Thoughts For Thursday...

And, we've got ourselves another carbon copy day ahead of us in the Midwest.
The Hoosierland weather will see us with mostly sunny skies...some clouds here and there, with temps again climbing back into the sixties.
No precipitation is forecast, so the day might not be a total waste (until someone comes along and f*cks it up).
So, let's put on a happy face, and get ourselves a nice soothing cup of our favorite morning drink, as we take a look at some of the "other stuff" that's been going on...
*** First out of the kennel today is the answer to our WHO SAID THAT? quote of the week:
"Society questions the police and their methods, and the police say, Do you want the criminals off the street or not?"
This is attributed to none other than the original Colonel Jack O'Neill...the not to be forgotten Snake Plissken, and "jungle boy" in the old Gilligan's Island episode...KURT RUSSELL (born 17 March 1951).
And here is his WIKI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Russell
The "Disney" clue should have had you guessing.
(anyone remember the movie The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes?)
His film career began at the age of eleven, having an uncredited role in the Elvis Presley movie It Happened At The Word's Fair.
Curiously enough, he would go on to PLAY Elvis himself.

(1979 - and a pretty decent performance at that)
In the early 1970s, he played big league baseball with the California Angels minor league affiliates - the Bend Rainbows, but in 1973 suffered a torn rotator cuff (while leading the Texas league in hitting with a .563 average as a SWITCH hitter (that's damn good).

"I'm feelin' kinda invncible..."

It was during the 80s that Russell came into his own with such movies as (Carpenter's) The Thing, Escape From New York and Big Trouble In Little China (which is a wonderfully campy flick).

"Give my regards to King Tut, asshole."

In the 90s, his films included Stargate, Backdraft (another top notch performance), and Tombstone (made a good Wyatt Earp - as good as Costner's)

Sounds like a plan...

And, in case you were wondering, Russell is NOT a democrat...he's a LIBERTARIAN.
I think he's done all right for himself over the years.
*** Next up is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
May 14 -
---Today has only one thing, and it's one of those "odd" ones - it's DANCE LIKE A CHICKEN DAY.

(ahh, that wonderful chicken dance...hate it!)
But, on tee up side...it IS still National Police Week...!
*** And speaking of which, our own FWPD chief, Garry Hamilton was coaxed from behind his desk to attend an awards ceremony for officers and citizens. Here's the "4-1-1":
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/Out-on-streets--their-inner-hero-came-out-6636863

Gettin' a little THICK there, Garry

Naturally, nothing about people like US, nestled in the crotch of the city, who "fight the good fight" each and every day against those who embrace behavior unbecoming a human being...but that's okay. The REAL rewards come in the NEXT life, anyway, right?
*** Next up, the latest on the train derailment in Philly.
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/us/At-time-of-its-derailment--train-was-going-too-fast-6635259

What's interesting to note, is that the engineer refused comments to the Philly PD (that can't be good), and that this particular stretch of track did not have the wireless GPS "positive train control" system in place, whereby the train could be remotely SLOWED if any excess of speed was detected.
Gee, back in the day, we had REAL engineers...that KNEW the route..and PAID ATTENTION.
(but we also had crashes)
Can't always have technology run everything...can we? As a side-note, Glenn Beck is going to talk about the 1943 train crash today...maybe HE is reading this blog now?
Moving on...
*** Next, Kevin Leininger has a good column about the city's plan to redevelop our riverfront. Here's the link:
http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20150512/NEWS/150519961/1041/LEININGER
So far, the city wants to dump $12 MIL into the project...wonder how far THAT money would go down HERE?
(cripes, Bob...you got a new rec center...what more do you want?)
Well, I want a LOT more...which to some would be what THEY already have...regular amenities that the rest of the city has had in abundance.
Councilman Russ Jehl has asked questions about how the money for the riverfront is to be spent, and King Henry has had little details concerning this (typical Democrat smoke and mirrors ploy).
Jehl wants to avoid the whole "we have to pass it to see what's in it" mentality the Dems love to foster.
Good for him!
He says we (taxpayers) already paid $500K and got some "nice pictures" for the money.
I could probably make drawings near as good...for a lot LESS...lol.
City spokes-hack John Perlich says that details will be forthcoming over time (I take that to mean they're making things up as they go along...sound about right?)
Look at those larger cities with decades of democrat rule to see our OWN future...it's not as rose-colored as we're led to believe.
*** Next, Adam Widener (WANE) looks to be taking a page from my "playbook" with his latest investigation into the SE side of Fort Wayne. (maybe the emails helped out, too...lol)

