Friday Follies...

Welcome to the end of another fun-filled week on this wacky planet we call EARTH.
The fall foliage is in full swing, the temps are getting cooler, and we FINALLY have the World Series teams locked in (The Royals versus the Giants...personally, I'm running with the Royals, not because I even follow baseball these days,but because San Fran is a shadow of it's former self and a bastion of liberalism - a far cry from the days of Bullitt and Dirty Harry).
The Hoosierland weather today will see us with a break in the rain, some sunshine, and temps climbing (maybe) to around 70 degrees.
Now that's an Indian Summer we can live with.
So, go get yourselves a cup of YOUR favorite morning beverage (already got mine), and let's take a look at what's happening with the rest of the world.
*** First out of the starting gate is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature, and I'm going to cover the weekend, JUST so you can get a jump on all the good stuff.
October 17 - 
Today is WEAR SOMETHING GAUDY DAY, which, if you lived down here in the ghettohood, would be damn near EVERY DAY.

Not exactly the look we're going for.

I often say that some people DON'T have the sense they were born with, and that CERTAINLY includes any "FASHION" sense.
We used to have Hawaiian Shirt Fridays back in Philly, and that started decades ago.
These days...no need for that.
Plus, I NEVER consider wearing CAMO to be gaudy...just sensible.
October 18 - 

Saturday will be International Newspaper Carrier Day, so to celebrate that, I promise to NOT shoot at our carrier (they have gotten their collective sh*t together of late).

NO Beard Day? Do NOT tell THESE guys...

It's also NO BEARD DAY...so NO problems there with me...lol.

We train up OUR bunny right!

And, it's the SWEETEST DAY of the year, but that doesn't mean you scarf down every candy bar or cookie in the house.
October 19 - 
Sunday has only one thing of note, and that's a "biggie" - EVALUATE YOUR LIFE DAY (amazing it falls on a SUNDAY what with church-going and all). Personally,

I tend to do the evaluation gig a LOT ...must be an "aging" thing...lol.
But, it keeps me centered and off the streets.
(good thing for the locals)
Now, on to the "rest of the story"...
*** Kevin Leininger's got another good column in the News Sentinel regarding OUR downtown versus another...that of Des Moines Iowa.
Here's the story link:
http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20141016/NEWS/141019766/1012/LOCAL
Now you know that Fort Wayne is ALL about it's DOWNTOWN these days, to the exclusion of damn near everywhere else.
Des Moines is obviously doing something RIGHT, though, as the stats in the article tell the tale.
They rank FIRST in the 100 best Midwest cities, while we're struggling down in 52nd.
They also have higher per capita income, higher income increase, higher per-worker productivity, and a higher population increase. So what makes them better?
Well, we're sending a "delegation" there to find out (wonder how much THAT will cost?)
"Quality-of-life is important" touts Leadership Fort Wayne Exec. Dir Cheri Becker (who coordinated this trip to Des Moines), and will be looking at what role foundations will play in improving communities (here)'

"There are FORTY projects going on DOWNTOWN" (my emphasis), she says.
Wow, and not ONE damn single project going on or going up on the SE side...just a lot of crime going down.
Again, we see evidence of more keeping up with the Joneses syndrome.

Why not just set our OWN standards, rather than mimic someone else's?
Must be too complex  to figure that one out.
(Typical liberals)
*** This winter is NOT supposed to offer up another round of a POLAR VORTEX...
(so we're being told)
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20141017/NEWS03/310179974/0/FRONTPAGE

God...enough with the global warming crap already.

Wait a minute...wasn't LAST year supposed to be not that bad, considering all the "global warming" the leftards told us was already HERE?
The best advice these days...when you hear one thing, expect the other, so I would plan for a cold winter, and if it proves wrong, no big deal.
But, if it proves correct, you're already prepared...a no-lose situation.
*** The city starts it's annual leaf collection this Monday, beginning up north...we get done LAST (as usual), starting 3 November.

That gives us 2 more weeks of leaves to gather up (or use the blower on)...actually a good thing for those (few) of us that actually DO gather leaves for pickup.
 Everyone else seems to just let them fall and not do anything about them (lazy-asses).
*** Da Prez "may" want to appoint another "czar" (her we go again)...regarding the Ebola outbreak.
Here's the link:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/10/16/356776776/obama-says-it-may-be-appropriate-to-appoint-ebola-czar

Okay, so (to me) this demonstrates ANOTHER place where this so-called leader is woefully INEXPERIENCED.
Actually, he's been in over his head for some time, and he's a pretty tall guy, so that tells you the severity of the situation.
This is what you get when you have a community organizer running the show.
*** Can FUSION reactors be closer to fruition than we think?

We gotta get this a LOT smaller, gang.

Maybe, according to THIS story:
http://aviationweek.com/technology/skunk-works-reveals-compact-fusion-reactor-details
Hey, if ANYONE could pull this off (aside from Doc Brown and his "Mr Fusion"-powered DeLorean, the venerable "Skunk-Works" could.

Closer than we think?

This is the Lockheed-Martin facility out west - the same people that brought you the SR-71 (and a few other cool toys)
Dubbed the "CFR", the reactor is potentially SAFER than fission reactors, and could be small enough to be placed in the back of a truck.
These can conceivably power cities, spacecraft, and yes...maybe even my 1983 Firebird...lol.
Hey, I'm open to options.

And it doesn't hurt the drag coefficient.

Be nice to have a flux-capacitor to go with that reactor, though.
(oh, the fun I could have changing history...for the better)
We shall see how this develops...it does look promising.
*** Last back to the garage...it's always nice whenever we hear about some "holy-grail" technology which can impact the masses in such a positive way...imagine the cost drop in utilities,for example with the advent of fusion technology.
And, with a lot fewer of the hazards that nuclear plants currently inspire...truly a defining moment.
Naturally, this happens when the government stays out of the way of the free-market system, because private enterprises are the REAL driving force when it comes to advances in such things.
All governments can do is STIFLE creativity and productivity, and impede the private sector, when it should be leaving them alone. Same can be said for WE, the people.
Get big government out of OUR way, and we ALL do better.
We can achieve much more, and yes, even those on the bottom rungs of society become motivated to get off their asses and MAKE something of themselves. That used to be called the American Spirit.
We seemed to have locked that away in the closet the government has given us, and we need to get that door open and take it back out into the sunlight, where it belongs.

This country has so many people that CAN accomplish so much...if our government wasn't being such a damn "nanny".
Like children, we cannot be taken care of ALL out lives, because sooner or later, those kids grow UP, and have to stand on their own...do for themselves, succeed, or fail, and when they fail, get up and try again until they make it.
Yeah, we can do this...we just need the opportunity...and the desire.
Do have yourselves a good weekend.

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