Humpday Happenings...

Okay, who said they wanted heat and humidity? I want names!
You will certainly know we're into summer by the end of today, that's for sure.
Anyone you see wearing a hoodie today is most likely going to rob some place, so be aware.
Our Hoosierland weather starts out with temps already in the low 70s, and will top out around NINETY degrees (that's 9-0!).
Got some partly cloudy skies, too.
Lots of humidity, so that means lots of perspiration (if you're gonna be outside), but a windy day, with gusts around 30 MPH (joy, that's sure to make things SO much more bearable...not).

And yes, that stinking chance of a shower or thunderstorm follows us around today like a little puppy (but not nearly as cute).
So, let's get a nice TALL glass of something cool, and keep it filled, as we're all gonna need it. Hydration will be job-one, as we see what else has been going on.
*** First out of the sweatbox is our "WHO SAID THAT?" quote for the week:

"We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls."
Would we all be so fortunate to follow what this person said, especially down here in the crotch of Fort Wayne.
Too many people today embrace noise when quiet says so much more, right?
So, who said that? The answer at the top of tomorrow's post.
Meanwhile, back at the Loreto Abbey in Rathfarnham, Ireland...
*** Next up, time for the "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
JULY 12 -
---It's Eat Your Jello Day

(watch it wiggle...see it jiggle...remember the commercial?)
---It's National Different Colored Eyes Day

(the late David Bowie had them)
---It's National Pecan Pie Day

(oh, to have some RIGHT NOW...mmmmmmm)
---it's National Simplicity Day

(that kinda fits in with the quote, doesn't it?)
---It's Paper Bag Day

(and where would all those lunches wind up without them?)
*** Next, it should come as no surprise that City Council voted to approve an income tax hike, but...

Here's the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/20170712/city-council-oks-013-tax-hike

Okay, so it's ONLY 0.13% rather than 0.15%...big frigging whoop. That means $60 bucks a year instead of $75 bucks from the taxpayers. We'll all just go out back and yank a few Hamiltons off of that tree the city thinks we all have, right?
At least those (3) who voted AGAINST it stood their ground, and that should make those who voted for those members glad that some councilmen still have principles.
Corrine Rose had a spot on WPTA about this tax...it's basically a CITY WAGE TAX (or county wage tax to be more precise).
And this is what they did in Philly WAY back in the 70s...and all that did was add another tax to people who either LIVED or WORKED in the city, and never solved any problems.

Another Greater Fort Wayne, Inc scheme.

I last mentioned such a ploy (here) on 24 May 2016, and on 26 January 2016, I mentioned a Kevin Leininger column that stated the city "pledged" $42 MIL for this "regional cities initiative" (race to one million). I posted the following:

How about raising the income and local sales taxes? Good answer.
Councilman Russ Jehl, mentions that it was only 3 years ago (from 2016, that is) when city council approved a 0.35% hike in local option income tax. How soon "some" forget.
I also stated back on 2 October 2015 (when Mitch Harper ran for Mayor) that (king) Henry said the city budget was "static" when in fact, Harper proved it had risen by $7 MIL.
Then on 12 March 2013, I spoke about the annexation "deal" to raise city revenue...how's THAT been working out?
On 6 August 2012, I talked about ten ways the city would most likely raise revenues:
There are several ways to acquire (needed) revenue in the future:

1) Raise INCOME taxes to lower property taxes.
2) Raise INCOME taxes for public safety.
3) Eliminate the local homestead credit.
4) Reduce Spending.
5) Spend cash reserves.
6) Raise the wheel/surtax.
7) Raise fees and fines.
8) Create a capital development fund.
9) A property tax referendum
10) Annexation.
How MANY of these have come to pass since then, hmm?
These people are quite predictable, aren't they?
*** Next up, an editorial in today's J-G tries to speak to what is lacking in the SOUTHEAST part of town (which is a LOT). Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/opinion/editorials/20170712/quality-of-place-for-the-whole-city

Anyone recall THIS series?

