Monday Musings...

Welcome to a brand new week, AND a brand new month.
(I love when it works out this way).
Now that wasn't that bad a weekend...no snow to shovel.
Fine way to end January, but that was last month.
Our Hoosierland weather for starting the month of February today is going to be a bit cooler than Sunday, with a high into the mid-40s. A slight chance of rain lingers from yesterday, but the winds should be less than they were over the weekend. Also, the rain and breezes return tomorrow (...oh, joy...).
It looks to be a roller-coaster ride as far as the extended forecast goes for the remainder of the week.
Gonna be a crap-shoot as to what kind of outerwear to choose.
So, let's get that morning drink poured as we play "see and sip" with what's been going on elsewhere...
*** First off of the power grid is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
Since we begin a new month, let's first take a look at the monthly and weekly "events":
For the shortest month of the year, it's got a LOT of observances:
FEBRUARY
=========================
Monthly observances:
========================
Adopt A Rescued Rabbit Month
AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month
An Affair to Remember Month

American Heart Health Month
Bake for Family Fun Month
Black History Month

Canned Food Month
Creative Romance Month
Fabulous Florida Strawberry Month
Grapefruit Month
Great American Pie Month
International Boost Self-Esteem Month
International Expect Success Month
International Flirting Week (3rd week)
Jobs in Golf Month
Library Lovers Month
Marfan Syndrome Awareness Month
Marijuana Awareness Month

National Bird Feeding Month
National Care About Your Indoor Air Month
National Cherry Month
National Condom Month
National Children's Dental Health Month
National Grapefruit Month
National Laugh-Friendly Month
National Mend A Broken Heart Month
National Parent Leadership Month
National Pet Dental Health Month
National Senior Independence Month
National Time Management Month
National Weddings Month
Orthodox Lent (2/15 - 4/3)
Plant the Seeds of Greatness Month
Pull Your Sofa Off The Wall Month
Relationship Wellness Month
Responsible Pet Owner's Month
Return Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month
Spiritual Teachers Month
Spunky Old Broads Month
Sweet Potato Month
Wise Health Care Consumer Month
Worldwide Renaissance of the Heart Month
Youth Leadership Month 
======================
Weekly observances:
======================
Children's Authors & Illustrators Week: 1-7
National Patient Recognition Week: 1-7
National School Counseling Week: 1-5

Solo Diners Eat Out Weekend: 1-7
Women's Heart Week: 1-7
International Networking Week: 1-5
Intimate Apparel Market Week: 1-4 (also observed in May 3-6, August 2-5 and
Nov.1-4) 
*** And now, (finally) for TODAY:
February 1 -
---Today is NATIONAL FREEDOM DAY

(proclaim it loud and long, because we're STILL the most free country on the plant, in spite of what the leftards would prefer us to become)
*** Next up, what goes around keeps coming around in this city, ESPECIALLY when it pertains to the CRIMINALS and what passes for our justice (?) system here in Fort Wayne.
Here's the next chapter in an ongoing story:
http://www.news-sentinel.com/news/local/crime/Man-accused-of-shooting-at-Fort-Wayne-Police-officer
Yep, this proverbial "bad penny" keeps coming back, and why this piece of human crap is still on our streets eludes me.
Charles Antwon Benson has been charged (again) with attempted murder...THIS time against a FWPD officer.
If you remember the face, think back to the 2014 Eby Ave shooting (that even made national news).
Then, think back to how he "dodged" being tried in court when the sole witness curiously took his own life (???) along railroad tracks on the SE side a mere DAY before the trial was about to begin.
Or, you can read my archives and WANE coverage from:
MY ARCHIVE POSTS:
5 May 2015 - 16 Sep 2014 - 11 Sep 2014 - 10 Sep 2014 (w/rap sheet & mugshot)
Take your pick.
==========================
WANE:
15 Sep 2014
http://wane.com/2014/09/15/15-finds-out-profile-of-an-accused-killer/
28 Jan 2015
http://wane.com/2015/01/28/trial-again-pushed-back-for-accused-murderer/
14 Mar 2015
http://wane.com/2015/03/14/victim-in-train-track-death-was-witness-in-murder-case/
22 Mar 2015
http://wane.com/2015/03/22/fiance-of-man-killed-by-train-offers-insight/
4 May 2015
http://wane.com/2015/05/04/charges-to-be-dropped-for-man-accused-of-murder/
As you can see, there is plenty of backstory, as well as FOUR previous counts of firearms violations:
======================

