If It's Trash day Here, That Means...
We probably have some LOUSY weather outside...which we certainly do this morning.
More about THAT in a minute, but first, the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"Be a model of valor by example and precept."
That was spoken by a favorite officer of mine...one USMC Lt. Gen Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller, 1942, to his officers and men before the landing of the 1st Marine division on Guadalcanal, (quoted from the Puller collection, Marine corps Historical Division.)
Now, back to that weather...
Having gotten some freezing rain across the Fort Wayne area, it's little wonder we are staring at closings for most all the schools, and traffic accidents that are keeping the local constabulary quite busy.
I dunno...it always seems like the crappy weather hits on Thursdays...when we put out the trashbins for pickup.
Had to knock a coating of ice off the lids when I added a bag of trash to the bin this morning.
Anyone with a vehicle outside will have to do likewise, so keep that scraper handy and give yourself a few minutes to warm the vehicle up.
Some extra TIME to get wherever you have to go (staying home is a nice option in such conditions) would be advisable.
So, while we're watching others deal with the weather, let's see what else has been going on...
*** School lunches are to become (even) more "nutritious"...
(rolls eyes)
Here we go again...with the whole healthy-thing crap, thanks in no small part to Mama Obama (Michelle - Ma Belle).
The dictate from "on high" is as follows:
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/article_9efc028f-bf83-53f7-92d7-2d536bfd1012.html
Guess all those on the "free or reduced" lunch programs are watering at the mouth already.
Here is an article from NW Indiana that sheds some light on it:
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/article_9efc028f-bf83-53f7-92d7-2d536bfd1012.html
Here's an older article that lays out the "framework" and what the COST will be:
http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/FWCS-Prepares-For-New-Child-Nutrition-Law-111291454.html
And here's some data (county-by-county or by school district) for Indiana as to WHO is getting free or reduced meals:
http://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/bystate/Rankings.aspx?state=IN&ind=5187
The numbers for both Allen and Marion counties (we won't even get into Gary, Indiana...that's obvious) are not only ABOVE the state average, but ABOVE the national average.
Now, all nutrition aside, I'd wager you could push cans of CAT FOOD in those cafeterias and you'd STILL have a higher % of students on the program (unlike Grandma, who HAS to eat cat food because her pension or SSI was eaten up by our federal government to PAY for lazy-ass people).
Granted, there ARE some folks that simply CANNOT pay full price for school meals, but does that ALSO mean they can't provide a meal AT HOME for the kids to "brown-bag" it to school?
Leftovers, anyone?
And I won't belabor the fact that SOME "parents" CAN'T provide the whole cereal-bowl-milk-spoon gig for their kids, because they don't know HOW to figure something THAT "difficult" the hell out.
I don't believe it really IS about CAN'T...It's about WON'T.
I thought food stamps ALLOWED for such "necessities" that would make a BROWN BAG LUNCH possible...or even a simple BREAKFAST?
The logic of all this is irrefutable.
And the lack of responsibility on many of those parents TO provide is unbelievable.
It really makes you wonder when you see ALL these overweight parents with kids on FREE breakfast or lunch programs, right?
Maybe baby-mama needs to push herself from the table sooner?
I like being charitable as much as the next person, but I really don't feel like RAISING everyone else's kids because their own parent (s) is/are too damn self-involved (or high as a kite) to care about those they brought into this world.
'Nuff said there.
*** Been having problems with your Internet or cell phone lately?
Well, it might be due to something I mentioned some time ago that was coming to our planet...SOLAR FLARES.
We're in the midst of one of those "active" periods in our sun's cycle.
But NASA was on to this way back in 2009, as was said in THIS story:
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2009/29may_noaaprediction/
This type of solar activity will play hell with comms system all over the planet, but lots more people WILL get to see the Northern Lights.
These occur when solar radiation smacks into Earth's magnetosphere.
(It's an astronomical-ionization thing)
Here's the 4-1-1 on this:
http://spaceweather.com/
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/today.html
Okay, so NOW...you're informed (and take off that tin-foil hat)!
*** Lastly today, we see continuing evidence of more government meddling in our lives, as well as the lives of our children.
When WE were young, our parents knew what was "good" for us, as well as what was BAD...and provided us accordingly.
Junk foods (fewer as they were at those times) were regarded as a TREAT, and not standard culinary fare.
Even the few fast food joints that began to pop up were looked at as something to do once in a while...and not subsist totally upon.
Then again, we had Mothers that actually KNEW what it was to (dare I say it?)...COOK!
Mom KNEW that the KITCHEN wasn't just "another room in the house", and made good use of that big-ass porcelain coated appliance sitting there...called a STOVE.
We didn't use that stove for auxiliary heating, and the oven was not meant to dry clothes, hair or small pets...EVER.
Our parents gave a damn, and we never had to have the government interfere.
Come to think of it, the government never had CAUSE or REASON to butt the hell into our lives in those days.
Maybe they thought we pretty much KNEW what the hell "we" were doing...as families go.
Today...not so much.
Our "government knows best"...it's no longer "Father knows Best"...or even Mom.
And everyone should ALWAYS know there IS no "free lunch"...not today...and not even in decades past.
The only thing "free" about lunch in MY day was that it was FREELY GIVEN to me...by MOM...who bought the items from DAD'S paycheck...because he WORKED his ass off...to EARN it.
And somehow, we all appreciated it a lot more than we do with things these days.
It was never "expected" that we get something for nothing...everything had it's own price...somewhere.
These days...seems too many want that same something, and are willing to do either little or nothing at all to deserve it.
Where is the responsibility THERE, hmm?
When did it become all well and good to kick back, put our feet up, and "let someone else do it for me"?
If we took THAT stance say...236 years ago, we'd still be talking with British accents and sipping tea at 4PM.
There comes that time when we ALL have to "man (or woman) up" and do what is REQUIRED, and not necessarily desired, in order to make things work in our lives.
No one ever said that the BEST choice we might have to make was the most popular...or the most entertaining.
Just, that's it the RIGHT choice if we want the best for ourselves, our children, and our nation.
Now there's truly something to think about, right?
Be well, make a difference to someone today, and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.