Watching America

Setbacks, Yes, But No Recession in Brazil:

"GM sold 444,000 automobiles in Brazil from January to November. This is a 10.4% increase from the same time period last year."

Look Into The Light!

A quiet morning for me. I haven't even looked at the news! But I will… In the meantime I got involved in writing something for my Working blog and then I was using Google to find people that I remembered from the time I was writing about. Which I did. You have to love Google!

What else… I did finish the book, Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. Whoa! If you are at all bothered by violence, don't read the book. If you love the written word, be sure to read it. McCarthy is poet and author and he can string words together beautifully even when they are savage. I've read four of his books now in the past few weeks and I need to find another one.

And as I began another book last night, Boo the Cat took up her usual place, stretched out on my lap and legs. And after awhile, I was inclined to shut my eyes…to better meditate upon what I was reading of course. When I opened my eyes, I beheld a royal purple cat! Not entirely purple; just those sections of her fur that were reflecting the light in some mysterious manner. As I stroked her back, the color would change from dull black to a dark purple. Wow! I shut my eyes. I opened them and poor Boo was her ordinary self. Still lovely of course, but she really did look good in purple!

But, what caused that? If you have ever been around an all-black cat, you know that their fur can appear to be reddish brown in a certain light. So I assumed that the Ott light I was using to read by had affected my vision in some way. So I closed my eyes, leaned back and 'meditated' some more. Sure enough, when I opened them I had my purple cat back!

Caltrans

Live Traffic Cameras

It's that time of year! Snow! Pick the highway location of your choice and watch motorists battle the elements while you stay warm.

Truckee at the scales was inoperative this morning and Truckee at the Ag station was minimal due to lots of snow on the camera. Try the junction of 29 and 88 for a nice view.

Signs of the Times

From Reuters:

"'DUE TO BUDGET CUTS, THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL IS BEING TURNED OFF.'"

Auto bailout's death

seen as a Republican blow at unions - Los Angeles Times:

"'Being a Republican myself, I feel very betrayed by the Republican Party right now,'"

Is the Drug War Working? -

- Wall Street Journal.com:

"We have 5% of the world's population and now use 60% of the world's drugs. That's certainly not winning this deadly war."

Flag Salute

Some current news… In a shift, the White House said on Friday that it would consider using money from the $700 billion financial bailout to help automakers after the Senate abandoned a rescue bill.

OK, I'm divided on this. This is not a White House to be trusted. And although the ethics of our House and Senate members is suspect; I think I would trust them first.

And if no one helps the automakers, what kind of suffering will occur? There will certainly be some until another company takes over the plants and resumes production. Which will happen.

And we really need to put aside any feelings about national pride here. GM, Chrysler and Ford are all multinational companies with plants and labor on all continents. They fly the 'money' flag.

I'm so confused! But not about the money; Dubya shouldn't have anything to do with it.

The attack of the Invisible Hand!

Tom Does it Again!

Turning Up The Heat

Temperature: 34°F | Humidity: 89% | Pressure: 30.04in (Falling) | Conditions: Clear | Wind Direction: ENE | Wind Speed: 4.0mph | Forecast: Mostly sunny in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. Areas of fog locally dense in the morning. Highs 54 to 62. Light winds becoming south around 10 mph in the afternoon.

The morning rolls on. And as I read the headline stories about the erudite Illinois Governor Blagojevich and his lovely, soft spoken wife, I was reminded once more of why it's so important to never link your name or reputation to a political party. I'm so grateful these days that I chose to become independent. I may be a lot of things but at least I'm not a Republican/Democrat.

If you read the roll call of recently newsworthy and corrupt officials, you will find Democrats and Republicans in equal measure. Do you think, just maybe, that it's the power and not the party? Either way, it's best to avoid any alliance with a political party. Bozos!

(Later) I just read Time Goes By for this morning and I see that Ronni has the same sort of subject matter. Link

 

City of the future?

Mesa, AZ?| The Economist

Mesa has to be seen to be believed...

Though I do like the idea of having a second airport in the region. Sky Harbor has to be seen to be believed!

Canada

A most un-Canadian caper | From The Economist

OK, so where is Dudley Do-right when you need him?

Joseph E. Stiglitz

on capitalist fools: From vanityfair.com
In case you were wondering how it (the financial crisis) all happened. As expected, the usual suspect, Ronald Reagan played a huge part in it.

Any good news today? yes, the price of gas has gone down and that makes it less expensive for you to get to work and back. Oh? You don't have a job anymore? Bonzo? He's the one on the left. The right? Whatever!

Breakfast of death

and voodoo cult killings, December 11, 1938

A kinder, simpler time...? Check out the story about the 'masquerader found hanged' and tell me if you think it was suicide. What were they thinking?

Obama and his

Smoking Drama

Most humans are addicts. 99.9% It's how you manage your addictions that is important.

I was watching a guy at the doctor's office yesterday. He sat nervously in the waiting room for just a few minutes and then he had to leave. He was outside on the sidewalk and lighting up. Another addict. And when he was finished, he came back in and we all recoiled at the tobacco stench he brought back with him! I was lucky; they called my name just then and I was able to leave the room. Poor Laurae was stuck, though she debated on going out to the car or not. Not won. She suffered through it.

