Good Tuesday, Everyone.  We had a lot of thunder and lightning last night but not much rain.  The storm line has already moved south of us.  I will have to check the container gardens later to see which need more water.  We plant to cook a couple of the lemon squash for dinner today.  Hope the taste as good as the butternut we had earlier.  Got four trays of spearmint and two of peppermint dried yesterday.  Have to get them ground soon.

Huffington Post asks a very good question this morning.  I have been reading about the various 'Voter ID' laws being pushed by Repthuglican politicians all over the country, including here in Indiana.  Given that there has been no evidence of widespread voter fraud (the major excuse for the laws), that the majority of the people affected adversely (read: disfranchised) are racial minorities, the poor, and the elderly, and some evidence that reducing the rolls of Democrat-leaning voters is the real reason for the push, why hasn't the media covering the story?  My own guess: their corporate masters don't want it covered so they insist on presenting fluff instead.

This is almost unimaginable.  Yesterday India experienced an electrical grid failure that affected 300+ million people (I think I linked to a story).  A population the equivalent to that of the U.S. was without power.  Today, in the same area and some,  the electricity failed for 600+ million.

I noticed the gist of this story on a couple of blogs today and noticed how the mainstream media has totally ignored this gaff by our very clueless Repthuglican presumptive nominee.  On this trip designed to bolster his foreign policy credentials he has insulted the British and the Palestinians, impressed the Solidarity Union with his anti-union stance at the birthplace of Solidarity, and praised the so-efficient Israeli medical system without realizing that it is socialized.  If he didn't have two degrees from Harvard, I would think he failed to graduate from the same schools from which Sarah Palin failed to graduate.

Good day on this last day of July.  Right now we have clouds but they appear to be moving out.  It doesn't look like they will drop any rain.  I watered well yesterday so I don't think I will have to do it today.  I got three trays of oregano and four of basil dried.  We tried the first new pepper that the tag described as 'spicy.'  We challenge that--it is hot!  We will give those to our maintenance man who loves hot peppers--the hotter the better, he says.  The little bullnose is a keeper--sweet and crunchy.  If the clouds clear out I will harvest some of the mints for drying.

I noticed a story on our TV morning news about a massive power outage in India.  The only surprise was that it was covered at all but then some 300+million people without electricity is somewhat spectacular.  If anyone has any access to news outside the U.S. they will have seen stories over the last few years about spotty electrical services in India, parts of China, Pakistan, Iraq and other such countries.  Here is a sample from Pakistan.  I notice they didn't mention the heat wave and spotty monsoon that has hit the same area of India over the last couple of months.  I really do wish we had real news over here--instead of shills for whatever hot show the network is promoting.

Hello, Everyone.  Nice cool night last night.  Today is sunny and clear with mid 80s expected today.  I got a number of plants trimmed yesterday and got a good bit of dead leaves cleared out.  The plants seem to enjoy the cooler weather.  I collected a handful of the cherry tomatoes, four large plum tomatoes ad two lemon squash.  I will water everything today.  I checked the lemon balm beer and oh! does it have a nice beery smell.  And it has an interesting flavor--I tried a spoonful.  The fermentation has stopped and I put it in the refrigerator to mature for a week or two before I give it a try.  However, I don't think I will repeat the experiment no matter how good the final product.  It requires a lot of lemon balm and this batch took everything I could reasonably take off my plants.

I wasn't going to comment on this story and then changed my mind.  Another company claims it did nothing wrong but is settling because, given the uncertainty of going to trial, it is better for the company, the share holders etc.  But a $150+ million settlement with states for inflating the prices of a large number of name brand medications on top of a settlement a few months ago with the Federal government for $190 million for overcharging Medicare seems to me to be a pattern of bad behavior.  And I think the penalty is way too low.  I wonder whether they overcharged individuals who paid out of pocket?

Once upon a time I spent a lot of time watching the Olympics.  Even after I stopped watching the sporting events themselves I still watched the opening ceremonies.  I just narrowly decided not to watch this year's opening and reading this piece on Agonist I am glad I didn't.  I would probably have thrown something at the TV and that would have been expensive.  But then, a second thought--this is precisely why we no longer watch as much of the "news" as we used to.

