I will always remember 7 December 1941, 22 November 1963, 11 September 2001 ... and now 23 August 2011 !!

The GREAT Earthquake of August 23, 2011 -- a Certain Sign that the Rapture is Almost Upon Us

Actually, of all of the horrible disasters that have occurred during my lifetime, the date for today's will probably come to mind quickest. Only my immediate family knows, but August 23 is also Rocky Colavito's birthday. And when he performed as the Cleveland Indians' best Center fielder ever (not just knocking the ball out of the park more times since the days of Babe Ruth and Ted Williams, he could mitt a baseball seven feet over his head). His birthday has provided me with a lucky number (23) since before the Korean War--that's the war just after the really Big War that had me traumatized during my pre-teens! You know, Hitler and Tojo versus Roosevelt ... and Captain America!

I hope this posting finds most of my East Coast kids and grandkids -- and other relatives and friends alive and well. I'm still out at the Quinault Indian Nation working, but I've been told that I should be able to get through to a couple of those who were not too close to the epicenter this evening as the telephone lines are being restored.

If the entire family survives, I will probably switch lucky numbers from 23 to 5.8. Then again, today is the 23rd after all; maybe I'll just leave it 23 for a while longer.

Friends, relatives and POI's: To save me making a million phone calls this week, let me know (a short comment will do) that you survived the earthquake and that everyone is fine at your home. Thanks!

Had Rick Perry been successful in managing to have Texas secede from the USA, our education levels would average considerably better, I think!

Governor Rick Perry, R Texas

The list below of various rankings of Texas schools among the schools in America's 50 states is interesting. (This was found in a major newspaper and on another blog.)

• State Aid Per Pupil in Average Daily Attendance – 47th
• Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) Scores – 45th
• % of Population 25 and Older with High School Diploma – 50th
• High School Graduation Rate – 43rd
• • Percent of Uninsured Children – 1st
• Percent of Children Living in Poverty – 4th
• Percent of Population Uninsured – 1st
• Percent of Low Income Population Covered by Medicaid – 49th
• Percent of Population with Employer-Based Health Insurance – 48th
• Total Health Expenditures as % of the Gross State Product – 43rd
• Per Capita State Spending on Medicaid – 49th
• Health Care Expenditures per Capita – 44th
• Physicians per Capita – 42nd
• Registered Nurses per Capita – 44th
• Average Monthly Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) Benefits per Person – 47th
• Teenage Birth Rate – 7th
• Births to Unmarried Mothers – 17th
• Percent of Women with Pre-Term Birth – 9th
• Percent of Pregnant Women Receiving Prenatal Care in First Trimester – 50th

Could we be in for another George W??

Raccoons and Republicans ... both do in eggs--whether owl eggs in "safe" nests in my backyard or my 401 (K) nest egg!

Those of us living on part-time jobs plus minimum Social Security at age 76 or our beloved sand owls in Ocean Shores ... our nest eggs have been thoroughly "broken." Aren't there any owl-lovers among those earning $250,000 or greater in the U.S.?

Personally, I at least understand the raccoons that run roughshod in my yard; I have little understanding of Republicans who will protect corporations or the millionaires/billionaires among us--and PLEDGED to do so, no less!