Good morning to you all on this sunny Wednesday. The temperatures reached a bit over 90 yesterday so all I did before we closed up was get some of the more needy plants watered. I saw the first blossom on the melon vines this morning and all of the vine plants need tying. Right now all the gardening involves maintenance and waiting. When we drove by the site where our favorite farmers' market but it hasn't appeared yet. I hope it does soon.

Here is an article for the 'Same story, different time and place' file. Remember all of the stories about the air quality (or lack of clean air) in Beijing at the time of their Olympics. Well the same kind of stories are appearing concerning London. And then the Tucson to Phoenix area had a dust storm that was eerily reminiscent of the Dust Bowl era. The morning news had a brief line about it with some rather dramatic film. The first story I found this morning on this was from the Guardian in the UK. MSNBC has a whole 19 seconds of film and comment from NBC's Nightly News broadcast.

The European sovereign debt crisis carousel continues to spin out of control. They barely got the temporary fix arranged for (extorted from??) Greece when the ratings agencies downgraded Portuguese debt further into the junk realm. Ireland, Spain and Italy have more question marks on their fiscal situation. I have been wondering for some time how long they can keep the merry-go-round going.

Good morning, everyone. Bright, sunny day today that we expect to hit the high 80s--which means the 90s on my patio. I will water early and do a bit in the gardens but on these hot days I do minimal gardening. I found blossoms on my acorn squash and cucumber so those are looking up. The damned Colorado potato beetles are back. I squashed six yesterday but decided to spray. I am not one of those who are adamant against using chemical insecticides--I just use the least toxic and most transient I can find. They found the lemon balm I have on the fence but haven't touched the patches I have in the containers. I hope that remains the case.

Glad you liked the pictures, Kay. This is, so far, the best year of the four I have been actively gardening on that cement patch. Hope it continues. And I agree totally with your comments on the cloud and the insane Repthuglicans.

I love the title of this Crooks & Liars piece: 'Oh, those annoying peasants!' The 'annoying peasants' are Montanans who are upset both by the Exxon spill and the condescendingly slow responses (verbal and otherwise) to the spill. The problem here is that Exxon only values the oil being moved and the only thing the company really regrets is the loss of the oil they could have sold and the costs associated with cleaning up the spill (which they will make sure are as small as possible). The costs Montanans see (loss of revenue, loss of trout fishing, loss of other wildlife, loss of irrigation and drinking water) mean nothing to the company. That is the problem with so much of our industry in this modern age. The corporate decision makers and stockholders are too far removed from the people and areas most affected by accidents. And they not only don't feel any urgency about the situations their failures cause but actively dismiss the concerns of those affected.

Karoli at Crooks & Liars had this nice post featuring a Repthuglican representative getting taken to task by a constituent. The comments are right on the money to my way of thinking. Somehow I rather doubt the dear boy will take the message to Cantor. It isn't what any of them want to hear.

We went out to do our weekly grocery shopping today and saw another reason to hate the way we celebrate the 4th: all the trash from the various fireworks littering the street. Can't these bozos ever clean up their own messes? Evidently not.

Firedoglake has another headline I really like: 'Is America A Representative Democracy or a Mirage Democracy?' And the most telling stats in the article: Only 42% of Americans believe in our government and how well it works. And less than 25% approve of the job our legislators are doing but fully 90% of those idiots are expected to get re-elected. Is it really a choice when most of us feel that we are voting for the lesser evil?? It is rather like the choice that 95-year-old woman was given by the TSA: 'give us the Depends or you won't get on the plane!!' In other words, no choice at all.

Good morning to everyone on this 235th year of our nation's life. Happy 4th of July, all.

Yesterday was highly frustrating as you probably could tell. Our cable/internet was out for about 2 hours over all and afterward was running very slowly. About halfway into our isolation Mom noticed me tapping away on the keyboard and asked, hopefully, if service was back. I had to disappoint her and tell her that I was simply catching up on my garden notes. Since I have the Appleworks program on my computer and all past notes I was able to work on it. That kind of situation is what makes me very leery of 'the cloud.' It is nice not to have to clutter up your hard drive with all your programs and projects. And I have heard that some new computers will be (or, perhaps, already are) on sale at the very low end of around $500 but with a memory only as large as the machines of 30 years ago and they will be totally dependent on 'the cloud' for programming and storage. Funny, in a way. I remember when IBM took a big hit in its computer sales (the big mainframes) because everyone was shifting to the desktops. Some bright person in the company asked 'Who wants a computer cluttering up their desk?' and came to the wrong conclusion. Now the computer is asking if people wouldn't rather have all their 'stuff' somewhere in some undefined cloud. Some may but not me. I have all the interaction with the cloud I want or need.

