Humpday Happenings...

Humpday? It's right over THERE!

It's the middle of the week once again...and, does this week seem to be flying past?
Must be those rather mild summer days we're enjoying.
Sure beats watching the dashboard of your car melt, doesn't it?
I was thinking of renting out the loft of our garage as a SAUNA, however - nice and hot and dry up there...in the winter, you can store ICE in it.
Talk about "extremes"...lol)
Our Hoosierland weather today will have us with a pretty close repetition of yesterday with temps again reaching into the upper 70s, fair skies, low humidity, and some light breezes.
Another fine day to open the windows, and get some things done, right?
So, let's get that morning drink poured as we take a look at what's going on, shall we?
*** First off pf the checklist is our WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them."
Now if THIS one doesn't apply to those in our nation's capital, I don't know what does.
So, WHO said that anyway? The answer at the top of tomorrow's post.
Meanwhile, back at House of Burgesses...
*** Next up is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
August 12 -
---Today is MIDDLE CHILD'S DAY

Not to be confused with MIDDLE EARTH.

Wifey and I can render this non sequitor - we're BOTH ONLY CHILDREN...lol.
---And, it's NATIONAL VINYL RECORD DAY.

I hear they're making a comeback.

Well, now THAT one works for me...might have to break out my copy of BOSTON or BAT OUT OF HELL and play some cuts. Or MAYBE...some Elvis or Sinatra?
Perhaps some classic Hendrix...or Beach Boys?
SO many choices...and only ONE turntable.
---It's also NATIONAL JULIENNE FRIES DAY.

Okay, so where's the burger?

Julienne Fries?
I think I went to school with her.
*** Next up, since I totally forgot to put this in yesterday's post, here are all the police reports of shots fired and armed robberies that happened last week.

Things that go BANG!

SHOTS FIRED and ARMED ROBBERY CALLS - 8/03 -8/10
===========================================
AUG 3 -
15F100769 00:51:56 113 SHOTS FIRED 600 OAKTREE CT
15F101135 19:35:41 113 SHOTS FIRED 1500 ECKART ST
15F100868 10:15:38 53 ARMED ROB 2700 DODGE AVE
AUG 4 - 
15F101249 00:55:13 113 SHOTS FIRED 5600 OLD DOVER BLVD
15F101440 13:02:33 113 SHOTS FIRED 2200 OWAISSA WAY
15F101288 05:07:11 53 ARMED ROB 200 MAIN ST E
15F101295 06:08:02 53 ARMED ROB 2100 SHERMAN BLVD
15F101300 06:47:14 53 ARMED ROB 800 RIDGEWOOD DR
15F101748 23:46:34 53 ARMED ROB 1000 RIDGEWOOD DR
AUG 5 -
15F102247 22:26:41 113 SHOTS FIRED 4000 WEBSTER ST
15F102065 16:05:02 53 ARMED ROB 900 WASHINGTON BLVD E
AUG 6 - 
15F102307 02:08:22 113 SHOTS FIRED 4000 COLDWATER RD
15F102622 19:28:02 113 SHOTS FIRED 1400 HUGH ST
15F102697 22:28:46 113 SHOTS FIRED 6900 POINTE INVERNESS WAY
15F102731 23:58:43 113 SHOTS FIRED 1900 MARY ST
15F102586 17:56:37 53 ARMED ROB 500 BOLTZ ST
15F102310 02:20:35 58 SHOOTING 2200 RANDALLIA DR
15F102696 22:28:15 58 SHOOTING 800 OAKLAWN CT
AUG 7 -
15F102746 00:37:08 113 SHOTS FIRED 2800 WAYNEDALE BLVD
15F102832 08:41:06 113 SHOTS FIRED 3000 EUCLID AVE
15F103233 23:46:59 113 SHOTS FIRED 3600 CENTRAL DR
((NO armed robberies))
AUG 8 - 
15F103357 06:00:55 113 SHOTS FIRED 3100 MAUMEE AVE
15F103268 00:47:02 53 ARMED ROB 4000 SOUTHPARK DR
15F103586 16:17:46 53 ARMED ROB 900 WASHINGTON BLVD E
15F103246 00:16:39 58 SHOOTING 2600 PAULDING RD E
AUG 9 - 
15F103810 00:26:43 113 SHOTS FIRED 3300 CLINTON ST S & WIEBKE ST
15F103811 00:27:51 113 SHOTS FIRED 300 FRENCH AVE
15F103821 00:46:18 113 SHOTS FIRED 1300 GREENE ST
15F103850 01:51:25 113 SHOTS FIRED 600 CONGRESS AVE & HANNA ST S
15F103918 05:30:33 113 SHOTS FIRED 2900 BEAVER AVE
15F104239 21:39:43 113 SHOTS FIRED 3100 PITTSBURG ST
15F104226 21:11:22 58 SHOOTING 700 BROADWAY
((NO armed robberies))
AUG 10 -
15F104318 02:05:00 113 SHOTS FIRED 700 WALNUT ST
15F104694 20:33:22 113 SHOTS FIRED 4500 MONROE ST S & SHERWOOD TERR E
15F104303 01:14:15 53 ARMED ROB 800 RUDISILL BLVD E & SOUTHPARK DR
15F104455 11:50:13 58 SHOOTING 1200 MARION ST
================================
Funny, how we didn't hear about ALL those shootings, isn't it?
Maybe they were too busy with the several STABBINGS we also had...or the rapes that occurred?

