"I think I began learning long ago that those who are happiest are those who do the most for others."
Booker T. Washington
1856-1915, Educator and Author
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Newsweek: Oprah pushes snake oil
OPRAH is on NEWSWEEK's cover – 'CRAZY TALK: OPRAH, WACKY CURES & YOU,' by Weston Kosova and Pat Wingert: '[S]ome of what Oprah promotes isn't good, and a lot of the advice her guests dispense on the show is just bad. ... She has the power to summon the most learned authorities on any subject; who would refuse her? Instead, all too often Oprah winds up putting herself and her trusting audience in the hands of celebrity authors and pop-science artists pitching wonder cures and miracle treatments that are questionable or flat-out wrong, and sometimes dangerous.' She says in a statement: '[M]y intention is for our viewers to take the information and engage in a dialogue with their medical practitioners about what may be right for them.'
Oprah's audience admires her as much for her failings as her successes. In real life, she has almost nothing in common with most of her viewers. She is an unapproachable billionaire with a private jet and homes around the country who hangs out with movie stars. She is not married and has no children. But television Oprah is a different person. She somehow manages to make herself believable as a down-to-earth everywoman. She is your girlfriend who struggles to control her weight and balance her work and personal life, just like you. When she recently related the story of how humiliated she felt when she arrived for a photo shoot to find that she couldn't fit into the clothes she was supposed to wear, she knew she had every member of the audience in her hand. Oprah's show is all about second and third and fourth chances to fix your life, and the promise that the next new thing to come along will be the one that finally works.
Read more
Oprah's audience admires her as much for her failings as her successes. In real life, she has almost nothing in common with most of her viewers. She is an unapproachable billionaire with a private jet and homes around the country who hangs out with movie stars. She is not married and has no children. But television Oprah is a different person. She somehow manages to make herself believable as a down-to-earth everywoman. She is your girlfriend who struggles to control her weight and balance her work and personal life, just like you. When she recently related the story of how humiliated she felt when she arrived for a photo shoot to find that she couldn't fit into the clothes she was supposed to wear, she knew she had every member of the audience in her hand. Oprah's show is all about second and third and fourth chances to fix your life, and the promise that the next new thing to come along will be the one that finally works.
Read more
Who Is to Blame for the Next Attack?
By Frank Rich
The harrowing truth remains unchanged from what it was before Cheney emerged from his bunker to set Washington atwitter. The Bush administration did not make us safer either before or after 9/11. Obama is not making us less safe. If there’s another terrorist attack, it will be because the mess the Bush administration ignored in Pakistan and Afghanistan spun beyond anyone’s control well before Americans could throw the bums out.
Read full Op-ed
The harrowing truth remains unchanged from what it was before Cheney emerged from his bunker to set Washington atwitter. The Bush administration did not make us safer either before or after 9/11. Obama is not making us less safe. If there’s another terrorist attack, it will be because the mess the Bush administration ignored in Pakistan and Afghanistan spun beyond anyone’s control well before Americans could throw the bums out.
Read full Op-ed
Here's The Joke
Two nuns went out of the convent to sell cookies. One of them is known as Sister Mathematical (SM) and the other one is known as Sister Logical(SL).
It is getting dark and they are still far away from the convent.
SL: Have you noticed that a man has been following us for the past half-hour?
SM.: Yes, I wonder what he wants.
SL: It's logical. He wants to have his way with us.
SM: Oh, no! At this rate he will reach us in 15 minutes at the most. What can we do?
SL: The only logical thing to do of course is that we have to start walking faster.
SM: It is not working.
SL: Of course it is not working. The man did the only obvious thing to do. He started to walk faster too.
SM: So, what shall we do? At this rate he will reach us in one minute.
SL: The only logical thing we can do is split. You go that way and I'll go this way. He cannot follow both of us.
So the man decided to go after Sister Logical.
Sister Mathematical arrives at the convent and is worried because Sister Logical has not yet arrived.
Finally, Sister Logical arrives.
SM: Sister Logical! Thank God you are here! Tell us what happened!
SL: The only logical thing happened. The man could not follow both of us, so he followed me.
SM: So, what happened? Please tell us.
SL: The only logical thing to happen. I started to run as fast as I could.
SM: So what happened?
SL: The only logical thing to happen. The man also started to run as fast as he could.
SM: And what else?
