Sunrise over my favorite Barn

A Walk in the Cold

There's this path near my son's house that goes over to the river, ending at an old railroad bridge that spans the river. Sign on the fence that blocks the bridge: No admittance to anyone!

The bridge is very sturdy looking from afar, with the frame made out of huge steel I-beams, and railroad ties making up the bed of the bridge. Step up on it, however, and the RRties are getting rotten and you can see down thru to the water rushing by fridgid beneath you. As I am terrified of heights it was a very scary walk out to where I could get a shot.

The walk back was even worse. ;) WHAT was I thinking!

Punch Line

Ha ha ha hahahahahah

Courtesy of the Dark Wraith

What Else??

What mythical beast are you?

You're a dragon. You're smart and cunning, and enjoy taking risks. Your need for independence is an advantage, but sometimes it alienates you from others. As far as *good* and *evil*, you're pretty neutral--but you may have something of a wicked streak.
Take this quiz!








Quizilla |

National Priorities Project

To find out what your state is spending on the Iraq war, click here (adobe acrobat alert)

The state of Connecticut has paid out 9.2 Billion of the 378 Billion that the Iraq war has cost so far. We have suffered 23 military deaths, and 190 wounded.

Codpiece's "Surge" will cost the nation some 5.6 billion more, and the interest payments on what Bushco has borrowed to finance the war come to another 100 Billion. Add around 100 Billion MORE for long term medical care for all the wounded.

I wonder if Utah thinks that the 2 Billion they paid for fubar is worth it?

Remember "The Iraqi Oil will pay for the war."

It would only cost 1.5 Billion...

Only 10 billion...

Only ...



And as long as we're talking about costs:
From Lester Brown over at Huffington Post

As concerns over climate change have mounted in recent years, nuclear energy has been touted as a viable alternative to our current dependency on carbon-intensive energy sources.

The truth however, is that when the real costs of nuclear power are considered, the energy source is quickly taken out of the running.

In fact, on a level playing field with no taxpayer subsidies, nuclear power is dead. If utilities pay the full costs of nuclear waste disposal, of insurance against an accident, and of decommissioning plants that are worn out, the cost of nuclear power will far exceed that of other promising alternatives.

This notion of real costs is something that our fossil-fuel-based throwaway economy does not take into account.
~ snip ~

...when real costs are included in the pricing of goods, it is the greener, alternative energy sources - like wind, solar, and geothermal - that emerge as the cheapest, most viable solutions to our current model.

Read that article, it has links to online resources about real world energy costs..

Frozen Dragon

The Squirrel: Redux

I left you, dear readers, with me locked in the computer room, the squirrel rampaging through the house, and Hubby on the way home.

When H got home, he decided to go through the house room by room, clearing each room and closing the door. Sounded good. Picture H with a metal bar, a flashlight, and a pellet gun. I'm behind him with a big net on a pole - the kind you scoop big bass out of the water with. We go thru each room, looking under beds, opening every cupboard, closet, and drawer in the house. Poking with the metal bar, top to bottom, end to end, we covered every square inch of that house. No Squirrel.

While we were at it, we started remembering incidents in the last week or so, ones so trivial that we didn't even comment on them: I came home to find H's torchiere lamp on the floor - I righted it and just kept going. H came home one day to find a whole bunch of his papers on the floor, and thought the wind knocked them off. The clincher was on Friday: When I got home, H asked me about my day: did I have a good morning? Did I trip on the wire in my bedroom? yes and no.

Now, my speaker wire, which had been stretched across the doorway and was fine in the crack between the two carpets, had to be taped down when we removed the rugs. When H came home Friday night, the wire was in pieces, and some cards were knocked off the shelf. Since I'm notoriously cranky in the morning, H thought I had had a hissy fit before I went to work! LOL, I'm sure I've given him cause to think that.

We started to notice little signs of a small animal intruder all over in odd places. We found that my door was chewed, and there was a hole up into the door on the bottom, big enough for a mouse to go up in, so H took the door off the hinges and threw it out into the snow.

