure.
Gonna be some price rises at the grocery in OUR future...I can feel it. (must be the arthritis acting up again...lol)
Anyway, I said we'd be talking about HUD today, and I am a man of my word, so here we go, boys & girls.
*** I want to start out with a story about the (here we go again) revitalization of the Pontiac-Creighton area of the city (now a brown-field littered slum trying to find itself)...
Last week I had a post that contained a story about redevelopment on the SE side of Fort Wayne (Tales from the South Side - 28 July), and how one neighbor (Cheryl Williams) said this was a bad idea, and was concerned about "who" would be moving into these houses
And she's 100% correct in her assessment of the situation.
So, NOW, the city is spending some MORE money (which could be better used elsewhere) on more "projects"...like THIS:
For the sake of brevity, here's the link to the article:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20110803/LOCAL/308039965
The city has ALREADY sunk $4 MILLION into this "future ghetto", and if you remember the story from my post of 26 July, according to the recent Census, blacks are moving FARTHER SOUTH (of the areas being redeveloped)...like to OCEAN SECTOR (out along the city's southern most border).
They've already inundated OUR neighborhood and have turned it into more of a ghettohood, and a lot of once nice houses have been trashed along the way...damn shame.
Now, if it were decent, working-class blacks who were people of good character, I'd not anything to bitch about...but it's the WRONG type of blacks (and some whites, Hispanics and others) that are moving south...the ones YOU pay for every damn month.
The ONE thing that is ALWAYS missing from these stories every time I read one of them is the lack of mention about CRIME.
And CRIME is the reason these areas have suffered and will suffer in the future. But, NO ONE wants to address that...everyone dances the hell around it or avoids it like the plague.
This city spends money like a damn drunken sailor on liberty when it comes to kissing ethnic ass...period.
(anything to keep 'em quiet, eh guys?)
Well, that's the way HUD / Section 8 operates, and if we were truly concerned about cutting the (out-of-control) federal spending, we could always START by ABOLISHING HUD straight away.
Put housing BACK into the hands of the REALTORS...totally. Keep the feds OUT of it.
They've already PROVEN they can't run RAILROADS...or SCHOOLS...or even CAR COMPANIES, so what makes them believe they can run the real estate / housing sector (Barney Frank - Fanny Mae and Freddy mac - major failure), hmm?
*** So the other day, I get this SURVEY from HUD...(okay, let's take a look)
There are THIRTY questions about housing (?), and the first question is:
** Question 1- Is this house, apartment of mobile home:
-Rented
-Occupied without payment or rent (squatting???)
-Owned by you or someone in the household w/ a mortgage or loan
-Owned by you or someone in the household free and clear
-This is not a residential house, apartment, or mobile home.
Well, that seems easy enough so far...I check the 4th box (free & clear)...onto the NEXT question, right?
WRONG...because I answered OTHER than "rented", I am now FINISHED with the damn survey...!
(( "WTF???" ))
Something's wrong here...that was TOO damn "easy".
Let's look at some of the OTHER questions that I WOULD HAVE answered were I on the gov't dole and sponsored by the TAXPAYERS of this nation.
** Question 5: Was this house built in the LAST TWO YEARS (my emphasis)
** Question 6: Do you or any member of this household live OR stay at this address year round?
(If I don't, I guess I'm HOME-LESS, right?)
** Question 7: Is this house, apartment, or mobile home owned by a RELATIVE?
(why ...they wanna get on welfare, too?)
Now , you have to remember that THIS is a survey concerning RENTAL HOUSING COSTS...keep the word COSTS in mind.
** Question 8: Do you do any WORK for your landlord so you pay LESS rent?
(WHAT? THESE people WORK? Are you frigging ON CRACK or something???)
The next two questions pertained to fluctuating rental fees during the year (like when you can't steal enough sh*t to fence, and cry to the landlord to let you slide until NEXT month)
** Question 11: Is your rent amount LOWER because you are in a government-housing program?
** Question 12: Is the housing authority your landlord? (No, actually, it's the poor working slobs that pay our way)
** Question 13: Does a local housing authority own this house, apartment, or mobile home?
Then, HUD wants to know the AMOUNT paid by "the family".
(cue the Godfather theme, I guess)
** Question 16: Does your household have a HOUSING VOUCHER that allows you to CHOOSE where you live and pays the rent?
(Hell, yeah, that's how we trash whitey's neighborhoods in the FIRST damn place, you moron)
The next several questions are about utilities...whether they are included in the rent agreement.
HUD wants to know if the house, apartment, mobile home has the following:
(this is where it gets really good)
--What FUEL is used most for heating?
--Is AIR-CONDITIONING included?
--What COOKING fuel is used? (charcoal - they ONLY know how to use a BBQ grill...lol)
--Is HOT WATER included in the rent?
--Which FUEL is used to heat the water?
--Is WATER included in the rent?
--Is the cost of LIGHTING included?
--Is there a separate charge for range and fridge?
