Welcome To May...

Now, we're starting to feel like we're into Spring, and headed for Summer, right?

So, allow us to tardy no longer, and jump right into the month of May with both feet, shall we?

*** Traditionally, today is also known as MAY DAY (not to be confused with the word I always seem to be shouting down here in the ghettohood).

And to prove it, here is the WIKI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Day

I recall a LONG time ago, that at our elementary school, we usually had some schoolyard activity - the maypole thing...in a major city, in the late 1950s...with music and parents watching...well, mostly our Moms. I know I've got some photos somewhere that Mom took one year. I was part of the Safety Patrol (sponsored by AAA) and we wore our belts and badges (we needed those steenkin' badges to help our crossing guards).
I'd wager that today, it's all about how "green" we can be (again) with children dressing up as curly-fries bulbs and solar panels. Won't that be a real hoot?
And we certainly cannot dance around the May Pole any longer, because we might somehow offend the Polish in our crowd.
I'll also bet that ALL the kids that participate get AWARDS, so no one feels "left out".
I hope it doesn't come down to that.

In the WIKI, you'll note that today was pretty much a EUROPEAN holiday...no mention of AFRICA in there at all.
-- Today, it's also recognized as LAW DAY (like we'll have SO many people breaking the law to see if it still works...at least that's MY take on that in this city...lol).
Today is also the beginning of another welfare cycle, so the "locals" will be in their "celebratory mode", and that won't be fun for we normals.

-- And, it was a year ago today, that Seal Team Six nailed Usama Bin Laden at his compound in Pakistan, which was located about 200 yards from a military training area. If you're wondering...yes, that bastard is STILL dead, as far as we know.
There are some other notable events that happened on this day throughout the centuries:
1328 - The War of Scottish Independence ended - England recognizes the kingdom of Scotland (about bloody time)
1751 - The first cricket match was played in America.
1759 - Josiah Wedgwood founded the Wedgwood pottery company (and still going strong, I might add)
1776 - Establishment of the Illuminati in Ingolstadt (upper Bavaria) by (jesuit-taught) Adam Weishaupt.

1786 - Opening night for The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart

1862 - Union soldiers capture New Orleans from the Confederates
1869 - The Follies Bergere opens in Paris (Ooh-la-laaaaa).
1884 - Moses Fleetwood Walker becomes the FIRST black person to play in a professional baseball game in the United States
1925 - The All-China Federation of Trade Unions is officially founded. Today, it is the LARGEST trade union in the world, with 134 MILLION members.

1931 - NYC: The Empire State Buillding is dedicated.

1941 - German forces launch a major attack on Tobruk.

1948 - The Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea is established (North Korea) with Kim-Il-Sung as it's leader.
1950 - Guam is organized as a commonwealth of the United States.
1956 - Jonah Salk's polio vaccine is made available to the public.
1960 - Francis Gary Powers is shot down (in his Lockheed U-2) over the USSR, sparking an international (spy) incident.
1971 - Amtrak takes over of U.S. passenger rail service (and we all know how well THAT panned out)
1989 - Disney-MGM studios open in Walt Disney World near Orlando, FL.
1991 - Ricky Henderson of the Oakland A's steals his 939th base and becomes the all-time leader, but Nolan Ryan of the Texas Rangers pitched his SEVENTH no-hitter, breaking his OWN record on the same day, which overshadowed Henderson's accomplishment.
2006 - The Puerto Rican government closes it's Department of Education along with 42 OTHER agencies because of significant shortages of cash flow.
2011 - Pope John Paul II is beatified by his successor, Pope Benedict XVI
So, we're back to Bin Laden still being dead...
Some interesting things in that bunch, wasn't there?
And THOSE were only the "high points".
*** Another thing about today...usually this is the day that in most COMMUNIST countries, they go and dust off their military hardware and parade them around whatever square they have in their capital city...big, fat hairy deal, as far as I'm concerned.
Who wants to be bothered watching all those goosestepping, AK-carrying mooks tyring to look as good as OUR troops anyway?
Any army that does the goosestep is not really a buddy of mine.
Meanwhile, back at the "repo-depot"...
(that's old military jargon, BTW)
*** I wanna shift gears here (that works nicely, too) and speak about ALL these FWD cars we have.
Actually, we've way too many of them (imho).

There are some holdouts for the RWD mainstays like the Mustang, the Challenger, Charger, the Crown Vic (soon to be gone), the Corvette, and (new gen) Camaro. And naturally ALL the damn TRUCKS are RWD , too...and that makes sense when doing heavy-duty work.
There are people on BOTH sides of the FWD-RWD fence that will tout the pros of THEIR stance...I for one.
I LIKE RWD...period. Maybe some AWD now and then, but I'm not into the whole FWD (only) thing...so sue me.
You can search the web until your fingers bleed regarding those who like RWD and those who like FWD.
Each has it's own pros...AND cons.
I ALSO like TWO-DOOR vehicles...call me a throwback, I don't care. Some cars SCREAM out to be a coupe.
There are a few of the new models that SHOULD have a 2-door version as well as RWD.

The 2013 Ford TAURUS is one of those cars.
It's a nice looking design (finally), but it really needs a TWO DOOR VERSION with RWD!
THAT would be one honest-to-God bad ass car, especially the SHO model.
Same with the Dodge Charger...looks fair as a 4-door, BUT make a 2 DOOR VERSION, and you won't be able to keep them stocked in the showrooms...I guarantee it!
They are QUICK..I can attest to that.
But, ever since the Charger came on the scene (way back in 1966) it was always a TWO door model.
Cripes, even the (late) Pontiac Gran Prix came in BOTH 2 and 4 door models (and the ONLY thing keeping me from "trading up" and getting a 2-door GTP was that damn FWD.

And that's why I sticking to my Firebird...29 years old as she is. (has it been THAT long already?)
I talked here about the differences between FWD and RWD, so I won'belabor that now.
All I will say is that if given the chance to buy a 2 door model of a currently 4-door ONLY car, people WILL get the coupe.
It would seem that these days, if you want a RWD coupe, you have to look at many of those European makes and models, because THEY apparently know there is a market for them.
Let me ask this - IF FWD is all that good, WHY don't they make the TRUCKS with them?
All the minivans are pretty much FWD already, so why not do likewise with the pickups and such?
Perhaps there are other reasons we're not supposed to question...
(just shut up and buy the damn thing...sounds all too familiar...like in China)
*** Lastly today, lots of things happened on this day, and lots more will happen in years to come, I'm sure.

I hope we can prepare ourselves, educate ourselves, and develop the wisdom we will need to ride out whatever storm of opinion blows our way.
We (as a nation) have to stop "settling" for whatever is tossed at us...like table scraps to the family dog.
We should be speaking up for what WE value, because whatever the situation, it's usually OUR money that's being handed over.
And I for one, would love to see such funds spent in a lot BETTER manner than what is being done today.
Right now, the only "bang for the buck" I can envision entails a trip out to Gander Mountain for some more AMMO.
At least with THAT, I get what I pay for.

Would it be that we all could say something similar when it comes to such staples as FOOD, SHELTER, CLOTHING, or yes...even our vehicles.
And that includes the fuel that powers them.
Just a little something to ponder today...right?
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.