When All Else Fails...

Howdy folks and welcome to the Tuesday edition of what's goin' on.

While the title of today's post might appear to be a bit on the ambiguous side, rest assured ALL will be explained in just a few.

Today's Heartland weather is fairly LOUSY...winds, dropping temps throughout the day, some off and on flurries...yep, lousy works out well.
Tonight is going to be COLD with lows down in single digits.
Meanwhile, back at the igloo...
*** WPTA had that gang problem story on last night, and it was pretty decent.
Jeff Neumeyer only scratched the surface, however...a damn shame.

Here's the link to the story, in case you either missed it, or don't live around this neck o' the woods:

http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/Fort-Waynes-Street-Gangs-A-Special-Report-191720921.html
Thank God City Council President, Tom Didier said something that is VERY TRUE:
He stated: "On the southeast side, police need to PUSH BACK." (my emphasis).
Imagine that...what NEEDS to be done, being said by someone who is NOT my district councilman.

Wonder why OURS (Glynn Hines) doesn't speak up?
HE, if any member of City Council, SHOULD be the one pissing a fit over the gang situation.
But, all we hear from him is the sound of crickets...typical dumbocrat.
The story also says that the C shift Sgt, one Tom Strausborger states this has become a game of "cat and mouse".

Hell, I can tell you that much, and I'm not even wearing the shield, but I DO come from Philly, which set the bar for much of the gang activity you are now seeing here.

And we can blame most every major city for the problem, which never seems to go away.
We're even getting "PC" with this, by calling these gangs "cliques"...thanks to social media.
But you can't change the spots on this leopard.
Most all of what causes gangs to flourish is blatantly simple:

-- Money
-- Drugs
-- Women
Toss in some (stolen or straw-purchased) "weapons of choice", and you're all set to live a reality version of say...Grand Theft Auto...or worse.
The Fort Wayne gang M.O.B. states it simply: Money Over Bitches.
(and they ain't necessarily talking about leashed pit bulls)
If Jeff Neumeyer ever wants to chat with ME, I can provide LOADS of pictures taken and documentation to back up such behavior by certain factions in this city.
And much of it stems from the fact that the "small sh*t" is rarely if ever addressed by the authorities...otherwise it wouldn't escalate to the level we see regarding the BIG SH*T...like homicides.
Look to Chicago for all the proof you will ever need.
And speaking of PROOF, there's this:
*** Maker's Mark bourbon will NOT "water down" it's hallmark brand.
Here's this story:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/katelee/2013/02/17/makers-mark-sincerely-apologizes-for-almost-diluting-its-bourbon/

Personally speaking, as a social imbiber of such fine spirits, I find it deplorable that they, or ANY distiller would consider such a move (and thank God they recanted).
It's already BEEN done within the last couple decades anyway.
We USED to have damn near everything at 86 PROOF...which is 43% grain alcohol (by volume)...simple enough to figure out, hmm?
And here's the WIKI for a fascinating look into the "spirit" world:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_proof

Now aside from bourbon, I also enjoy scotch, and there WAS a time when Chivas Regal was also 86 proof (and I still have such a bottle...UNopened), but these days, it has been "diluted" back to 80 proof...a 3% loss of ABV (alcohol by volume).

And to the discriminating palate, the taste is a bit "different".

To those Cro-Magnon knuckle-draggers that buy the cheap sh*t and swill it down to get "blotto", the point is a moot one.
They don't care about any refinement...only the ability to instill in themselves a higher level of "liquid courage" to be more of a man.
And that's why THEY cause problems...and fill our prisons on a regular basis.
As a side note, Indiana will REMAIN a state which does NOT sell liquor on SUNDAYS...score one for the GOOD GUYS!
*** This story is SO good, you just know it has to be fattening.
The headline reads:
Six Charged With Food Stamp Theft

And here's the link:

http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130219/LOCAL07/302199986

Wow...ONLY SIX?

(so far)

And one of them just "happens" to be the one running Fort Wayne's (federal) housing voucher program...!
(horrors...LMAO)

Wow...this looks like a job for...CAPTAIN OBVIOUS!

During a power outage, a clerical error resulted in $3500 bucks on an EBT card INSTEAD of the $350 it should have been.

Never heard of THAT before...usually an OUTAGE causes data LOSS...and NOT data INCREASES, right?
(I do speak from experience...as do most all of us)
Over FIVE other people were using that "overcharged" card, too....imagine that.

Whatever happened to FREEZING THE ASSETS on a card...that's done ALL the time?

Stop usage of the card electronically by freezing the account UNTIL the holder comes in to rectify the situation.

Nah...too damn hard...requires a little WORK (something these people SHOULD be pursuing, rather than FRAUD...and with everyone else's money)

I hope whoever prosecutes this case (it IS the feds, after all) finds the LARGEST book available,and tosses it AT these thieves.

*** Lastly today, I trust you found the meaning behind today's post title.

When all else fails....apparently we DECEIVE others (the food stampers), or perhaps we need to GET TOUGH (with gangs), or even go back to doing the right thing again (like the bourbon distillers).

It's not always meant to be THE last resort, but when you attempt something that is all but destined to produce some type of failure, you need to back up or rethink your game plan.
Many times, we look to a "higher power" for guidance, and there's not a single thing wrong with that.
Grasping at straws only works when you're trying to gather all the damn straw for whatever you intended.
Every situation presents a myriad of possibilities, albeit a finite number of them.
And once again, it comes down to making the right CHOICE.
We can CHOOSE to do the wrong thing, roll the dice and hope to hell to not get caught...OR we can make things a LOT simpler, and just THINK things out and then make that GOOD choice that hurts no one, especially ourselves.

Life will find ways to hurt us enough as it is, we don't need to ADD to the mix, right?

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

Stay SAFE out there, America.