I am not sure which makes me more angry: that I am supposed to give a rat’s patootie that Chuck Hagel is experiencing discomfort or that all he can muster is “frustration”.

Every day 70 women serving our country in the armed forces is sexually assaulted. Every week another REAL scandal comes to light suggesting that men in command positions are being protected from prosecution by a culture of … what exactly?

Sixty-five years ago today, in a dusty south Texas town, our friend and colleague, Nurse Kelley (aka KelleyRN2) was born.

It was sooooooooo long ago, that there is no photographic evidence of the event but we think it went something like this.

Okay, sure … “Republicans run amok” can be entertaining, “Republicans acting stupid” makes us feel superior, “Republicans in disarray” can be energizing in that it gives us hope that we can defeat them electorally.

However, it is one thing to point out the flaws and strong points of our political opponents in order to strategize over how to beat them … it is another thing entirely to admire their hatefulness and divisiveness and call one of them the “most talented and fearless Republican I’ve seen in the last 30 years”.

Twice a year, on the Solstice holidays, Basement Cat and Ceiling Cat are locked in mortal combat over the Light. At Winter Solstice, Ceiling Cat prevails and the light starts returning … gradually the memory of basement cat fades until the light and dark are equal on Spring Equinox. From that point on, the light returns more rapidly and on May 1st we arrive at the midpoint between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice.

Today’s post is emitting a high-pitched squealing noise that sounds suspiciously like an alarm. But the sound it is making is a little too much like your neighbor’s car alarm that goes off at 10:00pm every night and that you have learned to ignore.

Or maybe the “Governing as a Right-Wing Tool Has Consequences” Rule?

Republicans are fond of saying that “elections have consequences” … until the consequences are something they don’t like and then they are quick to squeal that Democrats or The Left-Wing Media are being unfair to them.

In yesterday’s spring election in Wisconsin, another Scott Walker judicial appointee was removed from the Dane County Circuit Court.

DANE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE Branch 16
RHONDA L. LANFORD (NON) 52.5 % 42860
REBECCA ST. JOHN (NON) 47.4 % 38694

Golden Retriever

The Golden Retriever was developed in Scotland and England in the late 19th century for the purpose of retrieving wildfowl on land and water. Its physical characteristics and its willing, adaptable, trainable nature have also fitted it for usefulness in many other endeavors such as service dogs, guide dogs for the blind, therapy dogs and search and rescue.

Twice a year, on the Solstice holidays, Basement Cat and Ceiling Cat are locked in mortal combat over the Light. At Winter Solstice, Ceiling Cat prevails and the light starts returning … gradually the memory of basement cat fades until finally the light and dark are equal on Spring Equinox.

Today my local newspaper’s sports section shared the words of Washington Redskins General Manager Bruce Allen who says the team will not consider any name change:

“There’s nothing that we feel is offensive,” Allen said.

As “proof”, the team has posted on their web site “interviews with officials from the 70 high schools they say still called themselves ‘Redskins.’”.

Today marks the midpoint between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. Astronomically, it looks like this:

More importantly, it means that the promise of light from Winter Solstice is being fulfilled.

On December 21, sunrise (near where I live) was 7:15am and sunset was 4:22pm.

Today, February 2nd, sunrise was 7:02am and sunset will be at 5:06pm: a gain of 13 minutes in the morning and 44 minutes at night … a total of 57 minutes. Over the next two days, we add another 6 minutes making it more than a full hour of additional sunlight since Winter Solstice.

Of course, that is the sciencey stuff. We know that there is more to it than that.