The Fiscal Cliff

"Something has gone terribly wrong when the biggest threat to our American economy is the American Congress.

-- Senator Joe Manchin III, Democrat of West Virginia

They are actually coming near to a deal on this 'fiscal cliff' drama, but there are only hours to go. The Republicans seem to be on the verge of accepting tax hikes for those who are making over $400,000 a year, but the House Republicans have balked at this compromise before, evidently preferring death over a single extra dollar taken in taxes from their plutocrat lords. If they fail, it is tax hikes for everybody and traumatic spending cuts across the board on the budget, and we are talking about an economy that is undernourished as it is. This could be a lot of pain and may even hit home.

the blurty-tweety mood

I've been out of the blurty-tweety mood for a while. I would kind of like to fall back into it.

I like to think that I have been too busy getting settled with my new routine with the Three Journal and all the book-blogging, and now that I am getting used to the load, I can return to the basics of my blogging life and blurt about the rain or the cold and on my sleeps and naps and terrible diet or about these bitchy cats, and stick to the essential man and the simple day.

All my other projects can be just time-fillers, something extra to do when I am feeling a little ambitious and I have some creative energy to burn.

Angelina Jolie Down and Dirty?

Whoa, there is a sex tape of Angelina Jolie? And from when she was younger?

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According to the National Enquirer, Brad Pitt is trying to buy an Angelina Jolie sex tape for $10 million so it’ll never see the light of day. He’s afraid that if the tape were to ever go public, it would scar their six children emotionally and psychologically. At the very least, Maddox, Pax and Knox are going to have a very confusing puberty.

“Brad’s out to protect the new image that Angelina has tried hard to build – A-list actress, dot­ing mother of six and UN human-rights crusader,” a source said.

“He’ll do whatever it takes to buy these pho­tos and track down the alleged sex tape.”

The tape was allegedly filmed during a “drug-fueled session” in 1999 at around the same time a friend took pictures of Angelina looking strung-out. According to whoever, Angelina was so high that she doesn’t know exactly what she did but it may have involved cutting and kinky sex.

-- ONTD

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Well, doesn't that just make your mouth water: Angelina getting freaky. But I am skeptical. How could anyone keep that a secret this long?

America really is mentally ill

Jessica Fiveash sees nothing wrong with arming teachers. She's one herself, and learned Thursday how to safely use her 9 mm Ruger with a laser sight.

"If we have the ability to stop something, we should do it," said the elementary school teacher, who along with nearly 200 other teachers in Utah took six hours of free gun training offered by the state's leading gun lobby.

-- LJ-News

America really is mentally ill. The nation is falling apart. And the rich just wall themselves off. It shouldn't be a wonder if I have fallen a little crazy myself.

Black-eyed peas?

Pop comes home from his rounds and complains that he couldn't find any black-eyed peas.

I'm surprised by the interests: "Black-eyed peas? I don't know what they taste like." Why the interest? I cannot recall black-eyed peas ever being a part of our grocery lists.

He says that you are supposed to have them on New Year's eve. Which is news to me. But it isn't just Pop.

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A staple in the Southern diet for over 300 years, black-eyed peas have long been associated with good luck. A dish of peas is a New Year's tradition in most areas of the South, thought to bring luck and prosperity for the new year.

-- About.com

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This is the first new years that I've heard Pop mention anything. I wonder if he picked it up from Lorie or Ms. Walker, or was reminded of it.

"Detachment"

How about some movie-blogging? I’ll only hit the hot spots.

“Detachment” is the latest movie of how there is a war in our classrooms for the future and teachers are on the frontlines fighting a losing battle. I think it is the best one yet, topping our last big offering, “Teachers” (1984) starring Nick Nolte. This one has more literary soul as well as a healthy helping of deviant sex.

In this scene, Lucy Liu is playing a guidance counsellor and she has a nervous meltdown dealing with a problem student.

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"Didn't you eat just a couple of hours ago?"

I want to prepare the ice trays and clean up after my dinner, but Pop is busy in the kitchen again. I ask him, "Didn't you eat just a couple of hours ago?"

He is in the mood for chalupas.

It's a lot of work. And he has a massive clean-up ahead of him. I would prefer that he were out of my way, but I guess I should be appreciative that he still has this much vitality and gumption. I wish he could be this way for another ten years, and maybe I will then see my way to a solution about what to do about my life when he is gone.

Random Pictures

The "Random Pictures" community has new rules:

1. Porn is now allowed.

If your post contains porn use an lj-cut and label your post as nsfw/porn.
Porn posts should and will be posted on their own. Do not mix porn with random images.

Limit your porn posts to once daily as to not clog the community.

So, 2013 is already looking a little better.

the new 2013 calendar

I hung up the new 2013 calendar on my bedroom door. I have not bothered trying to use a calendar for at least two years. I want to try to get back in the habit, to better make sure I stay on top of the 'trash days' and 'grocery days' and 'library days' and such.

Happy New Year and to Friends of Auld Lang Syne

Marilyn during the filming of The Misfits by Eve Arnold

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