  

New Mexico

Border country | The Economist

I was searching for an article I had read about Governor Richardson and I stumbled onto this one...it's good reading, all about my favorite state. (Hawai'i is second) Now I must go find that article!

Why Not?

I just had an idea. A great idea for a website. If you've ever shopped for a new or used car, you might have used Edmunds.com to determine the right price for that vehicle. Edmunds calculates it based on where you are; your zip code. Prevailing wholesale prices in that area are used plus a markup for the dealer. Voila! The fair price is….

So why can't we see something like that for healthcare? Appendectomies in Zip Code 94123 are Fair Priced at $7,450, including 2 days at the hospital of your choice within that Zip Code. Price includes all applicable taxes and 90 day warranty. Extended warranty is available for additional cost. Medicare pays 80% and the following approved supplemental insurers pay the remainder. List follows.

Not Happy

Speaking of medicine, as I was… Ronni of Time Goes By has some things to say about it. Things that we should all be saying to our elected representatives. (I promise to write to mine today)

But first; we need to decide whether we want healthcare to be improved or not? I think it's obvious that we didn't want it to be in the past. How else would you explain to anyone from a different planet, the mess we have? And it should be a simple yes or no. Not a 'yes, but…' kind of answer.

If you are at all like me, your mind gets overwhelmed when you view the healthcare mess. Medicare, Medicaid, Insurance, Doughnut Holes and more. It's time to get back to basics here! And it shouldn't be my job to get it done. Or yours. Not with over 500 elected representatives paid to do those things for us. Where are they and what have they been doing?

A sample of my gripes: I was using Google the other day to see if a certain medical procedure was covered by Medicare and if so, how much of it was covered. How much would I have to pay? Gosh; that seems like such a basic need for any wise consumer. But no, not with the tools that are given to that wise consumer. Almost every source of government information was a .pdf file; not the easiest document for a computer novice to navigate. If you selected the right document; a big 'if', you had to do a search within the .pdf to find the search term you were looking for and then you could only imagine the context once you found it.

Since I used to teach people how to use their computers, I had an advantage and found part of what I was looking for in about 10 minutes. But it was only a small portion of what I needed and useless without the rest. And I was tired of waiting for Acrobat documents to load…so I quit.

From Time Goes By...

Elders Lobbying for Healthcare for Others

Here's a movement to get behind no matter your age!

Reading

Since reading is what I do these days, I'm glad I found a reliable and prolific author; Dean Koontz. He is an entertaining author and a skilled craftsman in the writing game. He won't write a Nobel Prize winning book, but he will let you escape from this world for hours at a time and you will enjoy the trip. If his writing reveals anything of his character and personality, I bet he would be fun to talk to.

I've finished his Odd Thomas series of novels and once more I'm reminded of why I don't like some series. The author has to describe the protagonist at the beginning of each book. But after the first book, I already know him! OK, it's a minor thing. Maybe they should have a version just for those who already know all about Mr. Thomas.

Something New

New post at
Short Laps…

Hit and Run

Another chilly day. And the first thing I see this morning, after turning up the thermostat, is a blank screen on my computer and the log-in screen on the other. Yes, Microsoft has been here and gone; updating our computers. Unfortunately, my computer doesn't play well with the 'jump' drive I have and when it's plugged in during a reboot, the pc freezes as soon as it sees the jump drive. I have to pull the jump drive and start it up the old fashioned way. Isn't technology grand!

I know that somewhere out there I can find a cure, a fix for this failed relationship between jump drive and pc. But do I really want to go through the hassle? And I have a similar problem with my ATI video driver; every time it loads it asks me to notice the fact that it can't find a certain .Net file. A file with an impossibly long name. I click OK and everything seems to work? Now ten years ago I would have enjoyed this kind of detective work. I did enjoy it! But I have matured and now I just expect things to work; the first time and every time. Sigh.

From cab drollery:

More On Republic Window and Doors

And now...the rest of the story!

From Foolery:

This Morning As I Came To

I suppose I could have stolen this poem as well; after all, what's the penalty for third hand theft? But, I didn't. Now it's up to you...

The Shell Game

On a different subject altogether; I used to watch our finances, as they related to the DJIA, on a daily basis. I have an Excel spreadsheet to chart the advances and sometimes the declines in the stock market. I don't bother doing that anymore. I haven't looked in days. Why bother? OK, I know, I know…I should be grateful that I have something to watch, even if it is going down in value. After all, we knew it was a gamble, right? No; that wasn't how it was sold to us. I remember the word 'security' being tossed around during those early days of investing. Hucksters in 3-piece suits and we fell for it.

For Sale

The big story this morning has to be the bankruptcy protection filing of the Tribune company. That's 3 major newspapers all at once. These are strange times indeed.

But what's a newspaper to do these days? Remember the old quiz, 'What's black and white and red (read) all over?' And once upon a time the answer was 'A newspaper'. Now, if you ask that question you will get a blank look in return. Circulation is down and ad revenue is in the pits.

