LadyDanser

My first Personal Blog...

2009-12-22T10:46:00.000-08:00

All the previous writing was an assignment for an English class I was enrolled in. Today, I'm feeling low, and so decided to write about my feelings and if anyone out there has an opinion, please post. Thanks.

Anyhoo, it's Christmas time. I'm not Christian, but I still celebrate the "spirit of the season". (most of my family is Christian, so it stands to reason, I suppose.) I find myself getting all depressed about not being able to buy my grandson a gift for his first Christmas. I know it isn't about the gifts, but for me it IS about the giving, and I simply can't afford to give to anyone at this time.

Also, there is this problem I have with my current "day job". I have spent months trying to get out of working there. I have managed to only go part-time. 20 hours a week. It really helped me with my grades in school, and getting family time. However, this loss of paid time (by choice, mind you) is killing my financial situation. My house payment is late, my car payment...you name it. I thank God that I have no small children at home to feed. I have a teenager and a fiance/husband, but we all go in different directions so much, that I don't have to keep food in the house.

And now for my "real" problem. do you ever feel all alone and small in such a big world. I have so many friends and family that I didn't know what to do once school started, and I pretty much had to ditch everyone for studies. Now, everyone is so used to my being un-available, that no one calls or comes around, and I hardly get posts to my facebook anymore. And I feel all alone...I'm so bummed out.

I guess I'm done whining. (for now...teehee!)

I hope you all enjoy a WONDERFULLY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

SlimFast recalls every shake on the market.

2009-12-04T19:03:00.000-08:00

This article is located on msn.com. Funny stuff. The SlimFast shake recall due to a bacteria that may cause diarrhea. Well, if you are trying to lose weight and this bacteria isn’t dangerous, I say don’t return it drink it. Sorry, I know that probably isn’t really funny, but in my tiny little world it is.

See, I have been trying to lose weight all my life. I have tried almost anything you can think of. Grapefruit pills, the grapefruit diet, SlimFast, the cabbage soup diet…gosh, I have spent lots and lots of money on “get skinny quick” stuff. None of it worked so well as when I was going through my divorce. My nerves were so messed up, food went straight through me in about fifteen minutes.

I have never lost so much weight so quickly. (I know, I know, what a topic right?) I lost forty pounds in about a month. I was looking mighty fine, and then my system straightened back up. I have, since then (about 3 years ago), gained back about ten pounds, but nothing about my eating habits or physical activity changed.

I am not suggesting that you do something to induce diarrhea to help you lose weight. That is probably about as dangerous as any other food related disease, like anorexia or bulimia. I am really just making a small joke out of the problems that SlimFast is having, and I hope none of you take me seriously.

SlimFast is a good product if you have the willpower to drink only one shake for two meals a day. But if you have any on your shelf at home now, seriously, you probably ought to send it back to the company and get your money back. Being sick is no way to lose weight.

Baboon Gangs on the rise in South Africa

2009-12-04T18:39:00.000-08:00

Oh how funny. I found this article on msn.com, seeing the title I became curious. I thought maybe it was a play on words. It isn’t. Seriously, the baboons in South Africa are “attacking” tourist in their vehicles and stealing the food from them.

While I understand that the baboons are wild animals, I still find this funny. If I understand the article correctly, the entire “tribe” of baboons just file into the stopped traffic and open car doors or go through open windows in search of sandwiches, etc. The photo they have with article just looks adorable to me, but I am sure they are dangerous wild animals.

This article reminds me of a time when I was a kid, and my family went camping down at Devil’s Den State Park in Arkansas. We left our cooler and a loaf of bread sitting on the picnic table while we went to sleep that night.

Our parents woke us up in the middle of the night so we could watch the little bandits steal our food. The raccoons in the area had learned how to open our cooler and they also tore into the loaf of bread. My dad had a video camera and got it turned on so that we now have footage forever of these little stinkers.

The funniest part of all was when they would take a piece of bread down to the creek to “wash” it before they ate it. The running water would deteriorate the bread quickly, and they would come back to the table to get another piece. That was a fun time.

In the article they state that they know that this will attract tourists, and they fear for the safety of the people. They will start handing out papers telling you to roll up your windows, lock your doors, etc, if you see the baboons. These papers will be issued in more than one language so that everyone will be safe.

Interesting. I cannot wait to see what happens next year, when the tourists start rolling in just to see the baboons.

Knox convicted.

2009-12-04T18:23:00.000-08:00

This article is about the conviction of Amanda Knox. I found it on msn.com. I am so glad this is over. In my humble opinion, we have had to endure this trial for much too long in the news. People kill people every day. What is the key factor that makes the media choose a single murder, and then inundate us?

Unfortunately, I have followed this story from the beginning. At first, I felt sorry for the girl. It seemed to me that she was an innocent, and the media were unfairly attacking her, because she was not a native of Italy. She is an American student who was studying in Italy, and she was being accused of murdering her roommate.

This story has drug on for two years, and while I feel sorry for her family, after seeing all the facts that have been presented, she does appear to be guilty. She has told more than one story about where she was and what she was doing the night of the murder. She has actually pointed the finger at an innocent man. In consideration of the facts that have come to light over the last two years, the drugs and sex and the confrontation with the roommate, I have changed my mind about feeling sorry for Ms. Knox.

It is a sorry state when someone murders someone else, period. But then to behave the way Ms. Knox has since the beginning of the whole thing, she is shameless. I hope that if they do go for the appeal, that she is still found guilty.

This article is one of the many reasons that I personally did not like the assignments. However, I understand point behind them. Also, I appreciated the fact that we had a vague subject matter so that I did not have to try to imagine something to write about. However, the current events today are either sad or ridiculous.

Tragedy on Thanksgiving

2009-11-27T10:49:00.000-08:00

Reading this article breaks my heart. I found this on msn.com while looking for something about Thanksgiving to blog about. It really saddens me that this family has to go through such a tragedy on Thanksgiving Day.

I have made no secret of being in the recovery program for friends and family of alcoholics, and this week is a hard week for most everyone in both that program as well as A.A. While sitting in meetings this week I heard so many heart-breaking tales of “Thanksgiving past”. Things others have been through due to the drinking and the behavior of those engulfed in the family disease of alcoholism. I remember thinking when I was headed to a meeting Tuesday night, “I need to talk about what I think is going to happen tomorrow with my family.” I felt that I needed to get it off my chest, in order to ease the worry some. Then during the meeting, I heard others situations and I realized that what I have to deal with is not so bad. And I began to pray for my friends and family to get through this holiday with at least one good memory.

Today, I am trying to find something to blog about, and this is what I find. This is even more terrible than the stories I listened to on Tuesday night. I cannot imagine what the family in this article is going through.

A hideous crime committed in their home, while they were all there and awake. Not only will they have to live with the sadness of no longer having their children, their wives etc, they also have to deal with a guilt that will haunt them until their dying day. Guilt of being there and not stopping it; guilt for not knowing it happened, and the guilt of knowing they could have prevented it from the beginning if they had only treated Mr. Merhige differently.

My hope for this family is that someday soon they can forgive themselves for what they think they have caused.

2009-11-20T18:41:00.000-08:00

I came across this article by accident, on msn.com about the militia movement (domestic terrorists) becoming more prevalent since the election of President Obama.

I read this article with a bit of apprehension. I knew something of the sort would happen, especially due to the Presidents race. There is a remark in the article where the main person, Olson, who the article is based on, states that it is not racial for him. Maybe it is not, however, the ones that have developed so quickly in the south – I am sure it is racial for them. White supremacists and all that running rampant in the southern states it was bound to happen.

