Pegasus's Daily News, etc.

[the flying reindeer]

National Cheerleading Week
Good afternoon my friends.
We're having a slight relief from the real cold weather today with temps approaching 40°F, but tomorrow the arctic cold will be back. BTW Yesterday was the start of Mardi Gras, ending with "Fat" Tuesday on March 4th. So it looks like Ester will be later this year.

UPDATE: The Russian Parliament's upper house has unanimously voted yes to Putin's request to use military force in Ukraine to supposedly save the lives or Russians citizens and military personnel in Crimea (home to a major Russian naval base at Sevastopol). Crimea is an autonomous republic of Ukraine with an ethnic Russian majority. It's the last large bastion of opposition to Ukraine's new political leadership after President Viktor Yanukovych's ouster.Ukraine's government suspects Moscow of fomenting separatist tensions in the autonomous region -- and it has accused Russia of having already sent troops into its territory after about 300 gunmen wearing Russian Special Forces uniforms attempted to take over the Sevastopol unit of the Ukrainian Coast Guard.. I hope the world's nightmare isn't provoked by all this Russian military blustering - NATO vs. Russia armed warfare.



First it was forest fires and drought in California - now rain torments the state. It's not that they don't need rain (worse drought in 100 years) but not this way. It has come down at more than an inch an hour at times and landing on bone-dry hills scorched by recent wildfires where there is nothing to hold the rain-soaked earth in place. And so they have - mudslides!! The walls of water have spewed mud and debris onto quiet residential streets to become thick, brown creeks. More could hit before Saturday is up, the National Weather Service says. It has placed Los Angeles and Ventura counties under a flash flood watch.The more I read about the rest of the country, the happier I am that I live in upper New York state!!
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Thought for Today:
"Truth indeed rather alleviates than hurts, and will always bear up against falsehood, as oil does above water."
--Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) Spanish adventurer, author, & poet

Yellow corcus in memory of Sparkle
Have a stimulating Saturday

[the flying reindeer]

Namesake Day
Good afternoon my friends
Another overcast day and cold. At least it hasn't started to snow again. Thank heaven for small favors!

UPDATE: Secretary of State John Kerry denounced the Russian movement of troops into Ukraine Sunday as “an act of aggression” and accused Pres. Putin of “possibly trying to annex Crimea.” “He's going to lose on the international stage, Russia is going to lose, the Russian people are going to lose, and he's going to lose all of the glow that came out of the Olympics, his $60 billion extravaganza,” Ukraine has mobilized its military forces after Putin declared Russia had a right to invade. It's hard to believe that Russia would behave this way in the 21st century. Haven't we spent the years since World War II trying to establish other ways of doing things without the use of military aggression? Unfortunately, we have not always acted positively ourselves. Let's not forget what we fabricated in order to invade Iraq.


Winter in New York:

Ice Shelf The ice shelf at Sodus Point along the Lake Ontario shore line as seen on Friday. Photo by Chris Trine

The Old Lighthouse The old lighthouse at Sodus Point on Friday afternoon with the recent snows still fresh and fluffy. Ice along the lake shore could be seen at quite the distance off shore. Photo by Chris Trine

Canvasback and Redhead The open water along the Canandaigua City Pier was busy with many birds. Sometimes confused for each other, these two show the difference on Friday along the Canandaigua City Pier.
Photo by Mike Sargent

New Friends? An afternoon along Canandaigua City Pier. One appears to be a Common Goldeneye, while the other is a Merganzer? Photo by Mike Sargent

Thought for Today:
"Some are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same."
--Pearl Buck (1892-1973) Nobel Prize-winning American novelist

Crimson cloud bearded amoena iris
Have a sympathetic Sunday

[the flying reindeer]

National Anthem Day
Good afternoon my friends.
Brrrrr! The Arctic cold has returned in full force with single digit temps. The sun is doing its best to fool us, but we know it's all a sham - no warmth out there!

And this cold winter weather with its weekly snowstorms continues. March has hardly started and the wave of arctic air pushing eastward has prompted National Weather Service warnings, watches, and advisories. Snow is threatening to add to the already record-high accumulations in cities across the US and the winter-weary Washington, DC area is awaiting a dangerous tenth of an inch of ice, topped by 8 to 12 inches of snow. The federal government offices are closed for the day. And it's leaving single digit temps in its wake. And there's nothing anyone can do about it except hunker down and wait for spring (which will probably bring on its own problems).

I must admit that I watched the Oscars last night, including the red carpet pre-show. I enjoy seeing the gowns that all the ladies are wearing. I thought that they were a rather subdued lot last night and some downright frumpy!! As far as the Oscar winners are concerned, the only surprise for me was the director of Bravity winning best director and best picture going to 12 Years a Salve. Usually, the best director Oscar and Best Picture are the same.


Thought for Today:
"We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be"
--May Sarton (1912-1995) American poet, novelist and memoirist

Hydrangea serrata Bluebird [Lat. Hydrangea serrata `Bluebird´] in memory of Sparkle
Have a mad Monday

[the flying reindeer]

Peace Corps Day
Good afternoon my friend
It's overcast with snow in the forecast. Ho-hum. I've heard this same thing since last November and I'm mighty tired of the whole scene.

Despite rain and cold in today's forecast, revelers are gathering along parade routes as the Carnival season in New Orleans heads to a crest with the krewes of Zulu and Rex. Temperatures aren't expected to rise above the low 40s, but with all the party revelers, who's going to notice? Those who attend Mardi Gras revelries will need the 40 days of Lent to recover!!

UPDATE: The first two classic corvettes have been lifted by a crane out of the giant Kentucky sinkhole that swallowed part of their museum. Onlookers cheered after each car was rescued, but the joy was more subdued for the second car, which had more extensive damage. The first car hoisted out — a 2009 ZR1 Blue Devil — showed only minor damage that included cracks on lower door panels, a busted window and an oil line rupture. The other car retrieved, a 1993 Ruby Red 40th Anniversary Corvette, had body panels and window glass that need replacing, but the vehicle is salvageable, The frame looked to be "pretty straight," the underbody appeared intact and the steering gear worked, Chevrolet spokesman Monte Doran said. "Mechanically, it looks to be in remarkably good shape." Chevrolet will oversee restoration of all eight cars swallowed up last month when the earth opened beneath a display area while the museum was closed. Next up will be a 1962 black Corvette, which workers hope to recover as early as Tuesday. The museum cautioned that removing the black Corvette will be much "trickier" because a huge concrete slab is partially resting atop part of that car. Two cranes will be used to lift that car and the slab. The other five cars will remain buried until workers further stabilize the sinkhole, All recovered 'vettes will be on display at the museum until August 3rd. Then all will be shipped to a Michigan plant for repairs.

Florida is seeking a triple sentence in the case of the woman who fired a warning-shot at her estranged and abusive husband. She could end up in prison for 60 years She was convicted in 2012 on three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and sentenced to 20 years — three counts served concurrently. An appeals court tossed the conviction, saying Circuit Judge James Daniel made a mistake in shifting the burden to Alexander to prove she acted in self-defense. "It's unimaginable that a woman acting in self-defense, who injured no one, can be given what amounts to a life sentence," Free Marissa Now spokeswoman Helen Gilbert said. "This must send chills down the spine of every woman and everyone who cares about women and every woman in an abusive relationship." She was denied immunity under Florida's "stand your ground" law - the same law that lead to George Zimmerman's to go free after killing Tryvon Martin. Outrageous!! And I can't help wondering if she were white, would she be facing the same fate?


