oops...


Republican White House hopeful Michele Bachmann (C) rings a bell after making a call out to a voter urging to vote for her from her Des Moines campaign headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, on December 31, 2011. Republican presidential hopefuls crisscrossed the heartland state of Iowa Saturday pressing their closing arguments ahead of next week's first-in-the-nation contest to pick the party's nominee.


That works better...


Republican White House hopeful Michele Bachmann rings a bell after making a call out to a voter urging to vote for her from her Des Moines campaign headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, on December 31, 2011. Republican presidential hopefuls crisscrossed the heartland state of Iowa Saturday pressing their closing arguments ahead of next week's first-in-the-nation contest to pick the party's nominee.

Activists of 'occupy Iowa caucuses' shout slogans during a march along a street in Des Moines, Iowa, on December 31, 2011. Republican presidential hopefuls crisscrossed Iowa in a final frenzied push for votes ahead of the heartland state's first-in-the-nation contest to pick the party's nominee. With recent opinion polls showing the top White House contenders separated by single digits, Republican hopefuls barnstormed the state, planning a dozen New Year's Eve day appearances, including a public library in Indianola and the National Sprint Car Museum in Knoxville.
























A police officer watches as occupy protesters make their way towards U.S. Republican presidential candidate and Representative Michele Bachmann's office in Urbandale, Iowa December 31, 2011.


A police officer yells at occupy protesters to move away from U.S. Republican presidential candidate and Representative Michele Bachmann's office in Urbandale, Iowa December 31, 2011.


A policeman detains a 14-year-old protestor from 'occupy Iowa caucuses' outside the Des Moines home base of Republican White House hopeful Michele Bachmann in Des Moines, Iowa, on December 31, 2011. Police arrested at least a dozen of the protestors, including two teenaged girls, 14 and 16, witnesses and organizers said. Republican presidential hopefuls crisscrossed the heartland state of Iowa Saturday pressing their closing arguments ahead of next week's first-in-the-nation contest to pick the party's nominee.




A policeman detains a protestor from 'occupy Iowa caucuses' outside the Des Moines home base of Republican White House hopeful Michele Bachmann in Des Moines, Iowa, on December 31, 2011. Police arrested at least a dozen of the protestors, including two teenaged girls, 14 and 16, witnesses and organizers said. Republican presidential hopefuls crisscrossed the heartland state of Iowa Saturday pressing their closing arguments ahead of next week's first-in-the-nation contest to pick the party's nominee.


Police detain a protestor (C) from 'occupy Iowa caucuses' outside the Des Moines home base of Republican White House hopeful Michele Bachmann in Des Moines, Iowa, on December 31, 2011. Police arrested at least a dozen of the protestors, including two teenaged girls, 14 and 16, witnesses and organizers said. Republican presidential hopefuls crisscrossed the heartland state of Iowa Saturday pressing their closing arguments ahead of next week's first-in-the-nation contest to pick the party's nominee.


Police detain a 16-year-old protestor from 'occupy Iowa caucuses' outside the Des Moines home base of Republican White House hopeful Michele Bachmann in Des Moines, Iowa, on December 31, 2011. Police arrested at least a dozen of the protestors, including two teenaged girls, 14 and 16, witnesses and organizers said. Republican presidential hopefuls crisscrossed the heartland state of Iowa Saturday pressing their closing arguments ahead of next week's first-in-the-nation contest to pick the party's nominee.






An occupy protester is placed in the back of a police car after being arrested outside U.S. Republican presidential candidate and Representative Michele Bachmann's office in Urbandale, Iowa December 31, 2011.




An Occupy protester kneels next to a police car with an arrested protester in the back seat outside U.S. Republican presidential candidate and Representative Michele Bachmann's office in Urbandale, Iowa December 31, 2011.


A protestor from 'occupy Iowa caucuses' lays on the ground near a police car after police detained his comrades outside the Des Moines home base of Republican White House hopeful Michele Bachmann in Des Moines, Iowa, on December 31, 2011. Police arrested at least a dozen of the protestors, including two teenaged girls, 14 and 16, witnesses and organizers said. Republican presidential hopefuls crisscrossed the heartland state of Iowa Saturday pressing their closing arguments ahead of next week's first-in-the-nation contest to pick the party's nominee.


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Craftime in Wartime
This cross-stitch above was done in 1941 by Major Alexis Casdagli in a Nazi prisoner of war camp, just like it says. What it doesn’t say is that the dots and dashes inside the border around the swastikas and Soviet hammer and sickles are Morse code for “God save the King,” and “F**k Hitler.” I never thought I would say this about needlework, but, badass.















Geometry Sculpture WIN















From the campaign trail...


Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney speaks during a campaign rally outside a grocery store in Des Moines, Iowa, on December 30, 2001. Romney on Friday ripped President Barack Obama over his annual Hawaii vacation, painting him as out of touch with Americans' economic suffering. Romney was speaking at a rally four days before this heartland state holds its presidential nominating caucus, the first battle in the state-by-state fight to pick a Republican challenger to Obama in the November 2012 elections.


