You Tread on my Dreams

I HAVE SPREAD MY DREAMS
UNDER YOUR FEET;
TREAD SOFTLY, BECAUSE
YOU TREAD ON MY DREAMS.

~ William Butler Yeats

Of Note: It comes as no surprise that the opposition movement in Iran has latched on to the energy of liberation streaming from Egypt. After all, they were the forerunners, who in June 2009 took to the streets after allegedly fraudulent elections kept President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in power. Even after a strident governmental backlash, the Iranian opposition was barely contained and ran right under the surface of a seemingly peaceful social fabric. Not any longer. Tens of thousands took to the streets after a rally was called by opposition leaders as a show of solidarity for their Egyptian brethren. Spewing tear gas and beating anyone in their path, the Iranian security forces came down hard on the protesters. Government officials also cut phone lines, continued their blockade of the Internet and prevented opposition leaders from attending the event. Visiting President of Turkey urged Middle Eastern governments "to listen to the demands of their people." He implored: "When leaders and heads of countries do not pay attention to the demands of their nations, the people themselves take action to achieve their demands." It is a wise man who understands that little can stop the dream of freedom from coming to fruition once set loose. Iranian opposition leaders, feeding on the energy of liberation flowing from Egypt, would undoubtedly agree and have said the protest today was just the beginning. Based on recent history, Ahmadinejad and his gang would be smart to pack their bags for a speedy exit.

Today's Weather Report: The sun keeps teasing us by peeking out from behind the clouds then disappearing again. It's like a game of hide and seek. Walking today is treacherous at 26 degrees Fahrenheit. The 40 degrees we had yesterday melted the surface and made it slick. During other spells like this in years gone by, many have fallen; emergency rooms have filled with people complaining of broken bones and other mishaps. On another note, the snowplow is now working again but needs further repair because of a screeching noise under the hood. We need to take care of that pronto before the next snowfall. I purchased this snowplow a few years back when the old one became totally unreliable and will make sure this one does not end up the same way.