Humpday Happenings...

Geez, middle of the week AGAIN?
Feels like we've more of these than weekends of late.
Oh, and if you're looking for relief from the heat and humidity, that rain we're supposed to get will only serve to dampen your spirits. Temps start dropping again early NEXT week, just so you know.
Our Hoosierland weather for today brings us partly to mostly cloudy skies, increasing chances for scattered rain with thunderstorms (I keep hearing that word "severe"), and a high of around 90 degrees.
And that rain continues into tomorrow (off and on they're saying).
I'd keep the umbrella handy, but then, I LIKE to be prepared.

Just in case, right?

Now, what say we get a nice cool refreshing drink to chase the cobwebs from our brains, as we see what else has been going on elsewhere, hmm?
*** First out of the clothes dryer is our WHO SAID THAT? quote of the week:
 “Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy. The inherent virtue of Socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.”

And, unlike recent quotes, this one is from someone we've featured here before,
And I feel that this particular quote sums up MUCH of the problems in today's society, no matter which country it hails from.
So, WHO said that? The answer at the top of tomorrow's post.
Meanwhile, back at Blenheim Palace...
*** Next up is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
JUNE 14 -
---it's National Bourbon Day

(been waiting 364 days for this one)
---It's National Flag Day

(long may she wave)
---it's National Pop Goes The Weasel Day

(at least it's not Weasel-Stomping Day. Besides, that little bugger's cute!)
---It's National Strawberry Shortcake Day

(well, I still got the bourbon)
*** Next up, I happened to catch this story in the J-G about FWCS, and thought it rather humorous:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/schools/20170613/fwcs-chief-against-proposed-cuts

Now the headline is a bit misleading. The "teacher funding" makes it sounds like salaries, but in reality it's all the (nonsense)  teacher preparation and continuing education and training under Title IIA. Think of it as day seminars and workshops that mean little and do even less. Wifey knows about those.
We already have the highest funded students on the bloody planet, and yet we still lag behind other nations who spend less per student. So the solution HAS to be to spend even more, right? LOL!

Naturally, leased computers (315 total) are on the list, costing $69.1K per year (4 yr lease), and 450 food items from Commercial Food Service of Indianapolis ($372,690); Gordon Food Service of Grand Rapids, Michigan ($2,170,382.42); and Stanz Food Service Inc. of South Bend ($1,464,439.45). Wonder how much of this goes to all the freebie food programs?
But, there WERE also donations from parent-teacher groups, businesses, churches and individuals. The donations totaled $413,074.57. Well, that should offset some of that spending (right).
BTW, all the spending was pretty much rubber-stamped as far as approval goes.
*** Next up, and speaking of (impending) rubber-stamping, we have this story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/20170614/council-outlines-income-tax-proposal

City Council keep pressing the issue with an income tax increase...funny thing, that increase will apply to ALL of County Allen, and NOT just Fort Wayne, even though the (proposed) uses of the revenue FROM that increase will go for sidewalk and alley improvements IN Fort Wayne, along with (what else?) the RIVERFRONT projects.
What? nothing about that arena you're also proposing?
Cripes, we've more proposals than can be found on Sadie Hawkins Day.
(yeah, I'm from the days of L'il Abner comics...sue me)

Investments include $4 million for riverbank stabilization, $25 million for the second phase of the riverfront project and $50 million for the riverfront's third phase. Oh, and those sidewalks and alleys, too (leftovers?).
Naturally ALL the Dems on council are with this (including his highness, our mayor), along with John Crawford and even Tom Didier (who says he hasn't REALLY decided yet).

“Having a strong neighborhood core for citizens to reside is imperative to the health of Fort Wayne", said Crawford.
REALLY? Then hire enough LEOs to actively PATROL our part of town and head off the crime, rather than have the number of police we currently have chasing the damn radio for butt-dialing 911'ers, as well as having officers always showing up AFTER a crime has taken place. Now THAT creates a strong neighborhood core and imbues such areas with MUCH better health (and safety), don'cha think, councilman Crawford?
Also, let's not forget that the increase affects ALL of Allen County, and yet residents outside the city basically have NO SAY in any of this, because CITY council doesn't represent THEM.

