Good Thursday, All.  Nothing much going on here.  The same warmer than normal temperature and sun that we have had for the last couple of days.  The bit of cloud cover that moved over the area a couple of times didn't leave any moisture behind.  Nothing of that nature expected for the next few days.  I wonder how far that 'Pineapple Express' pounding the west coast will spread the precipitation.  The last time I heard that term we had snow in November that stayed until April--along with a lot of additional snow from December and January.  Given how little moisture we have had, I probably should hope for a repeat.  All that snow that hit Pennsylvania, New York and other points ease did nothing here.

First Read put this article up on NBC.com this morning.  The conclusion isn't surprising--the out going Congress is the least productive in recent history.  I have some sympathy with the notion that the government governs best that governs least but surely a country of 300+million with serious problems deserves better.  For an interesting insight look at the last ten congresses.  Most of them are among the least productive since the late 1940s.  A reflection of how ideologically driven politics has become.

Tosh McIntosh posted this item I can definitely relate to.  I have had a Nook for about two years now but e-books/magazines have in no way replaced printed materials.  For some books I prefer paper--references that I need to use the index (so much easier in traditional books), cook books (because I really don't want to have more electronics on my kitchen counter than absolutely necessary).  I have also found that the Nook more easily strains my eyes and I have already run up against the memory limitations of the Nook--even the available archive capacity.