It Took Thirty Years...

We're making a departure from the standard fare of our Humpday Happenings to bring you this special, and once in a lifetime (for me, anyway) event.
And we're pulling out ALL the stops on this one.
There is a recurrent "theme" to this post, and if you know me, you already know what that is.
We'll be tackling this important "milestone" in a couple minutes, but first, let's see about the forecast.
Our Hoosierland weather will make it seem like another day in HILL VALLEY, with temps reaching into the MID-SEVENTIES (not to be confused with the MID-EIGHTIES, which figures prominently into today's post).
Going to be partly to mostly cloudy today, though...so less sunshine...sorry about that.
Might even have an isolated shower at some point.
So, what way we all get a nice cup or glass of mid-week bliss poured and parked nearby, as we see what else has been going on...and what the "future" holds, shall we?
*** First out of the DMC showroom is our WHO SAID THAT? quote of the week:
"Your future is whatever you make it, so make it a good one."
This should be one of the easiest ones to figure out, and you have to admit that it is something we should all aspire to, because the future is where all of us will be spending the rest of our lives.
Now, WHO said that? The answer at the top of tomorrow's post.
Meanwhile, back at the town square clock-tower...
*** It's also time for our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
October 21 -
---Today is NATIONAL PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE DAY

(ANY day is a good one for cheesecake)
---Its also NATIONAL REPTILE AWARENESS DAY

(and be VERY aware if they're larger than YOU)
---And, it's HAGFISH DAY

(damn, that's ugly!)
---It's SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DAY

---It's also MEDICAL ASSISTANT RECOGNITION DAY.

---And finally, it's BACK TO THE FUTURE DAY

(lots more about this farther down, so keep reading)
*** Next up, we have a story about more CAR problems from various auto makers, many of which have to do with being able to go 88 MPH (or just being able to go at all).
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/business/New-transmissions-cause-issues-9453303

Looks like these "new" transmissions ain't all they're cracked up to be, hmm?
Gotta love that overthought and under-proven technology, right?

Oh, I can only frigging WISH...!

I know the trans in the old Firebird lasted me about THIRTY years, but these "computer-controlled" ones in many new vehicles have caused some owners to visit the repair shop a couple time...in the FIRST year of ownership (that can't be good).
The TOP FIVE models for reliability are LEXUS, TOYOTA, AUDI, MAZDA and SUBARU, as they use "older" transmissions.
But those models have other problems, as we've already seen.
The BOTTOM FIVE are INFINITI, CADILLAC (blacks are gonna riot over that...lol), RAM, JEEP, and FIAT.
(yeah, that merger between Chrysler and Fiat  is working out SO damn well, isn't it?).
Naturally, the EPA has it's fingers in THIS cluster-crap-pie.
It's a good read, especially if you own one of these models, or were even thinking of getting one.
Kinda makes all those emission-cheating, diesel-engine Volkswagens look pretty damn good now, doesn't it?
*** Next up, if you need a hospital stay that requires some serious "body work":, you might wish to think about WHICH hospital in Fort Wayne has a better track-record when it comes to medical "errors".
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/indiana/Medical-errors-top-100-again-in-state-9451880

Now, you just HAVE to have some concerns when ANY hospital leaves something in you after a surgery...something that
A) SHOULD have been removed during the surgery, or
B) Something that NEVER should have been left there at all
Besides, the hospital will most likely CHARGE you for whatever "item" they might be missing...you know how they are, right?
Can you say SEPSIS?
And who really WANTS those nasty bed sores anyway?
*** Next, the position of Public Safety Director came up at City Council last evening (budget time), and it ALMOST got voted into non-existence (damn).
Here's the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/Public-safety-director-position-in-cross-hairs-9459836

Seems the vote (4-3 to keep the position) was,  as could be expected, along PARTY lines, with the dems leading the pack.
There was one ABSTENTION, and that was (also, as expected) Marty Bender, aka the Mayor's lap dog and resident RINO.
Personally, if the police chief and fire chief are doing what they're paid to do, we don't NEED a "director" to oversee such things.
That salary could be better spent on MORE patrol officers or firefighters. And I'm not the ONLY one who feels this way.
*** Next, a TSA spokesman came to the FWIA yesterday to demonstrate how people should PACK a gun if they're going on a flight.

