Friday Follies...

If you prefer fair weather, then maybe HALF of the day will work for you.
By afternoon, things will be going back to like it was on Monday.
(must be a timey-wimey...thing)
Not to worry though...it will all sort itself out over the weekend (for the most part).
Our Hoosierland weather for today will be increasing cloudiness, with rain taking over by afternoon and into the evening. Temperatures will top out around 54 degrees (like it is currently), with cooler conditions as the day progresses, dropping into the mid to low 40s. Got a backwards thing going on now, hmm?

Now, with that behind us, let's take a minute to grab ourselves a nice hot cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa to chase the chill away, as we take a gander at what else has been going on...
*** First off of the runway is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
OCTOBER 27 -
---It's National American Beer Day

(can't think of a better reason to crack open a cold Yuengling...can you?)
---It's National BLACK CAT DAY

(oh, have I got THIS one covered...lol)
---It's National Breadstick Day

(as long as I have some tomato sauce for dipping...I'm there)
---It's National Frankenstein Day

(if you're wondering, he operates on DC)
---It's National Pharmacy Buyer Day

(don't plan to buy ANY pharmacy, so I'll pass)
---It's Navy Day
(a day to acknowledge ALL those past and present in the service of the best navy in the world)
*** Next, and since it is the end of the week, let's see what other observances will occur over the next 48 hours...
((Oh, and did YOUR "follower list" take the day off as mine has??? Thanks, Blogger!))
OCTOBER 28 -
---Saturday is National Chocolate Day

(hell, every day is good for chocolate of any type.
---It's National Make A Difference Day

(that should be every day for those of us who care)
OCTOBER 29 -
---Sunday is National Cat Day

(got THIS one covered FOUR times over...lol)
---It's National Hermit Day

(given our neighborhood, this sounds better each year...heh)
---It's National Oatmeal Day

(regular is good, but my favorite is Maple Brown Sugar)
---It's also World Stroke Day

(guess I should put on some Billy Squier???)
There you go - plenty of things to keep one busy and out of trouble.
Oh, and by the way, always remember to observe responsibly.
*** Next up, time for more crime in the Summit City.

---Question: When is a construction site NOT a construction site?
Answer: When it's a CRIME SCENE. Here's the story:
http://wane.com/2017/10/27/body-found-inside-downtown-construction-area/

A body was found inside the Skyline Tower construction site around 0430 hrs at Webster Street between Berry and Wayne downtown.
---And, there was a stabbing down on the SE side last night.

Here's that story:
http://wane.com/2017/10/26/one-person-seriously-hurt-in-stabbing/

This took place in the 3600 block of Plaza Drive around 2200 hrs.
The victim is in serious condition and now you know all that there is at this time...
---An update to the near downtown shooting. Here's the lowdown:
http://wane.com/2017/10/26/court-docs-man-admits-to-shooting-asks-to-plead-guilty/
((DeeDee W. Barnett, 38, of Fort Wayne was arrested on a preliminary charge of aggravated battery for the shooting of 31-year-old Brian Anthony Lowe, Jr. of Fort Wayne early Wednesday))
Okay, WTF kinda name is "DeeDee" for a MAN, anyway?
The gun used was a .380 caliber, so that head shot is probably going to be fatal at such a close range.
So maybe the initial charge of "aggravated battery" against Barnett might be bumped up to at least manslaughter, or perhaps even murder (probably not 1st degree).
---Man reports beating in Waynedale Park to Fort Wayne Police
((A man being treated at a local hospital told Fort Wayne Police he was beaten Wednesday in Waynedale Park.

