FamGuyToday by Aunty Fox

watch 'America's Got Talent', but several of Kari's kids, from her mountain school, are in 'Silhouettes', a group that just made it into the finals, tonight, so I guess they'll be missing some more school. Congrats, kids.

from the mountains. High of 74 during the two days. Didn't catch any fish and nearly froze my feet in the Snake River, but it was fun trying. Thanks, Nate and Laura, for the use of the condo, and looking forward to 'Piper time', tomorrow. Always a good time, good food and beer at 'The Dam Brewery' in Dillon. Have never seen Dillon Reservoir (in pic), so full. Now, it's back to 'the grind'.

from TV, last night. 1. Dick Cheney 'wouldn't change a thing', about his VPship. SO, he'd still attack the wrong country after 9-11, knowing they didn't have WMD. There's a reason he's called DICK. 2. According to M Bachmann, the recent hurricane and earthquake on the East Coast is God's way of saying the Dems are spending too much money. Must be nice to have God whisper in your ear and explain things. 3. The 4 yr old boy who recently returned from heaven, and wrote a book about it, found it was surprisingly just like his pastor father said it would be, including a Jesus with big blue eyes, just like the picture in his room. Speaking of colors, there's colors in heaven that we've never seen before. Oh really? That's like saying there's numbers between 3 and 5 we've never known about. And, he totally forgot to mention this heavenly experience for OVER 4 MONTHS, until prompted about it later. 4. Dick Cheney and W have surprising...

of how the military wastes our money, in W's war in Iraq, just Google 'wasted money containers 720 million', and you'll see how our tax dollars get spread among The Bushies, when we go to war, based on lies. This $720,000,000, in 'late fees' for containers, used in the war, is just a tiny amout of money doled out to his contributors, and charged to the taxpayers. Just a 'drop in the bucket', when you look at a 'trillion dollars', (including over 60 BILLION, totally wasted dollars, in the news today) it cost us, for W's 'Big Adventure', in Iraq, and you wonder why our budget is in big trouble, that the Repubs wanna blame on Obama?

that love to 'lurk', here, I don't need to forward this info, but for the rest of us, this will help you be informed. Rush Limbaugh, on his show today, said Obama was, 'hugely disappointed', that Hurricane Irene wasn't much worse, cuz he was looking forward to blaming the bad economy,( that was OBVIOUSLY wrecked by Bush) on the storm. Yup, that's the 'news' from FOX. Again, you can't make this stuff up.

when candidates have to appeal to the lowest common denominator to move forward in the electoral process. The FOXNews informed farmers of Iowa get national attention as the Repub candidates fall over each other to be the most 'anti-science' and get the votes from these yokels. According to Public Policy Polling, only 21 percent of Republican voters in Iowa believe in global warming (and only 35 percent believe in evolution). Within the G.O.P., willful ignorance has become a litmus test for candidates. Go ahead, Romney, Perry and Bachmann, show us how low you'll go, saying anything to get votes from your base, for whom the ninth grade is 'advanced education'.

about Greg Mortenson, (the author of 'Three Cups of Tea') and his Christian 'charity' program, that took in over $60 million, in the fight between Christians and Muslims, BUT, it nearly all went into his pockets, as the schools he claimed to sponsor, don't exist. He totally dodged all interviews after his tax returns were looked at by the 60 Minutes guys. His taxable 'expenses' consistently were higher than the money that made it to the schools. 'Twas all brought to light by John Krakaur, who actually did the stuff he claimed, in "Into Thin Air', and was familiar with the area. Way too typical fraud, by a typical fundraiser who played on people's consciences, in the name of religion, in the tradition of Jim and Tammi Baker, Oral Roberts, Jimmy Swaggert and Benny Hinn. Really good at seperating the sheep from their shekels. A time honored tradition.

who owns them, as they went to the wall to extend the tax breaks for the top 1%, and the oil companies, but are fighting the Dems who want a cut in the payroll tax for the average working person. Will be real interesting to see how FOXNews spins what is obvious to any thinking person, which rules out most of their audience.

between the two cowboy conmen from Texas, Bush and Perry do have one big difference. W was a 'cheerleader' at Yale, while Perry was a 'yell leader' at Texas A&M. Just like I thought we would never relive the long nat'l nightmare of Viet Nam, as Bush/Cheney successfully lied us into a disastrous war in Iraq, I also thoroughly believed the country could never fall for another 'anti-science' Texas gov, after the drubbing we got from Bush. But now we got Perry on the horizon. I gotta learn to never underestimate the ignorance of the American people, when millions of 'em get their 'news' from FOX. (Pic is before W had surgery to remove his 'unibrow', which is present in all his earlier pix.)

