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Since 2008 – Progress Through Politics

Week-long Welcomings from Moosylvania: Mar. 1st thru Mar. 7th

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Welcome to The Moose Pond! The Welcomings diaries give the Moose, old and new, a place to visit and share words about the weather, life, the world at large and the small parts of Moosylvania that we each inhabit.

In lieu of daily check-ins, which have gone on hiatus, Welcomings diaries will be posted at the start of each week (every Sunday morning) and then, if necessary due to a large number of comments, again on Wednesday or Thursday to close out the week. To find the diaries, just bookmark this link and Voila! (which is Moose for “I found everyone!!”).

The format is simple: each day, the first moose to arrive on-line will post a comment welcoming the new day and complaining (or bragging!) about their weather. Or mentioning an interesting or thought provoking news item. Or simply checking in.

So … what’s going on in your part of Moosylvania?

…


Categories: Uncategorized.

/ 163 Comments

163 comments

  1. JanF

    It is 12 degrees in Madison WI, on its way up to 31. Cloudy skies are in the forecast. It is 74 degrees where I am right now on its way up to 81. Sunny skies. 🙂

    Have a great day, all y’alls!!

  2. JanF

    Here is a dangerous place for Peepaholics … IT’SUGAR on Duval Street:

    Those items in the center are called Peep Rainbow Pops and they are very cute in person.  

  3. JanF

    He was telling wealthy suitors that he is the forward thinking candidate … and he uses Ronald Reagan and the Soviet Union as examples of how he will lead!! His comment about Wisconsin protestors being just like terrorists was greeted by wild applause but in the end CPAC went back to their first love: Rand Paul. There you have it in a (literal) nutshell: CPAC hearts the libertarians because, really, it is not enough to downsize the government … it must be eliminated.

    This Tweet wins the day:

    Elizabeth Warren ‏@elizabethforma

    If Scott Walker sees 100,000 teachers & firefighters as his enemies, maybe it’s time we take a closer look at his friends.

  4. Portlaw

    skies! Enjoy them! The peep shot is the best news story of the day!!!!

    It’s 27 here and the news around the world is not great. I am filled with anxiety about Moscow and the Netanyahu speech about Iran.

    Hope it’s a good day with no stress in Moosylvania. Will check back later.

  6. anotherdemocrat

    this is just nuts — we don’t live in Seattle (though if it would actually rain, like, rain, that would be nice)

    Eating breakfast & watching Up. They (& all of MSNBC) spend much too much time on the conservative convention, CPAC. They’ve never covered Netroots Nation with anywhere near this attention. Grrrr.

    Yesterday was fun. Wish more people had been able to come, but February is unpredictable. And now we have an Austin Kos group.

    Today: church, groceries… I don’t know how much cooking there’ll be, because I still have fruit & quinoa breakfast left from last week, and I’m having hummus for lunch.

  7. princesspat

    I enjoyed a walk through the garden shop yesterday but I didn’t bring any plants home as I’ve got 2 more weeks of restricted activity to get through. Keeping the house plants watered is still a challenge so filling the outdoor pots with primroses and daffodils prolly isn’t a good idea.

    I am continuing to enjoy David Axelrod’s book as the work of a campaign always interests me. The image of John Favreau compiling a rough draft of Obama’s speech re race and Rev Wright in a Starbucks coffee shop, while Obama and Axelrod were at a steel mill talking with him on the phone, will stay with me. The speech came from the President’s heart…..

    “I’ll give this speech, and people will either accept it or they won’t. And if they don’t, I won’t be president. But at least I’ll have said what I felt needed to be said. And that, in itself, is worth something.”

  8. Diana in NoVa

    I hate to think what the temperature is.

    Looked in the WaPo for news, didn’t find any, so came here to read Jan’s front page diary (excellent) and went to Orange to read Denise’s diary (excellent). Both provide much food for thought.

    Good for Jan and Denise, managing to post diaries and comment despite being away! That’s great.

    Nothing much going on here, except we are longing to go look for some hardwood flooring at Lowe’s. Not sure we ought to venture out in weather like this but Dearly fears nothing. I fear a lot, however, especially the way he drives fast even in these conditions. Ugh.

    My Web guy added the March updates to the Web site, and tomorrow my Facebook author page will direct people to the site again (http://goddessfiction.com). If you get a chance, do stop by to read the new mini-story in the Fiction Cafe–“The Lost Dogs of Morgantown.” There’s a new blog, too, “The eBook Revolution–Part II.”