--Is trash collection included (nah, we just toss it on whitey's lawn and he picks it up)
--Is sewage included in the rent?
Now anyone with HALF a freaking brain would KNOW these are ALL included somewhere, and maybe you DO have to pay for some amenities, but these folks don't...long as YOU'RE working.
These last few questions REALLY piss me off...
** Question 27: How many different residential landline phone numbers, and not extensions, ring into your household?
(You're NOT serious, right? What is this a damn switchboard for drug selling? Lemme hand you to our NEXT available assistant)
** Question 28: Do you or anyone in your family have a working cell phone?
(no, the one I stole off that old lady got turned off the next day...does that count?)
** Question 28a: (if you have a cell phone) How many cell phones do you or the people in your family have?
(ever hear of a PAY PHONE, idiot?)
** Question 28b: (if you have a cell phone) Of all the telephone CALLS that you receive or your family receives are...
-All or most all calls on cell phones
-Some calls received on cell phones
-Very few on none received on cell phones
The final two questions as the TOWN and ZIP code...
And there you are...YOUR tax dollars at work (so these other folks don't HAVE to - YOU paid for the creation OF the survey, the MAILING of it, the RETURN ENVELOPE, and the people for which the survey pertains...nice to know you;re being SO dutiful as a citizen, isn't it?).
I haven't decided on HOW to answer this...I might just write in BOLD RED LETTERS across the front:
S C A M !!!
Or, I was thinking of a nasty-gram to HUD itself...love to piss off these people...they need it.
But no one gives a rat's ass about those people who OWN a home, and are living IN IT.
It's all about redistribution of wealth...or how to raise the level of poverty high enough,s so the working class become the new LOWER class.
It simply AMAZES me HOW we managed to survive BEFORE such things as Section 8...or HUD...or (dare I say it?)...WELFARE.
Obviously, we DID.
Hell, I remember growing up that many times, we didn't HAVE a phone in our house...we couldn't afford it.
We were too busy making our OWN ends meet...by OURSELVES.
(Mom & Dad, that is...I was just a "spectator" at that point in time)
We didn't have a family car until I was in high school - my Dad's buddies would "lend" him THEIR car when THEY went on vacation.
We had a lot different people back then...they had this thing called TRUST...and INTEGRITY.
We, as a family, might not had much, but we never were in want of anything we needed.
There was food on the table, clothes on our backs, and a roof over our damn heads.
We had FANS and OPEN WINDOWS to keep us cool, and a phone could be had at damn near any other neighbor;'s house (if not at the corner store where the pay phone was).
We had public transportation to get our asses around...or bicycles when we didn't have an automobile.
We turned off the lights when we left a room, and NEVER used a STOVE as an "auxiliary hearting source" in winter.
We had COAL heat (in one house) with RADIATORS that had to be "burped" each season.
And somehow...we managed to survive...WITHOUT such government "intervention" by Section 8 or HUD (they weren't even in existence in those days).
We had FRIENDS and RELATIVES that helped..as well as the local CHURCHES. THEY were the truly charitable among us...and we survived.
Maybe, it's time to reawaken that mindset in us..the premise of helping ONE ANOTHER.
Some people never lost it...others have supplanted it with "big brother", and that helps NO ONE.
Just some things to think about, people.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.
A slightly MORE humid and a slightly LESS hot day awaits us in the Heartland today.
We got some THUNDERSTORMS last night and early this AM...imagine THAT!
And they are much needed around here...a far cry from the early Springtime showers we had DAILY.
We went from near-floods to near-drought in several weeks in the Midwest.
It's certainly playing holy hell with the farmers' crops, that's for sure.
Gonna be some price rises at the grocery in OUR future...I can feel it. (must be the arthritis acting up again...lol)
Anyway, I said we'd be talking about HUD today, and I am a man of my word, so here we go, boys & girls.
*** I want to start out with a story about the (here we go again) revitalization of the Pontiac-Creighton area of the city (now a brown-field littered slum trying to find itself)...
Last week I had a post that contained a story about redevelopment on the SE side of Fort Wayne (Tales from the South Side - 28 July), and how one neighbor (Cheryl Williams) said this was a bad idea, and was concerned about "who" would be moving into these houses
And she's 100% correct in her assessment of the situation.
So, NOW, the city is spending some MORE money (which could be better used elsewhere) on more "projects"...like THIS:
For the sake of brevity, here's the link to the article:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20110803/LOCAL/308039965
The city has ALREADY sunk $4 MILLION into this "future ghetto", and if you remember the story from my post of 26 July, according to the recent Census, blacks are moving FARTHER SOUTH (of the areas being redeveloped)...like to OCEAN SECTOR (out along the city's southern most border).
They've already inundated OUR neighborhood and have turned it into more of a ghettohood, and a lot of once nice houses have been trashed along the way...damn shame.
Now, if it were decent, working-class blacks who were people of good character, I'd not anything to bitch about...but it's the WRONG type of blacks (and some whites, Hispanics and others) that are moving south...the ones YOU pay for every damn month.
