Monday Musings...

And, it looks to be a stellar day outside in our part of the Heartland with a somewhat overcast morning to get things going.
We even have a bit of fog (makes seeing any "neighbors" less easy - I like that).
Temps today will reach the upper 70s with mostly sunshine and no precip because we had it all this weekend.
With that said, let's begin another "fun-filled" 120 hours until we reach this Friday...
*** First off, the morning paper...(sighs)...where to begin...
Ever since or one really GOOD carrier left the business a few years back, we've been saddled with a plethora of incompetent ADULTS whose only purpose for having a paper routs is some extra "beer money" (or whatever else), and that speaks to a part of a large problem that bugs this nation - lack of PRIDE in one's work.
Now, granted that delivering papers isn't a fast-track to a publishing career, but if you HAVE something called a WORK ETHIC to begin with, you DO THE BEST you can, no matter the situation, right? It helps to have this in order to KEEP the damn job as well.

Well, this morning, the paper was on the WALKWAY between our steps and NOT on the top step where we requested it should be.
It's a good size top step, easy to hit with a half-decent arm, but tossing from a car idling curbside isn't the BEST way to make it.
So, once again I call in to "suggest" (read complain) about the delivery.
This comes on the hells of receiving TWO SUNDAY papers yesterday. One placed on the top step (huzzah), and another ON THE SIDEWALK...and that one was LAST WEEK'S Sunday paper...complete and bagged. Go frigging figure, people. I have no idea what this carrier is doing, but I guess that's fine...neither do they.
Perhaps the newspaper will let this bird GO, and then we can start all this anew...AGAIN.
Work ethics? WHAT work ethics?
Moving on...
*** Had a problem with our primary toilet on Saturday, and that prompted a quasi-emergency run to Menard's yesterday.

Now, I prefer a toilet that flushes...every time. I don't ask for much from my bathroom mainstays...just that they FUNCTION.
So, Wifey and I drive over to the big-box and get some parts...along with other stuff like more plants (found some really cool ones), a few border edge bricks (for out front), two solar lights shaped like a butterfly and hummingbird (that rotate colors) for cheap, and a few other items...a good haul.
After we got home, away I went into the bathroom and do some "plumbing"...

And I can never work in the bathroom without recalling one of the BEST Three Stooges shorts from 1940 called: "A Plumbing We Will Go"...

It is HILARIOUS beyond belief...STILL!

(thank God for DVDs)

The black actor (Dudley Dickerson 1906 - 1968) that plays the chef in the house is BRILLIANT..."Sorry folks, dinner's postponed on account of rain."

His best line for me in the film was when he notices all the stuff that's happening to the water and electricity and says thimself: "This house sure gone crazy!"

Anyway, I had to shut the water off first to drain the tank, and NO, there is no shut off AT the toilet (where there SHOULD be), and since Curly once noted that "...water always runs downhill", I knew WHERE to go to shut off the water...the BASEMENT.
Well, after that, and about ten non-cussin' minutes later, I turned the water back on, and gave the fix a "test drive"...
Flushed like a damn dream...nice and smooth. I even swapped out the handle assembly.
Mission accomplished...!

Then, I took 2 new hangers we got for the feeders and placed them on the fence. And THAT went well also...(I'm usually not used to this happening - everything SEEMS to turn into a bloody project...lol)

The new hangers allow for BOTH the hanging plants AND hummingbird feeders (sweet), and that frees up the other older hangers for regular bird feeders.

We have some nice additions to the garden...when we (I) get them planted.
And it all worked out quite well, even with us adding a THIRD hummingbird feeder we have near the patio door.
Again...Mission Accomplished.
Two fer two...I'm feeling like a kid again.
I made a spaghetti dinner w/ hot sausage...AND had a beer (Guinness, of course) to chase it down in memory of Dad, and Father's day.
All in all, not a bad time...for a welcome change.
*** That brings me to Father's Day in the ghettohood...(do control your laughter.)

Must be another Father's Day.

Some might say it's the most CONFUSING day of the year for most of the "locals" down here, and I'd have to agree.
Sorry, that's just what I notice...lots of "man-children" with NO responsibility hanging out, doing as little as possible, unless it has to do with crime or drugs.

Ghetto moms - and proud of it.

