Passover...and Passed Over...

And it's rather nice day that will be greeting us THIS morning, as opposed to yesterday's marvelous Christmas-esque redux.
I damn near had this urge to wrap some gifts for some odd reason.
Thankfully, after THREE shovellings, the sidewalk decided to REMAIN clear of snow, as did the back steps.

Our total snowfall down here came to slightly less than SEVEN INCHES.
Wifey came out later, and chided me for doing the driveway by myself, and came out to help me finish.

Still, the quiet of yesterday and the serene "winter-scape" (for MARCH of all months) did have it's place, especially down here in the crotch of Fort Wayne.

The locals were pretty much confused (normal for them), and should the city have decided to ENFORCE the ordinance that states that "sidewalks must be cleared of snow before 9AM", they could have literally cleaned up in citations!

So much for recouping ANY of that $53 million shortfall, hmm?
Nevertheless, it was a day to take it relatively EASY...for a change.

Watch some birds...gaze at the snow-covered trees, and place one's mind in a better frame.

And for a brief time, you can almost believe that this is a neighborhood again - NOT a ghettohood.
Today, it will be "back to normal", with the usual idiots abounding.
The snow will be melting with temps in the 40s, and what vestige of serenity we enjoyed yesterday will be too soon forgotten. And we might see a few snow showers...with no accumulation.
Meanwhile, back at the black ice emporium...
*** There was a story in Sunday's paper (business section) about the rising price of...TIRES.

Yes, those wonderfully round rubber rim-covers we've come to know and love...until we get a blowout, or try to drive in snow with treadless tires.
Funny, didn't see ONE of those hoopty-donks with the huge 24 inch rims out in bad weather...wonder why?
('cause they're more useless than teats on a damn bull, that's why)
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130324/BIZ/303249952/0/SEARCH
It seems we need about SEVEN gallons of oil to make ONE standard passenger car tire...

FIVE of those gallons goes to feedstock (substances which form synthetic rubber derivations) and TWO gallons for the manufacturing process.
That means you have about 28 gallons of OIL rolling your sweet patooty down the highway...pretty interesting.
Retreads are cheaper, and they ONLY cost FIVE gallons of oil to produce, but have had problems shedding the tread off the carcass in years past. Look along ANY highways for signs of tractor-trailer treads along the berms...hard NOT to see them.
It becomes a real toss-up, doesn't it?

A set of tires USED to cost around $200 (and change) for P205-70R14s for the '83 Firebird.

That was then, and this is now.

Overall, tires are being made LARGER (up to 18 inches for some vehicles), and that's aside from truck tires, SUVs, and those damnable donks thumping down our streets.

An average set of tires TODAY is about $400...(and more change).
Obviously MORE if you own anything other than a standard vehicle.
Blame the car MANUFACTURERS for placing larger tires on new vehicles.
They get FIRST DIBS!
I guess the only "bargain" would be one of those Fiat 500s...they seem to have smaller tires...then again, so do BICYCLES.
(welcome to Vietnam)
Yep...you can't win for losing these days...can you?
*** No more KOSHER Coke???
Say it ain't so, Bob.

Well, it IS so...but only in (The Socialist Republik of) California...for the second year in a row, too.
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130325/BIZ/303259990/1031/biz
Coca-Cola claims it's due to manufacturing changes that were made by "the state"...

Apparently there were concerns about quality assurance and shelf stability (kosher coke uses REAL sugar), but the manufacturer IS making "good progress" along the lines of kosher for Passover beverages...
I don't know...in this day and age, one might consider this another form of anti-Semitism, not that we're NOT seeing too much of that already.
Can't even get a kosher coke in Cali...WTF is the world coming to?
And speaking of Passover...
*** Last evening marked the beginning of the highest holy day for those of the Hebrew faith...that of...The Passover.

Now, your job (if you're curious) is to check out the (kosher) WIKI here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover
Let's just sum it up for us "gentiles" as it's the celebration and observance of the EXODUS from slavery in Egypt for the Jews.
(and the late Charlton Heston did a decent job on screen in that regard).

But NO Coke in California to wash that Seder down with...

And if you're interested in what constitutes a Hebrew SEDER (order, arrangement - feast), here's THAT WIKI:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover_Seder
I know I can get on board with those 4 cups of WINE.
(make mine Mogen David, please)
*** Lastly today...more about gun violence, or should we say violent PEOPLE who choose to use guns to resolve their particular grudges?
Jim Carrey released a YouTube video decrying guns and the people possessing them (that would be the law-abiding among us).
Pretty sad to see someone mocking a dead person, too (Charlton Heston...yes, Moses himself).
I wouldn't even bother watching the video.

Then, there's the "gun" ad from Nanny Doomberg's organization: Mayors Against Illegal Guns:

Here's ths story link that tells the TRUTH:

http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2013/03/25/fantastic-bloombergs-latest-antigun-ad-violates-basic-gun-safety-rules-n1548707
And a link to the video in question:
http://weaselzippers.us/2013/03/25/report-actor-in-nanny-bloomberg-anti-gun-ad-violates-three-basic-gun-safety-rules/
Now, before you ask, our very own "king", Mayor Tom Henry IS an upstanding card-carrying MEMBER of that organization (as are a lot of democrats).

I'm for the background checks, but when these pundits toss in that word "UNIVERSAL", that kind of creeps me out.

How will THAT word be interpreted, and how INVASIVE could a background check become in the future?

Will someone require an embedded "chip" in order for that law-abiding person to purchase a firearm or ammo...just so "they" can track that person?
Maybe we SHOULD be focusing MORE on the CRIMINAL ELEMENT...making sure THEY are the ones NOT being able to get a firearm?
(notice I didn't say purchase legally, because the thugs will NEVER do that)
Maybe making black-market sales, or any form of illegal gun-running a FEDERAL offense would help?
In a society that prides itself in information-gathering (and this began back in the 1970s when we began the slide away from manufacturing), the means to access YOUR life is becoming easier and easier...hackers have proved THAT much.
So, do we WANT to allow the government to "keep tabs" on people who obey the laws, live a good life, and basically bother no one?
I think that's a bad place to venture into, and with good reason.

Even though we are social creatures, we do value privacy, and if, for example, I have NO criminal history and follow the law, there should be NO reason to know how often I purchase ammo, what TYPE I buy, or how many firearms I choose to own.
You might as well install cameras in our houses to see how often we eat red meat, how much soda we consume, or how many sheets of T.P. we use every time we take a crap.
(so we can save the planet)
We have to tread CAREFULLY here, lest we turn over OUR freedoms and liberties to those who sole purpose is power and control.
It's that simple.
This is still the country OF the people, BY the people, and FOR the people.
And our government would learn much JUST by remembering that on a daily basis.

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.