Repub candidate Rick Perry, speaking yesterday, said that Obama "Drove the economy into a ditch.'  Oh Really? That infers that when the new prez 'got the keys', the economy was humming down the highway. Perry conveniently chooses to forget that the car was already 'in the ditch' when GW lost the driver's seat after being at the helm during the worst economic crash since the Great Depression. Just what we need, another gov from Texas who doesn't have a clue. Haven't we 'been there, done that', and seen the long term damage that can be caused by an idiot from Texas?

(not really), that the Bible Belt leads the country in divorces, according to this article that came out, today. Read it here http://www.cnn.com/2011/LIVING/08/25/divorce.bible.belt/index.html?hpt=hp_bn8  The same part of the country that has the lowest income/education, and is the center and base of the Repub party, also leads in divorce statistics. Who'd a thunk these rocket scientists in Al, LA, MS, TX, KY and the rest of the Bible Belt, who also lead the nation in obesity, wouldn't be able to make the right decisions to keep a marriage together. I am Shocked!

FOXSpews, has several articles, throughout it's 'News" coverage quoting Paul Azinger, (famous for spouting his right-wing views, whenever anyone will listen), who says he thinks Obama is playing too much golf. However, they conveniently ignore all the comments flying around about Cheney's new book, how he is dumping on his 'friends' and re-writing history to make himself look better. When I think of Cheney, the first thought that always crosses my mind is, "Why isn't this SOB in jail, or at least under indictment, for all the laws he broke?' Since when isn't it against the law to lie on such a huge scale to start a war, then admit you OK'd torture, which was/is against US and int'l law, not to mention all the shady Haliburton crap that enriched his family and henchmen? The Repubs spent hundreds of millions harrassing Clinton about Whitewater and Vince Foster, not to mention Monica, while Cheney is complicit in the deaths of thousands an...

Today, had home grown tomatoes, that were SO good, then some amazing sweet corn, with the sweetest, juiciest watermelon imaginable, for dessert. I wait all year for this special time, and it's finally here, Yahoo, good eatin', that doesn't last forever, but while it's here, mmmm, ya gotta enjoy....

to all you lurkers out there. My blog just went over 60,00 visits, in the 5 plus years I've been around. No matter how you look at it, that's a lot. Thank you, all you people who peek in, but never comment. There's LOTS of you.

(and I do know some, who don't have a clue), most of us have been hugely impacted by Steve Jobs, the head of Apple, who had to retire today, because of health reasons. Many people called him the greatest industrialist of all time, and I'd put him right up there with all of them, as he developed the I-phone, I-pod and I-pad, along with a whole lot of other stuff. Will be interesting to see how Apple does, without his brilliant leadership. Wishing him the best...

I probably look at hurricanes, like Irene, a little differently. No, I don't hope for a bunch of damage, but, if it happens, I can't think of a better way to help people after they are damaged. Something about putting money in people's hands, when they need it, that feels good. This could be kinda nasty, before it's over. Will be interesting, at some point, when I gotta make the decision if I wanna travel. into a disaster zone. Kinda doubt it, but it could happen, I guess.

