Friday Follies...
Made it to another weekend...where DOES the time go, and how can we get some of it back?
I'd take about thirty years, if I had my druthers.
But let's not dwell...
Instead, let's focus on some snippets from the news.
-- Glenbrook Mall declares chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Our very own (last) real indoor mall is going to be "restructuring", but says operations will remain normal. In other words...keep on shopping, I mean it's NOT like this city loses malls...oh, wait...it DOES.
But there's a lot less CRIME where Glenbrook is, so you're all safe...for now.
Speaking of CRIME...
-- An editorial caught my eye today in the J/G. The person took exception to police seizing MONEY people were carrying. Now I first have to think that this person does NOT live on the SOUTH side of Fort Wayne. I'd also have to believe that he is looking at this from an outsider's viewpoint.
Face it, if the police pull someone over, and they have a HUGE wad of cash on them, and, after checking he person, find he has priors run-ins with the law, dresses like a gangsta, and is not currently (or really ever has been) employed, this guy MIGHT require some closer scrutiny...'ya think? And maybe we should check that new BMW he's driving as well. He could well be a "playa".
Speaking of "playaz"...
-- Some South Side High School girls saw fit to beat on one another yesterday, which prompted added security (read police) at the closing of the school day...just in case.
Kids will be kids, right?
I think not.
Problems like this are usually over some boy (who might not even attend that school), and you're way too young to get all into "adult shit" like this. Wait a few years, get a nice job, save some money, then get a gun and shoot the bitch...then become a ward of the state for life. I mean that's where you're headed anyway, so if you're going to do it...DO IT RIGHT, moron!
That would also help me prove that we have a PEOPLE problem and NOT a gun problem in this nation.
Speaking of people...
-- Parkview Field (of dreams) had a "sellout" crowd last night, as the Wizards...uh, I mean the TIN CAPS continued their win streak with a 7-0 win over whoever the heck showed up to play them (I don't follow much sports HERE in Fort Wayne...and it shows).
And YES, it IS a nice stadium...then again, it's NEW, and most ANYTHING that's NEW is NICE. Let's see what shakes when the bloom is off the rose, and the shine becomes dull.
Speaking of Bloom...
And Peters, and Brown...(oh, my)
-- Anyone care to tell me WHY these county commissioners are the HIGHEST PAID people in their positions in the ENTIRE STATE?
Personally, I don't think they're worth the $65K+ they make every year to do...(what the hell is it they actually DO anyway?)...whatever they do (like propose MORE tax hikes..and RAISES for themselves).
With an economy like this, surely they could "fore go" a raise, or better yet...give BACK their salaries for a YEAR.
Speaking of politicians...
-- President Obama went to Mexico yesterday, met with Calderone, and was promising to help stop the illegal movement of guns across our border with Mexico.
Yeah, well, unless and until the PREZ can invoke some sort of embargo against IMPORTATION of weapons INTO Mexico (and parts south), that dog ain't gonna hunt, people.
You know and I know that almost ALL the weapons finding their way into the hands of the drug cartels come from every place ELSE, than the USA. And whatever guns DO come from HERE, the number is negligible, compared to South American arms makers and other countries looking to make a few bucks selling weapons without any "bans" on them TO Mexico.
Hell, they don't even have to sell DIRECTLY...they can sell to someone in Argentina, who THEN transports the weapons into Mexico's SOUTHERN border. Good luck with any progress you can make on that, Mr. Presidents!
Speaking of progress...
-- I believe that real progress was made with all these T.E.A. parties around our nation, although the President "wasn't even aware of them"...yeah, right. And for your NEXT fairy tale, how's about Alice in Wonderland?
Seems we're well down the rabbit hole these days, anyway...
But it was refreshing to see SO many people with a single voice...didn't matter the color of the skin, the religious conviction, the job they held (or were laid off from), the money they had (or didn't have), or their political affiliation. They were out to make a point...and serve notice that enough big government is truly enough.
They exercised their right to PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY and FREEDOM OF SPEECH in a way that would have made Dr. King proud.
And now, the ball is in the government's court...
If they are a bit fearful over all of this...they should be.
The people will not "just go away".
And if the politicians don't give these people a second thought...that would be a mistake, and they'd best be looking for another job, because they WILL be voted out.
This nation, (as Lincoln put it) is OF the people, BY the people, and FOR the people. The operative word there is PEOPLE...you and me, and everyone else. WE decide...WE choose...and WE will learn from whatever misstep we will make.
If we choose incorrectly, then WE can change that.
But...if WE do nothing...then NOTHING is exactly what WILL change.
Have a good weekend, and
Stay safe out there, America.

Believe It...Or ELSE...
Ah, yes friends...time again for some of THOSE stories making the news that have you crying out in utter disbelief.
The stories that get you thinking, the stories that get your undies in a bunch, and stories meant to enlighten.
They might not be AS entertaining as watching a train wreck (or American Idol), but they DO come pretty damn close.
