Tuesday Tidbits...

Welcome to another day of craptastic weather, but the good news is that it's not AS BAD as yesterday.
THAT was one weird-ass situation, between the rain and the wind, knocking out power in various areas, causing havoc on the roads early on, and coating everything with a thin sheet of ice. I had to whack the mailbox a few times to free up the door and flag, so I could put outgoing letters and bills into it.
(thankfully, it's not made of thin metal, but it hurts the knuckles anyway)
Our Hoosierland weather today will have us with mostly cloudy skies, possibly some early showers, and a lot milder wind conditions. Expect highs to top out in the upper forties.
Now, let's get that morning drink poured as we set about seeing what else is going on elsewhere...
*** First off of the bird feeder is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?"
December 29 -
---Today is NATIONAL PEPPER POT DAY

(Campbell's soup made a good version of this, if you can still find it)
This is "the soup that won the war"...the REVOLUTIONARY WAR that is.
Here's some backstory to this dish:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_Pepper_Pot
---It's also TICK TOCK DAY

This day is meant to remind you to cram in all the stuff you meant to do this year, but forgot or put off.
(NOW they tell us this? At year's END?)
*** Next up, it's time for the wonderful police calls related to the moronic behavior of irresponsible possessors of firearms and how the media never tells you about them.

SHOTS FIRED / ARMED ROBBERY CALLS - 12/21 - 12/27
===============================================
DEC 21 -
15F168108 20:25:37 113 SHOTS FIRED 400 PERRY AVE
15F168173 23:26:34 113 SHOTS FIRED 4400 ANTHONY WAYNE DR SW
15F168175 23:37:18 113 SHOTS FIRED 4400 ANTHONY WAYNE DR SW
15F168177 23:42:59 113 SHOTS FIRED 2100 PAULINE ST
15F168107 20:22:01 53 ARMED ROB 9500 MAYSVILLE RD
DEC 22 - 
15F168534 19:35:03 113 SHOTS FIRED 4100 MAYBERRY ST
15F168505 18:36:08 53 ARMED ROB 1300 TAYLOR ST
15F168509 18:44:06 53 ARMED ROB 1200 MARION ST
DEC 23 -
15F168653 00:38:43 113 SHOTS FIRED 7900 SERENITY DR
15F168656 00:51:47 113 SHOTS FIRED 3000 HOMEDALE DR
15F168669 01:54:27 113 SHOTS FIRED 1700 MAIN ST W
((NO armed robberies))
DEC 24 -
((NO shots fired))
((NO armed robberies)) - AMAZING!
DEC 25-
((NO shots fired))
((NO armed robberies)) 
Plenty of FIGHTS, ASSAULTS and THEFTS, though!
DEC 26 -
15F169847 00:14:21 113 SHOTS FIRED 4300 MCMILLEN PARK DR & MARCY LN
15F169848 00:14:55 113 SHOTS FIRED 3600 CENTRAL DR
15F170108 18:44:13 113 SHOTS FIRED 4500 WARSAW ST
15F170159 20:48:31 113 SHOTS FIRED 1800 YALE DR
15F170020 14:38:15 53 ARMED ROB 1500 WELLS ST
15F170148 20:24:28 53 ARMED ROB 6700 BLUFFTON RD
DEC 27 -
15F170299 03:06:39 113 SHOTS FIRED 4700 HESSEN CASSEL RD
15F170478 15:53:29 113 SHOTS FIRED 2500 STANFORD AVE
15F170623 21:37:18 113 SHOTS FIRED 4800 ARLINGTON AVE
15F170624 21:38:48 113 SHOTS FIRED 3300 BARR ST S
15F170633 21:56:25 113 SHOTS FIRED 900 HOME AVE
15F170655 23:22:21 113 SHOTS FIRED 6200 DERBYSHIRE DR & MONTFORD DR
15F170659 23:29:23 113 SHOTS FIRED 5600 WERLING DR
15F170558 19:12:07 53 ARMED ROB 200 BUTLER ST W
15F170622 21:35:08 53 ARMED ROB 3500 ST JOE CENTER RD
15F170279 02:10:53 58 SHOOTING 1200 COLISEUM BLVD N
15F170522 17:59:12 58 SHOOTING 2200 BROADWAY
Ever notice the uptick on the WEEKENDS?
================================
FIREWORKS CALLS - 12/21 -12/27
============================
DEC 22 -
15F168507 17:45:10 44FW 4700 MANISTEE DR
((there just HAS to be ONE effin idiot))
You can be SURE that NEXT week, you will see a LOT of shots fired calls as well as fireworks...something residential areas should NOT have to be exposed to, and how FEW people the FWPD will actually arrest (if any).
*** Next, The Wifeymobile came out of Yeoman's yesterday with flying colors. Got the oil changed, the chassis lubed, the tires rotated, and had the trunk lock (cover) emblem reattached...huzzah!
---And, so far, what I ate yesterday has remained "down", as it were, although I do have some sinus congestion (gotta be some kinda bug going around). Been awhile since I tossed some cookies...still hate it.

