Pegasus's Daily News, etc.

[the flying reindeer]

Year of the Horse
Good afternoon my friends
It's been snowing off and on since sometime last night. We were down to bear ground yesterday, but now there's around 3 inches of snow out there. And winter marches on. <<sigh>>
Have you been following the ship that has been stuck in the ice down Antarctica way? Well, all 52 passengers have been rescued by helicopter (from a nearby Chinese icebreaker) after ten long days stuck in the ice and removed to an Australian icebreaker,the Aurora Australis. Havaing enough supplies for a long time, the master of the Russian ship Akademik Shokalskiy has decided to keep the 22 crew members on board the stranded ship until the pack ice eventually breaks up and allows it to move again.

Colorado has made history - the first state to allow recreational marijuana stores where the people can go an purchase pot legally. Colorado voters' approval in effect amended the state's constitution to allow for the retail sale of recreational pot. The state already allows medical marijuana. As many as 30 stores throughout Colorado will sell recreational weed. Here in New York, the legislature is holding local hearings on allowing the use of medical marijuana and is far from legalizing it for recreational use. One step at a time. Personally, I generally in favor of its legalization. Prohibition doesn't work any better for pot smoking than it did for drinking alcohol. But we keep trying to legislate vices with little success year after year, whether it be gambling, prostitution, or pot. In the meantime, the lines at Colorado's legal recreational marijuana shops keep growing.

Thought for Today:
" Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it."
--Andre Gide (1869-1951) Nobel Prize-winning French author

Malvas in memory of Sparkle

Have a thoroughly modern Thursday

[the flying reindeer]

Fruitcake Toss Day
Good afternoon my friends
The sun has poked itself through the clouds so I guess that means the storm is over. We wound up with around 10 inches of snow with treacherous roads. Unfortunately the temp is COLD (- 3ºF that feels like -9ºF). I am sooooo glad that I don't have to go out there!!

The violence between Muslim and Christian groups is getting so bad in the Central African Republic that now they are beheading children! in atrocious revenge attacks! That is just the tip - 1000s are being forced to be soldiers as well. The UN says it verified the deaths of 16 children since violence broke out in the capital of Bangui on December 5. The nation plunged into chaos after a coalition of rebels named Seleka ousted President Francois Bozize in March, Since then, political turmoil raged and violence became the order of the day. Seleka is a predominantly Muslim coalition, and to counter the attacks, vigilante Christian groups fought back, The French have sent troops to the C.A.R. to try and resore order to that sad country.

People are getting more bizarre everyday. An Indianapolis man stole samples of the brains of dead mental patients from the Indiana Medical History Museum and sold them on eBay! This despite the auction site's company policy against listing "humans, the human body, or any human body parts or products To buy or sell them is a felony under federal law, and trading in illegal goods is a violation of eBay's rules. Incredible what people will do and/or buy. Why would anyone be interested I jars of human brains outside a research lab?

Thought for Today:
"Mistakes are the portals of discovery."
--James Joyce (1882-1941) Nobel Prize-winning Irish author

Classic hues bearded iris

TGIF everyone

[the flying reindeer]

A few photos of the Finger Lakes region where I live in New York.
The Finger Lakes in Winter:

Holiday Feast Neither snow nor wind could deter this Purple Finch from enjoying its New Year’s Eve breakfast at feeders on Tuesday morning. It just fluffed its feathers against the elements and kept on munching! Photo by Nancy Jacobs

Last Sunrise of 2013 Tuesday morning , the last day of the year started out cold but with the sun trying to shine over Seneca Lake. Later we had snow flurries and brisk winds. Photo by Rachel Burkholder

Ice Windsurfing An ice windsurfer carves into a turn on the glassy ice of Cranberry Pond in Greece. Blustery winds led to high speeds with wind gusts to 29 mph. Photo by Jason Gordon,

Frozen Cayuga Ice skaters on the frozen north end of Cayuga Lake race back to shore on a frigid New Year's Day. This is about seven miles from where I live.. Photo by Howard Lainhart

Snowy Owl This snowy owl was spotted in Scipio. Photo by Christen O'Hora

[the flying reindeer]

J.R.R. Tolkien Day

Today in History: January 3rd, the 3rd day of 2014 with 262 days left in the year

1521--Martin Luther was excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church.
1777--Gen. George Washington's army routed the British in the Battle of Princeton, N.J.
1793--Lucretia Mott, an early proponent of the women's rights movement in America, was born; died 1880 at age 87.
1825--the first engineering college in the US, Rensselaer School (now Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or RPI), opened in Troy, NY.
1852--the first Chinese arrived in Hawaii.
1861--more than two weeks before Georgia seceded from the Union, the state militia seized Fort Pulaski at the order of Gov. Joseph E. Brown.
1861--the Delaware House and Senate voted to oppose secession from the Union.
1868--the Meiji Restoration re-established the authority of Japan's emperor and heralded the fall of the military rulers known as shoguns.
1870--groundbreaking took place for the Brooklyn Bridge.
1888--Marvin C. Stone of Washington, D.C. patented the straw for drinking.
1892--[John Ronald Reuel] J.R.R. Tolkien, author of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa; died 1973 at age 81 in Bournemouth, England.
1920--Babe Ruth was sold to New York Yankees by Boston Red Sox.
1924--the stone sarcophagus containing a solid gold coffin that held the mummy of Pharaoh Tutankhamen was discovered.
1938--the March of Dimes campaign to fight polio was established by Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt, a polio victim himself.
1949--in a pair of rulings, the US Supreme Court said that states had the right to ban closed union shops.
1952--Jack Webb's brain-child television police drama, Dragnet, aired on NBC for the first time. .
1959--Pres, Eisenhower signed a proclamation admitting Alaska to the Union as the 49th state.
1961--the US severed diplomatic relations with Cuba.
1965-- thousands of antigovernment demonstrators in Saigon, South Vietnam clashed with government marines and police.
1967--Jack Ruby, the man who fatally shot accused presidential assassin Lee Harvey Oswald, died in a Dallas hospital.
1977--Apple Computer was incorporated in Cupertino, Calif., by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Mike Makkula Jr.
1980--conservationist Joy Adamson, author of Born Free, was murdered in northern Kenya by a former employee.
1987--the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted its first woman - Aretha Franklin and since then only 9 more women performers have been added vs. 149 male performers
1990--ousted Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega surrendered to US forces, 10 days after taking refuge in the Vatican's diplomatic mission in Panama City.
2000--the last new daily "Peanuts" comic strip by Charles Schulz ran in 2,600 newspapers.
2004--NASA's Mars rover, Spirit, touched down on the red planet.
2004--a Boeing 737 owned by Egyptian charter tour operator Flash Airlines crashed into the Red Sea, killing all 148 people aboard, most of them French tourists.
2006--lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to conspiracy, mail fraud and tax evasion and agreed to cooperate in investigations of corruption in Congress.
2009--after seven days of pummeling the Gaza Strip from the air, Israel launched a ground offensive.
2013--students attending Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., reconvened at a different building in the town of Monroe

