Friday Follies...

End of the week, and almost the end of the month. Love when that happens.
Makes things nice and tidy.
And, if you were looking to wash the car, leave it outside...LOL.
Our Hoosierland weather brings us more rain headed our way, mostly in the afternoon.
Temps will top out around the mid-60s, and none of the wind we had the other day. Sounds like something we can deal with.
So, let's all get that cup, glass, or mug of Friday Fortitude poured and parked close by, as we see what's been going on elsewhere, shall we?
*** First out of the maelstrom is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
APRIL 28 -
---It's National Blueberry Pie Day

(I think I can handle that nicely)
---It's National BraveHearts Day

(kids should never have to deal with such adversity so young)
---it's National Great Poetry reading Day

(as opposed to lousy poetry?)
---It's Workers' Memorial Day

(those who die while on the job)
---It's National Superhero Day

(and there's plenty to choose from)
---It's National Arbor Day

(this predates the tree-hugging brigade, thankfully)
---It's National Hairball Awareness Day

(If you have cats, you've BEEN aware...lol)
---It's National Teach Children To Save Day

(good habit to get into at an early age)
*** And since we have arrived at week's end, let's see what we can observe over the next 48 hours (and there's quite a lot).
APRIL 29 -
---Saturday is National Kiss of Hope Day

(don't make it a wet one)
---It's National Peace Rose Day

(...by any other name would smell as sweet)
---it's National Shrimp Scampi Day

(okay, NOW we're talking!)
---It's National Zipper Day

(you must zip it...just zip it...zip it good. Shades of Devo?)
---It's National Rebuilding Day

(oh, where to begin, right?)
---It's National Sense of Smell Day

(okay, that's NOT lilacs, so who farted?)
---It's National Pool Opening Day.

(a bit COOL for this, isn't it?)
APRIL 30 -
---Sunday is National Military Brats Day

(they do live up to their name)
---It's National PrepareAthon Day

(no reason not to be prepared)
---It's National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day

(already did that last November - times 2)
---It's National Bugs Bunny Day

(still asking the age-old question: "What's up Doc?")
---It's National Hairstylist Appreciation Day

(hope there is a barber-appropriate day)
---It's National Honesty Day

(not just a Billy Joel song reference)
---It's National Oatmeal Cookie Day

(I really like those)
---It's National Raisin Day

(hey, add some to the oatmeal cookies - kill 2 birds with 1 stone)
---It's National Sarcoidosis Day

(don't worry...it's not contagious)
---It's National Pet Parents Day

(wonder what our cats will get us?)
Cripes, that was a LOT of stuff. It was like someone tried to cram 10 pounds of observances into a 5 pound last day of April...geez!
Why do they do that?
*** Next up, more light shed on the "two-fer" (robbery attempt/shooting) mentioned yesterday:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/20170428/shootings-connection-sought

Apparently, it would seem as if the two ARE related, as in the shooting victim IS ther perp who tried robbing the Sunoco station (and was shot at by the clerk there twice).
It's just too much of a coincidence to summarily dismiss anything less.
And the timeline is correct, given the distance (as I said yesterday) between the two FWPD calls.
If that clerk was a slight bit better shot, this could be solved...just sayin'.
*** Next, another section 8/HUD apartment complex on the SE side gets a potential makeover?
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/20170428/beleaguered-apartment-complex-sold

I like that description - BELEAGUERED...so that is what we now call things down here now?
Used to be just "blighted"...guess things are not getting better as we're supposed to believe?

Hard to find a photo WITHOUT police.

This time around, it's the DIPLOMAT APARTMENTS (aka "Lillie Gardens") located at 3233 Diplomat Drive, near Hessen Cassel, McKinnie and Wayne Trace (all scenes of nearly constant police activity).
A CALIFORNIA (the land of fruits and nuts) "investor" looks to be taking a chance on this group of 140 hovels.
When you read about the conditions there, you have to wonder HOW did it get that way?
Well, such conditions don't spontaneously occur, that's for damn sure.
The people infesting the place helped to no small degree...bet on that.

See what I mean? (from October 2015)

Such cretins do the same thing to EVERY place they're allowed to inhabit.
They tear things down to their own "level", and why they would want to live like that eludes me.
But, look around ANY area that has similar "patrons" living in similar subsidized housing...it's the SAME DAMN THING.
In every major city across America...urban blight is growing.
In the most prosperous nation on the planet...we have scenes like THIS? So I have to ask the obvious question.
WHY?
I think many of you already know the answer to that one. We'll come back to this shortly.
*** Next, I think it's time we took a break and stopped by "Kitten Corner"...

The kids have this "thing" they do - they take turns following us around.
They wait for Wifey to come home from school, and are at my feet when it gets close to "eats".
They come in when I'm in the living room, and then go bother Wifey in the family room. They also follow her to bed (she heads off to sleep first). And they also find time to grab some "cat-naps".

They DO so manage their time well.
They don't ever take the place of pets you've lost, but make their OWN place in your life and heart.
Nothing wrong with that at all.
*** Last back to the societal tar pit...many people out there don't know how to take care of stuff.
We USED to call it "good stewardship".

And yes, this has to do with those apartments specifically, but more importantly, life in general.
How many SE side apartment complexes have seen the same things happen at them, and then have some investor come by, attempt to renovate them time and again in the hope that things will turn out differently?
I think Einstein used to call such things INSANITY.

Yeah you tell 'em, Al!

It's the PEOPLE (there) who have the problem, and ARE the problem - Those with no interest in being a good tenant, let alone human being. Totally self-effacing, and totally hedonistic in nature.

The worst part to all this, they (the deadbeat landlords) permit such people to rent HOUSES, too.

Instead of a few select areas with section-8 complexes, we now have ENTIRE neighborhoods becoming "beleaguered", as the story above stated...not a good way for a city to move FORWARD, no matter HOW nice (or at what cost) the city "leaders" make the downtown OR riverfront...is it? And yet, those in power (here) keep ignoring the REAL problem, because they cannot (or will not) admit to it.

Problems are rarely, if ever self-creating. They usually need help along those lines, and often get it...from PEOPLE.

Crime needs people. Squalor needs people. And, it's not about poverty...not when you're driving about in a new vehicle, smoking (or selling) dope, buying rims and bust-an-eardrum sound systems, partying several times a week, and generally wreaking havoc in the area in which you are allowed to crib, thanks to government vouchers, handouts and entitlements.

When people such as this are held to the SAME standards as normal folk, made accountable, responsible, and not permitted to become the blight on a city or society that has been allowed to fester, like some cancerous growth...THEN, you can start making real progress.

When crime is dealt with swiftly, and justly, things will change for the better, but not before.

When these people are taught what it means to BE a responsible individual (and are not allowed to do anything less), and be productive in their own lives, they will find themselves in a much larger and better universe.
And that's a damn good thing for everyone in the end.
Have yourselves a good weekend.

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