Happy Halloween...???
And, it's the end of another month here in a rather WET Hoosierland this morning. If you're hoping the rain lets up...it WILL...eventually.
Scattered rain at sometimes heavy in nature will drag across NE Indiana today, so don't expect to see a sunrise today And we're adding in some windy conditions JUST to make it even more "fun". Temps are not going to rise much higher than they already are right now...looks like the mid-60s will be about it.
So, without any further ado, let's get this show rolling...
*** First out the door today is the answer to yesterday's Motto of the Week aka WHO SAID THAT?
"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out."
This is attributed to Robert Collier (1885-1950) an American author of self-help and New Thought metaphysical books, and was also the nephew of Peter Collier, founder of Collier's Weekly publications.
And here is his WIKI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Collier_(author)
Here is some biographical information on him:
http://robertcollier.wwwhubs.com/
The bio is an interesting one, considering he believed that the MIND could be the driving force when it came to the curative natures of illnesses that medicine fell short of doing.His most successful series of books was a seven volume set entitled "The Secret of the Ages", which sold 300,000 copies when it was first published in 1926.
Collier was a devoted husband and father to six children. And apparently, his books still endure.
Like I said...an interesting man.
Moving on...
*** Since today IS Halloween, let's take a look and see if we can scare up some spooks or goblins...
--  Here's one story about an IPFW professor that (in my book) get's an "A"...for chasing down a robber he caught in his office:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20131031/LOCAL07/310319939/1043/LOCAL07
Curtis Parker, from Auburn was the would-be thief.
-- Here's another story about an online "deal" that didn't go as planned.
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20131031/LOCAL07/310319938/1043

We're seeing more of these Craigslist robberies...all for stupid sh*t...like some dumb-ass iPhone.
The (armed...aren't they all?) robber was described as black (big surprise there), tall, early 20s, a "bigger" build, wearing black dress pants and a red and black jacket with a bruise on his lower lip.
Gee, I never had such problems with Barnes and Noble, or Amazon, or even eBay...wonder why?
(maybe it's because they don't send me to vacant houses for purchases)
Yeah, that's gotta be it.
*** Okay, so it's Halloween, or as I prefer to call it: "The Great American Beg-A-Thon".
(not to be confused with the PBS fund-raising events held a couple times a year)
And in today's America, the task of "begging" seems to be one of the hallmarks of this president's administration.
Only in D.C., they have YOU begging instead...for them to stop the dumb sh*t they're shoving down your throats.
But I digress...that's another post for another day.

The kids around our area usually don't come to our house...and that's fine. I have no time for kids that only want to "know" you ONE DAY a stinking year...to get something for free. To me, that starts the ball rolling for the whole "entitlement" mentality, because they HAVE to see a lot more of it at home.
Now, it wasn't always like this around here in our part of the ghettohood...
We USED to hand out candy, and liked to see the costumes the kids wore, as the parents stood down by the sidewalk.
But that was a time when we had a lot more GOOD neighbors (one that weren't previously arrested, or tattooed all over like Bradbury's Illustrated  Man).
And the children were respectful as well...the way we were way back when.
Now, I see a lot of "thugs-in-training" or future welfare queens roaming the streets, and that says a lot to me. It says that many parents are not as "in touch" with kids as they used to be.

Twick or $%@$* Tweat, Muthaf-&%^$er!

Hell, some of the parents aren't that far our of "kidhood" to begin with, so what can you expect?
When I look at children, I can't help but think that someday, it will be THEY who will be running this nation, and what I see around me doesn't imbue that "warm and fuzzy" I should feel knowing that this country will be in GOOD hands...I do have my doubts in that regard.
I hope I'm wrong, too.
*** Back in Philly, we actually had a TWO-DAY event when it came to Halloween.
The night BEFORE the 31st was called "Mischief Night", and consisted of kids going around, soaping car windows, and maybe egging a house of TP'ing it.

It has since evolved into things like HELL NIGHT (In Camden, NJ) where on such a night you can have over THIRTY fires started around the city. Vandalism takes on a whole NEW meaning.
I hear something similar used to happen in Detroit (Devil's Night), so I wonder what both cities have in common?
(large government-sponsored black communities and lots of crime)
Yeah, that's GOTTA be it.

