Monday Musings...
As the year 2009 winds inevitably down to it's conclusion, have you stopped to take a good look around you at a lot of the people?
Well, we know the "world" is changing, and by that I mean circumstances are moving in every direction at once...that's a given.
Another thing is that unreasonable measures of control are being exercised by some over many with the sole purpose of dominion (and the higher level of power associated with it).
This is not conspiracy theory...it's FACT.
Yet, everything always comes back to the people.
People are the ones IN power, and people are the ones UNDER that power.
It all depends on what side of the fence you're on that defines which "people" you are part of.
Many of us prefer to think for ourselves...we make as good choices as we can, are not afraid to take on a challenge or shoulder a burden, and take pride in doing so, simply because we CAN do it.
We're charitable to a fault, and friends to those often in need.
We embrace traditional values, principles and morals.
We teach those we can BY those traits as we LIVE them.
And we do it ALL without government intervention....amazing, huh?
But there are those that feel such things are either beneath them, or they're too damn busy to bother. They'd much rather be doing something that has no value, serves no purpose, and teaches no lesson.
We have allowed such things as generational stupidity, a lack of manners, and a hedonistic mindset to pervade our way of life.
You can't help but see it every day.
Sadly, we see even more of it during this time of the rolling year.
It can be blatant as ignoring the real "reason for the season" in lieu of sales, sales, and more sales.
Now don't get me wrong...presents are GOOD. They are representative of a PART of the season...
Don't take my word for it, look it up in the BIBLE. Gifts WERE given at the first CHRISTMAS.
Gifts are given as an adjunct to WHY we celebrate this holiday.
They surround the true meaning of Christmas, but are not at the center of the festivities.
Now, I could go on about Christmas being redemptive, because Jesus was born, and all that, but most of you already know the story (or read the book, which can be had on DVD now...imagine that).
In the end, though...it still all comes down to PEOPLE...regular people...like you and I.
No smoke, no mirrors, no BS...none of that.
Now...I said all THAT...to say THIS:
There are FOUR families that I know of who WON'T be having a really good Christmas at all, thanks to the criminal justice system (or the lack thereof).
** This story out of Washington state was just too damn disturbing. Apparently, you can't seem to have a cup of coffee if you're an officer these days, especially near Seattle.
Here's a link to the initial story:
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/78088192.html
And here is a followup story:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/29/washington.police.shooting/index.html And this story:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,577765,00.html
This was a totally senseless taking of four lives by a criminal psychopath with a history as long as your arm.
My prayers and thoughts go out to those families, as words just fail to convey my thoughts.
But, if you prefer something a bit closer to the city of Fort Wayne, how about these?
** 1 killed in shooting; no suspect, motive / Holly Abrams - The Journal Gazette
One man is dead after a shooting on the city’s southeast side Sunday night, according to Fort Wayne police.
Police were called about 10:30 p.m. to the 2800 block of Schele Avenue, near McCormick Place apartments. Neighbors had called police after reportedly hearing gunshots and then seeing a man lying in the street. That man was pronounced dead at the scene. The identity of the victim was not released pending an autopsy and family notification.
((Editor's note - 1302 hrs - an update to the story can be found here at this link:

http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/Fort-Wayne-shooting-kills-a-man

We'll be following as it develops))

Some witnesses told police they saw a dark-colored truck leaving the area after they heard the gunshots.
Police said they have no suspect description or motive in the killing at this time.
This makes the 20th homicide for the city...for those keeping count.
** Stores, inn robbed; police probe link
Fort Wayne police investigated two robberies over the weekend but are uncertain whether they are related, according to officer John Chambers, police spokesman.
Boudoir Noir, 512 W. Superior St., was robbed just after 4 p.m. Saturday. A man entered the business, demanded money and left with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Chambers did not have details Sunday on whether the man was armed. A complete description of the robber was not available.
(doesn't ANYONE pay attention these days?)
Another robbery was reported just after 4 p.m. Sunday at the Guesthouse Inn at 3017 Coliseum Blvd. W. A man entered the inn armed with a handgun and demanded money. He left, heading west on Coliseum Boulevard with an undisclosed amount of cash. That man was
described as in his 20s, 5-foot-7, white, wearing black sunglasses and a black hooded sweat shirt.
** Robbers strike 2 businesses / Holly Abrams - The Journal Gazette
Fort Wayne police believe two armed robberies Saturday are connected.
The first robbery was reported just before 11 a.m. in the 2100 block of South Calhoun Street, police said. Two men entered the business, brandished knives, demanded money and left with an undisclosed amount of cash, according to officer John Chambers, Fort Wayne police
spokesman.
The men are believed to have left on foot. A complete description was not available.
Just after 11 a.m., a second robbery was reported at the Dairy Queen at 412 Southview Ave., near Paulding Road and Lafayette Street.
Two men, also armed with knives, robbed the business in the same manner and left on foot, police said.
No one was injured in either robbery.
