Nearer To the Weekend...

Yes, friends, we're fast closing in on the holiday season, with Hanukkah starting next week already.
(Geez, can we slow it all down a bit?)
I know it seems as if we blinked and POW!...here we are at year's end again.
Amazing, hos such a thing as TIME can have such an effect.
Well, at least the weather will be a tad more nicer today, as the Hooiserland will enjoy temps reaching into the upper 30s with a lot more sunshine than we've seen in a few days.
Now, that's not a bad thing, is it? I know our solar patio lights could stand a "recharge", as the battery backup has all but crapped out.
So, let's enjoy the day as best we can.
You go grab that morning cup of fortitude and join me on a little trek into what else is going on.
*** First out of the library is the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have."

This was spoken by James Arthur Baldwin ( 2 Aug 1924 - 1 Dec 1987), who was an American novelist, essayist, playwright, poet, and social critic.
And here is his WIKI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Baldwin

His best known work is "Go Tell It On The Mountain", a 1953 semi-autobiographical novel which examines the role of the Christian church in the lives of African-Americans, both as a form of repression and moral hypocrisy, and as a source of inspiration and community.
More subtly, it also examines racism in the United States.
Although Baldwin grew up in a Christian household (Dad was a preacher) where James became a junior minister in a Pentecostal assembly, and he even visited Elijah Muhammad, the founder of the Nation of Islam.
Baldwin soon came to view Christianity as falsely premised and left the church.
He admonished Christianity for reinforcing the system of American slavery by delaying salvation until a promised afterlife.
Through all this, Baldwin never identified himself AS an atheist, and at his funeral, a recording of an adult Baldwin singing 'Take My Hand, Precious Jesus" was played.
His life is one of those curious ones, in that he was black and gay during a time when neither was viewed with anything but a sense of contempt by many ill-educated to fully understand such things.
He left America for France and spent most of his later life there.
He did return to the USA in 1957 and stayed throughout much of the Civil Rights Movement.
And, in a early 60s letter sent to (then) AG Bobby Kennedy, Baldwin said that the violence in Alabama was attributable to J. Edgar Hoover.
Baldwin met with Kennedy in Manhattan and later took part in the march on D.C. on 28 August 1963.
In later life, he was also a close friend with both Maya Angelou and Toni Morrison.
He died in France but was buried in Ferncliff Cemetary in Hartsdale, near NYC.
*** Next up, is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
December 11 - 
---Today is NATIONAL NOODLE RING DAY...
If you think it's ONLY  "Spaghettios", think again.

It's noodles in the SHAPE of a ring.

Here's a link:
http://www.food.com/food-holidays/noodle-ring-day-1211
And now you know...
---It's also INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN DAY...

Yeah, the El Capitan free-ascent record's STILL safe.

(so, we should al head to Yosemite and "go climb a rock"?)
Nah, and the reason is simple - here's MORE of your tax money "at work":
http://www.fao.org/forestry/internationalmountainday/en/

Now who woulda known it was all about MOUNTAIN FARMING?
---And it's the birthday of UNICEF.
(Remember when Danny Kaye was the spokesperson?

No? Well, here's a link to remind you:
http://www.unicef.org/people/people_danny_kaye.html
Oh, and it's the 198th BIRTHDAY OF THE STATE OF INDIANA..

(gonna have some kinda Bicentennial soon enough - hope they have CAKE)
Looks like I may get to live through TWO bicentennials...the USA had one back in 1976.

Pretty cool stuff.
*** Next up, another reason why "WE" never stop by the McD's on 202 E. Rudisill down here in the ghettohood:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/One-Santa-too-many-causes-holiday-fuss-3940093

Have it YOUR way? Try BK!

Not one, but TWO Santas showed up, wanting kids to sit on their laps.
One was SUPPOSED to be there - the other one...nope.
Police were called to the place yesterday afternoon and found both Santas there.
Callers to dispatch thought the OTHER Santa was intoxicated, but not further mention of this was made by police.

SUPERSIZE muh fries, MuthaF&%#@^!

That other Santa left of his own accord, after police stated that failing to properly ID himself could result in an arrest (he kept telling the officers his name was "Santa"...maybe he was LATINO???
I mean, we DO have plenty of people named JESUS around here...LOL.
Why not a few SANTAS (as in Maria?)
Moving on (quickly)...
*** And while were at it...below is a link to the letters to the editor.
I can see that at least three OTHER people feel similar to the way I do (and I would include the followers of this humble blog in that crowd):
http://www.journalgazette.net/opinion/letters/Letters-3900842

Nice to see people who "get it"...especially in times such as these.
We can already see evidence of the continuing war on Christmas, as well as an increase in the lack of Christ on almost every other aspect of life IN America (founded by godly men with godly values and godly principles).
One writer brought up the healthcare situation, which has been a lie from the start, and that should clue us in as to the direction this nation has taken of late.
It bothers me greatly when the leader of our nation lies to our faces, and then lies about those lies.

This always works for most people.

You never SOLVE any problem by COMPOUNDING it...that dog just ain't gonna hunt.
And many more people are noticing this...and are speaking out, saying "ENOUGH...!".
(and about damn time, too)
*** Last back to the garage...this time of year should have a lot MORE meaning than that which has been given to it over the past several decades.

Sounds like a REAL plan to me.

Much like the Dickens tale of old, the actual meaning of the holiday season in general (and Christmas in particular) has been shoved SO far "under the tree" that it gets harder to find each year.
The Bible teaches us in Ephesians 6:12 that we are not waging war with flesh and blood, but with principalities (rulers), against authorities, and powers of darkness against the spiritual wickedness in higher places.
Problem is, those powers of darkness are manifested in flesh and blood people.
And they seem to be running a lot of the show these days.
What we ALLOW is what will CONTINUE...remember that saying?
Still holds true, sad to say.
I say it's time to "storm the temple and start flipping some tables".
It's called righteous indignation for a REASON.
We're not all warriors of the first degree, but neither were many men and women of the Bible, and yet, they had to do what was right in God's eyes...and for the betterment of their people.
Now, we don't have to go shedding blood, but we can, when WE are pushed..stand our ground and.push BACK...and harder against the evils of the world.
We need to get that "light" out from under the shrubs and out where it belongs...as a method to illuminate our path.
We, as Americans have been stumbling for too long, and it's about time we had our say, and made our voices heard, for OUR numbers are greater than many realize.
Enough with taking the Christ out of Christmas...I'm sick of it.
I will wish everyone I encounter a MERRY...or even a BLESSED CHRISTMAS...because I CAN.
And I WILL.

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