17 April 2014

Just Another Maundy Thursday...
(not to be confused with just another manic Monday)
Those of you of the Catholic faith will know what that's all about and we'll be talking in that among other fun things in just a wee bit.
But, before we do that,  let's see what's going on with the weather.
Today will find us with morning temps around the freezing mark, but giving way to a rather pleasant day with a high around SIXTY degrees (hold the separations...lol)
Going to have partly cloudy skies as well, before that changes over to mostly cloudy and a good chance of rain late tonight into tomorrow.
So, let's fill that cup to the brim of your favorite morning beverage and let's get ourselves busy.
*** First off the couintertop today is the answer to yesterdays's WHO SAID THAT? quote:
" A nation's culture resides in the hearts and souls of it's people."
Not exactly a snappy dresser.
This attributed to none other than Mahatma Gandhi (2 October 1869 - 30 January 1948) the preeminent leader of Indian nationalism in (then) British-ruled India.
His chief "weapon" was nonviolent civil disobedience.
And here is his WIKI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahatma_Gandhi
Suffice it to say that for such a great man, much can be said, so that WIKI is a bit on the lengthy side, and I'll leave it up to all of you to read into an interesting life of a fascinating individual, and quite possibly one of the most notable advocates for peaceful change in the 20th century.
One must be careful, though...for there are those that toss Gandhi's name into their rhetoric, when in fact, they are polar opposites when it comes to his beliefs. Still is a pretty good read.
Moving on...
*** Today is MAUNDY THURSDAY, or Holy Thursday (before Good Friday), and here's the WIKI on this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maundy_Thursday
Nice Painting, even if Michelangelo got it "wrong".
This day celebrates the last supper of Jesus Christ with his disciples.
Lots to read here about it, so have at it (I promise no quiz later)
*** Law-enforcement caught up to and arrested the man they believe was the shooter in that tobacco shop robbery and murder a little over a week ago.
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140417/LOCAL07/304179927
Busted...!!!
The perp, one Jemal Coleman, 22 of the 2100 block of EDEN St (originally from Gary, Indiana - nice MUG shot - another Eden Green thug?) was caught as he exited a Greyhound bus in Indy that had departed from Muncie. (man, that boy got around...but you cannot outrun a radio...or social media)
And he CONFESSED...that's a first.
He didn't dummy the hell up like all the others of his kind prefer to do.
Tips from Coleman's friends and family were instrumental in helping nab the fugitive (yep, they turn on their OWN when it suits them - wonder if a silent "reward" was in the offing?)
What we know NOW, is that the Smoke House tobacco shop owner, Antonio Nino was killed by HIS OWN GUN, which Coleman managed to take from Nino when his own gun "was broken"...
I'd be willing to bet it wasn't even a real gun.
Coleman told police that he made off with Nino's gun and wallet after the shooting, and that both guns were tossed in the river by the Old Fort, with the clothes worn in the robbery being tossed in a dumpster at the Eden Green Apts (still government-sponsored by YOUR dollars).
Sure hope the police went THROUGH that dumpster and a dive team is searching the river.
Gonna need all the evidence you can get to keep THIS worm from getting "off the hook".
Damn savage beast.
And he was smoking pot before going into the store to rob the owner.
(guess that new study about pot affecting the brain might have some "teeth" to it, hmm?)
Having a JOB and being a productive individual would have never allowed this event to take place, right?
Coleman has priors for misdemeanor criminal mischief, and criminal trespass. Well, now, he's finally in the "majors"
Let's see the prosecutor plea deal THIS thug back on the damn streets anytime soon. I think NOT.
Lock him away and lose the damn key...period.
*** And speaking of POT, a major haul of damn near SIX-HUNDRED POUNDS of the leafy mellowing substance was confiscated when Allen County Sheriff Department officers, along with the U.S Dept. of Immigration, Customs, and Enforcement's homeland security agents got wind of a haul coming to the Summit City.
Making a dent in local usage..hopefully.
A parking lot near the corner of Coldwater and Washington Center Rds was the place of choice when it came to the "handoff" of the drugs.
Perez -an "illegal"?
Surveillance units noted the exchange and followed the recipient of the drugs to a (stash) house in the 8800 block of Auburn Rd, where they swooped in after seeing several bales of pot being taken inside.
As police searched the house, they found the 220 lbs of MJ, along with 32 1-pound bags ready for distribution.
Street value of the weed was estimated at around $580K.
