Shawn Shearer is a resident of New Haven and a member of the 122nd Fighter Wing. While on vacation in Florida Shearer saved the mother of two children who were caught-up in a riptide. I salute the Sergeant Shearer for his selfless bravery and commitment to service.
You can watch the video HERE
On Friday I received a notice in the mail from the company through which I lease my vehicle. The notice informed me that due to an upcoming increase in Indiana Sales Tax my monthly payment would increase starting next month.
The arrival of this notice reminded me of the old Bob Rohrman commercials that used to play on the radio when tax season was approaching. This was back when car dealerships had to pay tax on their inventory. In the commercial, Bob would urge buyers to come into his dealerships as quickly as possible so he beat the “tax man” who would always chant PREPARE TO PAY!
The State of Indiana has really pulled a number on its residents this time. While the City of Fort Wayne looks for ways to cut $9.5 million out of its budget, the state will collect additional sales tax which has now increased 40% in the last 6 years. (Correction: This post used to read that state sales tax had increased 40% since Daniels became Governor. A reader kindly reminded me that the increase from 5% to 6% occurred in 2002 prior to Daniels taking office.)
I have a feeling that locally we’re headed toward a period of stagnation and neglect.
You can’t open a newspaper or watch a televised newscast without hearing about someone who has been injured or killed by a gun. Gun violence is a juicy story after all. With all of this attention, it makes reasonable sense that we have a strong movement to limit the number of guns in society. But, are we really addressing a real problem or are we constructing an illusion? The crux of the argument for and against gun control focuses on the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution of United States.
“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
The real argument seems to fixate on grammar and capitalization. This could keep all of the English professors in the United States busy in perpetuity. I would suggest that 2nd Amendment is written to protect each citizen’s right to keep and bear arms. The foundation of this country is based on the common person’s ability to own fire arms. Our earliest battles relied heavily on the self reliance and ability of our citizens to rise up and defend ourselves. Some would argue this is a fact that has since passed its need or practicality. But, has it? I would consider our current state of security threatened and easily imbalanced in the new world of terrorism. We don’t know when or where the next attack will take place, or what kind of attack it will be.
I’m a veteran. I received military training on the proper use of firearms. I don’t own an AR-15 or a RPG today. However, I do own various weapons easily purchased from Dick’s Sporting Goods. Now, I’m sure someone will be quick to tell me that guns kill people. You won’t get an argument out of me on that. I take the ownership of these weapons very seriously and practice responsible storage and handling procedures.
Being realistic you have to also admit that people aren’t killed by guns alone. The list of lethal weapons is long, so let’s look at some of the other weapons. The knife does a fine job, as well as the baseball bat, shovel, hammer, beer bottle, rock… Left alone or used properly none of these things will kill another person, guns included. It’s not the weapon that kills; it’s the person using it.
Absent of me owning a gun or having access to one, if someone breaks into my house and threatens my family, you can bet that something in my home is going to be a weapon even if it’s my own hands and teeth. Forgive me, but war vets tend to be this way. Beyond the scenario where the safety of my home is threatened and is expanded to be my community, you can bet that I will step up to protect my neighbors should it be necessary. And, I know many of my brothers and sisters at American Legion Post 98 will be there as well. That’s what veterans do.
Okay, but I have left out gun violence and criminal activity. Is this a gun problem or a behavioral issue? It’s unreasonable to believe that we can eradicate guns or prevent the criminal element from getting their mitts on them. Even if we were successful, there would still be the Ginsu knife, Louisville Sluggers bat, Ames shovel, True Temper hammer, Samuel Adams beer bottle and glacial rock to be misused in the act of a crime.
How do we deal with the gun problem? Good question!
The Democratic Presidential Nomination has reached a fever pitch, a boiling fever that is. Obama and Clinton are running a very close and heated race. Supporters of each camp are digging in even deeper as we near the close of the primary election cycle. This might be the lightning bolt McCain was looking for. As we saw last year in Allen County, a divide in a party works to the advantage of the other. McCain would do his campaign well by taking this time to work the middle ground.
Most agree that justice must be served. However, are there mitigating circumstances, when balanced against the nature of the crime, that should receive a sensible degree of accommodation? I think so.
Child’s Dying Wish Going Unfulfilled
The Heartbreaking Story of a Young Cancer Patient and Her Incarcerated Father
For very sick little girls, sometimes a father can be the best medicine there is. But the heartbroken family of a 10-year-old Nebraska girl diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, who is not expected to live through the end of the month, say the Federal Bureau of Prisons has denied the child’s dying wish: that her incarcerated father be furloughed to be by his child’s bedside when she dies. …
Jason Charles Yaeger is serving the final year of a five-year sentence for a drug conviction in a minimum security prison camp in South Dakota, three and a half hours from his daughter, Jayci
In the meantime we have heinous criminals running the streets and playgrounds of America due to the growing prison overpopulation problem. I would never have guessed that someone would serve “hard time” in a minimum security prison.