I know that we were once major league newspaper readers and now you will never find us out searching in the bushes for the morning paper. Why? I have everything I need right here on my computer. News, comics and ads…even coupons. All of my favorite columnists are on-line somewhere. It really doesn't matter where…

If any of the newspapers want to survive into the mid-century, they will need a new business model and if I were an executive of a major newspaper I would be talking (Pleading) to Google or Microsoft; maybe even Adobe. I would be asking them to invest in the newspaper and then to re-invent it for me.

On another but related subject; I have to wonder how much less paper is being used now that newspapers are cutting down on their orders? Is it millions of tons per year? I would imagine it's substantial. And that means fewer jobs. The ink industry? Another job 'hit'.

From Wired News -

Laptops at the Border

As usual. Searching the laptop is so 20th century! I'll give you 10 seconds to think of an easier way to cross the border with info. If it's dangerous, it certainly won't be on a laptop...

The Rest of the Story

Boo the Cat is a glutton for punishment! I've won every round of Cat Wrestling this morning and she still insists on going another round. 'OK, 6 falls out of 10. And then you have to take a nap.'

I have to rethink my position on loans to failing businesses. Some businesses. And it's based on my feeling that GM and Chrysler are not failing as much as they are mismanaged. They won't go out of business; they will be sold. There will be a time of layoffs and then production will begin again. There are plenty of automakers around the world that would love to buy them out. And no, they won't pack up the plant and take it somewhere else. Almost all of the worlds automakers have plants here already but they aren't large enough to handle the vacuum created by the closing of GM and Chrysler, so they will remain open. The auto industry is already global; Buick is one of the more popular cars made in China, so we're too late if we think we're going to keep GM as a national 'treasure.'

Billions spent to bailout GM/Chrysler would be better spent on a thousand small businesses where there is a real peril of employees losing everything if the business fails.

Don’t Even Ask!

I was reading a story this morning about the workers that had taken over a factory in Chicago. It seems that the owners had to close prematurely because Bank of America was calling their loan. They had no choice but to close the doors, although the workers hadn't been paid. I know that there is a lot more to the story, but…wouldn't it make more sense to keep the factory alive and the workers working and being paid? Paying taxes on their earnings? And isn't Bank of America one of the recipients of our dollars to help bail them out? Just wondering…

And strangely enough, as I was reading the Economist this morning, the editors made the plea for the nations of the world to use bold new ideas when it comes to thinking of ways to ease our current crisis. One of the ideas? To use some of that 'Bailout' cash to renegotiate loans where there is imminent danger of a business going broke. Gee! It seems to make sense. Yes, keep people working.

America is a funny place. All the good rightwing conservatives insist that we should stand tall as Americans, shoulder to shoulder, as we demonstrate to the world our solidarity and patriotism. Until one of us need a helping hand. No, not my wallet!

   

Afghanistan's war

on drugs | Bring on the pomegranate

"but they have just given us this book, which is empty,""

A good article on why war of any kind won't change anything in this poor country. Someone with 'common sense' needs to fix it by helping the people with the simplest of things. A road. Electricity. We could do it and for a lot less than it takes to buy a dozen tanks!

Gotta Go!

Speaking of writers, as I was… I've just finished the second book (The Crossing) of The Border Trilogy; written by Cormac McCarthy. This is good writing! But…you have to be able to endure sentences that can run on for the length of a paragraph. True, I really didn't see a place for a comma when I re-read one of the longer sentences, but I was really looking for a place to take a breath. I needed a comma!

All the Pretty Horses is the first book and it had my attention all of the way through it. The Crossing had some of the best writing I've ever enjoyed when the author describes the hunt, the capture and the eventual death of the wolf. Moving. But then the book bogged down for a bit; understandable after the wolf story. Eventually it came back to being a good read. The last book, Cities of the Plain, is open to the first page. I can hardly wait!

Good Stuff

I was reading the Chico News and Review yesterday, my favorite Friday morning read, and after finishing the first few pages, I turned to the back page where Anthony Peyton Porter has a column. OK, it wasn't a new column, it was reprinted from 2006. But it happened to be one of my favorites. He has caught my thoughts perfectly when it comes to the subject of 'pride'.

Now Mr. Porter is not one of the most popular columnists in town, though he is one of mine. He writes to make you think and not to be simply entertained. A lot of people don't like that. I've disagreed with him many times and sometimes I find his vulgarity bothersome…but he makes good points with his writing.

Link to the column here…

 

A Quiet Morning

There's supposed to be local frost this morning and I'm sure of it happening here. Along with dense fog, it makes for a gloomy morning. It would be a good morning for a fire, but I have to replace the seal around the door on the woodstove first; a messy job.

Signs of the times… went shopping for essentials yesterday and noted that real 'cut' Christmas trees were selling for $20. All about 6' tall and really quite good looking. Full and fresh. And on our way out of town, noted that the Christmas tree lot on the corner of East Ave. and Hwy 32 is only about half the size it was last year.

The petty economies of the rich are just as amazing as the silly extravagances of the poor.
  - William Feather

There goes the neighborhood!

Home values plummet!

From a [daily dose of imagery]

brendan

Fascinating! I love 'heroic' sized art! Check out the links as well...

Brother, can you spare a dime?

