Sunday, October 4, 2009

My Mother

My mother was a pip. Warm caring with a touch of devilishness. Cute and funny and one who never shied away from "what must be done." She loved giving and would feed an army if they dropped by. She loved my dad and all of her children. There was another side of her that never complained of her place in life or the great potential within. She was a marvelous untrained artist who used color like Van Gogh and Matisse. She cared for her brother and sisters when her mother passed away and her father Isaac worked all day for their reunion as a family.

Her cooking was superb a mix of Lebanon and Louisiana with instinctive dashes and splashes of spices only she knew. It wasn't just the Lebanese food but shrimp to die for as well. Sharyn learned many of the dishes and Elaine and Maggi picked them up as well. I know she taught Matt to make that wonderful pocket bread mother called Syrian bread and I'm still trying to duplicate the warm aromatic softness myself.

I'm convinced she could have done anything better than well and yet she chose family over fame or fortune and perhaps a little of that was the times and circumstance. In many ways she is famous and her life endures like her smile. I do know I am a better person because of her.

I wish I had dug deeper into her enjoyment of Edgar Cayce who said ""Keep sweet, keep friendly, keep loving, if ye would keep young," and that's what my mother always did.



My mother also wrote and my favorite of her writings was this:

Tears
by Margaret

At dusk I lie and gaze out the window pane
Upon whose face the raindrops slowly then swiftly run
And am reminded of countless tears that dormant remain
When skies have cleared and there comes a bright sun

The tears never were shown for all the heartaches in her life one of which was my arthritis and others were seeing her younger siblings pass before her, her never taken trip to her parents birthplace in Lebanon before that country was nearly destroyed in bitter conflict. She talked of Lebanon and it's reputation as the Paris of the Middle east, and the Cedars and Olive trees. How the bulldozing of the olive trees was like ripping the soul out of the people there.

Despite her love of her parents birthplace she was never a believer in the conflict only in the desire for peace.

While there were dormant tears there was always warmth from the dollar hidden in her bra to the smile at winning another Scrabble game.
Love you mom

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Devil's Staircase/Wassan Creek Wilderness Area

Just heard about this area. Hopes are it can be protected.

"The U.S. Forest Service has endorsed designation of a new wilderness area in an area of Oregon's Coast Range known for a remote waterfall called the Devil's Staircase.

Deputy Chief Joel Haltrop appeared Thursday before a congressional subcommittee in Washington, D.C., in support of the bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore. and U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore.

It would create the Devil's Staircase Wilderness on 30,000 acres of federal land east of Reedsport, and designate Wasson and Franklin creeks as wild rivers.

Conservation groups say the rugged area encompasses the best old growth forest and most dense concentration of northern spotted owls in Oregon's Coast Range. There is no trail to the falls, which are formed by a series of sandstone slabs."


Devil's Staircase from Cascadia Wildlands on Vimeo.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Two Wheels Big Dream

Don't try this at home.



Marvelous

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

The First Pitch for Sonia

How cool to be able to throw out the first pitch. Go Girl



... best of luck in your new job.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Zip Lock Bag/with pennies Fly Control

I got this email and realized it should be read to the very end.

We went with some out of town friends to Sweety Pies on Sunday for breakfast, and we sat in the enclosed patio section beside the house. We happened to notice a couple of zip lock baggies pinned to a post and a wall. The bags were half filled with water, each contained 4 pennies, and they were zipped shut.Naturally we were curious! Ms Sweety told us that these baggies kept the flies away! So naturally we were even more curious! We actually watched some flies come in the open window, stand around on the window sill, and then fly out again. And there were no flies in the eating area! This morning I checked this out on Goggle. Below are comments on this fly control idea. I'm now a believer! More comments not included here were about pet dogs and fly problems.


Zip-lock water bags
Sue says:

Many people swear that a zip-lock bag filled half-way with water and attached over entry-ways will repel flies. No one yet knows how or why it works, but there is speculation that it has something to do with the way the moving water refracts light. If you have tried this please use the comments form at the bottom of the page to share your results with the rest of us.

