Friday Follies...

Here we are again, at the doorstep to another WEEKEND...and the last one before Thanksgiving.
And yes, you're not imagining it, Thanksgiving IS a bit EARLIER than usual THIS year (like the holidays aren't being "hurried up" enough, right?).

Today's weather will be a rerun of yesterday for the most p[art, with temps trying to reach 50...part of that "warm-up" we're getting. But don't fret, it's not getting anywhere close to the 70s for the next week or so.

That brings us to the "fun stuff" - the stories I bring to you (for free) because...well, I CAN.

So, without any further ado, let's "Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war..."

*** Speaking of WAR, anyone been following the attacks by Hamas on Israel...and Israel's retaliatory measures?

Sure is heating up over there.

For ALL the (real) information, here's a link:

http://www.jpost.com/

Nice to see the Jerusalem Post covering everything we're NOT covering here in the states, thanks to the "lame-stream media" (Fox being the true exception).

Even GERMANY is now blaming Hamas for the attacks in Gaza.

Pretty sad when you hear a RED ALERT siren (awaiting the next rocket attack) going off in Tel-Aviv on a typical busy day with everyone shopping, doing business or otherwise doing what people are supposed to be doing...namely LIVING THEIR LIVES.

But, if the Palestinian militants are spoiling for a fight, they might want to consider Israel's track record with those wishing to fight them.

And the WOMEN in their military aren't to be trifled with, either!

Israel might be a country way smaller than California (you could fit about EIGHT Israel's into INDIANA alone), but THEY will defend their homeland.

Never underestimate the "little guy"...and never pick a fight with someone you don't take time to get to know as well as yourself.

(Thanks, Sun Tzu)
Meanwhile, a little closer to home...
*** And still MORE on that gun shop robbery in New Haven.
Here's the latest "4-1-1":
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20121116/LOCAL07/311169966/1043/LOCAL07

So, this 18 year old Brenton Ennis DID go into the shop and wasn't driving that Impala.
Paschall and the 15-year old were in the car.
Now, forgive me for posing such an OBVIOUS question, but WHY wasn't this FIFTEEN YEAR OLD in something WE used to go to called SCHOOL?
If this kid went to Wayne H.S., I'd have to say their particular method of out-of-school suspension needs a bit of work.
And if Baby-Mama called him out sick, she needs to be a PARENT and keep his ass INSIDE, unless she's taking him to the doctor.
Either way, this kid is bound for the big house in the way he's set his life's priorities.
Something else you have to consider in this event,. was the VIOLENCE these perps displayed, especially when the store owner and the one customer seemed compliant (that tends to happen when a gun is shoved in your face...and you're not a NINJA, or ACTION HERO).
So young...and SO damn VIOLENT.
THIS is what "democracy" looks like?
Not the democracy "I" remember and grew the hell up with, that's for sure.

These punks drive around in a car that's newer than the Wifeymobile...where the hell did THEY get the $$$ to buy that car (was it baby-mama's?) in the first place, and WHY were they out and about..."just for some laughs"?

I think that law-enforcement needs to look a little DEEPER behind the WHYS of this crime.

The perps stole TEN .45 caliber pistols, NINE 9 mm pistols, TWO rifles, and a shotgun. They also took THREE boxes of .45 ACP ammo (Hey, I need that sh$t - put it back). All but one of the weapons were recovered.
Someone wanted some firepower, and that's too many weapons for JUST FOUR "kids", right?
Find out WHO prompted (read hired) them to steal the guns and where those weapons were headed, and IF there are ANY relationship with GANGS, either local OR out-of-town. Turn over some rocks on this one.
There is a litany of questions that need to be asked, and perhaps, some REAL answers will be forthcoming.
These punks are (hopefully) young enough to not be so easy to "dummy-up" and not dime on someone who coerced them into this big mistake.
Moving on...
*** The city plans a TAKE OVER in the SW part of town.
And here's the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20121116/LOCAL/311169974

Aqua Indiana water utility is coming under fire for water quality and service issues, and the "good old boys" downtown (here) want to condemn the utility, and get all those in the SW area affected onto CITY water full time, and not just when a drought hits.

The boss of "Aqua" states that the water IS comparable to Ft. Wayne water...others disagree.

If the utility has problems with something as basic as it's product, namely WATER, that REALLY needs to be addressed.

