--WE DON’T HAVE TO BE LONELY TONIGHT

  

…It’s impossible to find the appropriate superlative to describe ISIS.  Especially after yesterday when they released a video of the Saudi pilot they’d captured, brutally beaten, lead into a cage, doused with gasoline and then burned alive.

I suppose evil comes closest.

…But then once in a while something not evil happens, an example of man’s goodness, like six months ago when a guy in Australian caught his foot between the space next to the subway and fifty would-be passengers pushed the subway cars to the side so he could escape before the cars started up.

…Also there’s this:

               The first inkling that office workers scurrying along Montgomery Street had that something was wrong came when they looked up to see a blue blur falling from the sky. Some thought it was debris — but then it got closer, and the crowd began to scream and scatter. It was a man, plummeting 11 stories toward them.

With a thump and a crash of shattering glass, the middle-aged window washer smashed into a moving car just after 10 a.m. Friday morning. He lay wincing and miraculously alive for a moment on the crumpled roof of a green Toyota Camry, witnesses said, and then rolled off onto the pavement.

That’s when retired Army Col. Sam Hartwell and 19 others — including the driver of the smashed car — sprang into action. In moments, they had called 911, set up traffic blocks and banded around the man, some bending low to urge him to hold on, hoping he could survive until paramedics arrived.

Within two minutes of being called, firefighters were on the scene near the intersection of California Street, and the victim was soon on his way to San Francisco General Hospital— alive, though with life-threatening injuries.

It turned out that the window washer, whose name was not released, was with another washer and had slipped from the roof while they prepared their cleaning platform for use, police said.

But then there’s this:

              The members of a Polish town council are giving Winnie The Pooh a hard time for not wearing pants.

According to the Croation Times, the fictional bear was banned from a local playground for his "dubious sexuality" and for being "inappropriately dressed."

In a meeting – that was apparently recorded and leaked to the press – to discuss a new mascot for the park, the honey-loving children's character was suggested but immediately rejected.

"The problem with that bear is it doesn't have a complete wardrobe," said councilor Ryszard Cichy. "It is half naked which is wholly inappropriate for children."


The group also went on to question Pooh's sexuality and criticize author A. A. Milne.

"It doesn't wear underpants because it doesn't have a sex. It's a hermaphrodite," said one official.

"This is very disturbing, but can you imagine!" said councilor Hanna Jachimska. "The author was over 60 and cut [Pooh's] testicles off with a razor blade because he had a problem with his identity."

…And so it’s Wednesday already and here are some things to ponder midweek:

“You know what the issue is with this world?  Everyone wants a magical solution to their problems, but no one believes in magic.” Alice in Wonderland

“In the important matters we are good men. We honor our parents; we take care of our children, we are industrious and peaceable; we trade much; we are trusted for large and small sums; we pay our debts, and are honest, and of course must tell the truth. ‘  Chinese response to government threats to ban them from California in 1852

“Don't let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning.”  Robert Kiyosaki

“You can do a lot more with a nice word and a gun than you can do with just a gun.” Al Capone

“If you had only one hour to live and could make only one phone call, who would you call and what would you say—and why are you waiting?” Stephen Levine

“He who has not looked upon sorrow cannot see joy.” Kahil Gibran