---Naturally, with the bad weather, we had outages (not at the "Fortress", thank God), but the USUAL radio stations all have gone out for me - the classical station, WBNI and WOWO. Sure sucks when we don't as many independent stations like we USED to have. ONE company owns multiple stations, and therefore utilize the same power feed, ergo, when ONE goes out, they ALL go out.
I heard that K-105 and WMEE are also off the air.
Too few own too much these days.
The only monopoly I like is the one you play with that orange money...lol.
*** Next up, and as can be expected, we had some crime in the Summit City.
---The first story deals with that woman who was the victim of a hit/skip on Paulding Rd this past Sunday morning. She remains in critical condition.
Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/Police-believe-woman-struck-by-hit-and-run-driver

Now, when I saw video from the scene, my  FIRST thought was "this was a hit and run", because if you look closely at the photo, you can see shoes in the street, and when people get struck by vehicles, shoes tend to come off. I told Wifey that, and once again, my gut feeling was correct.
The woman, ID'ed as 28 year old Timika Tolbert was probably struck by a SPEEDING vehicle. I say that because down on the SE side, we have WAY too many speeders all over the place, and the FWPD doesn't seem to be that bothered with trying to catch any of them. Let me issue them a challenge...
Set up some speed traps and the money WILL roll in...I promise you that.
---The next story deals with a pizza shop heist (armed robbery) that netted one black male.
Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/Police-capture-robbery-suspect-10660461

In THIS case, little "police work": was required, and here's why...
When police responded to an armed robbery call at Pizza King, located at 321 W. State Blvd around 2347 hrs Sunday might, they heard screaming and found several men standing BEHIND the business. As police approached,  one man took off, so police gave chase.
The suspect was apprehended in the 2200 block of Cass St.

Taylor Hunt, age 19 was found to have a handgun in his possession (unlicensed, but pending application - kiss THAT one goodbye). Hunt is charged with 2 counts of robbery, resisting law-enforcement, and possession of a handgun w/o a permit.
Yes, in THIS case, police "happened" to be in the area, and got lucky. A GOOD robber would have fled the area immediately after a heist (preferably in a stolen car that you ditch for a second vehicle).
And you should have a decent "wheel-man". that knows the area.
In order to catch these people, you DO have to think like them, and this is proven time and again. Kinda hard to do that when all you do is go from one 911 hangup radio call to another.
I would LOVE to see the number of SOLVED robberies, thefts, and burglaries in Fort Wayne...bet'cha it's VERY low.
(and that can't be good)
Moving on...
*** Next, for all you numbnuts that think that AMERICA needs to do more to curb the nonsense called "global-warming", think on THIS story before you close any more COAL mines and COAL-fired power plants HERE:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/cow-dung-patties-selling-like-hot-cakes-online-in-india/article8037064.ece

That's a shit-load of...um, shit.

That's right, COW DUNG PATTIES are selling like "hotcakes" ONLINE in INDIA.
(makes me wanna not eat hotcakes)
And India happens to be one of the top TWO leading POLLUTERS on the planet - the other is China.
Yeah, these "turd-stones" happen to be used as FUEL for home and ceremonial fires, and as organic manure in those "kitchen gardens".

From the people who pray to cows?

I know I love the smell of cow scat in MY kitchen...how about you?
And you can get them on EBAY...amazing.

What? It's the addition to our family room!

Here's a society that still fuels homes from the 16th century, and suffers pollution greater than that from the Industrial Revolution...BUT they have INTERNET ACCESS.
That's like putting a bunch of monkeys in charge of a nuclear power plant.
(wait, don't we have that already in some parts of the globe?. I know we got some posing as politicians in D.C.)
*** Last back to the feed bag...let's change gears a bit here.
Chris planted a seed regarding this topic when he commented here yesterday.
--When we were kids, life was a lot less "complex", and our wants far exceeded our NEEDS.

Our parents KNEW that, especially when it came to Christmas time.
We wanted everything we saw in stores, in catalogs and on TV.
Our parents knew THAT wasn't gonna happen. Our last name was NOT Rockefeller...LOL.
I know my Dad was too busy trying to pay the bills, keep that roof over our heads, and some food on our table.
Mom was busy keeping clothes on our backs, and the house from looking like a pig sty, as well as managing whatever funds were coming in each week.
So, we didn't get EVERYTHING we wanted, but how many of us got things we valued JUST AS MUCH (if not more)?
It wasn't the quantity of gifts, it was the quality as well as the manner in which it was given.
Perhaps we did get "more" as kids than we get today, but as we get older, we learn things such as what our NEEDS are - something our parents took care of for us when we were young.
And our needs should always surpass any wants we have.
I look at a "want" as something you don't really have to have, but desire, nonetheless.
If you get it...fine, but if not...no biggie. There's always another time to do so.
It comes down to how we prioritize our lives.
Plus, it depends greatly on whether we have the financial resources to attend to our wants AFTER we've taken care of our own needs (as well as the needs of others where applicable).
When you can manage to get something you WANT, it has an extra added benefit...you tend to APPRECIATE it more, and thereby are a thankful person.
That leads to becoming more content.
Sure, our wants can seem trivial and frivolous, but I think it's the "reward" we work towards when we've spent so much time, effort, and money on all our needs.
Our society would be better off if it placed it's NEEDS a lot higher on that priority list and those WANTS (or desires) a lot farther down on it. It's the way we used to behave, and it never hurt anyone..did it?
Just something to think about...

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