Monday Musings...

Welcome back to the wonderfulness that is the Heartland of America, and if you listen very closely, you might notice a touch of arrhythmia to that heartbeat. Such are things these days in the Midwest.
We'll speak to that and a few other things in a moment, but let's have a look at our weather.
Today will find us continuing with warm temperatures, reaching into the low 80s with partly sunny skies and an afternoon "chance" for showers.
We didn't get all that much this weekend, did we (as promised)?
Never fear, for we are in for some cooling temps during the remainder of the week...a welcome respite (to me, anyway).
So, go fill up that cup of your favorite morning beverage and let's take a look into what's been going on elsewhere...
*** First out of the blast from the past department, I did receive another BETA VCR on Friday, and it looked to be in great shape.
BUT...it promptly took the tape I inserted and refused to load it properly OR (more importantly) return it to me.

Got ONE "paperweight" - don't NEED another..

Yep...another downer for Bobby G.
But, there is some good news attached to it. The seller will accept a return and issue a FULL refund, so it's a trip to the P.O. this week and spend close to $40 to send it back to Alaska...at least people there honor their sales nicely.
So, it's back to looking for another unit that may or may not work, depending on how poorly the USPS decides to HANDLE the thing, because THAT is what I think might have happened to the unit received last Friday.

Our living room WILL look something like THIS...

One thing I told Wifey I plan to do - make a catalog of ALL the Beta tapes I have and see what can be had in DVD.

It's FULL now.

I already told her the cost to replace ALL of them would be astronomical, so it will be on a prioritized basis, according to availability and (more importantly)...cost.
That should be fun.
I might even look at any available DVD-VCR combo units they still have.
(I have a good number of VHS tapes to boot).
Like I tell all of you...there is ALWAYS a down side to technology...kinda makes you wonder what will come along rendering all your DVDs obsolete (and no players sold to play them), doesn't it?
So much for personal video "collections" and family memories, hmm?
Moving on...
*** Been a rather BUSY weekend close by to our "Fortress of Reason" with a couple "incidents" that are noteworthy.
-- First off, we had a fire in a house located in the 3000 block of S. Monroe yesterday around 0340 hrs.
Here's the story link:
http://wane.com/2014/07/13/house-to-be-torn-down-after-overnight-fire/

Another one bites the dust...(sing along)

Now, here we are, a "homeowner" (sounds black to me) that has a fire break out after 3 AM???
How much would you like to bet it was due to some sort of kitchen thing like falling asleep while cooking (that late?), or a grease fire that got out of control?
Or, maybe a child playing with a lighter?
An update states the fire was DELIBERATELY SET...that screams ARSON.

Here's the update link:
http://wane.com/2014/07/14/fire-set-deliberately-destroys-familys-home/
If people would have something as SIMPLE as a basic fire extinguisher at hand, this could well have been prevented, or lessened to the point where this person would not have lost everything.
At least she wasn't a government-sponsored section 8'er..
But still, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, or in this instance, a HOUSE (which will be razed due to the extensive damage).

Way too simple a solution.

Too many down here do NOT know how to own a house, or even run a household, and yet there they are, living next to you, across the street from you, or behind YOUR house. You can only hope whatever befalls them doesn't spread to your property.
--  And, we also had the thugs out and about yesterday, shooting things up.

Here's the story link for this:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140714/LOCAL07/307149941
THIS is one of those cases that BEGS for more coverage, because of the mindset of those either involved or witnessing the scene.
The shootings happened around 1557 hrs in the 3700 and 3800 blocks of S. Monroe St.
Police did confirm that bullets were found IN houses in both blocks and one vehicle was damaged by the bullets.
Apparently, there was an exchange of gunfire, but between whom and for what reason is as murky as the St.Mary's River.
Witnesses (most likely black) were UNCOOPERATIVE (big surprise there), stated FWPD spokesman Off. Jason Anthony.
Seems that a passing car opened fire on a group standing near Warsaw St. The driver of the car was not cooperative with police, but his car did have damaged front and rear glass.

