Monday Musings - Labor Day Edition...

Welcome to the start of another week, and with today, we pretty much wind up the "summer season" (unofficially).
Officially, summer ends on 21 September, in case you were wondering.
(and back in my day, Labor Day usually meant heading back to school...ugh!)
Our Hoosierland weather for today is going to be another hot one, starting with a nice sunrise, and following with mostly sunny skies, temps reaching into the upper 80s, a nice amount of humidity (making it feel even more uncomfortable), and maybe that slight chance of a rain shower later on.
(then again, maybe not).
Conditions always seem to be ripe foir it, and some days we get some rain.
Seems like a good enough day to celebrate the holiday (most people do have the day off), and take some time to think about those who HAVE to work today, keeping us safe and well (among other things)..
And there are a lot MORE of them than one might think.
It would also be a good time to fly our flag in recognition.
In the meantime, let's get our morning drinks (hot or cold - your choice) poured and parked nearby, as we set about and see what has been going on elsewhere...
*** First off of the flagpole, as is customary, is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
September 7 - 
---Today is NATIONAL CORN SQUASH DAY

(okay then...might go out and squash some acorns)
---It's also GRANDMA MOSES DAY

(art enthusiasts, come hither)
---It's NEITHER SNOW NOR RAIN DAY

(which is odd, because there is NO MAIL DELIVERY today)
---It's also NATIONAL SALAMI DAY

(Any day is a good day for proper salami...and don't go "hiding it", guys...lol)
---And, yes, today is LABOR DAY

(...more about that as you read on...but I warn you, you might learn something.)
And HEY...,get that flag out.
*** Now, you just KNOW we could not have a weekend here in Fort Wayne WITHOUT some form of problem.
Well, another Concordia Lutheran High School student died over the weekend, but the WHY is something we may never know. Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/Concordia-mourns-2nd-loss-8645040

JoQuan Liggion, 16, was the student killed around 0230 hrs (in the damn morning!) when he was spotted driving the WRONG way along Lafayette St and an FWPD officer tried to pull him over.
He fled police, who broadened the search and discovered him trapped in his wrecked car a short time later AFTER he struck a utility pole and then married the car to a tree in the 4400 block of Lafayette.
And, we naturally hear what a great person he WAS...his smile, his laughter...but, what bothers me is that IF he was such a "good kid", then WHY was he out after 2 AM...AND driving the WRONG WAY...AND then FLED POLICE?
Too many questions concerning this boy's BEHAVIOR...and obviously no parental control, at least not enough to keep a teenager INDOORS after midnight.
Something smells like 3-day old fish here.
Another account stated that Liggion struck a police cruiser.
(alcohol has been ruled out)
Now, I could also mention that this scenario is a product of school vouchers, but all that would do is change the name of one school to another.
This teen could just as easily have been a student at Wayne, or South Side, or Northrop.
And, I could also make the claim that "You can take the kid out of the ghetto, but you can't always take the ghetto out of the kid".
This could have been a contributing factor...the wrong crowd syndrome - peer pressure, showing off, being macho...any or all of that.
Let's just say that like Alonna Allsion, THIS (too) is another tragedy that should not have had to happen, and let it go at that.
Moving on...
*** Now, if you think we have a fair number of shootings JUST in Fort Wayne, let's take a look at Chicago and THEIR rising problem.

Here's the story link:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/04/01/chicago-murders-shootings/70787110/

