Monday Musings...

If you're like me, and having a wee bit of trouble waking up this morning, stick you face out the door for about 30 seconds...I'm fairly certain you'll wake up!
Yes, it's slightly on the "brisk" side out there, but it's not raining (for a change).
Welcome to our Thanksgiving week, where we culminate into the official holiday season by this Friday. But. let's not get ahead of ourselves...not yet, anyway...
Our Hoosierland weather finds us with mostly sunny skies, with temps reaching to around the 50-degree mark.

So, bring your face in from outside and make yourself a nice hot cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa as we see what's been going on elsewhere...
*** First off of the counter-top is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
NOVEMBER 20 -
---It's National Absurdity Day

(these days, every topic fills the bill with this one)
---It's National Peanut Butter Fudge Day

(ALL fudge is fair game in my book)
*** Next up, we always hear about celebrities dying in THREES, and this weekend was no different.
First, we read where actress Ann Wedgeworth passed away at the age of 83.

She was the woman (Lana) chasing Jack Ritter's character around in Three's Company. Here is her WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Wedgeworth

Second, we read where Malcom Young, co-founder of the legendary rock group AC/DC died at the age of 64. Here is his WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_Young

Third, country singer and songwriter Mel Tillis died at the age of 85. He also appeared in the movies The Cannonball Run and Smokey and the Bandit (and a couple others).
Here is his WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Tillis
We shall miss them all.
*** Next, another death occurred over the weekend, and one that I know a LOT of people are glad to see (and should have taken place about 48 years prior).
Charles Manson has FINALLY kicked the damn bucket (thought that piece of shit would NEVER croak).

He was 83 and has cost taxpayers too damn much money thanks to liberal policy (invalidation of the death penalty back in 1972) which SHOULD have had him executed, rather than serve life imprisonment. Here is the WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Manson
Good riddance to bad rubbish...at long last.
*** Next, I had seen a story about a accidental shooting of a female on Sutton Dr (NW) on the news last night, but they buried the story (better the story than the woman). Must have been another firearm "cleaning" that went sideways.

Anyway, yesterday's paper had a good story, and considering the paper arrived missing the front 3 sections and had to be delivered a 2nd time (take a little pride in what you do, people), the wait might have been worth it (no matter how inconvenient this clusterf*ck may have been). Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/20171119/hit-skip-accidents-soar-in-city-county
Yes, this has to do with those traffic accidents i mention every Tuesday.

It seems our fair city is seeing a crapload more incidents of late.
And the rate of those "hit-skips" has risen as well.

Lt Tony Maze (FWPD) has a good take on this:
((“To be honest, there's a lot of variables in this. The common theme seems to be that there's either no insurance on the perpetrating vehicle or the perpetrating driver is impaired,” Maze said. “Or the driver may have an outstanding warrant. “They'd rather roll the dice and get a hit and run.”))
Explanations for the increase include population growth, greater awareness of penalties and fines, more reporting of the crime and surveillance cameras.
Personally, I don't think people know the penalties. After all, we DO have a large refugee/immigrant population, and the language barrier seems like it could be a contributing factor, even if these people somehow manage to get a license.
Many in the minority communities are arrested (behind the wheel) without EVER getting a driver's license.
Doesn't that make you feel SO much better while driving?

The Blond Phantom, aka Allen County prosecutor (for life) Karen Richards weighs in, and believes it has to do with our population growth as well. I'm not as convinced. She goes on to say that "possibly fewer people have insurance".
Now THAT I CAN believe. How else would you explain it?

In OUR city you can!

Also, whenever I read the felony reports, and see time and again that a driver booked into lockup for DUI (and never getting a license OR insurance) is "released on his/her own recognizance", that's sending a clear message that our city isn't taking such crimes AS SERIOUSLY as they really should (for everyone else's safety).

Well, he DOES have a license...and insurance.

And whenever there IS bail it's a paltry $2500 (tops), which means they ONLY have toi post $250.
That's not EVEN a slap on the damn wrist...is it?
*** Next up, let's ease off the pedal and take a little trip to our "Kitten Corner"...

The "new kids" here on 19 Nov 2016

Well, we celebrated ONE YEAR of having these two furballs in our house (their forever home) yesterday, and that was cause for cake...cupcakes, actually.

Mmmm...yummy!

Nice little mini cupcakes...vanilla of course.
Now, if you're wondering if that's good for cats...YES, it is. There are loads of videos of cats eating cupcakes online.
Just don't make it a "staple" of their diet. Once a year is fine.

Have a cupcake, kids.

Our kids didn't take to the cupcakes in a manner I thought they would. They licked them a bit and then moved on...typical (spoiled) cat behavior...LOL
*** Next, time to check in with "Midnight and Company"...

A nice shredded chicken feast...

Our furry twosome were around most ALL weekend, and didn't really miss a meal.
We know Whiskers is cribbing in the shelter Mark II, while God only knows where Midnight goes.

And, it's served on a warmed dish.

(he can fit into the smaller shelter, but I've not seen him enter or exit it)

Perhaps some cold weather will change his mind?

You cats get cupcakes, too.

And, naturally, we could not leave out our community cats when it came to celebrating our adopted cats first anniversary with us, either. They each (also) got a mini cupcake...and they both LOVED them (more than our indoor cats...go figure).

Please leave the fingers.

Whiskers and Midnight could barely contain themselves as I tried to take the paper off and get the cupcakes to their plates.

She's SO lady-like.

And they enjoyed it, apparently. Called that one right.
Sure beats half-eaten fast food tossed from a stupid mook's car window (in the street).
*** Last back to the kitchen sink...been a real topsy-turvy weekend (from what I noticed).

Then again, it's damn difficult to find any week these days that's NOT in some sort of upheaval.
And, we're told that as hard as life can be, the more we require a time to "play"...to relax, chill, take it easy...whatever.
Usually, such things typically came AFTER the hard work was done for the day (or week), but now, leisure time seems to take precedence, and that any work should be considered an after-thought.

Well, such things are just back-asswards, and demonstrates how our society has changed over the last few decades...not always for the good,.
The (current) opioid "epidemic" is one result of people seeking an outlet, albeit a stupid an deadly one.
The rise in violent crime is another...gotta blow off all that pent-up anger somehow, don't we?
People skirting the laws we created to protect us, and ignoring the requisite protocols mandated by society when it comes to our privileges are a major problem as well.
We seem to want to seek the extreme, rather than the simple, and that pften leads to creating more problems than life already has in store for us.

I'd much rather deal with the problems (first) so I CAN enjoy the times that follow. It's like your own reward for a job well done (which is much better than anything that's merely "well said".)
Actions will always speak louder than words, and perhaps it's time we made our actions less sensational and more sensible...so we can enjoy what life has to offer on it's own. It's what we used to do.

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