Thoughts For Thursday...

Believe it or not, we're getting a break in this crazy weather...seriously.
(how did THAT happen?)
We're going to have a sunrise, too (now I know we did something wrong...heh).
Our Hoosierland weather for today bring us mostly clear skies, temps reaching (again) to around 40 degrees, and no precipitation.
(A-Freaking-Mazing)

So, let's get ourselves a refreshing beverage to start the day, as we see what else has been going on...
*** First off of the runway is the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:

"The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use the words."
This was spoken by Philip K. Dick (December 16, 1928 – March 2, 1982) who was an American writer known for his work in science fiction. And here is his WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_K._Dick

((His work explored philosophical, social, and political themes, with stories dominated by monopolistic corporations, alternative universes, authoritarian governments, and altered states of consciousness.))
Personally, I think we lost him too soon, although some of the themes in his stories have come to pass.
A number of popular films based on Dick's works have been produced, including Blade Runner (1982), Total Recall (adapted twice: in 1990 and in 2012), Minority Report (2002), A Scanner Darkly (2006), The Adjustment Bureau (2011), and Blade Runner 2049 (2017).
Unfortunately, he was a drug user (amphetamines) most of his life, and I don't know how that influenced his writing, but if anything, it DID make the reader wonder much about the world they were already living in.
It's a pretty good read, nonetheless.
*** Next, time for our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
FEBRUARY 21 -
---It's National Grain Free Day

(LOL...like THAT'S gonna happen anytime soon in our home)
---It's National Sticky Bun Day

(okay, now THIS is more like it.)
*** Next up...Oh, THIS makes me feel SO much more "at ease"...NOT:
https://wpta21.com/news/top-stories/2019/02/20/fcc-nearly-half-the-calls-you-receive-this-year-will-be-spam/

I'll do them one better...I'll say that over EIGHTY PERCENT of the calls "we" get here at the "Fortress" will be SPAM.
How do I know?
Simple.
In JUST the last three days, we've gotten FIVE such spam.cam calls (that I always let go to the answering machine.
And (for all the damn good it does), I report the number to BOTH the FTC and the FCC.
((“We’re steadfastly focused on addressing this serious problem,”)) so they say, but how come we've STILL been getting increasing numbers of spam calls while being on the state AND federal DO NOT CALL LIST?

Again...simple: The robocallers are better than our government and seem to stay several steps AHEAD of them. So, all we do is play "catch -up"
Nice, huh?
*** Next, now, stories like THIS actually DO put a smile on my face. Here's the lowdown:
https://wpta21.com/news/top-stories/2019/02/20/customs-intercepts-over-12m-in-meth-at-border-crossing/

Building blocks of a broken society?

Imagine that, at a BORDER CROSSING.
Guess those "frozen strawberries" will HAVE to wait, because agents found $12 MIL of METH in the same truck.
(...oops...)
That's 906 pounds (411 "keys" )of this poison. Bet that driver wishes he stayed in bed.
That's some DAMN fine policing.
(good dog)
*** Next up, and continuing my "smile-fest", comes THIS story:
https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/man-accused-in-4-killings-loses-fight-to-avoid-death-penalty/1795853377

Poor murderer LOST his bid to avoid the death penalty...a shame...
Marcus Dansby should have made some better choices in his past.
The argument was that the state's capital punishment statute was "unconstitutional"...whatta crock.
I think one life (his) for the FOUR lives he took is adequate.
*** Next, time to stop by our "Kitten Corner"...
The kids once again were wonderfully well-behaved...okay, so now I'm concerned...LOL.

"I wish we had opposing thumbs..".

I wonder what they're up to? It's just that you get used to their antics, and when  settle into a more sedate mode, you can't help but think there's an ulterior motive.

"I wish dinner time came earlier."

Maybe I should keep the credit card and phone close by.
Don't want a special delivery of more cat toys showing up unexpectedly, do we?
*** Next up, let's do our check-in with "Midnight and Whiskers"...

"Why does he miss lunch a lot?"

Our furry twosome were here for breakfast and dinner, but Midnight was AWOL for lunch. Whiskers got her share, though. Feeding under the table is getting a bit on the "old" side, if you get my drift, but, it DOES keep them dry (and it was drizzling most of yesterday.

"I'm here when it COUNTS."

Naturally, I had to clear the patio of snow for them.
No, they're not spoiled at all, and that's why they get after dinner treats
*** Last back to the hangar...it seems every day in laced with SOME sort of "intrigue".

(If I want intrigue, I''' watch some TCM flicks of the "noire" variety)
I do miss the days when we used to have some boredom in our lives occasionally.
Today, you can't pick up a paper, or turn on the news without hearing some new load of BS coming at you. And God forbid you turn to "social media". ((rolls eyes))
And, I wonder how much of all this "information" (and disinformation) we can stomach and how much of a factor it has become to cause society to fracture in the manner that it has.
The simple life seems so far removed from what today tosses at us.

And the more people become entwined in this Gordian knot of garbage, the more they seem to WANT to become entwined.
It's like a self-fulfilling prophecy (that we really don't need).

This cannot end well.

We go from one thing to another, with absolutely NO thought to what we leave in our wake.
Funny thing...what we leave behind USED to be called a LEGACY.
At the rate we're going, the legacy isn't looking all that good...for anyone.
It's just something to think about.

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