4056

Lenders are tightening their standards

Apparently, you're going to need a good credit rating and 10% down to get a home loan. Now that's a shocker, isn't it? Sounds just like 1961 (6%), 1968 (6.5%) and 1988 (10%) the last years we took out a mortgage--although in the 1960s banks wouldn't figure the wife's income in the mix. WSJ had another story today in its series about the subprime market problems. Like the Tiger op ed piece I put into poetry a few days ago, this story uses an Hispanic family. There were a few details in the piece that I'll put at the beginning instead of the end:

When the Montes bought their house
they had little savings (no amount was given)
not-so-great credit (no information on score)
were eating out as a family twice a week
paying $70 a month for piano lessons for one daughter
planning college for the other
taking vacations in Lake Tahoe
had 2 car loans (make and model not given)

When they got the home loan
they didn't read the small print
there is a prepayment penalty--$12,000 before 3 years
didn't realize their property taxes would jump $3,000 because of the new valuation based on their purchase price
they got a 2/28 loan, which means it can reset after 2 years for as much as 30% more in the payment amount when it floats to fixed for 28 years
their payment on the 2/28 was $3,200 a month, not adding in the increase in property taxes
their mortgage, which was actually 2 loans, covered only the interest, which means they were not building equity

I'm guessing that a person with the discipline to have a good credit rating and a savings account would have started putting money back immediately by eliminating the restaurant meals and vacations and piano lessons, knowing they had only two years before the crunch would come. But they didn't. They counted on refinancing the house, fantasizing that home values would continue to go up. They didn't, and the house is now worth less than they paid, plus they have no equity built up. They hope to hang on to the house by working some additional part time jobs and making the cuts they should have done two years ago.

Fortunately, God looks at the heart,

not the results. While driving to Wal-Mart today to buy a new computer mouse, baby aspirin, Dixie cups, and deodorant, I was listening to a commercial on WJR Detroit urging people to buy book bags for 3500 homeless kids filled with school supplies and hygiene items. To listen to the enthusiasm of the voice overs on the commerical, you would think that this was all it took to turn a kid around--an $18 bag of school goodies. There may never be public school programs to teach young girls that they need to respect themselves enough to finish high school and be married before they make babies, or young boys that they should keep their pants zipped, turn off the music and get a job, but there will always be book bags.

4054

Poetry Thursday--a betrayal of trust

Last week I took a writing class at the Rhein Center here in Lakeside with Patricia Mote. One of our assignments was to write an editorial, poem or song lyrics about a fallen person in public life--a president, sports figure or celebrity. I chose Bob Taft (Robert A. Taft, II), our former two-term governor of Ohio, who by the end of his term was ranked 50th of the 50 governors.

He bears one of the most famous names in American politics--Taft. His Taft fore bearers have included a president, senators, supreme court judges, secretaries of war, as well as state politicians. He left office entangled in an ethics scandal (quite mild by standards of other politicians), and he and his wife went to Africa where he had served in the Peace Corps as a young man. He will be at the University of Dayton this fall.

Poor Bob Taft
by Norma Bruce

Gone are the days when our Taft name was strong and great.
Gone are my state house friends who also met my fate.
Gone from Columbus to far off Tanzania,
Peace Corps memories and far off Tanzania.

I'm going, I'm going, this life is still a draft--
I read the Zogby ethics polling, poor Bob Taft.

Why do I weep so, it can now not be improved,
George Bush is my eleventh cousin once removed,
And I'm the ninth cousin of Richard Bruce Cheney;
Yes, in my family, Vice President Cheney.

I'm going, going, before I get too daft--
I hear the ethics charges tolling poor Bob Taft.

4053

Lakeside 80 years ago

On my bookshelves at our summer cottage is the Lakeside on-Lake-Erie Season 1927 program. I think I bought it several years ago at a yard sale. On p. 7 there is a photo of a man doing a high dive and I think it is Frank Thompson, for whom the baby pool here is dedicated. He taught generations of little Lakesiders to swim, and built our house in the 1940s which we purchased from his widow.

"Hundreds of people are looking to Lakeside to provide for tem a happy vacation. People will not be disappointed, for Lakeside is full of promise for another splendid season. Physically, many improvements have been made which will have the hearty commendation of our patrons. The grounds have been improved; trees, flowers, and shrubbery have been planted; and a more beautiful Lakeside is on the way.