Police dogs were used in both cases to track the robbers without success, Chambers said.
Seems that a handgun wielded by some citizen in EITHER store might have solved a LOT of problems regarding these robberies...
What's the old saying..."Never bring a knife to a gunfight"...? I think that's how it goes.
I'll say ONE thing...both the criminals AND the FWPD have been busy THIS weekend.
But, as we're SO used to hearing..."It''s the economy, stupid".
Right. Sure. Okay. Tell me another.
While the economy might very well be a perfect scapegoat for such behavior, let's just say it's CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR (which happens year-round, regardless of holiday or economical parameters), caused by a generation of entitlement-driven assholes suffering from terminal stupidity who feel the world owes them a living...sound a lot more closer to home now?
And please don't tell me any BS about "perceived crime", OK? That fairy tale belongs more to the Brothers Grimm than reality.
The ONLY thing that deserves perception here is that CRIME IS A FACT OF LIFE on the south side of the city, got it?
And THAT perception is rooted in STATISTICS...and those nasty facts.
I'm sure these people who are the latest victims are feeling that holiday spirit NOW.
Well, I'm sure the BLACK community is out today...pounding the pavement, trying to help the police and locate people who know anything about these crimes, as well as attempting to turn their OWN young people AWAY from a life full of criminal activity...
ROFLMAO!
Yeah, right....that is DEFINITELY happening. NOT!
'Tis the season, hmm?
Well, we've sure got our share of criminals...AND morons, make no mistake.
We just tend to NOTICE them more this time of year.
So, we can blame the holidays...(and some will probably want to blame G.W. Bush as well)
Amazing how that works, isn't it?
Point those fingers at everything BUT the RIGHT thing...all for the sake of DIVERSION.
Yes, I'm sure the victims' families feel so much better now.
I know I do....(yeah right).
Stay safe out there, America.

(Black) Friday Follies...
Okay, you die hard shoppers...time's a wastin'. Get your butts outta the rack and start hitting those stores...Christmas season is NOW "officially" in gear.
Personally, I really don't go in much for shopping TODAY.
And most all you "veterans" probably know why...
It's the SHOPPERS...!
(duh)
I mean when else can you find SO many idiots seemingly in ONE place at ONE time (and usually where YOU want to be), hmm?
(other than Washington D.C. in the Congress and the Senate)
Hopefully, we WON'T see any DEATHS from stampedes this year.
If they're not behind the wheel of a vehicle, willing to all but kill you for the "closer" parking spot, they're "driving" a shopping cart (which clues you in on the TYPE OF DRIVER they really are).
Damn shame police can't ticket for reckless SHOPPING.
And not matter how well a store prepares for the "rush", it always looks like some post-Katrina scenario, thanks to people who grab stuff, drop it, move on, or otherwise tear the place to hell in their quest for that elusive mega-bargain.
(Hint: If something costs you an overabundance of time, effort, angst, and tends to raise your blood pressure and pushes you to the brink of a heart attack or stroke, perhaps it's really NOT worth it.)
Now all of you KNOW I love a bargain, and the missus and I might be sharpening up our ELBOWS for a sojourn to Menards for some things (they did have a good flyer in yesterday's paper), but we are definitely staying away from the K-Marts, Wal-Marts, and similar venues.
((editor's note - 1115 hrs - Mission Accomplished! Got damn near everything on that list AND got some eBay shopping done to boot. I love it when a plan comes together, as Hannibal Smith
would say...lol)).
Now...where were we?
I mean, when I go shopping, the LAST thing I want (when my demeanor is on NICE side) is some big-ass baby-mama pushing a ton of crap (with her 3 running and screaming kids in tow nearby) in her cart wanting to cut in front of me in line...
In another time, that would get you shot (by me).
Don't even THINK about doing anything like that...I WILL let the ENTIRE STORE know how arrogant you are, rest assured.
I can shout REALLY well...when I have to...LOL.
And to the checkout people...
Yeah, I know YOU hate this day as much as the rest of us, but PLEASE...at least TRY to look like you know what the hell you're doing behind that register, OK?
Don't make me come over the counter and have to ASSIST you...that's what they pay YOU for, right?
I know...I've been on "that side" of the register a long time ago.
It was Christmas season, and I had a line of people at the electronics counter, and I was waiting on them as fast as was humanly possible, and everyone seemed OK with that...except ONE woman.
She rudely exclaimed out loud "I've been waiting here for FIFTEEN MINUTES...THIS IS PATHETIC".
To which I looked up from my current transaction, looked down at my watch, and calmly replied:
I'm sorry ma'am...but it's ONLY been FIVE minutes".
Well, she stormed off in a huff, and everyone else at the counter was laughing...and was served with a smile. I never got so many "You have a happy holiday" or "Merry Christmas" greetings as I did that evening.
And that felt damn good...
It was then, I knew I was not destined for "retail", in spite of my increased sales (and commissions).
I made my point...which was more on target than this irate shopper.