Blessedly cool last night.  We have come to the conclusion that our lethargy is the result of not sleeping well.  We keep our summer thermostat at 78.  I know, I know.  I can hear all the conservationists yelling now.  But we have a problem because that setting is a bit too cool for downstairs but not cool enough for the upstairs.  That is the best compromise we have come up with--along with using our fan to move the air upstairs.  This is an old building and the designers never considered either energy efficiency or that the building would be occupied during the hottest decade on record.  And we have an attic that is an oven.  Part of our cable/internet problem a couple of months ago was traced to damage to the cable (which was I don't know old) through that attic.  Right now the air is off and it is comfortable.  And Kuma is very happy to be able to go outside at will.

We have had a couple of hands full of the Chocolate Cherry and the Super Sweet 100 tomatoes.  Both are delicious but I have to say the Chocolate Cherry is absolutely wonderful.  That is a keeper.  I don't think I have ever tasted a sweeter tomato.

Hi, Kay.  I think you will like the coming weather--so long as the violent thunderstorms stay away.  They tell us we may get some tomorrow afternoon through Monday.  Sorry Firefox is acting up.  I hate it when the computer goes haywire.  Having said that--my system decided to go wonky.  Hope going out and coming back in has cured the problem.  Otherwise this might be short.

TGIF to all of you.  We have temps in the 60s and sun this morning.  We had a nice though short rain last night so I don't need to water anything.  We have a number of errands to run today so I don't think I will get much done in the gardens.  But with highs in the mid 80s I can take short trips outside to do little chores.  Let's see I if find anything to comment on this today.

The first headline I saw on the BBC site this morning claimed that 'Assad's fall is only a matter of time'-- according to the opposition, of course.  I won't link because you can find it easily enough and my comments concern something else:  what a post-Assad Syria might look like.  That is a bit unsettling.  I saw an article yesterday that has been percolating in my mind since.  The reporter described the situation in a small Syrian village after rebels blew up a vehicle carrying army officers.  The damage and death was somewhat selective--one house burned to the ground while the next left alone,  bodies and blood all over another house while those around it were completely untouched.  The Syrian army weren't responsible.  The perpetrators were Alawite fighters aligned with the regime.  Assad himself is an Alawite, a Shi'ite sect.  Yes there are Shi'ites in Syria.  The struggle in Syria is becoming, if it wasn't always, a sectarian religious struggle.  That Assad's removal will not create a stable Syria.  It might even increase the bloodshed and chaos.  Think Iraq and Afghanistan.  The only plus--we don't have troops on the ground.

As you all probably realize, I like reusing things.  Over time I have used a variety of plastic containers in my gardens.  It is a cheap and thrifty use for things that would otherwise be thrown away.  I am always concerned with exactly how safe those plastics are for growing plants we intend to harvest and eat.  I found this little article at Resilient Communities that provides some good information on the issue.  Thankfully, everything I use now is in the safe categories.

I just dropped in on Market Watch and saw that the Dow was up 200+ today after a similar rise yesterday.  The explanations involve 'optimism' over developments in Europe.  Strange I haven't seen any developments--just a lot of hot air about 'doing whatever is necessary' to protect the Euro.  Nothing is fixed and no proposals have been made that will fix Europe.  Greece is still in a depression and going deeper in hopes of a paltry 130billion euro bailout that is too little way too late.  And it is another loan that has to be paid back along with all the other loans.  Spain is in depression and going deeper.  Borrowing costs are rising and the various provincial and local governments are all well past their borrowing capacity.  Italy--has anyone heard anything hopeful there?  I wondered if the surging stocks are the result of speculative buyers hoping to time their exit so that they reap massive rewards before the  excrement hits the fan.  I seem to remember similar wild swings in the collapse of 2008.