Saturday found us vacuming and cleaning the place from top to bottom, and searching for a way that the rodent could have entered. Nothing. Exhausting day. We decided to keep all the doors in the house closed at all times, to limit the little rat with a tail to one room, wherever that was.

Open door, close door. rinse repeat.

What a pain, but it worked! The lil bugger was in the basement, and had climbed down the chimney and pried open the damper to the furnace. He was living in the space inside the chimney under the furnace flue, and there was no way to get to him. So, we set the havahart trap, and shut the door to the basement.

Monday he ran all around, and knocked stuff over, but finally on Tuesday he tripped the trap, and he's history!

Thank goodness. Whew.

Aack!

I was just getting home from the hairdresser's, and I walked into hubby's room to check the little have-a-heart trap we set to catch teh mousie who's been nibbling wires and leaving little shits around. It was sprung, but it was empty.

I was beginning to suspect the CIA & FBI & ATF were looking for evidence - or hiding evidence: broken wine glass, little smudgy footprints on my sheets, stuff fallen off of shelves. ;)

I looked up at a little noise, and there was a full sized grey squirrel, hanging out on hubby's bed. He skeedaddeled, and is now in the house somewhere. I've barracaded myself into the only room that I know he can't be in, and I'm waiting for hubby to get home.

That's my story, and I'm stickin' with it!

This is a little more like it! Time to haul out my down coat.

Read The Speech:

BILL MOYERS:

Benjamin Franklin once said, "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner."

"Liberty," he said, "is a well-armed lamb, contesting the vote."

My fellow lambs -- it's good to be in Memphis and find you well-armed with passion for democracy, readiness for action, and courage for the next round in the fight for a free and independent press in America. I salute the conviction that brought you here. I cherish the spirit that fills this hall, and the camaraderie that we share here.

All too often, the greatest obstacle to reform is the reform movement itself. Factions rise, fences are erected, jealousies mount, and the cause all of us believe in is lost in the shattered fragments of what once was a clear and compelling vision.

Reformers, in fact, often remind me of Baptists. I speak as a Baptist. I know whereof I speak. One of my favorite stories is of the fellow who was about to jump off a bridge, when another fellow ran up to him crying, "Stop, stop, don't do it."

The man on the bridge looks down and asks, "Why not?"

"Well, there's much to live for."

"What for?"

"Well, your faith. Your religion."

"Yes?"

"Are you religious?"

"Yes."

"Me, too. Christian or Buddhist?"

"Christian."

"Me, too. Are you Catholic or Protestant?"

"Protestant."

"Me, too. Methodist, Baptist or Presbyterian?"

"Baptist."

"Me, too. Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Savior?"

"Baptist Church of God."

"Me, too. Are you Original Baptist Church of God or Reformed Baptist Church of God?"

"Reformed Baptist Church of God."

"Me, too. Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God Reformation of 1879, or Reform Baptist Church of God Reformation of 1917?"

"1917."

Whereupon, the second fellow turned red in the face and yelled, "Die, you heretic scum," and pushed him off the bridge.

Great article, go read the rest

ABOLISH Term Limits???

NEW YORK – The people - and the experts - have spoken: It's time to change course in Iraq. But it still doesn't seem as though President Bush really heard them.

And why should he, really? Under the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, Mr. Bush is barred from seeking a third term of office. So he doesn't have to worry about his dreadful poll numbers, November's disastrous congressional elections, or anything else. Come January 2009, he's history.

That's why we need to let Mr. Bush - and all future presidents - run as many times as they'd like.

They've started George W Bush's reelection campaign. I kinda knew they would, after all, they don't want to give the new, improved, expanded and all powerful presidency to a DEMOCRAT would they? Especially when the president can designate anyone for imprisonment and torture> they might get some of their own back on 'em.

For the whole article, go here

I was watching 60 Minutes last night, and our craven pResident said he watched the Saddam Hussain snuff vid. Only parts of it. He couldn't watch the part where the trap door fell, and the dictator choked.

