Friday Follies...

Welcome to the last gasp of the month of May...and to the official "unofficial" kickoff to Summer.
This will be a busy weekend, and not just around the city of Indianapolis.
We're still waiting for that rain to arrive here...nothing yet (but empty promises).
Our Hoosierland weather for today will look a lot like yesterday, with partly to mostly cloudy skies, rising humidity and temps reaching back into the mid 80s.
So, what say we get this show on the road and get that morning drink poured and parked close by, as we see what else is (and will be) going on elsewhere...
*** First off of the grill is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
May 27 -
---Today is NATIONAL CELLOPHANE TAPE DAY

(and we're "stuck" with still using it)
---It's also NATIONAL GRAPE POPSICLE DAY

(got purple tongue much?)
---It's NATIONAL DON'T FRY DAY

(grilling is not frying in the proper sense, no matter WHAT kind of "meat" you use)
---And, it's NATIONAL HEAT AWARENESS DAY

(There are places in INDIA where they need to do this one)
*** Now, since we're at week's end, let's see what takes place over the subsequent 48 hours:
May 28 -
---Saturday is NATIONAL BRISKET DAY

(for all the NON-Irish among us, I suppose)
---And, it's NATIONAL HAMBURGER DAY

(hell, that can be ANY day for me)
May 29 -
---Sunday is NATIONAL COQ AU VIN DAY

(think rooster with wine - yeah, it's French)
---It's also NATIONAL PAPERCLIP DAY

(when there's no cellophane tape around)
There you go then...plenty of things to keep you busy and away from trouble.
*** Next up, this Sunday is also the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 race.

Here's the WIKI for this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indianapolis_500

Personally, I find the HISTORY of the track (and past races) a LOT more interesting.
Only been there once, and I loved the museum there.
Wish I had taken more photos AND had a digital camera at the time (this was before 2000).
Now, the RACE (itself) celebrated it's 100th anniversary back in 2011, but there was a few years that there was no race (WW2), so that's why THIS year is a big deal with the 100th running.
Dad and I used to listen on the radio to the race every year, and the coverage made you feel like you were there.
Later, the Orleans movie theater (Philly) had closed-circuit broadcasts of the race (live) on the HUGE screen, and we would go and watch it there. After television got the rights to show the race, we obviously stayed at home to watch it, even if it was a tape delay The radio was still there for the LIVE broadcast. Live telecasts began in 1986.

James Melton

The first time that "Back Home Again in Indiana" was sung was in 1946 by American operatic tenor James Melton (who was also a car enthusiast).
In 1972, Jim Nabors sang the song before the race for the first time.

From Gomer to adopted Hoosier

His last year doing it was 2014.
The drink of milk began in 1933, after Louis Meyer won his second race.

He requested a glass of buttermilk (and got one). After he won his third race in 1936, he again asked for a glass, but was handed a bottle. A photographer snapped the picture, and the rest, as they say...was history.

The Borg-Warner trophy was unveiled at the 1936 race, as well.
It's a good read and helps you get some of the remarkable history behind "The greatest spectacle in motor racing" (as it's been called).
*** Next up, there are projects afoot in Fort Wayne...and pretty expensive ones at that.
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/10-year-plan-for-city-unveiled-13260833

Remember a while back (almost a decade, in fact) that I mentioned about a "master-plan" for this city, and how certain "puzzle pieces" were being put in place? Well, wonder no longer. A TEN-YEAR plan has (finally) been unveiled.
And the cost for all this to happen...pretty astronomical.

There are these names such as STEAM PARK, that are being helmed by that wonderful "star chamber" (as I pejoratively refer to such entities) known as Greater Fort Wayne Inc., who say this plan and it's projects WILL be completed in ten years.

"Muahahahahaaaaa"

Being a bit PRESUMPTUOUS, aren't they?
Naturally, ALL of this takes place near the downtown and riverfront areas...not a lick or spit about anyplace else, especially on the SOUTH side. Guess we're still left to rot the hell away. Thanks, people.
You have to watch these people from GFW...they will nudge, push and shove this agenda through, come hell or high water. And just WHERE do they "plan" to get ALL this effin MOOLAH to pay for these grandiose desires?
THAT will be the really big issue, make no mistake.
Of course, Sweetwater Sound's Chuck Surack is hip-deep in this mix, as is Ron Turpin (chairman of GFW).
You need to remember these names. They WILL cost a lot of people a lot of money.
The good old boy network is still hard at work, don't believe otherwise.
*** Next up, we had a wee bit of "gun-running" in the Summit City, too.
Here's that story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/courts/2-local-men-indicted-on-federal-gun-charges-13263238

Warner               Sanchez

Matthew Warner, 21, and Carlos Sanchez, 30 have been indicted by the FEDS for running a gun-running gig.
Dealing firearms W/O an FFL license...not good.
And, dealing with firearms w/ obliterated serial numbers...also, NOT good.
This was meant to fail from the start, but the thing is, we don;t know how MANY illegal firearms found their way into the wrong hands, do we?
And the libtards wants stricter gun laws...WHY?
If anything, work HARDER with the CURRENT LAWS, and make sure that ILLEGAL guns don;lt get on our streets. And serve much heavier penalties for those who rob ro steal firearms from law-abiding citizens.
Start THERE.
Practice that Broken Window Theory and take care of the small shit first, before it becomes the big shit, kapeesh?
*** Next, it IS Memorial Day weekend, and that means cookouts, sadly, the advent of consumer fireworks season, drunkenness, an overall bad behavior, and really craptastic driving by the mild-to-highly impaired on our streets, roads, and highways.

Could be worse - you could be HERE.

Seems people forget the REAL meaning, or it gets lost at the bottom of some beer bottle (which will get tossed out some car window onto some lawn).

Used to mean a lot MORE when I was young, and it had little to do with acting out due to inebriation and the subsequent stupidity that often followed. But, that's another post for another day, isn't it?
*** Last back to the ice-chest...I spoke about being VIGILANT the other day, and I was referring to being on guard when it comes to the criminal element.

But, there are other things to be JUST as aware of these days.
The politicians - those "civil SERVANTS" we elect need to be kept in check as well, for they will run slipshod over us all if we're not careful (look at the poser in the White House for the past 7+ years, for example).
As I stated here (often), we, the people, have been pulled in so many directions over the last few years, that it becomes hard to choose our "battles", as it were.
Many people can't be bothered with it, and cave to the pressure from any and all forms of entertainment, in the hope that ignorance of the problems we face will make them all just go away.
Sorry, not gonna happen.
Bread and Circuses may be a very temporary form of diversion, but it never solves anything. And what this country needs right now...are solutions, and not more problems.
We have to be "on-watch" for anything and anyone coming along that will deter us or cause us to divert our attention to the tasks at-hand, and that being the restoration of our nation to it's proper place in time and history.
Sure, it might seem a monumental task requiring Herculean strength, and the wisdom of Solomon, but with enough people, the task becomes lighter to bear, and closer to achievement.
Eyes on the prize time, folks...with our country and it's future at stake.
May we be up to whatever task we need to do in order to solve our problems, and not avoid them.
Have yourselves a great weekend.

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