Outliers

I just finished the book Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.

Its good...you should read it...

Project Implicit

I actually got involved in the Harvard Implicit Association Tests a few years ago, but was feeling the urge to go back to them today...

Check it out at https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/

I found out today that I have a automatic preference for Clear rather than ambiguous and a strong automatic preference for individual when compared to group. I had no preference between Labor and Management.

They are pretty cool test. I have taken them for race and age in the past.

Check it out!!!

Twisters in Transition

Back to nature posts...sorry Renae and your welcome to Dorothy and Allanna. Its funny that certain blog topics are the most popular and most dreaded depending on who you talk to.



Tornadoes are among nature's most unpredictable events: once a twister drops from a supercell cloud and starts raising a ruckus, it's difficult to anticipate the exact path it will follow. For many decades, these frightening storms have at least followed certain patterns; they are usually confined to a sector of the nation's midsection dubbed Tornado Alley, which runs from Oklahoma through Kansas and Missouri and east to Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, and Kentucky. There was also an apparent Tornado season; midwesterners scouted the skies for twisters from spring into the first few weeks of summer.

Of course, as the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency reminds us on its website: Violent or killer tornadoes do happen outside Tornado Alley every year and tornados can happen any time of year Until recently, these warnings seemed pro forma, an acknowledgement that Uncle Sam can't predict the weather, but consider the events of March 14, 2008 in Downtown Atlanta. While 18000 fans filled the Georgia Dome for the Southeastern Conference basketball tourney and 16000 NBA fans jammed Philips Arena for a game between the hometown Hawks and the LA Clippers, a twister cut a 6 mile path of ruin through the cities heart. Wind gusted up to 130 mph, crushing homes, ripping facades off buildings, downing trees, and shattering glass. Authorities in both buildings chose not to alert fans of the severe weather outside, even as tiles fell from the ceilings and catwalks swayed in the Georgia Dome.

When the Weather Channel's version of March Madness ended, some 27 people had been injured in the first tornado to ever strike in the downtown of Georgia's capital city and the damage came in at 250 million. Thevnext day smaller twisters claimed two lives in areas of rural Georgia.

Tornadoes are also jumping the tracks of their predictable seasons these days. Over four days from Jan 7 - 11, 2008, in the depths of winter (never regarded as a twister breeding season), a barage of 72 seperate tornados roared through areas around Mississippi Valley, rangin from SW Missouri and NW Arkansas to Alabama and Mississippi; four people were killed. Less than a month later, on Feb 5-6, a staggering 82 confirmed tornadoes touched down in Tennessee, Arkansas, and the Southern Ohio Valley, killing 58 people in four states. It was the deadliest tornado assault in the US since 1985.

What's going on? Meteorologists fear that climate change driven by global warming is brewing up a new generation of tornadoes that will strike more frequently and with greater severity and over a broader swath of the country than before. Their advice: prepare today, for Tornado Alley is now Tornado Superhighway, and twisters are now storms for all seasons.

Sorry

It has been awhile since I have blogged...I havent and still dont have anything to say...

Strange for me

Crisis Avoided

So, I was panicking about a dress for the military ball...I was so stressed that I was considering (seriously) making a dress...

REnae saved me. After sitting at Jo Annes for an hour and a half and getting frazzled, she suggested I try one of her dresses on and offered to do some alterations if needed.

No alterations need and it is adorable!

YAYAYAYAYAY!!!!!!!!!!

Amanda and I

Amanda and I are going to start a blog together. It is going to be super inappropriate and I imagine super hilarious. We are thinking of names for it right now, so stay tuned!

What if I Dont Like Women?

This is what I used to say. The truth is, now I love women. As you can surely imagine, there was a time when I was not particularly fond of them. Not only did I not like women, I resented being one. Therefore, I was not surprised by the concert of anti-sentiment from my fellow sisters. I have heard one form or another of this sentiment by women of all ages and walks of life.

Here are some things I often hear:

"I get along with men so much better than women."
"I think I am more masculine than feminine."
"Men say what they mean and mean what they say. Women are just confusing."
"Female relationships take too much energy."
"Women are petty gossips who talk behind your back."
"women are so emotional."
"They are so passive aggressive."

I am fairly certain that either publically or privately, I too have expressed all of these sentiments and frustrations. When I really think about this dynamic, it is a bit frightening. Let's dress it up a bit differently. I cannot even imagine a group of men affirming another brother as he openly declares his disdain for the male populace.

Why are the majority of women in agreement with their general disgust and frustration with females? We usually like individual women, but wrestle with the concept of women as a whole.

I think this epidemic of anti-female sentiment needs some explanation. Why don't women like women? What could possibly cause a large portion of the female population to reject their own gender? Unfortunately, many of us have not been taught an appreciation for who we are as women. Is is surprising that we would distance ourselves from the role if we have never had an understanding of what it is to be a woman?

For years, I have heard many different and mixed messages about women. I am not exactly sure what it means to be one, but I think I am happy to be one. So, I have to sit down to pee...I can handle that... At least I don't have to worry about my sexual daydream becomeing apparent visually.....

You Fight Like A Girl!

Hey, you fight like a girl! Of course, this phrase is usually meant as an insult. Whether it is spoken guy to guy, boy to girl, or woman to man, it is not meant as a compliment. No, it is hurled in response to a weak punch, a scratch, or even a cheap shot.

I think we should fight like girls. So, why would I be encouraging anyone to fight like a girl? First, what is meant for an insult (valid or not)to men or boys shouldnt necessarily be heard as one by women. Of course, girls are going to fight like girls, but for some reason, most of us would rather be told that we fight like men.

Before I continue, I dont want you to think that I am a girly girl advocating whipping people with pink frilly ribbons. I am not. I just think we need to ask why it is an insult to fight like a girl. What would fighting like a girl look like if it were done right?

Just my thought of the day....

Spectacular Spectrums

I can't see rainbows, but I think most people would agree with William Wordsworth: "My heart leaps up when I behold, a rainbow in the sky." I hear that it isn't difficult to be dazzled by this evanescant visual phenomenon, which the Old Testament describes as a sign of God's covenant with Noah after the flood. The fascination fo this offspring of sunlight and raindrops never dims: the hipsters of British rock group Radiohead titled their 2007 album In Rainbows.

I wish I had seen a rainbow, but since I havent, I have to write about what I have heard of them. I have heard that the rainbow has the power to thrill. Let's skip the poetry and move to the prosiac: What is it, exactly, that you are beholding when your heart makes that familiar leap? Rainbows are only the most common form of a number of fascinating visual phenomena that adorn the planet, some so fragile that they simply cannot be photographed.

Rainbows are formed by the interplay between water and light. When white sunlight moves through a water droplet, it is refracted, or bent, and splits into the seven visible colors that compose it: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet (Roy G. Biv). Why? Because each of those colors operate on its own distinct wavelength. In this case, raindrops are acting like the prisms through which Isaac Newton passed light and seperated it in his pioneering work on the science of optics.

There is more to rainbows than meets the eye; the light spectrum usually forms a round rainbow in the sky, but our view is limited by the horizon, so it appears as a semi-circle. From an aiplace, it is possible to see Mr. Biv as a complete circle.

Rainbows are elusive phenomena, but if you have seen a moonbow, congratulations. This much less common optical phenomenon occurs when moonlight passes through raindrops or water vapor and forms a circular spectrum. Moonbows are generally only seen on clear nights when the moon is full. Certain waterfalls, like Africa's Victoria Falls and Lower Yosemite Falls in Cali, are noted for the frequency in which moonbows appear.