Sign of the times. China has decided to NOT loan us any more money. Yes, they said that our lack of regulation for our financial institutions had made us unworthy of credit. So no more Chinese investment cash until we get our financial house in order. I wish I could do the same thing with our taxes. Sigh.

And in another but similar vein; what has 8,500 square feet, 4 bedrooms and a $3 million dollar mortgage? That's Dubya's new house in the wilds of North Dallas. At 10141 Daria Place to be exact. You remember Dubya don't you? Just another poor boy with his nations interests at heart, always. So it's nice to see that he done well for himself…

Now that mortgage is due in 2012; wouldn't it be wonderfully ironic if he couldn't come up with the payments and had to be evicted? Oh well, one can dream!

Did I miss this one?

They tried to warn us! (Comics)

A look back

at the Bush administration (Comics)

Being Brave

I've been to the dentist and as usual, it was painless. But what is weird is the time compression that occurs while I'm asleep. Or not asleep, really. I hear things and I answer questions. But I don't remember much of what went on. This dentist uses IV Deep Conscious Sedation with the use of the drug triazolam. It works and time flies!

I didn't have a conscious fear of dentistry, but… except for one dentist, many years ago, I've never looked forward to the visit. Was it fear of pain? Maybe; I do know that having any major work done now without IV Deep Conscious Sedation would require some bravery on my part.

From Mzodell's Page

Exciting times

Now from here go to the Yarn Harlot's site for a great description of how government works for our northern neighbor. It gives a whole new meaning to the word 'convoluted'. (And you think the Electoral college is weird?)

link to Yarn Harlot

Bush

'I Did Not Compromise My Principles':

True. I don't believe his 'principles' were ever in danger...

The Jacket Store

Keyless Remote Rubber Covers

Our new car has had some problems. More than once we have come back to the car and found the front seat windows rolled part of the way down. Not a lot, just cracked a little. The other day though, they were all of the way down!

Unknown to us was a feature? that allows you to press the 'unlock' button for 5 seconds and the windows roll down. Why? I haven't a clue.

So my best guess is that I have been leaning against something while nearby and that action pressed the button. It's a guess...but a good one. So here is a possible fix.

Oh, Canada

Oh, what a terrible morning! I have dental surgery scheduled at 8:30…which means that I can't have any coffee till much later in the day. I have a cup of hot water and honey in front of me, but it's a poor substitute for a cup of coffee. The surgery doesn't bother me at all, but the lack of caffeine is inhuman.

Truth is, I have been trying to slow down my caffeine consumption recently and have switched to tea in the mornings. The coffee pot has been unused for the past 4 days now. What difference will it make? I'm not sure, but it seems like a healthy thing to do.

And looking at the news… I see that we (Americans) have been far too wrapped up in our own domestic problems to even notice our neighbors. Canada is experiencing a domestic crisis of their own. Maybe more than one; their Conservative party, led by Prime Minister Harper, is trying to suspend the government for a period because it seems things aren't going their way. That would bother me. Anytime I hear about a 'conservative' messing with the government, I'm naturally suspicious. Financially, there is definitely a crunch because almost all of those fancy American cars and trucks have their beginnings in Canada. When we stop producing vehicles, Canada suffers as well.

Dumb

After I changed our ISP I thought I had changed all of the addresses on Blogger that sends me a note when someone comments on a post. But I forgot one... Short Laps. So I found them today and I've fixed the mail address...sorry.

Obama

to nominate Richardson for Cabinet - CNN.com

Great choice. This guy is brilliant! He should have been the President, but at least he will be heard now...

From...From outside the box

The Economy, Were in it Together

A good one this morning.

From Time Goes By

50 to Death

Better than television!

And if I were to suggest something for these three, it would be to go on the road. A trip across America.

Timely

I'm having a hard time getting myself going this morning. The thoughts are muddled and infrequent. I'm reading the news out of habit and not for discovery.

I've almost finished the book, Obscene in the Extreme. And now I see why I'm fascinated. The author, Rick Wartzman, was the co-author of the great book, The King of California. That was a book I read at least twice as I read and re-read almost every chapter.

This new book tells of the power plays by the Associated Farmers and the Kern County Board of Supervisors as they tried by word and deed to quash the effects generated by the Steinbeck book, Grapes of Wrath. This was in 1939, just one year before I was born. And as I read it I was dismayed by the great number of people that were all in favor of censorship. They believed it was in the best interests of our society to regulate what could be read.

And last night I was thinking of how grateful I am to my parents for teaching me that censorship should be fought at every level; but most importantly at the personal level, that no one had a right to tell you how or what to think. Yes, I've been suspicious of 'authority' for a very long time and ultimately I've been proven right far more often than wrong. Way to go, mom!

Our parents weren't militant liberals and we were never indoctrinated as if we were in some cult. But we listened to their conversations. Without television, a lot of conversation starters came from the newspapers. Or newspaper. Los Angeles and the suburbs had three papers to choose from and our parents chose the Daily News. Mom was not about to allow a Hearst paper into the house and she didn't have much use for the Chandler family either, so the Times never made it to our breakfast table.

