Tuesday Tidbits...

Today's brisk and cloudy morning will give way to some sunshine and temps reaching ABOVE freezing. This "warmup" will continue throughout the week, and temps are expected to reach around FIFTY...and then late in the weekend, we go back into the icebox, so DON'T pack away those longjohns JUST yet.

Got some crimes to report (as usual), and two previews on TV tonight, so let's get rolling and get this show on the road.

*** A robbery at the BP station at S. Anthony and Tillman early yesterday morning, around 0500 hours (my, some thugs NEVER sleep, do they?) resulted in a haul of cash from the register...AND (most importantly)...A PACK OF NEWPORTS...!!!

((ROFLMAO))

Sorry, I'm NOT laughing at the ROBBERY...just the pack of smokes the perp HAD to take.

Here's the full story:

http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130108/LOCAL07/301089943/1043/LOCAL07

Now, if police are looking for someone who smokes Newports...better haul in every BLACK male down here!

That is the ghetthood ciggie-of-choice...been that way for DECADES (even back in Philly).

Interestingly, this station has been FOR SALE as evidenced HERE:

http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/15377454/4224-S-Anthony-Blvd-Fort-Wayne-IN/

(talk about a "distressed seller"...NOW, hmm?)

The robber left in a black Toyota (eastbound) with a tag number of RJL571 (gonna have to check MY lists for area vehicles).

The perp is described as a BLACK male (see...told 'ya), about 6'2", slim build with a facial scar.
AND...he smokes NEWPORTS.
He wore gloves, a black coat with an "emblem" on the back, dark pants, and a black and white hat with strings hanging down the sides (sounds like a bank robber we recently viewed).

If you see this person, feel free to exercise extreme prejudice (yeah, you can cut off a hand or two - robberies hurt EVERYONE).

*** Elsewhere, it was 0230 hrs Monday morning, and one criminal had no idea what to do with his pitiful life...so, he heads to Southgate Plaza and arrives at the Belmont Liquor store for a "smash and grab".

Here's the story:

http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130108/LOCAL07/301089945/1043/LOCAL07

When police arrived, they found the front door glass smashed.

What was taken was a "significant" number of LOTTERY tickets (talk about the lazy man's way of making a living).

I suppose it was good the store didn't sell NEWPORTS...!

(Anyone want to make book that the thief was also...BLACK?)

Police then alerted area gas stations in the area, in case someone tried to CASH the tickets before they were reported stolen.

*** But wait, there's more...

A pizza delivery man was robbed at gunpoint around midnight early Monday in the 2400 block of Hoagland Ave.

Here's THIS story:

http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130108/LOCAL07/301089944/1043/LOCAL07

Again, the thief was listed as BLACK, in his early 20s, about 5'6", 130lbs, and wore a dark jacket and black jeans (which describes about 85% of ALL the male blacks in the area).

The robber said to the delivery man: "You know what it is...gimme what you got."

To which I would replied "Sure...here IT is", and then served him some piping hot .45 ACP rounds.

The robber got away with $20 - enough to buy a few packs of NEWPORTS...when stealing them becomes too much of a hassle.

At least the robber DIDN'T get a free pizza...small consolation for a person that is our latest VICTIM in the Summit City.

*** The former Hooters was SMOKIN' last night, but not in a good way (and no NEWPORTS were found nearby).

Here's the story:

http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130108/LOCAL07/301089959/1043/LOCAL07

I was listening to this on the radio, and the FWFD was having problems with the fire and traffic control.

One hydrant wasn't supplying enough water to one of the pumpers, and I can only imagine that is the SAME hydrant that was reported as leaking water this morning on N. Clinton St. Someone didn't shut it OFF ...all the way.

That's gonna make a nice ice skating rink this morning, isn't it?

This is the Hooters that was abruptly shut down last year locking out the staff.

Here's THAT story:

http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/local/hooters-on-coliseum-blvd-closing-permanently

No real explanation ever came forward and the staff really got the sh*t end of that deal.

*** Now, on to some lighter fare...

Tonight on FX they are premiering IRON MAN 2, followed by the season four premiere of one of my favorite shows...JUSTIFIED.

To me, this is a "popcorn-worthy" night of viewing...!

Can't say enough about Justified...excellent casting and story writing.

And usually, ONE shooting per episode..."justified" of course.

Tim Olyphant does a great job of bringing this fictional character of novelist Elmore Leonard to life.

The supporting cast are all excellent in their own right, too, especially Nick Searcy, who plays Raylan's (Olyphant's) boss, Art, at the U. S. Marshal's Service office in Lexington, KY.

And what can you say about Robert Downey's portrayal of the billionaire industralist playboy, Tony Stark (and his "alter-ego", IRON MAN)?

Brilliant!

I liked this Marvel Comics character since the mid 1960s, and although I rarely add to my comic collection THESE days (have you seen the price of just ONE issue?), I still have all those late silver-age issues...the ones that USED to sell for a mere TWELVE CENTS...

(that was worth saving that lunch money!)

Ever since comics rose in price to over a DOLLAR, that kinda did it for me...the "magic" seemed to be missing, and not because I grew up.

I collected WELL into my adult years.

It's that having a COMIC didn't mean buying a GRAPHIC NOVEL, which is a lot of what the industry evolved into, much to many a young child's dismay.

Lunch money wouldn't cut it to buy just ONE issue any longer. Today, you need a healthy bank account to keep up with a myriad of titles and characters.

Chalk it up to just another example of kids losing some of that innocence they USED to be able to enjoy...and for a lot longer than they do these days.

Hell, we were too busy reading comics and stopping by the drug store to get the latest copies to ever think of doing any illegal drugs, or committing crimes.
(had to do that homework FIRST, though)

Must have been a good INFLUENCE there someplace, right?

Ah, for those days once again...

*** Lastly today, the joy of being a child would seem all but lost nowadays.

Gone is a lot of the creative mind play we used to have...toy soldiers, barbies, playing "make-believe"...you know what I mean.

And it's been supplanted with all this "virtual" realm stuff, not that it's BAD, per se...

It just negates a lot of that creativity.

Video games and the rest of this stuff is a good ADJUNCT for adding TO a child's development, when used sparingly and supervised.

All those fun things we used to do...we don't, and if we do, it's a lot less than times past.

Kids NEED to play...really play, and not stare at the TV and thumb themselves into a carpal-tunnel existence by the time they hit puberty.

And kids NEED to have parental involvement...that means SO much, and yet, so LITTLE is devoted to it, otherwise, we'd see a lot LESS problems with our kids today, who turn into problem-laden ADULTS.
Hopefully, those of us that DO remember those days of yore, can empower parents and even kids of today to look back, turn off the tech, and enjoy being a child once again...at least once in a while..

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

Stay SAFE out there, America.