Do you all look at www.bing.com?  It has great maps and about once or twice a week it posts fabulous pictures that can be used as background or wallpaper.  When I see ones I like, I do the old right click thing and save.

Today’s Bing pic is a favorite.  I recognized it immediately:  Glacier National Park.  What a fabulous place to spend a few days!  The main feature of the park, other than its mountain goats and special tour cars is Going to the Sun Road, which is an engineering feat in itself.

What neat vacation spots can you think of that aren’t your ordinary trip to Ocean City and the Outer Banks?  Leave your secret hideaways here and tell us why we should go.  Meanwhile, don’t forget to check out bing.com.

Additional reading:  Going to the Sun Road

101 Thoughts to “Open Thread…………………………………………….Saturday, May 12”

  1. kelly_3406

    During his interview this week in which he revealed to the surprise of no one that he supports same-sex marriage (that seems like a contradiction of terms, but I digress), Obama made a statement about “those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf…”.

    I found that statement to be extremely offensive. Not sure if anyone commented on that here, but no one in the military that I have EVER met fights on behalf of this, or any, president.

  2. He’s commander in chief. That’s all he meant. good grief.

  3. Scout

    every birthday that is a multiple of five (e.g., 30, 35, 40 etc.) I get together with two friends who were born within days of me and whom I have known since we were in 4th grade and do something a bit grand. For our 50th birthday, we hiked through Glacier Nation Park from the Southwest entrance, into the middle of the park, and then out at the Canadian border at Watertown. It was in September, so the crowds were gone (a lot of the bugs also). Every day was a visual feast. We were in forest, up above the tree line, along lakes and streams, saw elk, grizzlies (at a bit of a distance – they were too busy eating bulbs and roots preparatory for hibernation to pay us much heed, thanks be to the Lord God Jehovah), mountain goats close at hand. It was absolutely spectacular. Plenty of images, sounds, smells, laughs, wonderful meals at campsites and at trail end resorts to get me through the drool cup period that is bearing down on all of us with varying rates of closure.

    1. How spectacular! I am impressed also that you hiked it. It is an absolutely gorgeous park, in my opinion but I will confess to being in the ‘death seat’ for most of it. (that is what I named the passenger front seat where I was sitting, every time we went on going to the Sun Road.) Waterton was probably even more spectacular. for some reason the topography seemed to change once you got over in to Canada.

      Those goats are the tamest things!

      We spent a week there in a condo. No roughing it for Miss Daisy here.

      Scout, I am glad the grizzlies didn’t have you for dinner.

  4. punchak

    @Scout
    What a splendid way to celebrate your half century mark!!!
    The US has so many spectacular parks. Here’s hoping there’ll be funding for upkeep.

  5. Marinm

    I’m sad to announce that we traded in our Envoy to buy a minivan. I’m sad that I’ve helped the Obama economy grow. I also lost man points today for having a minivan in my name.

    That Envoy served us well and she went before her time. I salute you.

    I hope this new minivan keeps my family safe. I’ve also programmed the radio to avoid NPR. 🙂

    1. It’s nice to know that in additon to driving a geek mobile you have now made sure that no enlightenment seeps into the vehicle. So is that the answer? Just don’t listen to things you don’t like? What is it exactly that you have heard on NPR that you don’t like? Have you made sure that no PBS comes into your home via TV? No Sesame Street? No Count? No Elmo?

  6. Scout

    I wasn’t too worried about the Grizzlies. The guy I beat in my last campaign for office said I would never amount to s%$#. He didn’t specify bear%$#, but I figured it was a curse that was working for me at the time.

    1. Too funny!!!! Have you been back to Glacier since then and why did you choose Glacier to hike?

      Have you hiked Yellowstone?

  7. punchak

    Yeah – Extra point for Scout.
    Hope you’ve done Grand Canyon, or you and your friends had better do it at 55 🙂
    By 60 it’ll be tough.