SL: The only logical thing to happen. He reached me.
SM: Oh, no! What did you do then?
SL: The only logical thing to do. I lifted my dress up.
SM: Oh, Sister. What did the man do?
SL: The only logical thing to do. He pulled down his pants.
SM: Oh, no! What happened then?
SL: Isn't it logical, Sister? A nun with her dress up can run faster than a man with his pants down!
(And you thought it would be dirty! Say two Hail Mary's...)
It is getting dark and they are still far away from the convent.
SL: Have you noticed that a man has been following us for the past half-hour?
SM.: Yes, I wonder what he wants.
SL: It's logical. He wants to have his way with us.
SM: Oh, no! At this rate he will reach us in 15 minutes at the most. What can we do?
SL: The only logical thing to do of course is that we have to start walking faster.
SM: It is not working.
SL: Of course it is not working. The man did the only obvious thing to do. He started to walk faster too.
SM: So, what shall we do? At this rate he will reach us in one minute.
SL: The only logical thing we can do is split. You go that way and I'll go this way. He cannot follow both of us.
So the man decided to go after Sister Logical.
Sister Mathematical arrives at the convent and is worried because Sister Logical has not yet arrived.
Finally, Sister Logical arrives.
SM: Sister Logical! Thank God you are here! Tell us what happened!
SL: The only logical thing happened. The man could not follow both of us, so he followed me.
SM: So, what happened? Please tell us.
SL: The only logical thing to happen. I started to run as fast as I could.
SM: So what happened?
SL: The only logical thing to happen. The man also started to run as fast as he could.
SM: And what else?
SL: The only logical thing to happen. He reached me.
SM: Oh, no! What did you do then?
SL: The only logical thing to do. I lifted my dress up.
SM: Oh, Sister. What did the man do?
SL: The only logical thing to do. He pulled down his pants.
SM: Oh, no! What happened then?
SL: Isn't it logical, Sister? A nun with her dress up can run faster than a man with his pants down!
(And you thought it would be dirty! Say two Hail Mary's...)
Labels:
Humor
I read this article that said the typical symptoms of
stress are: eating too much, impulse buying, and
driving too fast. Are they kidding? That is my idea of
a perfect day.
Sunday Funnies
LOT'S WIFE:
The Sunday School teacher was describing how Lot 's wife looked back and
turned into a pillar of salt, when little Jason interrupted, 'My Mommy looked
back once, while she was driving,' he announced triumphantly, 'and she turned
into a telephone pole!'
GOOD SAMARITAN:
A Sunday school teacher was telling her class the story of the Good
Samaritan. She asked the class, 'If you saw a person lying on the
Roadside, all wounded and bleeding, what would you do?'
A thoughtful little girl broke the hushed silence, 'I think I'd throw up.'
DID NOAH FISH?
A Sunday school teacher asked, 'Johnny, do you think Noah did a lot of
Fishing when he was on the Ark ?'
'No,' replied Johnny. 'How could he, with just two worms.'
HIGHER POWER:
A Sunday school teacher said to her children, 'We have been learning
How powerful kings and queens were in Bible times. But, there is a higher
Power. Can anybody tell me what it is?'
One child blurted out, 'Aces!'
MOSES AND THE RED SEA :
Nine-year-old Joey was asked by his mother what he had learned in
Sunday School.
'Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy
Lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt When
He got to the Red Sea , he had his army build a pontoon bridge and all the
People walked across safely. Then, he radioed headquarters for reinforcements.
They sent bombers to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved.'
'Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?' his mother asked.
'Well, no, Mom. But, if I told it the way the teacher did, you'd never believe it!'
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD:
A Sunday School teacher decided to have her young class memorize one
Of the most quoted passages in the Bible; Psalm 23. She gave the youngsters a month to learn the chapter. Little Rick was excited about the task -- but, he just couldn't remember the Psalm. After much practice, he could barely get past the first line. On the day that the kids were scheduled to recite Psalm 23 in front of the congregation, Ricky was so nervous. When it was his turn, he stepped up to the microphone and said proudly, 'The Lord is my Shepherd, and that's all I need to know.'
UNANSWERED PRAYER?
The preacher's 5 year-old daughter noticed that her father always paused and bowed his head, for a moment, before starting his sermon.
One day, she asked him why.
'Well, Honey,' he began, proud that his daughter was so observant of his messages,
'I'm asking the Lord to help me preach a good sermon.'
