Friday Follies...

Welcome to the weekend...at long last.
End of the week, AND the end of the month.
Convenient, yes?
Wifey tells me this is the last of the Friday grocery trips, as we return to Saturdays next week
(oh, joy). Less ass-hats on the road.
The Hoosierland weather will be nice this morning...but we might have a chance of some scattered showers later in the afternoon.
Big difference with lower humidity, too
And, there are those increasing clouds as the day progresses.
Temps are expected to rise to around 85 with some mild breezes.
Some of the garden plants got spoiled with all the rain we were having...and now they expect a decent watering EVERY day, or they start to wilt.
There's never a break in the action...is there?
So, with that accomplished, let's get our cup or glass of Friday fortitude poured as we see what else is going on...
*** First off of the park bench is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
July 31 -
---Today is NATIONAL MUTT DAY

No, not THAT "mutt".

(never to be confused with the Vietnam-era jeep replacement of the same name)

He's a goooooooooood Boyyyyyyyyyyy!

That should liven things up at the city's new dog park aka "Camp Canine"
Some of the friendliest dogs in my life have been mutts.
---And a hearty congrats to Rush Limbaugh for completing his 27th year on the Excellence In Broadcasting network at the golden EIB microphone.

Talent on loan...from GOD.

May we hear many many more years of the truth on air.
BTW, he DOES have some of THE best teas on the planet..
*** And since it's the weekend (as well as the end of July), we need to see how the next month starts out...
AUGUST:

Yeah, I'll be doing THIS.

Admit You're Happy Month
Family Fun Month
National Catfish Month
National Eye Exam Month
National Golf Month
Peach Month
Romance Awareness Month
Water Quality Month
National Picnic Month
Weekly events:
Week 1 National Simplify your Life Week
Week 2 National Smile Week
Week 3 Friendship Week
Week 4 Be Kind to Humankind Week
August 1 -
----Saturday is NATIONAL MUSTARD DAY

(make mine yellow only, , and none of that brown or "Dijon" crap).
---It's also NATIONAL RASPBERRY CREAM PIE DAY

Sorry, I'm working on a 1/2 price PECAN pie.

Might have to try that...someday.
August 2 -
---Sunday is FRIENDSHIP DAY.

Kinda self-explanatory...even if you're a cat or a mouse.
---It's also NATIONAL KIDS DAY

Nothing wrong with that, even if we tap into our "inner child".
---And, it's NATIONAL ICE CREAM SANDWICH DAY

The waffle ones in high school were the best.

Okay NOW you can "hold the mustard".
---It's also SISTER'S DAY

Oh, you mean the REGULAR kind of SISTERS...

I'm sure this is a pretty big deal at all the CONVENTS!
And there you go...loads to observe and take in this weekend...
Moving on...
*** I've been following this whole Planned Parenthood fiasco with the selling of fetal organs and tissue, and personally, I find it disgusting and repugnant.

Then again, what else COULD I expect from something that's funded by government (read taxpayer) monies?
I came up with a novel "solution" to the entire thing...CLONING.

Never know until it's tried.

Hey, we did it with an entire SHEEP...how much easier would it be for "fetal" tissues?
And a "supply" could be had by  NOT forcing all these abortions.
Guess that's TOO simple a solution, and doesn't line ENOUGH pockets with ill-gotten cash.
*** Next, have you noticed ALL the media "attention" being given to the LION that was killed in Africa as compared to ALL the unborn MURDERS being committed?

Yes, I do look good.

I think the silence on the one hand is deafening, while the constant flow of coverage over "Cecil" has been obnoxious.
Granted, the lion was lured from it's protected area.
Now, I'm no hunter and wouldn't partake in this particular "type" of hunting if you paid me.
Cripes, we have several elephants that were recently killed in Kenya by POACHERS.
Haven't heard much on THAT, yet here's the story:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/07/29/as-the-world-mourned-cecil-the-lion-five-of-kenyas-endangered-elephants-were-slain/
And THESE elephants WERE on the ENDANGERED list.

We haven't done anything to deserve death.

I thought our Whiner-in-Chief was just over there (he shoulda stayed) in Kenya...and HE didn't pick up on this?
Don't ELEPHANT LIVES MATTER?
(nope, just black lives...in America...even when they break the laws...and disrespect authority.)
What a mixed-up world.
*** Next up...it looks as though the boisterous (and too-often drunken) mixed Latino couple across our street MIGHT be moving away.