The book describes the events of 1939 and 1940 and the years leading up them, but it's still a very timely book. Big agriculture/corporate farming has not changed over the years and they still oppress their labor in search of more profit for the stockholder. But now they do it remotely, by dealing with 'labor contractors' so they don't have to get their hands dirty with labor issues.

Guantanamo

'a stain on US military':

"'It took me too long to recognize that we had abandoned our American values and defiled our constitution.'"

Now that's an American! With a conscience.

New

New posts on Working and Short Laps

Toward a 21st century government

Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team

Finally! We will really see the 21st Century...it's about 8 years late but better late than never.

Click on the Agenda tab on this website and see what's been promised… submit your views. Imagine a President asking for your view on anything.

Good Reading

I just started reading the book, Obscene in the Extreme by Rick Wartzman. A true story of how an important book came to be burned in public…in America. When fascists want power, that's what they do; ban books. I know I have been ranting lately about fascism but only because I believe we have more to fear from fascism than we do from all of the other 'ism's' combined. Because fascism always comes wrapped in a flag and disguised as patriotism. And we are especially vulnerable to its message when times are tough. Like now.

Link: Obscene in the Extreme

Brilliant

The headline, "Stock Market Plunges as Recession is Declared" baffled me completely. Were some people in doubt? Were there financial 'experts' still wandering around with smiles on their faces and hope in their hearts? Oh please! I believe that those of us who are living life as ordinary mortals knew we had a recession a year ago! Bozos!

Some Good Stuff

Interesting morning! I downloaded MS WorldWide Telescope and was amazed! It's a Beta version, but very impressive. If you are at all interested in astronomy, it's definitely worth looking at. And the price? Well, it's free. Sorry about that news. (Oh, to be 10 years old again and to have this technology available!)

An odd thing about the download; I downloaded (20+MB) from Download.com and after I installed the program and ran it, I got a message that an update was needed. Yes, another 20 MB and the whole install routine again. But it was worth it.

And I was doing some exploring with Google Earth and using Street Views. I couldn't find any street views of Newbury Park and when I went to our old address in Brea, the camera was located before and after our address. I can see the driveway and a hedge. That's it! Two cameras for the whole block and they missed our old house completely…

From the resident curmudgeon

quote of the day

Spending spam

in Israel could mean a big fine (AP)

Dear Senator; can we have a law like this? Please?

The Daily Mirror

A blog from the Los Angeles Times

If you enjoy history, here's a good place to read about it... I especially enjoy reading the 1938 editions of the paper and wonder; what were they thinking?

The GOP's McCarthy gene -

"The party belongs to McCarthy and his heirs -- Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly and Palin. It's in the genes."

Preying on people's fears is what fascism is all about and that is where the GOP is heading (Heck...it's already there!). The true conservatives need to take the party back...

Ho Ho Ho

I'm checking my email and I have a lot of it this morning. Hmmm. Cyber Monday? Are they crazy? I have a feeling that the on-line community is a little bit smarter than that. Or I hope so. The prices are going to have to come down, way down, this year to attract on-line buyers and dressing up a pig and calling it 'cyber' won't make it any less of a pig. Am I mixing my metaphors here?

And I have read some articles that make me think we're seeing a big shift in the culture; people are deciding that Christmas doesn't have to be on the 25^th of December at all. More and more are waiting for the after Christmas sales. What's a poor retailer to do?

Musing

The last day of November and all is well. Or as well as it's going to get at this last minute. Once more I'm stumped for the 'subject of the day' and must spend some more time browsing the internet while drinking coffee in an attempt to get my mind in gear.

Boo the Cat has already made her grand entrance; running a few laps around the house before collapsing into her bed here in the study. I certainly won't get any more inspiration from her.

I looked at the weather as I usually do for inspiration and found this… Statement as of 5:00 PM PST on November 29, 2008

... Record high temperature set at Redding Airport CA...

a record high temperature of 77 degrees was set at Redding Airport
CA today. This breaks the old record of 70 degrees set in 1988.

Does it mean anything? Anything at all 'significant'? I doubt it. But what do I know of these things?

The headlines are all about the tragic story in Mumbai. A story that will be dissected in the media for the next week or so. But will we ever know what drives those who committed these acts of terrorism? The fear of death doesn't deter them; it seems that it's expected and welcomed. We really need to find a way to stop them long before the opportunity for violence arrives. Capital punishment doesn't faze them; perhaps a promise that if captured they will be kept alive? In prison. Until they are old and feeble and all of their dreams have died. Yes, being forgotten might be the punishment that deters. I think it's universal… we all fear it.

Panoramio

Photos of the World

This was sort of fun... I was using Google Earth this morning as I was putting together a new post for my Working blog when I ran across this site. You can spot the photos on Google Earth and then click on them to see the rest of the photos that the person has posted. And you see photos of things you haven't thought of… an old church in Doyle, CA. Spring snow in Westwood. Just odds and ends.

In January

As I read the news these days, I can't help but think that the Obama presidency will be challenged in a most extraordinary way. His fans have a plan in their heads; a vision. And each one will be disappointed because it won't be the same as the President's vision. It might be close to it, but there will be disappointments when the reality of politics makes those dreams…simply dreams. And the opposition is furious. They are making nice right now; being civil and doing a lot of smiling for the camera. But after the inauguration, the knives will come out. Better get used to hearing the word, 'socialism' used for anything suggested by President Obama; even though those who speak the word have no idea of what it means. We live in a socialist country. We have for years; ever since we abandoned Jefferson's 'Yeoman farmer' model of governance. What's at issue is… how much socialism do we want?

