Same Sh*t, Different Day...

For many of us, that is exactly what awaits us as we roll out of the sack. But for some, it's worse than imagined.
Hang onto that thought, because we'll get back to it in a minute.

*** First to the line is our Heartland weather - well, it won't be AS bad as yesterday, temperature-wise, but we WILL again crack the 80 degree mark (mid-upper 80s in fact) with a much greater chance of rain (about 70% by afternoon). Don't discount the possibility of "pop-up" showers during the day either.

You're still going to want to run the A/C just to get rid of the HUMIDITY. (sounds like AUGUST instead of MAY, doesn't it?)

We are in for a break in this weather later this week, with temps returning to seasonal norms (like the low 70s - hallelujah!).
Meanwhile, back in the storm cellar...
*** A MILE-WIDE tornado ravaged the town of Moore, Oklahoma yesterday, taking out a school (while kids were there in attendance).

So far, over FIFTY deaths have been reported, twenty of them children, and the wholesale devastation can plainly be seen from the air.

Entire neighborhoods are just plain GONE.
Here's the latest:
http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2013/05/21/children-among-dead-after-twister-strikes-near-oklahoma-city/

The tornado was reported to be a mile wide with winds over 200 MPH. It has been listed as a Cat-EF-4 twister (Fujita scale).
That's something I simply cannot imagine.
A makeshift gathering center was set up at a nearby church to reunite parents with their children.
OK governor Fallin deployed 80 NG troops to assist in rescue OPS and activated extra Highway Patrol officers.

Plaza Towers Elementary School was one site of the devastating tornado that levelled the property.
This twister has been likened to the one that hit near the same area back in 1999.
That storm had winds approaching 300 MPH!
This latest event occurred almost exactly TWO YEARS after the Joplin, MO twister that tore the hell out of that city, killing 158 people and injuring hundreds more.
Since record-keeping began for such events back in 1950, that May 2011 storm was the deadliest one in the U.S.
Here is a link on how to help those in need:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/20/help-tornado-victims/2344493/
And naturally, it never hurts to offers prayers for those suffering such devastation.
Moving on...
*** Updates on that FWPD officer and the perp that tried shooting him.
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130521/LOCAL07/305219978

The article chronicles the officer's struggle with Daniel Spells, and is a really good read.
Officer Treven Brown was the arresting officer, and has been in the department since 2005.
Chief York echoes MY sentiments (for once) when he worries that a SOCIETAL CHANGE is underway.
"We're seeing more and more guns out there, and more people inclined to use them against police."
Well, Rus, those guns ARE NOT being bought LEGALLY at gun shops or gun shows.
It's called the "black market" for reasons other than ethnicity alone.
The weapons are most likely STOLEN or brought in from OTHER locations. I would trust local store owners to be vigilant in reporting suspicious purchase attempts or otherwise hinky folks waltzing into the shops.