The ONE thing that is ALWAYS missing from these stories every time I read one of them is the lack of mention about CRIME.
And CRIME is the reason these areas have suffered and will suffer in the future. But, NO ONE wants to address that...everyone dances the hell around it or avoids it like the plague.
This city spends money like a damn drunken sailor on liberty when it comes to kissing ethnic ass...period.
(anything to keep 'em quiet, eh guys?)
Well, that's the way HUD / Section 8 operates, and if we were truly concerned about cutting the (out-of-control) federal spending, we could always START by ABOLISHING HUD straight away.
Put housing BACK into the hands of the REALTORS...totally. Keep the feds OUT of it.
They've already PROVEN they can't run RAILROADS...or SCHOOLS...or even CAR COMPANIES, so what makes them believe they can run the real estate / housing sector (Barney Frank - Fanny Mae and Freddy mac - major failure), hmm?
*** So the other day, I get this SURVEY from HUD...(okay, let's take a look)
There are THIRTY questions about housing (?), and the first question is:
** Question 1- Is this house, apartment of mobile home:
-Rented
-Occupied without payment or rent (squatting???)
-Owned by you or someone in the household w/ a mortgage or loan
-Owned by you or someone in the household free and clear
-This is not a residential house, apartment, or mobile home.
Well, that seems easy enough so far...I check the 4th box (free & clear)...onto the NEXT question, right?
WRONG...because I answered OTHER than "rented", I am now FINISHED with the damn survey...!
(( "WTF???" ))
Something's wrong here...that was TOO damn "easy".
Let's look at some of the OTHER questions that I WOULD HAVE answered were I on the gov't dole and sponsored by the TAXPAYERS of this nation.
** Question 5: Was this house built in the LAST TWO YEARS (my emphasis)
** Question 6: Do you or any member of this household live OR stay at this address year round?
(If I don't, I guess I'm HOME-LESS, right?)
** Question 7: Is this house, apartment, or mobile home owned by a RELATIVE?
(why ...they wanna get on welfare, too?)
Now , you have to remember that THIS is a survey concerning RENTAL HOUSING COSTS...keep the word COSTS in mind.
** Question 8: Do you do any WORK for your landlord so you pay LESS rent?
(WHAT? THESE people WORK? Are you frigging ON CRACK or something???)
The next two questions pertained to fluctuating rental fees during the year (like when you can't steal enough sh*t to fence, and cry to the landlord to let you slide until NEXT month)
** Question 11: Is your rent amount LOWER because you are in a government-housing program?
** Question 12: Is the housing authority your landlord? (No, actually, it's the poor working slobs that pay our way)
** Question 13: Does a local housing authority own this house, apartment, or mobile home?
Then, HUD wants to know the AMOUNT paid by "the family".
(cue the Godfather theme, I guess)
** Question 16: Does your household have a HOUSING VOUCHER that allows you to CHOOSE where you live and pays the rent?
(Hell, yeah, that's how we trash whitey's neighborhoods in the FIRST damn place, you moron)
The next several questions are about utilities...whether they are included in the rent agreement.
HUD wants to know if the house, apartment, mobile home has the following:
(this is where it gets really good)
--What FUEL is used most for heating?
--Is AIR-CONDITIONING included?
--What COOKING fuel is used? (charcoal - they ONLY know how to use a BBQ grill...lol)
--Is HOT WATER included in the rent?
--Which FUEL is used to heat the water?
--Is WATER included in the rent?
--Is the cost of LIGHTING included?
--Is there a separate charge for range and fridge?
--Is trash collection included (nah, we just toss it on whitey's lawn and he picks it up)
--Is sewage included in the rent?
Now anyone with HALF a freaking brain would KNOW these are ALL included somewhere, and maybe you DO have to pay for some amenities, but these folks don't...long as YOU'RE working.
These last few questions REALLY piss me off...
** Question 27: How many different residential landline phone numbers, and not extensions, ring into your household?
(You're NOT serious, right? What is this a damn switchboard for drug selling? Lemme hand you to our NEXT available assistant)
** Question 28: Do you or anyone in your family have a working cell phone?
(no, the one I stole off that old lady got turned off the next day...does that count?)
** Question 28a: (if you have a cell phone) How many cell phones do you or the people in your family have?
(ever hear of a PAY PHONE, idiot?)
** Question 28b: (if you have a cell phone) Of all the telephone CALLS that you receive or your family receives are...
-All or most all calls on cell phones
-Some calls received on cell phones
-Very few on none received on cell phones
The final two questions as the TOWN and ZIP code...
And there you are...YOUR tax dollars at work (so these other folks don't HAVE to - YOU paid for the creation OF the survey, the MAILING of it, the RETURN ENVELOPE, and the people for which the survey pertains...nice to know you;re being SO dutiful as a citizen, isn't it?).
I haven't decided on HOW to answer this...I might just write in BOLD RED LETTERS across the front:
S C A M !!!
