Humpday Happenings...

Rain? Again?

Welcome to the middle of the week...which curiously seems like the LAST TWO DAYS.
It's like a kinda "Groundhog Day" thing...with the slight exception of some morning FOG out there.
Our Hoosierland weather will again find us with cloudy skies, little to no sunshine, some more rain, and temps creeping into the low 60s.
Even got us a thunderstorm outside this morning.
But the REAL fun comes tomorrow with more severe rain conditions and higher winds
(...joy...).
In the meantime, let's try not to dwell on that, as we pour ourselves a cup or glass of our morning drink and set about looking into what else is going on, shall we?
*** First out of the fog bank is our WHO SAID THAT? quote of the week:
"But what is liberty without wisdom, and without virtue? It is the greatest of all possible evils; for it is folly, vice, and madness, without tuition or restraint."
Liberty is something many of us take for granted and something which could be pulled out from under us, should we be caught unaware.
So, WHO said that anyway?
The answer at the top of tomorrow's post.
Meanwhile, back on the Emerald Isle...
*** It's also time once again for our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
April 8 - 
---Today is ALL IS OURS DAY.

(well that seems like EVERY day down here to these "locals" because they live by the maxim:
"What's yours is MINE and what's MINE is MY OWN."
I think it means something completely different.
---It's also DRAW A PICTURE OF A BIRD DAY.

Here's the neat back-story about this:
http://www.dabday.com/
And that's not to mean draw a picture of someone GIVING another "the bird", got it?
I ain't no John Audubon, either...
*** Next, I came across this story yesterday.
Immediately, my palm was reintroduced to my face..

After reading it, I'm sure you'll know why.
 Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/Smoke-alarms-part-of-safety-initiative-5950127

Done this in other cities, too.

Yep, the Red Cross will be canvassing OUR zip code in our city, and providing SMOKE DETECTORS to homes that have none, as well as TEACHING people the use of them. Are your eyes rolling yet?
The FWFD is another group that ALSO does this every year, and every year we STILL hear about houses that had NO working smoke detectors (if they had them at all to begin with). So where are all these devices going and WHY aren't they working after YEARS of handing them out and teaching these morons about them?
I can't wait to see them come around here...

Sorry, we PAID for OURS. 
And THEY WORK.

It's another case of leading the horses (read jackasses) to water but not being able to make them drink.
And it won't stop some from falling asleep while cooking at 3AM, either.
You can bet that after this giveaway, there will STILL be more houses that burn down, due to stupidity, and that no smoke detectors will be found.
And if any are found, they will not have the batteries in them.
That's just the way these idiots shake down here.
*** Next, remember that branch pile sitting (for the last week and a half) along the side street near our "Fortress"?

Well, it was FINALLY all picked up and taken away yesterday.
BY THE CITY!!!.
I know the city department involved had trouble locating the owner of the house (typical), and hopefully, they will be cited for this "short-dump".
Now, the reason this was addressed was because I emailed and sent along pictures of this.
If not for that, the piles would STILL be there.
That's the way things operate down here, and that's why other neighborhoods look the same with strewn trash, dumping and so on, week after week, month after month.
ONE person sending ONE email (or making ONE call) gets things done.
Can you imagine how much BETTER things would be if we had FIVE, or TEN people that gave a damn.

All gone - thanks to me (as usual)

THAT is what a community is all about...and not some individual acting alone, unless you want to call me a "community of one"
(with apologies to the U.S. Army for adapting their slogan to fit the scenario).
Moving on...
*** Next, we have a tale of a person who had their car break down yesterday right around the time the school buses roll through.

And wouldn't you know it...he breaks down IN the intersection.
Don't even TRY to roll it back to the curb (which is easily enough done).
All you need is a good left foot, and the ability to steer a car without power-assist
Well, the car sat there for about an hour and twenty-five minutes before he got a flatbed to haul it away.
Now, as a point of reference, it took me ONLY a HALF HOUR to get the "Batmobile" a flatbed to take it one block away. Then again, we have something called AAA. We like to do things the RIGHT way whenever possible around our home.

Still, this ill-parked vehicle caused a stir, with traffic whipping around it.
The tow truck guy even looked at a few of the idiots speeding past.
(brave soul)
All too often, people tend to break down RIGHT NEAR our house...dunno why, either.
And yet no one ever asks for help. Nor will I ask them if they NEED help.
That's not being totally indifferent - it's just being totally safe, considering what passes for humanity around here.
And who wants to add to any crime rate...certainly not I.
*** Speaking of crime, and those who fight it, Fort Wayne city council approved (read rubber-stamped)  preliminary measures to raise the FWPD retirement age from 60 to 70.
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/Retirement-age-for-police-changed-from-60-to-70-5971077

Now, I know my share of LEOs out there, and I cannot imagine a 70 year old chasing down the bad guys on foot without some difficulty.
Being a LEO (or firefighter) eats up your stamina, nerves, physicality, emotional well-being...well, you get the idea here.
It would take an individual of incredible traits to be AS good at 68 as he/she was at say 28.
They say the seniors could provide experience and can help out in non-patrol duties like criminal investigation, office work and so on.
Funny, you could do the same for RETIRED officers who volunteer their time, or are paid minimum, so as not to affect their SSI or pensions.
I think this is a "good old boy network" tactic to cover a few asses and make their pensions a bit larger. Who can say? The PBA and the FOP are behind it.
*** Next  up, the next to the last episode of  JUSTIFIED aired last night...(wow)
And it looks to be one helluva series finale NEXT week.
There are SO many sub-plots that are coming  to a head, it's not funny.
I will be sorry to see the show go, but there will always be online viewing as well as the DVDs.
The acting has been marvelous, the story-lines have been both compelling and well defined.
I've been there since the FIRST episode, and to watch the characters evolve over the length of the series is a testimony to the writers and the actors.
Gonna be a big hole to fill on Tuesday nights, that's for sure.
*** Last back to the precinct house...these truly are times that try men's (and women's) souls.
We look around us and wonder HOW the world has gotten itself SO "effed up".

It seemed to happen over a long time, for the most part. We didn't see this coming until it was right in front of us, and that must mean we were otherwise "occupied" with something else...called LIVING.
Now, this isn't to say we all sat back, had soda and let the world do "it's thing".
We have just been immersed in things we wouldn't normally HAVE to be concerned with...if OTHERS would be busy minding their OWN P's and Q's.
The days when we could concentrate MORE on our families is slipping away, I fear.
We have to be engaged to some degree in what's going on all around us, be it crime, politics, or whatever else the fates have in store.
We have to be watching both hands of ANYONE in power, just to make sure we're not being bamboozled in some way.
Too many people are living in what they BELIEVE to be a sense of liberty...no boundaries tor them - anything goes, and they embrace that with a passion, which, if directed to more noble pursuits, would solve many of our problems that humanity suffers.
These are the REAL "selfies" - those who live FOR themselves only.
And yes, we have to be on guard against them as well.
It would be nice if, for a time, we COULD take things a bit slower, and not have to be watchful of so many things, and definitely not all at once.
We all might get to appreciate LIFE, rather than meandering through it.

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