Friday Follies...

And the weekend is here at last, bringing more seasonal weather along for the ride.
This cold weather will be sticking around for a few days, so best get used to it (again).
Bet you thought you could pack away those winter coats, huh?
Our Hoosierland weather for today brings us mostly sunny skies, and gusty winds (not to worry - nothing close to the other day), with a high of around 33 degrees.
With the winds, it will "feel" more like the teens out there, however. Dress accordingly.
Now, let's all get ourselves some of that "Friday Fortitude" poured and parked nearby, as we see what has been going on elsewhere...
*** First out of the china cabinet is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
MARCH 10 -
---It's National Blueberry Popover Day

(what is the difference between a TURNover and a POPover?)
---it's National Mario Day

(Had a feeling it wasn't Andretti)
---It's National Pack Your Lunch Day

(what about the FREE lunches??? STFU and STFD)
---It's National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

(we're always aware of things that could otherwise BE CONTROLLED with self-restraint)
---Oh, and in case you forgot...TODAY is the birthday of CHUCK NORRIS. He's 77.

Looks pretty good, I have to admit.

(and I still wouldn't want to screw with him on his worst day).
*** Next, and since it IS the weekend, let's see how best to observe the following 48 hours:
MARCH 11 -
---Saturday is National Johnny Appleseed Day

(and when EXACTLY do "we" celebrate this in Fort Wayne? Not this day)
---It's National Oatmeal Nut Waffles Day

(I like all three of these, just maybe not TOGETHER)
---It's National Promposal Day

(another one of the "contrived" observances)
---It's National Worship of Tools Day

(no longer JUST a "man thing")
MARCH 12 -
---Sunday is National Girl Scout Day

(wonder if the leftards "transgendered" the hell out of THIS organization yet?)
---It's National Plant a Flower Day

(time to make a list of what to tackle in the garden soon enough)
---It's Daylight Saving Time – Second Sunday in March

(Big...Fat...Hairy...Deal. Nobody saves anything, got it?)
*** Next up, Have you heard the latest propaganda from the Ministers of Obfuscation?

Well, take a look at THIS:
http://www.businessinsider.com/americans-drink-more-bottled-water-than-soda-2017-3

Americans drank MORE bottled water than soda (last year) according to research and consulting firm Beverage Marketing Corporation. (Did they watch them?)
Now, the difference is negligible - 39 gallons of BOTTLED water per year compared to 38.5 gallons of soda.
This HAS to be based of SALES, right? So, to me, that ONLY means that more bottled water was SOLD...doesn't mean people DRANK every drop of it. Some use it for cooking, washing hair, brushing teeth, and so on...
But none of that is ever mentioned in the article.
(yes, the truth can be found, if you're willing to search for it)

Oh, and add to that the unfair SODA TAX that was levied by leftist mayors of certain cities.
Plus, all those individual PLASTIC BOTTLES of WATER (when empty) aren't all that good for our ENVIRONMENT are they, you tree-hugging cupcakes? How many of THOSE do you see every day along streets , hmm?
(correct answer: a LOT more than you should)
Granted, I've had my share of Perrier in days past (and in GLASS bottles which I disposed of PROPERLY). It was a diversion for me, nothing more.
Then, there's THIS tidbit:
https://www.banthebottle.net/articles/drinking-bottled-water-can-lead-to-possible-magnesium-deficiency/
In case you're not aware "IF" you might have a magnesium deficiency, here's the lowdown:
http://www.ancient-minerals.com/magnesium-deficiency/symptoms-signs/
How's THAT for making you feel all "warm and fuzzy", hmm?
Now, the biggest monkey-wrench in the machine here is that bottled water was created more as a "marketing gimmick".
((Companies selling bottled water, he argues, have managed to convince people that buying water is a healthier choice than sugary soda.
But the truth is, the comparison is a case of false equivalence. 

Bottled water isn’t simply an alternative to soda — it’s an alternative to tap water, which is free and much more eco-friendly. By buying bottled water, consumers aim to establish themselves as savvy and health-conscious, even though they could simply drink a glass of tap water that is 2,000 times less expensive. 
While bottled water is often marketed as the better, safer option, companies do not have to share the same basic information that all tapped water suppliers do. In a 2008 study, the Environmental Working Group found 38 pollutants in 10 brands of bottled water. Two of the 10 brands tested were chemically indistinguishable from local tap water.))