Mainly, it's the WOMEN who raise whatever kids are born out of wedlock - the males are only around for some "trim" now and then, which often produces MORE kids, even with all the FREE contraceptives available. courtesy of the U.S. TAXPAYERS of this nation!
The males roam from crib to crib in their boomcars, replete with rims, tires and kick-ass stereos, settling in for a spell with one female, then eventually moving on to the next one...and so on.
Think of it as a "Circle of Strife" kinda thing...
"You can't DRIVE a house, BUT you CAN live in a car." would be the response by most all these males.

Sadly, the women also lose the benefit of having a proper father (multi-generational illegitimacy in child-birth and a dependence upon the GOVERNMENT for everything as a result).

Wonder if this applies at LIQUOR stores?

They raise a child without even knowing what a father is SUPPOSED to be to them initially, so there's nothing to "pass along" to THEIR children, good OR bad...a real LOSE-LOSE here.

So, what you have is a bunch of people growing up with NO role models, NO fatherly advice, NO life experiences to pass along...NOTHING.
Everyone's "winging it", making it up as they meander along, and that usually means little good will come of such upbringing.
Welcome to the ghettohood, folks.
*** Lastly today, because I feel like keeping this short and sweet for a Monday, is that SOME sense of family needs to be in every person's life.

Mankind IS a social creature...from earliest accounts, we have seen that man has sought out others of his kind, rather than go it all alone.
In a tribal sense, the reasoning in flawless. When being attacked or trying to survive, there is safety in numbers.
These days, being as "civilized" as we're supposed to be, it's okay to not be AS social as our ancient ancestors. We can still remain in touch with everyone and everything, thanks to inventions and technology.
But every time the pendulum swings ONE way, it invariably HAS to swing back the OTHER way.

We have become TOO comfortable with invention...we have given up the nuances that go along with PERSONAL contact in favor of the faceless and "emotionless" aspects of cold, hard technology.

Our society has allowed men to become less accountable for the children they sire to women, leaving them to fend for themselves, instead of manning up and doing the right thing.

On the other side, many women seek release from abusive relationships where the man is harming the children as well as the woman.

Mankind is STILL flawed in many ways...that's probably never going to change any time soon, but when certain societal parameters are no longer applied or even enforced, but others or by self, the result is pretty much what we see every day.

We ALL have to answer for what we do in life, just as much as for what we DO NOT do, and therein lies the issue.

Many simply do not WANT to do anything.
Life is always more about NEEDS than WANTS, anyway...if you're really living life and not going through the motions of it.
People need to figure out what they NEED to do in life, and that will require some effort.
Some of it will be physical, some mental, and much of it emotional.
But THAT is how we all advance as a species...or at least how we SHOULD.
I believe such things are easily attainable for ANY of us, as long as the desire doesn't wain.
Have yourselves a great week.

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

Friday Follies - The "F"-Word Edition...

Welcome to the end of our week, and what better day to acknowledge the weekend THAN by flying our FLAG!
The weather today will be a bit on the spectacular side, with temps reaching into the mid to upper 70s, light breezes, and no chance of precip.

You can't buy THAT kinda forecast for a dollar, right?

In the meantime, we've plenty of "F" words to talk about, and hopefully we won't be CUSSIN' all that much along the way.

*** First up, I apologize for the tardiness of today's post, but with school being out for summer, Wifey and I go to grocery on FRIDAYS...not a bad deal, IF you like heavier traffic patterns and poorly-times traffic lights.

Still, it wasn't a bad go...and if I remembered to get EGGS, it would have been PERFECT...LOL.

We got all week to make up for that brain FART. (there's an "F" word already)

Meanwhile, back in Aisle Five...
*** You should NEVER get into a "domestic" (police call) when the "FIVE-OH" is looking for you as part of a FEDERAL bank robbery investigation,.,..should you?

Well, Charlie Seals, Jr, who I highlighted in yesterday's post as one of the standoffs police had to deal with on the 500 block of Pinegrove Ave., got a good case of the STUPIDS!
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130614/LOCAL07/306149912/1002/LOCAL
Yep, the FEDS hit a nice "stand-up double" by nailing THIS thug!
His "cohort", Deyante Stephens, who was out of prison mere DAYS before the PNC heist on Coventry Lane is in my archive posts.
Seal's brother, Christopher Seals is linked to PNC robbery back in February, although he has NOT been charged YET.
(Why the F$CK NOT???)
Like I said, the apples NEVER fall from the tree, do they...but they sure seem full of "worms".
Moving on...
*** As I hinted at the top of my post, today IS...(drum roll, please)...FLAG DAY!

