Big news for the Mittster, as he stomped Sanatorium in AZ (as expected), and squeaked past poor little Ricky by about 3%. And so, yet another Republican hopeful is now being declared all but dead because of his pandering to the most radical parts of the GOP base. Of course, since they’re all running against Romney, expect somebody else to make some noise in the next round.

In other news, Apple has scheduled a big announcement on March 7th, to announce that a new iPad 3 will be released. It promises to be a revolutionary new device, ripe with features that have already been available on Android-based tablets. I predict that it will produce record sales.

Speaking of iPads, I’ve going back and forth with a company named Sungevity about installing solar panels on my house. Not to buy them (which is too expensive; it would actually cost me about $3,000 more over 20 years than I’d save in electricity costs), but to lease them.

The quote I got was for a no money down lease for the installation of a system that would do 40% of my current usage. They would guarantee at least 95% output for what they quote. Payments would start out at $45 a month, and increase by 2.9% per year (they predict a $41 per saving in the first year – in other words, I’d be down about $48 – and lease payments wouldn’t equal savings until year 8). Over 20 years, the payments would average $59 a month, and they predict a saving of $551 (total, over 20 years – which is, what, less than $28 a year average).

In order to achieve those rather paltry savings, they used an estimated 4% per year increase in electricity prices. I don’t think that’s got any basis in the historical record (but it’s hard to research. All I could find was that the company got a 12% increase over 4 years back in 2003, and that they hadn’t got an increase since 1993, but I don’t know if they have some sort of automatic increase based on production costs or something).

Anyhow, if I do all that, I get an iPad2 with their monitoring app.

As much as I’d like to go for it, I just can’t see getting locked into a 20 year lease for what amounts to no gains. If technology improves, prices drop and/or efficiency increases in, say, five or ten years, I’d be stuck with what I’ve got.

So, I think I’ll have to pass on it. Now, if they were offering a Transformer Prime TF-201 in champagne gold with the keyboard docking station….

I was reluctant to get up and get the party started at 4:45 this morning, but Fritz insisted. So we all went out. Then came in and had breakfast (well, the puppies did), and then went back out again. Now the puppies are both cuddled up on Fritzi’s couch, and he’s relegated to the floor. Things are much more at ease these days, as Fritz has learned that puppies are kinda fun after all. Especially his little buddy Bud, who takes a pounding and keeps coming back for more. My favorite move is the body slam into the tree stump.

Otherwise, not much going on. Lots of puppy poop (and pee). I heard Newt on NPR the other day, saying how Obama is a dangerous radical. If only. Looks like Santorum has a chance to screw Romney in Michigan. They say be careful what you wish for, but I have to believe that Santorum as the nominee would pretty much seal the deal for Obama. Though if he actually won….

Oh well, the monsters are stirring. Must be about time for another poop run.

Free pancakes at IHOP today. Woo-hoo.

I did something last night that I haven’t done in a long time. I stayed up and watched a basketball game that started at 9:00 (PM). Consequently, I’m kinda tired this morning. It was kinda funny, ‘cuz we were hanging out and I changed the channel and poof – my wife disappeared. In theory, I understand her lack of interest, but I don’t really understand her being incapable of even being in the same room with the game on. But, whatever. Her presence was definitely not required, and Fritzi, Peggy, Bud, and I all had a good time.

Busy day today. I have to drive into Pixley to do my weekly shopping, do laundry, and take Fritz over to a play date with his cousins. Probably have to plow the driveway, too. And then mentally prepare for work tomorrow.

That sucks.

At long last, we have reached Friday. It’s been a struggle, that’s for sure. Expensive, too, what with my having to buy an ignitor for one pellet stove, and a pump for my hot water heat. The pump didn’t ship until yesterday, but it’s on the truck for delivery this morning, which is pretty nifty. It left Uniondale on Long Island at 10:00 last night, got to Latham (which is basically Albany – not that anybody cares, I know) at 2:13, left Latham at 4:00, got to Syracuse at 6:30 and was out for delivery at 7:17. All for $18.
I gotta say, that UPS has quite a system going for it. This means I can put the pump in tomorrow. It’s not absolutely urgent, but just in case it gets down below zero or something for a few days, I want to be able to circulate the water. It’s a good thing I replaced the domestic HW heat exchanger with an electric water heater, though. Otherwise, we’d have had no hot water. I am not a happy camper without a shower.

So, was I just dreaming, or are those stupid GOP debates finally over now? While I certainly didn’t subject myself to watching (instead, I subjected myself to listening to SU muddle through another game where they won despite playing like crap; they had better get their act back together, or it will be another disappointing March), consensus has it that Rick Sanatorium blew it, and Mitt’s the Man, once again. A shame, really.

Speculation also has it that the whole “deny birth control to women to preserve religious freedom” thing isn’t helping Mitt and the boys with women. My question is, isn’t it hurting them with men, too? I mean, apart from a few nutjobs out there (male and female alike), I don’t know of too many guys who would want to deny women birth control. Mostly because we all know the men aren’t gonna take responsibility for it, and who the hell wants a kid (unless you want a kid, in which case I would have to remind you that they are nearly are tiring as puppies are – but the puppy pain only lasts a few months, while the baby pain lasts for years and then they start hating you and getting snotty and want to borrow the car)?

