Humpday Happenings...

Welcome to the middle of the week, and the beginning of Lent for all the fine Catholics out there.
It's "Ash Humpday"!
For ME, I usually give up LENT for Lent...makes things a LOT less complicated..
But then again, I'm METHODIST...lol.
Our Hooiserland weather today will be pretty close to a carbon copy (anyone still remember those?) of yesterday, with the addition of some light snow this morning (little to no accumulation). A high around 25 might be reached, so once again, little if any melting of what's on the ground.
With that being said, I'm gonna join you in topping off my nicely hot morning beverage while I stare into the abyss that's masquerading as our minuscule part of the universe.
*** First out of the barn today is our WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence."
So, WHO said that? You might find the answer interesting, and that answer will be found at the top of tomorrow's post (unless you cheat...lol)
Moving on...
*** Seems the 122nd ANG will be getting some old aircraft to replace the older A-10s they currently fly.
Here's the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140305/LOCAL/303059981

Yes, the venerable F-16 Fighting Falcon will be making it's return to the skies over Fort Wayne between the next 3-5 years, as per budgetary decisions made by people (in D.C.) who can't tell the difference between a mission-specific aircraft and an all-purpose fighter.
Many are saying the 122nd is getting "new" aircraft, and that's blatantly FALSE.

Dig these back out, people.

The F-16 has been around since 1978, which hardly makes it new in the proper context.
Keeping the ANG base as a "fighter" wing (and that includes ground-support aircraft) is a good step to be in line to receive the F-35 JSF when it becomes available. But let's not forget that active air national guard units rarely receive "front-line" aircraft out of the box.
If you saw the WANE news last evening, Mark Mellinger showed a timeline that described the planes the 122nd has flown since it's creation, starting with the P-51 Mustangs back in 1946..

F-84 Thunderstreak - circa 1958

They got the F-80 Shooting Star jet AFTER the Korean conflict ended, and then got the F-84 Thunderstreak (also after Korea).
The F-100 Super Sabre was the first aircraft they received that could go supersonic, and that was during the Vietnam war (1971)

F-4 Phantom - mid 1970s

The F-4 Phantom came later after Vietnam, and continued until 1991 when the F-16s came along.
They stayed at the 122nd until 2010 when the base transitioned over to the A-10.

The A-10 Thunderbolt II - aka the Warthog

And now, we are once again going to be the recipients of 18 F-16s, as the A-10 is "retired" (USAF speak for "until we need them again")
Better than nothing,right?
*** We can't let the day pass without highlighting a few of the local lowlifes passing through our judicial system, can we?
Well, here we go, boys and girls...
-- The first story has to do with more of the foursome that were robbing apartments around town last year (and were finally caught).
Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140305/LOCAL03/303059982
So, the score is TWO got hefty sentences, and two got probationary sentences...purely for fairness-sake, mind you. Can't toss ALL these black perps in the slammer, that would be "racist", right?
Still, two of them off our streets is better than NONE.
Michael Jefferson will be a guest of the prison system for the next 54 years, but given time served, appeals out the ass and good behavior (because they're ALL good boys), he might see less than HALF of that.
Not bad for a 22-year old that doesn't possess the sense he was born with, is it?
And this dumbass tried to say he had "multiple personalities" and tried to take back his guilty plea.
Well, if he DID have multiple personalities, they were ALL stupid...and no "do-overs". Naturally, the defendant's brother had to add some "drama" to the proceeding and he was removed from the courtroom.
Ditto for the baby-mama that brought them into the world, with the judge ordering the bailiffs to escort her OUTSIDE to the street.
Makes you wish we had CAMERAS in the damn courtrooms...doesn't it.
Talk about a situation comedy (of errors)
-- The second story involves a case of try and try again...until you get caught (again).
Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140305/LOCAL03/303059979
This punk-ass thug,  Brandon Carter has tried to off the same person THREE times (once from a call made from INSIDE jail).
You can review my archive post from 21 August 2013 for some backstory.
Must think he's some kind of bad-ass gangster or something.
And this piece of crap is only 24 years old.
The intended "target". one Jaquan Wade was even shot at as late as this past Monday, around 1600 hrs in the 2100 block of Fox Ave.
According to police reports, another black male, Marcus Timmons (a co-defendant to Carter who is OUT ON BOND...and apparently had access to a firearm) shot at the house three times with a weapon that looked like an H&K MP-5, called a "deuce-deuce" (probably a .22 caliber look-alike).

I would say the FWPD is looking for Timmons to revoke that bond, and arrest his sorry ass..
Wade is supposed to testify AGAINST Carter this week, and it is suggested that Timmons was attempting to scare Wade into not going forward with the testimony.
Judge Fran Gull approved a request by prosecutors to revoke Carter's bail based on his "continued instability and disdain for the court's authority".
And Carter now feels betrayed by his attorney...(oh, boo-frigging-hoo...f$cking pansy-ass baby).
Prosecutors say that a plea agreement by Carter is not likely to happen now (about damn time).
THIS is the kind of human refuse that walks the streets of this city...don'cha all feel a lot SAFER?
I'd say that ridding ourselves of ALL of this kind of walking garbage would do this city a world of good.
***  Next up,  City Council does the budgetary "two-step" with FWFD funding.
(or we don't know where the money went)
Here's the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140305/LOCAL/303059947
Either this city has SO much money, it's can't keep track of it ALL...OR, it's another case of rampant incompetency in the ability to make a proper yearly budget without "miscalculating" an astounding $800,000 shortfall.
I tend to lean towards the LATTER on this.
And robbing Peter to pay Paul isn't going to solve the error. I know...I took accounting in business college, and got a 3.8 in the class.
Someone screwed up here...or something is wrong with the way accounting is done (by Democrats).
Again, I lean towards the latter.
*** Lastly today, in a changing world, many would think that our problems ALSO change.
I don't think that tracks all that true.

While specific aspects of our lives become adaptive on our part, most all problems are the same ones we've dealt with (as a species) for ages.
Whether it's power..or money...or crime...whatever, the issues are much the same, and whatever solutions we choose to apply to resolve them are ALSO the same...we just have to realize them, that's all.
But, when our attention becomes diverted from dealing with problems, both big or small, priorities tend to get shuffled about, and that can often lead to problems not even getting addressed in a timely manner.

What is needed in times like this is the ability to FOCUS...most always on the immediate, because that's what needs our attention the most.
And we have to motivate ourselves to focus, lest we become complacent and permit others to do such things for us...or as I prefer to say...TO us.
Take some time today to regain your focus, and remain vigilant to whatever problems come your way.
Therein lies the lesson for today.

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