Aerie Report, January 28, 2010

0.6 degrees at the Bolt Hole last Friday. 58 degrees at the Aerie on Monday. And it is currently 9.0 degrees at 7 PM on Thursday at the Aerie. Can you tell that the wind has shifted a couple of times?

It blew quite strongly out of the north-northwest all day today and snow squalls came rolling across the area in waves. These originated from Lakes Huron, Erie and even the western end of Ontario. While those waves (long narrow bands stretching from NNE to SSW) marched from the NNW to the SSE, there was a little blob of green parked right over the Armenia Mountain Ridge on which the Aerie roosts. It (the blob) didn't seem to be affecting the weather at all but those bands of lake effect snow sure were. We had near whiteout conditions followed quickly by bright sunshine.

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I've been reading today about last nights SOTU speech. (I didn't watch for fear of either blowing a gasket or throwing something at the TV.) Most of the reports I've read agree that President Obama has seemingly double down on Health Care encouraging the Congress to get something to his desk while at the same time giving no leadership--at least in public--as to how to get the thing passed. He also demonized banks and big business while he encouraged small business to grow. (How they are to grow without the backing of banks or why they would want to become the demonized big business, he did not explain. And IF health care reform Does get passed, how are the small to medium businesses going to pay for it?)

He took a swipe at the Supreme Court, too, as he misrepresented the recent decision on McCain-Feingold. (You don't insult or berate the guests, Mr. President. You especially do NOT lie about what they've done.) Speaking of guests, he failed to give an introduction to those in the gallery who were sitting with Mrs. Obama. Perhaps he was afraid he would get their name, rank, home state, etc, incorrect. Or perhaps he didn't wish to draw too much attention away from himself and in their direction and why they were there. (Hint: One was the woman police officer wounded in the capture of the Fort Hood shooter. You know the jihadist American Army Major.)

He spoke of freezing spending which, after the immense stimulus, GM takeover, and bank and housing bailouts, is a little like seeking to close the barn door after the horse has gone and the building burned down. (And IF, God forbid, health care reform DOES get passed, how will they rein in spending?)

Oh, and he managed to bring up the "inherited" problem thing again while never mentioning that the Dems have been in control of the House and Senate since 2006. That he himself was a Senator during that time and created some of those same problems he "inherited." That's okay, he blamed Bush for not vetoing those spending bills. Heck, I do to.

[On a side note: I hear they increased the debt ceiling today. An additional $45,000 per man woman and child in the USA. Yippee!]

I could go on, but the wind is still howling outside and the temperature is still dropping. Time for some hot cocoa and then bed.