Monday Musings...

Welcome to the beginning of another week, sure to be "fun-filled", especially if you're planning to travel later this week, or...(and may God truly help you) SHOP on either Thanksgiving OR "Black Friday".

Today''s weather is starting out brisk in the Heartland with some clouds and maybe a sprinkle or two, but if you LIKE the FIFTIES (Chevys, Elvis, and nickel candy aside), then you'll like today's high (expected to reach 57 degrees).

In the interim, let's take a peek and what else has been going on, shall we?

*** Ken Burns has come out with another excellent film series entitled THE DUST BOWL (airing on your local PBS channel - check dates and time), and I have to say that I was in relative disbelief at what had happened back in the early 1930s. I had read about it somewhat, but the detail of what transpired, as told by those who lived through it, was absolutely astounding.

To think something like this could occur...even without Al Gore shooting his trap off over some global catastrophe, was beyond imagination.

Stories of real survival, trying to cope with losing one's farm, your cattle, and in many cases, even your children were woven meticulously into the story, so as to give you that "first-person perspective" of what took place.

Families torn apart by the suicides of both adults AND children, who could not deal with the constant dust storms, along with the dwindling hope of a "better day tomorrow", made the first installment very troubling, and yet it as also laced with a sense that these people WOULD make it through, although what they would endure would in many ways, become life-changing.
If you're a Ken Burns fan (as I have been since the start), you will find this a riveting account of how Americans struggled, survived, and became stronger as a people, and as a nation. I give it two thumbs up.
*** Yes, holiday season is upon us, and no longer do we (the retailers for the most part) wait until the day AFTER Thanksgiving to begin the festivities.

With a lousy economy, and a nation replete with a more than adequate share of ADHD citizens, it makes sense to divert our attention with holiday "cheer".
But how CHEERFUL can we be with rising prices, rising taxes (don't think it's not coming, because it IS), rising concern, and rising anger over the ways are being mismanaged by our own government?
I know there were times growing up, that our family (all three of us) had some pretty "lean" holidays. We also had more than a few really GOOD ones, but I suppose that was due to the fact that we were a VERY tight-knit family...with 3 people, how could you NOT be...LOL?
Still, we always did the best we could with what we had available., and a few times, Dad's plant would go on strike (thanks to unions lining their OWN pockets), and that was always a cause for concern. He was of the sort who would have rather WORKED than stand in the damn cold, on some picket line for something he didn't want to be part of...but you did whatever you had to to get by.
Thankfully, we didn't have to worry about our nation's leaders wanting to take us down the road to socialism. America was more concerned about preventing the spread OF Communism instead.
How I miss THOSE days.
I know the lovely Mrs. Bobby G. and myself won't go hog-wild for the holidays. We believe in something called "saving for a rainy day", because with all the storm clouds we see around us (metaphorically-speaking) it makes better sense to hold off now for when you (might) REALLY need it.
So, maybe the gifts will be fewer, but given with no less love .
To us, it's quality rather than quantity.
*** And speaking of Wifey...
The Wifeymobile has been running great since we got it back from the shop...BUT...(uh, oh, what now, Bob?)...the LOW COOLANT light came on again. WTH could be up with this now?
I checked the hoses, fittings, etc, and not a single hint of drips or leaks ANYWHERE.

So, the REPAIR is fine and dandy, but that light came on for a reason.
After topping off the coolant reservoir, I expected the light to go out...it DID NOT.
(stubborn little f$cker)
So, I did some nosing around the Internet...then I went back out to the car, and looked at the reservoir ITSELF.
Seems it has a "sensor" that lets you know if the coolant is LOW (gee, I thought the TEMPERATURE GAUGE did that?), so I went and disconnected the sensor from the FULL reservoir...PRESTO, the light went the hell OUT.
Two fixes for this problem - 1) remove the reservoir, flush it completely, removing any particular matter that might be clogging the sensor and HOPE that takes care of it, or -  2) REPLACE the damn reservoir outright, and get a new sensor (with it).
OR, we can just leave the damn unit UNPLUGGED...LOL.
THIS is the main reason I dislike "electronic" cars so damn much...too many things go wrong that don't need to, right?
*** Now here's something you don't see that often down here in the ghettohood...A HUMMER!

(unless it's owned by a resident drug-dealer)
So, imagine my surprise when I see this pull up across the street...and stay the night (or longer?).
It always cracks me the hell up whenever I see this kind of thing, because WHO owns a vehicle that is worth MORE than any house around here (in some cases more than SEVERAL HOUSES)?

*** Heard a call go out on the police radio Friday night that stopped me cold...the call dealt with a license number that went out over the air and NOT for a traffic stop.
It apparently had to do with some DRIVE-OFF someplace (could have been a gas station - the locals love to do that), but the TAG number caused me to stop, for I KNEW (from the lists I keep) that particular number (IN 120LI).

It belonged to a car that was frequenting (and staying over) at a house close by. The vehicle description on the radio matched this car TO A TEE!

Black 4 door Charger with a male black and a female black.

I slept on this, knowing that car would show up at this house (which it did), so the next morning around 0600, I call into dispatch to provide my information and to see IF the FWPD was still looking for this car.

They usually don't put out tag numbers unless SOMEONE is looking for it, or there's an owner check to see if the vehicle is stolen or uninsured when a vehicle is STOPPED.

So I get dispatch on the line, and attempt to see if they're still wanting info on the car.

I basically get the "brush off" and am told to contact the investigative division, because they said they (dispatch) cannot pull up that information...

Yep, you guessed it...it was a "WTF???" moment.

Dispatch CAN, and DOES pull up the information on a tag number, because they GIVE the exact SAME information that comes up on the screen to the officer in the patrol cruiser.

What's going on here?

I'm NOT trying to coerce any information FROM the police...I want to GIVE the information TO the police...GRATIS...Jeezus!

But apparently, THEY don't WANT information on a car they were looking for...helluva way to run a department.
Oh, and the detective div. is CLOSED all weekend...open 9-5, M-F ONLY.
Again, helluva way to run a department.
What was all that BS we're told about BETTER COMMUNITY RELATIONS?
Somehow, I'm just not seeing or hearing that.
*** Lastly today, I'm seeing so many more of these "double-standards" around us.

And in some cases, it's MORE than the "double" factor...actually closer to whatever number they want to plug in.

ONE set of rules for some, ANOTHER set for still more, and perhaps a THIRD set of rules for the rest...with certain other guidelines tossed in for good measure.

I say we break precedence and actually borrow a line that our Fearless Leader likes to toss about with careless abandon.

"Everyone plays by the same rules".

Now HOW MANY times have you heard that from Obama in just the 3 debates, or damn near every campaign speech, or even over the first (painful) four years? I know...WAY too many. But think about it.

I've said here many times that everyone SHOULD be held to the SAME STANDARD.

And if by that, we also mean the "same rules", then it works for me, too.

No more one group gets preferential treatment while others are neglected.
None of this poor folks are given everything without expecting them to do something for it (disabled people need not apply here).
EVERYONE plays by the same rules...white, black, brown, yellow, green, plaid...doesn't matter the color of your skin...or religion, or nationality, or gender...Yeah, I think that IS pretty damn fair...when PROPERLY ENFORCED.
(I intend to call anyone out on those that play by rules OTHER than those meant for everyone)
Anything less, becomes discriminatory to one group or another, and we really can't have divisions in our society based on that, can we?
Lord knows we've too many as it is already.
Fairness...sounds like a REAL plan, right?

Have yourselves a great week.

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

Stay SAFE out there, America.