It is scary to me. I do not have any guns. My husband and our son have them, and they are in our home. However, I do not ever, even in target practice, shoot them. What if these bizarre right wing militia freaks decide to make war with our government? All hell breaks loose, and people are shooting people without even knowing why. I understand that small-minded people are afraid of a democracy; however, President Obama is not a king. He does not and he cannot rule without the aide of all of the branches of government, including our local governments. There is no one person who has complete control of our nation.

These people really scare me. I have seen many shows on the Discovery Channel on these hate groups that think they have to kill people to make there opinion known. I have always been of the opinion that there should be a hate group against all hate groups. These guys are simple minded and afraid of change.

I am not, and never will be a racist. I think it is great that we have elected an African-American President. To be alive for history in the making, the stories we will have for our children’s children, it just amazes me. Yes, he is making some huge mistakes, but the only way to not make mistakes is to not do anything. Moreover, he is trying to correct the mistakes of the administration that came before him. Unprecedented I believe is the correct word to use here. These problems in our nation are unprecedented; therefore, no one really knows what will and will not work. At this point, it is trial and error.

I wish that these militia groups were more open-minded (and didn’t carry machine guns). They are going to hurt some one, whether intentionally or not, and then the war will start. I see no good coming from these freaks. I now wish I had not read the article. I will worry more now that I did before, because my fears have been confirmed.

Selling Plasma for financial help

2009-11-20T12:45:00.000-08:00

Selling plasma to make ends meet? This article is on msn.com, and it makes me sad. I could never do that, as I have a fear of needles. My fiancé/husband has done this before when our family was in a crisis. I feel really bad for this woman, and all the other people in this world who are unemployed and cannot make ends meet.

Something that really angers me is how all these famous people, (Brangelina for example) go to foreign countries and help the homeless and starving people there, but nothing is done here. I have no problem with them helping people in need, however, why do not they start here, in their homeland, the United States of America? The land of the increasingly homeless and starving.

I am not as broke as even some of my friends, but we are barely making our bills right now. Groceries are actually a luxury, and yet I can still find it in our budget somehow to give to my friends and family when they are in need. That is what it is about. I may go hungry another day, but my friend or family member will not lose their home, or the electric, or whatever. Helping people is important, especially helping those close to you. I do not think that I could live with myself if I were to, say donate to Unique, when I have family and friends right here that need my help as well.

This poor woman in the article is looking at having to live in a run down RV because she was fired from her job more than two years ago, and cannot find employment. She states that she cannot even get a job at a hotel as a housekeeper. That is scary folks. I sit here in my little world counting the minutes till I can quit what I call my day job, knowing that due to my skill set and education, I will find another job without a doubt. Then I read this article and think, maybe not.

Our great nation has come under some significant changes economically here in the last few years. Most of it started with the previous President, and is being blamed on the current President. I really do not care whose fault it is, I just want some one to fix it. Stop giving money to the companies that pay out millions of dollars in bonuses. Heck, most people do not make a million dollars in their lifetime; distribute that money to people who can really use it.

Oopsy! I got on my soapbox again. I will step off, however, in the spirit of the season, remember this: There is always someone out there worse off than you are. If you come across that person, help them out. It could be you one of these days.

FAKE STEAK?!?!

2009-11-20T11:38:00.000-08:00

This article, located in the science and technology section of msn.com, really grosses me out. I can understand some of the thought process behind creating fake steak, but I do not think I could eat it.

As I read this article, I began to imagine how my steak would be grown. All I can think is “Gross”. I am a steak lover and fresh steak is the best. Going down to the auction and buying a cow, taking it to the butcher, and then bringing home fresh cut steaks. MmmMmm, good!

This article goes on to say that livestock generate 18% of greenhouse gasses. In addition, to that they take up 70% of our agricultural land. Supposedly, if they grow our meat, these things would be reduced. Seriously, does any one care about this? It is the human population that is destroying our atmosphere, and as for the agricultural land, if they are not raising animals on it, then what?

They say the meat would be germ free; no more worries about mad cow, or swine flu. To which I say, “so what?” These germs are Mother Nature’s way of weeding out weakness, and keeping the population down. If we wipe out the disease factor, there would be too many human beings on this planet. What do you think will happen to our ozone then?

The “Dark Thoughts” section on this one is just disgusting. Growing human “meat” from cadavers? They say it removes the cannibalistic context. I really don’t think so. If you eat human flesh, you are a cannibal, pure and simple, no matter whether it is real or genetically manufactured. Yick!

They say that marketing would help them to sell this crap. Problem is most of us do not care that a cow had to be killed so that we could have that steak. God gave us cows to provide us with milk and steak. It is part of the circle of life.

I will likely become a vegetarian if they switch to genetically manufactured meats. What about you?

Fifteen minutes of fame?

2009-11-13T20:53:00.000-08:00

Yet another “temporarily famous person” who will not stop trying to get into the spotlight. Sarah Palin. Gosh, did we not get enough of her when she was McCain’s running mate? Anyhow, this article, definitely a good read, found at msn.com, about Sarah Palin’s upcoming book release.

First of all, if you did not notice it in my first paragraph - Sarah who? My goodness, she was such an unknown when Senator McCain chose her as a running mate, and now I believe her fifteen minutes of fame have gone to her head. Don’t get me wrong. I find her a very strong, funny (even when by accident) woman. I do not think that she is a good role model for anyone, however.

She “quit” her job after the Presidential election was over. She has told many, many stories with falsehoods in them. I imagine she is exaggerating for affect in those cases. Now, she has written a book, a book full of all kinds of junk about her life, her family, and the Presidential race. Seriously? Would you buy this book? I might use it to help hold a table level or something, but I would not spend money on it.

She strikes me as a very money hungry, very star struck loser who has taken her fifteen minutes of fame and is trying to make a life off it. No one can ride fifteen minutes for as long as she is trying to. I suppose I should wish her luck, we all need an income these days.

Shoot! I was famous once. My fifteen minutes of fame came from playing an actual arcade game (back in the day) for forty-hours and forty-five minutes straight. I set a world record on that game. I did it Webb City when I was about 13, and even if I told you what game it was, and what score, you would not know me from Adam. That’s because in the grand scheme of life, if your fame only lasts 15 minutes, then get off the freaking stage. It is over, get a life. If you actually remain famous, without trying to force it as Mrs. Palin is doing, well then FABULOUS! Keep up the good work, but do not force it, in the end you just end up looking silly.

Friday the 13th, and other silly superstitions.

2009-11-13T20:23:00.000-08:00

I have rather touched on this subject before, but being that it is Friday the 13th, I cannot help myself. I am going to do it again. I found this article at msn.com, regarding superstitions of the world.

Very interesting that in the UK, a black cat crossing your path is considered good luck, while here in the great United States of America, the superstition is exactly opposite. I have a family member who, about 30 years ago, actually slammed on his brakes and backed up his car until he got to a driveway, to turn around and go a different direction because a black kitty cat crossed the road in front of him. Now that my friends, is a superstition run deep.

I like the paragraph about the shamrock in Ireland being a good-luck charm. We have spent many a beautiful day as a family sitting in a patch, looking for that ever-illusive four-leaf clover. I personally can look all day, and never find one. However, my little brother, we took him camping with us one time, and he must have found twenty-five of those little buggers. I really do not believe that they bring luck, but they are so difficult for me to find that I do keep them pressed in a book in my library when I do get one.

There are a couple of other oddball superstitions in this article, but I want to talk about the number 13. Why do we think it such a bad number? Why does Friday the 13th become even more “cursed” than any other day numbered 13? Well I have researched these things in the past, so I am going to pass on some knowledge here.

