Friday Follies...
...And here in the Heartland of America, we're waking up to some REALLY nice thunderstorms...and that's not bad (for me).
I can already see that our avian friends have congregated on our patio in the rain, asking the age-old question:
"We're HERE...when 'ya gonna FEED us, Bob?"
Hope you guys like your birdseed WET, because about 30 seconds after I toss it out there, that's what you're all going to get.
So let's dive right into some stories and observations made to fire up the old synapses, shall we?
*** This is both a bit shocking AND amusing at the same time, and you'll soon see why.
(( Garrett meth lab explosion burns man
Jeff Wiehe - The Journal Gazette
An explosion inside a Garrett home Thursday was caused by a working methamphetamine lab, police said.
Medics, firefighters and police officers went to 1100 S. Lee St. about 8:15 a.m. after someone there called 911, Garrett police said. Firefighters found a small fire, a haze of smoke throughout the home and items used to make methamphetamine.
While rescue workers were at the home on South Lee, more rescue workers were called to a home in the 900 block of South Randolph Street. A man there had burns to his hands, stomach and legs, police said.
Investigators determined the man was burned by the fire on South Lee, and the blaze was caused by a meth lab explosion. Two school-aged children were also present during the explosion, police said.
The owner of the home on South Lee, Christopher Payton, 32, was arrested on a charge of manufacturing meth and taken to the DeKalb County Jail. ))
Goes to show that if you're OVER 30, and are NOT a chemistry major at a local college, BUT still love watching that show BREAKING BAD, you're probably up to NO damn good.
*** Here's what I believe to be a followup story to one I posted about last week.
(( Student finds gun in woods by school
Holly Abrams - The Journal Gazette
A letter was sent Wednesday to parents of Kekionga Middle School students, telling them that a gun had been found near the school this week. A group of students was on a nature walk Tuesday in a wooded area behind the school, 2929 Engle Road, west of Bluffton Road, when one of the students spotted a gun on the ground, said Krista Stockman, Fort Wayne Community Schools spokeswoman. The student immediately told a teacher, who then called the school to tell administrators, Stockman said.
While waiting for police to arrive, a school administrator came out to where the gun had been found and stood near it to make sure no students approached the area. The students on the nature walk continued on their way, Stockman said.
Fort Wayne police received a call from Principal Gary Schafer about the gun just before 9 a.m. Tuesday, according to police call records.
According to the call record, the gun appeared to be loaded with the hammer locked back. Officer Raquel Foster, a city police spokeswoman, said the case is under investigation.
"No students ever touched the gun," Stockman said, adding that the letter was sent to inform parents of the finding and that police had removed the weapon. ))
Now, if you recall, a man was killed in the apartment complex NEAR that school and it was in my post of 27 April.
Police at that time did NOT find the gun that was used in the homicide.
Well, now you HAVE found a gun...let's see "IF" this is the piece that committed that crime, shall we?
I think that allowing people with such issues to live near ANY school is a bad idea, but then again, Section 8 housing doesn't discriminate when it comes to which neighborhood they plan to turn into the NEXT blighted area...do they?
*** And lastly, TODAY is the premiere of the SEQUEL to the first IRON MAN movie.
I loved the first flick, since I've been a fan of IRON MAN since...well, let's just say it was back in the 1960s.
I have quite a few of the comics from that era, but I always did like Iron Man.
By late buddy Hank loved The Hulk (he kinda looked like the hulk, too...just not green all over...LOL).
When I was a really young lad, I recall going to the barber shop where my uncle Phil cut my hair, and it was there that I was first introduced to the realm of the SUPERHERO (he had lots of comics to read).
I read about how GREEN LANTERN came to be, how THE FLASH got his super speed, and how BATMAN fought crime in Gotham City.
Didn't have to know about SUPERMAN...they had a TV show on with George Reeves in the title role.
It was when I got to high school, that I came to embrace the culture of super heroism.
CAPTAIN AMERICA fought the Nazis, SPIDERMAN fought crime in NYC, and IRON MAN battled world tyrants, bigger business (than his), and saved the world numerous times.
