Humpday Happenings...

And it's another frosty day that greets us here in the Hoosierland, but we're not going to be dealing with all the BAD weather whacking the east coast, as well as other places around Indiana. Something to be REALLY thankful for on this busiest travel day of the rolling year.
Local temps won't even get to the freezing mark (upper 20s) and enough clouds about to make you wonder when the snow showers will start...because we will be getting some throughout the day.
To top things off, it'll be BREEZY to boot, so dress accordingly if going outside.
It ain't August anymore.
So pour yourself a warm cup your favorite morning beverage, sit back and let's look in at what's been going on elsewhere.
*** First out of the freezer today is our Motto of the Week aka WHO SAID THAT?
"Experience is one thing you can't get for nothing.."
I think this might fit not only our own lives, but perhaps part of today's post, if you read carefully.
Now, WHO said that? The answer at the top of tomorrow's post.
Meanwhile, back at the library...
*** Well, I said that after that ONE Arby's heist, there would be MORE...and once again, the perps in the Summit City has proved me correct.

Here we go again.

(that never gets old, either)
We had TWO robberies of Burger Dairies yesterday and then THESE on top of that.
-- Yesterday, we also had TWO robberies at pizza joints over the last 24 hours.
Here's the first story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20131127/LOCAL07/311279936/1043/LOCAL07
This was at Givers Pizza, located at 3412 Fairfield Ave around 1900 hrs.
This time, there were descriptions of the robbers.
One was taller and appeared more "relaxed", as if he was "experienced". Described as tall, BLACK, wearing a Carharrt-style jacket and white with blue Nike Jordan shoes, while the other was ALSO BLACK, 5'3", thick eyebrows, "girly" eyes with long lashes, wearing a black coat and appearing nervous.
The pair made off with contents of the cash drawer and left by the back door.
-- The next robbery took place at the Papa John's pizza place, located at 2616 Maplecres tRd. just after midnight.
Here's this link:
http://www.wane.com/news/crime/maplecrest-pizza-shop-robbed-at-gunpoint

At least no one's been shot or killed...yet.

Also in THIS robbery, a PAIR of perps did the deed, wearing black masks and gloves JUST as the ones that robbed Givers Pizza earlier.
This time, the perps only got away with under $100. One robber showed a handgun during the holdup, and although a K-9 unit was dispatched, it was unable to get a track on the robbers.
Police are not sure if these two robberies are related. (you are kidding me, right?)
Moving on...
*** And now we come to the center of the shrubbery maze...

Okay, so you have a person that doesn't seem to be doing the job they were appointed to  well enough to instill a sense of confidence in the employees...so what DO you do?
Well, if you're a democrat mayor in a second-largest city in some Midwest state, you do the ONLY logical thing you CAN do...
Create a NEW position and PROMOTE him...!!!

I lost 8 of my NINE lives trying to figure this out.

Yes, this certainly IS the "WTF???" moment of the week here in Ft. Wayne.
I'm talking about our mayor (king) Henry  proposing to take our very own FWPD chief, Rusty York and making him the "CAPO-DEI-CAPI"...("boss of bosses" for the mafia-challenged out there) otherwise known as the Director Of Public Safety.

The "King" and his "Duke of York".

I'd be laughing my ass off if it wasn't so damn frustrating to hear and see.
Naturally, this position will cost WE, the people another $126K per year...but don't worry friends, it's ALREADY been plugged into the 2014 budget...how "CONVENIENT" is THAT?
Thank that new local income tax for that one.
Here's the story (with video) link from WANE:
http://www.wane.com/news/local/police-chief-york-named-safety-director-mre
I'm with Mitch Harper on this one...we DO NOT need ANOTHER "suit" doing something the police chief has ALREADY been doing, and that's acting in concert with federal agencies and as a liaison to the mayor.

You ain't no MLK, bub!

Of course, council-hack Glynn HInes already has "his" choice to take York's place...
((...rolls eyes...))
Yes, it does get worse...he wants to see Cpt. Garry Hamilton take the FWPD CAPO  job.
He has LESS experience than YORK does, and got EVERY upward position in the damn department thanks to AFFIRMATIVE ACTION.
He wasn't even been a beat cop that long to get a REAL feel for the streets, especially down here.
Cripes, I'd rather see officer Mike Joyner as chief, but they can't appoint someone that far down the food chain into the top-dog position.
This entire scenario has the makings of a royal FUBAR of damn near BIBLICAL proportions!
It FEELS wrong, LOOKS wrong, and SMELLS wrong.
Hell, ask Nancy Chamberlin to come back and hire HER as FWPD chief.
Naturally, Hines is all for HIS people...and screw US in the process.
(talk about BIAS!)

I did it "My Way".