Thought for Today:
"You cannot acquire experience by making experiments. You cannot create experience. You must undergo it."
--Albert Camus (1913-1960) Algerian-born French Nobel Prize winning author, journalist, and philosopher

[the flying reindeer]

R.I.P. Phil Everly, half of one of the most popular and influential music duos of the 1950s and '60s, the Everly Brothers, died Friday at age 74 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease after two weeks in Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, Calif. He is survived by his wife (3rd) and 4 children.

The Everly Brothers — Phil (b. 1939) and Don (b. 1937) and survives his younger brother with their smooth-sounding harmony — hit it big in 1957 with "Bye Bye Love." It has been covered by dozens of other prominent artists as wide-ranging as Ray Charles, George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Trini Lopez and Simon & Garfunkel. That was quickly followed by two more monster hits, "Wake Up Little Susie" and "All I Have to Do Is Dream." Hits in the 1960s included "Cathy's Clown," "When Will I Be Loved" and "Cryin' in the Rain." Their decade on top remains one of the leading influences on American popular music, and in 1986, they were among the inaugural class inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They also are members of the Country Music Hall of Fame, a nod to their heritage.

Rolling Stone labeled the Everly Brothers "the most important vocal duo in rock," having influenced the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel and many other acts. The Everly Brothers' sound -- with Don's lower register generally ringing in perfect thirds with Phil's higher voice -- was the backbone of dozens of hits - 35 Top 100 songs -- more than any other vocal pair. They added Bo Diddley riffs, teenage anxieties and sharkskin suits but the core of their sound remained country brother harmony. Don Everly said in a 1986 Associated Press interview that the two were successful because "we never followed trends. We did what we liked and followed our instincts. Rock 'n' roll did survive, and we were right about that. Country did survive, and we were right about that. You can mix the two but people said we couldn't." Phil Everly last performed in public in 2011, but his son Jason told The Associated Press on Friday he had been actively writing songs, living part of the year in Burbank and the rest in Nashville.

R.I.P. Phil Everly, pop singer extraordinaire, who was part of the groundbreaking, smooth-sounding, record-setting duo, the Everly Brothers.

[the flying reindeer]

World Hypnotism Day
Good afternoon my friends
It's another bright day with the snow still nicely white and the temp a little better at 18ºF. I'm still just as glad to look at it all from inside!!
UPDATE: The Chinese icebreaker that helped rescue the scientists off their ship has now become immobile itself. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority's Rescue Coordination Centre, said there was no danger to anyone on board the Snow Dragon, which reported having several weeks of food supplies on board. It's just another wrinkle in the complex rescue operation of those on board the Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy, which got stuck in the ice on Christmas Eve

The Hong Kong-based pro-Beijing newspaper Wen Wei Po has reported that North Korea's Kim Jong Un's powerful uncle was stripped naked, thrown into a cage along with five of his aides and all were eaten alive by a pack of 120 ravenous dogs. Kim and his brother Kim Jong Chol supervised the one-hour ordeal along with 300 other officials, according to Wen Wei Po. The newspaper added that Jang and other aides were "completely eaten up." What kind of people are these North Koreans? It's one thing to execute someone by hanging, firing squad, or electric chair and this. This is sadism, pure and simple, and it's disgusting, if true. I'll be interested in seeing how China deals with North Korea in the future. Will they remain the country's ally or will they try to distance themselves from such a barbaric group?

Thought for Today:
"Humor is the instinct for taking pain playfully."
--Max Eastman (1883-1969) (American journalist and author

Red fire in memory of Sparkle

Have a wholly worry-free weekend

[the flying reindeer]

Cuddle Up Day
Good afternoon my friends
When I went to bed last night, it was pouring rain. When I woke up today the wind was howling, bending the big trees outside my window and all I could think was - I hope it didn't freeze last night . I didn't need tree limbs covered with ice failing on the trailer. Fortunately, it didn't get cold enough for freezing rain. And now comes the frigid temps. I HATE WINTER!!
Polar vortex? What in the world is that? A polar cyclone that is basically a great swirling pool of extremely cold air located tens of thousands of feet in the atmosphere, said Frank Giannasca, senior meteorologist with The Weather Channel. Normally, it swirls over the poles, dipping down into northern Canada. Through the course of a winter, the arctic air can get displaced southward, but it is uncommon for such cold air to cover such a large part of the country, happening maybe once a decade or longer. Forecasts show temperatures around the country as a whole will begin moderating by the end of the week, but, like any unpredictable weather phenomenon, it could happen again.

And another bad skiing accident. This time it's German Chancellor Angela Merkel (chancellor since 2005) who has broken her pelvis while cross-country skiing in Switzerland. Luckily, her injuries are not thought to be serious and it is thought she will make a full recovery. Will the rule of 3 prevail? And if so, who will be the 3rd well-known figure to suffer on skis?

China is cracking down on the illegal ivory trade. Several tons of confiscated elephant tusks and carvings were crushed in the city of Guangzhou (two months after we destroyed our ivory stockpile). This is viewed as a monumental shift in China's approach to the ivory trade and a crucial first step for the world's largest ivory market to tackle illicit wildlife trafficking. China accounts for around 70% of global demand for ivory. Ivory is known as "white gold" in China and tusks with intricate carvings can fetch almost $3,000 per kilogram on the black market. On November 15, the US destroyed its entire 6-ton stockpile of ivory "to send a clear message that the United States will not tolerate ivory trafficking and the toll it is taking on elephant populations, particularly in Africa." Similar events have taken place in the Philippines, Gabon, and Kenya in the last three years.

