Thoughts For Thursday...

Looks like another day off without rain (before we get more late tomorrow)...gotta love Indiana weather.
Everything is still damp, and will most likely remain that way, until we get at least TWO days in a row without any precipitation. Amazing how that works, isn't it?
Our Hoosierland weather for today brings us mostly cloudy skies, temps only climbing to around 43 degrees, and some slight windy conditions, which will make it feel colder than it really is (oh...joy).
I know that's got me reaching for anything with long sleeves.

So what say we take a minute and get ourselves a nice hot cup of coffee...or tea...or hot chocolate (or perhaps something with a bit more "kick" to it), as we see what's going on elsewhere...
*** First out of the microwave is the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"In our age there is no such thing as 'keeping out of politics.' All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred and schizophrenia."

This was spoken by none other than Eric Arthur Blair (now who the hell is THIS guy, Bob?)
Okay, you definitely know him by his pen-name - GEORGE ORWELL (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950), who was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic. His work is marked by lucid prose, awareness of social injustice, opposition to totalitarianism, and outspoken support of democratic socialism (well, no one's perfect).
And here is his WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Orwell
If you ever read ANY of his works (and going through high school, you MUST have, as I did), then you will find his life story a pretty good read.
(( He is best known for the allegorical novella Animal Farm (1945) and the dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949). His non-fiction works, including The Road to Wigan Pier (1937), documenting his experience of working class life in the north of England, and Homage to Catalonia (1938), an account of his experiences in the Spanish Civil War, are widely acclaimed, as are his essays on politics, literature, language, and culture. In 2008, The Times ranked him second on a list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".))
He did have an interesting life, being a member of the Indian Imperial Police in Burma, was a journalist in Paris, robbed of all his money at a lodging house, took menial jobs like dish-washing to get by, and eventually returned to his parents' home at Souhtwold (England).
He later became a teacher, and after that, became an assistant in a bookshop.

In many ways, I see him as an early version of Studs Terkel, only instead of interviewing people about their lives and jobs, Blair (Orwell) just OBSERVED people and their conditions.
In case you were wondering, he became known as George Orwell in the early 1930s (when his works were becoming more published).
It's quite an interesting look at a man we know only through his writings, and (imho), that barely scratches the surface. Take some time to get to know the person behind such lasting novels as Animal Farm and 1984.
You might be glad you did.
*** Next, time for our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
NOVEMBER 15 -
---It's the Great American Smoke Out

(so I will smoke OUT on the patio today...heh)
---It's National Button Day

(keeping clothes where they belong on people for centuries)
---It's National fast Food Day

(that's why I'll be making hamburgers for dinner)
---It's National Indiana Day

(FINALLY...What the hell took so long?)
*** Next up, some wonderful examples of that "special kind of stupid" that typically is associated with criminal activity (in Fort Wayne):

---This story shows it's not always a good thing to let others into your apartment.
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/20171116/man-accused-of-drunken-attack
William Boyd, 59 is the culprit, and th Candelite Courts Apts was the location on 13 November, 2200 hrs.
With these people, when a male buck wants sex, and the other party is not tilling, there WILL be violence against the female...even IF it is the male's birthday, AND he's drunk as a skunk!
It's that sense of entitlement...isn't it?
---The next story proves that being both a drug dealer and neglecting a dependent doesn't mean shit in Ft. Wayne. Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/20171116/1-arrested-in-raid-drugs-guns-found
Joseph Galvan, 28, was arrested on charges of possession of a narcotic drug, dealing marijuana, maintaining a common nuisance and neglect of a dependent. This took place around 0900 hrs yesterday at a house located at 1314 Chute St. And yes, it IS (barely) on the city's SOUTHEAST side (where else?). Wonder if he's related to the late Antonio Galvan?
((Police found drug ledgers that included names, phone numbers and cash amounts for separate customers, 4.1 grams of cocaine in the kitchen and 2.6 pounds of marijuana in an open gun safe in a mudroom, documents said.
Also inside the open gun safe were loaded Glock 40 and Sig Sauer 9 mm handguns, easily accessible to small children, court documents said. Police also found $822.