The program for the season is a good one. The Chautuqua program has been carefully built, and men and women of genius and power have been secured to appear upon our platform. Lakeside is a platform of the open mind where authoritative speakers are welcomed."

The main speaker the week of July 1 (opening week) was Dr. William A. Ganfield, president of Carroll College in Waukesha, WI. He was a former Presbyterian Minister who also ran for Senate against Robert LaFollette. That week he spoke on "Is the world doomed to starve," "The next step in American progress," and "Saving the day for the U.S.A." There were daily band concerts in the park, and the Inskeep Players performed "Other People's Money," and "The Mender;" also available--Pathe news reel, a 2 piano recital, 4 reading recitals by Jeannette Kling, performances by the Vintons, father and son, orchestral preludes in the auditorium (Hoover hadn't yet been built), and various youth choirs that opening week. Each week had wonderful programming, just like today.

During the season there was not only the Chautauqua Assembly, but a conference for the Congregationalists and the Lutherans, the WCTU, School of Foreign Missions, the German Methodists, the Epworth League, a horseshoe tournament, science week, a junior tennis tournament, a music week, and a Shakespeare Day.

In 1927 you could reach Lakeside via the Steamer Chippewa from Sandusky and Cedar Point, or the Lakeside and Marblehead Railroad, connecting with the New York Central at Danbury. There was an auto ferry Sandusky to Lakeside and a trolley between Toledo and Lakeside for $1.50 round trip. Everyone over age 10 had to have a ticket within Lakeside, which were $.25 a day for adults, or $5.00 for the season. Automobiles were $.10 daily, or $3.00 a season. Clergy and family got in for half price.

Well, the prices have certainly changed.

4052

Can you say No?

Some people have a problem saying or hearing the word NO. I think it is the first word children say, either because they hear it so often or because it is short and easy to say. So why is it, that people have such a problem with it later in life? My mother, God bless her, had a problem with that word. Her favorite phrase was, "We'll see." That just put off the inevitable, but she didn't get into trouble with it. I didn't follow her example. In fact, it drives me crazy when people aren't honest about wanting to say NO, so they just lead you on until it is too late to make other plans, or you've moved on only to find out later something else was about to happen.



So here's how I'd do it--how to say NO.

1. To a request to bake a cake for a fund raiser/good cause. I say, "NO, if you needed a pie, I'd gladly help out, but I don't do cakes. If you'll accept store-bought or bakery, I'll do it." I never say, "Let me get back to you on that." I'm 67 years old and I think I should know the answer to this one--you'll love my pie, and pass on my cake.

2. To a request to join yet another organization. I say, "NO, I already belong to two small groups and that's about my limit. I don't want to add anything else to my calendar." However, I do say YES if it's a short term task with a beginning and end in sight, but that has to be clarified. Also, I can spot "empire building" from 50 yards, so don't even ask if that's your intent.

3. To a request for a dinner date with my husband for Thursday if we already have plans for Friday and Sunday. I say "NO, sweety, those extra calories don't bother you one bit, but I don't want them." I'm probably the only wife who says NO to a dinner out, but you gotta do what you gotta do, or else walk an extra 5 miles a day!

4. To a request for a donation. I say, "NO, we tithe to our church and contribute to several community organizations we believe in. We have met our limit for this year."

5. To a request to help in my professional area of expertise. I say "NO, I believe that level of support deserves an employee and not a volunteer. Have you considered hiring someone?"

6. To a request to join a committee. I usually say NO, but there are exceptions. You don't ever want to appoint me Chair, because I'll dissolve the committee.

7. To a request to borrow money. Usually this is NO, but we have helped out our children occasionally, and other relatives if we know they haven't been irresponsible. My parents loaned us the downpayment for our first house, loaned me money to finish college and financed a car for us, so I had help, too--in my early 20s. Dad would set up payments with interest. However, don't ever loan money that you can't offer as a gift, or you might be disappointed and don't use it as a means to control behavior. The relationship is more important than the money. You just create hard feelings by making people indebted to you. Once we gave money to one of my husband's relatives because we knew a loan was out of the questions--he would have never paid it back.

