Monday Musings...

Welcome back to the rapidly dropping temps across the Heartland - aka THE MEAT LOCKER...and a Monday so chock full of "nuts", you just might wind up beside yourself, which could actually be seen as a paradox, so I wouldn't go shaking hands...lol.

The weather today will see some flurries, and the bottom damn near dropping out of the thermometer later on...yes, after over seven hundred days in Fort Wayne, we're going back to SUB-ZERO lows overnight.
Crank up the thermostat, and put on those long johns...at least for the next several days.
Today's post is packed tighter than the lingerie at a Victoria Secret runway show, so let's get busy with the good stuff.
*** First out of the gate today, a "cold-related" story.

A bottle of VERY old scotch will be making it's way BACK to the Antarctica location of the
1907 Ernest Shackleton "Nimrod" expedition AFTER a sample was taken back to it's original distiller, so they can recreate the taste of the ORIGINAL batch.
Here's the story:
http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130119/NEWS/130119490
The scotch (malt whisky) was ORIGINALLY bottled back in 1898, and had already BEEN aged for 15 years before Shackleton undertook his expedition, taking several CASES of the hooch with him.
Three bottles were recovered when they were found in a crate under the floor in the basic hut used by the explorer.

The liquid was NOT frozen, even after being encased in the ice all those years.

Mackinlay distillers will be duplicating the recipe used in 1898 with the aid of one bottle of the vintage liquor.
The bottle will return to the Antarctic site in March, and remain there with a restoration project underway to preserve the legacy of Ernest Shackleton at that location.
Bet'cha THOSE bottles will fetch a HEFTY price, too.
*** And now, for something completely asinine...
The pay of the FWPD chief is AGAIN higher than the MAYOR'S.
Here's this tale of the badge:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130120/LOCAL/301209931

Wow, a whopping $126K (and lotsa change)...and what EXACTLY is all that moolah BUYING "we, the people" of Fort Wayne?
Well, according the the crime rate in town...not a whole helluva lot.
But, I'm sure all that money WILL buy lots of nice things for RUSTY (and his stained-glass "hobby"\), right?
York has been the highest-paid city "employee" for a while now...not to mention he'll ALSO collect one huge PENSION when he retires (which can't come soon enough for me, personally).

I wonder if his salary includes the money he rakes in for chiding officers and suspending them.
(who knew there could be money made THERE, hmm?)
It's stated in the article that the 356 PATROL officers (thought we used to have 440...minus the 21 which leaves 419? Guess the rest are COMMAND personnel?) make an average salary of $60K.
York also makes less than an executive counterpart in the private sector with the same number of people under him.
(yeah, but they also FIRE YOUR ASS when you FAIL to produce...in the PRIVATE sector, don't they, Rus?)

My take is that we're NOT getting the "most BANG (pun intended) for OUR buck" here.
We can do better when it comes to police chiefs...but then again, we could do a LOT worse...such as having Captain Garry (affirmative action made me what I am today even though I don't know sh*t) Hamilton, the recently appointed SE quadrant "capo".
Got a nasty feeling THIS guy might wind up in that top spot...and then we WILL wind up like Detroit...or Philly. All in the name of "diversity", mind you.
*** Next up, HOMICIDE NUMBER TWO in Fort Wayne!
(like I said previously...helluva job, Rus).
Here's this story:

http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130121/LOCAL07/301219962
Once again, we have more black-on-black shootings...in an overwhelmingly BLACK part of the...(...all together, gang...)...SOUTHEAST part of Fort Wayne (you guys sound better each week...lol)

Serenity Drive, one of the WORST-named streets in a part of the Centennial Townhomes and Arbors of South Towne Square Apartments - such a long-ass and nice name for a "...wretched hive of villainy and scum"...kinda like MOS EISLEY SPACEPORT on TATOOINE...(only without the spaceships and cool aliens) in this section of the city that has BEEN a hotbed of crime for over a DECADE (in the Ocean sector, south of the Nora sector) and is the scene of our latest "shoot-fest" which happened around 1615 hrs Saturday in the 7900 block of Serenity Drive.

The first victim was found in a vehicle located near Tillman and S. Anthony Blvd, and died shortly after police arrived on that scene, with the second victim making it into an apartment in the building at 7962 Serenity Drive, where he was transported to hospital in serious condition,.

Naturally, there WERE witnesses, such as one woman (name not given for fear of RETRIBUTION) whose patio overlooked the area where the shooting occurred. She heard TWO volleys of gunfire, but "dinseenuffin"...typical.

Police recovered at LEAST 18 shell casings scattered over a good-size area, so it's yet to be said if this was a running or rolling shootout.