Thought for Today:
"Life is a long lesson in humility."
--James M. Barrie (1860-1937) Scottish author and dramatist, best remembered today as the creator of Peter Pan.

Croft's caress variegata bearded iris
Have a truly warm Tuesday

[the flying reindeer]

Lent (Mar 5-Apr 19)
Good afternoon my friends.
Today has been a mix of clouds to partly cloudy and back with temps in the lower 20s. Unfortunately, tonight it's back to around 0F, but the rest of the week it's supposed to warm up to the 30s and 40s - I sincerely hope so!!

A rare Chinese bowl bought for about $3 from a yard sale in New York state sold for $2.2 million at an auction at Sotheby's in New York yesterday. The bowl "was bought for a few dollars from a tag sale near the consignor's home in the summer of 2007," said Cecilia Leung of Sotheby's. "At the time, the purchaser had no idea that they had happened upon a 1,000-year-old treasure." Sotheby's pre-sale estimates valued the bowl, which measures just five inches in diameter, at between $200,000 to $300,000, and is an example of Northern Song Dynasty pottery. The only other known bowl of the same size, form and almost identical decoration has been in the collection of the British Museum in London for over 60 years, according to Sotheby's. The bowl was purchased by London dealer, Giuseppe Eskenazi, for $2,225,000, after a prolonged battle between four bidders. Incredible. I wish that bowl could talk and tell us how it survived for a thousand years.

And then there is the couple in California who were walking their dog when they spotted something metal on the ground. They dug it up and discovered eight metal cans containing more than 1,400 good coins. The coins have a face value of approximately $28,000, but experts believe they could fetch in excess of $10 million. No one knows how they got there, or whom the coins might have belonged to. The coins, in $5, $10 and $20 denominations, date from 1847 to 1894. Many are in pristine condition, including at least 14 coins that are considered the finest known for their date and mint mark. The speculation is that they were buried by someone connected to the mining business who distrusted banks. The couple is planning to sell most of the collection beginning in May. I hope they keep a few coins as souvenirs (and for rainy day needs).


Thought for Today:
"We live in the present, we dream of the future and we learn eternal truths from the past."
--Madame Chiang Kai-Shek (1898-2003) wife of the head of the Chinese Nationalist Government in exile on Taiwan,

Pink roses in memory of Sparkle
I hope you sll are having a witty Wednesday

[the flying reindeer]

Oreo Cookie Day
Good afternoon my friend
It is a beautiful day outside today with sunshine and blue skies BUT it's a false impression because it's COLD - single digits so far. I hope the forecast is right and we'll reach the 20s!!

Am I the only one turned off by TV's latest "fad" - dead people all over TV. From the scary zombie phenom of The Walking Dead to ABC's latest Resurrection and Sundance TV's The Returned. Here death is treated as a mere formality for people returning to precisely who they were when they "passed." Frankly, I find all three shows repugnant and you couldn't pay me enough to watch any of them.


UPDATE: The Crimea parliament has voted to join Russia and has also voted to hold a referendum for residents to the choice to stay in Ukraine or join Russia. However, the interim Ukrainian Prime Minister Arsenly Yatsenyuk called it an "illegitimate decision." I'm not sure that I agree. When the Soviet Union was in existence, Crimea was one of those republics and on the breakup joined with Ukraine, but has not become an integrated part of the country. Does it still have the right to choose with whom it wants to be associated? Does it still have the right to choose Russia over Ukraine? If the people choose Russia overwhelmingly in the referendum, then what?


Thought for Today:
" You can close your eyes to reality but not to memories."
--Stanislaw Jerzy Lec (1906-1966) Polish writer, poet and satirist

Crowned head bearded iris
Have a thankful Thursday

[the flying reindeer]

International Festival of Owls
Good afternoon my friends.
It's another overcast day but definitely warmer (28°F), which is certainly a change from a day or so ago. Maybe spring isn't too far away? Please?

On Wednesday, the Massachusetts' highest court ruled that current laws against secretly photographing a person in a state of partial nudity don't apply to these sorts of secretive "upskirt" photography. But modern-day peeping Toms who get their jollies snapping such photos on crowded subways and elsewhere, now have their behavior criminalized. Gov. Deval Patrick signed a bill today making photographing or recording video under a person's clothing -- think down a blouse or up a skirt -- a misdemeanor. "We are sending a message that to take a photo or video of a woman under her clothing is morally reprehensible and, in Massachusetts, we will put you in jail for doing it," Senate President Therese Murray said in a statement. "We will need to revisit this law again and again as technology continues to evolve and ensure that we are providing the necessary protections." Thank you, Massachusetts. Your lawmakers have shown that government can act quickly to protect the unsuspecting against the prurient behavior of others.

OMG, have you read about the woman whose body was found in her garage after six years? None of her neighbors knew her, because she traveled a lot and was never home for more than a short time. Someone in the neighborhood kept her lawn mowed and her bills were automatically paid by her bank. Until the money ran out and the mortgage owner foreclosed. Even then, it wasn't until the house required repair work that her body was finally found, sitting in her car in her garage. It's a scary story. How many people in this country could go missing and no one would know? And I thank my good fortune to have a son who comes by at least once a day, or that women might be me.


Thought for Today:
"Whenever you have an efficient government you have a dictatorship."
Harry S Truman (1884-1972), 33rd US president, Lecture at Columbia University, 28 Apr. 1959

Straw flowerin memory of Sparkle
It's TGIF time!! Yaaaaay!!

[the flying reindeer]

International Festival of Owls
Good afternoon my friends.
It's another overcast day but definitely warmer (28°F), which is certainly a change from a day or so ago. Maybe spring isn't too far away? Please?

On Wednesday, the Massachusetts' highest court ruled that current laws against secretly photographing a person in a state of partial nudity don't apply to these sorts of secretive "upskirt" photography. But modern-day peeping Toms who get their jollies snapping such photos on crowded subways and elsewhere, now have their behavior criminalized. Gov. Deval Patrick signed a bill today making photographing or recording video under a person's clothing -- think down a blouse or up a skirt -- a misdemeanor. "We are sending a message that to take a photo or video of a woman under her clothing is morally reprehensible and, in Massachusetts, we will put you in jail for doing it," Senate President Therese Murray said in a statement. "We will need to revisit this law again and again as technology continues to evolve and ensure that we are providing the necessary protections." Thank you, Massachusetts. Your lawmakers have shown that government can act quickly to protect the unsuspecting against the prurient behavior of others.

OMG, have you read about the woman whose body was found in her garage after six years? None of her neighbors knew her, because she traveled a lot and was never home for more than a short time. Someone in the neighborhood kept her lawn mowed and her bills were automatically paid by her bank. Until the money ran out and the mortgage owner foreclosed. Even then, it wasn't until the house required repair work that her body was finally found, sitting in her car in her garage. It's a scary story. How many people in this country could go missing and no one would know? And I thank my good fortune to have a son who comes by at least once a day, or that women might be me.


Thought for Today:
"Whenever you have an efficient government you have a dictatorship."
Harry S Truman (1884-1972), 33rd US president, Lecture at Columbia University, 28 Apr. 1959

Straw flowerin memory of Sparkle
It's TGIF time!! Yaaaaay!!

