Tuesday Tidbits...

Here we are once again with another semi-fine day in the Midwest.
And it looks like summer might be heading out of town by the looks of our forecast.
Our Hoosierland weather will have us enjoying a slight cool down today with temps reaching into the mid-70s. As for clouds...well, they will be around for most of the day, so.no sunrise to speak of, and humidity is still high, but mild breezes should cancel that out.
Now, let's try and hit the ground running today as we all get our morning beverage of choice poured. Settle back and we'll see what has been going on elsewhere...
*** First out of the manure pile is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
September 29 -
---Today is NATIONAL COFFEE DAY

(well spank me rosy - sound the trumpets and loose the pigeons)
That's the ONLY time you will ever hear the phrase "100% Colombian" used in OUR house...lol!
---It's also NATIONAL VFW DAY

(time to honor all those who fought in foreign lands, which is better than fighting foreign enemies here).
---And, it's NATIONAL ATTEND YOUR GRANDCHILD'S BIRTH DAY

(I might have to pass on this one...and have that second cup of coffee)
*** Next up, as is typical for a Tuesday, we bring you ALL the police calls that the media doesn't think is worthy of the news, BUT is something you need to know about (because it might be happening closer to you than you think)

SHOTS FIRED / ARMED ROBBERY CALLS - 9/21 -9/27
===========================================
SEP 21 -
15F125495 01:05:53 113 SHOTS FIRED 5700 ANTHONY BLVD S & PAULDING RD
15F125551 07:13:21 113 SHOTS FIRED 8100 GREENWICH CT
15F125580 08:20:48 113 SHOTS FIRED 2700 SCHAPER DR
15F125926 20:14:21 113 SHOTS FIRED 1200 RUDISILL BLVD E
15F125942 20:56:19 113 SHOTS FIRED 2700 LILLIE ST
15F125681 12:44:52 58 SHOOTING 600 LEWIS ST E
((NO armed robberies))
SEP 22 -
15F126408 20:59:53 113 SHOTS FIRED 3300 MCKINNIE AVE
15F126345 18:32:25 53 ARMED ROB 3200 WASHINGTON BLVD E
15F126437 22:16:11 58 SHOOTING 2800 MILLBROOK DR
SEP 23 - 
15F126519 03:50:17 113 SHOTS FIRED 600 WAYNE ST W
15F126929 22:12:30 113 SHOTS FIRED 4000 LILLIE ST
((NO armed robberies))
SEP 24 -
15F126969 00:19:21 113 SHOTS FIRED 3800 NEWPORT AVE
15F126981 01:31:19 113 SHOTS FIRED 3600 AVONDALE DR
15F126982 01:33:13 113 SHOTS FIRED 800 RIDGEWOOD DR
15F126983 01:34:19 113 SHOTS FIRED 3400 BROADWAY & NUTTMAN AVE
15F127359 20:21:49 113 SHOTS FIRED 4500 ATWOOD DR & CAPITOL AVE
((NO armed robberies))
SEP 25 - 
15F127906 20:37:17 113 SHOTS FIRED 4700 RIDGELANE DR
15F127836 18:35:25 53 ARMED ROB 5800 TURTLE CREEK DR
SEP 26-
15F128023 00:25:41 113 SHOTS FIRED 1300 ECKART ST & ROBINWOOD DR
15F128055 01:47:24 113 SHOTS FIRED 100 CROWN LN E
15F128176 11:05:22 113 SHOTS FIRED 1200 CALIFORNIA RD E
15F128408 20:24:31 113 SHOTS FIRED 1100 KENSINGTON BLVD
15F128070 02:42:10 53 ARMED ROB 2500 LAFAYETTE ST S
SEP 27 -
15F128585 02:34:52 113 SHOTS FIRED 2100 HOBSON RD
15F128777 14:27:32 113 SHOTS FIRED 2700 PAULDING RD E
15F128969 22:10:26 113 SHOTS FIRED 2400 EDSALL AVE
((NO armed robberies))
================================
Now THAT'S curious...the FWPD did NOT post the ARMED ROBBERY that took place at AJ's Locker Room (Southgate Plaza) on 26 September...wonder WHY that is?

Also, nothing about that SHOOTING along Kent Rd where a D/B was found in a vacant house.
(a black male , 19 years old, named Porter "Pbillz" La Shon Billains.)

Someone is NOT posting what they SHOULD be posting...are they?
or maybe, someone is "changing" the call status, to make us think that "crime is going down"...it's been done before.
 And, we cannot forget the few stupid-ass morons who refuse to read a calendar and see that we left the 4th of July behind QUITE some time ago:
FIREWORKS CALLS - 9/21-  9/27
============================
SEP 22 - 
15F126417 20:44:57 44FW 1100 IRENE AVE
SEP 27 -
15F128751 13:27:04 44FW 10400 TRADERS POINTE
===========================
What can I say...we DO have our share of idiocy going on here.
Moving on...
*** Question: What do you do when you're caught stealing something from the Southtowne Centre Walmart by store security.
Well, like the LAST wigger (that's right, I said WIGGER - I call 'em as I see 'em) proved when he was caught on camera, and then confronted, you can ALWAYS pull a gun on the L/P officer and then carjack someone in the parking lot...