Other people who witnessed the shootings also "left the scene" after detectives arrived, but were instructed to notify police so they can be interviewed ...like that is going to happen without a warrant for them to appear downtown.
Yepper...plenty of "Ah-din-see-nuffin" to go around down there, isn't there?
And...plenty of foot prints, shell casings and tire tracks to keep the crime scene investigators busy for awhile...until the NEXT shooting.
So, Rus...how IS that COMMUNITY-ORIENTED POLICING working out down THERE anyway?
From what I see, hear and read...NOT SO MUCH...if AT ALL!
Feeling guilty for being paid SO much for accomplishing SO little down here?
-- Police have released the name of the victim (as mentioned in the above story link).
He WAS Jermaine Foster, 30, of Fort Wayne, a MALE BLACK, 5'5", 140 lbs., and wouldn't you JUST know it...he DOES have a nice, long rap sheet.
And here it is:
=====RAP SHEET=====
02D04-0009-MC-001524 Foster, Jermaine 09/15/2000
Allen Superior Court 6 MC - Miscellaneous Criminal
Decided P.C. RESISTING LAW ENFORC
RECKLESS DRIVING
DISREGARDING AUTOM SIGNAL
VIOL NOISE ORDINANCE (FW)
02D04-0009-DF-000768 Foster, Jermaine D 09/20/2000
Allen Superior Court 6 DF - CL D Felony or lesser charge
Decided RESISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT
02D04-0101-MC-000050 Foster, Jermaine D 01/16/2001
Allen Superior Court 4 MC - Miscellaneous Criminal
Decided P.C. DEALING IN COCAINE/METH
02D04-0101-CF-000018 Foster, Jermaine D 01/19/2001
Allen Superior Court 5 CF - Criminal Felony
Decided POSSESSION OF COCAINE OR NARCOTIC DRUG
02D04-0108-CM-006059 Foster, Jermaine D 08/15/2001
Allen Superior Court 4 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided FALSE INFORMING (B)
02D04-0203-MC-000453 Foster, Jermaine D 03/20/2002
Allen Superior Court 4 MC - Miscellaneous Criminal
Decided P.C. POSSESSION OF COCAINE
P.C. POSSESS. MARIJUANA
FALSE INFORMING (B)
02D04-0203-FD-000182 Foster, Jermaine 03/22/2002
Allen Superior Court 4 FD - Class D Felony
Decided ESCAPE
02D04-0203-FC-000056 Foster, Jermaine D 03/25/2002
Allen Superior Court 6 FC - Class C Felony
Decided POSSESSION OF COCAINE OR NARCOTIC DRUG
POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA HASH OIL OR HASHISH
FALSE REPORTING OR INFORMING
02D04-0405-IF-004956 Foster, Jermaine D 05/14/2004
Allen Superior Court 5 IF - Infraction
Decided FAILURE WEAR SAFETY BELT
02D04-0504-CM-002608 Foster, Jermaine D 04/18/2005
Allen Superior Court 4 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided UNAUTH POSSESS/USE OF LIC
02D04-0510-IF-015642 Foster, Jermaine D 10/26/2005
Allen Superior Court 4 IF - Infraction
Decided OPERATE WHILE SUSP (INF)
EXPIRED PLATE
02D04-0604-IF-005869 Foster, Jermaine D 04/19/2006
Allen Superior Court 4 IF - Infraction
Decided EXCEED MAX LAWFUL SPEEDS
02D04-0605-MC-000892 Foster, Jermaine D 05/04/2006
Allen Superior Court 6 MC - Miscellaneous Criminal
Decided P.C. VIOLENT FELON/FIREARM
CARRYING HANDGUN W/O LICENSE
POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA
FAILURE TO SIGNAL TURN
P.C. CARRY HDGUN W/O PRMT
P.C. POSSESS. MARIJUANA
02D04-0605-MC-000905 Foster, Jermaine D 05/05/2006
Allen Superior Court 5 MC - Miscellaneous Criminal
Decided P.C. POSSESS. MARIJUANA
02D04-0605-FC-000118 Foster, Jermaine 05/09/2006
Allen Superior Court 4 FC - Class C Felony
Decided CARRYING A HANDGUN WITHOUT A LICENSE
POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA HASH OIL OR HASHISH
02D04-0605-FD-000397 Foster, Jermaine 05/10/2006
Allen Superior Court 5 FD - Class D Felony
Decided POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA HASH OIL OR HASHISH
02D04-0609-MC-001971 Foster, Jermaine D 09/20/2006
Allen Superior Court 4 MC - Miscellaneous Criminal
Decided P.C. POSSESSION OF COCAINE
P.C. POSSESS. MARIJUANA
P.C. CARRY HDGUN W/O PRMT
FAILURE TO SIGNAL TURN
P.C. POSS HNDGUN ALTER ID
02D04-0609-FC-000208 Foster, Jermaine 09/25/2006
Allen Superior Court 4 FC - Class C Felony
Decided POSSESS HANDGUN W/OBLITERATED ID MARKS
CARRYING A HANDGUN WITHOUT A LICENSE
POSSESSION OF COCAINE OR NARCOTIC DRUG
POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA HASH OIL OR HASHISH
HABITUAL OFFENDER
02D06-1206-MC-001635 000025684929
000025684929 FOSTER, JERMAINE D 06/25/2012
Allen Superior Court 6 MC - Miscellaneous Criminal (Citation)
Decided 35-48-4-11/FD: Poss Marij/Hash Oil/Hashish/Salvia/Synthetic Cannabinoid-Amt Involved/Prior
9-21-5-2(1)/IFC: Speeding - Exceeding 30 mph in an Urban District
02D05-1206-CM-003667
=====ADDRESSES=====
4633 GLENMARY DR
Fort Wayne, IN 46806
930 E Cook Rd Apt H
Fort Wayne, IN 46825
Allen County Jail
417 S Calhoun St
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
=============
Nice revolving door he USED to have with the legal system.
This should save taxpayers SOME money in the future.
How much you wanna bet there'll be a retaliatory shooting(s) within a week...it COULD well happen, as it has in the past.
Interestingly, this shooting happened on the SAME day that a local pastor held a followup meeting at his church over all the violent shootings that occurred LAST YEAR.
Oh, the IRONY in that.
Looks like we might be on track AGAIN for another THIRTY homicides...if this crap keeps up.