[the flying reindeer]

International (Working) Women's Day
Good evening my friends
It's overcast and gloomy but the temp is in thr 40s!! For now, I'll take all the gloom and doom for temps in the 40s!

A California state legislator is proposing to ban the captivity of killer whales for entertainment at SeaWorld in the wake of CNN's controversial documentary Blackfish.Currently, there are no laws prohibiting the captive display of orcas, but there are federal laws governing the care, capture and research use of the killer whales. Unfortunately, this bill is backed by PETA that has been protesting against SeaWorld for years and, which I feel often takes extremist POV of animal treatment. I would feel much more likely to agree with this bill if it were back by the ASPCA or The Humane Society.

Remember to turn your clocks ahead ("spring ahead") when you go to bed tonight. Daylight Saving Time (nl "s" on saving) begins at 2 a.m. Sunday for most of the US. Hawaii and most of Arizona do not follow DLS and neither do the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and American Samoa. About 70 countries around the world observe DLS, but many countries near the equator do not adjust their clocks for daylight saving and neither China nor Japan do.


Thought for Today:
"We should be eternally vigilant against attempts to check the expression of opinions that we loathe."
--Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841-1935) US Supreme Court justice called The Great Dissenter;

Cub cadet dwarf bearded iris
I hope you have had a super-duper Saturday

[the flying reindeer]

R.I.P. William Clay Ford, Sr.,the last surviving grandson of the automaker's founder Henry Ford, former executive of the Ford Motor Co. and longtime owner of the Detroit Lions (NFL), died at age 88 of pneumonia at his home in the Detroit suburb Grosse Pointe Shores. He is survived by his son William Clay Ford Jr., the automaker's current executive chairman of which Ford Sr. was the director emeritus. His survivors include his wife of 66 years, Martha Firestone Ford, granddaughter of Harvey Firestone, the founder of the Firestone tire company and a good friend of the first Henry Ford. In addition to his wife and William Jr., Ford is survived by his daughters Martha Ford Morse, Sheila Ford Hamp and Elizabeth Ford Kontulis; 14 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

He joined the automaker's sales and advertising staff after graduating from Yale in 1949 and was named a company vice president in 1953. Ford's notable executive positions included vice president of product design, head of the former Continental Division and member of the Office of the Chief Executive. His board positions included vice chairman, chairman of the Executive Committee and chairman of the Finance Committee. He was a Ford director from 1948 until his retirement in 2005 - more than half the automaker's 110-year history. Forbes magazine has estimated his fortune at $1.35 billion.
Ford bought the Lions in 1963 for a reported $4.5 million (now valued at $900 million) and was the team's chairman until his death. In recent years, the club has been managed by his son Bill Jr. The Lions never won a National Football League championship under his ownership; its last NFL crown came in 1957.

R.I.P. William Clay Ford, Sr., longtime executive of the Ford Motor Co. founded by his grandfather and owner of the NFL's Detroit Lions.

[the flying reindeer]

Salvation Army Day
Good afternoon my friends
Once again it's overcast and gloomy wotj the temp is in thr 40s!!Only 10 more days until the spring equinox

The US Supreme Court has decided to stay out of the breast cancer bracelet dispute over a school district's ban of certain awareness bracelets as lewd. As a result, the federal appeals court's ruling striking down the ban is allowed to stand. It's a shame that this dispute couldn't have been settled locally, but it's also an example of the arrogance of some schools, believing that their dictates can supersede the US Constitution's freedom of speech amendment. There was nothing vulgar about the bracelets. "Boobies" may not be the most elegant of terms for a woman's breast but really - banning breast cancer awareness bracelets because of it?

Do you think we will ever know what happened to the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370? Lead after lead has failed to pan out and there still is no trace of the vanished jet. Is it a terrorist plot? Who were the mystery passengers traveling on stolen passports? It's proving to be a field day for all those conspiracy theorists but for most of us, it's just a big question mark. I feel so sorry for the family and friends of the passengers and crew lost in all the vast waters of the somewhere off the coast of Malaysia. I had hoped that oil slick would have solved some of the mystery, but no such luck.


This week in NY's Finger Lakes:

Sundog This sundog was seen at Sampson State Park in the late afternoon. Photo by Rachel Burkholder

Ensenore Falls This is just off Route 38 along Owasco Lake and was still mostly frozen with just a trickle of water flowing. Photo by Rachel Burkholder

Dropping A Line Ice fisherman were enjoying a warm and sunny winter day while having lunch and hoping for a catch on Canandaigua Lake. Photo by Nancy Jacobs.

Thought for Today:
"While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die."
--Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect and engineer whose genius epitomized the Renaissance humanist ideal.

Cupid's arrow bearded iris
Have a most mirthful Monday

[the flying reindeer]

World Plumbing Day
Good afternoon my friends.
It's partly fair today, with occasional flashes of sunlight and temps back up into the mid 40s; however it isn't supposed to last. There is an old fashioned snowstorm headed our way, via the Great Lakes and Buffalo. The local forecasters say we could get as much as 12 inches of the white stuff. UGH!! The bright spot is that by Friday, temps are supposed to return to the middle 40s. I hope so.

UPDATE (Flight 370)" The mystery passengers have been ID'd and Interpol feels that a link with terrorism is unlikely. The two men were Iranians, one of whom was traveling to his mother in Germany and the other emigrating to Germany. There's no evidence to suggest either was connected to any terrorist organizations. They both entered Malaysia using valid Iranian passports, but used stolen Austrian and Italian passports to board the missing Malaysian plane. But in the bigger puzzle of the missing plane's whereabouts, there were no reports of progress. Now, the Malaysian Air Force has traced the last known location of Malaysia Airlines flight 370 to a spot above Pulau Perak, a very small island in the Straits of Malacca and hundreds of miles from the usual Kuala Lumpur to Beijing flight path.

Is there a royal engagement in the offing? Two very public outings and displays of affection between Britain's Prince Harry, age 29, and his girlfriend, Cressida Bonas, age 24,, are fueling speculation of a royal wedding. The couple, who have previously avoided being photographed together, were seen together at the WE Day festival Friday and then watching England's win over Wales at a Six Nations rugby match in London on Sunday. The media first reported on their relationship in 20112. Further signs of Harry's readiness for settling down? He has given up flying military helicopters for a desk job organizing military events in London.


Thought for Today:
"If I have learnt anything, it is that life forms no logical patterns. It is haphazard and full of beauties which I try to catch as they fly by, for who knows whether any of them will ever return?"
--Margot Fonteyn (1919-1991) English prima ballerina

Scabwort in memory of Sparkle
Have a tactful Tuesday

[the flying reindeer]

Turkey Vultures Return to the Living Sign
Good afternoon my friends
Well, the snow is falling steadily but no wind, so it's not yet a blizzard and I hope it stays that way. This is really the first weather system that has followed the normal path. I was beginning to think that we would get through the entire winter without snow coming across Lake Erie to hit Buffalo than us. We almost made it with the first day of spring only a week away.

