When It's All Said And Done...

It's wet outside this morning, but don't fret. The rain will give way (sorta,kinda) to a sunnier remainder (cross yer fingers) with temps reaching into the MID-70s (seems more like late SPRINGTIME). Obviously the rain will be bringing down more of those leaves from the trees.
The maples are pretty much finished, but the oaks haven't dumped anything that I can see yet...those sneaky buggers are biding their time.

In any event, let's weigh in on what's been happening since last we convened...
*** Yes, it's THAT time again in Fort Wayne...yearly LEAF PICKUP, and naturally, we're never at a loss for work for the crews in our part of the ghettohood, as we've quite a number of trees.
Wonder when they will cut down the DEAD ones?

But, as you could expect when living among so many primitives, no matter HOW MUCH or HOW OFTEN you tell people WHERE AND HOW to place the leaves FOR the pickup...they never seem to "get it"...
It's been on TV for DAYS, in the paper, and on various online websites, explaining how to prepare for the leaf crews when they come in your area.
This is a link to the CITY site with a full explanation:
http://www.cityoffortwayne.org/publicworks/street-department/leaf-collection.html
The Journal-Gazette site simply redirects you to (you guessed it) the CITY site
This is the WANE story:
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/local/leaf-pickup-begins-oct-24
And here is one from Star 88.3 FM:
http://star883.com/news/post/leaf-pick-up-from-fort-wayne/
In EVERY, SINGLE instance, each site states the leaves are to "be placed at curbside along the CURB-STRIP...and NOT IN THE STREET".
Can't make it ANY easier than THAT, can you?

But, some folks simply DO NOT COMPREHEND this.
(or don't WANT to)
We have one woman across the street that ALWAYS rakes the leaves into the GUTTER, and that clogs the culverts up IMMEDIATELY whenever we get a little rain, along with the traffic flow that "moves'" the leaves all over the place.
She's done this for the past couple years.
Nothing ever said.

Then there were some young boys that were raking another property and THEY ALSO raked the leaves...(where else?)...into the street.
(guess NO CURB means NO LAW to follow?)
Drive along ANY street on the SE side, and you'll see case after case of rampant ignorance to the "rules", as it were.
I use a leaf BLOWER, and for some odd reason, I have absolutely NO PROBLEM with getting the leaves ONTO the curb strip, and not into the street. And I ain't no spring-chicken these days, either.
Now, if Mother Nature wants to bring some winds around and blow the leaves into the street, I have no control over that, do I?
And if kids run through the piles kicking it into the street, that's another thing.

I just do what the city asks...and it's no damn skin off my nose to do so.
Others, not so much.
It just pisses me off to see people get away with doing the wrong thing so damn consistently...It's not MY rules, it's the CITY'S rules.
And if I can be held to that standard, there's NO excuse for anyone else to NOT be, right?
I reported the woman to NCE, just to see if that does any good, but as usual, I never hold my breath.
*** And speaking of not doing any good, has anyone ever bopped over to the FWPD website and taken a look at the "discussion forum" they have there?

It's worth a stop...(sorta, kinda...lol.)
Here's the link (to the forum):
http://www.fwpd.org/discussion/viewforum.php?f=1&sid=4c156306099858b0f2dcab47a6701e73
The LAST question was posted back on 14 SEPTEMBER, so you can see that it's updated so VERY often.
Next, the "forum masters" seem to cherry-pick the questions, and what criteria they use is anyone's guess.
It's actully more of a Q&A than anything else

I know I've sent in several questions in the last month, and not ONE has been posted, so I can only imagine HOW MANY OTHERS are also being ignored.
If you don't WANT a "forum", then by all means, don't HAVE one...simple as that.
Many questions that are posted have such ROTE answers, that anyone with half a brain can come to similar answers or conclusions.
And now you know ONE of the reasons I decided to create my blog...to say what needs to be said, in no certain terms and with a better sense of purpose to everything in this city that's wrong and needs to be addressed (and usually isn't).
Personally, when it comes to POLICE websites, Fort Wayne's could be a LOT better, because I've visited numerous other law-enforcement sites online, and THEY seem to "get it" better than we do here. Some sites even have a "boomcar hotline" to report chronic noise violators...imagine that.
Cripes, we could use something like that HERE...I've only got several HUNDRED cars to list (this year...lol).

Our site does have a "report a drug house" form you can fill out. (which I have for SEVERAL HOUSES in the area to which well over 6 months have gone by, and not one has been closed down, or even slowed down when it comes to "visitors"...)
I did better when I sent my monthly reports to our former quadrant captain with pictures...that netted a couple closings and/or evictions (too few to actively change the face of this area, though).
Maybe I'm doing TOO GOOD a job, and they're ignoring me so the PAID members of the FWPD can get a "crack" (no pun intended) at these houses?
*** Yes, the FINAL presidential debate is over, and now all that's left is the voting.

I have to confess that I missed the first 20-30 minutes due to an impromptu nap, but I awoke to see the remainder.
After reading the snippets from earlier in the debate at several websites, I can safely say that it appeared as if Romney did what he set out to do...stay the course, and hold his own, without biting at the personal attack "bait" tossed by Obama.

Let's face it, Romney has the edge because he hasn't been screwing things up for the last 4 years, and Obama has to DEFEND the screw ups he made OVER those same four years...seems pretty cut-and-dry to me.
When you cast blame on everyone around you, as Obama has done consistently, and never openly take ANY personal responsibility for "making a bad call", when in fact the final decisions, whoever made them, stop AT YOUR DESK, as Harry Truman was keen to point out whenever "bucks" are on the move, that makes you look the fool...period.

When any administration pursues a course (for our country) of denial, obfuscation, diversion, and in some specific cases, outright treasonous activity, you SHOULD begin to wonder...and maybe worry...a lot.

I do admire Romney's "peace through strength" advocation, because it smacks of the Ronald Reagan years...or even Teddy Roosevelt, who spoke softly yet carried a BIG STICK.
I think we need to follow suit in that regard, and I'm about as diplomatic as a brick through a plate glass window.
We, as a nation cannot "lead from behind" as Obama's regime has sought to do over the last four years.
REAL leadership is at the FRONT...!
George Washington knew this, Col. Joshua Chamberlain knew this, Gen. Patton knew this...well, you get the idea.
And that's all that needs to be said about this for now...
*** Lastly today, This nation was founded on some pretty stern "stuff"...premises which by all standards are fairly well thought out, and practical in both concept and implementation. Hell, our very own CONSTITUTION is a mere SIXTEEN PAGES LONG.

That alone should demonstrate how simple, yet COMPREHENSIVE such a "law of the land" should be.
Over time, we've added things (amendments) that were designed to more fully express our belief that ALL people are in fact, created equal.
The good of the country and her people was always at the forefront of such legislation, based upon the initial founding documents.
But there has come a time these days when government has overstepped it's own boundaries when it comes to "protecting" us.
We've done well protecting one another and ourselves over the short span of our history, and yet we allow the government to overstep it's own authority that we, the people have given it in the first place.
I'm always an optimist in that I believe we, both individually and collectively can do...BETTER.

When we are blessed with such a great nation, we should be mindful that even such blessings do come with a price tag.
Some have paid the ultimate price through their service to our country, while others pay through their devotions to helping the needy.
And yes, there are those that just "help themselves"...to whatever end they're chasing.
We ALL have an interest in this unique situation, and I feel that whatever we can do to keep this nation at the top of the heap is worth it.
Such noble causes can begin with something as simple as a single voice...or a single vote.

We need to remember that.

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...

Stay SAFE out there, America.