And if nothing else, you will come away from this a more informed person.
-- Mexico is "more patriotic" than the U.S.?
Now who'da thunk this one up?
Well, we can blame the people at BURGER KING for this one.
Seems they have a new sandwich called the TEXICAN WHOPPER, and on their ad campaign, they had a person with a MEXICAN FLAG adorning their body. The Mexican government started crying "racism", as well as other assorted tripe, and got the ads pulled from the stores. It would appear that MEXICO loves their nation's flag more than a lot of people HERE...in AMERICA.
I mean we're allowed to BURN our nation's symbol of FREEDOM and LIBERTY, or have some Black Panthers use the flag as a DOORMAT...can't do that in Mexico...can't even have a person proclaiming the latest artery-clogging meal for that matter.
Americans need to step up the pace and start holding our nation's flag in a lot HIGHER esteem, methinks.
-- Philly has a new "hiring" practice?
The city of "Brotherly Love" is proposing a "novel" idea to reduce prison recidivism and the subsequent overcrowding it causes, as well as help businesses in need of personnel.
Let's have those businesses HIRE EX-CONS!
Well, that's not exactly a NEW idea, but there IS a bit of a twist.
The city will PAY those businesses that DO hire ex-cons $10K a pop (person).
And this is from a city that STILL owes it's POLICE DEPARTMENT over SIX MILLION BUCKS!
(sure, we can't pay the cops to protect the citizens, BUT we CAN pay businesses to hire felons...yeah, that makes good sense)
Hey, here's a BETTER idea...hire the EX-CONS as POLICE OFFICERS!
Wow, the PPD gets the $10K per person hired (to assist in pensions and back pay owed), the citizens get MORE police, and the ex-cons get LEGAL GUNS...a "win-win" all around, right?
I will now remove my tongue from my cheek.
-- More about Mexico?
That's right. The drug cartels are expanding their "realm of influence" into SOUTH AMERICA (big surprise there). The seven major players in this are wanting to increase their turf (and I'd wager to cozy up to all the ARMS MANUFACTURERS that can be found in S.A. as well). As I mentioned last week in a post, there are a LOT of gun makers in Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and so on, and what better way to increase sales than to the drug cartels. This will be one helluva story to follow...as I intend to. Face facts.
The USA DOES sell arms to Mexico (to aid in their fight against the drug lords), BUT, sometimes, those shipments get "lost", or otherwise find their way into the hands of the people we're trying to get rid of. It's more profitable to resell those U.S. arms to the cartels at over 200% profit after they've been bought here in America.
So what can we do?
Well, we CAN monitor sales to Mexico a LOT better for a start.
And we could lend support in other ways, but again, we don't want our resources to become weapons turned against our people or country now, do we? Still, we need Mexican oil, and we wouldn't want that country to climb in bed with Hugo Chavez, right?
-- Parkview Field is a "go".
The first game hasn't been played at COSTAPLENTY FIELD yet, and I'm ALREADY sick and tired of all the hype. Sure, it's a nice stadium complex (for a minor league team), and it beats the old place hands down, BUT...the entire package is only 33% complete, right?
Where is the hotel?
The condos?
The retail?
Yeah, I know..."If you build it...they will come"
Well that might work well in a Kevin Costner movie, but here in the Summit City...not so much.
We've already built a Wal-Mart AND a Menards down south here...and I'm STILL waiting for the "growth and expansion" promised (or at least alluded to) when these places went up. Ain't seein' much yet, people!
Gee, must be ALL that CRIME we STILL have here.
And speaking of crime...
-- Increasing numbers of whites are going to the slammer.
Well, spank me rosy...I couldn't have seen THIS one coming...or could I?
It was coming like a jail on wheels, folks!
With the ease of producing METH (and the newly-discovered portability of said drug) it was only logical that whites would get on this bandwagon, as Blacks prefer CRACK COCAINE, POT, and HEROIN.
Then again, we have to be "fair" regarding our penal system, so what better way than to start busting whites. Nah, that's not totally true, but what IS true is the fact that we DO have white morons that WANT to mimic low-class black moronic behavior.
These whites want the money, the bling, the "lifestyle" that many inner-urban blacks have sought (and gotten albeit all too briefly) through drug sales (and use).
Add to that, the FACT that many police departments across the nation are fearful that the black community will sue the department at the drop of a hat, which they OFTEN do (or is that a rag-doo?), and it's not the officers' fault...it's the "admins" that are worried out the ass over this stuff, and keep the officers from pursuing good, honest police work. It's sad when officers go before Internal Affairs SIMPLY for enforcing a law/ordinance ALREADY on the books for years, or are summarily redressed for showing "bias profiling" when the entire area of patrol coverage IS 90%+ minority, isn't it?
Now, you've got at least ONE generation that thinks this is the easy way, the fast track to riches untold (if they only knew the truth)...and it will take several generations to UNDO it all. Idiots.
