Friday Follies...

If you like FOG (and who doesn't?), then this early morning in the heartland will warm the cockles of your heart (which is kinda weird, because a "cockle" is a bivalve - like those "piss-clams" we used to dig up along the shores of New Jersey)
But never fear, because even if you don't prefer your mornings looking like something out of Jack the Ripper's Victorian London, it will burn off soon enough, giving way to clearer skies with temps reaching into the low 80s...how's about that?
Naturally, every school EXCEPT the FWCS system was on a 2-hour delay due to the fog...typical...ignore people, the weather...whatever, right?
Anyway, let's go grab ourselves a nice warm cup of comfort (make mine SOUTHERN...lol) and see what's been going on elsewhere...
*** First out of the haversack is our "What the hell is happening today, Bob?" segment.
September 26 - Today is National JOHNNY APPLESEED DAY (missed it by several days here, apparently)

I KNEW it...! (that's one helluva stack, too)

And, it's also NATIONAL PANCAKE DAY
(I can see the lines forming at IHOP already...)
Now, over the weekend, you can celebrate THESE days:
September 27 - National Chocolate Milk Day

(helluva mustache on the children)
September 28 - National Good Neighbor Day

This applies to GOOD NEIGHBORHOODS ONLY!

(ROFLMAO...yeah, that's gonna happen where WE live - not a chance in hell).
It's is also National Gold Star Mother's Day (pray for those who lost a loved one in the military service to our country)
*** Well, it looks like the current AG, Eric Holder is RESIGNING...but not quick enough (imho). He should have NEVER held the office to begin with. Still, I'm smiling.

I consider him to be one of (if not the) WORST Attorney General this nation has ever seen.
He's incompetent, and a race-baiter for starters. If he worked in the private sector, he'd have been sacked LONG ago.
But never fear...I can't see him gong totally away in the foreseeable future. I smell a possible job with "The Suprenes", and it ain't the singing group.
I'm not the only one that feels this way, either...
When you consider that so many scandals can be tracked back to his office, he should be brought up on charges of TREASON...and he would have been had this been a couple hundred years ago. But these days, we seem to have a government that REWARDS bad behavior.
Don't get rid of the person...PROMOTE them instead.
And whoever Obummer decides to toss into the AG position, he (or she) could possibly be worse...if such a thing is possible.
(never underestimate liberals in THAT regard)
Moving on...
*** There is a new Denzel Washington movie that's another one of these "updates" to shows that used to be on TV back in decades past.
It's called THE EQUALIZER, and aside from the TITLE, there is little similarity between THIS "reboot" and the original show from the 1980s.
I LOVED the original program (taped some eps on beta...darn)...the premise, the characters, the scripts, the music (by Stewart Copeland, co-founder of a little group called THE POLICE).

The late Edward Woodward - protecting NYC.

And it's reasons like THESE that made me a huge fan.
Also, casting Edward Woodward as Robert McCall (ex-covert OPS officer for the government) was brilliant. Nice to see a "Brit" in the Big Apple.
Here's the marvelous opening sequence from the TV series.

But this remake is nothing like that...no Jaguar driving through NYC, none of this "avenging angel...for a price" aspect, and none of the supporting characters that the TV series had.

The original show featured stars like Robert Lansing and Richard Jordan.
Here's the WIKI on the series.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Equalizer
If anyone should have been cast in any remake of the TV show, it should have been Liam Neeson...this would fit him like a glove, but seeing Denzel in this when he can make much better choices (like on stage in Raisins in the Sun, or in films like Glory, or Philadelphia) is "just paying the bills" to me.
The ORIGINAL Equalizer even reminds me a bit of Red Reddington from The Blacklist...all those "contacts" from a former life...only we KNOW Robert McCall is a good guy.
But, you can make up your own minds...this is just my take on this.
*** Costaplenty Square Two hits a "speed-bump".
Here's the story link:
http://news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140925/NEWS/140929784

Talk about a really BIG "Oops" moment...
Naturally, "King" Henry was out doing "damage control" saying that other developers were lining up to take over for the developer that has backed OUT of he Ash Brokerage downtown skyscraper deal.
The "ex" developer, Hanning and Bean Enterprises stated the project was behind and that cost overruns were not foreseen.

"Our love's in jeopardy...baby"

All of this deals with the RESIDENTIAL aspect to the project, and will not impact on any retail or office space.
But, again...like I said with the FIRST "Costaplenty Square"...it's costing MORE than planned...as usual.
And will the taxpayers foot the (rising) bill (as usual)?
Henry states  that he is "excited to see the unprecedented growth and development taking place throughout downtown" (THAT YOU SHOVED DOWN OUR THROATS).
If all these "other" developers were lined up, then why aren't they already on board and working on this? Anyone ever think of a PLAN-B here?
Also, if the soil presents a problem (like it did with the library expansion) shouldn't someone have seen this one coming and adjusted the pricing for the project initially? One would have THOUGHT so...
THIS is what years of democratic "rule" looks like...one clusterf$ck after another.
*** Last back to the barn today...tomorrow will mark ONE YEAR since our little princess, Penelope left us. And, I have to admit it still bothers me.

I'm still with you...forever.

Once in a while, I still refer to our remaining cat as "kids", and there are times when you think you see something out the corner of your eye, and for a brief moment, you wonder what it might be..
I'd like to believe that it could be Penny...still around, looking after US.

I'm watching you, Daddy...

Sure, you resolve yourself to the finality of the loss of a beloved pet (or family member for that matter) who is no longer around, but that doesn't make things easier.
It just makes things tolerable.

And now, I'm watching OVER you

Your loss is no longer an open wound...just  a scar that you look at.
It's a scar on your heart and your feelings.
But, you reason that they (who left) are in a better place and that some day you'll be with them again, and with such hope, you can make it through each day with a little less angst in that knowledge.
There is comfort and solace in such beliefs, and it's our faith that gives us the courage to pick up the pieces and get moving again.
And, like anyone who's been in combat will tell you..."movement is life"
You stay in one spot too long, and you're just a target.
Life is always in movement...either by us, or moving around us.
And the best way to keep moving is forward...but you can look over your shoulder from time to time...just to see the past and where you came from.
Do have yourselves a great weekend.

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