In the Western world, Friday has always been considered an unlucky day. When combined with the fear of the number 13…well, you get the picture. These superstitions go back at least as far as the 17th century. It is really hard to get any specific facts as to why these things are considered unlucky. Friday is rooted in Christian faith, as it is said the crucifixion happened on a Friday. (Where as Good Friday is the only exception to this belief.) The number 13 being unlucky, also stems from Christian faith, in that there were 13 people at the table for the Last Supper, and Judas was the first to leave the table, died at his own hand shortly thereafter.

Although nowadays we mostly just poke fun at the superstition surrounding Friday the 13th, it is interesting to note things like; there is no 13th Street in Joplin. There are also no hotel rooms with the number 13, nor a 13th floor in any building. (Oddly enough, there is a 13th floor; they just call it the 14th.)

So yes, it is just a silly superstition, but it is rather fun to spend the day watching the superstitious try to get around “all that bad luck” throughout the day. When really, if anything bad were going to happen, it would have happened whether it was Friday the 13th or not.

Worries about Violence in association with 9/11 Terrorists

2009-11-13T20:22:00.000-08:00

This article found at msnbc.com is about the “alleged mastermind” behind the 9/11 attacks could cause more violence. Especially since he is on trial in what would be the shadow of the Twin Towers.

There are concerns that he will not get a fair trial as well. To which I say “OORAH!” Does he deserve a fair trial? In my opinion, the answer to that question is no. He most definitely does not deserve a fair trial. He is admitting to having been the mastermind behind it all, so just put him away, or give him the death penalty. Why waste all this time and money letting some poop-head lawyer try to get him off when he so obviously wants to be punished. If he had not admitted to it, then maybe, just maybe, I might think he deserves a fair trial. In this case, a fair trial would not be held in the great city of New York, because there will not be an unbiased soul anywhere in that vicinity to be put on the jury.

The article states that the loudest voice against the holding of the trial comes from relatives of the victims. They are very upset that the trial will be held in the federal courthouse, which is approximately a thousand yards from where the attack on our nation began. A firefighter whose son died in the attack says the city’s wounds are still too raw, and “ripping that scab open will create a tremendous hardship.” While others think that it is fitting that they face justice so close to where the attacks took place. (I still say he doesn’t deserve a fair trial.)

As for the violence, I am not for certain as to what kind of violence they should be worried.You have your city folk, all-American people who do not want justice for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed; they just want him to pay for what he is admitting to having done. Therefore, they may be inclined to try to give him his just desserts outside of the courtroom. In addition, should he make it all the way to trial, and New Yorkers do not like the ruling, I would think they might lean toward some kind of rebellion.

Then you also have to consider the kind of people this Mohammed comes from. Terrorists. They are violent by nature, and we have one of “theirs” in captivity. They could lose what little wits they have and try to get him out of custody through whatever means possible. Be it with a troop of crazies, or bombing somewhere else to draw attention away to their extraction plans. I would not want to live in New York City right now. The possibilities of violence are so completely endless when you are dealing with religious fanatics.

DNA Barcoding

2009-11-06T14:21:00.000-08:00

This is an interesting article regarding DNA “bar-coding”. Since I am currently enrolled in BIO 101 and we just took a test over DNA fingerprinting, I thought this article was very appropriate. This article is located on msnbc.com.

DNA fingerprinting comes in very handy for determining who the criminal might be (if he leaves any behind, that is). However, this article is talking about using the DNA fingerprinting to determine where trees are being harvested illegally, and what herbal medicines are really made of. This type of genetic technology could also contribute to early warning system for the spread of disease.

My initial reaction to this one is “how cool is that?” Now I am nowhere near a biology major, but I do find this kind of thing very interesting. They can actually use DNA fingerprinting to find out where animals are being “harvested” illegally.

There are links in the article referenced to even more fascinating stuff. One of the links has a photo of a handheld DNA barcoder that would allow scientists to more quickly determine the species of a plant or animal, and help them to identify and catalog the “vast biodiversity” before much of it becomes extinct.

So, if you find this type of thing interesting, please read the above referenced article and the articles linked to it. DNA bar-coding would do wonders for the scientific world as well as the criminal one mentioned above.

2009-11-05T14:29:00.001-08:00

Aliens? Hmmm….I for one have always wanted to believe in life on other planets. This article talks about how they have been looking for life in all the wrong places. They have learned that there are more probable places where other forms of intelligence could be.

Previously they were using the principle of mediocrity, and now that they are using that same principle but applying it to the sun, they feel they may be on to something.

I am a huge fan of things that are difficult to explain. Things like the Egyptian pyramids, and the Bermuda Triangle, and most definitely the possibility of other forms of intelligent life “out there”. I am not easily swayed to believe or not believe. I weigh all the facts – of which there are very few, in my opinion.

I believe that God would not “create the heavens” just for us to look at. That would be silly in my opinion. All that wasted space. I just do not see him as being wasteful. In addition, something to consider, is that we, as the human race, are just an experiment. Therefore, it just goes to think that he (God) put “experiments” all over the Universe. (This is just a thought. Honestly, when I run out of things to say, I start making stuff up. I have to get to 1500 words somehow!)

I do not believe the stories about alien abductions though. Part of the reason for that is that in this day and age, with the technology that we have available to us, the “sightings” have come almost to a complete halt. They still happen, but not as often. If there were other forms of intelligent life out there, why would they abduct us and do such rudimentary experiments on us? More food for thought.

I personally have seen an unidentified flying object. It was about eighteen years ago. I was at my Grandma’s home in Carterville Missouri. I had just put my darling baby girl in her car seat, and was saying my goodbyes to Grandma. Grandma got a strange look on her face. She was staring at something in the sky behind me. It was still daylight, but heading into twilight. I turned to see what she was seeing.

In the sky and what seemed very close were two very large “fire balls” gliding together. Parallel to each other and the earth. There was no sound. Just the large glowing balls. It was the strangest thing I have ever seen. There was no video taken by any one. Grandma and I talked about it for days. When it was reported on the news, they said it was “space garbage”. That, to me, is the silliest thing I ever heard. There is no way they were outside our atmosphere. They were so close; they seemed to be no higher than you could fly a standard kite.

I know I used the words “fire balls”. However, they were not on fire, they were similar in color to fire, but there were no flames.

Call me crazy if you will. I have been called worse. I am just relating what I perceived to have happened that autumn day.

Baby found after 5 days.

2009-11-05T13:56:00.000-08:00

This story is absolutely ridiculous. I found it on MSN.com and I cannot believe that a mom would actually do this.

She actually reported her seven-month-old daughter missing, after having given her to the babysitter to hide. If you read further, you will see that she had a three-year-old son go missing back in 1987, and she almost did jail time back then. Not because of the missing son, but because a six year old girl was found in the home and had been abused.

As I am typing this, I am still in complete shock. I do not understand how any woman can give up a child. Not like this. I mean, I can understand if there are extenuating circumstances and you put your child up for adoption, but to give her away, and then report her missing? You have got to be some kind of special for that.

This woman and her husband have allegedly used drugs in front of the children. They have been watched by the Department of Family Services for this as well as keeping a messy home. Why didn’t some one see this coming? They obviously did not want to take care of the child.

Thank God, the baby was found in good health, even if she was hidden in a box under the babysitter’s bed. I hope the parents and the babysitter stay in jail for a while, and that they find a good loving home for that beautiful baby girl who has done nothing to deserve the life she is getting.