-- Lastly, it was with great PRIDE that I watched coverage of the "TEA" parties across our nation yesterday.
This was history, the likes of which I've never seen. A nation coming together to put our government ON NOTICE, that the PEOPLE are sick and tired of the same old BS from D.C., year after frigging year with big spending, big government, and big agenda.
Ted Nugent had a novel way of putting it at (of all places) the Alamo.
He said: "The government is ALLERGIC TO LOGIC".
Gotta love that one.
Now, if this movement can sustain the impetus it's created, we, the people WILL in fact, create some REAL change in this nation, and not some notion of (chump) CHANGE in our pockets.
This had not the appearance of some type of anti-governmental "one-off", so I'm expecting only GOOD things to come of these gatherings.
And you know what the BEST part of all these tea parties was?
The ORDER that was maintained throughout the proceedings. These were people cheesed the hell off about the way government has mismanaged things over the years, and YET...there were NO violent outbursts and mass arrests...NO wholesale burnings and lootings, and NO crowd control "riot-police" tossing tear gas or tasering people anywhere. This demonstration was Gandhi-esque in it's execution and was done with a sense of dignity...class, an an overwhelming sense of TRUE PATRIOTISM.
We've not seen the likes of such folks since the inception of this nation.
Perhaps this is one case where the "full-circle" aspect of history is warranted.
We have returned to our roots, as a nation. We have given notice that the PEOPLE can handle themselves quite well, while the government's job is to run the nation...and NOT our lives.
That's pretty strong medicine, and my mom always said that: "It takes bitter to drive bitter".
And from what I saw yesterday, there are quite a few willing to "drive", because they just so happen to know WHAT ROUTE TO TAKE.
Yes, this nation is the best, but it can only be as good as it's people allow it to be. As one familiar song that the late Steve Allen wrote goes:
" This could be the start of something big".
We can but hope.
Friday is right around the corner, so...
Stay safe out there, America.

A Most "Taxing" Day...
Yes, friends, time to ante up to your favorite uncle...the one named SAM, and if you haven't done so yet, you've still got until midnight tonight, unless you've filed for an extension (which buys you until 15 August, or even 15 October, depending on the circumstances). Now there ARE those out there who erroneously "believe" that they should NOT pay their income taxes. These would be those "tax deniers" you hear about, and it's not really all that nice to piss off your uncle Sam.
I recall a time when working for the Treasury Department, we'd come across a BLANK tax form from some shmoe. Well, it was ALMOST blank. In LARGE RED LETTERS across the form was the word UNFAIR, with a few nice exclamation points added "for effect".
Needless to say, this person's form was sent along to the QRDT division (investigative) for "processing".

That would usually bring about a phone call or three, some letters, or at worst, a knock on the door by some gentlemen in suits with shiny badges and picture IDs offering a "free ride" to the local office to straighten things out. Cuffs were "optional".

And in subsequent years, the computer system would typically "flag" that person for future "considerations".
Many claim the income tax is illegal. Sorry, but the 16th amendment of our Constitution says otherwise. Read back on the Revenue Act of 1861 for the introduction of our "income tax". It helped pay for the Civil War (for the northern states that is).
As for whether the MANNER in which taxes are collected (today) is illegal, well, that's another story.
I've always been in favor of the FLAT TAX, or a consumption tax. It's kind of like a "pay as you go" plan, based on goods you purchase and/or use. And I personally feel it's a more uniform and fair plan to everyone, but it's not like I worked with the IRS...oh, wait...I DID!
Actually, we often used the nickname INFERNAL REVENUE SERVICE to describe our "employer", but never among higher-ups. That was only for "after-hours" discussions...LOL.
As I said, I have spent some time in the employ of the Treasury Department, and that part of our government has some pretty interesting aspects to it.

There are MORE agencies under THAT umbrella than you might realize.
You have the following:
- U.S. Mints
- Bureau of Engraving and Printing
- Secret Service (NOW under Dept of Homeland Security)
- Internal Revenue
- BATFE (formerly the ATF)
- DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency)
- TTB ( Alcohol, Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau)
- FCEN (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network)
- Bureau of Public Debt
- U.S. Inspector General
And there are a plethora of sub-divisions, under secretaries, and so on...(don'cha love bigger government?)
They even have their OWN FLAG!
How novel is that?
But, as with any large entity comes situations that demand a return to the oath they swear you into the agency with. Many that have been sworn in find that oath to be merely words, with no substance.
I take something like an oath to heart, and WILL defend what I have been sworn to uphold. It's the way I was brought up...your word is your bond.
Others...not so much.
And therein lies an issue many working for such an agency confront.
Do we let certain "issues" run off our backs like water off a duck, or do we try to make the system work...and work as it was designed?
Without going into detail, let's just say I had an attack of conscience at one point, and couldn't really continue in the venue and still honor the words in that oath. When the time came, I had to leave, albeit on good terms, but I could have made life really difficult for others that held the same oath we ALL took in such disregard. All they wanted was to get ahead, and at anyone's expense...even the taxpayers.
