Better Things

A snowman in Amherst. Oops! I forgot this is Amherst so we have to call it a snow-person.

A snow-person with a pine wig in front of the Bangs Center last night.

Nothing like a little food coloring to bring out the facial features.

Nothin' left to do but smile, smile, smile.

The "Fiscal Cliff” put in a much clearer perspective.

* U.S. Tax revenue: $2,170,000,000,000
* Fed budget: $3,820,000,000,000
* New debt: $ 1,650,000,000,000
* National debt: $14,271,000,000,000
* Recent budget cuts: $ 38,500,000,000

Let's now remove 8 zeros and pretend it's a household budget:

* Annual family income: $21,700
* Money the family spent: $38,200
* New debt on the credit card: $16,500
* Outstanding balance on the credit card: $142,710
* Total budget cuts so far: $38.50

Here's another way to look at the Debt Ceiling:

Let's say you come home from work and find there has been a sewer backup in your neighborhood and your home has sewage all the way up to your ceilings.

What do you think you should do - raise the ceilings, or remove the shit?

Ruth the Pedal Person lives by my house and has to go out in all kinds of weather to help fulfill their city contract gathering the trash in Northampton without using one drop of oil except on their bike gears. 

Yesterday's gone.