Oh, sure, it’s more important an issue to women, I grant you that. Dirtbag men can just walk away and never be seen again. And they’re gonna vote Republican anyway. Those of us who aren’t the scum of the earth, but actually hope to engage in a little sex every now and again are more than happy to let women make sure they aren’t gonna get pregnant as long as we don’t really have to do anything on our end of things.

So, anyway, I still think this is all a lose-lose for these dummies. Except, once they get nominated, they won’t mention this shit anymore, because they’ve already suckered the mouthbreathers, and the media will conveniently forget all about it, too.

As for the GOP convention, I hope nobody has enough delegates, and a hero swoops in to save the day in a brokered convention. I think a ticket of Sara Palin and Oily Taints would be a winner.

Caribou Taints 2012!

OK, so maybe this will have to become “Afternoon Seditionists,” at least until it either starts getting light out earlier, or I can trust the little monsters to go out on their own and not become coyote breakfast. Last night was a bit of a bummer, as I was awakened at 10:30 or so, and never did really get back to sleep (though I did have one interesting waking dream that involved my office being in kind of a hospital ward where my long-dead godmother was a patient, and I had my dogs there, my sister’s dogs there, and one fuzzy little brown kitty). So today is dragging pretty slowly here.

Arrived home to find my HW Heat circ pump not working. This kind of sucks, though it’s not too terrible, given the fact I have 2 pellet stoves and it’s not super-duper cold out. I could pull it apart and determine if it’s the motor or the bearing assembly, but I figured I’d order the whole set, and then look at rebuilding whatever’s wrong with it so I have a spare on the shelf. Buying one locally was gonna cost me $337.50, so I ordered one for $256 (plus $18 shipping). Good thing I’m made of money.

The place I’m getting it from is on Long Island, and they said they ship the same day, so hopefully UPS will get it here Friday. If not, I guess we’ll just have to deal with it.

Oh well, back to work.

Today, I stayed in bed until 6:00. Not asleep. I was awake for at least an hour. But it was very quiet, and I was reluctant to start up the puppy machine. Plus, the closer it gets to daylight, the better, when it comes to letting the monsters out and trying to keep track of them. That doesn’t leave a whole lot of extra time for the normal morning routine. Not that things are normal these days. Just getting from one side of the house to the other is a challenge not unlike a steeplechase. Except in this steeplechase two of the little horses are trying to tackle you and lick your face (before chomping on your nose). I think maybe I’ll put a cot in my office and just start sleeping here.

While he’s in town, John Cusack took the opportunity to visit with Jerry and Carol Berrigan. His father was friends with the Berrigan brothers, which explains why he turned into a good lefty. By the way, if you haven’t seen War Inc., you should check it out.

This is one of those rare days that are holidays, but not for me. So that’s a bummer. In fact, we both have to work five days this week (I realize I shouldn’t lament that fact, what with so many people out of work, but still).

Congratulations to the oil companies, as gas prices are the highest ever for a Washington’s Birthday (or whatever this is) holiday. They say $4.25 by April (some of you are probably already close to that). I think the only solution is tax cuts for rich people.

For those of you who don’t follow John Cusack on Twitter, you may have missed his cusetweet:

John Cusack @johncusack
Snowy day in the cuse – really nice people around these parts

He’s here filming an indie movie with Emma Roberts and others. Not that we think it’s a big deal or anything.

Oh well, time for me and my entourage to get the day started.

I stayed in bed longer this morning than I have in a long, long time. Not actually asleep, mind you. But none of the creatures were stirring, and I wasn’t about to get things going until I had to. It’s amazing how much you appreciate peace and quiet when it’s a rare commodity. The cats came around a little bit last night and this morning. Not that they’re ready to be BFFs with the puppies, but it was nice to see them at least thinking about tolerating them.

Yesterday was an interesting day. It snowed a fair amount, but it was also warm enough for me to patch fence holes and put in extra posts here and there. In between trying to wrangle the puppies and prevent them from making a break for it, since I didn’t have anybody to help me out. I finally locked them in their containment facility. It’s amazing how they’ve learned to teleport themselves instantaneously. One minute they’re there, and then – poof. All gone. I wish I could do that. I also wish I could jump in five different directions at the same time, the way they can.

I think I’ll be needing to replace the rather ancient wooden snow fence with goat fencing, though. Which means a pretty major investment in posts. And fencing. Puppy = $ Lots and lots of money. And shit. Lots of that, too.

Oh well, I’m down to my emergency backup underwear (the ones where the elastic band crinkles like cellophane when you stretch them; I think they’re older than my stepkids – and they’re pretty damn old these days), so I better do my laundry.

So, today I picked up Siggy’s ashes, which really hit me like a ton of bricks. Kind of like getting hit in the face with a shovel (I imagine). They made a little ceramic disk with his name and paw print. So, that’s that, I guess. Now it’s time to mend some fences.