Winding Down The Week...

We're not there yet, but you can almost feel it, can't you?

Got ourselves a nice sunrise staring back at us this morning, but it's a wee bit "brisk" outside. Temps are expected to rise to near 50 degrees (of separation?) with partly cloudy skies.

That means we will be seeing father SOL out there today.
No hint of precipitation either...and now you know the Hoosierland weather.

With that dispensed with, let's get rolling and see what's been shaking.

*** First out the door today is the answer to yesterday's Motto of the week:
"Natural ability without education has more often raised a man to glory and virtue than education without natural ability."

This was attributed to that wonderful Roman Marcus T Cicero (the T stands for Tullius) - 3 Jan 106 BC - 7 Dec 43 BC.

And yes, he DOES have a (lengthy) WIKI, found HERE:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicero
Now, you want to talk about a really BUSY guy...how's this:
-- Philosopher, statesman, lawyer, orator, political theorist, consul, and constitutionalist.
You can't stress the importance of this man upon European languages enough.
Oh, you can also add linguist and translator to his resume`.
Unfortunately, all of this came to an end during the 2nd Triumvirate when Cicero became an enemy of both Mark Antony (after the death of Julius Caesar) and "the state".
He was murdered in 43 BC.

His rise to prominence and power from humble beginnings was attributed to his oratory, because he was neither a patrician nor a plebeian noble.
You think we are mired in politics THESE days...when you read about Cicero and the "politics of the time" in Rome, you can easily see more than a few comparisons...the only difference is the language spoken, and nice suits.
Truly a remarkable individual whose influence can still be felt to THIS day.
Moving on...
*** A case of one of those "anothers"...

A kitchen fire did substantial damage to a house on the city's SOUTHEAST SIDE yesterday afternoon (and caused the lovely Mrs. Bobby G. some traffic woes).
Here's the story link:
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/local/crews-fight-fire-on-s-hanna
The house that fire crews responded to is located at 3518 S. Hanna St, and if THAT location sounds a bit FAMILIAR...it's because it's right ACROSS THE STREET from where a man and teen were SHOT in a Marathion station parking lot.

Refer to my post of this past Tuesday, 23 April.
Helluva coincidence...or a really BAD area to consider living in.
A kitchen fire...well, you can't blame someone for ATTEMPTING to cook...can you?
I'd wager whatever was being cooked probably had a crapload of GREASE involved...or the person cooking just left it on the stove...and FELL THE HELL ASLEEP...that's the typical M.O. down in the crotch of Ft. Wayne.
And, it makes a good case for WHO should be living in a HOUSE, let alone OWNING one.
Somehow, that word RESPONSIBILITY comes to mind...
*** Next up, A story about unwanted "water features" too close to some houses.
And in a few cases, INSIDE the damn houses.
Here's the link:
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/local/city-may-buyout-flood-prone-homes

Now, I can't fault the people that originally MOVED there...I'm sure they didn't HAVE this problem when they bought or built those homes, but after development occurs, it sometimes breeds unforeseen consequences, and flooding happens to be on that list here.
If the ditches cannot be contained to prevent such flooding, let's try and figure out WHY NOT, and address that, as the city SHOULD have done when the flooding began to occur years ago.
And then, after finding the CAUSE, figure out a PERMANENT SOLUTION, and not another band-aid, string and spit patch-job.
But, it would appear the city was busy ELSEWHERE (like up NORTH AND WEST) to bother with those on the SW side, and the problems along Fairfield ditch didn't heal themselves, as the city leaders hoped would happen.
Well, the city bought out some houses farther north when they flooded, so it's only fair to make a similar offer to those down here, IF the price is also FAIR.

Councilman Mitch Harper suggested using Legacy Fund money for the buyouts, and I can work with that...better than tossing it all DOWNTOWN (that still isn't AS busy as the city would like) or for still MORE retail north or west...where the city has too much of that anyway.
After (now) decades of inactivity by the city, it seems the only just recourse.
Then again, those same decades of inactivity by the city has led to the decline and blighting of the SE side...so why not "spread the wealth around" and allow the SW side to decline as well? You are already seeing the SE crime spread over into the SW these days.
*** This person has got the be a winner...
And it's not for any lottery, folks.

A woman who has been previously busted for FOUR OWIs has been arrested AGAIN...this time with FIVE kids in the damn car.

Oh, BTW, she doesn't currently HAVE a damn LICENSE...

(so don't way too many other Fort Wayneans)

Yeah, this is certainly a "WTF???" moment.

She doesn't have a license...and she's STILL driving. Now what the hell is WRONG with that picture?
Someone doesn't know HOW to obey the damn LAWS...does she?

And such stupidity also qualifies her as our Dumbass of the Week...talk about a "double shot" (that she obviously is no stranger to, as in liquor)
The term "dubious distinction" comes to mind.
Then again, with the way the judicial "works" (?) around here, it's little wonder we have such assholes back on our streets so damn often.
We have one white-trash moron at the other end of the block who has chronically been arrested for DWI (once as a felony), and even after a stint in the correctional facility, he STILL has a license...A-f$cking-mazing!
Did he pay his "debt" to society? Perhaps he did, technically, but (imho) he's still a RISK, and I'm not seeing any probation officers stopping by to give him a piss test...or to see if he's behaving himself (he does hang with some blacks and Hispanics of a highly dubious nature - drug users).

Lesson learned? Not in THIS city...damn near anything goes.
We need SOME sort of "3 strike" rule...to dissuade those regular offenders, and then follow-ups to make SURE they're not driving kids around while drunk...or strapping them to the HOOD of a car while driving to the liquor store. (remember THAT moron from last year?)

It's interesting to note that traffic stops for impaired driving are up...BUT when the perps go through the revolving door of the courthouse, and are back driving again in no time, where is found ANY sense of JUSTICE?
Again, it's another "middle finger salute" to law-enforcement everywhere...and hopefully there won't be any deaths resulting from such ineffectiveness by the local judiciary.
Everyone just cross your fingers whenever you get behind the wheel of YOUR vehicle.
*** Lastly today, there is no doubt that Spring is in the air, no matter how chilly that morning air might seem.
Farmers who dreaded last year's drought are concerned about the ground being too WET (now) and are having to postpone planting.
Plants are blooming, and trees are starting to bud with leaves, and our bunnies are back. Can all those hummingbirds be far behind?

Now, for this old city boy from Philly, who ONLY managed to see one squirrel every few weeks, maybe a robin or pigeon here and there, and had to go to a bloody PARK to see more than several of anything at ONE time, this kind of thing never ceases to amaze me.

And I honestly do appreciate all of God's creatures that find their way into our yard.

Hell, we feed 'em all well enough...LOL!
Aside from that, I can never see any of these critters without thinking about what the Bible says:
-- Job 12:7-10 - (KJV)
"But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind."

If THAT doesn't inspire some hope in today's world...you just ain't looking in the right places.
The sad part of all of this, is that some people (read most all the locals down here) have NO freaking clue what the above passage means...or EVER will.
They simply cannot appreciate anything but their own existence and feeding their wants at everyone's expense.
I always say that you should never ignore the "small things", whether it's as a precursor to larger criminal activities...or simply all the little things in life.
Some windows that become broken along the way DO need to be fixed before it becomes worse, but instead of allowing people to break those windows in the first place, maybe they should start looking THROUGH them for a change, and come to see ALL the world has to offer...and learn to appreciate THAT.
I know I have...and I do.

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