Can We Afford Web Access for All?

When you pay your phone bill each month, a small percentage goes to a federal fund that subsidizes phone service for people in remote areas and for the poor. Now the FCC is considering expanding this $7 billion Universal Service Fund to give all Americans access to high speed internet.

President Obama recently announced his plan to contribute $2 billion in stimulus funds to the effort, but creating truly universal broadboand access could cost as much as $350 billion. Next month, an FCC task force will recommend ways to pay for the expansion.

FCC Chairman claims that providing universal broadband is an essential national mission that will boost the economy by enhancing communication and commerce, improving the delivery of healthcare, and providing new educational opportunities for millions.

Rather than tack more fees on to phone bills, Consumers Union suggests applying the fee to broadband-internet users as well. With an expanded base, the burden would be on more people so the cost to individual users would be lower.

Progress and Freedom Foundation says the costs shouldn't be borne just by consumers, it would be better to support it through general tax revenues so everyone shares in the costs.

WHO is going to pay for the computers?????

The Night Before Christmas

An Ohio woman treasures a classic poem. Holly Menzie has amassed more than 250 books, tree ornaments, records, blankets, pillows, music boxes, and even a game board with The Night Before Christmas theme. Her two oldest books date to 1910. She has a recording of Louis Armstrong narrating the poem in 1971.

Clement Clarke Moore is credited with writing the peom in 1823. The story paints Santa Claus as the magical symbol of Christmas and embodies the spirit of giving.

Yo-Yo fanatic

Florida doctor prizes playthings on a string. John "Doc Lucky" Meisenheimer always has a yo-yo in his pocket. With nearly 6,000 yo-yo's he has the largest collection in the world. He has floor to ceiling glass cases encircling the loft of his home library to house his collection. He also created a yo-yo headed manequin covered with 603 yoyo's. Some of his yo-yos are antiques including a circa 1790 brass toy from England, a few are rare, like a wooden prototype-one of only six known to exist-made around 1955 by Duncan Toy Co for Coca Cola. Others blow bulles, generate sparks, and emit scents.

He has a 6' tall, 820 pound yo-yo made in 1990 by a woodworking class in Jasonville, In. He spotted to toy on eBay and bid on it. He keeps it in a backyard shed.

When he was unable to find a definitive guidebook on the subject, he spent 4 years researching and writing Lucky's Collectors Guide to 20th Century Yo-Yo's. The love affair of yo-yo's began after marketing genius Donald F. Duncan Sr. hired salesmen to demonstrate yo-yo tricks across the country. He also partnered with William Randolph Hearst to sponsor yo-yo contests. For more information go to www.yo-yos.net.

Sharing His Toys

Oklahoma artist amasses an action-figure army. Kevin stark has been playing with and drawing action figures ever since he got a hand me down GI Joe in 1965. He has 11,000 action figures and lives in Pauls Valley, Ok. He started designig the flexible toys 20 years ago. He got a job as a paperboy when he was 10 so he could buy GI Joes. He would make capes from old tees and glue on cardboard wings. His sketches are used to make characters in the Simpsons, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Toxic Crusaders, and Coneheads, along with his own 79 year old superhero, Geezer come to life.

Today the action figure ensemble is exhibited in a former department store building that community volunteers helped transform into The Toy and Action Figure Museum in 2005. Next time you are in Pauls Valley, Ok (population 6,256) stop by and see his collection. for more information go to www.actionfiguremuseum.com.

Squirrel Appreciation Day

Today is Squirrel Appreciation Day. Not sure what this means, do we take them to dinner, buy them a card and gift, not swear at them, let them lay around the house? I do have several and yes they eat at my table outside on my deck and I find them rather entertaining. I know many people hate them and they can be destructive but they are God's creatures so just for today be kind to the squirrels.