Daniel Spells has a LONG history with the Allen County courts, with his last "visit" being back in 2009 for (guess what?) carrying a HANDGUN w/o a license Yep...these people have a REAL problem with licenses, be they for guns, or cars, or even their pitbulls.
Wow, it's not a GUN problem after all...nor a VEHICULAR problem, nor a CANINE problem...it's a PEOPLE problem
Who the hell would have guessed THAT, hmm?
(me)
And HERE is his RAP SHEET:
=================
DANIEL L. SPELLS
02D04-9502-CM-001032 Spells, Daniel M 02/15/1995
Allen Superior Court 6 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided LEAVING THE SCENE OF ACC
NEVER RECEIVE LICENSE
02D04-9702-CM-000879 Spells, Daniel L 02/07/1997
Allen Superior Court 4 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided NEVER RECEIVE LICENSE
FAILURE TO USE LIGHTS
02D04-9709-IF-012608 Spells, Daniel 09/12/1997
Allen Superior Court 5 IF - Infraction
Decided OPERATE WHILE SUSP (INFR)
02D04-9802-IF-002730 Spells, Daniel L 02/13/1998
Allen Superior Court 6 IF - Infraction
Decided UNDER 18 POSSESS TOBACCO
02D04-9807-CM-005282 Spells, Daniel L 07/20/1998
Allen Superior Court 4 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided RESISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT
OPERATE WHILE SUSP (INFR)
FALSE & FICTITIOUS REG'N
EXPIRED PLATE
NO FIN RESPONSIBILITY(INF)
02D04-9811-MC-001865 Spells, Daniel L 11/06/1998
Allen Superior Court 4 MC - Miscellaneous Criminal
Decided P.C. POSSESSION OF COCAINE
RESISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT
02D04-9811-DF-000800 Spells, Daniel L 11/12/1998
Allen Superior Court 6 DF - CL D Felony or lesser charge
Decided POSSESSION OF COCAINE OR NARCOTIC DRUG
RESISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT
02D04-9906-MC-000974 Spells, Daniel L 06/25/1999
Allen Superior Court 4 MC - Miscellaneous Criminal
Decided P.C. THEFT
02D04-9906-DF-000513 Spells, Daniel L 06/30/1999
Allen Superior Court 4 DF - CL D Felony or lesser charge
Decided THEFT
02D04-0003-CM-002357 Spells, Daniel L 03/23/2000
Allen Superior Court 6 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided CARRYING HANDGUN W/O LICENSE
02D04-0005-DF-000331 Spells, Daniel L 05/01/2000
Allen Superior Court 4 DF - CL D Felony or lesser charge
Decided BATTERY
02D04-0005-CM-003761 Spells, Daniel L 05/08/2000
Allen Superior Court 6 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided RESISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT
FALSE INFORMING (B)
02D04-0201-MC-000045 Spells, Daniel L 01/04/2002
Allen Superior Court 5 MC - Miscellaneous Criminal
Decided P.C. RESISTING LAW ENFORC
P.C. REC STOLEN AUTO PART
LEAVING SCENE OF ACC (B)
RESISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT
NEVER RECEIVE LICENSE
FAILURE TO USE LIGHTS
02D04-0201-FD-000013 Spells, Daniel L 01/09/2002
Allen Superior Court 6 FD - Class D Felony
Decided RESISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT
FAIL TO STOP AFTER ACC RESULT IN DAMAGE TO VEHICLE
02D04-0201-IF-000513 Spells, Daniel 01/14/2002
Allen Superior Court 6 IF - Infraction
Decided OPERATE WHILE SUSP (INF)
02D04-0202-MC-000310 Spells, Daniel L 02/25/2002
Allen Superior Court 5 MC - Miscellaneous Criminal
Decided P.C. REC STOLEN AUTO PART
RESISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT
OPERATE WHILE SUSP (MISD)
02D04-0202-CM-001589 Spells, Daniel L 02/28/2002
Allen Superior Court 5 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided RESISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT
OPERATE WHILE SUSP (MISD)
02D04-0203-MC-000430 Spells, Daniel L 03/18/2002
Allen Superior Court 5 MC - Miscellaneous Criminal
Decided P.C. REC STOLEN AUTO PART
P.C. RESISTING LAW ENFORC
OPERATE WHILE SUSP (MISD)
NEVER RECEIVE LICENSE
02D04-0203-FD-000178 Spells, Daniel L 03/21/2002
Allen Superior Court 6 FD - Class D Felony
Decided RESISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT
RECEIVING STOLEN AUTO PARTS
02D04-0503-IF-003898 Spells, Daniel L 03/18/2005
Allen Superior Court 5 IF - Infraction
Decided NO SAFETY BELT/PASSENGER
02D04-0512-CM-008751 Spells, Daniel L 12/05/2005
Allen Superior Court 4 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided PUBLIC INTOXICATION
DISORDERLY CONDUCT
02D04-0610-MC-002172 Spells, Daniel L 10/19/2006
Allen Superior Court 6 MC - Miscellaneous Criminal
Decided P.C. RESISTING LAW ENFORC
RESISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT
RESISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT
NEVER RECEIVE LICENSE
02D04-0610-FD-000901 Spells, Daniel L 10/24/2006
Allen Superior Court 5 FD - Class D Felony
Decided RESISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT
RESISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT
OPERATION OF MOTOR VEHICLE BY UNLICENSED DRIVER
02D04-0904-CM-002332 Spells, Daniel L 04/20/2009
Allen Superior Court 6 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided PUBLIC INTOXICATION
PUBLIC NUDITY
02D04-0905-CM-002925 Spells, Daniel L 05/18/2009
Allen Superior Court 6 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided BATTERY (A) (D.V.)
02D04-0909-CM-005675 Spells, Daniel L 09/17/2009
Allen Superior Court 4 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA
02D04-0910-MC-002225 Spells, Daniel L 10/26/2009
Allen Superior Court 6 MC - Miscellaneous Criminal
Decided P.C. VIOLENT FELON/FIREARM
PUBLIC INTOXICATION
02D04-0910-FC-000223 Spells, Daniel L 10/29/2009
Allen Superior Court 5 FC - Class C Felony
Decided CARRYING A HANDGUN WITHOUT A LICENSE
PUBLIC INTOXICATION
02D04-1305-MC-001250 NA
SPELLS, DANIEL L 05/20/2013
Allen Superior Court 4 MC - Miscellaneous Criminal (Citation)
Pending 35-42-1-1(1); 35-41-5-1(a)/FA: Attempt Murder
35-47-2-1/FC: Carrying Handgun w/o License-Prior/Prior Felony w/in 15 Yrs/School Prop, School Bus
35-42-2-2(c)(3)(A)/FC: Crim Recklessness-Shot Firearm Into Inhab Dwelling/Other Gathering Place
35-44.1-3-1(a)(1)/FD: Resisting Law Enforcement
======ADDRESSES====
1005 Buchanan St
Fort Wayne, IN 46806
1206 Hugh St.
Fort Wayne, IN 46803
3721 Lillie st.
Ft Wayne IN 46803
2906 Plaza Dr.
Ft Wayne IN 46803
1321 Lillie St
Fort Wayne, IN 46806
2807 Taylor St
Fort Wayne, IN 46806
4929 Hoagland Ave
Fort Wayne, IN 46806
2116 Asquith Drive
Fort Wayne, IN 46816
1821 Green Tree Ct
Fort Wayne, IN 46845
============
WHEW...man, this boy is nothing short of twenty miles of BAD ROAD!

