Mailboxes along the roads and old barns set back in fields overgrown with weeds often served as landmarks in rural Montana where I grew up.  These landmarks told us where we were, and how far we had to go.  Sometimes they signaled “home”  and the end of the road.  At other times, barely visible through swirling snow, they told us we had miles to go.

When I started compiling word pictures of these memories, I realized they were like those mailboxes and old barns–identifying places on the road.  Here’s one for today…about hay.

Our hay wasn’t seriously good hay.  We called it hay but knew by our early teens that real hayfields, like those in southern Montana, would easily put our hay to shame; but it was the only hay we had and when someone said, “Well, better make hay while the sun shines,” we certainly knew what they meant. (more…)

If this report is true, and an alliance is formed, two of the three countries needed to restore the Islamic Caliphate will be partnered.   The necessary “trinity” is Iran, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.   Prediction:  If radical Islamist elements in Egypt and Iran align they will turn their collaborative efforts toward destabilizing Saudi. 

Yemen below them, Bahrain beside them, and Kuwait above them, are all precariously balanced and ready to tip with minimal effort.

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s President Mohammed Morsi will attend a summit in Iran later this month, a presidential official said on Saturday, the first such trip for an Egyptian leader since relations with Tehran deteriorated decades ago.

The visit could mark a thaw between the two countries after years of enmity, especially since Egypt signed its 1979 peace treaty with Israel and Iran underwent its Islamic revolution. Under Morsi’s predecessor Hosni Mubarak, Egypt, predominantly Sunni Muslim, sided with Saudi Arabia and other Sunni-dominated Arab states in trying to isolate Shiite-led Iran.

Until now, contacts have been channeled through interest sections, a low-level form of diplomatic representation. In May last year, Egypt, which was ruled by an interim military council, expelled a junior Iranian diplomat on suspicion he tried to set up spy rings in Egypt and the Gulf countries. (more…)

Afghanistan’s government is rewriting history, literally.  The education ministry has endorsed a new history curriculum for school students that deletes nearly four decades of the country’s war-torn past.

The government says textbooks based on the new curriculum will help bring unity in a country traditionally polarised along ethnic and political lines.

But critics accuse ministers of trying to appease the Taliban and other powerful groups by erasing history that portrays them in a bad light. They say the government is trying to win over the Taliban before Nato and US forces leave the country. (more…)

Introducing the Velociraptor Spider….

(Creepy Stuff)  Scouring the caves of Southwest Oregon, scientists have made the incredible discovery of a fearsome apex predator with massive, sickle claws. No, it’s not the Velociraptor from Jurassic Park: it’s a large spider that is so unique scientists were forced to create a new taxonomic family for it.

“This is something completely new,” lead author of a paper on the species, Charles Griswold with the California Academy of Sciences, told SFGate. “It’s a historic event.”
The discoverers, who published their description paper in the open-access journal Zoo Keys have named the new species Trogloraptor, which translates loosely to “cave robber,” and they have dubbed a new spider family—Trogloraptoridae—to accommodate what they believe is a primitive spider. The full species name is Trogloraptor marchingtoni after one of its discoverers. (more…)

Use this thread as an open thread just for Zimmerman Case stuff. A place to just dump, collect, or discuss general information about the Trayvon Martin VS George Zimmerman Case.

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Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

Have you noticed that everything Obama touches, or attaches himself to, ends up in failure?  Solyndra, Olive Garden, Libya/Egypt, Keystone Pipeline, General Motors….. Leno

(Via HuffPo)  “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” NBC’s flagship late night program, has laid off 20 staffers, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Deadline reports that Leno himself took a “tremendous” pay cut as well.

Details of the departments that will be affected by the downsizing are currently unknown, nor is it known why the layoffs took place.

The news of the layoffs is particularly surprising, as “The Tonight Show” usually comes in first place in both ratings and important demographics. Since Leno reclaimed the show after the 2010 Conan O’Brien debacle, the ratings have steadily declined, and is occasionally beaten by “Late Show with David Letterman” in the ratings and Comedy Central’s Stewart/Colbert pairing in the 18-49 demographic. (more…)

FLORIDA – Republican vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan made a stop today at The Villages, the sprawling retirement community northwest of Orlando known to welcome Republican politicians.

One week after being chosen as Mitt Romney‘s running mate, Ryan headlined the campaign event at Lake Sumter Landing, which included an appearance by country music artist Lee Greenwood.

Ryan’s stop at The Villages — which straddles Lake, Sumter and Marion counties — was the first time the seven-term Wisconsin representative has appeared in Florida since becoming the vice-presidential candidate. (more…)

Here is a typical example of unmasked progressivity running amok.   In Atlanta Georgia the symphony orchestra has decided not to allow the previous high schools choruses to perform with them because they are not “racially diverse enough” to warrant participation.   Apparently that means they are demographically “too white”.

However, in the strangest, well, not really strange – more like typical,  fashion the Symphony itself refuses to self-describe their own diversity.   So, after reading this article, well, actually after reading the  comment from the “Director of Communications“,  I just had to go look at the ethnic makeup of the Symphony itself.

“It is against our policy to share the race and/or ethnicity of our musicians, so I am unable to share that information.”

Subsequently a review of the entire orchestra make up, including conductors, shows they have one, yes one, black person (Brass Section – Stephen Wilson).  Yup, as expected, the hypocritical slips of the pontificating musical progs are showing.

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — After a four-year partnership, two suburban Cobb County high school choruses will not be performing with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra [ASO] this coming fall.

That’s because they’ve been told they are not racially diverse enough.

The Walton High School Chorus has received many honors and performed all over the world.  So, too, has the Lassiter High School Chorus.  But they won’t be back with the ASO for a joint holiday concert this coming December. (more…)