Friday Follies...

Well, that explains it...

And here we are back again. Another weekend.
Maybe it's just me, but weeks seem to pass faster when we have snow.
I'm sure I'll say something (seasonally) similar when it's Summer...lol.
Our Hoosierland weather will be a bit easier to deal with today (a welcome relief).
Temps are expected to rise to around 35 degrees, and the clouds will go away later this morning, giving way to some sunshine (helps the melting nicely).

Bob's buffet IS open...again.

But take care outside this morning, as the precip we got yesterday evening has left some slick areas out there but on the streets AND the sidewalks and steps. It should mostly go away by afternoon rush hour, but this AM will be a different story.
Naturally, FWCS isn't on a delay AGAIN (they have the I-STEP to deal with, and THAT is way more important than student safety, right?)
So what say we get a nice hot cup of our favorite morning drink poured and take a gander at what has been going on in some other places, hmm?
*** First out of the tool shed is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?: feature:
March 4 -
---Today is NATIONAL POUND CAKE DAY

(nothing wrong with that)
---It's also NATIONAL HUG A G.I. DAY

(can I choose WHICH G.I. to hug?)

Very "hug-worthy" there.

I do have a few in mind.
---And, it's NATIONAL GRAMMAR DAY

(never to be confused with KELSEY GRAMMER)
---It's NATIONAL EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY

(So...where's the boss taking YOU for lunch, Chris?)
---And, it's NATIONAL SALESPERSON DAY

(just don't sell me a bill of goods)
Finally, it's the NATIONAL DAY OF UNPLUGGING

(Like we need JUST a day for this when it comes to social media?)
*** Now, since it's a FRIDAY, let's see what trouble we can avoid over the next 72 hours:
March 5 -
---Saturday is NATIONAL MULTIPLE PERSONALITY DAY

(well, that will be fun for me...and me too)
---It's also NATIONAL CHEESE DOODLE DAY

(Okay, sign me up for that - "Yeah, I want my cheesy-poofs" said Eric Cartman)
---And, it's NATIONAL ABSINTHE DAY

(because absinthe makes the heart grow fonder...heh)
Actually, here's the lowdown on this liquid:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinthe
(don't ever say you won't learn stuff here)
March 6 -
---Sunday is NATIONAL DENTIST DAY

(who SMILES there, and aren't they all closed on Sundays?)
---It's also NATIONAL FROZEN FOOD DAY

(thank God for Swanson, Birds-Eye, AND Marie Callender)
---And, it's NATIONAL OREO COOKIE DAY

(pass me a glass of cold milk, please)
---It's also NATIONAL WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE DAY

(cheesecake - chocolate - two great tastes that taste great together)
There you have it, a weekend chock full of cool stuff sure to keep YOU out of the local jail.
*** Next up, I heard and read that story about the house raid on the near SW side.

Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/Raid-nets-cocaine--ammunition--18-dogs-11809681

This took place around 1500 hrs Wednesday at a house located at 1006 Savilla St (near Broadway)
Police found a dog-breeding operation there, along with 86.2 grams of cocaine, an AR magazine, as well as shotgun shells and a DRUM MAGAZINE for a shotgun.
Now, that drum mag is pretty serious, which means the perp found there was looking to be very prepared.
The man arrested at the address, Dimitric Freeman, 30 has a nice "history" with local law enforcement, too, with arrests for drug possession, illegal possession of handgun and more than a few driving citations..
(maybe that's why he went to long guns?), .
And that brings up an important question:
"WHERE the f$ck ARE the long guns that those magazines belong to"?
Nothing said about THOSE being found at that house.

Looking for a shotgun like THIS one, people?

The WANE story has a neighbor interview:
http://wane.com/2016/03/02/raid-uncovers-drugs-ammo-large-scale-dog-breeding-operation/
She stated to the reporter: "We heard it was a stash house. We didn't think it was true because you never saw activity. People stayed over or stayed for hours. It wasn't an in and out thing".
Okay, let's set some things STRAIGHT.

Typical "haul" from a "combined" drug house.