  8. Scout

    We chose Glacier because none of us had been there, and we had ten days. That made a rambling hike through it from one end to another feasible. We were blessed with outstanding weather in mid September. We have also done the Olympic Peninsula and a week-long sailing trip. Grand Canyon is on the list for next time (a year away). However, we are beginning to have to make concessions to age and physical condition (the other two wimps are, that is). I am currently studying the possibility of a solo cross-country hike or, alternatively, either the Appalachian or Pacific Coast trails. I have a young dog with so much energy and stamina that I think he’d make a good companion for those ventures, even if my fourth grade buddies are beginning to talk about such things as cruises or a week at a frou-frou resort.

    1. How about an alternative? A coach tour as it were…hire a driver, sit back, have a few drinks and enjoy the view. I would do the entire west coast…ah…driving Miss Daisy here. You can also hire a guide for the Grand Canyon or houseboat on Lake Powell. (not that I have done that.)

      I love the Olympic Peninsula, from the car.

      Celebrate your stamina. I am envious.

      @Scout

  9. @Marinm
    Actually, you gained man points. Your reproduced!

  10. George S. Harris

    Marinm :

    I’m sad to announce that we traded in our Envoy to buy a minivan. I’m sad that I’ve helped the Obama economy grow. I also lost man points today for having a minivan in my name.

    Well, you only helped the “Obama economy” if you bought an American minivan. Too bad you can’t just think of it as the “American economy”–after all we all profit from an improving economy, not just President Obama.

    As to “man points”–sad that you have an identity crisis over a minivan. Perhaps check to see if you still have any cajones.

  11. marinm

    @George S. Harris

    Are you offering your services? Sorry, even if I were gay I think I could do better than you George.

    Cargo, I’m doing my best to give the young ones a good classical education. I’ve started them on Ayn Rand (when is too soon for Atlas Shrugged??). They also love Sesame Street but even my liberal wife mocks the climate change hokey.. They can use my iPad like pro’s….

    1. marin, you might want to watch how hard you try to mold their young minds. Let me tell you something very scary. My parents were not what you could call liberals in any way. They had three kids. I am the most conservative of their three children. See what happens?

      Scary, ain’t it?

  12. Censored bybvbl

    @marinm
    I’ll second what M-h said. My parents were conservative (father) and moderate(mother). They produced three Obama voters and one conservative who rarely votes. All the spouses – except the conservative’s – are of the liberal mode. It’s called rebelling against the old geezers (parents).

  13. George S. Harris

    @Moon-howler
    Moon, first you have to believe he is capable of molding any minds after his most recent comment. I didn’t volunteer to check him out but he seems to want someone of the male persuasion to do it.

  14. Starryflights

    Mitt Romney supporters, Ron Paul partisans brawl at Oklahoma GOP convention
    By Jeff Poor – The Daily Caller | The Daily Caller – 4 hrs ago

    But as Oklahoma City NBC affiliate KFOR’s La’Tasha Givens reported on Saturday, Paul and Romney may have some work to do at grassroots level.

    “It was an eventful day at the Republican state convention,” she said. “And most of the discourse lasted throughout the evening. We’re told the police had to get involved when a 70-year-old Mitt Romney supporter punched a Ron Paul supporter in the head after they disagreed on the vote.”

    Givens backed up her report with cell phone video that showed one woman claiming to have been struck by another woman. She also interviewed the man that had claimed to have been assaulted by the 70-year-old Romney supporter.

    http://news.yahoo.com/mitt-romney-supporters-ron-paul-partisans-brawl-oklahoma-040405948.html

    There sure are a lot of punks, goons and ne’er-do-wells among the Romney supporters, running around punching people in da head!

  15. The Sudley/Westgate clean up was very successful.

    I understand that Supervisor Candland was out helping volunteers haul away mountains of junk from those who needed assistance. Kudos to Peter Candland for rolling up his sleeves and helping.

    I hear that “mountains” of junk might be an underestimation.

  16. marinm

    @Moon-howler

    “If you are not free to choose wrongly and irresponsibly, you are not free at all.”

