Friday Follies...

Finally...the weekend has arrived.
And the weather looks to be behaving itself (for the most part) for a change.
Our Hoosierland forecast will see us starting out with cloudy skies, turning to partly cloudy later on, breezy conditions, and a high of around the upper 20s once again. Might even have a small flurry or two coming along for the ride.
That is certainly not the worst way to kick off the end of the week, is it?
So what say we all get ourselves a nice hot cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa, as we see what else is going on, hmm?
*** First off the breakfast table is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
January 22 -
---Today is NATIONAL BLONDE BROWNIE DAY

(not gonna lace this one with innuendos, that's for sure...lol)
*** And because it's the weekend, let us see what kind of "stuff" is going on over the next couple days.
January 23 -
---Saturday is NATIONAL PIE DAY

(It's a wonderful day for pie...except for those MUD ones)
---It's also NATIONAL HANDWRITING DAY

(wow, talk about your "lost art", right?)
January 24 -
---Sunday is NATIONAL COMPLIMENT DAY

(remember, if you can't say something NICE about someone, don't say anything at all)
---It's also NATIONAL PEANUT BUTTER DAY

(one of the best creations to ever come along, imho)
---And, it's BEER CAN APPRECIATION DAY

(I prefer bottles - makes the beer taste better)
And there you have it...all the things created to keep you out of trouble.
Moving on...
*** I think I'v found the city's answer to street-clearing whenever it snows on the southeast side.

Yeah, all the traffic does clear the streets.

And while some might think this a good idea, I kinda believe otherwise.
What Fort Wayne has decided to do is choose to FIX some underground plumbing someplace near a main street, and force all that traffic to come over OUR E-W street alongside the "Fortress"...
(whatta concept, right?)
Now, yu have to remember that OUR streets are RESIDENTIAL in nature, and are part of the OLDER section of the city, and therefore were NEVER designed for TWO-WAY traffic...it's that simple.
I've said we had congestion whenever a school bus would come over that street. And few people even PARK along it...it's that narrow. It simply was not built to handle such a flow of traffic.
But, that NEVER stops the city with it's "infinite wisdom" to re-route cars, trucks and buses,

Too tight a fit with two-way traffic

Maple Grove Ave is not an "avenue" in the purest sense of that word. I'm from the EAST coast and I KNOW what an avenue really is. Typically, it's a purposely-designed MULTI-LANE thoroughfare. Usually two lanes in each direction of travel.
At the worst, it's a two-lane venue with a painted DOUBLE-LINE down the middle.
It's not a residential CITY STREET, however.
(that doesn't stop City Hall from allowing it to be used AS one). We're not Pettit Av North.
The worst part about this, no mention on the news about a street closing or detour.
And definitely NO police officers performing something we used to call TRAFFIC CONTROL. Had a few near-misses at the intersection...morons!
I just hope this crap goes away soon enough.

Oh, look...a drug deal going on.

We've plenty (read too much) of local traffic as it is, and a lot of it NOT from residents living in the area.
Think curb-side street-pharm sales...like the picture above illustrates..
*** Next up, another SNOWPOCALYPSE along the eastern seaboard?

THIS is what is "expected" back east.

Could be, if the media sources have their way.
I touched on this yesterday, but I've also noticed the amount of hype attached to this.
Stores (there) have already run out of "staples", such as milk and bread (and beer).
I agree that SOME items do suffer from spoilage (like milk), but to "panic shop"and cause unwanted angst on top of the weather conditions does no one any good.
Even our Mayor, King Henry is trying to "beat feet" out of D.C. and get back HERE (damn).
If people just made up their minds that if the storm is that severe, they have little alternative but to hunker down and "ride it out". We did so in the past, and we;re all still here.
The trouble comes when people get stupid.
They're used to being TOLD what to do and how to act in such conditions, rather than allow common sense to rule the day. When I was growing up, my parents didn't wait until the last minute, and there was no panic shopping for food stuffs.

Never had trouble dealing with snow when I was young

Then again, we ALSO had something called "corner stores"...something we've all but lost thanks to big box grocery and other assorted stores.
It's hard to "just walk" someplace to get a loaf of bread (except for those damn overpriced convenience stores).
I miss the days when you could just ENJOY getting snowed the hell in for a couple days.
*** Next up, I was watching the news story about this regional "initiative" to get ONE MILLION people into this part of Indiana, and I have to ask a very simple question...WHY?

Not an initiative worthy of all this $$$

Here's a website for it:
http://www.neindiana.com/vision/the-vision/regionalcities
And here is a story link about it:
http://wane.com/2016/01/21/region-kicks-off-road-to-one-million-initiative/
"The Road To One Million" initiative...
I'd MUCH rather prefer something along the lines of THE AVENGERS INITIATIVE, especially down here on the SE side of town, but I know that's too much to ask.

Now THIS is a REAL initiative...!

This is all a "deal" to garner MONEY...plain and simple, with $42 MIL riding on this, as well as "matching funds" from local areas (higher taxes coming?).
Must be nice to have money falling out of all those trees these days.
(haven't seen a lick of it myself)
This is intended to bring and foster QUALITY-OF-LIFE issues such as arts and cultural "stuff".
Didn't hear ONE word about better PUBLIC SAFETY in all of this...WTF?
That should be "job-one" in my book.
Overall, I think we're doing okay as it is...without any (outside) intervention to bolster our region. We can always do better, though, but, apparently, we have to keep up with the Joneses...as always.
Can't (or don't want to) stand on our own merits anymore?
*** Next, you all knew I was going to watch DC's Legends of Tomorrow last evening...
I did, and it was GREAT!

(and this was only part 1 of the pilot episode).
The back story for Rip Hunter was very well done, and we find out HIS reason for wanting to assemble this "team" of "gifted" individuals in the first place.

He has HIS reasons...

And, rather than travel in time using a time "capsule" (which we refer to as a TARDIS in the realm of Doctor Who), Hunter has absconded with a TIME-SHIP (called the "Wave-Rider").
Seems he has chosen to alter his own time line, and (hopefully) in the process, right a LOT of wrongs and yes, get THE bad guy in the end. Oh, yeah...an save the world along the way.
The series looks to have a LOT of traction in that regard, and the show has been very well-received by other reviewers.
Not a bad start  if you ask me. It's a keeper!.
*** Last back to the family room...people do things for many reasons in life...some of the reasons are good ones, or at least well-intended.

And yes, it's been said many times that "the road to hell is paved with good intentions".
Still, that doesn't deter people from TRYING to do what is right...and for the RIGHT reason.
There are always those factors that can derail the best of intent, however.
You also have to take into account that fact that good CHOICES will almost always precipitate good intentions, the reverse can not always be said. Good intentions may not lead to good choices, in the pursuit of a particular goal.

Many times, the intent is based upon doing whatever may be required to achieve that goal, whatever it may be. That can lead to becoming that which you're opposed to JUST  to reach that goal, so it can be self-defeating.
Curiously, no one has even stated that the road to hell was paved with good choices, have they?
Those who choose well tend to avoid such pitfalls. That's not saying that the pitfalls will avoid YOU.
And, it's times like that when your choices become even more focused, if you are to come out the other side of a problem relatively well...or even better than when it started.
Plus, it NEVER hurts to seek counsel from "on high", does it?
That will ensure that any choices made will be better ones than you could ever make "on your own", right?
There's something to ponder over the next couple days.
Do have yourselves a good weekend.

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