  9. bfitzinAR

    means the snow is s-s-s-l-l-l-o-o-o-w-w-w-l-l-l-y-y-y melting off my solar panels.  Actually it’s causing the 6″-snow cover to slide down the panels.  They’re about 25% uncovered right now.  Yesterday was about the worst production possible aside from not coming out of “night” mode at all – 33 watts – not enough even to run my CFI lights for the 6 hours I had them on.  So far today (just on 2 pm CST) I’ve got 133 watts which is enough to run the lights but I’m drawing on AEP/SWEPCO for the fridge, furnace, computer and probably even the router.  Not what I call a great start for the month.  But hey, February didn’t start all that well (although better than this) and totaled 147 KWHs.  It will indeed get better. 🙂

    Hope everybody is well, safe, and comfortable wherever the heck you are!  {{{HUGS}}}

  10. DeniseVelez

    Ice and snow here in Saugerties – hope weather is better where you are.

    In the news here in NY

    1,500 people rally against Cuomo’s education reform

    http://www.wgrz.com/story/news…

    Cuomo is dead wrong on education – glad to see people protesting    

  11. JanF

    It is 11 in Madison and they are under a winter storm watch. I am under a sunny weather advisory (bring sunscreen!!) and will be touring the National Wildlife Refuge by catamaran and kayak. The excursion includes a stop for snorkeling but I will wave at the fishies from the boat. I am not much of a water person.

    It looks like today’s news is much like yesterday’s news. I was laughing about Bobby Jindal complaining that the Congress reneged on their promise to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Another Republican who either doesn’t understand how the constitution has laid out the various powers or who is staking out a position that will appeal to the tea party (“there’s the guy who can fix this!!!!).

    See all y’alls later!

  12. Diana in NoVa

    in NoVa. It’s 31 F. now going up to 38 F. Fairfax County schools are closed.

    As today is supposed to be one of my days off from Babylicious, his parents will keep him at home but will bring Miss Pink Cheeks over for the day. I hope she’ll quietly draw or paint so I can write.

    Have the massive blog to finish, a new short story to work on, and now I’ve got to think of a short story for granddaughter’s birthday. She’ll be 21 next month. After graduating from Purdue last May she moved to Houston to work on political campaigns. She apparently got hooked on politics in the Howard Dean days when she and her mother made phone calls to get out the vote for candidates. My enthusiasm for HD must have been catching–I told them I was doing the same up here and they thought it sounded a cool thing to do.

    The news this morning–is there any? Ice, ice, fog, snow, wintry mix. We’re getting a fresh round tomorrow.

    Winter–begone! Hope everyone in Moosylvania will stay warm and have a great day. If only we could all be where Jan is right now. 🙂

  13. anotherdemocrat

    There’s a diary up at the orange place about the meet up: http://www.dailykos.com/story/…

    My joke yesterday was that I’m thinking of leaving Seattle & moving back to Texas. It is cold & damp again. I know most of y’all have months of this, but we have months of bright sun & 100 degrees weather. Even weeks of cold, cloudy, damp is…… I don’t know how y’all do it. Also, moisture is nice, but we need actual rain.

    Eating breakfast, drinking tea. I got chocolate yogurt for lunch dessert this week. I don’t normally have it, because it’s actually coffee yogurt with chocolate (why????) but I figure I’ll need a mid-day caffeine injection with all the gloom.

  14. Portlaw

    should be warm so there might be a big melt.

    Am focused on the negotiations with Iran and Bibi’s efforts to scuttle them, Wish more Dems would speak up for diplomacy. They are quite quiet.   As for my own politicians, have been writing them but no reply. Reminds me of the buildup to the Iraq war.

    Coffee and the start of the day! Hope today is good all over the pond. Looks as though Jan may have the only unfrozen part!

  16. bfitzinAR

    Solar panels are still 25% covered (which beats 25% clear) and I got a whole 276 watts yesterday – which beats the 33 I got on Saturday by a country mile but still.  The rest of the snow is going to have to actually melt – it had been sliding off, but the snow has piled up at the bottom and won’t let the rest slide off.  sigh.  There are times when I wish I was an engineer – there has got to be a way to get/keep snow off solar panels besides climbing on the roof with a broom!