Negotiations seemingly were producing NO results, and our King (read mayor) has seen fit to move ahead with this "takeover", hostile as it might seem.
I expect our City Council to run this through like crap through a goose.
If it were the SOUTHEAST side, I wonder HOW FAST they'd move THEN...makes 'ya wonder, right?
*** Those TWINKIES might NOT last "forever"...
Here's the lowdown:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20121116/BIZ/311169930/1031/BIZ
Yes, Virginia, there IS a pending liquidation of the Hostess snack business, and unions (oh, God, not THOSE mooks) state that if not enough workers come back to work, the maker of the snack cakes will file a motion for bankruptcy, and shutter operations.

Well, kids, THAT will result in the loss of over 18, 000 JOBS...including around 856 Hoosiers.

Helluva way to CREATE jobs, isn't it, Herr President Obama-Claus?

Too busy GIVING the farm away to many undeserving (recall the Obamaphone?) to care about those WORKING-CLASS people who are paying for YOUR FUBARS...how does that sound SO far?

In this case with Hostess, the unions really NEED to keep negotiating while sending the workers BACK TO WORK...that way everyone makes out.

The workers get PAID, taxes get collected, and we get our Ding-Dongs!

(sounds like a plan)

Funny thing, Hostess ALREADY reached an agreement with the Teamsters (their largest union)...BUT (uh, oh)...thousands of members went on strike after rejecting a contract that cut wages and benefits back in September.

(Welcome to Obama-World - NWO)

Union officials say that Hostess stopped paying into pensions last year.

The reason for the second bankruptcy for Hostess can be attributed to INCREASING MEDICAL AND PENSION costs.
(who knew?)
Union pension plans are like pyramid schemes...always HAVE been, and always will be...except the pyramid is UPSIDE F$CKING DOWN.

ONE employee retiring is "paid for" via his/her pension by several OTHER employees (sometimes, as many as TEN), and THOSE other employees are paid for by an additional ten more, and so on...it becomes a study in basic mathematics...incremental INCREASES by factors of the previous number.
Not that hard to see that it becomes wonderfully UNSUSTAINABLE after just a few generations.
If it's a 50/50 pension plan (they match what YOU put in), that alleviates the burden somewhat...basically EXTENDS or postpones the inevitable.
Used to be a time when WE paid for our own retirement, and perhaps a revisit to THAT neighborhood might be worth a look or two once again.
*** I thought about taking a drive out to Ferguson Rd. yesterday, but not because I had to either pick up or drop off Wifey for another rental car...LOL.
(( Hey, OUR water pump is fixed...but all those who bought a NEW TOYOTA...well, THEY'RE being recalled for defective...(you guessed it)...WATER PUMPS! I dunno, but having a NEW car in the shop (even under warranty) doesn't instill that much CONFIDENCE in the product I just purchased. ))

But I digress...
There was a better, more valid reason for closing down a part of Ferguson Rd. yesterday.
It had to do with an A-10 Warthog, a big, honking CH-47 helo, a cable sling, and the 122nd ANG increasing the number of planes they (now) have in the 'Heritage Park", located along Ferguson Rd., which commemorates the aircraft flown BY the 122nd.

The police had to cordon off the road for about 20 minutes as the Chinook carried the A-10 to it's place in line at the park.
The A-10 joins the ranks of an F-16 Fighting Falcon, an F-4 Phantom, an F-100 Super Sabre, and an F-84 Thunderstreak.
Damn nice display, too!
*** Lastly today, I really have to wonder WHAT the hell happened to the world I grew up in...seriously.
And, I'm sure MANY of you are doing likewise.
When it comes down to not being able to never have another loaf of Wonder Bread, or a damn Twinkie...or a friggin' Ding Dong, or even those really tasty chocolate covered "donettes", you just have to stop and ask yourself "what in the hell is going on, here?", right?
We're facing a financial meltdown, businesses closing, our dollar devalued, loss of our nation's credit rating (coming soon to a government near you), more people on the dole, and entitlement mentality growing across the country, and a dwindling of what it took to MAKE this nation great.

And we're being told that "everything is OK - the economy is making a comeback...jobs are being created".
What a load of...(wait for it...)... BULLSH*T!
That should make the FARMER'S happy, though...all that "fertilizer".
I'm just not buying into this quagmire of questionable intent.
I tend to believe things when I SEE them...call it the cynic in me...or maybe I used to live in MISSOURI in a past life...LOL.
We need to keep paying attention to WHAT we're being told...WHO is saying it, and question the veracity OF that person when needed.
We need to focus on OUR lives, OUR predicaments, and how WE handle them, all the while watching those sleight-of-hand political manipulators out of the corner of our eye.
It's never easy, but it IS required if we are to ever see any of the world that we DID grow up in returned to us in ANY tangible form.
May we ALL be up to such a task, and always try our best in the process.

Do have yourselves a wonderful weekend.

Be well, make a difference to someone today, and as always...

Stay SAFE out there, America.