Monday Musings...

Well, we did have a pretty nice weekend, generally-speaking - doing a lot better than those 80,000 souls in Alberta, Canada - gotta pray for those folks who have been wiped out due to that raging wildfire (larger than the city of Miami, I heard).
In the Midwest, we're well enough, and should take a moment to pass along our thanks to that higher authority.
Our Hoosierland weather for today will have us with mostly cloudy skies, and temps reaching to about 57 degrees. Oh, and keep the umbrella nearby, as those RAIN showers will make getting around today a bit soggier.
Now, let's get our morning drinks and see what's been going on elsewhere...
*** First out of the maelstrom is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
May 9 -
---Today is NATIONAL BUTTERSCOTCH BROWNIE DAY

Any brownie, damn near any flavor - that's me.)
---It's also NATIONAL LOST SOCK MEMORIAL DAY

(Our appliances don't eat them any longer, but our socks do develop holes in a more singular fashion)
---And, it's NATIONAL MOSCATO DAY

(one of the OLDEST varieties of grapes and wines around...cheers!)
   ---It's also NATIONAL WOMEN'S CHECKUP DAY

(Okay ladies...get crackin')
*** Next up, we could be staring at HOMICIDE NUMBER ELEVEN.

(as you recall, we still haven't heard the result from our coroner on the LAST person found dead in her apartment at Southbridge back on 2 May - could be number ten)
But THIS latest shooting death investigation comes to us from (where else?) the LOVELY crotch of Fort Wayne, known colloquially as the SOUTHEAST SIDE.
Here's the story link (so far):
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/Man-found-shot-to-death-in-home-12967664

The man was found dead (by a relative doing a well-being check up on him) in his house, located at 3702 Maywood (near Wayne Trace) Sunday around 0950 hrs. Not a way to spend any Sunday, that's for sure.
The man was said to have suffered gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Makes me wonder if we don't have some sort of "serial" person (killer) behind these recent shootings of residents who were AT HOME at the time. There seems to be too many for a coincidence.
Yeah, it wouldn't BE a weekend in our city without SOME form of death-related MAYHEM, would it now?
*** We also had a couple of other shootings over the weekend. (Big surprise, huh?).
Here's a link to the first shooting:
http://wane.com/2016/05/08/man-critically-hurt-in-shooting-at-motel/
This took place at the Hallmark Inn on E. Washington Blvd (near Coliseum S.) around 2300 hrs Saturday night.
Police did not find a man at the inn, but found a blood trail.
A local hospital alerted police to a man coming in with a gunshot wound. He is in critical condition.
NO other information was forthcoming.
Here's the link to the second shooting:
http://wane.com/2016/05/08/person-sent-to-hospital-after-shooting/
This took place in the 2000 block of Pauline St around 0130 hrs Sunday morning.
A man was found by police shot in the arm, and was taken to hospital, and is in good condition.
No other information is available (as usual)..
*** Next up, it's THIS sort of thing (above) that ties in nicely with some other articles that came to light over the weekend.
This whole annexation thing is getting some traction, and with good cause.

There seems to be more minuses than pluses attached to it, at least when you hear about how residents in the affected area are attempting to fight this.

But our reigning king, Mayor Tom Henry has his own (hackneyed) view as well, as seen in an editorial he placed in Sunday's paper. Here's the link to the column in question:
http://www.journalgazette.net/opinion/columns/Annexation--The-alternative-to-decline-12914566
Maybe the REAL title should be: Annexation--The Alternative to Ignoring the South Side?
On a somewhat opposing side, there was a counterpoint to the newest land-grab. Here's the link to the editorial:
http://www.journalgazette.net/opinion/editorials/Annexation-should-wait-for-answers-on-tax-issue-12884680
If you've been wondering what this is all about, both of these "opinions" or perspectives might sway you to one side of the fence or the other. I can only speak from how former annexations have affected us at the "Fortress", down in the city's Southeast side.
Whatever money was gleaned (taken) from those in Aboite during the last annexation (2006) hasn't helped OUR part of town one...damn...bit.
And yet, we (now) hear that King Henry states the money from this NEW annexation WILL, in fact, aid ALL sectors of the city.... Sorry.
 Not buying it.
Fool me ONCE, shame on you...fool me TWICE, shame on ME.
We're not done with this by a long shot, do not doubt me.
*** Next up, we had a decent weekend, as weekend's go. Could always be better.