8. To a request to babysit or help in the church nursery. Can't think that any one would ask this today, but in the past, I always caught a cold. Babies and toddlers are crawling with germs for which I have no immunity. Wording this NO is tricky, however, or you do sound like a meany. Honesty would be best so they can call the next name on the list.

My mother did give me some advice on saying NO, although I don't usually follow it. She suggested, in her dear, nonconfrontational way, that I at least look like I'm thinking about the request before I say NO.

When my daughter was in elementary school, the teacher sent home a grade report that said something to the effect that she had an overdeveloped sense of NO. Good girl. A woman after my own heart.

4051

Remembering labor

Normally, I never think about labor--not the paycheck, but the kind that has a baby at the end of the effort. You really do forget it almost as soon as they place the baby in your arms. But when I read about it, somehow it all comes back, and I have a feeling that most women wouldn't see it the way this writer does.

4050

Memorials at Lakeside

Some light the way with period sensitive street lamps, this one in remembrance of Hazel and Wendell Lutes, Sr. who may have strolled along the lakefront holding hands.

This one preserves flowers found only on our peninsula, the Lakeside Daisy, in memory of Daisy Foster.

The 19th century bell from the old bell tower on the lakefront was taken out of storage and restored in memory of Robert and Olive Pekar a few years back.

We're all enjoying the fine landscaping at the Hoover Auditorium in memory of Marian and Hurst Anderson.


The Steele Memorial allows us wonderful times for evening vespers, Sunday afternoon band concerts and weddings. It was built in 1979 for the memory of Fritz and Karilyn Steele, who died in an auto accident, by his parents with additional upgrading provided by Mary Corbett in 1995.


The Fountain Inn was expanded and beautified by donations by the Warner and Wolf families.

Almost every park bench and tree has a memorial plaque, this one for the Martins.


We can hardly remember what we did for fun before 2000 and the opening of the Rhein Center where families draw, paint rocks, create pottery, make kites, write poetry and knit and crochet and hundreds of other crafts. This building was closed for many years, but was transformed as a wonderful memorial to C. Kirk Rhein, Jr. who lost his life on TWA Flight 800 in 1996.

When I walk by a plaque, I stop and read it--and say thank you.

4049

Maybe he could take up golf

Lionel Tiger is an anthropologist who sees himself as an economist when he writes for the op ed page in the WSJ. I see him as a poet, because his writing about the subprime mess is so obscure and squishy, it just screams for the pages of Poetry. In today's piece he writes movingly of Maria (note the Hispanic, i.e. working class allusion) and her home loan problems. Tiger says that the savings and investment industry is built on optimism and overestimates--by all parties, but the blame when that goes awry does not go to Maria, however. Here's where I see the poetry.

Blame
by Norma Bruce
based on Lionel Tiger's essay

For Allen who
never checked Maria's paperwork,
who assumed because she had a heartbeat
she was both
fine and subprime
all at once and
he didn't give a damn.

For the companies who
lurked outside
the gated-city building sites
promising the moonlight
on the deck
for just a little
overestimate please.

For the regulators who
couldn't follow
the trail of crumbs
leading from an
intimate overestimate
by a hopeful Maria
for a humble bungalow.

For the massive banks of Paris who
decided to close
their cash windows
and take
a long lunch
just when Maria comes
to refinance.

For the rating agencies who
are largely paid by the
companies they rate
[without a word to condemn the social scientists
who urged the high-risk, poor-credit workers
before they were ready,
to grab for the American dream.]

Read about banking on illegal immigrants, and see how business, the federal government loop holes and do-gooders work together, but we the people will pay.

4048

I should feel sorry for her,

but I don't. She's working 80 hours a week to meet her mortgage payment, which was an ARM and she couldn't get refinancing in today's fearful market for a fixed mortgage. So why doesn't my heart bleed for her? Her mortgage payment is $8,200 month, and she owns 2 acres of prime real estate in Marietta, GA, which she wanted assessed at $1 million to secure a loan, but the bank said, $900,000 tops [story in today's WSJ].


The number one rule of economics that every child should be taught in school is, "All bubbles burst." Give every senior on the last day in high school a cup of sudsy water and a wire wand, ask them to swish it and blow. Tell them to watch the pretty bubbles float, admire to colors, laugh at their classmates' antics. Then watch the bubbles pop--every single one will pop. Remind them that they are watching the real estate market, or the stock market, or their current love interest or their chosen career aspirations. It could be as valuable as a typing course and about as exciting.

