Friday Follies...

And it will be a very muggy day out there in the Heartland.
One might call it "oppressive" in nature (can I get some reparations for being oppressed?)
At least we DID get some (much needed) rain yesterday.
Welcome to the end of the week, and all the "hazy, hot and humid" that goes along with it.
Our Hoosierland weather for today will see temps reaching into the low-to-mid 90s, with a heat index that will make it feel like it's over 100 out there. like I said...oppressive, right?
Now, we've a lot of ground to cover today (and under these conditions, it will test the best of us), so let's get that cup or glass of Friday Fortitude poured as we look to this day and this weekend by seeing what's going on elsewhere...
*** First out of the sweatshop is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
JULY 22 - 
---It's NATIONAL PENUCHE FUDGE DAY

(all they had to say was fudge - go fudge yourselves...lol))
---It's also NATIONAL HAMMOCK DAY

(if you rig one INDOORS today, that'll work)
---And, it's NATIONAL RAT CATCHER'S DAY

(to catch one, you have to think like one)
*** And since this IS the end of our week, let's see what the following 48 hours has in store for us:
JULY 23 -
---Saturday is NATIONAL VANILLA ICE CREAM DAY

(as hot as it is, be nice to SOAK in some...lol)
---It's also the NATIONAL DAY OF THE COWBOY

(and, we're NOT talking Brokeback Mountain here, right?
JULY 24 -
---Sunday is NATIONAL THERMAL ENGINEER DAY

(let's engineer some COOL around here)
---It's also NATIONAL TEQUILA DAY

(alcohol and hot weather - NOT a good mix)
---It's NATIONAL DRIVE-THRU DAY

(s'okay as long as they're not driving through HOUSES )
---it's NATIONAL COUSINS DAY

(let's leave the kissin' cousins out of this)
---And, it's NATIONAL PARENTS DAY

(which will be confusing as hell down where WE live)
There you have it, plenty of things to do INSIDE rather than outside (where you might spontaneously combust).
*** Next up, the RNC is finally over (hallelujah!).

Trump's speech was pretty average. He had a few good bullet points, a couple noteworthy phrases, but not much in the way of REAL substance. Wonder what he's saving THAT for?
And the tempo of the speech was a bit off, as he meandered now and then.
The manner in which the speech "flowed" was a tad on the disjointed side. Usually a person moves from one topic to another in a progression and then brings a summation at the end. That was just plain lacking last night.
But, as did many others, Trump did make a great case for NOT having Clinton become our next socialist-in-chief.

God, I miss the days when we had better statesmen who knew how to give a proper speech and provide a lot more hope for America (like Kennedy and Reagan).
*** Next, a major FUBAR down in Miami with one of their police officers.

Here's the story:
http://www.wfaa.com/news/crime/miami-officer-shoots-unarmed-therapist/278923290

A therapist for an autistic male adult was shot by Miami police AFTER he repeatedly told them he WAS NOT armed and was holding his hands up. I see NO reason why ANY shots had to be fired.
Here's a followup article that asks many of the same questions I would ask:
http://bearingarms.com/bob-o/2016/07/21/north-miami-swat-cop-shot-therapist-order-save-unarmed-autistic-man/

This is making less sense as we go along. There HAS to be some training issues here for the police.

If one man is perceived to be holding a weapon, then why shoot the OTHER man, who is obviously NOT armed?
I smell lawsuit all over this one (and it could be a slamdunk, too).
The therapist NEVER had to have been shot...period.
*** In a somewhat similar story here in Ft. Wayne, there's this:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/FWPD-will-be-sued-for-shooting-14243006

There are SOME differences in this case. The men FLED immediately when they saw the officer approach, rather than stand their ground and comply with the officer when told to halt.
The officer was already investigating a shooting in the area the previous day.
No weapon was found in the area or on the man who was shot.
Guess that new recruit class will be put on HOLD for lack of funds?
*** Next up, and as is typical for CERTAIN parts of this city...another drug bust.
http://www.21alive.com/nbc33/Fort-Wayne-Police-find-9000-worth-of-drugs-in-home-arrest-suspect--387818841.html

A TRAFFIC STOP leads to a drug arrest...who'da thunk THAT?
Marlon Devon Cole, 39 of Ft. Wayne was busted just BEFORE a warrant was served at his house in the 600 block of Third St.
At the house, officers found a large amount of cash, 5g of cocaine, 40g of heroin, and two firearms (with ammo).
Street value of the "horse" is about $9000.
Sounds like someone (Cole) had plans for that, and it wasn't for personal use.

