Thoughts For Thursday...

Yep, it's STILL cold out there this morning, thanks to no cloud cover overnight,
Thing is, the clouds are moving back in (a little late, isn't it?).
Welcome to the near weekend, such as it shall be,
Our Hoosierland weather will find us with limited sunshine with temps reaching up into the upper 20s.
Not much else to say about that, is there?
Just be careful on the streets. While the main roads may be clear, secondary and side streets haven't been touched (at least not where we live). And do dress accordingly.
So, without any further ado, let's get a nice hot drink parked nearby as we see what has been going on elsewhere...
*** First off of the unplowed streets is the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged."

This was spoken by nine other than the renown "Ronaldus Magnus" (as Rush Limbaugh would say) aka our 40th President, Ronald Reagan (February 6 1911 - June 5 2004), and here is his WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Reagan
Have to admit that he ALSO did a MUCH better job as Governor of California (before it became the left coast "socialist republik") from 1967 to 1975.

If you want to see the passion he had for this nation, then take the time to read (or hear) his speech "A Time For Choosing" which was presented during the 1964 presidential elections to bolster a floundering Barry Goldwater campaign. Here is a link to the speech:
http://www.reaganfoundation.org/tgcdetail.aspx?p=TG0923RRS&lm=reagan&args_a=cms&args_b=1&argsb=N&tx=1736
How great would it be to hear a candidate TODAY express the truths contained in THIS speech, hmm?
Moving on...
*** Next up, is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
January 21 -
---Today is NATIONAL HUGGING DAY

(as long as it's not a TREE, I suppose it's okay.)
How did The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) once put it?

Oh, yes...he said: "Never trust a hug. It's just way to hide your face.".
(especially when your heart may be breaking)
---It's also NATIONAL GRANOLA BAR DAY

(If you have PLENTY of liquids to go with them, they're not THAT bad)
---And, it's SQUIRREL APPRECIATION DAY

(I kid you not. A shame Mr Wrinkles isn't here to enjoy it)
*** Next, it has turned out that Kevin Leininger is not leaving the News-Sentinel after all.
(I never get all my memos). Here's the story link:
http://www.news-sentinel.com/news/local/Take-it-from-me--Appreciate-what-you-love-before-losing-it--not-afterward

Sometimes, the lessons we are taught are what God wants, and not what WE want, and He has a wonderful knack of "splainin" things to us.
God places us where HE needs us to be, and not always where we'd LIKE to be...I know this for a FACT!
When we can come to terms with that, the easier that journey becomes, even if it doesn't seem so at the time.
And time is what it's all about, right?
*** Next, we have some morons out there vying for the "Dumbass of the Week award".

And, it's not like we EVER run out of nominees, is it?
We could give them out DAILY, but I prefer to reserve them for those who display that "special kind of stupid" that we've come to know and love. So here goes....
---The first story takes place at the Dollar General store on Amztutz Rd (Leo-Cedarville area) yesterday morning around 0830 hrs, and ends there as well.

Someone call for a "ride downtown"?

Here's the story link:
http://www.21alive.com/news/local/Quick-actions-of-witness-police-thwart-Dollar-General-armed-robber-365929161.html

Whatta dumbass.

It's nice to have a person rob a store and BE GREETED by deputies from the Allen County Sheriff's Department upon leaving, isn't it?
Take that, FWPD.
Latwon Lamont Ford (who looks damn nice in the color ORANGE) was arrested on the spot, charged with armed robbery and is now a guest of the Allen County lockup.
Next time, if you want to get away with a robbery, try doing it on the SE side of Ft. Wayne. You stand a much better chance of not getting caught when you run out of the door.
Just don't leave your car running in the parking lot like you did up north...it will get stolen on the southeast..
Enlist the aid of a wheel-man like the other perps do down here.
No excuse for poor planning, is there?
---The second story took place WAY back on 2 January (and yes, we're JUST NOW hearing about it), and it occurred at the Ashley Furniture store.

Here's the story link:
http://www.21alive.com/news/local/Fort-Wayne-police-need-help-identifying-Ashley-Furniture-theft-suspect--365934361.html
The FWPD are always SO quick with providing information, aren't they?
And THIS is the result of such speed of information.

Whatta rubber-check writing dumbass.

I'm sure that bad check (written to the tune of over $3K) didn't take THAT long to "clear", because those rubber checks tend to bounce REAL fast and REAL high. At least we know the race of the thief. Smile,. you're on candid camera (and should look real good wearing ORANGE, too).
---The third story comes from our Great White North neighbor, Ontario, Canada.

