Leap with me now!

It only happens once every four years, unless it's a century, but not if it's divisible by 4 (don't get me started on the complexities of calendar science.)

2008 gets an extra day, February 29th, as a correction of the calendar to line up with the earth's rotation around the sun. It's a Leap Year.

It's a very special Leap Year at that. My friend Barb Haig writes:

Only in a LEAP YEAR and only on LEAP DAY can there be a fifth Friday in February! The last time there were five Fridays in February was in 1980 and the next time it will occur is in 28 years or in 2036. Even more rare is having Easter fall early enough to make them ALL a fish fry Friday. The next time this will happen is in the year 2160 or 152 years from now!!!

Come celebrate these quirky facts by picking up a carry-out fish fry this Friday, between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the St Sebastian School Cafeteria, on Hawley Road and Washington Boulevard on Milwaukee’s west side.

I also heard about an interesting movement that wants us to change our calendars to 13 months of 28 days each, with an extra day each year for New Years Day, and another extra day every 4 years to cover the Leap phenomenon. It gives me a headache to think about it, but if you're daring, why not give it a try HERE.

The biggest upside of a 13 month calendar, is that each month has 4 weeks, and the dates and days of the week are always the same i.e. the 1st of the month is always a Sunday.

Perhaps President Obama will be able to bring this issue to the world stage.

Green Thursday: How Green is Your Candidate

The League of Conservation Voters recently issued its National Environmental Scorecard for 2007. Legislators receive a score from zero to 100, which reflects the percentage of their pro-environment votes. If they miss a vote, it counts as an "anti" environment vote. For the 2007 report, the league counted 15 votes in the Senate, analyzing how politicians voted on fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks, renewable energy, policies for oil refineries, offshore drilling, liquid coal, the farm bill, oil subsidies, global warming, clean air, wolf recovery, family planning and other legislation. Here's how the three leading Presidential Candidates and their voting records stack up:

Hillary Clinton scored a 73, but had a perfect pro-environment record on the 11 issues she voted on. In previous league reports, she scored between 88 and 92.

Barack Obama had a 67, down from his 96 in the previous session. He missed three of the 15 votes used in the report. Of the 12 issues he did vote on, he voted anti-environment just once when he voted against establishing a Water Resources Commission that would prioritize water resource projects nationally.

John McCain scored a zero. He missed all 15 votes that counted. In the past he's ranged from a 6 to a 56.

I will give John McCain credit for his support of the planet, which only enrages the extreme conservative base. Here's what he said in a speech this morning at the James Baker Institute at Rice University in Houston; “Suppose we who believe climate change is taking place are wrong, and we go ahead and develop these new technologies– hybrid cards, wind power, solar, tide energy, ways at reducing and eliminating greenhouse gases. Suppose that we are wrong, and do this, all that we’ve done that is given our children a cleaner planet. Suppose that we are right, and we do nothing, the answer is obvious.”

No wonder the conservatives hate him.

Every Green Thursday we post information vital to the survival of the planet.

Can You Tell Me How To Get To Avenue Q?

Broadway is in Milwaukee through Sunday, March 2! Charmaine and I were guests of the Marcus Center for "AVENUE Q." It is the story of Princeton, a bright-eyed college grad who comes to New York City with big dreams and a tiny bank account. He soon discovers that the only neighborhood in his price range is Avenue Q; still, the neighbors seem nice. There's Brian the out-of-work comedian and his therapist fianceé Christmas Eve; Nicky the good-hearted slacker and his roommate Rod -- a Republican investment banker who seems to have some sort of secret; an Internet addict called Trekkie Monster; and a very cute kindergarten teaching assistant named Kate. And would you believe the building's superintendent is Gary Coleman?!? (Yes, that Gary Coleman.) Together, Princeton and his newfound friends struggle to find jobs, dates, and their ever-elusive purpose in life.

What's really neat about the show is the characters are muppets! After 5 minutes, you don't even realize the real actors are on-stage.

"Avenue Q" is also a bit naughty, dealing with adult themes and language, and really is not appropriate for younger children. If you decide to take your teenager, they'll think you're really cool. Here's the link to get tickets.



Did I mention it won the Tony Award? Here's the cast on the broadcast.

Heck, they even took a typical LipsYard swipe at President Bush in the closing number. My kinda show!

Where is Spring

The fresh snow sure is pretty, but enough already! I'm ready for Spring. I long to sit out on the screen porch listening to the birds.

Can't you hear the loveseat glider calling from the basement; "Come rock with me in the breeze of the day."

I'm antsy for the election to be over and the rebuilding of America to begin. Couldn't we just declare the Democrats the winner and form a coalition government of Hillary and Barack? Must we endure another 10 months! Maybe I'll just hold my breath until I get my way.

Sowing the seeds of Spring

Over the past couple of weeks, another sure sign of Spring has been arriving in our mailbox: Seed Catalogs!

Charmaine is is the final planning stages of the LipsYard gardens, both vegetable and floral. This is accomplished by laying out all the magazines on the dining room table, envisioning what we want to plant...

...then checking against what seeds still remain from last year. Our order will be ready to go in a week or so.