Ann Says:

October 5th, 2008 at 5:51 pm

I did tried the ziplock bag and pennies this weekend. I have a horse trailer with full LQ. The flys were very bad this weekend while I was camping. I put the baggie with pennies above the door of the LQ. NOT ONE FLY came in the trailer. The horse trailer part had many. Not sure why it works but it does!!!!!!!



Danielle Martin Says:

September 20th, 2008 at 8:43 pm

Fill a ziplock bag with water and 5 or 6 pennies and hang it in the problem area. In my case it was a particular window in my home. It had a slight but significant passage way for insects. Every since I have done that, it has kept flies and wasps away. Some say, that wasps and flies mistake the bag for some sort of other insect nest and are threatened by this.

maggie Says:

June 7th, 2009 at 11:40 am

I swear by the plastic bag of water trick I have them on side porch ( our house entry) and all around the basement door. We saw these in Northeast Mo at an Amish grocery store & have used them since. They say it works because a fly sees a reflection & won't come around.

Just DJ Says:

May 16th, 2009 at 7:25 pm

Regarding the science behind zip log bags of water? My research found that each of the millions of molecules of water presents its own prism effect and given that flies have a lot of eyes, to them it's like a zillion disco balls reflecting light, colors and movement in a dizzying manner. Then you figure that flies are basically prey for many other bugs, animals, birds, etc., they simply won't take the risk of being around that much perceived action. I moved to a rural area ant thought these "hillbillies" were just yanking my city boy chain but I tried it, worked immediately! We went from hundreds of flies to seeing the occasional one, but he don't hang around long.

June 20, 2009 at 3:13pm

Ann,
complained that in the heat of summer the plastic bags burst spilling the water on people entering the house turning aunt Mable's grey hair green and drenching the welcome mat. While drying the stoop 30 flys worked their way into the house getting stuck in the frosting of the Banana Cream pie.

Don't believe everything you read in a chain letter, however, Listerine sprayed or wiped on arms and legs do keep mosquitoes away.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Something Worth Watching

I got this video from a friend and thought it was something worth watching. THe person being interviewed by Charlie Rose is Amory Bloch Lovins (born November 13, 1947 in Washington, DC) is Chairman and Chief Scientist of the Rocky Mountain Institute, a MacArthur Fellowship recipient (1993), and author and co-author of many books on renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The other person interviewed is Ian Schrager (born New York City, July 19, 1946) is an American hotelier and real estate developer often associated with being the creator of the "boutique hotel" genre. He originally gained fame as one of the founders of the Studio 54 discotheque.


Enjoy here it is:

Friday, September 4, 2009

Separating wheat from chaff

We all get links in our E-mails with attachments that for whatever reason made someone Laugh, Tear up, get motivated and then we get unclassified things that force us to pass on the attachment.

Here are a couple:

The Anesthetists Hymn



Breathe

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Who Do You Trust

So it's the Insurance vs Government on Health Care?

I've had the best of insurance in my time on earth, from work at General Dynamics I was covered 100% for awhile. My family was also covered for a nominal cost. Along came "Choices." I had an option of 90% at a high rate, 80% at a less but high rate, and 75% or finally a HMO lowest cost and no deductible. Sounds like HMO was a natural choice.

The HMO dictated who I could see and what could be done. I chose the 90% plan and paid more. It's all gone downhill from there. Less and less coverage less and less choices. Jobs became insecure. I was lucky to maintain employment without lapse in insurance, fortunately because I have a preexisting condition.

I saw friends lose jobs insurance and even their homes. I heard about the rolling recession starting on the East coast. I've seen hospitals grow and grow with no thought to cost and Insurance companies "cherry pick" who would be covered. I've heard a Junior Chamber of Commerce ask a Canadian speaker "How bad is your insurance coverage, I hear there are long lines." I heard the answer about how the speaker loved her Canadian coverage because she could get medical care and never fill out a form or get rejected.

World Health Organization has these statistics:

Health care ranking 39th
Life Expectancy 24th
Health Care Expenditures 1st
Overall Health System Performance 37

All of this leads me to believe if we can keep some people very healthy for so long with our fine doctors and hospitals why do we rank so low. It's because so many get no or poor treatment options. So many lose their homes, go into bankruptcy, lose their ability to work. All the while the medical industry including the Insurance companies are reaping great rewards.