Or, I was thinking of a nasty-gram to HUD itself...love to piss off these people...they need it.
But no one gives a rat's ass about those people who OWN a home, and are living IN IT.
It's all about redistribution of wealth...or how to raise the level of poverty high enough,s so the working class become the new LOWER class.
It simply AMAZES me HOW we managed to survive BEFORE such things as Section 8...or HUD...or (dare I say it?)...WELFARE.
Obviously, we DID.
Hell, I remember growing up that many times, we didn't HAVE a phone in our house...we couldn't afford it.
We were too busy making our OWN ends meet...by OURSELVES.
(Mom & Dad, that is...I was just a "spectator" at that point in time)
We didn't have a family car until I was in high school - my Dad's buddies would "lend" him THEIR car when THEY went on vacation.
We had a lot different people back then...they had this thing called TRUST...and INTEGRITY.
We, as a family, might not had much, but we never were in want of anything we needed.
There was food on the table, clothes on our backs, and a roof over our damn heads.
We had FANS and OPEN WINDOWS to keep us cool, and a phone could be had at damn near any other neighbor;'s house (if not at the corner store where the pay phone was).
We had public transportation to get our asses around...or bicycles when we didn't have an automobile.
We turned off the lights when we left a room, and NEVER used a STOVE as an "auxiliary hearting source" in winter.
We had COAL heat (in one house) with RADIATORS that had to be "burped" each season.
And somehow...we managed to survive...WITHOUT such government "intervention" by Section 8 or HUD (they weren't even in existence in those days).
We had FRIENDS and RELATIVES that helped..as well as the local CHURCHES. THEY were the truly charitable among us...and we survived.
Maybe, it's time to reawaken that mindset in us..the premise of helping ONE ANOTHER.
Some people never lost it...others have supplanted it with "big brother", and that helps NO ONE.
Just some things to think about, people.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.
02 August 2011
Tuesday Tidbits...
Another hot day today...and the weatherman keeps saying relief is in sight...(pssst...it's called OCTOBER, folks).
Granted, I'm getting a little annoyed at watching the grass alongside anything concrete SHRINK away from that concrete,
And TAN was never my favorite color (especially for a LAWN).
Got some stories to relate about criminal activity and maybe some "not" so criminal activity. I'll let you decide.
I'll naturally provide some pungent social commentary to "lighten" things up a bit...
I was originally going to post about a "survey" that was sent to our house (where a person named RESIDENT apparently USED to live) by none other than one of my LEAST favorite federal agencies...HUD.
But, I think I'll save that for HUMPDAY, and when you stop on by tomorrow, I think you'll know why, fair enough?
In the meantime, sit back...relax, top off that refreshing beverage of yours, and peer into the wonderful world that is Fort Wayne...
*** The first story is a followup to yesterdays post concerning a disturbed individual that preferred to walk the streets (up north) with a gun in his hand (threatening suicide). That's got MAJOR FAIL written all over it, and you'll see why.
(( Published: August 2, 2011 3:00 a.m.
Charges for gunman shot by police - In ICU; posed no threat, uncle says
Dominic Adams The Journal Gazette
Charges are pending against a Fort Wayne man shot by police Friday, while the man’s family claims police used excessive force.
Michael A. French, 30, remains in the intensive care unit at a Fort Wayne hospital after being shot by officer Benjamin Miller and Sgt. Daniel Ingram.
French’s uncle witnessed the shooting and said his nephew never pointed the gun at anyone but himself. Bob Gonzales said he was trying to persuade French to drop the weapon and that police were going to shoot him if he didn’t.
Chief Rusty York said French wasn’t just trying to commit suicide – he was walking down a road armed with a 9 mm pistol. York said French pointed his weapon at police.
"Whenever lethal force is used, officers are trained to fire at the center of mass," York said.
Gonzales said police eventually fired eight to 10 shots at French.
"I feel it was unjust," Gonzales said. "It could have been handled in a different way. A stomach wound is a bad wound."
The only reason French survived, his uncle said, is because he is a big guy and had extra mass in his midsection. Gonzales said his nephew was hit with three bullets, two of which are still inside him.
Officers were dispatched to French’s north-end home in the 5000 block of Ann Hackley Drive at 11:56 p.m. They were responding to a report of a suicidal man who had a handgun and was firing shots in the air, police said.
Officers found French in the 4900 block of Rothman Road, about two blocks south of his home.
Police said he was refusing to comply with commands to put down his gun.
Miller and Ingram fired their weapons, and French was then disarmed. In compliance with department policy, the two officers have been placed on paid administrative leave.
Gonzales said he told police that French would not hurt anyone and requested the use of non-lethal force such as a Taser or beanbag gun.
Charges of criminal recklessness and resisting law enforcement with a deadly weapon are pending against French, who works in the packaging and distribution department at Fort Wayne Newspapers. ))
Okay, now we hear the man was NOT trying to commit suicide...!?!