And here's the WIKI as you requested:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_Day_(United_States)
Yes friends, it was back in 1777, on this day when our FLEDGLING nation adopted our first, officially authorized FLAG. (more "F" words)

Since then, we've added stars as we've added states, and NO...Mexico is NOT slated to become our 51st state, contrary to the Obummer administration rumors...LOL.
Actually, the WEEK of 14 June is slated as NATIONAL FLAG WEEK, but we don't hear much tell about that these days.
And here is the WIKI for our AMERICAN FLAG (long may she wave):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_United_States
A very good read into the HISTORY of our flag and how it began.
It also has every other flag used up to the adoption of our "official" FLAG.

Contained in this WIKI is a description of proper flag ETIQUETTE, as well as the CORRECT colors, and size ratios of the stripes and stars.
I mean, we didn't just "butch" the darn thing together in some back room.
A LOT of thought went into it's creation and how BEST to become a lasting SYMBOL of what America stands for.
You will also find the manner in which to FOLD the flag for storage, how it's to be WORN (and how NOT to wear it...that's for the hippies who wander in...lol) and where it's on perpetual display, and also when it's to be flown at HALF-STAFF.
It's a really comprehensive look at the most beautiful symbols of America.
And who would have thought it's only made up of just THREE colors?
So many have given their lives to make sure our flag will fly proudly over this land...and we should remember that today as well.

I have to admit that there are times I can just look at "Old Glory" and get misty-eyed, and I will confess there are specific services that feature our flag that will not have a dry eye in the damn house.
History has also shown that our flag stays the test of time, whether it's at Ft. Sumter, Iwo Jima, the Washington Monument, draped over a fallen warrior's casket, or displayed in front of a person's house...a person who KNOWS what that symbol stands for.
So, if you DO have a flag, FLY it with pride...for this nation and what it has endured over time, for all who made it possible for you to do so, as well as a reminder to all that OUR colors never run.
*** Next up, Sunday is FATHER'S DAY (another "F" word), and it's a time when we pay homage to the men who choose responsibility over personal gain by being there for their sons and daughters.

Here's the WIKI for this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father%27s_day
These days, we can't celebrate DAD being the sole breadwinner of the family, because...well times change, and in many families, MOM makes more than DAD...blame that on losing so much manufacturing in this country.
Dad used to go out and bust his butt for paltry wages, and bring it home to pay the bills. Mom tended to the house and kids.

It's no longer the Cleaver household, and that's fine to some degree.
We have Mr. Moms now in some cases, but whatever the situation, it's a "joint-venture"...a MOTHER and FATHER to raise a child or children.
Sometimes, we have single parent households, and very often, THOSE parents do the job of BOTH, which is, in and of itself, remarkable beyond words.
But Sunday is FATHER'S day, just as we had Mother's day.
Time for Dad to be allowed to "reign" and be given all sorts of "man" things...like TOOLS...LOL.
Hell, in our house, Mom made Dad a CAKE...and it was always good to have CAKE around.
Maybe my Father would get a new wallet...and he would immediately ask:
"Where's the MONEY that's supposed to go IN it?"

Like I said, Dad was a man of FEW words,. but very WISE ones...!
He maybe got a new pair of work shoes, or mom would spring for a case of beer for him.
But whatever the present, she always made sure he got whatever he wanted for DINNER (...along with the cake).
I always wondered why we never had a CHILDREN'S DAY when I was growing up...seemed a bit left out of the picture.
In any event, YOU make sure Dad is acknowledged this Sunday, just as you did with Mom.
*** Lastly, it's always nice to remember things that made an impact on you.

And aside from the daily toil, and crime, and myriad of other "diversions" meant to FOG the mind, and keep us from FOCUSING on things we need to, we almost have to MAKE time to recall such things as our FLAG or our FATHERS.
Perhaps it's nice to get that kick in our old complacency from time to time...so that we never FORGET.
I cannot FATHOM what it would be like without such memories or recollections.

Everyone of us NEEDS them, and the more we can create as we grow up and as we age...the better.

It's called a LEGACY.
Just like what our parents manage to leave to US...we also leave to those that follow...if we so choose to.
And I feel that's one choice WORTH making.
Have yourselves a great weekend.

