Cap'n Bob & the Damsel

Lord Deliver Us

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. . . because SCOTUS will not. What has CJOTUS Roberts been smoking? A TAX !?!

Image: Bumper sticker seen at the bank today.

From The Liberty Counsel Website:

Supreme Court Upholds ObamaCare Individual Mandate as a Tax

Jun 28, 2012

Today, in a surprising 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court upheld the “individual mandate” of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, better known as “ObamaCare,” ruling that while the law exceeds Congress’s authority under the Commerce Clause, it is authorized under the Taxing and Spending Clause.

The largest and most unfair tax in United States history.

28 Jun 2012 by Beltway Kabuki Judiciary Whacko Politics

Courtyard Bird Feeder

feedbag.jpgWe brought one of the garden crook stands back from the California house last week. Bob installed it just outside of the courtyard in front of the house where we can see it from the great room.

The other feeders are on the hill behind the house on the far side of the RV drive. You have to be on the patio or look out the kitchen window to see those. With the warmer summer temperatures, we decided that we could do some bird watching from inside where it’s a lot cooler.

Image: Nijer seed feeder on the crook. Click to enlarge.

I had not known about Nijer seed feeders until my last dentist appointment. His office had one of these feeders outside the exam room window and it was covered with little goldfinches chowing down.

I looked up Nijer seed on the internet today. The seeds are grown in Asia and Africa and have to be imported. Because of “parasite seeds” from destructive weeds and such can accompany the Nijer seeds, the product must be heat and pressure treated before importation. I guess that’s why Nijer seed is a bit more expensive compared to other bird seed.

We have seen several goldfinches helping themselves in the morning and afternoon. We don’t see any at midday because of the warm temperatures. It was 108° here today (again).

27 Jun 2012 by Arizona Critters Environment Home & Garden

Nest Duty

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I took this photo of one of the curve-billed thrasher parents sitting in the nest today. Damsel peeked in the nest earlier and saw that the three eggs still had not hatched. The cholla where the bird is sitting is about 20 feet in front of the courtyard where I captured the image. Click to enlarge.

26 Jun 2012 by Arizona Critters Environment Photography

Medicare Premium Rate Going Up – A Lot

caduceus.gifI received the following information from a longtime friend and former colleague. His source was an administrator in the Blue Cross Health System. I did some double checking and made corrections based on previous and current medicare premiums.

Although this information is to the best of my knowledge, it may not be completely accurate. However, it reflects an over 250 percent increase from the 2010 to 2014 rate. The jump in the 2013 to 2014 rate alone is over 205 percent:

MEDICARE

For those of you who are on Medicare, read the following. It’s short, but important and you probably haven’t heard about it in the Mainstream News:

The per person Medicare Insurance Premium will increase from the 2010 Monthly Fee of $96.40, rising to:

$99.90 in 2012

$120.20 in 2013

And

$247.00 in 2014.

These are provisions incorporated in the Obamacare Legislation, purposely delayed so as not to confuse the 2012 Re-Election Campaigns. Seniors should know who’s throwing them under the bus.

It figures that the administration would stick it to seniors, a weak demographic for them. If you are like me, having paid into this Ponzi scheme, just like social security, over all the years, you will be outraged.

25 Jun 2012 by Beltway Kabuki Medix Whacko Politics

Voodoo Roses

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This bunch of “Voodoo” roses, consisting of orange and yellow hues, is in the vase today after we finished our trip to the supermarket. I don’t know how they got the “Voodoo” name, but they sure are pretty with the baby’s breath accent flowers. Click on the image to enlarge.

24 Jun 2012 by Flowers Home & Garden Photography

More Eggs in the Thrasher Nest

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Much to our surprise, there are three new eggs in the nest where we watched the curve billed thrashers fledge two chicks this spring. I was out in the front of the house taking pictures when I peeked in the nest in our cholla cactus and saw the eggs. In the photo, note the white strands of dental floss; we recycle our floss in the outdoors just for the reason that birds will build nests using string, floss and anything else they can find.

I’m not sure if thrashers raise multiple sets of chicks in a year; the bird book and Wikipedia were silent on that issue. We will be watching to see if these hatch in the next couple of weeks and get more pictures of thrasher chicks if we can. Click on the image to enlarge.

23 Jun 2012 by Arizona Critters Environment Photography

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