Tuesday Tidbits...

If you like your winters on the mild side...then move to FLORIDA.
Or, you can hang around the Midwest, because today will be the warmest day of this week, but that "warm" won't take place until around 10 PM tonight.
Welcome to GROUNDHOG DAY, and all the prognostications it will bring when Punxatawney Phil is brought (yanked) from his home and "tells" us (via human intervention) whether or not he sees his shadow (with all the media lighting around).
That should prove most enlightening (no pun intended)

Gotta love those top hats.

Our Hoosierland weather today will see us with rising temps throughout the day (it's cold outside now) reaching a high of around 57 degrees after dark.
Skies will be clouding up in the Midwest in anticipation for some RAIN which will be stopping by anywhere between tonight and tomorrow. Might even have a thunderstorm.
Did I mention it's Groundhog Day?

It just keeps getting weirder every year

So what say we get ourselves a nice warm morning drink and take a look at all the "stuff" that's been going on elsewhere, hmm?
*** First out of the den is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
February 2 -
---Today is CANDLEMAS (huh?)

Okay, here's the "4-1-1" on the observance:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presentation_of_Jesus_at_the_Temple
---And, it's NATIONAL HEAVENLY HASH DAY

(all that's known for sure, is that it contains marshmallows or marshamllow cream. It can be made with ice cream of cake. Either way sounds kinds good to me)
---It's also NATIONAL GROUNDHOG DAY

Here's the skinny of how it came into being:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog_Day

You woke me the hell up for THIS?

BTW, Punxy Phil DID NOT see his shadow today, so that means an early Spring.
We shall see, won't we?
http://www.wthr.com/story/31115129/groundhog-day-will-punxsutawney-phil-see-his-shadow
And if you didn't think THIS observance has anything at all to do with the aforementioned Candlemas...you do think so now.)
*** Next, here are ALL the shots fired/armed robbery calls the media never tells us about:

SHOTS FIRED / ARMED ROBBERY CALLS - 1/25- 1/31
===============================================
JAN 25 -
16F010501 02:18:47 113 SHOTS FIRED 2500 ORMSBY ST
16F010902 23:05:30 113 SHOTS FIRED 1900 PONTIAC ST E
((NO armed robberies))
JAN 26 -
16F010933 01:24:17 113 SHOTS FIRED 4800 WAYNE TRACE
16F011026 09:39:43 113 SHOTS FIRED 4800 LILLIE ST
16F010937 01:43:12 53 ARMED ROB 3500 COLISEUM BLVD W
16F011039 10:22:35 53 ARMED ROB 3300 COLISEUM BLVD W
16F011067 11:47:47 53 ARMED ROB 1400 LEWIS ST E
JAN 27 -
((NO shots fired))
16F011381 02:21:06 53 ARMED ROB 7400 MAPLECREST RD
JAN 28 -
((NO shots fired))
16F011840 10:49:20 53 ARMED ROB 200 PETTIT AVE E
16F011842 11:03:29 53 ARMED ROB 900 EASTLAWN DR
JAN 29-
16F012287 14:05:34 113 SHOTS FIRED 6100 WILMARBEE DR
16F012396 17:44:40 53 ARMED ROB 1400 OXFORD ST
16F012436 18:57:30 53 ARMED ROB 3400 TIMBERHILL DR
16F012298 14:30:15 58 SHOOTING 2200 RANDALLIA DR
JAN 30 -
16F012550 00:01:09 113 SHOTS FIRED 4200 HOLTON AVE & MCKINNIE AVE
16F012953 20:41:40 113 SHOTS FIRED 8900 COLDWATER RD & WALLEN RD E
16F012958 21:03:03 113 SHOTS FIRED 800 TENNESSEE AVE
16F012999 22:47:42 53 ARMED ROB 3500 WAYNE TRACE
JAN 31 -
16F013058 00:43:15 113 SHOTS FIRED 4700 PARKERDALE DR
16F013217 12:43:36 113 SHOTS FIRED 1800 WOODHAVEN DR
16F013306 16:19:45 113 SHOTS FIRED 3500 SMITH RD & GLENDALE RD
16F013316 16:36:14 113 SHOTS FIRED 12300 COLDWATER RD & MISTY CT
16F013072 01:28:13 53 ARMED ROB 600 LEWIS ST E
================================
FIREWORKS CALLS -1/25 - 1/31
============================
JAN 29 -
16F012547 23:38:27 44FW 2600 ALLEGANY AVE
((there just HAS to be one asshole in the crowd))
*** Next up, here's some update on perp that shot at a FWPD officer (and was caught):
http://wane.com/2016/02/01/police-chief-confident-charges-against-benson-will-stick/

Our own Police Chief, Garry Hamilton is "confident" that the recent RE-arrest of Charles Antwon Benson: Human Garbage will result in charges that will stick.
(we'll see on that one...it's a tune that was played once before).
When asked if Benson was being watched by police (because of his persistent history w/ law-enforcement) Hamilton said NO, but then added that “We do have our criminal intel who kept bases on certain activities that he may have been involved with,” 
So, a repeat offender and one with a history of using FIREARMS, which he no doubt came to possess without PURCHASING ONE LEGALLY, was not being shadowed...makes sense in this city.
This is another story about the charges and Benson's history from the J-G:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/Gunfire-exchangenets-list-of-charges-11261579

Loser lost the 'dreds.

