Thoughts For Thursday...

We're clawing and scratching our way to the weekend.
It's like this week doesn't seem to want to let us go, does it?
But, we are getting there, slow but sure.
The forecast looks like it's behaving itself as well. One thing we didn't hear about was this pop-up snow flurries yesterday afternoon. That caught me off guard, but it didn't last that long. You sneezed, you missed it.
Our Hoosierland weather has us with mostly cloudy skies, temps around 38 degrees and damn if it doesn't look like a close replay of yesterday.

Like where's that morning drink???

So, let's toss caution to the wind, while we all get ourselves a nice hot cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa and see what has been going on elsewhere...
*** First out of the control tower is the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"Respect for ourselves guides our morals, respect for others guides our manners". 

This was spoken by another "newbie", one Laurence Sterne (24 November 1713 – 18 March 1768), and he was an Irish novelist and an Anglican clergyman. Here is his WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurence_Sterne

Sterne is one of those people we should be hearing about, as he was one of the first men to support the abolition of slavery.
It's not that long a read, but shows once again how God works in men, especially men "of the cloth".
He wrote the novels The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman and A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy, and also published many sermons, wrote memoirs, and was involved in local politics.
So much for the division of church and state, but remember, this was not America, and Sterne was not a colonist.
The family lived a rather nomadic life, never staying in one place for more than a year at a time.
Having been awarded a master of arts degree in 1740, Sterne was already a deacon since 1737 and became a priest in 1738.
He didn't start writing in earnest until he was in his 40s.
I think you'll find his life better than average for the times.
*** Next up, it's time for our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
FEBRUARY 16 -
---Today is National Almond Day

(Haven't found one yet I didn't like)
---And, it's National Do a Grouch a Favor Day.

(Feel free to drop by and "favor" me. I am available. HA!)
*** Next up, how to properly assess our king's "State of the Realm" address yesterday...let me count the ways.

1) it was rather boring (as usual)
2) it focused on all the downtown/riverfront crap that 80% of the residents here won't be bothered with
3) he talked about violence, guns, gangs and drugs in our community, and labeled them as "criminal elements".
Sorry, but GUNS are not an "element" of crime...just a TOOL (much like yourself, sire), so please learn the difference, your highness.
(someone needs to take him to the pistol range...soon)
4) he IS a democrat, and that means he'll spend more than any republican.
At least I didn't toss my breakfast or put a bullet into the computer screen...but I did shout a bit.
I just get tired of the same old song and dance, while we wallow in a cesspool of human refuse down here with little to no REAL amenities to speak of (just some bare bones necessities, widely scattered as they are).

Here are the "low-lights" from the speech:
http://wane.com/2017/02/15/highlights-from-state-of-the-city-address/
And here is the complete transcript:
http://www.wpta21.com/story/34510546/full-text-state-of-the-city-address
That's all about that...for the time being.
*** Speaking of city "improvements", we now have street work going on right outside the "Fortress".
(think of this as "an adventure in pictures"...lol.

Got NO idea what's going on, but it DOES tone down the traffic and even keeps most of the boom cars away.
Thank God for small favors, hmm?
*** Next, let's see what kind of local STUPID we can dredge up...

You tell 'em, George!

---A drug raid leads to two arrests.

Here's the story link:
http://wane.com/2017/02/15/police-find-guns-half-pound-of-weed-in-raid-2-arrested/

You be BUSTED!

This took place around 0940 hrs at a house located in the 400 block of WEST Wildwood Ave (where I said crime was spreading years ago) near Hoagland Ave and Lutheran Park (where the old hospital used to stand).
Police arrested Jonathan Lamont Parks, 39,  and Cara Jay Kisling.
He's a got a nice LONG rap sheet, too. LOTS of traffic infractions, possession, resisting...another "20 miles of bad road" career criminal. His address isn't even listed as being on Wildwood.
Typical multiple address for this one.Try 215 W. Oakdale.
The Wildwood place has to be in her name.
Police also found 2 handguns, ammo, and about a 1/2 pound of marijuana at the house.
*** More on that recent shooting at the Lassus on Dupont:
http://wane.com/2017/02/15/eyewitness-i-just-crouched-behind-my-car-and-waited/
And this is why it's not safe to venture out after dark in more parts of this city.

The getaway driver was listed as Jailon Parrish, 19, and that family name has a real history in THIS city (anyone remember Rico Parrish?), Jailon was arrested on an outstanding warrant, but released on his own recognizance (typical).Pretty bad choice you made fleeing the scene.
*** Next, this story REALLY take the cake when it comes to stupid. Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/indiana/Cigarette-tax-offsets-road-costs-17816521

ANY politician with half a brain can see this funding won't work, simply because the number of smokers continues to DROP in the state...and with it the "revenue" that's supposed to be gathered.
Talk about your "duh" moment.
Better to take it from the state SURPLUS, and leave we smokers the hell ALONE.
The GOP is damn near as bad as the leftards these days.
*** Next, I have got to get away from all this damnable stupid, so let's stroll over to "Kitten Corner"...

What? I'm not knocking stuff off NOW."

I actually had to yell at the cats yesterday (first time for everything), as they were running through the house. One of them came down the stairs, jumped on the shelf and knocked one of the castle statuary figures over, onto the floor. Luckily, it didn't break.

"Okay, I haz settled down now."

I had to intervene, and try to get my calm back, as well as theirs.
Didn't take long, and soon all was right again with napping cats anda human with normal blood pressure.

"I just wanna see birdies."

I forget that 20 years ago, we had kittens, but for some reason, it didn't seem near as frenetic as these two are.
Wonder if cats do the "millennial" gig like humans...sure hope not.
*** Last back to the hangar...people are notorious for creating problems.

Now THAT is something we all should know by now, right?
So, it would stand to reason that only PEOPLE can solve them, yes?
Well, not so fast, Sparky. That's isn't the way things seem to work nowadays.
What I'm noticing, is that after people create problems, they like to perpetuate them, and will devise all sorts of "stuff" in the hope that it will appear to be taken care of and thereby cured.
Nope...sorry. That's not a solution.
People will dance all around an issue, toss loads of crap at every wall, thinking that some of it will stick and make the problems go away.
What they need to do is define the problem...FIRST. Learn what caused the problem, and how that problem impacts on other things and can create even more problems.

In other words...learn to PLAN AHEAD. Think about where you want to be, rather than where you currently are, and how best to get to that point with the least amount of hassle.
To many times, we see the folly of bad thinking, like the educational system.
Politicians go and fund all this PRE-K crap and VOUCHER programs, never realizing that THOSE funds take away from a public school system that has been in need of repair for decades, and still they claim they nee more money FOR the public schools. Is this starting to sound like nonsense yet?
It's like fixing the ENGINE in your car by REPLACING the TRANSMISSION...never gonna work, folks.
You can't take money FROM the schools to create programs designed to take students from the same schools and expect the education system to function as it was meant to...right?

This is only the easiest issue to point at. There are numerous other ones that are just as screwed the hell up, if not more so, and we keep allowing those who think they know more to run slipshod over everyone else an say it's the way to go.

Sorry, Mom didn't raise no fool here.
And the sooner the people affected by these changes realize what's being done TO them, rather than FOR them, the better off we ALL will be. Sounds simple enough. All we have to do is choose the right path.

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