Thought for Today:
"If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals."
--J. K. Rowling (b.1965) English author of Harry Potter series

Forget me not and Sore clover [Lat. Myosotis sylvatica vs. Anthyllis vulneraria] in memory of Sparkle

Stay warm everybody

[the flying reindeer]

Someday We'll Laugh About This Week
Good afternoon my friends
Well, I survived unharmed last night with temp of -1ºF with winds of 25-35 mph. The winds bothered me more than the cold, being nice and warm inside. But hearing the wind howling and things going "bump in the night" caused me some anxious moments. Now the sun is weakly breaking through the clouds and I don't have to go out in it. However my DS has bundled up and gone out to get me my Dunkin Donuts coffee and donut.
The long-term jobless benefits extension has cleared a key hurdle - the US Senate gathered enough support (60-37) to begin debate on a temporary extension of benefits to the 1.3 million jobless Americans who lost that benefit on the first of the year. Unfortunately, the major sticking block will be in the GOP controlled House, but at least this gives them hope. Now I hope our government can get this done quickly. This is not a time for people to be without a source of income. You need money to heat your home.

Slow but steady - cancer death rates drop 20% in 20 years. Why? Less smoking, increased prevention and better detection. The rates have fallen dramatically in some areas — i.e. plunging 50% for middle-aged black men — while barely budging for elderly white women. And disease experts say there’s still plenty of room for improvement. Lung cancer remains a scary diagnosis, but rates have declined thanks to less smoking and better detection. It remains the top killer for both sexes, followed by prostate cancer for men and breast cancer for women. But largely because of declines in smoking, the lung cancer death rate dropped by 34%. However, cancer remains the second-most common cause of death in the US, behind heart disease. Death rates are rising for cancers of the head and neck, anus, liver, pancreas and soft tissues, including the heart.

The US Winter Olympic team has suffered a major blow, not that they didn't see it coming. Lindsay Vonn, defending women's downhill Olympic and world champion will not be able to be part of the team. Her latest knee injury hasn't healed enough. Bummer!!

Thought for Today:
"When I'm working on a problem, I never think about beauty. I think only how to solve the problem. But when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong.
--R. Buckminster Fuller(1895-1983) American architect & engineer

Class ring picata bearded iris

Have a Toasty Tuesday (keep warm )

[Artemis Windsong]

I needed a pretty flower after reading the post about the forceps baby.

Some things a person cannot unsee. or not remember.

[Deleted]

Jan 7, 2014 17:49:03 GMT -5 Artemis Windsong said:

I needed a pretty flower after reading the post about the forceps baby.

Some things a person cannot unsee. or not remember.

True that.

[Artemis Windsong]

Thanks.

[the flying reindeer]

forceps baby?

[the flying reindeer]

79th birth anniversary of Elvis Presley
Good morning my friends
Another day of single digit temps (8ºF but feels like -5ºF) but no snow. And it's even brightening somewhat.The nasty polar vortex is slowly retreating back to its normal frigid environs. I'll be glad to get back to the more normal winter!!
UPDATE: Finally, the trapped Russian research ship and the Chinese rescue vessel have broken free of the Antarctic ice and don't need rescue by the US. They both are now on their way to their original destinations - the Polar Star to McMurdo Sound and the Akademik Shokalskiy to Bluff in New Zealand. All are now safe and sound, or as much as any vessel is on the ocean. A good job all around.

A massive cache of explosives, completed bombs and bomb manuals have been found in a Maryland home. Todd Dwight Wheeler Jr., 28, of Glen Burnie, in the Washington suburbs, is being held on two counts of making explosives, two counts of possessing explosive materials and one single count of reckless endangerment. Federal charges were pending. Police said they had no idea what Wheeler might have been planning, because he's refusing to cooperate, but the materials were capable of maiming, killing or injuring people. The bombs would have a blast radius of more than 150 feet — big enough to "have taken out the house and the surrounding houses," said Anne Arundel County fire Capt. Robert Howarth, the lead investigator. This was discovered when the police were called in by a relative who thought Wright might be suicidal. Whatever his target was, thank goodness he was found out before acting on his target.

Thought for Today:
"I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road."
--Stephen Hawking (b. 1942) English theoretical physicist

Orange dahlias in memory of Sparkle

Have a "stay warm" Wednesday

[the flying reindeer]

National Lose Weight/Feel Great Week
Good afternoon my friends
Finally, the temp is slowly (too slowly as far as I'm concerned) rising. The sun is shining in its blue sky but the temp has just hit 20ºF. <<sigh>>
Russia has put security forces on combat alert in the southern Stavropol region after the discovery of five bodies with gunshot wounds and an explosive device, The five corpses were discovered in four cars in two separate districts outside the regional capital Stavropol, a gateway to the North Caucasus, where the Sochi Olympics will be held and Russia faces an insurgency by Islamist militants who have threatened to try to prevent the Olympics going ahead. The Black Sea resort of Sochi is on the western edge of the Caucasus mountains where the insurgents want to carve out an Islamic state. Russian forces went on combat alert in Sochi on Tuesday and about 37,000 personnel are now in place to provide security at the Games, Russian officials say. God forbid that the world should see another Olympic incident like Munich.

New Jersey does it again. Jersey politics at its worst is on display for all the world to watch. And the Republican front runner for the GOP nomination for president in 2016 has had to go on national TV and apologize for George Washington bridge closures that disrupted traffic between New York and Fort Lee, N.J. and announce the firing of his aides who were involved. He claims that he has nothing to hide. With the US Attorney opining an investigation into the situation (the closure of bridge lands is a crime at all levels of government). The outcome of all of this will have an immense bearing on the future of Gov. Chris Christie. His press conference was impressive. Now it remains for the various investigations to prove that he had nothing to do with it.

