December 26, 2014

At Christmas my family always takes a ride. We love the lack of traffic and I can just stop anywhere

We had a visitor this year who wanted to see Graffiti.
Asheville NC, though not a huge city, has it’s wonderful share and then some.
We just happened to know where to go. We kind of overdosed - I hope you like it, anyway.

It’s photography that is color and blue skies happy - and at the very end I shot a RESIDENCE out of the car window very near the famous Biltmore House.
These folks have their own police force - and their own city council representation.
I very much hope they’re happy, and above all I hope they help those less fortunate.

December 22, 2014

FLASH MOB: The U.S. Air Force Band at the Smithsonian —GORGEOUS - ’tis the Season

From a single Cello swelling to 120 Musicians.
Enjoy. And wishing you all a very Merry Holiday Season.

#t=36

December 22, 2014

CCR (ECCHR) Joins Criminal Complaint in Germany Against Bush-Era Architects of Torture

Germany's Chief Federal Prosecutor must investigate former CIA boss Tenet, former Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld and others - and should not wait until they are on German soil.

press@ccrjustice.org

December 17, 2014, Berlin – The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) in Berlin has today lodged criminal complaints against former CIA head George Tenet, former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other members of the administration of former US President George W. Bush. The ECCHR is accusing Tenet, Rumsfeld and a series of other persons of the war crime of torture under paragraph 8 section 1(3) of the German Code of Crimes against International Law (Völkerstrafgesetzbuch). The constituent elements of the crime of torture were most recently established in the case by the US Senate in its report on CIA interrogation methods. “The architects of the torture system - politicians, officials, secret service agents, lawyers and senior army officials – should be brought before the courts,” says ECCHR General Secretary Wolfgang Kaleck, who is appearing today in connection with the issue in front of the German Parliamentary Committee on legal affairs. “By investigating members of the Bush administration, Germany can help to ensure that those responsible for abduction, abuse and illegal detention do not go unpunished.”




Read more, and I for one weep that we are not on top of this ourselves, the way we need to be after all the revelations:

http://ccrjustice.org/newsroom/press-releases/ccr-joins-criminal-complaint-germany-against-bush-era-architects-of-torture

December 21, 2014

Oh those Germans! Enjoy - and you don't need to speak the language

December 14, 2014

Cheney to lead Torture Pride March. The truth will out accd. to Andy Horowitz

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—In an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” on Sunday, former Vice-President Dick Cheney told host Chuck Todd that he was “sick and tired of Americans being ashamed of our beautiful legacy of torture” and that he was organizing the first “National Torture-Pride March” to take place in Washington in January.

“This is a chance for all of us torturers to say, ‘Look at us, this is who we are,’” Cheney, who will be the Grand Marshall of the parade, said.The former Vice-President said that he was organizing the march to inspire “the millions of American kids who want to be torturers when they grow up but are afraid they’ll catch hell for it.”

“We’ll be there to say, ‘We’re torturers and we’re damn proud of it—join us,’” Cheney said.



www.borowitzreport.com

December 14, 2014

Winners are announced for *****Seasonal Fall Contest*****

Thanks to everyone for submitting, and for helping to make this contest a true event filled with color and beauty
I enjoyed helping out Tom Kitten - it was his contest - and he did the heavy lifting with the preliminary rounds.

go here to see the winners

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025959503

December 14, 2014

*****WINNERS Announcement*****Annual Seasonal Photo Contest for Autumn

As Tom Kitten’s stand-in I’m finishing the contest and happily announcing the winners:


First Place goes to rdking647 with
"Peaceful Afternoon"



Second Place goes to Dyedinthewoolliberal with
“Remnants"



Third Place goes to Bluedigger with
"Round-Up Ready!"

The rest of the finalists are:

Myself, Mira, with “Paddling in Hot Water”

JDB with “Serenity”

NVWhino with “Fall into Winter”

Blue_in_AK with “Autumn in the Mat-Su Valley"

Earth_First with “Delineating the Past”
in a tie with
Johnny Noshoes and “Golden November"

Justiceischeap with “Train Through Harper’s Ferry"

Since I am the temporary hostess I have the right to pull back out two of my personal favorites that did not make it into the finals:

For emotional richness and perfection in beauty and presentation my hostess choices are:


"Nature calls" - by Handmade34
and
"Ulmus americana on a bed of Ginkgo biloba” - by Alfredo



A happy and hearty THANK YOU to all of the friends of photography that with their comments and votes make these contests possible and make it a worthwhile fun presentation for us to show our work.

December 13, 2014

Citigroup to Move Headquarters to U.S. Capitol Building /revealed by Andy Borowitz

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—The banking giant Citigroup announced on Friday that it would move its headquarters from New York to the U.S. Capitol Building, in Washington, D.C., in early 2015.

Tracy Klugian, a spokesperson for Citi, said that the company had leased thirty thousand square feet of prime real estate on the floor of the House of Representatives and would be interviewing “world-class architects” to redesign the space to suit its needs.According to sources, Citi successfully outbid other firms, including JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs, for the right to move its headquarters to the House floor.

The Citi spokesperson acknowledged that the extensive makeover of the House is expected to cost “in the millions,” but added, “It’s always expensive to open a new branch.”

Explaining the rationale behind the move, Klugian told reporters, “Instead of constantly flying out from New York to give members of Congress their marching orders, Citigroup executives can be right on the floor with them, handing them legislation and telling them how to vote. This is going to result in tremendous cost savings going forward.”

Klugian said that Citi’s chairman, Michael E. O’Neill, will not occupy a corner office on the House floor, preferring instead an “open plan” that will allow him to mingle freely with members of Congress.

“He doesn’t want to come off like he’s their boss,” the spokesperson said. “Basically, he wants to send the message, ‘We’re all on the same team. Let’s roll up our sleeves and get stuff done.’ ”

www.borowitzreport.com

December 12, 2014

How to make Torture work after all. It would make me spill my guts. (Chappatte cartoon)

December 12, 2014

It's time to bring out my "favorite" gut curdling political "joke"- keep YOUR favorite SOB in mind

There was a man who, everyday, would buy a newspaper on the way to
work, glance at the headline, and hand it back to the newsboy. Day
after day the man would go through this routine. Finally the newsboy
could not stand it and he asked the man, "Why do you always buy
a paper and only look at the front page before discarding it?"

The man replied, "I am only interested in the obituaries."

"But they are on page 21. You never even unfold the newspaper."

"Young man," he said, "the son of a bitch I'm looking for will be
on the front page."