Checkin out

Please no cranky emails about my lack of postings starting today. I may get a chance to blog on my trip, but I'm off to many small latinate countries for the next two weeks. I'll make up for my non-posting with florid stories of warm lands.

Ciao mi amigos.

He's an idiot. Have I said that before?

Here's the President of the United States looking positively hungover on new years day, speaking to a group of docs and soldiers in a hospital. Speaking off the cuff, which is where he really shines. Talking about heroic soldiers, wounded in battle. Then making this very odd little joke about being wounded himself...by a cedar. "I got this here scratch."

Guhuhuhuh...

Talk about tone-deaf. "Got this lil scratch here on my noggin workin' at the ranch out there in Texas. Big state west of here. Now how bout you, soldier? Where's that other leg a yours? You caint trick me now, c'mon. Where's it at?"

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/01/20060101.v.smil

You only need about a minute and a half. It's all I could take, really.

So you've been called up on, and admitted to, felony charges of many different kinds. Your name, Jack Abramoff, is now synonymous with "evil, corrupt government." Every news outlet in the country is racing to put your picture up, the visual to go along with the words "avaricious influence peddler." And what's your sartorial decision? To dress like the cliche bad sheriff in a spaghetti western.

What're ya thinkin, Jack?

Maybe he's just trying to build a tough-guy image before his first day in prison.
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Okay, not quite New Year. But Saturday - NYEve day - went snowshoeing with Beth Kuhn, the Red Dog, and sistah Gail. (That would be her snowshoe.) Jazztard was also with us, but was out torpedoing through the snow in this pic.
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New one. It's a new year. Old one all gone.

Time just does pass, dudn't it?

The new year holds a lot for me, including a start way south of here. I'm leaving this week for Central America for a couple of weeks. It's a big-arse trip with lots going on. I'll write a post before I go, but I wanted to mark this day - even though it is the second day of the year - to say '05 was a fine transitional year; '06 is playin' out for a great year.