-- And, in a possibly related event, two trashbins ALSO were believed shot and wounded sometime overnight across the street from our "Fortress".

No motive for these other "possible" shootings, but "weather conditions, such as high winds" MIGHT have been a contributing factor.

(or the fact that the lowlife residents of the house were just too damn LAZY to bring the bins inside where they belong, and NOT along the damn street berm...wonder if they're paying the EXTRA TWO BUCKS for additional bins?)

The "investigation" is STILL...pending, as no gunshots were heard, no witnesses were available, and no suspects are in custody...LOL.
*** Today is the commemoration day of Dr. Martin Luther King.
Yeah, it's JUST a day off...how wonderful is THAT?

I commemorated Dr. King on his ACTUAL birthday...not on some day that retailers herald as a day for "sales", or a day where people can just kick back, or even a day where a political charlatan takes an OATH of office (again) that he has no real intention of keeping, and has demonstrated as much over the LAST four years.

I am staying as FAR away from this "inauguration" as I possibly can, because if there's ONE thing I detest MORE than STUPID (by choice) PEOPLE, it's all those damn HYPOCRITES...!
The lame-stream media will be slobbering all over "the anointed one" again...because he pretty much OWNS them (yes, that is an analogy to slave masters and their "hired help" ).
There will be MORE feel-good rhetoric (that would be BS), made to assuage your trepidations...which if you've been READING and LISTENING to the FACTS these last 4 years, you already know are falsehoods...not even good propaganda.
This poser-in-chief is just that...an empty suit, but his agenda is wide-spread and well funded.
Isn't that the way ALL dictatorial rulers start out?
In any event, we might have A president, but this man is not "MY" president. I will believe the opposite of most all of what he has to say, because THAT is the truth, and not what he wants us to believe when he speaks it.
*** Last to the barn today, I don't really CARE about Armstrong and his lies...he finally fessed up, disgracing the sport and himself in the process, letting down all his followers..
I'd have to say mission accomplished.
I don't care about the Oscar hoopla, the Grammys - (read crapfest), OR the football "playoffs" with halftime shows larger than the overpaid players.
I don't care about Manti Te'o and his screwup...hey, sh*t happens, you man up, say you got hoodwinked and MOVE ON...not drag it out on every talk show (and media print) for weeks on end.

This nation has more important things to concern ourselves about.
(Hell, I'm waiting on Animal Planet's PUPPY BOWL, anyway...!)
I don't give a rat's ass about this inauguration...to me, the office of president was stolen from the American people and sold to the citizens as a "bill of goods", rather than a BILL OF RIGHTS, for the sole purpose of BUYING OFF the low-information populace with things that are being paid for by the working class. It's divisiveness at it's best...or worst if you're paying for all this crap.

I DO care about GUN APPRECIATION DAY...AND the SECOND AMENDMENT...AND what this country SHOULD mean and stand for, instead of what it's turning into, because of progressives with NO clue when it comes to REAL democracy and the REPUBLIC that we live within.

I don't care about the "collective" in this nation...that's for beekeepers to fret over.

I care about INDIVIDUALS...because they, when working TOGETHER for the common good, are BETTER than any fascist, communist, or socialist conglomeration that could be dreamed up.
And I care about this nation.
I give a damn when it comes to what we are representing now, as opposed to what we SHOULD be representing...that "beacon on the hill"...of democracy...and of freedom...and of liberty...for ALL people.
Yeah, it's the stuff that dreams are made of...and the same stuff that creates reality FROM those dreams...ask the Founding fathers.
Do have yourselves a good week.

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

Stay SAFE (and warm) out there, America.