Sundogs are another of nature's fascinating optical phenomena. Scientists call them parhelions; they most often form when the sun is low in a sky filled with ice crystals within cirrus clouds. The effect varies: sometimes two false suns appear of either side of the star, at other times a full halo is visible, sometimes the visual effect more resembles a stained smudge of light with a tail than it does a falso sun. In all cases, your eye's are playing tricks on you; nature is.

Tutoring Blog

So, those of you who I tutor, or I guess are just obsessed with everything I do online (Allanna and Amanda) can check out my tutoring blog that I have set up to help you all. Go check it out and give me feedback.....

http://brooketutoring.blogspot.com/

Altitude with Attitude

Water is one of nature's shape shifters, familiar in both its liquid and solid forms. Yet it's easy to forget that the clouds over our heads also are carriers of water, in this case in its vapor form. Clouds are one of nature's everyday wonders, hiding in plain sight until they are touched with the sun's reflected glory at sunrise and sunset or pile up to form a lightning generating, anvil headed cumulonous thundercloud or simply release their moisture in the form of rain or snow.

Clouds come in two different varieties: stratus (form a horizontal plane in the sky) and cumulus (the puffy, cotton candy ones). Everyone is familiar with the types of clouds that are generated in different levels of the atmosphere: wispy, high flying cirrus clouds that reach into the troposhere, the towering mid-level clouds, identified by the prefix alto-, and the low clouds. When clouds come in for a landing with the ground, we call them fog. Each of the categories are subdivided into other categories that are primarily of interest to nephologists (meteorologists who focus on the study of clouds).

Since clouds are creatures of the wind, they can assume some interesting shapes.

Nature's Fireworks

The Greeks called lightning the "thunderbolt" and depicted it as a jagged line of energy hurled by Zues to dazzle and intimidate human beings. There was some truth embedded in the myth; though lightening is one ofnature'smost thrilling and brilliant phenomenon, for centuries it was deeply feared as a fire starter in lands where most buildings were constructed of highly combustable wood. The problem plagued mankind until the 18th century, when Ben Franklin;s lightning rod tamed the terror from the sky.

For those interested in lightning, there is plenty of room for a new Frankin; scientists still do not fully understand its complex mechanisms. We know, for example, that most lightening begins when clouds acquire electric charge, or become ionized, with the upper portion usually being positive and the bottom negative. We still do not understand in full the forces that drive the charging of the air. One one point, however, there is no doubt: this ionized air is highly conductive adn provides a pathway for lightning to flow to earth.

A strike occurs when an ionized column of air connects two areas with opposite charges, which are always attracted to each other. As the ionized air extends its force outward in the form of negatively charged "stepped leaders," the earth responds to this strong electrical field by sending "positive streamers" upward. When a stepped leader meets a positive streamer, a current flows between cloud and earth in the form of plasma, dischargingenergy ina familiar one-two punch: Flash!...BOOM! The thunderbolt's exchange of energy produces high heat - that is the lightning flash. The explosion also creates a shockwave that we hear as a sonic boom - that is the thunder. The delay between the two is science that anyone can understand: everyday proof that light travels far faster than sound.

FACTS:

Lightning bolts are hotter than the sun's surface

Lightning strikes the earth about 100 times every second

Lightning kills about 100 people in the US every year (only slightly fewer than how many die in flash floods

I always want to spell it lightening rather than lightning

Lightning strikes are more common in warm, humid areas - the equator tends to get the most electrical storms

The most lightning prone region on earth is the Democratic Republic of Congo

In the US, central Florida recieves the most...afternoon thunderstorms occur almost daily

Forecast: Grit Showers

The Arabic words for wind and phenomenon emerge from the term haboob, which scientists use to describe the enormous sand and dust storms that are a regular feature of life in desert climes. Although haboobs form primarily in a broad swath of arid land stretching from N. Africa to Iraq, they are known to occur in other places including the SW USA.

I think of haboobs as dry monsoons that pelt the ground with particulate matter rather than rain. They generally form when the low-pressure conditions that creat thunderstorms collapse. As cold air from high altitudes rushes into the former area of low pressure, it first thrusts towards the ground, then is deflected outward. The resulting wind may pick up as much as several hundred tons of loose desert debris. The unforgettable result (I have seen it) is a giant brown or black wall of violently churning grime.

In this pic, a haboob bearing sand and dust form the Sahara Desert rolls into Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. The people of the Middle East are so familiar with such storms that they give them specific names. The season's first storm, which usually arrives at the end of May, is called al-Haffar, or the Driller, because it scrapes huge holes in desert sand dunes. The next, in early June, is called Barih Thorayya, because it arrives with the dawn star, Thorayya. The last storm is called al-Dabaran, the Follower; it is infamous for carrying a particularly penetrating layer of microcopic dust that finds its way into seemingly every crevice and corner in its path.

The Breath of the Gods

“The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north,” the Old Testament’s Book of Ecclesiates reports. “It whirtleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.” This forecast is still accurate, but what exactly, uh, driveth the wind, one of nature’s most essential, if unseen, forces? The circulation of air is powered by the same source from which all earthly energy comes, either directly or indirectly: the sun.

As the sun’s warming rays fall upon the earth, the air doesn’t toast evenly; the equator receives more direct, concentrated rays than do the poles, so temperature around the equatorial belt are higher. This mass of warmer air responds by expanding and floating upward. Since the expanding air is thinner than the surrounding atmosphere, as it rises, there’s less of it near the ground, causing a local drop in air pressure. Because nature abhors a vacuum, nearby masses of cooler, denser air (which is necessarily under higher pressure) rush in to fill the empty spaces.

This movement of the air is the wind. Its direction is determined by the relative positions of the high and low pressure zones, and its speed is a function of the difference in pressures. Although the temperature gap between the equator and the poles is one of the primary drivers of our planet’s wind, there are others: land and water absorb and hold the sun’s heat at different rates, as do various kinds of terra firma. All of these asymmetries lead to local differences in air temperature, which are registered in the behavior of the wind.

The wind helps shape life on the earth and even shapes the planet itself: moving air ferries particles of soil (and seeds) great distances (sometimes even across oceans or continents), carries both the water (vapor) that gives life and the microbes that sometimes take it away, causes clouds (and most other weather related phenomenon) to form and actually sculpts the ground, eroding solid rock over thousands of years. So familiar is the wind that local gust have been christened with there own names, from A to Z: the Abroholos is a summer squall off the coast of Brazil, while Zephyr is the ancient greek name for the West Wind.

Winds can even speed up or slow down the planet’s rotation. El Nino storms and other strong winds that blow counter to the planet’s spin can exert enough frictional drag on its surface to produce a small but measurable decrease in its speed of rotation, thus lengthening each day ever so slightly. Winters with strong westerly winds in the northern hemisphere (which puff in tandem with the earth’s spin) produce a minute increase in the world’s twirl, thus shortening each day by a few thousandths of a second.

The whirling globe, in turn, can drive the winds: the Coriolis force created by the earth’s spin makes prevailing winds blow from west to east in the northern hemisphere and from east to west in the southern. It also causes hurricanes to spin counterclockwise above the equator and clockwise below.