Seems we in the Summit City are not alone, but thankfully, we're NOT as bad, either...yet.
I've said for quite a while now that crime was on the rise, while others had said it was dropping.
According to this story, WHO would appear to be more "correct", hmm?
I rest my case.
You can see the signs easily enough, if you know what to look for.
And the ONLY reason that OUR city's homicide rate is not like it was 2 years ago is simple...LOUSY SHOOTING.
(because the actual NUMBER OF SHOOTINGS - shots fired with vandalism and/or injury to another person - have been going UP, as a recent article posted here said). Word to the wise time, right?
*** Next up, there was a very pertinent "Letter to the Editor" in today's paper that I wish to share:
(( Capacity for change is in each of us
Guns are not the problem. 
The problem is the condition of the human heart. 
Laws do not change hearts.
My fourth-grade teacher, Mr. Meinzen, taught me, “If there’s a will, there’s a way.” I believed him. I still do. The will of the person, and the way in which he/she will go, is up to the individual. In James 2:19 it says “... everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life. ...” 
Additionally, Ecclesiates 7:21-22 states, “Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you – for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
If a person believes that the problem is always someone else’s, what hope is there for changing the heart? 
Only a complete transformation of the mind and the heart will stop senseless acts of violence. We each know what we ought to do, even if we deny that we do not because the light of eternity has been placed in the hearts of all humankind.
Laws do not change hearts!
~ THREASA LIGHTNING, Fort Wayne ))
Yep, I'd say that Thereasa "gets it"...and very well, too.
Nice to see that studying (and practicing) the Bible is STILL ALIVE AND WELL.
*** Last back to the cabbage patch...yes, today is LABOR DAY.

And what does that mean besides a another welcomed day off?
Well, let's take to the WIKI for the definition:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_Day
Or, we could try the Dept. of Labor:
http://www.dol.gov/laborday/history.htm
The rote answer is that today was created to dedicate the social and economic achievements of American labor.

(would be nice if they could "extol the virtues", but that would become a bit of an oxymoron)
Originally, the idea of Labor Day was promoted by the LABOR MOVEMENT in America, with the Knights of Labor and the Central Labor Union at the forefront. After the Haymaker Massacre (4 May) of 1886, President Grover Cleveland thought that commemorating Labor Day would be used as a way to commemorate the massacre, so it was turned down.

Instead, rather than having any "labor holiday" in May, it was decided to instead celebrate the day in September as the Knights of Labor first wanted.
Way back then, it was not uncommon for the military to kill workers (refer to the Pullman Strike), so it was decided that a "Labor Day" would become a national holiday, rather that calling it an "Intentional Workers Day", which would seem to imply that it was associated with the nascent socialist and anarchist movements that rallied to commemorate the Haymaker Massacre.
More emphasis was placed on the CIVIL significance of the holiday, with the Sunday preceding that Labor Day Monday becoming "Labor Sunday", to eschew the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement.
These days, we seem to have forgotten much of that, and have taken to ALL the retail SALES that abound (prior to the Christmas season).

As a bit of irony, retail workers not ONLY work ON Labor Day, but usually put in LONGER HOURS.
Curiously enough, while Labor Day was based on UNION involvement, as of 2012, only about THREE PERCENT of the U.S. workforce in the RETAIL sector are UNION employees.
Labor Day marks the "kickoff" to the college football and NFL seasons, the NHRA holds it's nationals event in Indy, NASCAR dons it's "Darlington" raceway hat, and the first two weeks of the U.S. Open in tennis are held in Flushing Meadows, NY.

Now, I'm all for giving the working man or woman their due...that's only fair, but when I see people living around us who DO NOT CHOOSE to be part of the workforce in this country ALSO celebrating as well as those who DO bust their asses across this great land, that's very troubling.
It's not as though we're "out of jobs"...that will never happen HERE.
What we see instead, is a willingness to remain on the government dole, because it pays better than holding down a 40 hr week venue.
Only real difference is that the WORKER EARNS what they receive...the lazy ass TAKES from those very workers.
Hell, if things were left up to me (some people thank God that won't happen), I make sure all those that DO NOT WORK the other 364 days each year DID WORK TODAY...just to see what it's like to be in the shoes of those that pay their way through life, while they suck the teat of entitlements.