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

Another Morning After...

You take a gander out of your window this morning, and the brilliance of that sunrise would NEVER lead you to believe we had a round of severe thunderstorms last night...would it?
Well, Wifey kept her sneakers on, in case we had to make a dash for the cellar, as there were reports of funnel clouds in the area.
And there I was, standing outside, under our trellis, watching the lightning and listening to the thunder.
Oh, I DID go inside after the rain began.

And, it was a gully-washer...came down in sheets for over an hour. Fortunately, the winds were nowhere as bad as once forecast.
One might even say we "dodged a bullet", and down here in the ghettohood, that's easier said...than done.
You can ask twenty-three people how that panned out for them this year...if they were still alive.
Today's weather will a lot LESS severe...clouds, some sun, and temps reaching into the lower 70s. Hey, it's the MIDWEST...whaddaya expect?
But enough about that, let's greet this day with quiet anticipation, and get busy with what's been going on...
*** First off the line today, the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor."

This was spoken by Henry David Thoreau (12 July 1817 - 6 May 1862) and here is his WIKI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_David_Thoreau
Like I said yesterday, you heard of him in your American Lit classes.
He's best know for his book WALDEN - a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings.
(something I strive for as much as our surroundings will allow)
I have to confess to almost nodding off while reading it, and that's not to say it was boring.


Walden Pond



It was, in many ways to me, too damn relaxing...like a subtle work of chamber music or a choral chant.

Thoreau is also known for his essay CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE, and argument for individual resistance to civil government in moral opposition to an unjust state. Given the times today, it might be wise to read that essay...a few times.

Thoreau was an author, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, tax resister (betcha he'd LOVE the IRS), developer, critic, surveyor, historian, and leading transcendentalist (okay, not hot for that last one).

Replica cabin and Thoreau statue

His philosophy on civil disobedience influenced such later men as Gandhi, Tolstoy, and Martin Luther king, Jr.

Thoreau could be considered an anarchist, and while his essay would call for IMPROVING and not ABOLISHING government, the direction OF that "improvement" points to anarchism:
"That government is best which governs not at all, and when men are prepared for it, that will be the kind of government which they will have."

His life is worth the read, and I won;t get into detail here. You can peruse it for yourselves.
He did have one quote that I find quite apropos:
"Most of the luxuries and many of the so-called comforts of life are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind."
Guess he figured out what SMART PHONES, PLAYSTATIONS, and IPODS were long before they were invented.
I DO disagree with him when it comes to AIR-CONDITIONING, though...LOL.
Meanwhile, back on Walden Pond...
*** Not one, but TWO standoffs keep the emergency response teams BUSY in Ft. Wayne.
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130613/LOCAL07/306139969
Both stemmed from domestic disputes - again, we see the FAILURE to be able to discuss things in a RATIONAL MANNER with cooler heads.
--The first incident happened Wednesday around 0242 hrs in the 2600 block of Princeton Ave.

A suicidal man was inside the house and made threats to harm others. He was said to be armed with a handgun.
It took five hours, but police ERT was able to make entry and bring the man out unharmed. He was taken to hospital for a mental eval.
No charges have been filed so far, and the ID of the person was not released.
--The second incident happened less than an hour later, around 0317 hrs, in the 500 block of Pinegrove Lane.

In this case, Charles R. Seals, Jr,  23, was the person holding a woman and child hostage. He was also armed.