SINGLE FAMILY RENTAL MARKET TIGHTENS BOULDER - People in Boulder County and Broomfield looking to rent a single-family home might want to look elsewhere, although they still might not have much luck, according to a report released Thursday by the Colorado Division of Housing. The vacancy rate for single-family homes, which include for-rent condos, houses and townhouses, duplexes and other small properties, was 0.0 percent in Boulder and Broomfield. That number is something of a statistical quirk, as the survey's authors in the past have acknowledged Boulder's student housing market can be very difficult to measure, but it represents an extremely tight market across the Denver area. Rent for a single-family home or condo in Boulder County and Broomfield is $1,531.52, by far the highest in the area. The average number of days on the market for single-family rentals fell to a new all-time low of 15.7 days during the second quarter of 2011.

that came out today, says 51% blame GWBush for our lousy economy, while 31% blame Obama. If you take out the FOXNews audience, and add another 12% who don't have a clue to anything, (they believe Congress is doing a 'good job'), I guess you could come up with the 31% that blame Obama, for the flaming wreckage that he inherited when Bush slithered out of town. Hard to imagine that many stupid people, but we've seen it before. 'DUH, if Fox says it, I believes it, has any o' y'all seen my deep frad twinkie?'

does anyone really believe that the head of the IMF, arguably the most powerful financial person in the entire WORLD,  actually raped a NYC maid? OR, did he get set up, cuz he and the rest of the IMF were gonna lead a campaign to replace the US dollar as the reserve currency of the world? Not saying it was a bad thing, BUT, c'mon, it looks pretty obvious to me.

how the Bush admin killed a good program, Thin Thread, that was actively tracking 3 of the eventual 9-11 hijackers and pushed Trailblazer, that allowed 9-11 to happen. The whistleblowers that tried to expose the incompetence, were shut down, and the Bushies steamrolled them, so their program, that DIDN'T work, and cost hundreds of millions of dollars, went on, and 9-11 was allowed to happen. Eventually, Trailblazer cost over 1.2 BILLION dollars, totally failed, and was finally mothballed, but the Bush henchmen got their profits. The whistleblowers? After 5 years and HUGE legal costs, the charges were dropped. The same mentality let Bushie Chris Cox take over the SEC, while people like Bernie Madoff and the bankers made HUGE profits, and our country's economy went down the tubes. Thanks again, Bush. As more truth comes out, the more we see how his admin KILLED us, as a country, but his henchmen made HUGE profits, and it wasn't ONLY the oil companies and...

the 5th book in the 'Fire and Ice' series, I needed some more reading material, for my Kindle, SO, I perused Amazon,com, for some downloads. A really nice feature, is 'Sample', where they send you, instantaneously, a sample of the book you're interested in, at no charge. THEN, if you like it, you can 'click' on the book, and it's instantaneously downloaded and charged to the cred card assoc w/your account. Amazing, as I picked up 3 new books, today, without leaving my recliner. I can see why Borders has gone out of business. Sad, cuz I love the printed word, but they are dinosaurs, in todays' digital world.  BTW, you can also download newspapers and magazines, as well as games. etc. Really nice, when going on a long trip, and don't wanna carry a bunch of heavy books, but want a nice variety of reading material, AND, gift cards make nice gifts. Am starting to sound like a salesman, but that's OK....

courtesy of Jon Stewart, and 'The Daily Show', who showed the following footage from FOX. 1. Warren Buffet is a Socialist, (cuz he thinks billionaires don't pay their share of taxes.) 2.. If the gov't reinstated the tax rate on the top 1%, as it was before the GWBush 'Temporary' tax cut, it would ONLY be $700 billion, and that is NOTHING to the govt budget. 3. Our revenue problems could be fixed if the poor paid more taxes. (This is where Jon made it interesting). The 'poor' in the country have a total of 1.5 trillion, in TOTAL assests. If the gov't took HALF of that, it would be approx, $700 billion. 4. The 'poor', in this country aren't really poor, cuz most of them have a refrigerator AND a microwave. See it here http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/19/jon-stewart-rips-fox-news_n_931177.html Yup, the gospel according to FOXNews, mouthpiece for gazillionaires, (except Warren Buffet, the Socialist)who wanna keep ALL their...

while we are still trying to recover, unsuccessfully, from GW Bush, I think a quote from GHW Bush is appropriate. 'Read my lips, NO NEW TEXANS'. Perfect....

that there's going to be a wild horse roundup, starting today, on the Colorado/Wyoming border, near Rock Springs, and they plan to remove about 850. I remember the first time I saw herds of wild mustangs, running free on the high prairie. Really beautiful and you could always tell which stallion was the leader. I guess they are reproducing too fast for the habitat, so the 'The Bureau" is having a roundup, with helicopters and hidden pens. Good chance to get a good (but wild) horse for a good price. Not that we have room for one....