Well, the mayor's smiling over this proposal.

And YES, our FWCS would like to see the income tax increase.
THIS is the kind of stuff that make you shake your head in disbelief.
*** Next up,  we got another one of those (pink) "door tags" saying our WATER was going to be shut off between 0900 - 1300 hrs TODAY "in order to make necessary repairs"...

Well, at last THIS time, they let us know in advance. Wonder how long I'll have to wait to have our curb-strip turf repaired from all the DAMAGE they did a couple months ago? Can't run a mower over it - not with all the ruts and humps left by work crews, that's for sure. Of course, the "locals" are not bothered by any of this...they don't give a damn because they have NO vested interest in the area. Gotta love that, right?
*** Next up, the "little assholes" across the street were out playing b'ball in their driveway/alley around 1:30 AM this morning.

No threat to Lebron James, trust me.

Baby-mama  took them somewhere (and sadly, didn't leave them there). Around 0500 hrs I heard that damn basketball thumping AGAIN from the "court", but even these sugared-up hellions must have run out of steam, because they stopped soon after.

And at 1 AM, they NEED to be INSIDE.

Where the hell is the supervision and respect for anyone else living nearby?
They definitely don't make parents the way they USED to, that's for damn sure.
*** Next, time to stop by  and see what's going on at "Kitten Corner"...

"Some days, looking outside bothers me"

Our "children" were not up to all hours (much) and did not play basketball near traffic. Instead, they busied themselves with their toys and watching the world go by...not bad for better-behaved kids.

"I haz birds outside...cool."

Violet and Gallifrey stick to their routine, and whatever crazies they exhibit soon pass. Had another incident last evening of "running into daddy's leg" (while they were chasing after one another). Luckily, no one had any ill effects.
*** Next, let's turn a page in our "Tales of Midnight"...

"I never turn down free food from nice people."

Our little furry buddy came by right on time in the morning (to eat), stayed most of the day (taking a couple recons around the area), and then napped until after midnight (apropos) on the top step right near the back door.
Have no idea how he managed with those kids out to all hours, but he was back this morning.
*** Last back to the couch...I watched part of that awful apartment building fire in west London that has trashed about 120 flats and displaced God knows HOW many people.

They're also talking about fatalities (6 and counting, so far), with that many dwellings, it should come as no surprise. Never did like any of those high-rise structures, because of the potential for disaster.
It's said the fire started on the 2nd floor and "spread quickly upward".
That should bring into question the subject of building STANDARDS.

Much the same can be said for house fires we have here in the Summit City, like what took place yesterday on Killea St.
I'd wager that once single family residence has been "converted" into at least a duplex (multi-family residence).

In cases like that, I'd have to ask where the hell are the inspectors who used to check every damn thing concerning such renovations into apartments?
We never had such things in Philly, and with good reason - too many obstacles prevented the wholesale conversion of houses from single-family to multi-family dwellings. Someone back there must have known it comes with it's own problems.
And such problems surface under the auspices of Murphy's Laws.

Even apartment complexes are not exempt for such things, as many share "common spaces" below the roof lines, and that can cause a fire to spread quickly and iwth disastrous results. Luckily they're mostly 2-story buildings, and that makes mass evacuation much easier than the building in London.
I believe this can be a case of differing standards of construction, which, since people are pretty much the same, basic construction should also be kept to similar standards. I mean, we're not in mud-huts, are we?
Perhaps cutting corners when it comes to architecture and the safety of residents is something that needs to come under scrutiny a lot more than it has been...just for the sake of peoples' lives.
One sacrifice should not have to beget another, and surely not with tragic results.

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