Talk about stretching your public safety resources.
And here (again) are...
Bobby G's 8 Simple Rules for Halloween:
Rule #1: You show up WITHOUT a costume....you have TWO choices:
a) You can just turn around and LEAVE, or (my favorite) ...
b) Show me you're WORTHY of my candy WITHOUT a costume by jumping through these FLAMING HOOPS I have set up on my lawn, OK? If the folks can't blow TEN bucks to get you SOME kind of costume (and dressing in mom's old clothes brings up gender issues, even though it's FREE), then just spend FIVE bucks for some of your OWN candy (hint - after the 31st, all the holiday candy is 50% off)!
Rule #2: If you're OLDER than say....12 years old, you better either have a DAMN GOOD (original) costume, or you better have the mental state of a 3 year old. Either one will get you treats! Anything else will get you a nice door closed in your face! If you're THAT old...just stop at Handy-dandy and grab a bag of M&Ms for yourself, lazy-ass!
Rule #3: Face paint ALONE does NOT a costume make....Even SOLDIERS wear a UNIFORM with their face paint, and Indians have horses and head-dresses.....so...NO horse, NO treats, Kimosabi!
Rule #4: If you are coming to my house on Hallowe'en with a BUNCH of friends...be advised, I WILL be "packing" (to dissuade you from a home invasion)!
Rule #5: Don't try taking a "short cut" across MY lawn to cross the street (that barbed wire I have up will do a real number on your legs...trust me)! Better to stay on the sidewalk.
Rule #6: DO NOT show up at the house as a ZOMBIE, LIVING-DEAD person, or some sort of analogous entity. If I EVER want to see the living dead (aside from a George Romero flick), all I have to do is watch MOST of the non-working "neighbors" on welfare that have NO future past the next bottle of malt liquor meander through their pitiful lives. Also...NO MILEY CYRUSES, NO ELMOS, NO LADY GAGAS, AND NO TWERKING!
Rule #7: When I ask you to take what you want from the huge bowl of candy, that DOES NOT MEAN grab every damn single piece OF candy.....taking EVERYTHING should NEVER be a choice...it means be SELECTIVE...others might want to drop on by, 'K?
Rule #8: If you don't like what we GIVE (free) to you, don't even think about retaliatory measures....I've already PLANNED for THAT contingent...(heh, heh, heh)...and you might not like the result.
And THAT is why we'll be watching Garfield's Halloween Adventure on DVD tonight (as usual).
*** Lastly today...I was never into Halloween that much...always came down with some cold less than a week before, so I didn't get out that many times, and as I got older, I just didn't bother...candy was cheap enough back then anyway, and still is if you know when to hit the stores for the 1/2 price sales.

Looks like the whole gang's here.

I DID look forward to wearing my costume to elementary school, though...
Yes, we COULD do such things back then, and NOT have some asshole bitching a fit about offending someone, as we do today.
We had cowboys AND Indians, astronauts, animals of all kinds...well, let's say that in today's world, all of us back in the late 50s were marvelously politically INCORRECT...and loving it.
These days, certain costumes are not allowed, or in the most extreme bouts of lunacy are all banned outright...like some Big Gulp in NYC.
Kids cannot wear superhero costumes...well, hell, that might offend those maniacal evil VILLAINS around the damn world, don'cha know?

Kids can't wear THESE to school?

Can't be an INDIAN, because some leftists thinks (erroneously) that this is some form of racism.
And you DARE not wear black-face (that's racist)...but when I see a black person wearing WHITE face...that doesn't seem to bother me in the slightest.
We are no longer allowing kids TO...BE...KIDS, and what the hell is SO wrong about that?
If this progressive BS continues, the kids will grow up NEVER knowing what a REAL childhood is like...do we really want that?
Kids are kids for a reason...they're not dwarven adults, and we all would be well served to remember that.
We'll catch you all next month.

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.
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((And just for the fun of it, here's something for you guys and ghouls out there - an homage to Bobby "Boris" Pickett and the Crypt Kickers.))