Things that go BOOM!

And, we can't forget all those stupid-asses who STILL have a stockpile of pyrotechnics around JUST so they can annoy others.
==========================
FIREWORKS CALLS - 8/03 - 8/10
AUG 3 -
((none))
AUG 4 -
((none))
AUG 5 -
15F102203 20:44:10 44FW 2700 ALEXANDER ST
AUG 6 -
15F102593 18:09:36 44FW 4700 MANISTEE DR
15F102716 23:09:30 44FW 5800 THORNBRIAR LN
AUG 7 -
((none))
AUG 8 -
15F103723 21:40:30 44FW 3500 AVONDALE DR & WARSAW ST
15F103726 21:46:44 44FW 4000 CLINTON ST S
15F103737 21:57:00 44FW 2800 PLAZA DR
AUG 9 -
15F104131 17:33:29 44FW 6200 TRIER RD & MAPLECREST RD
AUG 10 -
((none))
============================
Well, we're getting FEWER calls...
*** Next up, a rather GOOD day down here in the ghettohood (we have so few anymore), and by that I mean that those nasty dead tree limbs that have been on the sidewalks along our street were finally REMOVED yesterday (after well over a month)...imagine THAT!

Chainsaws and elbow grease work wonders...

Wow, we still DO have a sidewalk there

Guess harping to the city DOES work (at least in this instance).
I figured if we "were on a  roll", why not  get that damn loft ladder fixed...which I DID.
Took the entire bottom half off (the part that broke last week) and took it apart.
I then removed the nails, glued the joints and clamped it together while using hardened SCREWS to reassemble it.

A TIGHT fit once again.

I then re-bolted it to the top half and PRESTO - a damn fine proper job of repair.
Now, all that remains is to reinforce the top half, and call it done.
*** Next, another strip mall out in Aboite...can you stand all that retail?
Here's the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/Illinois--Hadley-rezoning-OK-d-8195462
Yep, the Hadley and Illinois Rds area is set to receive some retail thanks to a 6-3 vote by city council to REZONING from C1 commercial (professional use) to C2 (limited commercial). The area will be named WEST VILLAGE SHOPPES.

Retail other than SOUTH? Where's the rubber stamp?

And seriously, WTH is up with adding an "e" at the end of EVERYTHING in this city...like that makes it BETTER?
We're NOT in Merry OLDE England, for God's sake.

The REAL magic would be a BETTER south side.

Meanwhile, the "king" (read mayor) can't even GIVE away land down here for retail development (should be called REDEVELOPMENT because we USED to be a lot more developed before crime moved in).
I just LOVE what passes for progress in this city...don't you?
*** Last back to the outhouse...I would love to know WHO picks these people for developing things in this city...or for ANY city for that matter.

And the SOUTH side gets...???

Time and again, we see people in positions of power who make huge amounts of money (paid by taxpayers), and who always look to the "easy" way of doing things to "serve the public's interest"...which usually translates to their OWN interest.

Where have all THOSE businesses gone?

Our city also has this nasty habit of trying to keep up with other cities the same size...and all that seems to do is create "cookie-cutter" urban areas...all the same, and all just as "boring" as the next one.
Whatever happened to being "quaint"?

Is this a PARADOX quiz???

Why can't cities RETAIN that which keeps them UNIQUE, rather than "just another brick in the wall" of the national cityscape?
There are places that, in spite of themselves STILL have small pockets of such things...like Philly, and the HISTORICAL district (just don't wander away from them at night), and Boston.
When people used to visit a city, it was because of something SPECIAL...something any other city did NOT have.
Now, you come to one city, and aside from the different license plates and police uniforms it's damn near like any OTHER city - concrete jungles, fast food joints, the "typical fare" found all over. How "homogenized" is that?

Only when it comes to anything down HERE.

That's hardly worth bragging about, but city leaders are always trying to outdo other cities.
Sure, there's money to be made for a few, but I feel we suffer as a nation on the whole, by casting off our "uniqueness" for what everyone else has.
Every city has it's own history, good, bad, or indifferent, and it's time to realize that again.
We've lost too much of who we were along the way, and it's high time we tried to get SOME of it back, before we lose it ALL to something they call progress (for progress sake)..

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