Tis the season

Rick Griffin - Uncle Jam

Sick but I got out of bed to pay a bill. Why can't all the bills come at the end of the month? These days it seems like a daily money shed...

Guess I should go through the mail bag.

Ralph finally sent his photo of the year. He was on safari in South Africa at Kruger when he encountered this leopard with a porcupine quill projecting from its head. Ouch. Amazing really. The girth of the projectile is gigantic. Don't think you mess with one twice.

Shawn sends some resource material over from Dan Ariely's Center for Advanced Hindsight.

My neighbor Jerry created a cool little movie, Mask.

Ever wonder if birds have to scratch? I can equivocally say that they do. A harrier from the other day...

And another carrying a strange half birdie payload.

Jeff Barney up in Alaska sent me this comment regarding my story recounting meeting the energy ball.

Funny u would comment on the light balls. Wanted to comment but no place too. You would love to talk to my neighbor who and their family have seen them numerous times at their cabin in the tallketnea mountains south of us 150 miles. He's not crazy either is his wife. In fact he was head of Republican Party of Alaska and was one of nations largest ford dealers. So all that being said I have heard about this for years. May be fun to compare notes when u "visit ". Love the Carlos books. Brings back early pacific vibrations days in Laguna. Take care buddy

Hudgins sends along a sad farewell to the America we once knew from Bill Moyers.

Received a nice holiday card from Glenn Bray and Lena Zwalve

Jonathan Hill shares an interesting article on Jasper James and his poignant double exposures.

Thai drag queens from Shelley Poplak.

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I am not going to break my streak and get too political. But I find it sad that Texas can defund Planned Parenthood from Medicaid. Planned Parenthood is unfortunately the only comprehensive health provider many poor women see. Ninety percent of Planned Parenthood's services are not abortion related. Researchers say nearly 200,000 Texas women have lost or could lose access to contraception, cancer screenings, and basic preventive care, especially in low-income, rural parts of the state. Texas has the worst maternity survival rate in the country and ranks right up there with the third world.

It would be nice to dig further into why the death rate for mothers in Texas has doubled but they won't release the data. Way to go Texas. Bringing stupidity to a new high. Watch out Mississippi, thar's a new sheriff in town.

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For years there have been stories of Neo Nazis keeping lists of the jews that live in the Northwest. Guess it is true. Sad story in Whitefish, Montana where nazis are now publicly outing jews and subjecting them to harassment. But it is also a little funny that they would live in Whitefish. What, is the weather better there than in the neighboring town of Lox?

And since we are on the jew thing, did you read the story of the family that has to flee their town in Lancaster County Pennsylvania because they were accused by Fox of killing christmas?  Thanks Fox and Breitbart.

Bring on the hate.

I don't blame Trump and I don't blame Bannon, the whole family of deplorables is helping set the new tone, from Charlotte to Whitefish.  National Security Advisor Michael Flynn meets the head of the Austrian Nazi like Freedom Party, it is amazing just how fast we can slide into the new dark paradigm. Happens so quick. The office of the President is now a reality TV spinoff, they are draining the swamp of alligators and instead the cabinet will be manned by Exxon, Goldman and Dow Chemical. And of course our new pals in Moscow. Billionaires can run the show because obviously they are now beyond enriching themselves. But funny how many of them are Ayn Rand devotees. The woman who turned selfishness into a religion. Fasten your seat belt America. You got it coming.


America, be the worst that you can be.