I have often shook my head over news stories where the headlines (and often most of the commentary) are in direct contradiction to the facts of the story. Dan Baker illustrates just that point in this piece (found by way of Naked Capitalist). For those who don't go beyond the headline and the first paragraph, it appears that a couple of Repthuglican hardliners have finally discovered some rationality and balance. Unfortunately, nothing is farther from the truth.

Good morning, again, everyone on this 4th of July. It is amazing to think that this year is already half over. I thought I would post a few pictures of my 'jungle.' This is what is on my potting bench (formerly patio table). From back to front: impatiens, miniature roses, and bamboo.

These are the first peppers. The Giant Marconi appears to be living up to its name. They are already 4+ inches. The large Tidy Cat pails make excellent planters. All they need are a few holes in the bottom.

The east side of the patio with King Kuma surveying his kingdom from his second favorite throne. Usually he is on the trash tote.

Sorry this one is a little fuzzy. You can make out the first of the ground cherry fruits in the top center. They look like little Chinese lanterns at this stage. When they are ripe the outer wrapper opens up and the cherry drops to the ground. You are not supposed to take them before because they are slightly toxic until they are fully ripe.

This is the Juliet style Roma tomato and it is producing very well. I am looking forward to when they are ripe and we can put up some sauce.

Good morning, all. It was hot yesterday. Temps reached 96 on the patio. I stayed inside even though I still had one container of plants to get trimmed and tied up. The beans (finally), cucumbers, melons, and squash are growing fantastically. As soon as I get one tendril trained into the trellis two or three more start going where ever they want. I saw the first little recognizable ground cherry this morning. I need to get the camera out and take some new pictures.

Remember how we were told that the bank bailout and the low interbank interest rates were going to increase lending to small business and spur employment? Well this article tells how that strategy actually had the opposite effect. Another reason to find and patronize a very local bank.

Well, maybe I will be able to finish posting today. Our cable/internet service was off line for almost 2 hours.

Here is another entry in the 'Been-There-Done-That' file. Exxon/Mobile not BP and a land based pipeline under the Yellowstone River not a deep ocean rig. And for the same file this article. It must be nice to get paid $84M and actually think you are worth it.

Damn!! Now Google is giving me a hard time!! This is putting me into more than a contrary mood so I will try to quit now before I throw something.

Good morning, again, and I am happy to report that we have sun today. We got, officially, four inches of rain from Friday night through last night. I will let the gardens dry out a bit (like all day today) before doing any more. I looked out at the plants on the fence holders and was astonished at the growth of the lemon balm, oregano, and cat nip. I will harvest some of those for drying this week. Friday I did up a gallon of tea with a goodly amount of spearmint and some of the dried stevia. It tastes and smells so good. Since it rained yesterday I did a couple of hours of embroidery on a small table cloth that has languished for the last three or four months.

The Minnesota shut down continues. Unfortunately, Lois, it isn't simply the governor who is at fault. Their problems mirror the national standoff between a Democratic executive who wanted some tax increases and a Republican block insisting on spending cuts only. What we see here is divided government at its worst. Take a look at this Atlanta Journal Constitution article for details. Re-reading your comment I realize you may have meant 'government' rather than 'governor.' In that case I totally agree with you. I absolutely hate this parade of grown men acting like spoiled brats/school yard bullies. Sanity exited the stage long ago. For a good example of what I mean go to this post by Phoenix Woman at Firedoglake.

I found this interesting article on the history of the Federal Government and American Food. A couple of points I never knew: that part of the Food Stamp legislation allows recipients to use part of the benefit to purchase seed that would allow them to grow part of their own food and that before 1929 the Federal Government provide free seeds to farmers before the growing commercial seed industry successfully lobbied to get that program ended.

