30 June 2014

Monday Musings...
It's the last day of the month, and a transition week from June to July, with Independence Day this coming Friday, and we all know what THAT means, right?
Keep THIS handy today!
How could we possibly end this month on a positive note?
We'll explore those possibilities in a bit, but let's take a look at that Hoosierland weather.
(such as it is)
Today will be ripe with the 3 Hs - HAZY, HOT, and HUMID, with a high around 87 degrees.
Nice day to enjoy the A/C someplace...like at home.
And, of course, there will always be a "chance" of rain at some point throughout the partly cloudy to mostly cloudy skies...we just don't know WHEN
(as usual)
So, take some time and get your morning beverage poured (already have mine), and let's get this week started...
*** First out of the mortician's office, we've (finally) had HOMICIDE NUMBER EIGHT for the year, and, as is becoming a trend, it's happening on the weekend.
I still think we can hit at least TWENTY this year.
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140630/LOCAL07/306309961
Here we have a 60-year old, once Anthony T. Scott, who was shot (somewhere) and then dumped out of a vehicle along the curb near the 3500 block of Robinwood Dr. near Oxford St.
Police were responding to a shots fired call (signal 113) at 3205 S. Amthony Blvd when THIS call came over the air of a "man down"..
When police rolled up on Robinwood, they found a man along the curb, suffering from gunshot wounds.
He was pronounced dead at the scene by medics.
This took place around 1345 hrs on Saturday.
Police do not believe the two shootings were related (really?)
Residents along Robinwood told police they did NOT hear any gunshots.
Officer John Chambers said that some witnesses did observe a dark-colored vehicle leave the scene immediately after the man down call was placed into dispatch. Police do not know if the vehicle is related to this investigation.
Now, Anthony T. Scott was another person who was NO stranger to the Allen County Courts, dating all the day back to 1987.
He did have one count of possession and one count of battery, and even one count of felony OWI (bodily injury), but the majority of crimes committed by Scott were traffic violations, so one might say he had little regard for traffic LAWS. Driving left of center, multiple speeding charges, improper/inoperable tail lights, and failure to signal were all in his rap sheet.
NO suspects and NO motive (as usual) for the shooting have been forthcoming from the FWPD.
(no idea whatsoever, right?)
If this homicide is NOT connected with the shooting on Anthony, that left one man in fair condition in hospital, I would be amazed, because that puts a different slant on this; it means that more NON-gang related people are targeted (like a robbery attempt gone sideways).
Not a good path to tread for ANY society.
Then again, Scott could have been an "OG" (original gangsta) from times past, in which case, someone is flexing their "muscle" in order to get to the "top of the heap" in a power struggle.
Either way, it doesn't bode well for regular citizens who have to be exposed to such goings on, does it?
I say arm up now, while you can, and stay vigilant...you never know WHAT could happen (or when) in certain parts of this city any longer.
Moving on...
*** Serena Williams gets beat at Wimbledon by a 25th seed...(fantastic!)
Here's the story link:
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/tennis/28075139
Alize` Cornet, a 24 year old from France defeated the 5 time Wimbledon champion 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.
The WINNAH!!!
How fall the mighty, hmm?
Personally, I think Serena's ego was getting in her way for the last several years.
(and her sister, Venus was beat as well)
Had to happen sooner or later.
*** Next up, down here in the ghettohood, we get to enjoy all the "amenities" that issue from OTHER people, and that's NOT always a good thing, especially if you're trying to keep YOUR property looking nicer than all the government-sponsored hovels that dot the landscape.
This Saturday had the people down the block hold a graduation party for a South Side student, which in and of itself is tantamount to a MIRACLE, as so many just drop the hell out and quit.
These folks don't know HOW to parallel park properly.
Naturally, traffic was heavy on our street, with cars (and SUVs) eventually lining BOTH sides of the block...a total of FIFTEEN vehicles coming to a house SMALLER than OURS, and with an average number of THREE people per vehicles, that adds up to around FORTY-FIVE warm bodies at that house.
There were the "oldsters" who came by, and you knew THEY wouldn't be any trouble, so it was the young ones who undoubtedly would.
We had one car parked in front of OUR house that had the pot-smoking brigade.
Only those INSIDE smell like reefer...nice.
They took the pre-teenager and stuck her on the rear spoiler of the car while they toked away INSIDE, so she wouldn't smell like marijuana, no doubt.
One young black woman got out and was spitting up a storm, so I knew she wasn't feeling good from the get-go. One black male rolled a joint and smoked it (sharing of course) because he could get away with it.
Later on, after the party was in full swing, "Spiteisha" comes back up the street to the car (in front of our place) with a plate full of food. She got in the car and ate a little, and then dumped the plate along the curb (typical ghetto), and dropped a can of soda along the curb strip (in front of OUR place).
Rolldatblunt,dawg...hurryup
Luckily, they left not that much later, and when they did, I kicked the soda can into the street, and tossed a plastic fork out there as well. I wasn't going to touch the spilled (puked?) food and that paper plate.
 I figured Mother Nature would do that with whatever rain would come.
What happened NEXT surprised the piss out of me.
Three older people came up the street from the party house (they didn't even live there either) and CLEANED up the mess and took it away with them...simply A-F$CKING-MAZING!!!
And some people really DO.
Now, that's something I haven't seen in decades, and certainly not by any of the current generations of minorities and definitely not down HERE..
This was a throwback to the halcyon days of MY youth, when people older than you gave a damn.
Apparently, a few remain of that persuasion (aside from yours truly).
I was so awe-struck  I didn't even get a damn picture. That's gotta tell 'ya something.
(Divine Intervention...lol)
Guess there IS a ray of hope for our society...until those people pass away...then what?
To think the alternative is a very scary premise, isn't it?
*** And next, we bring you a THUMBS UP for the customer service people at ZIPPO.
I mentioned I was going to send my Dad's broken lighter to them for repair (lifetime warranty, so it's FREE).
Well, I did, and in LESS than two weeks, it came back and works as GOOD AS NEW.
( so much for trying to quit smoking...heh)
They changed out in "guts" insert (new flint, wick and casing) even sent me some literature about how to ID the lighter and a couple flints for the unit.
So, I sent them a very nice thank you email, to which I received an equally complimentary thanks from THEM.
Makes you wish ALL (or at least a lot MORE) companies performed with such integrity, and stood by THEIR products.
 (you listening GM???)
Didn't cost me a dime to get the lighter fixed, and they returned it via UPS - not the cheapest way to go, but they are people of substance.
It was one of THE most satisfying customer service experiences I have ever had...and I've had quite a lot...on BOTH ends of the phone, as it were.
*** And now we bring you some patio pics...just because I can
Two-Bunny Buffet
FINALLY got this pile close to level...!
Hollyhocks in bloom.
Coneflowere as well...
Kong Coleus gone crazy, too!
And the basket is doing very well.
*** Last back to the patio today...this weekend was a good psychological study in the HUMAN CONDITION. Got to see and read about several aspects of the behaviors that we have to live with daily.
I got to see the GOOD that some people are capable of, and I have to wonder WHY they would bother, except that it was the RIGHT thing to do.
Doing the right thing is something we're lacking these days, and by a multitude of those fully able to do so.
Why IS that, anyway?
Has it become preferable to do NOTHING , as opposed to doing SOMETHING?
Well, it is EASIER, that's for sure, but is it always BETTER for themselves, or for everyone else?
It's never about CIRCUMSTANCES, so don't give me any crap about "poverty" being a root cause of apathy or any other type of non-involvement.
Poor people band together to do better JUST as well as rich folk.
 I know because I have witnessed it many times.
It's not about ETHNICITY either, because people from EVERY country, nationality, religion...whatever, are fully capable of giving a rat's ass about the way things are around them and will work together to change things, whenever they can.
So what is causing the lack of DESIRE to do what is right (or expected) as a productive member of society these days?
I think the loss of the generations that kept everyone else "in check" has a lot to do with it.
The older woman who chased kids off her lawn, the elderly people that used to speak up about bad behavior by others in public,...those people are the ones we're losing, and with it, an entire way of conducting one's life.
Ever remember your parents saying: "respect your elders!"...?
When you were young, EVERYONE was an "elder" right?
So you respected EVERYONE as a result.
Not a bad way to grow up.
And HOW you grow up impacts greatly on HOW you act as an ADULT...there's  the key.
Thing is, too many  people can't recall where that damn KEY-RING is...or be bothered looking for it.
(maybe they need a "Clapper"...lol)
Correct the mindsets of the people, and you correct the ills of society...what a NOVEL idea.
Not mind control...just more SELF-CONTROL...a return to GOOD values...whatta concept, hmm?
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.