(and it's not packing it on one's person, even WITH a carry permit).
Here's that story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/Lawyer-seeking-records-over-proposed-hub-9453363

This is ALL common-sense kinda stuff, and you can read up on it for yourselves.
Let's just say this can ALL be avoided...by NOT flying...lol.
But, there is one important CAVEAT you need to know...
IF you travel and DO take the time to properly pack your firearm, be advised that MANY guns "go missing" from the cargo holds.
There are cases where airline company personnel were caught stealing guns from cargo area luggage.
We're told we have to let the airline know that our gun(s) will be going with us (in our check-in luggage), and that sends up a signal to those who could easily "misplace" your stuff.
Even though some were caught at various airports and charged with theft (and other fun things), there are more ramifications, such as your stolen weapon being used in a crime or death on the other side of the country.
(or anywhere in between).
Knowledge is power here, people.
*** And now, we reach the center of this shrubbery maze, where we find our DeLorean right where we left it...thirty years ago.
Today is the official BACK TO THE FUTURE DAY.
It was on THIS day that Marty McFly was supposed to go to (from 1985) according to the time coordinates in Doc Brown's DeLorean time machine.
So, how did we do since 1985 you ask?
Here's one story that tells the tale...good bad, and indifferent:
http://www.ohio.com/entertainment/rich-heldenfels/back-to-the-future-is-back-how-much-did-it-get-right-1.632999
This article is a really GOOD read.
So, Sherman, set the WAY-BACK machine, activate your TARDIS console, and load some plutonium into your FLUX-CAPACITOR...

We're going BACK TO THE FUTURE...!!!
And (to quote Doc Brown)..."Where we're going, we don't need...roads."

It was back in 1985 when this all started, and today we get to see how much the movie "got right".
---Well, we STILL need roads (damn)...and we STILL don't have Mr. Fusion to power things (damn, damn).
---We don't have a JAWS 19 movie out (thank God they quit after four of them).
---We DO have all those huge flat-screen TV sets
---We DO have drones,though, and SKYPE (phone calls via television.
---We DO have some FAX machines (left), just not all over as in BTTF 2 showed.
---We DO have all these smart phones (which produced a crop if stupid people)
---Huey Lewis is still with us, as is Alan Silvestri (soundtrack music) Robert Zemeckis (director) and the stars from the movie trilogy.
---Hoverboards are an "almost but not quite there" thing.

---No self-sizing or self-drying clothing, but NIKE is still a brand name
What is cool about this particular trilogy, is that (for a serio-comic release) is HAS stood the test of TIME.
We usually attribute such things to Lord of the Rings or Star Wars, but BTTF is nowhere close to the "epic-ness" of those two series.
Many theaters will be showing all three movies back-to-back today, and several cable channels will no doubt follow suit.
I'm looking for the DVD set, new or used to add to the collection.
Oh, and any similarities to Future Biff and Donald Trump are purely accidental...LOL.

I will say that Marty's future Hill Valley neighborhood turned into SE Fort Wayne quite well...wonder if that counts as "something the movies got right"?)
I know I'd like to believe that somewhere there is still that DeLorean sitting quietly, waiting to be brought back to life.

But mine fits on the patio

*** Last back to Doc Brown's garage...if there is one thing we can take from such escapist movies like the BTTF trilogy, it's how we tend to view OTHER points in time.

As the 3-part story line (and the article) points out, there is this tendency to view the past as somehow being "primitive" in nature.
We look at the tech of the era, then judge how FAR we've come since then. I'm sure those who are around in another 30 years will look back to today and see similar things.
But what everyone misses is NOT what the technologies have to offer...it's what WE had to offer ONE ANOTHER.

By some aspects, we were a lot different people not only back in 1985, but farther back to 1955.
If we could show a person from the '50s the world of today, they might be both amazed and appalled.
I know I view today with mixed feeling, and rather often.
We have SO much potential, and so very often, we squander it, or fight others over it, or kill each other to obtain it.
And whatever "it" was turns out to not be AS great as we were led to believe.
Instead of peering outward, and trying to grab all the external trappings of THINGS, perhaps what's needed is a more introverted view of US.
We need to look inward and learn to understand who we are and what we're supposed to be doing FOR ourselves and one another , instead of TO ourselves and one another.
To quote Marty McFly: "That's really HEAVY"
Most burdens are, but we can certainly bear them to better ourselves...AND whatever future we choose to have, hmm?

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