Hamilton hasn't been nearly as effective as SE quadrant captain as Chamberlin was...crime has risen MARKEDLY since HE took over for Chamberlin.
Those are the FACTS, people.
And I get to see things a LOT more "up close and personal" than a lot of these downtown "good old boys" every damn day down here.
I will say this...if things go as City Hall plans, and York gets the "rubber stamp" of approval, as I suspect he will...no one goes against "the king"...and we DO get a black police chief in this city, crime will not magically drop off the screen. It will most likely get WORSE, especially on the entire SOUTH side (east and west).
Here's the WPTA link and video with York:
http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/131125-public-safety-director-announcement-233405401.html

Allen County Sheriff Ken Fries weighed in on the 4pm news yesterday (and the video disappeared curiously), about the crime in Fort Wayne, saying that if you ask residents if they feel safe...the answer is they probably don't. Gotta roll with Ken on this one.
I fully expect city council to PASS this flawed proposal (ordinance) when it comes time, with the possible exception of John Crawford and Mitch Harper being the ONLY dissenters (with good, sound economic and logical reasons). Maybe Tom Smith or John Shoaff might say no, but I'm not holding my breath.
This whole scheme reeks to high heaven, since the city TURNED DOWN the proposal to re-institute the old METRO SQUAD (combination of city-county LEOs) a few years back, with the loudest nay-sayers coming from the BLACK community (where most of this crap is coming from).
THIS is what needs to be done (imho):
1) Yo, Rus,...just frigging RETIRE for God's sake - do your stain-glass gig and just RE-F$CKING-TIRE!
The morale of the rank and file of the FWPD will thank you for that much.
2) Captain Hamilton - get your ass ON our damn streets and do some REAL PATROLS, instead of being a chief of anything.
You LACK the experience, you LACK the knowledge, and (from what I can tell) you LACK the PASSION for the job and the community.
3) Mr Mayor (your highness) - grow a pair, and hire someone OTHER than those in your cabal of good old boys, and by that I mean try a CONSERVATIVE with a REAL background in LAW-ENFORCEMENT, not afraid to go break a few eggs to make an omelet, rather than keeping a police chief that has the whole department WALKING on those eggshells.
4) Councilman Hines...just go away...FAR away. I don't care where, just GO and let us get some REAL representation down here in Ft. Wayne/'s crotch, before you turn us into the next mini-Detroit. Sit the f$ck DOWN, shut the f$ck UP, and go...A-WAY...period.
There, I think that about covers things nicely.
*** Next up today, I don't claim to be a psychic, or have any sort of supernatural powers (thank God for THAT), but I have always been someone who tends to be a people-watcher, pays attention, and comes to conclusions based on REASON and FACT, rather than fantasy or fiction.

An excellent series , and yes, it IS.

And the truth is...we DO have a problem in this city, but the solution proposed at THIS time is just...plain...wrong.
This "new" position is another band-aid on a compound fracture, and the patient is bleeding out.
Yeah, that band aid isn't gonna do any good at all.
We need some REAL leadership in the FWPD, and it won't be found with what's being tossed about downtown.
We have men and women putting THEIR lives on the damn line on the streets EVERY single day, and we need a chief that would INSPIRE and motivate these people to be AS GOOD as they can, all the time. Morale is what you need...POSITIVE morale, and the more, the better.
You want to tear down a police department?
All you have to do is break the morale enough to make the officers just want to "go through the motions"...make them lose the fire they have for putting on that shield, sidearm, and yes, body armor every shift they serve.

Not a good move...at all.

Place incompetents in high-level positions and induce more fear IN the department than can be found on the worst streets in the city.
OR...you could do things the RIGHT way and negate all that. We shall see which decision the good old boys "perceive" is in EVERYONE'S best interest (and especially their own) soon enough.
*** Last back to the barn...tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and as the years pass, we find more empty places at the table.

Still, the meaning of what we should be thankful for remains.

Every one of us has MUCH to be thankful for, and if and when we take the time to list them ALL, it would take us a LOT longer than we'd ever think.
Luckily, table-side prayers are brief...so the food doesn't get cold...lol.

We still miss you.

This will be the first Thanksgiving without our little feline "princess", Penelope at the side of our chairs, meowing for some "human" food.
Our Aunt Wanda and Uncle Leo have passed a couple years ago, so THEY aren't here to enjoy the day (and food) with us (while I played a Glenn Miller CD).
More empty chairs.
Relatives are few, friends are fewer, and yet, although the physical presence is gone, the spirit of them lingers.
We recall with fondness when they were with us, and remember with love, all that they represented in our lives.
I suppose that is one of the BEST things to be thankful for not only tomorrow, but for all our years.
And, they will ALWAYS have a place at the table...as long as our memories of them remain.
Do have yourselves a very blessed Thanksgiving tomorrow.

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