Sorry, I don't drop everything and everyone else JUST to "wait on you", got it?
We do things in the order they come at us...
And if you DO find yourself in a situation where you positively HAVE to deal with the public on a daily basis, by all means...
Always try to tell them to GO TO HELL in such as way, where they actually will ENJOY THE RIDE.
THAT is the key, whether it's public service or retail...works every single time.
** On some other sides of life...
This story will show you exactly what life in OUR part of town can be like.
(( Victim is shot waiting for a haircut - Journal Gazette (27 November 2009)
Fort Wayne police are investigating a Wednesday night shooting at a barber shop that sent one person to a hospital in serious condition.
The victim was waiting for a haircut at Unity Barbershop, 921 E. Pontiac St., about 8:15 p.m. when a hooded gunman opened the door and fired into the shop, police spokesman Officer Michael Joyner said.
The victim was taken to a hospital in serious condition.
Within half an hour of the shooting, patrons were sitting in chairs at the shop getting haircuts, even as the business was cordoned off with police tape and officers talked to witnesses inside.
No one had been arrested, and the name of the victim was not released.))
Now THIS is exactly a large part of the problem in this part of Fort Wayne...
People were getting HAIRCUTS at 8 PM...a HALF HOUR after a damn shooting, even when the shop was STILL cordoned off as a CRIME SCENE.
Anyone see anything WRONG with that besides me?
It's called DESENSITIZATION, friends.
These Aborigines are desensitized to things such as CRIME...they ACCEPT it as a part of THEIR life...that's disturbing on too many levels.
That is also why they exhibit such disrespectful behavior as blaring loud music to all hours.
I've stated here many time...I love a hot cup of coffee, but I sure as hell am NOT going to walk down a street and force it down EVERYONE ELSE'S throat...that's called RESPECT FOR OTHERS.
These folks just don't have that crayon in THEIR box now, do they?
They feel that whatever THEY like...OTHERS like...(or else).
They assume everyone is OK with that, because no one tell them to shut the f*ck up.
Then again, they haven't met me...have they?
I WILL tell 'em...and I've done it before...many times.
They cannot grasp the concept that not every single person in existence LIKES the exact same things they do, and at the same volume levels. It also applies to tossing trash. Not everyone LOVES to do that, but THEY sure do, and they think it's perfectly fine to make every neighborhood they either live in, or pass through to look like a damn trash dump...or a ghetto.
It's all part of this DOUBLE-STANDARD we have now in America...and it has to change if we're ALL going to get along.
Case in point...
If BLACKS beat on a WHITE kid at school...it's called...BIAS.
If WHITE kids beat on a BLACK kid...it's called a HATE CRIME.
Again, anyone see anything WRONG here?
Isn't it ALL "bias"...or a "hate crime", no matter what color your skin is?
Or is it neither?
We cannot seem to define much of anything these days in terms of black of white...we'd much rather have a myriad number of SHADES OF GRAY. Well that helps out in getting to know OURSELVES a helluva lot, doesn't it?
Of course it doesn't!
You know it, and I know it...so what's the problem with these MORONS knowing it?
Well, learning takes time and effort...and that can better be put to use shopping, can't it?
Wow...seems we managed to come FULL CIRCLE here...amazing!
From shopping we travelled to sociology and abnormal psychology, and back again to shopping.
And we didn't use a drop of GAS in the process.
Astounding.
Still, we need to be examples of HOW to act properly, no matter where we are.
We TEACH...by example.
Wherever we go in our lives, we represent the culmination of our parents upbringing.
We are the sum total of THEIR values, disciplines, and principles.
And we've even managed to add to those (ourselves) along the way.
So remember, as you venture forth in the "Malling of America" this weekend.
You represent a lot more than you might think.
But above it all...you represent AMERICA (first).
Now I'm OK with that...how about you?
So, get shopping, grab those bargains, practice patience, have a great weekend, and...
Stay safe out there, America.

Humpday Happenings...
What say we kick politics to the curb for a spell, and concentrate on more "important" things...like Thanksgiving...and family, hmm?
When I was deciding what to post today, I found myself having a serious case of Deja Vu.
Then, I knew why...
So, I decided to lift a large part of last year's Thanksgiving post and place it right here (again), just in case you weren't a reader of this blog a year ago. And if you WERE, then you're probably going to be glad I posted it anyway, as I feel it says much about every one of us.
Enjoy.
********
'Twas the Humpday Before Thanksgiving...
Ok, so it's never going to become a poem, big whoop.
But we can now officially proclaim that the "holiday" season is upon us (starting tomorrow, anyway).
I will say that if there was ANY day that was worth staying home and filling one's face, it was Thanksgiving.
A long time ago (in a city far, far away), my mom always made a real "sit-down" dinner on Sundays, but she pulled out ALL the damn stops on Thanksgiving Day. Only Christmas and Easter dinners came close to Turkey day.