Much of our knowledge of wind is recent. Jet streams, the ribbons of high-altitude wind that gust around the globe at speeds of up to 250 mph, were first observed by amateur meteorologist Clement Ley in the 1880s and were not actually encountered until the 1930s, when pioneering aviator Wiley Post took a small plane up about 40000 ft and found himself clipping at twice the speed his engine could produce. These streams play a key role in shaping our planet’s climate. The more we learn about this potent but invisible force, the more the ancient Greeks seem to have had the right description for it: wind, they claimed, is the breath of the Gods.

Mormons: People are conservative, yet the dogma is fiscally liberal?

Ok, so first of all...sorry...I was very neglectful last week, but I had nothing to say...

I know that Mormons are not all republican or conservative..but the majority is. Enough that I dont feel bad lumping all Mormons as ultra-conservs...

I can understand why they might be socially conservative (even though I am far from), but fiscally? It doesnt even make sense.

The United Order was kind of a mock Zion and it was a socialistic community that the Mormons claim they had to end because they werent advanced enough for it. The Mormons have an incredible church welfare system and theoretically believe that we chould help everyone and that money is not important...

My question is this then...why do they always complain about paying taxes and social programs? They pay tithing to support the church...shouldnt they support the government and therefore their neighbors?

Just a question

Unrealistic legislative goals....good or bad?

Critics of American environmental legislation charge that the Clean Air and Clean Water acts are classic examples of symbolic politics, in which politicians set goals that are clearly unattainable in order to placate the public. What do you think are the costs and benefits of adopting unrealistically ambitious legislative goals?

I will answer this in regards to environmental legislation and specifically target the Clean Air and Clean Water acts, but I am interested in your opinion in other political arenas/agendas as well...

Talk to me...

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Candied Ginger

Is is Sunday, which means dinner with Dave and John. I thought I was responsible for the entree but found out that Dorothy is going to make lasagna. Thanks Dorothy! I get to make dessert. Most of my friends know that I love baking (I was a baker years ago) but dont do it often because I am already pudgy enough.

So I thought I would make up a fun dessert. I had thought about making maple bundt cake, but something new sounded fun. I am going to make Pumpkin bread pudding with candied ginger. I have kind of outlined how I think I will make it. If I make any change, I will let you know in another post. I might add pecans, but I havent decided. I love nuts, but so many have allergies. I always get nervous that someone I dont know will show up and not be able to partake. I will also let you know if it turns out!

Ingredients:
- For the Bread Pudding -
1 Loaf Rich Egg Bread I will probably use Challah), cut into 1 inch cubes
1 Can Pure Pumpkin Puree (15 ounces)
3 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
2 Cups Whole Milk
1/2 Cup Crystallized (Candied) Ginger, chopped into small pieces
1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
Pinch of Salt

- For the Hot Buttered Sauce -
1 Stick (4 ounces) Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the Bread Pudding:
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, eggs, milk, salt and spices. Add the bread cubes and mix together. Fold in the candied ginger.
Pour ingredients into a deep baking dish. Let stand for 10 minutes to let the bread soak.
Place pan on a cookie sheet and place in oven. Bake until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center comes out clean, approximately 50 minutes. Good bread pudding is moist, so don't overcook.
For the Hot Buttered Sauce:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the brown sugar and heavy cream. Let the mixture just come to a boil.
To Serve:
Cut the bread pudding into slices and place onto dessert plates. Drizzle the hot butteredsauce over the top. If you like, you can add whipped cream and extra candied ginger.
Enjoy!

Those pics made me think and hurl...

ok, so I know that I shouldnt be so hard on myself, but those pics I posted of myself really depressed me. I would prefer to be in denial on my weight, but a pic tells a thousand words or in this case a thousand pounds....



It is so funny; if a friend wrote this, I would yell at her and tell her to love herself. Alas, I can admit and accept that I am a hypocrite!



I have registered on self.com for the health challenge. They have four different challenges and though at first I was going to focus on the weight loss one, I decided on the one that focuses on being able to run 3 miles with ease. I need to get in shape for the guard since I am getting off medical profile and I passed my body fat percentage (barely, but it was a pass), so I thought the running would be better. I will lose weight with it as well as a bonus anyhoo....

The only problem is that the link is down...hopefully self will get their links back up soon.

I think that I will use self to help me from getting bored. My big problem is that I get really bored really quickly. If I do different stuff everyday, then I shouldnt be bored right? I am just working on routine and getting into shape not a certain body area, so I think for now this plan will be fine. When (when not if) I am into the routine, I will call my mom for help with a more effective routine for my goals. Right now it is hard to see past the blubber let alone make goals....

Today, I am going to start easy...by raking up leaves....it burns 250 calories and hour...not bad considering I really need to do it anyway. If it stops raining, I think I am also going to go on a 2 mile jog.

My lovely ladies...join self.com with me...I need friends to help...desperately

Fun pics of me and the pets!

So, I decided to post a couple pics of me...you all know that I am not really a pic person, but happy birthday....

Here is a pic of me smiling (I have had requests for a smile). I have no makeup on and am exhausted, but I am smiling...so be happy! I didnt even digitally alter it!

Here is the opposite...TONS O' Makeup...This is me on halloween. I think I need to grow my own mullet....it is totally me! I totally disregarded the poll in which you all thought I should go as a cop because, well, the wig called to me and I was weak...I had to have it!

You know those crazy pet people? I happen to be one of those. I absolutely adore my pets. They are my family. They have been giving me lots of loves lately, so I wanted to give them huggies back.

Okay, so Edd is kind of a high strung dog, but come on people he is a miniature pinscher. And he is such a love bug once he gets over wanting to eat you!

He and Sasquatch have become quite the pair. Edd is teaching her awful habits (they are partners in crime in garbage looting, although they act like it was the other one that was responsible).

She is upside down, I know...I was too lazy to fix that....

I thought I should include a pic of Miss Henri (Henrietta) too, but she is hiding..I will put one up of her later. She is such a petite young gal!

A Positive Turn....and value thoughts

So last night, my bishop told me to stay positive because my job search was going to get better...and he told me it would be immediately. Being my sarcastic self....I was like yeah right....yeah right...

Well, it did within an hour present more possibilities that were validated this morning. I dont know if I will get the job, but it looks promising and it brought me hope. That's a good thing right?

Totally unrelated, but I encourage any of you who dont know about Alternatives to Violence on the Palouse to check them out and see if you can help them with anything. They are a great organization that needs to be recognized as a savior within our community.

The blog Margaret and Helen really made me think this morning. I am going to go ahead and copy her whole post here, but I encourage you to read her blog. She is 82 and fabulous!


"Hello Margaret. I tried calling you last night but you didn’t answer. I swear every time a squirrel goes looking for a nut up there in Maine you lose your phone service.
I just don’t understand how your Howard can listen to that Rush Limbaugh each day. I tuned into him yesterday and couldn’t believe it. I mean, I know he is a Republican mouthpiece, I just didn’t realize we were dealing with Hoof and Mouth Disease.

Ask Howard to follow the logic of his argument today if you can. He said Republicans lost because they didn’t stick to their core values. They tried to be nice and tell people that they aren’t racists, bigots and homophobes. Once the Republicans got soft and started trying to be compassionate they began to lose. That is the problem with Republicans right now according to Rush. As proof he pontificated that conservative initiatives passed on the ballots.

