Monday Musings...

The good news is that it's NOT going to rain today.
The bad news is we've been hearing fireworks being set off every single night for the past several weeks.
And, they're that nice LOUD mortar types. No police around to stop it, obviously.
I didn't know our "season" was THAT long (and should not be).
Our Hoosierland weather for today has us with sunny skies, temps rising to around 82 degrees, and a mild breeze.
I'm sure that's cause for celebration somewhere.

Now, let's get that first refreshing drink of the day poured, as we see what else has been going on...
*** First off of the runway is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
JUNE 25 -
---It's Nationals Catfish Day

(not bad when it's prepared the right way)
---It's National Leon Day

(it's the HALFWAY point between Christmases, hence the reverse of "noel")
---It's National Strawberry Parfait Day

(I won't turn one of those down)
---And it's the lovely Mrs. Bobby G's Birthday

(more on than in a bit)
It;s also Anthony Bourain's and George Michael's birthday, but I hear they're NOT celebrating it.
*** Next up, oh, no...I think we made it to TWENTY-ONE HOMICIDES for the year (so far).

Here's what's being told to the public:
http://www.wane.com/news/crime/police-investigating-after-body-found-in-an-alley/1260577822

This took place yesterday around 1400 hrs in an alley near Reed St and Oxford Av.

A male was found with gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Weird that this SAME block was the location of another shooting late last year (23 December):
http://www.wane.com/news/2-badly-hurt-in-shooting-on-oxford-street/1035632288
So much for this "quality-of-life" on the SOUTHEAST side of town, right Mr. mayor?

Missed this by a  MILE, Mr. mayor.

And I wonder why we didn't hear hardly anything about ANOTHER shooting in the 4500 block of Monroe (spit and a slide from our "Fortress") earlier Sunday morning around 0230 hrs.?

A man was taken to hospital in serious condition.
Yep...quality-of-life...more like the attempted taking-of-life, right, your highness?
Must still be good to be king.
*** Next, a VERY good article in Sunday's paper about a subject that tends to set me off a bit...because I've seen the results when it comes to a serious people problem in our city (and our neighborhoods in particular).

Here's the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/20180624/anger-at-affordable-housing

This is about "affordable" housing...for whom, exactly?
Affordable means 60% or less of the median income (about $44K), and the article TRIES to paint a really rosy picture of how such housing seems to help SO many people.
While, I'm sure it does indeed aid SOME, it certainly does not help ALL (and actually hurts those not even involved with such housing directly), and all of you who regularly read these posts know precisely WHY.
The people mentioned in the story attempt to show ALL they do in order to ensure that all goes well with tenants, such as background checks, proof of employment, and so on.
As usual, the broken window theory is in full effect here, and also goes to show that so many of the "small things": are ignored.

((Even though the U.S. economy is improving, George Guy, executive director of the Fort Wayne Housing Authority, said his agency has been receiving applications from more people who are working, but still can't afford their rent. 
“We see that there are individuals who are just not making enough money. The employment report looks good, but wages some individuals are making are not quite sufficient enough,” Guy said. ))
Maybe if the property assessment rates were not "artificially inflated" year by year, people WOULD be able to afford housing without any gov't subsidy.
The city pulls this tactic out of it's ass because an entire quadrant barely pays back anything to the coffers downtown, and with good reason - too many are gov't sponsored renters. As a result of a declining area (SE), property values have dropped by at least 50% over the last 20 years, and HUNDREDS of businesses have up and left...how am I doing so far? Sound about right?
Small wonder we have the crime rates we do over the same time period.
Now, the story does argue that crime has little to do with the people in these locations. I've seen just the opposite.
I've mentioned here about the drug deals, the noise, the trash...all symptoms of a larger problem; one which the city seems reticent to properly address.

He's not calling for a job.

As for people in these properties working? LMAO...that's hilarious.
If doing NOTHING has become a job in this city, then I will confess these people work overtime!
They move into a rental property, but never seem to follow a routine that comes with having a job (leaving and returning at specific times). Then, they "add" people to the property, or have random (and constant) "stay-overs" for others who obviously have no permanent residence (typical with those of criminal intent - check the court documents).
Add to this people driving newer vehicles when they don't work and pay a much-reduced rate for renting the same place you pay FULL PRICE for. hardly seem equitable or equal, does it?