A sane Republican? When we take a position that isn't willing to embrace evolution, when we take a position that basically runs counter to what 98 of 100 climate scientists have said, what the National Academy of Science has said about what is causing climate change and man's contribution to it, I think we find ourselves on the wrong side of science, and, therefore, in a losing position," Huntsman told ABC's "This Week." Hard to believe, that one of them actually goes against their base, which are a bunch of whack jobs. Kinda hate to see it, cuz that could make them electable. Never mind, this guy is WAY too logical and rational to appeal to a majority of Repubs, who pander to the right wing, conservative Christian, anti-science crowd.

during pre-season tonight, and they talk how it used to be Polaroids, for the coaches to see the defenses, run down by flunkees, I am reminded how the adjuster business changed, over the years. First, it was 35 mm pics and we loved 24 hr developing, when it came out. Then it was 1 hour dev, BUT, it was never really that fast, followed by Polaroid pics. Then, it was 'print your own pics', before it was 'send in a floppy disc'. With each new tech deveopment, we adjusters loved it. Then, it was send the pics, on line, BUT, it was slow,and took forever, unless you stayed up 'til 3 in the morning, when the phone lines weren't busy. Now, it's instantaneous, with a satellite, but I don't really do it any more. Just some thoughts, as technology advances.

admin member, Bruce Barlett declared, yesterday, that Repub candidate Rick Perry 'is an idiot'. What? Someone who jogs with a six-shooter, denies evolution and global warming? Sounds like a typical Texan, to me. Oh wait, that is the definition of an idiot. Never mind...

from W's 'big adventure' in Iraq, is becoming an increasingly large problem. Approx 20% of the vets back from the war are diagnosed with PTSD, and many of them actually have it. Did you know that makes them eligible for $2600/mo payments, forever? At least they get a check, in the economy that was wrecked by 8 years of the Bushies. Thanks again, George. The prez that just keeps on giving....

my kids got me interested in 'The West Memphis Three'. This was basically the first time they had become 'activists', because they really believed, like many who had looked at the case, that these three were innocent of the terrible crime they were accused of. 3 boy scouts were found murdered, in a creek, and one of the WM3, a 'special needs', double digit IQ kid, confessed to it, under brutal police questioning, and implicated the other 2, BUT, many of the major details he confessed to, were wrong. There was never any evidence, tying the 3 to the crime, and a lot of evidence that showed them innocent, BUT, the Southern Police, convinced they were guilty, cuz of the music they listened to, and the way they dressed, convinced the prosecutor and the 3 have been imprisoned for 18 years as many celebrities have taken up their cause. Today, the 3 were released, on a technicality, but were nonetheless freed. Should be some interesting details to follow.

it would actually cost, some say hundreds of thousands of dollars per county, but however much, it is TOO much. I'm referring to printing ballots in English AND Spanish, for those who want to vote, but can't read English. Are you kidding me? If you can't read English you have no right to vote. It's that simple. This is an English speaking country, and if you don't like it, learn English, or go back to where your language is spoken. I know the Dems think they need this, cuz this population is part of their base, but it's ridiculous that we would even have this discussion.

to provide fodder to the sheep in their obvious propaganda attacks. Today, they attacked Obama for spending time on vacation, BUT, when compared to their combination God/King, Ronald Reagan, who had taken 121 days at this stage of his presidency, and GWBush, who had taken 180, Obama's 61 doesn't look so bad. Fair and Balanced reporting? My ass...

and came upon "The Making of Dances With Wolves'. WOW. I knew it was a fantastic movie, and this documentary helps to explain why. When you find out what it took to make the necessary scenes, it makes it all the more amazing. SO many times, it almost stoppped, as it went over budget, again and again. SO many actors and so many scenes, working with animals and weather, that had to come together. But it did, in a real special way. If you enjoyed the movie, you will really enjoy this special, that explains how it came to happen. Amazing.