Seems that up THERE, they don't take kindly to people who DO NOT remove snow from their vehicles before driving.
(unlike the FWPD who don't seem to bother with people on the SE side of the city and all the snow THEY leave over their windows as they drive about).
I'm just sayin'...
Here's the story link:
http://www.chron.com/news/article/Man-charged-after-his-car-almost-completely-6772486.php

Whatta dumbass!

Now, I really do like senior citizens (hell, I'm damn near one myself), but THIS one takes the cake.
Are you SERIOUS? You call THAT snow-removal?
Gimme a break.
How can you NOT know that this might not be the BEST way to drive around?
I think that $110 dollar ticket was well worth the price of the stupidity displayed by this Octogenarian.
Maybe he should NOT have gone out in such bad weather until the ENTIRE car was cleared off?
Better yet, just stay the hell inside until APRIL.
Gonna be hard to pick a winner.
Let's just call this a THREE-WAY TIE!
(we can always issue MORE awards, right?
*** Next up, I heard that LAST year was the "warmest" one on record since records have been kept.
((yawn))

They're hugging to keep WARM.

Here we go again..
(let the laughter commence).
Never-mind the cycles of THE EARTH, and how mankind will never change THOSE. 
Never-mind the fact that we're currently between mini-ice ages (say many experts)..
Never-mind the core samples taken that predate modern record-keeping that tells a story COUNTER to what the leftards tell us.
Never-mind the extremely COLD winter weather we are "enjoying" in many parts of the USA.
Nothing to see here.
Just more global-warming alarmist tripe.
*** Next, and speaking of winter weather, the east coast is preparing for a MAJOR storm (that looks like it might rival the one in 1978-79) if the current conditions remain the same for the weekend out there.

And they call this storm JONAS.

Philly in expected to get over two feet...(wow)!
Well, that should shut the city down for a while.
Here's the story:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/20/us/a-snowstorm-is-expected-on-the-east-coast.html?_r=0

We're being told this could be "historical" in nature.
All the "panic shopping" is taking place at stores along the east coast, as could be expected, because people (these days) NEVER stop to think in advance of such events.
Ever hear of BEING PREPARED...just for the hell of it?
That's like living in Tornado Alley, and waiting until you SEE a cyclone coming to build that storm cellar...yeah, that's downright stupid.
I don't think I have enough dumbass awards to go around for this one.
Preemptive declarations of emergencies are spreading on the coast states.
*** Next, tonight we premiere a new show on the CW, and one that I've been anticipating for a while.

It's called DC's LEGENDS OF TOMORROW, and stars Arthur Darvill (Doctor Who and Broadchurch), as "Rip Hunter, Time-Master", who enlists the assistance of various people to track down an immortal (Vandal Savage), and save the Earth in the process.

If Rip Hunter sounds a bit familiar to those of you around MY age., WAY back in 1957, there was a comic created by JACK KIRBY (his pre-Marvel days) entitled CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN.
(a decent comic in it's day...wish I still had them).
JOE KUBERT did the artwork (he was best known for Sgt. Rock, among others).
Rip Hunter was the spawn of this publication and first appeared in Showcase #20, and many stories were historically accurate. Since then, the character has undergone various revision.

(that's the back story)
This incarnation looks to be very well done (reminds me of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen...only with more attitude, less "gentle", and a couple women...lol)
Brandon Routh (Superman Returns, Arrow) is back as Ray Palmer, alias The Atom, and a wonderful mix of good and bad round out the cast.
Here's a taste of what's to come:

Looks to be a fun time.
Arthur Darvill has become the "Doctor" of sorts, but without the wonder of the universe awaiting him, and a lot more "serious", because the fate of the world is at stake.
*** Last back to the ice pack...as will be mentioned in this new DC show: "Time changes, people don't." 
Time is a commodity ALL us have in very finite amounts.
While we may know when time began for us, we may never know when it will reach it's inevitable end.
So, it behooves each of us to make the most of whatever time we DO have, does it not?
Granted, there are instances where it's okay to waste some time here and there, but those are all giving in to our desires, and we do need that...once in a while.
It's when an entire life becomes based around one's desires, rather than attending to one's needs that the problems begin. And with some people, the pursuit of such desires DOES (and always will) have consequences.
Interesting thing about time itself; how we spend it is always dependent upon our CHOICES.
And isn't life itself a study in making the right choices as often as possible?

So, while people DON'T change, the capacity for them to at least TRY and change is ALWAYS there.
That should be challenge enough for all of us...to choose to become better, even though the odds are against us, and if we never get any help along the way.
Perhaps, THAT (alone) is a very good definition of what a hero can be.
We may all be heroes..we just haven't discovered it yet, but the opportunity is there nonetheless.

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