Just how does the "Law of Supply and Demand" work when lives are at stake? The fallacy with that "Law" is that it isn't a law at all but a system being manipulated by "Supply Side Economics." When prices go down somehow supply gets cut. So when will demand for Health Care go down in an increasingly aging society? Will we all be captive to an industry?

If you think for one minute a "for profit" company can trusted with your life you better think twice. Unless we learn to trust our "Elected" officials and know who we are voting for we will never see an end to being held captive.

Unless we cover everyone, those who are covered will forever pay for everyone treated. Those poorly treated in the system will always cost more to treat because their health deteriorates until it's critical care (the most expensive) and very costly.

I would trust the government and it's medicare, veterans coverage than I'd ever trust an Insurance Company again. For those who dislike the French I have to add their system is rated #1. Or we can follow the Republican suggestion and not tax the wealthy a bit more, do tort reform, and follow "Dick" Armey and eliminate Medicare and Social Security.

Who do you trust

Friday, August 14, 2009

Will the government pull the plug grandma?

The Actuarial System used by insurance companies today it the true "Death Board."

I'm not worried about filling out end of life forms and getting informed medical opinion as to what I should expect. What I worry about is the number of deaths and illnesses untreated because Insurance companies (the private option) need to maximize profits.

It is not hard to figure out what actuarial studies really are in the insurance industry. They are the odds makers. Though not always correct they are pretty close and never err on the side of risk. All this suffering and death and bankruptcy and lives ruined because we couldn't get insurance. Or like in my case I had trouble getting a job out of college with a major oil company in Houston because I have Anklosing Spondylitis. It is devastating and yet I've worked 40 years since Humble Oil said I was qualified but their insurance wouldn't cover me.

It makes me sick that the lies about the government killing old people is being spread by people of high respect like Charles (Get 'er done) Grassley, Dick (Swarmy) Armey and Sarah Drill,baby, Drill) Palin. I find it most disgusting that they have the very people getting hurt by the insurance industry parroting those charges and calling health care improvement a "Socialist" plot. Most interesting is that these people are labeling the plan and President Obama both a communist and a Nazi as if the Communists were not our Allies in world war II fighting the Nazi's

Truth is the only drop in support for the health care initiative is from those who want a single payer plan and watching everything good being watered down by Republicans who will not vote for the final bill anyway and Blue Dog Democrats who got lost in campaign donations and conservative supporters.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

If this is failure please define success

Since January the Barack Obama Administration has accomplished a great deal. I know after the last eight years we just can't seem to work fast enough. I constantly hear how nothing is going well from the Republican't talking points but despite their obstructionist policy of "Just say no" things are getting done.

We do live in a Democratic Republic and our government while not always as responsive as we would like eventually comes around. Health Care Reform, is going on way too long and it sounds like it will be watered down and potentially be counter productive. I personally am tired of people trying to make "sausage" and it does remind me of making plans by committee. I would feel better about bipartisan objectives if there were bipartisans in both parties. I don't see any effort from the GOP to play "give and take" only an effort to add legislation to every effort to weaken the impact. Not only that but after they do "sausage" up the bills they still don't vote for their own changes.

I can't, however, blame President Obama for the lack of vision or of ignoring campaign promises. All changes to his proposal while campaigning are being made by Congress and in particular the US Senate Finance Committee. President Obama is getting things done and the economy is starting to move. The Dow Jones is moving up and is an early indicator Shareholder Confidence. Jobs are a slow indicator but if the recovery is maintained that will change positively as well as the economy is shaken out.

I listen to the news and commentary and all I hear is one outrageous claim followed by another. I see town hall meetings being drowned out by people who have been poorly served by those operatives who say health care reform will kill the elderly, Medicare recipients decrying Socialized medicine, I hear them say the government will be between me and my doctor telling the doctor what to do and I wonder if these people will ever stop screaming long enough to hear the truth.


Meanwhile:

The Senate has passed an additional $2 billion for the wildly successful cash for clunkers bill on a 60-37 vote, clearing the legislation for the president to sign.

Sonia Sotomayor has been confirmed as a justice for the United States Supreme Court on a 68-31 vote.

Sonia garnered eight more votes than Cash for Clunkers program.

What has President Obama done so far?

1. Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act Signed: Monday, June 22, 2009

2. Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009 Signed: Friday, May 22, 2009

3. Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act Signed: Friday, May 22, 2009

4. Helping Families Save Their Homes Act Signed: Wednesday, May 20, 2009

5. Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act Signed: Wednesday, May 20, 2009

6. Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act Signed: Wednesday, April 21, 2009

7. Omnibus Public Lands Management Act Signed: Monday, March 30, 2009

8. Small Business Act Temporary Extension Signed: Friday, March 20, 2009

9. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Signed: Tuesday, February 17, 2009

10, Analogue to Digital TV conversion Delay Act Signed: Wednesday, February 11, 2009

11. Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act (SCHIP) Signed: Wednesday, February 4, 2009

12. Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act Signed: Thursday, January 29, 2009

If President Obama is failing at his job I have yet to see it.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Help a Friend with Technology Issues

Just because something is easy for you please be aware it may be a challenge for someone you care for very much. So Help a friend with their technology issues. (See Below)

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Dancing into the past

Two of the best Hollywood had to offer. Younger folks may or may not know their names and even fewer saw them perform. James "Jimmy" Cagney and Robert "Bob" Hope



Bob Hope. Born as Leslie Townes Hope 29 May 1903 in Eltham, England he died 27 July 2003 of pneumonia

Bob Hope was a triple-threat superstar of radio, film and television during the 1940s and 1950s. Primarily a comedian, Hope also acted, sang and danced a little, hosted his own radio and television shows, and carried on a famous comic feud with his friend and fellow star, crooner Bing Crosby. Hope spent much of World War II travelling the world to entertain Allied troops, a service he also performed with gusto during later wars in Korea, Vietnam, and the Middle East; his entertain-the-troops tours became one of his enduring signatures. Though his superstar years ended in the 1960s, Hope continued to make appearances well into the 1990s. In May of 2003 he celebrated his 100th birthday with a typical wisecrack: "I'm so old they've cancelled my blood type." He died a few months later, in July 2003.

Hope never won an Oscar for a film performance, but received five honorary Academy Awards for his contributions to the motion picture industry... He was a frequent host of the annual Academy Award ceremonies... Hope's love of golf was famous, and his annual golf tournament, the Bob Hope Desert Classic, became a regular stop on the PGA Tour... Hope was born in England but was raised in Cleveland, Ohio after his family moved there when Hope was four years old... Hope married Dolores Reade in 1934, and they remained married until his death in 2003; the couple adopted four children: Linda, Anthony, Honora (called Nora), and William Kelly... "Thanks For the Memory" was Hope's theme song; the tune came from his first feature film, The Big Broadcast of 1938.

James Francis Cagney
. Born July 17, 1899, New York City's Lower East Side, second of five children. Had numerous jobs (and fights) while growing up.memory
Graduated high school, ambition was to become an artist.

Attended Columbia University School of Fine Arts, began appearing in plays put on by Lenox Hill Settlement House.

By 1920 was hired as chorus boy on Broadway. Met Frances "Billie" Vernon, married in 1921, marriage lasted 65 years. Adopted two children in 1940 - a boy named James, Jr., and his sister Cathleen, called Casey.

Toured in vaudeville, had parts in dramas and in musicals, gradually worked his way up to starring roles. One, Penny Arcade, sold to Warner Bros, made as Sinner's Holiday -- Cagney signed to a contract on the strength of that performance.

Fifth film for Warner's was The Public Enemy (1931) -- Cagney became, and stayed, one of studio's top stars for over 20 years. Made films for MGM, Paramount, Universal in the '50s, retired from acting in 1961 -- with one return to the screen in 1981's Ragtime.

Modest, private man off the screen. Lived out his childhood dream of residing on a farm, staying close to the land, from the '30s til the end of his life.

James Cagney died on March 30, 1986.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Idle Hands are the Angles Playground - Sheep Art

I love useless time so when I saw what could be done when you have nothing better to do I just smiled and decided to share this video.

SHEEP ART



Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Develop a Love of Reading

I got this video the other day and it made me smile. I thought about it the next day and it made me think. Today I am a believer in the power of the written word to educate and even immerse us in life at a level we other wise would never know existed.

Money and power are poor substitutes for the joy of knowing a richer fuller life.