More TGF "souvenirs"

Conflicting reports of vehicles involved have stymied police investigations as well.
"Its a mess" stated Officer Anthony...gee, Jase...'ya think?
Welcome to my world.
It makes you wonder if any or all of the houses that werestruck by gunfire were even PART of this scenario...and if not, how do those people living in those houses feel after this?
Where are the black LEADERS in the community?
They too damn afraid to come down here and get to the bottom of some of this crap?
It would seem so.
And since we really don't have a real "neighborhood association" (Pettit-Rudisill) they aren't going to intervene or be able to work with law-enforcement effectively enough to get any sort of handle on this.
-- WANE had a somewhat related story about MORE SHOOTINGS, and here is that link:
http://wane.com/2014/07/11/number-of-victims-being-injured-by-gunshots-is-up/
Yep...fewer homicides but MORE people hurt from shootings...now who would have ever figured that one out?

Sure (still) SEEMS that way...does it not?

((raise hand))...ME, that's who.
Most all of these thugs have no regard for where the bullets go after leaving the barrel, nor do they know how to hit a bull in the ass with a bass fiddle (a saving grace).
Let's be thankful they can't get into any FORMAL shooting range to "hone their skills".
Actually, the number of shooting INCIDENTS is also on the rise, and many don't even involve a warm body. They're called SIGNAL 113s (shots fired)
Shots are fired off DAILY...multiple times, especially on the SE side.
And such activities are on the move, just as I said (years ago) to former FWPD quadrant captain Chamberlin...it's moving closer to US down here.

Welcome to the "Jungle"...(sing along, folks)

I also stated that in the THREE sectors with the MOST firearms activity, ours is in the middle (like Malcolm), with even larger concentrations of blacks and Latinos north AND south of us.
The SPOT-CRIME website tells the story, as does the FWPD blotter.
It's not getting any better, either, so the city can kiss off any hope of revitalizing THIS area of town until the CRIME is under control, and I don't see that happening anytime soon, unless someone (in City Hall) grows a pair and DOES something to stop it, and not just try to lessen it.
-- A female DB was found at the Regency House Apartments on Fairfield.

Yeah, they all appear "nice".

Here's this story:
http://wane.com/2014/07/12/death-investigation-at-regency-house-apartments/
I guess no foul play will be found, so we can;t call it a homicide (heaven forbid) and jack up out numbers.
-- Also, a man was found in the street along the 3900 block of Shannon Drive.
Here's the story link:
http://wane.com/2014/07/14/police-investigate-critical-injury-on-shannon-dr/

Scene of the attack

Blunt force trauma to the back of the head...someone snuck up on him or he was tagged by someone driving past (leaning out the window with something hard...it's been known to occur in questionable neighborhoods. That's what people used to do to mailboxes...this guy might have been "in the way".
Maybe he was drunk..or just stumbled?
The man was found by a jogger and a woman walking her dog.
This is not that far from St. Joe Rd and St Joe Center Rd.
Let's hope the NE doesn't become the SE any time soon.
*** Last back to the emergency ward today...human nature at it's best and worst...the evidence is all around us.

Those who stop and help a fallen victim...the good side.
And those who impede law-enforcement and get in the way of investigations...the bad side.
Some people doing the right thing...others doing anything BUT, because they can get away with it.
And many times, there are too many who turn the other cheek and allow it.
(again, not good)
An entitlement mentality will always show it's ugly face, will it not?
The "low-information" people among us are not going through life with ANY sense of purpose...or goal.
They only meet their OWN wants (cleverly masquerading as "needs') and there are those more than willing to accede to their wishes.
Fortunately, I don't believe they represent the silent majority of the people in America.
And they certainly do not represent ANY of the productive people in society.

If anything needs to be done NOW to right this increasing wrong in this nation, it's to make these societal boils on America's ass accountable, and the best way to enact that would be to make these morons as UNCOMFORTABLE in their life as possible.
Start hitting them where it hurts the most, and they WILL change their lives around...or just die.
Either way, the rest of society wins out, right?
And, the last time I checked, real Americans were always "in it to WIN it".
We should never tolerate being a loser...at anything or for any reason.

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