Yesterday I read an article about a dying 7-year-old boy (Josh Hardy) suffering from a viral infection who had been denied an unapproved drug (brincidofovi) by the drugmaker Chimerix Inc. Drugs that are still in the trial stage can be used under the FDA's "compassionate use" policy. Hardy remains in a critical condition in intensive care at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., after a bone marrow transplant left him with the adenovirus, after battling kidney and other cancers since he was nine months old. .A "Savejosh" Facebook page, which had garnered nearly 23,000 "likes", was used to convey messages of solidarity with the ailing boy and his parents, and to organize a rally at Chimerix headquarters. St. Jude said it was to receive the drug within 48 hours, but warned its safety and effectiveness has not yet been established for use in treating children. I hope this drug works. Any young boy who has had to battle so hard to survive since he was a baby deserves to live, if at all possible.


OMG, 2 dead and at least 18 injured in a giant blast and fire in East Harlem near 116th Street and Park Avenue, once the heart of New York's large Puerto Rican community. Someone reported smelling gas and Con Ed sent out a team that was two blocks away when the blast occurred in the two buildings -- a piano store and an evangelical church.. It was so big that it shook buildings as far as 10 blocks away. Four of the injured were taken to Harlem Hospital, including a child in critical condition, a hospital spokeswoman said. A number of people were missing. Mount Sinai Hospital was treating at least 14 patients, including one with a brain injury, and two children. Three were in serious condition, a spokeswoman said. Firemen are still searching the rubble looking for more victims. From the sound of things, it was lucky that only two buildings collapsed and caught fire. Those buildings are old and make fine kindling for a fire.


Thought for Today:
"Remember one thing about democracy. We can have anything we want and at the same time, we always end up with exactly what we deserve."
-Edward Albee (b.1928) American playwright (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?)

Dainty morsel miniature dwarf bearded iris
Have a whale-of-a-good Wednesday

[the flying reindeer]

Learn about Butterflies Day
Good afternoon my friends
The sun has been shining all day and as a result, some of the snow has melted. Temps have reached 40°F (feels Like: 33°F) and it's really quite an improvement. I understand that another storm is forming in the west but I'm not going to worry about that right now.

Well, this winter has been good for ice caves national park with the freezing of the Great Lakes. For thousands of years, waves on the largest of the Great Lakes have battered northwest Wisconsin, shaping the dramatic sandstone caves of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. But that punishment stopped this winter when 93% of Lake Superior froze, creating a spectacular icy landscape many locals say they haven't seen in a generation. At one point, more than 90% of the world's largest surface freshwater system was frozen over, falling to 84% this week. Bob Krumenaker, the National Park Service's superintendent at Lakeshore, said there have been thousands of additional visitors flocking to ice caves. "The caves form almost the same kind of features that you'd find in an underground limestone cave -- the soda straws, the curtains, the stalactites -- but they're all forming out of ice in just days and weeks instead of something that would form underground in limestone over hundreds of thousands of years," he said. I wish I could see them - it must be spectacular!!


UPDATE: The drugmaker Chimerix Inc. has agreed to supply Josh Hardy with its drug brincidofovi and he received the first dose yesterday. According to his father it is already working, stopping Josh's downward spiral. He'll be taking the drug for 12 weeks. Let us all hope and pray that it does the job and Josh recovers from his adenovirus infection. A Facebook page dedicated to the online campaign to help Josh get the medicine posted a photograph of the boy, along with the message: "Please pray that the drug is as effective in combating this virus as we hope."


Thought for Today:
"A great many people think they are thinking when they are really rearranging their prejudices."
--William James (1842-1910) American Pragmatist philosopher & psychologist

Damsel in a dress bearded iris
TGIF my friends

[the flying reindeer]

Save the Florida Panther Day
Good afternoon my friends.
It's another gloomy overcast day with snow in the forecast. It seems that I've said this at leas 100 times since last year. <<sigh>>

UPDATE: Was the Malaysian Airline plane hijacked? It's beginning to look like a distinct possibility considering the present facts. It's been shown that it probably flew for 7 hours after contact was lost with the plane and was flown erratically. The Malaysian Prime Minister stopped short of calling the disappearance of Flight 370 a hijacking, but he said Saturday that the jet veered off course, likely due to deliberate action taken by someone aboard. Military radar showed the jetliner flew in a westerly direction back over the peninsula before turning northwest toward the Bay of Bengal or southwest into the Indian Ocean, Prime Minister Najib said. "Up until the point at which it left military primary radar coverage, these movements are consistent with deliberate action by someone on the plane," he said. The search now involves 14 countries, 43 ships and 58 aircraft, Najib said. The whole thing seems to be "a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma." Will we ever know what really happened aboard that airplane?


Maybe The West Wing had it right. A second batch of previously unreleased papers from the Clinton presidency has revealed a hard-boiled, politically cynical White House mindset similar to the fictional Josiah Bartlet administration of the popular TV show that ran from 1999-2006. Every decision appears based at least in part on a political calculus, and some of the unvarnished back-and-forth shows the human side of the President and other officials. While the Presidential Records Act established public ownership of White House documents as far back as the Reagan administration, it specified that documents pertaining to federal appointments as well as confidential correspondence between the president and his advisers could be withheld from the public for 12 years after a president leaves office. Other documents that can be withheld include classified national security information, confidential business information and trade secrets, and unwarranted invasions of personal privacy. Those types of documents were not part of Friday's release. No wonder I was fascinated by the TV program. A perfect case of art imitating life.


Thought for Today:
"We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think its forever."
--Carl Sagan (1934-1996) American astronomer and author

Lent lily in memory of Sparkle
Have a wrath-less weekend

[the flying reindeer]

Purim (began at sundown, Mar 15)
Good afternoon my friends
Today is fair with some patches of blue sky but the temps have dropped back into the teens with single digits forecasted for tonight. For heaven's sake, it's almost St Patrick's Day parade day when the weather should be warming up for spring!!

So some New Zealanders want to change their country's flag? Presently, it features the United Kingdom's Union Jack in the top left corner, and they feel ditching it would be a symbolic moment in their historical relationship with the former British Empire. New Zealand is still part of an international community of former British colonies known as the Commonwealth and, like Canada, it still counts Britain's Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state and she appears on coins and the New Zealand $20 note. It is by no means a certainty - a recent poll put those who want a new flag at a measly 28 percent. Opponents accuse the country's prime minister, John Key, of using the proposal as a ploy to solidify support ahead of September's general election and distract from other issues such as the country's rising income inequality. A classic case of using a minor issue to distract from more burning issues. Glad to see we aren't the only country to employ such tactics.

A Wenatchee, Wash. homeowner is fighting his city that has ordered him to tear down the treehouse he built or buy a $1 million liability insurance policy. City officials say the treehouse overhangs the sidewalk, threatening public safety. Zeb Postelwait disagrees. The city is prepared to seek a court order to remove the treehouse and send Postelwait the bill. He feels the city is harassing him. From the picture, I'm not sure what is the city's problem. It does appear as if the treehouse hangs over the sidewalk, but instead is all on the homeowners property.


