Tuesday Trepidations...

Welcome to the "post-Monday" edition which greets us with a nice sunrise...but don't get too comfortable out there, because later this afternoon, clouds will roll on in and we'll be seeing rain here in Hoosierland.
Temps today will warm up from this morning's low 40s and rise into the mid-60s (when the rain comes down).
So get outside and enjoy what you can WHILE you can.

*** First off the line today...I would love to find a few GOOD stories out there - the ones that provide us a modicum of hope in this crazy-ass world, but the TRUTH is, there is something terribly WRONG with our nation these days.
It's a lot more "wrong" than I ever recall, and it seems to be building in both severity and frequency. And yes, the violent aspect is highly inclusive within all of this.
So, I bring you readers the BAD and the UGLY out there, because if we're aware of what transpires, and it's kept "in our face", then some people out there might decide to get "tired" with it and actually DO something to change things.
With that said, allow me to show you what exactly I'm talking about, fair enough?
*** On the heels of Fort Wayne's Gun Amnesty Day (this past Saturday) comes a tale about yet ANOTHER shooting on the city's...(all together, gang...)...SOUTHEAST SIDE.

Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130423/LOCAL07/304239952/1002/LOCAL
This took place after school had let out at the Marathon Station located at S. Hanna and Oxford Sts. around 1620 hrs.
A small, 4 door black SUV fired at a 21-year old man and a teenager as they walked across the station's lot, striking both. The teen was grazed and the man was struck at least once. Both were transported to hospital with the man in B- condition and later downgraded to serious.

A semi-auto pistol was found in the parking lot and police are trying to determine WHO the weapon belongs to.
( Perhaps it was just being "turned in" as part of the GUN AMNESTY and someone got the address wrong?)
Obviously, the shooter fled before police arrived on scene.
NO arrests were made and NO motive has been established.
(2 hits, 1 run, and several errors here)

Coincidentally, THIS shooting occurred just TWO BLOCKS from where a 30 March shooting took place, leaving one man in critical condition.

You don't suppose we have a "problem area", do you?

In Philly...we called such an area THE BADLANDS.

And rest assured, it's not all that far from where we live, so the ease of escape is all too obvious.
What is NOT obvious is the increasing patrols we SHOULD be seeing in areas directly ADJACENT to the shooting scenes.
On the WANE website, one neighbor stated: "They could have shot one of the gas pumps and blew up half the block.".
Sorry, dear, THAT only happens in Hollywood movies...
The neighbors (all of them remained off camera) say they are scared and want the violence to stop.
They never know what's going to happen when they walk out the door!
(welcome to MY world, sweetheart)
Moving on...
*** An attempted armed robbery nets BUPKIS!
And here's the story link:
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/crime/armed-robbers-get-way-with-nothing

Okay, so you and your fellow thug JUST got done toking the hell out of that blunt you rolled earlier, and need to score some quick cash...so where to go?

Well, the Steak N Shake up on Meijer Drive appears to be open ALL damn night...so let's hit that.

Around 0300 hrs, the two robbers entered the restaurant with a gun (wonder why THIS one wasn't turned in Saturday at the GUN AMNESTY?) and demanded cash. When the register wouldn't open, the two men left with...you guessed it...NOTHING (coulda grabbed a burger).

NO injuries were reported, NO arrests and NO suspects at this point.
Also, NO descriptions of the perps and NO description of any getaway vehicle.
At least there IS a level of "consistency" there, hmm?

Interestingly enough, close to FIFTY PERCENT of ALL gun violence occurs while people are "under the influence" in some manner, be it alcohol or street pharms.
Yeah, it pays to keep track of trends and statistics.
Of course you ALREADY KNEW that over EIGHTY PERCENT of gun violence is between people who KNOW each other to some degree, and close to FORTY PERCENT of gun violence deals with domestic abuse.

Hey, do you suppose these two thugs were stoned SO bad, they thought the Steak N Shake was the Urban League (of Less than Extraordinary Gentlemen) and wanted to TURN IN that gun they were carrying and wanted CASH back for the weapon?
Just a thought...LOL.
*** And speaking of domestic abuse (and getting serious)....did you know that child DEATHS in Indiana are on the RISE?
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130423/LOCAL/304239982

A SIXTY PERCENT rise in child deaths due to abuse since 2010...that's some pretty sobering (and disgusting) FACTS, isn't it?
And the usual blame has been attributed to things like unemployment, lack of money, domestic violence and substance abuse.
((...rolls eyes...))
I GUESS that's what happens when "children have children"?
It's too easy to blame "things" or "situations" when the REAL culprit is probably in these peoples' MIRRORS!
My folks had to WORK at raising me...there was nothing "automatic" about it, and NO welfare and government-sponsored "bailouts" for us...
When times got tough, YOU got tough and worked HARDER to get by, and that didn't mean beatting the snot out of the child, taking drugs or booze and hoping it all goes away by sun-up.
Still, since the implementation of the neglect and abuse hotline, the numbers have spiked (and with good reason).
There is now a place to GO when such abuse occurs.