Thought for Today:
"The one thing sure about politics is that what goes up comes down and what goes down often comes up."
--Richard M. Nixon (1913-1994) 37th President of the US (1969-74)

Cleared for takeoff bearded iris

Have a thank heavens it's a warmer Thursday

[the flying reindeer]

Houseplant Appreciation Day
Good morning my friends
I hope the weatherman is right in forecasting a possible high of 37ºF today. Looking out the window all I see is an overcast sky that doesn't look at all inviting.
Boy, am I glad that I have never shopped at Target. Their story keeps getting worse. Now, the credit card hacking is ballooning up to 70 million people to become one of the biggest breaches ever. I really feel sorry for all those whose identities have been revealed, but my main feeling is relief at knowing mine isn't one of them!!

UPDATE: The outspoken, brash New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is under fire, as expected, from opportunistic attacks from Democrats, but he also has some critics form his own party who are happy to see him get his comeuppance. He has never been a favorite with conservatives and some will never forget his embrace of Pres. Obama after Superstorm Sandy. After his contrite press conference yesterday, some top national tea party leaders still questioned whether he had put the controversy behind him. Jenny Beth Martin, co-founder and national coordinator for the Tea Party Patriots is one, as is Judson Phillips, who heads the Tea Party Nation, who said, "This incident is proof that once again the most dangerous place on the earth is the spot between Chris Christie and his presidential ambitions." It is now looking like Christie's biggest concern is not Democrats but opponents in his own party. If you like to watch the antics of potential presidential nominees, the coming monhs should prove to be very interesting.

A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that vitamin E may help with mild to moderate Alzheimer's patients. Maria Carrillo, vice president of Medical and Scientific Relations at the Alzheimer’s Association, said
"The results are positive enough to warrant more research to replicate and confirm these findings, but should not change current medical practice. No one should take vitamin E for Alzheimer’s except under the supervision of a physician." I wonder about prevention. I know I've taken extra vitamin E for years - it's called the anti-aging vitamin. Interesting.

Thought for Today:
"Absolute faith corrupts as absolutely as absolute power. "
--Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American philosopher

Blooming cactus [Lat. Cactaceae] in memory of Sparkle

TGIF everyone

[the flying reindeer]

Universal Letter Writing Week
Good afternoon my friends
It's a gloomy, depressing rainy day but much warmer - 46ºF. Now if we could just get some sun to go with that temp.
Those poor people in South Florida - nearly 2 feet of rain in 24 hours! "An incredible rainfall rate," said Robert Molleda, a local meteorologist. "There is no way we could forecast that much rain in that short a time." I think I prefer snow,=. At least when it stops, the plows can get it off the roads and you can shovel your way to your car!!

UPDATE: The US State Department has issued a travel alert for Russia's Sochi Olympics. Americans planning to attend the Winter Olympics, should be vigilant about their security due to potential terrorist threats, crime and uncertain medical care. The department said large events like the Olympics are "an attractive target for terrorists" and Americans should be aware of their surroundings and take common-sense precautions to stay safe, notably on public transport (a recent target for terrorists in Russia). As if that weren't enough, Americans should consider buying private medical evacuation insurance as medical facilities are "untested" in Sochi, which has never before hosted such a large event. Finally, they also advised LGBT Americans to remember that Russia has in place a law that bans the "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations" to minors and the Russians have been vague about what "propaganda" means. The applies to foreigners and a conviction could result in a fine, a jail term and deportation. Personally, I think I'd rather stay home and watch the Olympics on TV!!
thoibaonganhang.vn/upload/news/hantt/2013/09/523916df8b134_medium.jpg]
Thought for Today:
"When a deep injury is done us, we never recover until we forgive"
--Alan Paton (1903-1988) South African writer and educator

Cliché standard dwarf bearded iris

Have a squeezable Saturday

[the flying reindeer]

Stephen Foster Day
Good afternoon my friends
Another overcast day with a drop in temps with a high of 36ºF. Well, we knew the warmer temps couldn't last when it's only the 2nd week of January.
80+ mph winds in the South? According to the Weather Service, winds knocked down trees throughout northern Georgia and the Carolinas as severe storms brought heavy rains, tornado watches and flood warnings. Now it's the South's turn for extreme weather. Who's next?

UPDATE: More Olympic security concerns - Russia arrested five Islamist militants with ammunition, grenades and a homemade bomb packed with shrapnel yesterday. Russia's National Anti-terrorism Committee said the latest arrests were in Nalchik, a town about 190 miles from Sochi in the Caucasus region, where insurgents want to carve out an Islamic state. Putin crushed separatists in the Muslim province of Chechnya when he rose to power 14 years ago. but the Islamist insurgency spread to neighboring Dagestan, recruiting fighters from as far afield as Canada. In Sochi, about 37,000 personnel are now there to provide security at the games. I hope that all of these are just isolated incidents that have no relation to the Olympic Games.

How could something like the Dallas Safari Club auction off (for $300,000) a Namibian hunting permit for the endangered species, the black rhino. I don't care if the rhino picked is no longer capable of reproducing. There are only 1,700 left and each one is precious. Let me make one thing clear - I'm not anti-hunting because we would be overrun with deer if not for hunting. BUT not of endangered species. And whoever it was that won the hunting permit should be ashamed of himself. That $300,000 could be much ore productively spent in saving the species, not destroying a member of it.

Thought for Today:
"If you cannot find peace within yourself, you will never find it anywhere else."
--Marvin Gaye (1939-1984) American soul singer, songwriter and record producer

Hollyhock in memory of Sparkle

Have a supberb Sunday

[the flying reindeer]

Make Your Dream Come True Day
Good afternoon my friends
Today is a mostly cloudy day with temp of 45ºF! A January thaw? Who knows but I'm satisfied with that temp for mid-winter.
What is going on with the airline industry? Another airplane (from Southwest) went to the wrong airport and this time just missed a cliff. It supposed to land at Branson Airport in southwest Missouri instead landed at M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport. a smaller airport miles away — the second such mix-up in two months. That airport is mostly for corporate charter and personal aircraft, not a Boeing 737-700 with 124 passengers and 4-man crew. And it was less than 200 feet from a dropoff at the end of the runway! I don't what happened here but I wonder if the airlines are cost cutting on training, hmmm? You think?