Now, I don't want to get ahead of myself, and jinx us, but they HAVE been moving things OUT of that house.
I guess they've trashed the place as much as they could...maybe it's time to move into one of those brand-new housing additions like Renaissance Pointe and try their hands at THAT now?
I have never seen such lazy people, in spite of the fact that one of them worked concessions at the Tincaps games.
And, Rent-A-Center was a regular visitor to the house, so you know they didn't BUY much (except beer).
Not to mention that is NOT the most cost-effective way to buy any item with the "rent-to-own" thing. You pay almost twice as much in the long run.
They also were the ones that had a problem with the driver's door on their Jeep Cherokee and had to use ROPE to keep it shut.
(A decent mechanic could fix that in no time, and not cost an arm or a leg in the process)
To them, it was all about drinking plenty of the cheap-ass crap and many times until 4 AM...
THAT they could do (helluva role model for the two daughters).
These are the ones that had a knockdown-dragout on our lawn after midnight a couple years back...model citizens - NOT!
*** Next, crime NEVER takes a holiday...we all know that.
Some of it even gets an early start to the weekend in the Summit City.

Here's the story:
http://wane.com/2015/07/30/disturbance-leads-to-shooting-1-seriously-injured/
Now THIS took place last night around 2130 hrs along Engleton Rd (near Engle and Ardmore) on the city's SOUTHWEST side.
(what have I said about crime SPREADING to the SW?)

Police were called after a "disturbance" escalated into gunfire (as it usually does with people of diminished mental capacity and lack of ethical behavior). The shots were fired at a pickup truck and a passenger was struck. The driver went to a nearby gas station for help.
Three bullet holes could be seen on the truck and police were able to pull over a suspect vehicle with four occupants.
The four were detained for questioning in connection with the shooting.
Police have not said if those involved knew each other or what lead to the disturbance.

Now, I will say that there are some apartment buildings near Engle and Bluffton that house some VERY dubious people, so it comes as no surprise that crime WOULD be on the increase...can't keep all the shit in this city located in just ONE area any longer.
*** Last back to the woodpile...have you ever wondered, when being part of this whole "global" thing, if you haven't either seen or heard about what's going on once BEFORE?

Not much left.

Like that feeling of DEJA-VU...all over again, isn't it?
Well, if we were to allow history to be our guide, we could EASILY see that we are following right in step with the (eventually failed) Roman Empire.

Started out looking GOOD.

Yeah, THOSE people began their time "at the top" well enough for theirera, but so many of the problems we have right here TODAY were just as prevalent in ancient times.
I think we all need to re-acquaint ourselves of the lessons the Romans had to go through, if we're to avoid a similar fate.
First off, life IS NOT cheap...but it was in ancient time (as it is becoming here and now)...look at the gladiatorial games.
And that leads us to the ENTERTAINMENT "value" (?) in today's society.

Keep the citizens "busy" with diversions.

We might not be tossing Christians to the lions (we're too busy hunting them for sport anyway), but it seems so much of what comprises "media attention" for the drive-bys is NOT what we need to hear on an hourly basis.
We've become a society obsessed with entertainment, and the more "noir", the better.
We've turned sports figures as well as what is passing for a "celebrity" these days into icons we all but pray to. That's not a good way to go.
High political figures take to comedy shows like ducks take to water.
Anything is NOTHING if it's not entertaining us...and this is aside from the "normal fare" like  concerts, stage shows, movies, and the like.
Like the Romans, we have become permissive to a fault, AND we've allowed those from other nations across OUR borders in numbers that are unsustainable for us.

And then, there is the CORRUPTION...
Government and private sector corruption is out of frigging control these days.
It is becoming SO obvious, blind people can see it.
(that's not good for any of us).

And the walls came tumbling down.

ALL of the things I mentioned, along with deviant (and acceptable) sexual behaviors were part of the downfall of the Roman Empire.
And, truth be told, it's NOT doing THIS nation a helluva lotta good, either...is it?
Just wanted to point these things out...because they NEED to be.
Have yourselves a great weekend, in spite of what life tosses at you.

Be well, make a difference to someone today, and as always,,,
Stay SAFE out there, America.
(See 'ya next month)