Thoughts On Thursday...

I think we might get a respite from weather events for a day or so, by the looks of things.
We're still looking for some rain/snow coming to the heartland tomorrow (whenever).
Our Hoosierland weather for today sees us with temps reaching around 38 degrees, a bit more sun than we had yesterday poking through the mostly cloudy skies, and breezy conditions which will make it feel cold enough to wear that jacket. Winter is trying to get here.
So what say we get that cup of morning bliss poured as we see what's been going on in other places.
*** First out of the cereal bowl is the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis."

This was spoken by none other than Durante degil Algheri, better known as just plain old DANTE (c.1265-1321) and he was a major Italian poet of the late Middle Ages, most noted for his DIVINE COMEDY, which is regarded by many as the greatest literary work composed in the Italian language, as well as a masterpiece of world literature.
Linda like the Van Gogh of WRITING. Here is his WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dante_Alighieri
Now, if you're wondering if this is the same person who wrote Dante's INFERNO, then you are correct.
Inferno is part OF the Divine Comedy, along with PURGATORY and PARADISE.
Dante wrote in a style coined as "vernacular".
You can read about all the politics of the time in the WIKI.
Let's just say that Italy held a celebration for his 750th birthday this year.
And while you're at it, give Divine Comedy a read...it'll be worth your time.
Not bad for someone who inspired others such as Chaucer, Tennyson, Milton, and Shakespeare.
Moving on...
*** Next, is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
December 17 - 
---Today is NATIONAL MAPLE SYRUP DAY

(sorry, had my pancakes YESTERDAY morning)
---It's also WRIGHT BROTHERS DAY

(Now we all know that two WRONGS don't make a right, BUT...two WRIGHTS can and did make an airplane!)
*** Next up, three bad-ass perps get to wear orange instead of more festive red and green for Christmas. Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/3-held-in-South-Whitley-kidnapping-10502117
The crimes took place in Whitley County, but at least one of these three pieces of crap is from FORT WAYNE (probably the SE side, too). And they happen to be BLACK, too...imagine that (should be no surprise, given the nature of the crimes)
First, they kidnapped a woman after carjacking her, and THEN, sexually-assaulted her.

Wright                       Thomas                      Benson

While the crimes started out in south Whitley, they wound up in Columbia City, where they tried to use the woman's ATM card to withdraw money from the Star Financial Bank on Main St.
Late on the night of 15 December, the men were found in Fort Wayne, arrested and booked into Allen County lockup. The jailbird deviants are:
-- Henry Maurice Wright, Jr - 25
-- Dennis Lee Thomas - 43
-- Camara Jermaine Benson - 21
Have an unhappy holiday, you perverted bastards...hope you rot there.
Who says I DON'T have the Christmas spirit (with provisional exceptions), hmm?
*** Next up, more criminal mischief committed by another black man in Fort Wayne.
Here's this story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/Detectives-seek-ID-from-image-10503832

Tis de season tuh ROB yo ass.

This story caught me off-guard, because I thought that the Phil's One-Stop robberies only had ONE at the Goshen Rd address (back in October), but we had one just a week ago.
Goes to shows how LAX the FWPD is with getting information to the PUBLIC (thanks, Chief Garry, hope you get coal in YOUR stocking).
Anyway, we are expected to HELP the police (because the command staff can't seem to help themselves?) collar this perp.
Nice color photo...good camera system.
Tell 'ya what...if I see him on MY street, I'll shoot him and the po-po can do the pickup...fair enough?
You know, if all these  "don't work for a living" young black men (and some black women) would GET a damn job, and do something productive for a change, maybe crime such as these would actually go DOWN...whatta concept, hmm?
(The government gives them stuff, and it's still NEVER enough)
*** Next up, we are finally at the day when the new STAR WARS movie premieres (if you're expecting to catch a late showing tonight).

Now, I'm at the age where waiting becomes damn near an art-form. I was there "at the beginning", and was in line for episodes 5 and 6. Never even bothered to go to the movies for episodes 1, 2, or 3, but I've seen them on TV and have the DVDs. It's not that this isn't a big deal to me (it kinda is), but I can't be bothered with all the newbies glomming onto this...takes away from what we remember as fun, because back in 1977, it was actually QUIET in theaters during the movie...except at the end, when people APPLAUDED.
Try spotting that today in those multiplex houses...if you can even hear yourself think between the noisy-ass people and the ear-bleeding stereo with killer bass.

Whaddup, muh crackas?

I said before (here) that movie-going isn't fun anymore, and if MY "inner child" can't enjoy it, I know those who are STILL actual children won't either.

The Force is STRONG with this franchise.

We already KNOW this will be the TOP box office draw EVER. Another no surprise.
We know it will be successful, make a lot of money, produce tons of merchandising, and be the hot thing until the NEXT "big thing" comes along (probably early next year).
Be nice to see THIS Star Wars stay in theaters as long as it did back in 1977...(better part of a year).
*** Next up, and as a nice Christmas gift to ALL of us WHOVIANS, BBC America is giving us a Doctor Who Takeover starting next Wednesday and going for THREE days, leading up to the new Christmas episode on (when else?)...Christmas night.

How cool is that? Almost as good as Star Wars, and we don't EVEN have to wait in any line and pay exorbitant amounts of money for concessions.
I'm looking forward to it, even though I've seen every episode multiple times.
There's always something I may have missed.
Hey, if Wifey can watch reruns of Little House on the Prairie, I can watch reruns of Doctor Who.
*** Last back to the dishwasher...there is one constant in the universe: Time is always in a state of change.

It keeps moving, all the time, every second, and never slows or halts for anyone, in spite of how we see it or how it :"feels" to us. Time controls itself, and asks for no help from anyone to perform that function.
So, why do some people WASTE so damn much of it?
This is something that runs the gamut from work to home to recreational activities.
How often have you spotted co-workers goofing off when everyone else was busting ass to make a deadline?
Or what about the aforementioned criminals who have nothing "better" to do than rob a store or kidnap and sexually assault a woman? That's more than a waste of time.
I could include fishing as a potential waste of time, unless you know a spot where they ALWAYS BITE.
And then there's golf...totally pointless. You hit the ball as far AWAY from you as possible, and then, when you catch UP to it, you hit it FARTHER away still. Makes no sense to me.

All of us are only allotted a specific amount of time, and we're never told in advance as to HOW MUCH time we have left. And I'm not talking those with a terminal illness here. That's a whole different ballgame.
I think the reason we're not told is so we can take proper advantage of ALL the time we have - to make the MOST of it, rather than the least of it. It's bad enough we spend 1/3 of our lives SLEEPING (well, I really don't, but that's another story), and it still gives us lots of time to do things we NEED to do and WANT to do - things that make us who we are and will become.

Time is not something to be avoided, because it's always all around you...kinda like THE FORCE.
It's something to be MANAGED, and the better it's managed, the better we are able to do more, achieve more and become more. An idle mind is the devil's playground, right?
And an idle engine wastes gas...LOL.
Be nice if more people would get into GEAR...and stop idling in life.
We'd ALL get more done.

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