I liked the (Iron Man) story line of an injured (in Vietnam, per the comic - Afghanistan per the movie...both work well) person overcoming his disability (heart injury from shrapnel) to fashion a flying battle suit with which to fight the evil of the world. Hell, we already had COMMANDO CODY on TV (now THAT was a neat get up he had...a rocket pack, AND a cool helmet...gotta have a helmet).
Now, you've seen kids doing chalk drawings in the street, right? Sometimes they draw out hopscotch boards to play on, or maybe something like flowers or trees. My friends and I drew SUPERHEROES...in the street. Wish Mom or Dad would have taken some pictures of those.
Some friends even asked me to draw them a picture of their favorite hero, which I gladly did...and never asked for any money.
I even showed some work to an REAL artist at a convention, and he thought I should get into comic art...never did THAT, either.
Maybe in the NEXT life?
(note to self - follow up on the art major gig in high school...)
Suffice it to say that I learned much from the "morals of the stories" these comic book heroes provided.
And, as is the case, they pretty much MIRRORED what my parents told me, only they had super powers and cooler "costumes" than either Mom OR Dad...LOL.
And among all these heroes of fiction...there was always Iron Man (for me).
When I heard that Robert Downey Jr. was going to play TONY STARK (the man behind Iron Man), I was really wary, but then I thought that THIS is the PERFECT venue for Downey...the character of Stark and he have SO MUCH in common.
And when I finally saw the movie, I was not disappointed.
Both Downey and the fictional Stark have led a charmed life, but circumstances take much from both. Each of them has to overcome their "demons"; Stark (in the comics) becomes an alcoholic, while Downey had issues with drugs.
Both have come out the better for winning their respective battles, and I not only admire that in an individual, but have come away with a better appreciation of the human condition.
Now, I most likely won't go to the movies to see this picture, as I find the entire movie-going "experience" lacking in civility that was found in times past, but at least I DO know when I CAN expect to see this movie...by CHRISTMAS!
The last movie the missus and I attended was Star Trek: Nemesis (and yes, I did wear my "uniform", in case you were wondering. I'll have to tell you about that sometime...got some very cool tales to tell about those days), and with the ever-increasing price of tickets, concessions and whatever else, the best recourse is to practice PATIENCE and await the movie's release to DVD (on eBay), and get it for cheaper than retail (which I managed to do with the FIRST movie). I purchased a 2-disc special edition for UNDER $14! (Can't beat that with a stick, can you?)
And I have some "action figures" prominently displayed in the living room.
I might be too old to "play" with them, but they stand as a reminder....a link to my past, when comics were an adjunct to what your parents provided to you in the way of wisdom and knowledge.
Those days when the local drug store was there to bring heroes to life on the pages of a (then) 12 cent monthly publication became OUR way of dealing with life's problems, big or small.
Well, it DID provide a much better outlet than bullying...or stealing...or even murder.
(Many of today's kids COULD learn a helluva lot from THAT, couldn't they?)
What I came away with from those (now yellowing) pages, was that we are only human, but we CAN prevail.
We might not initially succeed at whatever it is we attempt, but that's not cause to just give in or give up.
We continue the good fight...we persevere when times get rough, and we DO eventually achieve what we have pursued, no matter how small the victory might seem to others.
And the best thing that came from all of that was...GOOD will triumph over EVIL.
It might not happen today, or all at once, but it WILL, if we believe it.
Now, I think that's as good a reason as any to take on the challenges of today's world, be they at home, or abroad.
And, it DOES make damn good sense, don'cha think?
* * * * *
This Sunday is Mother's Day...let's not forget that.
Moms are the life blood of our families, and as such, have not only a huge responsibility to bear, but are also deserving of our utmost respect for their devotion, their unconditional love, and their seemingly endless compassion.
I still miss my Mom...always will, but I will hold her in remembrance this Sunday, above all other days.
If your mom is still with us, never pass up the chance to say you love her.
Send flowers, take her out to dinner, or just chat her up.
And although my mom is no longer available to talk to, that won't stop me from doing so...because I know she'll hear me.
How do I know that? It's simple.
I look at the garden, and see her in every scent and every bloom we get from every flower...
Sounds corny, but I think you know where I'm coming from...right?
Have yourselves a fantastic weekend, be well, make a difference to someone, and, as always...
Stay safe out there, America.