Allen County prosecutor Karen (Turn 'em loose) Richards said:  "ON a lot of physical abuse cases, it's the mother's BOYFRIEND".
(Well...DUH...!!!)
Where is the "father" anyway? They just drop the seed and split?
Hardly being a MAN there, is it?
Only cowards run off like that.
Richards continues: "They don't have the PATIENCE to care for young children." Maybe that's because they've JUST gotten out of that phase of life THEMSELVES? What did I say about "kids raising kids"?
That dog just will...NOT...hunt!

And naturally, the children suffer the worst...sometimes leading to the death of that child.
These baby-mamas leave the child in the "care" of someone without ANY emotional ties to that child, NO parenting skills, and "managing multiple stressors" (whatever the hell THAT load of bullsh*t is supposed to mean) so tragedy can happen in an instant.
There are already enough safety nets which the mother can utilize.

In fiscal 2011, DCS investigated 292 deaths, and in 82 of those deaths, UNSAFE SLEEPING CONDITIONS were cited, most prominent was having a parent roll over onto the child, smothering them.
(Hey, Jameisha, it's not a damn plush bear...it's a LIVING CHILD, you dumbass!)
Sadly, THOSE 82 cases are NOT considered "abuse" or neglect, so that's 82 lives that did NOT have to be ended.
Very sad, indeed.
*** We got the yearly Pettit-Rudisill Neighborhood Association newsletter (ROFLMAO...N/A - that's a joke in and of itself) yesterday.

Now, we never joined, because I personally did not see any REAL reason we should...they really can't do anything more than what I do by contacting city departments or calling the po-po.  And pretty much TOLD me so.
So, I save the $10 yearly fee an buy some Almond Joy candy bars...LOL.
But they did list some houses slated for demolition in the area (several streets over).
THREE houses are awaiting demolition...and SEVEN are in the process of being "approved" for demolition.
Well, that's TEN...out of about 400+ city-wide.
The newsletter says you can buy the LAND cheap after the houses get torn down...
(Like I want a larger yard so the locals to toss trash into and have kids trespass to do God knows what inside of.)
"Removing these eyesores paves the way for a better-looking neighborhood in the future." (states the newsletter)...
Really?
REALLY???

I thought it would make the area look a bit more BLEAK...as in BARREN...brownfield kinda stuff.

Personally, I'd LOVE to raze most ALL the houses around us, build a damn MOAT (with drawbridge naturally) and then claim the whole area as a damn NATURE PRESERVE (and let the DNR front me some money to keep it going)...so THERE!

Naturally, Scrappy and Chris would have total access anytime...lol
*** Lastly, today...lots more stupid out there, isn't there?
I see yesterday's shooting as a HUGE "thumb on the nose" at the FWPD.
Ditto for this morning's robbery up on Meijer Drive.
The THUGS are the ones who don't give a rat's a$$ as to what the police want...what the community wants, or what the city wants.

They ONLY care about what THEY want, and that's usually something that SOMEONE ELSE has.

THIS is what happens when PRIORITIES become screwed up beyond reason.

Seems not many are on the same page here...everyone wants SOMETHING, and many times, a few of them want the same thing, but most importantly, are not willing to make HARD choices or do the DIFFICULT things required to achieve them.

Many in the Ghettoland ONLY become concerned when things get a bit "too close" for their comfort, and many times, THEY themselves are part of the REAL problem...they just dodge the spotlight, as it were.
They raise kids who become thugs, don't utter a damn word along the way, and then cry crocodile tears when that "good boy" catches some lead and croaks off, taking the big dirt nap. THAT is a big problem, but when kids raise kids, that IS often the result.
Perhaps some of these people need to stop wanting to feel GOOD all the damn time, and start feeling BAD about the way they've allowed things to become.
Hell, that would not only be a revelation to them (and us), but a damn GOOD place to start.

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.