Police also found large scales, smaller scales, and some yet to be ID'ed pills (probably oxy or "E").
Taken into custody were Luis E. Perez, 49, and Alvaro. A. Rivera, 23, both of the 9500 block of West Cove Rd refused to talk to authorities after their arrests.
Alvaro-yo quero dumbass
Perez is being held WITHOUT bail, and will be turned over to I.C.E. when his local case is over, and Rivera was being held with (only) a $10K bail, which will most certainly place him back on the streets when he bonds out.
I'd be surprised if he doesn't.
So, we got all this weed getting into our city, and Sheriff Fries said that is indicative of what probably comes into Ft. Wayne on any given day.
I'd say they got LUCKY here, and stopped ONE shipment.
There was a case years ago about how some MJ was coming into our city in large POTTERY. The perps got busted for that one.
And there was the McChesney case in Allen County that was the SIX MILLION dollar bust for pot.
Sure glad we don't have a drug PROBLEM in this city.
*** Next up...on the lighter side - TODAY is the 50TH ANNIVERSARY of the FORD MUSTANG...!
The original 2 door hardtop
(yes, Virginia, it's true)
WAY back in 1964, the Ford Mustang first went on sale.
The 2+2 Fastback
And here's the WIKI about this automobile that changed driving in America:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Mustang
This has become an icon of American motoring over the five decades it's been on the roads.
Steve McQueen drove one (hard) in the movie BULLITT.
Best car chase in the movies...!
Charle's Angels drove them when they were on TV.
Well, TWO of them drove Mustangs...
The new (and soon cancelled) Knight Rider was a Mustang.
(can't beat the Pontiac for that one,...sorry)
When the Mustang first entered showrooms, you could have one for UNDER a mere $2500, and get it damn near any way you wanted it.
It was originally based on a modified Ford Falcon platform, and was one of Lee Iacocca's babies.
The design team consisted of Joe Oros (chief), L. David Ash, Gale Haldeman, and John Foster.
Since 1964, the car has gone through five "generations" of changes, but has still managed to capture the hearts of drivers everywhere.
Not bad for an "old horse".
An oldie, but a damn nice GOODIE!
The Mach-1 was always my favorite model with that really well-designed 302 C.I.D. V8 under that shaker hood.
Thing is, even the smaller block 289 C.I.D. V8 would move that pony along REAL easy - good power-to-weight ratios there.
The newest version (gen 6) will roll out NEXT year (2015), and has been displayed already.
The 2015 model...still looks mean.
I will say that of today's so-called muscle cars (Corvette, Camaro, Challenger, and Mustang), I would prefer the Mustang to the rest, and that;'s only because GM dropped the guillotine on their PONTIAC motor division (assholes)., so no more FIREBIRDS or TRANS AMS.
What bothers me about the Mustang, is that, thanks to union pay-scales, shipping jobs out of country, and purposed inflation, that ORIGINAL selling price of he Mustang has gone from $2368 to TEN TIMES that amount, and comes with loads of crap you don't need.
Then again, that seems to be the story for most ANY vehicle we purchase, doesn't it?
*** Last back to garage today...I miss the cars we USED to have...honestly I do.
We all got along fine with manual door locks and window cranks.
And it was always a nice challenge to upgrade your OWN radio or perhaps add a cassette player and extra speakers on board. And never was there a cause to disturb the neighbors along the way.
Now, they're called "vintage"?
We didn't need a damn GPS to get from "A" to "B"...we could READ MAPS...and damn well, too.
(folding them back up was a something else - needed a damn PhD in engineering to do that...LOL)
Check your oil and AIR, sir?
We had SERVICE STATIONS that really had SERVICE...and gas that was SO much cheaper compared to today's prices, it's laughable.
They sold GAS, oil and service for your car...none of this pizza sh*t, or coffee, or candy crap, or anything else we could get at a "five and dime" down the block.
So, what is it now...a urinal?
We didn't have the need to EAT or drink as we drove about...we DROVE first...ate and drank later.
And we certainly did NOT have the desire to PHONE anyone, and even if we did, there were plenty of PHONE BOOTHS about (at those gas stations).
Yeah, what used to be fun is hardly that today...too many distractions, and that's only from INSIDE the passenger cabin.
Cripes, people can't even back their cars the hell UP without some camera and radar guiding them...like some bomber crew looking to drop some 500 pounders over Berlin or dumping some NAPALM over North Vietnam.
We used to do more for OURSELVES...and we didn't mind it one damn bit.
Now, we get things done FOR us,. and we bitch about wanting even MORE.
That is surely a cultural disconnect, from what we used to be.
I miss those days...honestly.
Learn it, Live it, Love it!
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there.