Now, how about closing some of the places down HERE?
*** Next, crime is spreading...to New Haven. Here's this story:
http://www.21alive.com/nbc33/12-year-old-grazed-by-bullet-in-New-Haven-shooting--387856702.html

This took place in the 6000 block of Moeller Rd around 1440 hrs.
About a dozen shell casings were recovered from this drive-by shooting, that injured a 12-year old inside the house at a trailer park.
Bullet holes pock-marked the front of the house, too.
The driver was described as BLACK (holding a small handgun) and driving a "rust" or orange colored vehicle (metallic orange is popular with these people) with a black stripe.
Should be easy to find.
*** While were talking about the SE side, I've been trying to get the city to trim some of the overgrown foliage around our area. Asplundh came through yesterday and did a nice HACK-JOB to the tree alongside our garage (as I predicted they would).

A little HIGHER than those lines, Bub.

Oh, and they did take down SOME other foliage at a neighboring house.

Too much taken off.

They didn't quite get all the foliage off of the POWER LINES (as they should have), and no doubt, THAT will grow back a lot faster than ALL the branches they took off our tree.

From THIS...

To THIS...Really???

Funny thing, the city was "supposed" to notify residents about the trimming.
Never got a mailer, or a phone call, or even a knock at the front door.
They just showed the hell up and had at it, but they knew I was watching them the whole time.

We used to call this TRESPASSING.

They trimmed WAY more than they should have (imho), and it looks like shit, but then again, THAT is what I expect from most of the city departments (with very few exceptions). these days.
*** Next, plans are moving FORWARD with this downtown arena, in spite of the cost (to us) and any push-back...more typical behavior, right?

There's even a Facebook page.

Here's the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/Contract-approved-for-early-stages-of-downtown-arena-14243658

What? No jar of VASELINE?

Yep, nothing is set in stone yet , but a CONTRACT has been approved for spending about $283K for designs, schematics, etc. for this downtown arena. the word RAMROD comes to mind for some strange reason.
And, it's not even a LOCAL firm heading this, but a group in DENVER.
You watch, the city will keep shoving this down ALL our throats because they can get away with it,. and in the end, we WILL all be paying for this, and for a long time.
*** Last back to the garage...there used to be a time when what the PEOPLE said mattered in America.

When did all that go away...and WHY?
We are a nation founded on WE, THE PEOPLE, and what WE want...not a bunch of bureaucrats and their wants.
But, it looks like we've allowed all these civil SERVANTS to run and own the manor, and not give any attention to us, until it becomes time for these jerks to get elected (again).
I thought THEY worked for US, and not the other way around?
Our society has seemingly done all the wrong things of late and for all the wrong reasons, and the politicos running this dog-and-pony show are telling us not to worry, they're looking out for us.
Are you idiots SERIOUS?

We've allowed do-nothing programs for damn near everything from education to  "environmental protection" to housing and urban development to thrive and produce nothing short of waste in their wake, and we're all OKAY with this crap? Tell me, I'm not dreaming.

This country needs to get it's collective shit together, and by that, I mean rid ourselves of ALL the destructive forces that seek to undermine what our nation USED to stand for and start making ALL people accountable, especially those who are elected AND appointed at EVERY governmental level.
There is simply NO other way out for all of us.
We need to reclaim our position on the global stage, but we have to first address the issues we have facing us HERE in our own "backyard", as it were. We need to get our OWN house in order, and that starts with making sure our government fears US, rather than having us fear them.
This is OUR country.
WE have the say here, and WE hold the power to create and recapture that which this nation used to cherish for being able to embrace liberty HERE.
It's not impossible to achieve (or to get back), but we have to WANT it bad enough to overcome the evil that faces us daily.
Therein lies the lesson for the week.
DO have yourselves a good weekend.

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