Now we were only a family of THREE (five if you count our dogs, Heidi & Sandy), and you'd think it wasn't that big a deal...but for mom...it WAS.
We had to put the center leaf in the dinner table to hold ALL the food she made.
But there was a method to her "madness"...
We had leftovers for literally weeks!
And back then, being frugal with one's finances was pretty close to being "Job-One".
Dad didn't make all that much at the plant where he ran a lithography press (printed on sheet metal for cans), and having luxuries such as (taken for granted today) a CAR...or a COLOR TV were on the back burner. Dad got a ride to work, or took a few buses (when they ran in snowy weather, that is).
So mom & dad made sure I always had a warm place to sit and sleep, food on our table, and a real reason to be truly thankful, not just on ONE day, but all year long.
And somehow, we're kinda missing that today.
Many large families are scattered across the country (if not the globe), and having everyone together gets harder and more expensive every year. The fortunate ones that CAN have family gather for Thanksgiving, manage to do so.
But there is always that "empty chair" at the table...
It could be due to a loved one's passing this past year, or it could be a soldier's deployment overseas, or perhaps a family member is too ill or getting too far along in years to make the journey for Thanksgiving.
Whatever the reason, those of us remaining muddle on. Such is my case this year.
Traditions are what I like to call the "icing on life's cake".
It's something you look forward to, and in many cases, you LIVE for every year.
It doesn't have to be the biggest or the best...just the most cherished.
And making it a bit "fun" doesn't hurt one bit. either.
My wife and I have been doing such a thing for almost a decade with our Aunt and Uncle in Portland.
We invited them up for Thanksgiving dinner one year...and it stuck like glue.
Every year, they'd arrive around noon, and we'd do our Thanksgiving "dinner" (more like a late lunch...a BIG late lunch/dinner/buffet) at our house, with all the trimmings (and those gifts for the lucky participants like the holiday stuffed bears we get them every year - they now need a larger sofa to accommodate them all). Yeah, it's not much, but my wife and I ALWAYS put our hearts into it, and it's become the closest thing to recapturing what I once had with my parents. And yes, it WAS worth the work that went into it...definitely worth it.
Like I say, you can't "redo" a past tradition...you CAN however, make new ones. And that's exactly what we did.
Sad thing is, our aunt and uncle are getting up and years, and that 45 minute drive from Portland and back again becomes taxing on them both. And this year, they reside in a nursing home in Portland. Yes, it's become too difficult to perform life's simple things for themselves, but both of them have enjoyed what we used to call a "really good run" in life.
So this year (again), it's just my wife and myself (and the cats).
Again...more empty chairs.
But I plan to conduct our "dinner" as usual.
I'll still be up early, making the stuffing, peeling potatoes (memories abounding there), setting the table, and being thankful for what we have, and who we can share it (and ourselves) with, even if it's each other (and the two cats...lol).
We haven't really done away with our tradition...we've just "modified" it to suit the new parameters specific to the venue.
When life tosses you lemons...you get your ass in gear and make LEMONADE, eh?
It will seem odd to not hear them pull into the driveway this year (as it was last year), and I'd being lying if I said otherwise.
Then again, this is no more unusual than what will be happening across dinner tables around the country.
Few will be the dinner tables that do not have an empty chair.
But life is like that.
Life, like time does move on. It is always in flux...it has currents and eddies.
It carries every one of us along on our own journey.
Our task is to make sure we can adapt as need be; to be able to still enjoy every moment given to us, and to make those moments mean something not only to ourselves, but to those whose lives we touch, as well as those who have touched OUR lives.
And THAT...is definitely something to be thankful for.
Thanks, Mom & Dad...for everything.
Couldn't have made it this far without you.
To all our warriors that cannot be home with their loved ones and to all the men and women of our law-enforcement and fire departments...you are not, nor ever shall be forgotten. We will ALWAYS have a chair reserved for YOU at our tables
So to one and all...DO have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving, no matter where you find yourself.
And there you have it...now go have yourselves a great holiday.
We'll catch you on the flip side, so...
Stay safe out there, America.

And For His Next Trick...
On a morning reminiscent of John Carpenter's THE FOG, it got me thinking about all the crap going down in America these days.
And I think the "fog" analogy seems to fit the bill pretty damn well.
I feel that many Americans DO know the course they've charted in and for their lives.
Others...not so much.
Problem with this is that the government "thinks" they know how to plan YOUR LIFE better than you do.
Like I said, for many, this becomes a sticking point.
I've always spent a helluva lot more time with ME than most anyone else, so maybe I might have an "inside track" as to what I need, and how I might best be able to achieve it in MY life.
And, I will admit that there are people who just LOVE to be led around by the nose in life, like some piece of cattle in a formerly fallow field. "Do for me, because I can't be bothered doing for myself" is their cry.
And the government is only TOO HAPPY to oblige.
