Thoughts on Thursday - Day After Edition.

Well, the presents have been opened, the dinner was devoured, and the holiday movies have been put away for another 11 months...
Christmas is over...or is it?
We'll ponder that question is just a minute, but let's see what the Hoosierland weather has in store for us this morning after.
Today will see a smattering of light snow upon the ground, sure to make those unfamiliar with such conditions ( or too stupid to care) wanting to practice a modicum of CAUTION out there today. It's just enough to make the idiots think there's NO problem, when in fact, it's not going to melt away.
Temps today will once again attempt to reach THIRTY degrees, but we should have SOME sun, so perhaps a tad bit of reflective melting may take place, but not enough to affect anything.
The next couple days will see a slight warm-up before we dive back into the deep freeze for NEXT week, so be advised, and plan accordingly.
Now then, let's top off out nicely warm morning beverage, and see what Christmas cheer was brought about over the last 24 hours, shall we?
*** First up, since Christmas came on a WEDNESDAY, there was no Motto of the Week, so you all get a week off.
Today we'll have a quote WITH the answer...how's that work for you?
"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas." 

This was spoken by Calvin Coolidge (4 July 1872 - 5 January 1933), our 30th President and here is his WIKI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_Coolidge
It's a very good read, especially when it came to his decisive handling of the Boston police strike of 1919.
When Coolidge was President, taxes were lower and fewer people paid them, leading to a 1/4 of the nation's debt to be retired, with state and local government seeing considerable GROWTH, surpassing the federal budget in 1927.
Coolidge also fought against farm subsidies, saying it in no way helped farmers, while benefiting exporters and expanding the federal bureaucracy.
He also spoke in FAVOR of the civil rights of blacks and (get this)...CATHOLICS!
It was during HIS term in office that the KKK lost much of it's clout, especially in Washington, D.C.
In 1924, Coolidge signed an act granting citizenship to Native Americans
And to think he was a Republican...something we NEED these days, as long as the conservative aspect of the party was retained.
Moving on...
*** It seems that at least TWO people didn't see fit to express THEIR "Christmas cheer" in a manner befitting the holiday.
Here's the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20131226/LOCAL07/312269977
Okay, so it's Christmas Eve, you're at a bar notorious for situations that require police intervention, and you're a bit too soused to have what few brain cells left in your head to properly function...what to do?
You start an altercation that gets you tossed from the premises, after which, you get out your gun and fire back INTO the bar through the windows, striking two people inside...
Yeah, NOTHING says "Christmas Spirit" QUITE like that, does it?
Well, on the city's near SOUTHEAST side, that's just more typical behavior from the local flotsam.
This shooting happened around 1030 hrs yesterday morning at the SPORTS AND SPIRITS tavern at East Wayne St and S. Anthony Blvd.

Two windows were shot out in the melee, and with both CCTV footage and witnesses, the shooters were ID'ed, while shell casings were gathered up out front, nut no information as to a collar on the shooters at this time.

The victims were both taken to hospital, where a woman was listed in fair condition, and a man was listed in critical condition.
The story also talks about prior incidents at the same location, and how over less than 2.5 years, there have been FOUR shooting investigations there.
So when do we hear about another shooting at Broadway Joes, or the tap room along S. Lafayette?
New Year's Eve IS coming (along with all the obligatory and celebratory GUNFIRE), people..."happy holidays"?
*** Next up, when you don't HAVE a gun readily available, and just HAVE this need to play "Knockout" during your incarceration, doing it to a GUARD could be bad for one's health in the aftermath.
Here's THIS story:
http://www.wane.com/news/local/person-injured-after-incident-at-allen-county-jail

An Allen county confinement officer was jumped and brutally beaten about the head by an inmate yesterday morning, around 1100 hrs.
The closed-fist attack left the officer left him unconscious and with a severe head injury.
What I will say about this, is that when ANY officer is attacked in a manner like this, the response is IMMEDIATE...and often will not bode well for the attacker.
You NEVER step over that thin blue line, unless you want the Sword of Damocles to fall upon your neck.

I would wager the inmate "accidentally fell" several times when officer TRIED to get him to his feet, and was definitely "non-compliant" with officer commands, which usually leads to a "tune-up" by the officers on scene.
It's not brutality...it's "payback" to a useless piece of crap that society is footing the bill for, when he should have probably gotten the death penalty...or at least a stronger sentence in a maximum security facility with no chance of release.
The cell block (H) in the AC jail is for the "seriously violent" felons.
The jail was put ion lock-down following the incident, with several blocks around the building  cordoned of by law-enforcement.

