Good Morning, Good Morning.  It is a very nice sunny day, so far.  We are expecting rain tonight into tomorrow.  But the temperature hit 70 yesterday and looks to exceed it today.  I have actually spent some time in tee shirts instead of sweats.  

Rain at Rainy Day Thoughts had a link to a quiz that tells which tarot card represents you.  My results 

You are The High Priestess

Science, Wisdom, Knowledge, Education.

The High Priestess is the card of knowledge, instinctual, supernatural, secret knowledge. She holds scrolls of arcane information that she

.

 

From Ronni at Time Goes By this link to a very nice on the need to revamp our Federal tax code.  I think the crux of the matter is this assessment of the last 30 years "We've now lived through 30 years of "shrink, shift and shaft" federal budget and tax policies. Right-wing pols, aided by Democrats who should have known better, have shrunk government and the share of taxes paid by the wealthiest 1 percent. The tax burden, consequently, has shifted off wealth and onto wages, off the federal tax system and onto the regressive tax systems of states and localities.

The direct result: States and localities have gotten the budget shaft -- and that has forced years of chronic underfunding for mass transit, education and myriad public services."

Also from Ronni is this op-ed piece from Peggy Noonan: "The End of Bland Affluence."  I can only hope that much of her prognostication comes true.

I was struck by something odd on this morning's news on CNN (I think).  They reported the 'profit' Citibank made in the last quarter.  But instead of rejoicing in that and leaving it unexamined they continued and noted that the profit was entirely due to a new accounting procedure and to the relaxation of the mark-to-market rule on their mortgage backed securities.  Without those the 'profit' would have been a loss.  Isn't accounting wonderful?  As Daddy always said "Figures don't lie, but liars sure can figure."

A bit of a needlework update.  The table cloth is about two-thirds done now.  I only have the last long side to do yet.  The top for one of the two baby quilts is half done.  Another tablecloth is almost half done.  I simply have to get hard hearted with my cats and refuse to let them stay on my lap all evening.  I wish me luck on that one also.