Friday Follies...

You could tell the difference outside after the rain passed through.
And we'll be having this bit of a cool down for the next couple days, before it gets hot again next week.
The biggest change was in the humidity...didn't feel like I was breathing water when I went outdoors.
Sorry, I just can't take the heat and humidity a well as I used to...gotta be the age thing.
Our Hoosierland weather for today bring us mostly sunny skies, temps reaching to around the 80 degree mark, and breezy conditions (in the 20 MPH range). Not bad...and getting a might better.

Now, before we get started on our journey into the weekend, let's all get that morning drink poured and parked close by, as we see what this crazy world has to offer us...
*** First off of the hard drive is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
AUGUST 18 -
---It's National Fajita Day

(didn't know this was an AMERICAN delicacy? Save it for Mexico, compadre)
---It's National Ice Cream Pie Day

(now THAT'S more like it)
---It's National Mail Order Catalog Day

(makes me long for the old Sears days and their catalogs)
*** Next, and since we are at the end of the week, let's see what the following 48 hours has to offer in the way of observances...
AUGUST 19 -
---Saturday is National Aviation Day

(funny, don't see a single air show in the vicinity)
---It's National Soft Ice Cream Day

(that's TWO days of ice cream in a row...nice trend)
AUGUST 20 -
Sunday is National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day

(pecan pie...AND chocolate? Be still my beating heart!)
---It's National Radio Day

(at least THOSE airwaves are STILL FREE, right?)
And there you have it...not that much going on, but some very good desserts in the offing.
Remember to observe responsibly,
*** Next up, seems Spain is now reaping the "benefits" of allowing the wrong people into THEIR country.

The terror attack in Barcelona proves as much. Now, all you have to do is rent a truck and drive it into a crowd of people, and then die in a shootout with police. Doesn't sound that complicated a task for even the 10th century camel-jockeys, does it?
Here's a link to one of the many stories:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/world/20170818/barcelona-terror-attack-kills-13

Hey Europe...READ this!

You know, this "light-handed" method of disallowing the assimilation of foreigners from the Middle East (and associated nations) so that these people can open up ancillary Islamic cadres in Europe (and in the USA) doesn't give me a warm and fuzzy feeling...why do you suppose that is?
France has found out the hard way, as has Germany, the UK, Sweden...the list is getting longer, isn't it?
Hell, we even had our share of radical Islamists among us.
And yet, it all comes down to becoming permissive societies, doesn't it?
You let the camel get his nose in the damn tent, and now he's sleeping, pissing, and crapping all
over your satin pillows and expensive carpets.
Sooner or later, everyone will find out this isn't working out and that many nations stand to lose much of their OWN, unique cultures...for the sake of WHAT, exactly?
*** Next, a little something that caught my ear when hearing another story about the confederate monuments.

I think it was one of the major network's news programs (that I forgot to turn the hell off), and whoever was the talking head at the moment spoke about how the confederacy broke away from America during our Civil War. THAT is what made me stop and think (uh oh...there he goes again).
Those states that seceded from the union (then) went by a SPECIFIC NAME, didn't they?
They called themselves...(get ready, this will be a shocker for some):

Even had their OWN flag.

THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF (here's the kicker folks) A M E R I C A ...!
They still recognized themselves AS AMERICANS, and not some other (new) country. Amazing stuff, huh? Even got a WIKI, found HERE
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederate_States_of_America
They didn't break away FROM America, just the "union", the northern states, the yankees (not the Mets...never the Mets).
And that was my point of contention...these newscasters spoke without knowing the history behind what they were saying. Also, there were abolitionists in the south, just as much as there were those who were slaveholders in the north.

Learn it, live it, love it.

Now, this nation of ours has been reduced to performing clandestine actions of monument-removal for the sake of the (extreme left) minority of the population (60% don't want them removed).
We're treading on very dangerous ground here.
*** Next up, more proof that local government has NO idea what a CIVIL SERVANT really is. Here's the link:
http://wane.com/2017/08/17/dozens-of-neighbors-oppose-building-plan-board-approves-that-plan/

A drug treatment facility slated to open at the long-vacant Verizon building on Rupp Drive east of Coliseum Boulevard, had a good amount of opposition by residents in the area, but the zoning board didn't seem to give a damn, and are planning to rezone the area to accept the facility.
((Security for the building is the major issue here. Residents say their main concern is safety. However, police and Park Center officials said the community will be more safe with more drug addicts receiving help.))
What the hell kind of LOGIC are these officials operating under? Maybe these "officials" need to check THEMSELVES into a drug facility, because they seem to need a LOT of help getting off of whatever they're smoking, snorting, or shooting.

