Thoughts For Thursday...

We're nearly there...the weekend is calling.
The good news is that there is NO snow predicted...the bad news is that it's STILL EFFIN COLD.
Our Hooiserland weather finds us with a high today ONLY into the upper TEENS.
Plenty of partly cloudy skies to go around, too. Not expecting anything to melt today, so be wary of black ice...it's still there.
And dress appropriately...you can still get frostbite.
I hear that NEXT week, we'll be getting back to more moderate temps for this time of year.
Seeing (and feeling) IS believing in MY book, folks.
With that over with, you get your cup of morning happiness and I;ll get mine (dosed well enough with a nice Canadian whiskey), and let's see what else is going on, fair enough?
*** First out of the maelstrom is the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"A government for the people must depend for it's success on the intelligence, the morality, the justice, and the interest of the people themselves."
This was spoken by none other than the 22nd AND 24th President of these United States, Grover Cleveland (18 March 1837 - 24 June 1908).
And here is his WIKI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grover_Cleveland
Cleveland was the leader of the "Bourbon Democrats" who opposed high tariffs, inflation, imperialism and subsidies to business, farmers, or veterans.
(Geez, that's a switch from all the other DEMS today who want subsidies for everything AND everyone)
He won praise for his HONESTY, SELF-RELIANCE, and INTEGRITY (wow, something ELSE lacking from MOST democrats today).

Cue the Darth Vader theme

His 2nd term saw the Great Panic of 1893, which in essence was a national depression, and was unable to recover from it.
This resulted in the Republican Landslide of 1894, and this evolved into a political realignment that ended the third party system and launched the fourth party systems and the (horrors!) PROGRESSIVE ERA.
The WIKI is a good read and demonstrates the rise of such people like Woodrow Wilson and how that caused the federal government to increase while certain liberties once enjoyed by we, the people, were starting to be "controlled" by those in D.C.
*** Next up is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
March 5 - 
---Today is MULTIPLE PERSONALITY DAY...

Gets crowded in there sometimes.

Now THAT is something to celebrate, if any of us are the type to "reinvent" ourselves on a semi-regular basis.

We ALL have another side.

Then again, aren't we supposed to strive to become BETTER people than we were yesterday?
If THAT is true, then we ALL have changing (or multiple) personalities, right?

Just pick a nice one.

Surely none of us are the persons we were when we were young, in school, in love, or whatever else...are we?
Moving on...
*** Yes, we had another shooting on the city's (where else?) SOUTHEAST SIDE yesterday afternoon.

And here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/Shooting-leaves-victim-critical-5368387

"It's a wonderful day in the Ghettohood..."

Now, the story says this happened around 1630 hrs where police found a victim in the 1000 block of Buchanan St, suffering from a gunshot wound in his vehicle (looks to be a silver Nissan Altima) at the Chapel Oaks Apartments, where the altercation was alleged to have occurred.

"What? No rubbernecking lookie-loos?"

Weird thing, the police were ORIGINALLY called to the Greentree Ct. location.
---Now, when Wifey was coming home yesterday afternoon, she saw a car matching the description of the one at Chapel Oaks BLOCKING Creighton Ave, near the old police HQ.

Sure seems so...STILL.

And the apartment complex closest to THAT area is...Eden Green Apartments.
(a usual hot-spot).
I asked her if she called it into dispatch, which she did not.
I wonder if any of that information was forthcoming from the victim, who was initially listed in serious, but later downgraded to critical condition?
Just goes to show that you don't have to look for trouble down here...it finds you in some manner easily enough.
NO description of the victim, the shooter or information regarding motive (probably has to do with drugs) is available at this time.
*** Next up, several fires earlier in the day, not far from the shooting..
Here's the story on this:
http://wane.com/2015/03/04/fire-forces-street-closures-on-fort-waynes-east-side/

Before                                   After

This is the building next to the old Coach Room bar...right at the curve at Pontiac and Coliseum.
And a motorcycle "club:" was using it "after hours"...yeah, right.
*** Next, shoplifters don't HAVE to get jail time.
Here's this story:
http://wane.com/2015/03/04/some-stores-offering-shoplifters-fine-online-course-instead-of-calling-the-cops/
Nice to know we're just a "kinder, gentler" society, and we don;t consider crimes THAT important.
In some nations, they cut off your HAND if you're convicted of being a THIEF!
Which might be more of a deterrent to such things, more so than a "class" and fine.

Stash dat tequila. Shakeisha...!!!

Naturally, Karen Richards, Allen County prosecutor doesn't subscribe to that plan in the story.
She says "we have our own programs in place"...yeah, it's called turn them lose on their own recognizance...JUST like all the damn DUIs you don't bother to arrest people for, even if they're HABITUAL offenders...no bail, just walk out and come back for your next court date.
*** Next, something on the OTHER side of the fence, so to speak...
I wanted to expound a bit on yesterday's HOLY EXPERIMENT gig the Quakers had in PA back in the 1680s.
((CAUTION - EDUCATIONAL ALERT - you may learn something...!))

Billy Penn was the "boss" of Pennsy, and was granted the land by Charles II of Merry Olde England.
So, Billy let the Quakers "do their thing" with certain tenets set aside.
---Fair treatment of Native Americans - something other colonies had problems with.
---NO military - other colonies battled with the Indians, and therefore had militia as well as British troops available.
---A new approach to government - Quakers would govern themselves without intervention from England - as long as Billy Penn paid "rent" to the king (beaver pelts and 20% of any gold or silver)
---Freedom of Religion - disavowing the rule by the Church of England where there was persecution to those not following in step.
---An enlightened penal code - A system where not only punishment but REFORM was administered. Prisoners would (no choice) learn a TRADE and work after leaving prison. The only death sentence was for MURDER or TREASON.

Quaker Meeting House - Philadelphia

---Work for everyone - Jobs in agriculture and trades were made MORE available which made Pennsylvania "the best poor man's country".
---Education for everyone - Girls and boys were ALL to be educated alike, and was considered innovative for the time. The education was to be useful AND practical, so that all could find employment.
---A widened franchise - All men were to be given the vote, whereas  in England ONLY property owners could vote, so this too, was innovative.

Early map of Colonial Philadelphia.

--- Town planning for healthy living - Philadelphia was set on a grid pattern, with wide areas for parks and public squares.
Penn had seen the Great Plague in London, and the fire that followed, and he was determined to have his "greene countie towne" be a place that would be healthy and safe.
This same pattern for cities was emulated ALL over America.
So now you tell me if THIS overall model for a free (and separate) society wasn't in some part copied when the Founders penned our  Declaration of Independence,. as well as our Constitution.
And now you know something more about the start of our nation.
*** Last back to the farmhouse...America has indeed come a very long way from it's beginnings.

NOT the AMERICAN WAY...

And while there are those who claim we need some type of "fundamental transformation", I believe the manner in which this country was evolving was well enough, without external intervention.
Hell, we don't need any more dissent among us these days...got enough to go around, thanks to all the wrong people in positions they don't deserve.
If anything, we need to get back to being a lot more unified as a society and as a nation.

This is NOT progress.

But, as long as we continue to deviate from what we USED to have in place when it came to laws, values and principles, the farther from WHO we are (or once were) becomes clear.
There needs to be a return to basics, not only in schools, but in every one of us.
We have to stop "rewarding" bad behavior, or criminals, or anyone else who claims unfairness.
This is the MOST fair nation on the damn planet, and it's time people started realizing that in greater numbers.
Trouble is, there are those who want it to be MORE fair to some...than others.
That doesn't seem like REAL equality, or REAL freedom for that matter, does it?

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