The man told police he was in Waynedale park at about 6:30 p.m. when a silver Pontiac pulled up. Three males in the vehicle got out and beat him up, but he had no idea who these people were, according to the police report. He said no one else was around and he had no other information.))
Cripes, it's not even that safe over in Waynedale these days - must be those government-sponsored apartments that HUD just had to stick there causing this shit.
*** Next, time to hear our "king" play that BROKEN RECORD once again. Here's the story:
http://wane.com/2017/10/26/4-significant-sporting-events-coming-to-summit-city-next-year/

Having those sporting events come to Ft. Wayne IS a damn nice deal, no argument there.
But, our reigning monarch, just HAD to invoke ONE of those two hackneyed phrases that we've come to know (and detest). POINT-OF-DESTINATION.
And this comes on the heels of that Bob Kennedy story I mentioned yesterday that used BOTH of these phrases: Point-of-Destination and Quality-of-Life.
Cripes, can you idiots downtown STOP using the same tired branding bullshit?
I'm sick to death of hearing them, especially that QoL crap that I haven't seen in TWENTY damn years where we live, thanks to the city's lack of vision in doing ANY sort of development down here (while allowing hundreds lf businesses to LEAVE the area).
*** Next up, and speaking of broken records, our very own "Rhymin' Preacher", Rev. Bill McGill had an guest column in today's paper.

Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/opinion/columns/20171027/love-train-army-walks-for-racial-harmony

Okay, let's play a drinking game...for every "rhyme" you find, take a drink (your choice - doesn't HAVE to be alcoholic), or, you can just keep score of how MANY times he does it. You might be laughing by the end of it.
Contextually-speaking, McGill does have a good message. I just wish to God he's lay off of the rhymes.
I would appreciate his views MUCH better.
*** Next, time to stop on by "Kitten Corner"...
Well, it wasn't that bad a day for the most part.

We DID have some brief bouts of less-than-godd behavior, but that was quashed straight away, so the balance of the day went well enough.

Even had both cats in the two chair sleeping in the living room, so that left me on the sofa...or floor (my choice).
At least neither of them is waking me up at some ungodly hour (that's the job of the idiot neighbors in tthe area).
*** Next up, let's a minute to check in with "Midnight and Company"...

Cooler mornings means waiting for their food before I'm  fully awake...lol.
And boy, are they both hungry. Had to wait for Midnight to show up (he was down the alley again) once, and Whiskers took off early last evening (she missed part of last call).
As the day wore on, we had some lounging on the patio table...or just rubbing against my legs.

When neither of them are around and you shake the food container, they come running through the back yard as though they're on some BBC nature show...acting like mini-cheetahs...that cracks me up.
As long as they keep coming back...we'll keep taking care of them the best we can.
*** Last back to the hangar...it's weird to see a neighborhood change.

As a child, we moved a bit, so I never set down any deep roots, and had to make new friends, while leaving established one behind.
Still, as times change (along with ourselves), it was nice to go back to some areas and see how things are.
These days, it's hard to not have a heart attack when you see the state of things where you USED to live.
Where I live now is only the second place I've spent more than 20 years at, which is saying a lot.
And, over these last 20 years, I have seen what used to be a rather nice area (rough around a few edges), to an area that is trying it's damnedest to become a full-blown ghetto.
Funny thing, the fault lies with the PEOPLE...they are at the root as to why our part of town suffers.

Sure, many houses have fallen into disrepair, but that's thanks to the cretins who trash them as they move through from one crib to another (on the taxpayer's dime). Add in deadbeat landlords who do nothing to actually IMPROVE the area and deny the idiots a place to rent (so they can trash it again), and you got all the makings of a slum.
The people who move in don't care - the landlords don't seem to care, and the city sure doesn't care (otherwise, we'd see SOME sort of change for the better...which we have not).
It's little wonder we have fewer home OWNERS than 20 years ago (when those owners DID care and DID keep up the properties).

Many people say "change is good" or that "change is inevitable". I would suggest they haven;t had the "opportunity" to experience the degradation and devolution of a neighborhood like ours - the kind of neighborhood that I used to WANT to live in, and the kind I used to visit when we went to Grandma's house in NE Philly.
Change is NOT always good, but it usually is...inevitable. There lies the rub.
Do have yourselves a good weekend.

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