Thoughts For Thursday...

Well, they keep telling us it's going to rain, but so far...?
Keep taking that umbrella - we're bound to need it sometime before the weekend...heh.
Our Hoosierland weather for today brings us (lemme guess...some rain?) mostly cloudy skies, a light breeze, and temps trying to reach 70 degrees again. They did say "thunderstorms", so watch for those and take care.
It does feel like rain out (so says my arthritis and assorted aging joints), but you can never tell, right?

"Aged in WHAT kinda barrels?"

Anyway, let's grab that refreshing beverage to get the day off to a good start, as we see what else has been going on...
*** First off of the ever-growing lawn is the answer to our WHO SAID THAT? quote:

"Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you." 
This was spoken  by someone I've never featured here before, one Nathaniel Hawthorne (July 4, 1804 – May 19, 1864) who was an American novelist, dark romantic, and short story writer.
Here is his WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathaniel_Hawthorne
It's a bit of a long read, but is still good to get to know someone we used to study in high school literature.
((Hawthorne's works belong to romanticism or, more specifically, dark romanticism, cautionary tales that suggest that guilt, sin, and evil are the most inherent natural qualities of humanity.))
I have to agree with that, for those "qualities" are also the easiest to acquire for (too) many people.
*** Next, time for the "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
MAY 9 -
National Lost Sock Memorial Day

(mine don't get lost...they get "holy" and get tossed)
National Moscato Day

(yeah, that's wine, folks)
National Butterscotch Brownie Day

(like to try these)
National Sleepover Day

(we did this the other week w/ my nephew and his son)
*** Next up, one of my favorite columnists, Kevin Jackson found some great stories to write about.

---Here's the first one, and it's something that echoes what Glenn Beck had to say in yesterday's show:
https://theblacksphere.net/2019/05/corey-bookers-latest-move-gun-buy-back/

Cory Booker did for Newark, NJ (during his tenure as mayor) what a screen door can do for a submarine...lol.
Spartacus he is not, and Kirk Douglas should SUE him for slander (and historical appropriation).
Booker is pulling the old "gun buy-back" card from his deck of political tarot...because we all know how well THOSE tactics work...(not).
---The next story mirrors what MANY of us thought when a certain "affordable care act" was shoved down our throats during the Obummer administration:

https://theblacksphere.net/2019/05/study-obamacare-endangered-133-million-americans/
Wow, took THIS long to figure out what we already knew.
Well, some studies do take some time.
*** Next up...and, as could always be expected, the city hit a "bump in the road", or is that a LOG in the river? Here's the story:
https://wpta21.com/news/top-stories/2019/05/08/city-reverses-course-concedes-promenade-park-behind-schedule/

Amazing ...behind schedule, with all the wet weather we had...time to call in the OBVIOUS brigade to un-cluster this f$ckup.
How much OVER-BUDGET will this (latest) costaplenty fiasco wind up?
Time w\ill certainly tell.
*** Next, looks like we may have to "clown around" with THIS gem (right, Chris?):
www.journalgazette.net/features/20190509/tyson-examines-science-in-movies

How about that? Neil DeGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist (and agnostic), comes to our city at the Embassy Theater to talk (yawn) about "Science in the Movies".
Tell 'ya what, Neil...unless it's a documentary-style program or flick, I'll settle for being entertained, especially when it comes to science fiction (the operative word here being FICTION).
I read and watch the Science Channel for the facts. Oh, BTW...there IS a God (but you'll find that out eventually).
*** Next, how's about we stop by our "Kitten Corner"...
The kids were working with their good behavior mode yesterday.

"Okkaayy, there's nothing to see out here."

Once again, they found looking outside wasn't SO bad (a tad on the boring side), but they don't know the area like I do.
Hopefully, they never will either.

"Geez, I coulda told him THAT."

Still, it wasn't bad (for them) and served as a precursor to some serious nap time, which came after dinner was served.
*** Next up, let's do our check-in with "Midnight and Whiskers"...

A great way to be greeted every morning.

Our furry twosome got early morning back step treats and then some wet food for breakfast.
They were both missing for lunch, but were back for dinner (which Midnight chose to ignore at first).

"Hey, I know a good thing when I see it."

Whiskers ate hers up. She's so happy when you carry the bowl out for her.
Seeing them stretched out on the patio (napping) is always cute.

"This home IS defended...!"

They did get last call treats on the back steps as well.
*** Last back to the tool shed...there are lots of people in this country that don't know HOW well they have it.

Compared to other nations who have existed for many hundreds of years longer, we're doing pretty good (for being as young as we are).
We already have the richest "poor" people on the planet, and the greatest number of people who are not fretting over where their next meal is coming from.
We have some of the lowest homeless rates, one of the best economies, been blessed with good conditions for growing food (that we export out the wazoo because of how much we can produce), so yes, I think we're doing fine.
That's not to say we don't have problems, and some of them are pretty serious.
We do have problems with crime, and that includes all the sexual deviance you can imagine, and includes addictions, shootings, murders, rapes and all the other assorted items that make our news on a daily basis.

SO much of this could be avoided if we were the people we USED to be.
When our country had a higher sense of ethics...and morality...and yes, a greater fear of God, we didn't have the problems we have today in SUCH over-abundance.

We'll never totally get rid of the evil in this world, but we can do all we should to acknowledge it's existence and do something about lessening it's impact on our lives.

We can feign ignorance for only so long, and we can flaunt our arrogance all day, but neither will do a single thing to change the current state of affairs. If anything, it makes it all worse.
Reversing our societal course takes dedication, persistence and perseverance...we call that HARD WORK.
And THAT can make a lot of things a lot better...for us all.
Just something to think about.

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