Here's the story link:
http://wane.com/2015/05/13/why-arent-more-businesses-locating-southeast/
There's a good question...Why AREN'T businesses locating on the SE side of town?
('cause they're busy locating AWAY from it?)
Well, if you're a regular reader HERE, I've told you why on more than several occasions, and I never minced words.
This tale all begins with this SOUTHEAST AREA DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY group (never heard of 'em)...a group that, for the lack of a better word has FAILED to do what it was created to do.

John Urbahns - guilty!

This was supposed to be a TEN-year strategy...funny, this part of town has been going down the crapper for more than TWO DECADES. And this "strategy" is 8 years out now.
In the article, John Urbahns DOESN'T have an answer to the initial question about retail coming (back) down here.
Obviously, HE is NOT a regular reader of this blog, nor does he LIVE down here...
Urbahns DOES say (erroneously) that the homicide rate (SE) is not a concern for developers. ((???))
Depends on WHAT you plan to put here...more liquor stores? Dollar stores? Convenience storea?
Got WAY too many now, and they get robbed regularly.
No, John...it IS a concern to developers, because no one with a functional brain cell would want to place a business OR it's employees AT RISK by building in a crime-ridden area...take off your EFFIN BLINDERS, you idiot!

At least John Dortch (SE business advisory President, seen above) can see the FOREST, if not the trees in it.
Widener debuted this story at this link:
http://wane.com/2015/05/12/15-finds-out-southeast-report-card/
Well, I voted them an "F"...only because there is not a letter LOWER to use in the alphabet for grading...lol.

Never a hero around (here) when we need one

This whole SE strategy isn't working (like, most all of the welfare queens and gangstas down here), but we sure can move our asses when it comes to our DOWNTOWN...bills FLY through council, and the mayor almost has carte-blanch when it come to what HE (and his good old boys) desire...
In the meantime, we on the SE side (and rapidly also the NE and SW sides) have to deal with the city's ignorance to a situation that has been allowed to go on for FAR too long.
*** Last back to the boat-slip...I get so damn tired, frustrated, pissed the hell off...you name it when I hear the word "downtown" these days.

Pie-in-the-sky...MUD is OUR eye.

It's like another pin prick to EVERY decent citizen on the SE side, and, after a time, given enough of those pin pricks, you WILL bleed the hell out.
Well, that's what OUR part of town HAS been doing, both figuratively AND actually (given the niumber of homicides, stabbings, etc)
And having the city all but turn a blind eye and deaf ear to what goes on isn't making it go away (although they in City Hall must have thought it would by now).
You got some serious problems, stemming from an entitlement mentality, lack of jobs, lack of BUSINESS, growth in crime (although they say it's been dropping 13 percent...for the last ten years...which would mean we're in NEGATIVE percentages for crime...LOL, whatta frigging joke), and that's for starters.
We have the BROKEN FAMILY SYNDROME...running unchecked right alongside the BROKEN WINDOW THEORY..
That's not good for so many reasons (and people).
Yet, nothing will change until the crime gets sent away with it's bags packed.
Given the right atmosphere (read "nudge"), we could see a similar situation to those in other cities.
The GOOD news there, is that we don't have that many businesses to burn down on the SE side.
The BAD news...is that the city ITSELF allowed this to happen in the first damn place, and it smacks ALL the way back to the Win Moses era of governance in Fort Wayne.
And it's been perpetuated ever since.
Time to change that manner of thinking AND action.

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