Humpday Happenings...

Welcome to the middle of the week, where we are NOT supposed to have any rain for a change...how 'bout that?
I know, every few days we seem to get ONE decent day tossed in for hell of it.
It does provide a chance to get things done...like mowing the back yard.
Our Hoosierland weather will be partly cloudy at the start, giving way to some nice sunshine, with temps reaching into the upper 70s.
Might even have a breeze or two wafting on by.
And again, NO chance of rain today...good things are worth repeating.
So, go grab your favorite morning drink and park it alongside, as we take a look at what else is going on...
*** First off of the flotation device is our WHO SAID THAT? quote of the week:
"There is no avoiding war. It can only be postponed to the advantage of others."
In the shadow of recent events regarding the Middle East, I feel this makes more sense than certain heads of state who have decided that an inherently bad deal is better than no deal. So, WHO said that?
The answer at the top of tomorrow's post.
Meanwhile, back in the Florentine Republic...
*** It's also time once again for our :"What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
July 15 -
---Today is TAPIOCA PUDDING DAY

Add a sprinkle of cinnamon on top, please.

(and no, I have not found this in an INSTANT version...you gotta cook it!)
And, if you ever wondered WTH is a "tapioca", here's the skinny:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapioca
There you go then... it's a nasty looking starch that tastes good, even if it has the consistency of a snotball..lol.
---It's also COW APPRECIATION DAY

A MOO-ving experience to be sure.

So, who wants to go hug a cow?
I do know that Chik-Fil-A called this one yesterday and was giving out free food to those dressed LIKE a cow (tipping NOT required).
*** Next up, our City Council in Fort Wayne makes a GOOD call (for a change) and DENIES rezoning for the Brightpoint project along W. Rudisill Ave.

"Community Action" - smells the same too,.

Here's the story (with video):
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/City-Council-rejects-Brightpoint-project-7734683

Residentss speak up AGAINST the rezoning.

I watched it, and thought it might pass by one vote, but it was nice to see REASON win out downtown.

Good call, John!

John Crawford made the best case AGAINST the project, but noted that he would SUPPORT it...IF it were in a location that was already zoned commercial, like what has been done with similar projects in other cities.
And he knocked on doors in the area to get their feedback. The ONLY councilman to do so.
*** Next,  Wifey was down in Portland, Indiana earlier this week, and we both were down there earlier in the year for her mother's memorial service, so I was beside myself seeing ALL the flooding that has gone on over the last couple days.

This is supposed to be part of DOWNTOWN Portland, IN.

Here's the story from WANE:
http://wane.com/2015/07/14/portland-mayor-declares-state-of-emergency/
I saw the funeral home damn near awash, and looking more like lakefront property than a business on the MAIN DRAG in Portland.
I feel for the residents and the mayor. It's a nice town, has friendly people, and I've never encountered a problem whenever we went down there (when uncle Leo and aunt Wanda lived there - I loved driving down there).

Meridian St is UNDER all that water

It just doesn't seem fair to have these folks dealing with this.
The mayor has declared a state of emergency.
On the up side, there are a lot of people down there who own PICKUP TRUCKS with high ground clearance (it's a rural thing).
Here's a related story that supplies some answers:
http://wane.com/2015/07/15/why-jay-county-floods-solution-in-the-works/
*** Next, This whole Iran nuclear "deal" smell like 3-day old fish, and I'm not alone in that assessment.
Here's just one of many views on this fiasco-in-the-making:
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/07/14/iran-nuclear-deal-much-worse-than-experts-predicted.html

Obummer likens this to the Reagan-Soviet nuclear talks...and he is SADLY mistaken and doesn't know jack-shit about history.
--The Russkies ALREADY Had nukes - Iran WANTS 'em.
--The Soviets were NOT in the business of JIHAD, or blowing themselves up for their god to kill "infidels"..
--The Russians didn't take OUR people hostage back in the late 1970s.
And those are but a FEW of the "differences" between THEN...and NOW..
Guess Barry should have paid a lot MORE attention in history class (or to then current events), instead of smoking all that pot, hmm?
A TREATY would be more in tune, rather than this "deal", but our current president doesn't seem to know the RULE OF LAW either (nice job for someone who thinks he knows so damn much).
This is a preamble to a whole lot of "bad" in the Middle East..
It would seem that war is being postponed to the advantage of...IRAN?
*** Next, Wifey and I stopped by Menards yesterday for more of those "consumables" around the house.
I found out that the 150W floodlights we USED to be able to get for our garage...UH OH, can't get 'em any longer.

Better than nothing

The highest wattage I found, that was NOT cost-prohibitive was 90W.
Of course, we COULD get one of those "new" LED floodlights..,.at TWENTY-SIX BUCKS PER LIGHT!!!
Like I said - cost PROHIBITIVE. Why spend THAT much in an area where some moron might shoot out a bulb while driving by some night?
The floods that are still $7.99 per 2-pak are much easier on the wallet for "target practice", if that need arises.
Of course, we would not have to fret over such things...IF the damn city and FWPD would find a way to keep these animals at bay and not loose on our streets.
Yeah, THIS is what a blighted area looks and acts like.
*** I'm also watching the cat for our last good neighbor (the one who has her house up for sale), and I'm gonna miss doing this.

She's been a neighbor I enjoyed living near, and (to me) personifies what a REAL Hoosier is - kinda like the people I have encountered down in Portland. That's not to say Ft. Wayne doesn't have it's share of really good folks...it DOES.
It's just that none of them live around us, that's all.
*** Last back to the sandbagged levee...I know it sounds so repetitive, but people make the difference, no matter the situation.

If there is crime abounding, you can bet it's the PEOPLE causing it.
Same goes for a nice neighborhood - it's the people who give a damn enough to keep it nice and look out for one another.
Or people cause it to become a slum.
People start wars, and people end wars...that's been a given since the species came along.
People create governments and people can also overthrow them.
Nothing regarding mankind comes along in our lives and spontaneously occurs...events always need a little "help", and people are at the center of it.
Guns do not kill people, neither do knives, baseball bats, vehicles, or any other "thing". 

There is always some PERSON behind it all...look at WW1, or WW2. Sometimes it only take ONE person to kick the snowball down some mountain.
And within that person, there is a choice that is made, usually the wrong one.
THAT is how all this crap begins, and then it's left to many others to attempt to rectify the situation, and always at the cost of others.
You would think that after ALL this time on Earth, people would START to figure such things out.
Nah...never gonna happen as long as evil has a place to "play".
Doesn't matter if it's a conflict involving the entire Middle East, or gang warfare (over territory or drug sales) on our own city streets, or the rampant debasement of society in general.

A single person making the wrong choice can have far-reaching consequences...been proven time and again.
That's why I'm keen on saying we all need to stop and make sure the choice we make is the best one for the situation, because none of us can see that far down the road in life...can we?
Therein lies the lesson for today.

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