It was 5 years ago that the Bush Administration, prodded by the Neocons, was sowing the seeds of war against Iraq, leading up to the March invasion. Chances of a long, drawn out affair were "pooh-poohed" by Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, who predicted the entire project "... could last six days, six weeks. I doubt six months."

Sometimes you have to be careful what seeds you sow.

A Spider Plant Haiku

Spiders duplicate
While winter outdoors rages
Will one be yours soon

Sometimes you just need a little poetry. I wrote the one above for our very healthy spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum.)

The Haiku is a fun little word puzzle. So simple, yet so complex.

five sylables

seven sylables

five sylables

Here's one I just wrote about the election

Barack Obama

maybe Hillary Clinton

but not John McCain

Green Thursday: Prozac in the water!

Have you cleaned out the medicine cabinet lately? The old advice was to flush expired or un-needed medications down the toilet. Not anymore. Small amounts of antibiotics, anti-depressants, veterinary drugs, birth control hormones and ibuprofen have been detected in waterways across the United States. Research suggests that the hormones found in pharmaceuticals may cause abnormalities in the reproductive cycles of fish. Antibiotics that are present may also lead to the development of drug-resistant germs, which are linked to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. More research still needs to be done to determine the effects of long-term human exposure, but the available research suggests that we need to keep medicines out of our waterways.

Putting unused or expired medications in the garbage is not ideal either. Keep in mind, when you throw medicine in the garbage, kids, pets and animals can still get into them or they could be stolen. Also, landfills can leak into the groundwater.

Many communities have collection days for old medicine, just like they do for hazardous wastes. You could also check with your pharmacist to see if they'll take care of it for you.

Every Green Thursday we post information for the good of the planet.

Under Cover of Darkness

We've seen the tracks during the day, but never the critter leaving them. Last night, we caught him in the act!

Mr. Bunny (Sylvilagus Transitionalis,) eating up bird seed around the base of the feeders.

He's also been doing some damage to the shrubs in the LipsYard, because the deep snow gets him up to the younger, tender tips of branches. Here he is, caught with our night vision camera, heading towards the Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana.)

Under cover of their own darknes: National Security, the Bush administration has slowly and methodically hacked away at our civil rights and liberties.

They have used every available statute to root out "the terrorists among us." Wrapping themselves in the flag, they have shredded the Constitution. They have ignored or defied the courts and legislatures that are designed to provide checks and balances on unbridled executive power.

They have eroded the Bill of Rights protections of free speech, assembly, and association and its assurances of privacy, due process, equal protection, legal counsel, and a fair trial, practically everything but the right to bear arms. No wait, they did that after Katrina.

In the name of combating terrorism, the government can now freeze the release of public records, monitor political and religious gatherings, and jail Americans indefinitely without trial and with legal representation. Bush and Cheney Inc. have established a climate that stifles dissent, and put laws in place enabling them to clamp down on those who ask too many questions. Waterboarding? No problem!

My fear is that as the spys among us get used to their unspurpassed freedom to snoop into our lives and private affairs, will a new administration be able, or willing, to pull back on the reins, and give this country back to the people?

Wisconsin Primary Day - The Beginning of the End

It was with true excitement that I drove up to Mukwonago Village Hall, our polling place for the Presidential Primary. The Bush Administration's end is at hand (see countdown clock to the right.) It has been a long slog, but the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter.

Do we need to continue this junta's policies? Sorry, John McCain, NO!

Do we need to rewrite the Constitution to fit a religion? Sorry, Mike Huckabee, NO!

We are ready for Change, Change, CHANGE!

I could have gone either way with Hillary and Barack, but in the end, chose the Obama bandwagon. It was conservative talk radio that swayed my vote. They seem to think that Mrs. Clinton would be easier to beat, so they were encouraging crossover voters to select her. I chose the candidate they are all afraid of.

Presidents Day

A picture says a thousand words. What does it say of our leader that he has to go all the way to Africa to find people that like him?

The main reason for his popularity is that the fund to combat AIDS he created in 2003 has spent more than $15 billion on the continent over the past five years. The fund is the largest international health initiative ever to fight a single disease, and Bush wants to double that amount to $30 billion over the next five years. Where is his compassion for those in his own country?

Tulips for my Valentine

Look what my sweetie gave her Valentine: Tulips for her Lips!

Although tulips (Tulipa gesneriana) are associated with Holland, both the flower and its name originated in the Persian Empire. The tulip is actually not a Dutch flower as many people tend to believe. The tulip, or "Laleh" as it's called in Persian, is a flower indigenous to Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey and other parts of Central Asia. The name tulip is from the Latin word “dulband,” or turban. (I'm sure that will make it a favorite in the Bush Administration!)

Using his two lips to speak out of both sides of his mouth, Presidential candidate Senator John McCain wants to have it both ways; that he's a good ol' boy conservative Republican, but yet attractive to crossover liberal Democrats. I'm not sure how he thinks that staying in Iraq for as long as it takes has that liberal appeal, nor does his displeasure with the no-gay-marriage ammendment reach out to the Limbaugh coalition. Two lips indeed!