I said at the time, he only likes to exercise the power: he doesn't like to see the results.

Perhaps he sees a little of himself in Saddam, and is afraid of the rug being pulled out from under him. He's afraid of that fall.

Today I was reading a piece about him at Working For Change, and Tom(gram) said Codpiece has been keeping a rouge's gallery, pics and bios of Taliban and Al Queda that he crosses off when they've been taken out. He was very pleased with the death of al-Zarqawi, and showed it. He plays with the pistol found in the hidey hole with Saddam, shows it to his most valued visitors.

Loves that power. The scum sucking bastard.

Martin Luther King

Chester Scoville has a vid of the Reverend up at The Vanity Press.

Firedog Lake has another good speech of the good doctor's here

Saturday Dragon Blogging

Friday's Sunset

Sacrifice:

21 years.

Mr Bush, you have no idea what that word means.

Voinovich - YES

"Not all of Baghdad is in a civil war."

Ohio Sen. George Voinovich writes letters to the families of fallen U.S. soldiers. Until now, he's said in those letters that the sacrifices Americans troops are making in Iraq are every bit the equal of those U.S. soldiers made in World War II. But Voinovich told Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice this afternoon that he's going to have to change his letter now. "I've gone along with the president on this, and I've bought into his dream," Voinovich said, his voice choking with emotion. "At this stage of the game, I don't think it's going to happen."

The Ohio Republican's delivery was more emotional than some of his colleagues', but the sentiment he expressed this afternoon was pretty much the same as the one Rice heard from most members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: The president has lost the American people and their representatives, and the new "way forward" he put forth last night isn't enough to win them over again.



Thank goodness SOMEONE's listening to the people!

Hattip: Shakes Sis.

What do you think?

Groundhog day is three weeks from today. Can we have six more weeks of winter, if we haven't had winter yet?

Just wondering...

On our new Iraq Plan:

A "fool's paradise," was how Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, who hours earlier had announced his Democratic presidential candidacy, described Iraq policy.

"A tragic mistake," in the words of Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, the committee chairman and White House hopeful.

And this, from a Republican with presidential ambitions: "The most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam." Sen. Chuck Hagel (news, bio, voting record) of Nebraska was talking about Bush's speech Wednesday night announcing the troop increase.

Hagel has opposed the Bush policy for some time. But Sen. Bill Nelson (news, bio, voting record), a moderate Democrat from Florida, has supported it. No more.

"I have not been told the truth," Nelson said. "I have not been told the truth over and over again." *

Rep Nelson, the easier and truthier way to say it is: I've been lied to over and over again.

It's time to Govern, Sir, and you cannot govern well if you leave your spine at home. It takes truth and honesty to govern well. And I say to you sir, you must for the sake of this country govern well.

*emphasis mine

On pResident Bush in his speech last night that:

He recognized the risks ahead. "Even if our new strategy works exactly as planned, deadly acts of violence will continue and we must expect more Iraqi and American casualties," Bush said in Wednesday's address to the nation. But, he added, "to step back now would force a collapse of the Iraqi government, tear that country apart, and result in mass killings on an unimaginable scale," (emphasis mine)


Uh, excuse me Mr pResident, but in 2003 we went into Iraq on your orders, with the express purpose of forcing the collapse of the Iraqi government. Your "Shock and Awe" campaign tore that country apart and resulted in mass killings on a scale that, unfortunately, is now only too easy to imagine. Along with encouraging torture and chaos, you have done everything that your present position makes possible to ensure that Iraq will not be able to recover from your depradations.

All your slimy, shifting rationalizations fell away when the Iraqi congress yesterday considered a bill that would strip them of their own oil profits for many years to come. The best revenge would be to pass it, and then as soon as the US withdraws(which we will because this is bankrupting us), restructure the government, and repudiate the contracts(signed under duress). Not that I wish for that outcome.