4 comments:

John DuMond said...

"How could we possibly end this month on a positive note?"

A big lottery win would help. I mean really big; quit-your-job big. :)

Bob G. said...

John D.:
'Ya know, I WAS kinda thinking along those lines...like that Publisher's Clearing House jackpot that gives you $5000 A WEEK FOR LIFE...
Sorta provides a person with a REAL good reason to keep on going for a MESS o' weeks...LOL
...know what I mean?
Hell, that wound end a whole LOTTA months on a great note, right?

Thanks for dropping by today and commenting.

Stay safe out there.

CWMartin said...

Not surprised a lot by Zippo. They've been high quality longer than we have. More surprised by the cleanup crew- here's to them! More surprised yet they kept the "juvy" out of the weed-breathing. Maybe not all the brain cells have died.

Bob G. said...

Chris:
Zippo has MY vote forever.
(gotta love those Pennsy folks...lol)
Wish they'd run the COUNTRY...or at least GM!

As to everyone else...I will confess that once in a great while...I get SURPRISED, and in a GOOD way, mind you.

Sad thing is though...too many OTHER times you can PREDICT (and with regularity) the way people WILL act.
Like that old "job performance" sheet used to remind us...
ONE "OH SHIT" = TEN "ATTABOYS"

(have to say we had a couple attaboys this weekend..but never enough)

Hey, thanks for swinging by today to comment.

DO Stay safe up there.