If they managed to do that...more power to them, but they should know that whatever bad they've done WILL come back to bite 'em all in the ass...sooner or alter.
As for me? Hey, I can sleep at nights quite well, knowing I did what I was SWORN to do when I was there.
I believe in this country, and what she stands for, as dictated in our founding documents.
And...I was never UN-sworn, so I still maintain the obligation to this country.
With all that said, it's nice to know that others feel likewise...and many of them have never taken an oath.

They just BELIEVE.
-- Today is also the day that we will be seeing "Tea Parties" sprouting up like weeds in the garden, all across our nation.
And to many that think these actions by ordinary citizens folly, you have to understand that this is UNLIKE the tea party back in 1773 at Boston harbor. This is not about TAXES, per se...rather, it's about getting back to the core beliefs...the values that made this nation in the first place; Principles that aided this country, in no small measure to become the global cornerstone for liberty and freedom.
It's about a smaller, BETTER government; a more efficient government that will work FOR the people, and not the other way around.
It's about a unification of, and a return to AMERICAN values; values the founding fathers and signers of our most sacred documents knew were granted from our Creator to US, so that we may endow our future generations with a like sense OF those values.
It's about getting back to BASICS, as in what the Bill of Rights and the Constitution really mean, and not what we "think" they should mean.
We don't "change" the Constitution to suit our moods and desires, but rather we attune ourselves to acknowledge the guidelines and laws set down for all to follow, in order to provide this nation with a firm foundation for us to lead by example AS a nation.
Ironically, today is ALSO the day the "unsinkable" liner Titanic sank in the Atlantic back in 1912, after striking an iceberg.
Our nation faces some very real challenges both here, as well as abroad, and unless we can "avoid the icebergs", we may suffer a similar fate as that liner did all those years ago.
But, even if we were to encounter such a traumatic event as a nation, metaphorically-speaking, I still firmly believe that we, as AMERICANS will always be survivors. Our destiny does not lead to a dead end street or a societal cul-de-sac.
We are better than that, as a nation...as a people...as individuals.
And we will weather whatever storm blows our way.
We're AMERICANS...it's what we do.
And we do it better than most everyone else.
So, wherever the fates find you today...
Stay safe out there, America.

Random Thoughts...
I was trying to decide what specifically to blog about today, but there was simply way too much "stuff" going on to focus on any ONE thing.
So,with that in mind, let's see what shakes out of the old apple tree...
-- From the "Avoid small cars at any cost" Department:
The latest "study" finds that smaller cars (like the YARIS, which makes a good spare in any REAL car's trunk) are more prone to causing severe injury to the occupants... (I'll wait a few seconds for that to sink in...or for you to stop laughing)
Alllllllllllrighty, then.
Looks like another job for CAPTAIN OBVIOUS here, doesn't it?
I mean, do the math. Small cars weight a LOT less than say...a SEMI, so who do YOU think will come out on top when these two vehicles decide to occupy the SAME space at the SAME time on a highway?
Cripes, I drive a Firebird, and the Consumer Reports for that year (1983) said that passenger safety was FIVE stars, and that driver safety was FOUR...damn good reason to get the car, so the survivability factor in my 26 year old car is a HELLUVA lot better than most any car (up through midsize) on the road today. The wife drives a Caprice Classic, and that's a damn tank...well, make that a "light" tank or an APC...LOL!
Now "if" you're ONLY going to allow such small vehicles on ANY road, it's best to keep them INSIDE the city limits, and on roads with speed limits UNDER 45...that would make the cars safer.
Sorry, but I can't see myself clear to owning one of those pregnant rollerskates, no matter HOW "fuel-efficient" they might be. Better to rework larger cars to get better mileage and then retrofit them to all run on HYDROGEN...and YOU heard it here first.
-- From the "It's called the JUDICIAL SYSTEM for a reason" Department:
Looks like we have a new kid on the block when it comes to handing down sentences that (in this blogger's opinion) are way too lenient.
Judge John Surbeck must be having a case of regrets, for he has recently sentenced two murderers to 25 and 35 years (repsectively) for "aggravated" HOMICIDE, when it was outright MURDER. Now, I used to think that when you shoot someone down in cold blood, that WAS murder...apparently no longer.
Now it's "only aggravated homicide".
And that won't get you the death sentence or EVEN life without parole.
How "novel" an idea to hand to the victim's family.
I would suggest that Judge Surbeck take some refresher course at IVY TECH or some other establishment of HIGHER learning that can 'splain to him what MURDER is. And how to PROPERLY sentence a person for COMMITTING MURDER.
-- From the "All or nothing at all" Department:
Fort Wayne is in the running for ALL AMERICAN CITY, and should our city win, it would make the THIRD time it has won the award. Now I was in San Diego back in 1978 when THAT city won the title, and I still have my commemorative Dr. Pepper bottle to prove it, but why FORT WAYNE?