Monday Memories--Is there life after high school

I saw this meme over at Big Mama. She's been out of high school 18 years, so her memories are a little fresher than mine--I've just had my 50th high school reunion. Well, not the 50th reunion, but you know what I mean.

1. Who was your best friend? My best friend Tina moved to Florida after our junior year. We both lived on Hannah Ave. and would walk to school together, stopping for Kay and Priscilla on the way (probably a 2 mile walk, and longer for her). We also double dated a lot. Lynne's best friend got married that year and left school, so Lynne and I started hanging out together, and we still correspond and see each other when I go home to visit family.

With Lynne and Sylvia in 1999


2. Did you play any sports? Not so you could recognize them. Those were pre-Title 9 days, and in Illinois, there were no competitive sports for women. We did have GAA which allowed us to wear uniforms not seen since my mother's college days. Katie, our PE teacher, was a guest at our reunion in July. What that poor woman had to put up with.

3. What kind of car did you drive? Anything my Dad owned, and he changed cars rather than change oil. I love those 50s cars. I had a boyfriend from Polo that had a 1953 royal blue Plymouth with dual pipes--unbelieveably sweet and loud--the car, not him.

4. It’s Friday night. Where were you? With my friends of course, usually at a slumber party after a school athletic event. Or it seems that way in my memory. I was part of a "birthday group" (clique) of 12 girls, and so we'd have at least 12 parties a year, pretty mild by today's teen standards. No boys. Lots of food. Presents. Occasional picnics. Movies.

5. Were you a party animal? See #4.
Christmas Party 1954
6. Were you considered a flirt? Oh yes.

7. Were you in the band, orchestra or choir? Yes. I played first chair trombone, and sang in girl's chorus, and whatever that smaller group was called.

8. Were you a nerd? That word hadn't been invented yet, but I was an A student. A brain who didn't study all that hard, and I really paid for that when I got to college and didn't have good study habits. I took all the college prep-courses except Algebra II. I had the classic math anxiety syndrome that afflicts many girls (or I was just dumb in math), although that term wasn't invented yet either.

9. Were you ever suspended or expelled? Heavens no! I just got the "we're so disappointed that a young woman of your talent and potential would behave like this" lecture from the principal.

10. Can you sing the fight song? I think we sing it or hum it at our reunions. One year--1987?--the reunion committee brought along band instruments and everyone in the band had to try to play the school fight song. What a hoot. I couldn't even find F on the trombone, let alone play anything.

11. Who was your favorite teacher? For a small school, we had some great teachers and an excellent administration. Warren Burstrom was memorable--managed to get me through physics and chemistry. He was a graduate of Luther College in Iowa. He later went on to teach at a junior college. His wife had been my 8th grade teacher, and she was excellent too, although I think my class was her first and we probably made her regret choosing that career.

12. What was your school mascot? Our school name was so odd, we didn't need a mascot.

13. Did you go to the Prom? All four years. Three proms with the same date.

14. If you could go back, would you? No, at this age, they'd think I wandered in from the retirement home which is next door. Our high school has merged with our biggest rival, much to the grief of the alumni.

15. What do you remember most about graduation? I had to give a speech. I still nearly pass out in front of an audience. I've got it here somewhere on my blog.

16. Where were you on Senior Skip Day? We didn't do such things, at least not as a class, but I think we did the next worst thing for the 1950s--wore jeans to school one day in the last month of our high school career.

17. Did you have a job your senior year? Yes. I worked at Zickuhr's Drug store and the town library, and also filled in during the summer if I was home, which wasn't often. I was thrifty (tight), and had saved enough for my first year of college.

18. Where did you go most often for lunch? To the school cafeteria.

19. Have you gained weight since then? Yes, about 10 lbs. Several times. But it has rearranged itself. Some of my measurements are the same--my right thigh is now what my waist was in high school.
20. What did you do after graduation? I went to Manchester College in North Manchester, IN after a summer in Brethren Volunteer Service in Fresno, CA. Then I transferred to the University of Illinois to study Russian.




21. What year did you graduate? 1957. There's a song about that by the Statler Brothers, "The class of '57 had its dream," or something like that.