After refusing to surrender to police for 3 hours, the woman exited the home, and SWAT made entry, taking Seals into custody.
The child, also found inside was unharmed.
Seals is preliminarily charged with being a felon in possession of a handgun w/o a license, and is being held w/o bail at the lockup.
And here is the RAP SHEET
(as requested...lol)
=======================
02D05-1204-IF-004806 000032067904
000032067904 SEALS, CHARLES R, Jr. 04/30/2012
Allen Superior Court 5 IF - Infraction
Pending 9-24-19-1/IFA: Driving While Suspended
9-21-5-2/IFC: Speeding
02D06-1205-FC-000145 Seals, Charles R, Jr. 05/03/2012
Allen Superior Court 5 FC - Class C Felony
Decided 35-42-2-1(a)(8)/FC: Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury to a Pregnant Woman
35-42-2-1.3(b)(2)/FD: Domestic Battery - Committed
02D06-1212-CM-006648 NA SEALS, CHARLES R, Jr. 12/12/2012
Allen Superior Court 6 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided 35-43-2-2(a)(5)/MA: Criminal Trespass
02D06-1302-CM-000869 NA SEALS, CHARLES R, Jr. 02/25/2013
Allen Superior Court 6 CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided 35-44.1-3-1(a)(1)/MA: Resisting Law Enforcement
02D05-1303-FD-000336 Seals, Charles R, Jr. 03/22/2013
Allen Superior Court 5 FD - Class D Felony
Pending
02D05-1304-FC-000117 Seals, Charles R, Jr. 04/24/2013
Allen Superior Court 5 FC - Class C Felony
Pending 35-47-2-1/FC: Carrying Handgun w/o License-Prior/Prior Felony w/in 15 Yrs/School Prop, School Bus
35-44.1-3-1(a)(3)/FD: Resisting Law Enforcement/Use of Vehicle to Commit Offense
35-43-4-2(b)/FD: Receiving Stolen Property
======================
In THIS case, the "apple didn't fall far from the tree", as apparently his "father" ALSO has a very lengthy rap sheet, for much of the SAME infractions and felonies. Nice to know that SOME aspects of "family living" abound down here, isn't it?
Hope "daddy" comes to visit you.
Moving on...
*** This is one of those "Shades of Preston Tucker" moments for me.
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130613/NEWS07/306139939/0/SEARCH

A fledgling company that started back in 2009, called CARBON MOTORS, that had designs on producing high-tech POLICE cars has filed for bankruptcy.
That's a damn shame, because the car they prototyped was a damn fine one.
I can no longer find a link to the website, so I can only surmise it's been shut down as well.
But, here's the WIKI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_Motors_Corporation

I have a few archived posts about this vehicle and why I thought having them on our streets would be a good thing for all the LEOs out there.
Carbon Motors listed liabilities of about $21.7 MIL and listed assets at only $18, 976. (ouch).
I only took Accounting 101 (in business college), but even I know THOSE kinda numbers don't look good, on ANY balance sheet.

The bankruptcy also sticks to the city of Connersville, IN - a city that has suffered the highest unemployment rate in the state.

The company's plan unraveled like a cheap sweater when the Department of Energy DENIED a request for a loan amounting to $310 Mil back in march of 2012.

But that VERY SAME DOE can blow the wad funding failed companies like FISKAR...and SOLYNDRA, and the amounts THEY took out of the federal coffers and "our pockets" (I do believe it was around $500 BILLION) was a helluva LOT MORE.

This smacks of the SEC suit against Preston Tucker, when HE tried to build an automobile that had innovations unheard of at the time (post-war America), but interestingly enough, are in TODAY'S cars.
The Feds busted on Tucker and forced him into near insolvency, and although he built the required 50 vehicles, he still had to close his plant and end his dream of a safer automobile...and a damn nice-looking car for the time.

Here's Tucker's WIKI:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preston_Tucker

Two companies that showed such promise...and both companies done in by our own Federal government.
I guess the "Big 3" still have plenty of clout when it comes to quashing American Exceptionalism.
*** Lastly today, we made it through one storm, but what about the larger storm around us DAILY, that refuses to go away?

I'm talking about the societal storm...or perhaps it's the governmental storm.
Maybe it's the combination of both?
We were supposed to be living in an era of "plenty", and by that I don't mean plenty of ANGST.
There was supposed to be more of what we needed and less of what we didn't.
Seems it's the other way around, doesn't it?
If we're not worried about our PRIVACY, then it's the threat of terrorism, or a collapsing economy...or a lack of sustainable energy sources.

But let's call things as they REALLY are.
We have plenty of oil. That's on the plus side.
We also have a government that wishes to run our very lives...completely.
Hell, a PLIABLE populace is one that can be CONTROLLED a lot easier than an INFORMED populace.
That's where the educational system comes in...or should butt the hell out.
We need MORE INFORMED people, not docile, entitlement-driven lemmings, for God's sake.

This country needs a serious infusion of The American Spirit - that which made this nation great and kept us there for a long time.

People need to wake up, and realize that whatever "contentment" the government is providing is a ruse...a means to an end; it's meant to have YOU under THEIR protection.

Now, while that might work out well on a NATIONAL scale (from foreign invasion for example) it takes away from every one of us.