Forget the fact that every single program created BY the government to "help" the unwashed masses turned out to be more failed than placing screen doors in submarines. And these programs have been funded by YOUR money, regardless of whether you wanted to fund it or not. Might as well place a gun to our heads and rob us all proper, hmm?
But such parlor tricks are part of this grand scheme to keep your eyes from "the prize", namely the American Dream.
The government WANTS you to be side-tracked. They need for you to have your attention diverted, as it were, from what is really going on. let's face it...a mass of inattentive and confused people are a LOT more malleable, and can be controlled...um, I mean "urged" onto the path they "should" be taking.
America is in a fog...it's citizens are being psychologically drawn and quartered, in order to facilitate changes that will all but erase what America USED to be, and it's being done at a wholesale level, and break-neck pace.
Is it part of a larger plan?
Probably.
Some would feel we NEED a one-world government...and currency...and goal (whatever goal that would be), and that everyone should just line up, nod in agreement, and follow the rest of the lemmings off of the nearest cliff.
I'm not really into all that. I have this problem with thinking for myself, and speaking my mind.
And in other cultures, such people are deemed dangerous.
Well...danger IS, as danger DOES then...right?
When I think of the direction this nation has set within the last year, I equate it to sailing a fully-loaded ship near some dangerous shoals. The LAST thing you want to do is not only steer AT those shoals, but also INCREASE YOUR SPEED.
Well, folks...we're pretty much doing BOTH right now.
I don't know about you, but I'm looking for the nearest lifeboat davit, because none of us can seem to reach the bridge and turn this ship (of state) the hell around.
The inevitable outcome is clear...all too clear.
If it's not some megabuck, insane health care plan that too many of us do NOT want, it's vacillating about sending more resources to Afghanistan.
Yes, war can be a "taxing" thing for many.
Get ready, because it could get a whole lot MORE taxing...as in a "war surcharge" tax for every tax-paying American.
I can't imagine this happening during WW2.
Like I said...you've GOT to keep watching BOTH hands of these "magicians".
We're busy going "ooh" and "ahh" over that one hand, while the OTHER one is reaching yet AGAIN into our pockets and savings.
Funny, don't recall G.W. doing anything like this when he sent the "surge" into Iraq, do you?
America is rapidly becoming a damn amusement park, and we are the unwilling "guests" being fleeced of our money and placed on rides intended to make us deathly ill and not knowing which way is up, all for the purpose of having us made more compliant to the whims and wishes of big government.
Now this is one *E*-ticket scenario I really didn't sign up for.
Hell, at this point, I'm not even wanting any souvenir t-shirts, either!
One possible solution to this clusterf*ck would be "if" the military decided to side with the growing majority of people who are fed the hell up with the manner in which the government is trashing the nation.
Would it even become conceivable that a coup d' etat could be initiated and successfully pulled off? With the help of the military, it probably could. The only glitch would be WHO do you place "in charge" in the interim until you hold NEW elections to replace the ousted members of the government?
Personally, I feel that at the federal level, we would have very little breakdown of actual governance...the STATES would still be intact and viable. Our Constitution held the states a lot more responsible anyway...that was the plan for a smaller (national) government.
Can we even entertain the notion that OUR country is capable of making it happen?
It's just a fictional scenario anyway...right?
Still, we need something more because in spite of all these demonstrations, tea parties, phone calls, emails and letters to our legislators, they are pretty much still looking down their arrogant noses at US...the people who HIRED them all.
Well, if it's not dithering over our Afghan policy, it's bringing terrorists to OUR court system, flawed as THAT is (allowing DOMESTIC killers and rapists to get off with wrist-slaps), so it can always be worse.
This President had the opportunity to become a lot more than an "empty suit", but it looks like America hitched it's collective cart to a legless beast of burden in this case. And that just ain't gonna get the goods to market, is it?
As Americans, we DO have a stake in HOW this nation proceeds...and succeeds.
Americans are not used to failure, and we really don't like to lose.
We like to believe we are winners, not only as a people, but as a nation.
Even in personal defeats, we can garner victory (through learning from the experience).
That reminds me of the line from The Matrix where Morpheus is talking with Neo in the martial arts program:
"You're better (faster) than this. Don't THINK you are...KNOW you are".
I feel the time has come for us to stop thinking about what we can do...and start KNOWING what we can do.
And when we KNOW what we have to do...we can accomplish things we never dreamed of.
We've done it in the past...we can certainly do it again...
Just something to think about.
Stay safe out there, America.

Monday Musings...
Well, we're almost at Thanksgiving, and then....the dreaded Christmas shopping season beginning the day after (when we're still suffering from triptophan hangovers...lol).
If there is ONE thing getting older has in it's favor (aside from chasing kids off the damn lawn), it's that we have a lot fewer gifts to get, especially if your family is a small one.
Now, I love giving gifts...and I love getting gifts, but there does come a time when you suddenly realize that GIFTS are not the hub around which the holidays revolve.
You tend to value FAMILY a lot more...and the nuances you've accrued over the years that make this time of year a lot more special, or at least AS SPECIAL as you remember as a child.
