THE DARK MIND OF BLACKWING BEAR

Downsizing from a spacious 2-story, 2 bedroom, 2 bath townhouse into a 1-bedroom apartment. The rent is $100 less, the electric should be $100 less and the water is furnished.

I hate myself at these times for not getting enough done.

Harold & Maude.

.....And the seals applaud as the empire crumbles... Won't be a minute before the waterline reaches their nostrils...

R.I.P. from Holden Caulfield...

WASHINGTON, Jan 23 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama launched an extraordinary attack on the U.S. Supreme Court on Saturday, saying a ruling on corporate donations to political campaigns this week "strikes at democracy itself."

Obama's broadside was triggered by a 5-4 ruling by the court's justices on Thursday that removed long-standing campaign finance limits and allowed corporations to spend freely in campaigns for president and Congress. In the ruling, the court's conservative majority said the limits had violated corporations' constitutional right to free speech.

The ruling is expected to unleash a flood of money into this year's congressional elections. Obama's fellow Democrats face a struggle to retain control of the U.S. Congress amid voter unhappiness over double-digit unemployment, a record deficit, political gridlock in Washington and other matters.

"This ruling opens the floodgates for an unlimited amount of special interest money into our democracy," Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address.

"It gives the special interest lobbyists new leverage to spend millions on advertising to persuade elected officials to vote their way -- or to punish those who don't. This ruling strikes at democracy itself," Obama said.

In the 2008 election cycle, nearly $6 billion was spent on all federal election campaigns, including more than $1 billion from corporate political action committees, trade associations, executives and lobbyists.

And of course: REPUBLICANS PRAISE RULING

Democrats fear that a lot of the corporate money unleashed into U.S. political campaigns by the ruling will go to Republicans, traditional allies of big business.

Republicans already were expressing optimism about erasing the Democratic majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate in November's elections. Republican control of either the House or Senate could cripple Obama's ability to get key policy initiatives through Congress.

Republican Party chairman Michael Steele has praised the court's ruling, saying free speech strengthened democracy.

Obama blasted the ruling the day it was issued, and expanded on his criticism in Saturday's remarks.

Longtime tribute to Edgar Allan ends with the absence of the "Poe Toaster (for more than half a century an anonymous person has marked the poet's birthday by laying roses and a bottle of cognac at his original grave site). The first time since Jan. 19, 1949 that the person failed to arrive.

It is with sad news to report that our beloved brother, Dr .Maxwell Scott Anderson, Ph.D, passed away this afternoon..

Maxwell was a leading transgendered person who had worked extensively for the well being and advocacy of the transgendered community.

Maxwell was also very involved with Southern Comfort Conference and the Robert Eads Health along with being a licensed therapist.

Maxwell was 53 years old.

On his Christian Broadcasting Network's "700 Club" today, Robertson said the Haitians "swore a pact to the devil" in order to become free of French domination.

"They said, 'we will serve you if you will get us free from the French,'" Robertson asserted. "True story. And so, the devil said, 'okay it's a deal.' And they kicked the French out. You know, the Haitians revolted and got themselves free. But ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after the other."