02D04-0812-MC-002709
Benson, Charles A 12/01/2008
Allen Superior Court 4
MC - Miscellaneous Criminal Decided
P.C. POSSESSION OF COCAINE
CARRYING HANDGUN W/O LICENSE (1)
PUBLIC INTOXICATION
02D04-0812-MC-002710
Benson, Charles A 12/01/2008
Allen Superior Court 5
MC - Miscellaneous Criminal Decided
P.C. AGGRAVATED BATTERY
P.C. BATTERY
02D04-0812-FC-000341
Benson, Charles A 12/04/2008
Allen Superior Court 4
FC - Class C Felony Decided
BATTERY
02D04-0812-FD-001071
Benson, Charles A 12/04/2008
Allen Superior Court 4
FD - Class D Felony Decided
POSSESSION OF COCAINE OR NARCOTIC DRUG

CARRYING HANDGUN W/O LICENSE (2)
02D06-1107-FD-001007
Benson, Charles A 07/26/2011
Allen Superior Court 4
FD - Class D Felony Pending
35-44-3-5(b)/FD: Escape
02D06-1110-CM-006178
BENSON, CHARLES A 10/12/2011
Allen Superior Court 6
CM - Criminal Misdemeanor Decided
35-44-3-3(a)(3)/MA: Resisting Law Enforcement
02D05-1409-MC-002127
BENSON, CHARLES ANTWON 09/10/2014
Allen Superior Court 5
MC - Miscellaneous Criminal (Citation) Decided
35-42-1-1(1): Murder
35-47-4-5(c)/F4: Unlawful Poss. of a Firearm by Serious Violent Felon
35-47-2-1/F5: Carrying a Handgun w/o a License Def has a prior conviction for carrying w/o a license (3)
02D06-1409-MR-000006
BENSON, CHARLES ANTWON 09/15/2014
Allen Superior Court 6
MR - Murder Decided
35-42-1-1(1): Murder
35-47-4-5(c)/F4: Unlawful Poss. of a Firearm by Serious Violent Felon (4)
35-50-2-8(a)/: Habitual Offender
========================
Now, I don't USUALLY go into such depth, but with a 3-time (and then some) loser on OUR streets (and a VIOLENT one at that), it's time to wake the hell up downtown, stop pussy-footing around,  and put this asshole AWAY. And the sooner (farther and longer)...the BETTER...period!
*** Speaking of these VICTIMS OF CRIME...we had another one on the SE side.

The Southgate Plaza Walgreens is closing as of 23 February.
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/Southgate-Plaza-Walgreens-store-to-close-Feb--23-11210449
Transfer of prescriptions will be to the store at 1701 E. Paulding Rd.
(that's nice...make us drive further INTO THE GHETTO TO GET MEDS.
I'll see about getting ours moved farther away to the Walgreens in Waynedale...less chance of an assault THERE.
The reason being given from Walgreens (corporate) for the closing is "under-performing"...and I wonder why THAT is, hmm?
Could it be the CRIME?
Could it have been the FOUR robberies in the last FIVE years?
Funny how the news storries didn't mention a WORD about THAT...as usual.
Sweep it under the carpet. Nothing to see here, right?
Naturally, our own district councilhack (for life) Glynn Hines chimed in, saying that while he's sorry to see it go, he hopes the spot can be filled. (with what, exactly?)