Here's the source article that spells out the marketing trick of the century quite well from way back in 2014:
http://theweek.com/articles/447517/bottled-water-marketing-trick-century
OOPS!
Looks like you CAN fool most of the people MOST of the time, Mr. Lincoln.

"Now how about THAT?"

Those who simply HAVE to carry a bottle of water around make me laugh my ass off.
They're searching for that cliff to jump from when they follow the rest of the lemmings...heh.
Now, pass me another Dr. Pepper, please.
*** Next up, looks like our own Glenbrook Square Mall is losing an ANCHOR STORE.
Here's the story:
http://wane.com/2017/02/24/j-c-penney-to-shut-130-plus-stores/

Yep, the J.C. Penney store will be shutting down later this year.
All it takes is ONE person to muck things up, like a catastrophic reinvention plan under a former CEO that sent sales and profits free falling starting in 2012. That'll do it every time, and yet, that ex-retail-capo must be still counting their personal profits.
The latest round of store closures is due to "changing shoppers' patterns".
Sounds like K-Mart all over again, but we already lost that here, as well as the Penneys that USED to be at the old Southtown Mall in Fort Wayne. Now, we soon won't have ANY Penneys either.
Geez, at this rate, can Macy's and Sears be that far behind? Hope to hell NOT!
*** Next up, let's stop on by "Kitten Corner"...

Always a nice day when cats frolic about the house.
And, it's even better when they take a nap (or several) in between their feline activities.
I mean, bird-watching IS hard work...ask any cat.
Every day they're here, I count myself blessed, even if they get into stuff they're not supposed to.
It's just a learning curve for them...and in some ways, for me, too.
As long as no permanent damage is done, no problem, right?
And so far...so good in that respect.

Violet and Gallifrey are children enough for me in many ways...don't have to worry about them doing drugs (catnip doesn't count), dating issues, STDs and such, going out to parties, being bullied at school, learning to drive, paying for college...the usual stuff.
In essence, one can save a couple hundred THOUSAND bucks this way...lol.
*** Last back to the junk drawer...it's sad to see stores close...ANY stores.

I can speak from experience in just the 20 years we've lived here.
We have lost SO many stores down here, it's not funny at all. And many of them were stores that were here in this city LONG before I got my Philly-born ass to the confines of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

We not only lost stores...we lost an entire bloody MALL, in fact. We also lost a lot of family-owned (and run) stores.
I lost count after we got well over a hundred, but I can assure you we don't have many LEFT. THAT is fact.
Some stores we never even had down here. Never saw a hobby shop.
We lost book stores, department stores, clothing stores, music stores (had one in Southtown), gardening stores, sit-down restaurants (the kind with real cloth napkins and menus handed to you by wait-staff).

And, at the root of all this NON-development were the people who moved into the area. The ones with absolutely NO vested interest in maintaining a viable retail footprint on the south side. The "government-sponsored" riff-raff, along with their gang affiliations, drug trade, and assorted other personal and business crimes ALL helped in no small part to devolve our part of town into a veritable wasteland of retail and service businesses.
Sure, shopping habits HAVE changed, thanks to the Internet, and that will cause those not keeping pace to fall behind, having to make tough decisions, or take risks to buoy up their share of the marketplace.
Some will succeed...some will fail.
That's what the free market's all about anyway.

And, maybe part of this ongoing problem has to do with having too MANY choices, also called "Analysis Paralysis"...LOL.
It's good to be able to choose, as life compels us to do, but when you spend more time choosing than doing, things will happen, and perhaps not always for the best result of those involved.
Remember, all of us can do better...and we should.
Have yourselves a good weekend.

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

Thoughts For Thursday...

Now THAT was some WIND we had yesterday.
Haven't seen anything like that in quite a while.
Had a few small branches come down (one out front was over 6 ft long...not a big deal)
I did have to "reinstall" our trellis, as it was uprooted and blown down. That was fun (not).
The old "Fortress" did us proud and came through in fine shape.
Our Hoosierland weather for today will be a lot LESS windy (thankfully), with sunny skies to begin with, then getting cloudier throughout the day with showers possible by later afternoon into tonight.
Temps will reach to around 49 degrees with a slight breeze.

