Tundra Tuesday...

Welcome to the first major snow "event" in our part of the Midwest.
I've already been outside around 0500 hrs doing the shoveling thing front and back...not bad for 62 years (young).
Sure is PEACEFUL outside at that time of day after a snowfall.
Hardly a mook in sight...lol.
Our Hooiserland weather today will find us with several inches of snow on the ground, school delays all over, and temps rising all the way up to around 20 degrees.
The winds are supposed to pick up (they were nicely calm earlier)

Yeah...gonna be THAT cold outside...

Tonight we get a wind chill WARNING lasting into Thursday, though, so be aware, and be prepared.
Now, with that over with, lets all get a soothing hot cup of our favorite morning beverage, (feel free to add some whiskey, purely for a preemptive medicinal purpose) as we see what else has been going on...
*** First out of the igloo today is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
January 6 - 
---Today is the Christian feast day known as EPIPHANY...basically a celebration of the Magi visiting the Christ child.

"Good thing we didn't set a DOLLAR LIMIT"

Here's a WIKI for the lowdown:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphany_%28holiday%29
It's the day we at the "Fortress" take down the Christmas tree...kinda works out well for us.
---Also, today is NATIONAL BEAN DAY

I'm NOT the BEAN you're looking for...

(and that's not a reference to MR. BEAN).

"...the more you eat, the more you fart..."

I wish they would have been more specific as to WHICH bean in particular...perhaps any old bean will do.
---And, it's NATIONAL SHORTBREAD DAY...well, that works with baked beans VERY well.

Some breads are shorter than other...

Toss in some bourbon with those beans and you've got one "explosive" combination...LOL.
*** Next, some TV watching...tonight on ABC is a limited-run (8 episode) series taken from the first Captain America movie (The First Avenger)...MARVEL'S AGENT CARTER.

This show follows the exploits of Peggy Carter as she seeks to thwart the Nazis and HYDRA during WW2.

Dominic Cooper will reprise his role as the younger Howard Stark (one of the founder of S.H.I.E.L.D.). Hayley Atwell returns as Agent Carter, and I'm really looking forward to this series.
*** Next up, is our look at ALL the shooting that's been going on in Fort Wayne that YOU, the public never get to hear about.
This list goes from Christmas Eve to New year's Eve, so we finish off 2014:

SHOTS FIRED CALLS - 12/24 - 12/31
DECEMBER 24
14F165590 22:41:56 113 SHOTS FIRED 8300 BRIDGEWAY DR
14F165593 23:07:31 113 SHOTS FIRED 2900 WEISSER PARK AVE
14F165596 23:27:10 113 SHOTS FIRED 5700 ARBOR AVE
14F165604 23:47:07 113 SHOTS FIRED 2700 WASHINGTON CENTER RD W
(2 ARMED ROBBERIES)
DECEMBER 25
14F165749 16:08:04 113 SHOTS FIRED 900 HERMAN ST
(2 ARMED ROBBERIES)
DECEMBER 26
14F165881 01:06:36 113 SHOTS FIRED 300 PAULDING RD E & LAFAYETTE ST S
14F165890 01:18:03 113 SHOTS FIRED 2900 GOSHEN RD
14F165903 03:13:42 113 SHOTS FIRED 1100 HUESTIS AVE & BROADWAY
14F165988 11:50:18 113 SHOTS FIRED 4300 WEISSER PARK AVE
14F166101 17:02:55 113 SHOTS FIRED 2200 BUTLER RD
(1 ARMED ROBBERY)
DECEMBER 27 
14F166273 00:43:09 113 SHOTS FIRED 1500 HIGH ST
14F166280 01:05:27 113 SHOTS FIRED 900 RUDISILL BLVD E & GAYWOOD DR
14F166299 02:10:05 113 SHOTS FIRED 7200 LAKERIDGE DR
14F166302 02:23:12 113 SHOTS FIRED 1100 LIBERTY ST
14F166311 02:52:48 113 SHOTS FIRED 2500 GLENWOOD AVE
14F166460 15:13:58 113 SHOTS FIRED 100 PETTIT AVE E & CALHOUN ST S
14F166493 17:00:45 113 SHOTS FIRED 1600 GRISWOLD DR & TENNESSEE AVE
14F166542 18:54:30 113 SHOTS FIRED 100 CONCORD LN E
14F166573 20:29:08 113 SHOTS FIRED 2700 KINGSLAND CT
14F166589 21:08:45 113 SHOTS FIRED 4100 WINTER ST
DECEMBER 28 
14F166666 00:35:16 113 SHOTS FIRED 4400 CALHOUN ST S
14F166697 02:38:24 113 SHOTS FIRED 600 MAIN ST W
14F166959 19:56:05 113 SHOTS FIRED 2600 INDIANA AVE
14F166993 21:51:51 113 SHOTS FIRED 2400 ABBEY DR
(1 ARMED ROBBERY)
DECEMBER 29 
14F167041 00:07:47 113 SHOTS FIRED 1400 TAYLOR ST
14F167238 14:58:29 113 SHOTS FIRED 4700 WEISSER PARK AVE
14F167370 20:41:18 58 SHOOTING 600 MCKINNIE AVE
DECEMBER 30
14F167447 01:24:40 113 SHOTS FIRED 500 CREIGHTON AVE E
14F167745 20:40:36 113 SHOTS FIRED 4100 PLAZA DR
14F167448 01:32:58 58 SHOOTING 600 CREIGHTON AVE E
(2 ARMED ROBBERIES)
DECEMBER 31
14F168115 16:52:06 113 SHOTS FIRED 3300 BROADWAY
14F168163 19:00:16 113 SHOTS FIRED 4200 KEKIONGA DR
14F168169 19:28:38 113 SHOTS FIRED 4700 WEISSER PARK AVE
14F168192 20:19:56 113 SHOTS FIRED 200 WOODLAND AVE W
14F168225 21:42:35 113 SHOTS FIRED 1300 SCOTT AVE
14F168229 21:49:13 113 SHOTS FIRED 6300 SOUTHCREST RD & KENT RD
14F168281 23:12:57 113 SHOTS FIRED 3000 MCCORMICK AVE
14F168283 23:15:57 113 SHOTS FIRED 3000 SCHELE AVE
14F168295 23:45:38 113 SHOTS FIRED 6000 BUNT DR
(1 ARMED ROBBERY)
Moving on...
***  Next, we have a thrill ride of sorts when it comes to our local gas prices.
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/Roller-coaster-gas-prices-status-quo-4320283