Superstition

2009-11-01T12:05:00.000-08:00

This is very interesting. I know this is November first, however, I want to write one more blog in the spirit of Halloween. I specifically searched for Halloween news, and found this article at NationalGeographic.com, which by the way has many very interesting articles regarding some other Halloween-ish things, like a ghostshark and a Dracula fish.

The discovery of this 17th century witch bottle is really pretty cool. According to the article, these bottles were intended to ward of evil spirits and curses. They usually contained the fingernails, hair, nail clippings or even urine of the person who was in need of this talisman. Then the bottle would be buried near the home or a building frequented by the person needing the protection of the witch bottle.

These witch bottles were used much in the same way some one in our day and age would use a horseshoe placed above a doorway. It is simply superstition, and superstition is a big part of Halloween.

I have heard that is bad luck if a black cat crosses your path, or if you walk under a ladder. If it rains on your wedding day, it supposedly means that your marriage will be miserable. Wait a minute! It rained on my wedding day, and the next 18 years of my life were miserable, maybe there is something to that one! No, I am just kidding. I am not a superstitious person. (I mean, yes what I said about the 18 years of my marriage being miserable and the rain, that is true, but come on – weather being an omen of how my life will be – I just don’t think so.)

There is also the seven years bad luck if you break a mirror. I have heard that instead of seven years, that the years coincide with the number of pieces it breaks into. But I have broke a mirror or two in my life, and nothing changed.

I do believe however, that if you say something out loud, that you believe to be true – if you want it to continue to be true, you should “knock on wood” as the old timers say. I only say this because many years ago, when I lived in Georgia, I was bragging. Bragging about my driving skills, and how I had not been stopped for any reason or received any kind of traffic ticket since the age of 16. I did not knock on wood. The very next morning, pulled out of my driveway (in front of a police officer, unbeknownst to me!) and proceeded to do approximate 55 miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour zone. Um…I got a ticket. The officer was very unhappy with me.

That little story right there has brought my husband to tears many a time. (Laughing at me, that is!) Since that day, I have never bragged about my driving skills without knocking on wood, and have yet to receive another ticket. Knock on Wood. I do get pulled over quite a bit, because of my lead foot, but I remain ticket-less since the instance above which was over 10 years ago.

Spring Forward / Fall Back

2009-11-01T11:15:00.000-08:00

This article located at MSN.com about Daylight Savings time is interesting.

The whole Spring Forward/Fall Back thing has always been a curiosity to me, and since this weekend was the Fall Back time of the year, I thought this would be a great time to read more on it.

I really enjoy the fact that when we “fall back” an hour, that I get to sleep in – if I can. You see, getting old has played a trick on me, and I find it difficult to sleep past 7:30 a.m. even on the weekends. No matter how much sleep deprivation I have suffered throughout the week. It stinks.

Anyhoo, as I read this article, and see that Hawaii and Arizona do not follow the rules on the time change, I have to wonder. I have to wonder why then, do the rest of us? Seriously, if the change is only done as an energy saver as the article states, it makes no sense to me. We need to save more energy in the summer time, but the Daylight Savings Time gives us more light in the morning. I would rather have more light in the evening, personally. If you use their reasoning, the reason it makes no sense to me is that the majority of us is only wasting those extra minutes of light in the morning. Most of us are asleep when those extra minutes come into play.

Moving on: If you read this article, there are some questions at the end of it that I found very interesting, like, “why do we wake up with bad breath?” and “why do we snore?” and my favorite, “why do we yawn?”

The one about the bad breath is really quite gross. It makes me want to go brush my teeth like right now! Disgusting. However, it does make sense.

Why do we snore? There are many reasons listed. However, I am not really certain which one of those reasons applies to me – or my hubby. Gosh! My husband really saws logs. Sometimes if I do not go to sleep before he does, I have to go sleep on the couch!

Why do we YAWN? Go ahead, read the article linked above, and see if you can keep from YAWNING. I tried. I was unsuccessful. However, it is also very interesting that they can find no scientific correlation as to why we snore. I think someone should get a grant and study it more.

Thanks for reading! I hope you had a Happy Halloween!

Scientific reason for seeing spooks?

2009-10-30T13:09:00.000-07:00

I found this article ridiculous. MSNBC.com is where this article can be found. It is absolutely the most riduculous explanation for seeing unexplained things. Good grief.

I wouldn't even want my name associated with that article. I understand that in a lot of cases there are rational explanations, however, I have personally experienced some things that can not be rationalized away.

When I was 17, I was sitting in my Aunt's living room. Everyone else was outside, down by the lake, I was reading. I thought I heard something and when I looked up, I saw a large object floating into the living room from down the hall. It looked like a ball of light, about the size of a basketball. When it come close to the television, which was across the room from me, it kind of faded into the wall and disappeared.

I have never been in a psychotic state, used drugs and I certainly was not sleep deprived. I was just a teenager staying away from the parents. Just like some of the comments at the bottom of that page, if you don't believe, and you've never experienced it, then just go on not believing. If you have experienced it, you should not use denial to justify what you have seen or heard. Some people are more receptive to the paranormal activity, and I believe that is a gift.

A gift that could be used to help the rest of us understand the paranormal world. However, because there is really no way for us as human beings to PROVE beyond a shadow of a doubt that psychic ability exists, most of us deny that it exists.

Something I learned from watching X-files, is that for the believer, no proof is necessary and for the non-believer no proof is enough. It's a shame. I am very open minded. I would love to have more "experiences" than I have had. There have been more than just the one listed here. I actually have had an experience with an evil spirit that was "attached" to a chair that was in my home. It was hideous, but I digress. My point is, I have no proof. Some of you who read this will think I may be a little bit crazy, or that I am the riduculous one for believing that this stuff has actually happened to me.

To each his own, I say. And remember when your keys go missing, and you know for a FACT that you put them on the kitchen table before you went to bed, denial is your friend. You must have moved them in your sleep...or something like that. Just keep telling yourself that. Happy Halloween!!!

Perfect Courtship or Death by Cannabalism

2009-10-23T18:28:00.000-07:00

So, since it is getting closer and closer to Halloween, which I have stated before is one of my favorite holidays, I am looking for some scary or just plain weird stuff to blog about. This time, I am going to blog about a close relative to the Black Widow Spider. I found this article also at msn.com science.

They call them Redbacks in Australia, but if you look at the photo – they look exactly like a Black Widow. This story relates the mating procedure of the Redback Spider, and how if the male does not do his courting to the specific desires of the large female, he is devoured by her.

Now, I am not much for cannibalism or murder, but it does make me stop and think for a minute, if all the idiots who had ever hit on me were dead, there would be a lot fewer idiots on the planet. Am I right ladies? I am kidding, it is just a thought not an action.

These poor male spiders are much smaller than the female, and they do not know until they have completed their mating ritual if they have performed to her satisfaction. "The male will exclusively remain on the female's abdomen and then will insert his intromittent organ and perform a copulatory somersault and the female will begin consuming him”, according to a researcher from the University of Toronto.

How sad is that? What is even worse is that the other males are waiting at the edge of her web to fight with each other for the opportunity to mate with her. Mate with her or die, which ever of the two.

Get Paid to Rock the Gange

2009-10-23T18:04:00.000-07:00

I find this story, located in the weird news section of msn.com, hilarious. I am not a pot smoker; however, I do not have a problem with people who do smoke – albeit illegal, but the consequences of that is on those who smoke it.

Anyhoo, I am having a hard time believing that this alternative newspaper is actually interviewing for someone to review the different types of marijuana. Someone is going to be paid to get high and then write about it. What a job! I can see some of you stereotypical young college students getting all excited about it now.