    I can only give them knowledge and opportunity. What they do with it is up to them. Free choice is what it is. 🙂

    George, I’m disappointed. I expected more from a man of your education. Try again.

  17. Apparently our security experts don’t recognize the name or face of Henry Kissinger. He apparently looks like a dangerous terrorist.

    http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/05/14/tsa-agents-conduct-full-monty-pat-down-on-henry-kissinger/

  18. Starryflights

    Taxmageddon sparks rising anxiety

    By Lori Montgomery and Rosalind S. Helderman, Tuesday, May 15, 6:01 AM
    The Washington Post

    Defense contractors have slowed hiring. Tax advisers are warning
    firms not to count on favorite breaks. And hospitals are scouring
    their books for ways to cut costs.

    Across the U.S. economy, anxiety is rising about the potential for
    widespread disruptions after the November election, when a lame-duck
    Congress will have barely two months to resolve a grinding standoff
    over taxes and spending.

    The halls of the U.S. Capitol are already teeming with people warning
    of disaster if lawmakers fail to defuse a New Year’s budget bomb
    scheduled to raise taxes for every American taxpayer and slash
    spending at the Pentagon and most other federal agencies.

    Last week, hospital executives came to complain about big scheduled
    cuts in Medicare payments. Next month, university presidents plan to
    raise the alarm about big scheduled cuts in federal research grants.
    And the chief executives of Lockheed Martin and other aerospace
    giants last Wednesday passed out digital countdown clocks ticking off
    the seconds until “over 1 million American jobs” will be lost to big
    scheduled cuts in defense.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/taxmageddon-sparks-rising-anxiety/2012/05/14/gIQAUxAAQU_story.html?hpid=z2

    Terrifying stuff

  19. Second Alamo

    It’s so bad people are even fleeing to Mexico to avoid paying taxes. Death and taxes, they figure they can at least avoid taxes!

  20. Pat Herve

    Cargosquid :
    Apparently our security experts don’t recognize the name or face of Henry Kissinger. He apparently looks like a dangerous terrorist.
    http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/05/14/tsa-agents-conduct-full-monty-pat-down-on-henry-kissinger/

    and what is wrong with Kissinger getting a full pat down – letting some around the protection (even if it is security theater) – creates a gap that can be exploited. And then, it makes the news – so should we let someone like Charlie Sheen through without a pat down?

    If the news wants to do a story, how about this – http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/05/14/longtime-security-supervisor-arrested-at-nj-airport-for-using-dead-man-id/ – how can a person go through a background check – and all the while, he is not even that person.

  21. @Second Alamo

    I don’t think going to Mexico exempts you from paying taxes, SA. Who is doing that?

  22. Someone asked if I would be covering Rev. Wrights new book. The answer is NO.

  23. marinm

    @Moon-howler

    Not speaking for SA but there are two factors here.

    http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/05/13/2798237/more-are-renouncing-us-citizenship.html

    Speaks to the upward swing of US citizens of means giving up citizenship because of our oppressive tax system. It’s only getting worse as the IRS clamps down and as “the rich” are being targetted to fund an out of control growing government.

    The second and I think more to SA’s point is that “persons of whom their legal status in the United States — ain’t” are instead of paying whatever taxes they’re bound to pay here (state/local/sales/or federal, if using a TIN or an illegal SSN) both because of taxes and the general state of the economy are instead self deporting as they can keep more of their money.

    So, the irony here that SA is capturing is that the American dream of prosperity is better in Mexico than it is here; because of taxes and an over regulated economy.

    1. @marin, the link doesn’t work.

      The job market here has caused Mexican residents to go home. Ther is also a middle class developing in Mexico. their economy is improving. this should be good news for many people, especially those who are concerned about illegal immigration.

      As for the IRS clamping down…since when? And the Rich are being targetted? Since when? I would say that any changes for the rich would have to go through congress. It hasn’t happened.

      I would say this in an SA invention.