You're going to have 100 addicts at this facility, with schools and residents very close by, and THIS type of venue is somehow safer?
The plan is to have two security guards there around the clock, and possibly a police outpost nearby. Hell, we could use that (plan) on OUR DAMN STREET!
Yeah, somehow, having all those addicted felons near MY house would make me nervous, too.
They manage to burglarize, rob and steal at their leisure these days...why would that miraculously STOP if and when this center gets approval and houses these people?
*** Next, a nice little drug raid uptown nets one (and more).

Here's the story link:
http://wane.com/2017/08/17/cocaine-children-found-during-raid-1-arrested/
This took place yesterday just after 0900 hrs at a house located at 1230 Swinney Ave.
((Inside the home, officers found a digital scale with cocaine residue, more than 100 grams of cocaine and several used baggies, according to a report.))
Quyon (which must be Swahili for DUMBASS LOSER) Dsean Rogers, 21, faces charges of Dealing Cocaine, Maintaining a Common Nuisance and two counts of Neglect of a Dependent.
Excuse me, but THAT is a woman? Getting harder to tell these days.
((Police also found a 10-month-old child and 3-year-old child. They were removed from the home and taken into custody by the Department of Child Services.
Neighborhood Code condemned the home after the raid.))
I condemn people like this for breeding and wreaking havoc on society.
*** Next up, let's tag out of the garbage heap, and instead spend some time at "Kitten Corner"...

"I'm not cute...I'm ADORABLE."

What can you say about cats that act so damn cute most of the time?
Well, you COULD say they get those crazies on, and they don't seem AS cute.

"She's right. I'M the cute one."

All it takes to get you back on their side (after some raucous behavior) is to stare at you with some big eyes (while you're eating), and all is pretty much forgiven (until the next time...lol).
*** Next, time to look in on "Midnight and Company"...

"Hahaha...humans are a hoot."

These two are fairly easy to get pictures of...
For one thing, they're not tearing through the house.

"Did I miss something funny?"

And the lighting is better outside than inside...heh.
As usual, Whiskers was around ALL day (into night), while our ebony feline had his morning meal, and then did his "patrol" gig until early afternoon. He stayed until dusk, then set off for another "adventure".
*** Last back to the CD-ROM...crazy doesn't begin to describe the world today.

And, to be clear, it's not the "funny" kind of crazy, but the OTHER kind - the dangerous kind of
crazy.
Take the way we seem to excel at BANNING things today.

"Whiskey -Tango-Foxtrot!?!"

We tried banning certain books (when I was in school)...that went over like a pregnant pole-vaulter.
Then we started banning WORDS, and not enough people pushed back as they did with the books.

Then, we banned flags (of the Confederacy, mainly), and that got past us.
We also banned religious items in government places (and some private ones, too), and as long as every other religion was INCLUDED, the Ten Commandments could stay (how nice of the leftards).

Now, we're banning monuments and statues, because "some" feel they're there to put blacks down (that's what I read...honest). Makes me wonder why Japanese-Americans aren't trying to take down the USMC monument in Arlington?
I mean, we ARE hearing murmurs about the Washington monument and Jefferson Memorial (because both had slaves, who were WELL-treated and educated, btw). The Lincoln Memorial was recently vandalized, and he was AGAINST slavery (anyone remember that Emancipation Proclamation thing?).
We only had slavery because it was PERMITTED in the colonies (thanks, England), and later in the fledgling United States.
We have a great many things in the USA because they are permitted, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are correct or what we need.
Many times, we allow things we're not even aware of, but are there as an unintended consequence to previous actions (or inactions).
And that unfortunately brings us back to this crazy-ass world.
Not that hard to figure out how we got to this point in time.
The challenge is for us to decide how we're going to extricate ourselves from this Gordian knot.
Time can work for us, or against us in this matter.
Do have yourselves a good weekend.

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