Yep, after a rather "extended" Christmas vacation, thanks to some wild-ass ARCTIC weather (which was actually COLDER than the arctic), school IS back in session...and all the parents can put the meds away...LOL.
The weather in the Hoosierland can be described today as damn near SPRING-like, with temps reaching the UPPER 40s. Expect mostly clouds today with the possibility of a small RAIN shower or two, with hardly a whisper from the winds. All in all, not that bad a day for January.
So, let's grab another cup of whatever is your pleasure this morning, and let's see what is going on in this wacky world of ours...
*** First out of the melting snow-pile today is an OP-ED regarding what should be the 45th homicide of last year, and is STILL not resolved.
Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140113/EDIT07/301139999/1021/EDIT
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| One STILL pending from 2013. |
The pathologists working on this can't seem to "get together" (to compare notes), and I'm sure that's not bringing ANY closure to the family.
On the UP side, this time last year we ALREADY had one homicide...so far THIS year...none to speak of.
But we STILL have gunshot calls every day...and in the usual places.
I do think we can hit 35 homicides...if the moolies TRY hard enough.
-- In a related story, the front page AND metro sections of the Sunday J-G had articles on the 44 homicides from last year...
Take a look at them, and see if you can't find several commonalities in most of the shootings...
Here are the links:
Front page:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140112/LOCAL10/301129937/1002/LOCAL
And the Metro section:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140112/LOCAL10/301129882/1002/LOCAL
I consider BOTH articles worthy of a read...very worthy.
Moving on...
*** Bet you didn't know that the LAST DC-9 airliner has been retired...
The first one was delivered WAY back in 1965, with a total of 976 units built.
Here's a link to the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140113/BIZ/301139987/0/SEARCH
Delta Airlines has finally called it quits on it's OLDEST airliner...pretty good track record, too.
This plane has been superseded by the Boeing 717 and the MD-90s, and the interesting thing is that ALL of them are USED aircraft, as Delta has a history of NOT buying new ones.
The DC-9 doesn't have in computer in-flight management system, so pilots have to REALLY fly them when not on auto-pilot.
And since the engines are behind the cabin, the flight is a LOT quieter than sitting alongside the wing-mounted engines.
The term they used to use (also applied to the 727) was "Whisperjet".
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| Into history... |
Truly a noteworthy civil aviation aircraft.
*** Next up, a column from Bob Aldridge, and a column that is JUST as pertinent and timely TODAY as it was last year...or last century.
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140113/EDIT05/301139995/1021/EDIT
Yes, friends, how you TREAT a firearm is every bit as important as how you drive a car.
BOTH can be deadly weapons if mishandled or abused.
And Bob should know his stuff - He's an NRA instructor and range safety officer in Fort Wayne.
You ALWAYS treat EVERY firearm as if it's LOADED.
He says to be OBSESSED with gun safety, and he's right.
There are too many accidents that could have easily been avoided if the person would have paid attention and take the time to practice caution.
The U.S. CDCP lists gun accidents as the NEXT-TO-LOWEST cause of accidental death, but we could always do better.
Gun safety is as simple as crossing any street...and it's something we, as gun owners need to always be aware of.
Same with firearm safety...get it down until it's second-nature, and never assume anything until you MAKE SURE it's safe.
Sage advice...that CAN save a life.
*** Lastly today...with the melting snow and a return to things as normal as they can be, you know that if you were thinking things would change this year, you may be sadly mistaken.
Granted we did have a share of vehicular accidents in all that crap weather LAST week, but we're still seeing people toss caution to the wind even when it starts to clear up.
And the police radio is becoming more active with certain criminal activity, so you also know that the robberies and yes, even homicides will start to add up once again.
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| Our FAVORITE board game. |
I suppose what we take from this is that even if a few broken windows get fixed, there are many people out there with rocks in their primate hands, more than willing to break a few more...if for no other reason than to show to us...that they CAN.
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| It USED to be a theory... |
I like to believe that ALL of us together can repair ONE more window than all the ones that have been broken so far...
And THAT message should be a LOT more clear than one couched in an ignorant alternative, don'cha think?
Stay SAFE out there, America.
6 comments:
Aldridge's column is important, but it is sad how often I see people who should know better violate simple safety rules. In my classes, I still show that old video of the DEA agent who shoots himself in the foot during a class presentation. No better demonstration than that.
SLamdunk:
OH, God...I remember THAT one...was a couple years ago.
That STILL bothers me.
I ALWAYS treat EVERY one of my guns as if it WAS loaded and cocked.
That why whenever I show them to ANYONE who visits, I ALWAYS drop the mag, pull the slide back to CHECK THE CHAMBER.
When it see empty space, ONLY THEN can anyone else handle it...period.
And here's a "protocol" for KNIVES as well.
I always like that poster that says: "Common sense is like deodorant - the people that NEED it MOST...NEVER use it."
Hey, thanks for stopping by today to comment.
Stay safe out ther.
"Yes, friends, how you TREAT a firearm is every bit as important as how you drive a car."
True statement! But sadly, many of today's youth have learned to handle both from movies and video games.
John D.:
Damn shame these kids today can't take a page from the "old-schooler's handbook", hmm?
(they MIGHT learn something...like how to STAY ALIVE)
The ONLY things I learned from video games was how to jump on Koopas, collect coins, eat fruit while avoiding "ghosts", and destroy a lot of enemy crap while piloting a FIFTY FOOT TALL ROBOT with a huge honking plasma rifle...!
Nothing ever about DRIVING or handling firearms (unless you count the old NASCAR racing games...but that was only making LEFT HAND turns FLAT OUT...LOL)
That's something I never do behind the REAL WHEEL.
Thanks much for rolling up today to comment.
Stay, drive, & shoot SAFE out there.
(and put those SHORTS away...gonna get cold again)
The DC-9s went out of business because of the higher price of aviation fuel. Those Pratt & Whitney fan-jets mounted under the airplane's T-shaped tail sucked fuel big time, especially on take-offs where fast elevation was the prescribed path to hold down noise pollution. The cheaper to buy and operate BAE-111 and the Boeing 737 planes began to take over shorter hauls in the late '80s until increased air traffic brought on the DC9-influenced McDonnell Douglas 80 and 90 series jets in time for the new millenium
Gadfly:
I was telling Wifey about that same thing...how the DC-9 never REALLY caught on.
(lack of range and a fuel-hog)
An ever LARGER debacle was the failed Convair 880 series (707 clone).
That never carried as many passengers and ALSO suffered from being too "thirsty".
Many airlines took the DC-9 and UPRATED them both inside AND outside (as best they could), but even they retired all their original DC-9s before 2000.
Glad to know I'm not the only "plane-nut" around these parts...lol.
Thanks for the info - AND for stopping by to comment.
Much appreciated.
Stay safe out there.
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