Nicky and Stephen, Met June 8, 1998, Married June 8, 2000

"What's in your wallet?"

And in typical Bush ineptitude:
U.S. wins exemption from pesticide ban
WATSONVILLE, California (AP) -- Farmer Vanessa Bogenholm won't go near the pesticide methyl bromide even though it could boost her strawberry harvest. But just down the coast in Salinas, grower Tom Jones says his berry farm can't survive without the powerful toxin.

The two farmers both help California supply more than 85 percent of the nation's strawberries, but they part ways when it comes to methyl bromide, a soil fumigant that an international treaty has banned as of this year for all but the most critical uses.

Methyl bromide continues in wide use because the Bush administration has convinced other treaty signatories that U.S. farmers can't do without it -- whether for California berries, Florida tomatoes, North Carolina Christmas trees or Michigan melons.

The treaty, called the Montreal Protocol, has targeted methyl bromide because it is among chemicals that deplete the earth's protective ozone layer.

It also can cause neurological damage, but methyl bromide's tenacity demonstrates the difficulty of banishing a substance that is wildly successful at delivering what both farmers and consumers want: abundant, pest-free and affordable produce.

The administration, at the urging of agriculture and manufacturing interests, is pushing for continued treaty exemptions at least through 2008, and officials will not commit to an ending point.

 

This is our Christmas tree with all of the ornaments we have collected together. Among them are a cable car from San Francisco, a surfing Santa from the Keys, a Cat in the Hat fom Universal Studios and of course, Mickey Mouse from Disneyworld. I am hoping to pick up something when we are in Denver next month. Check out the tree topper. A visitor from outer space, Marvin the Martian. He just happens to be my favorite cartoon character. Stephen's is Wile E. Coyote, Super Genius. He is on the tree, too. If you look above at the masthead, the fish pictured there is on our tree.
The cats have been all over the tree. Sniffing and smelling the pine scent. We are hoping no one decides to climb the tree or that Hershey decides to take a leak on it.


This is our Christmas tree in all its 770-light glory.

 

» http://www.photofriday.com

 

"U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson said Wednesday he was opposed to the immediate withdrawal of American troops from Iraq because he fears it would allow al-Qaida to take over the oil-rich nation.

``We want this thing to end, but it's got to be done in a way that stabilizes so that we don't have an al-Qaida controlling the world's oil supply,'' Nelson said in a news conference that also covered oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and the Navy's future in northeast Florida."

So the truth finally comes out. It WAS about the oil.

Link

 

Keeping his supporters proud once again.

 

The Center for Disease Control has released a list of symptoms of bird flu.

If you experience any of the following, please seek medical treatment immediately:

1. High fever
2. Congestion
3. Nausea
4. Fatigue
5. Aching in the joints
6. An irresistible urge to drop your drawers and crap on someone's windshield

 

» http://www.pxite.com

 

» http://www.spunwithtears.com/thursday.html

 

 

» http://moodymonday.org

 

Bite my shiny, metal ass!

» http://www.macroday.com

 

» http://www.pxite.com

 

» http://www.photofriday.com

 

» http://www.spunwithtears.com/thursday.html

 

» http://www.lensday.com

 

» http://www.godamonginsects.com/tuesday/index.php

 

» http://moodymonday.org

 

After 248 hours without power we have been re-energized! We have our DSL back but no dialtone. The last 10 days haven't been too rough on us, but we have learned a few new tricks for our hurricane preparedness.

I restarted work on Monday. Nicky just got power at her work and are planning on starting surgery cases on Tuesday.

We kept a day-by-day journal and we'll post it over the weekend along with some pictures we took.

Now, about that hot shower...