Humpday Happenings...

Now THIS is the type of summer morning I prefer to wake up to...
The sun is rising above the trees with some attitude, the temps are in the low 50s and a slight breeze makes it smell nice and fresh outside.
The rest of the day will be dependent upon how late the locals roll out of the government-sponsored sack - I'm thinking the usual time...around 1100 hrs.
-- Our Hoosierland weather today is great.
The high today will reach into the MID-SEVENTIES, and for July, that's always a pleasure.
Sun mixed with clouds shouldn't screw things up, so get out and enjoy it.
We don't get days like THIS during mid-summer THAT often.
In the meanwhile, let's get cracking and delve into the rest of what's going on...
*** As is typical for Wednesdays, it's time for our Motto of the Week, aka WHO SAID THAT?
"Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it."
So, who said that? Here's a clue - If you're a lifelong Hoosier, the answer should come a bit easier.
The answer at the top of tomorrow's post.
Moving on...
*** In a story that originally broke back on 10 July, police are FINALLY releasing the surveillance video of the two men who TRIED to rob a Wendy's on Broadway...and it only took TWO weeks to do it.

Amazing.
Here's the link to the updated story:
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/crime/Police-search-for-two-suspects-who-tried-to-rob-Wendys-on-Broadway

Gee, I dunno about you guys, but THESE two males don't look white, Asian, or Hispanic to ME.

Oh, wait...the article states they were BLACK males...well, that explains it.

The robbery happened back on 10 July around 1754 hrs, and the men got away with zip, zero, nada. nothing, bupkiss, goose-egg (for a change).

They pretty much look like any other male in MY area...(don't they all anymore?), so maybe a check on the SE side might be in order.

But we wouldn't want to piss off the ethnics and say it's RACIAL profiling, would we?

Nah...it's CRIMINAL PROFILING (for all the low-information folks out there).

The perps just "happen" to BE black.
And that fits right in to the next story...
*** As I predicted around our "Fortress", so many people were stating that Bill O'Reilly NAILED IT about the racial divide and the causes of problems in the black community.

His followup "talking points memo" alluded to just that.
And here's the link for that one:
http://www.billoreilly.com/video?chartID=556
I told Wifey that was one of THE BEST "TPMs" he has done in a very long time...and apparently, I wasn't alone in that assessment.
And his call on the black murder rate being TEN TIMES that of whites AND Hispanics COMBINED is right on, because all you have to do is look up the STATS from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, so he isn't pulling numbers out of some orifice...like politicians, pundits, and assorted other hacks that know little if nothing about the truth.
And I LOVED his solution to illegal gun and immigration problems...can't get any easier than THAT, can you?
(If you watch the video, you'll know what I mean)
Brilliantly simple in concept AND execution, would such laws BE enforced.

The person he had on (Marc Morial, Urban League President and CEO, speaking from PHILLY, of all places) responded with much of the typical rhetoric, stating Bill was missing the point...
((...WTF???...))

You're kidding me, right?
Bill MADE the point..blacks are killing BLACKS (among others whenever the mood strikes them), and it's the BLACK family that has all but ceased to be.
He also stated the FACTS about the crime rate, incarceration rate, illegitimacy rate, poverty rate, and so on (and on other programs).
Mr. Morial talks about "the discussion", and Bill points out that discussion time is over. What we need is ACTION...and especially BY the so-called black leadership. To date there has been little if NONE of that.
Mr. Morial chooses to turn Bill's "passionate" demeanor against him, misconstruing the BASE of the message.
In other words, when the message hits a little TOO close to home, by all means, attack the MESSENGER.
(sound familiar?)
And THAT'S why we keep playing "ring around the mulberry bush"...for DECADES.
It's really a good video and is a great followup to yesterday's TPM.
I say kudos to O'Reilly for having the courage to say what NEEDS to be said, and calling out those who have done nothing but jaw-jack.
*** There is an interesting article over at the News-Sentinel about "real poverty", and how the hype doesn't fit the truth.
Here's the story link:
http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130723/BUSINESS/307239999/1012/LOCAL

As one might expect, there is NO real shortage of FOOD.

And this is a LIQUOR store!

And, since the REAL poverty rate has dropped significantly, the expectation of the ultimate demise of such poverty COULD be realized in around TWO decades...so how's that work with all the "government-sponsored" folks?

Well, the distinction between THOSE people and the ones suffering the REAL type of poverty is vast.

And, it's like I've said for a long time, there is a huge difference between poverty and POVERTY.

Having all the amenities that everyone else (who works and pays taxes) and still claiming it's not enough is NOT "living in poverty".

Driving a hooptymobile with $5K of car stereo in the trunk (when you don't hold a lousy job, but suck on the taxpayers' teat) is NOT poverty-stricken

Welcome to the SOUTH side.

America defines a person who subsists on $29 a DAY as "impoverished", while REAL poverty runs about $1.50 a DAY.

BIG difference, isn't it?
Hell, I can exist damn well on $29 a day, but then again, I've never been one to live ABOVE my means.
And that should be the mantra of a lot MORE people. rather than having them trying to play "Keeping up with the Joneses" (read taxpaying workers).
It's a decent read.
*** Lastly today, you're always hearing me talk about CHOICES...good one and bad ones.

A choice is a DECISION...a specific manner or DIRECTION in which we move in life, be it physically, mentally, emotionally, vocationally, or scholastically.

The direction we take is governed by OUR own experiences, or acquired and accumulated knowledge, wisdom, and perspectives.

Which direction? THAT direction!

Now, imagine if you will, going through life without ANY of that...

Just sitting back, hitting the "cruise-control" button in life and doing whatever the hell you please, whenever you feel like it.
Where is the sense of accomplishment? Or pride in success? Or the learning experience in failure?
Well, much of the "let someone else do the driving" is what "drives" parts of our society, and especially in those communities that have been GIVEN much of what others work for.

Another thing I always say is that WE can always DO better...BE better, and EXPECT better both of ourselves and of others.
It's not that difficult a thing to accomplish...IF we learn to pursue such things in life, rather than expect them to come to us.
Opportunity usually only knocks ONCE, and when it arrives, it finds us on the lounge chair out back, sucking down a cold one and bagging some rays, waiting for it to come and wait on us, we will be sadly disappointed. And that's no way to go through this great journey we call LIFE, is it?

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