I'm kinda baffled by this claim.
The FWPD was responding to a CALL about a SUICIDAL MAN (albeit armed). And since the CP (person who called dispatch) had a good idea as to the state of mind OF the individual, I'd have to roll with that.
And sure, the police are TRAINED to go for center-mass when such a situation with an ARMED individual presents itself, and it WAS dark outside - makes precise shooting a LOT more "iffy", especially if you:
1- Don't train in low-light scenarios
2- Do not have some sort of night-sight on your sidearm (Trijicon or Tru-Glow)
3- Are not a pistol "marksman".
So, you go with the standard training, and attempt to defuse the situation in the manner you were taught.
Granted, a beanbag round, rubber ball round, or a specific TASER round (like an X-REP) would have been the BEST way to take down the suspect, and perhaps more training is needed across the rank & file to cover such a tactical situation.
The Sgt. should have had something available in the trunk of his cruiser, and time did not seem to be "of the essence", in that the suspect was ONLY firing into the air.
I know...he could just as easily targeted houses or other people, but it did not appear to be the case, according to the information presented.
The story says up to TEN rounds were fired by just TWO police officers...that's typical of such scenarios.
An officer might only "believe" he/she fired once..or twice, when in fact, he/she went through half a damn MAG (or more).
That's why the use of LESS-than-lethal force should be SOP in such cases, but that's only MY take, and I wasn't on scene to assess the problem.
You're dealing with ONE person, in an area easy to encapsulate (set up a perimeter), and perhaps talk this guy down...
And it's not as though he just killed five people at another house and is in remorse, either...
The guy just wants help, and suicide by cop is not the best option in this case.
*** The second story is another one of those "domestics" we hear about all too often, but as is the case THESE days, it escalates out-of-control.
(( Published: August 2, 2011 3:00 a.m.
Man shot; confinement, battery counts for wife
The Journal Gazette
Fort Wayne police said they believe a city woman shot her husband Monday morning while he was sleeping.
A police officer stopped a car about 6:30 a.m. carrying the wounded 44-year-old man to a hospital in serious condition.
He has been identified as James C. Woodfin of the 4300 block of McMillen Park Drive, and police said he remained in serious condition Monday afternoon.
Detectives learned that the shooting might have occurred in the family home, just south of McMillen Park and McKinnie Avenue.
His wife, Shalanda D. Woodfin, 38, has been charged with aggravated battery and criminal confinement. ))
Mr. Woodfin has a "past" as well, but nothing felonious:
02D04-9006-CM-017900 Woodfin, James C 06/25/1990
Allen Superior Court 4 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided CRIMINAL CONVERSION
02D04-9211-IF-029810 Woodfin, James C 11/16/1992
Allen Superior Court 6 IF - Infraction
Decided OPERATE WHILE SUSP (INFR)
02D04-9308-CM-020734 Woodfin, James C 08/25/1993
Allen Superior Court 6 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided OPERATE WHILE SUSP (MISD)
02D04-9403-CM-001462 Woodfin, James C 03/07/1994
Allen Superior Court 6 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided CRIMINAL CONVERSION
OPERATE WHILE SUSP (MISD)
02D04-9507-CM-005061 Woodfin, James C 07/26/1995
Allen Superior Court 5 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided OPERATE WHILE SUSP (MISD)
02D04-9604-CM-002957 Woodfin, James 04/08/1996
Allen Superior Court 4 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided OPERATE WHILE SUSP (MISD)
FAIL STOP AT THRU-HIGHWAY
02D04-9707-CM-004711 Woodfin, James C 07/08/1997
Allen Superior Court 5 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided RECKLESS DRIVING
NO MOTORCYCLE ENDORSEMENT
02D04-9803-CM-001830 Woodfin, James C 03/12/1998
Allen Superior Court 6 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided OPERATE WHILE SUSP (MISD)
EXPIRED PLATE
NO OPR'S LIC. WHEN REQ'D
===============================
His wife is clean (no record to speak of), and there doesn't appear to be any related calls for a "46,96" (domestic with battery), but James must have done something REALLY bad to warrant getting shot WHILE HE SLEPT.
(maybe, that's why I prefer to sleep with one under the pillow - it's a James Bond thing...LOL)
Lady with a gun...and a chip on the shoulder...a terrible combination, especially in THIS case.
Maybe he took her welfare check? Totalled her government-sponsored new car? Got some other trim on the side?
Whatever the case, maybe he should have thought TWICE...and maybe SHE should have taken a walk to cool off...
*** And speaking of taking walks...it's not even safe to do THAT on the SE side these days
(( Overnight shooting sends one victim to hospital
Updated: Monday, 01 Aug 2011, 12:23 PM EDT
Published : Monday, 01 Aug 2011, 5:40 AM EDT
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - A man was shot in the arm early Monday morning after a man tried to rob him as he walked with his nephew from a nearby gas station.