And then there are the corn-speckled lands owned by a group of Catholic Trappist monks and a convent full of nuns that have become a battleground in a fight between Big Energy and the "singing sisters" in Kentucky. The developers and the devout have clashed over an underground conduit called the Bluegrass Pipeline that would send natural gas liquids pulled from Pennsylvania fracking sites to a Gulf Coast export complex. The emotional hub for the anti-pipeline crowd is a spiritual stretch in the wild – two neighboring religious communities located 60 miles south of Louisville. The Abbey of Gethsemani is a wooded retreat and home to dozens of Catholic monks. A 15-minute-drive away sits the two-century-old Catholic motherhouse for the Sisters of Loretto, where nuns and lay members live and tend to cattle, corn and soybeans. In this turf war, the nuns believe they own the moral high ground and, because surrounding geology is pocked by caves and sinkholes, some locals fear if the pipeline shifts and leaks, gas liquids could pollute underground streams. Together, the two religious communities own more than 3,000 acres. Last summer, the monks and the nuns separately refused to allow Williams Co. reps to survey their plots. Questsion - can land owned by a religious community become an object for "eminent domain" confiscation? I would think the separation of state and religion in our constitution would forbid it.


Thought for Today:
"I am never afraid of what I know."
--Anna Sewell (1820 - 1878) English novelist (Black Beauty)

Dance the night away bearded iris
Happy Sunday everyone

[the flying reindeer]

National Wildlife Week
Good afternoon my friends.
Today it's been somewhat sunny but cold again. At least we've had no storm or snow. I wonder how the New York City St Patrick's Day parade went? Rochester had their parade over the weekend - cold but no snow.

The US has announced sanctions on Russian officials due to the conflict with Ukraine. The assets of seven Russian officials, including top advisers to Pres. Putin, have been frozen because of their support of Crimea's vote to secede from Ukraine. Pres. Obama said he was moving to "increase the cost" to Russia, and he warned that more people could face financial punishment. He added that he still believes there could be a diplomatic resolution to the crisis and that the sanctions can be calibrated based on whether Russia escalates or pulls back in its involvement. The announcement came shortly after the European Union announced travel bans and asset freezes on 21 people they have linked to the unrest in Crimea. Let's all hope that these have some effect on Russian (Putin) actions. And ignore rabble-rousers like Sen. McCain for some kind of military action. We don't need any more wars.

Here's a few interesting nuggets of information. A new study co-sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and the makers of M&M’s has enrolled 18,000 participants to see if pills packed with the same nutrients found in dark chocolate can prevent heart attacks and strokes. It seems previous studies suggest a link between the nutrients in dark chocolate and improved blood pressure and cholesterol. Yippeeeeee!! I love dark chocolate.
Good news for those who have undergone colonoscopies. Researchers report a 30% drop in colon cancer among those age 50 and older who have had the procedure. And the colon cancer death rate has dropped also. According to the American Cancer Society, there would be "twice as many deaths> if people weren't getting colonoscopies. It makes one feel better to know that those relatively few moments of discomfort are worth it.

Have you filled out your March Madness bracket? I did yesterday and submitted it to ESPN. I know I won't win, but what the hey. My final four are - Florida, Gonzaga, Michigan State, and Louisville with Florida and Louisville in the final game. I picked Louisville, the defending champion, to win it all again.


Thought for Today:
"Fear not those who argue but those who dodge."
--Marie Ebner von Eschenbach (1830-1916) Austrian novelist

Blooming mirabelle in memory of Sparkle
Have a multifaceted Monday

[the flying reindeer]

Forgive Mom and Dad Day
Good afternoon my friends
It's another day that hints at the coming of spring. I wish I could believe that there will be no more frigid temps, but I'm shell-shocked and won't do it.

The US government has signed off on a long-delayed study looking at marijuana as a treatment for military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. The Department of Health and Human Services' decision surprised marijuana advocates who have struggled for decades to secure federal approval for research into the drug's medical uses. While more than 1 million Americans take medical marijuana (usually for chronic pain) rigorous medical research into the drug's effects has been limited, in part due to federal restrictions that considers marijuana a high-risk for abuse with no accepted medical applications. But researchers, such as University of Arizona professor Suzanne Sisley. still must get approval from the DEA. Her study will measure the effects of five different potencies of smoked or vaporized marijuana in treating symptoms of PTSD in 50 veterans. Besides PTSD, parents of epileptic children have petitioned lawmakers in several states (including New York) to grant access to a strain of medical marijuana known as "Charlotte's Web," which contains low amounts of the drug's active ingredient, THC. THC is believed to be effective in controlling seizures in children but needs more research into its effectiveness. It's about time that the bogeyman of marijuana use is buried. If we allowed the use of alcohol for recreational use, I can't see why we can't at least use medical marijuana. I'm not sure that I'm ready to grant any use of marijuana legal, but that would be the most effective way of destroying the power of most drug cartels. Some day the American public must come to the realization that legislating against man's vices doesn't work - drugs, gambling, prostitution, etc. will go on no mater what we do.

Two cargo ships collided just outside Tokyo Bay, according to the Japanese Coast Guard. The Panamanian-flagged Beagle III crashed into the South Korean-registered Pegasus Prime, causing it to sink. Of the 20 crew members (all Chinese nationals) aboard Beagle III, 12 have been rescued and eight are still missing. The 14 crew aboard the other vessel, Pegasus Prime, are all accounted for, according to the Coast Guard. At least they know where the ships were and could get help to them, unlike Malaysian Airlines Flight 370.


Thought for Today:
"If liberty has any meaning it means freedom to improve."
--Philip Wylie (1902-1971) American author on subjects ranging from pulp science fiction, mysteries, social diatribes and satire, to ecology and the threat of nuclear holocaust

Dancing on air bearded iris
Happy Tuesday all.

[the flying reindeer]

World Folktales & Fables Week
Good afternoon my friends.
Tomorrow is the first day of spring and right now it seems possible. The temp is up in the 40s which after the winter we've had is practically balmy!! Unfortunately, this weekend it's back to the 20s and into the teens.

Remeber the Madeleine McCann case of the little British girl's disappearance in Spain? London's Metropolitan Police revealed that a male intruder had sexually assaulted five girls in their beds between 2004 and 2006 near Portugal's Praia da Luz resort, where McCann was staying when she vanished. "Officers have identified a potential linked series of 12 crimes which occurred between 2004 and 2010, mostly in low season, whereby a male intruder has gained access to mainly holiday villas occupied by U.K. families on holiday in the western Algarve," police said in a statement. "We need to establish the identity of this man,” they added. "These offences are very serious and no one has been charged in connection with them. We also need to eliminate this man from our inquiries and ascertain whether these offences are linked to Madeleine's disappearance.” Is the investigation finally on the right track? Even if it led to finding the child's body that would be better than the limbo her parents are living in today.


At one time Toyota prided itself as being a "safe" car, unlike its Detroit rivals. Now it seems that it is as bad or even worse. The automaker must pay more than $1 billion in a settlement the Department of Justice announced concerning the company’s lack of response to consumer complaints stemming from 2009 and 2010 incidents involving sudden acceleration issues in several models. The company also has been charged with criminal wire fraud, officials said, alleging that Toyota put out “misleading statements” about safety issues in Toyota and Lexus cars. “Toyota confronted a public safety emergency as if it were simply a public relations problem,” Attorney General Eric Holder said in announcing what he called the largest criminal penalty levied against a car company in U.S. history, totaling $1.2 billion. “They mounted this cover up despite widely documented incidents, and even tragic accidents, like the one that took the lives of an off-duty California Highway Patrol officer and members of his family.” It's really sad that the Japanese seemed to have chosen PR and cost-cutting over making sure their cars were safe. It seems to me that several years ago they had some kind of acceleration problem and the company head made a contrite statement implying that they would do better in the future. Instead they have joined the sleazeballs that run these companies with no care for the lives of the people that may be harmed by their shoddy product.