Why, thank you, Strax.

I think it's time we got our morning cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa so we can get things started, as we take a gander at what else has been going on...
*** First off of the wind farm is the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:

"Some of our important choices have a time line. If we delay a decision, the opportunity is gone forever. Sometimes our doubts keep us from making a choice that involves change. Thus an opportunity may be missed. "
If you think this was a tad "Faustian" in nature, you were closer than you thought.
This was spoken by one James Esdras Faust (July 31, 1920 – August 10, 2007) was an American religious leader, lawyer, and politician. And here is his WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_E._Faust
Now by religious leader, we do mean he was Second Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1995 until his death, an LDS Church apostle for 29 years, and a general authority of the church for 35 years.

And, he was a democrat as well, but let's not hold this against him, for it was on the state level.
He served during World War II in the United States Army Air Corps where he was a First Lieutenant prior to his graduation from the Univ. of Utah with a B.A. and Juris Doctor.
He became a bishop in the LDS church at the age of 28 (1949).
In 1978, he served in the Quorum of the 12 Apostles until being set apart as Second Counselor in the First Presidency to church president Gordon B. Hinckley on March 12, 1995, where he served until his death in 2007. It became one of the longest continuous serving First Presidencies in the history of the LDS Church.
It's a brief read, but again shows how men we may never have heard of can be eloquent in speech and thought.
*** Next up, time for the "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
MARCH 9 -
---It's National Barbie Day

(looking good for her age)
---It's National Crabmeat Day

(make mine Alaskan king crab, please)
---It's National Get Over It Day

(heh, tell THAT to all the whining leftards out there)
---It's National Meatball Day

(A nice meatball sandwich would be great)
*** Next up, The Sports and Spirits Bar may soon be gone. Here's the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/Troubled-bar-may-soon-be-torn-down-18157289

Yeah, this place HAS been trouble...for more than a few years, and it's high time  someone did something about it...
How about we RAZE it? It just might happen.
((Deister Machine Co., 1933 E. Wayne St., will buy the 1723 E. Wayne St. building, site of the now-shuttered Sports & Spirits bar, according to an application filed with the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals.))
Well, that's IF the application goes through, right?
((Deister plans to tear down the building and use the corner of East Wayne Street and South Anthony Boulevard for a large sign for the business and green space, the application states.))
That sign would be better than having people shot, that's for sure.

((Nicholas Lee Powers, 30, Demario Laquan Burnett, 21, and Jeremy Trivon Coleman, 31, all of Fort Wayne, were killed on bar property Sept. 13. Their deaths were the 32nd, 33rd and 34th homicides in 2016, which ended with a record 49 homicides in Allen County. No arrests have been made in their deaths, Michael Joyner, Fort Wayne police spokesman, said Tuesday.))
Now, about the problems we have down on the SE side...
*** Next, it's stories like THIS that cry out STUPID:
http://wane.com/2017/03/09/hawaii-becomes-1st-state-to-sue-over-trumps-new-travel-ban/

Yes, Hawaii is the 1st state to sue our president over his "travel ban", which isn't REALLY a ban to begin with, is it?
How about these idiots practice some of that "GET OVER IT" for today, hmm?
*** Next...every once in a while, there is a smidgen of reason out there, like in THIS story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/politics/HUD-budget-may-lose--6-billion-18166040

So, HUD may lose $6 BILLION (with a "B")...breaks my heart. Perhaps it's time the "Giveaway Gravy Train" pulled into the station and let all those "passengers" off.
We would be better served if those on board (who are fully capable) started to be more SELF-reliant, don'cha think?
Thank you, Dr. Ben Carson for speaking the truth and staying the course on conservative action.
*** Next up,  I hear that Scarlett Johansson has filed for divorce (that makes two down).