Bridgegate Update: Now Gov. Chris Christie is under a federal investigation of his possible misuse of Superstorm Sandy relief funds to produce tourism ads that starred him and his family. This comes on top of the two investigations in New Jersey of Bridgegate. Democratic Rep. Frank Pallone requested the investigation, saying he was concerned about the bidding process for the firm awarded the marketing plan; the winning firm is charging the state about $2 million more than the next lowest bidder, who did not feature the Christie family. Pallone said, "This was money that could have directly been used for Sandy recovery. And, as you know, many of my constituents still haven't gotten the money that is owed them to rebuild their homes or raise their homes or to help," Things seem to be heating up in New Jersey and Gov. Christie's in the middle. Will he emerge scrubbed clean of all possible dirt? Only time will tell. I hope he does because I found him to be refreshing in the world of politics in our country today.

Thought for Today:
"Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success."
--Napoleon Hill (1883-1970) American author

Cloud ballet bearded iris

Have a memorable Monday

[the flying reindeer]

National Hat Day
Good afternoon my friends
It's another overcast day with no sun in sight. Snow is in the forecast but so far hasn't arrived. I'd be just as happy it it skipped us for the rest of the year. On the other hand, the dull gray brown world outside is singularly unappealing.
UPDATE: Three Russian servicemen and four gunmen were killed in a shootout in southern Russia during a sweep for militants ahead of next month's Sochi Winter Olympics. A group of Islamist militants had been trapped in a house in the Dagestan region of the North Caucasus. Five officers were also wounded in what a spokesman called a special operation. I think that the Olympic athletes will be safe, but what about the tourists? Are the 37,000 security forces also protecting Sochi?

Well, it's the beginning of the tennis major slam season with the Australian Open beginning this week. So far the biggest story is the almost unbearable heat wave that has hit Melbourne. The players are having to play in triple digit heat where even the wind doesn't bring relief. One player described it as if your hair dryer was continuously in your face. I have a feeling that the heat will hurt the so-so players more than the top echelon, if for no other reason than the top players are in top condition too..

And the shootings keep happening. This time it's back in Florida t another movie theater. And the amazing fact is that it wasn't Curtis Reeves first blow-up - a few weeks before he had another run-in with another moviegoer. Prosecutors said they had heard from another theater patron who said the 71-year-old former Tampa cop saw her texting and "glared at her the entire time throughout the movie." In the latest incident, a man was texting his daughter's babysitter and Reeves became upset. They argued and the man through some popcorn at Reeves, who pulled out a .380 semi-automatic handgun and shot him to death. His attorney tried to plead it was a "stand your ground" incident but the police, attorney and the judge didn't agree and he was charged with 2nd-degree murder. I'll bet that the next defense will be "temporary insanity. You'd think that a retired cop would know better.

Thought for Today:
"Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes."
--Zig Ziglar (1926-2012) American motivational speaker and author.

Coal dust bearded iris

Have a wish-fulfilled Wednesday

[the flying reindeer]

Appreciate a Dragon Day
Good afternoon my friends
The sun is trying hard to shine and the temp has dropped into the 20s., but still it's a fairly pleasant day for winter.
And the violence goes on - today in Elkart, Ind. A gunman shot two women in a grocery store before turning his gun one cops confronting him, who shot him first, killing him. They do not know why he did it, or if there was any connection between him and his victims - one was in her late teens and worked at the store; the other a customer in her mid-40s. The gunman was in his 20s and lived in the area. He was armed with a semi-automatic handgun and a large knife. Can we please have universal background checks? Surely, that is something we can all agree on.

A dangerous giant smog cloud is hovering over and around Beijing, China - AGAIN. The air pollution readings have prompted residents to don air masks while offices and homes are using electric air purifiers overtime. The thick, gray haze is registering readings over 20 times the recommended exposure levels suggested by the World Health Organization. It has several causes. Biting cold forces the region’s coal-burning power plants to meet heating demands, while increased car usage and relentless construction chokes the skies with dangerous particulate. And the city's topography (hills surround much of its population) can also keep the capital immersed in dirty air unless strong winds blow it out. It appears that they are decades behind us in such things, although I sometimes think the Republicans are trying to turn back the clock on environmental protection issues.

Well, what do you know! It seems that the era of the printed book has not been supplanted by e-books and is not likely to be any time soon. Print books still reign supreme, even among the younger "digital natives" to whom one might think paper media would seem old-fashioned. A paperback works as well today as it did 50 years ago — and as it will 50 years in the future and for the same reasons. They've survived so far due to low cost, no power required, easy to gift — they're even recyclable. I am definitely one who still prefers the book. I have a kindle but have yet used it and the way things are going, I probably never will.


Thought for Today:
"Truth is what stands the test of experience."
--Albert Einstein (1879-1955) German-born Nobel Prize-winning theoretical physicist

Blue anemone [Lat. Anemone] in memory of Sparkle

Have a truly tasty Thursday

[the flying reindeer]

Thesaurus Day
Good afternoon my friends
I had a surprise when I woke this morning. It had snowed overnight and it's still coming doewn. So once more the world is a pristine white - better than that dreary brown of yesterday!! Temps in the mid-20s, so that's not too bad for mid-January.
In Kabul, the Taliban targeted a popular restaurant to attack, killing at least 21 people, including two Americans and 11 other foreigners. The American University of Afghanistan later confirmed that two of its employees had been killed and the International Monetary Fund said its resident representative in Afghanistan was another victim. Three UN employees wee also victims in the attack. In the attack, one detonated a bomb and two then fired on customers and employees of the Lebanese restaurant. In a statement taking responsibility for the attack, the Taliban said they had targeted "foreign invaders ... having their dinner." What a country. I say let's get out of there and leave them to their civil war.

;A federal judge has ruled unconstitutional a North Carolina law that made women who wanted an abortion get an ultrasound, and then have the image described to them, And so another Republican ruled state's effort to restrict a woman's right to abortion has been told that it cannot. Now if there was only some way to prevent those states from making laws that force abortion clinics to close. I also think that a pregnant woman should make it clear what should be done in case she should die. If her fetus is less than 20 weeks, yes. If over 20 weeks, no. Keep her alive long enough for the fetus to be safely birthed.