there used to be a poster that said, 'Chastity is it's own punishment'. As Texas careens toward record heat and drought, while it's 'journalists' (bloggers) and candidates continue to prove their ignorance, while denying global warming. I would suggest that poster be reborn, replacing 'chastity' with 'living in Texas'. And you wonder why property is cheap, there? They are notoriously and consistently at or near the bottom of all states when it comes to money spent on education. Could the results be more obvious? There's a reason you don't have to pay much if you want to drive a used Yugo, or want to buy a house in Texas. (That being said, I have worked with many Texans, over the years, who are 'salt of the earth' people. Intelligent, hard working and compassionate. They just seem to be in the minority, in my experience.) Bottom line, only Texans could inflict a GWBush, followed by a Rick Perry, on the country.

you know I hate the Repubs, after GW and his henchmen wrecked my country, BUT, what you may not realize, is that I know the Dems are only marginally better. These clowns are ALL a bunch of political shills, that don't really care, for the most part, about the average American. They just wanna keep their well paid job, as the lobbyists line their pockets. Is sickening, when you realize who actually runs our country. They have access to the hundreds of billions at the public trough, and their main objective is to enrich their contributors. GW was the king, with his big oil buddies, but the rest aren't far behind. Is really a shame what our country has become, as they play games with our future.

a child has been attacked and bitten by a coyote, in Broomfield's 'Anthem" neighborhood. 'Tis a beautiful area, and last time a professional hunter killed a small pack of coyotes, after a 2 yr-old was bitten while walking w/his father. This time, it was 6 yr old, in the same area. Kinda crazy, as we have coyotes in our neighborhood all the time, and they aren't at all afraid...

Michelle Bachmann was on FOXNews saying that before Obama there was only one Dept of Trans employee who was paid over $170,000 and now there's 1690, which is true, and the sheep were all infuriated, with that damn Obama.  BUT, what these slimeballs 'forgot' to say, is that this raise was OK'd during the Bush admin, in 2008, cuz Air Traffic Controllers' salary had arbitrarily been capped at $168,000, and Congress, incl Bachmann, voted for a small % increase, which put them over $170K. Typical FOX bullshit, that got the sheep all riled up, BUT, when you hear 'the rest of the story' you understand how the FOX Sleaze Machine operates....

to see the fifth book of George R R Martin's 'Fire and Ice' series was near the top of Amazon's best sellers. Has been a guilty pleasure as I got hooked on this, (when I saw it was the new HBO series), and haven't been able to put it down, nearly 5000 pages later, but didn't realize how many others were reading the same stuff. Will be good to read another genre, but anything else is gonna seem pretty tame, after this wild ride. I'm guessing the next book won't be out for several more years, as it takes quite awhile to write over a thousand pages, which all these books just happen to be. If you liked 'Lord of the Rings', I'd recommend the 'Game of THrones' series, but definitely not for everyone.

for me to take the candidacy of Rick Perry, gov from Texas, seriously. C'mon, it's less than 3 years since GWBush left office, and we haven't begun to fix the long term damage HE did. What is this? 'Thank you sir, may I please have another', as the country bends over, with it's collective pants around it's ankles...

Pic near Coal Creek Golf Course, in Louisville, Colorado as I lost my battle with the Board of Adjustment on real estate taxes/valuation on our house. Seems again, that the national real estate problems haven't trickled down to our neighborhood, according to comparable sales. Good news if we were gonna be selling, not so much as we pay taxes, in one lump sum, each year. Could have to do with the new Money magazine ratings http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2011/snapshots/PL0846355.html  that came out yesterday, ranking Louisville, CO, (7 miles from here), as the Number One town in America to live in, based on wide ranging criteria. All things considered, I guess we'll pay the extra $, not that we have a choice, and realize WHY it costs more to live here. Good news, bad news....

how Rick Perry, described as GWBush on steroids, is claiming to be a great job architect, as Texas has produced more jobs than any other state, but there's a reason.  1. The last TX gov/pres lowered the bar SO low, as per jobs in the country, after his disastrous reign, that any kind of employment seems good.  2. W was good at something, and that was pumping up the price of oil, (his and Cheney's family business), about 10-fold., (with lies and wars) and TX has gas/oil under that parched landscape.  3. TX has benefitted from the bad U.S. economy, (engineered by the last cowboy conman) as retirees are able to buy CHEAP housing there. The problem, after you buy your cheap house? You gotta live in Texas. 4. True, TX has jobs, BUT, is tied with MS in minimum wage jobs. 5. TX, being on the border, has benefitted from NAFTA, which he fought. 6. A lot of their jobs come from defense spending, AFTER W started two wars, based on lies. Bottom li...

