October 23, 2014

Fall in Montana

Bannack State Park

Photograph by Tyler Metcalfe

The last rays of sunlight set aspen trees aglow in Bannack State Park, a national historic landmark in southwestern Montana. The park—a popular place for hiking, fishing, and camping—is also home to Montana's best preserved ghost town.




Cafe Regis in Red Lodge

Photograph by Tyler Metcalfe

Martha Young, owner of Cafe Regis in Red Lodge, Montana, carries bounty—garlic and sunflowers—from the greenhouse behind her restaurant. “We make all the food from scratch and harvest from our backyard,” Young says. “Having our own gardens creates a connection to the food that you don’t get other places.”




Kayaking in Glacier National Park

Photograph by Danita Delimont, Getty Images

Hidden from most visitors' eyes, Bowman Lake—reachable only by gravel road—is tucked into the remote North Fork region of Glacier National Park. A small campground, usually uncrowded, is a local favorite.




Great Horned Owl

Photograph by Andrew Kandel, Alamy

A great horned owl cuts a striking figure in a stand of golden cottonwoods near Missoula. The raptor is easily recognizable because of the feather tufts—or “horns”—on its head.



Kootenai National Forest

Photograph by Danita Delimont, Alamy

Bikes loaded down with backcountry supplies, visitors pedal up a hill in Kootenai National Forest. The wild space sprawls over more than 2.2 million acres in northwestern Montana and northeast Idaho—and provides stunning views as summer transitions to fall.




Swan River National Wildlife Refuge

Photograph by Tyler Metcalfe

Browning grasses indicate the approach of fall in Swan River National Wildlife Refuge, a refuge for migratory birds in northwestern Montana. The park is also home to black bears, elk, and deer.




Bugling Elk in Yellowstone

Photograph by Arturo de Frias, Alamy

During the late summer breeding season, the bugling of bull elk echoes through Yellowstone National Park. Males bellow to attract females and to intimidate the competition.




Whitefish River

Photograph by Tyler Metcalfe

A tributary of the Flathead River, Whitefish River winds for 24 miles south of its head in Whitefish Lake. The river is a popular fishing spot.

October 23, 2014

Today's Cartoon

October 23, 2014

Photo of the Day

October 23, 2014

Morning Java

Photograph by Achmad Sumawijaya

Photographer Achmad Sumawijaya waited three hours to capture this picture of Mount Bromo (in foreground) and Mount Semeru (in background) on a misty morning in East Java, Indonesia. Some Indonesians believe that the volcanoes are portals to a subterranean world.

October 23, 2014

Definitely Boston Creme Pie, one of my favorites!

Good Morning In_The_Wind and All!

Here's a few of today's comics...October 23

Peanuts


Off The Mark


Duplex


Dark Side of the Horse


October 23 Birthdays

http://www.famousbirthdays.com/october23.html

October 23, 2014

Berkeley vs. Big Soda by Robert Reich

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

I got a call the other day from a stooge of Big Soda who was doing a “push poll” — trying to get me and all my neighbors to vote against Berkeley’s proposed one-cent-per-ounce tax on sugary soft drinks.

Big Soda is pulling out all the stops — and the money — to prevent the tax, because Big Soda knows that if it fails in Berkeley it can’t pass anywhere.

Yet, just like tobacco, we know a small tax reduces consumption. And just like tobacco, consumption of sugary soft drinks is a huge health problem.

One out of three American kids is obese and at risk of early-onset diabetes. A major culprit is Big Soda.

Isn’t it time the people stood up against corporate moneyed interests that are determined to prevent us from protecting ourselves and our kids? (Please see the attached video, and share.)

http://robertreich.org/

October 23, 2014

4 Photos Of Puppies That You'll Want To Snuggle

Siberian Husky Puppies


How about 8 super snuggly pups with thick coats to keep you warm and cozy.

Long-Haired Weimaraner Puppies


This pair of adorable short-hair puppies would look at home in a royal palace. When they wake up they'll be bounding all over the house.

Labrador Puppies



A triple dose of the classic breed. Black, yellow, or chocolate, these darlings have been playful companions since the early 1800s. The first photo of a Lab dates back to 1856!

Bernese Mountain Dog Puppies



Lots of folks mistake Bernese for Burmese though common sense would dictate that these lovable long-haired friends are from the Swiss Alps and not Southeast Asia

October 23, 2014

Divided Voters

October 22, 2014

Crist, Scott trade jabs in final debate

Associated Press 6:54 a.m. EDT October 22, 2014


JACKSONVILLE – Florida's leading candidates for governor clashed fiercely during their final debate Tuesday night, sniping at each other over everything from the economy and the minimum wage to the death penalty.

Both Republican-turned-Democrat Charlie Crist and Republican Gov. Rick Scott are essentially tied in the polls, and they used their final moment before the television cameras to come up with some of the most personal attacks leveled so far in what has already been a harshly negative campaign.

The debate's sponsors did not allow still photographers or reporters inside the studio during the event, preventing them from capturing the full context of how the candidates performed outside the view of the TV cameras.

FLORIDATODAY

http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/10/21/crist-scott-trade-jabs-final-debate/17702027/

I watched the debate last night and Crist did very well. Go vote!

October 22, 2014

Photo of the Day

October 22, 2014

Near and Far

Photograph by Yaron Shmid

Elephants appear to patrol the Serengeti in this picture taken in Tanzania. A recent study found that ivory-seeking poachers have killed 100,000 African elephants in just three years. During 2011 alone, roughly one of every twelve African elephants was killed by a poacher. Demand for ivory, most notably in China and elsewhere in Asia, has helped keep black market prices high.

October 22, 2014

Dr. Housing Bubble 10/21/14

Time to make it easier for people to get loans with lower credit and lower down payments: FHFA looking seriously at making it easier for cash strapped Americans to take on mortgages.

If you had to write two chapters on the housing market between say 2000 and 2007 and one between 2007 and 2014 both would look incredibly different. One was guided by massive exuberance and a populist movement of giving money to anyone with a pulse. The latest chapter is one guided by big investors and low inventory. This long horizon now brings us to the present. Housing values are up solidly over the last year but not because the general public is diving in head first. This latest push came from a multi-year trend of “cash buying” and investor dominance. That trend has slowed. In order to get more interest again, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is looking at making it easier for the public to get loans. Ignore the fact that this agency has been rebranded since it failed fantastically in the last bubble and is now once again in charge of overseeing Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and 12 Federal Home Loan Banks. Since many in the public can’t muster 5 percent for a down payment or have blemishes on their credit, the FHFA is looking at making things a tad bit easier for people to qualify. Instead of asking why so many have a hard time saving for a down payment or why people have lower credit scores, the banking/government hybrid is looking at making it easier for people to take on big debt with high leverage.

Cash sales and FHA loans

http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/fhfa-credit-standards-down-payment-lowering-the-bar/