According to a Fort Wayne Police Department report, around 2 a.m. police were called to the McKinnie Avenue and Warsaw Street intersection and found a man lying down on the sidewalk with another holding a towel to the man’s arm.
Conscious and alert, John Thaxton, 37, was able to tell police he was shot by a man he did not know, dressed in all black and wore a black mask.
The victim’s nephew said the incident all started when he and his uncle walked to the Marathon station at Lafayette and McKinnie to get some money and snacks.
He told police that was when a man came up to them in the gravel lot by a soul food restaurant and car lot and tried to sell his uncle cocaine and marijuana and started to walk with them to the gas station.
At the station, the two got their money and a few other items and started to walk back home.
The nephew told police the ‘drug dealer’ followed. This made the two men nervous so they crossed to a different sidewalk to get away from him, then the dealer turned and walked south on Avondale.
As the two approached Warsaw, they told police another man ran up to them from the west.
He pointed a large silver revolver about a foot long in length at his uncle and said, ‘give me your money.’
When his uncle would not give the man his money, he heard one shot which he said ‘blew apart’ his uncle’s left arm.
The man’s nephew told police the shooter ran away, but could not tell where exactly.
The man shot was taken to the hospital in serious condition. Police said the gunshot caused extensive damage to his arm and also entered his left abdomen area superficially.
The shooter is described as a black man wearing a black shirt, pants and mask. He is about 5’ 8" or 5’ 9" and skinny, but with a muscular build. ))
Yep...take an early-morning jaunt to the Marathon for some Crunch 'n Munch...get SHOT for your troubles...sounds about right.
---Now, I could go on about how THIS marathon is the "newest one" in the area...among SO many more (we have the greatest number of convenience stores/gas stations in the ENTIRE CITY...ripe for robberies like that BP station at Anthony & McKinnie), but I won't.
---Or, I could talk about how having such places OPEN 24 HOURS is a REALLY BAD IDEA, but I won't.
---Or how having SO many places open all the time proves the police cannot be EVERYWHERE ALL NIGHT, but I won't.
Let's just say that when you PERMIT crime to "have a place to play"...it doesn't really know WHEN to go the hell home.
And friends, do we have places to play...all the damn time (down here).
When you make it all but impossible to NOT have crime...well, things like shootings and robberies WILL occur.
Ask ANY officer in ANY city how this shakes...they'll tell you the exact same thing.
But at least those "open all night" stores up NORTH don't suffer the same issues as down HERE...do they?
In that, there is small consolation (and none for anyone living down here).
What we can take from this is that the current state of policing cannot work EFFECTIVELY, given the parameters in certain parts of cities across America.
Sure, police can RESPOND to a crime, after it's been committed...that's the EASY part.
What is difficult is to address the CAUSES before they become the ACTS of such activity.
Think of it as gardening...or better yet...WEEDING.
A WEED is one stubborn sumbitch in ANY garden of lawn.
And cutting it off doesn't get rid of it...neither does pulling it out.
If ANY part of the ROOT is left behind, it WILL come back.
So, you have to get all the root, and specific chemicals are used to do just that...kill the weed AT THE ROOT.
Same goes for crime...SPECIFIC tactics must be employed to rid an area of crime.
You spend time and resources dancing around the problem, and it will never go away.
It will remain to mock you...
But, if you strike at the HEART of the same problem, you WILL make an impact.
It might take time, but it will be worth it.
As goes your lawn, so goes life itself, and we can learn much from some of the simplest of situations...if we pay attention.
Therein lies the lesson for today.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.
Another hot day today...and the weatherman keeps saying relief is in sight...(pssst...it's called OCTOBER, folks).
Granted, I'm getting a little annoyed at watching the grass alongside anything concrete SHRINK away from that concrete,
And TAN was never my favorite color (especially for a LAWN).
Got some stories to relate about criminal activity and maybe some "not" so criminal activity. I'll let you decide.
I'll naturally provide some pungent social commentary to "lighten" things up a bit...
I was originally going to post about a "survey" that was sent to our house (where a person named RESIDENT apparently USED to live) by none other than one of my LEAST favorite federal agencies...HUD.
But, I think I'll save that for HUMPDAY, and when you stop on by tomorrow, I think you'll know why, fair enough?
In the meantime, sit back...relax, top off that refreshing beverage of yours, and peer into the wonderful world that is Fort Wayne...
*** The first story is a followup to yesterdays post concerning a disturbed individual that preferred to walk the streets (up north) with a gun in his hand (threatening suicide). That's got MAJOR FAIL written all over it, and you'll see why.
(( Published: August 2, 2011 3:00 a.m.
Charges for gunman shot by police - In ICU; posed no threat, uncle says
Dominic Adams The Journal Gazette
Charges are pending against a Fort Wayne man shot by police Friday, while the man’s family claims police used excessive force.
Michael A. French, 30, remains in the intensive care unit at a Fort Wayne hospital after being shot by officer Benjamin Miller and Sgt. Daniel Ingram.
