Monday Musings...

You KNOW it's going to be a hot day outside when the A/C kicks on just after 0600 hrs.
Yeah, it's gonna be one of THOSE days - the ones you traditionally find in late July or August.
Welcome to another week of craziness on this old rock called Earth.
Makes you long for the days when the only problems we faced were either missiles in Cuba, or other forms of brinkmanship that could have had us facing wholesale nuclear annihilation.
Our Hoosierland weather will have us with sunny skies to begin with, temps rising to around the 90-degree mark, and with a "chance" (here we go again) of showers later tonight.
So what say we take it easy today, remain inside if possible and get ourselves that morning drink as we set about looking into what's been going on elsewhere, hmm?
*** First off of the skillet is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
June 20 -
---Today is NATIONAL AMERICAN EAGLE DAY

(never a bad time to honor such a symbol of our nation)
--- It's also NATIONAL KOUIGN AMANN DAY

(don't worry - it's a CAKE and not a PERSON)
---And, it's NATIONAL ICE CREAM SODA DAY

(ahh, the days of the traditional soda "fountain"...I remember those with such fondness)
---It's NATIONAL VANILLA MILKSHAKE DAY

(Soda fountains served THESE as well)
*** Next up, I did forget an important day Sunday - it was GARFIELD THE CAT'S BIRTHDAY.

"Oy, whattta party THAT was..."

Here's his WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garfield
The famous feline has been around since 1978, and the comic strip is set in Muncie, Indiana.

I know there are holidays around the "Fortress" where it just isn't the same without watching an old Garfield cartoon program (on DVD).
Twelve television specials were made and we don't air ANY in Indiana (?!?).
Still, he's not doing all that bad for his age. May he enjoy many more.
*** Next up, it seems that every single anti-gun loon is out in force after the Orlando shootings.

Gimme fuel, gimme fire, gimme that which I desire...

Here's good old (former Fort Wayne mayor) Paul Helmke at his usual crap again in today's OP-ED section:
http://www.journalgazette.net/opinion/editorials/Action-on-guns--13641416
Does this guy EVER stop smiling? Cripes, he should join a circus as the lead clown.

You know, when he was mayor of our fair city, crack cocaine was coming to town (and the usual results followed all along the criminal spectrum) and he COULD have done something back THEN...but instead, failed to address the issue of those drugs and now an entire quadrant of the city (where the majority of crimes and deaths from crimes take place) is pretty far down the crapper, and the other quadrants of the city are experiencing rising crime as well.
I think what he feels is a form of "survivor's guilt", and this is the way he handles it.
Sure Paul, live off your fat-cat pension from the city as you teach as a professor...you're not affected by such crimes.
*** Next, a person that almost "gets it" but, as usual,  misses the mark.
(( Mom knew it, too: Guns are the problem
Guns don’t kill people. People kill people. Wrong! People with guns kill people. Get rid of the guns. Simple solution. If you must have one, join the National Guard. That’s what the Second Amendment says.
I could never understand why Mom would never allow me to play with guns when I was a kid. All my playmates had them. Now I know she was right – as usual.
Jerome A. Welch
Fort Wayne ))

Jerome, I hate to break it to you, because you WANT to seemingly be an intelligent person (or should be), but you even said it yourself - PEOPLE (with guns) DO KILL PEOPLE. And if they don't have GUNS to pull it off, then they get a knife, or machete, or screwdriver, or a car or truck.
Even an aircraft full of passengers can (and has been) used.
Hell, any heavy object can be used to cause a blunt-force fatality.
People can be pushed off a building, drowned in a river, or suffocated with a pillow.
Wake up and read what you write, and then learn the TRUTH behind it.
*** Next, England finds itself in a marvelously perilous situation these days.
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/world/Ties-to-Europe-likely-not-on-Brits--minds-13689873
There is a lot of contention with remaining part of the EU and
I can't blame the Brits.
After all, much of THEIR immigration problems stem with ties TO the EU.
BBC NEWS had a program that defined that very issue and it's affect with remaining a member of  the EU.
Much of what has defined the United Kingdom over the centuries is being lost to refugees and other immigrants, and for many of the reasons we here in the "colonies" are seeing.
It will be quite interesting to see  how this shakes out , and if it will affect how we in the USA handle such things in the future.
*** Next, Cleveland fans took to the streets in the aftermath of the Cavaler's "bassabawl" championship win last night and trashed a police car along the way.

They also "commandeered" a fire engine to "celebrate".

Baby-Mama be crazy!

Granted, there are times for EXUBERANCE, but in cases like this, it's just more TNB*
*(if you need to look this acronym up, you don't know people as well as you think...lol)
*** Next, Star Trek (reboot) actor Anton Yelchin died in a freak accident at his home.

Here's the story:
http://variety.com/2016/film/news/anton-yelchin-dead-star-trek-alpha-dog-1201798798/
Only 27 and with a great future ahead of him...very tragic.
Lesson to be learned - never live in a place with a steep driveway and never get out of a car while leaving the car running in NEUTRAL.
*** Next, I went out EARLY yesterday morning (around 0630 hrs) and mowed the side lawn (for the most part) long before it got hot, and was glad I did.

The Latinos around here tend to prefer midday or afternoons to do their mowing chores (must seem like winter in South America to them).
Blacks around here only mow when they HAVE to (which would be when NCE tags their lawns).
They must like being shamed...lol.
*** And speaking of "shame", Wifey and I went grocery shopping early Saturday (as usual) and basically blew through the store (short list this week), but when we got to the checkout line, we encountered a "problem".

Slowing anything to a halt for years.

The (black) guy in front of us (with two girl toddlers in tow), was trying to do the WIC purchase thing, and he didn't have the WIC ID (state law), so that backed up our line like a cheap toilet. In fact, they opened another checkout line and three people behind us were through BEFORE we were. The result was that the guy had to LEAVE his order (to go get the WIC ID).
It actually took LONGER to get through checkout than to bloody SHOP...
He was still farting and fooling around in the damn parking lot when we got outside.
Learn the ropes if you're going to suck the teat of the taxpayer for God's sake.
If these stores are going to accommodate the "entitlement crowd" then they need a SPECIAL LINE for the government-sponsored transactions...as simple as that.
PAYING customers DO have lives and we like to attend to them now and then.
*** Next up, the ONLY squirrel to stop by yesterday was our buddy Patches.

"I got up early too, Bob."

He came by before the sun was high (smart move) and then headed up the nearest tree within a few minutes after having his treats..
I do keep filling the water dish for the birds (and squirrels), so they can drink something.
We'll have to see who drops by today.
*** Last back to the sauna...you can define people in many ways.

The easiest method is by WHAT THEY DO.
Look at those who carry celebratory acts to level of mayhem.
Another way is watching how they act in situations that warrant a normal behavioral demeanor, but devolve into some ritualistic tribal buffoonery. See how people settle arguments these days to get the gist of this.
No one wants to TALK things out,,,to discuss...to reason.
And this takes us to the other method of how people can be defined - by WHO THEY ARE.
We are the sum of our parts, and that means all our experiences, good and bad alike help to make us who we will become. And who you are will manifest itself in what you do.
Doesn't get easier than that, does it?
Your CHARACTER will determine your actions and reactions to almost any situation (or person) you encounter.
It would be very nice to see more people concern themselves about their own character development than denigrate or demean those who don't agree with them for whatever reason.
This election cycle, for example,  presents this so vividly.
Our interaction on a daily basis with our fellow man is at stake, as well as all our futures.
Strengthening one's character to reflect better values is never a waste of time, and if more folks pursued that, we'd find many of our issues lessened immensely.

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