Granted, we DO have a great zoo (south side of the city excluded...that one is definitely NOT for children), and the parks are not all that bad, traffic patterns that beat Philly hands down, and the NORTH and WEST sides of the city have a LOT of amenities that ANYONE living or visiting here would enjoy.
BUT...there are still TWO other sides of Fort Wayne, that are the antithesis of everything GOOD this city is noted for, and that's a heck of a stigma to overcome, isn't it, especially with all the crime around us down here, right?
Check out this link (and watch the video) to a New Orleans TV site for an idea as to what the "scenery" is like in the southeast part of Fort Wayne - the similarities are striking:
http://www.wwltv.com/topstories/stories/wwl041309cbcrimeblight.d09ea600.html
I would suppose that the "requirements" to have the title of ALL AMERICAN CITY has been loosened of late, as have our standards for passing kids from one grade to the next to make quotas.
Well...maybe time to change that too, right?
Now, for some briefs (not boxers)...
-- Phil Spector convicted of murder - About time (bad hair all around anyway)
-- Arlen Spector still a senator (can't win 'em all, can we?)
-- GM worried about bankruptcy - Shoulda thought about that around THIRTY YEARS ago, people.
-- Passenger lands plane after pilot succumbs to heart attack - Another case of an ordinary guy doing some EXTRAORDINARY.
God bless him.
-- Ammo vanishing from gun store shelves at record sales rates - Who says ALL the economy is going down the crapper...not me!
-- CA driver leads police on highway chase, says he wanted to commit suicide after he crashes - Better luck NEXT time.
-- Lastly, there is a nice size SINKHOLE along Clinton Street (a touch of IRONY in that street name and that huge HOLE...funny, yes?), and aside from wondering if those wacky French didn't really create a BLACK HOLE with their super-collider, and somehow send it through the earth to US, I have to admit that there is a powerful lesson to be learned JUST by acknowleging how that hole appeared from seemingly nowhere.
Take a look around the SOUTH side of town, and tell me THAT is also a hole in the city (of the financial kind).
The city dumps money into it (never enough to do any good, mind you), and it keeps getting worse. Businesses fold (and this was before this economic debacle), people move the hell away, and crime increases yearly across the board. Almost a THIRD of the entire FWPD's resources are utilized RIGHT HERE in the south side of town, and not much appears to come of it. Then again, one has to wonder WHY, and I won't go into that...not right now, anyway.
The city has lost (and will continue to lose) revenue down here because, no matter WHAT is done at this point, until the real problems get addressed, it will be more of YOUR tax money being pissed away.
But, situations like this occur in nearly every other major city across this nation.
People have become their own WORST problem.
And only people can SOLVE it.
Relying on "big government" to bail everyone out is never the answer (and never will be).
When regular citizens begin to realize that THEY have the real power in America, they CAN make changes that will be for the betterment of everyone concerned...
And that is something you CAN take to the bank.
In the meantime...
Stay safe out there, America.

Monday Musings...
Well, the Easter eggs have all been found (or HAVE they?), the holiday dinner is but a set of leftovers containers in the fridge, and...it's going to rain. No one ever said that Mondays would be all sunshine and lollipops now, did they?
One family in Vermont is happy.
The captain of the cargo container ship (Maersk Alabama) who had been captured by Somali pirates has been rescued. Can't say the same for the four pirates that held him hostage for several days. Three of them are dead, the other wounded and in custody (where I'm sure the ACLU will have a field day with when they bring him to America, instead of "hanging him from the highest yardarm").
But the captain's wife has her husband back, and our navy's seal team once again proves that might DOES make right.
Moving along...
Fort Wayne has seen it's 10th homicide this weekend.
(and counting...)
Happened right on a city street in the near south side (where else?) in Fort Wayne
Here's the links to this story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20090413/LOCAL07/304139990
* * *
http://news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090412/BREAKING/904120299/0/FRONTPAGE
Now, let's not even go there when it comes to GUN control
This is about a PERSON who could (obviously) NOT control his anger...the gun was only the instrument of settling that argument.
Could have been an old-fashioned beatdown, but hell no, the gun is quicker, more final...and LOUDER.
And again, we hear neighbors claiming that "It's usually a QUIET neighborhood".
Usually? Really? Quiet?
As in "It's quiet for about 5 minutes between all the OTHER obnoxious noises" kinda quiet?
Because THAT is exactly the "kind of quiet" we have in MY neighborhood (which really is NOT quiet at all, is it?).
And that brings me to an annoying aspect of (recent) modern day living.
People have seen fit to "redefine" what USED TO BE, into something more "user-friendly", and therefore suited to the venue.
Sure it's a QUIET neighborhood...as compared to living on the main runway at O'Hare International Airport, but that is far from what is normally considered to be quiet (at least in the context of WHAT USED TO BE).
And when you hear "He was such a GOOD boy", when the guy was shot dead,because of a drug deal gone south, or is imprisoned for murdering someone else, it REALLY means: "He didn't act THAT stupid when he was around us twice a week".
