Humpday Happenings...

Welcome to the middle of the week and almost the middle of the month (that's tomorrow, btw).
We've a bit of a change-up in the weather with mostly cloudy skies, temps topping out around 75 degrees and a 30% chance of rain throughout the day (I'd call it close to 100%. It's already been raining).
Should be a good day nonetheless, because we're ALIVE to take part in it, right?
Now, let's get that refreshing drink poured as we see what's been going down elsewhere...
*** First out of the laundry chute is our WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for; it is a thing to be achieved".

So how's your destiny holding up? I wonder how many people even consider the choices and changes they make in their lives daily...or even what the consequences shall be.
So...who said that?
The answer at the top of tomorrow's post.
Meanwhile, back at the Sigma Pi literary society...
*** Next up, we bring you the "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
SEPTEMBER 14 -
---Today is NATIONAL LIVE CREATIVE DAY

(nothing like exploring the old imagination, is there?)
---It's also NATIONAL CREAM FILLED DONUT DAY

(and I happen to have one with my name on it...heh)
---And, it's NATIONAL EAT A HOAGIE DAY

(oh to have a REAL Philly one once again...where's Blimpie's when you need them?)
*** Next up...well whaddya know...from my blog to God's ears and then back again to the FWPD.

And good riddance, too.

The Sports and Spirits bar is CLOSED...permanently, as of a couple hours after I posted about the latest shooting there.

Best bar to get SHOT at, obviously. But no more.

How about THAT?
What I found VERY interesting was the story Alyssa Ivanson did on WANE about the history OF the place. Here's the link:
http://wane.com/2016/09/13/troubled-bar-shuts-down-after-fatal-shooting/

Yesterday, I only covered (very) recent history with several noteworthy events at the bar, but Alyssa went one better - she covered the last TEN years, and came up with some startling information.
There were 436 police calls to the joint in that time...(holy effin crap)!
And the story has it's own link to a TEN-PAGE readout of ALL the calls to the bar (which I perused last night)...simply astounding.
Yeah, it's also astounding that it took TEN frigging years to SHUT the damn place down. That's some SLOW-ASS city intervention.
And the surrounding neighborhoods had to endure this for all those years...certainly not fair to any residents living there (or ones that were forced to move away).
The morning's J-G also has coverage of this:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/Shooting-at-bar-leaves-3-men-dead-15238287
One of the pictures (taken by Chad Ryan) says it all, and spells out the IRONY of this place all too well.
Bullet holes in a DO NOT ENTER sign right outside the bar...kinda speaks volumes, hmm?
Police are not sure how many shooters may have been involved, and they're still in the wind at this time.
Should be enough witnesses to make some sort of description and number of gunmen possible.
One cannot help but be amazed at how long it has taken to shut this place down, and how many people had to become victims along the way.
Now THAT is a real basket of deplorable.
*** Next, there was a public meeting (downtown) over the proposal to eliminate (repeal) the business personal property tax, and that must have been a "spirited" affair.

We call this stuff INVENTORY.

Here's the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/Critics-of-cutting-tax-sound-off-15237792

Sure, there's gonna be critics. Some people LIKE taxes...even come to depend upon them, much like a drug addict depends on his/her next "hit", and will do almost anything to obtain it.
This is one of those circumstances that cries out for some "full-disclosure", in that, citizens should be made aware of ALL the entities within the city/county who "benefit" from such a tax and why those getting the money feel there is a need for that tax to continue.
A very long time ago on this blog, I mentioned there were approximately THIRTY such entities who relied upon property taxes (business or residential). Now, I didn't mention them ALL, because I don't know every one of them, and I consider myself an informed kinda guy.

But in this story, we see the FWCS and the ACPL being recipients of the business tax monies. I'd wager the FWIA is also on the mix, but no one mentions it.
Councilman Jason Arp is not our councilman...a damn shame - we could use someone with a brain in their skulls, unlike councilman-for-life Hines, who ONLY serves "his people", and still allows his council district to continue it's downward spiral to Dante's 10th layer of Hades. Arp's got an idea that deserves a look at, because maybe he wants to see (some) accountability BY those 30 or so entities when it comes to receiving tax money.
I mean, if you can justify a larger budget, then you can levy HIGHER taxes to secure that budgetary need, right?
And that can become a very vicious cycle, one damn hard to break...JUST like an addict and their drugs-of-choice.
If a business can pay lower (personal property) taxes or none at all, doesn't that allow a greater opportunity for even MORE businesses to want to come here?

Existing businesses can also profit to the point where they can upgrade buildings, equipment and hire MORE employees. That kinda sounds like a good thing for the area.
The alternative would be to see businesses forced to cut back, perhaps close and/or move away from the area completely. Where's the"win" in THAT?

Whatever loss in tax money (initially) would soon be recouped with more businesses and business growth through all the other taxing choices available to the city/county and those entities. Sounds like plain old common sense.
*** Next up, another chapter of "The Hobo Chronicles"...

"Watching these plants grow is tedious work."

Our friendly and furry feline was once again lazily passing most of the day away...when he wasn't out and about, gallivanting all over the nearby area, which worried me to no small end.
There was a pit bull roaming loose yesterday, and I called animal control to investigate it, because I didn't want that dog to chase Hobo of it encountered him.

"Gotta eat fast, in case that cat comes back".

I DID get a visit from Patches (remember him?) who stopped by for peanuts while Hobo wandered about. Also had some birds, too. Guess we're still in the "critter" business.
*** Last back to the washing machine... They say the wheels of JUSTICE move slowly.

And that's back when wheels were kinda "new".

These days, I think damn near EVERY wheel, in every facet of society moves in similar manner.
Perhaps that's why time seems to be passing faster?
And, all too often, those wheels seem to grind to a halt, or become mired in the mud of bureaucracy, which helps no one quite well, save a few who benefit from such actions.
I know I get tired of hear the old "eventually" story when it pertains to something like closing down a problem location (like a bar that has frequent police visits).

I never get tired of a truth like THIS, though.

Everything DOES happen eventually...just as we ALL succumb eventually.
Call me impatient in some ways, because I think certain things can be moved along at a brisker pace.
We live in an age of rapidly developing technologies. About damn time we started making them work FOR us, instead of entertaining us 24/7, in order to facilitate things, right?

And, it's usually GOD'S reason...not ours.

Yet, with such tech comes the possibility of failure OF that tech, and we have to be on guard to make sure all the wheels keep turning, and in the PROPER direction. I don't feel that's asking all that much...do you?
We don't have to be THAT fast (that we screw everything up)...or even "half-fast" (...lol...), but we can at least attempt some level of efficiency and effectiveness to make things run a lot smoother. That sounds doable.

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