Monday Musings...

Now THIS is a heckuva way to start a week and end a month, don'cha think?
All I'm seeing is a nice morning FOG outside...luckily, it's NOT the John Carpenter kind.
Today's weather (after the school delays) will again be on the mild side, with temps reaching into the 70s. No chance of precipitation today, as we got most of that out of our system over the weekend, and that was nice to see (kept the natives in check somewhat).
With that being said, let's see how things went elsewhere since last we met, shall we?
*** There has been ANOTHER shooting on the city's (where the hell else?) SOUTHEAST SIDE...

This is getting a bit on the BORING side...seems every weekend we have SOME idiot shooting another for some dumb-ass reason.
Sure is a valid "testament" to the efficacy of the SE quadrant captain (Garry Hamilton). NOT!!!
Never seemed to have THIS kind of chronic violence when Nancy Chamberlin (Becher) was in charge. This is what you get with affirmative action in a police department when someone is placed in a position they are not yet qualified to fill.
One of these days they'll learn...just not today.
Anyway, here's the "4-1-1" on the incident:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130929/LOCAL/130929288/1002/LOCAL

This took place yesterday (on a SUNDAY for God's sake) around 1515 hrs at or near the intersection of Oxford and Smith Sts (yep, that's in the ghettohood all right). A man was talking to someone in an SUV...a gunshot was heard by a neighbor, and then the SUV sped off westbound on Oxford, leaving the man seriously wounded on the ground when police arrived (a short time later, as they always do, and that's no smack against the po-po)..
It's just they can't be EVERYWHERE all the damn time.
That happens when you're running a SHORT STAFF, as in a couple DOZEN officers less than this city should require to handle the increased population.

The man was transported to hospital and later downgraded to critical condition.
No description of the SUV was forthcoming, and again, no suspects , no motives, one hit, one tun, and no errors.
Another helluva inning for THESE boys of (late) summer.
It's the poor ability of marksmanship of these thugs that has managed to keep the homicide level as LOW as it currently is...which in fact, is at a FIFTEEN-YEAR HIGH.
And knowing these mooks as I have come to over the decades, we're not done yet.
How's about we allow ALL law-abiding citizens to get a pass on the whole CCP thing, and let them ALL carry (open if they want to)?
I mean, it would appear we already have such lawlessness that would rival the Old West, so why bother with restricting those that have NO record and CAN handle a firearm to arm the hell UP, and protect THEMSELVES (gratis as well) from this growing trend in the minority communities?
It does has the novelty of never having been tried yet, doesn't it?
Meanwhile, back at the firing range...
*** Wow, they had a for-real FIRE at Glenbrook Mall this weekend, too...missed that one.
Here's the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130929/LOCAL07/309299937/1002/LOCAL
Apparently, the fire started in a storage area, behind the Radio Shack store, and fire crews were dispatched around 1532 Hrs to Glenbrook, after people from other stores noticed smoke. Sprinklers contained the fire until crews arrived in scene.

In the storage area, firefighters found heavy smoke, but the fire was under control by 1602 Hrs.
Originally, the radio chatter stated that the entire mall was not going to be evacuated, due to increased traffic in the parking areas, which might impede fire crews and their equipment. That was later changed to a TOTAL evac of the facility.
It opened later Saturday evening, around 1830 hrs.
No one was injured during the incident, and the fire did not spread beyond the storage area.
*** South Side high school football game gets NATIONAL attention...
Maybe it was due to the FIGHT that broke out at the visitor's field?
Here's the lowdown on the hoedown:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130929/SPORTS0501/309299932/1092/SPORTS05

A shameful display.

Considering that South was beaten by Indy Tech may be no surprise, but can you knuckle-dragging neanderthals PLEASE keep the fights under control until AFTER the damn game...the way WE used to do it back in the late 60s?
The IHSAA will be investigating this during the week to see if disciplinary action needs to be held.
Uh,,,YEAH, it DOES, as in some suspensions (the Indy tech coach is gone for the rest of the year, but's he's a volunteer coach anyway).
I say erase the game totally, and hand out a LOSS for BOTH teams...as punishment.
While it does matter WHO tossed the first punch, it ALSO matters who followed UP on tossing the second and third and fourth punches, doesn't it?
Enough of this "we're all winners" PC-BS.
They ALL lost, as did high school football (imho).

Start teaching what CAUSE and EFFECT is...and what CONSEQUENCES are...for a change.
Parents of the players should ALSO learn that this display takes away from the reason for playing, and it's not JUST to win all the damn time.
*** Lastly today, we had our first weekend without our cat Penelope, and it was not the easiest weekend, as weekends tend to go.
I've got this "plural" thing going on...for the last 17 years, and I find it hard to not address one cat without addressing BOTH of them, and since we no longer have a "both",

Heal my eyes - I got double vision!

I have to relearn what SINGULAR means. That's gonna take some time.
I've also had to catch myself a few times when I turned to feed Rassie and did not see Penny there beside him...that's kinda weird for me to deal with...they've been a pair since birth
In some ways, it's like walking about with ONE shoe on...
And our male cat, Rassie, has been my "shadow" of late. Perhaps he also misses his sister, and I know he looks around when he gets fed, only to find the area where "Sissy's" bowl used to be strangely vacant. He's been nearby me the whole time since last Thursday, and that's some consolation...for BOTH of us.

Penny's ashes are to be spread at a very serene and beautiful location called Pet Rest, Inc down in Ossian.
It's a wonderfully sprawling area, for a pet cemetery, and is landscaped in a manner that one would find peaceful...as it should be.
There are sections for each year, and they plant roses for the departed, unless you prefer to inter your pet with a grave marker or place the ashes in an urn in a section encasing it. All in all, it's a place I must visit someday.

The owners of the facility have done a remarkable job of attuning themselves to the needs of a bereaved pet owner by providing a final resting place for our faithful companions. If you want to view the location, it can be found HERE:
http://www.petrestinc.com/
I know after seeing the place in the brochure and website, I wouldn't mind winding up there...I just have to grow a couple more legs.
Life around our "Fortress" will be challenging for some time, but if our departed Penelope ever wishes to have her spirit inhabit this house, she is more than welcome. This was her house too.
In some strange way, she never completely left, and I'm good with that.

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.
We'll see you next month.