Friday Follies...

Welcome to the weekend...and by the early looks of things, it might be a doozey.
We're expected to get MORE snow between Saturday and Sunday...total accumulation here at "The Fortress" could be anywhere from 2-8 inches.
Forecasters are still trying to figure out which total will tell the tale.
In any event, I know I'm going to be on "shovel-detail" over the next 72 hours...lol.
Today's Hooseirland weather starts out FRIGID (minus numbers) but will give way to partly cloudy skies with a high of around 17 degrees.

Sorry folks, that's all we're going to get today, so dress accordingly, drive carefully (there is plenty of black ice to go around), and don't stay outside for any length of time...yes, it's EFFIN COLD this morning.
Now, with that being said, let's all get our morning cup of piping hot Friday fortitude and see what else has been going on...
*** First out of the arctic is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
February 27 - 
---Today is NO-BRAINER DAY.

Well, "DUH"!

I guess this fits in with our nation's capital quite well enough. NO brains THERE.
Or, it could apply to those of us who see things as they are, and proceed through life with a lot more common sense and reason.
Either way, hmm?
---And, it's also POLAR BEAR DAY...

"Nyah-nyah...we got our own day."

Now, considering the weather we've been having, THAT should be a REAL "no-brainer"...LOL.

"OY, enough with this warming thing already!"

So remember. all that "global warming" BS we've been told isn't worth a damn...just ask the bears.
February 28 - 
---Saturday is FLORAL DESIGN DAY...

Flowers? Seriously?
In SUB-ZERO temps?
---And, it's PUBLIC SLEEPING DAY.

Cats are excused, naturally.

So that means I should get out and watch the homeless under our bridges who are sleeping (in public)?
---It's also NATIONAL TOOTH FAIRY DAY.

Funny, didn't see anything about a convention at the Grand Wayne Center or Memorial Coliseum...?
Sunday is the first of MARCH, and we'll talk about that on MONDAY...got it?
*** Next up, a home invasion nets TWO arrests.
Here's the lowdown as it went down:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/Home-invasion-ends-in-2-arrests-5262197
This happened in a house located in the 6100 block of Lunada Drive (right off of Hessen Cassel) a little after midnight on 26 February, when three men pushed their way into a house and gathered the residents (including a male they cam in with who lived there)..

A nice part of the ghettohood

One shot was fired by one of the thugs (no injuries), but an older man living there managed to activate his LIFE-ALERT wristwatch button and when the perps heard the voice on the other end ask "what is the nature of the problem", they took off.
A resident at the house fired a shotgun FIVE times as they fled (in a white Dodge Avenger).
When police arrived (after the fact as usual), they tracked two of the perps to the Crown Colony Apartments nearby, where they saw the vehicle.
There, police found two black males hiding in trash bins (damn shame Serv-All didn't roll through...lol)

Larry D. Washington, 21, of the 4700 block of S. Monroe St. was arrested and charged with robbery and criminal confinement.
His "partner", one Marcus R. Hughes, Jr, 19, of the 7400 block of Hickjory Creek Drive was arrested and similarly charged with an additional charge of pot possession.
A third perp is still at-large. Didn't say if the gun (used) was recovered.
Now, there are those in Fort Wayne who say you should "get to know your neighbors".
Well, Larry Washington lived less than a block from "The Fortress", and I think I know him well enough...to AVOID him like the plague (on society that he is).
What's MORE weird...that (last) address of Washington DOES NOT EXIST.
The street runs from from 4705 to 4707 to 4711, and then it goes into the 4800 block.
FWPD might want to look into that "discrepency".
Curiously enough, the Allen County Judicial System HAS "gotten to know him" very well in a few short years.
And here is the RAP SHEET to prove it:
=============================
LARRY DEVON WASHINGTON, JR - BLACK MALE - 6'3", 180 lbs
02D04-1208-CM-004354
08/06/2012
Allen Superior Court 4
CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided
35-44.1-3-1(a)(3)/MA: Resisting Law Enforcement
7.1-5-7-7(a)/MC: Illegal Possession of an Alcoholic Beverage
02D05-1306-CM-002561
06/05/2013
Allen Superior Court 5
CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided
35-48-4-11/MA: Possession Marijuana/Hash Oil/Hashish/Salvia/Synthetic Cannabinoid
02D04-1401-MC-000024
01/07/2014
Allen Superior Court 4
MC - Miscellaneous Criminal (Citation)
Decided
35-42-5-1(1)/FB: Robbery - Defn Armed OR Bodily Injury Results To One Other Than Defn
02D05-1401-FB-000003
01/10/2014
Allen Superior Court 5
FB - Class B Felony
Decided
35-42-5-1(1)/FB: Robbery - Defn Armed OR Bodily Injury Results To One Other Than Defn
02D06-1406-CM-002568
06/30/2014
Allen Superior Court 6
CM - Criminal Misdemeanor
Decided
35-43-4-3(a)/MA: Conversion
02D05-1502-MC-000421
02/26/2015
Allen Superior Court 5
MC - Miscellaneous Criminal (Citation)
Pending
35-42-5-1(2)/F3: Robbery Taking property by putting someone in fear while armed with a deadly
35-42-3-3(a)/F3: Criminal Confinement while armed with a deadly weapon.
=======================
Addresses:
3717 Monroe 
Fort Wayne, IN 46806
6103 ROXANNE DR 
Fort Wayne, IN 46816
5215 Bowser AVE 
Fort Wayne, IN 46806
4015 E PETTIT AVE 
Fort Wayne, IN 46806
 4717 Monroe ST S