The Holiday Spirit

Tis the season. Holiday music has arrived. As I was scanning through the channels on our XM radio, I ran across three (3) Holiday Music Only channels. 24/7. Yes, that is what happens when technology is used for evil purposes!

And the chimney sweep has come and gone. The flue is sparkling clean, as is the firebox. We're ready for a holiday fire. Except for the replacement of the seal around the door of the wood burner. Nothing dangerous, but it would use less wood if we replaced it and so we will.

Today is the first day of the Craft Fair here on the Planet Orland. It's been a holiday tradition for years, though attendance has dropped off because of the influx of 'commercial' crafters during the past few years. Plus, let's face it… the crafty look is just not 'in' these days.

Shopping Muse

I know that there is a big push these days to 'shop local' and rightly so. As the last article I read about Wal*Mart noted; every one of their stores takes approximately 150 local jobs away. And of course all of their profit goes to Arkansas. Where, apparently, the Arkansans don't know anything about the money coming in to the state. But… since they don't ask Wal*Mart to help them with their education costs, they rank fairly low. So… maybe they don't know the money is there?

Arkansas economy stats.

Arkansas Education stats.

No, it's not fair to pick on Arkansas. They just happened to be the state that is saddled with Wal*Mart. I mean, Sam Walton could have been born anywhere!

Anyway, back to local shopping. Where I started. If there is one problem I have with local shopping, it's service. It's so rare. Here is where the locals could whup Wal*Mart every time, but too often they fail. They seem to think that low prices will bring in the people and they can't win against the 'big boys' with that kind of business plan. It has to be service. Service. Service. So you have the lowest paid help in town and then you wonder why they aren't smiling and doing their best to help customers.

I really like the In-n-Out Burger business plan. They pay more than anyone else in town for the same work. They demand that employees smile. (You can demand a lot when you pay for it) And they have the simplest menu… And that is how they became more than a local business. With their success, wouldn't you think all businesses would look at how they did it and take lessons from it? Sigh.

And here on the Planet Orland? There is no 'Black Friday' shopping. And 90% of the businesses in the downtown area will be closed tomorrow and Sunday. You need some thread or a button? How about a new spatula? A pair of shoes? Sorry; go to Chico…17 miles away.

LIFE:

Drive Ins - Hosted by Google

I got caught up in the Life magazine collection this morning... have to take a break!

What’s Going On?

What's that noise? It's 4 in the morning but there are cars everywhere! All driving east on Highway 32. Toward Chico. Traffic is backed up here on our road because they can't make a left turn onto the highway because of all the traffic. And I can see lights on all over the neighborhood. It's Black Friday! It's time for the ordinary people of America to save the nation! Bush and his pals can't do it, but we can. Is that credit or debit? Credit? Sign here.

Wikimedia Commons

For images

It's a great resource...

Vermeer's 'The Girl With the Pearl Earring' is now my wallpaper.

Odds and Ends

Black Friday? Browsing the news and finding lots of sales on this most important day of the year. Are we nuts? Kohl's is open at 4 AM tomorrow? Apparently most retailers believe that if we buy enough toasters and iPods that day, we can save civilization. And then I read some comments regarding Bush's Presidential Pardons. No, it has nothing to do with shopping or civilization, but it does it have a lot to do with common sense. Why on earth do we allow any president to pardon people? What is the logic here? The president is not an emperor nor a king. The president is a commoner just like us. Shouldn't all pardons come from the judicial branch of government? This whole 'pardons' thing has turned into some sort of sweepstakes and it should be stopped. It makes as much sense as the Electoral College.

And then, since all things are relative…

"Space isn't remote at all. It's only an hour's drive away if your car could go straight upwards." - Fred Hoyle

Privatized Medicare

Higher Cost - Not Quality

Remember the term 'Highway Robbery'? Shouldn't we just call it 'Bush Robbery' now? It's more relevant And we all know what it means. What a legacy!

custom made

kitchen knives

I'm a sucker for beautifully made knives...

- A French Connection -

History revisited - NYTimes.com

I read this same story about a year ago. But it never seems to make it into the schools...

Free Holiday Turkeys

a Ritual in Decline - NYTimes.com

I remember this vividly! It was in the 60's and I was still an apprentice carpenter. Work had slowed and I couldn't find a job. I had been doing piece-work when I could find it, but it didn't pay well at all. When I couldn't find any more piece-work I finally had to give in and apply for unemployment benefits. We had a baby and we had bills.

But... my last regular employer had given me a certificate for a 25 pound turkey. We searched the markets until we found one that weighed as close to 25 pounds as possible!

We ate turkey for weeks and in every possible form! Now that's thanksgiving!

Why?

Not too cold this morning. Just a slight bump of heat with the furnace will make it just right in here. Hmm? Is furnace the right word to use? It's that forced air unit that sits outside and burns money. It's not properly a furnace nor is it a heater. I guess it's one of those leftover words from childhood. Mom would say, "If you're cold, go stand over there by the furnace." The furnace then being a metal grate in the floor.

