12 August 2014

Tuesday Tidbits...
Well, at least it's not raining outside, but I'm sure many of our hearts feel as heavy as the skies today, and we'll be getting to that in just a bit.
First, the Hoosierland weather for today...partly to mostly cloudy with a good chance of rain later by afternoon.
We still need the rain.
Temps will be wonderfully mild withsome nice breezes out there and highs again expected in the mid 70s.
All things considered, not that bad.
So grab that cup of whatever you're having as we take a peek into the rest of the world...
*** First up from the stacks this morning...more of this month's What the hell happened today, Bob?" tributes to events and people.
AUGUST 12:
30 BC – Cleopatra VII Philopator, the last ruler of the Egyptian Ptolemaic dynasty, commits suicide, allegedly by means of an asp bite. (talk about deja Vu)
1851 – Isaac Singer is granted a patent for his sewing machine.
1898 – An Armistice ends the Spanish–American War.
1914 – World War I: The United Kingdom declares war on Austria-Hungary; the countries of the British Empire follow suit.
1950 – Korean War: Bloody Gulch massacre—American POWs are massacred by North Korean Army.
Another Stalin "purge"
1952 – The Night of the Murdered Poets: Thirteen prominent Jewish intellectuals are murdered in Moscow, Russia, Soviet Union. (**talk about a DEAD Poets Society**)
1953 – Nuclear weapons testing: The Soviet atomic bomb project continues with the detonation of Joe 4, the first Soviet thermonuclear weapon.
1960 – Echo 1A, NASA's first successful communications satellite, is launched.
1977 – The first free flight of the Space Shuttle Enterprise.
1981 – The IBM Personal Computer is released.
1982 – Mexico announces it is unable to pay its enormous external debt, marking the beginning of a debt crisis that spreads to all of Latin America and the Third World.
1985 – Japan Airlines Flight 123 crashes into Osutaka ridge in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, killing 520, to become the worst single-plane air disaster.
1990 – "Sue", the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton found to date, was discovered by Sue Hendrickson in South Dakota.
1992 – Canada, Mexico and the United States announce completion of negotiations for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
2000 – The Oscar class submarine K-141 Kursk of the Russian Navy explodes and sinks in the Barents Sea during a military exercise.
Notable Birthdays:
1860 – Klara Hitler, Austrian mother of Adolf Hitler (d. 1907)
1867 – Edith Hamilton, German-American author and educator (d. 1963)
1881 – Cecil B. DeMille, American director and producer (d. 1959)
1907 – Joe Besser, American actor (d. 1988)
1910 – Jane Wyatt, American actress and singer (d. 2006)
Porter and Dolly Parton
1927 – Porter Waggoner, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2007)
1930 – George Soros, Hungarian-American businessman and philanthropist, founded the Soros Fund Management
1931 – William Goldman, American author, playwright, and screenwriter
First to drive a TURBINE car at the Indy 500
1933 – Parnelli Jones, American race car driver
1939 – George Hamilton, American actor and producer
Wonder if he still plays barefoot?
1949 – Mark Knopfler, Scottish-English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (Dire Straits and The Notting Hillbillies)
And he was FLASH GORDON
1954 – Sam J. Jones, American actor
1954 – Pat Metheny, American guitarist and songwriter (Pat Metheny Group)
Starred in I, ROBOT and the new STAR TREK
1956 – Bruce Greenwood, Canadian-American actor
And it's International Youth Day (United Nations)
Now you know more than the person living next door...
Meanwhile, back at the ranch...
*** The riots and looting in the suburb of St. Louis continues for a second night in the wake of a police action shooting.
Yes, officer...they ARE animals!
Here's the story link with several videos:
http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/local/2014/08/10/rioting-breaks-out-in-ferguson/13880305/
One officer was heard to call these thieves "animals"...imho, he was being WAY too kind.
Looting for the "fun" of it? Not a credit to YOUR race, Bub.
Naturally, the Rev. (not so) Sharpton is going to Ferguson, MO no doubt in incite the mooks there further through his usual tactic of race-BAITING.
That will help keep the peace to no end...NOT.
Kinda looks like some residents of OUR part of town doing the looting...typical behavior for these thugs.
WTF does THIS have to do with justice?
When in doubt...smash it out (the windows) and help yourself to some FREE SH*T.
Police were seen to (in some instances) be holding back and allowing the mayhem to proceed.
This is all in the wake of an alleged shooting of an unarmed teen  by a police officer.
WHY take something that's NOT yours for no reason?
Cries of "kill the police" were also heard over the last two days, and that isn't helping matters one bit when trying to restore some level of order to the area. Shades of WATTS back in 1965, hmm?
Nice to know SOME things (and people) NEVER change.
Moving on...
*** Iconic comedian and actor Robin Williams left us yesterday at the age of 63.
(but all of you knew that much).
Here is his WIKI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Williams
From GOOD MORNING VIETNAM
He was perhaps the best funnyman to come along in recent history..cut much in the pattern of the late Jonathan Winters with his rapid-fire and often impromptu comedy style. 
And he dealt with his demons the best he could, and rather successfully, having overcome drug dependency and alcoholism and becoming someone that everyone loved, admired, and found solace through laughter with whenever he came on the big or small screen.
Entertaining the troops
I always struggle when  one of my "contemporaries" takes the big "dirt-nap", and it's even more troubling when they take their own life, as this appears to be at this time.
I've dealt with depression in the past...not much fun at all.
And, it's something you have to be constantly mindful of, lest that beast rears it's head in one's life and consumes you.
From DEAD POETS SOCIETY
Now, I have no idea what would cause Robin to want to check out, but I know what CAN cause it.
It can be all the losses that a person has to endure in life...that's a big one.
From AWAKENINGS
Loved ones, dear friends, relatives, parents, mentors...when each one passes on, it leaves a hole in your heart, and eventually, if you're not careful, you have more "holes" than heart left.
From GOOD WILL HUNTING
Now, I'm not going to go on a long sermon about Robin Williams or my life or bouts of depression.
I leave that up to all of you to ponder.
*** Last back to the comedy club today...the longer you live, the more you learn...at least, that's the way it's supposed to work.
We can clearly see both sides of humanity in today's post...
There are those who seek ONLY to TAKE from others, while another man chose to GIVE to others.
You could not ask for a more diametrically-opposed state of humanity.
Hopefully, most of us fall onto the giving side, and in the best manner that we can do such things.
I believe that Americans are like that...a giving people.
We're used to helping the needy, lifting the downtrodden, and encouraging the meek. And yes, we do like to enjoy life.
Our history is replete with such actions not only by the nation as a whole, but by individuals, acting in the interest of others, and not themselves.
So, we bid farewell to another person who made us laugh, made us think, and made us even cry at times.
And hopefully, as I mentioned above, as we grow older, we can LEARN something from one person's time with us.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.