Mom forwarded this on to me and I simply had to share it:

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in
Moosomin, Saskatchewan , it was believed that he had nothing left of any value.
Later, when the nurses were going through his meagre possessions, they
found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital. One nurse took her copy toAlberta.
The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the
Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the St. Louis Association for Mental Health.

A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent,
poem.And this little old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now
the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.

Crabby Old Man

What do you see nurses? . . .. . What do you see?
What are you thinking . . . . . when you're looking at me?
A crabby old man . .. . .. . not very wise,
Uncertain of habit . . . . . with faraway eyes?

Who dribbles his food . . . . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . . . . . 'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . .. . .. . the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . A sock or shoe?

Who, resisting or not .. . . . . lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . . . The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking? . .. . . . Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse . . . . . &nbs p;you're not looking at me..

I'll tell you who I am. . . .. . . As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, . . . . . as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . . .. . . with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters . . . . .. who love one another.

A young boy of Sixteen . . . . with wings on his feet.
Dreaming that soon now . . . . . a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . . . my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows . . . . that I promised to keep.

At Twenty-Five, now . . .. . . I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . . .. And a secure happy home

A man of Thirty . . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . . .. . With ties that should last.

At Forty, my young sons . . . . . have grown and are gone,
But my woman's beside me . . . .. . to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . .. My loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me . . . . . my wife is now dead. < BR> I look at the future . . . . . shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing . .. . . . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . . . and the love that I've known.

I'm now an old man . . . . .. and nature is cruel.
'Tis jest to make old age . . . . . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles . . . . . grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone . . . where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass . . . . a young guy still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys . . . . . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . .. . life over again.

I think of the years, all too few . .. . . . gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . .. . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people .. . ... . . open and see.
Not a crabby old man . .. . Look closer . . . see ME!!

Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might
brush aside without looking at the young soul within.

We will all, one day, be there, too!

Good morning to you all on this stormy Friday morning. We have waves of thunderstorms coming straight south off Lake Michigan with a severe weather warning until a little later this morning. Some northern Chicago suburbs had golf ball sized hail as did some areas here in Northwest Indiana. If we got any it didn't hut the garden. I know I pruned the tomatoes severely yesterday but today--today it looks like I didn't cut anything. The gardens do look a bit neater--except for the one I didn't get to yesterday. It is too wet to do anything outside today and the temps are supposed to rise into the 90s with heat indices in the low 100s. Kuma is, of course, totally bummed because I am keeping him in till it dries out.

Well, the Minnesota government has shut down because the negotiations between the Democratic Governor and the Republicans in the legislature broke down. The morning news on tv passed it off with a one liner that focused on the closure of the state parks and the zoo and the fact that no new fishing licenses can be issued which will put a crimp in a lot of holiday plans. Can you get any more trivial?! Nothing about all of the construction that has stopped de?ad in its tracks and the construction workers laid off, nor about all of the state workers who would have issued those fishing licenses also laid off and not getting paid, nor about any of the vendors who supply the state with goods and services who won't get paid. Voters should seriously consider this comment from a Huffington Post story on the matter: "The Democratic governor and state GOP lawmakers had been engaged in contentious talks to close the state's $5 billion budget gap -- much of it left behind by GOP presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty, who declined to seek a third term in the 2010 election." You bet he declined to seek a third term. Having done as much damage as possible in Minnesota he now wants to do the same on the national level as President.

Phil Angelides has this op ed piece in the Washington Post which needs no commentary from me.

Georgia wasn't the only colony peopled by large numbers of debtors, Kay. Many of the indentured servants in other colonies were also debtors. Reports of the ghastly treatment of many of those indentured servants caused a scandal in England during the 1670s and 1680s which basically ended the practice and paved the way for African slavery

I have been reading about attempts to change the way Social Security COLAs are calculated--using a the so-called 'chained CPI.' For an explanation of the probable effect check out this link.

It is bad enough when the food manufacturers reduce the package weight/size while charging the same price. It is totally reprehensible for our legislators to do the same and hide the fact in incomprehensible numbers and calculations.

To continue with the theme of incomprehensible numbers and calculations but with a bit of a segue read Charles Hugh Smith at oftwominds. He also provides a whiff of the global fraud and chicanery that has come to dominate our economy. Also he makes a telling parallel between Greece and the mortgage collapse over here.