And the class of '57 had its dreams,
Oh, we all thought we'd change the world with our great works and deeds.
Or maybe we just thought the world would change to fit our needs,
The class of '57 had its dreams.

22. Who was your Senior Prom Date? My boyfriend. He had to come home from colllege, but he made the sacrifice. Neither one of us knew how to dance, but we did go to them often.
This is the 1956 prom
23. Are you going/did you go to your 10 year reunion? I didn't make it to the 10 year, but did get to most of them. In 1967 we had just moved to Ohio from Illinois, and it is about a 10 hour drive to get there.

If you liked this memory meme, tag, you're it.

4046

Blogging blues

The laptop failed again. Very frustrating. So I'm back in the hotel lobby at the desk meant for little people, or the intention that you not stay long because of leg cramps.

Last night's program at Hoover Auditorium in Lakeside was Mike Albert, the big-E, an Elvis impersonator. I think this is the 5th or 6th time I've seen him over the years, and he's really a dynamic performer. He said it was the 9th performance in 10 days, but the show didn't get out until 10:45, so he always gives a lot. I wore my autographed scarf which he'd given to my son to give to me when he'd been to his shop in Columbus, maybe 2 years ago. Last night he had his own mother on the stage--said they'd sing together when he was young, and they did a little harmonizing for the audience.


Yesterday I wrote about silly things reported in the press about political candidates and mentioned Obama's church, Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. Last night at the program I was reading this week's (issue no. 10) Lakesider, and see that the Chaplain of the week is Otis Moss III, pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. It says he got a BA in Religion and Philosophy from Morehouse College, was a track and field athlete, then went to Yale where he got a Master of Divinity degree with a concentration in Ethics and Theology. Then it was on to Denver to pursue a PhD in Religion and Social Change. It says he created the Issachar Movement (I used to get a newsletter from them, I think).

See? I blog. They come.

I usually go to the Lakefront service at 8:30 on Sunday, not the one with the Chaplain of the Week in Hoover. In my life time I've heard so many liberal sermons I could probably preach one myself.

4045

Ellen Goodman is just reporting what I said three years ago

There is a dearth of women bloggers who discuss politics, economics, academe, etc. That's one of the reasons I started setting up group links for women in my left hand column. But then women began running away with the stats--gossip, children, decorating, kitchens, memes, book reviews, crafts, religion and so forth. Now about half of all blogs are written by women. They are great blogs, but the men are trampling us when it comes to having any influence in the blogsphere.

The New Republic's Jonathan Chait recently called the netroots "the most significant mass movement in US politics since the rise of the Christian right." In fact, they've amplified the antiwar, anti-Bush views, become an alternative fund-raising operation, and linked cyberliberals across the country. . . Nevertheless, there is another, less flattering way in which broadband has followed broadcast and the liberal political bloggers mimic the conservative talk-show hosts. The chief messengers are overwhelmingly men -- white men, even angry white men. . . Only 7% of the influential blogs are written by women.

Ellen, if you'd been reading me instead of the Daily Kook, you could have sounded this alarm much sooner.

You could have started by reading the writing credits and articles about start-ups in Wired where all things e- appear. WSJ reported in June "all things digital" featuring five movers and shakers. One was a woman--she has a gossip site (actually she's an executive of Time, Inc., but still, gossip?). Brad and Angelina can pull in 17.5 million page views, and I'm betting on the gender of the readers.

The digital network world is about 99% mortared with testosterone, and that includes influential blogs--you must have really stretched it to find 7%. But you probably weren't reading blogs by women, and especially not a conservative blog. And we all started on level ground this time. Women could have written about topics other than "my mean boss," diaper brands, American Idol and shoes, but they write about what they talk about after work and when the kids have gone to bed, and that ain't politics. Some of the "mommy blogs" (are there really 11 million?) have the best writing you'll ever read--great recipes, too--but other than American Daughter, Amy Ridenour, Baldilocks, Neo-Neocon or women who already were writing professionally like Joanne Jacobs, Michelle Malkin and Jane Galt, no candidate will even give them a glance.

Read Ellen Goodman in the Boston Globe leftist to her tippy toes, but right about this--there is no diversity in the progressive/leftist blogosphere.