'How come He doesn't do it?' she asked.
BEING THANKFUL
A rabbi said to a precocious six-year-old boy, 'So your mother says your prayers for you each night? That's very commendable.
What does she say?'
The little boy replied, 'Thank God he's in bed!'
UNTIMELY ANSWERED PRAYER
During the minister's prayer, one Sunday, there was a loud whistle from one of the back pews. Tommy's mother was horrified. She pinched him into silence and, after church, asked, 'Tommy, whatever made you do such a thing?'
Tommy answered, soberly, 'I asked God to teach me to whistle, and He just then did!'
TIME TO PRAY
A pastor asked little Billy if he said his prayers every night.
'Yes, sir,' Billy replied.
'And, do you always say them in the morning, too?' the pastor asked.
'No sir,' Billy replied. 'I ain't scared in the daytime.'
ALL MEN / ALL GIRLS?
When my daughter, Kelli, said her bedtime prayers, she would bless every family member, every friend, and every animal (current and past).
For several weeks, after we had finished the nightly prayer, Kelli would say,
'And all girls.' As this soon became part of her nightly routine, to include this at the end, my curiosity got the best of me and I asked her,
'Kelli, Why do you always add the part about all girls?'
Her response, 'Because we always finish our prayers by saying 'All Men'!'
SAY A PRAYER
Little Johnny and his family were having Sunday dinner at his Grandmother's house. Everyone was seated around the table as the food was being served.
When Little Johnny received his plate, he started eating right away.
'Johnny! Please wait until we say our prayer.' Said his mother
'I don't have to,' The boy replied.
'Of course, you do,' his mother insisted. 'We say a prayer before eating, at our house'
'That's our house,' Johnny explained. 'But this is Grandma's house and she knows how to cook!
The Sunday School teacher was describing how Lot 's wife looked back and
turned into a pillar of salt, when little Jason interrupted, 'My Mommy looked
back once, while she was driving,' he announced triumphantly, 'and she turned
into a telephone pole!'
GOOD SAMARITAN:
A Sunday school teacher was telling her class the story of the Good
Samaritan. She asked the class, 'If you saw a person lying on the
Roadside, all wounded and bleeding, what would you do?'
A thoughtful little girl broke the hushed silence, 'I think I'd throw up.'
DID NOAH FISH?
A Sunday school teacher asked, 'Johnny, do you think Noah did a lot of
Fishing when he was on the Ark ?'
'No,' replied Johnny. 'How could he, with just two worms.'
HIGHER POWER:
A Sunday school teacher said to her children, 'We have been learning
How powerful kings and queens were in Bible times. But, there is a higher
Power. Can anybody tell me what it is?'
One child blurted out, 'Aces!'
MOSES AND THE RED SEA :
Nine-year-old Joey was asked by his mother what he had learned in
Sunday School.
'Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy
Lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt When
He got to the Red Sea , he had his army build a pontoon bridge and all the
People walked across safely. Then, he radioed headquarters for reinforcements.
They sent bombers to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved.'
'Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?' his mother asked.
'Well, no, Mom. But, if I told it the way the teacher did, you'd never believe it!'
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD:
A Sunday School teacher decided to have her young class memorize one
Of the most quoted passages in the Bible; Psalm 23. She gave the youngsters a month to learn the chapter. Little Rick was excited about the task -- but, he just couldn't remember the Psalm. After much practice, he could barely get past the first line. On the day that the kids were scheduled to recite Psalm 23 in front of the congregation, Ricky was so nervous. When it was his turn, he stepped up to the microphone and said proudly, 'The Lord is my Shepherd, and that's all I need to know.'
UNANSWERED PRAYER?
The preacher's 5 year-old daughter noticed that her father always paused and bowed his head, for a moment, before starting his sermon.
One day, she asked him why.
'Well, Honey,' he began, proud that his daughter was so observant of his messages,
'I'm asking the Lord to help me preach a good sermon.'
'How come He doesn't do it?' she asked.
BEING THANKFUL
A rabbi said to a precocious six-year-old boy, 'So your mother says your prayers for you each night? That's very commendable.
What does she say?'
The little boy replied, 'Thank God he's in bed!'
UNTIMELY ANSWERED PRAYER
During the minister's prayer, one Sunday, there was a loud whistle from one of the back pews. Tommy's mother was horrified. She pinched him into silence and, after church, asked, 'Tommy, whatever made you do such a thing?'
