Thoughts For Thursday...

Well, MY thoughts are pretty DARK this morning...another day with a LATE paper delivery (so that means I'm winging it). More on that in a bit.
I am also getting BORED with this craptastic COLD. Hope you others folks in the Midwest are as well.
Be nice to get SOME melting of this, rather than a cumulative buildup of packed snow and ice on the streets (and everywhere else). Still, it's NOT Minnesota, Michigan or Erie, PA (or the rest of the eastern seaboard , which is now getting what we got a couple days ago).
Our Hoosierland weather for today is a repeat of yesterday (pretty much): We've mostly cloudy skies, temps reaching around 16 degrees, and scattered snow showers (so much for a clean patio or sidewalk again). Sounds familiar.

Might as well get ourselves that soothing hot cup of coffee (fresh pot here today), tea, or cocoa (or even something it bit stronger), as we see what ELSE has been going on...
*** First off of the slick-ass streets is the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:

"The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year."
This was spoken to our first "newbie" of this year, one John Foster Dulles (February 25, 1888 – May 24, 1959) who was was an American diplomat.
((A Republican, he served as United States Secretary of State under President Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1953 to 1959. He was a significant figure in the early Cold War era, advocating an aggressive stance against communism throughout the world.))
And here is his WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Foster_Dulles

((He was the architect of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization, an anti-Communist defensive alliance between the United States and several nations in and near Southeast Asia. He also helped instigate the 1953 Iranian coup d'état and the 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état. He favored a strategy of massive retaliation in response to Soviet aggression. 
He advocated support of the French in their war against the Viet Minh in Indochina but rejected the Geneva Accords that France and the communists agreed to, and instead supported South Vietnam after the Geneva Conference in 1954.))
And that's it for the "Cliff's Notes" version. Feel free to read up on him and how OUR position in the world was set during the Eisenhower administration.
*** Next up, time for our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
JANUARY 4 -
---It's National Spaghetti Day

(sounds GOOD on a cold day like this - don't forget meatballs and sausage)
---It's National Trivia Day

(we do accumulate SO much over time, trust me)
*** Next, about our paper...I called the J-G once AGAIN and registered a complaint.

OY! Not another one!

Yesterday, when I called in a woman told me we have a NEW carrier (I've lost count ), so I wonder WHAT I have to look forward to?
I STILL think that a cat would be a much more efficient carrier, but how to have them driven about in a vehicle is the big stumbling block.

I will admit they have a much better WORK ETHIC than most all the locals around here.
*** Next, everyone else (here) notice the RISE in fuel pump prices (again) in the Midwest?

Wifey and I have, and it only ADDS to the frustration in this cold weather. We're not alone, however.
Here's a story that clarifies things somewhat:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/20180104/cold-not-only-pain-at-pump
States with largest rise in per-gallon price of regular unleaded over 2017:
1. Alaska, 39 cents, ended at $3.08
2. Montana, 35 cents, $2.58
3. California, 34 cents, $3.11
4. Oregon, 30 cents, $2.79
5. Hawaii, 27 cents, $3.28
6. Washington, 24 cents, $2.91
7. Wyoming, 24 cents, $2.43
8. Indiana, 23 cents, $2.61
9. Nevada, 22 cents, $2.65
10. Utah, 22 cents, $2.40
Source: AAA

I find it a little amazing that INDIANA is the ONLY Midwest state with prices like these.
No one else has them. We're told "refinery problems"....yeah, how (in)convenient for us.
For some odd reason, we (the Hoosier state) seems to always be the whipping boy when it comes to price gouging in the Heartland of America. And we don't even have THAT much of a refinery footprint to speak of...do we?
*** Next up, Fort Wayne has made another list so far this year (let's keep track of them, shall we?), and this one isn't that great if you happen to find yourself looking for employment.
Here's the story link:
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-cities-for-jobs/2173/

Okay, sooooo we're touting ALL this growth and low unemployment, and YET, we're a city with a LOW ranking when it come TO EMPLOYMENT? Excuse me?
How the hell does that work, anyway?
Wonder if these bean counters are figuring in the growing welfare state factors?
========================================================
Rank City              Score Job Mkt   Socio-Econ Rank
116 Philadelphia, PA 49.84 105 146
136 Fort Wayne, IN 48.05 133 119
143 Indianapolis, IN 46.95 131 162
========================================================
I do think the story is telling, in that the cities with the LOWER rankings happen to just have the HIGHER demographics when it comes to minorities (which would bear out a higher welfare outlay as well).
That HAS to skew the data.
If we have low unemployment, then we MUST have plenty of jobs available to the people...but we're THAT low in the rankings anyway...Where have all these jobs gone  that we're "supposed" to have available in the city? We're a "point of destination" I thought.
Something doesn't add up here, does it?
*** Next, time to take a stop at our "Kitten Corner"...
The kids were not acting up too much, but they can manage to get on whatever nerves you might have exposed...heh.

It's just the way they are, and you have to roll with it.
My only caveat is that they don't mess with my stuff or break anything along the way. That's not much to ask for, and so far, so good.

It is nice to see them curled up in the living room with me in the evenings. Wish I could get me more of that. Maybe in 12 years or so...when they start getting as old as our former cats Penelope and Rassilon once were.
Hope I make it that long, too...LOL.
*** Next up, I think it's time to check in with "Midnight and Company"...

Like an alarm clock, our furry twosome were huddled by the patio door, awaiting their "breakfast".
Neither missed a feeding all day, and yes, the water was kept in a liquid state by yours truly thanks to thawing the dish out several times.
And both cats DO drink up when they're finished eating.

After all, we can't have them lowering their body temperature in any way, can we? Not in THIS cold. I think they appreciate it.
I kneel down outside, and they both come over and rub against me.
If they look a bit bigger, you can blame me. I want them well-fed to better deal with the winter weather.
*** Last back to the igloo...I can't seem to recall a time when we had such a prolonged cold weather spell...can you?

Maybe we had a day or two when it would dip WAY down to below zero, but nothing like this crap.
I mean, when you TRY to wipe a windshield off and remove salt and such, and it immediately REFREEZES so that you have to use a scraper...THAT is COLD!
And that's when the car is in the BLOODY GARAGE to boot.
I haven't even attempted to start the Batmobile,. for fear of screwing up the water pump (learned the hard way from experience with my old Torino in Philly), but I can always put the battery on the charger. I'll have to wait the cold out and when we get decent temps back in the unheated, detached garage, THEN I'll start it up, but not before.

I'm sure when our garage was built (back in the early 70s), insulating it for extended SUB-ZERO weather was NOT in the plans, because such weather never came along.

See you in APRIL?

I really feel for those who have to keep their car OUTSIDE during this, because more things can go wrong. You can have a dead battery, frozen windshield wipers, frozen windshield washer lines (that will burn out the pump real fast - learned THAT the hard way, too), frozen door locks, and even windows that will not roll down due to the cold.
And that's the short list.
None of our vehicles are prepped properly for such weather, unlike those who live with 8 months of this a year (Alaska comes to mind).  We don't have oil sump pre-heaters or trickle charging (both hard to do outside, by the way).

You tell 'em, Ben!

The best we can hope for is whatever precautions we can take to make sure little to none of the things I mentioned befall any of us. That "ounce of prevention" gig can pay off big time, as long as we pay attention and do what we can to avoid the problems we may encounter.

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