Monday Musings...

Off we go once more into another rip-roaring week, and I have to confess that with all the crap flying around, it's a bit hard to know WHERE to begin. The "natives" have been a little restless...and it's not even SUMMER yet, but never fear, I'll find some way to sort all this stuff out.
Our Hoosierland weather will see us enjoying sunny skies, with temps reaching up to around the 80-degree mark. Crank on the A/C.
And, we'd best get used to those temps, because they're sticking around for a spell ("sticking" being the operative word when we start getting rain AND humidity).
So, what say we all get our drinks poured and parked nearby.
I have a feeling that we will need them...
*** First out of the ammo box is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature.
May 23 -
---Today is NATIONAL LUCKY PENNY DAY

(the only thing lucky about them, is that they're STILL around)
---And, it's NATIONAL TAFFY DAY

(make mine the Atlantic City Salt Water kind...any flavor)
*** Next up, we've managed to make it an even "dozen" in the HOMICIDE department here in the Summit City.

(betcha thought we couldn't make it, huh?)
Here's the story link (so far):
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/Man-found-dead-near-sidewalk-13188863

This took place Sunday around 1230 hrs in the 4400 block of Spatz Avenue.
Neighbors called in shots fired to the FWPD, and when officers arrived, they found an unresponsive (no doubt black) male on a lawn, suffering from gunshot wounds.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police expanded their search area (for clues or suspects) into the 4300 block of Spatz, and found spent shell casings.
As usual, NO suspects, NO motives, and NO witnesses.

Anyone else get the feeling that when it comes to being proactive and being able to prevent shit like this from happening, the FWPD is coming up just a bit on the short end of the stick? I know I do.
And that's NOT a good feeling, believe you me.
There were some other crimes that went relatively unnoticed, like these:
---A teen was robbed of his $150 pants near Weisser Park last Thursday. Here's the link:

http://www.news-sentinel.com/news/local/crime/Teen-robbed-near-Weisser-Park
---And, there was a man wounded in the shoulder near Fairfield and Packard Friday around 1354 hrs. Here's that link:

http://www.news-sentinel.com/news/local/crime/Man-injured-in-Fort-Wayne-shooting
This looked like a drive-by shooting, and I wouldn't rule out something similar in the Spatz Ave. death.
Yasureyoubetcha, gonna be a VERY long summer down on the SOUTH side of town.
And people wonder WHY retail businesses close up and move elsewhere, or why good people do the same?
Not that hard to figure out, folks, unless you're the mayor, police chief, Public Safety Director, or councilman for the affected areas.
*** But, it's not all REALLY bad news, there is some plain old bad news.

Or car, truck, van, moped, tractor...

Let's take the proposal for City Council about putting an EXCISE TAX in place for the city. Here's the story link:
http://www.news-sentinel.com/news/local/City-Council-to-consider-tax-of--25--40-per-vehicle-registered-in-Fort-Wayne

Yep, IF passed, expect to pay an additional $20 for your passenger car(moped, motorcycle and the like) EACH year, in order to pay for road, street and sidewalk repairs). Larger vehicles (buses, trucks, tractors, etc) would pay an additional $40 a year.
I don't look at this as an EXCISE tax.
I much prefer to call it what it is - an EXCUSE TAX.
It's an excuse to reach back into OUR pockets to pay for the misuse of the money we've BEEN paying all this time.

Oh, it's TAXING alright...

And, while the "excuse" is to blame the state's tax CAPS, the REALITY is that cities are too busy kissing asses when it comes to programs laced with handouts, instead of being better STEWARDS of the taxes they already receive.
The ONLY time I've seen a "wheel-tax" work as designed was (in Philly) when it was used to raise the TOLL on a highway or (more specifically) a BRIDGE toll. Anything else is "feeding the beast" further.
This is another snowball being kicked down another mountain, because such taxes NEVER GO AWAY...they only grow in rate over time.
*** Next up, the closer we get to summer, the worse the noise gets down here, and this has been something to look forward to with disdain for at least the last TWENTY YEARS.