  24. Spirit Equestrian Center is accepting donations to help pay the vet bills for the 3 horses that were slashed by some unknown miscreat back in April. To date, they don’t know who did this to 3 innocent horses.

    Meanwhile the horses are recovering from their stab wounds.

    http://www2.insidenova.com/news/2012/may/14/group-keeping-spirit-after-horse-slashings-ar-1913634/

    http://www.spiritequestrian.org/

    They have a donation site on their web page. I just sent them an email telling them what the donation was for.

  25. marinm

    MH

    From the Herald piece. (not sure why the link didn’t work above)

    A growing number of U.S. citizens who live abroad and have bank accounts there are making a radical decision to avoid paying taxes: They’re giving up their U.S. citizenship.
    Last year, 1,780 Americans relinquished their citizenship to avoid disclosing foreign account information to the Internal Revenue Service. This is a sharp increase over 2010, when 1,485 renounced citizenship. In 2009, the number was 731 and in 2008 226.
    The increasing numbers of Americans renouncing citizenship is the result of an IRS crackdown: Within the past three years, the agency has stepped up efforts to track down and prosecute U.S. citizens who evade taxes by hiding money and other financial assets in foreign bank accounts.

    Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/05/13/2798237/more-are-renouncing-us-citizenship.html#storylink=cpy

    1. Why should some folks get to hide their money when you and I sit here like lawabiding chumps and pay our taxes?

      I dind’t realize giving up your citizenship meant you didn’t have to pay taxes. I know plenty of people who aren’t citizens who still pay taxes. If your money comes from the USA I think you have to pay taxes regardless.

      Of course, if you aren’t in country, how are they going to get you?

    2. Good riddance. they don’t deserve to be citizens.

  26. The problem with the taxes are that these people earn money abroad and have realized that if they are no longer citizens, they don’t owe double taxation, here and there.

  27. While I applaud the work of the brave agent that infiltrated AQ, it turns out that he is a British agent working with the Saudis.
    I wonder when the press is going to excoriate the administration for outing this secret agent and revealing information best held closely. The early reports even implied that this was a successful CIA op.

    There were calls for Cheney to be charged and Scooter Libby was sent to prison for “outing” harmlessly, Valerie Plame. So, when will there be charges against the appropriate people in the Obama administration?

    Double standards, anyone?

    1. Outing Valerie Plame was far from harmless. Her career was destroyed and lives of others were endangered.

      Let’s find out more about this British agent. Was it done for political purposes like Plame? Didn’t think so.

      I could call for Cheney to be charged right now. So what.

      I believe you need to visit the Bush administration if you think Scooter Libby was wronged. I think he was the fall guy for someone else.

      I believe he was also a Saudi recruited by the Brits. Once you are caught, your usefulness as a spy is pretty much over anyway.

      I don’t think your Obama gotcha is going to work this time.

  28. punchak

    @marinm

    It used to be that patriotism, love of country, was very highly rated in the US of A.
    Now it seems that money rates a heck of a lot higher than love of country.

  29. marinm

    @Moon-howler

    Moon, you may like this one.

    http://ideas.time.com/2012/05/15/its-not-just-facebooks-cofounder-who-is-trying-to-dodge-taxes/

    “He’s been excoriated, online and off-line, since his renunciation became public on May 11. The U.S. — its schools, technology, capital markets and courts — made him rich. As Farhad Manjoo notes, the U.S. gave Saverin not just his money but also his life: when Saverin was 13, his wealthy family emigrated from Brazil to the U.S. in response to kidnapping threats. And now Saverin’s jilting us.”

    You can just sense the seething anger that the author has.. Enjoyable piece.

    @Punchak, you can say that of a lot of people. Now, I’m not to say that military service is required but how many people serve to defend this nation while the rest of us have warm full bellies in the peace and sanctity of our own homes? Mind you — I agree with you — but I think that the reason that patriotism and love of country has off the radar is because as a society we just don’t care. The moral compass of our nation has changed.

