Thoughts For Thursday...

We're winding down this last full week of the month of February.
(that kinda stuff happens when the month is only 28 days long (and Mardi Gras is around the corner).
At this rate, we might start selling EASTER candy in the stores, right?
Everything seems damp out there this morning. Didn't hear about any real rain blowing through.
(heavy dew?)

Our Hoosierland weather for today has us with another mild day, with temps reaching into the mid-60s, with partly cloudy skies, some showers coming by later this afternoon (into tonight), and slight breezes. Not bad.
So, let's start this day off with a nice morning beverage as we see what else has been going on.
*** First out of the pencil box is the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education."

This was spoken by our good friend, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  (born Michael King Jr., January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) who was an American Baptist minister and a leadr of America's Civil Rights Movement.
And in case you need a reminder, here is his WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.

Now here is a man who HONESTLY deserved the Nobel Peace Prize he was awarded in 1964,
But there is so much more that preceded that and helped shape the man that Dr. King would become as he was growing up.
I'll leave all of you to read that for yourselves. It's a very good read.
A shame his legacy has not been appreciated by more people, especially those of his own race.
But, he did leave us a marvelous legacy...no question about that.
*** Next up, time for our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
FEBRUARY 23 -
---Today is National Tile Day
(go hug a shower stall?)

---It's National Banana Bread Day

( I should make some - I love it)
---It's National Dog Biscuit Day

(I think Scrappy will do fine with this one)
---It's National Toast Day

(got this covered several times a week)
---It's National Chili Day

(had this on Tuesday...a little early, I know)
*** Next up, time for our usual dose of local STUPID.

(as if you had to ask)
---this first story had me scratching my head, until I read further:
http://www.wpta21.com/story/34578104/knifes-recalled-due-to-laceration-hazard

Knives RECALLED Due to a LACERATION hazard?
Well, you might get CUT with THESE babies...because they might BREAK when you use them.(sure don't make things like they used to, do they?)

Never had a knife break when using one yet.

Still, careful and proper use of anything rarely ends in injury...right?
---The next story explains WHY Wifey and I have TWO gas cards these days:
http://wane.com/2017/02/22/police-investigate-serious-shooting/

This took place around 1945 hrs at the BP station located at the intersection of Tillman and S. Anthony.
One man was shot there, and is in serious condition.
No other information is coming from the FWPD (as usual - not a good trend to follow).
Now, we NEVER get gas after sundown(especially down here), but we used to use this station a lot before we got our Shell card.
We now frequent the station on Winchester and Bluffton. Better to drive a little and save a lot (like one's life).
---This next story took place shortly after the last one:
http://wane.com/2017/02/22/officer-fires-at-armed-man-police-take-two-into-custody/

This took place around 2000 hrs in the 3000 block of Alexander St (smack dab in the ghettohood).
Police responded to a call about three men with guns, and when officers arrived, they spotted the men, and told them to drop their weapons. After that, the men ran towards S. Anthony.
Eventually, two of the three were caught (after an undercover officer fired one shot when one of the men turned back on him, hitting no one - oh, the paperwork involved with that).
Police recovered two handguns.
The ID of the escaped suspect was not released.
It's a good bet that ALL THREE were BLACK, and most likely the person shot at the BP station was black.
They're about the ONLY ones roaming about down here after dark (can't see 'em unless they smile).
Sorry, that's just the facts.
*** Next up, a raid nets 2 and some other goodies:
http://www.news-sentinel.com/news/local/Fort-Wayne-Police-raid-yields-synthetic-drug--stolen-weapons

This took place in the 3600 block of S. Hanna St yesterday around 1345 hrs.
After serving a warrant at the address, police found "spice", three handguns - 2 were stolen, a Ruger P95 w/.extended mag and a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield.

They failed their own race nicely.

Iesha Bennett, 26, charged with maintaining a common nuisance, possession of a synthetic narcotic and two counts of neglect of a dependent.
Steve Bennett, 33, is charged with felony carrying a firearm without a license and maintaining a common nuisance. Two small children were removed from the house.
The Department of Child Services is investigating (I'm sure they are).
And that's about as much stupid as even I can handle today.
*** Next up, let's stop ovr to "Kitten Corner"...
Well, yesterday was "one for the books", as they say.

Started out peaceful enough...

Must be something in the air. Whatever it was had the cats acting super spazz-mo around the house. Thankfully, it was not all day, but they did run in spurts.
Early in the afternoon, I heard them back in the laundry room (where the litter box is).
No problem, right?
WRONG.
Gallifrey was down in one of the clothes hampers, looking up at me.

"Uh, hi there...a little help, daddy?"

Well, he wasn't getting out easily, because he's not heavy enough to knock the hamper over to get out, and he's not strong enough to reach the top and pull himself the hell out.
Violet took a turn on this "ride", but I stopped her before she could get down into it.
We were far from done...

"Hey, I had nothing to do with that at all."

Later in the evening, Wifey was on the phone AND trying to pet Gallifrey, who was rubbing up to her. Well, she wanted to shoo him away with a pillow, but knocked a full glass of Pepsi onto the floor.
Bob to the rescue here (again), sopping up the mess.
Maybe a pillow might not be the BEST way to handle such things, or maybe we need to play with the cat FIRST, so he leaves (as they usually do) and THEN get on the phone?
There are other options available. We just have to find them, sometimes by trial and error (and spillage).
I'm up to that challenge.
*** Last back to the junk drawer...once again, we see examples of how important education should be.

The stories above clearly demonstrate what happens when the LACK of education leads to criminal behavior. Now, I say that because none of them are members of Mensa International, that's for SURE.
And when you do dumb shit, expect nothing less than the typical conclusion to your choice of behavior.
You make the choice, you live with the consequence, and don't try to palm it off on anyone else. No one did anything FOR you along these lines. You do such things TO yourself, BY yourself. And YOU are the one that has to do one of two things:
1) LEARN from it
2) IGNORE it, and keep being stupid
Sadly, many choose the latter, and it shows.

If more people spent more time making more of themselves (than idiots), we wouldn't have half the problems we do today.
And that runs the gamut of every ethnicity and every nationality.
Of course, having a better sense of morality never hurt anyone either, right?

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