 Fort Wayne, IN 46806
====================
Like most thugs...he moves around a lot...this is only a THREE year span we're talking about..
Oh, and here's a link to another "exploit" of Mr. Washington from last year:
http://wane.com/2014/01/10/footprints-in-snow-lead-to-arrest/
Got some kind of history, right?
Bet he did a plea deal to avoid jail time...(thanks Ms Richards)
Nice to know we have such UPSTANDING CITIZENS in MY neck of the woods...
Damn shame we also have no one we can call an ALLY down here.
*** And speaking of "my" area, Kevin Leininger has a story about how the Ash Brokerage project is putting a hurt on downtown PARKING METER collections, and that means less revenue coming IN to city coffers.

Here's the story:
http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20150226/NEWS/150229784/1041/LEININGER
Colin Keeney is the head of Parking Control...an agency I WISH to God would come down HERE a lot more often, because we have ongoing issues that impact on everyone.
We have CHRONIC parking violations...but no one seems to bother mentioning them to anyone who can cite these assholes and get them to OBEY the ordinances.
People block sidewalks, park the wrong way against traffic, double park, park too close to the intersections, fire hydrants, and mailboxes (yes, there is a 15-foot rule on the books, folks ordinances 72.03 through 72.22...look it up here:
http://amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Indiana/ftwayne/fortwayneindianacodeofordinances?f=templates$fn=default.htm$3.0$vid=amlegal:fortwayne_in.

These morons do this almost EVERY damn day.

I plan to contact Keeney and see if ANY of them can be taken care of, because we've got way too many ignorant savages residing around us to make me feel comfortable along our streets...and yes, this also affects the FWCS bus stop clusterf&cks.
Moving on...
*** Well, the "Net Neutrality" was voted into law by the majority Dems on the FCC board (you thought otherwise?), but here's a story that sheds more light on the big picture:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/science-tech/Regulators-approve-tougher-rules-for-Web-providers-5256681

Yeah, I'm on the AGAINST IT side...we don't need more government regulations on top of ones that already exist. This new act is based on an archaic law from 1934 and had to do with telephones (old school types)
We're neck-deep in red tape regulations as it is with damn near everything in our lives, and THAT needs to change.
There are lawsuits against the FCC regarding this, and it will; most likely last several years as it's litigated, so we can breathe easy (for now).
*** Last back to the igloo...I heard several people on several shows mention the fact that the American people are being pulled in every direction as all these issues come to stare us in the face...kinda like that STRETCH-ARMSTRONG analogy I made YEARS ago.

"OOOOoowwwwwww"

We are being constantly bombarded with every problem known to man (and a few more) and we're supposed to be able to discern the wheat from all this damn chaff...surely a monumental task for those of even a Herculean disposition.

Geez, cleaning up the Augean stables was EASY compered to the FEDS...

