He's probably on a trip with his photography club or maybe somewhere like Florida. 

I'm here.  I've been in just about every day but I've just hit a dry spell as far as responding to anything.  I start a post and then go - to quote those always articulate teens - "meh" and delete it.  It's actually been sort of low grade depressing time for those of us who don't wallow in the rightwing trough.  In my own country our rabidly corrupt, arrogant government continues to drag us down the road into some kind of uncaring rightwing corporatist swamp....and, for the moment, we Canadians are either too apathetic or too complacent to recognize what is happening.  In the States, the fun of watching the Republicans implode, seems to be winding down, things did not seem to go well in the Supreme court last week and, in all liklihood, Scott Walker will be re-elected in Wisconsin handing a major humiliation to the Democrats - even if they retake the Senate.

The one really important, good news thing is that Odin seems to be on the mend.  That's the first thread I go to when I come in.

As for the photography, Roseanne, it turned cold, grey and rainy here back in January and it hasn't let up.  It freakin' snowed here on Sunday morning for gosh sakes.  The weather has been nicer in Winnipeg than here.  Except for a quick trip to the Sunshine Coast a week or two ago, I haven't had a decent outing in months.

It really has cheered me up to know I was missed, though.

I'm here.  I've been in just about every day but I've just hit a dry spell as far as responding to anything.  I start a post and then go - to quote those always articulate teens - "meh" and delete it. 


That same thing happened to me not long ago. Sooz emailed me to ask if I was ok. (no one else missed me) I told her the exact same thing. It happens. I've composed hundreds of replies over the years just to hit "cancel" . lol

Glad you are ok and know that at least I understand .  Sorry for the crappy weather.

Jimwilliam, I have also noticed you haven't been posting nor playing the trivia game.  I too figured you had taken a vacation. Glad to hear you are ok.  Our weather has been gorgeous lately but Dallas, Tx got hit hard by a tornado yesterday. The news channel we were watching yesterday reported a tornado was getting ready to hit and the cameras went to it and showed tractor trailers being tossed high in the air and other trucks on the ground being pushed together, roofs of homes torn off.  It was devistating. Several people injured and much destruction.

I saw some of the video of some of those tornadoes, Dee.  Absolutely miraculous that nobody was killed.  But you don't understand the horror of what happened here....we had a skiff of snow.....here in Lotusland.....on April 1st.  There's laws against that sort of thing.

(p.s. I think I only missed yestereday in Trivia and that was because I had an early appointment.)
  

Don't worry sooz. Remember how long I lurked before I joined? LOL! Sometimes it takes a while to get the "feel" of a group and feel comfortable enough to join.

I think I know how Jim feels. I have met many motivated people on Facebook but I almost hate to admit that maybe Harper is right: C A N A D I A N S - D O N ' T - C A R E. Who knows what it will take to wake up what appears to be the most apathetic bunch of fucking whiners I've ever seen? Maybe cops mowing down people who protest against the Northern Gateway Pipeline. Maybe their kids disappearing into a criminal injustice system now designed to search, arrest, detain and try with no warrant.

I don't know... I don't know what I find more repugnant. A neo-fascist government in a once-envied country - or - or the apathetic public that just says "meh...".

Give it some time to sink in, Sid ~ it really does take time for people to fully grasp what's happening and to feel the effects ~

Sooz
  

Just a start for you Chaos. Enjoy!


http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/good-news/

http://positivenews.org.uk/

Before you invest make sure you're getting some good news out of it.  Here's a few of the headlines and, to be honest, I'm scratching my head about a few of them.  Of course my comments also reflect where my head is at the past few days:


Beatles kids may tour someday:  McCartney, Lennon, Harrison and Starkey Sons

Their daughters, dogs and third cousins twice removed might tour someday too.  How is this even news?

Obama Joins Republicans to Sign STOCK Act:  Outlaws Congrssional "Insider Trading"

The amount of fighting it took and how watered down the end result is, makes this more of a sad news story than a good news story.

Flying Car Gets Closer to Reality with Test Flight, NY Auto Show Next 

Big Whup!  Getting closer to reality means the damn thing still doesn't fly.  I'll get excited when they don't have to scrape the test pilot off the highway like he's roadkill.

Woman, 80, Lands Plane After Husband Pilot Dies 

Unless he's loaded with life insurance a dead husband is good news for the old girl how?

Tiny Family Farm Thrives on 1/5 Acre in Heart of Suburban Neighborhood 

What?  This is the first time someones heard of a vegetable garden.  There's millions of "family farms" all over America.  The one that's really amazing is the 40 acre family cabbage farm that is still operating right in downtown Tokyo.

Indian Man Single-Handedly Plants a 1,360 Acre Forest 

A billion people in India and nobody gave enough of a shit to help out.







  

Wow Jim... you have passed the Cynicism 101 course with flying colours!

I often feel that everything that can be said about a topic has been said. And often don't feel like I have the energy to become informed enough to comment.

Ditto! However, there ARE days that I don't care what has already been said, I want my say anyway. I am sadly uninformed on a lot of subjects and many times do not bother with research. A lot of times I have an emotional response to something and I want to vent, informed or not.

So, what you are saying is you occasionally turn into Sarah Palin?

So, what you are saying is you occasionally turn into Sarah Palin?


NOOOOOOOOO! I meant that, unlike her,  I will answer on an emotional level without misrepresenting facts.  

You're so cute when you're mad.

You're so cute when you're mad.

My boss and his wife say the same thing. When I am upset or angry, my Southern accent really comes out.