Humpday Happenings...

Well, we made it to the middle of the week. Now, all we need to do is suffer a couple more days.
Tomorrow should prove fun with the rain were expected to get, but we'll worry about that when it gets here.
Our Hoosierland weather for today brings us "the calm before the storm" as it were with partly cloudy skies, warmer temps than yesterday, reaching to around 82 degrees (run the A/C), and a bit more windy.
So, nothing left to do right now, except get ourselves that refreshing morning drink, so we can shake out the mental "cobwebs", as we see what else has been going on...
*** First off of the sofa is our "WHO SAID THAT?" quote for the week:
"The obligation of subjects to the sovereign is understood to last as long, and no longer, than the power lasteth by which he is able to protect them."

Certainly, there is MUCH truth is such words. And this is from someone we've not featured here before (but mentioned a few times). SO, who said that?
The answer at the top of tomorrow's post.
Meanwhile, back at the University at Oxford...
*** Next up, it's time once again for our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
APRIL 26 -
---It's National Audubon Day

(a good day to watch the birds as they watch you)
---It's National Help A Horse Day

(would if I could, but we're city-dwellers here)
---It's National Kids and Pets Day

(yes, they go together like peanut butter and jelly)
---It's National Pretzel Day

(what I wouodn't give for a bag of nice hot Philly SOFT pretzels right now)
---It's National Richter Scale Day

(been makin' the shakin' readable for decades)
---It's National Administrative Professionals Day

(sorry, these people aren't what they used to be, that's for sure)
*** Next, I wonder how much stupid we had going on? Let's take a look:

---This story was highly unavoidable.
http://wane.com/2017/04/25/accidental-shooting-leaves-victim-critically-hurt/

Doesn't get any easier to figure out.

How many times do we have to repeat ourselves...TREAT EVERY FIREARM AS IF IT IS LOADED, and that means "handle with care". A son accidentally shoot his father, eventually killing him. Some accident (that the son has to live with).

This took place at a house located at 4033 Robinwood Drive (yeah, it's southeast) around 1116 hrs yesterday morning.
Technically, this is a homicide, and may be counted in with the others, so we might be looking at number eleven (ten if you don't count the woman stabbed to death which the coroner has yet to rule on).
---Motorcycle v. car...car wins. Here's the story.
http://wane.com/2017/04/25/two-critically-hurt-in-motorcycle-crash/

Ouch! That's gonna leave a mark.

And THIS is why you don't become a dumbass while driving, no matter how many wheels you have.
Any case of "road rage" is cause for concern, and often leads to people getting hurt.
This took place around 2000 hrs last night near Maplecrest and Lake.
Trying to drive around one car and rear-ending another...not the brightest crayon in the box here.
---City Council rubber stamps (once again) some "big ticket" items.
http://wane.com/2017/04/25/council-approves-tunnel-project-and-road-improvements/

(( Majority of that construction would take place in the 3rd district where Councilman Tom Didier presides. According to Didier, some of the roads haven’t been worked on in more than 20 years.))
And how long has the SE side gone without sidewalks or other NEEDED improvement?
Answer: A LOT LONGER! (and we're still waiting)
We are getting water main replacement (that we don't seem to need, though).
Of course, there's that $187 million dollar tunnel project that will reduce the amount of combined sewage that overflows into the city’s rivers by 90 percent or 900-million gallons a year. The tunnel will be five miles long and 200 feet underground.
Our own "Big-Dig"...which will run over-budget...wait and see.
*** Next, and while were on the subject of CITY COUNCIL...let's look at this gem of a story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/20170426/council-nonprofit-spar-over-role

I am so loving this one, because I just do not trust this Greater Fort Wayne, Inc, and it's agenda.
They're the ones behind this huge push for MORE residents, ALL the downtown and Riverfront crap, and are behind the (upcoming) tax increases resulting from all this stuff. Councilman Jason Arp pretty much said "not so fast, folks".
It's a decent read and calls into question GFW and what the hell they're doing TO the city(and us), rather than FOR it.
Along those lines, there is this story as well:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/20170426/council-not-likely-to-vote-on-tax-hike-until-july

Oh, joy...council isn't voting on any INCOME TAX INCREASE until JULY (we can celebrate on the 4th, right?)
This load of BS says it all, however:
((“Two things we hear a lot about and have support from the public are for riverfront development and addressing neighborhood sidewalk and alley challenges. The riverfront and a commitment to improving neighborhoods are critical to Fort Wayne's future. Mayor Henry is especially concerned about neighborhood to school connectivity,” Perlich said. “In order to make continued investments in the riverfront and neighborhood infrastructure, though, funding sources need to be identified. An adjustment to the local income tax that's been proposed by Councilman Crawford has the mayor's support.”))

This is what a Fort Wayne Taxpayer looks like.

It's ALL about this damn riverfront project now...too many pokers in the damn fire, and too few people being taxed to help FUND all this crap, if you ask me. Slow the hell down, take one thing at a time, and not try to make us look like OTHER cities (who have their own issues)...okay?
*** Next up, time to stop by "Kitten Corner"...

Dreaming about getting crazy later...

There is NO way to out-do the picture we had yesterday, so I won't even try.
Let's just say the kids got their "9 o'clock crazies" in the MORNING, rather than at night...lol.
As long as it doesn't interrupt my bowl of cereal and damage the house...they can have at it. It's what cats do, anyway.
Because they chase one another, they also tire themselves out...and nap. That's a good thing.
Hard to find more cute than sleeping cats...except when one of them watches you from inside the house. Now, THAT is cute.
*** Last back to the recliner...government has to be watched carefully.

This doesn't just apply to the FEDS, but, more importantly to LOCAL government (city, county, state), because they tend to affect us more immediately. And make no mistake...they WILL, sooner or later.

Doesn't say "THEM," does it?

Be nice if we could trust them to do the RIGHT thing a lot more often, rather than keep reaching into our pockets to further whatever project or agenda that strikes their own whim.
While a city becomes more concerned with it's own legacy, it often forgets all the citizens it has run over in the process...and THEIR personal legacies to children or other family members.
We used to call government CIVIL SERVANTS...they served US, and not the other way around.
They answered to US, protected US, enacted laws to help US...so what went so wrong?
When did it become vogue to follow along, remaining silent?

Power has always found a way to corrupt, and with more power, comes more corruption, which isn't to say ALL those involved in government are caught in this ball of wax...just those who aspire to power, and seek to keep it at almost any cost (to you and I).

That applies to CITY government as well, folks.

We have to carefully keep track of what goes on in those places of power, lest we wake up one morning and find ourselves hip-deep in problems (and in today's world, it's easier to pull off then one might think).
Keep vigilant, aware, and question everything that needs it with boldness.
It's what our founders would expect of We, The People.

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