Happy New Year!! Have a great 2008!

American culture, grounded in solid, meaningful values:

Times Square celebrates 100th ball drop

Milwaukee resident Jennelle Joset and her mother, Wanda Bowers, had been standing around since 1 p.m., wearing hats with big plastic wheels of cheese to show their Wisconsin pride.

"I had to do this once, to see it once before I die," Bowers said. (AP)

Yes, high on my list of things to do before I die, right up there with falling out of an airplane and bungee jumping.

What better way to ring in the new year than with a smattering of old man winter's finest confetti.

Boston broke it's all time record for snowfall in December today with this snow fall. A few years back it broke the all time record for the month of January snow fall. Old man winter laughs in the face of Global Warming. But who will get the last laugh? Some older gentlemen riding up the chairlift were talking about memories of 70 degree days in December from the 1960s and 70s. Warm spells are not unique to the 90s or two Thousandsies. But one must remember the overall global picture.

Here's Nonny's car really sneezed in snow. (I actually sneezed while writing that.)


Snowy scene in southern Vermont.


Here's what it looked like on my way to the ski slope this morning.








Umm... couldn't be bothered to take photos of myself skiing. But it was fun and I would have stayed at the mountain all day but I ran out of ATP and didn't bring a lunch. But I did get some pics of some fine ladies sportin' some fine shawls.




413 429 6036--direct shawl sale for Indian shawl come from mountainous region in Ladakh India. Support student >> buy shawl.

Modest Pakistani women cover their faces in the presence of crude American man.




Mother and daughter share a moment two days before Nori departs to Israel for six months.


In other news, Ben continues to erect a wall in his barn where his personal fitness space will be.

The spade drill bit is used to drill holes for wiring installation. Ben wields it with a commanding presence.


Andrea, Ben's girlfriend, installs wiring.


Meanwhile Jacinto monkeys around on two old ladders.


Jacinto the swashbuckling buccaneer teeters on two tattered ladders.


Mr. Galleraga works in a half doped daze.


Mr. Galleraga recovers from his stupor to deftly drill a nail into the support.