    Anyway – travelers (including commuting traveling) travel safely and everybody be safe and comfortable.  {{{HUGS}}}

  17. princesspat

    My Pfaff sewing machine is getting old (along with me) and I don’t want to replace it with a newer computer based model so some time ago I bought a reconditioned mechanical machine as a back up. Finding a manual was difficult so the dealer emailed me a copy which was hard to read. So yesterday I finally found the email, Ron helped me transfer the file to a memory stick, we took it to the neighborhood Fedex store, and in less than a half hour I had a printed and bound manual.

    Watching the young woman produce it made me both appreciative and envious…..her fingers were fast, her technical skills were evident, she didn’t need glasses, and she was friendly as well!

    So now, when I can lift again I can explore all the stitches I’ve never taken time to learn to use.

     

  18. Portlaw

    ad and Madeline Albright has come to Rice’s defense.

    A senior administration official at the White House cited criticism from a number of Jewish advocacy groups in reaction to the ad, saying it has been met with “revulsion.”

    “This ad is being widely met with the revulsion that it deserves. Frankly, the ad says more about those who supported it than it says about Susan Rice,” the official told CNN.

    The administration official declined to elaborate on those comments or to provide an on-the-record defense of Rice.

    The Anti-Defamation League called the ad “perverse and incendiary.”

    http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/01/…

  19. JanF

    It is 23 degrees in Madison with snow and sleet hampering the morning commute. At the Southernmost Point in the U.S. the expected high is 79 causing a traffic jam heading for the beach!

    The resort which has a Very Serious Agreement about expected behaviour regarding Spring Break is all bark and no bite. We were woken up by 3 separate party outbreaks at 11pm 12:30am and 4am … by the same group. Thankfully they went to sleep or passed out and after their last party ended, I caught a couple of hours of sleep.

    Today is a busy news day! Sen. Barbara Mikulski announced she would not run again after 30 years in the Senate. It sounded to me like she was sick of the campaigning and how it interfered with her job. Sadly, this is the future of politics: retail politics, helping make your constituents lives better, has given way to rich guys and guys promoting a national agenda with national money running for public office. 🙁

    Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse in his statement saying why he would not attend today’s poke in the eye to the president: “I’m concerned that behind it was a mischievous effort to manipulate domestic politics in both countries”. Ya think? Senator Al Franken is one of 53 lawmakers who will not attend. Lucky for him he is not black because a right-wing radio show host thinks that the CBC members should be “hung by nooses in front of the Capitol” for skipping the speech. The reactions are very illuminating.

    See all y’alls later!

  20. DeniseVelez

    16 degrees here in Saugerties, and MORE SNOW headed our way this afternoon.

    Ugh.

    Am getting ready to head out to school, hope I beat the snow heading home.

    Will post my Tuesday’s Chile commentary when I get home.

    I’m still exhausted from the Austin trip.

  21. anotherdemocrat

    Cold & misty again/still. They say the sun will be back briefly before a huge cold front & rain/sleet tomorrow. it’s freaking March. I’m supposed to be wearing shorts.

    Brought shoes for lunchtime walk. I’ve started getting ready for bed earlier — while listening to Lawrence O’Donnell rather than Jon Stewart. Still wake up exhausted. I could go to sleep right now if I was at home. Maybe more & better exercise will help — I didn’t train near hard enough for the half. Doing brain cancer 5K at the end of the month with my friend, then a 10K in April, then the AIDS Ride (zomg, I have to get my bike out & get training, and I have to write a diary).

    earworm: Snow Patrol’s In The End. In the end, there’s nothing more to life than love, is there?

  22. bfitzinAR

    Front moving in tonight – temps won’t actually get below freezing until early tomorrow morning at which time the drizzle/rain we’re expecting will turn into ice pellets.  We shall see whether or not the roads stay clear enough for school tomorrow.  Just in case, I need to meet all of tomorrow’s deadlines today before I leave.  If possible.  So many of my deadlines depend on responses from other people who don’t mind “doing the favor” when I ask them but for some reason don’t see how things like monthly leave entries or textbook request deadlines impact them.  sigh.

    {{{HUGS}}} to the Meeses wherever you are (having fun, I hope).

  23. Diana in NoVa

    We’re expecting some Rill Ugly Wintry Mix about lunchtime. May have to pick up Miss Pink Cheeks early from school. Today is Pajama Day, so she’s going to look peculiar.

