The 27TH day of the third month of the year of the OP

I actually walked two miles this morning with the temperature in the sixties and a light rain. It has been raining fairly consistently for the past couple of days. That's a good thing because it corresponds with the pine pollen season. For those of you who have not experienced a pollen season, fall to your knees and say "Amen", say "Amen"! ..... Even the cars are coated yellow overnight.

Driving my allergies nuts.

Is there any resemblance between Nancy Pelosi and the above picture of a stinkbug I made this morning. Probably not! Speaker of the House=Stinkbug? Oh!, there's that pesky rant again.

By the way I will continue to rant as long as the Washington money and power grab in Washington continues to undermine that which the framers so long ago constructed.

Late last week, the day before I left for Annapolis, I discovered that my debit card had been hit by some slime who tried to use it in Texas of all places. Short story..........got my money back and a new card issued. It is just amazing what can be done on the computer these days. I guess the Texas/Mexican drug cartels are branching out to card theft. I would love to suggest to them that they get the number from Obama's card...........maybe then we would get some border control. Although I'm not so sure of that either. Idiots!


FICTION AND FACT FROM SKIP'S ALMANAC OF GARBAGE KNOWLEDGE

OK, all my fellow seniors out there...........time to step up and be noticed!

Patriotic retirement:

There's about 40 million people over 50 in the work force;

Pay them $1 million apiece severance with three stipulations:

1) They leave their jobs. Forty million job openings - Unemployment fixed.
2) They buy NEW American cars. Forty million cars ordered - Auto Industry fixed.
3) They either buy a house or pay off their mortgage- Housing Crisis fixed.

All National financial problems fixed!!!

A SERIOUS and NEW SECTION

Your American Heritage

(A note to my kids and grandkids so they understand what their country is really all about)

In the United States, the Bill of Rights is the name by which the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution are known.

The 26th Day of the third month of the year of the OP

This You Tube clip is really something to consider. We need to get juiced up before the criminals in Washington have us all in a gulag! God it's even a British tea bag!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeYscnFpEyA

You might also want to visit the 912 Project started by talk show host Glenn Beck.

http://912project.com/

As you can see the "Rant is back"

The twenty-fifth day of the third month of the year of the OP

Yes, I have been neglectful in not keeping up with you all.

Last weekend was spent in Annapolis, MD at an "extreme" high school competition. An organization called USFirst created and sponsors a Robotics competition nationwide. This was "Lunacy 2009" and as you can see the room at the Naval Academy was packed. These are high school students folks. If your kids/grand kids have not heard about it ............. get with the program. It is our future here.

http://www.usfirst.org/

These kids, and yes there was a team from England, create and build robots to compete each year all across the country. The machine at the left was built and operated by a high school team, "Chop Shop", from Merrimack, NH. They start from scratch, building everything including the shipping crates. Each machine is controlled with joysticks and computers from the sidelines. The whole competition is explained at this U-tube clip. These kids are good, and they have to learn and apply such talents as carpentry, computers, marketing, and management.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW0eCFPDoxc

It was so refreshing to see a group of young adults and kids doing something other than standing on the corner with their pants down around the bottom of their butts.

FICTION AND FACT FROM SKIPS ALMANAC OF GARBAGE KNOWLEDGE

How to wash a toilet.

1. Put both lids of the toilet up And add 1/8 cup of pet shampoo to the water in the bowl.
2. Pick up the cat and soothe him while you carry him towards the bathroom.
3. In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and close the lid. You may need to stand on the lid.
4. The cat will self agitate and make ample suds. Never mind the noises that come from the toilet, the cat is actually enjoying this.
5. Flush the toilet three or four times. This provides a 'power-wash' and rinse'.
6. Have someone open the front door of your home. Be sure that there are no people between the bathroom and the front door.
7. Stand behind the toilet as far as you can, and quickly lift the lid.
8. The cat will rocket out of the toilet, streak through the bathroom, and run outside where he will dry himself off.
9. Both the commode and the cat will be sparkling clean.

The 17 day of the third month of the op

<---------------NEW--------------


Happy St. Patrick's Day............Wohoooo for green beer!

Hello comrades!

As most of you know, I have been critical of our congress on occasion. Is it any wonder. They are spending the world out from under the tax payer and could care less. Think I am wrong. Take your heads out of the sand and look at the way one of our erstwhile icons of the Senate evaluates things.

This from the Drudge Report....but the headline says it all about the expertise of these buffoons.