Makes me wonder HOW MANY "second chances" he had over the years, thanks in no small part to our wonderfully ineffective prosecutor's office?

Looks like WAY too many, doesn't it?

Someone has to fix that damn REVOLVING DOOR in our courthouse, and KEEP such thugs like this off our streets.

*** Lastly today, like I stated at the top, it's the SAME sh*t, just a different day (my Father was notorious for saying that).
For some, like those in Moore, Oklahoma, it's a lot more "sh*t" than they can handle at the moment.

But, I will say that these folks tend to be more self-reliant, and will bounce back unlike many urban dwellers that just cry with their hands out to the government for anything and everything.
The main reason we see such devastation THESE days...very simple to figure out...DEVELOPMENT.
Areas that were open plains or grazing/farm lands are now POPULATED, and with that comes the possibilities for injury or death when such severe weather events come (as they often do is that region).
Where we live in Ft. Wayne's ghettohood, it's also the same old sh*t...just a different day, and that's because the locals know nothing else.
They are in MANY ways, quite predictable, and I suppose it's such "familiarity" that helped FWPD officer Brown to handle his situation as he did.

Police train for such things, and quite regularly, but in today's world, there are so many more dynamics at work, not the least of which is that disregard for the shield, and others in general.

The ONLY authority such "people" come to know is themselves.

And that's pretty damn pathetic.

And they can't even come to grips with that, rather relying on a FIREARM to further "their authority" in whatever passes for a community.

They are the direct OPPOSITE of those in Oklahoma.
The people in Moore, OK know how to work TOGETHER, while those HERE work for themselves to serve themselves...nothing more.
HEROES are made in places like Joplin, and Moore, while COWARDS chronically infest communities in Ft. Wayne.
And it takes a person like Officer Brown to keep such cowards at bay.
In OUR case, perhaps Madam Justice might consider removing her blindfold...just to even the score.

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