We ain't done with this yet.

I plan to follow up on this in later posts, so stay tuned for more.
BTW,  here's a list of the various Ft. Wayne boards/commissions in our city...just for the hell of it:
https://cityoffortwayne.org/boards-and-commissions.html

Maybe some people can be swayed or even fooled by what we're told, but when you see and hear what goes on, the FACTS speak for themselves...don't they?
*** Next up, Wifey and I made the yearly sojourn uptown to Red Lobster for our combination "anniversary-birthday" (for her) celebration.

And for an early lunch, it wasn't bad at all.
They open at 11, and we arrived just as the doors were being unlocked.
Wifey always gets her lobster (Harvey was the dinner "guest" this year...lol), while I opted for the "make your own combo" deal - wood grilled shrimp and sea scallops (which were delicious).
And, we had to get dessert.
Wifey got her chocolate wave and I got the strawberry cheesecake.

Considering we used some gift cards to pay the freight, we actually paid NOTHING...we had enough for the meals and the tip (with like $10 left over). Thank God for Christmas gift-giving from the family.
Traffic up and back was "fun" with all the impromptu construction (or as I call it RE-construction) along the main streets.
Have to be alert to lane changes and some backups at lights, but it wasn't as bad as back east (yet).
It's refreshing to be AWAY from all the neighborhood idiots, even for a brief time.
*** Next, time to stop on by "Kitten Corner"...
The kids had a good weekend, in spite of the evening mortar rounds going off by the usual assholes in the area.

I'm allowing this picture because you feed me.

They spent their time wisely, napping between meals, and chasing one another about the house.
One of them even was shut in a closet and couldn't come out. I know having a cat come out of the closet doesn't mean the same as when people come out...lol.

Hey, it's NOT raining outside.

Still, they both provide their share of amusement around here. I wonder if they know that?
*** Next up, let's check in with "Midnight and Company"...

I'm watching for the rain.

Our furry twosome didn't get wet that much early on, and stayed dry for the remainder of the weekend. I think they enjoyed that.

Back from "patrol"...SIT-REP: all normal.

As has become the usual, Midnight went on patrol most of Saturday, and finally came back for dinner. He sure is vigilant. We need a "cat-cam"...lol.

Ready in case it reins again.

He will typically miss lunch for some reason. Whiskers has become more of a "home-body" and she loves spending time in the "Nam grass" near the patio door. She always comes out for food, though...or even to get some neck rubs, which she returns with leg rubs to us.

A good finish to a good weekend.

They are certainly a nicely-matched pair of cats, considering they don't belong to anyone.
I will confess that we might belong to THEM.

Yes it was...a GOOD weekend.

I think they have bonded enough to us, however, and that makes things good for everyone concerned.
*** Last back to the hangar...housing was never that big a deal when I was growing up.

My folks were renters from before I was born to when I was in 10th grade. Only THEN, was Dad able to afford a mortgage on a row-house (listed in the $16K range in the late 60s). We never rented in slum areas, and no one even KNEW we were renting; as we fit into the neighborhoods that well. Then again, the rule of thumb back THEN was not to "stand out"...to assimilate properly in a given area.
That makes FRIENDS...not enemies, and pretty damn good friends at that.
Having that mortgage was like owning the title to a car..."you made it". It was like reaching the mountaintop, and yes, it takes years to do so.

Today's world is much different, and being able to achieve the same thing is a LOT more difficult.
With artificially inflated property values, ever-rising building costs and the like, just being able to AFFORD a house in the median range (which is nationally now hovering around $180K - we catch a break in Indiana where it's "only" about $124K) is not something near as many can pull off, as opposed to 50+ years ago.
Maybe it's been planned that way...who can say.

Affordable housing has become much like the phrase "military intelligence"...something that contradicts itself well enough - the venerable oxymoron.
One might get the impression we're all being snookered to some degree, wouldn't it?

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