Thoughts For Thursday...

If you like your mornings more on the FRIGID side (and who doesn't?) then THIS morning is right up your alley.
We're barely into positive numbers outside.
Wind chills got in below THAT.
I know, I was shoveling around 0530 hrs in that stuff.
(that'll put the roses in your cheeks, folks)
After another bout of snowfall last evening, which dropped a few more inches on what we already have on the ground, road conditions (we're being told) are passable.
Passable for WHAT sort of vehicle, exactly?
If we're talking MAIN BATTLE TANKS, then yes, I would agree.

If we're talking passenger vehicles with lousy tires...then not so much.
Our Hoosierland weather will see us still under a travel advisory (reinstated after it was dropped prematurely) and we'll have a high today of about 14 degrees.
We will have partly cloudy skies, as opposed to those MOSTLY cloudy ones...for all the good that will do.
Schools were on a 2-hour delay, FWCS got it right today and CLOSED, along with other local schools, depending on the road conditions.

Add that to the fact that no schools I know of have all-tracked vehicles in their inventory...lol.
(although there ARE parts of Chicago and Detroit that could USE 'em)
With that said, let's get our hot cup of morning fortitude and get this puppy off and running.
*** First out of the gate is the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom".

This is attributed to one of our Founding Fathers, and our third President - Thomas Jefferson (13 April 1743 - 4 July 1826).
And here is his WIKI in case you wanted something to read:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Jefferson
He is consistently rated one of our greatest Presidents...except if you ask the "person on the street", many of whom cannot even recognize Reagan or George Washington.
Guess it means something to pay attention in HISTORY CLASS.
I'll leave it to all of you to bone up on Jefferson and how instrumental he was in not only the creation og this nation, but the GROWTH os America.
Moving on...
*** It's alto time for our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
February 5 - 
---Today is NATIONAL WEATHERMAN'S DAY...ROFLMAO!

Yeah, we salute those who are wrong half the time, and also get well-paid for making such predictions.
Sounds about right in today's world.
And what about those cutie weather WOMEN, hmm?

Maria Molina - BEST import EVER!

I mean, if someone is gonna give me a lousy forecast, I'd MUCH prefer it to be someone easier on the eyes, right?

Hot...as are those temperatures.

Nice conditions, indeed.

No lack of development there.

Eye-candy and lousy weather...makes it hurt a lot LESS, doesn't it, gentlemen?
*** I've been following this whole measles thing, and the cause is obvious - the blame is simple.
It's all the damn illegals that have come across our border. THAT'S who to blame. THEY caused it.
And now, we have 14 of OUR states with cases of measles.
Time was, we didn't worry about it.
You got it as a child, got over it, and that was that. NO vaccines. I got them 7 times.
(lucky me)
Interestingly enough, it was back in 2000 that the CDC announced that America had "eradicated" measles.
(heard that on Rush Limbaugh, and I have no reason to doubt his facts)
Other nations can't claim that, though, and now WE have to suffer for their lack of vision.
(right, Mexico?)
Makes you wonder what ELSE came across our southern border.
*** Next, Wifey finally got those road shots to me, so here are a few of them.

Coliseum and State

Pontiac and McKinnie

Note that this was after the CITY said the roads were cleared and fine for travel.

Hanna and McKinnie

Not all that good, that's for sure.
*** Next up, some wildlife pics from our (government-unfunded) "refuge", because we need some "aww...how cute"

One  junco cleaning the feeder

"Yo Bob, the feeder's EMPTY again".

THAT'S more like it...

*** Last back to the "Fortress"...it never ceases to amaze me how LITTLE people around us seem to do.Cripes even a tree sloth could run circles around them
I swear (because I know all the words) that if I were EVER that lazy, I'd have to be recently deceased.

I always have to laugh whenever the weather gets as bad as this (which to ME isn't as bad as others say) for all the local mooks HAVE to get out, and for one reason...they NEED TO EAT.
I don't think ANY of them know how to cook, (houses burn down when they DO try) or even open a damn can, unless it has a PULL TAB...and an ALCOHOL content of 12%...LOL.

That's pretty damn sad when you subsist solely on OTHER peoples' food.
But apparently, we've grown ourselves at least ONE generation who believe that to be reliant on OTHERS is preferable to being reliant on oneself.
There is one GLARING problem with that mindset...
If you rely on others, and suddenly those "others" go away...you're screwed, blued, and tattooed...period.
When you learn to rely on yourself, YOU have control of whatever befalls you in that regard.
You only have to worry about "you" going away, and when that happens, it's non-sequitor from your point of view.
Learning to be a self-starter and a self-motivator doesn't mean your life becomes self-centered, however.
(that's not a good thing, either)
It means you are able to adapt, overcome, and advance through whatever happens to roll your way, and that's the way we USED to be...as a nation and as a people.
Such things should not become anachronisms in our society, but for too many, they already have.
And we all know how well that's been working out for our country, hmm?
Hopefully, we will see a resurgence in what we call THE AMERICAN WAY.
This nation has the finger of divine providence upon it, and it should never be our intent to remove it.
We are a better people,living in the best nation on the planet.
Let's not forget that.

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