When you hear someone say: "I don't know why he did that...he never bothered anyone", what we can take away from that is:
a) He was mentally-challenged and got under the radar of mental health for YEARS before he shot up that school.
b) He was scared to go outside for fear of being accosted (like many seniors around this city).
c) Even he could only take so much disrespect and hatred against him for no reason,before he snapped.
d) He really DIDN'T bother anyone,...until they bothered him first.
So you see, whatever we hear, can be misconstrued to fit the scenario (or the media attention). Unless we know the FACTS of a situation, (which are easy enough to disseminate), we just sit back and go "wow...that's too bad".
So in this world of "instant" information, YOU, the reader, have to be a LOT more discerning with what you read. Information is coming at you at the speed of thought, and it can lead to overload...the old TMI thing, right?
And you are never too old to learn what the facts are. That's how people gain knowledge and wisdom...and the means to properly apply it.
Okay,enough "book learnin" for today...meanwhile, back at the ranch...
We broke down and got ourselves a new decorative fence for around the garden and patio (actually, it's my "first line perimeter boundary"). The old fence was rotting at the bases of the posts and the fences wiggled like a dancer in high gear on that FitTV show SHIMMY...LOL.
So we helped our economy along and got it all replaced...not a bad job either. I would have set about to doing it myself, BUT...all the neighbors that could help have MOVED AWAY, and I don't tackle anything of this scope SOLO...not when removing old posts and the cement surrounding them is required. I'm a little too "less than young" for that these days.
We did get a standard 4 inch spaced wooden picket, but with the material left over from the job, I plan to add staggered pickets on the BACK side of the rails, creating a "shadowbox" effect, and making the fence less "see-through". At least, that's the plan. I might have to get additional wood pieces, but the initial layout looks great...and is a damn sight less costly than BUYING the shadowboxed prefab fence sections, believe me...by a LOT!
The "3-dimensional" look is going to be the nicest aspect in the area for this fence.
Not that anyone gives a flying coitus, but it's OUR house (until we move), so screw them...I like it!
And I can keep the "Barbarians" at arm's length as well.
As for the next "project" on our list?
Well, there's the front steps...the front door, the 2 screen doors (all of which need replacing). And we should get a new roof for the HOUSE, before it begins to leak, and cost more $$$. Plus, it WILL match the new roof on the garage. That reminds me, we should get a new garage access door.
Then there's the annual "fixups", like painting, planting, trimming, assorted electrical, plumbing, and carpentry tasks (not large enough to be considered projects YET). Of course, that's always ASIDE from any AUTOMOTIVE concerns...or HEALTH concerns.
Oh, yeah...life can be a dream (sh-boom, sh-boom).
It's when it begins to become more like a repetitious nightmare worthy of a Stephen King novel, or a Rod Serling Twilight Zone script that things go a bit awry.
But...the thrill is in the pursuit OF that dream; that race to cross the finish line of life.
And the race continues...it never ends (as Messala said in Ben Hur).
I only hope the PIT STOPS don't cost me a LAP...!
Stay safe out there, America.

Good Friday Roundup...
As we enter into the most holy weeks in both the Jewish and Christian calendar year, it should make us all aware of one thing, and that would be something called SACRIFICE. Now, I don't want to commence to preaching all that much (haven't formally done that in many a moon as it is), but there are some things every one of us should remember.
I'm not going to advocate one belief over another, as anyone who knows anything about most religions has already realized, there are MANY similar truths to be found in EVERY major religion.
I like to call them all part of the "Universal Constant"; Things that never alter, no matter what the case (or what the religion).
SACRIFICE is the cornerstone of this week...and weekend, for those of the Judeo-Christian faith.
Passover represents to the Jews, the "passing over" of the angel of death in the Old Testament, which was the precursor to having the people of Israel released from the bondage of Egypt's Pharoah, Ramses II.
The Israelities knew, ahead of time, that being released WOULD entail many sacrifices, and those that did not initially place lamb's blood on their doorposts paid the ultimate sacrifice.
In the Christian realm, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to save us from the sins of the world (as chronicled in the New Testament of the Bible) shows that there comes a time when even the son of God has to make the ultimate commitment, in order to aid the greater number (for the greater good).
Then there's US...the regular people...the ones who go about our daily routine, just doing what we have to to make our lives better, and the world a better place. Try as we might, any sacrifice we make pales in comparison to what we read about, or even what our faith allows us to believe in.
But yet, we have those among us, who, through no fault of their own, have willingly taken a pledge...a vow...an oath to make a sacrifice, if need be, in order to preserve that which we truly hold dear, namely life itself.
And these people are no more remarkable than anyone else, until the time comes when they are forced, by circumstances beyond their control to fulfill that obligation regarding that sacrifice.
And the color of their skin matters not, nor does their nationality...or religious belief.