Our government WORKS FOR US...and not the other way around.

They don't work against us, or alongside us, but FOR us, as in OUR BEST INTEREST as WE see fit (and not the way they see it).

That is what the founding documents are all about...the release FROM tyranny, not the submission TO tyranny.

And I think that if we keep that in mind, we WILL become better informed, and thereby increase the depth of our own wisdom as we make better choices for ourselves...and our future.
We won't know unless we ALL give it a go.

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

Humpday Happenings...

I trust you are all well-rested and awaiting the start of another day.
The Heartland weather will be mostly cloudy with a chance of rain throughout the day, but the REAL rain is supposed to come later this evening, with the potential for severe weather such as rain and winds.
Temps will reach the upper 80s today and the humidity won't be far behind.
In other words, the air will be "heavy" and you might even be able to wring some of it out.
So, let's make the best of things, kick on the A/C for a spell, and see what all's been going on.
*** First up, is our Motto of the Week aka WHO SAID THAT?
"I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor."
Those of you that paid attention in classical literature studies might figure this one out.
The answer at the top of tomorrow's post.
Meanwhile, back in the library stacks...

*** My father was a person of fewer words than most, unless he was relating some workplace tale, which was usually humorous, but he always had time to explain something to you, should you ever ask.

Sometimes, you didn't even HAVE to ask, especially if you did something wrong.

Then, he was only too happy to not mince words and set you straight.
But he also did have his quotable moments, and one of them will always stay with me.

He used to say:
"When you toss a rock into a pack of dogs, the one that yelps is the one that got hit."

Now, you can do a web search for who first said this, but the only other instance (aside from HERE) that I found was at the National Association of Scholars , and I never heard of them until recently.
There are several links to THIS blog where I used the saying, and one from Leo Morris's blog (News-Sentinel) where Nancy Nall (who left Fort Wayne) and myself debated the issue of crime and deterioration on the South side of town years ago.
And I even had a few staunch supporters...imagine that.
Maybe my father created the damn saying...I have no idea.
Dad might not have been a scholar, BUT, he (imho) WAS a very wise man, and that goes along with all the other older folks I managed to come in contact with as I was growing up.
In fact, to this day (and beyond) there are those older than I who I would easily consider wiser than myself in many ways.
Most of them are gone now, but the WISDOM lives on...as well it should.
*** Now, I say all that as a prologue (difficult word for the low-information people of the area to fathom) to a followup from what I spoke about yesterday - that America has grown into an IMMATURE CULTURE.
There are people out there that would prefer none of us to be able to speak the truth.

And if such people and their misdirected rhetoric were allowed to have their way, we'd STILL be a colony of the British Empire, such as THAT is these days. But, thankfully, we DID have those who spoke truth to reason, and fought for our independence.
What we have done WITH that independence was nothing short of remarkable ever since...until recently.
I have come to know several things about today's society:
1) I really deplore all the bullsh*t we're expected to believe, embrace and eschew, because I was weaned OFF of "pablum" when I was a toddler.
Screw political correctness!
2) We, as a society are losing the ability to honestly DEBATE or even DISCUSS an issue...any issue. We would rather castigate a person, vilify them for speaking the truth, rather than listening TO that truth, and hurl vitriol at that person for no eason except for that truth...and because people can get away with it.
3) We decide arguments of words with violence, rather than ignore the words that "would never hurt us" as in the days of childhood rhyme.
4) We are being told that we are no longer responsible for our own lives as the government takes over that role.
5) We are raising ignorance and apathy to NEW heights, while suppressing creative thinking and positive involvement.
6) We are creating generations that demand entertainment OVER enlightenment, entitlements over enrichment, and governmental control over personal responsibility.
All of this (and more) is something we really do NOT need, nor should ever desire.
Anyway, back to Dad's saying...
If you seek the truth, find it, and then share it with others, in the hope that they also can come to a better understanding OF that truth. Isn't that a GOOD thing? Apparently not with some people.

There are those out there who WANT to keep those blinders on...for whatever reason.

Perhaps it was the way they were brought up, or maybe they prefer living in denial.

With such things comes the possibility of having the blind leading the blind, knowing the way our government can manipulate the people.

