Humpday Happenings...

And the countdown clock to Christmas is in full swing...a mere 23 days left.
How the time does fly.
(damn shame we see it as being LINEAR in nature.)
If you like changeable forecasts, you've stopped at the right place.
(and you might need a pair of those 3-D glasses...lol)
Our Hoosierland weather will see us with some sun this morning, turning cloudy later and then we get a "winter-mix" of rain and snow, although no accumulation is expected (well, maybe some on grassy areas).
Highs today into the lower to mid 40s.
Could be some interesting driving this evening, so take the proper precautions.
(you know how some people always think roads are good all the time)
Now, let's get our nicely warmed (or chilled) drinks at-hand, as we see what's going on in some other places...
*** First off of the frosty windshield is our WHO SAID THAT? quote of the week:
"You've got enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something sometime in your life."
We all have our own "adversaries" in life, and they don't all have to be physical ones. How we address the lack of vision (of our enemy) when we choose to do the right and just thing is something we need to be reminded of, right?
So, WHO said that? The answer at the top of tomorrow's post.
Meanwhile, back on 10 Downing St....
*** Next up is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
December 2 -
---Today is NATIONAL MUTT DAY

He's a goooooood boy!

(this has to mean the four-legged canines and not the former Vietnam-era vehicle)
---It's also NATIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATION DAY

Not AS special as it USED to be.

(I could do several posts JUST on this subject, but let's say that Washington D.C. should be remanded to a few semesters of that)
---And, it's the INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY

Trading one set of chains for another.

(Again, several posts about this could be written. Curiously, those whose ancestors might have been slaves have found modern-day equivalents to physical bondage, so they've come full-circle)
It's also NATIONAL FRITTERS DAY

YUM!

(can be stiffed with damn near anything, too)
Moving on...
*** Next up, our resident monarch ("King Henry" of Fort Wayne) has his eye on wanting to revive RETAIL on the south side of the city (took him long enough).

STILL good to be king.

There is supposed to be a presser today to "splain" it to his subjects.
This ought to be interesting (if not totally hilarious).
And, I'll wager that NOTHING will be done to make the area SAFE for retail...as many have already said must be done FIRST (yours truly included).
But, he's also got this downtown riverfront gig going on, so he needs to get all those nasty-ass HOMELESS people out from under the bridges, because who wants to see THOSE people when boating along the river, hmm?
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/Council-apprised-on-homeless-issues-10233074

Movin' on UP in gov't.

And whenever I see oir hear the name of Heather Presley-Cowan, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
She has become elevated (over the years) to Deputy Director of Community Development (obviously not OUR community). And she's the one that wants all this NEW housing for people not deserving of the prior places they've already destroyed) more stuff for free or cheap for HER people).
She just wraps it in a nicer package, but she doesn't fool this guy. They all sing the same song.
Oh, and while he's at it, our "king" is also working on something ELSE we no longer have down on the SOUTH side - DINING.
Here's this story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/Council-OK-with-dining-district-10229747

More grandiose plans

Yeah, it's NOT enough that we already have more than adequate DINING downtown, they have to EXPAND it to include the (upcoming) RIVERFRONT area.
Okay, but what about ALL the sit-down restaurants WE USED TO HAVE on the SOUTH side that went belly up (thanks to rising crime)? We're still left hung out to dry here, aren't we? (typical)
Now tell me sire, HOW MUCH REVENUE did the SOUTH side of Fort Wayne USED to generate when it was still a VITAL part of the city, and not the ghetto it has been allowed to devolve into? Might have to go back a few decades to find those numbers.
Then, tell me how MUCH revenue COULD be generated by all this riverfront development.
(this would be speculative, of course)

Anyone downtown care to FIX all these?

Then, bounce one number against the other and tell me WHICH is a more profitable scenario for the city.
(I always say, chase away the crime, and OUR part of town WILL come back and make money for the city once again...but not before)
*** Next up, looks like the CITIZENS of Fort Wayne are doing a better job of ID'ing criminals than the FWPD.

Here's the lowdown:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/Witness-s-pics-bring-robbery-suspect-to-stop-10231878
A robbery at the Speedway located at 6033 W. Jeferson Blvd happened Tuesday morning, and although the perp never displayed a weapon, he said he had one. Musta been enough for the clerk who handed over an undisclosed amount of money from the till.
But, as he ran from the store, a WITNESS followed the robber.
The witness actually followed the perp's car to the area of Covington Rd and South Bend Drive, where they took pictures of the car and license plate.

"LOSER!!!"

Ballsey as hell...I like this person.
The witness returned to the store, met with arriving police and showed them the pics.
A BOLO went out over the air and within minutes police found the Nissan.
When other cruisers filed in behind the trailing police car, the driver was instructed to pull over.
Police saw cash, a black ski mask and hypo needles in the car.
Suffice it to say, 24-year old Trent Cunningham is NOW a guest of the local lockup facing FELONY charges.
See?
It's the PUBLIC assisting the police that got this asshole caught.
And in this case, one witness decided to inform THEMSELVES and did the right thing. People CAN effect change for the better.
*** Last back to the defroster vents... the last story shows how some people STILL give a damn, and will step up and do what needs to be done to make life better and safer for others.

And they DON'T wear a shield, have a service pistol on a duty belt, or even wear a uniform.
But they DO perform a necessary service for their community...they WATCH...and LISTEN...and PAY the hell attention. And they do this for free, take their own time, and never ask for compensation.
This is not a specifically "unique" thing...just the RIGHT thing.
Such people assist public safety more often than we know, and none of them are "on the payroll".
It's the person that decides that a robber is not getting away scott-free, or the person that notices smoke from a window and calls the fire department, or even the person who notices a dog out in the cold, with no food or water.It's the person who spots a wandering toddler and gets involved to find where they live.
These people are not "busy-bodies"...they're CONCERNED (probably about the lack of care and humanity others express towards their fellow man or any other creature on God's earth).

I would welcome such people (a lot sooner than I would want unvetted refugees from some country tens of thousands of miles away) because those are OUR PEOPLE...and what they do is what ALL real Americans would (and should) do. They give a damn (and accept no substitutes)
After all, they don't refer to us as the UNITED states for no reason, right?
Let that be our guidepost for the day.

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