Bits and Pieces

Kim left a comment on FB that the tree in front of my house was really pretty - so I took a picture of it to share.  I had not even seen it.  There are so many cars parked around here ( on both sides of the street) that I have to keep my eyes down just to get into my garage.  The other day they had both sides of my driveway blocked a little.  You can see the one car that is always there right up close to the edge.


Thursday was Lodge night and it was stated meeting so the Eastern Star fixed dinner for us.  They had delicious chicken with gravy over mashed potatoes... and I ate some of the potatoes.  They aren't on my diet but I will eat then once every other week (half portion). 


Saturday I went down to Des Moines to go to a movie. I am currently not going to films here in Ames.  The Cinemark experience is so negative that I just don't want to go there. I went down to the Fluer Theater and saw the new George Clooney film, The Ides of March.  I really enjoyed the film and the theater experience.  Not only was the theater clean but there was no line and there were four people behind the counter to wait on me.  The popcorn was perfectly popped with a nice butter/salt distribution.  And the film was excellent.  It was contemporary and since we are in the midst of an election I have decided to support George Clooney for President.  I liked his ideas and the way he presented himself.. There was one problem however so perhaps not.  I won't give spoilers but I do recommend it.


While I was down there I picked up a George Foreman Grill on sale.  I have been wanting one for awhile as I have been cooking in an electric skillet and it is messy.  The GF Grill should be good and it would be less grease.  


There is a lot going on around the world.  It seems as if the Occupy group is driving the Tea Party off the headlines.  Fox news was chased away by the occupiers who chanted "Fox Lies" until the news team and their big body guards left.  


CBS Sunday Morning is the only Sunday Morning show that I watch.  It is a balanced well done program that always uplifts my day.  This morning they had a story about the comedian Ellen on the show.  She said something in passing.  ‎"I just never believed in making fun of other people. And a lot of comedy is that kind of mean-spirited [joking] and that is a form of bullying, of getting a laugh at somebody else’s expense. And so I’ve never really liked it..." Ellen


I was glad to hear her say that.  I had come to that conclusion.  What bothered me even more was the comedian (Craig Ferguson) who would say "It's just a joke!" as if that excused the bullying behavior.  Ellen proves that you can be funny without being a bully.  I admire her for that.


Paul Krugman comes to this conclusion in his excellent piece in the New York Times.  "Panic of the Plutocrats.  Well worth the read.

So who’s really being un-American here? Not the protesters, who are simply trying to get their voices heard. No, the real extremists here are America’s oligarchs, who want to suppress any criticism of the sources of their wealth.

Oh and just in case you were wondering... I love my new car.  So much fun to drive. Thanks for stopping by Hugs.

Hedges: No way in US system to vote against banks

I suggest that you might gain some insight from this 10 minute video.





"The TEA party functions as America's facist party."
"unless we stand up and stop them they are going to come right back and help themselves again."

Saturday Silly

Occupy -

Found For Friday

AN  ATHEIST  IN  THE  WOODS

An atheist was walking through the woods, admiring the beauty of nature.  As he walked, he spoke to himself,

  "What majestic trees!"

        "What powerful rivers!"

                 "What beautiful animals!"

As he was walking alongside the river, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him.  He turned to look.  He saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charge towards him.  He ran as fast as he could up the path.  He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear was closing in on him.  He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was even closer.  He tripped and fell on the ground.

He rolled over to pick himself up but saw that the bear was right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw and raising his right paw to strike him.  At that instant moment, the Atheist cried out, "Oh my God!"

Time stopped.

The bear froze.

The forest was silent.

As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky.  "You deny my existence for all these years, teach others I don't exist and even credit creation to cosmic accident.  Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament?  Am I to count you as a believer?"

The atheist looked directly into the light, and said, "It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps you could make the BEAR a Christian?"

"Very well", said the voice.

The light went out.  The sounds of the forest resumed.  And the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed his head & spoke, "Lord bless this food, which I am about to receive from Thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen."

 A young New York woman was so depressed that she decided to end her life by throwing herself into the ocean, but just before she could throw herself from the docks, a handsome young man stopped her.

"You have so much to live for," said the man. "I'm a sailor, and we are off to Italy tomorrow.
I can stow you away on my ship. I'll take care of you, bring you food every day, and keep you happy."

With nothing to lose, combined with the fact that she had always wanted to go to Italy, the woman accepted.

That night the sailor brought her aboard and hid her in a small but comfortable compartment in the hold. From then on, every night he would bring her three sandwiches, a bottle of red wine, and make love to her until dawn.

Two weeks later she was discovered by the captain during a routine inspection. “What are you doing here?" asked the captain.

"I have an arrangement with one of the sailors," she replied. "He brings me food and I get a free trip to Italy..."

"I see," the captain says.

Her conscience got the best of her and she added, "Plus, he's screwing me."

"He certainly is," replied the captain. "This is the Staten Island Ferry.

  A hole has been found in the nudist camp wall. The police are looking into it.

o  

Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

You're too good for him.. Sign over mirror in Women's restroom Ed Debevic's, Beverly Hills , CA

Express Lane: Five beers or less. Sign over one of the urinals Ed Debevic's, Phoenix , AZ

A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.

o  

Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.site of progress?

A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class, because it was a weapon of math disruption.

o  

No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.

o  

A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by this week. Have a great week-end and may your Monday be Marvelous.

Brilliant Color...Boone and Eldora areas - Photos by Bob Kelly

The road beneath the Kate Shelley High Bridge was lined with lovely Pampas Grass plumes to direct ones attention to one of many trains that cross the bridge about every fifteen minutes.

A cluster of Cottonwoods is grouped in a stately way along the farmlands of Hardin county.

The colorful reflections on Pine Lake near Eldora were intensified by the late afternoon setting sun.

The impressive bridge on Highway 20. south east of Iowa Falls, spans the Iowa River.

If you stand on the bridge and watch traffic carefully you can see this view of the colorful valley below.

Tower Rock and the fall colors make dramatic reflections on the Iowa River.  This shot taken just south of Steamboat Rock.