One might say it's of Biblical proportions.
And maybe THAT is why our attention gets diverted SO easily to the "entertainment" aspect of society.

Not what things seem to be.

What's new, what's vogue, what's happening...THAT is what it's all about...screw what's REALLY important, hmm?
When we become more concerned about Beyonce instead of the National Debt, or basketball instead of our foreign policies, or even YouTube rather than losing our freedoms and liberties, something smells like 3 day old fish in the sun...
It's hard enough to concentrate on what goes on under our OWN roof, let along on our streets, in our city, or even our nation.
But, we can't hit the old "snooze" button, because with these politicos, the atheists, socialists, commies, secular-humanists, progressives, and race baiting minorities seemingly pounding on the gates of reason and sanity, we need to be on our A-GAME.
We need to be prepared to act against those that would seek to unravel this nation and the beliefs that have been established from it's inception.

Failure? What's THAT?

We need to remain vigilant, truthful, courageous, and yes, be willing to do the hard things to set this nation BACK on the course that I believe has the hand of "divine providence" upon her.
And we need to be united in this, rather than fractured as a society.
It will take a while to win the war, but at least for the time being, we can win a few of the battles along the way, right?.
Therein lies the lesson for the day.
Do have yourselves a good weekend.

Be well, make a difference to someone today, and, as always...
Stay SAFE out there, America.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
((PS: We have to bid a sad farewell to an American icon...LEONARD NIMOY, who made a mark on the modern American mythology of Star Trek, as well as society itself, has passed on at the age of 83 to that "higher plain of existence" (as Spock might say).

Here's his WIKI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Nimoy
Hard to imagine a world without Spock...or Leonard for that matter.
Many in the fields of science owe their careers to Star Trek and the character Nimoy portrayed.
Here's the NY Times article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/27/arts/television/leonard-nimoy-spock-of-star-trek-dies-at-83.html?_r=0
This part of ST-2 always gets to me...

Both Leonard and his character Spock have "lived long...and prospered".
And we shall miss them both))

Thoughts On Thursday...

Must be Thor's Day!

It looks like we're in for some more dusting of snow, not that it's all that bad, but it would have been nice to see the streets cleared of the LAST snow event FIRST. Just cannot get used to being ignored SO much down here.
Could be worse...(if we lived next to an active VOLCANO).
Our Hoosierland weather will find us with off and on snow flurries for part of the day, some sunshine coming along, and  temps reaching up to only around SEVENTEEN DEGREES.
The flurries should be dying out around midday, and then...another COLD-ass night into MINUS numbers (again?).
Hope you have your hot cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa with you...you're gonna need it.
I've got mine here, so let's say we get this show on the road and take a look at some other "stuff"...
*** First  off of the iceberg is the answer to our WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"Winter is nature's way of saying 'up yours'."
This was spoken by Robert Byrne, born 22 May 1930 (who?), an American author and pool hustler (Not to be confused with the chess player of the same name).
And here is his WIKI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Byrne_%28author%29
If you guessed that he authored MOSTLY books about POOL and BILLIARDS, give yourself a GOLD STAR.
He is a Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame instructor of pool and carom billiards.
He started out writing for the heavy construction industry...a far cry from the pool hall. He also penned two anthologies as well as an expose` on the literary world.
And he also received the industry service award from the Billiard and Bowling Institue of America, an honor previously bestowed upon the likes of Willie Mosconi, Paul Newman, and Jackie Gleason. (that's some pretty good company)
So feel free to read the WIKI, and maybe play a few rounds of 8-ball...
*** Next up is out "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
February 26 - 
---Today is CARNIVAL DAY...

The clowns are running City Hall, too.

It's like that MOST days here, because on the SE side of Ft. Wayne...we have a FREAK SHOW going on...!
---It's also NATIONAL PISTACHIO DAY (if you can afford them...lol)

Talk about having some NUTS...heh.
---And, it's TELL A FAIRY TALE DAY...

((rolls eyes))
Hasn't the WHITE HOUSE been doing THAT for the last SIX YEARS???

Weird thing is, people have BOUGHT that line of crap...and swallowed it hook, line, and sinker.
There you have it...enjoy.
*** Next up...about this "Net Neutrality" gig I'm kinda on the fence about it.