So let me see if I understand. If Republicans would just admit that they are racists, bigots and homophobes and stop trying to be nice, they would win more elections. And the conservative movement which stands for less government was somehow validated because California, Florida, Arizona and Arkansas just forced government even farther into people’s bedrooms? And yet all of the conservative pro-life measures (the bread and butter issue for most of that group) failed to pass. So basically the conservative movement has been reduced to Anita Bryant’s diary. My, my but how they love their aging beauty queens… and we all know that beauty queens are the brightest bulbs on the chandelier.
Wow. I guess all the drugs Limbaugh takes have finally eaten away most of the gray matter that was stored in that fat head of his.
Oh and then there was that other guy - can’t remember his name - who actually went on and on about how steep the hill was for McCain and it was amazing how well he did. Steep hill? The other guy was a black man named Barack Hussein Obama. But McCain had the steep hill. I am at a loss on that one. You know, they can’t win with grace and they can’t lose with grace. Remind me again what we like about Howard? Oh that’s right. He cooks. At least there’s that. And he tolerates me so I guess he can’t be all bad.
Harold must have heard me screaming bullshit and asshole at the radio because he surprised me with two tickets to see Dame Edna at our favorite theater in Austin for this Saturday. He said I needed a little break and remembered that you and Howard loved Dame Edna when you saw her in New York a few years ago. Isn’t that the show you told us about? I hope so.
I hope you will plan a visit soon. We really do need to visit and laugh about all this blog stuff."


I recently had a conversation with a dear, dear friend of mine who happens to be very, very conservative. He stated that the government shouldnt get involved in healthcare, because it isnt their business and that it takes away free agency when government controls everything. I am not sure how providing healthcare takes away free agency, but I was more interested in the concept in its entirety. He is also pro-life. Laws against abortion directly take away free agency. That is a tangible example of wanting more government control over a person's personal affairs. He agreed with my argument, but did not change his stance on abortion.

He didnt change his stance because as much as we want to believe that we make stances on abortion and other passionate subjects (like the environment) on logical argument and discussion, we don't. They are value based beliefs. That is why a person is never able to change the mind of another in these situations. We never argue about what is really influencing the individual...what they think is right....

The whole global warming thing cracks me up. Everyone starts throwing science into the situation from both sides. Science has enormous cultural authority in our society. Instead of focusing on whether or not the earth was created for our use (or destruction) or whether we are a part of the earth and are responsible for its destruction, we discuss science and economics..

Funny really. What is really funny is when conservatives say they are against gay marriage because of the economic implications it could cause. Give me a break. Just admit that you think it is wrong to be gay. We all know that is what you are thinking anyway.

I also thought Helen was right on when she talked about McCain and Obama. Sure McCain had some difficulties after the Bush Administration, but does that compare being called a terrorist and pushing past oppression against people of color that has dominated our culture for how many years?

I think not.

Sorry McCain, but I don't feel sorry for your disadvantaged 2 minutes. Try a lifetime of discrimination and struggle and I might start feeling for you.

I hope someone reads this, although I doubt anyone will.

A Born Leader

Hemingway was born to write, Tiger Woods to hit a golf ball, and Barack Obama to be a leader. This I truely believe.

I wasnt going to write about anything election related, but I couldnt help myself! This is so exciting! We have not had a real leader in the white house in a long time and now he is here. GO OBAMA!!!

On a more negative note, McCain irked me in his concession speech. All was fine until he applauded Palin for her graceful way of handling the rough and tumble of the presidential campaign. Are you kidding me? Would anyone say anything about this if she were male? Of course not, because if you are running for VP you should know that you are going to be torn apart by the media. You should know that it wont be a cake walk. It made me feel as if it was implied that running for office is more difficult for the female sensibility. Phewie!!!

But back to the positive...GO OBAMA! I look forward to seeing what you can do to bring our great nation back to what it could be.

We live in such a wonderful world...

I have had a very trying time in my life lately and I realized that I had lost the optimism I am known for. What am I without my SH*T eating grin? Don't worry everyone, I am getting help and I think I will be back...SOON!

This weekend I had my drill weekend with the National Guard. On Saturday, I helped with the annual turkey drive for the state food bank. We didnt make as much as last year, but with the current economy, I wasn't surprised. While we didnt make as much, though, I thought the individuals donating were actually more charitable than last year. Let me explain:

Last year people opened their wallets and gave you a ten or twenty, but their wallets had a lot more cash left in it. This year people gave considerably less, but it was often everything they had in their wallets. Isnt that wonderful. They are hurting too, but they are still giving all they can.

And it is needed...badly. The economy has caused a huge need from the food bank for our communities familys and decreased the number of donations.... If you are able, plz help your local food programs. If you can't donate money...donate time.

Malaysia bans women wearing trousers and practicing yoga over fears of uncontrolled lesbianism.

http://in.reuters.com/article/topNews/idINIndia-36200220081029

Scientists create fake heart. Fake brain is two years away, but fake courage still available at the bottom of a bottle of Jack Daniels...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article5026788.ece

Depressed? Stressed out? Feelings of anxiety got you down? Diagnosis: Too much internet porn?

http://infotech.indiatimes.com/articleshow/3646310.cms

New research has found that people who frequent online sex sites have higher rates of depression. I see a chicken and the egg argument starting here...

Homer Simpson tries to Vote

I love it...seriously,Simpons has still got it after all these years

Congressman equates abortion with the execution of rapists

Republican Congressman Peter Roskam, who opposes abortion even in the cases of rape and incest, tried to equate abortion with the execution of rapists during an interview. Basically, his ground-breaking logic is that it doesn't make much sense for women to be able to have abortions if rapists aren't executed. Seriously.



"You know, my position is the same as Henry Hyde's. And Henry Hyde put it best when he said, when somebody is the victim of a crime, the law currently says that a rapist can't be put to death. That's the law. A rapist under the court doctrines can't be put to death. He said, why is it that the baby who is the result of that criminal behavior can be put to death? He said, isn't that a sad, sad thing. So my feeling is, look, in the case of that, that's the hard case, right? That's the ultimate painful and difficult case. And what we need to do is love that person and encourage them and support them. But once people are categorized by how they were conceived and the circumstances of their conception, you end up going down a route that ultimately I don't think we want to be."

Interestingly enough, I didn't see any mention of the health and well-being of the woman. The problem with avid anti-choicers like Congressman Roskam is that they always leave women out of the equation.

This is disgusting, even if it does make fun of Palin

I didnt know Paris was running for President! I wonder how much her wardrobe cost...

This is possibly the least intelligent thing I have ever seen in my entire life...

Life is getting a lil bit better

So, I started up with the tutoring stuff today...should be fun. Thanks AMY!!!

I also learned that my lil bro isnt so little anymore and that he can help me through stuff. Thanks Kent!

Angry at Ignorant People

So, I went to a HAlloween party hosted by the National Guard tonight....I took a few friends...

The party pissed me off....

I understand that everyone has the right to dress up however they want, but offensive costumes should not win contest contests. We should not support ignorant buttholes.

One of the winning costumes was "Obama" bid Laden....

The real terrorist here is the guy putting fear into the minds of Americans...

Man accuses NYC police of sodomizing him with walkie-talkie. He could be telling the truth, or he could just be talking out of his ass

This is very sad.....


NYPD denies claim of sexually assaulting man in subway

NEW YORK (AP) — Prosecutors are investigating allegations that five New York City police officers attacked a tattoo parlor worker and sodomized him with a walkie-talkie in a subway station.
The 24-year-old man says the officers then wrote him a disorderly conduct ticket and abandoned him as he was writhing in pain.