    If war meant taking a vote and that vote set forth a standard where we would be required to ration and every male and female over 18 were required to report to a draft board for service I think you’d find a sobering of Americas electorate and the politicians we’ve elected to “lead” us.

    1. @marin, yea, another one bites the dust. We don’t have fences holding people in this county. If money means more to that twit than his citizenship, go for it.

    2. Can you find how our local politicians voted on the judicial appointments?

  30. punchak

    @marinm
    Not everybody is able to do military service. How long ago is it that women were not allowed to join except as auxilliaries? When the draft disappeared, those with full bellies didn’t join the military (there are notable exceptions).

    Personally, I don’t know anybody who has a family member in the military. I don’t know anybody who’s sacrifacing because of the war we’re fighting at present. The most awful thing hitting the Americans of late, is the high price of gasoline, it seems.

    I have to disagree with you when you say that “as a society we don’t care”. I think there are a lot of us who care, and care deeply, but somehow Mammon has taken over the majority. Who’s admired? The ones with the most money gets the admiration.

    Draft!!! Mention that word and those on the Hill cringe.

    Rationing!!! Screeeeeeeeeeemmm! Screeeeeeeeeeeech!
    Besides, those with money would find and get what they want on the black market

  31. Lafayette

    Anyone watch the BoS meeting? I didn’t tune in today. Looking for any sort of report.
    Where the hell is MOM?

  32. Cato the Elder

    @Moon-howler

    Please. Would you give up your citizenship for 400 million? Say no and I’m calling BS. 400 million isn’t just money, it’s FU money.

    1. It depends on how much other money I had.

  33. Starryflights

    FACT CHECK: Romney ignores a huge recession and other causes of nation’s mounting debt

    By Associated Press, Wednesday, May 16, 4:05 AMAP

    WASHINGTON — When Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney decried the “prairie fire” of U.S. debt Tuesday, he ignored some of the sparks that set it ablaze.

    One was the Great Recession that took hold before Barack Obama became president. That landmark event went unmentioned in Romney’s speech. Another was a series of Bush-era tax cuts that Romney wants to follow with even lower rates.

    Instead he laid the blame on Obama, a president who has certainly increased the nation’s eye-popping debt — but not, as Romney claimed, by nearly as much as all other presidents combined.

    A look at some of Romney’s assertions and how they compare with the facts:

    ___

    ROMNEY: “America counted on President Obama to rescue the economy, tame the deficit and help create jobs. Instead, he bailed out the public sector, gave billions of your dollars to the companies of his friends, and added almost as much debt as all the prior presidents combined.”

    THE FACTS. Hardly. Presidents from George Washington through George W. Bush ran the national debt up to $10.62 trillion, the amount it was on the day Obama took office. Today, it is $15.67 trillion, according to the Treasury Department’s Bureau of Public Debt. So it has gone up by $5.05 trillion under Obama. That’s roughly half of the amount amassed by all the other presidents combined.

    In short, the debt has gone up by about half under Obama. Under Ronald Reagan, it tripled.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/fact-check-romney-ignores-a-huge-recession-and-other-causes-of-nations-mounting-debt/2012/05/15/gIQAw8RVSU_story.html?tid=pm_pop

    yeah. Ronald Reagan tripled the debt. Read the rest of the article, it’s very informative. Romney is dishonest.

  34. Second Alamo

    Andrews AFB open house and air-show this weekend! Forget about gays, forget about politics, go enjoy something.

  35. “That’s roughly half of the amount amassed by all the other presidents combined.”

    You say that so casually, like it doesn’t matter. Half as much as ALL the others combined in three years. And the counting is off. Pelosi/Reid did not submit the last budget to Bush. He did not sign it. It was presented to Obama. So HE’s responsible for the final run up in debt for that fiscal year.

  36. Pat Herve

    Libby was charged with, and found guilty of Perjury – not for the outing of Valerie Plame. If he had not lied to try and cover up the investigation, he would not have been charged with any crime – Tell a lie to the investigator, get charged – that is how it should work.