4 comments:

CWMartin said...

Laurie's sis-in-law came from and has friends in the riot area. It's all about their misguided "stick it to the man" gig. I worked with a guy as a guard who was always late relieving me. I asked if he had an alarm clock. He said, "Yeah, but I don't set it... it's kinda my way of sticking it to the man." I replied, "Dumbass, the only man you're sticking it to is ME!"

On a related (by my warped mind) note, that same man came in to relieve me one night when I was training another guy. I says, "Sgt Bates, this is officer so-and-so." Officer so-and-so then said, "Bates? Anyone ever call you master?"

Bob G. said...

Chris:
I can't see any OTHER reason to cause such riots and looting other than the reason YOU mentioned...all about this sense of ENTITLEMENT.

Guess all those "social" programs designed to RAISE people from the depths of depravity (and poverty) over the last several DECADES haven't panned out as they were envisioned...have they?

They (the gub'ment) keep trying different things and winding yup with the same result from these mooks. Thought that used to be called LUNACY.

Thing is, the collateral damage has closed down a few businesses there, and caused more than a few people to suddenly become UNEMPLOYED.
(these animals never think about that, though)

Thanks for stopping by to comment.

You stay safe up there, brother.

gadfly said...

Bob G:

As the 4077th MASH theme song reminds us, "suicide is painless, it brings on many changes" and some are unpleasant.

Robin Williams was a big-time liberal who used his routines to bash conservatives, such as this one where he spewed hatred about Angelina Jolie, George W, Bush and Sarah Palin

Bob G. said...

Gadfly:
Oh, I KNOW he was a liberal of the first-order, and his stage shows and talk show appearances reflected as much.

I tend to put that aside whenever I watch one of his movies, however.
I WOULD be interested to hear what he used to perform in front of our TROOPS...that would be a "conflict of interest" for him, would it not?
Just wondering about that.

Thanks for stopping by to comment...loved the train post of yours, too.

Stay safe out there.