The police department disputes the allegations and strongly denies the man was sodomized.

"Police officers grappled with an individual who they observed smoking marijuana after he had fled and resisted being handcuffed. His assertion that he was sodomized is not supported by independent civilian witnesses on the scene," NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said in a statement.

The case is being investigated by the police department and the Brooklyn District Attorney's office.

The accusations brought back memories of the 1997 assault of Abner Louima, who was beaten and sodomized with a broomstick in a police precinct by officers in one of the most notorious cases of police brutality in NYPD history.

In the latest case, lawyers for the accuser came forward Thursday afternoon with the startling allegations, and a hospital confirmed that he was admitted on the day of the alleged attack and spent four days there.

The man was back in the hospital on Thursday, complaining he was urinating blood and suffering lingering pain, the Daily News reported.

Lawyers say five police officers approached Michael Mineo on Oct. 15 around 12:30 p.m. because they believed he was smoking marijuana near a subway stop in Brooklyn.

When the tattoo parlor employee entered the station, he claims officers jumped him from behind, handcuffed him and wrestled him to the ground, according to attorney Stephen Jackson.

Mineo told his lawyers that he felt a foot on his neck as the officers beat him, then yanked down his pants and sodomized him with the walkie-talkie. The lawyers say the officers took the bleeding Mineo into a police car, wrote him a disorderly conduct ticket and left him at the subway station.

"My God, this just sent chills throughout my body when I heard this," Jackson said. "This is one of the most horrendous acts of police brutality."

One of Mineo's co-workers took him to the hospital, where he remained most of the week with internal injuries. His attorney says the hospital administrator contacted the Brooklyn District Attorney's office because it appeared Mineo was the victim of a sexual assault.

Jackson said medical records corroborate Mineo's story, but would not immediately provide copies of them. Mineo was not available to speak. Brookdale Hospital officials confirmed that he was admitted on Oct. 15 and discharged four days later.

Jackson said he and Mineo didn't go public with the allegations right away because they wanted to give prosecutors time to investigate.

A law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, said many initial details about the incident cast doubt on Mineo's claims.

For instance, the official said Mineo initially yelled at the scene that he had been shocked with a stun-gun by the officers, but none of the officers was carrying the weapon.

The Brooklyn District Attorney's office says it doesn't comment on any open investigations. Mineo was previously arrested in June on a charge of gang assault and criminal possession of a weapon.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

No support for anyone who pals with Rush Limbaugh..yes, I am talking about you Miss Palin

Rush Limbaugh has reared his ugly once again in saying that Colin Powell is endorsing Barack Obama because he is black. It’s time to ask ourselves why is Sarah Palin appearing on the show with such an astounding racist. Is she pallin around with bigots? If John McCain was so eager to have Barack Obama repudiate the statements of his ’supporter,’ John Lewis, shouldn’t John McCain repudiate the extremely racist comments of his biggest right wing radio supporter, Rush Limbaugh.

Top 10 Racist Rush Limbaugh Quotes

"I mean, let’s face it, we didn’t have slavery in this country for over 100 years because it was a bad thing. Quite the opposite: slavery built the South. I’m not saying we should bring it back; I’m just saying it had its merits. For one thing, the streets were safer after dark."

Okay Rush, slavery was not a good things for the millions of African Americans who were enslaved, raped and beaten. The streets weren’t at all safe for African Americans. Slavery not a bad thing? Someone should put Rush on a plantation for him to see how great it is. Keep on fear and race mongering Rush, you might get to Goebels status.

"You know who deserves a posthumous Medal of Honor? James Earl Ray [the confessed assassin of Martin Luther King]. We miss you, James. Godspeed."

Martin Luther King is a national hero, not a black hero. Everybody in the United States celebrates his birthday, children are taught to look up to him as a hero in school. He’s earned the respect and admiration of the world and you believe the man who killed him was a hero? This is beyond racist. This is evil, mean spirited, subhuman. Praising the assassin of one of our great American heroes is beyond the scope of regular racism.

"Have you ever noticed how all composite pictures of wanted criminals resemble Jesse Jackson?"

No but I’ve noticed that all racist bigots think like Rush Limbaugh. Comparing a respected black politician and minister to common criminals is Jim Crow racism. Maybe all black people look alike to him, but I’ve never seen a picture of a wanted criminal that looks like Jesse Jackson. A serial killer that looks like Rush Limbaugh on the other hand is a whole different story. Ever heard of John Wayne Gacy?

"Right. So you go into Darfur and you go into South Africa, you get rid of the white government there. You put sanctions on them. You stand behind Nelson Mandela — who was bankrolled by communists for a time, had the support of certain communist leaders. You go to Ethiopia. You do the same thing."

The communist connection is an old way of dealing with black leaders. They used it on Martin Luther King, they’re using it on Barack Obama and Limbaugh used it on Nelson Mandela. By siding with the racist apartheid regime over a world-wide symbol of peace and freedom, Limbaugh has shown he’s a global racist.

"Look, let me put it to you this way: the NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons. There, I said it."

Limbaugh is once again fear mongering and race baiting by associating professional black athletes with criminals and gangmembers. He continues the fear mongering association of good decent hard working African Americans as criminals.

"The NAACP should have riot rehearsal. They should get a liquor store and practice robberies."

Now Limbaugh is saying that a an organization with a storied tradition of representing the positive black people for change in their communities are criminals and rioters. An organization that has been represented by intelligent professional African Americans, that has played a part in the Civil Rights movement and continues to be an intelligent, concerned voice for the African American community is degraded to common criminals. There you go Rush. Keep racism alive!!!!

"They’re 12 percent of the population. Who the hell cares?"

Decent human beings care Rush. Someone out of that 12% may just become President of the United States. Not caring about black people? Even George Bush wouldn’t admit to that.

"Take that bone out of your nose and call me back(to an African American female caller)."

Okay Rush that’s classy. The old African bone in the nose stereotype. Wasn’t funny when the racist white school kids called the black kids that and its definitely not funny when a grown man with audience of millions of easily influenced dittoheads says it either.

"I think the media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. They’re interested in black coaches and black quarterbacks doing well. I think there’s a little hope invested in McNabb and he got a lot of credit for the performance of his team that he really didn’t deserve."

I wsn’t super offended by this, the whole black quarterback/coach thing has been going on for years in sports, but the quote was so offensive that Retired General Wesley Clarke said:

"There can be no excuse for such statements. Mr. Limbaugh has the right to say whatever he wants, but ABC and ESPN have no obligation to sponsor such hateful and ignorant speech. Mr. Limbaugh should be fired immediately."

When a respected, retired general condemns the statement of a sportscaster, you know he’s gone to far.

Limbaugh attacks on Obama. Limbaugh has called Obama a ‘halfrican American’ has said that Obama was not black but Arab because Kenya is an Arab region, even though Arabs are less than one percent of Kenya. Since mainstream America has become more accepting of African-Americans, Limbaugh has decided to play against its new racial fears, Arabs and Muslims. Despite the fact Obama graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law school, Limbaugh has called him an ‘affirmative action candidate.’ Limbaugh even has repeatedly played a song on his radio show ‘Barack the Magic Negro’ using an antiquated Jim Crow era term for black a man who many Americans are supporting for president. Way to go Rush.