Senator suggests AIG execs should kill themselves...

Yeah! Right! That will solve the problems Senator. How about we just un-elect you bunch of dolts at the next go round.

I mean, how shallow can you be?

And since when should we (the American public, taxpayer, and followers of the constitution) assume that Washington can run anything, let alone the economy.

How can this bunch of power hungry people be so conceited about their business acumen when virtually none, repeat none, of them have ever run anything close to a business

And how come those of the Senator's ilk have never been investigated for the Fannie and Freddie fiasco....ummmmmm! Dodged another bullet did you Barney (the banking queen) and Chris (the Connecticut guy who gets preferential loans and lord only know what else). Any corruption here? Nahhhhhh!

Think I'll go duct tape my head so it won't explode and finish that pitcher of beer!

FICTION AND FACT FROM SKIP'S ALMANAC OF GARBAGE KNOWLEDGE

Webster's definition of "Oxymoron"

"Representative Government"

The 16th day of the third month of the year of the op

Happy St. Patty's day everybody!

Happy Birthday to my daughter who is way, way too much older than I thought I was!

We initiated the print "The Doors of Charleston, SC" here. Now the Windows are available as well. Stay tuned for more wonderful art to come.

FICTION AND FACT FROM SKIP'S ALMANAC OF GARBAGE KNOWLEDGE

Murphy told Quinn that his wife was driving him to drink.
Quinn thinks Murphy's very lucky because his own wife makes him walk.

The 13th day of the third month of the year of the OP

Last Friday we had spring for about two hours and then went directly into summer. Until this morning. Now it's spring again! Or maybe the beginning of winter............thank you global warming. Fifty nine degrees this morning and headed to below fifty for a day or two. Great walking morning and spent about three miles on the Cayce Riverwalk.

End of March and the striper run begins in the river, and thought that I would take a look as there are more boats and fishermen on the river. All looking to find the elusive Morone Saxatilis, striper, or rockfish. No such luck and the river is still brown from run off following the recent rains both here and upstate. Guess we'll have to wait a couple of weeks and in the mean time I should get the fly-fishing equipment ready. The accompanying photo is of a box of said fish.

FICTION AND FACT FROM SKIP'S ALMANAC OF GARBAGE KNOWLEDGE

The Knights Templar were a monastic military order founded in Jerusalem in 1118 C.E., whose mission was to protect Christian pilgrims during the Crusades. Over the next two centuries, the Knights Templar became extraordinarily powerful and wealthy. Threatened by that power and eager to acquire their wealth, King Philip secretly ordered the mass arrest of all the Knights Templar in France on Friday, October 13, 1307 - Friday the 13th

The ninth day of the third month of the OP

Well, we had spring on this past Friday from noon till about four in the afternoon. Saturday in the seventies and now in the mid eighties until this coming Thursday, when it is supposed to cool down again. At least the snow and ice are still on Lake Winnepasaukee in New Hampshire. I know that makes absolutely no sense what-so-ever, but it's important to me.

The image of the day is the new "Doors of Charleston, SC" print. Check it out on the website.

FICTION AND FACT FROM SKIP'S ALMANAC OF GARBAGE KNOWLEDGE

As a photographer we have to make moral decisions from time to time about the images we make. And sometimes those decisions must be made instantly or quicker. Often those decisions can make the difference between a good shot and a so-so one. Thanks to my North Wildwood friend for contributing this item which she, for some unknown reason, thought was just too appropriate for me. Thanks, Ronnie!

THE SITUATION:

I am in Ireland, Dublin to be specific. There is chaos all around me caused by a hurricane with severe flooding. This is a flood of biblical proportions. I'm a photo-journalist working for an Irish Daily Mail, and am caught in the middle of this epic disaster. The situation is nearly hopeless. I am trying to shoot career-making photos. There are houses and people swirling around me, some disappearing into the water. Nature is unleashing all of its destructive fury.

THE TEST:

Suddenly, I see a man in the water. He is fighting for his life, trying not to be taken down with the debris. I move closer... Somehow, the man looks familiar...I suddenly realize who it is... It's Brian Cowen! The raging waters are about to take him under forever. I have two options: I can save the life of Brian Cowen, or I can shoot a dramatic Pulitzer Prize winning photo, documenting the death of one of the country's most powerful men!

THE QUESTION:

Here's the question, do I select high contrast color film, or should I go with the classic simplicity of black and white?

THE ANSWER:

I need to have a pint to conjure up my professional decision. Hang in there Brian!