how (semi) intelligent people can totally look past reality, and blame the 'new guy; who inherited the mess and debt from GWBush, and blame it on the guy who tried to fix it. The question is... Are they really that stupid, or are they intentionally looking past what any logical person could see? I don't know, but I have a feeling, as we get deluged by the Repub candidates, who get their talking points from FOX, that we're gonna hear a lot more of it, as in, never mind what Bush did, it's Obama's economy now...

what the right-wing, redneck, conservative climate-change denyers are saying as Arctic sea ice is the snallest EVER, and thousands of southern counties set records for heat and drought, as world-wide temps set records. These idiots have always denied reality, but for how long? At some point, no matter what FOX says, they gotta face up to what's real. Or do they? Hasn't happened before, and I guess it won't happen now. Idiots are idiots and some things never change. Gotta love them Red-staters, as they wither and blow away, from a left-wing plot, according to them...

                                    that it was a 'gotcha', sexist question, that was way 'out of bounds', when a journalsit asked Michelle Bachmann if she was a submissive wife. This, after she admitted that she didn't want to become a tax attorney, but, as a submissvie wife, she did it after her husband told her to. AND, she's always quoting 'The Good Book', which commands wives to be submissive to their husbands. This goofball, who runs a clinic where he claims to 'pray gays straight', could be the power behind the throne if she was ever elected, SO, this seems like a perfectly logical question, unless you happen to be on the Murdoch/Ailes payroll, then it's a travesty to ask such a loaded question. What a bunch of BS.

and pretty faces? Now that Sarah's not on the ballot, Michelle, a new photogenic airhead, took her place. On the male side, you got 'Mitt the model' Romney, followed by Rick Perry, another pretty boy. Did they learn this from Ronald Reagan, the ultimate handsome dummy, then have it perpetuated on FOXNews, where you have to be a blonde bombshell to get a job? Mike Huckabee, a Repub who scared the Dems with his sane policies and willingness to actually compromise, couldn't cut it w/the Repub crowd, because he obviously doesn't look like a movie star. Sorry, Mike, no chance with that mug. The last pre-packaged Repub, 'looks like a nice guy, to me', to win the White House, GWBush, showed us what kind of damage an empty-headed yokel could do to our country. I guess if you're gonna get your news from a talking head, spouting FOXNews talking points, it may as well be a pretty talking head, and it has carried over to the Red State voters. This just in, non-han...

if you are a Democrat, which I am not. I'm just anti-Repub. Bachmann won Iowa, which doesn't mean anything, cuz it's only 17,000 Repub farmers, BUT, if she's the best they have to offer, should be an easy year for the Dems.

but sometimes it's REALLY good, like last night, as he took on FOXNews, esp Megyn Kelly, for their crass hypocrisy. The FOX hostess jumped all over a critic who pointed out she took a 3 month paid maternity leave, after she and the other minions at FOX had continually bashed 'entitlement programs', that reward not working, with a check. As always, Stewart backed up his allegations with MANY examples of the FOX crew saying one thing, BUT, when it's their 'entitlement', look out! Two distinct sets of rules, as in do as I say, not as I do. John expalins it real well, here. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/12/jon-stewart-megyn-kelly-maternity-leave_n_925255.html

as the heart of the 'Bible Belt', Dallas,Texas and surrounding areas, continue to suffer from record heat and drought, despite the fact that Rick Perry, and MANY other Bible thumpers, continue to publically pray for relief. Please help me, as I don't understand this scenario. Logically speaking, there's only a couple of alternatives. 1. There's no god, so it doesn't matter. 2. God's in charge, and he/she wants them to suffer. Am willing to listen to other alternatives. Please, enlighten me...

and now we see his college transcipts, where he got ONE A, and a whole bunch of C's and D's. Whew! Another educationally challenged gov from Texas, running for president, who relies on 'his gut', as he prays for guidance, while he trashes our country?  What's the worst that could happen? Haven't we seen this disaster before, and aren't we still suffering from the last cowboy conman from Texas?