The Internet's like our ROADS...so they say...

I keep hearing conflicting stories, and I've been bustin' my ass trying to get the REAL story about it.
I will say this much...when it comes to the FEDS putting their fingers in ANY consumer pie, it's just not gonna taste that good.
And I base that conclusion on all the OTHER things the feds have gotten control of, and how well those ventures have done over the years.
(pssst...not all that well)

Build it with Bender...

I mean whenever I hear the word NEUTRALITY come out of the federal government, I can bet good money that it soon becomes anything BUT that, right?
I will say the SWISS practice neutrality...and quite well, but that's another story.
I dunno with this Internet stuff...some say it will HELP the consumer...others say it will HURT the consumer.

Could be a loss for freedom...?

If by "help" you mean another FREEBIE for the low-end of the social scale ONLY, than I can see where that's headed.
And conversely, if by "hurt" you mean raise OUR rates while providing LESS service, then I can see that side of the equation.
In an interesting aside to this, Blogger recently posted a "caveat" of sorts, starting in March.
---Adult content policy on Blogger

Starting March 23, 2015, you won't be able to publicly share images and video that are sexually explicit or show graphic nudity on Blogger.
Note: We’ll still allow nudity if the content offers a substantial public benefit, for example in artistic, educational, documentary, or scientific contexts.
Changes you’ll see to your existing blogs
If your existing blog doesn’t have any sexually explicit or graphic nude images or video on it, you won’t notice any changes.
If your existing blog does have sexually explicit or graphic nude images or video, your blog will be made private after March 23, 2015. No content will be deleted, but private content can only be seen by the owner or admins of the blog and the people who the owner has shared the blog with.
Settings you can update for existing blogs

Another "WTF?" moment?

If your blog was created before March 23, 2015, and contains content that violates our new policy, you have a few options for changing your blog before the new policy starts:
Remove sexually explicit or graphic nude images or video from your blog
Mark your blog as private
If you’d rather take your blog down altogether, you can export your blog as a .xml file or archive your blog's text and images using Google Takeout.
Effect on new blogs
For any blogs created after March 23, 2015, we may remove the blog or take other action if it includes content that is sexually explicit or shows graphic nudity as explained in our content policy.
One small step for "morality"...one giant leap for CONTROL, perhaps?
*** And then there's that list of "keywords" that could cause the NSA (among OTHER federal agencies) to take a CLOSER look at what YOU have to say online. I posted the list way back on 13 August 2013, but if yiou forgot some of them (easy enough to do), here 'ya go once again:
WORDS THAT THE NSA MIGHT USE TO MONITOR YOU -
 -flagged words (in no special order)-
******************************************
Waihopai, INFOSEC, Information Security, Information Warfare, IW, IS, Privacy, 
Information Terrorism, Terrorism Defensive Information, Defense Information Warfare, 
Offensive Information, Offensive Information Warfare, National Information Infrastructure, 
InfoSec, Reno, Compsec, Computer Terrorism, Firewalls, Secure Internet Connections, ISS, 
Passwords, DefCon V, Hackers, Encryption, Espionage, USDOJ, NSA, CIA, S/Key, SSL, FBI, 
Secert Service, USSS, Defcon, Military, White House, Undercover, NCCS, Mayfly, PGP, PEM, 
RSA, Perl-RSA, MSNBC, bet, AOL, AOL TOS, CIS, CBOT, AIMSX, STARLAN, 3B2, BITNET, COSMOS, 
DATTA, E911, FCIC, HTCIA, IACIS, UT/RUS, JANET, JICC, ReMOB, LEETAC, UTU, VNET, BRLO, BZ, 
CANSLO, CBNRC, CIDA, JAVA, Active X, Compsec 97, LLC, DERA, Mavricks, Meta-hackers, ^?, 