A STASH house is one part of such a (decent) drug operation. You also have what's known as a MONEY house (for the $$$ coming in) as well as a BUY house (unless such "transactions" are conducted via mobile means - rolling purchases).
The houses where you DO see a lot of activity are the buy houses. The reason for such segregation is so the dealer doesn't get hit and lose everything in one fell swoop (like from a competitor...or even the po-po).
The money house is typically the MOST protected of the lot, because without the cash, nothing else is going to go down, and that includes payments to those higher up the drug chain.
Some operations that are less sophisticated will "combine" the houses, but that causes it's own troubles for those dealing as well as the neighborhoods.
Got it? Good. And don't worry, there won't be a quiz later.
*** Next up, that damn regional cities gig is getting some traction, no thanks to that transportation bill I mentioned earlier in the week. Here's the latest:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/indiana/Road-plan-with-tax-hike-passes-House-11826958

Yeah, hike the GAS and CIGGIE tax to pay for this. And here I thought with the LEASING of the roads, that much of it would be paying for ITSELF.
Whatever happened to THAT grandiose plan?
And with fewer people smoking and better mileage with vehicles, those tax sources are getting MORE scarce, aren't they?
Not the cash-cow they USED to be any longer, right?
And yes, others have noticed this also.
Naturally, this is ALL part of the "regional cities" initiative (still not to be confused with the Avenger's Initiative, which is way cooler).
At least both sides agree to use SURPLUS money for fiscal year 2017 to keep roads in good repair.
State senate President Pro Tem David Long says the tax hikes are unacceptable and mentions that the long-term solution is unclear. Good for him.
I tend to go with a politician that can see the logic and common sense attached to such nonsense bills.
*** Next up, what to do with the city's LEGACY FUNDS these days (other than waste it downtown or on the Riverfront or an arena) you ask?
Well, let's dust THIS one off, run it up the flagpole and see who salutes it:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/Legacy-for-neighborhoods-floated-11830217

Spending on NEIGHBORHOODS?
You mean like OURS? Seriously?
(be still my beating heart)
Oh, but "beware of the catch" on this one - challenging neighborhood associations to provide MATCHING FUNDS.
See, there are ALWAYS caveats with stuff like this.
Now, I cannot imagine our neighborhood matching ANY funds (except those that illegally purchase firearms, or fireworks, or street pharmaceuticals...and maybe a pit bull or three...and perhaps a new Escalade with big rims and a loud stereo).
Yeah, that's all I can envision at THIS point in time.

I can hear the flushing already.

So, this would only be impactful to neighborhoods that are UNITED...and GIVE A DAMN...and are a lot less filled with the CRIMINAL ELEMENT...I got it.
Bad idea as far as making the badlands less bad. Try again, folks.
*** Next up, as a rail-fan of days past, this News-Sentinel story is one of those that makes you long for days when STEAM ruled the rails. Here's the link:
http://www.news-sentinel.com/news/local/Technical-marvel-dominated-rails-in-Fort-Wayne-in-early-1940s

That's one big-ass locomotive.

The S1 locomotive (of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and designed by Raymond Loewy), which ran through Fort Wayne was a behemoth of it's era (short as it was), and it was a "one-off" - the ONLY one of it's kind to run the rails.

Spent some time in Fort Wayne.

The story relates the ups and down of this massive engine and it's short lifespan.
The damn thing looked far ahead of it's time (the early 1940s), was 140 feet long and weighed 304 tons.
That's a LOT of engine there. No one ever documented it's TRUE top speed, sad to say, but it was rumored to be well OVER 100 MPH.

Color photo at the World Fair of 1939

Ah, what the hell, here's the WIKI on the engine (because I like you folks):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRR_S1
Those of you who still remember seeing steam engines on the tracks (or are curious about these juggernauts) will find this story not only informative, but romantic in the ways that only steam power from those times could provide.
*** Last back to the barn...there were better times, and we enjoyed them while they lasted.

Those times, when all of us weren't in that much of a hurry, and our dollar took us a lot farther than it does today were times to be cherished. So what happened?

Why do we only reflect on such times with quaint fondness, never seeming to learn from such days? And why have we become so fixated on what's coming down the pike next?
Well, we weren't addicted to things in the way we have become today.
We took things as they came, and if it took longer...not to worry.
We played with toys which would be banned today, got skinned knees and elbows as children, fell down and hurt ourselves, and we kept on going.
We were taught the basics by rote in our schools, and came out smarter than "teched-out" kids today.
We had better values, and better moral principles, and lots more civility and respect towards everyone.
Our wants never took precedent over our needs, which always came first.

Yes, those were times we SHOULD have come away from with a better understanding as to who we were and where we were supposed to go.
But, we were sidetracked, and our attention became diverted.
Maybe the time has come to back up a bit...in order to properly move forward once again.
We won't know until we try, right?
Do have yourselves a great weekend.

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