that Colorado is such a good place to come and hide? The last bunch, the so-called 'Dougherty Gang', is just the latest of many hoodlums who seem to think this is the wild, wild west out here, and they can just blend into the mountains. Doesn't ever to seem to work, but there're sure of bunch of 'em that try it.

if there will be any accountability, for sending 30 soldiers, including 22 Seals, on a big, slow moving helicopter that was shot down in a narrow valley, in pursuit of a mid-level Taliban leader? What am I thinking? Of course there won't be. If Bush/Cheney can start a war, based on lies, against a country who had nothing to do with 9-11, and the bankers who caused our financial meltdown can receive HUGE bonuses, in the aftermath, what's the chance of justice for this? I guess it could happen, if they find a low-level grunt to blame it on.

our gov't is, although it's not funny. Any reasonable person, looking at our HUGE economic problems, would recognize the solution should be a baanced approach involving cutting costs and raising revenue. The 6 Repubs appointed to the 12 member 'super-congress' that's supposed to work out a deal, have ALL signed a pledge for no new tqaxes, or any other bill, like closing loop-holes for oil companies, who not only don't pay taxes, but also get susbsidies as they rape us. What a bunch of bullshit! And some wonder why this country is going 'down the tubes', and gaining speed. The Repub plan to get elected by wreaking havoc with the system, is right on track.

by a writer who just returned from Colorado's front range. The phrase "Big Sky" -- attached to Montana, applicable to the entire American West -- sounds obvious. Of course the sky is big. But get out there under it and see the panoramas and the meaning becomes clear. It's just larger there.It produces some astonishing sights. The sun setting behind the mountains, reflected light staining the clouds with reds and oranges and purples. You can see storms advancing over the plains miles away, lightning splitting the sky, visible from the apex to the ground. It only takes 10 minutes to escape the "reality" of Boulder and get knee-deep in nature. One morning I went hiking in the mountains near Brainard Lake. It's 10,500 feet high, and I was clambering over snowdrifts. Before noon, I was 25 miles east and 5,000 feet lower, relaxing on a patio in 90-degree heat, looking west at those same mountains. Colorado's extremes seen within a two-hour period. Ther...

on the old gall bladder. Met w/surgeon yesterday, (expensive, already), and got his price $1200, and anesthetist, $1500. Am still working w/operating room, which is WAY expensive for one hour, but want to get all the ducks in a row if I need some fast action. In the meantime, got a scrip from the doc that will stop the gall bladder contractions, if I have another episode, AND I have the anti-nausea pills (very expensive), which should quickly empty my stomach at the same time. These, along with a Percocet, the DR said, should get me through any attack. Plan to always have a set of those pills in my billfold, one set in Carol's purse and one set beside my bed. At this point, I plan to line everything up, if I need emergency surgery, BUT, will try to go the 'med' route, if/when I have another attack. That's the plan...

I think the Newsweek cover was a cheapshot, but is getting the attention they wanted, Nothing FOX wouldn't do, and hasn't done, regularly, but still kinda sleazy. As if they didn't have enough REAL stuff to choose from, but maybe this is a reason to generate publicity, so people would look at it and read it OK, I guess maybe it worked, if it gets readers, who didn't know, what a nut case she is...

brought the country to it's knees, in a manufactured political crisis, by refusing to pay the debts that all of Congress authorized over the years, and promised to do it again, while absolutely refusing ANY KIND of revenue adjustment, (as in tens of billions of oil company subsidies), S&P rightly downgraded the US credit rating. SO, the Repub response? Blame it on Obama, for the deficit and wrecked economy he inherited, from Bush and the Repubs. Not anything different, but SO obviously wrong....

loves to say that the recent US downgrade, from AAA to AA, is because of Obama. OH REALLY? If you actually read what S&P said, the downgrade is mainly because of the Repubs using the debt ceiling for political purposes (with pledges to do it again) AND the Repubs who continually refuse to raise revenue through any kind of tax or loophole reform. This doesn't keep the clowns at FOX from distorting the facts and blaming our current problems, which exploded under Bush, and have been made worse by the Repubs in Congress who admit their main agenda is to take down Obama, at the expense of the American people. True, Obama doesn't have a magic wand to fix all the problems he inherited, and he is a disappointing wimp, but let's keep it real when assigning blame.