She had been recently married to Romain Dauriac, and before that actor Ryan Reynolds (from 2008 to 2011), and why she left him baffles me.
(sorry, but this calls for a "Yowzah")
Hey, if she was willing to wear that Black Widow outfit once in a while, and want to go "two outta three" falls now and then, we could work something out, I'm sure. Wonder if she likes cats (and wives)?
*** Next up, And speaking of Black Widow, it's time for "What On God's Green Earth Has Bob Bought on eBay Lately?"
Well, I did (finally) get a proper Black Widow action figure...one with articulated joints, "used" (as in a displayed figure) for less than $5.
Now, my Avengers homage on the entertainment center looks a bit better.
I would still LOVE to get a (Bandai) Figuarts Captain America 6 inch figure...the detail on that is outstanding., but it's SO damn pricey.
Can't touch one for UNDER $50.
Naturally, any of the HOT TOYS 12 inch figures are out of the question (at over $200+ a shot)...
Those are the BEST renderings ANYWHERE, and very easy to see why.
Also, more importantly, I got the (brand new and unopened) DVD of the 2016 Doctor Who Christmas Special: "The Return of Doctor Mysterio".

That only cost $11.99 (that was with free shipping). Gonna be hard to beat that price anyplace.
Now, about that Doctor Strange DVD...
*** Next, let's drop by "Kitten Corner"...

A much better day than the previous one, that's for sure.
Violet had no problem with eating her food.
Gallifrey was his usual glutenous self...lol.
He has taken to spending some time with me after I hit the sack...not a problem, as long as you don't move your feet around. That's fair game for a chomp...heh.

Violet prefers to walk across me to wake me up most mornings.
They do develop their own special traits...and totally on their own.
*** Last back to the windmill...change in life is very often a double-edged sword.

Changing things merely for the sake OF change is the sign of not knowing what the hell to do with whatever it is someone wants to change, so they'll change it, and many times for the worse.
On the other hand, there are times and things that are so craptastic that you WANT change, as in for the better. Take our part of town, for example (puh-lease)...
While I'm resistant to change in general, I realize that some change IS inevitable, and must be met head-on.
I would welcome change for the better in OUR neighborhood (and the whole southeast to boot).
When I see wholesale changes to our DOWNTOWN and soon, our riverfront, I can only assume that those in power have NO idea what is meant by PRIORITIES.
And that filters down to most all of the lowlifes living around us...no sense of priorities, otherwise, they'd be mindful and courteous to others who live in the area, show respect for others, so as to garner respect for themselves. After all, such things are EARNED in life, and not given sight-unseen, right?
I also realize that a LOT of things in our lives DO require changing...the educational system, the EPA, HUD, the healthcare system, just to name a few.
But, and perhaps most importantly, PEOPLE have got to change. They need to know their place in the universe, and it's certainly  NOT at the center of it (where they believe they reside). Nothing revolves around them (it's the lack of a gravitational field thingy).

They are part of a MUCH larger state of being, and maybe taking into account that there IS at the heart of it, a supreme entity we call GOD, might just shake their resolve to become better individuals. We call that morality.

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

Humpday Happenings...

Welcome to the middle of the week, such as it will become.
And, if you prefer your days on the WINDY side, this might fill your bill.
March winds...sounds right. Kite flying anyone?
Our Hoosierland weather for today will see us with those windy conditions  (in excess of 40 MPH+ here), along with something out of the ordinary...lots of sunshine. Temps will top out in the mid-50s, and no rain (or snow) today to speak of.
That's not bad at all.

So, let's go get that morning drink and take a look at what's been transpiring elsewhere...
*** First off of the dining room table is our WHO SAID THAT? quote for the week:

"Some of our important choices have a time line. If we delay a decision, the opportunity is gone forever. Sometimes our doubts keep us from making a choice that involves change. Thus an opportunity may be missed. "
How many times could we have used words like this in our lives?
There's more than a few in mine, that's the gospel. So, WHO said that? The answer will appear at the top of tomorrow's post. Meanwhile, back at the University of Utah...

*** Next up, is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
MARCH 8 -
---It's National Peanut Cluster Day

(squirrels are gonna love this one)
---It's National Proofreading Day

(chase those typo-demons away)
---It's National Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day

(that's a long title to have, isn't it?)
*** Next, one of our pet peeves of late has been when Wifey and I go grocery shopping.