However, there are certain qualifications you must meet. The number one being that you must have a prescription for medical marijuana. The second, I would suppose, is that you would have to live in a state where this is considered legal.

This position will require travel, because not only do they want a critique of the marijuana, a review of the store where it is purchased is also on the to-do list. I can see it now: I have my script in my back pocket. My money and my i.d. in my front pocket. The back seat of my car loaded down with a cooler of Coca-cola, a bazillion bags of original Doritos, a pillow and a blanket.

I walk into the dispensary, toss down my script and get the high dollar honey-whatever-whatever. Sit down, light up and commence to get high on legal marijuana, in public. Then go to my car, have a Coke (and a smile!) eat a bag of Doritos and take a long drug induced nap.

I personally think that if it going to be legal at all, it should be completely legal, no prescription necessary. It, in my humble opinion, is less harmful to people in general than say getting intoxicated. Drinking and driving will get you (or someone else) killed. Smoking pot and driving, well, that just draws a lot of attention to you because you drive to slow and when you stop to get out – you stink to the heavens of what you have been smoking. Drinking and karaoke-ing, you think you sing better when you’re drunk and all you do is sing louder. Smoking and karaoke-ing, well, you just stand there and laugh at your dumba@@ self for even getting up to try it. When you drink too much, you pass out and wake up with a hangover. When you smoke too much, you fall into a deep deep sleep, and wake up with no ill effects.

I am just saying. In addition, I would like to say that I do not partake, but I do condone. I have a hard time believing that any herb, freely grown by Mother Nature should be made illegal by any government. However, there are other drugs that are derived from things that originally come from Mother Nature that have been mutilated and changed that should forever remain illegal. As well as those chemical concoctions, that druggies have come up with that can kill you with the first use.

Passwords & Login Info

2009-10-16T16:08:00.000-07:00

As I read this article, found at msn.com, I had two very strong feelings or ideas about this whole handing over of private information. Well, maybe three...I will count when I'm finished with the blog.

The first, and most prominent idea is "what in the world do these employers think they are doing?!". Asking for private login and password information seems to me that just asking for it should be against the law. Is that not an invasion of my privacy? As the article states, what's next? Giving them access to my sock drawer?

I can understand the employer asking for a list of all the sites that a person might be a member of, for the sake of researching their off-duty behavior. However, the login information is just a wee-bit of a stretch for my little mind.

The second idea I have: why on earth would ANY ONE give this information out? What are these people thinking when they hand over their login information? So, in my humble opinion, if you are dumb enough to hand over the info, well, you get what you so justly deserve.

The third idea is this: If you live your life so that you have nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed of, then you should have no problem at least letting your employer know what sights you are on, and what your user name is. If, for example you are Party Patty, then first of all, you probably don't deserve the job. Second of all, when you "face your maker" and your life is replayed - will you be ashamed?

I have small moments in my life that I am ashamed of. And you can bet your sweet patooty that I would not post anything on-line about those moments. No photos of anything but my children and grandchildren. And when I post about my life, I only post the good things. Those "bad" or embarrassing things, are no one's business but the people who were involved.

Ok, time to get off my soap box. Y'all have a nice day!

Emotions....

2009-10-16T15:53:00.000-07:00

This article found at msn.com definitely sparked an interest.

However, after reading it, I find that it really isn't about being "happier sad". It is more about allowing yourself to feel your feelings. Not just the fear in my opinion, but any feeling.

In my experience, it is hard for me to show (in public) any emotion other than happy. Even when I am at home, I really do not allow any emotion other than happiness. I even complain with a smile on my face. As many of you know, if you have read some of the things I have written, I am in a 12-step recovery group.

It is Al-anon, and thanks to this group, I have found that it is just fine to feel however I feel about anything. No matter what others might think, say or do about how I am feeling, they are MY feelings, and I have a right to them.

Confusion and fear are hard for me. Those two emotions cause tears, and I do not like to cry in front of anyone. (Worst of all, my eyes swell up something terrible when I cry for any period of time.) In the last few days, I have had some sad things happen, no details to be provided, but I have spent two days crying like a baby. In front of my family, in front of my friends, at both of my jobs, and you know what? It didn't hurt. It didn't hurt me or any one who witnessed it. As a matter of fact, it evoked emotions in others. I found support and love in my grief. It is amazing.

Today, while I am still sad, and I still tear up, I know that I have friends, family and co-workers who want to let me feel my feelings so that I can heal.

Haunted House - so SCARY that you get your money back!

2009-10-15T08:03:00.000-07:00

Found this one on Snopes.com. I know it isn't news, but being that it is October, and Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, I wanted to share.

If you read the article referenced above, you will see that according to snopes.com, there is no such place as the "haunted house so scary that if you make it all the way through you get your money back". Boy am I disappointed. I have heard for most of my adult life that I needed to get up to Kansas City MO in October, and tour this mythical haunted house, and have always wanted to go!

Personally, I find most of the haunted attractions around Joplin disgusting, not scary. I'm not into blood and gore. I like mind tricks, like the power of suggestion. Or being startled so good that I scream.

I remember a haunted house I went through when I was sixteen. The scariest part of the whole gory mess was the upstairs. They had a maze, with a strobe light and the theme music from the original Halloween movie. I was so scared I almost peed my pants. Michael Myers terrifies me, because the first time I watched that movie I was about five years old, it kind of stuck with me. Funny thing about that floor of the haunted house - it was only music and a maze, nothing jumped out and got me. There was no Michael Myers. (The power of suggestion!) And, to date, that is still the scariest haunted house I have ever been in.

I have been in the Raycliff Manor. I must say, it was off season, so I wasn't really in the right mood, but we went because they were raising money for a good cause. Anyhow, they startled me A LOT. I screamed often, and then, because they were succeeding in startling me, they picked on me for most of the walk through. Those actors are awesome at their jobs. It is a good place to go, if you like being startled, and not grossed out. They even tell a little story that goes along with it. (I'm not trying to "plug" Raycliff Manor. Please don't take it that way.)

Back to the original storyline; I watch a lot of educational television, and I remember last year (I don't remember which channel); one of them ran a series of "Scariest Spook Houses" or something like that. The scariest one I saw, I believe use to be in New Orleans. From what I could tell, it was like walking through an old abandoned home that friends of Rob Zombie had lived in. Then, even though it appeared abandoned, there were actors inside just waiting to scare you. They showed a girl that actually came out of the last door having peed her pants, and another middle aged man had to be taken by ambulance to the emergency room because he had a heart attack. (Whether or not it was induced by the trip the haunted house, one will never know. However, I'm sure the owners of the haunted house liked that for advertisement.) This particular place was shut down because certain citizens believed it to be ran by Satanists, and complained to the city officials. Sad. I would like to have gone there.

Anyhow, as you can tell, I really enjoy the Halloween season. I throw a party every year, and every year my costume gets scarier and scarier. I love it. People don't recognize me; therefore I can become an actor as well. It is so much fun.

Happy Haunting!!

Teen suicide

2009-10-09T19:13:00.000-07:00

An article addressing teen suicide and suicide prevention found here at msn.com, just makes me sad. As I read this article, I think about my kids, and how lucky I am that they didn’t try to take their own lives in the midst of the mess of a family life that they grew up in.

For the teens that are actually talking about this, I am happy for all the kids that have begun to discuss this subject, and are getting help for their depression. I understand that this subject is taboo, and it is very hard to talk about. However, as a member of a 12-step recovery group, I can tell you from personal experience sharing what you are going through, be it real or perceived, can really help you to get through it.