But with time, comes change (unfortunately).
Kids grow up and move away and start their own families. Friends can also move away, pass away, or just fade away.
The same is said for relatives, sadly.
Now this is one of those times where Doc Brown's DeLorean would come in REAL handy.
Be great to revisit those times past, because no matter how much we try and no matter what we do, it just doesn't seem "the same".
And this is a case where "sameness" has it's place.
Many would argue that routine or rote promotes boredom or apathy.
Depends on the routine, doesn't it?
If there is TEDIUM involved, then I would say that ANY routine gets real old...real fast.
But if there was anticipation, joy, and an overall sense of belonging, then no matter HOW MANY TIMES you replay that routine, it just NEVER gets old.
Now, I know I'm not the first person to say this, and I certainly will NOT be the last, but when you look about you TODAY, do you ever get a sense of not being in the "right time"?
Ever have that feeling that NOW doesn't seem as right as THEN was?
You have to admit that when you try to take in ALL the crap that's been floating around us these days, it makes you wonder...a lot.
When what YOU used to know as LOGIC has been replaced by IDIOCY.
When COMMON SENSE is supplanted by NONSENSE, it stops you in your tracks.
Now, you know this SHOULD be the same world you grew up in, but somewhere along the way, things changed.
I mean all we really need is to have dogs living with cats to make it all fit, right?
I know I struggle with this from time to time.
This sure doesn't resemble the world I grew up in.
It's gotten a lot more..."complex".
Sure, the shores are still there, as are the rivers, woods, and even Death Valley, but a lot more HAS changed.
PEOPLE have changed.
And I suppose our "technocracy" shoulders most of the blame.
The advances in technologies have far surpassed our ability to properly use them, but we got 'em none the less.
Things that should be bringing people together and closer, are making us a generation of "stand-offs".
Households are dumping land line phones like a bad habit, for cell phones.
People rarely (if ever) WRITE LETTERS to each other (better to email or better still..."tweet me, baby").
And I truly believe that the art of conversation is going the way of the passenger pigeon.
Children are also not exempt from this...
The toys that we had as kids that really fostered REAL INTERACTIVITY and CREATIVITY and been changed out for some game box they can lounge on the sofa and play all day and night.
If we wanted to play an arcade game...we WALKED to the ARCADE and plunked down our quarters.
So, we "spent" wisely, and didn't frequent the arcades with any type of regularity...we had something called homework and chores to busy up our time.
See...that's what I mean about feeling in the "wrong time".
The values we were brought up with seem Victorian in nature, and behavior that would land our asses either in jail, or at least having the "board of education" applied to our "seat of knowledge" is a lot more accepted. Kids will be kids, after all.
Well, today's kids are a far cry from "our" kids of "our" era.
You have a "kid" that shoots and kills someone, and people that know him say "Yeah, he's cool"...
"He's a good guy..."
"He's never been a problem..."
We've heard this all before, and with the same results...
When did all this lunacy begin, and WHY did people ALLOW it in the first place?
Were we too busy stroking the egos of these children to see the damage we were doing as a result of withholding proper discipline rather than extolling honorable behavior?
Did we bother to teach them with INTEGRITY means?
Did we teach them about personal accountability and being responsible?
Well, some of you DID...and congrats to every one of you!
To those that left parenting up to everyone else...well, you got what you paid for, didn't you?
Yeah, somehow, when I think about this stuff, the holidays seem to be missing something...wonder why that is?
The marvel in children's' eyes...the wonder...the innocence....a lot of it is lacking today.
I suppose it's up to us "older people" to rekindle the child in every one of us, and somehow pass that along, so that people don't forget.
God knows, in today's' rush-a-minute society, we need all the assistance we can find.
Stay safe out there, America.

Weekend Roundup....
If any of you in the Midwest were wondering WHERE the cold weather has been hiding...keep your shirts on, it's COMING.
In the meanwhile, let's summarize the goings on for this past week, by peeking into those recently de-classified files I've been keeping in my basement (next to my shooting range and comic collection), shall we?
I mean, it's not like we all have anything BETTER to do this morning, right?
** From the "It's About Damn Time" files:
Accused shooter, Anthony Parish has been found GUILTY (again) in an '08 shooting.
Here's the link to the whole story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091119/LOCAL03/311199992
This boy has been about "20 miles of bad road" since he was in double digits, and it's damn nice to see this punk-ass gangsta (most likely) face life in prison...yep, feels good.
Now, if we can get RICO PARRISH (not a direct relation, and who testified AGAINST Anthony) off the damn streets and away from any "protection" from any agency, I'm sure a lot of people will be happy. Rico's been known to brandish firearms and shoot them randomly around his part of "da hood", but seems to also be made of teflon, as his sorry ass isn't in the slammer...yet (that I know of). If he IS...by all means, KEEP him the hell THERE, and do the city a favor.