    Baby is asleep, Grandpa is mixing formula, and I’m about to depart for the periodontist. I wrote him a note of apology in wavery Times New Roman italic apologizing for being a no-show several weeks ago (that was the day of Baby’s ear infection.)

    Saw a very nasty TV commercial this morning about the “cowardly Democrats” and “fearful Hillary Clinton” who won’t be present at Bibi’s speech. Also saw the horrible NYT ad on Orange that Denise and Portlaw were talking about yesterday.

    My life is getting easier. Younger Son and DIL have found additional day care for Babylicious, so I’ll have him Tues., Wed., and Thurs., starting next week, and Mondays and Fridays off. I already feel less stressed now that I have more time to write and decompress.

    Must fly–hope it’s a good day for all!

  24. princesspat

    I’m glad it’s chilly…..makes not planting primroses an easier decision! I continue to be restless with all the careful resting I’m doing, but apparently I’ve just passed the time when internal bleeding is less of a risk. So now I need to just stay put until the risk of developing a hernia eases as well. I need a star chart for patience!

  25. JanF

    For me today will go in like a lamb (75 degrees in Florida) and out like a lion (15 degrees in Madison).

    Wow! Yesterday was eventful. Nothing new from the GOP’s newest darling (last year it was Putin … this year Bibi). Anyone at odds with the president is their pal. The president, by the way, read the speech transcript and said that there was nothing in it that suggested an alternative to negotiating with Iran. “Nothing new in it”, he said.

    Eric Holder has a parting gift: Justice Dept charges against Ferguson MO:

    The Justice Department will issue findings Wednesday that accuse the police department in Ferguson, Mo., of racial bias and routinely violating the constitutional rights of black citizens by stopping drivers without reasonable suspicion, making arrests without probable cause and using excessive force, officials said.

    Reports suggest that Ferguson will disband their police department and start over. That will be two in a row for Officer Wilson who seems to find places like that to work (his last job ended when that department was shut down for racial bias). He will have a golden parachute courtesy of YouFundRacists.

    Today King v Burwell will be heard at the Supreme Court. Lots of pixels have been mangled over this case; today’s hearing will result in many more pixels and lots of tea leaf reading.  My prediction is that the case will be decided 6 to 3 in favor of the Affordable Care Act subsidies. Of course, that won’t be the end. The latest is that states are working on constitutional amendments making it illegal for the governor or legislature to EVER build a state exchange and/or accept any funds to expand Medicaid. That is just in case some Republican governor got the crazy notion that the health of his citizens was important.

    See all y’alls later!!

  26. DeniseVelez

    Well – the ice and snow have caused my kitchen roof to spring a leak – it’s a new roof so I figure water has worked its way into the space between the flashing around the chimney.

    Sigh.  

    Will have to put up with it till i can get someone up onto the roof with tar/patch.  

    Hubby can’t do heights.

    If you missed Rachel Maddow – this piece is worth a look

    Netanyahu reprises 2002 Iraq alarm with Iran warning to Congress

    Rachel Maddow reminds viewers of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s 2002 testimony to Congress about Iraq WMDs as context for his speech on Iran as members of Congress made an unprecedented spectacle of showing allegiance to a foreign head of state

    http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-ma…

     

  27. anotherdemocrat

    Warm (I could have worn capris & sandals) this morning but a front is coming through & I brought a coat, hat & gloves for the drive home. Sigh.

    orange diary goes up soon

    earworm is still In The End – “We’re lost till we learn how to ask. (x3) So please, please, just ask.”

  28. Diana in NoVa

    with lots of rain. At midnight the rain is supposed to change to snow and we’ll get 4 to 8 inches tomorrow. With our meteorologists’ track record for accuracy, that means either a trace or one inch. Yesterday they predicted lots of freezing drizzle, sleet, etc., which lasted all of five minutes.  Gad!

    Feel sick at my stomach when I think of the Supremes overturning ACA. The Washington Poop was gloating over this possibility in last night’s online edition.

    I hope they do disband the bloody Ferguson police department. I’m getting more and more fed up with racism. I applaud the younger generation, which doesn’t seem to be nearly as plagued with this disease. My politically minded granddaughter in Houston has been going steady with a young man whose parents emigrated from Nigeria. They’ve been together for a good two years now.

    Denise, sorry about the roof! How upsetting to have a new roof drip like that. Jan, hope you and Daughter won’t have too much of a shock when you get home. Seventy degrees to 15 F. is quite a comedown!

