Humpday Happenings...
Well, if it's not Billy Clinton "ridin' to the rescue" of two journalists in N. Korea, it's a growing list of governmental "czars", many of which have communist tendencies.
Helluva way to reach mid-week, isn't it?
Still, take heart, friends...relief is on the way.
Pull up the chair, grab another cup of coffee, hit the "slow scroll button" and allow me to "enlighten" you with snappy repartee`, guaranteed to make you say to your monitor: "I was just thinking about that".
** Okay, once again, in "my" adopted city of Fort Wayne, we see more evidence of GOVERNMENT WASTE.
The project to WIDEN Calhoun Street preliminarily passed City Council like crap through a goose with a 5-2 vote (two members of council were absent).
How convenient.
Here's the link relating to the article:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20090805/LOCAL/308059979/1002/LOCAL# First, the city does every damn thing it can to "redevelop" the downtown area, but that's not enough. Now they want to basically trash TWO BLOCKS to make it a 2-way street...nice.
There is a level of ambiance there that is rarely found in most ANY downtown area, and we SHOULD be happy for that.
but, I suppose it's MUCH better to SQUANDER a MILLION bucks on this change, rather than REPAIR city streets that really NEED IT, right?
The word "boondoggle" come to mind...and that happens a lot when I think of City Council these days.
** Our natural gas bills might be DROPPING, but gasoline prices are RISING once again.
It seems to happen EVERY damn time Wall St. has a GOOD day, doesn't it.
** Cash For Clunkers rides merrily along...
The government in it's "infinite wisdom" (ROFLMAO)...excuse me for a moment....there, that's better, is going to toss another TWO BILLION (with a *B*, and that rhymes with *P*, and that stands for PUTZ) to keep the program alive. This is after the ONE BILLION was eaten up by scores of people wanting to get those new cars with "better" mileage (yeah, about 3-5 miles MORE per gallon...WOW...helluva savings, chumps).
Hell, why not have the "Clunker Nazis" just go door-to-door, snatch up the keys and titles and just disappear into the morning mist, for God's sake? I wonder if the government will institute a "CASH for CONS" program...that way, I could TURN IN about 50% of the people in MY neighborhood, take the money and buy a BETTER house AWAY from all these idiots...now THAT I could work with.
This VRS program (Voluntary Repossession Scam) will no doubt continue until AS MANY people as possible have these cars that, in less than a decade will be supplanted with some NEWER technology...
Enjoy the ride...(and that fat coupon book, suckers).
** The housing market needs a "crash cart".
Here in N.E. Indiana, we're seeing about a 38% RISE in foreclosures, even after all the so-called "stimulus" BS being shoveled out of Washington, D.C.
Apparently, when the housing bubble burst, and property values fell (at least OURS can't fall much further, thanks to these white and black trash vermin that are allowed to move into once nice houses down here), a lot more people went into mortgage default as a result, and that kicked the old snowball down the real estate mountain, kids.
People were stuck with homes they bought that were beyond their means to pay for...life can suck at times, can't it?
Now while I do feel for these folks, you have to realize that NO ONE did this to them...but themselves. THEY made a choice to move elsewhere, when good homes were available at lower prices. The neighborhoods might not have been AS NICE, but that's where the American Spirit takes over. These people COULD have changed the face of many neighborhoods (such as mine) that were in decline, and allowed them to flourish once again, but NOooooo...they HAD to live in the "upscale" area...and it came back to bite 'em all in the ass.
Welcome to REALITY-101.
** Lastly, I want to relate a personal story that happened yesterday.
As a city boy, I never saw many birds, unless they were sparrows, robins, or pigeons...period. And Philly has LOTS of pigeons!
When I moved here to Indiana, I got to see tons of blue jays, nuthatches, cardinals, wrens, buntings, woodpeckers, and so on. I even had a RED-TAILED HAWK land on our patio chair...how cool is that?
I mean I had to refer to bloody BOOKS to figure out what the hell they all were...and it was (and still is) fun.
But my favorite are the hummingbirds that stop by our feeders...those little buggers fascinate me. First time I don't feel the need to swat at a "buzzing" sound...lol.
Yesterday, my wife called me out to tell me there were two that were "bumping nasties" on the feeder.
She said the male had just left (don't they always?), and the female was panting heavily on the feeder ring, with her tongue out. She called around and was told by a bird supply store that this was normal after mating.
Now this was cool...we'd wind up with some young'uns around...
Or would we?
The female remained on the feeder for at least a half hour, and I took some pictures of her.
I was watching her begin to move her head about, and I figured she was winding down, and getting ready to feed (she must have been really worn out).
She attempted to fly away, and as soon as she left the feeder, I knew something was wrong...I could see her wings. Now usually, they're a blur, as they beat so fast every second, they look like a bee buzzing about.
This hummingbird immediately began to flutter downward, like a soft glide, and fell into our garden. I went over to see , and she wasn't moving...her wings still outstretched.
I gently picked her up...all 3 inches of her, and she was not breathing at all.
She had just passed on.
Now, when it comes to death, I'm no stranger...
Seen way too much of it in my life. I buried both parents, several relatives, too many pets (dogs cats, birds, turtles...yes, turtles), had co-workers pass on, and seen a dear friend beat me to the grave. But, when it comes to animals, I have a REAL soft spot.
And that's why I probably would be a "basket-case" if I ever worked in an animal shelter. To me, it's very easy to have compassion for animals whose purpose in life to bring joy to others. In many instances, your pets become a member of your family. Maybe it's the whole "If you do this for the smallest creature, you do this for ME" bibical passage. Some things stick with you.
I'm the guy that jumps out of his car (in traffic) to scoop up a dog that was just hit by another car. I'm the guy that will take in a stray kitten. I'm the guy that thinks it horrible to see pets mistreated. And I have absolutely NO sympathy for those that abuse animals for their own amusement...or for profit.
But I digress...
So, when I held this tiny bird in my hand, knowing that she wasn't going to be stopping by our feeder in ANY time in the future, I did what I had to do, namely give her a "proper" burial.
Luckily, my wife had an old jewelry box, foam lined, so I wrapped the hummingbird in a tissue, placed that in a plastic bag, and then placed THAT in the box. The box went into another plastic bag, and a hole was dug in our garden.
Our little visitor would remain a permanent "guest" of our garden...the one she liked to visit. I buried her under the feeder she would stop at several times a day. And she has a small marker in the shape of a cross to remind me that's she's here...still enjoying the garden.
Now if all that seems a bit too sappy...well, no one ever said I was NOT a "complex" person.
I just happen to care, and it doesn't matter what size that "care" might come in.
It's who I am...and what I do.
Take time today to enjoy the creation that is all around you, and...
Stay safe out there, America.