Tuesday Tidbits...

It looks like people don't need much to get into the swing of things when it comes to spring-like weather.
The down side to that is that the chronically-diverted attention of many Americans seems to grow exponentially as the weather becomes nicer, and that can have it's own set of consequences.
As for me? I just take every day as I take people (or Daleks) - one at a time.
(solves a myriad of problems that way)
Our Hoosierland weather for today brings us most cloudy skies, scattered rain showers through the day, and a high of around 63 degrees (not to be confused with the OTHER high many of the "locals" will get as soon as they roll off the mattress onto the floor of their government-sponsored housing).
So, let's put as much of the bad behind us straight away, and get that morning drink poured, as we set about seeing what else has been going on, shall we?
*** First out of the farm fields is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
FEBRUARY 21 -
---Today is National Sticky Bun Day

(I sure miss the ones we used to get at the little German bakery in Mayfair back in Philly)
And that's all for today on that.
*** Next up, you know the drill here - time for all the police calls that no one in the media thought YOU should know about, because it might change your opinion of certain parts of town (maybe even your neighborhood).

=======================================
SHOTS FIRED ((113)) / ARMED ROBBERY((53)) CALLS - 02/13 - 02/19
((23,113 - vandalism by gunfire))
=======================================
FEB 13 - 
17F018101 02/13/2017 02:35pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 2600 DODGE AVE
17F018287 02/13/2017 10:53pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 4900 LIMA RD
17F018065 02/13/2017 12:30pm 53 ARMED ROB 7000 OLD TRAIL RD
FEB 14 -
17F018714 02/14/2017 10:25pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 7900 DECATUR RD  
17F018716 02/14/2017 10:28pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 3900 FAIRFIELD AVE
17F018645 02/14/2017 07:35pm 58 SHOOTING 4100 SMITH ST
17F018699 02/14/2017 09:37pm 58 SHOOTING 3600 DUPONT RD E
FEB 15 -
17F018742 02/15/2017 12:41am 113 SHOTS FIRED 2600 DREXEL AVE
17F018743 02/15/2017 12:44am 113 SHOTS FIRED 3200 DIPLOMAT DR
FEB 16 -
((NO shots fired))
17F019389 02/16/2017 07:07pm 53 ARMED ROB 5300 DECATUR RD
17F019448 02/16/2017 09:49pm 58 SHOOTING 11100 PARKVIEW PLAZA DR
FEB 17 -
17F019487 02/17/2017 12:14am 113 SHOTS FIRED 3800 WAYNE TRACE
17F019500 02/17/2017 01:13am 113 SHOTS FIRED 3700 WENTWORTH DR
17F019513 02/17/2017 04:23am 113 SHOTS FIRED 4200 WINTER ST & MCKINNIE AVE
17F019530 02/17/2017 06:07am 113 SHOTS FIRED 4000 LILLIE ST & BAXTER ST
17F019872 02/17/2017 07:24pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 6400 ROXANNE DR
17F019849 02/17/2017 06:25pm 23,113 6200 VANCE AVE
FEB 18 -
17F019990 02/18/2017 12:11am 113 SHOTS FIRED 4400 GAYWOOD DR
17F020022 02/18/2017 01:43am 113 SHOTS FIRED 1700 RUDISILL BLVD E & ANTHONY BLVD
17F020071 02/18/2017 06:45am 113 SHOTS FIRED 700 DEWALD ST W
17F020307 02/18/2017 06:11pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 6000 BUNT DR
17F020403 02/18/2017 09:59pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 6500 LANGLEY PASS  
17F020411 02/18/2017 10:19pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 6500 LANGLEY PASS  
17F020423 02/18/2017 10:51pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 1100 ELMWOOD AVE
17F020428 02/18/2017 10:55pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 300 OAKDALE DR W
17F020448 02/18/2017 11:37pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 1700 STATE BLVD E & ANTHONY BLVD N
17F020452 02/18/2017 11:39pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 1100 DELAWARE AVE
17F020454 02/18/2017 11:51pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 1400 ST JOSEPH BLVD & TENNESSEE AVE
17F020096 02/18/2017 09:14am 53 ARMED ROB 300 BUTLER ST W
17F020309 02/18/2017 06:12pm 53 ARMED ROB 1900 CAREW ST
FEB 19 -
17F020457 02/19/2017 12:01am 113 SHOTS FIRED 4700 ANTHONY BLVD S & CAPITOL AVE
17F020458 02/19/2017 12:02am 113 SHOTS FIRED 4000 WEBSTER ST & BRANNING AVE W
17F020726 02/19/2017 06:19pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 5300 MYANNA LN
17F020775 02/19/2017 08:45pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 7300 KUMFER AVE
17F020808 02/19/2017 10:27pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 2000 BROOKLYN AVE & BROWN ST
17F020820 02/19/2017 11:06pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 5800 BUNT DR
===========================
FIREWORKS CALLS 02/13 - 02/19
===========================
17F020406 02/18/2017 09:53pm 44FW 100 NORFOLK AVE
Just HAS to be one asshole, doesn't there?
*** Next up, FWCS "super". Dr. Wendy Robinson addressed the Rotarians yesterday.

Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/schools/FWCS-head-hails-district-to-Rotarians-17894698

Now, I like Wendy...she came up through the ranks, spent her time "in the trenches", and I tend to agree with her most of the time. While this speaking event was "supposed" to be a State of the Schools venue, it became (instead) more of a discussion session with Q&A following. Now see, that kinda bothers me a little.

Money-suckers.

((When asked to name qualities that make FWCS successful, Robinson said “we are a community that helps each other” and noted the strong neighborhoods and the student body’s diversity.
Mark GiaQuinta, the school board’s vice president, credited FWCS for deciding to be discontented with incremental change and to instead work on foundational change.))
Here, I agree with Dr. Robinson on the voucher gig...it DOES suck lots of money AWAY from public schools while little is said about it, and I'd wager many don't even know where that money really goes. But I don't agree that we should ever place diversity OVER education. EVERYONE gets the same shot at learning.

As for Mark GiaQuinta? He'a a lawyer, and I don't see many of them being helpful to society in general. He wants FOUNDATIONAL change rather than incremental. Gotta learn to crawl before you can walk, right? Love to hear him explain that. Is that like "fundamental" change? We know how well THAT worked over the last 8 years in America, don't we?
My take on changing the foundation of ANY school system (or corporation) would be simply this:
GO BACK TO BASICS!!!

Hey, Mark...read THIS.

We'll talk more about this soon, and with those who know the "system" from being up close and personal. Stay tuned for that.
*** Next, did you know the cut-off date to register your phone number on Indiana's DO NOT CALL list is April 1st?

(Oh, I can smell the IRONY attached to that from miles away)
Seems like the perfect date, too, because the joke is usually on US, the consumer.

We here at the "Fortress" have been on this list since it's inception and always makes ure we're STILL on it (you can check), but we STILL are getting more and more callers from all over the USA. Initially, it worked, but as time has passed, the methods used by these scammers has also gotten better, which means they find ways PAST the law.
I keep a running list of the calls, and try to ascertain more about them.
Then, I report them to the FCC (you can also contact the state attorney general office online).
The 1800NOTES website is another good tool to report a number.
How they even GET a private/unlisted phone number (like ours) baffles the hell outta me.
I just hope our new attorney general can make some progress eliminating these callers.
I suppose we could always get one of those call blocker devices - that would take care of the FIRST 1500 callers...lol.
*** Next up, They were BUSY at this not-so-big dig out front of our house yesterday. As to how far along they are, or when it will be finished is anyone's guess.

Still, that tracked monstrosity is gone (for the time being).
according to a response to an email I sent to city utilities, this is a water main replacement operation (and not sewer stuff).

This is 2 pictures in one. Not bad.

I don't know if they were pumping stuff in or sucking it the hell out.

Well, HE had hearing protection.

I do know the only thing I could smell outside was DIESEL FUEL...(stayed inside as a result).

Oh, that looks SO much better...NOT!

Nice and NOISY, too, but I didn't hear any boom cars (or much else).
They say this will be wrapped up and put "back to rights" by late spring-early summer (oh joy).
We shall see.
Would have never thought I might have to wear hearing protection in our LIVING ROOM...
*** Next, let take a trip over to "Kitten Corner"...

Watching me shave...(sheesh)

The noise outside didn't seem to bother the "kids" inside. That was nice to see.
I still can't stop Gallifrey from gobbling up his food and then going over to Violet's dish to help finish hers.

Lounging while I shave - a bit crowded, yes?

I don't want to establish that sort of "pecking order". both cats get fed in equal amounts. Same for treats.
Violet was curled up in my jacket again when I went to bed, so I left the jacket (and her) thee alongside the sofa in the living room. Far be it for me to disturb her slumber..

If you've seen this once...

There is one thing they are never at a loss for, and that's telling them how much we love 'em both.
The bond you create with a pet is something we should always cherish.
*** Last back to the city streets...educating America should be one of the easiest things to accomplish.

It seemed to be that way in times past, so what the hell happened?
Well, formal education was something everyone had access to in some manner, but it was usually more "mission-specific", and by that I mean that a farmer tended to become educated about FARMING, and a store owner learned about being a storekeeper, an so on.
We've expanded on that from centuries past, and yet, we STILL have this education "gap", as some say.
There are many reasons why education is not what it was say, fifty years ago (or longer).

Schooling was a rote-based, discipline-filled, no nonsense method of making sure you learned what you needed to know in preparation for when you got into "the world".
These days, we have to make students "feel good" first (bolster their self-esteem), so we create such nonsense as "participation trophies", and the like.
Sorry, but to understand the real world, you HAVE to know there will be times when you WIN, and times when you will LOSE.
(And in those processes...you will LEARN.)
As a result, what you do WITH those wins and losses helps better define who you will become...pretty simple stuff, huh?

Education USED to be simple in that regard, and it still can be once again.
All we have to do is make that happen, and you will see how access to a public education can benefit not just the students, but society as a whole.
This should be one of those "no-brainers", don'cha think?

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