Thoughts For "Thorsday"...

Yes, it is another nice morning out here in the Hoosierland...brisk temperatures that will give way to warmer ones, and a lot of sunshine to remind us that life is truly a gift...perhaps some time taken to appreciate it today?
Without sounding (too) repetitive, today will be like yesterday, with a great sunrise, but we're expecting a high in the upper 70s and perhaps even crossing the 80-degree mark.
Now, without any further delays, lets grab our respective morning cups of whatever we're liking this morning and set about seeing what's going on...
*** First up is the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"By three methods we may learn wisdom: 
First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest."

This was attributed to our good old friend, CONFUCIUS (551 - 479 BC) who was a Chinese teacher, editor, politician and philosopher of the Spring an Autumn period of Chinese history.
And here is his WIKI (again):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucius
It's still a somewhat lengthy read, but well worth it.
His take on the (Biblical) Golden Rule is interesting:
"What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others."
Yeah, I think he "got it".
Moving on..
*** And we couldn't let the day slip by without our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
September 25 - Today is.National One-Hit Wonder Day.

Ice-Ice-Baby (thanks Queen)

It's also National Comic Book Day.

No one-hit-wonders in THIS crowd!

I plan to dig out some of my 1st issues and smell the aroma of the Silver Age...lol.
*** Next up, we have some new police at the Parkview (hospital) campuses.
Here is the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140925/LOCAL/140929723

It's a FIRST for the state of Indiana, but it makes sense, especially in today's world.
The newly-graduated officers (under the command of former FWPD officer Tom Rhodes) will ensure that everyone in the Parkview facilities will be safe.
Now, consider the number of people who show up at a hospital with say...stab and gunshot wounds (and that number is more than yiou would think, but no one seems to report that all that much)..and then think about someone following that injured person TO the hospital, and you can easily see what COULD transpire in the ER area or lobby.
The one thing cited is that ambulance that was shot up a couple years back (archive post from 10 September 2012). How officers can prevent THAT is a mystery to me.
Also, not to knock those recently hired on, but was one of the qualifications having a substantial girth about the midsection?
I'm just saying...if you HAVE arrest powers (and act pretty much as city police) then physical requirement should have that graduating class looking a tad LEANER...don'cha think? Just an observation...
*** Next, did you know that our STATE is wanting you (all of you) to "report suspicious activity"?
Well, here's the proof:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140925/LOCAL06/140929703/1002/LOCAL

Yep...The Indiana Department of Homeland Security are renewing a plan called "See Something - Say Something", in light of heightened tensions in the Middle East. Couldn't see this one coming, could we?
Look, if I took all the time needed to report "suspicious" activity JUST around our "Fortress", I'd be on the phone about ten hours every bloody day!
Not that such things don;t WARRANT attention...like when you see some guy (who just happens to also be black) riding a bike through thre area around dinnertime, wearing a backpack that Les Stroud (SURVIVORMAN) would find appealing, because of all the stuff it can hold...yeah, I'd say that was a bit hinky.
Or all the houses that have frequent visitors (night and day)...think THAT might be worth a look-see?
What about curbside drug deals? Anyone want to venture a guess that the drugs come from some nation in SOUTH America that might well be in cahoots with some Middle Eastern nation and is funding their terrorist activities?

Yeah, one can clearly see that a domino effect might well be in place here, if even for things that would appear less assuming that the obvious.
I mean just because I don't see anyone that looks like Ramses Al-Kaboom in the area, doesn't mean that something ELSE might be going on, right?
*** Last back to the shooting range today...it's ALWAYS good to be vigilant...to NOT be is to invite trouble.

But, ever since we first had airline hijackers that wanted to go to CUBA (in the 1970s), we, as Americans had to be more on guard than usual...much like we had to be when trying to ferret out those 5th Columnists back in WW2.
The Cold War actually gave us a "breather" in that the common person had faith in the military and government to PROTECT them, and if not, well, the whole world was going to burn in mutually-assured destruction (The M.A.D. initiative).
But through all this (and the war in the 'Nam) we never considered any N. Vietnamese coming over here and setting some Burmese tiger traps or "Bouncing Bettys" around our malls, schools, or infrastructure, right?

These days, is a whole new game-plan with these terrorists...I liken it to a swarm of gnats...sure they're really small (like these cells), but they keep buzzing around and it's a real nuisance. Swatting at them doesn't seem to help, but let go a big-bomb, and well, problem solved, hmm?
Same can be said for these jihadists...eradication is the ONLY option, if we )or any other nation) wishes to be safe enough to go about our daily routines.
We need to be on OUR game, because these radicals are hell-bent to being on theirs.
Having the freedom and liberties we so enjoy is one thing...SECURING them (for our posterity) is another, and we should all be up to that task.

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