So Rush Limbaugh has managed to make racist attacks on four of the most admired and respected people of African descent in the past one hundred years, in Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Colin Powell and Barack Obama. He has called for the assassin of Martin Luther King to be given a medal, and said slavery was a good thing. He has claimed that Joe the Plumber, who isn’t even a plumber is more important in this election than Colin Powell, a decorated military veteran who has servded honorably in three admnistrations. How can the Republican party stand by this man and let their candidates appear on his show? Rush Limbaugh’s comments are so racist, they’re funny, in a Borat, Archie Bunker kind of way. What is not funny is the millions of dittoheads who listen to him, who take in and re-spout all the racist rhetoric that he spits. Limbaugh’s statement are echoed in the racist, angry Palin/McCain supporters who shout ‘kill him,’ ‘terrorist,’ ‘communist’ ‘traitor,’ ’socialist’ and ‘off with his head.’

All I can really say is, what an asshole...

Out of Control

So, I realized that I am a total control freak. ANDDDDD my life is totally out of control. I cant handle it. I am doing everything in my power to gain control back, but it isnt happening. I have no control over my future, present, finances, or even my own person. That control has been taken and I am pissed! I am trying to figure out who to be angry at. I am angry at myself, but those that intimately know my situation up to this weekend tell me that I cant blame me.... So I through a fork at Dave...sorry Dave. I really dont know why I did that, but I appreciate that you thought it was funny.

It wasnt funny....it was mean.

McCain's Internet sex registry law passes...

ok, I am totally into protecting people from internet predators, but does requiring sex offenders to register their email addresses really make a difference? I mean I have like 6 email addresses. How can that be monitored?

If you want a little (albiet biased...I dont mind...it agrees with me!) more info on this go to...

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/10/mccains-sex-off.html


I really want to know what you all think of this...

What I have done...courtesy of Allanna

Things I've done ... and some I haven't



Just copy and paste this to your blog and bold the ones that you HAVE done.
1. Started your own blog Duh!
2. Slept under the stars Many many times
3. Played in a band I was a band geek...I have never been in a cool band
4. Visited Hawaii ...Never really wanted to, but I would like to see the soils of Hawaii...Oxisols and Andisols
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain I would like to climb more
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped (I want to)
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea ...this is the absolutely most wonderful sight ever....
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning Jr prom
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked I always get in trouble for it too
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke (I touch myself is my fav karaoke song)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud EVERYDAY!!!!!
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie (I was in a 2 minute clip of an independant film and was used as a voice over for a singing scene)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Kent is in town...

So, my bro made it to town! YAYAYAYAYAY!!!!!!!!!!

If the McCain-PAlin campaign fails,at least Palin has a backup offer from the Pussycat Dolls...

PUSSYCAT DOLL NICOLE SCHERZINGER has invited U.S. vice presidential candidate SARAH PALIN to join the sexy girl group, if her election campaign fails next month (Nov08).

The singer is convinced former beauty queen Palin has got what it takes to join the all-singing all-dancing five-piece.

The Buttons hitmaker says, "She seems like a headstrong woman, a tough chick. And she's hot."

It's not the only offer on the table for the 44-year-old Republican governor of Alaska - Playboy boss Hugh Hefner has already asked her to strip naked in the famous men's magazine.

Scientists conclude that brachiosaurs got big because they didn't chew their food. Study sheds light on the reason for large people at buffets!

Brachiosaurs and other long-necked giants of the dinosaur world weighed as much as 10 African elephants. Researchers now think they know why the tubby vegetarian beasts got so big: They swallowed high-energy foods whole.


Their small heads helped, too, by allowing those long necks to reach nutritious leaves high up in the trees.


With body lengths of more than 131 feet (40 m) and heights of 56 feet (17 m), sauropods dwarfed meat-eating dinosaurs and even the largest land mammals ever. Sauropods appeared on the scene about 210 million years ago in the Late Triassic and dominated Earth's ecosystems for more than 100 million years from the Middle Jurassic to the end of the Cretaceous.


P. Martin Sander, a paleontologist at the University of Bonn in Germany, and Marcus Clauss of the University of Zurich propose how the plant-eaters could have reached such super sizes and thrive for so long.


For one, unlike duck-billed and horned dinosaurs, sauropods must not have listened to mom, as they didn't chew their food. In general, food chewing and the associated saliva that gets mixed in help to digest food.


Sauropods instead relied on giant bellies for storing lots of food, which could take a long time to digest. Past research has shown that the ferns and other plant material eaten by sauropods packed high amounts of energy needed for growth.


Smaller jaws


While a complex gut region was necessary, sauropods didn't need big jaws since they didn't chew their food. The smaller jaws meant sauropods could have small heads, which was a prerequisite for having a lengthy neck (their necks couldn't support too much weight). The neck meant the beasts could snag food that was out of reach for their stumpy-necked neighbors.


But life's tough for big guys. For instance, getting rid of excess body heat could have posed a problem for such a big body. And with such a long neck, a large volume of air had to trek through the also-lengthy windpipe before that fresh air reached the lungs.


These dinosaurs solved both problems with a bird-like breathing system. Instead of flexible lungs that expand and contract, sauropods (and modern birds) had a system of air sacs that pumped air through rigid lungs. Other air sacs and hollow spaces lined the spinal column and helped to shuttle unwanted heat away from the body core.


Sauropod eggs


Sauropods also had staying power. One way their giant genes survived involved sauropod reproductive biology. While mammalian plant-eaters give birth to one offspring at a time, sauropods laid several small eggs at once. This would help to increase the dinosaurs' population size and therefore lower the chances of extinction.


Once hatched, the tiny dinosaurs would grow from about 22 pounds (10 kg) to a fully-grown weight at rates similar to those of land mammals. The fast growth would mean a sauropod would quickly reap the benefits of being so large, such as protection from predators.


The researchers suggest sauropod gigantism may have led to the oversized meat-eating dinosaurs, which also were much larger than carnivorous land mammals. One idea is that sauropod eggs would have provided an easy feast for a growing meat-eater. Since mammals have few young that are well-protected, such a food source would be unavailable to meat-eating mammals.


The research, which will be detailed in the Oct. 10 issue of the journal Science, was funded by the German Research Foundation.

At last, an arts & crafts project suitable for your budding little biologist. Or serial killer!?!

http://whywouldyouknitthat.blogspot.com/2008/09/this-is-what-happens-when-biologist.html

Check this out!

If you've been waiting for a chair made from recycled plastic bags that resembles part of your digestive tract, your wait is over...

http://gizmodo.com/5059991/the-recycled-plastic-bag-chair-is-anything-but-trashy

Internet Internet Internet

So I am having hardware issues with my internet (my clearwire box is down), but I will be back soon...Miss ME!!!!

Thereis a Palin sign in my landlords yard....

Which by the way, is right in front of where I live.....


I think I am going to write Tina Fey in on my ballot

Puke and Spagettios and dieting

Who would have thunk that spagettios taste the same coming up as they did going down?

I havent been feeling well lately and I just threw up and guess what I had eaten...you guessed correctly spagettios...

So on to another subject: DIETING. I just realized how strange that subject must seem in a puke blog, but dont worry, my two thoughts were unrelated. I do not promote bulemia. I have known quite a few people with the disease, and I have seen its distructive ways.