French’s uncle witnessed the shooting and said his nephew never pointed the gun at anyone but himself. Bob Gonzales said he was trying to persuade French to drop the weapon and that police were going to shoot him if he didn’t.
Chief Rusty York said French wasn’t just trying to commit suicide – he was walking down a road armed with a 9 mm pistol. York said French pointed his weapon at police.
"Whenever lethal force is used, officers are trained to fire at the center of mass," York said.
Gonzales said police eventually fired eight to 10 shots at French.
"I feel it was unjust," Gonzales said. "It could have been handled in a different way. A stomach wound is a bad wound."
The only reason French survived, his uncle said, is because he is a big guy and had extra mass in his midsection. Gonzales said his nephew was hit with three bullets, two of which are still inside him.
Officers were dispatched to French’s north-end home in the 5000 block of Ann Hackley Drive at 11:56 p.m. They were responding to a report of a suicidal man who had a handgun and was firing shots in the air, police said.
Officers found French in the 4900 block of Rothman Road, about two blocks south of his home.
Police said he was refusing to comply with commands to put down his gun.
Miller and Ingram fired their weapons, and French was then disarmed. In compliance with department policy, the two officers have been placed on paid administrative leave.
Gonzales said he told police that French would not hurt anyone and requested the use of non-lethal force such as a Taser or beanbag gun.
Charges of criminal recklessness and resisting law enforcement with a deadly weapon are pending against French, who works in the packaging and distribution department at Fort Wayne Newspapers. ))
Okay, now we hear the man was NOT trying to commit suicide...!?!
I'm kinda baffled by this claim.
The FWPD was responding to a CALL about a SUICIDAL MAN (albeit armed). And since the CP (person who called dispatch) had a good idea as to the state of mind OF the individual, I'd have to roll with that.
And sure, the police are TRAINED to go for center-mass when such a situation with an ARMED individual presents itself, and it WAS dark outside - makes precise shooting a LOT more "iffy", especially if you:
1- Don't train in low-light scenarios
2- Do not have some sort of night-sight on your sidearm (Trijicon or Tru-Glow)
3- Are not a pistol "marksman".
So, you go with the standard training, and attempt to defuse the situation in the manner you were taught.
Granted, a beanbag round, rubber ball round, or a specific TASER round (like an X-REP) would have been the BEST way to take down the suspect, and perhaps more training is needed across the rank & file to cover such a tactical situation.
The Sgt. should have had something available in the trunk of his cruiser, and time did not seem to be "of the essence", in that the suspect was ONLY firing into the air.
I know...he could just as easily targeted houses or other people, but it did not appear to be the case, according to the information presented.
The story says up to TEN rounds were fired by just TWO police officers...that's typical of such scenarios.
An officer might only "believe" he/she fired once..or twice, when in fact, he/she went through half a damn MAG (or more).
That's why the use of LESS-than-lethal force should be SOP in such cases, but that's only MY take, and I wasn't on scene to assess the problem.
You're dealing with ONE person, in an area easy to encapsulate (set up a perimeter), and perhaps talk this guy down...
And it's not as though he just killed five people at another house and is in remorse, either...
The guy just wants help, and suicide by cop is not the best option in this case.
*** The second story is another one of those "domestics" we hear about all too often, but as is the case THESE days, it escalates out-of-control.
(( Published: August 2, 2011 3:00 a.m.
Man shot; confinement, battery counts for wife
The Journal Gazette
Fort Wayne police said they believe a city woman shot her husband Monday morning while he was sleeping.
A police officer stopped a car about 6:30 a.m. carrying the wounded 44-year-old man to a hospital in serious condition.
He has been identified as James C. Woodfin of the 4300 block of McMillen Park Drive, and police said he remained in serious condition Monday afternoon.
Detectives learned that the shooting might have occurred in the family home, just south of McMillen Park and McKinnie Avenue.
His wife, Shalanda D. Woodfin, 38, has been charged with aggravated battery and criminal confinement. ))
Mr. Woodfin has a "past" as well, but nothing felonious:
02D04-9006-CM-017900 Woodfin, James C 06/25/1990
Allen Superior Court 4 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided CRIMINAL CONVERSION
02D04-9211-IF-029810 Woodfin, James C 11/16/1992
Allen Superior Court 6 IF - Infraction
Decided OPERATE WHILE SUSP (INFR)
02D04-9308-CM-020734 Woodfin, James C 08/25/1993
Allen Superior Court 6 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided OPERATE WHILE SUSP (MISD)
02D04-9403-CM-001462 Woodfin, James C 03/07/1994
Allen Superior Court 6 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided CRIMINAL CONVERSION
OPERATE WHILE SUSP (MISD)
02D04-9507-CM-005061 Woodfin, James C 07/26/1995
Allen Superior Court 5 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided OPERATE WHILE SUSP (MISD)
02D04-9604-CM-002957 Woodfin, James 04/08/1996
Allen Superior Court 4 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided OPERATE WHILE SUSP (MISD)
FAIL STOP AT THRU-HIGHWAY
02D04-9707-CM-004711 Woodfin, James C 07/08/1997
Allen Superior Court 5 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided RECKLESS DRIVING
NO MOTORCYCLE ENDORSEMENT
02D04-9803-CM-001830 Woodfin, James C 03/12/1998
Allen Superior Court 6 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided OPERATE WHILE SUSP (MISD)
EXPIRED PLATE
NO OPR'S LIC. WHEN REQ'D
===============================
His wife is clean (no record to speak of), and there doesn't appear to be any related calls for a "46,96" (domestic with battery), but James must have done something REALLY bad to warrant getting shot WHILE HE SLEPT.