Thought for Today:
"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words."
--Anonymous

Aster in memory of Sparkle
Have a wondering Wednesday

[the flying reindeer]

National Cherry Blossom Festival
Good afternoon my friends
Today is a day of mixtures - partly sunny to mostly cloudy to overcast and back again. And then there's the weather forecast with temps going down and the strong possibility of snow. Happy 1st day of spring to all you eager New Yorkers.

Spring has sprung, astronomically speaking, but that's cold comfort here in New York at the tail end of one of the roughest winters in decades. As for the Cherry Blossom Festival, the National Park Service estimates the blossoms won't hit their peak until mid-April, about a week later than average. On the other hand, long-term temperature trends suggest that the typical signs of spring will be coming earlier due to climate change. And if you missed out on the East's Big Chill, you're probably already getting a taste of that future. "I would bet anyone that we'll have warmer and warmer winters," Compton Tucker, a climate scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, said. "Three out of four winters, three out of five, will be warmer." So be careful what you wish for - you just might have it in your future.


March Madness has finally started producing its upsets - with the first game of round 1, oops, I mean round 2 - #11 seed Dayton has beaten #6 Ohio State, which should also give them a good chance at #1 in the state!! Right now I'm going back and forth between #3 Syracuse and #14 Western Michigan and #5 Cincinnati and #12 Harvard (leading Cincinnati at halftime). In what would be a mild upset, $9Pittsburgh is leading *8 Colorado 69-41 with a little over 7 minutes left in the game.Who knows - maybe this will be the year a #16 seed with beat a number on (as long as it isn't Michigan State or Louisville - my picks for the championship game). I love it when the underdog beats up on one of the big boys!!


While Pres. Obama deals with some rather warm foreign relations , namely Russia vs. Ukraine, his wife and daughters are on a goodwill visit to China. They arrived in Beijing today to begin a week-long visit to promote education and cultural ties. Michelle Obama, who is accompanied by her daughters (Sasha and Malia)) and her mother (Marian Robinson), is expected to spend tomorrow with China's charismatic first lady, Peng Liyuan, admired at home as a glamorous songstress and fashion icon. Also scheduled is a visit to the western historic city of Xi'an and the southern city of Chengdu, where they will visit a panda reserve. I envy them. I would love to be able to visit China, but at least I can vicariously through my DIL who has made two visits to China for educational purposes. Her descriptions of her experiences in such a foreign country are fascinating.


Thought for Today:
"Set your course by the stars, not by the lights of every passing ship."
--Omar Bradley (1893-1981) US general who commanded US ground forces in the Normandy invasion in World War II,

Dangerous liaison bearded iris
Happy Thursday everyone

[the flying reindeer]

World Down Syndrome Day
Good afternoon my friends.
The 2nd day of spring is overcast and gloomy - not much of a change from most of winter except - it's warmer with a temp high in the lower 40s. But that white stuff is in the forecast.

March Madness: The first day of games was full of surprises - Dayton beating Ohio State set the stage for a really terrific day of basketball, that included a tournament-record four, yes I mean four, overtime games - #12 North Dakota State beat #4 Oklahoma, #5 Saint Louis beat #12 North Carolina State, #11 Dayton beat #6 Ohio State and #7 Texas beat @10 Arizona State. However, Trevor Cooney shot 4-for-8 from beyond the arc, scoring 18 points in the South Region to lead #3 Syracuse in a relatively easy 77-53 win over Western Michigan. I can't imagine today's slate of games could be any better. The first game (Mercer vs. Duke) begins in a few minutes and I'll be glued to the TV for the rst of the day.


From the Finger Lakes in New York

Wave Jumper The waves were rocking, as the wind blew across Seneca Lake one afternoon. As cold and breezy as it was, the weather created perfect waves for Jason Gordon who was out on his kite board. Photo by Joni Dibble


My Backyard A wintry scene from a backyard in Seneca County during last week's winter storm. Photo by Kathryn Lewis


The Close of an Irruption Year The opportunity to sight snowy owls is becoming less by the moment as this is the time of year they head back to their breeding grounds of the high arctic in this exceptional irruption year. Photo by Laurie Dirkx


Such a Flirt This time of year the breeding plumage of birds can melt the strongest of us. Taken at Irondequoit Bay Outlet Bridge. Photo by Laurie Dirkx

Thought for Today:
"Words can sting like anything, but silence breaks the heart."
--Phyllis McGinley (1905-1978) 1961 Pulitzer Prize-winning American author of children's books and poetry

Yellow lilies in memory of Sparkle
TGIF my friends

[the flying reindeer]

International Day of the Seal
Good afternoon my friends
Another gloomy day, albeit warmer but there's snow in the forecast with a drop in temps. Gawd, I'm tired of this!!

March Madness: And the upsets continue. This time the shocker was #14 Mercer's 77-71 victory over #3 and perennial winner Duke to start off the day. It came to an end when #12 Stephen F. Austin took down $5 Virginia Commonwealth 77-75 in overtime. And for a short time, I wondered if we were going to finally have a #1 team go down to a #16 when Coastal Carolina seemed to be winning, but in the end, Virginia won. One #1 team, Wichita State, rolled easily past their opponent 64-37 Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo. All in all it was a fun day, proving once again that this is a great sporting event. And please stop tinkering with it.


Flight 370 UPDATE: China has reported finding satellite images of a floating object, measuring 74 ft x 43 ft in the southern Indian Ocean search area. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said the spot of the sighting was within Saturday's search area, but that the object was not found. Searchers will take the Chinese information into consideration as they design their search for Sunday, AMSA said. The floating object was about 77 miles from where earlier satellite images spotted floating debris. I hope that they finally are able to spot some of this debris and determine whether it is connected to the missing airliner or not.


Thought for Today:
"You don't have to travel around the world to understand that the sky is blue everywhere."
--Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) German playwright, poet and novelist

Dangerous mood neglecta bearded iris
Have a satchel full of fun Saturday

[the flying reindeer]

National Cleaning Week
Good afternoon my friends.
It snowed lightly overnight and now the temp is 23°F that feels like 12°F Spring?? I don't think so!!

18 are now missing in that Washington mudslide of yesterday which has also blocked a river and forced evacuations for fear of flooding. The slide has blocked about a mile of a state highway and several people — including an infant — were critically injured and at least six houses were destroyed. The slide blocked the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River, which prompted an evacuation notice because water was rising rapidly behind the debris. Authorities worried about severe downstream flooding if water suddenly broke through the blockage. They believe the slide was caused by ground water saturation from recent heavy rainfall.

March Madness: Syracuse loss yesterday to Dayton (who had beaten Ohio State to begin the rash of upsets in the tournament). So now I don't have any rooting interest in March Madness. I think I'll become a front runner and go for Michigan State who a lot of the "experts" predict to win the whole thing. Yesterday they beat Harvard 80-73 to move on to the Sweet Sixteen next Thursday. #10 Stanford just upset #2 Kansas 60-57 to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. Another upset to start today's slate of games!!


Thought for Today:
"If you only do what you know you can do- you never do very much."
--Tom Krause (b.1934) motivational speaker, teacher and coach,

Purple rock cress in memory of Sparkle
Have a storied Sunday

[the flying reindeer]

National Chocolate Covered Raisins Day
Good afternoon my friends
It's a mostly cloudy day with occasional glimpses of the sun. It snowed lightly overnight AGAIN. And the temp hasn't reached 20F yet. So where is this spring that I've been hearing about??