Today is a day that SHOULD be celebrated, for it's the people WHO HAVE WORKED that basicallyt BUILT this nation...and continue to MAINTAIN IT.
It's a day to acknowledge those who put their lives on the line on our streets - the firefighters, the LEOs, an the EMS techs that drive our cities and towns, serving the public in the most unselfish manner.
It's the nurses, doctors, and med techs that are there to keep us alive.
It's the manufacturers that produce both the simple and the complex to make lives better.
It's the educators, who teach us that which we need to become learned citizens, able to become more than what we are.
It's the clergy, who feed the flock the spiritual nourishment we also need
It's ALL of these people, and SO many more who are the REASON we have this day to reflect, and remind ourselves that we owe so much to so many...so often.
Therein lies the lesson for today.
Have yourselves a great Labor Day.

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

Friday Follies...

We finally made it to another end of another week...yay for our side.
And it still feels like we're in the MIDDLE of summer, rather than heading into the tail end of it, doesn't it?
Hell, our pussy-willows have already started to dump their leaves
And I've had to rake them..twice.
Our Hoosierland weather for today sounds a bit on the familiar side, because it will see us with another day like the last two...hot and humid with temps reaching the upper 80s.
With partly to mostly cloudy skies and a better-than-average possibility of showers (at some point today...maybe), looks we have got ourselves into a bit of a rut.

Still, the alternatives could be worse (like floods, wildfires, and zombie-apocalypses).
And if we all keep listening to liberal BS, it damn well might be worse.
So let's all get our cup or glass of Friday fortitude poured and parked close-at-hand, as we see what has been transpiring since last we convened.
*** First out of the turnip patch is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
September 4 -
---Today is NATIONAL WILDLIFE DAY

(I suppose squirrels stopping by for eats counts)
---It's also NATIONAL NEWSPAPER CARRIER DAY

(and thank God we got one that seems to know what the "top of the steps" means...for the time being, anyway.
---And it's NATIONAL MACADAMIA NUT DAY

(only ones I ever had were on cross-country flights...lol)
---It's also NATIONAL COLLEGE COLORS DAY

(color me not all that interested...sorry)
---And, it's also NATIONAL LAZY MOM'S DAY

(that would seem to apply to every "mom" in OUR part of Fort Wayne...laxy through entitlements)
---It's also NATIONAL HUG YOUR BOSS DAY

(Unless my boss looked like Dana Delany or Christina Hendricks, I'll pass)
*** And since it's a Friday, we just HAVE to see what the weekend brings us, don't we?
September 5 -
---Saturday is NATIONAL CHEESE PIZZA DAY

(okay, NOW we're talking, except if you get me Dominos...then, I despise you.)
---It's also INTERNATIONAL BACON DAY

(to me, that means bacon...period and not bacon-flavored chocolate, or ice cream, or anything else)
September 6 -
---Sunday is NATIONAL COFFEE ICE CREAM DAY

(not a problem, love coffee, love ice cream, merge the two and I am SO there!)
---It's also NATIONAL READ A BOOK DAY

(do they mean the WHOLE book, or just parts of it, and do COMICS count?)
There you have it...all the fun stuff to get you through the weekend and into our Labor Day holiday next week.
Moving on...
*** It's that time of year again - time for the annual ACD (Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg) Festival, held up in (where else?) AUBURN, Indiana.

I love these cars (don't you always love things you can never have?), because they represent nothing short of ROLLING ART.
The craftsmanship that went into them, and styling, and the fact that they are so prized makes them an icon of the automotive world...and rightly so.

And, for their time, they were more innovative than many people think. That DID come with a price,. which put it out of reach for many in those days.

Then again, those were times when you DID get what you paid for.
Betcha parts for THESE cars costs a lot more than parts for my "Batmobile"...lol.
*** So, they have this rebate program at Menards...you buy something, and according to what they say, there is "money off" attached to it.

There is one slight catch...when you mail the rebate IN, they don't cut you a check in the mail.
What you basically get is "store credit"...
Kind of a sneaky way of getting you to come back (like we weren't going to ever again).
Here's a link that "splains" it further:
http://www.mouseprint.org/2012/04/02/unexpected-rebate-twists/

caveat emptor, folks.