    Taxes – As a US Citizen abroad, you may be required to pay local income taxes, and you need to pay US Taxes – but not both – the US Taxes are offset by what was paid locally.

    Re Saverin giving up Citizenship – it becomes a complicated deal – he has to pay an ‘exit’ tax on the capital gains (15%), although he can defer the payment until it is sold, and pay interest in the mean time. There are tax haven’s around the world – and if people want to move around the world to beat the tax man, so be it. But he should not be afforded the protections of the US, or be given Citizenship in the US again. I do not think dropping the Cap Gains rate to zero is the answer. Lets see how FB fares – if it tanks over the long term, the US may have actually gotten more tax dollars than is Saverin had remained a Citizen.

  37. Mom

    @Lafayette
    Mom is on a temporary hiatus (although I am still watching everything), my particular talents are temporarily required elsewhere. Look to the west for the bonfire I’m about to put a match to.

    1. The Greek Chorus says: Moon-howler LOVES bonfires, especially western bonfires. mmmmmmmm bonfires.

  38. Lafayette

    @Mom
    LMAO! Just so you’re still watching. Is that bonfire, BYOB?

  39. Pat Herve

    and the Ryan plan will increase the US Debt by only $5.1 Trillion. And, they call that progress.

    The R’s are in Congress right now, pushing for a $100 Million DoD slush fund – that the DoD is not asking for – and diligently trying to find ways around sequestration. Why don’t they spend time to meaningfully find out how to fix the tax code. They will only talk about cutting rates, not fixing it.

    They (the House) are also talking of a 1 year extension to the tax cuts set to expire at the end of the year – kicking the can down the road – is that the best that the House can offer – is to kick the can down the road, yet again – when are WE going to wake up and kick them out of office?

  40. SlowpokeRodriguez

    Yet another shot fired in the Obama administration’s brutal war on women! When will this Democrat war on women stop?

    http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/wh-called-out-skipping-female-reporter/543701

  41. @Pat Herve
    Damn, Pat!

    You sound like a Tea Partier! Those are our complaints exactly. Ryan’s budget is a compromise. Everyone says that they want compromise…right?

    Where did you get the numbers on Ryan’s plan? I’d like to examine that.

  42. SlowpokeRodriguez

    If the Democrats want to score a few points, they’ll crush any attempt to run around sequstration. The house Republicans are no angels, folks. How many freshman Rs who rode in on the Tea Party backlash are begging for earmarks? How many House Republicans are crying about spending (unless it’s spending to fund wars)? Real conservatives are watching!

  43. Morris Davis

    Reuters headline: “Weary warriors favor Obama.” Obama’s lead over Romney is greater among veterans than it is among the population as a whole. http://goo.gl/oguKW

  44. @Morris Davis
    We’ll see, come election day. I read the article and didn’t get your take from that at all. Just that those interviewed are unhappy with all of the candidates. My experience with vets is just the opposite. They can’t STAND Obama.

    And if those voting for Obama because he said that he would get them out of Iraq or won’t go into “knee jerk wars,” then they are sadly disappointed. Obama followed the Bush timeline on Iraq. And then he missed the opportunity to turn a surrender into a victory by not declaring victory with Osama’s death and leaving A’stan. It’s HIS policy that we are still in A’stan now, without a firm direction, marking time., releasing Taliban prisoners.

  45. @Morris Davis
    Just went back and read it and the comments again.

    Ron Paul gets the most support over both.

    And the comments do not seem to agree with the article.

  46. Starryflights

    I hope the Defense Department cuts take place as planned. The R’s agreed to them, so bring ’em on! There is no bigger source of waste, fraud and abuse than the DOD.

    And, shockingly, I agree with Cargo, we need to get out of Afghanistan ASAP.

  47. Cato the Elder

    Moon you must be in mourning over what the bears have managed to do to your beloved APPL as of late.

    Something to bring cheer (God, I miss this guy): http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=r2yH5YcK13s#!

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