Galvan said he sold one pound of marijuana every two weeks to a month, court documents said.))
Try getting a damn JOB, you lazy-ass piece of shit!
Here's the kicker...Galvan was released from the Allen County Jail on $2,500 bond.
TWENTY FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS??? That's effin' ALL? For a DEALER???
Our judicial system in this city is SERIOUSLY F*CKED THE HELL UP!
---But wait, there's more...
This story shows that the FWPD still pulls people over for running red lights (up NORTH, that is). Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/20171116/drugs-gun-found-in-car-with-2-small-kids
This took place at Lima and Coliseum around 0125 hrs Wednesday morning.
When the officer stopped the vehicle, there was an overwhelming smell of MJ (and with a blunt still smoldering in the ashtray, you know what comes next).

Taron D. Griffien, 23 and his passenger, Naffariya R. McFarland, also 23.are the guilty ones here.
(maybe they felt entitled in some way?)
Inside the 2006 Buick Rendevous (another ghetto-sled of choice) were two extremely small children exposed to the pot smoke. Now THIS is where it gets hilarious:
((At first, Griffien identified himself as another individual, handing the officer the other man's Indiana ID card, even though the man on the card was found to have a suspended license and active warrants for his arrest.))

Sure, ALWAYS use a fake ID to someone with a suspended license and active warrants,.,,you dumbass! No problems with the black community THERE...right? LOL!
Police found a fully-loaded .40 cal semi-auto pistol under the driver's seat (with one round in the chamber). Can you say..."OOPS!"...?
((During a search of the Rendezvous, police found 382.1 grams of marijuana, and they found a plastic bag containing 20.4 grams of marijuana in Griffien's coat. In the back of the car was a jar with 0.2 gram of cocaine along with baking soda, plastic bags and scales. Baking soda and cocaine powder are used to manufacture crack cocaine, documents said.))

Griffien, of the 400 block of Boltz Avenue (off of Lafayette - SE) is a guest of the Allen Cty lockup in lieu of $60K bail AND has a hold from Marion Cty...talk about hitting the "lottery" there.
McFarland (of the same address) was released on $750 bond. Both are charged with possession of pot, caryring a handgun w/o a license, and neglect of a dependent. Griffien  also faces dealing charges against him and false informing.

Cripes, with the names GRIFFIEN and MCFARLAND, it sounds like a damn episode of FAMILY GUY...LMAO!
(whatta pair of dumbasses)
*** Next, let's leave the garbage at the curb, and instead stop by "Kitten Corner"...

Yes indeed, the kids were acting pretty good yesterday, in spite of the crappy weather (which seems to fire them up for no reason).
I also found them both in bed (someone left the door open).
They were both busy watching some birds, two other cats and the inside of their own eyelids...just not all at once, mind you.
Wifey and I are planning a little something for them this weekend (the 1 year anniversary of them coming to live with us), and I think we'll have a good time, whatever the weather outside might be.
*** Next up, and speaking of outside, let's check in with "Midnight and Company"...

Our two furry friends were as constant as the air around us, with their sitting patiently at the patio door, waiting to be fed. I dropped one dish (slid right out of my hand...broke it, too), so I had to get another. That's the trouble with earthenware...it BREAKS when dropped on concrete. Perhaps a Christmas gift of proper food bowls for our community cats MAY be in order...we'll see.
With the rain, it was back to "under the patio table" feeding time, which otherwise went well enough, although they BOTH want to get at the first dish put down together...A basic law of Physics comes into play here.
"No two objects can occupy the same space at the same time."

I'd wager NEITHER of them know about Zeno's Paradox, the Pauli Principle of Exclusion...or Doctor Who...lol.
*** Last back to the fridge...when are people going to just wise up?

I mean, in the stories I have here today, we can clearly see there is a disconnect with traditional values, moral principles, and basic human civility.
I always wind up saying "WTF are these people THINKING?"
It's like the UCLA shoplifters in China (who DID apologize (thanking the president) and recanting their actions...such as was their PRE-PREPARED statements...heaven KNOWS such collegiates couldn't expound in such a NORMAL manner. Hell, they were damn near speaking more of that "lazy-English", which always manages to piss me the hell off (because we took the time to learn the language in our country).
It's things like these that really give me pause to ponder WHERE this country is going...and why any of us of normal demeanor would even want to follow along.

There has to be more people out there who also find such current "nuances" with what is passing for human behavior despicable. We're just not hearing much from them, are we? And we should be.
When we decide (as a people) to excuse that which we used to find offensive, it's no longer free speech...it's control by a small group...like the less than 1% of the population who are ramming all this transgender nonsense down our throats on a weekly basis.

Sooner or later, with enough inaction on the part of those who say nothing to halt such behaviors, that minority will indeed become the majority...and then what happens to us, and our country? There's something to consider. Cause and effect...it does come with consequences.

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