Our grocery trip was relatively uneventful, until we got to the checkout and were erroneous "charged" an additional $50, because a label on lunch meat was incorrect.
Gotta love technology when it comes to the small stuff, right?
We had that resolved before we left the store.
And YES, Kroger still had TASTYKAKES...we naturally stocked up again...lol.
From there, Wifey and I drove over to Walmart and blew close to $50 on more plants (we're calling this PHASE TWO). But we weren't quite finished. We then went to Menards and got ourselves some "essentials" such as mulch, topsoil and manure (City Hall tends to give us too much of the WRONG kind of bullshit).

The Chrysler Imperial hybrid tea rose (mature)

And, we got a nice rose bush that I planted (Chrysler Imperial red variety - that's what was on the label). Should look nice when it matures (and if it survives)...here's hoping.
The really cool item was a Japanese Maple Tree we got at Walmart...for under $13.00. Already have a place in mind for this. Just waiting for the right day to plant it (in our "circle" just beyond our gate between the garage and house.

The "phase-two" assortment

Here's also hoping the kids don't take a shine to it and damage or destroy it. You always take a chance whenever you try to make something NICE around here...
(damn unintelligent, disrespectful aborigines)
Yeah, we got us some decent plants, in spite of the fact that we no longer have FRANKS NURSERY...OR K-MART to get such things at any longer.
*** Next up, Captain America - Civil War proved quite successful this weekend, topping the box office with a $181 MILLION bucks (and change) payday.

That makes it the FIFTH largest box office opening in the USA...EVER, surpassing Iron Man 3. Star Wars - The Force Awakens remains at the top,
Here's a link to the details:
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=4183&p=.htm

Overall (that's globally) it's made $675 MILLION (so far).
Nothing to shake a shield at, that's for sure.
The Captain America film series shows the greatest film-over-film growth (91%) as a stand alone franchise.
Civil War may become only the 4th film to top $200 million in the first three days. It could well pass the $30 MIL mark by next weekend.
WTG, people.
*** Last back to the comic book store...This past Saturday was FCBD -  FREE COMIC BOOK DAY in the USA, and I MISSED it...again.

There were two issues I wanted, but I didn't see anything mentioned in the paper about it, nor on the news I watched. It's like someone wanted to keep me away...lol.
I've been a fan (and collector) of comics since I was in elementary school (wish I still had all those Sgt Rock and old DC comics...we wouldn't be living on the SE side, that's for sure...heh).

As a preteen and then a teenager, I developed a sense of appreciation for the "release" that comic books gave us kids in Philly. We had our own "cadre" as it were...comic book lovers all, and we kept abreast of every drugstore delivery date, as well as every twist and turn in plots (Marvel comics loved to have two and three part story-lines - that began back in the '60s).
We ate, slept and played superheroes, and LONG before ANY toys or costumes came along to help us with such activities. If you were lucky, you could get a MODEL of some superheroes (thanks to a model company named AURORA). But you had to PAINT them yourself, and unless you were good, didn't come out too well. That's where being an ART MAJOR came in...lol.
Today, and FINALLY, we, who grew up with all these fictional characters have ALL sorts of tie-in merchandise, and in many respects, that's a good thing, as long as it's kept in perspective.

Kids need positive role models today, that much is certain, and unfortunately, not enough kids are learning this.
For us (growing up) comics were a marvelous (no pun intended) diversion in the Cold War world. We also learned to hone our READING skills through comics (not a bad byproduct of such illustrated pulp fiction).
And, we learned the value of doing the right thing, as well as the consequence from doing the wrong thing, and that GOOD triumphs over EVIL.
Those notions (truthful as they are) smack back to ANOTHER book I often frequent - The Bible.

Such views these days seem an anachronism to many, and that's just wrong.
The vital messages we NEED in life are often overshadowed by the marketing gurus who feed our WANTS and desires.  Seems no one knows that our wants come AFTER our needs are met (or should be).
Why, the things we learned from those twelve-cent comics helped many of us in ways we're still discovering.
Just try getting a similar kickback from that same 12 cents TODAY. I dare you.

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