Tommy answered, soberly, 'I asked God to teach me to whistle, and He just then did!'
TIME TO PRAY
A pastor asked little Billy if he said his prayers every night.
'Yes, sir,' Billy replied.
'And, do you always say them in the morning, too?' the pastor asked.
'No sir,' Billy replied. 'I ain't scared in the daytime.'
ALL MEN / ALL GIRLS?
When my daughter, Kelli, said her bedtime prayers, she would bless every family member, every friend, and every animal (current and past).
For several weeks, after we had finished the nightly prayer, Kelli would say,
'And all girls.' As this soon became part of her nightly routine, to include this at the end, my curiosity got the best of me and I asked her,
'Kelli, Why do you always add the part about all girls?'
Her response, 'Because we always finish our prayers by saying 'All Men'!'
SAY A PRAYER
Little Johnny and his family were having Sunday dinner at his Grandmother's house. Everyone was seated around the table as the food was being served.
When Little Johnny received his plate, he started eating right away.
'Johnny! Please wait until we say our prayer.' Said his mother
'I don't have to,' The boy replied.
'Of course, you do,' his mother insisted. 'We say a prayer before eating, at our house'
'That's our house,' Johnny explained. 'But this is Grandma's house and she knows how to cook!
Website of the Day - Pick the Perp
Labels:
website of the day
Click on the perp who you think was booked for the crime shown. You can also use the number keys (1-5) to make your selection.
The Mystery Man of the Edwards Affair
As Elizabeth Edwards talks (and talks) about her husband’s affair, The Daily Beast provides an exclusive look at one central character who remains a cipher: “Uncle Fred” Baron, the lawyer who paid for Edwards’ mistress to move across the country.
Read more
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Americans Are Now More Closely Aligned With Progressive Ideas Than at Any Time in Memory
On issue after substantive issue, significant majorities of Americans favor progressive solutions to the nation's problems and reject the right's worldview. That's true whether the issue at hand is taxes, war and peace, the role of government in the economy, health care, and on and on.
Yet the idea that America is a "center-right" nation persists; Republican and conservative activists repeat the assertion ad nauseum -- as it's in their interest to do -- and most of the political press corps swallows it whole.
The idea is like a zombie -- you can bludgeon it, burn it or get Dick Cheney to shoot it in the face, but it keeps coming -- it will not die.
The persistence of the center-right narrative, even in the face of piles of evidence suggesting it's little more than a myth, has very real consequences on our political discourse.
Aside from coloring the way the media covers -- and the public views -- the vital issues of the day, it impacts progressive activists, who even when they have the wind at their backs often feel the need to move slowly, cautiously and in ways that will minimize direct confrontation with the conservative movement.
Read more
Yet the idea that America is a "center-right" nation persists; Republican and conservative activists repeat the assertion ad nauseum -- as it's in their interest to do -- and most of the political press corps swallows it whole.
The idea is like a zombie -- you can bludgeon it, burn it or get Dick Cheney to shoot it in the face, but it keeps coming -- it will not die.
The persistence of the center-right narrative, even in the face of piles of evidence suggesting it's little more than a myth, has very real consequences on our political discourse.
Aside from coloring the way the media covers -- and the public views -- the vital issues of the day, it impacts progressive activists, who even when they have the wind at their backs often feel the need to move slowly, cautiously and in ways that will minimize direct confrontation with the conservative movement.
Read more
Me
Labels:
Beth
I am officially done digging and planting until next year. Next spring I'm thinking I may go ahead and purchase a tiller. Doing the above ground garden was back breaking labor as well....but it's done. My next outdoor project I think is going to be making a rain barrel. I posted a "how to" video on that a while back and I am going to watch it later this evening and start gathering supplies.
We've had very nice weather for the past few days. Very cool nights and mornings and sunny warm days with no humidity.
I started cleaning the basement yesterday. There's stuff that's been stored down there for years I obviously don't need so hauled much of it upstairs to get rid of it - either through freecycle or cheapcycle at Yahoo. Some will just go to the Goodwill bin. I found a small water leak downstairs from a connection to the commode which in turn caused some sections of dry wall to get wet and moldy. I have no idea how long that's been like that since it's been months even years since I've gone in that room and looked that closely. So, I had to get the saw and cut all of that drywall out of there, haul it upstairs and dispose of it. A real mess. I picked up a piece to repair the leak last night so have to go down there today and connect it. Ahhhh the joys of home ownership.