Now, aside from all the boomcar traffic we have to endure (that shakes your damn house), we have the straight-pipe motorcycle morons, and the fireworks idiots taking center stage.
Funny thing, we DO have a city ordinance specifically designed for such instances.
The trouble is, it's NOT ENFORCED, otherwise we'd be hearing a DECLINE in all this crap, wouldn't we?
That is a colossal waste of tax payer money, because the citations that COULD be issued to all these jerk-wads COULD help pay for the street work, rather than a wheel tax which "punishes" the law-abiding.
Try going after some law-BREAKERS for a change.
You might like the positive revenue flow.

(and you might avoid some shootings - recall the Broken Window Theory, people)
*** Next, THIS story is the type that almost gets me to choking on my breakfast, because it's SO humorous. Here's the link:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/limited-availability-of-entry-level-homes-apartments-threatens-american-dream-of-homeownership-300270781.html

Now, you have to remember, this was in our SUNDAY paper (borrowed from the source), but is funny as all get out (to me). I see this as a solution in need of a problem (that we've already created). There is a perfectly VALID reason why entry-level homes are unavailable - HUD and (so-called) private "investors" have bought up too many of them, and created RENTAL properties, sticking many of society's transient dregs into them.

Okay, maybe NOT "exactly" 1260 sq. ft.

I would consider the size of our "Fortress" a marvelous starter home (1260 Sq ft), but, those running the national "gravy-train" think it's more "fair" to put the welfare contingent into them (the fair housing act, which is MORE fair to some than others). That establishes the blight that follows in once nice neighborhoods, ergo turning them into low (or no) income slums areas. But the article would NEVER mention that, because it's true.
They DO mention the costs of housing today, the median income (nationally) and the percentage of the cost of new housing that envelopes (about 15%).
I've seen the result of such tactics by cities, and the housing authorities that all but demand (even more) housing, while their "clients" trash whatever housing they're already in (many apartment complexes and single family dwellings).
If you're going to tell the story, don't leave out the important parts to the plot-line.
*** Next up, it wasn't ALL bad news down here.

Nice moon out Saturday morning

Wifey and I did manage to get some more plants on the ground, I also tied up our peonies and mini-roses, and we even put out our hummingbird feeders. Yes, we ARE seeing hummingbirds already...imagine that.

This is from August 2014

Haven't gotten any pictures yet, but they are coming daily, albeit briefly. Hey, it's a start, right?

Patches at his "favorite" table.

And our squirrel buddies are coming around as well, but I'm not seeing as much regularity as in weeks past. Must be "horizontal-mambo" season?

Squirt prefers al fresco dining

Squirt seems to hang around WITH our friend Patches, as they both came by together over the last few days.

Got it's own place of honor.

We also got our Japanese Maple Tree planted (too late for Arbor Day...sorry), but here's hoping.

And, the irises are blooming, unlike the neighborhood idiots, which are blooming in another way...LOL.
We also have two bunnies nearby (hanging out at the now vacant rental behind us).

One in the alley.

And another at our fence.

So, our little slice of Shangri-La, such as it is, isn't doing that bad, but as we've come to learn, we never hold our breath.
*** Last back to the shooting range...I admit there are times when I used to be a different person, and I'm sure we have all felt that way at one time or another.

Just don't change for CHANGE sake

We recall how we survived our childhood and formative years, laced with dangerous toys, no bicycle helmets or seatbelts in cars, no nutritional labels on foods, and no government telling us all what to speak, do, or which bathroom to use. That's why the stuff I see and hear today damn near makes my brain hurt and my eyes bleed.

How did our society change, and why did we even allow it to occur?
Well, for one thing, it was done over time, little by little...baby steps.
We were cajoled into a (false) belief that all those things we have NOW were there to make us safer...and better.

We may not enjoy what we "create".

Not seeing much evidence of EITHER of those these days.
What I am seeing is people unable to make their OWN decisions, instead permitting damn near anyone ELSE to do it for them. And that's not how this country was founded, built, or sustained.
I would much rather have more folks willing to make decisions for themselves, and to see people taking responsibility FOR THEIR actions, and stop worrying about what "the other person" says.
We would be better served if today's youth had parents like WE had, and schools like WE had.
We seem to have forgotten our past in such things, when we need to remember them and carry them into our future.
It would only make us better, and not stifle that which we need to practice...like civility, ethics, and morality.

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