Now, that's still not too bad, because there is always something you might need there.
Well, our recent rebate was for batteries and we got $8 rebate. This will purchase another one of those LED bulbs for the light at our front door (to match the one we got the other week for the back door).
We get an $8 bulb FOR FREE. I can live with that.
Not all rebates are "money in your pocket", and you have to read up on how each store handles it.
But, something for less, or even free is better than nothing at all...that's the way I see it.
*** Next up, we have some another "visitor" in our garden (Nana Visitor  would be kismet...LOL), and like the old Edgar Winter Group album, "they only come out at night"...lol.

We have this one wolf spider (looked it up), that makes a circular web most every night over by the fence...and a decent size one, too. The web is about two feet in diameter, and is very intricate.
He, she, or it just sits there all night, waiting for dinner to be "delivered".
Sometimes, a meal comes, and other times...nothing.
Last night was the first time in over a week that I didn't see it there (day off for the holiday?)
Kinda cool, really. I was watching it spin the web the other night (with my flashlight) and it moves pretty damn quick, around and around (and doesn't get dizzy).
Spiders are supposed to be beneficial to the garden, so as long as the bugger doesn't decide to come indoors, it can keep on doing it's thing.
*** Next, what the hell is going on with all these traffic accidents and fatalities recently along major highways?

We can't seem to have ONE day without one.
And, it's tying up traffic along the Interstate some mornings, closing things down, or at best, slowing them to a stinking crawl.

Did people just suddenly forget how to drive?
It's not as though weather conditions were THAT bad...they weren't.
Distracted drivers perhaps?
Now THAT sounds a lot more plausible.

I look at it this way - if you have difficulty doing more than ONE thing at a time...DON'T. Concentrate on DRIVING.
The life you save might be your own, or someone else's.
*** Next up, actor Dean Jones passed away at the age of 84 from Parkinson's disease.

Here's his WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Jones_(actor)
He was a noted star of Disney films, and became a devout Christian in 1973-1974.
He also starred in the TV series Ensign O'Toole.
Some of the films he starred in were That Darn Cat, The Ugly Dachshund, The Love Bug, Blackbeard's Ghost, and Snowball Express.
He also appeared in Never So Few (with Frank Sinatra), Torpedo Run (with Glenn Ford and Ernest Borgnine), and Under the Yum Yum Tree (with Jack Lemmon).
Never heard any bad press about him.
You don't find many in Hollywood these days that can tout that.
*** Last back to the turnip truck...we always seem to recall people of some notoriety (good or bad) more than those who don't make a big deal of things in life.

The only exceptions to that are those in our family, and maybe a few teachers here and there.
In the entertainment industry, it USED to be we remembered people who were TALENTED, meaning they were DAMN GOOD at their craft, be it acting, musical, dancing...and so on.
We also recall those in science and medicine who made breakthroughs that changed our lives, or authors who wrote with such passion, or brought truth to light in a darkened world.
I think much of that has changed...

We tend to remember the sensationalistic in sports, in entertainment or the media outright, while society neglects the rest.
And people today look for that next "big deal" to latch onto, as though they forgot all those in our past that meant a lot more to all of us.
They love Miley Cyrus and yet shove those with truckloads more REAL TALENT to the wayside.
Ditto for most all rap music...people gravitate to rappers while pushing aside the REAL performers of Motown and R&B from decades past.
I can see no logic behind any of this. In fact, it's actually scary to see this happen.
The truly talented among us, in ANY field become the footnotes in the history of their genre, while the outlandish become the new icons of our society. A far cry from the likes of those from our past. Somehow, that seems ass-backwards, don'cha think?