Steve Case, Tools, Telex, Military Intelligence, Scully, Flame, Infowar, Bubba, Freeh, 
Archives, Sundevil, jack, Investigation, ISACA, NCSA, spook words, Verisign, Secure, 
ASIO, Lebed, ICE, NRO, Lexis-Nexis, NSCT, SCIF, FLiR, Lacrosse, Flashbangs, HRT, DIA, 
USCOI, CID, BOP, FINCEN, FLETC, NIJ, ACC, AFSPC, BMDO, NAVWAN, NRL, RL, NAVWCWPNS, NSWC, 
USAFA, AHPCRC, ARPA, LABLINK, USACIL, USCG, NRC, ~, CDC, DOE, FMS, HPCC, NTIS, SEL, USCODE, 
CISE, SIRC, CIM, ISN, DJC, SGC, UNCPCJ, CFC, DREO, CDA, DRA, SHAPE, SACLANT, BECCA, DCJFTF, 
HALO, HAHO, FKS, 868, GCHQ, DITSA, SORT, AMEMB, NSG, HIC, EDI, SAS, SBS, UDT, GOE, DOE, 
GEO, Masuda, Forte, AT, GIGN, Exon Shell, CQB, CONUS, CTU, RCMP, GRU, SASR, GSG-9, 22nd SAS, GEOS, EADA, BBE, STEP, Echelon, Dictionary, MD2, MD4, MDA, MYK, 747,777, 767, MI5, 737, MI6, 757, Kh-11, Shayet-13, SADMS, Spetznaz, Recce, 707, CIO, NOCS, Halcon, Duress, RAID, Psyops, grom, D-11, SERT, VIP, ARC, S.E.T. Team, MP5k, DREC, DEVGRP, DF, DSD, FDM, GRU, LRTS, SIGDEV, NACSI, PSAC, PTT, RFI, SIGDASYS, TDM. SUKLO, SUSLO, TELINT, TEXTA. ELF, LF, MF, VHF, UHF, SHF, SASP, WANK, Colonel, domestic disruption, smuggle, 15kg, nitrate, Pretoria, M-14, enigma, Bletchley Park, Clandestine, nkvd, argus, afsatcom, CQB, NVD, Counter Terrorism Security, Rapid Reaction, Corporate Security, Police, sniper, PPS, (take a breath)...
ASIS, ASLET, TSCM, Security Consulting, High Security, Security Evaluation, Electronic 
Surveillance, MI-17, Counterterrorism, spies, eavesdropping, debugging, interception,
 COCOT, rhost, rhosts, SETA, Amherst, Broadside, Capricorn, Gamma, Gorizont, Guppy, 
Ionosphere, Mole, Keyhole, Kilderkin, Artichoke, Badger, Cornflower, Daisy, Egret, 
Iris, Hollyhock, Jasmine, Juile, Vinnell, B.D.M.,Sphinx, Stephanie, Reflection, Spoke, 
Talent, Trump, FX, FXR, IMF, POCSAG, Covert Video, Intiso, r00t, lock picking, Beyond 
Hope, csystems, passwd, 2600 Magazine, Competitor, EO, Chan, Alouette,executive, 
Event Security, Mace, Cap-Stun, stakeout, ninja, ASIS, ISA, EOD, Oscor, Merlin, NTT, 
SL-1, Rolm, TIE, Tie-fighter, PBX, SLI, NTT, MSCJ, MIT, 69, RIT, Time, MSEE, Cable & Wireless,
 CSE, Embassy, ETA, Porno, Fax, finks, Fax encryption, white noise, pink noise, CRA, M.P.R.I.,
 top secret, Mossberg, 50BMG, Macintosh Security, Macintosh Internet Security, 
Macintosh Firewalls, Unix Security, VIP Protection, SIG, sweep, Medco, TRD, TDR, 
sweeping, TELINT, Audiotel, Harvard, 1080H, SWS, Asset, Satellite imagery, force, Cypherpunks, Coderpunks, TRW, remailers, replay, redheads, RX-7, explicit, FLAME, Pornstars, AVN, Playboy, Anonymous, Sex, chaining, codes, Nuclear, 20, subversives, SLIP, toad, fish, data havens, unix, c, a, b, d, the, Elvis, quiche, DES, 1*, NATIA, 