He be needin' a TUNE UP, yo!

An investigation over this is ongoing. I wouldn't expect any kind of lawsuit against law-enforcement (if the perp knows what's good for him).
He could wind up falling down again...accidentally...a LOT (like down a flight of stairs)...I mean sh*t DOES happen, right?
(( EDITOR'S UPDATE - 1300 hrs - You are just going to LOVE this one...the perp who attacked the confinement officer is NONE OTHER than our old "fiend" Deadrian Boykins - refer to my post of 9 April 2013- yep, this sh*thead thug bastard already sentenced just FIVE DAYS EARLIER...for MURDER. Talk about instant karma...bet the other officers had a VERY merry time, getting Deadrian to "comply", when he obviously RESISTED...ROFL. 
Poetic justice AND typical behavior on the part of the perp. )).
*** Next up, on to more "sedate" goings-on...and more PROPER observances of Christmas Day...like at our "Fortress".
We had a pretty good day, considering we were "one short" around the tree.
House seems to get a little bit BIGGER, as a result.

Nice pile of swag.

After breakfast, Wifey and I opened our presents, and I must say, the additions to our "library" will be noticeable.
Going to have to decide WHO reads WHAT first...LOL.
We got BROKE and MIRACLES AND MASSACRES by Glenn Beck, JUNK ENGLISH, THE CHEATING CULTURE, a book on the 12 days AFTER Lincoln's assassination, and a book about AMERICA'S HIDDEN HISTORY. Wifey got a book about the Roman emperors and the Hello Kitty "Little Book of Happiness", while I got an IRON MAN book (Beneath the Armor), and two DOCTOR WHO books.
I made sure The Lovely Mrs. Bobby G. got plenty of Hello Kitty stuff, such as jewelry, a calendar, figures, and apparel.
As for me? I got a camo baseball hat, some nice thick socks, and a pair of "cheap sneex"...once can never have too many of them.
I did get a couple "toys" as well...hey, as was once said:
"It's no fun growing up if you can't be childlike once in a while".(Tom Baker - the 4th doctor)
And I was right about our remaining cat...he curled up in some wrapping paper and then went off to sleep...until his dinnertime.

You guys KNOW I'm the BEST gift, right?

He DID play briefly with a toy we got him...but he did like that special wrapping paper.

I'm bored now, and gonna go nap.

Dinner went well...we had turkey, ham, mac and cheese (homemade and NEVER store bought), mashed potatoes for me, baked for Wifey, assorted veggies and dinner rolls. We had brownies, sugar cookies and pumpkin pie for dessert.
And our beverage of choice was Oolong tea with dinner (personal favorite)...yeah, not bad at all.
Then, there was the fare on the TV...a SCROOGE (1951 version) marathon on FXM (and the COLORIZED version to boot)....awesome!

Along with that BBC America had a DOCTOR WHO marathon...again, awesome.

Plus, we had holiday tunes on the radio, but I didn't hear Handel's Messiah...that was rather odd.
Today, we watch Prep and Landing and Garfield's Christmas (both on DVD)...and work on leftovers...lol.
And we might even venture out and look for after-Christmas sales on wrapping paper, cards, and the like.
*** Lastly today, I'll tell you all....what the Missus and I took part in may not seem as much "fun" as shooting up a damn bar, or punching a jailer, but, it's more in line with what the MEANING of Christmas is all about.
It's about FAMILY, and not giving into hormonal rage, or alcohol-infused asshattery.

Christmas spirit is about GIVING, and not any sort of giving that will inflict harm or ill-will on other individuals for little if any reason.
And, while Christmas can be difficult for many from an emotional or psychological standpoint, we can always find some comfort or solace from the knowledge of what was done FOR us, rather than TO us over the past year, and by that I mean the real reason we celebrate the holiday.

THE reason...for the season.

God is always with us, even when those around us are not.
So why just celebrate ONE day a year when our Creator is with us the other 364?
Perhaps we ALL should take things like THAT to heart a lot more...and maybe some of us wouldn't be prone to such reprehensible behavior.
Again, as is the case...it comes down to CHOICES...
Doesn't it always?
And shouldn't all of us be trying to make better ones every day?
I think that's not out of the realm of possibilities...for any of us.

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