Friday Follies...
Woke up this morning, and I just KNEW that "global warming" was a HOAX.
Baby, it's COLD outside...!
Well, it IS our first real day of freezing temps in the Heartland, but it's amazing how it always seems to "take you by surprise", even for an "easterner" like myself. And believe me, I've had MY share of COLD over the decades.
So, to keep warm, let's get a hot cup of chocolate, tea, coffee, or maybe some buttered rum (light on the butter), and get busy checking into those recently DE-classified files I've been keeping in my basement.
** From the "Follow-up" Department:
Before the missus got home yesterday, I had a man come to our door, asking for her.
Now, since I didn't think she had any boyfriends on the side, I asked what it was in reference to.
Turns out, it was the man whose car was struck by that reckless driver the other day. The guy that Mrs. Bobby G. "pursued" until the FWPD showed up and got him pulled over.
He wanted to THANK her for being a good citizen, and told me that when he wants to give her some money for her troubles.
Well spank me rosy!
See...I TOLD you we still had a lot of GOOD, black people around...(they just don't live near US)
I spent 15 minutes talking to Mr. Davis about everything from jazz, to bad blacks (he brought that up...I didn't...marvelous!), to people who just care enough about their fellow man, regardless of race. Now, Mr. Davis would make a great civic leader for this area!
It is always refreshing to talk to decent people, skin color aside. These are just GREAT PEOPLE...period.
Just like the friends I had back in school and on various jobs throughout my life, people like this actually give one some hope for the HUMAN race. And we can never get enough of that, can we?
** From the "Back In The Saddle Again?" Department:
Seems you just can't keep a good suspect down, or in this case...in the hoosegow. Deangelo Bennett (left), has been RELEASED from the Allen County lockup after posting a $1500 bail for a misdemeanor he was arrested on.
He was ALSO wanted in connection with the shooting death of the pizza delivery man, Ian Crace (seen here), along with a second suspect, Andre Washington (still at large). Apparently the prosecutor's office didn't have enough to KEEP him locked up, so now he's back on the streets, free to cause more mayhem (because people like him can only do that sort of thing).
Believe me, I've seen it all before.
And I know how the detectives feel.
Don'cha just hate it when your gut tells you you're right, but without tangible evidence, you just have to turn guys like THIS loose?
Well, with so many loopholes in the judicial system that one could drive a freight train through (sideways), it's little wonder that the number of cases SOLVED never seems to diminish.
There are those that you keep arresting, and like the "Teflon Don" of years past, they keep wriggling loose and getting back out, until someone puts a bullet in THEIR head.
Sure makes a case for the families and friends of all those victims, doesn't it?
** From the "If You Build It...They Will Rob It" Department:
This kind of story bothers me, because you've got some young people working their collective tails off to make a difference, only to be rewarded with setbacks.
Here's the link to the entire story: http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20091204/LOCAL04/312049966/1002/LOCAL
Here you have students working on a project to rehab a house and then SELL it to further their school's program...great idea!
It teaches the students about teamwork, teaches them various trades, and makes the community nicer for everyone...
...Except the criminals.
Criminals love chaos. They thrive when people are always off-guard. They love it when citizens "feel" helpless.
Imagine sinking some serious "sweat-equity" into YOUR house, only to have it undone by thieves and vandals.
Doesn't make for too much "happy-camping", does it gang?
Now I'll be the first one to tell you we have scrappers in my area. We've got more than our share of men driving in old beat-up pickup trucks, wandering through the alleys and streets to see what they can "avail" themselves of.
I've seen one guy take the fallen gutter from a nearby house...talk about brass balls!
Down here, you HAVE to be watchful as much as possible, or something of YOURS will wind up becoming something of THEIRS.
I hope this doesn't dishearten these young men...they're on the "right track" in life, and I'd hate to see them get side-tracked as a result of some callous bastards looking for a fast buck at others' expense.
** From the "Never Too Big To Be Bailed Out" department:
The city and county will be "giving" our local GM plant (Fort Wayne truck assembly) about TWO MILLIONS DOLLARS (over 3 years).
here's the link to the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20091204/LOCAL/312049972/1002/LOCAL
Now I find it amusing that BOTH the city AND the county want to pony up our tax dollars (well, where the hell ELSE did you think that cash was coming from?) just so they can keep the plant here (money to be used to upgrades and retooling).
How about coughing up a few bucks to keep ME here...send some cash MY way for a new roof, or a perimeter fence to keep the locals out, or some covert surveillance cameras?
I mean fair IS fair here.
You need OUR money to keep GM here, so why not attempt to keep your tax base here vis-a-vis the CITIZENS who bust their humps trying to eek out a living in this city and suburbs?
I'm just sayin'...if you can GIVE 2 million to GM, you should also be able to GIVE me about $10K for "upgrades" to my house...
Because should I and the missus ever decide to bug out, all that TAX money might just go along with us.
I mean we do have a "free & clear" house...no mortgage to anchor us here.
Just a thought, people.
** From the "Santa Can Always Use More Helpers" Department:
So you have a family member or friend stationed overseas, and the holidays are coming like a jail on wheels.
What's a person to do?
What are the deadlines for mailing stuff to our warriors anyway?
Good questions...glad you asked.
Here's the *4-1-1* on what to do, how to do it, and more importantly...WHEN to get it done by.
These are links that will get you ALL the intel you're gonna need to ensure YOUR trooper gets his/her goodies in time for the guy in the red suit to make his appearance:
Army News Service -
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1023324/posts
USPS website -
http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/localnews/co/co_wy_mt_2007_1207.htm
And even if you don't have a "particular" trooper in mind, how's about something like THIS?
Any Soldier dot com website -
http://www.anysoldier.com/index.cfm
You don't have to be related to "get acquainted", if you get my drift.
There is never a nicer scene than seeing soldiers get a package from someone they don't even know...because that person took the time to say "thank you". Two small words and some basic needs sent to someone thousands of miles from home (during the holidays) says so much...and costs us so little when you think about it.
I figure if THEY can't be HERE for the holidays...then WE can send a part of HERE...over THERE for them.
It's one of the best "OPS" you'll ever be a part of.
** Lastly, I just noticed I'm staring at another milestone for this blog, and I'll be talking about it on Monday (Good Lord willing).
I also noticed that we're becoming more concerned about our future...and with good reason.
The "unknown" scares us...always has, always will.
The future is nothing more than the projection of our past mingled with the actions of the present. THAT is what what we should consider to be the most determining factor as to HOW the future will play out.
If we learn nothing from the past, then, sometime in the future, we are destined to repeat it...that's one of those "universal constants" I always go on about. And I'm not the first one to say it.
You can look in a person's face and see a part of their future, based on the past that they've had.
Some few still have that starry-eyed look of optimism, while others have what we used to call that "thousand-yard stare" about them.
Whatever your case is, rest assured that the future WILL get here...and sooner than you might think.
How every one of you decides to plan for it will determine how well you enter into that future.
We can enter with anticipation, or enter as a scolded puppy.
I'd like to think we're cut from a similar cloth as those who took great care to secure those things that made this nation great.
Tomorrow is always another day, and learning from yesterday in order to make THIS day better is by far, the best way to produce a better you...a better me...and a better nation.
Have a great weekend, and, as always...
Stay safe out there, America.