Knowing that someone else has had the same thoughts, feelings, or experiences, and they made it through to the other side has a deep impact on my personal life. I have realized in the last few years that I am not the only one who ever married an alcoholic. (duh!) I am not the only one who put up with such emotional abuse for longer than necessary. I also, am not the only one who has ever contemplated how to end the life of said alcoholic, or how to end my own life in order to stop the suffering. I have learned during my recovery that no matter how insane those things sound to a “normal” person, to a person who has shared the same life experiences, those things are just a reaction to an insane lifestyle.

FYI: I never followed through on any of those thoughts. Thank God! Today, I can not imagine ever feeling those feelings. And I know that those teens who are sharing their experience, strength and hope with each other will have success as well. They will get through these feelings, and come out on the other side stronger people for it. Hopefully, with those strong young people growing into stronger adults, our nation will once again become a great nation, led by great people.

Stay at home moms

2009-10-09T18:51:00.000-07:00

This article at msn.com is just a short little note on what the 2007 census showed stay at home moms to be. I was never able to be a stay at home mom; I could not afford to keep a roof over my family’s head, nor food on the table if I had not worked for a living. My husband also worked.

We were barely able to provide for our family with two incomes. I cannot imagine having a single income, and trying to keep up. Life is hard enough without having financial troubles as well. And these women, these stay at home moms who, according to the census are younger, less educated and more likely to have more children, have an envious position in my opinion.

As I look back over the life I gave my children, I always wonder how it would have been if I had stayed home to take care of them, instead of always hiring day care centers and baby sitters so that we could have material things. Granted the material things were not luxurious, they were most definitely needs, but still, one cannot help but wonder “what might have been.”

If any of you have read my paper number one for the English class we are in, you will know that the family life that was provided for me and my children was not at all an easy one. Part of my thought process on this “stay at home mom” thing is this: Could it have been better? If I had joined the ranks of all the stay at home moms, of whom a large number are on state aid, would things have been better? I would most definitely would have had to be on state aid, would that have been better? Would raising my family on state aid make them think that they wouldn’t have to work for a living? That they can just keep having babies, and letting other people pay their way?

Would they have still grown up to be the responsible adults they are today? Would they have grown up with a better attitude toward life, if I had been home to love them? None of the answers will ever be found, as all these things are “If only’s”. I do not dwell on them. However, I do occasionally wonder…..

Marge Simpson on the cover of Playboy!

2009-10-09T17:34:00.000-07:00

Holy cow! Marge Simpson is posing for Playboy! I cannot believe it! Read the whole article here at Yahoonews.com.

My first reaction to this, is how completely cute. I have always thought of the Playboy magazine as one of the most tasteful “nudie” magazines out there. I have actually read some of the articles in them myself. The pictures however, really do not do much for me. The last time I read one was because Stephen King had written a story (or been interviewed, I really cannot remember).

My second reaction to this is, Wow! A cartoon character in a nudie mag! What they won’t do to sell a magazine. And seriously, will this sell the magazine? Their sales have been down quite a bit according the article, since about 2006. But a cartoon character? And of all characters, Marge Simpson? Why not Jessica Rabbit, or Betty Boop, a character with sex appeal? I do not know any thing about selling nudie magazines. Actually, I don’t know much about nudie magazines at all.

Anyway, Marge is the first cartoon character to be on the cover of the men’s magazine. She has been given a full interview and the centerfold, just as if she were a human being. The cover picture shows Marge sitting in a Playboy bunny chair; this is not the first time this pose has been used. In 1971, the very first black woman to be the “center of attention”. The people of the magazine thought that the readers would get a kick out of it. Which I am sure they will.

I really have nothing more on the subject, except this: “You Go Marge!”

Student loan forgiveness?

2009-10-06T12:44:00.000-07:00

I found this article at msn.com very interesting as I have accepted many student loans in the last year or so.

I find it very difficult not to accept those loans, even though I know that when I graduate they will all become due. So the article I have linked above means a lot to me. I had no idea that there would be so many ways to find help paying them back. We can do volunteer work, and meet certain requirements through those volunteer programs and earn education credits. Some of these credits can be used to pay off old student loan debt, and some can be used to start a new education.

Of course, there is also the old standby, that if you are currently employed in your field of choice, that your employer will pay for your education. I have that option available to me, but I do not want to feel any obligation to the current employer, as I do not intend to stay once my education is complete.

There is a spot in the article that talks about if you are employed in your field of choice for ten years, then your debt can be forgiven. Would that not be awesome! As I said earlier, I have a lot of student debt already and have only been in a school for a little over a year.

I for one am already looking into ways to help alleviate the student loan burden and this article has helped me to do that.

Health care problem

2009-10-02T14:44:00.000-07:00

This article also located at Forbes.com is very interesting, especially for us older folk. I know that I have a tendency to ignore just about every pain my body experiences. Then I fear for what may really be wrong with my body. However, without insurance, there is really nothing I can do.

I suppose I could go see the D.O. at North Park Mall. But the thing is, if there is really something wrong, he will have to send me for “those tests”. Those tests being the ones that for some reason or another cost tens of thousands of dollars. Most of those tests would be un-necessary because what ever may be wrong would be found only by one test, and probably with my luck, the last test that is done.

I am not trying to whine about my personal situation, I just want to make it clear that we, as a nation, are facing some pretty serious problems in health care. Also, locally, we have a serious situation with our insurance companies and hospitals. Right here in the four states, there is a specific hospital that actually tells the insurance companies that they do business with, that if they (the insurance co.) do business with the other local hospital, they will terminate their contract.

This is unfair to the consumer, what if I have had the same doctor for ten years, and then change jobs and medical coverage? Then because of this problem, I have to find a new doctor who practices in a different hospital. OR I have to pay a premium price (penalty) for going to a physician out of network.

Swine Flu Shot?

2009-10-02T14:33:00.000-07:00

Swine Flu article found at Forbes.com. Hmm…I have to wonder, all this fuss over the Swine Flu. The “regular” flu also causes death, but you never see such a blow out on the news about it. Oh, there was that one year when there was a shortage of vaccinations against it, and THAT was blown out of proportion by the media, but other than that, there really is no big deal made about it.

I think that this whole perception of the swine flu being such a threat is just a way for the government to keep intelligent people from being able to keep up with the news that matters. (Conspiracy theory? Yes, I cannot think of anything else to write about!)

Think back a couple of years when that ridiculous blonde woman who died of an overdose was in the new twenty-four/seven. Did any of you care that much about a meaningless meth-head who had some sort of fame? I did not. I cannot even remember her name or what she was famous for, but it kept the media dealing us fodder for months!

That is just the government/medias way of performing a very well known parlor trick. You watch this hand over here, pay attention very closely…and you will not be able to see what the other hand is doing, and it is likely you are going to get “played”. Mostly, we will probably never know what they are hiding from us, but whatever it is, in a hundred years when our grand children’s grand children find out, they will probably laugh and ask why this information was hidden from the generation that it truly affected.

I don't wanna grow up. I just wanna be a kid.

2009-10-02T12:35:00.000-07:00

I thought this article at MSN careers would be fun to write about. Being a kid again, never grow up that’s me. (This coming from an accountant studying to become a CPA.) As I read over all the jobs listed that could make you feel young again, I have been reminded of movies that I loved as a kid, and one of my current part time jobs.

I remember watching Tom Hanks in the movie, and how I thought that’s what I would want. I wanted to be a grown up, so I could work and “do what ever I wanted to when ever I wanted to”. I can remember my parents laughing when I would say that, and now I know why they found it so funny.