They might wear the uniform of a firefighter, or a policeman, or a soldier, sailor, Marine, or airman.
They may patrol our streets, rescue our friends from burning buildings, or preserve freedom in a foreign nation.
Doesn't really matter...
What DOES matter is that they DO WHAT THEY DO in order to make the rest of us safe enough to live our lives, often oblivious to the work they perform. THAT is sacrifice on the grand scale.
Does that mean that the rest of us cannot sacrifice in other ways?
Certainly not.
In today's world, most all of us are sacrificing every day. We might sacrifice that trip to the restaurant, or that costly toy for our child, or even that new car, in favor of keeping the older one running a few years longer. We buy the "off-brand", the "cheapie" version, and the "store brand" rather than the NAME BRAND, because we need to make a sacrifice to save money.
(I remember quite a few ketchup sandwiches that speak to that, when I was young)
And we view our sacrifice as much as those that have given their all for this country and it's people.
That alone should give us pause to think.
There are many things in life we can simply DO WITHOUT...and so we sacrifice.
Thing is, once we're okay with doing without (when we really don't need it to begin with), we start to appreciate that which we DO HAVE a lot more. And we find that we CAN do without and still be fine with it. That makes us a bit more frugal with our lives. We're not cheapskates, because we can help ourselves when it comes to decisions that will entail some type of sacrifice, be it financial or whatever.
So from today until the end of this Sunday...take a moment to reflect about what it means to SACRIFICE.
Whether this holiday finds you in church, in synagogue, in temple, or even at home...think about those before you that have made sacrifices.
Think about those who, this very minute, are sacrificing much in order to ensure YOUR safety. Think about tomorrow, and what sacrifices that will bring to so many in this country, perhaps even yourselves.
It doesn't matter if a sacrifice is made by ONE man, or by an entire nation. What needs to be understood is that it is often required in order to achieve a greater good.
And almost always, the sacrifice made is appreciated.
We may not enjoy making a sacrifice now and then, but in the end, we ARE better for it.
We may not wind up with the newest TV in the living room, the largest house on the street, or the leanest cut of meat from the grocery, but shouldn't such things NOT be those that define us?
Shouldn't we rather be defined by WHO WE ARE...and NOT by WHAT WE HAVE?
Sacrifices allow us that much in life.
And they build character, empower us to strive for the better, and compel us to become more than we were the day before.
We don't have to cut off our noses to spite our faces. All we have to do is make good decisions based on values our forefathers knew were inherent in us all, but perhaps needed a bit or "prodding" along the way.
A sacrifice now and then really drives that point home.
It's just common sense and something for everyone to think about on this Good Friday.
Have yourselves a great weekend, a Blessed Passover or Easter, and as always...
Stay safe out there, America.

Tales From The SOUTH Side...
Yes readers, time once again for some of the "fun" things that happen in the underbelly of Fort Wayne.
And you do know that with the advent of warmer weather, the "frivolity" NEVER seems to stop.
-- First up, the city is doing some sewer work in an alley close by, and I've been watching the progress for almost two weeks. Lots of dump trucks have been rumbling through taking dirt away, and the guys working there are at it from damn near sun up.
And of course, they DO have to go home.
They make sure that signs are posted that it's a construction site, and that the road is closed ahead. They secure their equipment for the evening, and call it a day.
End of story, right?
WRONG!
Enter some neighborhood youths of the minority persuasion, who, with ALL the toys on the market, and ALL the other things that should be keeping them otherwise entertained, find it fitting that this construction site will become their new PLAY AREA. (2 of the kids are numbered in the photo...the other two were hiding among the equpiment)
That's right, the X-BOX and the old playground aren't good ENOUGH any longer, and since whatever older person (they don't have parents in the usual sense) is SUPPOSED to be watching them is probably "getting their high on", they're NOT around to see that these kids are getting into something they're not supposed to.
Well, after a picture or two, and a well-timed call into the FWPD, a cruiser rolls up, and these kids were sent AWAY from an area where they could get seriously injured.
There...did MY good deed for the day.
But, unfortunately, the story doesn't end there.
Later towards evening, a group of about 7-8 black girls come down the street...and you can HEAR them yelping like a pack of rabid hyenas a damn block away, so they're advertising their presence. Reminds me of the older women who pour on SO much perfume, that the scent gets to you minutes before the person arrives.
So these girls walk past the ROAD CLOSED sign, and proceed to knock it the hell over, and then kick over a couple of the orange barrels the guys placed along the street.
Idle minds are STILL the devil's playground, aren't they?
And these kids' minds have been on "IDLE" since they were toddlers gnawing on paint chips in that rental the baby-mama got tossed out of years before. If there is a case for brain damage from lead ingestion, THESE kids win hands down! I think they're MADE to ingest the lead, so mama's got an excuse to why she can't get them to behave, when she really can't be bothered.
That was just in MY immediate area...
Hang in there, 'cause we're not finished...
