Tuesday Tidbits...

Now yesterday was a pretty decent day (as days go down here).
Not that loud, didn't hear any shots (or had to duck because of them), and the local idiots were behaving themselves more than usual...That was odd to say the least.
Did we fall through a crack in time and space and wind up in some parallel pocket universe?
(I'm definitely not getting all my memos)
If you liked Monday (and I kinda did), then today will be a close approximation.
Our Hoosierland weather brings us increasingly cloudy skies, temps again reaching into the lower 70s, and a slight breeze.
As Bruce Campbell (Ash - housewares) said in Army of Darkness "...Groovy".

So what say we avoid any contact with a Necronomicon, and get ourselves a nice cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa, as we see what's been going on elsewhere, hmm?
*** First off of the hotplate is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
APRIL 25 -
(hey, we've ONLY got EIGHT months of shopping days until Christmas..for you earlybirds)
---It's National DNA Day

(Remember, DNA spelled backwards is AND)
---It's National East Meets West Day

(I suppose it does...eventually)
---It's National Hug a Plumber Day

(up to his elbows in toilet "stuff"...not that much into hugging all of a sudden)
---It's National Telephone Day

(Ahh, when a phone was a phone, and we used them as such...I miss those days)
---It's National Zucchini Bread Day

(it's really not that bad at all)
*** Next up, and because it's the day after Monday,time to check out the FWPD blotter and see all the calls that the "locals" made which we never heard about, because the lame-stream media was too busy complaining about the border wall (that we sorely need built)...

Shots WILL be fired...trust me.

SHOTS FIRED ((113)) / ARMED ROBBERY((53)) CALLS - 04/17 - 04/23
((23,113 - vandalism by gunfire))
=======================================
APR 17 - 
17F045989 04/17/2017 05:51pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 2700 CENTRAL DR & PONTIAC ST E
17F046095 04/17/2017 09:28pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 2000 GREENTREE CT
17F046159 04/17/2017 11:58pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 7200 HICKORY CREEK DR
((NO armed robberies))
APR 18 -
17F046189 04/18/2017 03:12am 113 SHOTS FIRED 700 FOREST AVE
17F046190 04/18/2017 03:19am 113 SHOTS FIRED 1800 ST JOSEPH BLVD
17F046195 04/18/2017 04:28am 113 SHOTS FIRED 1200 ST MARYS AVE
17F046464 04/18/2017 05:49pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 4100 HANNA ST S & MILTON ST
17F046512 04/18/2017 07:37pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 500 MCKINNIE AVE
17F046533 04/18/2017 08:13pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 6700 MAYSVILLE RD
17F046592 04/18/2017 10:40pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 200 BUTLER ST W HOAGLAND 
17F046613 04/18/2017 11:29pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 1500 FRANKLIN AVE & SPRING ST
17F046623 04/18/2017 11:42pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 600 FIFTH ST
17F046178 04/18/2017 01:29am 23,113 600 CREIGHTON AVE E
17F046487 04/18/2017 06:48pm 23,113 2800 CHESTNUT ST
17F046627 04/18/2017 11:50pm 23,113 3000 COLISEUM BLVD W
((NO armed robberies))
APR 19 -
17F046670 04/19/2017 02:45am 113 SHOTS FIRED 5800 TURTLE CREEK DR  
17F046677 04/19/2017 03:27am 113 SHOTS FIRED 7100 RIVERTON DR
17F046704 04/19/2017 07:21am 23,113 6000 WINTER ST
17F046757 04/19/2017 10:07am 23,113 1000 ROCKHILL ST
((NO armed robberies))
APR 20-
17F047444 04/20/2017 06:04pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 5000 SMITH ST
17F047284 04/20/2017 10:58am 23,113 5000 DECATUR RD
((NO armed robberies))
APR 21 -
17F047618 04/21/2017 06:37am 113 SHOTS FIRED 2600 DODGE AVE
17F047970 04/21/2017 10:20pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 5500 DECATUR RD & HANNA ST S
((NO armed robberies))
APR 22 -
17F048034 04/22/2017 12:29am 113 SHOTS FIRED 200 MASTERSON AVE E
17F048046 04/22/2017 01:01am 113 SHOTS FIRED 1200 ELMWOOD AVE
17F048099 04/22/2017 04:35am 113 SHOTS FIRED 4800 HANNA ST S & PETTIT AVE E
17F048109 04/22/2017 05:36am 113 SHOTS FIRED 500 BERWYN LN
17F048371 04/22/2017 08:39pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 4000 REED ST
17F048380 04/22/2017 08:53pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 3700 SOUTHWAYNE AVE
17F048400 04/22/2017 09:43pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 4000 OLIVER ST
17F048428 04/22/2017 10:50pm 113 SHOTS FIRED 2500 ANTHONY BLVD S & ANTOINETTE S
17F048450 04/22/2017 11:29pm 53 ARMED ROB 3100 CLINTON ST S
APR 23 -
17F048462 04/23/2017 12:13am 113 SHOTS FIRED 1100 LAKE FOREST DR
17F048488 04/23/2017 01:05am 113 SHOTS FIRED 3400 WORCHESTER PL
17F048511 04/23/2017 01:42am 113 SHOTS FIRED 3400 ABBOTT ST
17F048542 04/23/2017 02:54am 113 SHOTS FIRED 5900 JEFFERSON BLVD W
17F048547 04/23/2017 03:37am 113 SHOTS FIRED 1000 COLISEUM BLVD N
17F048642 04/23/2017 11:45am 53 ARMED ROB 1100 STATE BLVD W
===========================
FIREWORKS CALLS 04/17 - 04/23 - NONE 
===========================
(but LOADS of loud music calls, mostly in the SE...gee, I wonder why?)
*** Next up, a little update to yesterday's double shooting that resulted in the death of one man

Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/20170425/men-shot-sitting-in-car-1-dies

Now, the story says this would be homicide number NINE for the year...I contend it will be number TEN, and that's because the coroner has not released information about the woman found stabbed to death the other week.
*** Next, an armed robber gets a "close-up". Here's the story:
http://www.wpta21.com/story/35230317/fort-wayne-police-need-your-help-identifying-attempted-armed-robbery-suspect

Excellent video capture

WPTA had the best coverage of this crime and the most pictures.
This took place at the Taqueria Coahuila Mexican Restaurant, located at  3125 S. Clinton St. around 2339 hrs on Saturday.
the suspect entered the restaurant brandishing a handgun and demanding money from several patrons, police said. Employees ran to the back of the restaurant as the suspect fired the weapon without hitting anyone.
The suspect fled the restaurant without any money, police said.
Police describe the suspect as a black male (REALLY???), 20 to 26 years old, 5 feet 9 inches tall with a medium build. 

Wonder how he'll look wearing ORANGE?

The suspect was last seen wearing a red Nike hooded sweatshirt and gray sweat pants. Obviously, he has changed clothes since then,
*** Next up, this story was just so very predictable. Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/schools/20170425/fwcs-receives-ok-to-buy-laptops
Yes folks, FWCS got a green light to go buy some LAPTOPS to the tune of $1.1 MILLION BUCKS.
(haven't we heard such tunes a little too frequently?)

The school board approved spending $712,054.64 for 1,672 Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 11e laptops for students. Each 3rd, 4th,. and 5th grader will have one. But wait, that's not all folks...there's more...FWCS is investing $443,444.83 in 529 Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 260 laptops for teachers, a model similar to the students' devices.
Okay, so these student devices will not be going home with the kids, right? And if they do, the parents are gonna have to front some cash (like a deposit) in case the laptops get broken, or stolen, right?

Well, let's hope so...be a shame to toss good money after bad in this case, hmm?
Besides, don't all these kids ALREADY have smartphones w/ Internet access? LOL!
*** Next, time to take a brief sojourn over to "Kitten Corner"...

We iz all tuckered out now.

Well, the kids got into some "stuff" yesterday, but no real damage. The patio door drapes are well over 20 years old, and the lining is drying out with age (aren't we all...lol), so it tears easily under feline claws...no biggie.
Other than that, a well-behaved day, and a nice surprise (email) from our local ASPCA..."baby pictures".
Or, to put it correctly, the "file photos" from when Violet and Gallifrey were still at the shelter (going under the names of Debbie and Russell, respectively). And here they are:

Violet (nee Debbie)

Gallifrey (nee Russell)

They really haven't changed all that much in the 5 months they've lived with us at the "Fortress". They have gotten bigger, especially Gallifrey. Violet remains a svelte little princess. I mean being SO damn adorable is a full-time chore, right?
Which reminds me, when Wifey and I were doing some planting, we had an "audience" (of one) from inside the house.

Why iz mommy and daddy sidewayz?

And that someone was quite curious...
Like I say...adorable.
*** Last back to the toaster...it's very rare that someone gets something for nothing.

Think about it. With few exceptions, everything costs something, and that's okay to a point.
We've heard the public service announcement that tell us that "shoplifting steals from everyone", and that's true. It causes prices to rise.

Serving 52.2 million as of 2012

And the welfare system in America takes tax money to fund those in need, where once we depended upon charity from various sources to take care of those requiring assistance. Maybe that's why WELFARE FRAUD is SO rampant in the system. Wrongly taking from others shouldn't be part of the package here...or anywhere, should it?

And, we also know crimes in general take from more than just the victims. Just ONE problem house in a neighborhood is enough to cause others to move, property values to decline, and those who remain to be ever vigilant.
You want anything in your life...you have to pay for it sooner or later. If it's a house, car, furniture, food, water and electricity, natural gas, fuel at the pumps...all of it costs money. And we get money by working for it, and that costs us time and effort, if we are to be good at what we choose to pursue when it comes to getting a paycheck.
Everyone pays something, whether they know it or not.
Even salvation costs something, and most times, the cost comes at denying the things in life that were bad for you, and embracing a loving God, which draws the ire of those in league with evil.

The bottom line here is that looking for a "free-ride" isn't going to happen, so the sooner people start towing the mark and realize this, the better it will be for everyone.
Perhaps that is the one thing that costs the least, yet produces benefits that are far-reaching.
We call that knowledge...and wisdom.
There are those out there that should (and need to) try it...they might like it, right?

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