(((((Kristin, Drew, and Zoe))))) I haven't seen Zoe since she was a puppy, but I remember her being such a sweet dog. So much -ma that it's nothing.

(((Maria))) -ma for you and for everyone affected by the auto industry crisis.

Many, many hugs to Kristin, Drew, and Maria.

Job ~ma, Maria. I really believe those people on the hill know they have to do something and today's vote was something of a show for the people back home.

Kristin, dog ~ma for Zoe. May there be good news soon.

I believe that the Senate bill to bail out automakers not passing was hard cheese by a large percentage of Republicans (1) seeing an opportunity to try and stick it to Unions, (2) a chance to thumb their noses at Democrats, and (3) it makes them feel all manly.

That being said, having already stripped the environmental provisions, the Senate version was getting a little less with the teeth, anyway.

Brrr. I just went outside in the middle of the night to dig out a notch in the snow left by the road graders so that I could drag out the trash and recycle bins.

I started breathing hard, and couldn't figure it out. It felt cold as hell, sure, but I didn't expect what I found when I got in and looked at the weather page.

-2°F / -19°C

WTF? It was supposed to be only 18°F for a low today!

Some towns nearby are reporting -7°F / -22°C

This is January/February weather.

Normal for here would be around 30 for today. WTH?

I'll be ~ma-ing for you, MFNlaw. Maybe they can reroute some of the 700 billion bank bailout to the MI auto industry. My sister's still living near Detroit and even though none of her family is directly involved in the industry, any further blows to the Big Three(ish) will strike them, too.

There are so many branches down from the ice storm we had last night that TCG can't get to work. There aren't any clear roads out of our neighborhood.

much ~ma for you Maria, and Zoe-health~ma as well.

VW - I've been reading right along with everything, though staying quiet, and I have to tell you that the clear thinking you've got going on is powerful stuff. You are way out of CBD's league. WAY.

In the smaller scheme, to quote some Fat Albert: asking you to deliver Christmas presents to his relatives is like school in summer. No class. Your decision on what to do is yours, but given all the things that have come forth from his mouth on the topics of things you could be doing better - and given your awesome superpower of making your own decisions about what you want to do based on your own beliefs, and not his - you should shave some of that time and energy off of projects-related-to-CBD and use it to do something really, really nice for yourself.

So much job ~ma for Maria and Zoe ~ma for Pix and ND.

I'm so ready to arse 2008 in the ear.

{{Pix ND Zoe}}

Job ~ma, Maria.

I don't wanna go to work. And yet there is coffee there that I don't have to make.