Russia is contemplating making restrictions on the gay life worse. They are now trying to strip gays of their parenting rights. In other words, taking children away from any gay person, making only "those with a heterosexual lifestyle" allowed to be parents. To outsiders who criticize the Russian attitude toward homosexuality, they respond, "If you in the west are so tolerant, let Russia live with its established traditions. Be tolerant to us."

Thought for Today:
"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."
--A. A. Milne (1882-1956) English humorist and creator of Winnie-the-Pooh,

Pink rose in memory of Sparkle

Have a satisfying Saturday

[the flying reindeer]

National Popcorn Day
Good morning my friends
It snowed some more overnight but now the sun is shining in a nice blue sky . However, the weather forecast is for temp to hit single digits overnight! According to the latest weather theory, a Greenland high is blocking the Arctic weather and sending it down to us. I guess that's as a good an explanation as any.
UPDATE: Russian Pres. Putin has defended Russia's anti-gay law by equating gays with pedophiles and said Russia needs to "cleanse" itself of homosexuality if it wants to increase its birth rate. The former Soviet Union considered homosexuality a crime and it looks like Russia is backsliding into that same position. I truly feel sorry for any gay Russian - their life is becoming one of the levels of hell.

Australian Open: Serena Williams was beaten yesterday for the 3rd straight year in this tournament. I wonder what it is about Australia that gets to her? This time it turns out she injured her back. I could tell while watching her game yesterday that something was wrong. She wasn't moving the same as usual. Who won? No. 14 Ana Ivanovic, who is a former #1 in the world.

Thought for Today:
"Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got."
--.Janis Joplin (1943-1970) American blues singer.

Blooming cactus in memory of Sparkle

Have a sun filled Sunday

[the flying reindeer]

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Good afternoon my friends
It's been lightly snowing all day and the temp is slowly dropping. It's going to be Arctic cold time again tonight and tomorrow. Hopefully, not beyond that.
It's been quite a day at the Australian Open. Roger Federer looked like his old self defeating Joe Wilfred Tsonga in straight matches. Over on the women's side it's chaos. Serena Williams?? Gone. Maria Sharapova? Gone. Sloane Stephens? Gone? I could go on but I won't. Victoria Azarenka must be chuckling with glee. There's hardly any real competition left that can beat her. As for me, I've been clued to the TV watching it all.

.UPDATE: Russia may be scouring for up to four women sent to carry out attacks related to the Olympics, including at least one woman thought to be in or near Sochi, They have hung wanted posters in Sochi that describe at least one suspected terrorist — Ruzan Ibragimova, also known as Ruzana, the 22-year-old widow of an Islamic militant killed by Russian security forces last year. On Sunday, a video surfaced in which two men from an Islamist militant group threatened to attack the Olympics, warning that “a surprise” is in store for President Vladimir Putin and tourists attending the games. Within Sochi and its Olympic sites, the athletes and spectators are probably safe. But how about other venues? How about the means of transportation to get there? Or stops along the way? In other words, the attack doesn't have to be in Sochi itself..


Thought for Today:
" Whoever does not love his work cannot hope that it will please others."
--Anonymous

Code red bearded iris

I hope your Monday is munificent.

[the flying reindeer]

Squirrel Appreciation Day
Good evening my friends. Sorry to be so late today.
It snowed again in the morning today but turned out fairly sunny later - but COLD with single digit temps. And there 2-3 days move of this before it starts to warm up into the 20s!!
Australian Open: This grand slam is turning into a killing field for the favorities. Today's victim was defending champion Novak Djokovic who was beaten in 5 sets (2-6, 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 9-7) by Stanislas Wawrinka. To say it was a surprise is putting it mildly. Djoko has won this tournament for the past three years, and also held a 14-match winning run against Wawrinka, dating back to 2006! And now he has been ousted in the quarter finals. But remember Nadal, Murray, and even Federer are still around and playing well.

Welcome to the favored brew of ancient Egypt's New Kingdom; a 3,200-year-old barley beer that a new archaeological find - a tomb of ancient Egypt's beer maker to the gods of the dead. A Jpanaese team found it in the Thebes necropolis in the city of Luxor while excavating another tomb. The tomb, replete with highly colored frescoes, is being hailed as one of the most significant finds of recent times..

Thought for Today:
"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored."
--Aldous Huxley (1894-1963) British author

Bougainvillea in memory of Sparkle

I hope youall had a miraculous Monday

[the flying reindeer]

Celebration of Life Day
Good afternoon my friends
The sun may be shining in a blue skies, but don't let it fool you, IT IS COLD: -1ºF that feels like -17ºF!! But we did miss the storm that's blown up the east coast, thank goodness.
Australian Open.: And now it's Andy Murray's turn to be bumped from the Open while Federer keeps on winning. Next up for Federer, now in the semi-finals, is Rafa, who has been mowing down all opponents. Should be an interesting match tomorrow. Tonight is the ladies semi-final (9:20 EST, so I hear). The women's defending Aussie Open champion, Victoria Azarenka, was also defeated yesterday.18-year-old Eugenie Bouchard of Canada reached the semifinals in her first trip to the Australian Open, beating 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 setting up a showdown with China's 32-year-old Li Na, a former French Open champ, who has lost in the finals of the Open twice. Bouchard is the first Canadian to reach the semi-finals of the Open and the first Canadian woman to reach a Grand Slam semifinal since Carling Bassett at the 1984 U.S. Open..Thw other semi-finalists are #20 Dominika Cibulkova vs. #5 Agnieszka Radwanska. Cibulkova beaat Maria Sharapova and Radwanska beat defending champion Victoria Azarenka. Tonight's matches I'm sure will be interesting.