Flight 370 UPDATE: Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 went down over the southern Indian Ocean, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said, citing a new analysis of satellite data by a British satellite company and accident investigators, and apparently ending hopes that anyone survived. The Prime Minister based his announcement on what he described as unprecedented analysis of satellite data sent by the plane by British satellite provider Inmarsat and the British Air Accidents Investigation Branch. He didn't describe the nature of the analysis. But he said it made it clear that the plane's last position was in the middle of the remote southern Indian Ocean, "far from any possible landing sites."


March Madness: OK, we've finished the first weekend of the tournament and 16 teams are free to move on to play this coming Thursday. Dayton has proven that it's win over Ohio State was no fluke by beating Syracuse. The first No. 1 seed, Wichita State, was beaten by perennial power Kentucky's gang of one-and-done freshmen, proving that talent can beat experience. My two picks for the championship game (on Saturday) Louisville and Michigan State made it through to next week. How are all of you doing?


An Ebola outbreak has killed at least 59 out of 80 people in Guinea, UNICEF said, as the deadly hemorrhagic fever has quickly spread from southern communities in the West African nation. Experts in the country had been unable to identify the disease, whose symptoms -- diarrhea, vomiting and fever -- were first observed last month. "In Guinea, a country with a weak medical infrastructure, an outbreak like this can be devastating," the UNICEF representative in Guinea, Dr. Mohamed Ag Ayoya, said in the statement. The international medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres announced on Saturday it was reinforcing its medical and logistics teams in Guinea in response to the epidemic. It is also flying in 33 tons of medicines and equipment and setting up isolation units in the three affected areas in the country. 50 out of 80 infected have died? That's over 50% fatal!! Hopefully, all the steps the nation and charities are taking will prevent a greater outbreak.


Thought for Today:
"Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men."
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968) Nobel Peace Prize winning African American preacher and civil rights activist

Dark drama plicata bearded iris
Have a madcap Monday

[the flying reindeer]

Vaffeldagen (Waffle Day)
Good afternoon my friends.
It snowed lightly last night but most is almost gone now with the temp reaching 32F in what has turned out to be a fairly sunny day. For late March, it's not too bad!!

Chinese citizens are feverishly snapping up face masks as worsening air pollution fuels a multi-million dollar industry where many products fail to provide even basic protection, drawing calls for better oversight and standards. The country's worsening air quality is at the top of the list of concerns of China's stability-obsessed leaders, anxious to douse potential unrest as a more affluent urban population turns against a growth-at-all-costs economic model that has poisoned much of the country's air, water and soil. Another study has concluded that 1 out of every 8 deaths is related to air pollution. Given those facts, it's about time that the rulers of China did something to decrease the awful pollution their country has been producing. Our country had air pollution problems, such as smog in California over a decade ago and passed things like the Clean Air Act and prosecuted those who broke it. So how about it China? Show that you truly care about the health of your citizens.

A Norwegian museum says it has agreed to return a Matisse once looted by Hermann Goering to the family of Jewish art dealer Paul Rosenberg. The 1937 painting, "Woman in Blue in Front of a Fireplace," has been the centerpiece of the Henie Onstad Art Center near Oslo since the museum was established in 1968 by shipping magnate Niels Onstad and his wife, Olympic figure-skating champion Sonja Henie. Now worth an estimated $20 million, the painting was taken by Goering after Rosenberg fled to New York in 1940, and sold to a Parisian art dealer later convicted of dealing in Nazi looted art. It was acquired from a different French gallery in 1950 by Onstad, who was apparently unaware of its provenance. The museum said in a statement Thursday that although it acquired the painting in good faith, it has "chosen to adhere to international conventions and return the painting to Rosenberg's heirs." Bravo to the museum for doing what was right even though it diminishes its holdings significantly. It's nice to have something like this to remind us that there is good will in the world.


Thought for Today:
" Ask advice only of your equals."
--Danish Proverb

Sword lily in memory of Sparkle
Have a truthful Tuesday

[the flying reindeer]

Women's History Month
Good afternoon my friends.
Almost all the snow is melted and the forecasted temps for the next seven days are in the 40s and 50s!! WHOOPEE!! Spring is almost here!!

Today is the 50th anniversary of the largest earthquake in US history - the great Alaska earthquake. It killed 15 people and created a tsunami that killed 124 more from Alaska to California. It was a magnitude 9.2 quake that hit Anchorage, Alaska on Good Friday morning, turning the soil beneath parts of Anchorage into jelly, collapsing buildings not built to withstand the force of colliding continental plates. Lasting nearly three minutes, it was the most powerful recorded earthquake in U.S. and North American history, and the second most powerful ever measured by seismograph. Property damage was estimated at about $311 million ($2.28 billion in current U.S. dollars). There were thousands of aftershocks for three weeks, following the main shock. In the first day alone, eleven major aftershocks were recorded with a magnitude greater than 6.2. Nine more occurred over the next three weeks. It was not until more than a year later that the aftershocks were no longer noticed.

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan will unveil a 10-year budget blueprint in the next few weeks that will champion fiscal austerity, a theme party leaders hope will energize conservative voters. But crafting a budget that can bring together fractious Republicans could be a challenge for Ryan, who will need to bridge divisions within the party over defense spending and wrestle with a separate dilemma over the funding of popular social welfare programs such as Medicare. He has tried this before and failed, but things might change if the Republicans win control of both sides of Congress in the November elections. And will the cuts to the military side of the budget continue? Or will the Republican warhawks insist on increasing military spending at the cost to programs like food stamps and others acting as safety nets for the poor (who are becoming more numerous in this country of plenty - a disgrace)?


Thought for Today:
"Every man is guilty of all the good he didn't do."
Voltaire (1694-1778) French philosopher and writer who is consider one of France's greatest authors,

Sea urchin cactus [ Lat. Echinopsis tubiflora] in memory of Sparkle
Happy Thursday

[the flying reindeer]

Barnum & Bailey Day
Good afternoon my friends
OMG, it may be a gloomy day but the temp is pushing 50F!! I love it. Maybe the forsythia and daffodils will start blooming soon, maybe?

March Madness: The first teams to reach the round of Elite 8 were chosen last night and everyone's favorite Cinderella team, No. 11 Dayton, beat No. 10 Stanford to be the first one. Otherwise, the top seeds won the other three games - Florida (overall No. 1), Arizona (No. 1) and No. 2 Wisconsin. Tonight the rest of the Elite 8 will be chosen - No. 1 Virginia/No. 4 Michigan State, No. 3 Iowa State/No. 7 Connecticut, No. 8 Kentucky/No. 4 Louisville and finally, No. 11 Tennessee/No. 2 Michigan. I'm rooting for Michigan State and Louisville (they're my pick for the championship game).

Just like every U.S. president since Dwight D. Eisenhower, Pres. Obama had a formal audience with Pope Francis yesterday, giving him as a gift a box of seeds in a container made from timber from the first cathedral to open in the United States, in Baltimore, In return, the pope gave him two medallions -- one symbolizing the need for peace and solidarity between the two hemispheres -- and a copy of "Evangelii Gaudium," or "The Joy of the Gospel." The book was penned by the Pope and calls for a new era of evangelization and a renewed focus on the poor. The tokens of goodwill underscored the goal of the meeting: Focus on areas where two of the world's most influential men agree, and gently tread ground where they differ (such as contraception and abortion). The private meeting lasted for over an hour.


