Business as usual

Winds gusting to 35-40 mph, temperatures in the low 20s F -- windchill near zero.  Happy spring.  Sproing.  Sprong.

We only netted about an inch of snow, the lower half of that icy.  Reports from The County indicate they have, indeed, achieved their record snowfall, somewhere around 190" for the winter and counting.

Did see a grackle the other day, migratory bird that maybe regrets being a "first adopter" of this northern thing.  No robins yet, although they and the red-winged blackbirds have been reported in the area.  Also a chipmunk sighted at the nature center, although not by Wife.  That one may not count, with a ready supply of sunflower seeds on the ground underneath their feeders.  Tain't natural.

No, I'm not boycotting LJ today.  Their servers, their rules.  I'll just continue to freeload along.

Shooting themselves in the foot

Maine's First People have made the news again, a former tribal governor indicted for 30 counts of misapplying funds and other stuff, involving about $1.7 million in Federal money.  This, for a tribe numbering a few thousand members.
http://bangornews.com/news/t/downeast.aspx?articleid=161919&zoneid=177

Over the years, Maine's tribal governments (three or five or seven, depending on how you count) have racked up a dismal record as fiscal managers.  Numerous business efforts have gone bust, including a mail-order pharmacy that dissolved into indictments of illegal on-line sale of narcotics.  I worked on architectural projects with a Housing Authority director, later indicted for using Authority funds and personnel for work on her private residence...

The tribes would like to get approval for a casino or for slot machines at their bingo parlors.  And then cry "racist" when voters express skepticism.

The joys of winter driving

(As previously stated, "spring" is a state of mind as well as an astronomical phenomenon.  Mine hasn't changed.)

Driving back from the nature center, I went to use the windshield washer and one of the wiper blades ripped right off.  It had frozen down to the windshield.  Frozen since I cleared off the ice and frost and freed everything up and actually used the wipers once or twice...

New wiper blades, $18.00.  Living in the pristine beauty of the North Woods, priceless.  Like, you can't make any money here...

House still shaking

Not a New England earthquake, though there is historical precedent.  Just wind gusts up to near 50 mph.  I wish all this atmosphere would get where it wants to be and quit fussing around my ears.