that Obama promised to end, became real again, as 20 some Navy Seals were killed when their helicopter was shot down by an RPG. WHY? The same group that took out Bin Laden is still 'hanging around', killing time and getting killed as the politicians play games 'til the US finally admits that, like Viet Nam, the war can't be won. Has been proven for centuries, that outsiders can't beat the local fighters, BUT, the generals and defense contractors love to play their games, with young Americans as cannon fodder. Total bullshit and the Dems are NEARLY as bad as the Repubs when it comes to war games, with real lives...

from the 'I Hate Obama' crowd. This one claimed the prez cancelled the Nat'l Day of Prayer, but prayed with Muslims on their Nat'l Day of Prayer. I naturally 'Snoped' it, and found it was 'FALSE' on several counts, but this doesn't stop a certain segment who blames Obama for all our troubles. I personally don't like him anymore becasue he has proven to be such a wimp, BUT, I don't blame him for problems out of his control, like the debt, that the sheep are fond of blaming on him. We have a huge debt for several reasons, the main ones being: Revenues are WAY down cuz of the Bush/Repub caused recession from 2008, and the 'temporary' Bush tax cuts for the top 1 %/  Also, there are two unfunded wars he inherited, from Bush. But the main reason for the debt, by far, is from entitlement programs, like Soc Sec, Medicare and Medicaid . Discretionary, prez controlled spending is a tiny part of the problem. C'mon, get real, sheep, don't...

is the worst since 2008 (note the year), though not nearly that bad, and now that S&P downgraded the US credit rating, from AAA to AA, the Repub candidates are jumping on the news and blaming Obama. OH REALLY??? The economy has  obviously never recovered from 2008, when the market, and the rest of our economy totally tanked after 8 years of Bush, and now the Repubs wanna blame it all on Obama. Nice try. His entire presidency has been like taking the helm of the Titanic, after it had already hit the iceberg, while the Repubs are punching holes in the lifeboats. The most amazing thing? That there are actually sheep out there who can't/won't see what's going on and blindly blame the 'replacement crew' that took over after the iceberg sliced the hull. Unbelievable, but in their Bizarro world, there should be some kind of magic wand that can fix a sinking ocean liner or a crashing economy. And if it can't be magically fixed? Let's put the original crew,...

as the markets TANKED (Dow down over 500) today, after falling 8 of the last 9 days. The only question I have is 'why did it take this long and why isn't it worse'? With the combination of the clowns in Washington and the lethal damage that Bush did to the healthy economy that he inherited, the world is FINALLY realizing what deep shit we are in, and it isn't pretty. Down and down we go and where we stop, nobody knows. The only happy campers out there are the leaders of the Repub party, whose plan is right on track. Contiue to wreck the economy, hope the sheep won't remember who did the damage and mindlessly vote out the party who tried to clean up the steaming pile that the Bushies left on the doorstep of our country. Thanks again, W.

on the deck, tonight, we reminisced about this, and other, trips to Vegas, over the years. Not counting Mesquite and Laughlin, we could remember 14 different casino/hotels we have stayed at, over the years. It has changed SO much, but so have we. Nice getaway, and there's always the chance you could win, which we have, occasionally, but don't count on it. Just realize it's gonna cost you x dollars per day,enjoy the ride, and budget your money. Vegas, baby, fantasy world, but fun, if you do it right.

from four days in Vegas. Carol and I went out with Kari and Ted to celebrate Kari's first anniversary of her 29th b-day, or what some might call her 30th. Had a great trip, as we did other things, including the hotel pool and some great restaurants, rather than spending the whole time gambling. Saw, "Jersey Boys' and can see why it has been the # 1 show in town for so long. I knew the Four Seasons had a lot of great songs, but had forgotten how many. Lotta interesting sidelines in their story, as you learn of their street/wiseguy connections. I didn't know they grew up w/Joe Pesci and he was part of their 'management' in the early days. Anyway, we're safely home and recuperation has begun, which seems to take longer every time...