Newspaper carrier update: 1 month on

Every morning for the last month I've hesitantly padded up to the front door, said a little prayer, opened it, and as if heaven had heard; there it is, the paper, in the box by the porch.

This may not seem like a big deal, but up until a month ago, I used to retrieve the morning rag from the base of the driveway. All I had to do was appeal to the business sense of the delivery person, promising her $5 a month for putting the prize in the ugly green box by the front door. My neighbor, Jim, saw me in my jammies the other morning reaching for the paper, "Is it still working?" he shouted. "Yes!" I yelled back. "Incredible" came the volly as he picked up his paper from the street. I can't believe he's not on the 'ugly green box by your house' bandwagon.

On these mornings where we've had a dusting of snow, the moment of delivery is captured with her footsteps. Miracles do happen...

... at least that's what Mike Huckabee keeps telling everyone. On the issue of the newspaper being in the box every morning, I can agree with the candidate. On everything else he's espousing, I must respectfully pass.

From the Land of Lincoln

Happy Birthday, Honest Abe. Here's some facts about our 16th President.
Birthday: February 12, 1809
Birthplace: Hardin County, Kentucky

Height: 6'4"
College or University: none
Religion: Presbyterian (never joined any church)
Occupations: Clerk, Store Owner, Military, Lawyer
Military Rank: Captain
Married: (November 4, 1842) Mary Todd
Children: Robert Todd Lincoln, Edward Baker Lincoln, William Wallace Lincoln, Thomas Lincoln. Three sons predeceased Abraham in death.
Political Party: Republican
Runner Up: Stephen A. Douglas - George B. McClellan
Vice President: Hannibal Hamlin - Andrew Johnson
Age at Inauguration: 52
Served: 1861-1865
Number of terms : 2
Other Offices or Commissions: House of Representatives (Illinois - 1847-1849), State Legislature (Illinois 1834-1842), Postmaster of New Salem, Illinois
Died: April 15, 1865
Age at Death: 56
Place of Burial: Springfield, Illinois

Another product of the Illinois political scene, Barack Obama, is in our area, and I'm proud to say that my Mom and Dad will be yelling "Yes We Can!" at his rally in Racine tomorrow evening. I'm jealous because I've never met, or even seen a presidential candidate in person.

Here's some trivia about Barack Obama:

Birthday: August 4, 1961
Height: 6' 1½"
College or University: He studied law at Harvard University for three years. He also attended Columbia University, and attended Occidental College in California for two years.
Married: 1992 Michelle
Children: 2 daughters Malia and Sasha
Political Party: Democratic
Other Offices or Commissions: first elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1996, then re-elected in 2002, and to the U.S. Senate in 2004. Served on the Environment and Public Works Committee, the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and the Foreign Relations Committee.

Up and At 'em on The Morning Blend

An early sing-out for my quartet, "Ha!" on The Morning Blend on Channel 4. (l-r Mike, Jim, Lips, Grant) Click our picture to watch the video.

We were promoting Singing Valentines from our men's a cappella chorus, Midwest Vocal Express. Time for the shameless plug: you can get on for your sweetie, just check out the details at http://www.mve.org/

I'm still checking on Hillary's schedule for Valentine's Day. Maybe we could sing one for her.

Roof-rakin' Again

Our snow-drifted LipsYard house was so adorable after the big storm...

...it kinda looked like the houses the Smurfs lived in.

But when Mr. Icicle appeared in the front window, it was time for action.

I'm roof-raking again, and this stuff is deep and heavy.

Hey, who piled all that snow on the ground? Time to wheel out the snowblower.

No more Smurf house for us, and...

...no more roof raking until I get to the hardware store to replace the broken bolts. That was some heavy snow.

Blinded by the heavy snows of an election year, Congress can't spend our money fast enough. Both the House and Senate have approved a $150 billion economic stimulus package that pays us $600 a piece. The idea is to spend it, and stimulate economic growth. A new survey shows that we're not exactly going to follow the plan. $600 dollars per person, another $300 per kid. A new survey asked Americans what they would do with their tax rebate money:

• 43 percent said they would pay off debt
• 26 percent said they would put it into savings
• 24 percent said they would spend it

Not the stumulation they expected. No worries, just pile it on the skyrocketing National Debt, on top of the Iraq pile.

Green Thursday: Hope for the Future

What a snowstorm it was!

I can't remember the last time we had drifts over the edge of the house like this. It kind of looks like a Smurf house.

This is what we see out the front door!

Our storm was part of an intense weather system that spawned tornados down south that killed at least 55. Senator John Kerry blames the intense storms on climate change. The former Presidential candidate said, "...the weather service has told us we are going to have more and more intense storms. And insurance companies are beginning to look at this issue and understand this is related to the intensity of storms that is related to the warming of the earth. And so it goes to global warming and larger issues that we’re not paying attention to.”

With Mitt Romney dropping out of the race to the White House today, and given frontrunner John McCain's actual belief in Global Warming and the need to do something about it, no matter who gets elected in November, there's hope for the planet.

Every Green Thursday we post information vital to the survival of planet earth.