I guess the subject of the day is food. It started with a reading of Time Goes By. And then there is that photo (below) of a turkey carcass simmering on the stove. And tomorrow is definitely going to be all about food. Far too much of it. Again.

It seems to be something we do every year at this time. We try to remind ourselves that some don't have as much as we do and we feel properly sorry about it for a few minutes and then go on with our lives. We all do it. We did it last weekend because we can't travel for the holiday. But the effect was just the same. We had plenty at our table and we briefly felt sorry for those without.

So I'm thinking some more… we have three basic needs. Air, water and food. Without any one of those, we die. All three. Gotta have them! Since that's true, shouldn't we make certain that all of us have those things? Yet we (globally) abuse all three of those vital resources.

And then I thought about the local food source for those in need; the Orland Pantry. We will soon be giving out the Christmas food boxes, including a turkey or ham. I shouldn't say 'we' as I won't be working there this year as I can't do the lifting that is needed. But I do remember that last year we had a record number of families. 300+. I imagine that we will serve more than that this year.

And although I will miss the camaraderie of the volunteers this year, I won't miss hearing the few volunteers that make a point of commenting on how the 'needy people' are dressed and what kind of car they are driving. Some volunteers would only be happy if those in need looked the part. Families barefoot and in rags while pushing a wheelbarrow would make these volunteers ecstatic!

And last; if we spent the $10 billion a month that we are spending in Iraq on food instead…how many turkeys would that buy? A hundred million?

Why are humans so darn 'human'?

Link to Time Goes By for the day

…later

I've done my Wii yoga; 35 minutes worth. I've also spent some time rummaging through the old turkey carcass, gathering odds and ends to turn into soup. Those are now in the big pot on the stove and beginning to simmer. The good bits will become turkey enchiladas, a favorite of ours. And although I know how to make the soup and the enchiladas, I will still prowl the internet for a new recipe.

Cooking-and-Cleaning-

-Posters.jpg (image)

Heads of US charity

convicted on terror-financing charges | csmonitor.com

Almost sounds like proper justice until you find out that the Israeli witnesses for the prosecution were allowed to remain un-named and the jury was told by the prosecution that they should rely on their memories and not evidence...on and on it goes. The prosecutor should be ashamed! (And fired) And we need to be embarrassed. More here

From Tom Kipgen

Tube Radio Sales Page

Who knew?

Microsoft

Examines Causes of 'Cyberchondria' - NYTimes.com

Interesting. But what is omitted here is the fact that patients are rarely given direction by their physicians. Direction implies liability and doctors avoid it like the... plague.

So you have to use the internet if you want information, and since we're not doctors, we can make mistakes. Duh!

And last; an office visit costs $100? and a couple of hours in a cramped waiting room, filled with 'contagious' people. An internet office visit is free!

Something New

New posts…

 

Working

 

Good Eats

 

Short Laps

Linking

Although I do like the fact that MS Word 2007 will allow you to post to your blog directly and without going through the Blogger dashboard, I am having a real issue with how it handles hyperlinks. Insert one and all of the text beyond that point is now part of the hyperlink. Frustrating! And when I go to edit it, Word has inserted so much odd code that I'm rarely successful in finding the spot where the error occurred. Very frustrating. I guess I will try to add the links at the end of each post.

So Tired

From what I've heard and read, everyone is tired of the Post Election News and Punditry. The speculation is over. Obama won and we're all tired of the second guessing on every decision he may or may not make. But… that's what sells the so-called news. That's why they have the Star newspaper and People magazine near the checkout at the market. It sells. Sigh. Apparently everyone is not 'everyone'.

From The Associated Press:

Official: Richardson to be commerce secretary

Wonderful!

Really Nice!

Art work from my sister...See more of it here.
And this surfboard. Perfect for the patio... see it here.

Nothing

I'm trying to become excited by the news of the day… but once again I'm disappointed. Or I'm having 'writers block'. Maybe it's Post Election Stress Trauma. (PEST)

Ry Cooder

Ry Cooder's American West - NYTimes.com

An interesting article that caught my eye this morning because...

I've been there. And my father had been there as well. He raced there in the 1930's with a modified 4 cylinder Ford roadster. Somewhere... there's a photo of it.

I went there to take a ride in a 'glider'. There was a soaring school there and they had an old Schweizer two seater that would take you for a short flight; maybe 30 minutes if the thermals cooperated.

A biplane towed you off the ground while a ground crewman ran alongside the glider and held the wing tip off the ground until there was enough air passing under the wing for the pilot to keep it steady. That pilot sat behind you and so you had an unobstructed view of all that was happening. And once you reached altitude, the pilot tapped you on the shoulder and told you to pull the big red knob on the dashboard. That released the tow rope and suddenly you were free! Amazing! It was so quiet and peaceful up there as we turned and banked in search of some warm air to lift us higher. You almost forgot that you were sitting on parachute...

It was soon over and you were picking up airspeed in preparation for landing. 110 mph and no brakes. The pilot would tilt the nose down as we sped along the desert floor on one wheel. That tilting would place a long length of wood against the ground and slow you down.

