Happy New Year!

We had a little snow last night, nothing like the blizzard that they were predicting, thank goodness.

Looking out my kitchen window, this guy caught my eye.

He was looking all around,

Listening closely...

Quote of the day

...it’s only when the tide goes out that you find out who’s been swimming naked.

~ Warren Buffett

Still trying to catch up after the four day weekend... Whew!

Another Fine Imported Toy Recall

_About 11,400 Soldier Bear toys, imported by the Army & Air Force Exchange Service, because surface paints on the toys contain high levels of lead, which is toxic if ingested by young children. No injuries have been reported. The recalled toys are: the wooden Pull-Along Learning Blocks wagon, the Time Teacher, a wooden riding horse and a vehicle play set. The toys were sold at AAFES stores around the world between August 2006 and October 2007. Details: by phone at 800-866-3605; by Web at http://www.aafes.com/pa/news/07news/soldierbear.htm or http://www.cpsc.gov.

Manufactured in China, Who could have guessed?

I hear that Chinese people are refusing to buy chinese made toys for their kids.

Roadblock Republicans

Hat tip to Digby!

Nancy, Nancy - You Blink, They Win!

Blink * Blink * Blink * Blink * Blink * Blink * Blink

US House to vote on $70 billion for wars

WASHINGTON - The Democratic-controlled House is expected to give President Bush an end-of-session victory in his yearlong battle with anti-war lawmakers over Iraq by approving $70 billion for U.S. military operations there and in Afghanistan.

The vote Wednesday also would represent the final step in sealing a deal between Democrats and Bush over how much money to provide domestic agencies whose budgets are set each year by Congress. The Iraq funds have been bundled with an omnibus appropriations measure to create a massive $555 billion package that Bush has signaled he will sign.

Providing the war funds was a bitter pill for most Democrats.

~ snip ~

ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX

The Senate again rejected raising taxes mainly on users of off-shore tax havens to cover the $50 billion cost of saving millions of taxpayers from having to pay a higher alternative minimum tax on their income this year. The House is expected to vote Wednesday on the tax fix, without imposing higher taxes elsewhere to make up for the lost revenues. The fix will save some 21 million taxpayers an average $2,000 each in higher taxes. The battle had pitted House Democrats who had insisted on raising the revenue elsewhere against President Bush, who said he would veto any tax increase.

Heckova Job, Pelosie!

Back to Work!

19,000 a year dead, and no war in sight.

I was watching NBC Evening news last night, and was flumoxed: every year 19 thousand people(and growing exponentially) die in the United States of MRSA - ( Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection).

MRSA seems to love high school(and pro) football players, military and prison populations, and health care workers. They also talked about somebody from a reality show who had to quit the show and get himself into a hospital for a couple of weeks.

What I'd like to know is where's the war-on? After all, 19000 people is more than six times the number that were killed on 9/11, and we gots us a (3)trillion dollar war on terror from that debacle. By all rights, we should be pouring mucho dinero into research for a cure for this killer.

No war on MRSA was mentioned.

Calm Between Two Storms

Thursday brought the storm, and Friday was overcast and dull. Saturday morning dawned crisp, clear and cold. I scooted outside to get a shot of our X-mas display with the snow. Later on in the afternoon, it clouded over again, and Sunday was all snow, sleet, and freezing rain.

The Polar Bears join Santa and sleigh this year.

Our backyard. The big lump behind the picnic table is the fish pond with it's covering of plywood, tarp, and mounds of leaves. The fish under there are cozy with air bubbling in from the warm basement. They even have their own window, so they can get a little sunlight through the snow.

The christmas cactus is blooming profusely as usual..

Holly in the front flower beds. The roads were still very slippery, so instead of doing my Christmas shopping....

I made a jumble pie... Apple cranberry cinnamon walnut with bitter chocolate at the bottom.

Yummmmm!

Open Letter

Dear Senator Reid,

Please do not give in to the President by approving more money for Wars in the Middle East. It's ludicrous to think that we have to rush around kissing up to him when all you have to do is say NO and keep on saying NO. The best thing you can do for "the troops" is to make sure they're coming home as soon as possible. This administration has not only created a complete fiasco in Iraq and Afghanistan, it did so on purpose, and with the express purpose of shocking Iraq into giving up it's oil and beggaring it's populace.

This is not the way to win friends and influence nations. This is not the way to balance our budget. This is not the way to save us from Global meltdown.

We cannot wait another year while you all go around *sskissing the prez. We need to get out of Iraq yesterday, and heal our nation, and put the criminals who are now in office, in prison. If you can't do that, we need to get someone in who can. It's that important and it's that simple.

Live up to your oath of office. Live up to the principles that America has always held dear.

Thank You
SB Gypsy

Snowy Day Unfolding

We're supposed to get dumped on today - starting around noon. The weatherman says 6-10" of snow. I think I'm going home after lunch. I really hate driving in the stuff. Yay! snow day!

*click the pic for a larger view

Happy Holidays!

I've been flat on my back since friday, with my usual yearly headcold. As soon as we get some really cold weather, I get sick for 3-4 days. Just tuck me up in bed with some chicken soup and lots of tissues... But this year I just cannot seem to shake it. Oh well, at least I'll get it over with before Christmas week. Hey, I can do all my shopping at the last minute.

Seven Degrees

This morning when I got up, it was 7 degrees outside - Brrrrrr

Snowfall last weekend. It was coming down fast, but it didn't really stick. We have about an eighth of an inch right now.

* If you click on the pic, it will open up.

The last of November