.A South African miner at the Cullinan mine near Pretoria has found an 'exceptional' 29.6-carat blue diamond, one of the rarest and most coveted in the world with a possible price tag of tens of millions of dollars. The mine was also where the Cullinan Diamond was found in 1905 - described as the largest rough gem diamond ever recovered and weighing 3,106 carats. Other notable diamonds found in the mine include a 25.5 carat Cullinan blue diamond, found in 2013 and sold for $16.9 million, and a diamond found in 2008, known as the Star of Josephine, which was sold for $9.49 million. Diamonds from both the Cullinan mine in South Africa and the Williamson facilities in Tanzania, both owned by Petra, have been displayed at London's Buckingham Palace and are regarded as among the rarest and most valuable in the world. The 1905 Cullinan Diamond has been cut into two stones - the First Star of Africa and the Second Star of Africa - and form part of Britain's Crown Jewels held in the Tower of London.

Thought for Today:
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe."
--John Muir (1838-1914),American pioneering conservationist

Coffee trader bearded iris

Have a warm Wednesday, if you can.

[the flying reindeer]

No Name Calling Week
Good afternoon my friends.
It's still cold (8ºF feels like -2ºF) today but so far no snow is falling. I just wich this Arctic cold would go back up there and leave us alone!!
Australian Open: Switzerland's 2nd best player, Stanislas Wawrinka, won his semi-final game last night,beating Tomas Berdych . Although why he was playing his semi-final game last night and the Federer-Nadal semi-final is today, I don't know. But I'd love to see Federer beat Rafa and play his compatriot in the finals. With the women, China's Li Na and the Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova will compete for the Australian Open title after both enjoyed convincing semi-final victories. This will be Li Na's third chance at the title - 3 times a charm, maybe?

No, not again. Debt-ceiling debate looming. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew sent a letter to Speaker John Boehner and others that the debt limit needs to be raised by late February, The response was a demand for something in return for a clean debt-ceiling increase, a quid pro quo that the White House rejects. Sound familiar? House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) said last month, “We don’t want ‘nothing’ out of the debt limit. We’re going to decide what it is we can accomplish out of this debt limit fight.” Among the items Republicans have floated as a quid pro quo: approval of the Keystone XL pipeline. Remember what that is? A pipeline to allow oil from Canada to reach refineries in the lower US, with the danger of oil spills in some of our top agriculture states. Last fall, one such pipeline broke in Arkanssas making a a horrible mess in the locality.

If you are interested in what an oil spill can do to the area where it occurs, here's a link to an oil spill in Michigan.
www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20110724/OILSPILL/107240319/
Thought for Today:
"Our sins are more easily remembered than our good deeds."
--Democritus (B.C.460-370) Greek philosopher,

Passion flower [Lat. Passiflora] in memory of Sparkle

TGIF everyone

[the flying reindeer]

Belly Laugh Day
Good afternoon my friends
It's a fair day here with the sun shining, but don't be fooled. Its COLD - 9ºF and it feels like -7ºF. Now they are projecting this cold to last into next week. I hope they are wrong.
Australian Open.: So now all the finals are set. Last night Rafael Nadal continued his dominance over Roger Federer (7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-3 ) to reach the final for the third time. Sunday, in the men's final, he will meet #8 Stan Wawrinka, Switzerland's second best player. With his 23rd win in 33 matches against Federer, the 27-year-old Spaniard set up a chance to win a 14th Grand Slam title and to become the first man to win all four majors at least twice in the Open era.The women's final is tomorrow between Li Na and Dominika Cibulkova..

Yesterday authorities made arrests for the so-called "Goodfellas" heist - five reputed mobsters or "wiseguys" have been indicted in a string of unsolved crimes that includes the famed 1978 Lufthansa heist. In 1978, gangster Jimmy "The Gent" Burke stole $8 million in cash and jewels from John F. Kennedy International Airport that was the largest robbery in US history at the time. Burke died in 1996 while serving 20 years to life in a New York prison. Yesterday, five alleged mobsters were arrested on racketeering charges related to the 1978 heist, plus other crimes. .In an indictment that reads like the script of Goodfellas, alleged mob captain Vincent Asaro, 78, and other alleged members of the Bonanno organized crime family are accused of murder, racketeering, armed robbery, arson and extortion. Nice work. I bet it was a shock to those elderly men that they had finally been caught.

Thought for Today:
"There is no revenge so complete as forgiveness. "
--Josh Billings [a.k.a. Henry Wheeler Shaw] (1818 - 1885) American humorist .

Color me blue bearded iris

Have a friendly Friday

[the flying reindeer]

Meat Week
Good afternoon my friends
So far it's a snow-less day but it's turned gloomy with a snow look to it. And I am so tired of this COLD. Only two more weeks until pitchers and catchers report for spring training - my first hint of spring. I can hardly wait!!
Australian Open.: Stan Wawrinka is the new Aussie champ, having beat Rafa in four sets (thanks to an injury Rafa experienced to his back in the 2nd set). Wawrinka now becomes #3 in the world to surpass for the first time his fellow countryman #4 Roger Federer. I'm glad he won but I wish it had been against a healthy Nadal.

UPDATE: The Texas hospital has finally taken the brain -dead pregnant Marlise Munoz off life support so that she and her unborn and not viable fetus can be finally put to rest. The action comes after a wrenching court fight about who is alive, who is dead and how the presence of a fetus changes the equation. It's about time. I swear that only in Texas could something like this happen.

Olympic Security: And now the Cossacks in their tall, fur hats and embellished traditional jackets are helping to watch over the Olympic Games in Sochi. Once Russian henchmen, hundreds of Cossacks are now patrolling the streets of Sochi to help with security. These Russian soldiers, whose ancestry dates back thousands of years, are known in the West for their gravity-defying dance style, but ar to home, they have long symbolized rebellion and military might in Western and Southern Russia and Ukraine. So far, most Russians have embraced this rebirth of the Cossacks, due in part to the mythology surrounding them, aided by Tolstoy and Pushkin's writings. But Putin would be wise to remember their past when they have not hesitated to rise up against the prevailing Russian government, be it Tsarist or Communist.

Thought for Today:
" If you fell down yesterday, stand up today."
--H. G. Wells (1866-1946) English novelist, journalist, sociologist and historian. .

Color strokes bearded iris

I hope everyone is having aserene Sunday

[the flying reindeer]

Holocaust Memorial Day
Good afternoon my friends.
We got more snow over night but the Arctic cold hasn't hit us yet. Tonight is supposed to be time for the temps drastic drop. I'm dreading it. I can't remember a winter like this with so many days of Arctic cold. Ironically, I heard on the TV weather last night that Anchorage, Alaska had a temp of 40ºF!! Everything is topsy-turvy this year.

