Monday Musings...

And a wonderfully DAMP day greets us this morning in the Heartland of America.

Our weather promises to remain in this mode for the better part of the day with temps only reaching into the upper 70s.

And the humidity will be high enough to wring out the air...lol.
Meanwhile, allow me to fill you all in regarding what's been going on.
*** First off, they say that in marriage there is ONE thing that remains steadfast...the ability to SHARE.

And for the last week, Wifey and I have "shared" a nice little bronchial infection.
God, I felt like I was a child again when I used to get this so often.
Yes, those dulcet tones of hacking coughs and our own personal phlegm factories on overtime serves to exemplify togetherness...and if you truly believe that, I have a bridge in Manhattan for sale...cheap.
Hopefully, this will blow over soon enough, and I can get back to aging in a more sedate manner.
Moving on...(cough)...
*** Whenever I tend to get a "feeling" about a person I see on our streets, I can say with certainty that my "hunch" will be proven CORRECT...and that never gets old.

Call it "street smarts", or a "sixth sense" regarding such things, but I just KNOW what's going to happen.

Well, Friday, I see this black Lexus two-door pull up across the street near the alley, and a black male gets out and walks into OUR side of the alley.

Now, that shouldn't send up any red flags, considering the area (and those infesting it around us), BUT, "something" tells me all is not what it would appear.
So, I go out on our patio, look down the yard to our alley, and THERE HE IS...pissing up against our fence.

I yell out "You know, you shouldn't be pissing in public, son.", and he says "I couldn't hold it any longer."
(I'm not buying that line of BS...these people have no shame...or respect...or manners)
I reply: "There's a service station down the block and a whole strip mall 2 blocks away with plenty of places to go."
He just shrugs and finishes his "job" (hardest he's worked in years, I'd wager).
When he comes out of the alley, and returns to the car, I'm there with my CAMERA taking a picture.

That's when the she-bitch driving decides to cop some "blacktitude" at me, and give me a middle finger salute.

I say "I'll cut that damn finger off and feed it to 'ya".

Then "Mr. Pissy" flips me off as he gets in. I then pull back my shirt and display my holster...nicely filled with a pistol of my choice.
"Flipper" yells out "I got one too right here". I say: "So let me SEE it. Better yet, let's show the POLICE instead."
I lean inside and tell Wifey to call the "5-0" and then they drive off (naturally...f$cking COWARDS).
Well, Wifey calls it in as a "9-1-1" instead of reaching the desk (rolls eyes), and that means an officer will most likely arrive here shortly.
No biggie...I'm on MY property, and was the whole time.
Well, the officer rolls up and guess who it is?

None other than FWPD Officer CAMERON NORRIS...(again)...!

Fantastic!

This is just TOO damn good, now.

I'm smiling like a damn Chesire cat.
So, after letting him in, shaking his hand, and saying it was nice to see him again, and that was a nice collar he made the other week, I explained what went down in detail, and showed him the picture I took of the car and the two "people".

He studied it for a few minutes, asked a few questions before he left, and mentioned that they would be on the lookout for the vehicle.

I didn't want to press charges, but public urination IS still against the LAW.

Now I don't know if the pisser was high OR drunk...

BUT, I did find a BUD LIGHT bottle right NEAR where he took his leak...so you can decide.

The evidence would seem to be in MY favor (as usual).

Meanwhile, back at the lavatory...

*** Not that long ago, Wifey got herself a new DROID 4 smartphone, and she loves it. In fact she can't put the damn thing down (playing Farmville...LOL).

She also got me a cell, but mine's a SIMPLE one...that I keep OFF unless I go out someplace.

Well, Wifey's phone isn't AS smart as we thought. It decided to crap out this weekend. It won't take a charge, and the problem is NOT in the battery, charger OR the connection cord. Yep, that leaves ONLY the phone that's at fault.
We used to call such annoyances PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE. Something designed to "get you to trade UP".
Suffice it to say, Verizon is making good on the defective item (under warranty), and is FED-EX-ing her a new phone (should be here today or tomorrow).
And then...we can start this all OVER again.
I told the lovely Mrs. Bobby G: "Well on the UP side, the government can't mine any calls or data from you, and they can't TRACK you for the next 72 hours"...LMAO!
And now...for something COMPLETELY EXPECTED...
*** We have now reached HOMICIDE NUMBER TWENTY-THREE in our little part of the universe.

Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130610/LOCAL07/306109971
I have to hand it to the reporters these days, as they manage to come up with some innovative headlines such as this:
"FATAL SHOOTING FOLLOWS SPAT"

A "spat"? Can't we call it a verbal altercation...or argument...or quarrel?

A SPAT is something between Hubby and Wifey...at least it USED to be, and in my family NEVER resulted in a fatal shooting (or any weapons at all - just words).

A "lover's spat" is often coined as the phrase of choice.

Anyway, the shooter was waiting for the victim after the LEGION POST 148, located at the 1100 block of S. Hanna at Lewis St closed, and then shot him in the parking lot.

The shooter then ran off, with no description of direction of travel. (how does anyone know he RAN off then?)

If you recall, this SAME area was the location of this year's FIRST homicide, at the gas station ACROSS THE STREET from the legion hall.

It just amazes me the level of violence that such people display and for such small things as an argument.

What the hell is SO damn important that you NEED to get into some argument in a legion hall?
I mean, it's NOT like some guy was caught PISSING up against your FENCE, right?
Used to be if people disagreed, they (worst case scenario) duked it out OUTSIDE and then afterwards went back in had a beer and called it done.
Not THESE days, it would seem.

Must be more of that underdeveloped PRE-FRONTAL CORTEX thing I mentioned last week at work here.

Add in some alcohol, and absolutely NO inhibitions remain, along the capacity for RATIONAL thought and/or actions.

In THIS part of the city, we're seeing this all too often, and IF it were confined to ONLY those directly involved, I'd have NO problem with all of these mooks offing EACH OTHER on a regular basis. Eventually, they'd "thin out the herd" and MAYBE crime might start going DOWN again, but, truth be told, such people have NO regard for life (apparently) and will indiscriminately shoot anything or anyone to make themselves feel as if they've "done right"...which is WRONG.
Yeah, we can hit 40 homicides before year's end...not a problem at this rate.
*** A man with a knife has police at a standoff for several hours.
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130610/LOCAL07/306109953

This happened in the 600 block of WEST State St around 2230 hrs on Saturday.

And this time, it was a WHITE guy...for a change, and he didn't shoot anyone, either.

Both the EST and CRT units were dispatched to the house (it was a nice night to roll the CV-150 Commando armored car anyway), where after several hours, the man surrendered and was taken to hospital for psychiatric evaluation. Charges are pending.
Seems like crime IS spreading WEST...nice to know I was right there.
*** Lastly today, there was also a letter to the editor in Sunday's paper, written by Bill Collins of Ft. Wayne.
Here's the link to the letter:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130609/EDIT09/306099983/1149/EDIT09

Seems I'm not the ONLY person that feels a certain way about Rusty York.
That's refreshing to discover.
And Mr. Collins proposed the SAME solutions I've been touting regarding crime and criminal punishment.
Bill is one of those people that "gets it" when it comes to how things NEED to be handled, rather than how they've BEEN handled.
(which is not all that well)
Yes, our police chief DOES display a level of naiveté, and that's not the best way to look at crime OR run a police department.
But what do I know?
I only come from a police family in a city TEN TIMES the population of Ft. Wayne, with literally HUNDREDS of homicides PER YEAR, and a police force in the TENS OF THOUSANDS...AND a city that's been run (into the ground) by DEMOCRATS for the last several decades.

In that case, you get what you vote for, and none of it is good
Do we, here in the Summit City wish to mimic such things with those in authority that DO display that "naiveté" Mr. Collins mentioned?
Given the city's growing concerns about budgetary woes, a police department that HAS been UNDERSTAFFED for several years, and a growing crime rate that is spreading to other portions of this city, it begs some serious questions as to how BEST to contain, and get a handle on the crime.
We already KNOW how crime affects business, AND public safety, so why not take a deeper look into protecting ALL the public in a much more effective, efficient, and PROPER manner. Do what NEEDS to be done before it gets too late, because this clock stops for NO one.
That should give us pause to ponder the alternatives.
Do have yourselves a good week.

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