Definitely have a GANG problem in THIS "burg", but I guess all the bling, the expensive SUVs and cars, and the dope seized damn near weekly kinda gives THAT away...doesn't it?
I still have a few very suspicious houses in MY neighborhood that need surveillance and closing down, in case anyone is interested in helping me take back MY area of the city.
** From the "Has It Been THAT Long?" files:
Looks like the queen of afternoon TV, and resident "Mother Teresa", Oprah Winfrey will be calling it quits by 2011.
Well, considering that Steadman (her longtime beau) is doing Eric Holder's "stuntwork" and stand-ins these days, I guess Oprah is looking for greener pastures (to go with her palatial estates).
(She will be creating her OWN cable network, so Big Sister could be watching US while we watch her? All hail the "O")
Maybe she can go to Africa, and personally save all THEIR economies...it has the novelty of never having been tried...yet.
How's that "hope and change" working out for YOU, Oprah?
** From the "Let's Make A Deal" files:
Looks like a local rapist might be able to "bargain" his way out of the charges.
Here's the link to the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20091120/LOCAL03/311209985
This is EXACTLY what is so damn FLAWED with our judicial system...
Who speaks for the WOMAN aka the VICTIM here?
The rapist, Chad A Reuille, age 31, might wind up with what amounts to a slap on the wrist for his heinous behavior.
Crime might not "pay", but it seems to have nice "benefits" here in Fort Wayne.
Betcha he'd be singing a much different (and HIGHER) song, if he pulled this kind of crap in a "less civilized" society overseas, hmm?
** From the "Caveat Emptor" files:
It would appear that when the city bought the Renaissance Square building downtown, it was looking at a "gold mine" of sorts.
Now, it seems they not ONLY got the "mine"...but the SHAFT, as well.
Allen County council ONLY tossed $3 mil at the project to renovate and combine city-county offices....not ENOUGH for the city's likings (they wanted about TWICE that from the county), so the thrill is gone, and the deal is off.
The city will vacate the City-County Building and move into the Renaissance Square building (except for dispatch).
Here's the link to the skinny on this:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20091120/LOCAL/311209993
In a recessive situation as we find our economy, by all means, let's SPEND some money (better yet...BORROW some) to the tune of $17+ million for a nice white elephant. I dunno...the grey one worked pretty damn well.
Lastly, we're heading into the home stretch for the Thanksgiving holiday, and that is a portent to the Christmas season.
So naturally, the "WAR ON CHRISTMAS" has commenced.
Gee, I guess the War On Terror...uh, I mean our "Overseas Contingency Operation" must not be as "entertaining" as first thought.
(btw, Mr. President...ANY chance of taking a gander at the TROOP STRATEGIES for the MIDDLE EAST anytime soon? You ONLY had a plan on your damn desk for OVER 90 DAYS...and we're still losing troopers, so let's get on the damn stick, kapeesh?)
The GAP has decided that while it LOVES the commerce that the CHRISTMAS season brings, when it actually comes to speaking about CHRISTMAS...they don't want it.
Here's the article in the L.A. Times written by Dan Neil:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-neil17-2009nov17,0,2040716.story
Gee, I didn't know a "Fatwa" was issued against the CHRISTIAN populace of this nation...did you?
I get REALLY pissed at those who "don't want to offend" those who might not embrace CHRISTMAS...
Tough Sh*t!
Build a damn bridge and GET OVER IT.
I don't find a damn thing wrong about PEACE ON EARTH...or GOOD WILL TOWARDS MEN that's associated with CHRISTMAS...do you?
And let's give props to the JEWISH sect of our society, who willingly fill in for those (nasty) CHRISTIANS during CHRISTMAS.
They don't seem to have ANY problem with CHRISTMAS...
But "some" folks apparently DO.
America is, and has always been a "melting pot", and that means we ALL have homogeneously BLENDED into ONE PEOPLE.
Sure, we might have been founded by God-fearing men and women, and we've thanked our Creator FOR the opportunity to be given a nation free from tyranny and free from the shackles of oppression.
We are AMERICANS, and the beliefs and customs OF America is what makes this nation separate from all the others.
Those customs could have come from Germany...or England...or Russia, or even Italy, Ireland, or Greece. Doesn't matter where. They were added TO our nation, making it stronger.
And in times such as these, we need to garner ALL the strength we can, no matter WHAT the season.
Have a great weekend, and...
Stay safe out there, America.

Here's To Your Health...
I don't know about YOU, but I've just about heard and seen enough concerning this health care "bill" that's been kicked about like some mega-buck soccer ball.
I suppose it hasn't occurred to ANYONE in the current administration that we need a few more "important" things in our nation taken care of FIRST...
One of them would be a little something called J O B S !
Americans are being laid off or otherwise "given the axe" in damn near record numbers, which means a helluva lot MORE people are on the unemployment dole. Fortunately for THEM, benefits may be extended another 19 weeks (I recall when all you got was about 19 weeks total), and the money to pay for all that is coming from WHERE, exactly?