How are you all doing on this overcast Thursday?  Temps should only reach the high 80s today. But we have already closed up and put the air on.  We have a bit of rain now but none of the lightning we had last night.  We didn't hit the 100 level some areas of Chicago did but we came close--98.  We were fairly comfortable until about 1pm when we closed up and put on the air.  I agree, Kay.  We have been so lethargic with this heat in spite of the air conditioning.  Kuma isn't as insistent about going outside this summer.  He would just as soon lie around and sleep inside.  Wehave been able to keep our electric and water bill lower than most of our neighbors and not much higher than previous years.  And our infrastructure is evidently as badly stressed as we are.

I found this interesting little 'then vs. now' piece on MSNBC this morning shortly after reading your comment on yesterday's blog, Kay.  I guess my age is showing because such stories that contrast past times with the present reflect some of my own musings.  Your comment on the fish and the cost hits home in a way.  As I said yesterday, we have never been big fish consumers but over the last few years we have become more aware of nutrition.  Sea food does have some important nutrients and we have wanted to increase our number of fish meals a bit.  However, we find it is a bit of a challenge given a number of different problems including the increasing levels of toxic substances and chemicals found in fish now-a-days.  However, we have also reduced our portion sizes of both fish and meat drastically.  Interestingly, not because of budgetary necessity.  We simply can't eat like we used to.  I grew up in a 'meat and potatoes' household.  Dad would have thrown a serious fit if dinner didn't have a generous portion of meat and some form of potato plus at least two other vegetables plus a big desert.  We remarked on the change a couple of days ago when dinner was a 4oz piece of salmon, generous side of mixed veggies, and small lettuce and tomato salad.  No desert.  Another meal this week consisted of homemade manicotti, small salad and peas.  We have had meatless meals more frequently without feeling at all deprived.  I have referred to another change often over the last couple of years--buying better quality meat.  Less waste and more palatable.  And again the portions are smaller.  No half to three-quarters of a pound or larger potions.  Given the predictions concerning food prices for the next year (at the least) frugality is a necessary virtue.

And now a couple of entries in the 'companies behaving badly' file.  Here and here.

Good Wednesday to you all.  We expect high 90s or 100 today--then a week of 80s.  That will feel good.  Right now we hear some rumbles of thunder and it looks like heavy clouds coming in from the west.  I got everything in the gardens put back upright.  Do damage--thankfully.  Tomorrow I have to start another round of herb harvests.  I also decided to do some rearranging--not what I had planned which is unworkable.  Too many of the plants have intertwined and I can't move one without damaging the other.  And I can't bring the trash tote back inside.  It will have to stay where it is until I clear things up in the fall.  Instead I swapped the positions of the greenhouse and the potting table.  Hopefully that will moderate the temperatures inside the greenhouse.  I just finished watering everything in the lower pots/containers and will finish watering the plants on the fence before I finish for the day.  Will also harvest some vine peach and lemon squash over the next couple of days.  We will get to sample the first butternut squash today.

With this hot and strange weather the mainstream media seem to have suddenly discovered the climate change issue.  This story was on one of the news broadcasts last night.  Huffington presented this story about some unsuspected ways climate change might affect us.  And this little story makes me wonder about what we might expect come this winter.  A hell of a lot of lake effect snow?  And if Lake Superior is running so far above what was once considered normal how warm is Lake Michigan?  Check out this local news story--80 F and the story says the temperature rose the previous week 10 degrees between Sunday and Friday. (The story was posted July 8)

Well, this is good.  Not near enough of a punishment but better that the none that has been so typical.  The TV news last night carried a snippet which quoted one of the defense lawyers claiming his poor client 'only followed orders.'  Sorry but that defense has been tried before--at Nuremberg

Another story we saw last night on the TV news.  About the third or fourth over the last year.  We have become pickier about where the fish we buy are caught and where they are processed.  We aren't great fans of fish anyway nor are we great experts on fish other than having a fair grip on telling how fresh it is.  Earlier this year we saw a couple of strange species on sale at a couple of local supermarkets--swai and basa.  Reading up on where those fish are found (basa in the Mekong delta of Vietnam which one of the most polluted waterways in the world) we immediately struck them from any shopping list.  The problem is only made worse when you can't rely on the vendor to be selling what he says he is.