Monday Musings...

Welcome to what will be the first week of FALL.
That's right, Autumn will arrive around 2130 hrs tonight, just so you know.
(and be careful answering the door, especially in Fort Wayne).
Our Hoosierland weather will find us with cool temps to start off with, and cloudy skies, but the clouds will be rolling away a bit later, giving us plenty of sunshine, and we are expected a high today in the mid 60s.
All in all, not that bad.
(Even if you DO get stung by a yellow jacket while pumping fuel at the local ghetto gas station...OY!)
So, let's go get our favorite morning beverage and see what's been going on in other places...
*** First out of the coal bin, is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?"
And we've got some catch-up to do over this past weekend, so here goes:
September 20 - This was National PUNCH Day (dunno if they meant the DRINK or the balled fist thingy).

Who says you can't have BOTH?

It was also Big Whopper Liar Day (in Washington, D.C. that seems to be EVERY DAY), and Responsible Dog Ownership Day (And I know Chris took Scrappy out for walkies).
September 21 - This was World Alzheimer's Day and Wife Appreciation Day (home made spaghetti dinners do well).

Now THAT'S Amore` (with meatballs)

It was also the International Day of Peace (someone forgot to tell some people down here in the Ghettohood about that...more in a minute).

That leaves TODAY

September 22 - it is the Autumnal Equinox (can we wave to a wiccan?).

It's also Elephant Appreciation Day (I ALWAYS appreciate anything that can squash me with ONE FOOT without breaking a sweat and works for peanuts),

Sure LOOKS like the SE side of Fort Wayne

And lastly, it's Hobbit Day (that makes sense...sometimes, I FEEL like I'm living in MORDOR...lol)
So there you are...have fun with it
Meanwhile, back in the Shire...
*** Yes friends, it would appear that we have homicide number TWELVE, for those keeping a tally in their "dead pool".

Here's the latest, and as we've come to see, it's not all that much:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140922/LOCAL07/309229960
Two men shot at a house located at the corner of 600 E. Rudisill and 3900 S. Monroe (not that far from our "Fortress".
This took place around 0055 hrs early Sunday morning. When police arrived on scene, they found two men inside the house, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Both were transported to hospital. One of the victims was pronounced dead at the hospital, while the other one remains in serious condition.
The names have not been released, neither has the C.O.D., but you can bet it'll be the next homicide.
The story given to authorities sounds plausible enough, but it still makes you wonder what the truth will be if and when it comes out.
This COULD have been something that was NOT related to gangs or drugs, but down here, (aside from our house) I would never take anything for granted. You have to live down here to understand that.
Such presumptions can get you hurt, as we've seen time and again.
(( Editor's Note - 1100 hrs - Here is the latest from WANE: 
http://wane.com/2014/09/21/one-person-killed-another-injured-in-shooting/
The other victim's name has yet to be disclosed. ))
I'll keep following this and see what plays out.
*** Next up, when it comes to spending, our fair city excels...
And that can lead to problems.
Maybe not today...or tomorrow, or even next month, but EVERYTHING results in something farther down the road.
Kevin Leininger's most recent article spells that out quite well, and here's the link:
http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140918/NEWS/140919624/1041/LEININGER
You know that "Legacy Fund" money is burning a hole in MANY politicos downtown, and what kind of legacy does that create?
(short answer - not that much)
Some at City Hall must feel that the money will ALWAYS be there, so spend it anyway...WRONG!
They also think that spending some of it NOW, will ensure something lasting many years from now...NOT NECESSARILY.
The ONLY thing you can depend on in life is DEATH and TAXES...those two never seem to "go away"...everything else does.
The city budget has risen about $8 MIL since last year (to get more police and other sundry things), and we DO need more police. We haven't been up to staffing levels for YEARS (and it shows). But this wasn't really planned for, because GRANT money was available...yet, those grants never last forever either, do they? John Crawford (when commenting on a proposed city pay raise) justifiably asks "How can you give a 2% raise when you can't afford a 1% raise.?"
See, it's things like THIS that makes you wonder where the hell common sense went, and when is it coming back from vacation any time soon?
But "King" Henry (our mayor) doesn't really want to stop willfully OVERPAYING for public works projects either (typical dumbocrat).
The last thing anyone downtown should really want to do is nickel and dime the legacy funds into oblivion.
Now THAT is common sense.
*** Last back to the outhouse...we never seem at a loss for mismanagement these days, and with all this technology, one would think we'd have so much less trouble managing anything.
But technology cannot control human behavior (yet, but someone's working on that), and we, as humans can be woefully flawed in that regard.
We become too busy with the technology, that we forget to feed our more human aspects of our lives.
We're always driven to the next gadget, next fad, next whatever, in the search and the hope of finding something to make our life EASIER, instead of BETTER.
Well, that's where being a BETTER PERSON comes in.
Better people make for better lives...anyone want to argue the logic there?
And every one of us should have a similar goal...to become that better person...every day.
It's not impossible, and it is achievable...if WE decide to make such things happen.

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