Ok, off the soapbox and onto something less dull. I realized that I am fat people! Ok, I know you probably all noticed that I am overwieght before this moment, but I am behind the learning curve. And I love being lazy and eating like a pig....

So, my mirror, my jeans, and the scale are all pressuring me to be responsible in the one area that I usually avoid responsibility: my health.

No more excuses...yes I am accident prone, but I am healing from all my past craziness and I need to lose those extra pounds I gained.

But gaining weight is SO much more fun than losing it.

Ok, focus, focus, focus. See how I fight it? I dont even like to discuss a weight loss plan, let alone follow through with one.

HELP MY LOVELY PEEPS...HELP!!!

After note: after posting this blog, I noticed that puking and spagettios were capped, but dieting was lower case...I just thought it was interesting

Super Sexy Ninja Assassin

For those of you who dont know, I am a super sexy ninja assassin... Well I am at least super. I am working on the sexy part....the ninja part....and uh, the assassin part too. But, I am definately super. Got that down pat!

So what does a super sexy ninja assassin do you say....well, we already established that this super sexy ninja assassin doesn't really do the sexy stuff or the ninja assassin stuff. Basically, they are just cool. Everyone wants to be them. In my delusions of granduer, everyone wants to be me!

When I am drunk...I think I am rich!!!!

So, I realized that in the past, I was drunk I thought I was rich...And I didnt just think I was a random rich person, but I thought I was a classy rich person.

I mean classy people always buy the entire bar "pink pussies", "tie me to the bed posts", and "pink panty droppers" right? Isnt that class defined at its best?


So, in the places that said rich in this post, I had to change them from drunk to rich...does this have any significant meaning?

My obsession with criminals

Many of you probably dont know this, but I am obsessed with criminals. And I dont just prefer any criminal, I prefer the horrible murderers and rapists. When I was in Iraq, I spent way to much time reading about serial killers (hey it was real crime novels or romance novels...people should donate better reading to soldiers).

Now, don't get confused...I am not romantically intrigued by rapists/murderers. I promise I only write drug addicts in prison and I only date people who kill in self defense. I do have standards you know.

I just wonder what motivates them to do such horrible things? How does a person become so sick? Is it an impulse that they just can't control?

I mean I try to get myself to avoid checking out what my bowel movements look like, but darn it, I am intrigued...everyday, a different shape and a different shade. Does my compulsive bowel watching addiction make me liable to falling to the dark ways of Charles Manson? Do I need to learn to control my impulses? I had better just go turn myself in right now!!!

Organs, Organs, ORGANS!!!!!!

You have got to watch this. I thought it was awesome...btw...I always check athletic. Is that representative?

Renae would like this...

So, I have found this really cool blog that posts old photos. It really is quite interesting and a place to find interesting old photos to print out and put in your home....

www.shorpy.com The hundred year old Photo Blog

Check it out...it is pretty cool and you will no longer have to buy other peoples ancestors from antique stores to put on your wall....you can get them for free!

Way too Stressed!!!

So, I have been way too stressed out lately (as most of you are aware)... SO stressed that I have been plagued with nose bleeds.... uggggggggggg!!!!!!!!!

A Gift For All My Single Friends

The Boyfriend Pillow Only 19.95

Montage-A-Google: Inspired by my friends

So I found this montage a google thing online today. I am totally behind on the online stuff, so probably most of you (and definately Allanna) already know about it.

Go to it!

I basically wasted my whole day making one for all of my friends. In order to save space and all of your sanitys,I am only including the ones I found most interesting. If I didnt include yours, it meant that either you were boring, uninspiring, or I merely forgot your existence (Amy...just kidding).

We will start with me (Because I always find myself interesting):

Dang, I am sexy.....I did Paranoid in Reverse for fun too:

I thought it turned out super cool and I think I will add it as a permanent image somewhere on my blog.



My favorite friend one was Allanna's because her actual pic showed up in it:


I also really like Renae's because alot of red and floral stuff is prominent. It reminded me of her:

Bekah's evoked a lot of emotion for me; very fitting:



And I thought Jenny's was just beautiful (I will never forget my Oregon Babes!):

Official Announcement: The Government has changed its emblem

My mom sent me this via email...too funny

PETA would like to gross out Ice Cream Lovers

September 23, 2008


Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, Cofounders
Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc.


Dear Mr. Cohen and Mr. Greenfield,


On behalf of PETA and our more than 2 million members and supporters, I'd like to bring your attention to an innovative new idea from Switzerland that would bring a unique twist to Ben and Jerry's. Storchen restaurant is set to unveil a menu that includes soups, stews, and sauces made with at least 75 percent breast milk procured from human donors who are paid in exchange for their milk. If Ben and Jerry's replaced the cow's milk in its ice cream with breast milk, your customers--and cows--would reap the benefits.


Using cow's milk for your ice cream is a hazard to your customer's health. Dairy products have been linked to juvenile diabetes, allergies, constipation, obesity, and prostate and ovarian cancer. The late Dr. Benjamin Spock, America's leading authority on child care, spoke out against feeding cow's milk to children, saying it may play a role in anemia, allergies, and juvenile diabetes and in the long term, will set kids up for obesity and heart disease--America's number one cause of death.


Animals will also benefit from the switch to breast milk. Like all mammals, cows only produce milk during and after pregnancy, so to be able to constantly milk them, cows are forcefully impregnated every nine months. After several years of living in filthy conditions and being forced to produce 10 times more milk than they would naturally, their exhausted bodies are turned into hamburgers or ground up for soup.


And of course, the veal industry could not survive without the dairy industry. Because male calves can't produce milk, dairy farmers take them from their mothers immediately after birth and sell them to veal farms, where they endure 14 to17 weeks of torment chained inside a crate so small that they can't even turn around.


The breast is best! Won't you give cows and their babies a break and our health a boost by switching from cow's milk to breast milk in Ben and Jerry's ice cream? Thank you for your consideration.


Sincerely,


Tracy Reiman

Some Ideas for Ice Cream Names:

Gov. Sarah Praline
Caramel Electra
Mocha Winfrey
Cherry Stuart Masterson
Jennifer Love Nougat
Cocoa Chanel
Elizabeth Barrett Brownie
Lemony Dickinson
Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Molasses
Fudge Nipple

Another sign of the Apocalypse is upon us: Denny's is one of the top 10 healthiest restaurants

You work out. You watch what you eat. But you don’t want to have to prepare every meal at home for the sake of your health — nor should you have to.
Health magazine surveyed chain restaurants and found 10 surprisingly healthy standouts. Read on for the winners!

Note: Health magazine judged all the restaurants on these criteria: healthy food preparation, whole grains on the menu, limited or no trans-fats in all dishes, low-sodium options, portion control, and how easily the customer can access nutritional information.

Top 10 sit-down chain restaurants
• Uno Chicago Grill
• Souplantation & Sweet Tomatoes
• Mimi’s Café
• P.F. Chang’s China Bistro
• Bob Evans
• Ruby Tuesday
• Romano’s Macaroni Grill
• Chevy’s Fresh Mex
• Olive Garden
• Denny’s
Top 5 fast-food spots
• Noodles & Company
• Chipotle Mexican Grill
• Cosi
• Panera
• Au Bon Pain

Has anyone ever actually seen Tina Fey and Sarah Palin in the same room at the same time? Just asking

Sarah Palin Disney Trailer

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

The Most Embarrassing Vid of Me EVER!!!!

