Call 'Em As You See 'Em...
Yesterday, I said I wanted to EASE you into the week, and hopefully, I did in some small way.
You got to see a little of what's happening in the "Bob-Garden".
To day, we're going to put the PA-IN in the PA-IN Erudition...To Philly and back to Indiana, as it were...within a few minutes.
I neglected to relate to you a little issue we had over the weekend, and although it may be a bit nauseating, it does provide a powerful lesson (and fragrance).
Every Saturday, we grocery shopping, and that's about it.
Don't worry about it again, until the NEXT Saturday.
Well, last Friday, I noticed a really BAD smell coming from inside the "Wifey-Mobile". I thought she ran over an animal somewhere in her travels. I checked the wheel wells and floor mats - nothing.
She didn't recall anything like that happening, either.
It was when I decided to pull a "Wiseguys", and open the trunk (to look for the body), that I had a flashback to the trash-compactor scene from the first STAR WARS movie,
("What a wonderful smell you discovered")
At least, there was NO body there.
Seems a plastic-wrapped pound of ground beef slipped out from the paper bag, and festered there for the better part of a WEEK...
(yeah...you know THAT smell).
Pungent doesn't even come close..."puke worthy" does, however.
Thankfully, my gag-reflex had taken the day off...LOL.
Well, I promptly removed it and TRIPLE-BAGGED it, placing it in the can for pickup this Thursday (which can't come soon enough).
Now the trash bin smells to high heaven (and thank God for GLADE apple-cinnamon...LOL)
I NOW will check the trunk TWICE...just to make sure there is (as the military says) NO ONE LEFT BEHIND.
And the gutter over our garage was clogged and creating this nice "water-feature" in front of the doors every time it rained.
Victoria Falls...it wasn't.
All that was needed was a "nudge" of all the schmutz that built up in the top of the downspout, and PRESTO!
That's right...another "water-feature" (in the guise of a horizontal gusher)...this time at the BOTTOM of the downspout.
Again...problem found...problem solved.
Personal accomplishments NEVER get old, do they?
Before I begin, there are 3 stories that mean something to ME (having grown up in Philly).
The first was the passing of a Philly childrens' TV icon...Bill Webber, or, as he was known by many - Wee Willie Webber (all 6'5" of him).
He was the kind of man who gave unselfishly until his death Sunday at age 80. He loved the line of work he chose, and the funny thing about it...he was born in HAVANA, CUBA (pre-Castro, of course). He joined the U.S. military in order to gain his citizenship.
And he never looked back...only forward.
Here's the link to the article:
http://cbs3.com/local/Broadcast.Pioneer.Wee.2.1710849.html
The second story concerns the preservation of a VERY historic ship, namely the U.S.S. Olympia - the flagship of Admiral Dewey during the Spanish-American war of the late 1890s.
Many years ago, a friend of mine (Walt) and myself had an "unguided" tour of her...think SELF-TOUR, but that was when she was berthed alongside the Ben Franklin Bridge near the Philly fire boat pier. She was later moved to Penn's Landing...a bit farther south.
She has been a mainstay attraction of the waterfront of Philadelphia for the last 50 years, but money's tight, and she is being considered for either SCRAPPING, or (a rather ignoble fate, as was stated by several other bloggers) become an artifical REEF off of Cape may, NJ!
Funny...right across the river from the Olympia, is the U.S.S. New Jersey (WW2 era battleship).
It saddens me to see a city like Philadelphia (Cradle of Liberty) all but IGNORE the history that it possesses.
But, I guess that what occurs when a once noble city becomes a "welfare state"... I hope the Olympia CAN be saved.
Here's a couple links concerning this fine ship:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Olympia_(C-6)
http://dailyradar.com/beltwayblips/story/national-outrage-save-the-olympia/
And, the Philadelphia FLYERS are one step closer to another Stanley Cup, beating the Canadiens last night 4-2.
'Ya gotta believe!
(Reminds me of the old Broad Street Bullies days, which netted them Lord Stanley's cup in '74 AND'75)
Now, I ALSO mentioned (yesterday) about one of the locals moving out this past weekend...(always a good thing to behold).
The nice side to that, is we'll have an all-too-short spell of QUIET from THAT house.
The down side is that some other group of indigent, arrogant and disrespectful vernin will come to infest it anew.
What you have to realize about all of this, is that I've got nothing against black people.
Hell, I pretty much have nothing against ANYONE...of ANY race, nationality religion or color, as long as they're not a chronic dumbass...or prepetual lazy-ass, or some other form of stupid, bipedal creature falsely posing as a human being, and being "paid for" by the working masses.
THAT is where I draw the line.
I suppose everyone has the right to do something dumb a few times throughout their life, but it's when people "abuse the privilege", that it becomes taxing on my psyche...and a burden to society in general.
Like I say, I've nothing against decent black folks...knew some damn fine people in that regard.
And should I meet them again tomorrow, I would hug them as a brother or sister.
My "neighbors", on the other hand...well, that's a whole different animal (pun intended).
Those living around us now have only ONE THING in common with decent black people, and that's the color of their skin.
Aside from that, these "people" are about as worthy to mankind as a word best left to the 14th letter of our alphabet, if you get my drift.
I think it's sad when we have come to a point in our "evolution", where we erroneously lump everyone into the mix, instead of being allowed the decency to name things (or people) for what they obviously are (or at least how they present themselves to us).
Make no mistake...society DOES have it's share of worthless human trash, but there are those too damn busy "reclassifying" such creatures for the "betterment" of everyone...(yeah, right).
This smacks directly in the face of Eric Holder who has a problem with calling an ISLAMIC terrorist "ISLAMIC".
I mean, it's like someone's going to run up and cut out his damn tongue if he so much as UTTERS that adjective.
C'mon now...haven't we grown up enough to say what the hell we mean, and mean what the hell we say?
Are we so "high and mighty" that we simply can't bring ourselves to call things what they are, because it MAY "offend" someone?
Friends, I have news for you...there are people out there in the real world, RIGHT NOW, whose sole purpose in life is to OFFEND someone...anyone. Maybe even you...or me.
And you know what?
I can't be bothered with all that crap.
People can go ahead and say whatever the hell they want...that's what FREE speech is all about.
(aside from yelling "FIRE!" in a crowded theater, that is)
My ONLY concern, is that if you say it to my face (or whatever said gets back to me in some fashion), you best be able to back it up with FACTS, because I WILL call YOU on it.
I spend more time with me than ANYONE, and you don't. Can't express it any easier than that, can you?
ANY assessment I make IS based on facts, so there 'ya are.
And I think that's been working pretty damn well for a LONG time...and for a LOT of people.
It comes down to TRUTH, plain and simple.
(doesn't it always?)
Words ARE like BULLETS - once "out of the muzzle", they can't be called back.
But one should be permitted to use the language created to express and define that which needs expression and definition.
Remember the old saying "call a spade a spade"?
Like calling a shovel...a shovel, right?
Well, if some people don't fall under the auspices of decency...or honesty...or civility...or ethical behavior, what the hell else should we refer to them AS, hmm? I'm just sayin'...
If a person, who is a radical Islmaic terrorist, goes and blows his ass off the face of the planet, let's refer to him AS that "radical ISLAMIC terrorist", and not some "warm and fuzzy" nomenclature like "radical extremist".
That sounds more oxymoronic than anything else...or at least a bit redundant.
Basically, it DOES sound STUPID.
And don't we have too much of that going around as it is?
Just something to make you ponder a bit...
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.