The Guttmacher Institute is a non-profit organization which works to advance reproductive health including abortions rights.  It was founded in 1968 as the Center for Family Planning Program Development, a semi-autonomous division of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.  (wikepedia.com)

I found some of their statistics eye-opening.  For example, 44% of women who have abortions are married or living together,  6 in ten already have children, and 73% are religiously affiliated.  Sounds like just another medical procedure that needs to continue to be made available to those who need it. Not a moral issue. 

I love this video of "You Can Call Me Al" by Paul Simon with Chevy Chase.  The original video for this song was Paul Simon's performance of the song on "Saturday Night Live" but Paul didn't like it and made this one.  Paul Simon is 5'3" tall and is towered over by Chevy Chase who is 6'4".  I need to put this on my shuffle.

Sit back and enjoy.

Happy Birthday wishes go out to Annette Carol Bening, aka Mrs. Warren Beatty, who turns 55 years young today. Annette was born in Wichita, Kansas, but grew up in San Diego. Annette has a BS Degree in theatre arts from San Francisco State University.
  

 

I loved Annette in "The American President" with Michael Douglas and "Open Range" with Kevn Costner and Robert Duvall.

In 1991, while filming "Bugsy", Annette met Warren Beatty.  They were married a year later.  They have four children, three daughters and a son. 

Bring 'em all home I say!!!

 

"Mr. Whipple.  Please don't squeeze the shoppers!!"

Happy Birthday wishes go out to Stephanie Lynn "Stevie" Nicks who turns 65 years young today. Nicks was born in Phoenix, Arizona. She was married once but has no children. Stevie attended San Jose State University, but dropped out before graduation.

Nicks joined her first band called "The Changing Times" while attending Arcadia H.S. in Southern California.  She met her long time musical and romantic partner, Lindsey Buckingham, in her senior year at a party.  Nicks and Buckingham joined "Fleetwood Mac" in 1974.

As the lead singer of "Fleetwood Mac" and in her solo career, Nicks has produced over forty top 50 hits and sold over 140 million albums.

Nicks continues to visit wounded soldiers and provides each one with an ipod with music including hers and other top recording artists. 

 

Sounds good to me!!!

"Politics aside, should we be surprised that the IRS takes special attention to the tax forms of the Tea Party? Judging from the terrible spelling on their protest signs, attention to detail isn’t really their thing."  -- Seth Meyers

 

This looks like one of my Nyquil dreams.

Happy Birthday wishes go out to musician, singer-song-writer, music producer, artist, and writer, Robert Allen Zimmerman, aka Bob Dylan, who turns 72 years old today. Dylan was born in my home town of Duluth, Minnesota.
 

Boy this is me. I hate replacing sprinklers. That's why when we retire and move to Florida we will buy a condo. No more lawn work. No more replacing sprinklers.

Happy Birthday wishes go out to actor, writer, and muscian, Gary Burghoff who turns 70 years old today. Gary was born in Bristol, Connecticut. He was married twice and has three children.

Gary is probably best known for his role as Walter "Radar" O'Rielly from the long running series "M*A*S*H.  Gary was the only actor who went from starring in the movie M*A*S*H to the series.  Gary was on M*A*S*H for seven years and won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a comedy series in 1977.

Gary started his career as a drummer in a band with Lynda Carter from the series "Wonder Woman" called "Relatives."  The band played for three months at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas.  Gary appeared in over 200 episodes of "Match Game."  Gary has also written a book entitled "To M*A*S*H and back: My life in Poems and Songs."

 

Everyone has seen these dust devils wondering across the desert.  Wednesday I was riding my bike from Riverside to Norco and back, and where I turned around I stopped and used a porta potty where the folks unload their horses.  When I was inside the porta potty it began rocking and shaking.  I pushed the door open and found I was engulfed in one of these dust devils.  It shook the porta potty like crazy.  Lucky I wasn't picked up and thrown!!! 

 

Stockings!!!

A Republican Texas Judge has ordered a lesbian couple to live apart or give up custody of their children. According to Think Progress, Judge John Roach of McKinney, Texas has given Page Price 30 days to move out of the home she shares with Carolyn Compton and Compton’s two children from a previous marriage because he does not approve of Compton and Price’s “lifestyle.”

Roach has placed a “morality clause” in Compton’s divorce papers, which forbids Compton from having anyone she is not related to “by blood or marriage” in her home past 9:00 p.m. if the children are present.

Same sex marriage is illegal in Texas, so by law, Compton cannot live with Price if she wishes to retain custody of her children. Compton said that she and Price have been together for three years. Compton’s ex-husband rarely bothers to see the children and was previously arrested on charges of third-degree felony stalking in 2011, charges that he was able to plea down to criminal trespassing, a misdemeanor.

In a post on Facebook, Price wrote that Roach had inserted the morality clause into the divorce agreement when Compton’s ex-husband Joshua Compton attempted to gain custody of the children in 2011. The judge wrote that he disapproved of the two women’s “lifestyle.”

Maybe we should let Texas to secede from the Union. 

Throw in a 15-day vacation and its been three weeks since I've been on my bike. Sunday I rode 25 miles, from Yorba Linda to Huntington Beach. It was a real clear day, with temps in the high 60's and a head wind off of the ocean.
 

 

Made it to the beach!!  I probably should have started out with a shorter ride because I'm pooped. It was good to be back on my bike though.

 

This photo shows where the Santa Ana River joins the ocean.  I'm taking the photo adjacent to PCH where riders can chose to go north towards Huntington Beach or south towards Newport Beach.

Happy Birthday wishes go out to actress, comedienne, writer, and producer, Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey, who turns 43 years young today. Tina has a B.A. degree from the University of Virginia in drama. Tina is married to composer Jeff Richmond, who she dated for 7 years, and they have two children.

 

Tina started her career as a writer for "Saturday Night Live." She move to head writer and began making appearances in SNL skits.  Tina worked for SNL from 1997 - 2006.

 

 

In 2006, Tina wrote a pilot that later became 30 rock. Tina has been with the series ever since.  Tina has received seven Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, five Screen Actors Guild Awards, four Writers Guild Awards, four Writers Guild of America Awards, and has been nominated for a Grammy Award.  Tina is the youngest recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

 

I really liked Tina's impersonation of former Vice President nominee Sarah Palin.  Tina has also acted in four motion pictures.