Thoughts For Thursday...

And, as we close in on the weekend, we see that hurricane Florence has been downgraded to a CAT-2 storm...those folks are closer to being out of the woods for the time being. Still, getting prepared for such an event is always a good thing.
Our Hoosierland weather for today will bring us mostly cloudy skies, temps rising to around 78 degrees, and it doesn't look like any rain is coming (for now), but I'll bet we still have some humidity hanging around.

So, let's all get ourselves a drink as we see what else has been going on, shall we?
*** First out of the Oval office is the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"Heaven has given to every human being the power of controlling his passions, and if he neglects or loses it, the fault is his own, and he must be answerable for it."

This is attributed to someone we only featured here ONCE before, our 6th president, John Quincy Adams (July 11, 1767 - February 23, 1848), who was the eldest son of our 2nd president (John Adams), as well as being a diplomat, United States Senator, United States Secretary of State, and U.S. Representative from Massachusetts. Pretty good resume`for a president, yes?
And here (again) is his WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Quincy_Adams
((Recent historians have portrayed him as a moral leader during an era of modernization when new modes of communication spread messages of religious revival, social reform, and party politics.))
It's a pretty good (and lengthy) read and helps to "fill in the blanks" in a time when we actually had peace break out in America.
His Congress was another matter.
Nice to see that our moral compass was pointed in a better direction than it appears to be today.
*** Next, time for the "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
SEPTEMBER 13 -
---It's National Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day

(there's not a chance in Hades of that happening at our place)
---It's National Peanut Day

(time to feed a squirrel, or visit with a grandson...right, Chris?)
---It's Uncle Sam Day

(I'd like to see what he USED to stand for make a comeback).
---And it is my late Mom's birthday. She would have been 97 today.

Like Dad, I still miss her every day.
Funny thing, Mom made out the best with birthday presents, as whatever money I got (on 22 Aug) and Dad got (on 28 Aug) eventually wound up to get Mom something...she was a sly one...heh.
*** Next up, here's a story which makes a good case that restraining orders don't mean jack shit to some people:
http://www.wpta21.com/story/39076233/woman-severely-burned-after-house-fire-in-fort-wayne

This (arson) took place in the 5600 block of South Harrison Street around 0847 hrs Wednesday.
An estranged husband broke in, doused the place (and ex) with gasoline and set the house ablaze. A woman there (ex wife) was burned and in serious condition at hospital. The male half of this former couple was taken into custody. Here's an update:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/20180913/ex-husband-accused-of-arson

Oh geez...he's BLACK. Typical behavior, if you ask me. And another house on the SOUTH side of Fort Wayne gets trashed by the "locals".
What part of that R.O. that basically said: STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM YOUR EX did you have a problem with, you idiot?
*** Next, here's more on this (supposed) food and other hardship stuff:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/20180913/study-maps-county-residents-struggles

((Certain characteristics indicate which populations are vulnerable, the authors said. People who are most at risk have low incomes, are unemployed, have limited education, spend more than one-third of their income on housing, don't have health insurance, aren't fluent English speakers and/or live in a food desert without easy access to fresh produce.))
And who (exactly) created this societal clusterf*ck, anyway?
Wasn't me (or you)...that's for sure.

Boys got plenty of time on THEIR hands.

The "locals" around us don't spend 1/3 of their income on housing...THEY DON'T WORK, ergo...NO "income". That's a lie. Here's a few more...
They don't have health insurance...hell, they don't even have CAR insurance (or license for that matter), BUT they can afford an ESCALADE that costs more than THREE times that of the rental crib they are living in...how's that work again?

Got rims and can't park for shit, too.

Well, many of them DO speak EBONICS, does that count?

At least THESE people work (construction).

The Latinos aren't fluent in English (granted), but they can afford to put FIVE vehicles on a city street and purchase an ATV or motorbike (to ride illegally in the streets and alleys).
I won't EVEN get into the whole ILLEGALS situation here in Indiana.
Please, don't insult MY intelligence with such a "study"...come down here and find out the FACTS.
Yet, it's not ALL bad news. Check out THIS story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/20180913/indiana-out-of-top-10-fattest-states

Okay, so we missed out on being (back) in the top TEN fattest states, but we ARE working on it.
So much for food deserts and hardship (thanks to all the giveaways that are obviously doing THEIR job).
*** Next up, time to stop by our "Kitten Corner"...

Our kids were in fine form, and by that, I mean they were really good yesterday.
Yeah, we had a little chasing about, but not for long.
To them, it was more about taking things a bit easier, and I can totally get on board with tthat.
*** Next, let's do our check-in with "Midnight and Whiskers"...

The people at THIS house take good care of us.

Yesterday started out as usual...both cats there for breakfast, but Midnight decided that a "long patrol" was in order, so he was MIA for lunch and I didn't see him until around dinner time (he does remember where the REAL food is).

Where's he off to NOW?

Whiskers was her usual self, choosing to stick close by (she also knows where the food is), and I get to spend time with her outside between meals.

He misses out on all this good food.

By the time I locked the back door, it was dark, and she was on the back steps. I think she spends a lot or time there, because Wifey was greeted by her.
That is cute to see.
*** Last back to the storm cellar...I'm one of "those" people - I am the kind who doesn't like to be lied to (so don't waste your time or mine...I've been lied to by experts).

I'd also bet that all of you feel the same way.
Like that saying goes: "Hurt me with the truth, but don't comfort me with a lie".
I guess a lot of that has to do with the manner in which I was brought up.
My parents were always keen to remind me that when I did something I wasn't supposed to do, to own up to it, and don't complicate things with a lie. That compounded any situation quite easily, and you learn the consequences for doing it.

My folks looked at being lied to this way: People will think you're not worthy (or too stupid) to understand the truth, and that's WHY people will lie to you.
Well, we can certainly see this carry over to what passes for a lot of the news today, right'?
Trouble with such a notion, is that people FALL for the BS, especially if it's tossed at them on a 24/7 basis (that's how the Nazis convinced their people that Hitler was so good for them). It's called propaganda, and in the right hands, it can convince an otherwise docile or disconnected populace what they "need" to know, and can manipulate them accordingly.

Real truth is just that...TRUTH. There is no dancing around, no deceptions, do diversions.
When you seek the truth, and find it, your understanding can increase tenfold...or more.
That's why we should not lie...at least not to the degree that we see it being perpetrated upon our nation's people.
We should be able enough to handle the truth, if and when it's presented to us.
If not, then we should be curious enough to look for the truth ourselves.
We just need to make the decision to hear and know the truth.

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