Friday Follies...

Welcome to the last Friday for January, and it's just now starting to feel like January once again.
(not that it's a bad thing...it IS still winter, right?)
And those snow showers didn't amount to anything yesterday, did they?
Our Hoosierland weather for today finds us with mostly cloudy skies (AGAIN), scattered snow showers, maybe some sun this afternoon, breezy conditions, temps reaching to around 30 degrees, and NO sign of the Apocalypse.
Sounds good to me, especially that LAST one.
And with that, maybe it's time we get a hot cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa to wake us the hell up and get us going this AM.
*** First out from under the blankets is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
JANUARY 27 -
---Today is National Big Wig Day

(I thought it had to do with donating hair for cancer victims)
---It's National Chocolate Cake Day

(Uh oh...might have to bake one now)
*** And since we're staring into that abyss commonly known as "The Weekend", let's see what observances take place over the following 48 hours, hmm?
JANUARY 28 -
---Saturday is Data Privacy Day

(good luck with all the hackers and spammers out there)
---It's National Blueberry Pancake Day

(that sounds like a good breakfast to me)
---It's National Fun at Work Day

(don't know ANYONE who has fun at work, especially on a bloody SATURDAY)
---It's National Kazoo Day

(already? Need to get me one)
---And, it's National Seed Swap Day

(we got some - come on down)
JANUARY 29 -
---Sunday is National Corn Chip Day

(there was a phase I went through when I liked them. Not so much now.)
It's also National Puzzle Day

(there are MANY things that puzzle me in this world)
And there you have it...observe responsibly, and always make sure to have a "designated observer" along...just in case.
*** Next up, I've been noticing the number of stories in the local paper (Journal-Gazette - the left-leaning one), and it's not hard to figure out that there is an overabundance of stories pertaining to our new president.

He DOES have decent jazz-hands, though.

Today, for example, there are NINE stories that mention Trump. Isn't that a tad too many, and aren't there other things going on both locally and in the rest of the world?

Sure seems that way...daily.

One might begin to think there was this "magnificent obsession" with our commander-in-chief...even more so that the former one, who loved himself more than anyone or anything else.
Anyone think to CONSOLIDATE the stories into perhaps one or two?

Then again, we ARE talking about Libtard reporting, aren't we?
*** Next, and along those lines, I read this story and got to thinking (uh,oh):
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/us/Trump-wants-20--import-tax-to-fund-wall-17496794

Trump wants to charge a 20% tax on imports from Mexico (as a way to fund The Wall)...gotta be real careful with this one, and here's one reason why:
Many sub-assemblies of American vehicles come from Mexico (as well as other countries), and adding a 20% tax to such items will definitely affect the price of a completed vehicle, will they not, unless those assemblies are made HERE in the USA (job-creation, perhaps?)

gonna

That's a LOT of car parts.

That's not going to help helping consumers (except if we make the stuff here), even if it is ensuring that a lot fewer illegals come across the border.
Trade-offs can be a bitch.
*** Next up, here's our daily dose of stupid, as if we would get a day off from this crap...

Like this jerk below

---This is a case of TNB, plain and simple:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/Arrest-made-after-shooting-binge-17480808
Roy Jerome Thomas, 45, of the 6400 block of John Street, is our latest inductee into the League of Extraordinary Dumbassery, for going on a shooting "binge".
Helluva word to use...like he was doing something akin to watching an entire season of Game of Thrones, or something.
Guess it beats using the word "spree"...perhaps.
And by all means, shoot at your estranged wife. Getting kinda old to go gangsta on her ass, aren't you?
He shot at her TWICE on the same day (9 Jan).
The first time was at 0730 hrs out front of her house, and again around 2200 hrs shooting INTO her house.
Naturally, one of the shots struck a neighbor's house (he missed an entire HOUSE and struck another?). Can't seem to hit a bull in the ass with a bass fiddle, can he?
This asshole needs to be taken OFF the streets for a good LONG time, before he actually gets lucky and kills someone.
*** Next, more of the whackadoo "scientists" who brought you global warming and then climate change are going after something else now...female stereotypes.

Here's the proof:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/science/Stereotypes-hit-little-girls-17491883
This "study" suggests that as early as age 6 or 7, "...girls can be led to believe men are inherently smarter and more talented than women, making girls less motivated to pursue novel activities or ambitious careers".

Who DOES these dumb-ass studies, and at that age, ANY child (male OR female) can be led to believe damn near ANYTHING for Christ's sake!
(that's why we got the frigging EASTER BUNNY, you morons)

THIS is the kind of bullshit tripe that really pisses me the hell off. Screwing with children as a precursor to a more formal "indoctrination" to produce a more pliable society as they mature...
Funny thing, when we were that age, girls were actually SMARTER than the boys, and continued that (proven) trend until well into high school Them's the FACTS, and from a BIOLOGICAL standpoint. Girls' brains mature at a faster rate...again, FACTS.
All this study does for me, is reinforce the notion that some people want to emasculate males in this country, and this is just another method of doing it...diverting out attention with more PCBS.
Gender discrimination...seriously?
Try pushing that bullshit "social justice" on THINKING people...major fail.

ALL those books, and you didn't LEARN ANYTHING?

“We need to explain to children that laws were created specifically to prevent women from becoming great scientists, artists, composers, writers, explorers, and leaders,” says one Rebecca S. Bigler, professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. 
Where did you BUY that effin degree, cupcake, because I don't know of ANY such "laws" keeping women submissive in such an erroneous manner.
*** Next, and moving away from the realm of stupid, there's THIS story which does focus on what's important:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/Prayers-offered-for-police-officers-17491605
Now, while this isn't exactly like the Philly Police and Fire Breakfast (which I was fortunate enough to attend once), it does speak highly as to how much law-enforcement is valued, and it never hurts to have the clergy on your side while on the "job".
One pastor said that both his job and that of law-enforcement "are the loneliest jobs in the world".
It can also be one of the most rewarding, most terrifying, most under-appreciated, and once in a while, the MOST appreciated.

And that can happen in the space of one shift rotation.
Kudos to the clergy for recognizing this, and for the LEOs out there for their dedication.
*** Next up, let's go see what's happening at "Kitten Corner"...

Nothing like running about the house, only to tucker yourself out.

And nothing like a long nap afterwards (before the next surge of energetic activity).
Birds to see, toys to play with, meals to eat, people to rub against, and all of it crammed into each day.

The original "twosome"

I often think back to when Penny and Rassie were kittens, and how they became a part of our lives.
I'd like to believe we're doing okay with Violet and Gallifrey as well.
Even with their antics, they do help chase the "lonelies" away.
*** Last off of the pillows...I cannot imagine a time when our family did not have a pet.

As I grew up, we always had a dog...later on, two or three (maybe a guinea pig now and then, too), and after that, we had a dog and a cat then finally two cats.
And this was just back when I lived in Philly.

Since living in Hoosierland, Wifey and I have had two cats, and it works out well enough for everyone, no matter how many feet there are walking around.

And since our last cat passed away, we chose to give two new cats a forever home.
Now, unless you have the pet from hell, a dog or cat can be a soothing influence.

I look at them as the calm that takes me away from whatever storm is going on in life.
Perhaps that is why we often assign "family member" status to our pets.

A shame that some people view pets as mere property; something to be bought and sold like a "thing" rather than one of God's creatures. But, we're also not talking bred-for food here (well, maybe in Indonesia). We're talking about pets that become friends...dear friends.

People are social animals, and our domesticated companions can teach us a lot regarding that, should we ever forget.
Just something to think about the next time your dog or cat curls up next to you.
Have yourselves a fantastic weekend.

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