I've been a light weight on the action figure front lately...what with trying to create power, grow food...blah-blah-blah. I've made up for my lack with the order of STARVIN' MARVIN from South Park.

Starvin' Marvin is one of my all time favorite characters on the show. The little Ethiopian who steals a spaceship--fights Sally Struthers--and travels a lot. Marvin comes complete with a suitcase and well..... a chicken.

I try to pickup South Park figures when I can find them for a reasonable price. TIMMY in his wheelchair is one that I am always looking for....but when you can find Starvin' Marvin for $11.00 you gotta go for it. Marvin's on his way and will soon be displayed in the nerd cave.

Some plants are in others are in the process of going into the ground. There is already such a difference in the yard and in my spirit. What a difference having the auto-watering system in place. Our town is planning on increasing the water rate fee's by approximately 40%....I've got to insure that our rain barrel recovery system is workable now and tied into the gardens. I always felt that shortages of water, power, food etc were not the only problem that was possible to face---that simple price increases could easily place what is now considered everyday items completely out of reach.

Due to our climate-----watering is a must no matter the price from the faucet. My hope is to use our recovered water as much as possible once the rates increase. Unfortunately the rate increase, of course, coincides with our dry season.

Close, not yet, but close......what an up and down again process with the new power system. Not because the system will not work---but rather that I am having to train the people installing the system. I had never planned on having to insure that electricians knew what to do------

---The last thing to accomplish is the connection of the grid tie inverter to the house electrical system. I watch my wind generator turning without purpose...at least my panels are charging the house batteries so when everything is finally installed and running I can immediately use the produced power without having to wait for the batteries to charge up. Of course the electric company now wants additional paperwork!!! Foolish me to think that after having filled out several sets of paperwork there would not be more.....I keep focused on the fact that it will all be worthwhile at the end.

Multiple sites on the Internet have been covering the story of the latest Russian billionaire's private super ship...the 394' long "A".

Although decorated internally in the standard Russian Rich guy no-taste whorehouse style...the exterior of the ship, the mechanical,computer systems and electrical are as well designed and competent as any of the Navies of the world's new stealth frigates. In fact the design mimics the international naval frigate ship of the future down to and including anti-ship missile defense systems.

This new ship the "A" is the latest in a private owner ship size and competency race amongst the world's wealthiest individuals with additional super ships still to come---- each out sizing and designing the other. I believe there is more to this trend than simply an ugly, overbearing display of Russian wealth and power. I believe these ships are arks for the individual rich. What better place to be protected from and to ride out the upcoming unpleasantness than on your own super-ship.

Unapproachable, stocked with supplies, capable of reaching any safe destination, probably secretly armed to the teeth, handled by a crew that is more than glad to be safely offshore and away from worldly problems these yachts(?) are the perfect bug out location for any end of the world scenario and there are quite a few of them being built?

If we could just find out who's in charge, we could kill him.

George Carlin