4 comments:

gadfly said...

Edmunds started a "History of Mustangs" piece with this comment:

The Mustang has never been an exotic car. Even the rarest, most powerful Mustangs ever built (such as the '69 Boss 429) were assembled with haphazard care by a UAW workforce facing a quick-moving, continuous production line with parts that were shared in common with six-cylinder Falcons, four-door Fairlanes and stripped Galaxies. Handcrafting and taking the time to do something extra special has never been part of Mustang production."

My friends who bought them couldn't keep them running, the brakes failed, the clutch broke, the muffler systems came apart and rattles were everywhere. Ford overcharged for them and five years was about all you could expect from the rubber bands (drive belt) in the engine.

If you recall, Pontiac took a shot at the market with the Fiero but it was junkier than the Tang.

Looking for pictures of Mustangs? Here ya go.

Bob G. said...

Gadfly:
That Edmunds article sounds like something I might want to read at length.
I fully agree that the Mustang would NEVER come close to being an Jag-XKE, or even a 240-Z.
And yes, the UAW makes everything slipshod too often, and get obscenely high wages for it.
But those I knew that had a Mustang were really not that put out.
Parts were cheap enough, and I don't remember any of the recall issues that PLAGUED the PINTOS.
From a design standpoint, it was basic, but it was always cheaper than a Corvette, and caused the rise of the Camaro, Firebird, Challenger, Barracuda, and so on.

And the first year of the Fiero made you shudder...overheating and engine fires (right behind the driver...yikes!)
Thanks for the picture link.
And my Firebird will turn 31 years "young" this year...U just need to get the A/C repaired and the front seat-belts (that won;t retract).
Other than that, she doesn't owe me a thing.

Thanks much for stopping by today and commenting.

Happy Motoring out there.

Slamdunk said...

Glad dude on the bus was nabbed. Another goofball removed; sad that there are a dozen more ready to take his place.

I love the old rock solid cars like the Mustang too. Just makes you want to ride in one on a country road with the windows down.

Enjoy your holiday weekend Bob.

Bob G. said...

Slamdunk:
Sad to say that I agree with you about 12 to take the place of the one idiot that gets busted.
Makes you wonder HOW our society has arrived at this point, and why we allowed it to happen, right?

Cars like the 'Stang and 'Cuda were indeed good, basic FUN cars to drive.
When you mention country roads with the windows down, I am SO there.
Love to do that in the old Firebird.
Something about being able to "feel" the road under you, as the smell of alfalfa blows through the car...and plating some driving tunes on the radio.

Don't need much more in life under those conditions...lol.

Thanks for stopping by to comment.

You stay safe out there.