"When you reread a classic, you do not see more in the book than you did before; you see more in you than there was before" ~ Cliff Fadiman


We all know what a magnifying glass is, it helps make little things bigger. We all know what a telescope is, brings things closer. Too bad so many of us don't know what reading a book is, it makes a black and white world a bright colorful place to live.

Monday, February 9, 2009

I Love the Art Walk



I've come to expect First Friday art walks to provide better weather than expected and last night was no exception. Perhaps it's the cavern of Willamette street that moderates the temperature or maybe it's the excitement of getting out to mingle and observe the city at night. Whatever it is I have come to love that night to just walk around and take pictures.


The Karin Clarke Gallery was doing a show on the works of Christopher Perry. His work is most interesting not just for the color, imagery but for the creativity. His oils are clear and ...


...bright a little abstract and full of imagination.


Combined with the oil paintings are kiln-glass images set in a very cool mounting of his own design.




I walked over to the annex to see what was new there and found the really nice water color landscape by Jan Zach. I really like this piece and while I don't know the spot for sure it reminded a lot of the mountains in West Texas.


I then walked over to the Jacobs gallery but first took this second shot looking south on Willamette from the Hult Center.


When I walked into the Jacobs Gallery there was a huge crowd on the formal First Friday Guided Art walk tour.


John Holdway was giving a presentation of his work.


John's work included this series ...


... and this really cool work called "Three Oranges." I do hope I'm not the only person who had to think 3 uh! no wait 4 objects all oranges but two are half oranges. I love that bit of humor.

My favorite image by John was this one titled "Hosoi Vans." For those uneducated in the ways of skateboarding Christian Hosoi is a well known professional skateboarder.

"Christian Rosha Hosoi (born October 5, 1967) is an American professional skateboarder. Hosoi, along with Tony Hawk, was the most popular skateboarder for the better part of the 1980s. Hosoi started skating at five years old with veterans such as Shogo Kubo, Tony Alva, Stacy Peralta, and Jay Adams as models."

John Holdway has a web site and you can visit there by clicking {HERE}

I then walked over to the OPUS6IX Fine Art Gallery.

Back on June 24, 2007 I did a piece on Anne Teigen on my Art for the Soul blog (Click {HERE}) and it just so happened she was the featured artist at OPUS6IX in the back room of the gallery.


Her work is wonderful and it forces me to think and imagine a world of color and beauty...


... filled with style and flowing grace. Anne has a website like most artists. To go to her personal site click {HERE}


I found the White Lotus a very relaxing space and I love the warmth of the brick walls.


Not on display for sale but in a corner of the gallery was this interesting valve configuration that I'm pretty sure was not art but very utilitarian.




I had parked behind the parking structure and went to the car because I wanted to get some downtown pictures then looking up I got this picture of the stairwell to a parking garage.


I drove over to the city bus hub for Eugene called Eugene Station it was packed with passengers waiting for the bus.


I didn't realize it but I was standing in front of the new Eugene Library. The library had this really interesting glass mosaic art piece I later found out was by John Rose.


I turned back toward the Eugene Station as the passengers were getting ready to load into the several buses ready to depart.


Walking to the station side of the street I got a picture of the new Rosa Parks statue. I'd heard about the statue a week or so ago and it was the reason I drove to this location.

"Rosa Louise Parks was nationally recognized as the "mother of the modern day civil rights movement" in America. Her refusal to surrender her seat to a white male passenger on a Montgomery, Alabama bus, December 1, 1955, triggered a wave of protest December 5, 1955 that reverberated throughout the United States. Her quiet courageous act changed America, its view of black people and redirected the course of history."


I looked back toward the station and noticed most of the passengers had departed then got a shot of ...

... the Eugene Public Library back across the street.

"the library design features a 164,000-square foot (15,236-square meter), cast-in-place concrete frame structure clad in brick, with underground parking. The building includes four elevators, a glass atrium, terrazzo entry and a 30-foot (9 meter) diameter circular staircase, and conforms to a number of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy Efficient Design (LEED) guidelines. The structure also features extensive daylight and natural ventilation systems. Construction has made use of numerous recycled and nontoxic materials. Noteworthy art is incorporated both inside and outside the structure...