DES MOINES, IA - DECEMBER 30: Republican presidential candidate and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich wipes speaks on the phone for an interview after a question and answer forum put together by Moms Matter 2012 at Java Joe's, a coffee shop, on December 30, 2011 in Des Moines, Iowa. The GOP presidential contenders are crisscrossing Iowa in the final stretch of campaigning in the state before the January 3rd caucus, the first test the candidates must face before becoming the Republican presidential nominee.


LE MARS, IA - DECEMBER 30: Republican presidential hopeful U.S. Rep Ron Paul (R-TX) looks on during a town hall meeting at the Le Mars Convention Center on December 30, 2011 in Le Mars, Iowa. With less than one week to go before the Iowa caucuses, Ron Paul continues to campaign through Iowa.


Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann prepares to cut a cake celebrating her visit of all of Iowa's 99 counties, at Snack Time Family Restaurant in Nevada, Iowa, December 29, 2011.


Republican presidential candidate, Texas Gov. Rick Perry laughs during a campaign stop at the Westside Conservative Club breakfast,Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011, in Urbandale, Iowa.


CORALVILLE, IA - DECEMBER 30: Republican presidential candidate former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) poses for a picture while hosting a Pinstripe Bowl watch party at Buffalo Wild Wings Grill and Bar on December 30, 2011 in Ames, Iowa. The GOP presidential contenders are crisscrossing Iowa in the final stretch of campaigning before the January 3rd caucus, the first test the candidates must face before becoming the Republican presidential nominee.

Please,Please Kitten

Squirrel Monkey ‘Banana Sam’ Stolen From SF Zoo
December 30, 2011 12:31 PM

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5) – San Francisco Zoo officials are asking for the public’s help after a monkey was stolen from an exhibit overnight.

Friday morning zoo staff discovered a 17-year-old male squirrel monkey, “Banana Sam,” was missing from an exhibit that had been breached by vandals, according to a statement released by the zoo.

Banana-Sam weighs approximately 2 pounds and is more than a foot tall, zoo officials said.

Despite the monkey’s small and cute appearance, it should not be handled as a pet because it has extremely sharp teeth and “will definitely bite if provoked,” officials said in the statement.

According to zoo officials, the vandals cut a perimeter gate overnight and climbed on top of a roof sheltering five primate exhibits. The vandals cut two holes into the mesh of the squirrel monkey exhibit.

more...
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2011/12/30/squirrel-monkey-known-as-banana-sam-stolen-from-sf-zoo/

An elephant eats a Christmas Tree at the Zoo, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011 in Wuppertal, Germany.


An elephant eats a Christmas Tree at the Zoo, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011 in Wuppertal, Germany. Animals at the zoo enjoy the change in their diet at Christmas time.

MASON CITY, IA - DECEMBER 29: Former Massachusetts Governor and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney stands in a chair as campaign staff member Garrett Jackson holds it steady during a campaign event at Music Man Square December 29, 2011 in Mason City, Iowa. Recent state-wide polls put Romney and fellow candidate Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) close going into next week's first-in-the-country Iowa Caucuses, a litmus test for the GOP hopefuls.

The sign is perfect!


Republican presidential hopeful Rick Perry is introduced at the Adams Street Espresso in Creston, Iowa, on December 27, 2011. Republican presidential hopefuls descended on Iowa Tuesday in a final push for a win in the first voting contest of 2012 that could propel their campaign to take on President Barack Obama. With just a week to go before the Iowa caucuses, the outcome remains uncertain, with all six candidates staking out their hopes for the closely-watched contest that could help them secure the Republican nomination ahead of November's general election.

A participant of 'Occupy Iowa Caucuses' enters the protest headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, on December 27, 2011. Republican presidential hopefuls descended on Iowa Tuesday in a final push for a win in the first voting contest of 2012 that could propel their campaign to take on President Barack Obama. With just a week to go before the Iowa caucuses, the outcome remains uncertain, with all six candidates staking out their hopes for the closely-watched contest that could help them secure the Republican nomination ahead of November's general election.










A group of people walk past placards displayed on window and doors by 'Occupy Iowa Caucuses' activists at the protest headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, on December 27, 2011. Republican presidential hopefuls descended on Iowa Tuesday in a final push for a win in the first voting contest of 2012 that could propel their campaign to take on President Barack Obama. With just a week to go before the Iowa caucuses, the outcome remains uncertain, with all six candidates staking out their hopes for the closely-watched contest that could help them secure the Republican nomination ahead of November's general election.


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Tiger cubs dressed as Santa Claus are seen near a sow on Christmas Eve at the Sriracha Tiger Zoo in Thailand's Chonburi province, about 100 km (62 miles) east of Bangkok December 24, 2011.




A tiger cub dressed as Santa Claus and piglets suckle from a sow on Christmas Eve at the Sriracha Tiger Zoo in Thailand's Chonburi province, about 100 km (62 miles) east of Bangkok December 24, 2011.