Just because we “grow up”, doesn’t mean that we FINALLY get to do what we want to when we want to. It means we have a different set of responsibilities. No longer does just going to school and hanging out with friends cut it. Now we have to work, most of us at least 40 hours a week, to be able to pay the mortgage (or rent) and utilities.

On the outside, we still have to be the responsible adult. But on the inside, where it counts, we can be as young as we want to be. I find that I can act like the kid I wish I were when I sing karaoke on Thursday nights down at J3STERS, or on Halloween, when I can dress up and act silly. Of course, you cannot forget the magic of Christmas that always brings out the child in me.

Still, on the daily basis I have to be a grown up. In addition, turning back the hands of time is not an option. I will never want to be a video game/toy tester. I will never want to work at a concert – any concert, any job, NO WAY. I enjoy being an accountant, and I savor those small moments when I get to behave like a child.

A new look at human evolution

2009-10-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

Amazing! I discovered this article on MSNBC.com and I truly hope you read it. I have always been a believer in evolution, and Darwin’s theory inspired a deep interest in how humans really “evolved”. In this article, you will see that evolution does not mean that we evolved from some sort of monkey or ape, but that humans and apes have a common ancestor.

My personal thoughts on human evolution have been challenged recently in my biology class. Due to the fact that, while I do believe humans evolved, I could never articulate my beliefs on the matter in such a way as to not sound like I was saying we evolved from monkeys. My beliefs were that we came from some common creature that as time went by, some of these “ancestors” evolved and changed and become apes, and some evolved into what we now call human.

This article really places a firm foundation under my beliefs now, and I feel that when I speak of evolution now, I can refer back to both Darwin’s theory, and now the discovery of Ardi, “a hominid who lived 4.4 million years ago in what is now Ethiopia”.

“In Ardipithecus we have an unspecialized form that hasn’t evolved very far in the direction of Australopithecus. So when you go from head to toe, you’re seeing a mosaic creature that is neither chimpanzee, nor is it human. It is Ardipithecus,” said Tim White, director of the Human Evolution Research Center at the University of California, Berkeley.

Ardi is 1 million years older than Lucy, whose remains were also found in Africa. Until the discovery of Ardi, Lucy was the oldest skeleton discovered and studied. Ardi is not the common ancestor of humans and apes, but he is as close as we can get today. He is a huge discovery for the study of human evolution.

Caught on Tape!

2009-09-22T15:03:00.000-07:00

What a bunch of yahoos. You have to read this article. These undercover police officers from Polk County Florida arrested the drug dealer in question, then as they searched his house, found a Wii. They began playing the bowling game on the entertainment system. Some of them even jumping up and down to celebrate a good turn. Unbeknownst to them, the suspects home has a video security system, they were caught on tape.

My first reaction includes at least one, shall we say, colorful word, so I will skip that, and just say that I had to wonder about the intelligence level of these officers. I mean really, they just busted a know drug trafficker, and instead of searching for valuable, usable evidence, they took turns Wii bowing. At one point, the video shows a female officer lifting a sofa by herself, while others in the room are engrossed in the video games.

Ok, that is out, then my second reaction is this: they are only human after all. For crying out loud. They really didn't do anything wrong, and if not for the video, no one would have ever known. The media is really painting this as a horrible infraction by the officers in question. In my opinion, it is not like they got caught splitting up the dealers weapons or drugs. They just took turns playing a video game. Seriously,who hasn't goofed off at work? Give them a break.

This story makes mention of the fact that this information will be used against the officers in hopes to get the drug dealer "off". Yay! What ever sleazy lawyer this man hired must be awfully proud of himself, to use this video against the police officers. I hope it doesn't work, but I have some personal experience with knowing that 88% of the time, the bad guy goes free and a good guy somewhere is getting the screws put to him.

All in all, this story made me laugh, and I hope you read it and get a giggle too!

The New DWI; Driving while Texting (DWT)

2009-09-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

A very serious problem especially with teens, the article found at MSN.com talks about new law proposals and opposition to them, as well as support.

I would have to say I definitely support laws to ban texting while driving. I have been an offender in the recent past, and realized that when I look up from my phone, I have been in the other lane, or about to drive off the road. I am lucky that I was in a backwoods location with very little traffic, or I might not have made it to this wonderful English class we have enrolled in. I also have seen the video mentioned in this article. It scares the "stuffins" right out of me. ALL of my children, aged 16 - 20, DWT! Scares me for them as well as whomever may be on the road with them when they are doing it. Although, I do not really see how a law banning this could be easily enforced.

Also mentioned in this article is the "distracted driving" ban. I can see it now, while driving down the highway, eating your french fries and drinking your coke, an officer pulls you over and issues you a ticket for distracted driving. Some of this article sounds completely absurd, but I am sure it was meant to sound way in order to make a point.

The auto industry is not for the broad ban of distracted driving, because they have things installed in the cars that could be cause for distraction. OnStar for example, and even the radio. They are rallying for a more restrictive, special ban, strictly on texting.

As I said above, I wish there was a way to ban it and enforce it. However, I still just do not see any way for it to truly work. Telling teens to abstain from texting is probably just as useless as trying to tell them to abstain from sex. If they are going to do, they are going to do it. No law, or parent, is going to stop them until something serious happens to them personally.

Racism?

2009-09-18T18:25:00.001-07:00

This article also found at msnbc.com I find rather curious. It is an article about whether or not all of the opposition to President Obama’s health care plan is racial or not. As I read this article, I think to myself, is the President really that obtuse, to think that some of the negative press he receives is not due to the fact that he is a black man?

Upon further reading, I see that he does understand that some people oppose him due to his skin color and some people support him also based on skin color. I must say I am not racist, so I do not understand the thought process of those who are. However, I have lived in the deep south for a short period of time and I have seen it in action. Racism may not be the number one reason for the opposition to the Presidents proposal, but I would bet my next paycheck that it is in the top five.

I personally have no strong feelings on President Obama’s new health care plan. I am not for or against it. I do agree, however, that it is time for a change. When a person like me, whose income is less than $27k gross income per year, which winds up being about $22k bring home after taxes, is spending $2,400 dollars a year for health insurance for myself and one child, something needs to be done. The insurance that I pay for is better than nothing, but I could be using that $200 per month on groceries, or gas. In addition to that, my co-pays and deductibles are so high, that we avoid the doctor’s office unless we are really in dire need of medical care.

Time for a change, yes. Base my vote on racism – heck no. Read the article, seriously, it is a good one.

Ice cream & Brain Control

2009-09-18T17:20:00.000-07:00

According to this article at MSN.com, a fatty acid found in ice cream, controls your brain. I am not necessarily an ice cream fan, but you have to admit, the title of the article screams “read me”. The palmitic acid found in saturated fats causes our brains to send out signals to our body “warning them to ignore the appetite-suppressing signals from leptin and insulin, hormones involved in weight regulation — for up to three days”.

THREE days. Wow. That really explains a lot for me. As I have stated in an earlier blog, I am a little on the heavy side. Now I do not eat much ice cream, however, foods that are rich in saturated fats are contain significantly high levels of this fatty acid. I most definitely do eat a lot of burgers, cheeses, butter and milk. I love milk. So this could be a possible reason for my heaviness, as I am not a lazy person, nor do I eat all that much. I apparently just eat the wrong stuff.

In my BIO 101 class, Mr. Kennedy has been teaching us about saturated fats, and CiS fats, and I believe that something is finally getting through to my brain. I am finally learning a healthy way to “diet”. In addition, lately, since I have been able to cut back on my workload – I have started a workout routine, Monday through Friday. Between the learning about saturated fats (and palmitic acid) and getting my exercise routine back I am hoping to cut my weight by at least 20% in the next few months.

