Friday Follies...

Welcome to another weekend, which will see the Heartland with some nicely colder temps.
And here at the "Fortress", aka Bobby G's bachelor pad, we are ready to have a (hopefully) quiet 24 hours.
More talk more about that in a minute,but let's take a look at the conditions outside.
(plus, it's Friday the 13th...OY!)
Our Hooiserland weather is starting off COLD, with an expected high today of only 23 degrees.
We already had some light snow flurries (with another inch or two coming this weekend), dusting the ground and cars.
Partly cloudy skies (looks like a decent sunrise going on), and slight breezes.
Not a bad day...just a so-so one, as days go.
(until someone comes along and screws it up...lol)
Now, with that over with, let's get into the meat and potatoes of today's post...
BTW, make sure and have your favorite hot drink at hand...you're going to need it this AM.
*** First out of the chill-zone is out "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
February 13 - 
---Today is BLAME SOMEONE ELSE DAY, and with it already being Friday the 13th, I'd really run with this one, no matter where you are.

(why yes, I can be vindictive, thanks for asking...lol)
Bet this is the Obama National Holiday, too....heh
---And, it's also GET A DIFFERENT NAME DAY, which if you are going to blame someone else, would be a damn GOOD idea...don'cha think?

Can't say I'd want a different name, but perhaps a new "title"...MISTER seems so commonplace.
Perhaps DUKE OF ELLINGTON...or SIR LOIN OF BEEF...something with "pizazz"...
Hell, just call me Captain America...lol.
And, since we're at the weekend, let's see what's going on then...
February 14 - 
---Saturday is ST.VALENTINE'S DAY (and NOT "valentimes", so get it straight...and take care of the romantic business, got it?

Cupid?

---It's also FERRIS WHEEL DAY, (not to be confused with Ferris BUELLER day), and if YOU can find one open anywhere BUT in CA of FL...take a ride..

---And, it's NATIONAL ORGAN DONOR DAY, which, if you're into "affairs of the HEART", this might be right up your alley.

February 15 - 
---Sunday is CANDLEMAS of the JULIAN calendar. (okay, then)
---And, it's NATIONAL GUM DROP DAY (they stil make those?)

---It's also SINGLES AWARENESS DAY, so I guess this HAS to run alongside Valentine's Day, because I've been down THAT street in the past.

Nothing like being extremely SINGLE around the 14th of February...I can relate to those in similar circumstances.
*** Next up, another bank robbery in Fort Wayne  yesterday morning.

(and quite early, too).
Here's the story link, such as it is:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/Robbers-hit-new-bank-off-Illinois-5006605

Nice to know the video is SO forthcoming (as are perp descriptions)...be nice to see who the crims were, so the PUBLIC could assist local law-enforcement.
(don't get me started on this crap again)
*** I am doing the bachelor gig for the next 24 hours (shades of Jack Bauer...lol), as Wifey is driving down to Vincennes to visit her dad, who has moved up from Texas to be closer to family (plus, he won't be alone since Wifey's mom passed recently).

It's a good fit all around, trust me.
So, the cat and I get to hang out...two old guys watching birds and feeding squirrels...
I might get adventurous and have a beer...(...zounds!!!).
Grocery will be moved back to Sunday (that should be fun).
*** Next up, it IS Black History Month, and I thought I'd take a look at some of the blacks in history that not many know about...like those who were inventors and scientists.

(no, we're not talking Neil DeGrasse Tyson, either, Chris...lol)
So here goes:

--- Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806) was an astronomer, and free born in Maryland, largely self-taught, and constructed the FIRST striking clock made in America. He also helped survey the boundaries of Washington, D.C.

---  Rebecca Cole (1846-1902) Born in Philadelphia, she was the 2nd black woman to graduate from medical school. She joined Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell in NYC and helped teach hygiene and childcare in poor neighborhoods.

--- Dr Daniel Hale Williams (1856-1931) He was also born in Philadelphia, and attended medical school in Chicago, where he founded the Provident Hospital there. He performed the FIRST successful open heart surgery in 1893.

--- Percy L. Julian (1899-1975) Was Alabama born, received a BA from DePauw, a master's from McGill University in Montreal, and from Columbia University. His research in blood plasma led to setting up the nation's FIRST blood bank.

--- Thomas Jennings (1791-1859) He was the first black American to receive a U.S. patent (for the dry cleaning process)

--- Lewis Howard Latimer (1848-1929) invented an electric lamp and a carbon filament for light bulbs, and was the ONLY black American working for Thomas Edison.

--- Garrett Augustus Morgan (1877-1963) Born in Kentucky, Morgan invented a GAS MASK (patented in 1914) that was used to protect soldiers from chlorine fumes in WW1. Morgan also patented (1923) a traffic signal with AUTOMATED "stop" and "go" signs. It was later replaced with traffic LIGHTS.
And these fine people are but a FEW of so many Americans of African descent who have made considerable and noteworthy contributions to our country...and to the world in general.

A shame that none of these people are mentioned. Society lauds the athletes (to me Jackie Robinson is THE quintessential ground breaker for equality  in sports).
Now, if you think blacks only dominate "contemporary" music and the jazz days of old...think again.
Here is a link to a timeline of black musicians and singers from the realm of THE CLASSICS:
http://www.wqxr.org/#!/story/266404-timeline-history-black-classical-musicians/
(we're talking ULTIMATE OLDIES here...)
There is SO much more that SHOULD be taught to the black youth today when it comes to the REAL black history in America (and REAL role models).
Perhaps it's time to bring more of the TRUTH into those classrooms...
*** Last back to the orchestra pit... a LONG time ago, in a galaxy pretty far away, I had the honor to perform in a high school musical...the FIRST our school ever did, called GUYS AND DOLLS.

I landed a lead (Nathan Detroit), and it scared the crap out of me...I had to SING...and ACT through damn near the WHOLE show.
Well, suffice it to say, all went very well, and we sold out ALL four nights.
That was back in 1969, and we did something other schools had not done...we had a MIXED RACE CAST.
And those fellow students were WONDERFUL to be around to share that stage experience.
Jim Early and Bill Anderson were two of the BEST voices I recall from those days, and yes, they were black.
But, when you hung around with them, you didn't even notice that...they became good FRIENDS.
Seemed that during those tumultuous days of CIVIL RIGHTS...our school was ahead of that curve.
And we, as students never suffered the level of hatred and racism that took place elsewhere around the country.

Sure, some of us whites were called "N_____-Lovers" to our faces, and that pissed us ALL off, because we really didn't KNOW any, but we understood the bias, and thought it stupid.
We also had thicker skin in those days...more tolerance, and less divide between the races.
Can't seem to say as much today, but I will say that a good amount of the schism between the races can be tracked back to the dissolution of the traditional family. None of my black friends came from single-parent families, and sometimes (as was the case with many white families) BOTH parents worked.
That's what the middle class does.
And I can't recall a time when ANY of my black friends were in trouble with the law...they were more frightened of their PARENTS (what they would do to them) than the police, so they never got into any crime...again, can't say as much today.
People say it's wrong to "live in the past", but by God, so many things were BETTER then, not the least of which, were the PEOPLE.
I think that's something we can agree on, right?
Lessons to be learned from our past can only serve to better our future.
Do have yourselves a great weekend.

Be well, make a difference to someone today, and as always...
Stay SAFE out there, America.