I was amazed to read that Oprah donated $10,000 to Fort Wayne’s Indiana News Center to be used for a meaningful civic project. My amazement was quickly tarnished as I continued to read that it was being earmarked for the Aboite Trails. Granted, I can’t wait until we get this trail system out here, but I was confused by why this area of the community was getting the money. Yes, my taxes went up, and being a bit selfish, I believe we should get some additional services for the increase in my property tax.
Oprah is truly a philanthropic individual and has focused a great deal of her wealth to help the underprivileged. The last I checked I didn’t fall into that class, nor did any of my neighbors. I personally felt Oprah’s money should have been allocated for a community project in southeast Fort Wayne. The scope of the Aboite Trails well exceeds a $10,000 donation. This money could have paid for nice playground equipment in a neighborhood park where it could provide constructive recreation for children.
My disappointment was somewhat eased when I read another blog that reported the money will be split between various governmental units who develop and maintain trail systems. I sincerely hope the money attracts additional funds and actually has a positive impact on the greater Fort Wayne area.
5. Was able to purchase a $20 cigar at Regal’s, but was not allowed to “light” up.
4. Horrified that nobody with the last name of Lewisnky appeared in the Fort Wayne phone book.
3. Found the skate park at Lawton Park to be “totally bitching, dude!”
2. Read the Fort Wayne Newspaper and learned they hate virtually everyone, including him.
1. Disappointed that the Fort Wayne Philharmonic declined his request to play saxophone. Denial read “Our regrets, you suck too much to play a woodwind.”
I’m a heterosexual and I’m married. Seemingly those two qualifiers need protected by law. Why? Before my wedding I was required to obtain a marriage license. I don’t remember any questions about my sexual persuasion on the application. The marriage license looked more like a contract between two consenting adults. I never questioned the process or the requirement of the license. After all it made sense to me. In order for my wife and me to live together and enjoy the luxuries of combined incomes and employment benefits, there had to be some public record of the relationship. Albeit, we could have still lived together without being married; we simply would not have had the benefits.
It’s interesting that an elected official can officiate a wedding instead of an ordained minister. To dissolve a marriage, you must obtain a decree from a judge. In the state’s eyes a marriage is nothing more than a contract. Beyond the “official” paper that states I’m married, my wife and I have a meaningful relationship, we had children and acquired common assets. I have good friends who live the same lifestyle, but they are not married. If their relationships dissolve, I’m sure a judge would have to intervene to decide the division of assets should there be a disagreement. This is very similar to a divorce in many respects.
For whatever reason our elected officials think they need to define marriage more explicitly as the union between man and woman. This type of legislation has no significant meaning to my marriage simply because I fall into the specified definition. But, this does single out specific lifestyles. Are we still such a slope-headed society that we need to persecute and single out natural segments of humanity? I remember the days when color was the deciding factor on how you lived in society. Thank God those days are well behind us. But just as we begin to make forward movement as a civilization, this pervasive madness consumes us once again. Heaven forbid that any parent be cursed with a child who is gay. Your dreams as a parent will be completely obliterated knowing that our society has deemed this as some sort of communicable disease. Understanding and acceptance would be a marvelous plague to have at this point in time.
Being someone who read various blogs over the last several years, I admit being frustrated with bloggers who wouldn’t post regularly. Now, that I have assumed the duties of Centerline, I understand the work and time commitment you take on to keep things fresh. Between work and winter illness I haven’t been able to focus my attention to this site. I have chewed myself out thoroughly, but you are welcome to add your hits should wish. If I should be so lucky to retire in the future, this will be a therapeutic hobby. It sure beats watching squirrels and birds in the feeder.
10. Enters Bill in the Dancing with the Stars competition.
9. Secretly undergoes a major Botox therapy and comes out looking like John Kerry.
8. Promises to expand National Healthcare to include animals that illegally entered the United States.
7. Wages new attacks on Barack Obama and accuses him as being the father of Emanuel Lewis.
6. Shifts from using Fleetwood Mac for campaign songs and adopts Elton John’s “The Bitch is Back.”
5. Will eat her weight in Buckeyes in exchange for double-digit win in Ohio.
4. Promises an unprecedented expansion of every Texan’s 10-gallon hat to 12-gallons.
3. If she wins Ohio, pledges Executive Order to put Pete Rose in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
2. Threatens a wide-reaching federal ban on Selena music if Texas doesn’t “make with the delegates.”
1. Commits 6-man Secret Service detail to making sure Bill never answers the phone at 3 a.m.