And such a thing is not the sole domain of any government. It also has to do with corporations, media, and the like,.
They are ALL in bed with one another (talk about some messy sheets).
So, metaphorically-speaking. when you DO "toss that rock", and one of those "dogs" YELPS, you struck a nerve.
And the usual response (by those struck) is to bitch a fit at the person with the rocks.
History is replete with instances where people who decided that the TRUTH should prevail instead of lies and obfuscation, were put upon, mostly by people wallowing in chronic ignorance.
They didn't want their little boat rocked in any way, shape or form.
John the Baptist was such a person, as was Christ himself. You tell the truth, you suffer the consequences. No GOOD deed goes unpunished (erroneously).
That's a far cry from telling an outright LIE, and suffering the consequences.
THAT is understandable, and often painful as a child, when you get that spanking, right?
*** If there is one thing you will never find at this blog, it's a pack of lies, deceit, or any form of subterfuge!
(I know these high-falootin' words will confuse the hell out of the TROLLS...ROFL.
Good for 'em...dumbasses.)

Perhaps if the critics that obviously abound on the Internet spent more time seeking the truth, educating oneself and becoming a better individual, instead of heckling the "opposition", they might accidentally LEARN something...what a novel idea, hmm?
*** And now a couple news items to prove my point about society's evils....
-- Here's a case of another one of those "good boys" who found out how WELL justice CAN be served.
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130612/LOCAL03/306129975

Omar Ruffin, 16, will be charged AS AN ADULT for the killing of one Jaqueze Dandridge during a failed robbery attempt in the 4000 block of Oliver St back on 1 June, around 2300 hrs.
(Omar sure doesn't sound like a white, red-haired Irish-Catholic kid to me)
Maybe someone can go and "blame whitey" for this kid's upbringing and for him being "poor", oppressed...and stupid?

Nah...he got stupid ALL...BY...HIMSELF.
Perhaps his OWN community helped in that regard.
-- And speaking of JUSTICE, there's THIS:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130611/LOCAL03/130619928

Daniel Taylor, white trash pervert that he is, will be spending the NEXT 19 years behind bars, for child molestation.
(they oughta cut his you-know-what off...make him a damn EUNUCH)
He's also a REPEAT offender...as many of them are.
Wonder if HIS family feels he "was a good person, never hurt anyone"???
Nah, decent people with their head NOT up their ass don't tend to "embrace" such bad behavior.
Lock him up and then throw away the damn key.
-- A Case of Excessive "force" or an attempt to control a scene by police?
Here's the story link:

http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/local/family-shares-more-video-questioning-police-excessive-force

Emotions can often run very high, and people fail to understand (again, lack of knowledge) what officers are trying to do given a crime scene and it's aftermath.

But there is also the whole "I gotta know NOW" mentality which many times supersedes REASON, and failure to listen to officers CAN get you warming the back seat of a patrol car real fast.
THEY know what's going on BETTER than you do, and will explain things if you give them the chance to do so.
To IMPEDE their line of work helps NO one...at all.
*** Lastly today, times are not what they used to be, and if you wish to be a "pot-stirrer" or even a "rock tosser", know that you WILL reap the whirlwind from the stone ignorant among us.

Many people are under the impression that "they can have it all THEIR way", which is fine when ordering a Whopper at the local BK, but when it comes to LIFE 101, you have to read the "fine print"...and that means learning the ropes, following the laws, and paying the hell attention.
People these days use social media to bully others, push lies instead of truth, and decry the fact that some of us prefer TRUTH over LIES.
Such people are cowards, because they hide behind a facade of anonymity, or false names.
I swear they all suffer from Oppositional Defiance Disorder...!

I always say that if some people don't like it whenever you speak the truth, you're doing a GREAT job of getting that truth out there.
Kevin Leininger knows that full well. People often say nasty things about what he writes about, but until you sit down, and get to KNOW the person, you're just blowing smoke up other people's asses.
Fellow Bloggers AWB and CWM have also come "under fire" (as have I) from the uninformed and ignorant among us.

I appreciate these like-minded "rock tossers", because of what they say, as well as HOW they say it.

THEY also speak the truth, and if anyone ever doubts that, they can put forth a little effort and look things up for themselves.

For some people, such effort is MUCH too taxing, while bitching at them is SO much easier.
Time to our immature society to GROW THE F$CK UP...the world isn't waiting for maturity to nurture itself into fruition.
And THAT...is the God's honest TRUTH.

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