What's interesting to me is that the arrangement that Bush described in his speech last night - the little oil profits left after US interests get done with them will be rationed out to the general populace - smacks of that unholy bugaboo: communism.

So, to review: we busted up that country, unleashed chaos, installed a weak and flawed (semi-communist)government, and now multinational corporate oil interests are swooping in to suck out all the profits.

If it was only your own incompetence at issue, that would be bad enough. However, I see a pattern of depradation and US government sponsored terrorism going back to the American Indian wars and before. The Democratic Party is not pristine in that regard, yet the majority of the US sponsored terrorism has occured under the Republican's watch.

It's time to end it. We have many more important issues that need attention. Grow up and get with it, Mr pResident.


~
For more snarky goodness, The Rude One has a very fine analysis.

Ya think?

Good story go read.


Oh, Yes! this one from Shakespeare's Sister is truely Priceless (just not work safe)

From Media Matters:

Dear Friend,

When George W. Bush addresses the American people tomorrow night on the future of Iraq, the media will be faced with an important choice:

In the critical post-speech coverage, the media can turn to conservative talking heads who parrot White House talking points for analysis, just as they have done for years, or they can recognize the changes in Washington demanded by the American people and provide progressives equal time to respond to Bush's remarks.

» Use the links on the right{at bottom} to contact the major networks and make sure they offer progressives equal time to analyze Bush's speech!

In September, the networks broadcast Bush's prime-time speech -- in which he repeated his campaign rhetoric about Iraq -- without offering Democratic rebuttal. ABC and CBS didn't even report the Democrats' request for equal time.

If we are to ensure that the president's speech receives the full consideration and response it deserves by serious news outlets, we need you to act now.

Please contact the major cable and network newsrooms (ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, FOX, MSNBC, and CNN-HLN) and tell them you demand that their post-speech coverage include the opportunity for a full and equal response by prominent progressive leaders.

Let them know that having three conservatives and one journalist on a panel to discuss the president's Iraq policy just won't cut it anymore.

This November, the overwhelming cry for change sent shockwaves through the corridors of power in Washington. Now, we expect those same cries to be heard on our airwaves as well.

Only by working together and demanding change can we make certain that the era of one-party rule over the nation's news airwaves comes to an end.

Sincerely,
David Brock

Progressives Deserve a Voice in Coverage of Tomorrow Night's Bush Speech on Iraq

Please contact the major cable & network newsrooms by clicking the links below. Tell them you demand that their post-speech coverage include the voices of prominent progressive leaders.

ABC
ABC News

CBS
E-mail: E-mail form

NBC
NBC News

MSNBC
viewerservices@msnbc.com

CNN
CNN

CNN Headline News
CNN Headline News

Fox News Channel
FOX News Channel

Got That Right!

hattip: Liz at Blondesense

This is January in Connecticut?

Riding the bigger beast

Feathery fuscia clouds welcome me to the car on friday.

Steely grey thursday sunrise over the lake.

When I look at a lake, I look at the surface of the water, and I can tell what's going on out there. I grew up on a lake about this same size, and I learned to sail when I was in gradeschool.

Sailing is one of the most liberating activities that I know. Ahhh, to be riding the wind, bare feet jammed into the struts on the opposite side of the boat, *sparkle of sun on water* leaning with all your weight into the power and the force of the wind. *slap of waves on side of boat* Using your body as a part of the boat to find the perfect heading that lets you skim for one more instant. *hiss of wake* The gigantic sail towering over you, the ripples here and there felt through the singing ropes in hand. And then let out the sail, push the tiller way over, duck the swing of the boom, swirl of lake rotating around you, shove the tiller the other way, flapping of sail, snap as it gathers the wind, brace the foot, lean into it, and you're off again!

I feel in my bones why pre-scientific peoples thought of this force as an entity. A super-person with capricious changes in personality. It must have been irresistible for early sailors, going from the protected lakes and rivers out into the open ocean.

Riding the bigger beast.

Friday Dragon Blogging

click on the pic for a larger view