Maybe that's why a lot of us like the "oldies" no matter where we find them, be they in music, in print, on TV, and yes, even in history itself., as in our history. It seemed notable people in our nation's past were not as sensational as they were ground-breaking...there is a difference.
When we look to history, we find GOOD role models not only for ourselves, but for society in general. We also see the flip side to that coin, and learn to avoid that.
I'm not seeing all that much of that "good" today, and it makes me wonder in 20-30 years, what will people have to look back on when it comes to music, or literature, or even life lessons?
Guess they'll have to look even FARTHER back than OUR generation has to now to find something worthwhile, right?
Do have yourselves a very good weekend.

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

Thoughts For Thursday...

We are quickly heading towards the Labor day weekend...the "traditional" last gasp of summer.
And, it's somewhat of a replay of the past two days outside.
Our Hoosierland weather will have us seeing mostly sunny skies, temps reaching into the upper 80s once again, and yes, humidity that will make it feel even more "close" outside.
Also, don't forget the chance of some late afternoon or evening showers.
We did get some light rain yesterday, but nothing of real note. Didn't help things outside except to water the plants and lawns a smidge.
So, you go and get your morning drink, I'll get mine, and together, we'll see what is going on elsewhere...
*** First out of the comedy club is the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies."

"Just say the secret woid"

This was spoken NOT by a politician, NOT by an industrialist, and NOT by a master of classic literature.
It was spoken by none other than GROUCHO MARX (never to be confused with Karl Marx), born Julius Henry Marx (2 October 1890 - 19 August 1977), and he was a comedian, film and television star, as well as author.
And here is his WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groucho_Marx
It's a lengthy read, and chronicles not only his upbringing in Manhattan, but does a fine job of telling stories from his professional life through early stage shows to movies (at paramount studios) and through the television years.
And he was not the OLDEST Marx brother...that was LEONARD (Chico).
Thirteen feature films were made with The Marx Brothers, and every one is considered a classic.
Groucho was the only brother to have a successful solo career, that being a quiz show host in You Bet Your Life.

President Firefly from "Duck Soup".

And if you were wondering, Groucho was Jewish (in fact, so was the whole family...lol)
He was also an interim host of The Tonight Show (between Jack Paar and Johnny Carson), and introduced Carson to all of us.
Now, while the Marx Brothers made 13 movies, Groucho appeared in 26, with the first being a 1921 silent film that was never released.
The WIKI also tells how he developed his "look" for the movies - the greasepaint mustache, glasses and eyebrows.
And to this day, those novelty joke shop "fuzzy puss" plastic nose, glasses and mustache have Julius Marx to thank for that.

Still popular

A great book on the Marx Brothers is WHY A DUCK...check it out.
What is also memorable are the anecdotes remembered by fellow actors and friends in the industry.
Yet, in spite of the success and such, Marx called himself a liberal democrat...interesting to note, because his take on politics sounds less the liberal and more like a conservative, but those were days when the far left bat-shit crazy democrats were a lot FEWER in number.
What's amazing is the LEGACY that Groucho left us - everything from those Vlasic pickle commercials with the stork that looks and sounds like Groucho, to John Astin's portrayal of Gomez Addams on the TV show, to 2 albums from Brit rock group Queen (A Night At The Opera and A Day At The Races). And in 1982, Gabe Kaplan starred in a stage show GROUCHO, with a film version appearing on PBS.
You have to say that they truly broke the mold when they made Groucho.

He was probably the only person who, when watching a performance of the crucifixion scene in Jesus Christ Superstar declared (in the theater)  "This is sure to offend the Jews!"
And the laughter he brought us continues...
*** Next up is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
September 3 -
---=Today is U.S.BOWLING LEAGUE DAY

(kinda miss the day when you could bowl for cheap and NOT have to be in any league)
---It's also WELSH RAREBIT DAY

I could not find a single mention of bunnies in the description - mostly toasted bread and cheeses , and maybe bacon.

That's a relief to hear, doc.

So, it's not to be confused with any form of RABBIT, right Bugs?
*** Next up, a very good column by Kevin Leininger from 1 September that tells a story not many people know about in Fort Wayne...but should, as it could happen to them.