... beginning with artist Jim Carpenter’s welcoming bronze statue of city founder, Eugene Skinner, at the front doorway. The Library supports an informed community, lifelong learning and offers more than 1,000 free programs
and events each year."


I took off back to the Karin Clarke gallery to meet up with Vern and Renee for a cup of coffee and a dessert.


I hadn't been by Fenario Gallery. The artist on display was Malia Schultheis. Her work was outstanding and this one caught my eye immediately. It's titled "A Concept of Male."


Malia writes on the right side this image "Perception: The eyes met with light. Bend the unbendable; They fill the glass half empty while the desert quenches it's desire's wanting (Cerebellum). She shows the human brain pointing out the center of sight processing. There is a glass half full of water at the bottom of a hill in the desert. Much to ponder and skillfully presented. Her statement about all of her work is also very thoughtful.
"Making art brings me home. I passionately analyze the state of the world and painstakingly contemplate the invisible each day. Sitting down to do a piece gives me an outlet to communicate the abstract experience constantly inside me. My work gives my struggle to understand, a place to construct itself into the love imprisoned lines you see in my pieces. I enjoy oils on canvas and charcoals on paper. I'm learning to fully utilize my talent as a means ...as Rumi says... "to become consciously one with the Rose Garden."



Back at the Karin Clarke annex I ran into Van art walker with a really great hat. I asked her permission to get a shot of the hat but I had to run out to the car to retrieve the camera. She was kind enough to wait and I got this nice picture of the hat and one beaming young lady.


Since I had gotten her hat I though I'd have to get a shot of Laura's (The designated annex professional docent) shoes I must have thought I was a fashion photographer. Laura's shoes were really cool...


... here is a better view


Since I'm doing a fashion show I had to include this really classy guy and his traditional dress.


Finally Vern Renee and I went to Perugino's Coffeehouse Cafe. I got a bakalawa (Not like moms pecan/sugar receipe) made with pistacios and honey and a nice cup of coffee.


Vern and Renee split a grilled sandwich while we chatted about art and stuff then off we all went into the night. Vern walked Renee to her car and I gave Vern a rid home over some good conversation.


So I've been art walking for several months and have enjoyed every minute I just got out and did something.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

I needed Help Desk Support

So I sometimes get calls for help in working with PS's and found this video so fascinating I thought I'd post it for others. It's titled "Medieval Helpdesk"

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Much ado about nothing

The problem with political reporting is that there are times when not much worth talking about is happening. Filler is the key word and controversy is the king these days. MSNBC, Fox, CNN are no longer news reporters but as they have over the last eight years become rumor mongers. Reporting corps have given way to conjecture and propaganda corps(e) that flock like vultures to either defend their point of view (POV) or spin the opposition.

I see more of the movie network on TV these days than I'd care to believe possible. I like Keith Olberman and Rachael Maddow who I can agree with much of the time for their great research and belief that there are not always two correct sides of every issue. It's true there are always many differing opinions but facts are facts. I do, however, know they are not infallible.

So we are going through the eye of the storm where all is calm but the pseudo news, spinners, point-counterpoint and slime spewers (Limbaugh & Company) are desperate for news.

Well this week it's time to expose the weakness and indecision of Harry Reed relevant to the Rolan Burris appointment by Rod Blagojevich. Blagojevich is pointing out that Harry Reid had called him about the appointment back in December. Duh and why shouldn't Reid have called and with the attack on Palestinians retaliating on the attack by Hamas where:

"More than 600 Palestinians are believed to have been killed since Israel began its offensive on 27 December. Palestinian health ministry officials say at least 195 children were among them.

Since the start of its military operation in Gaza, Israel has lost seven soldiers on the ground.

Militants have also launched hundreds of rockets into Israel, killing four people."

What a joke the news has become and then there Diane Feinstein/Jay Rockefeller questing the Leon Panetta as CIA chief. Sounds more like they are upset about not having been consulted. This is really big news ... NOT

I'm sure Diane and Jay are big enough people to suck it up and realize Barack Obama really does respect their opinion even if he would have nominated Leon Panetta anyway to get a non-echoed handle on the CIA.

I guess the key is to realize not all news is created equal and know what to cry about and what to just laugh about.

Personally I think we will get involved and help set up a food drive locally.