Good morning, everyone.  The frustrations I described in my last post--posted this morning because of the computer and cable problems--continued yesterday.  We had a repairman from Comcast came out and worked on the wiring.  When he left things were working--for all of half an hour.  TV reception was totally messed up from 10 am till around 8 pm.  We had no computer from for most of that time.  I hope we will get something like normal service today.  Mom called and got another appointment for the afternoon--we thought.  When the time came and went she called again only to be told 1) something was wrong with the outside lines somewhere (which no one bothered to mention when Mom called for the second appointment) and 2) they had no record of that second call.  Since the problem is with the lines we may have major interruptions for the next three or four days.  Damn!!!!!  We'll see how things go.

I did get my sunflowers, variegated marjoram, and marigold transplanted.  And got most things watered as well.  The weather from South Bend said that we are almost an inch light on rainfall for this month and almost three inches low for the year to date.  I can certainly feel that.  My second planting of corn is beginning to peak through the soil.  I need to interplant some more beans with the corn soon.  And start new plantings of radishes, lettuce, and beets.  Things appear to be progressing very nicely.

Robert Reich, as usual, doesn't sugar coat his assessment of the labor market, the conditions new grads will encounter entering that market, or in the implications for all of us.

I saw a brief segment on one of the news programs (not American--one of the foreign shows) that German Chancellor Angela Merkel has suggested that the Greeks include in their election next month a referendum on the question of whether the Greek voters want to either reject austerity or stay in the European Union.  This Deutche Welle article gives more details.  Since she didn't want either the Greek voters or the Irish voters or the English voters to reject or approve austerity measures I find it very interesting she now wants a referendum.  Even more interesting is the either or structure of the question which rather limits the options.  Reminds me of a cartoon commentary on the matter I saw this morning.  It shows a despondent Greek man with a bottle of ouzo staring at the table with a knife labeled 'austerity' and a pistol labeled 'exit the Euro.'  Says it very well I think--suicide by knife (austerity) or by gun (leaving the Euro.)