    Spring, where art thou? A good day to all in Moosylvania!

  29. anotherdemocrat

    squeeee!

    and I can’t figure out why the orange one will not let me post that last video, & I tried multiple versions of the song, the old embed code….. I dunno. But it means the purple version of the diary is superior!

  30. bfitzinAR

    the high was something like 45 just after midnight.  Basically the temps have been slowly dropping from yesterday’s high of 51 and once they get below 32 we won’t see above freezing temps for 48 hours.  With all the rain I’m betting they’ll send us home early (wouldn’t be surprised if it’s around lunch time) once it gets cold enough to ice the bridges.  And since it’s not going to thaw out until Friday I’m also betting we’ll close the University tomorrow (the public schools are closed today – they didn’t want the mess of early dismissal with little kids).  This being AR, even if NW AR, I’d say this is Winter’s Last Hurrah – or more likely Winter’s Last Psffffttt! 🙂  This system is a SW-NE diagonal strung out from Austin to NYC with cold air coming from the NW turning the mess from water to ice/snow.  I’d say that’s a pretty good Psffffttt!  Everybody stay safe and comfortable – and travelers be careful.  {{{HUGS}}}

  31. princesspat

    Danny Westneat, at The Seattle Times has a sad and alarming column this morning…..

    Political paralysis is new normal

    Global historical trends like the collapse of democracy are far above my pay grade. But I have noticed way down at the newspaper-columnist level that the legislative bodies that used to matter most – Congress and the state Legislature – are both increasingly irrelevant to the real political action.

    At the national level, it’s hard to imagine this Congress accomplishing anything in the next two years. It’ll be all Obama executive orders and Republican investigative hearings.

    Locally, when I was calling around to interested parties asking about their lobbying on some big-ticket items before the state Legislature, I mostly got scoffed at. The Legislature is a sideshow, they said. From climate change to minimum wage to tax policy to, yes, the death penalty, the feeling is major policy changes will only come through a well-financed initiative, an executive order, or not at all.

    Mathes Yglesias, at Vox has a longer article, American democracy is doomed

  32. JanF

    It is 1 degree in Madison (feels like -9!) on its way up to 15. Partly sunny skies in the forecast.

    Full moon today at 12:05pm Central. I hope everyone got to see her last night! A fullish moon in clear winter skies is spectacular.

    Yikes! A lot in the news today; it will take time to digest. How sad is it that someone gets fired for penning a racist email but not for killing an unarmed black man and standing over his uncovered body lying in the street for 4 hours? The Benghaziiiii panel finds something new to chew on (Emailgate) and I wonder aloud why the heck any sensible person would want to serve in government. The Supreme Court heard the long awaited King v Burwell case and Antonin Scalia thinks that there is no downside to killing the subsidies because “Congress would definitely fix it”. Pardon me for a moment … HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! … okay, back. I am not sure which planet he lives on or who he is trying to convince. Tea leaf readers (and investors – hospital stocks soared) see hope in Justice Kennedy’s concern about the federalism aspects of striking down the subsidies. If I have time, I will pull together some of the more interesting commentaries I read and post them.

    See all y’all later!!  

  33. DeniseVelez

    up and musing over my coffee.  I wonder how many towns are like Ferguson and pay their bills on the backs of black folks, or poor people of any color?

    Ugh.  

  35. Diana in NoVa

    Where to begin? I got caught up in Snow Anticipation Grocery Shopping Panic twice yesterday. The second time came about because late yesterday afternoon, we left the house to take Babylicious home to his parents. During the 15 minutes that elapsed while we were gone, Monty Beagle got up on his hind legs, snatched an entire packet of English muffins off the kitchen counter, and ate them ALL. He looked like a stuffed tortoise lying on the kitchen floor when we got home.

    Those muffins were intended for Dearly Beloved’s breakfast over the next week so I furiously jumped in the car and drove off to the grocery store to buy more. Needless to say, he had no dinner last night!

    The schools are closed, Federal Government offices are closed. Both the Littles have ear infections, so home with their parents is the best place for them to be.

    Grandma is going to have a day of writing and listening to music. Still have the massive blog to complete, got to write a short-short story that won’t leave me alone, and will start the research for Grown-Up Granddaughter’s birthday story. She’s a very private person so I know almost nothing about her life. However, from my daughter I have learned two simple facts: Granddaughter lives in a 2-bedroom apartment and her building is across the street from a park. Going to get a whole short story out of that.