Here's the story link:
http://www.news-sentinel.com/news/local/Man-learns-the-bullets-don-t-have-to-hit-you-to-leave-lasting-scars-Man-learns-the-bullets-don-t-have-to-hit-you-to-leave-lasting-scars

A man's house hit by bullets...and guess where?
Yes, the SOUTHEAST SIDE.
And this man is ALSO not planning to leave...on principle.
This is a fantastic read, and addresses the plight of those who decide that THEIR HOME is THEIRS and not something to be handed over to the street thugs and gangstas who would seem to run many of the neighborhoods.
In some ways, the story is scary, but brings a sobering message to this attitude that many of the "locals" (you know who I'm talking about there) embrace - that which all but screams that NO LIVES MATTER.
Fortunately, our "Fortress" hasn't been  stuck by stray bullets (yet), but we HAVE had a rock tossed through one window, had the house shot with paintballs (green), and hit with eggs (one was so high, I couldn't get the crap off, and it stained the siding black).
But, the way the city continues to ignore our part of town and practices reactive policing, it may only be a matter of time.
(one thing about that...I will shoot back)
The man in the story (name withheld to protect himself, no doubt) is a contemporary of mine. He's 60 years old (I'm only 3 years older).
What is startling are the statistics that show the number of SHOTS FIRED...as of last week, about EIGHT HUNDRED (that's 800) calls of this type came into the FWPD, with 52 percent coming from JUST the SOUTHEAST side.
That leaves the OTHER three quadrants to divide up the remaining 48 percent.

Not a good thing.
The SE accounts for at least half of such calls EVERY year, according to the story.
That alone should be a red flag to City Hall and the FWPD chief...yeah, it SHOULD.
The man in the story says that "more patrols would help"...I know, it sounds like the man is ME, doesn't it?
Personally, I think MORE stories like this need to get out there and people all over the city NEED to know this, because the way a lot of low-income housing has been scattered, the same thing might occur in ANY area of the city...and sooner than we think.
*** Next up, Our "prez" catches a salmon up in Alaska...and it promptly pisses (or was that shoots a load?) on his shoes...LOL.
Here's the story:
http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2015/09/02/obamas-fish-tale-salmon-spawning-on-his-shoes
Heh, that fish knows the score, even this late in the game.

The word IRONY comes to mind

Yeah, that fish "was happy to see me"...bullshit.
It's ALWAYS about "him"...damn narcissist!
You can take the activist out of the ghetto, but....(you fill in the rest).
*** Last back to the holding cell...sometimes, you just have to laugh...at the absurd.

And there is certainly nothing MORE absurd these days than the things that go on at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
When you stop and see all what goes on , and then think back to BEFORE 2008, although even then, it wasn't a walk in the park, but at least you weren't mugged WHILE taking that walk
This (self) proclaimed fundamental changer posed as someone who would bring together all Americans... instead, we wound up with The Great Divider in the Oval Orifice.
How did so many people get taken to the cleaners on this, and why are so many still following this guy?
Black people in general are no better off (especially in their own communities) than they were before 2008...and they still kill one another (with great abandon) in record numbers, claiming poverty as the overwhelming factor as to WHY deaths are up...we all know THAT to be a falsehood. I now hear climate change is also to blame...ROFL!
Hell, over 70% of all immigrants here (legal or illegal) are on SOME type of "government assistance".
And a like number of illegals are here with criminal records, a majority from Mexico itself.
The southern border remains porous, we've downsized our military, given all sorts of "free stuff" to many undeserving lazy-asses, and STILL nothing gets any better...WTH is wrong with that?
Toss in financial woes from a country (China) that holds a crapload of OUR bonds, because this administration has forced trillions more debt upon our OWN nation, in a futile search to "level the playing field".
Not exactly a stellar presidency...hell, not even a lousy one. It's worse than that.
We're not beyond help or redemption...not yet, anyway.
As long as hope exists, and people of courage step up, we will work through this.
It just might take more time than we originally thought, that's all.

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