Monday Musings...

No, your eyes are not deceiving you...things look a lot different, don't they?
You can thank...I mean BLAME Google/Blogger for this mess.
Saturday's post kinda tells the tale.
Anyway, it's not THAT bad a look, and I'm too lazy to try and set everything back the way it used to look.
That doesn't mean I don't miss the "original" presentation of my humble blog, and I might "try" and get the template restored. Just not today.
The weekend weather caught us marvelously OFF-guard this weekend, with temps dipping BELOW the freezing mark...and not ONE SINGLE mention of a FREEZE-WARNING on the TV about it. Didn't even hear anything when they mentioned the 7-day planner the previous day.
Thanks for helping to hasten the demise of some of our plants, you idiots.
Our Hoosierland weather for today will find us with a more seasonal high of around 55 degrees, with mostly sunny skies. Still was cold last night, though. And it probably will be until Spring rolls around next year.
Have to get used to it, right?
So, let's all get a nice warm cup of some soothing drink, as we set off into another week that's sure to send along some of life's good, bad and ugly...
*** First from under the comforter is our "What the hell happens today,Bob?" feature:
November 9 -
---Today is NATIONAL SCRAPPLE DAY

(a very personal favorite of mine)
If you want the skinny on this, here you go:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrapple

A "proper" breakfast.

Now, obtaining this product was NEVER a problem in Philly, but here in Indiana, it's harder to come by than a decent neighbor.
I was raised on the stuff, and no, I don't want to know everything that's in it...LOL.
Scott's groceries USED to carry it, and when Kroger bought them out, THEY also carried it...for a time, and at a good price.
($2.50 for Kuntzler's brand).
About 2-3 years ago, they stopped carrying it (?), and I haven't seen it since, but when they did have it, I wasn't the only one to buy it, because it disappeared from the shelf fast enough, and I only would buy TWO "loaves" every few weeks.
(wonder if Wal-Mart carries it?)
Some folks don't know WHAT they're missing.
Moving on...
*** And speaking of things that are "hard to come by", let's try THIS on for size:
http://wane.com/2015/11/07/police-searching-for-an-armed-robbery-suspect/

This is one of the growing number of crimes that happen around Fort Wayne, that SHOULD have you scratching your heads in disbelief.
And, it's NOT because of the type of crime.
It's because of the amount of "information" that's been provided to WE, THE PEOPLE.
This armed robbery took place at the BP station located at 909 E. Coliseum Blvd around 0300 hrs Saturday morning.

That's about ALL the information that police told the media, and the story has been all but buried
Now, NO arrests were made (obviously), NO information as to if or how much CASH or other items were taken, and NO description of the suspect.
And the tag line is: "If you have any information, call police".
WTF???

I'm getting pretty damn sick and tired of the LACK of information the public is provided, and yet somehow "expected" to assist police.
With what? the public has NOTHING to go on...how the hell can you truly expect ANYONE to help when they have no information?
What...you want me to "guess" who pulled this off?
How about a BLACK GUY? (too obvious?) Maybe a WHITE GUY? Maybe a DWARF with attitude? Perhaps it was a a WOMAN?
And since the place is well-lit, we don't even know WHAT kind of clothes he/she/it was wearing. Maybe they were NUDE?
That would explain the lack of a clothing description, right?
It was an ARMED robbery...well, since everyone has ARMS (a left one and a right one), that's a bit ambiguous, too.

Did the perp have a GUN? A KNIFE? A MACHETE? A pair of 3-month old gym socks?
And we don't know WHAT was taken? Money? Ciggies? 3 Musketeers bar? A cup of coffee (with cream and sugar)?
For cripes sake, we live in a bloody age of "The Information Superhighway".
And here we stand in the middle of a stinking "dirt road".
C'mon now...let's get some information OUT to the public, so THEY can help the FWPD.
And to the FWPD, I'd say stop this shit with the "gag orders"...you want OUR help, then by God start by giving US something to go on, other than "a robbery happened". This kind of "silence " is deplorable, even IF it does speak VOLUMES.
*** Next, along those lines, there was a good letter to the editor in today's J-G:

Here is the letter (verbatim) from the paper:
Citizen observers aid solid police work
Until I took military leave from the FBI during World War II, I learned police work is hard, dangerous and tedious. Developing investigative techniques, personal contacts and street smarts takes time. Good intelligence works from the bottom to the top, not top down. Knowledge and patience go hand in hand.
Ordinary citizens can stop crime: Notice strangers in your neighborhood, write down license numbers of suspicious cars roaming. Listen to your children/teenagers. Become involved in their lives. Investigate whether they have a gun. Do your own home investigation before trouble or untimely death invade your family life.
One professionally trained officer is worth any number of volunteers. A prime example of excellent team police work – coordination by many federal, state and city police departments such as the recent arrest of hundreds of individuals in major cities across America, resulting in the shutdown of the largest juvenile sex ring in America. No quick arrest, good record-keeping and patience in investigation tied this  countrywide crime together.
Crime Stoppers is effective and works – report, verify, investigate: the lifeblood of successful police work. Citizens, tell the officer what you know or suspect, give them a lead and let the professionals do their job.
ELDON ZAHM, Fort Wayne
Have to hand it to Eldon...HE "gets it".
He cites "citizen involvement". and he's right, the people CAN and DO help the police all over the place.
But all of this is predicated upon the public being MADE AWARE of what goes down...it's called INFORMING the people.
He says that good intelligence works from the bottom up, and not from the top down.
Seems the FWPD could take a page from THAT notebook. Funny, they USED to do just that.
*** Last back to the barn...I'll bet you might be wondering what's been going on around the "Fortress", so here's a bit of a catch-up

Our house - our leaf pile.

Wifey and I raked the leaves again (that makes 5 times for me,...and hopefully the last).
My back is letting me know how much "fun" it was, too.

From "air-guitar" to raking.  Who'da thunk?

Gotta remind myself, I'm not 25 anymore. Or 45 for that matter.
And some of the critters are stopping by.

Mr. Wrinkles hardly misses a day.

Haven't see our rabbit friend for over a week, though.
You come to expect them, and miss them when they don't show up.

Yo, Bob...feeder's EMPTY again.

The birds are loving filled feeders, too.

A cup of seed never goes to waste.

I swear they can eat several times their body weight in seed.
And the cat just sleeps through most all of it, until he wants to get fed...then you can't shut him up.

Do you MIND? I'm nappin' over here.

It's not an exciting life around here, just kinda cool, but you DO see some pretty odd stuff.
(Like a stretch-limo parked on a FRONT LAWN?)

How often do YOU see THIS kinda odd?

I could do with more calm...and a lot less exciting...or odd.
We've way too much odd in the world.
And it shows.

One way to look at things.

There was once a time when we would say that everyone is different...or unique...remember those days?
Now, you just have to look at some of the stuff that goes on and the people that create (read cause) it say they're not different.
WEIRD perhaps, but certainly not different. And not unique...just plain frigging Weirdsville.
Thank God that you or I could never hope nor want to ever be the mayor of THAT town.

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