4044

Dogs on board

I've seen silly things for which to criticize politicans, but these are scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Did you know that 25 years ago Mitt Romney's dog road rode in a dog carrier strapped on top of the car to transport the dog from Boston to Canada? Have the critics never seen a dog with his head hanging out a car window, or poking through the roof of a car, or enjoying a ride in a pick-up truck bed?

Or how about this one. Barack Obama's church, Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago) affirms its ties with the African motherland. Hello! Does the critic not know that the Lutheran synods were all ethnic, or that there is still a very large Hungarian Lutheran church in Cleveland? Obama's father was in fact an African. If anyone should belong to a church with ties to Africa, he should.

I've seen more criticism of Hillary Clinton for having heavy legs than for her plan to socialize medicine (or that she denies she wants to). What does the size of her legs have to do with her ability to declare war or lie to the electorate?

Rudy Giuliani didn't spend enough time getting dust in his lungs after 9/11. Oh please. There are a lot of skeletons in his family closet, let's look a bit deeper, OK?

You Belong in Fall

Intelligent, introspective, and quite expressive at times... You appreciate the changes in color, climate, and mood that fall brings Whether you're carving wacky pumpkins or taking long drives, autumn is a favorite time of year for you

What Season Are You?

I Scored a 100%!

I found these at UK Bookworm, another Thursday Thirteener. She has homeschooled and reviews children's books.

4043

Addiction in 6th graders

My son began smoking in adolescence, so a recent article in Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 2007;161:704-710 didn't surprise me.

10% of children had cravings for nicotine within 2 days of the first inhalation of cigarette smoke

More than 70% of the inhalers had cravings before they were smoking every day



"Results: Among the 217 inhalers, 127 lost autonomy over their tobacco use, 10% having done so within 2 days and 25% having done so within 30 days of first inhaling from a cigarette; half had lost autonomy by the time they were smoking 7 cigarettes per month. Among the 83 inhalers who developed ICD-10–defined dependence, half had done so by the time they were smoking 46 cigarettes per month. At the interview following the onset of ICD-10–defined dependence, the median salivary cotinine concentration of current smokers was 5.35 ng/mL, a level that falls well below the cutoff used to distinguish active from passive smokers."

"Lost autonomy"--interesting phrase, isn't it? He told me one time that he believes he was "hooked" after the first cigarette--sometime around 13 or 14. If you are a smoker, chances are your kids will be too, but it doesn't always work that way. My husband's parents were both chain smokers. Neither he nor his sister liked it and didn't smoke; another brother did. This means he had inhaled the equivalent of 102 packs of cigarettes by the time he was 5 years old. My father smoked until I was about 9, but my sisters and I didn't. Neither my husband nor I smoke, but our son can't break the habit.

I really shudder when I see teens smoking; we were walking behind a group the other night along the lakefront--the oldest being about 16. They just have no idea of the cost and health problems heading their way. They might as well be setting dollar bills on fire and tossing them into Lake Erie.

4042

Let's investigate Congress and the gas tax

Can you believe the liberals? Another "fund" for them to squander?

The Democratic chairman of the House Transportation Committee proposed a 5-cent increase in the 18.3 cents-a-gallon federal gasoline tax to establish a new trust fund for repairing or replacing structurally deficient highway bridges. CNN

Yes, liberals were horrified that Bush told the truth about where our highway and bridge repair money has gone--into the home states of the Congress people who control it. It goes to the states--let's have a special investigation. Maybe the media could even do it's job and sniff this one out--maybe bloggers like the Daily Kook could do some good for a change. Repair and maintenance isn't sexy and it doesn't get you votes--Democrats or Republicans. Every home owner knows it is critical is maintaining the value of your home. Why are we so naive when it comes to demanding accountability for the millions we give Congress for our transportation needs? Look what was being said just two years ago:

For every dollar we Alaskans pay in at-the-pump gas taxes, we get $6.60 back, thanks to you generous, unwitting donors.

According to Taxpayers for Common Sense, a non-partisan watchdog group in Washington, that breaks down to $1,150 for every Alaskan in "earmark" funding for in-state projects alone, 25 times what the average American garners for his or her home state.