NATOA, sneakers, counterintelligence, industrial espionage, PI, TSCI, industrial intelligence,
 H.N.P., Juiliett Class Submarine, Locks, loch, Ingram Mac-10, sigvoice, ssa, E.O.D., SEMTEX,
 penrep, racal, OTP, OSS, Blowpipe, CCS, GSA, Kilo Class, squib, primacord, RSP, Becker, 
Nerd, fangs, Austin, Comirex, GPMG, Speakeasy, humint, GEODSS, SORO, M5, ANC, zone, SBI, DSS, S.A.I.C., Minox, Keyhole, SAR, Rand Corporation, Wackenhutt, EO, Wackendude, mol, Hillal, GGL, CTU, botux, Virii, CCC, Blacklisted 411, Internet Underground, XS4ALL, 
Retinal Fetish, Fetish, Yobie, CTP, CATO, Phon-e, Chicago Posse, l0ck, spook keywords, 
PLA, TDYC, W3, CUD, CdC, Weekly World News, Zen, World Domination, Dead, GRU, M72750, Salsa, 7, Blowfish, Gorelick, Glock, Ft. Meade, press-release, Indigo, wire transfer, 
e-cash, Bubba the Love Sponge, Digicash, zip, SWAT, Ortega, PPP, crypto-anarchy, AT&T, 
SGI, SUN, MCI, Blacknet, Middleman, KLM, Blackbird, plutonium, Texas, jihad, SDI, Uzi, 
Fort Meade, supercomputer, bullion, 3, Blackmednet, Propaganda, ABC, Satellite phones, 
Planet-1, cryptanalysis, nuclear, FBI, Panama, fissionable, Sears Tower, NORAD, 
Delta Force, SEAL, virtual, Dolch, secure shell, screws, Black-Ops, Area51, SABC, 
basement, data-haven, black-bag, TEMPSET, Goodwin, rebels, ID, MD5, IDEA, garbage, 
market, beef, Stego, unclassified, utopia, orthodox, Alica, SHA, Global, gorilla, Bob, 
((BOB??? SERIOUSLY???))
Pseudonyms, MITM, Gray Data, VLSI, mega, Leitrim, Yakima, Sugar Grove, Cowboy, Gist, 8182, Gatt, Platform, 1911, Geraldton, UKUSA, veggie, 3848, Morwenstow, Consul, Oratory, Pine Gap, Menwith, Mantis, DSD, BVD, 1984, Flintlock, cybercash, government, hate, speedbump, illuminati, president, freedom, cocaine, $, Roswell, ESN, COS, E.T., credit card, b9, fraud, assasinate, virus, anarchy, rogue, mailbomb, 888, Chelsea, 1997, Whitewater, MOD, York, plutonium, William Gates, clone, BATF, SGDN, Nike, Atlas, Delta, TWA, Kiwi, PGP 2.6.2., PGP 5.0i, PGP 5.1, siliconpimp, Lynch, 414, Face, Pixar, IRIDF, eternity server, Skytel, Yukon, Templeton, LUK, Cohiba, Soros, Standford, niche, 51, H&K, USP, ^, sardine, bank, EUB, USP, PCS, NRO, Red Cell, Glock 26, snuffle, Patel, package, ISI, INR, INS, IRS, GRU, RUOP, GSS, NSP, SRI, Ronco, Armani, BOSS, Chobetsu, FBIS, BND, SISDE, FSB, BfV, IB, froglegs, JITEM, SADF, advise, TUSA, HoHoCon, SISMI, FIS, MSW, Spyderco, UOP, SSCI, NIMA, MOIS, SVR, SIN, advisors, SAP, OAU, PFS, Aladdin, chameleon man, Hutsul, CESID, Bess, rail gun, Peering, 17, 312, NB, CBM, CTP, Sardine, SBIRS, SGDN, ADIU, DEADBEEF, IDP, IDF, Halibut, SONANGOL, Flu, &, Loin, PGP 5.53, EG&G, AIEWS, AMW, 
WORM, MP5K-SD, 1071, WINGS, cdi, DynCorp, UXO, Ti, THAAD, package, chosen, PRIME, SURVIAC.
************************************************