(This boy has some serious anger management issues, and well as this penchant for "5-finger" discounts).
OR, you can get a bit more "creative"...like THIS other wigger moron.

Here's the story link:
Yep, just shimmy up a drainpipe on a nearby business and have a standoff with police for a couple hours, make them think you may have a weapon, close down the highway adjoining the property and basically be a royal pan-in-the-ass.

That's sure to get you on the receiving end of some rubber or bean-bag projectiles...every damn time.
Police were called to the Auto Zone at Southtown where they encountered a man on the roof, waving and taunting...like no one would think to use the roof access hatch (used them a lot myself) deploy a flash-bang to distract the idiot, and use a non-lethal round (or several) and take the perp down.

That ALSO works every time.
They had to use a FWFD ladder truck to bring the perp to the ground, because when you're in handcuffs, navigating a ladder isn't a first choice.
He was restrained in a basket and brought down the ladder where EMS and more police were waiting to "greet" the wigger.
What I found interesting, was that the perp already had a "patch" on his upper abdomen - looked like he had been injured prior to the roof climb and take down. Anyone else notice that on the videos? Maybe a check with hospitals?
He might have been stabbed before this took place. It was a decent size bandage...not a band-aid and looked much like a field dressing.
In any event, I'm sure the docs will have some "fun" with this loon.
*** Next up, FWCS is having a bit of a budget problem...
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/schools/FWCS-presents-tax-cap-budget-9068253

Funny, their budget as fine after the tax caps took place...but recently, they are struggling to find ways to trim the pork.

How about starting with all the free meals (of which around $30K a year goes WASTED by students)?
They did get smarter with the transportation gig - creating NO-TRANSPORTATION zones withing a mile from many schools...a good start.
But the major point of contention comes from the VOUCHER PROGRAM.
While the number of students accessing the program have been on the rise, there is also a number of students that RETURN to the FWCS system...not quite half at this point.
This is due to the kids not liking the voucher schools, or charter schools, getting expelled, and so on.
In other words, when MORE is expected of some kids, they can;t meet the challenge, and therefore leave the school and return to FWCS.
Guess that's what you get when standards are lower in some schools.
I will grant you that OUR standards in Indiana are FAR better than at least 30 other states (more like 40 actually).
So we are headed in the right direction...we're just taking the "scenic route" to get there, apparently.
What is interesting to note is that our PROPERTY TAXES go to fund a part of the FWCS budget (as well as around 30 OTHER entities in the city and county, as I mentioned YEARS ago here).
But, there is a caveat attached to this - when property VALUES (assessed) decline, so does the REVENUE the properties bring in.
Not that hard to figure out, really.
So, one would think it would behoove the city to NOT allow and entire quadrant of the city to ooze into the crapper.
Have we ever believed that those downtown could THINK, though...right?
---On the UP side, the teachers' contracts have been approved.
Here's THAT story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/schools/FWCS-approves-teacher-contract-9073082

There were some salary discrepancies over the last few years, including a pay freeze, and some hired at higher salaries than existing teachers, but that has been ironed out for now.
There is the implementation of something called the "district average pay", and this is meant to produce more equity all around for educators.
Any raises are in the ONE PERCENT category, so none of the teachers will be living that large anytime soon, unfortunately.
All this does preclude the fact that for the fifth year, there is no real salary "schedule".
New teachers start between $37K and $41K , depending on the degree earned.
*** Last back to the cornfield...we touched on good people, so let's expound on that a little.
GOOD people and GOOD friends are something to be valued, not just in times past, but more so today...probably more than ever.

And what does make up that which is considered "good" in people in general and friends in particular?
Well, I can only speak from experience (which is usually the BEST teacher).
To me, here are tow very basic criteria.
1) What you see.
2) What you hear.
We could combine the two into something we call a person's CHARACTER.

(and yes, some people ARE characters, but we'll not venture there today)
A person of GOOD character is someone who is always working toward a sense of becoming more than they have been - working and trying to become a better person. And much of that is passed down from decent parenting, good mentors, and those who someone looks up to as a true role model.
This will be reflected in the way they present themselves to others.
They way that person carries themselves will tell you a lot about them.

If someone caves to fads or peer pressure, and dresses like whatever is "in" these days, or even become a member of some "counter-culture", how can they conjure ANY sense of individuality...they all look alike, act alike, and talk alike...cookie-cutter citizens. Some of them carry such notions over into adulthood, where it really becomes apparent. It also looks ridiculous.
And when a person SPEAKS, we also learn a lot about them.
But that only occurs when we LISTEN to that person, instead of just hearing them (which is something that pervades much of society today, creating all sorts of issues).
I look at it this way...people will LET YOU KNOW how they want to be treated by the way they act, and that reveals their character to you immediately.
Good character shines through, but bad character also shows itself in much the same way.
Our job is to be discerning people - people who can tell the good FROM the bad, and not become enthralled with whatever "cult of personality" we';re exposed to. That is the key to finding and keeping good people (and good friends) in your life.

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