Good cold and snowy Thursday to you all.  We may finally break the snowless streak today and tomorrow.  One thing about this cold snap--I will see exactly how hardy the plants I left on the patio really are.  We live in the upper hardiness zone 5 and everything out there is hardy to at least that level with many suited to level 3.  I got another seed order in the mail--the one from Totally Tomatoes for the small patio pepper and patio tomato.  The said the cranberry plant is backordered.  So far they have been very good and easy to deal with.  Burpee and Shumway sent e-mails to tell me those orders have been shipped.  Totally Tomatoes sent a couple of interesting samples as gifts.  I may try the purple cayenne.

Hey, Lois.  Good to see your comment.  We have cut back drastically on watching news on TV and have, at the same time, broadened our sources.  We constantly talk about the items we read or see through our internet reading or on BBC but which make no appearance on our TV news broadcasts.  If an informed (and educated) citizenry is fundamental to a functioning democracy (or democratic republic) we are well and truly F---ED.

Dennis Miller has some good points on another topic, inflation, which is another way in which ordinary people are screwed over and how the government statistics cover it up.