Do I really look like that? EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
This was the highlight of my Alvord Basin trip last year...it is on youtube courtesy of Andres...Thanks Buddy.

I guess I am going to be a cop for Halloween.....

So, Renae got her way...unless a bunch of people discover my blog in the next two hours, the vote is in...I am going to be a cop for halloween.

Renae only wants me to be one because I look like a dyke in the aviator sunglasses. Amanda says that I always look likea dyke, so I should steer away from it and be something classy. She suggested that I be a pornstar. Perfect.

I don't have an issue with homosexuals, but why can't I look like a hot lesbian rather than a dyke?

Amanda's PMS

SO, I asked Amanda what to blog about today and she replyed that I should discuss her PMS. I was confused at first because i thought she told me to discuss her penis... I didn't really question it, because it sounded like something she would really say.

Amanda's PMS is bigger than her penis...I think...

To make a long story short, she is thinking about moving here.

Admit it, you play guitar hero in your tighty whiteys too!

Just wanted to put a couple funny videos up..they are more entertaining than my ranting.....

Alternate Ending to "Of Mice and Men" TOO FUNNY

Wow, I think Nader has actually lost it...


I actually just play in the nude...

Facebook

This is funny and the last part about linking to pics is dedicated to Renae////

Some Sustainable Living Ideas - Fueled by my Laundry Crisis

Eco-gym is aims to turn sweat into electricity.

So I agree that this is a gimmick, but it is a good gimmick! A new gym in Portland is using stationary bikes to produce energy! How much energy can a stationary bike produce? Not a lot unfortunately…

According to Calorielab.com, exercising on a stationary bike produces somewhere between 50 and 250 watts of power depending on the riders effort. So, I would probably be between 100-200 watts. Let’s assume 90% efficiency…..Do the math: a 45 minute ride produces about 120 watt-hours of power. How much is that? Enough to:
• Run a 100-watt bulb for a little over an hour.
• Run 4 compact fluorescent bulbs for the same duration.
• Run an aquarium pump for a day.
• Power a small frost free fridge for about a half hour.

So, you see that gym-rat power really won’t provide that much energy. It won’t even heat the water needed for my after workout shower and that 45 minutes was only about a cent worth of electricity…

But, it is still a really cool fun idea…

Stop Drinking Bottled Water!!!

The exclamation points are there for me, because I am a horrible culprit of drinking bottled water when I am thirsty and it is most convenient. I need to learn to bring water with me. Why you say:

Water straight from the tap has about one half of one percent of the climate-warming impact of the most benign bottled water -- and less than a thousandth of the overall environmental impact of the most energy-intensive bottled water.

You will also save a lot of cash! Bottled water now costs around two bucks; 8 glasses a day costs about 49cents a year from the tap.

IT has also been proven that bottled water is most often not any better than tap water and was actually bottled from a tap…what a scam…

Walk, Don’t Drive

A completely obvious idea here and over emphasized idea, but I wanted to share a factoid I found on this: my shoes get about 220 miles to the gallon…

Ride your Bike

Utilize the world’s most energy efficient vehicle…My favorite biking fact: "Pound for pound, a person on a bike can go farther on a calorie of food than a gazelle can running, a salmon swimming, or an eagle flying."

Ceiling Fans

I learned about how wonderful a ceiling fan can be at my dad’s cabin. The fan does wonders for distributing heat and cool air around the house. According to Amory Lovins, a ceiling fan isn’t just a free lunch, it is a free lunch you are paid to eat.

Dry your clothes outside

A six dollar piece of rope (I actually just use my fence), and you have the potential to save a huge amount of energy and have clothes that smell like fresh wind. Just remember to bring them in before it rains…

An Ode to my friends…Netflix and Library Books

I just thought of this:
Re-use is the most important of the three R’s…libraries prevent the over production and waste of books….netflix also reduces waste….

Lisa Simpson - Modern Day Feminist

I came across this clip today...I shortened it to only include the best part. It really is clever...way to go Simpsons!

Energy Saving Disaster

So I decided to try to save energy by hanging my laundry rather than using the dryer. I dont pay for my laundry (not even the energy for the dryer), but I felt that I would be doing the rightthing by cutting down unneccessary energy use.

Then it rained and rained and rained all over my clothes. Pfffff!!!!!

Eating Contest

I participated in a pieeating contest the other day and I was totally psyched... I knew I was going to win. I was to psyched to pay close attention when the rules were stated. I heard the statement about not using your hands, but I focused on what I knew. I just knew I had to win. I had to eat that pie.

And so it began. I ate and noticed a plastic thing in my mouth.....a plastic ring. I spat it out and kept going...no time to waste in a pie eating contest.

Um...the contest was not who could finish their pie; it was who could find the ring and turn it in first...

So the lesson of the day is.....listen to the directions.

Today's Mission

So today my goal is to clean out my voicemail box. My father kindly reminded me yesterday that it has been full for about 9 months. He also let me know that I have been denying him the priviledge of leaving silly voicemails for that entire 9 months. He was watching Star Wars the other day and wasn't able to leave a message saying, "Broooookkeeee, this is yo fatha!" How could I deny a man the opportunity to leave a cheesy message like that?

So you ask, why have I neglected to clean out my messages for so long? It is because I have a few friends (who will remain nameless here; I have complained to them enough that they know who they are) who find it necessary to leave 8 meaningless messages a day on my phone. My phone tells me that I have missed your call,so I know that you have called 8 times. PLEASE only leave one message a day (at most!). If you are just calling to say hello, you dont even need that one message. Sometimes I think I attract stalkers as friends.

Halloween - Play Army

This is really just a rant ofa post here... for those of you who are military and decided to dress up as a military dude for Halloween, you are just plain lazy. Muster some creativity. If you cant think of anything else, stay at home and pass out candy. Otherwise, I will follow your example and for halloween I will be a lazy, depressed chubby lady with great taste in shoes....

Ashlynne

Gayle sent me a few new pics of Ashlynne yesterday and I thought I would share them with all of you. For those of you who are utterly in the dark in regards to my life, Gayle is my sister and Ashlynne is her beautiful daughter. I have been blessed in the past year with 3 new nieces/nephew...one from each sis....
What an adorable little bookworm...I see scientist already!
Ashlynne's first sucker; she looks like she may end up a sugar fiend just like her mommy!
Ashlynne and grandpa in her harley do-rag! SO CUTE!!! Dang, I look just like that old man!
Ashlynne eating an oreo...okay, not even a whole oreo...just one side of the cookie! YIKES! What a mess!

Faith

So someone asked me yesterday how I have gotten past my challenges in life so well (I am great at hiding my pain)... They asked me how God helped me. I was floored. Most of you know that faith does not come easily to me. I cannot believe anything that isn't concrete. So, I sat there like a deer in headlights; I didn't know what to say. Me having nothing to say is a rare occasion, so I think maybe the subject needs to be explored a bit more.

There are lucky people in this world that have a naturally propensity to be faithful... they understand and trust their hearts (or the emotion center in the brain). I was not blessed with this gift. I was blessed instead with a rock hard body (damn, God didnt bless me with that either...why did I get the short end of the stick?).

How do you tell someone that you don't feel that God got you through anything. You did it on your own (which is probably why it was so hard). I am working one step at a time and have just recently started letting my closest friends help me out and unfortunately I don't know if I would include God on the list of my closest friends...he is merely an aquaintance to me.