Thoughts For Thursday...

Okay, so the rain it taking it's time getting here, and that means another mild day in the Heartland.
The rain rolls in tonight into tomorrow, and then temps start to drop a bit into more seasonal numbers.
Our Hoosierland weather for today has is mostly cloudy and breezy, with temps reaching back up into the low 70s.
And when that rain comes through tonight, expect nearly ALL the leaves to be on the ground, where we'll all have to rake them...again (I think that will make FOUR times for me).
So let's all get that morning drink as we kick back and see what's been going on elsewhere...
*** First out of the sock drawer is the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:

"Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity."
This was spoken by W. Clement Stone (May 4 1902 - September 3 2002) and was a businessman, philanthropist, and New Thought self-help book author.
Here is his WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Clement_Stone
This is the sort of person that SHOULD come out of Chicago, and not those of the "current crop" of miscreants we see that even elevate to ruining our nation. Stone represents part of that(former) greatest generation.
His story is one of "rags to riches", and is about a young newsstand operator who rose to become the founder of the Combined Insurance Company (1919).
By 1979, Stone's insurance company exceeded one BILLION in assets, so he merged with Ryan Insurance and created Aon Corporation in 1987.
Stone was a huge contributor to Richard Nixon in both of his election campaigns  in both 1968 and 1972.
The WIKI is a good read and shows the sort of stuff a lot more people were made of, as well as touches on how much easier it was back then to get a company off the ground. Thanks to subsequent federal regulations, I doubt if Stone would have fared as well today, and that is a real shame.
*** Next up is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
November 5 -
---Today is NATIONAL LOVE YOUR RED HAIR DAY

(I'm holding out for love your GRAY hair day 'cause that's all I got, but I find HERS strangely attracting.)
---It's also NATIONAL MEN MAKE DINNER DAY

THIS is how we separate the men from the boys.

(I'm pretty much drafted for this "op"...oh, and no BBQ or TAKE-OUT - that's cheating, guys.)
---And, it's NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY

Good things are worth repeating.

(Yes, we had this day in JUNE...which is the REAL date. Today is just a ploy to sell donuts. Still, you just know that cops are going to be ALL over this...LOL
And NO guys, you can't combine this with the "dinner" thing...got it?)
---It's GUY FAWKES DAY (in the UK), and here is the WIKI for the event:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes_Night#Guy_Fawkes_Day

Guy Fawkes himself.

This does predate America, as it happened back in 1605,
Amazing how one event and one man, who wasn't really anyone of note like part of the reigning monarchy could be kept in such tradition for so long.

And it makes a good side-story for at least ONE movie (V For Vendetta) - 2005)
Moving on...
*** Next up, those pre-Christmas ads are becoming more numerous, aren't they?

I even saw one today that was touting a Pre-Black Friday sale.
And that as part of some phone survey we got the other day.
Unfortunately, I played along (for once), and some of the questions asked of me dealt with holiday shopping.
I usually have a good idea of what to get and who to give to. I'd like to do more, but as you get older, you don't hear from as many as you used to, which makes things a little difficult.
Anyway, the survey wanted to know if I would shop on Black Friday (hell, no!)
And they asked about expenses, how much, how we would pay...nothing that invasive to our lives.
I also figure it was for some story we'll be reading about regarding "trends" for holiday shopping.
Naturally, this will mean shopping either online or having to go up NORTH, because we have no REAL retail down here, except for Wal-Mart.
We can thank so many downtown for this one over the last 25 years.

Got LOTS of this down here.

And we can also thank the human flotsam that helped chase off retail on the south side.
This year will be no different for us.
*** Next, we have another story which should have everyone saying "typical"...
Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/Suspect-charged-in-April-homicide-9734230
Yeah, a homicide that took place in APRIL...and he's FINALLY being charged (speedy prosecutor's office).Only took  SEVEN months to figure this all out.

The perp, one Morris L. Williams, 44, was easy enough to find,,,he was ALREADY serving time in an ILLINOIS PRISON.
(anyone ever bother to check neighboring states for such things a bit SOONER?)
Nice mug shot, BTW.
He looks like such a GOOD person (read savage animal).
Williams is only facing a charge of aggravated battery in the stabbing of Stacy Evans, 30, outside the Eden Green Apartments.
Evans was stabbed in the neck and the carotid and jugular were cut, so the victim had to have bled out.
So, WHY are we NOT seeing a MURDER charge?
I suppose that baffles me as much as to WHY it's taken so damn long to charge the perp.
Just more of the same here in Fort Wayne.
*** Next up, Kevin Leininger has a good column about the recent (fake social media) "dust-up" over allegations that two Indiana politicians had ties to the KKK.
Here's the story link:
http://www.news-sentinel.com/news/local/Shameful--expose--of-hood-wearing-public-officials-proves-media-have-earned-public-s-mistrust

He makes a good point about jumping the gun, even when media sources appear to be legit.
Like President Reagan said - "Trust, but VERIFY".
And yet, some media outlets take stories without such verification or fact-checking, and run with them.
This smacks of what I've said often - it's all about being sensationalistic.
Hey, EVERYONE in the media cannot be a National Enquirer of Examiner (thank God for that much...lol)
But, they ARE trying (mostly my patience).
*** Last back to the clothes hamper...we seem to "redefine" so much in our society these days.
It's becoming akin to a chronic illness and being done all the damn time.
What people my age (or older) used to recall as being ONE things (mostly set in stone) has been turned on it's ear, and apparently for no good reason, except to say that these people CAN do it.
Sounds like an excuse to me.

Personally I'm getting and tired of hearing words and things that I knew USED to mean ONE thing, and now meaning something completely different.
Some things in life deserve to be in some state of flux, but other things should not be messed with...like our LANGUAGE.
For example, how many remember when the word GAY meant happy and joyful?
Well, now, it means homosexual or lesbian.
Kinda puts a dent in that old Christmas song (..."don we now our gay apparel")
Rather than recall times past with fondness, we barely remember the good things FROM our past.
Our society seems to go from "one thing (or fad) to another", and the more sensational and/or entertaining it is...THE BETTER. It's a form of change for the sake of change.
I would ask of these people "What are you running from?", but in too many cases, perhaps we should be asking "What are you running TOWARDS?"

And NOT re-defined.

I would wager that we would find a lack of answers...to EITHER or BOTH questions.
Everyone needs a sense of PURPOSE, for without that, we are noting.
Everything God created has a purpose - this world, the plants, the animals, and yes, even we mortal beings of finite life...a REAL purpose, and not something manufactured or contrived.

The nice thing about having purpose in life, is that it is a seed from which so much more of us blossoms.
We become empowered, motivated, driven, accumulate more knowledge, wisdom, and a better sense of self, as well as others.
And, it's very easy to see those without purpose...all you have to do is look around you, read a paper, watch the news, or listen to the radio.
So yes, whenever we redefine one thing, we change many other things, many time unknowingly.
The sad part, is that we have to deal with the effects from such causes
But, we are up to that challenge, are we not?

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