Monday Musings...

And, we're in the final stretch of the holiday shopping season...not much time left at all to get things done, is there? The weather hasn't been that helpful, either.

Today in the Hooiserland, we get a nice reprieve from all that constant RAIN we had over the weekend, which melted almost ALL the snow from the ground.
We're only supposed to get a few SNOW SHOWERS throughout the day, and that means not much sun to go with that.
And our temps have dropped UNDER the freezing mark with a high today of around 30 degrees.
So, let's take it nice and easy today while we top off our warm morning beverage and see what has been going on.
*** First up today is the almost constant police radio chatter...as if we were hoping that somehow, the weather would keep the idiots at-bay.
Not on your life.

And they drive like the idiots they are.

With the melting of our snow, people have labored under the misconception that all the roads and highways are like a Summer's day.
They aren't in some spots, and that leads to the exercise of the poor judgment these people suffer from.
But, at least the auto repair shops are making out like bandits, so maybe there still is balance in the universe.
*** Next, an infant is found dead on the city's (where else?) SOUTH EAST side.
Here's the story:
http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/Infant-236948201.html
I guess this "could" be the city's 45th homicide, but negligence on the part of the infant's "parent" might cause this to be "accidental".

The infant WAS sleeping in bed with the parent, and many times, these "Madeas" roll over ONTO the child, smothering it.
Then again, if they were RESPONSIBLE and knew HOW to parent, this could all be avoided.
It's NOT like there is a void where help along these lines in concerned.
*** And, while we're on the SE side of the city...there was THIS story:
http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/Two-Shot-On-Citys-Southeast-Side-236873021.html
In THIS case, there was no infant or bed...just a man and a juvenile, both suffering from gunshot wounds.

Could be OUR alley, for all the city cares.

This happened in the alley behind 4510 Weisser Park Ave this past Saturday around 1300 hrs.
Apparently, someone was there to buy a "junk" car, and the deal seemed to go sideways.
I heard (on the scanner) that there was a third person involved, seen running south from the area, and that a gun had been tossed, but police were unable to find one. So, perhaps this was all some set-up, designed to get some fast cash from a dupe.
Two other children were in the man's pickup truck, and were unharmed.
The two shot were transported to hospital in stable condition, but one was downgraded to serious.
*** Next, we have a tale of Wifey and her Christmas shopping adventure.

Yesterday, the Lovely Mrs. Bobby G. took a trip over to the soon-tp-be-closed K-Mart on S. Anthony.
I decided to stay home, as impending store closings tend to bum me out...like when we went to the Scotts market along Decatur Rd a few years back (which remains VACANT to this day, btw).

Wifey got a few items, and some good pictures of a scenario that has repeatedly come to demonstrate what the future of this part of town will become.

Like Old Mother Hubbard's cupboard...BARE!

Her BIG score was a piece of jewelry, originally costing $1200 bucks...BUT, was marked down a whopping EIGHTY PERCENT (plus more checkout money off), so she gets it for UNDER $200 bucks...now THAT isn't bad at all for 2 carats worth of diamonds (which are forever).
My bargain-hunting skills must be rubbing off on her...LOL!
Sadly, by this time NEXT month, the store will be closed...and with it a large part of our retail, or rather what's LEFT of it down here.

The merchandise left was moved up front.

Literally HUNDREDS of retail businesses have CLOSED on the SE side since we moved here in 1997...
We know, because we've SEEN them close...one by one.
Quite literally, there is no REAL place for us to shop down here now, but...everywhere ELSE.

You can hear the crickets.

Sure, we still have Menards and Wal-Mart...big frigging deal.
We have similar stores in OTHER locations around the city.

Not even many toys left.

But, what THOSE location don't have, and what we have in abundance...is CRIME, and THAT is the biggest impediment to retail coming BACK here than anything else.
I've spoken about this many times, and the facts NEVER LIE.
The Fort Wayne city leaders do enough of THAT for everyone.
*** Lastly today on this Christmas Eve "eve", we sure don't seem to have the same outlook our parents had when we were young...or at last it sure seems that way.

Don't let the HAT fool 'ya!

They had this knack for having a much better "upbeat" demeanor whenever the holidays rolled around.
People in general had more it than we see today, and I wonder why that is?
I mean we did have the threat of nuclear annihilation hanging over this nation's head, thanks to the Russkies, so we were not without SOME level of angst.
But by and large, we used to be a happier people. in spite of whatever turmoil we were beset by.
Maybe we were happier BECAUSE of that angst, and if THAT were the case, people today should be freaking ECSTATIC...but we're not.
Consider how MUCH the nation and our society has changed in fifty years. --We've made tremendous leaps in technology, that, for the most part, has helped us to some degree, but has caused MORE problems than it was designed to solve.
--We've become a more tolerant people...to the extent that we won't tolerate intolerance, and that itself produces an insidious Catch-22 for many.
--We do away with the death penalty for the most part...and VIOLENT CRIME goes UP.
--We tolerate atheism, and those folks demand bans on CHRISTIAN displays in public.
--We tolerate gays, and yet THEY have become so intolerant of folks who hold to traditional values and principles because of their religious convictions.

Ain't THIS the truth these days...?

--We believe in JUSTICE, and yet allow gross INJUSTICES to happen every day within out judicial system.
--We bar our own residential windows and doors for security while turning known criminals back OUT from the structures that SHOULD have bars on their windows and doors, and we call this justice?
--We all but demand change, and yet are willing to allow ourselves to sit back on our hands and do nothing, rather than involve ourselves.

Funny thing...WE used to be a lot more reliant upon OURSELVES in these matters, had a thicker skin, and were permitted to do and say what we felt as right, as long as none of it harmed another person, or was illegal in any way.
Now, we rely on government for all the answers, when they can't even comprehend what the damn questions are. And we put up with banning words or people's views, opinions, and comments.
(guess our THOUGHTS are next - shades of Minority Report)
That's not how any civilization evolves...quite the reverse.
So, you can see how easy it can become to allow yourself to get a bit "down" for the holidays, especially when you recall a much BETTER time, that when considered, wasn't really THAT long ago.

Still, if it wasn't for one child born in Bethlehem all those centuries ago, none of us would ever have reason to see the light that this infant brought into our world, and THAT is something worth remembering, no matter how bad things have become outside our own four walls.
Have a great week.

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