Overall, the experience isn't too bad, but there are some things that need taken care of.
The aisles at the Bluffton Rd Kroger store (formerly Scotts) are always blocked with pallets of items awaiting shelf placement.
This should be taken care of overnight, so shoppers don't have to navigate around such things. (or fret when an empty space resides where an item should belong).
The other problem is often at checkout. Usually ONE lane is open, and it can back up like a cheap toilet some days, creating a need for a second or even third lane to open.

Well, Kroger seems to be taking care of that (finally). Here's the story:
http://wane.com/2017/03/06/now-hiring-kroger-plans-job-fair-to-hire-100-for-fort-wayne-stores/
Hiring 100+ people, huh? Hopefully, THAT will take care of issues in stores that need help.
The job fair takes place today from 11AM until 6PM. Let's hope this fixes things.
*** Next up, our own "big dig" has taken another step, but not a lick of construction (or destruction) yet. Here's the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/Tunnel-land-purchase-takes-1st-step-18141580

Still buying up land, I see. This time, it's $272,500 tossed at this, and not a single spade of dirt has been dug.
City Council voted 8-0 to fund this part of the project, expected to cost around $200 MILLION.
Oh, and NO contract for the project has been awarded as of yet.
This whole deal would not even be happening had it NOT been for an EPA "mandate" going back to 2008 (thanks, Obummer) And eminent domain will be used to acquire the property.
---While council was at it, they ALSO voted (5-4) to fund another MILLION BUCKS for the Superior Lofts project (downtown, where else?). The "total" cost of the project is expected to run around $9.8 million. Here's that story:
http://wane.com/2017/03/07/city-council-approves-1m-to-fund-for-superior-lofts/

((Councilman Geoff Paddock, 5th District, said this is a project that would help the city grow and bring more attraction to downtown. Paddock said there has already been great success with the new developments downtown that have used similar methods of funding.)) That's TIF funding, in case you were wondering. It's the "go-to" source these days. Leave it to a democrat to love spending, right?
*** Next up (and still taking stupid to new levels), WTF is with Nancy Pelosi, anyway?

She was all on board with Obamacare and the whole "pass the bill now and we can see what's in it later" bullshit...that took place and cost too many people too much money they didn't have, so now she doesn't even want to pass the "Trumpcare" proposal (which is looking more like Obamacare-Light)???
Talk about retarded development with this hag...sheesh!
She needs to take the MILLIONS she made as senator (thanks to taxpayers) and LEAVE...now.
She needs to STFD and STFU...now.

She's a total waste of human protoplasm (and, dare I say it...makes a valid case for late-term abortion, which I personally detest).
*** Next up, enough with the stupid...let's go visit "Kitten Corner" instead...
Yesterday started out like most others...LOTS of running about with the kids chasing one another from one end of the house to the other.

He tired himself out...as usual.

But come early afternoon, Violet threw up. And then, when dinnertime rolled around, ignored her food. She instead drank a lot of water, and tossed that up. never saw a cat heave farther than their total length before.
Gallifrey was unaffected, and had a normal day (for a cat).
Later in the evening, Violet came around and kept both water and food down.

She seems back to normal again

Had me worried for a better part of the day, I can tell you. The LAST thing I want to have happen is losing another cat...not after last year. That was rough enough for a decade. I'm a worrier when it comes to family members.
So far this morning...all is well. Let's see that continue, please.
*** Last back to the coat closet...we're fast approaching that dumbass time of year (this weekend, in fact)...when we all turn our clocks AHEAD one hour.

Having come from the east coast, where we used to do this, I got very comfortable when I moved here and found that Indiana didn't...until they changed that and started to move the clocks twice a year just like we did back east.
Personally, I don't see any difference in doing this, other than to befuddle those of us who view time itself as something more than most people. Changing our clocks and watches all to "save" daylight, as it were.
I don't save anything here, and neither does anyone else. It's more an inconvenience than anything...always has been. All it seems to do is delay the sunrise, and deny the sunset until 9 PM. That's just not normal. Man has never taken on God and come out "on top".

It certainly saves no money...stores will remain open to closing time no matter if the sun is up or down, right?
And our cars don't get better mileage when it's daylight than when it's nighttime...right?
As someone who changed clocks back and forth most all my life, I just can't see the justification to keep doing so.
Perhaps it makes sense to people with nothing better to do in life than change things.
Reason should win out here...

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