    Work will keep my mind off the two things that are making me feel sick: the ACA case before the Supremes and the 11th-century way of life in Ferguson, MO.

    Hope all Meese will stay safe and warm today!

  37. anotherdemocrat

    Well, the ice didn’t materialize, but it is really cold. Our high today will be in the 30s. In friggin March. This is nuts.

    Slept in, sorta. My phone turned itself off at some point, which wakes me up when it happens. Even having my iPod on also with rain sounds, it still wakes me up.

    Anyway, I’m watching the news & eating breakfast. And shivering. Contemplating turning the heat higher than 67. Or adding a sweater.

  38. princesspat

    My current sleep pattern isn’t very moose friendly. I am so tired at the end of the day I fall asleep early, then wake up in the night and read until I’m ready to sleep again, then when my day starts all of yours is well under way. Just a few more weeks and then I’ll be on a more normal clock….I hope!

    I have a hair appointment today and an eye exam tomorrow. Blurry vision is annoying, so I hope it’s just because I haven’t had  a new lens correction for several years.  

  39. bfitzinAR

    With sunshine snow was 90% off the panels by noon and I’ve already gotten 2.6 KWHs for the day.  Good thing we did come in today – I finally have the data I need to meet today’s deadline (that I’ve been trying to do all week) and 3 hours to get it done in 🙂

    Hope everybody is safe and comfortable – and either has sunshine now or will be getting it soon.  {{{HUGS}}}

  40. DeniseVelez

    news.  

    Sigh.

    A nopology from Rabbi Boteach

    Rabbi Shmuley Boteach apologizes for ad calling Susan Rice blind to genocide

    Boteach’s criticism of U.S. national security adviser came after her criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Congress speech.

    Rabbi Shmuley Boteach apologized for running a full-page advertisement in the New York Times accusing National Security Adviser Susan Rice of turning a blind eye to genocide, juxtaposing a photo of her face next to skulls.

    “I personally want to offer an apology to anyone who was offended by our organization’s ad about National Security Advisor Susan Rice,” Boteach said Monday prior to an event he organized for skeptics of U.S. President Barack Obama’s Iran nuclear strategy.

    “Our disagreement with Ms. Rice is strictly over policy. It was construed by some as a personal attack that is certainly and absolutely not its intent.”

    http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-…

    Gee – wonder if he will take out a full page ad for the nopology?

  41. JanF

    It is 1 degree in Madison (feels like -14) on its way up to 33. That would be Above Freezing, something not seen in these parts in a while. The weekend will be in the 40s and the 50s will arrive next week. I better not pack away the warm weather clothes yet. 🙂

    I have not seen the news because my coffee pot bit the dust. I think it must have missed me! Or maybe the lack of use over a 6 day period clogged something up. I will check the extended warranty card and see if I have a free one coming or if I need to order one. Fortunately, I am a caffeine-plus zone and have a spare backup coffee pot that will work well enough for a couple of days.

    Now I have to get to work. Back later!

  42. Diana in NoVa

    now. We’re going up to 29 F. today. Younger son will be bringing Babylicious round this morning. Baby still has that ear infection, so can’t go to day care. Never mind, Grandma will take care of him.

    Schools are closed again, both son and DIL will probably telecommute today. We’re so proud of our 9 inches of four-letter-word. We really don’t see it very much in our area, always excepting Snowmageddon in 2010.

    I didn’t read that story about the guy who returned his children. Things like that make me feel sick. Some day I want to explore why this deep hatred of women exists worldwide. I know it’s because of patriarchy, but how did patriarchy come into being? Time to reread Riane Eisler along with The Great Cosmic Mother by Sjoo and Mor.

    Got a lot of writing done yesterday. Funny thing, the blog I’m working on is called “Traipsing Around England, 1965,” about the journey I made 50 years ago this very month. Yesterday a friend in England sent me a scan of a thank-you letter I’d written to her parents after I stayed with them. It was all in rhyme–LOL! It boggles my mind when coincidences happen.

    The Rethugs are landing on Mrs. Clinton’s email story with the alacrity of vultures on a dead goat. Is that the worst they can get on her? And Colin Powell did the same. Why is it OK for a Rethug to do it but a scandal of the deepest dye when a Democrat does it? If that’s the worst they can get on Mrs. Clinton, they’re going to have a juiceless scandal season. The dirtbags.