Now, personally, I LOVE low fuel prices...reminds me of those days when driving was more pleasurable.
Didn't take much cash to tank up and you could actually drive places without worrying if you EAT next week...lol.
But, according to this story, we can expect prices to rise again...probably at the worst possible time, too. That's the way they shake.
-- In a related story, the stock market tripped over its own feet with the decline in crude oil prices.
Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/business/economy/Markets-stumble-as-oil-dips-below--50-4318350
Come to think of it, it makes a case for a stronger US dollar, but that might not be a good thing, either.
Think about it, a stronger dollar is good HERE, but overseas (where we seem to ship damn near everything like OIL and FOOD), a strong dollar means HIGHER PRICES there...more cost = less purchase...simple economics.

GOOD for us...BAD for them.

Now, since I;m not an economy, I've got nothing as to a solution.
Maybe we should keep MORE of OUR "stuff" to make prices drop HERE?
(whatta novel idea, Bob!)
*** Next, it's FLU season...

(never to be confused with WABBIT season).

And we're notified that we ALL "should" get a flu shot.
Thing is, that flu shot is not as EFFICACIOUS as once thought...so why even bother?

OR, what say...I get NEITHER...!

I'm not into all these various immunizations and flu shots the "government" is coming out with today...because I don't know what teh long-term effects would be. might make the whole race sterile...we don't know. Could promote various  cancers...we don't know.
Be one helluva way to decrease any surplus population, though, right?
*** Last back to the freezer...Americans used to be a hardier lot.

We might not lived AS long as so many more people do today, but there were a lot of folks from our founding that lasted well into their 80s.
Not bad for "primitive" medicine, right?
There was this pioneer spirit we used to have...tackle any situation or problem, an work through it...and always without the "help" of some government.
Today, seems most people can't so much as blow their nose without some government agency wanting to "hold the Kleenex"...or at least GIVE us a box (that someone ELSE pays for).
When did we stop wanting to do more FOR ourselves and BY ourselves. I thought THAT was what the American dream was all about...SELF achievement...SELF reliance...and SELF sufficiency.I try to maintain that, as I;m sure many of you also do, but when you look around you, not many others feel the same way.
They're all too eager to let "someone else" (the government) take the reins for a spell and let another drive the turnip wagon to town.
Take today's weather for example - I go out and shovel our walk...because the city SAYS that I have to have it cleared by 0900 hrs.
Not a big deal to me...I'm still able enough to make that happen.
And I can understand those infirm or aged who cannot do something like this...that's where altruistic individuals shine. American Exceptionalism, right?

One "disease" you don't want to catch.

But there are SO many able-body others, for whom the simple task of lifting a shovel of snow to make things EASIER for others is too much to ask of them.
Their slothfulness rather hinges upon WHO will do things for them, and how often...period.
Like I said...we USED to be a hardier breed...
Wish there were more like you and I...not afraid to do what real Americans would do without a second thought.

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