Yeah, he's SORRY all right - most sorry excuse for a councilperson I've seen to date.
Funny, he never said anything about BIG LOTS when that closed, or the MARSHALLS there when that closed...and nothing has been placed there to compensate for the loss of those stores, so what makes anyone think THIS will be any different? (not me)

Maybe if Walgreens hadn't blown about $17.2 BIL on buying up RITE-AID and THEIR DEBT, we'd still have the Southgate store...or better yet, if we had MORE POLICE and MORE PATROLS, and didn't turn the crims back OUT on our damn streets so frequently, we'd not be seeing this store being added to the other hundred-plus businesses we've lost down here in the last 18 years...'ya think?
*** Next, and changing gears to something a lot more palatable, I've been fortunate enough to have another squirrel coming by our "Fortress" fairly regularly.

"Bashful" pauses and poses.

I've named him/her "Bashful", because it looks like he/she WANTS to come closer, but keeps his/her distance for the time being.
That doesn't stop me from getting some nice pictures. Loves to "mug" for the camera, too.
Oh, we can't forget Patches, either...who comes by sporadically.

That's our Patches.

But, we NOW know that Patches will eat TOAST (the crust)...I had tossed some out for the BIRDS, and Patches comes along and starts munching away on the scraps.
Must have been remnants of the Strawberry jelly.
*** Next, just because Christmas has been over for a month, it doesn't mean you can't gift yourself from time to time for no reason at all, right?

You Betcha!

So, what have I been up to in the "purchasing arena"?
Well, there are a couple items that struck my fancy, so here we go...
-- I got another Halo figure (Red Spartan, brand new in package) for under $10.

Very cool twosome.

That goes well w/ the Halo 5 "Athlon" figure I got for Christmas.
I have yet to even play the damn game, though. No xBox.
-- Naturally, I also had to get some Doctor Who stuff.
Using that Amazon gift card I got for Christmas made that easy enough.
The Doctor Who Visual Dictionary was first on the list.

Great book, with a LENTICULAR COVER (didn't even know that).
Plenty of gate-fold pictures with lots of characters inside, and a great look into the TARDIS.

Next,  I got a 4 inch tall weeping angel figure (with a mini-book) and the base lights up with a white LED, shining up onto the angel making it even more scary. Helluva night-light. I solved any problems by placing a mirror directly in front of it...just in case.
(you have to be a Whovian to know what that's all about, trust me...LOL)
-- Recently on eBay, I managed to get an anniversary edition DVD of the 1986 David Bowie movie LABYRINTH, and for UNDER $8.

Not bad for being BRAND NEW. It's a 2-disc set and includes behind the scenes making of the movie stuff. Last movie Jim Henson worked on.
-- Lastly, I got a season 1 boxed set of Star Trek: Enterprise (7 discs) for less than $12.00.

The case it comes in is really cool, and sometimes, you DO find a decent deal...if you're patient enough and persistent enough.
*** Last back to the generator station...there are some who believe that society fails it's own people.

And while that CAN be said from time to time, and on specific issues, the vast majority of people who turn out like the chronic perp mentioned above simply fail THEMSELVES.
No amount of intervention by others would have made enough of a change to keep that jerk from committing crime, or out of jail.
Conscious, deliberate choices (with no regard for others) make such things possible.
Those same choices often serve to thwart others who might or can help people from failing in life.
When we permit things that in times past we would never allow, or think of allowing, we have to expect the predictable outcomes.
Instead, people wonder what went wrong...or how things can happen.
Well, a good look in a mirror can usually produce a culprit or several.

Most ALL of society's problems can be tracked back to the FAMILY (or the lack thereof).
We need to end all the lying (to ourselves and to one another) by claiming it's something else.
When we stop allowing (read forcing) others to raise our children, and go back to doing such things ourselves, touting or even becoming positive role models along the way, situations (and the children within them) tend to turn out a LOT better.
And, the last time I checked, BETTER was better than WORSE.
They say you can't live in the past...no, but you CAN LEARN from it, and carry it forward.
That seems to be a good place to start, doesn't it?

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