How could this be? Alaska is so rich that residents not only pay no state income tax, but we get individual yearly checks as our share of the oil wealth. Why should your gas taxes, which are supposed to fill potholes in your local interstate or repair your decaying bridges, end up so far from home?" Nick Jans, USAToday

Alaskans aren't the only ones bringing home the pork, but we need a full scale investigation before we give the federal government one more penny at the pump. We've got failing bridges here in Ohio, but you should see the list earmarked just for Cuyahoga County (Cleveland)--$850 million for a convention center, a juvenile justice center, a correctional facility, and a county administration building. That is NOT transportation money, but it is tax money--and that's just one county.

If Americans fall for this line, we deserve the Congress we've elected.

4041

Friday Family Photo

We all know who we are here--about a month ago, taken in Illinois during the 4th get together, with my brother's daughter and granddaughter at my sister's kitchen table.

4040

Napping on the floor

Isn't this a great photo over at A Chelsea Morning. I don't know who Cameron is, probably a grandchild, but the floor is one of my favorite spots to nap. Sometimes the cat joins me. All I need is about 10 minutes, and I feel one coming on. . .

4039

Classes at the Rhein Center

Last night the instructors at the Rhein Center in Lakeside had a pitch-in/covered dish dinner. Families also attend, so I brought a home baked pizza and a sugar-free raspberry/chocolate pie, because my husband teaches Perspective Drawing. I did sign up on Sunday for two classes (creative writing and a watercolor workshop), but after seeing the opportunities, I wish I'd made a little more effort, especially since it has rained almost every day. For instance, while we explored a delicious vegetable casserole that arrived late, I chatted with Christine Grimm who taught basic metal clay. I didn't even know such a thing existed, and you should see the jewelry that is created in that class. Here's the description:

Using clay that turns to 99.9% pure silver when fired, "we will start out small, making a pendant with basic techniques that can be used anywhere, anytime, without a kiln." The instuctor provided all the tools and materials (fee $20) to make a ring and a 16" necklace.

And then I also chatted with Barb Hall, whom I'd seen during the week at the next table. She has made and flown kites all over the world. She was a real Pied Piper with the children, and also teaches archery. She has been flying kites for over 18 years and has won awards for her hand made kites at a number of festivals. She is the president of the Central Florida Cloud Chasers. In her classes children 7-adult made kites from Tyvek, parachutes with a jumping firefighter, and an airplane from a foam plate. Class materials were $2-$5. She also told us about a wonderful, inexpensive home sharing/bed and breakfast service for travelers over 50, Evergreen Club. For an annual fee and $15 a night, travelers can stay in the homes of fellow members. And there are all sorts of pottery, ceramics, and porcelain classes--lots of clay being thrown on the wheels of the Rhein Center.

4038

Looking for horses

Whether you enjoy medicine, images from old documents or photographs, you will lose yourself in the Wellcome Images website. When I try out a new database, I usually use the keyword or subject, "horses," and am rarely disappointed.

L0044105 Credit: Wellcome Library, London 3 children dressed up as the wise men bow down before the infant Jesus Christ, lying on a pillow under a large yellow star as part of their Christmas celebrations. A child on a sledge and a steaming samovar of tea are below that and a sleigh drawn by two black horses by a man with a long white beard is at the bottom of the card. 1890s

From: Russia

By: Thomas Holloway (Firm)

Published: Thomas Holloway,London : 1890s Size: 13 cm.

Collection: General Collections

Library reference no.: EPHEPH367A

Full Bibliographic Record Link to Wellcome Library Catalogue

“Teachers, students, academics and the public can now download and use images depicting 2,000 years of mankind and medicine for free, thanks this newly launched website from the Wellcome Trust.

Launched on 15 June 2007, 'Wellcome Images' is the world's leading source of images on the history of medicine, modern biomedical science and clinical medicine. All content has been made available under a Creative Commons Licence, which allows users to copy, distribute and display the image, provided the source is fully attributed and it is used for non-commercial purposes.
Wellcome Images is constantly updated with new clinical, and biomedical and historical images from the Wellcome Library, Europe's leading resource for the study of history of medicine which recently re-launched as part of the new and forthcoming Wellcome Collection.” From news release

After practicing a bit I found that sometimes a bit of specificity works better than general, for instance, using "rose" or "lily" instead of "flower" brought up many additional images, although not what I might have expected. Still, a wonderful site for browsing.

Dog roses illustrating a page from the Psalms.

Lily feet, what they called the deformed and mangled tiny feet of Chinese women.

All images here are from the Wellcome Collection.