I hope you all find this article as informative and important as I did – for your health.

Taking the insane people to the county fair.

2009-09-18T12:26:00.000-07:00

You have got to check this story out. I found it on MSNBC.com, it is my favorite place for strange news. In this story, the mental hospital takes patients (including a criminally insane murderer!) to the county fair.

Thirty one patients and eleven staff members go to the fair every year apparently. But this time, they took a violent criminal along, and he escaped. They have not located him yet. I can't believe that they - meaning the mental hospital - actually take these people to the county fair. People who can not function in society in a normal way, allowed to wander around in public places, "as long as the staff member can see them". Forgive me. I have nothing against people with mental and emotional disorders, but if they are institutionalized, it must be for a reason. Am I right?

Maybe the staff members should be institutionalized for this one. Because that has got to be crazy in itself. The wacko that escaped is crazy enough that they are telling people "anyone spotting him should call 911 and not try to confront him". Well, duh. No one in their right mind would confront a criminally insane violent murderer.

I will end this one with utter disbelief.

Murder on Yale Campus

2009-09-18T11:49:00.000-07:00

I found this article at on MSNBC's website today. I had seen a few clips about this on the news, but I haven't really been following it, until now. They have finally charged the co-worker, Raymond Clark III, with the murder of Annie Le.

They are calling it workplace violence. My initial reaction to this, is sadness, for the poor girl, and all the families and friends involved. Then I also have fear. Fear that this could happen anywhere, even where I work. It makes me think, how many people do I interact with daily, that are mentally or emotionally unstable? Or what about the people my husband works with? My kids co-workers? It really scares me to think about something like this.

How does one go about protecting themselves from workplace violence? Well, I would say, you have "to go along to get along", but when you are dealing with unstable people, you have to wonder Would that really work?

I know I'm going to show my age here, but this story reminds me of the postal workers who, several years ago, just came to work with a gun and started shooting co-workers. What is wrong with people? How can this happen in a county such as ours? How have we, as a society, managed to raise our children with out coping skills? It's just awful.

Here's to hoping that none of you ever have to deal with workplace violence, directly or indirectly.

Obama's Speech viewed in schools

2009-09-13T17:10:00.000-07:00

This is one crazy story. The article found at the previous link talks about how some parents, and the press, went nutso over this speech prior to even knowing what was in it, and how it was truly an over-reaction.

I must say, here again, that people need to find accurate information before they react to what is going on in our government (or any where else for that matter). I am certain you all remember the hub-ub that came the night before this speech was aired in our schools. Good grief, it was awful. All any one could report on - and in the end, this speech, this horribly anticipated "socialist indoctrination of children" was nothing more than a pep talk about being responsible for your own education and future.

What will our children remember about this "indoctrination"? Most likely nothing. It was nothing they haven't heard before. But some of America's children were just robbed of participating in history in the making. Why? Because their parents were ignorant of what was truly going to happen and they listened to the negative press instead of educating themselves to the truth.

The only child I have left in school was disappointed in speech. Such a big deal was made of it, she had it all built up to be something really crazy because it was causing such a stir. In the end, it was nothing that she hadn't already heard us (her parents) tell her.

Seriously folks, lets educate ourselves as well as our children. Let's participate actively in letting our congressmen know what we expect as American citizens.

Health Care Reform

2009-09-13T16:56:00.000-07:00

Obama is confident that Congress will soon pass the health care reform bill as the tension in DC seems to be settling a bit. Here they talk about the public option, the so called death panels, etc.

My first reaction to this story is "YAY!" they are making progess. However, it is Washington DC, and progress is very slow there. I feel like the American people are not getting enough acurate information on any of this health care reform, and that our congressmen and senators seem to be bottlenecking this information.

I believe that we do need reform. I'm not sure that I agree with President Obama's version of reform, but something does need to be done. As well as making sure that we are well informed and not misled by angry former politicians who make up things like death panels and then go around making it sound like we are going to assign people to a committee to decide when our elderly must die.

I also believe that we, as Americans, need to make sure that we are well informed about all the things we vote on. We should not rely on the "press" to give us our information, as the press likes to embelish and make things more dramatic than true. Please, this is just me talking, but please as a responsible citizen of the United States of America, research what you intend to vote on. (Sorry, that was a bit off topic, but I am very passionate about this.)

Thank for reading, I'm looking forward to your reactions.

Do It Yourself

2009-09-02T10:08:00.000-07:00

I found this article most interesting. In my opinion, your average person doesn't know these things, and really couldn't care less about learning them. But is obvious that if we would learn these 5 life skills, we could save money and time.

Back in "the old days", we were all taught things like cooking, sewing, how to garden & some of us were taught how to can the vegetables from the garden to provide food for us through the winter. Over time, these skills have become lost. In most families, both parents now have to have full time jobs in order to provide food & shelter for their children. It is my opinion that this is why some of these life skills have gone by the way side.Both parents work, therefore there is no time to teach.

However, we do not have to continue to spend way too much money on eating out, or buying frozen entrees, paying someone else to sew our clothing (or just buying new). According to this article, and I find it true, these skills can be learned via the internet.

You can learn how to do small plumbing jobs (like replacing the washers in your faucet), just by looking it up on the internet. You can find a recipe for your favorite take out, with step-by-step instructions. Find out how to sew your buttons back on, or hem your britches. It is all just a few key-strokes away.

These things, while in the beginning, may cost a little more time for learning, in the long run will save you money and time. It's like the old saying; "Give a man a fish, he gets a meal. Teach him how to fish, he will eat for a lifetime."

"Bait & Switch"

2009-09-02T09:41:00.000-07:00

Obviously our police forces have nothing better to do than to set-up this lawyer, and try to "get him" for possession. After reading this story in the Joplin Globe, I really have to wonder: is this my tax dollars at work?

Seriously, this man sees a client, and the client "accidentally" left his prescription behind. Why? I would never have taken it in with me in the first place, and if I did take it in, I wouldn't have gotten it out. How very convenient that the police officers were standing by waiting for the client to leave.

We are paying these officers to help keep us safe from the meth-heads and crack addicts, drunken drivers etc, and they are wasting their time setting up a former county prosecutor. Maybe he is guilty of this, or other crimes, this is not ours to figure out, but it is so obvious that they set him up in this instance, it is ridiculous.

Acceptance of "large women"

2009-08-26T19:29:00.000-07:00

I found this story on msn.com, you can read the entire thing here: MSNBC
This is an article about "large women" being accepted by the public. We, as the public, are now accepting and even encouraging real women to photographed and filmed for whatever reason.

My first reaction to this story is "WOW!". I can hardly believe it. I am an average size woman who has always felt inferior to the image of woman that is represented by television, magazines and any other media. It is about time that the media started showing us as we really are, not the size 2 skin and bone models that starve themselves to be "attractive". Women of all sizes are attractive in their own way, and this article really shows that.

"Some fashion magazines are ahead of the curve — so to speak — on featuring plus-size models. Glamour became serious about it in the past five years, featuring Queen Latifah on the cover in May 2004, said Cindi Leive, the magazine's executive editor. In the past six to 12 months, "there is just more and more of a hunger among women to see images of women that look and feel real." A direct quote from the article to which I say ABOLUTELY! I don't want to give you the idea that I think we should all be unhealthy and obese. All I am saying is that it is about time that women of all sizes & shapes be represented. It is unhealthy for us average women to try to live up to the standard that the media has painted.