(maybe, that's why I prefer to sleep with one under the pillow - it's a James Bond thing...LOL)
Lady with a gun...and a chip on the shoulder...a terrible combination, especially in THIS case.
Maybe he took her welfare check? Totalled her government-sponsored new car? Got some other trim on the side?
Whatever the case, maybe he should have thought TWICE...and maybe SHE should have taken a walk to cool off...
*** And speaking of taking walks...it's not even safe to do THAT on the SE side these days
(( Overnight shooting sends one victim to hospital
Updated: Monday, 01 Aug 2011, 12:23 PM EDT
Published : Monday, 01 Aug 2011, 5:40 AM EDT
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - A man was shot in the arm early Monday morning after a man tried to rob him as he walked with his nephew from a nearby gas station.
According to a Fort Wayne Police Department report, around 2 a.m. police were called to the McKinnie Avenue and Warsaw Street intersection and found a man lying down on the sidewalk with another holding a towel to the man’s arm.
Conscious and alert, John Thaxton, 37, was able to tell police he was shot by a man he did not know, dressed in all black and wore a black mask.
The victim’s nephew said the incident all started when he and his uncle walked to the Marathon station at Lafayette and McKinnie to get some money and snacks.
He told police that was when a man came up to them in the gravel lot by a soul food restaurant and car lot and tried to sell his uncle cocaine and marijuana and started to walk with them to the gas station.
At the station, the two got their money and a few other items and started to walk back home.
The nephew told police the ‘drug dealer’ followed. This made the two men nervous so they crossed to a different sidewalk to get away from him, then the dealer turned and walked south on Avondale.
As the two approached Warsaw, they told police another man ran up to them from the west.
He pointed a large silver revolver about a foot long in length at his uncle and said, ‘give me your money.’
When his uncle would not give the man his money, he heard one shot which he said ‘blew apart’ his uncle’s left arm.
The man’s nephew told police the shooter ran away, but could not tell where exactly.
The man shot was taken to the hospital in serious condition. Police said the gunshot caused extensive damage to his arm and also entered his left abdomen area superficially.
The shooter is described as a black man wearing a black shirt, pants and mask. He is about 5’ 8" or 5’ 9" and skinny, but with a muscular build. ))
Yep...take an early-morning jaunt to the Marathon for some Crunch 'n Munch...get SHOT for your troubles...sounds about right.
---Now, I could go on about how THIS marathon is the "newest one" in the area...among SO many more (we have the greatest number of convenience stores/gas stations in the ENTIRE CITY...ripe for robberies like that BP station at Anthony & McKinnie), but I won't.
---Or, I could talk about how having such places OPEN 24 HOURS is a REALLY BAD IDEA, but I won't.
---Or how having SO many places open all the time proves the police cannot be EVERYWHERE ALL NIGHT, but I won't.
Let's just say that when you PERMIT crime to "have a place to play"...it doesn't really know WHEN to go the hell home.
And friends, do we have places to play...all the damn time (down here).
When you make it all but impossible to NOT have crime...well, things like shootings and robberies WILL occur.
Ask ANY officer in ANY city how this shakes...they'll tell you the exact same thing.
But at least those "open all night" stores up NORTH don't suffer the same issues as down HERE...do they?
In that, there is small consolation (and none for anyone living down here).
What we can take from this is that the current state of policing cannot work EFFECTIVELY, given the parameters in certain parts of cities across America.
Sure, police can RESPOND to a crime, after it's been committed...that's the EASY part.
What is difficult is to address the CAUSES before they become the ACTS of such activity.
Think of it as gardening...or better yet...WEEDING.
A WEED is one stubborn sumbitch in ANY garden of lawn.
And cutting it off doesn't get rid of it...neither does pulling it out.
If ANY part of the ROOT is left behind, it WILL come back.
So, you have to get all the root, and specific chemicals are used to do just that...kill the weed AT THE ROOT.
Same goes for crime...SPECIFIC tactics must be employed to rid an area of crime.
You spend time and resources dancing around the problem, and it will never go away.
It will remain to mock you...
But, if you strike at the HEART of the same problem, you WILL make an impact.
It might take time, but it will be worth it.
As goes your lawn, so goes life itself, and we can learn much from some of the simplest of situations...if we pay attention.
Therein lies the lesson for today.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.
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