Monday Musings...

This past weekend wasn't that bad, as weekends go...AND, if you didn't live down on the SE side like we have for 2 decades, it was probably a lot better overall..
Still, you have to always look for a silver lining (I find doing that keeps me from going homicidal...lol).
We sure didn't have much to applaud yesterday., with the off and on rain.
But, we'll get by...we usually do, don't we?
Our Hoosierland weather for today brings us an end to the rain (but it's still a bit soft out there, so drive accordingly). We're looking at partly sunny skies, temps again reaching to around 71 degrees, and (hopefully) a light breeze to help dry things out once again.

Now, let's pause to get ourselves that comforting drink, as we see what else has been going on...
*** First out of the downspout is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
APRIL 8 -
---It's National All Is Ours Day

(that's being a bit possessive, isn't it?)
---It's National Empanada Day

(seems each week we have something either gay or Hispanic...where's the AMERICAN stuff?)
---I's National Zoo Lover's Day

(I love our own Children's Zoo, but I detest the "zoo" we have on the SE side...too many "beasts" roaming about)
*** Next, there are several reasons why I LOVE stories like this:
https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/officer-rescues-cat-stuck-in-can/1902332102

-The cat came away from the incident without harm.
-The officer was patrolling in an ALLEY (great to see this again).
But it does say a lot about people who litter a neighborhood up, or otherwise don't take the time to properly put their trash out (overfilling the bins for example). NCE is supposed to look into the refuse in alleys.

-The cat will become a community cat. And, if it ever stops by here, the cat will get fed...heh.
Actually, that looks like the white cat I've seen around here that I nicknamed "Snowball".
Good job by all involved.
*** Next up...a good job done by the judicial system (for a frigging change):
www.journalgazette.net/article/20190405/WEB/190409923

Welcome home, loser.

Deyante Stephens, 27 was sentenced to 200 years for 3 counts of murder...yep, sounds about right to me.
(but, if he were put to death, we'd save a buttload of money by NOT having him become a "ward of the state"...just sayin')
Now, let's not make the appeal process outlive the sentence.
*** Next, and speaking of zoos, how do these animals manage to keep doing what they do?
www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/20190405/ex-detained-over-brutal-beating

Quincy Hall, 34, of the 1400 block of Greene Street is the perp in question, and he likes to beat up women, and houses...a lot.
His ex had extensive injuries and over 75 photos had been taken to catalog them.
Let's try and lock this one up and lose the damn key.
*** Next, in one part of the SE side, it takes a company (and it's volunteers) to help clean things up:
https://wpta21.com/news/2019/04/06/fort-wayne-company-organizes-neighborhood-cleanup-in-citys-south-side/

Wow, lookit that graffiti.

It's a good article and speaks much as to the way things have "changed" over the last couple decades.

Yeah, let's paint OVER that crap.

Good for these people for wanting to do something positive.
*** Next up, and for those NOT wanting to do anything positive, we have this...

The service sucks worse than Blogger & Comcast.

Yesterday, we got our Sunday paper, but it was missing the PARADE magazine, COMICS, TV GUIDE, the LIVING section, and most ALL of the ADS and COUPONS.
So, I call it in and ask the woman for a  REDELIVERY. The woman said the request was sent to dispatch
The replacement paper NEVER showed, and the JG office is ONLY open between 8AM - 12 Noon on Sunday. Most likely, we'll get (another) credit...that's not what we PAY for.

I sent a couple (very) nasty-grams to the paper, and they will probably come to naught, but this is just another example of what we DON'T get down here in the crotch of this city.
Also, there's no place (nearby) where you CAN get a damn paper...thanks to the crime. We used to be able to get a paper from a damn machine at the Speedway that was down the block across Pettit Av. (both have been gone for a long time).

It's crap like this that gives me major trust issues with a lot of folks and what passes for their "service" in Fort Wayne.

They just don't seem to value customers they've had for 20 years.
And people wonder why the SE side gets the reputation it does. They earned it.
*** Next, yes, it's time once again to drop by "Kitten Corner"...

I iz grocery shopping again.

Our kids had a fairly good weekend, with some brief bouts of feline craziness, which is to be expected.
I think they got wind of me being a bit miffed at the newspaper, because they were extremely sedate for mist all of yesterday.

I is watching the inside of my eyelids.

I did read where someone did some study (yep, another one) which stated that cats DO remember their name.
Well, no effin sh*t, Sherlock...same goes for dogs, and yes, even some birds.
Can't say as much for kids around here and what passes for parents...not much communication...maybe we need  a "study" on this?
*** Next up, let's do our check in with "Midnight and Whiskers"...

"What iz he doing over there?"

Our furry twosome spent almost ALL weekend near the house, and that was rewarded with treats.
They both missed Saturday's lunch, but were here for dinner.
And, aside from the late Sunday rain, they wee fed out from under the patio table.

"I'm keeping the wall from moving."

I still placed food under there when the weather rolled in, however. Soggy out of the can is one thing...soggy DRY food is quite the other.
*** Last back to the patio... we're constantly hearing about all these studies that detail how wonderful Fort Wayne is.

I know mine ALL too well.

Cost of living, raising a family, job opportunists, yada, yada, yada...right?
Well, here's ONE (study) that the lame-stream media will NOT tell you about:
https://www.roadsnacks.net/worst-neighborhoods-in-fort-wayne-in/
This is a brilliantly compiled read, and deservedly so.
Now, WHY do you suppose this hasn't shown up in the papers or on local TV?

And WHY isn't much (if anything) being done to CHANGE this situation?
More importantly, why has this been allowed to occur in the first damn place?
(because those in power over the last 40 years were too busy making a great downtown and riverfront, Bob?)
Good answer. You get a gold star!
They were too busy keeping up with other cities, when they should have been trying to keep our ENTIRE city intact and thriving.
Misplaced priorities...yes, they will ALWAYS come back and bite you in the ass..
Maybe that's why our mayor has SUCH a comfortable chair...to ease the pain.

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