Humpday Happenings...

And if you live in our particular part of the Midwest, you're waking up to some thunderstorms, which blew in before sunrise (wherever that may be - NOT gonna see the sun much this morning).
It is the middle of the week once again, and that means we're halfway to the END of the week.
Our Hoosierland weather will find us with partly cloudy skies later this morning after the rain moves out. Never fear, as the rain will make a return later on this afternoon, with an eventual high of around 85 degrees. Oh, yes, there will be humidity a'plenty.
So, in lieu of these developments, let's get our drink poured as we kick back and see what has been going on elsewhere...
*** First off of the soggy lawn is our WHO SAID THAT? quote of the week:
"It's not a gun-control problem; it's a cultural control problem."

With recent events as they have played out, and the usual pundits decrying the need for MORE control of guns, I think this pretty much sums up the ROOT of the actual issue facing this nation.
So, who said that?
The answer at the top of tomorrow's post.
Meanwhile, back at the 2008 Libertarian convention...
*** Next up, we bring you our daily "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
June 15 -
---Today is NATIONAL SMILE POWER DAY

(well,, I woke up this morning - guess that warrants a smile)
---And, it's NATIONAL NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY DAY

(our nature is confined pretty much to the perimeter of our "Fortress"...lol)
*** Next up, we had a drive-by (actually, more like a drive-UP) shooting in the city...in the MIDDLE of the day, AND on the SOUTHEAST side.

(now seriously, where ELSE would you have such a thing?)
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/Woman-shot-in-drive-by-13591686

This took place around 1208 hrs. yesterday in front of a house located at 4507 SW Anthony Wayne Drive (near Capitol) on the other side of South Anthony Blvd.
A woman in the house was critically wounded by the gunfire (around 12 shell casings were discovered by police after they arrived), and a family dog was killed.

"Any of you beaners se habla ENGLISH?"

The WANE story has neighbor's reactions (and why the woman in the video does';t look up is bothersome). They do have a good reason to be scared, though. Police are not keeping streets (down here) as SAFE as they should.
Police have no idea why the house was targeted, and no suspects or vehicle description (one was seen speeding off, but no one seemed to know what type of vehicle it was).

Noon, AND barefoot - Third world much?

Amazing how people can whip out their smartphone cameras and capture all the details when posting something to social media, but when something "big" like this occurs, no one ever sees anything, and not a smartphone in sight.
*** Next, we had a machete attack not far from the downtown area.
Here's that link:
http://wane.com/2016/06/14/2-hurt-in-apparent-stabbing/

This took place early yesterday around 0015 hrs in the 700 block of Columbia Avenue.
Police found one man bleeding from a stab wound outside a house and found another inside, also suffering from a stab wound. Both were transported to hospital with one in serious condition and the other with no life-threatening injuries.
Police found something resembling a machete near the scene.
The FWFD was called in to hose down the blood in the area of the attack.
Police say this started with a knock on the door, after which an argument ensued and the two people got to stabbing one another.
I have a feeling that "liquid courage" may have been involved, or someone has some anger-management issues.
Either way, lesson to be learned: Don't answer doors in this city after midnight...
*** Next up, yes, we have that new wheel tax in Fort Wayne.
Here's the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/Council-gives-OK-for-road-project-13598288

The start of the story has to do with improving roads for DOWNTOWN as well as WEST and SOUTHWEST in the city. (nothing here on the SE - typical)
The wheel tax is mentioned...AND was passed by a 5-4 vote...AND we WILL have to pay it...AND, it will not go away (bet on that one).
These taxes never do, but they WILL increase over time. Mark my words on that.
As long as costs to maintain the roads and streets increase right along with the supplies needed to do the jobs, the tax will also increase. It's a given.
*** Next , our whiner-in-chief has been in fine form over the last couple days, and we get to see the REAL persona.

You can tell he's pissed at a few things, not the least of which is the way Muslims are being "painted with a broad brush", and that we're waging war on an entire religion.
Funny, I (along with a LOT more Americans) must have missed that, because I thought we were targeting those (home-grown or nationalized) RADICAL ISLAMIIC TERRORISTS in our midst?
It's nice to see Barry-O lose his cool...and you can tell he's off the teleprompter, because every untruth he spews is laced with stuttering.
Life isn't all about YOU, pal.
Build a damn bridge and get over it (and yourself).
*** Next, a college is "leaving town"? Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/schools/Most-Brown-Mackie-College-locations-to-close-in-a-year-13574117

Brown-Mackie College in Fort Wayne is closing, as is the location in Indy, due to "downsizing".
Have to admit, that's a new one on me. Never thought I'd see such a thing happen.
At a time when education is more important than in generations past, we see a college closing ALL but four of it's 26 locations. That's pretty damn odd.
*** Next, there doesn't seem to be enough of some things in Fort Wayne. Here's the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/4-more-parks-added-to-summer-breakfast-program-13591101

FOUR more parks have been added to the FREE BREAKFAST program (for lazy parents, no doubt).
Funny, the girls in the picture don't appear to be that bad off. Well dressed and neat hair-dos.
And this is at the Weisser Park Community Center (another place for area kids to go, rather than play ball in the damn streets).
The BEST part of this program, is that parents DO NOT have to document their family INCOME to qualify for the program, according to parks capo (for life) Al Moll...imagine that.
The parks added are Lafayette, Hamilton, Lakeside, and Packard.
Nice to know that lazy parents are found in areas OTHER than just the SE..
Another freebie (on top of all the other ones)? Hey, if they serve Froot Loops, can I SIGN UP???
*** Last back to the rain barrel...there used to be a time when people acted a LOT differently.

Take many of the "charitable" assets available to those fallen on hard times.
These agencies and their programs used to help those ONLY in the most dire of circumstances, and that was a very noble endeavor.
Many other people who were close to being on the edge of poverty had something called pride, which kept them from taking from the mouths of others. Those folks struggled and made it past their bad times, and it was due to hard work and persistence to not fall into such a level of poverty.

Today, it seems just the opposite. People of MANY classes in life take (unfair) advantage of the plethora of programs designed to help ONLY the poorest among us..because they CAN (and do) get away with it.
The Bible says that the poor will ALWAYS be with us (kinda like the FORCE), and that we are charged with helping them any way we can, and that also is a noble cause, for the poor deserve the same opportunity that those wealthy often take for granted.

Something to think about.

That doesn't mean we "redistribute that wealth", nor does it mean the poor have to remain poor in order to get all the "free stuff" being given out.
It also doesn't mean we keep taking care of families who can easily take care of themselves, but choose to let someone else do it for them.

We need to stop making poverty so damn comfortable for too many who are not even close to being poverty-stricken. That's not the American way and certainly not the better way, but it is the "easy" way.
Again, Ben Franklin was correct in calling such things out. Poverty should be made "uncomfortable", so people will not want to remain there and move away from it.
And, it's not like we don't already have the methods and resources in place to take care of that. We have and still do.

When people stop taking hand outs from those who need that safety net to get them back on their own feet, and start doing more for themselves, they just might find a source of appreciation for that which they work for and attain along the way. They'll never find out if they never try. They just need the proper motivation to get them going.

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