Thoughts For Thursday...

We are almost there...the end of the week, and with it, the end of the month (I like when that happens).
And, we're starting off in caution mode with a small line of freezing rain that came through earlier this morning, resulting in most all schools being on a 2-hour delay (and deservedly so).
Whoops, make that schools being CLOSED. Again, waiting until the LAST possible minute.
It's a little slick out there, but not impossible to travel...with the appropriate care taken.
It's already above freezing, and that WILL help to no small end.
The rest of our Hoosierland weather will see us with a high today around 38 degrees, and mostly cloudy skies, as we're expecting a possible snow shower later today...after the light rain we're supposed to get.
So...not much to write home about. Best to get ourselves a nice hot cup of our favorite morning beverage as we look to this day and all it has to offer.
*** First out of the vault is the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"There is an inverse relationship between reliance on the state and self-reliance."

This was spoken by a person who, in my estimation had such a command of the English language - one William F. Buckley, Jr (24 Nov 1925 - 27 Feb 2008), and here is his nicely lengthy WIKI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_F._Buckley,_Jr.
If you caught my "clue" yesterday, this should have been easy, as he as the FOUNDER of the magazine NATIONAL REVIEW.
Buckley was an American conservative author and commentator, and it as always fun to see him debate anyone on any topic, because he was a person that could tell someone to 'go to hell" in SUCH a marvelous and eloquent manner, that the other person would indeed "enjoy the ride."
He hosted 1,429 episodes of the television show FIRING LINE from 1966 until 1999, and it was here that he became known for his "transatlantic:" accent and wide vocabulary.
He wrote over 50 books on topics such as writing, speaking, history, politics and sailing. He also authored a series of novels featuring CIA agent Blackford Oakes. He was a practicing Catholic and often attended traditional LATIN mass in Connecticut (and I'll bet he could translate it verbatim...lol).
Buckley was an accomplished piano and harpsichord player (he learned that as a youth).
He had one son through marriage and nine siblings.
And his nephew has a name you might recognize...Bill O'Reilly.
(A hat tip to John D, who pointed out it is not THAT Bill O'Reilly on FOX - thanks.).
I didn't check out ALL the links - my bad.
Here's nephew's WIKI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_F._B._O%27Reilly
Buckley was HOME-SCHOOLED through the 8th grade through the Calvert School of Baltimore home school curriculum.
He graduated from OCS and as a 2nd Lt, became part of President Roosevelt's honor guard.
After the war, he attended Yale, was part of the "Skull and Bones" society, became a debater and an active member of the conservative party.
In 1951, he was recruited into the CIA, serving for 2 years in Mexico City, working as a political action specialist for E. Howard Hunt.
Buckley founded The National Review in 1955, and he sought out those intellectuals who were ex-communists, or who served on the far left as columnists.
He strove to define the boundaries of conservatism, and denounced Ayn Rand, anti-Semites, white supremacists, The John Birchers, and George Wallace.
The WIKI is a very good read and gives you a taste of how conservative America took off after WW2.
A damn shame we don't have someone of his intensity and drive around us these days...he'd have a field day with our current president.
(or maybe we wouldn't even have had this president,were Buckley around)
Moving on...
*** Next up is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
January 29 - 
---Today is NATIONAL PUZZLE DAY...

Isn't that puzzling?
Guess ANY old puzzle will do then.
---And it's NATIONAL CORN CHIP DAY.

Wonder if the FRITO-BANDITO is another illegal alien?

He DOES have a CA driver's license.

Would not surprise me one bit.
*** Once in a while, there comes along a story that you just KNOW has absolutely NO place in NORMAL space and time.

Make that one hundred and TWO uses...

Such is this recent article about Rusty York.
He NOW wants to run for 4th district city council seat (the one that Mitch Harper is vacating to run for mayor - and hopefully wins that position).
Guess Rusty isn't done with mucking things up yet?

Short answer: NO!

Here's the lowdown on the man who won't retire and just go away:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/Safety-chief-York-to-run-for-seat-on-City-Council-4726630
The one thing I like about this, is that he CAN'T run for MY district...that's owned by Glynn (my people come first, screw the rest of you) Hines.
The bad news is that he's running at all...
He's a DEM, but you knew that - he was appointed and retained by DEMS, and the current DEM party chairman talks him up...

Why, I have no idea.
Steve Shine (REP party chairman) on the other hand, speaks to the TRUTH of this matter:
“Under (York’s) watch, the crime rate became such a concern, the mayor found it necessary to make a change in the administration of the police department,” Shine said.
“Whatever Rusty was doing wasn’t working, as evidenced by a complete change in the manner in which homicides are looked after, as well as gang activity in Fort Wayne.”
And, as a resident of a part of town that York did NOT properly address, those words speak VOLUMES.
York groomed Hamilton for HIS job...that's a fact. He made sure that Garry got a free ride down "Easy Street", to the position of FWPD chief.
And York took care of "his people" in the department, too.
If you didn't agree with him or his way, you got overlooked for promotion, got shoved down the list for promotion, or got reprimands for trivial things.

But, he's been known to have a good singing voice.

And every single reprimand put money in York's pocket..again, FACT.
You want a person like that on city council?
Hell, I didn't even want the people in City Hall who have been there for the last several terms...
I want someone who can address the REAL issues on the south side...the growing issues that have spread from the SE to the SW, and up along the NE side. I don't want anyone in office that is only concerned with a nice downtown, while the rest of the city goes to hell in a hand-basket.

Not JUST a board game down here.

But, it's not like I speak from any "experience".
I only "live the adventure" every damn day in this manufactured hellhole that city has allowed through democratic rule and their "lack of vision".
*** Last back to the lounge...I really miss the days when we, as citizens of the greatest nation on the planet, used to be ABLE to kick back and take care of our OWN lives and those of our families.

These days, it's the government, running slipshod OVER the citizens of this country, who seem hell-bent to remain on "cruise-control", as they do what THEY WANT, rather than what WE EXPECT (from them).
It's no longer a majority rule in America...or even a majority of people in any sort of control over their government.

It's more like a few crazy folks running the entire asylum.
And our nation HAS become an asylum of sorts...we've allowed those (voted in, mind you)  in power to take away from US, and give to those not willing to do anything to deserve what they receive.
We have permitted these civil SERVANTS to "run the manor", as it were, with liberal programs and ideas that simply do not work, and yet still cost more than doing something else, something better...or even nothing at all.
There is no fiscal conservatism or social conservatism these days...none at all, unless it's to be found in the homes of our people, when it should be found in the nation's capital.
It's like the old Meatloaf song "Everything is Permitted"...and it pretty much is.

Meatloaf's second album

Morality has taken it on the chin, and some days, is out for the count.
Civility has taken a holiday (somewhere in the FIJI Islands, I hear).
Exceptionalism in this country is over-regulated, overtaxed, overburdened with rules that STIFLE creativity.

And "WE" want OUR country back.

What small bastions of these basic tenets of humankind that remain can be found in the hearts of true Americans, but that's NOT who is running this dog and pony show these days.
Many have been silent for too long.
Sure would be a godsend to have more voices speak up and speak out against what ails this country.
Divine Providence figured much into the creation of our nation, and I don't think HE is done with us...not yet.

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