In the latest shooting, a .45 cal pistol was found (Benson's) at the alley where the perp was caught. In the Eby shooting, a 9 mm (hi-cap mag) was used.
Hamilton went on to say: “We have some key witnesses that saw the interaction between the officer and Mr. Benson,”
Yeah, and you also HAD a witness to Benson;'s involvement w/ the Eby Ave shooting, and look what happened to him (suicide by train).
That seemed WAY too convenient, because the witness was "found" by the train tracks and the coroner ruled the death of Dreydan Troyer "accidental" and didn't mention "foul play"...there;s more to this than meets the eye (or the coroner's exam).
How about keeping those witnesses to this latest event under some sort of police "protection"...maybe more patrols in the area, JUST in case Benson has his "hit squad" looking for THESE people.
You hate to see witnesses commit suicide (out of the clear blue) days before a trial, right?
Lightning tends to strike TWICE in this city when it comes to crimes.
Moving on...
*** Next up, GE is looking to phase out CFL (curly-fries) lightbulbs.
Here's the story:
http://consumerist.com/2016/02/01/ge-to-phase-out-cfl-bulbs-in-favor-of-led/
How about that. After the EPA went and TOOK AWAY all our INCANDESCENT bulbs, and shoved the CFLs down our damn throats, neglecting to tell us about the MERCURY in them (we found out about them by CONCERNED people), which required a HAZMAT crew to clean up should you break one in your home, NOW, we're seeing the rise of the LED bulbs.

From CFL to LED to ???.

Talk about a total waste of money on our part.
Here's an idea...why don't the stores (or manufacturers)  BUY BACK all the CFLs people bought and credit them towards the purchase of the (more efficient) LED bulbs?
(Nah...that would make too much damn sense, right?)
This makes me wonder...if these LED bulbs last 16 years, won;t there be a glut of them on the market, if for no other reason than people NOT having to purchase replacement bulbs AS OFTEN?
The industry might just crew itself on this one...sooner or later.
*** Next, Ted Cruz trumps "The Donald" at the Iowa caucus...hurray, congrats,  and enough said about politics for the week, kapeesh?)

That's ONE in a row.

Moving on...
*** Next up, this past January was a BLOODY one for the Windy City.
(Who knew?) Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/Bloody-January-blow-to-Chicago-police-11262976

Busy, busy, busy.

Yeah, so far this year, FIFTY-ONE homicides, and police there don't have an answer as to the spike in homicides?
Lemme take a whack at it...umm...drug deals gone bad, turf wars, gang warfare between rivals...all of the aforementioned items COMBINED?
Sound about right?
The interim police commissioner there said there was a correlation between the dramatic INCREASE in the homicide rate and the equally dramatic DECREASE in  the number of "street stops" by police.
Now how about that? Whatta revelation.
Stevie Wonder coulda seen that much.
Maybe the department needs to rethink this whole changing policing policy without studying the consequences.
*** Next, when was the last time you saw a DISNEY animated movie, and did you enjoy it?
Well, apparently, SOME people don't think such Disney flicks are all THAT good.
Here's the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/features/Study-questions-Disney-gender-norms-11169574

What little girl doesn't LOVE these characters?

Now, this kind of BS has been cycling around for YEARS, and to me, is really without merit.
I guess Jeff Guo at the Washington (com)Post needs to waste some ink. to justify his employment.

This guy talks about movies that came out long before he was even  BORN, for God's sake...WTH does he think he knows about them, OR the TIMES in which they were produced, hmm?
But he feels HE should be the one to warn people about how Disney has portrayed those "princesses" in the animated films from the "golden era" of animation.
Young girls should not be locked into the animated stereotypes?
Ever read the ORIGINAL stories these films are BASED upon? (Must be hard up for copy these days, right, Jeff?)
You're probably the kind of dad that would rather raise a politically-correct child than a NORMAL one...(just a guess).
*** Last back to the hutch...Anyone that feels that the world of today is a lot easier to deal with is sadly deluding themselves.

If anything, it seems to become more "complicated" every year.
But that doesn't mean that we sit back, kick up off our shoes, and let it all pass on by.
We can determine the course of how our nation SHOULD go, but all too often, we relegate such things to the wrong people. Why does that happen?
Well, for one thing, in today's society, too many have become accustomed (or complacent)  to "letting the other person do it", whatever "it" might be.
And our overblown government is only TOO happy to fill whatever void arises and take control in that regard.  That helps few if any (other than those in power).
And, we see the consequences of our indecision along those lines.

The progressives are (and have been) a patient bunch, and will wait decades to come to power, and wrest freedoms and liberties from we, the people.
Time has proven that.
What WE need to do is be JUST as patient as we take back that which was taken from us.
We can't do it all at once, so we need to move in small increments...like baby steps.
We can dispense with the complicated and return this nation to something a lot less complex, if we have the DESIRE to do so. Diligence and work is what makes such real and lasting changes possible.
And, I believe that's the best way we should (as Americans) proceed.
To do less, is to get less...a LOT less.

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