Can you find the heron?

May the New Year be a better one that finds our country able to shift from war to peace.

Breakfast with Poets, Artists and Writers

This was a stimulating, delicious event for us.

In the Public Interest

Top 10 Corrupt Politicians for 2006
December 23, 2006 02:00 PM EST


Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today released its 2006 list of Washington’s “Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians.” The list, in alphabetical order, includes:
1. Jack Abramoff, Former Lobbyist – Abramoff is at the center of a massive public corruption investigation by the Department of Justice that, in the end, could involve as many as a dozen members of Congress. Abramoff pleaded guilty to conspiracy, fraud and a host of other charges on January 3, 2006, and was sent to prison in November to serve a five-year, 10-month sentence for defrauding banks of $23 million in Florida in 2000.
2. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) – In January 2006, Hillary Clinton’s fundraising operation was fined $35,000 by the Federal Election Commission for failing to accurately report more than $700,000 in contributions to Clinton’s Senate 2000 campaign. New information also surfaced in 2006 raising more questions about Hillary and her brother Anthony Rodham’s connection to the Clinton Pardongate scandal, where presidential pardons were allegedly traded in exchange for cash and other favors.
3. Former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA) – In November 2005, Cunningham pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, mail fraud, wire fraud, and tax evasion. He was sentenced to 8 years, four months in prison and ordered to pay $1.8 million in restitution in March 2006.
4. Former Rep. Tom Delay (R-TX) – Tom DeLay, who was forced to step down from his position as House Majority Leader and then resign from Congress, decided in 2006 not to run for re-election. Congressman DeLay has been embroiled in a series of scandals from bribery to influence peddling, and was indicted twice by grand juries in Texas.
5. Former Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) – Foley left the House in disgrace after news broke that he had been sending predatory homosexual emails to a House page. A recent House Ethics Committee report indicated that Republican leaders knew about Foley’s dangerous behavior, but failed to take action. Democrats, meanwhile, shopped the story to the press to influence the elections. Outrageously, the Committee recommended no punishment for those involved.
6. Rep. Denny Hastert (R-IL) – In addition to mishandling the Foley scandal, outgoing House Speaker Dennis Hastert allowed House ethics process to ground to a halt on his watch. Gary Condit, Cynthia McKinney, William Jefferson, John Conyers, Tom Delay, Duke Cunningham, Jim McDermott, Patrick Kennedy are examples of alleged wrongdoers who faced little-to-no ethics enforcement in the House.
7. Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) – Hastings is one of only six federal judges to be removed from office through impeachment and has accumulated staggering liabilities ranging from $2,130,006 to $7,350,000. Hastings was “next in line” for Chairmanship of the House Select Committee on Intelligence until a wave of protest forced Nancy Pelosi to select another candidate. Nonetheless, Hastings is expected to continue to serve on the Intelligence Committee.
8. Rep. William “Dollar Bill” Jefferson (D-LA) – Jefferson is alleged to have accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to help broker high-tech business deals in Nigeria. According to press reports, he was also caught on tape discussing the deals, while an FBI search of his home uncovered $90,000 in cash stuffed in his freezer.
9. Former Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) – Ohio Republican Congressman Bob Ney resigned in early November 2006, three weeks after pleading guilty for accepting bribes from an Indian casino in exchange for legislative favors. Ney was the first congressman to be convicted of a crime in the web of scandals involving former lobbyist Jack Abramoff and is expected to serve a jail sentence.
10. Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) – Senator Reid came under fire in 2006 for failing to properly report to Congress a $700,000 land deal. Reid also accepted more than $30,000 of Abramoff-tainted money allegedly in return for his ''cooperation'' in matters related Nevada Indian gaming.

Christmas Dinner at the Hilton

With about 680 other senior citizens and some good music

Happy Holidaze!

Mascot at the 5th St. Market

His name is Bach and he seems to enjoy being admired by people.

Kaia at Theo's

The oatmeal is famous here.

Viki's party at Ocean Sky

There were nine of us for Viki's Solstice Celebration. There was lots of laughing and fun.

Ummmh!

Something seems to be peventing my posting a photo this morning. And yesterday's has disappeared.

Hail to the lowly turnip

LONDON, SUNDAY 17.12.06
VEGETARIANS ARE MORE INTELLIGENT, SAYS STUDY
15.12.06

 Frequently dismissed as cranks, their fussy eating habits tend to make them unpopular with dinner party hosts and guests alike.
But now it seems they may have the last laugh, with research showing vegetarians are more intelligent than their meat-eating friends.


http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23378331-details/Vegetarians+are+more+intelligent,+says+study/article.do

Here's Sarah

Two Brothers and the Christmas Tree

We had dinner at the Club last night. What a Christmas treat to see Sarah for a few hours and to have Robert join us at the Club!

My next life

I'll surf and snowboard.

Back to the blog

I went to the doctor yesterday and got more drugs to help with my pain. Onward.

I will vote for Dennis Kucinnich for president. No money for war! It is needed for other things like education, health care, infrastructure, people, science----- not killing, maiming, destruction.

Christmas Tree at the Club

We don't need to have a tree as long as we can enjoy the artistry and work of others----thank goodness.

Linn in the woods

We belong in nature, don't we?

I got a TENS unit today to help me deal with the pain from the aftermath of shingles, postherpetic neuralgia. I think shingles is the most painful experience a person can have. I think it is interesting how the brain works and and how it can be distracted. What an interesting world we inhabit. There are always surprises and interesting developments.

Rowan, wonder baby

Isn't she adorable?

Eugene's new courthouse

This new building was dedicated yesterday and then open for the public to walk through. It is impressive.

Toward the longest day

I'm looking forward to this solstice.