In Texas With Theodore Ryan & Ruby Jean Jones

You are looking at the twins, Theodore Ryan and Ruby Jean, born, I think, 2 weeks ago. In the Washington town that goes by the name of Tacoma.

The Jones Twins look awfully tiny to me.

The twins were sent to me, in Texas, via email.

I have not been informed, currently, what exactly is my relationship to TR & RJ. I know I share no genetic connection. However, that just seems like a technicality. Having the same last name cements the relationship deal.

I'm sure that's how it works.

I remember the last time I held a baby in my arms. It was sometime in the spring of 2000, in Mount Vernon, Washington. I held the baby for about a half a minute when it threw up all over me. Those watching the baby throw up all over me found it amusing. I did not.

The last time I tried to change a baby diaper was sometime in 1981. I was baby sitting my nephew Jason. His diaper needed changing. These were old-fashioned diapers, not those new-fangled Pamper things.

I laid my nephew down on newspapers and removed the bad diaper. I got the horrendous mess cleaned up, but then could not figure out how to install the replacement diaper. I called one of my roommates, at work, and she came home and finished the job for me.

Later that night, after Jason's parental units had picked him up and returned home, I got a call from my now ex-sister-in-law asking me why Jason had newsprint all over his butt. Said in a very accusatory tone.

And now here is more trivia.

The roommate who helped me change the diaper, way back in 1981, moved to Ada, Oklahoma one month before I moved to Texas. A little over two years after that a mutual friend from Washington flew in to D/FW. I drove her up to Ada the next day. I so clearly recollect sitting outside, up in Oklahoma, and remarking to my two other Washington natives, something like "if 20 years ago I had told the two of you that in 20 years hence we would be sitting under a pine tree in Oklahoma sipping wine, would either of you have been able to conceive of a scenario where that could possibly make sense?'

Neither could.

And now there is Theodore Ryan & Ruby Jean.

What a world.

So little of it I understand.

The Worst Tax Burden Per Person of Any State; And the "Winner" Is..........

 Red state, blue state....Republican, Democrat....conservative, liberal.

But the bottom line is.....it matters little. Because for all the bluster you hear about "tax and spend liberals" and "fiscally responsible" conservatives, the bottomline is remarkably similar.

A listing of the Pain Index found in US News & World Report shows that of the Top Ten states with the most tax burden per citizen and the biggest budget cuts, resulting in less "bang for your buck", is evenly divided among what are nominally designated as "red states" and "blue states".

Five of the states are traditionally Democratic, and the other five usually vote Republican. But here's an interesting note; of the five "blue" states listed- California, New Jersey, Hawaii, Delaware, Rhode Island- all but Delaware have Republican governors (Don Carcieri-RI, Arnold_Schwarzenegger- CA, Linda Lingle-HA, Chris Christie-NJ).

Don't shoot me....I'm only the messenger. Talk to Mort Zuckerman.

But the winner is....as shown in the list below.....the 49th state.

Alaska....the state that gave us a famous half term governor, is the state that leads the nation in The Pain Index.


1. Alaska: $1,265
2. California: $855
3. Wyoming: $698
4. Rhode Island: $619
5. New Jersey: $602
6. Delaware: $453
7. Hawaii: $444
8. South Carolina: $475
9. Utah: $437
10. Oklahoma: $470


Sarah Palin, who left office after little more than half of her term was complete- and made a zillion dollars in the process- apparently had left a real mess for her successor, Sean Parnell, to clean up.

And there's a sizable group of people in the Republican Party- and the Tea Party- who want this woman to run for president in 2012.


Read more...........www.walletpop.com.