A relic containing drops of Pope John Paul II's blood has been stolen from the Church of San Pietro della Ienca in the mountainous Abruzzo region in central Italy. an area where Pope John Paul II (d. in 2005) loved to go on skiing holidays. Italian authorities said they believe the theft was commissioned, as thieves stole only the relic and left many other valuables behind at the church. Only three of John Paul II's relics contain his blood and they are all considered of great religious value. As the late pontiff's blood would be difficult to sell, Italian police said it’s possible the thieves may plan to use it for Satanic rites. Arguably one of the most popular popes in modern history, John Paul II is due to become a saint in April. It is hard to believe that thieves would do something like this without having someone paying them - a collector or Satanist. Personally, I hold more for the secretive collector theory.

The Marlboro Man has died from smoking-related disease. Actor Eric Lawrence who portrayed the Marlboro Man in cigarette ads in the late 1970s has died at age 72 of respiratory failure due to COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). He was a smoker from the age of 14. He is survived by his wife and six children. Looks like he had a fairly long and productive life, even with the smoking...Just sayin'.

A new study in Pediatrics Monday has reported that guns hurt or kill 10,000 children each year. School shootings unnerve Americans, but the number of children injured or killed in those tragic events is just a fraction of the young people harmed by firearms each year. Injuries from firearms send more than 7,000 kids to the hospital annually, an average of 20 per day. Among those admitted to the hospital, 6% die from their injuries. Most of the injuries, 4,559, resulted from assaults, while 2,149 were from accidents and 270, the result of suicide attempts. The most common types of injury, were open wounds at 52% and fractures at 50%/ Brain injuries were more common in the younger kids, most of whom were hurt in accidental shootings. “This study reinforces what we know from the mortality data,” said Daniel Webster, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research. “We have an extraordinary health burden in our youth associated with firearms injuries.” Webster also said, “When you look at firearms-related mortality in the United States compared to other high income nations, our rates are roughly 10-fold higher,” he said. “This is a very unique and abnormal problem that such a wealthy nation should have such high mortality and morbidity in youth related to firearms.” Patrick Tolan, a professor of education and psychiatry at the University of Virginia and director of the Youth-Nex, the U Va. Center for Positive Youth Development, said, "It’s clear that this needs to be a part of the conversation about firearms. There’s been such a strong focus on whether somebody’s liberty might be fettered.” The experts urge that parents keep guns locked up and ammunition in a different secured place. Also, make it illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to own a handgun. It's absurd to say that someone can own a handgun but isn't responsible enough to drink a can of beer.

Lake Effect at Sunset

The cold temperatures in the Finger Lakes have created our own lake effect snow off Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. Thursday evening the lake effect machine was in full force on Seneca Lake in Willard, moving in to cover up the beautiful colors of the sunset. Photo by Carrie Smalser,
Thought for Today:
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."
--Albert Einstein (1879-1955) Nobel Prize-winning theoretical physicist

Pink rose in memory of Sparkle

Have a magnificent Monday

[the flying reindeer]

R.I.P Pete Seeger, iconic banjo-strumming folk singer, song writer ("If I Had a Hammer," "Turn, Turn, Turn," "Where Have All the Flowers Gone,") and activist who performed for migrant workers and presidents, died at age 94 of natural causes in New York-Presbyterian Hospital. He is survived by his son, Daniel; his daughters, Mika and Tinya; a half-sister, Peggy; and six grandchildren, including the musician Tao Rodriguez-Seeger, who performed with him at the Obama inaugural.

Pete Seeger was a longtime supporter of the labor movement, and supported the civil rights and anti-Vietnam War movements. Seeger's skepticism of those in power carried through his career, i.e. was convicted of contempt of Congress after refusing to answer questions at the House Un-American Activities Committee. Even so, he performed for president, including at a concert marking Pres. Obama’s inauguration in 2009. Pres. Bill Clinton hailed him as "an inconvenient artist who dared to sing things as he saw them." Seeger was credited with popularizing what became the anthem for the civil rights movement, "We Shall Overcome," although he said his contribution to the actual song was minimal and in 1996 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. "Every kid who ever sat around a campfire singing an old song is indebted in some way to Pete Seeger," fellow folk singer Arlo Guthrie, son of Woody Guthrie, told the AP.

Seeger, the singer, folk-song collector and songwriter spearheaded an American folk revival and spent a long career championing folk music as both a vital heritage and a catalyst for social change. This a beanpole of a man with a hearty tenor most often played 12-string guitar or five-string banjo, sang topical songs and children’s songs, humorous tunes and earnest anthems, always encouraging listeners to join in. His agenda paralleled the concerns of the American left, singing for the labor movement in the 1940s and 1950s, for civil rights marches and anti-Vietnam War rallies in the 1960s, and for environmental and antiwar causes in the 1970s and beyond/

Pete Seeger was a prime mover in the folk revival that transformed popular music in the 1950s. As a member of the Weavers, he sang hits including Lead Belly’s “Goodnight, Irene” — which reached No. 1 — and “If I Had a Hammer,” which he wrote with the group’s Lee Hays. Another of Mr. Seeger’s songs, “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?,” became an antiwar standard. And in 1965, the Byrds had a No. 1 hit with a folk-rock version of “Turn! Turn! Turn!,” Mr. Seeger’s setting of a passage from the Book of Ecclesiastes. Mr. Seeger was a mentor to younger folk and topical singers in the ‘50s and ‘60s, among them Bob Dylan, Don McLean and Bernice Johnson Reagon, who founded Sweet Honey in the Rock. Decades later, Bruce Springsteen drew the songs on his 2006 album, “We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions,” from Mr. Seeger’s repertoire of traditional music about a turbulent American experience, He never stopped recording, performing and listening to songs from ordinary people. Through the decades, his songs have become part of America’s folklore. “My job,” he said in 2009, “is to show folks there’s a lot of good music in this world, and if used right it may help to save the planet.”

R.I.P Pete Seeger, America's fok singing conscience, has died at age 94.