Good Thursday to you all.  We have rain this morning that is supposed to turn to ice and snow later.  Maybe.  Most of the maps show us on the edge of the snow.  How much we get will depend on how far to the south east the storm tracks.  We have already turned off the cable TV.  The news is simply a rehash of what has been on forever (or so it feels.)  No movement on the 'fiscal cliff' with John Boehner trying desperately trying to gain some advantage in the political contest.  Obama has appointed a group headed by Vice President Biden to study the issue of gun control while the news and other commentators are asking where the President has been over the last four years.  I wonder how far these idiots think Obama would have gotten given the wonder atmosphere of political cooperation and camaraderie in Washington.  As for the rest of the TV offerings--we have either seen it too many times already, didn't want to see it in the first place, or couldn't stand it long enough to see it all the first time around.  We have often discussed whether the so-called service we get is worth the cost.  And those discussions are leaning more and more towards the negative.

I found this item to rant about this morning.  Less than ten percent of Americans have 'optimal' heart health according to a new study.  Frankly, this is a big crock of bull.  First, it is a survey.  No physical examinations involved at all.  Second, it is a self-reporting survey and we know that people always tell the truth an surveys, don't we.  Third, look at the criteria.  People were judged optimal if they had no evidence of hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol; exercised according to recommendations; ate five or more servings of fruits or vegetables a day; were not overweight, underweight or obese.  In other words, no kind of actual measurement of heart action.  Another piece of meaningless fluff for the (s)news media.

Gene Logsdon had me scratching my head for the first paragraph.  But with the first sentence of the second I knew exactly what was happening.  An amusing little piece.