Thanks, Republicans, thanks for nothing

MoonHowler

boehner-obama

The House has concluded Legislative business for the week.   Speaker Boehner could not  muster the votes.  There is no deal.

Eric Cantor probably played vulture politics,  hoping to not get the votes, so he could take the speakership away from Boehner.  Can we all say weasel together?  I wish I could have seen the fighting.   There seems to be a lot of that these days.

So they can all go home and the rest of us will watch our investments circle the drain.

Thanks, MOfo’s.  Just what I wanted for Christmas.

How many people in Northern  Virginia will lose their jobs right after Christmas?  I already know of people who have been laid off from the defense industry.  How will that impact the rest of the nation?  We are in serious trouble.

Perhaps the American people should hold Congress’s paychecks until they finish their job.  They have abrogated their responsibilities.

 

 

Open Thread………………………………………….Friday, December 21

MoonHowler

blue fir tree

Zero  more days until Christmas.  Are you ready for the big day?  If you have little people around, you might be Christmas’ed out.  Who has a wonderful tradition they would like to share with everyone?  Who has a favorite album of Christmas songs?  How about just a favorite song?  Who sang it?  You may choose more than one.

I will go first.  Joan Baez has the voice of an angel.  have you ever heard her sing O Holy Night?  Jennifer Hudson runs a close second.  Then there is Rachel from Glee.  Rachel’s version is very dramatic and I can’t listen without it bringing tears to my eyes.  How about Roy Orbison singing Pretty Paper?

Winter Solstice 12-21-12

MoonHowler

winter-solstice 2

Winter Solstice happens on a busy day.  As if  being the Mayan Doomsday isn’t enough, today is the shortest day of the year, which is what the Winter Solstice is.

Astronomically,  Winter Solstice represents the shortest day and the longest night, when the sun is lowest on the horizon in the northern hemisphere.  After 12-21-12, the days will get longer.  12-21-12 marks the first day of winter–known to the ancients as the starving time or the dark time.  Daylight on Friday, December 21, 2012 will officially be 9 hours, 26 minutes long.    Winter begins at 11:09 a.m.  (The Washington Post says 6:12 a.m. but who’s counting?)

The Capital Weather Gang reports some interesting facts HERE.

Winter was a very terrifying time for ancient people.  Darkness consumed much of their day.  Freezing temperatures, snow, ice and freezing rain made life difficult and dangerous.  Survival was never a sure thing.   Too much snow could trap the ancients inside their shelters which were usually caves.  Those who couldn’t get out often died of thirst and hunger.  Its no wonder that rituals began and the night before winter began was one of merriment–a little cheer to tide the folks over until spring.

winter hag

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Mayan Calendar: 12-21-12 Doomesday

MoonHowler
Mayan Calendar
Mayan Calendar

12-21-12.  Not quite a palindrome.   December 21, 2012 has been long awaited because it marks the end of one of the Mayan calendars.  The popular TV shows, the X Files marked its alien take over based on 12-21-12.  People around the world are collecting food in survivalist mode.

The Russian government has supposedly assured all the Russians that there is no asteroid of planet out there with a direct course towards earth.  As they work to quell the end of the world panic in their country, I expect vodka sales are booming.

mayan

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Quantico Drills Heard All the Way to Haymarket!

Elena

So, as I am making my blueberry pie, intermittently I hear this loud boom sound, like someone is blasting through rock somewhere.  My husband, who is off from work says to me, “I think that sound must be the concrete truck across the street, but damn, that’s loud.”

A short time later,  Alanna calls (you know, anti bvbl Alanna) and says “Holy crap, do you year that loud booming sound” and I say “yes” and we try to figure out where the hell  it is coming from.

She decides to call the non emergency number and is told that it is Quantico is running drills, but because of the especially low cloud cover, the sound is traveling especially far today!   Apparently they have been getting numerous calls from the Gainesville and Haymarket today.

Been here 11 years, never heard this before!