Thought for Today:
"Happiness always looks small while you hold it in your hands, but let it go, and you learn at once how big and precious it is."
--Maxim Gorky (1868-1936) Russian novelist and playwright

Dark Vader bearded iris
TGIF everyone

[the flying reindeer]

International Listening Weekend
Good afternoon my friends.
It's gloomy and overcast today and there has been a drop in temps into the 30s. What is worse is tonight's forecast for a possible 4-6 inches of SNOW!!!

Now they have announced that women who drink 2 or more diet drinks a day are more liable to develop heart disease. Really? At the end of the article they also note that they were also more likely to smoke, to be overweight, to have diabetes and to have high blood pressure, Perfect candidates for heart disease with or without consumption of diet drinks!! What a waste of money on the research and my time reading the article!! BTW, I drink less than a can of diet soda a day. Usually no more than 4 per week and I have congestive heart failure, high blood pressure and diabetes.


March Madness: Well, I'm gone. My choice for the NCAA Champion was Louisville and last night they lost to their intrastate rival, Kentucky 69-74. In the other games, Michigan State beat No. 1 seed Virginia 61-59, Connecticut beat Iowa State 91-76, and No. 2 Michigan squeezed out a win against Tennessee 73-71. So tonight Florida plays Dayton and Michigan State goes against Connecticut. Tomorrow it will be Arizona vs. Wisconsin and Kentucky vs Michigan. Should be interesting games. Will Dayton's run end tonight when they go up against the tournaments No. 1 overall Florida and make the Final Four and play on April 5th or will they go home tonight?


Finally, gay couples in England and Wales get to say "I do." After the clock struck midnight on Friday, the first men marrying men and women marrying women occurred in a range of ceremonies across England and Wales as a historic law legalizing same-sex marriage finally came into force. The marriage law was the final victory in a long battle that has secured the same age of consent as heterosexuals and the right to adopt. England and Wales are now among 15 countries as well as parts of the US and Mexico that allow same-sex marriage. The Netherlands was the first in 2001, and last year Brazil, Uruguay, New Zealand and France also joined the list. It's slow going but little by little things are changing, at least here in the western world.


Thought for Today:
"Knowledge slowly builds up what Ignorance in an hour pulls down."
George Eliot [a.k.a. Mary Ann Evans] (1819-1880) English Victorian novelist

Pink daisies in memory of Sparkle
Have sunny Saturday

[the flying reindeer]

National "She's Funny That Way" Day
Good afternoon my friends.
Today it's blue skies and sunshine, teasing us once again with the promise of spring, but the snow from yesterday is still out there. Foolish me for even believing for half a mo' that spring is arriving.

Flight 270 UPDATE: The US is sending its black box detector to the latest search zone and is the best hope for finding the crash site. An Australian ship fitted with a pinger locator from the U.S. is on its way to the search area. It's expected to arrive Thursday. But will it be the right area? And will the black box battery still be working? Frankly, I'm not counting on this tactic to be any more successful than previous tries. The plane is lost and it's time to start dealing with the aftermath of such a disaster. And that includes the families and their grief. It's time to let go and realize that your loved ones are lost, so start to shape your lives without your family member.


The UN;s International Court of Justice has ruled that Japan can no longer continue its annual whale hunt, rejecting the country's argument that it was for scientific purposes, taking advantage of a loophole in the law that permits the killing of the mammals for scientific research. Will Japan abide by the court ruling or will it continue to hunt whales, drumming up some other phony excuse? After all, whale meat is commonly available for consumption in Japan. Money still rules above all other considerations, right? BTW, it was the Australian government that challenged the Japanese program in court.
\

A: This game show is celebrating 50 years. Q: What is 'Jeopardy!'? Yes, for 50 years the famed answer-and-question show has maintained a steady popularity, through an 11-year network run, a short-lived reboot and, finally, a syndicated version with Alex Trebek that debuted in 1984. 50 years!! I can remember watching Jeopardy when Art Fleming was its first moderator/host. It has always been my favorite game show right from the beginning. And, so far, no one has beaten Ken Jennings, Utah software engineer and winner of 74 consecutive episodes, although Arthur Chu's recent winning streak was a thrill too. May "Jeopardy" last another 50 years.


Thought for Today:
"An inventor fails 999 times, and if he succeeds once, he's in. He treats his failures simply as practice shots."
--Charles F. Kettering (1876-1958) American engineer, inventor of the electric starter

Camellia in memory of Sparkle
Have moisture-free Monday

[the flying reindeer]

International Children’s Book Day
Good afternoon my friends.
Today it's another day of blue skies and sunshine with temps supposed to reach 50. But I won't believe spring has arrived until after Easter. Too many times we have had a major snowstorm/blizzard the week before Easter.

Flight 370 - I refuse to do any more updates on this story unless or until there is actually some real news concerning the search.
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Now it's Chile's turn as an 8.2-magnitude earthquake struck in Iquique, a northern coastal city of nearly 200,000 people near where the quake struck in the Pacific Ocean. The damage from the quake was light and the tsunami it caused lifted fishing boats onto city streets and sunk others in the port of Iquique, but no other major damage from the sea was apparent. On the other hand, the quake was so strong that the shaking experienced in Bolivia's capital about 290 miles away was the equivalent of a magnitude-4.5 tremor, authorities there said, But Tuesday night's quake was not the big one seismologists expect eventually. Chile is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries because just off the coast, the Nazca tectonic plate plunges beneath the South American plate, pushing the towering Andes cordillera to ever-higher altitudes. Nowhere along this fault is the pressure greater than in far northern Chile, an area known as the "Iquique seismic gap". The US Geological Survey says the seismic gap last saw a major quake in 1877, when a magnitude-8.8 quake unleashed a tsunami that caused major damage along the Chile-Peru coast and fatalities as far away as Hawaii and Japan. Another quake of similar force hit just north of the area in 1868. So who do you think will get hit first - California or Chile?

Some more art treasures recovered - Italy's Culture Ministry unveiled two paintings by the French artists Paul Gauguin and Pierre Bonnard yesterday. The paintings, worth millions of euros, were stolen from a family house in London in 1970, abandoned on a Paris-to-Turin train and then later sold at a lost-property auction, where an Italian factory worker paid 45,000 Italian lire for them -- roughly equivalent to $30.00 - and hung them on his kitchen wall for approx. 40 years, first in Turin and than Sicily after he retired. There, a friend became suspicious of their worth. The Gauguin painting, titled "Fruits sur une Table ou Nature au Petit Chien" ("Fruits on a Table or Still Life with a Small Dog"), is said to have been painted in 1889 and thought to be worth between 10 million and 30 million euros, police said. The Bonnard painting is titled "La Femme aux Deux Fauteuils" ("Woman with Two Armchairs"). Bonnard is regarded as one of the greatest colorists of modern art. It is unclear to whom the paintings now belong. The original owners have died and left no heirs. So they are now sitting in an Italian police safe.

Thought for Today:
"As you think, so shall you become."
--Bruce Lee (1940-1973) American (born in San Francisco, Calif.) actor and martial arts expert.

Easter lily in memory of Sparkle
Happy Wednesday