Hillbuzz

I am not a fan of Hillary never was never will be however the boys at Hillbuzz need us to rally around them. They were Hillary fans until nodopey stole that nomination. Now that they are supporting Scott Brown and Sarah Palin and other conservatives, they are being called racists, etc just like the rest of us. They are really getting clobbered so please go over to hillbuzz and give the some prayers, love, and hugs, they need and deserve it.

http://hillbuzz.org/

Gloves for Christmas

One day this summer at work during lunch I was perusing my Vogue Knitting magazine. Being summer they had lots of projects that did not require you melting while knitting. There was a pair of fabulous fingerless gloves. One of the guys said could you knit me a pair of those for my girlfriend for Christmas, sure no problem, what color of yarn and what do you want it made of and what size. Well here are the gloves. I had Enchanted Hues on Etsy spin the yarn for me, and it is so sofy and yummy. Thanks Leann for the yarn and I hope the girlfriend loves the gloves. BTW the pattern is easy once you get going.

Turtle Sweaters

Ok so the turtle sweaters are done and the hats are to match. They were a lot of work but a lot of fun. The hardest part was the colorwork involved in the making the turtles, 17 rows of oh crap the foot does not belong under the neck, but... they are finally done.

My own Bucky Cat

Here is my very own Bucky Cat, she is every bit as onery as Bucky in the Get Fuzzy cartoons, and will get into any kind of trouble, in fact trouble finds her.

Christmas Swap

My online knitting group had yet another swap well this was the last one of the year. Send yarn and a pattern, one skein, something to eat and drink, and a Christmas gift to be opened on Christmas Day. Well my box came today and as you can tell I was beyond spoiled. I LOVE IT ALL. ONe more week and I can open the big blue box, hmmmm wonder what it is.

Meadow Muffins

Two days in a row there are questionable front page stories. What are meadow muffins, you ask? Cow Patties.

I suppose Meadow Muffins is the PC term for cow patties cos that just conjures up big ole steaming piles you don't want to step in. Now they think meadow muffins can produce electricity, yep there is a use for them other than throwing contests.

Southwest Kansas has tons of feedlots, just drive through, roll down the window and breathe in, that is the smell of money so they say. Early next year equipment at a cattle feedlot will begin turning manure into fuel that could make electricity for 30 homes. If the demo project is successful larger units could be placed at feedlots to take advantage of the state's abundant supplies.

Kansas has two cows/human in the state. One cow can produce enough muffins that are equal to 140 gallons of gasoline. 50,000 cows could provide enough muffins to power 24,000 homes.

Missouri chicken farmers have approached KCP&L about adding manure as fuel to coal fired power plants. Minnesota uses turkey manure for a 55 megawatt plant.

Makes me wonder with 4 cats what I can do and make some money.

Recycled Toilet Paper

Here I am eating breakfast and on the front page of the local liberal rag is an article on recycled toilet paper. My first thought is oh gross is there a little elf sitting at the end of the sewer pipes collecting my toilet paper and taking it to some factory somewhere to recycle it. Of course not but what a thing to put on the front page. Well I guess it is better than another picture of the Imposter spewing lies.

Greenpeace is pushing TP manufacturers to stop using wood from virgin forests to make tissue products. They want them to take the paper we set out at the curb every week and make TP out of it. So if each family bought just one roll of recycled TP it would save 400K trees. The problem is each time paper gets shredded the fibers get shorter and therefore the TP gets rougher.

I don't know about you but I want a little soft on those parts of my body. So next time you go to the store bypass that green stuff unless you want a little chafing.

Christmas Ornament Swap

We are crazy swappers in an online knitting group I belong to. Seems like we no more than get one done and off we go to another one. This one consisted of sending a handmade ornament, another ornament and some goodies. Well I love my little knitting basket, so much so I need another xmas tree, so after xmas, off I go to buy a cheap tree and begin to decorate for next year. I have that pattern for the basket so now I have a whole year to decorate. Look at those needles, aren't they cute.