    Hope everyone in Moosylvania will have a good day!

  44. anotherdemocrat

    Back to work Friday. That sounds wrong……. Our e-mail is not overwhelming, but I feel sorry for whoever has voice mail.

    My new live Hozier is on the Today show this morning. He probably won’t play my favorite Jackie & Wilson, his 2nd single is one of the other songs on the album, so he’ll probably play that & TMTC. I just like the sound of J&W, and besides, it’s funny (he has a whole like with this woman in his head – with children named Jackie & Wilson – all on the time she comes in to a bar & goes back out without even speaking to him).

    I know that most of y’all live in places where it is still cold, but we are normally warm by now & I’m getting tired of this. I miss my sandals.

  45. bfitzinAR

    also it’s just above freezing although it doesn’t feel like it.  Still, much better than the folks north and east of me – you guys stay safe first and warm if possible.  We finally have a “normal schedule” day this week just in time for the end of it. heh.  Sunshine is wonderful.  I got 2x the electricity generated yesterday than the previous 4 days combined, even with having to burn off the snow on the panels the first couple of hours.

    Hope everybody has a wonderful day and weekend.  Mine’s going to be spent splitting firewood for what will hopefully be the rest of the season plus a bit for starting next winter come mid-September.  Happiness is choices – in all parts of life!  {{{HUGS}}}

  46. princesspat

    Reading the news is not good for my soul today, but this helps. I hope she gets some support.

    Sen. Patty Murray rolls out women’s health bill

    The Washington Democrat’s wide-ranging bill would mandate state Medicaid programs to provide full coverage for all forms of birth control, require hospitals and clinics to provide free emergency contraception to patients who have been sexually assaulted and order a study of how states are enacting laws to restrict access to abortions and other family-planning services.

    The name of the bill, The 21st Century Women’s Health Act, takes aim at laws Murray says will take the country backward and at elected officials she says “are dead set on interfering with personal decisions that should be made between a woman, her doctor and her partner.”

  48. JanF

    It is 23 degrees in Madison on its way up to 42. Partly cloudy skies in the forecast.

    Just as I was getting accustomed to Standard Time, we have to change the clocks again! Tonight we lose an hour of sleep and if history is any indication, my body will adjust to it sometime in June. 🙁

    Today is a big day in Selma Alabama. I gathered a few things I found on the Internets and posted it. The White House has some excellent resources including this hopeful quote:

    “If the worst in American life lurked in [Selma’s] dark streets, the best of American instincts arose passionately from across the nation to overcome it.”

    – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., March 25, 1965

    I wish I shared his optimism. Maybe that is what we need … a new spirit of optimism, something to overcome the despair many of us are feeling that the steps backwards we are taking right now signal a permanent retreat.

    Busy day here for me as I continue to unbury after being out of town for so long. See all y’all later!

  49. Diana in NoVa

    It’s 3 degrees F. at the moment, lurching up to 45 F. later today. Dearly is driving Elder Son and DIL to the airport so they can catch a plane to California.  Actually, he’s returned and is backing up into the driveway right now. This is probably the last time DIL will be able to travel for a while, since little Mohammed Abdul is expected to make an appearance on August 2.

    Denise, I’m going to follow up your link in a little while. Haven’t looked at the news yet, although I know it’ll be bad.

    Will spend part of this morning retyping my Singapore diary from three years ago. Thank Goddess for old tech like ballpoint pens and notebooks! The only way you can delete them is by throwing them away.

    Does anyone hate Daylight Savings Time as much as I do? I always feel as if I’ve been robbed.

    Time to go worship Vesta downstairs–she has a fire in her belly burning merrily away, and I’m about to bake the almond  croissants (no, I did not make them). Back later to say hello.

  50. anotherdemocrat

    Slept in, have no plans for the day. Eating breakfast & watching Up.

    I might go to the gym this afternoon. The elliptical machine is good, no impact (one of my feet has been bothering me, I might have irritated my stress fracture).

    Playing U2 loudly in my head to drive out the Wallflowers song that I heard on a commercial earlier.

  51. princesspat

    I was worried about my eyes so I put off the exam, silly me! I do need a lens correction, but the real problem is inflammation and dry eyes and there is a med for that. It’s expensive so I hope it works.

    Our daughter and grandson are coming to visit tomorrow. It will be so good to see them.

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