Works for me.

Well, now I can say I've USED THEM ALL (so far, and with no contextual application)...
Gonna start looking for those black helos any day now...LOL.
Sure makes me wonder how far away we are from burning books?
I'm sure ALL of you use at least a FEW of these words...
I know I do...a lot.
And, I'm also just as sure that the feds have ADDED to this list.
Doesn't make a convincing case (to me) FOR wanting (or having) "net neutrality"...
Got a feeling that, like EQUALITY, this NEUTRALITY will be MORE neutral for some than for others...
*** Last back to the ski resort...what gets me about this Internet gig is the fact that the FCC will NOT release certain content of what they're proposing TO THE PUBLIC.
If it's a national security issue, I can probably understand their thinking.
But, on the other hand, if this is a ploy to DISGUISE and obfuscate the REAL intent of this "act", then someone has got to come clean and fess up as to what this is REALLY all about and how MUCH it will impact many aspects of our lives, such as freedom of speech, costs to consumers, and the like.
If everyone just caves in and allows it, then we're pretty much STUCK with it, because, if you recall history, hardly ANYTHING the government puts forth gets reversed...prohibition being the ONLY exception that I can remember.
But, if concerned people come forward, ask the tough questions and yes, DEMAND answers and not settle for some dog-and-pony show meant to stroke us into a state of torpor, then I'm more than willing to listen and make a more informed decision.

Butt-crack alert|!

I know I've got my share of questions, and the only thing I hear from the feds is "it will benefit the people".
Funny, heard that about the ACA (aka Obummercarre), and the EPA with their curly-fries light-bulbs (that are a hazmat visit if they break inside your house), or the ethanol-laced fuel we have to put into vehicles (that rot rubber tubing and gaskets), or the AMTRAK system that was supposed to make rail travel SO much better (and had operated in the RED since it's inception), or the rising price of OUR food while the feds ship millions of tons of food overseas to 3rd world nations (while our OWN people are said to be starving), or how about giving jobs, tax breaks and driver's licenses to ILLEGALS while others remain on the dole, because they can't find work?
And now the FCC wants to put in THEIR "two cents"...but let's hear some truth about it from  a good friend of ours - PETER GRIFFIN:

The list gets longer every damn year with this administration, and yet they keep shoving crap down our throats, all the while telling us it's choice ANGUS.
I just cannot buy this BS (and neither should you).

Those three BIG WORDS mean something...

All I can say is that WE THE PEOPLE, have to take on the tough tasks in order to retain our freedoms and liberties, and having the government do everything for us, rather than protect the nation and her people in general, should be bothersome to all of us.
Remember...THEY work for US...and not the other way around.
The (civil) servants do NOT own and run the manor...
That's our job...or it should be.

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

Humpday Happenings...

Can you believe it's Wednesday already?
With this winter weather, all the days seem to be running together.
Our Hoosierland weather will have us with warmer temps today - all the way up to TWENTY-TWO DEGREES.
Lots of sunshine and no snow, and that includes the snow we didn't get yesterday, as the forecasters had predicted.
(least I didn't see any down here in the crotch of Ft. Wayne)
In the meantime, go grab that hot cup of midweek fortitude, and let's see what has been transpiring since last we gathered...
*** First out of the igloo today is our WHO SAID THAT? quote of the week:
"Winter is nature's way of saying 'up yours'."
So WHO said that anyway? It's not someone you would normally think of, so eliminate the obvious.
But, the quote IS in good step with how many feel right about now (including a LOT of New Englanders).
The answer will be at the top of tomorrow's post.
Meanwhile, back at the pool hall...
*** Next, is our 'What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
February 25 -
---Today is PISTOL PATENT DAY.

Now, in case you're wondering about this occasion, here's a little help:
http://holidaysinyear.com/day/pistol-patent-day/
And thank God for such people, hmm?
*** Next up, I wonder of the DOJ is enjoying their meal of CROW (to go with the EGG on their faces), after concluding that there was not enough evidence to bring civil rights violations charges against George

(whatta dumbass)

Zimmerman...
OOPS...!!!
And after ALL that taxpayer money was wasted...I mean "spent".
I call it poetic-justice, after a fashion, and duly deserved, considering the "source".
Here's the lowdown:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/02/24/doj-not-expected-to-file-civil-rights-charges-against-zimmerman-in-shooting/
Call it IRONY...call it KARMA...call it whatever you want. It's just another way of saying that socialism and race-baiting has NO place in OUR society...or our country, for that matter.
This is the kind of thing that puts a smile on my face...
Every damn time, too.
*** Next, King Henry (mayoral monarch of Ft. Wayne) wants to find a way to get funding back to the schools for transportation.
Here's this tale of nonsense:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/TIF-moneycould-helpFWCS-fundtransport-5217185

Hope it flushes!