-- A man was shot in the HEAD at a house at 3422 S. Hanna last evening, and was transported in A minus condition to the hospital (bad shot, but lucky for the vic). The man was shot in his basement (guess we ALL can't have shooting ranges like I do, but I don't use REAL ammo either).
Two people were cuffed and stuffed but have not been formally charged. I guess that's what happens when you have a DOZEN people in a small basement...with a gun...and NO idea WTF gun safety is all about, right?
-- And just when you thought the rash of robberies along E. State St. were abating....nope, wrong again.
The Green Dog store along State was targeted by a black robber yesterday. The store owner was handing over the money when HER dog jumped the thief. A struggle ensued, the dog was kicked, the owner cut (obviously by the robber), and the robber sustained dog bites (good doggie).
Makes me wish that K-9 unit that wrongly went after the black women the other day was at the damn store. That robber would be easy to spot with that German Shepard hanging off of his thigh, wouldn't he?
That's why I really should get a dog (when the cats depart). In my area, all you have to do is HAVE a dog, and these people will cross to the OTHER side of the street...now THAT'S entertainment (for me).
One former neighbor has two dachshunds, and whenever a black person came near his house, they'd stand there and bark. Man, that person didn't know whether to shit or go blind! It was kind of funny, as the dogs were too friendly to begin with.
-- A former student of my wife's was charged in the beating on an elderly couple. Last September, Deangelo James Holland broke into a home, beat an older couple, and made off with a grand total of $4 and a credit card. Before he left the residence, he struck an 89 year old woman in the head, wrapped duct taped around her eyes, and left her bleeding on a kitchen chair. Then when her 92 year old husband came home, Holland threw him to the floor, demanding his bank card.
Yesterday,Holland pleaded guilty to numerous charges stemming from that home invasion in exchange fora prison sentence of between 40-60 years. I dunno...works for me. Keep this savage off the damn streets.
When Holland left the house, the credit cards had been used at THREE gas stations, Wal-Mart and J.C. Penney (one busy-ass shopper stimulating his economy, no doubt). Interestingly enough, ALL of this was caught on VIDEO. The CLARK station, GLENBROOK MALL and WAL-MART all had Deangelo right in THEIR sights.
Holland also pleaded guilty to an unrelated robbery from February. As part of the (here we go with this shit again) PLEA AGREEMENT, Holland will serve the both robbery sentences CONCURRENTLY...and NOT CONSECUTIVELY (damn judicial system screws up again).
-- Another molester is charged (hurray for the good guys).
Jermarcus Jones (who the f$ck NAMES these people???), 26, of the 5000 block of Holton Avenue (yes, deep on the south side of town...where I personally have close to FIFTY sex offenders within a 1 mile radius of MY house) is being charged with two counts of child molestation. He has NOT been arrested (what the f$ck are you waiting for????).
Back in November, Jones molested a 13 year old girl during a sleepover at the home of the victim's friend.
Lastly, I saw an interesting show on the History Channel about the 7 deadly sins. They were talking about ENVY (nice touch).
If there is ONE commonality among all the Aborigines in MY area, it's ENVY!
I've said here many times they have the mindset of "What's yours is MINE, and what's MINE is MY OWN".
it's not about keeping up with the Joneses...or the Smiths...or even the Cohens. It's about BESTING THEM ALL...and by any means possible.
It never occurs to any of them that *if* they went out and EARNED a damn living from a REAL job, they could GET whatever it is they feel they "need". Trouble is with ENVY...it is NEVER satisfied...welcome to MY neighborhood.
They want what YOU have, simple as that.
Doesn't matter if they NEED it...they just WANT it.
(because YOU have it...whatever *it* is)
Phil Marx lives in a corner property, as do I, and I can say that people WANT our houses. They might not come up and make us an offer, but they DO want them.
They want the ease of access, as well as the views offered from most any direction. Let's face it, they'd make damn good DRUG HOUSES. It would certainly be on MY list, were I like these thugs.
Those that want what you have will stop at nothing to make your life as miserable as possible for you. They will encroach on YOUR property, make YOUR lawn the repository of whatever trash falls from their primate paws, urinate in public against a house or garage, and will gladly take to vandalism to get their "point" across.
The sad thing is that too many people caved into the ENVY emanating from these people and left the area, when they SHOULD have took a stand and made THEIR point known.
And then, after a time, a city wonders WHY their tax base has eroded away like a levy in New Orleans during a CAT-5 storm.
It's sure NOT the economy, because people like my "neighbors" do the same damn thing even if the economy is BOOMING. It's just in their nature. Must be the lack of frontal lobe development we hear about.
In any event, much of the problems found in an area like mine (or Phil's) can be attributed to ENVY, plain and simple.
Would it be that we could just acknowledge that some people will always have more than we do, and that we should be content with WHAT WE HAVE, what we WORKED FOR, and what we have been given STEWARDSHIP of, as the Good Lord intended.
It's not a pipe dream, but is certainly is common sense.
Stay safe out there, America.