We also hear tell about unemployment rates declining....really?
REALLY?
Maybe you should check those numbers, because when people have run their allotment of benefits and drop OFF the radar, that does NOT mean they are suddenly employed anew...
Yes, we're being lied to again.
Unemployment is REALLY increasing.
Funny how that claim of unemployment NOT going over 8% got tossed out with the bath water (we're now hovering around 10.2%). Maybe Obama should have checked the FACTS with someone who knows something about ACCOUNTING and basic MATH.
Which brings me to Harry Reid, who I wouldn't let do a head count of the members of a baseball team on a field, due to his "flawed" mathematical abilities.
Where the hell is anything being SAVED when you're spending over a TRILLION BUCKS of some health care bill that the vast MAJORITY of citizens simply DO NOT WANT?
And why aren't YOU signing up for this health care, Mr. Reid???
Seems to me YOU should be at the FRONT of the line.
Now, call me misinformed, but in order for "someone" to PAY for this "new healthcare" (which is unconstitutional in so many ways), we're going to need people with MONEY.
And that MONEY usually comes from being gainfully EMPLOYED, doesn't it?
I think MY logic is a tad more substantial than Mr. Reid's, don'cha think?
If Deja Vu serves me correctly, didn't Clinton try passing another lame-ass "Hillary-Care" back in the 1990s?
And that went over about as well as a pregnant pole-vaulter, right?.
Now Reid has a solution for paying some of the freight on this crap...TAX the rich.
Now, wouldn't the "rich" include those who OWN or RUN businesses that EMPLOY people?
And wouldn't MORE taxes impact on those "bottom lines"?
Could we see even MORE layoffs, because a business shut down, thanks to over-taxation?
I'm just sayin'...this is one snowball we really don't want to kick down that mountain.
I guess what REALLY amazes me, is the fact that anyone with HALF a brain and a smattering of mathematical aptitude can actually BELIEVE all this bullsh*t being touted by these politicians who want this health care to pass.
That's like allowing the inmates to RUN the bloody asylum, for God's sake!
If ANY of us mere citizens were to consider living OUR financial lives in a manner paralleling that of those in Congress or the Senate, we'd have been committed a LONG time ago, and fitted up with one of those really nice, tight, white "long-sleeve", buckle jackets!
But think on this...is it REALLY all about "health care"?
Well, it is but ONE way to control a people...
Control the health care and you WILL control a nation's people.
Another way is to control the CURRENCY.
People need money, it's THAT simple. We can't conduct ANY transaction without it, unless we wish to go back to the old bartering days...(service for service).
Find a method to devalue a currency to the point of worthlessness, and the people will succumb to your will, no matter how bad it might taste. They need to survive, and controlling the primary means to purchase anything is a damn fine way to manage that.
Still another method of control is to take away guns from the people.
Well, we know that bird's not going to fly all that well.
When you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have them.
One other way to control a people is to control the media.
Tell a lie often enough, and make it seem palatable, and people will begin to believe it. That's a paraphrase of a quote by none other than Adolph Hitler himself (Mein Kampf).
Trouble with ALL of these things is that they WILL work...and that doesn't bode well for any of us who still covet freedom and liberty for everyone. And the really BAD thing is that ALL of these methods are being thrust at us at the SAME time.
It's like I said the other day about "information and sensory overload".
We're being hit with SO MUCH at ONE TIME, we can barely discern what the hell is going on, let alone separate the wheat from the chaff. And that's another way to control the people...KEEP THEM CONFUSED.
Face it, a confused person is a docile person...one who is more prone to becoming "compliant", or malleable in thought and reason.
Now that's not anything I want to be part and parcel to...how about you?
Yeah, our President and his cronies SHOULD be focusing on getting our people EMPLOYED, bolstering our DOLLAR, and providing to the rest of the world a nation that has the ability to rebound from impending financial crises, and come out stronger on the other side.
Not seeing that happen, people...
It would seem that the phrase "Of the people, by the people, for the people" should be sounding more like "Force the people, tax the people. control the people".
Now I don't recall seeing THAT in ANY of our founding documents, or mentioned by ANY former leader of this nation.
Let me know if I'm wrong here, OK?. Maybe I missed something somewhere.
What we can take away from all this imminent "control" is a system whereby those that have, will be forced (in some fashion) to give to those who have not. Gee, we used to call that CHARITY. Wonder where THAT went?
And charity always began in the home.
Well, I suppose we'll all be in government-imposed housing soon enough...can't wait for that.
Americans need to get back what this nation USED to stand for, and NOT stand for all the "change" that's being perpetrated against decent, hard-working people.
Americans need to have their voice heard, and their petitions addressed.
We need to take a stand, and to not be moved aside by the winds of such "change".
If we need to change anything, it's the direction this nation is headed....if we want to remain the nation our forefathers fought and died for.
That's something to think about.
Stay safe out there, America.