We have bird feeders in our back yard and try to keep them filled for the little birds, especially in the wintertime when foraging can be slim pickins. We were sitting on the swing in the backyard and I was taking shots of the birds at the feeder. This one little guy seemed to look over and acknowledge our benevolence – or maybe he was just getting ready to flit off to the birdbath.
Although she occasionally resembles parts of a horse’s anatomy, the latest entry into the Democratic presidential horserace is unqualified for the post. She is a secular progressive, soft on crime and anti-second amendment (wants to disarm you and me). Ms. Clinton is inconsistent on the War on Terror and a malicious person. You can expect her to commit back-stabbing throughout the Democratic race — it’s already started beginning with her attacks on Senator Obama, who, by the way, is no less a committed leftist than Clinton.
That was the weather here in Southern California today. We were doing errands — you know — the usual trip to get bargain ammo at our sporting goods outlet and the trip to the discount home supplies center for some garden and home supplies. When we visit the latter, I usually take my camera and photograph some of the nice flowers in the garden department. When I stepped outside, the Sun was just emerging from behind a cloud. A palm in the foreground made for a pleasant and pretty picture.
This is a really good indication that the United States Senate, in spite of the wafer-thin Democratic majority, will protect our First and Second Amendment rights. Here’s to the Congress following suit.
From NRA-ILA:
Bennett – McConnell Amendment Passes! NRA – ILA Grassroots Activism Protected
Fairfax, VA – The U.S. Senate has voted 55-43 to accept an amendment to S.A. 3, the “Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act”, removing a proposal that would have drastically limited the First Amendment rights of Americans in the political process. The Bennett – McConnell Amendment, offered by Sens. Robert Bennett (R-Utah) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), removes Section 220 that would have forced ordinary citizens to register with the federal government as “lobbyists,” with all the attendant restrictions, costs, and penalties.
“The First Amendment protects an unqualified ‘right of the people to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. That is one of the cornerstones of American politics.†said Chris W. Cox, chief lobbyist for the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA). “ Sec. 220 would have, for the first time in American history, severely regulated and restricted ‘the voluntary efforts of members of the general public to communicate their own views on an issue to Federal officials.’
“On behalf of 4 million NRA members and tens of millions of gun owners, hunters and sportsmen across the country, I want to thank Senators Robert Bennett and Mitch McConnell for their leadership in preserving political free speech for all,†concluded Cox. “We are also grateful to the 55 senators who voted for the Bennett – McConnell Amendment.â€
I had a chat with a colleague at work this morning about the recent snowfall in Malibu, California. He chuckled, “It’s the Gore effect,” and told me about an article he saw on Instapundit, “Wherever Al Gore goes, unusually low temperatures seem to follow.”
I read Instapundit’s article and found that the term “Gore effect” has actually made it into the Urban Dictionary.
My colleague and I had a good chuckle over that.
Having heat or cold spells is hardly unusual — it’s just the way things go. Long term temperature and climate effects are in the domain of the Sun’s behavior and there is little we can do about that. Short term phenomena will average out to the global mean annual temperature — which seems to be cooling off a bit according to this report about the Nordic sea ice expansion from World Climate Report:
This is simply extraordinary . . . We’re in awe.
Brightest Comet in Over Forty Years
Comet McNaught (C/2006 P1) has not only become the brightest comet SOHO has ever seen, but even the brightest comet observed in over forty years! The comet swung by the sun on Jan 12th – 15th, and is now emerging into the skies of the southern hemisphere. During its close encounter with our mother star, comet McNaught became a naked-eye object in broad daylight. It was discovered on August 7th, 2006 by the hugely successful comet discoverer Rob McNaught (Siding Spring Survey). At time of discovery, the comet was a very faint object, but the predicted perihelion distance (closest distance to the sun) of just 0.17 AU indicated already that the object had the potential to become very bright.
As you are probably aware, the LASCO instrument on-board SOHO has the ability to watch comets as they get extremely close to the Sun. Fortunately for us, comet McNaught has passed right through the LASCO C3 field of view! We do not know exactly the peak brightness of the comet yet, but it is definitely brighter than -3 mag! It is thus much brighter than comet NEAT or comet 96P/Machholz. In other words, comet McNaught is by far the brightest and most spectacular comet SOHO has ever seen!
We made a run to the local garden shop to get some home and garden supplies last week. While we were in the hothouse, I snapped this image of this very nice white Phalaenopsis Orchid.
