Monday Musings...

Welcome to the last week of February...and a very FROSTY morning out there to boot.
We made it to BELOW-ZERO temps out there, with a wind chill hovering in the double-digits.
The rest of our Hoosierland weather will see us with partly cloudy skies today, with a high jumping ALL the way up to...(maybe) TEN DEGREES.
(some are saying only SEVEN)

Keepin' the tushie warm.

You heard me right...that's as far as we're going today, so whatever stuff is on the ground...will REMAIN on the ground.
Plan your driving activities accordingly...plenty of stopping room and no abrupt wheel movements...everything should be fluid in motion.
And, for God's sake, dress FOR the weather and don't stay outside any longer than you have to.
It's SERIOUSLY cold frostbite weather, kapeesh?
Now, with that over, let's get that nice hot cup of coffee, tea or cocoa and see what else this old world has in store for us...
*** First out of the arctic comes our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
February 23 -
---Today is INTERNATIONAL DOG BISCUIT APPRECIATION DAY.
And that doesn't mean YOU go chow down on some Milk-Bones, right?

I know TWO bloggers who are ready...

But, I'm sure the DOGS among us (preferably the FOUR-legged ones) will have a ball with this.
---And, it's TENNIS DAY...
(probably someplace either WARM...or INDOORS, no doubt)

VERY nice...uh, FOREHAND (yeah, that's it)

And remember...in tennis, LOVE means NOTHING.
*** Next up, I've been following this whole story about the radical ISLAMISTS (see, I have no trouble saying it) wanting to do us some harm...at perhaps a SHOPPING MALL.

"Radical -ISLAMIC-terrorists...say it...SAY IT!!!"

Here's one of many stories covering this:
http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/story/28168159/mall-of-america-named-as-target-in-al-shabaab-video

Needs cheese to go with his "whine".

Now, the current head of DHS seems to have this level of "duplicity" going on...(could we expect nothing LESS from anyone in this administration?)

Largest shopping experience in the USA.

On the one hand, he is warning people shopping at the MOA (Mall of America in MN) to "be careful", and on the other hand, he is trying to DOWNPLAY this latest threat by the terrorist group Al-Shabaab.
You remember THOSE guys, right?
Here's a WIKI in case you forgot:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Shabaab_%28militant_group%29
What is really weird about all this, is that more than a year ago, I was talking to Wifey and I said to her if these loons wanted to make some sort of "statement", targeting a shopping mall would be a good start.
That should never be allowed to occur.

See, you have to THINK like them in order to understand and thereby eradicate such vermin...
DHS seems a bit slow in that regard.
It's the same sort of mindset that makes for good soldiering (in combat) and moreover,  GOOD policing, except when it's NOT practiced where it should be.

REAL military leaders KNOW this.

Sun-Tzu stated that "to know your enemy is to know yourself".
Well, we have a administration that won't even ADMIT to WHO these Islamic terrorist REALLY are in the first place, hmm?
They can't even SAY the phrase, and treat these bastards like common CRIMINALS, rather than terrorists.
(yes, Virginia, there IS a difference)
Let's just say that IF these radical Islamists WANTED to do something "noteworthy" in this country, getting their hands on more airliners isn't going to happen...BUT a smaller venue is not beyond the realm of possibility, sad to say.
People love to congregate in places one can shop...we're consumers in a capitalist society...we're shopaholics.
It makes one ponder HOW mall security will become in the near future...

"I can see you".

Metal detectors at entrances?
(that would also keep out people who have a valid CCP and could possibly intervene in an emergency)
Add some TSA folks to frisk everyone coming into a mall?
(lol...not hardly)
There are plenty of cameras around being monitored REAL-TIME, and there are also warnings about leaving your packages unattended (hate to misplace that "device", right?), and mall security does a good job already.
Perhaps having ARMED security at malls would be the first logical step.
Maybe that's why public transit hasn't had as many attempts from terrorists of late...beefed up security THERE.

Ramses-Al-Kaboom and the boys

Let's face it, the job of a terrorist is..well, let's see what Webster's has to say about the definition:
Terrorism - n. the use of violent acts to frighten the people in an area as a way of trying to achieve a political goal.
Basically, it's meant to get to CHANGE the way people act (looking over your shoulder, for example)
Geez, that sounds like all the thugs on the SE side of Fort Wayne...lol.
Since 9-11, we HAVE changed our way of thinking...and living.
In that, these terrorists have achieved a certain amount of victory, but since WE have changed, we are more alert, more vigilant, and more prepared...and that is a DEFEAT for those wanting to do any of us harm.
Talk about a Yin-Yang moment.
*** Since I originally hail from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, this story brings to light something that's been ongoing for over 50 years.
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/us/Appalachia-report-cites-progress--challenges-after-50-years-5182724

ALL of Appalachia

Appalachia...when people speak of it, they think "hill-jacks" of the highest order.
And, it's NOT limited to only Pennsy...as you can see. Covers a pretty BIG area.

And they
leave the seat UP.

It's just an area where poor people have lived for decades with relative obscurity.
But, there is progress being made in some aspects.
Thing is, our government dumps TRILLIONS overseas when we can't seem to aid those RIGHT HERE in our own "backyard".
We grant blanket amnesty for illegals, and yet, can't find decent jobs, housing and basic amenities for those who were BORN here and lived here for generations.
In many ways, this part of America is only now enjoying the things the LAST century brought to the rest of us, and much of which WE take for granted.
But they have a long road to hoe yet.
In FIFTY years, a commission has spent $3.8 BIL...hell, we send THAT much in federal AID to other nations EVERY YEAR (a lot more,actually).
And all that is an aside from the RESOURCES we send everywhere else...like corn and grain (and yes, even CRUDE OIL).
Sure would appear that our nation's priorities are a bit misplaced at this point.
*** Last back to the Antarctic...we have always been a nation of charitable intent and action.
We have helped one another all throughout our country's history, and come to the aid of nations that we allied ourselves with.

And they have rallied to our side as well.
But when do we start looking beyond the immediate and start thinking what will happen further down the road we travel?
We have seen our own "war on poverty" fail marvelously since it's inception back in the 60s.

Welcome to Appalachia  (WV-style)

We have seen civil rights triumph during the same era, only to be perverted by some to whom those rights were finally granted.
We have allowed the wrong people to thrive for too long, while those that need help go unaided, or ill-aided for DECADES.
We have seen untold amounts of taxpayer money go into programs that grant over $40,000 as a "poverty level", while others go ignored because no one speaks for them with the enthusiasm as minority group leaders.
Wouldn't it be much better to "clean up our OWN home" first, before we even attempt to clean everyone else's?
That used to be one of those BIBLICAL mandates...something ELSE we seem to have forgotten.
Sure would be nice if more people in THIS country didn't suffer from "selective memory loss", wouldn't it?
Just something to think about...

Be well, make a difference to someone,a nd...
Stay SAFE out there, America.