The city wants to use TIF (Tax Increment Financing) money to assist FWCS keep transportation rolling as it has been, rather than the cutbacks (long overdue) that will "force" kids to walk up to a MILE to their schools.
Awww, poor babies...get the damn parents out of their stupor and make them drive them...many down here don;t work anyway...they got the time.
(Lord knows that much)
Hey, here's an idea...use that same TIF money to put some SIDEWALKS where they're needed, so kids don't have to walk in the damn streets.
And while you're at it, try ENFORCING the ordinances that say people cannot walk down the middle of those streets (like they have done for years down here).
The REAL possibilities to properly utilize these funds is ENDLESS, and will do a lot more GOOD than tossing at bus routes for the lazy.
Yes, they do have INDIVIDUAL STUDENT PICKUP, and NOT just for the handicapped short-bus riders.

Talk about your "REALLY tight fit"...

Also, move the bus stops to more OPEN areas for the kids...where they can be easily seen by motorists (and not along residential streets.
I say this because city SNOW PLOWS take forever to clear our streets, and yet the FWCS sees fit to use nearly impassable streets as BUS ROUTES for students...how frigging safe is THAT, hmm?
I have proof that it's a chore to navigate such large buses along OUR streets (which were never designed to accommodate such traffic in the first place).
Some common sens on the part of the city (and I know that alone is a stretch of biblical proportions) would go a LONG way down here.
Moving on...
*** It appears that SUNDAY LIQUOR SALES will not happen THIS year (thank God).
Here's the story of another defeat of this legislation:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/indiana/Sunday-sales-bill-dies-with-no-vote-5216572

Give it a rest for ONE day.

This is another instance where I get to smiling...just because every other state stuck it's head up IT'S ass, we in Indiana should not have to "follow suit".
If you cannot plan well enough on the OTHER SIX DAYS when it comes to stocking up on your booze, then maybe you shouldn't be drinking that much...or as often? Ya think?
Again, a sense of karma is attached to this story, because the bill sat until the author withdrew it from the docket.
The bill would have required stores to have all alcohol in ONE area, and that didn't sit well with retailers like Krogers.
(some stores DO have separate areas for alcohol sales...like the Decatur Rd store they CLOSED...talk about irony there, right?)
The biggest issue with the bill came when hard liquor would have to be placed BEHIND counters...
(guess that's not gonna stop a perp with a GUN)
Oh well..better luck NEXT year.
*** Last back to the ice factory...there are times in our lives when we get pissed off.
Sorry, that's the way life is...you take the good WITH the bad, and every time, we get PO'ed at something BAD that comes along.
Sometimes, we might even get ROYALLY PO'ed.

More like "righteous indignation" maybe?

I'm one of those people that understands that it's gonna happen, but as we grow up, we find it's EASIER to get pissed than it was as a child.
And with all the advances in our civilization, you'd think we'd have LESS to get cheesed about, right?
Not really.
It's kinda like a "JEDI thing" - something will come along and our FRUSTRATION levels rise, and that leads to fear, fear leads to anger, and that leads to "the dark side".
(Yoda would have a field day here)

Taking "territorial" to a NEW level.

Can we control our frustration? No more than we can stop breathing, unless we disconnect ourself with everything and everyone, and even then we'd get frustrated that no one's around to bitch to...lol
The best we can hope for is to channel it in some positive manner...hopefully before that frustration rises to the anger level.
(trust me, that ain't easy, kids)
We can give up and stop the frustration...not a good option to condone failure.
OR...We can work THROUGH it - usually the best recourse.
We may stumble a bit along the way, but to allow anger to rule rather than logic and reason becomes folly...the stuff of crime.
It doesn't matter if it's a poorly thought out bus route plan, or a government run amok with a power-trip, or even a city that practices ignorance when it comes to an entire section of it's territory...it's ALL something to get pissed off at.
That's why we always need to be on guard against allowing such things to fester like an infected wound.
We're better than that, and more often than not, we can prove it much easier than permitting our dark side to get the upper hand.

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