On the surface, this appears to be a well thought out editorial, but, as usual, no one mentioned in this column can manage to hit the BULLSEYE.
Paulette Nellems and Cherese Dixie bring up valid points when they say we DON''T need any more gas stations, convenience stores or dollar stores.
So what DO we get?
A DOLLAR GENERAL to take the place of a current FAMILY DOLLAR along Decatur Rd...LMAO!
Once again, I have to refer you all to my post from 2 June 2015 and the article that featured Don Steininger, who talks about WHY development is lacking on the SE side (psst...it's the crime).

Don stated (back then): “I’m not sure why they would say that crime is not a deterrent. It just has to be. You’ve got to have a critical mass and you’ve got to have safety in order for people to really feel comfortable to go there.”
And yet, NO ONE in today's editorial mentioned ANY of this, and that's the MAJOR reason as to WHY we don't have development with retail and service businesses down here.
Perhaps these ladies need to look at their OWN community and ask WHY development is stagnant down here?
I know I had nothing to do with it, nor did Wifey, but we still catch the fallout from the city's "lack of vision:" in dealing with the REAL problem here...every day.
So, I'll keep saying it - GET RID OF THE DAMN CRIME (and the people causing it) FIRST.
Then, businesses will come back.
*** Next, time to dump the garbage and take a little trip to "Kitten Corner"...

I iz all lasered-out!

The kids were a bit better behaved yesterday...I think they get a case of the heat-crazies, but thankfully, they get tuckered out and spend much of the day watching birds come by the feeders, or the inside of their own eyelids.

Not chasing that red dot right now.

Chase them both up and down the staircase a few times with a laser pointer, and that hastens the process...lol.
*** Next up, let's see what's going on in our "Tales of Midnight"...

That was whisker-lickin' good.

Our fuzzy buddy was out nice and early for his food, and then took to lots of napping. Must be a real bitch to wear a black fur coat on hot, humid days, so I feel for him.

Tables are for glasses, not for asses

When I was trimming some shrubs, he was following me, no doubt in a "supervisory" capacity.
He spent some time on the patio table (the glass was actually cool), and then hung out in the garden (near the fence) until it became dusk. And then, he left for the evening, as usual. Good to have him around, even if we have to not enjoy the squirrels and a lot of birds...it's a trade-off. Maybe he'll be lucky enough to find a real home some day.
*** Last back to the sauna...the world is full of stupid people. How's that for revelatory?

Then, there are those of us who, once in a great while will DO something we could consider stupid.
There IS a vast difference.
See, we manage to learn from our brain-farts, while the terminally stupid never quite get a handle on that.
We also acknowledge the fact that we will do something dumb along the journey we call life.
Call it a friendly form of "resignation". And that's a good thing.
The others go through their lives and never figure out that they ARE stupid, and that, in and of itself, is pretty damn dumb.
Now, I don't really believe that people are BORN stupid. It has to be an "acquired trait", and by the looks of some folks, they've been actively practicing for a very long time.

Technology has done it's part too, accelerating the "acquisition" process for them. Social media speaks to that very well.

Then, there is the 24/7 "news" cycle, such as that is. All that's doing is giving credibility to the chronically dumb among us, with the tripe that is shoved in our faces daily.
Most times, the BEST source of news (in the USA) can be found in news sources ELSEWHERE. Other countries tend to let us in on real news our nation's sources can't or won't reveal, and that can often be a refreshing change of pace.
Whatever the case may be, rest assured that the stupid (like the poor), will ALWAYS be with us, and we need to realize that.
We have proven we cannot legislate poverty out of the human equation, so it stands to reason we cannot do likewise when it comes to legislating stupidity...or (dare I say it?)...morality.
That is a job for a higher power, and one with which we might want to acquaint ourselves with more frequently.

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