A Thinker's Thursday...

Today, I want to take a look at some things designed solely for the purpose of making us THINK...

So, get ready to put your "cap" on (as we used to hear growing up), and first up, as promised, the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT quote:

"The incompetence of the authorities and of G.H.Q. is greater on the other side than with us, and that is saying a good deal."

This was attributed to General Max Hoffman, November 1915, War Diaries and Other Papers 1, 1929.

You remember our buddy Max, right?

Just in case, here's his WIKI:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Hoffmann

Yeah, he was the strategist who basically thought the OTHER generals weren't worth the air they breathed. I liken him to the Patton (without the armor) of the "other" side during WW1.

(Ohhhh...THAT Max Hoffman)

Meanwhile, back at the Siegfried Line...

*** Yes, I'm STILL hating BLOGGER, but I did make a little headway. I have to import what I type on the thumb-drive to one system, and then choose what PHOTOS I want and add them separately...no more ONE computer doing everything...how "quaint".

The photos are REALLY touchy when trying to add them and move them around, and the sizing sucks - ONLY 3 choices? Gimme a break!
I guess Blogger is STILL ironing out all the bugs they have in their "bait shop"...lol

I changed our Internet Explorer to version 8, and that at least allows me to work with my blog WITHOUT having to use GOOGLE (which actually asked me in a pop-up if they could TRACK my visits)...what did I tell you?

Naturally, I clicked the NO button...screw them AND the horse they rode in on, as far as that goes.

Personally, Blogger HAD a real good thing going...and I'm FAR from the ONLY person that noticed this.

The forums (closest thing to a REAL help desk Blogger has) was FULL of folks miffed out the ass over this "change".

I sent along MY feedback (laced with lots of "longshoreman language", if you get my drift) in case they were curious.

I would wager they are curious no longer.

Many folks were PO'ed because the APPS for their smart phones were not compatible with this "upgrade", too.

(that ALONE should prompt a return to some earlier version that was more user-friendly)

It's like this...when I get a CAR, I EXPECT A CAR...not a damn computer lab.

When I get a PHONE, I EXPECT A DAMN PHONE, and not a freaking handheld computer (that's what desktops and laptops are for anyway)

When I purchase a TV, I EXPECT A TV, and not some interface with the Internet (that's what a MONITOR is for)

I'm a BASIC kinda guy, and I prefer things BASIC..as in EASY to figure the hell out.

Life is PLENTY COMPLEX as it IS, without having to fret over every damn thing we own, use, drive, or communicate on, kapeesh?

Moving on...

*** I heard on the police radio about some guy swerving ALL over the road (up north someplace - didn't catch the *20*), and I thought to myself:

"Self, isn't it a little TOO damn early to be THAT IMPAIRED?"

Apparently NOT in this city!

Situations abound when it comes to impaired drivers...look at that crash yesterday morning at Paulding and Hanna on the...(all together, gang...)...SOUTHEAST side of town.

And they say the NEW YORK is "The city that never sleeps"...pshaw!

*** Here's a loaded question:

What ever happened to ETHICAL BEHAVIOR and PROFESSIONALISM?

When did that seem to "go away" and why did it ever have to?

Check the news most ANY day (these days), and you will find something that causes you to wonder exactly that.

Take this ACSD officer (Sgt, actually - was caught and charged with stealing tools), for example, like in THIS story:

http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20120426/LOCAL03/304269982

At least he DID man up (after he was caught) and confessed to the theft, but c'mon now...isn't it the fact that you wear that shield FOR A REASON kinda trump stupid?

No one is perfect, but there SHOULD be a level of professional and ethical BEHAVIOR attached to such a position...right?

Besides, you make enough scratch as an officer to PURCHASE tools without the need to "borrow" them (on a long-term basis, as we used to call theft), unless you get in debt over your head, bu that's another story.

He was close to retiring, and now, it's all gone to hell, hasn't it?

We hear about improprieties between teachers and students...too many to make me feel comfortable.

And forget ALL the crap we hear about POLITICIANS...the "CIVIL SERVANTS" of the masses...they're just out-of-control, period.

I miss the days when a person's WORD was their bond, and they always STRIVED to do what was right and just.

That is what made this nation great, and the LACK of such things will undoubtedly bring us down.

*** Lastly today, life is often like a PLUS-MINUS column...think about it.

We'd LIKE to have everything on the PLUS side, but such is not always the case.

We take the good WITH the bad...we make lemonade when given life's lemons, and we dig deep inside ourselves and dredge up the fortitude we often need to get us by JUST for today...yeah, it's a struggle at times.

Some days, we wake up with a lot more MINUS than Plus in "our tank", and long to change it around.

But doing nothing will never accomplish that...that's for certain.

Doing SOMETHING...ANYTHING (within the confines of legality) that will affect that column in OUR favor is what we need to be aware of.

Every day we draw a breath should be like that...

We can't change the world, or even our city most times, and definitely NOT in a day, week, or perhaps year, but we CAN change the way WE live...the way WE view life, and the way WE embrace it and attempt to change the way that plus--minus column looks..

And THAT is something to think about...don'cha think?

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...

Stay SAFE out there, America.