Do yourself a favor, and if you ever have a chance to go soaring...do it!

Dancing

I just spotted the Good News! Only 58 days till Bush and Company are history! I may dance in the street… after looking both ways for traffic. Right and Left.

From Tom

The end of history again! (Comics)

Caution

I'm almost through with the book, American Fascists; The Christian Right and the War on America. Certainly a book worth reading. Especially now that the Christian Right has been defeated at the polls with the election of Barack Obama and (Gasp!) other Democrats. Even though the book was written a few years ago, when the fascists of the Right were still an ascendant power, this political power loss won't make them go away. If anything, it will only make them more dangerous. McCain had 47% of the vote. That's a lot of people that are fearful and fascism thrives in a climate of fear.

How Much?

It's chilly out there! And I can hear the owl. It's into the high 30's this morning and at this early hour the heater is already blowing warm air around my feet. We don't have a fire going; not yet. The chimney sweep has to be called first and that will happen soon. Then we can be serious about reducing our gas bill. We have a 'short' cord of almond wood left from last year and that will have to do it for this season. When it's gone… it's gone.

The wood heat is always comforting. The cat likes it and so do we, but it doesn't save you any money unless you're getting the wood for free. Firewood is selling for around $200 a cord. And it reduces your gas bill by around that same amount. Or not. We paid $250 a cord for ours, last year. Add in the cost of the chimney sweep and you have a net loss. But it feels like you have avoided paying the power company and that's always a good feeling! It's fun to be delusional…

Bail Me Out, Mom

From the Eavesdrop Writer

As a new Wii owner, I can understand!

From The Associated Press

Disputed Senate ballots hold key to Minnesota win

I'm not a big fan of Al Franken. But... he would be a change! And change is good.

From See Saw

See Saw Art

A place I like to visit on the net...

This morning

A new posting on Short Laps

Things I Read

The Big Three automakers have a couple of weeks to get their act together before re-appearing before the law makers with hats in hand and asking for some more of our money. And they will promise to do better. Right.

Nostalgia aside, it's time for the Big Three to disappear. There will be a minor disruption as new owners take over. Executives will lose their jobs. But the assembly lines will remain for yet awhile. Eventually they will have to close, just as the buggy whip factories closed. And it's that fact that makes it crazy for us to give them more money. It's time to build something new in Detroit.

Apology

I've been trying to read Scott McClellan's book, What Happened. I doubt that I will be able to finish it. Not if it continues in the same vein as in the first 50 pages. Although Scott had a 'perfect' childhood and was raised to be a 'perfect' young gentleman; he was led astray! Imagine that. Raised by a politician and yet he didn't have a cynical bone in his body. Sorry Scott, hard to believe.

Link to What Happened…

Just an idea

As usual, here I am with coffee in hand and Boo the Cat demanding my attention; inviting me to play. Can't she see that I'm busy with the affairs of the world? I can't possibly follow the story on the screen, type and wrestle. But…I'll try.

And the first story that grabbed my attention was the one covering the Senate as it honored the former Senator Stevens. What? A convicted felon. A thief. And the Senate takes time from our work to honor him with speeches and standing applause.

We have prisons filled with lesser criminals and this bozo gets a speech or 10 and a pat on the back. Perhaps during the next election we can take the Senate back…for the people. What a novel idea!

And then I read about the possibility of Janet Napolitano taking over as head of Homeland Security. Personally, I would like to see that department dismantled and the responsibilities given back to the original departments that held them. I don't feel a bit safer just because Bush created another layer of bureaucrats and gave them that weird 'homeland' name. And billions of dollars to waste.

But, all that aside, my question is this; is Janet Napolitano Pro-Fence or Anti-Fence? Her answer is critical. If she's Pro-Fence… she's an idiot and only wants my money. Which I don't have any more of.

Free

Doctor Reviews & Ratings -

I ran across this while searching for a physiatrist in Chico...

It's a new site and isn't complete yet, but it's on the right track. Especially the 'free' part.

Here it is

The morning comes. And after watching the action of the DJIA yesterday afternoon, I'm not sure that I want to see it again. What a crime! Now if only we could find someone with enough courage and integrity to prosecute those responsible. Starting at the very top. Am I looking for a scapegoat? Sure; that'll do for now! After so many days of this kind of financial torture, being reasonable loses a lot of its appeal.

Time for a second cup of coffee and then a careful reading of the news; I must find something of value in there!

Well, the headlines have a little bit of everything in them, but the one that caught my attention was the story about the drop in the DJIA being caused by an expectation that retailers are going to suffer losses in earnings because of lower prices. Well, duh! Should have known that a couple of months ago… I know that we are looking at everything much more carefully before we buy and we're looking longer for the bargains. Plus, we're looking on-line. That's where the action is! For instance, you can load your 'shopping cart' with various models of a desired item and then just check back every once in awhile to see if the price is dropping. When it gets to the right price, dump the rest of the cart and buy the bargain. No bargains? Move on.

Regarding Wall Street

Today's DOW...7,997

A classic case of our government in action.

Ooops! That was supposed to read 'government inaction'

The Looting of America

Civil Asset Forfeiture

Worth reading...