Economic Stimulus, Depression, Surrealism and Dada...

Mostly Sunny - Hi 69 Lo 51 for Baghdad, Iraq
Partly Cloudy - Hi 63 Lo 45 for Qandahar, Afghanistan
Scattered Showers - Hi 51 Lo 32 for Northern KY, USA

Song of the week: Down Home Girl, Old Crow Medicine Show



Podcast of the Week: Ronald Reagan - The Economic Recovery Act of 1981

In honor of Ronald Reagan’s birthday, listen as the President participates in a Q&A session with reporters as he signs the Economic Recovery Act, the largest tax cut in American history. The bill was signed into law 27 years ago at his ranch, Rancho del Cielo, on August 13, 1981.

Ramble:

This past week was another bear. I missed a few days of work-- had some weirdo flu like crud. Thankfully, I think the worst of it has past. The snow has finally melted and I am ecstatic. I'm done with winter... but I said that last Sunday. In any event, mother nature is teasing us in the Cincinnati area with spring like conditions. I opened the door this morning and it smelled like spring... that subtle smell of decay and earth's soil regenerating ready to let daffodils and crocus bloom...

Since I was home this past week I pretty much watched C-Span2 and watched the Senate chat about the "Economic Stimulus Package". Senators Coburn, Graham, Thune, McCain, and McConnell spoke passionately against this garbage--- I'm disgusted although not surprised by Senators Collins and Specter... I continue to send them e-mail although the automated response from Senator Specter's office is the following:

Thank you for taking the time to contact me.

I receive a large volume of E-mails, phone calls, faxes and letters every week from concerned citizens like yourself.
Unfortunately, due to the high volume of mail, I can only respond if you're a resident of Pennsylvania. If you need to find out who your U.S. Senator is please go to www.senate.gov.

And now when you try and send a note to Senator Collins you receive this little message:

The document you requested can not be found or is undergoing routine maintenance.

If this is an application error, the system administrator has been notified by email. If you would like more information, you may also submit a request to the system administrator at administrator@collins.senate.gov.

I have talked to the sweet kids in Senator Bunning's and Senator McConnell's offices and have asked them to deliver messages to Senator Collins and Senator Specter. They have kindly obliged... not sure if they are personally delivering the messages... but I'm doing my part.

I am really excited about an exhibit coming to the Cincinnati Art Museum. Surrealism and Beyond will run beginning February 15 through May 17. I anticipate large crowds as this will be the only stop in the United States for this exhibit from the Israel Museum.

The Cincinnati Art Museum will be the sole U.S. venue for an exhibition that features works by the greatest masters of Dada and Surrealist art, including Salvador Dalí, Marcel Duchamp, Pablo Picasso, Max Ernst, René Magritte, Joan Miró, Jean (Hans) Arp, Man Ray, Kurt Schwitters, Hannah Höch and Paul Delvaux. Surrealism and Beyond: In the Israel Museum, Jerusalem provides a comprehensive survey of Surrealist art from its roots in the beginnings of the Dada movement in 1916, through recent manifestations in international contemporary art.

So, Jimi and Myrna, if you are in town for a visit this spring, I would love to take you to see this exhibit.

All right.. I have a bunch of things to do... another cup of coffee and time to catch up on my favorite blogs...

Have a great week everyone!