I am going to do some housework upstairs today and then run out and do some shopping including the grocery store as we are having a pot luck in the office tomorrow and I am taking pasta salad and brownies. We also have a group of new hires starting tomorrow so will be nice to lunch with them and get to know them - at least two of them will be joining my team.
My Cavs got skunked last night. The game was so one-sided I didn't even watch most of the second half and none of the last quarter. They had such a stellar season was hard to imagine them loosing - the city of Cleveland really needed them to go all the way. Well, there's next year.
Well, time to get crackin! I hope all of you have beautiful weather like we do and that you have a great day. Make it an awesome day!
more........
James' Cleveland Cavaliers lost 103-90 to the Orlando Magic last night. The Magic's Dwight Howard scored 40 points to lead his team to victory in Game Six and on to a date in the finals with the Los Angeles Lakers. James scored 25 points in his worst game of the series.
Read more from the AP
Backyard Beekeeping: A Guide for Beginners
If you can garden, you can be a beekeeper. Here are the first steps: the questions to ask, the equipment you'll need, and how to choose the right bees.
Read more
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Saturday, May 30, 2009
Today's Quote
Labels:
Today's Quote
If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well.
~ Martin Luther King Jr
~ Martin Luther King Jr
US celebrity lawyer charged with conspiring to kill witness
An American lawyer who has defended rap stars and a soldier at the Abu Ghraib prison faces a possible death sentence after being charged with conspiring to kill a witness in a drug case.
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Read more
Deadly Salmonella: Frozen Food's Newest Ingredient
Contamination has become so widespread that major frozen food purveyors admit they can no longer ensure the safety of their products.
Read more
Read more
Another Blonde Joke
Labels:
blonde jokes,
Humor
An Irishman, a Mexican and a Blonde Guy were doing construction work on scaffolding on the 20th floor of a building.
They were eating lunch and the Irishman said, 'Corned beef and cabbage!' If I get corned beef and cabbage one more time for lunch, I'm going to jump off this building.'
The Mexican opened his lunch box and exclaimed, 'Burritos again!' If I get Burritos one more time I'm going to jump off, too.'
The blonde opened his lunch and said, ' Bologna again!' If I get a Bologna sandwich one more time, I'm jumping too.'
The next day, the Irishman opened his lunch box, saw corned beef and cabbage, and jumped to his death.
The Mexican opened his lunch, saw a Burrito, and jumped, too
The blonde guy opened his lunch, saw the bologna and jumped to his death as well.
At the funeral, the Irishman's wife was weeping.She said, 'If I'd known how really tired he was of corned beef and cabbage, I never would have given it to him again!'
The Mexican's wife also wept and said, 'I could have given him tacos or enchiladas! I didn't realize he hated Burritos so much.'
(Oh this is GOOD!!)?
Everyone turned and stared at the blonde's wife. The blonde's wife said,
'Don't look at me. He makes his own lunch'
They were eating lunch and the Irishman said, 'Corned beef and cabbage!' If I get corned beef and cabbage one more time for lunch, I'm going to jump off this building.'
The Mexican opened his lunch box and exclaimed, 'Burritos again!' If I get Burritos one more time I'm going to jump off, too.'
The blonde opened his lunch and said, ' Bologna again!' If I get a Bologna sandwich one more time, I'm jumping too.'
The next day, the Irishman opened his lunch box, saw corned beef and cabbage, and jumped to his death.
The Mexican opened his lunch, saw a Burrito, and jumped, too
The blonde guy opened his lunch, saw the bologna and jumped to his death as well.
At the funeral, the Irishman's wife was weeping.She said, 'If I'd known how really tired he was of corned beef and cabbage, I never would have given it to him again!'
The Mexican's wife also wept and said, 'I could have given him tacos or enchiladas! I didn't realize he hated Burritos so much.'
(Oh this is GOOD!!)?
Everyone turned and stared at the blonde's wife. The blonde's wife said,
'Don't look at me. He makes his own lunch'
Instructions for Life
Life is a test. It is only a test. If it had been real, you would have been told where to go and what to do.
I suspect you will be surprised at how well you're doing already.
01. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
02. Memorize your favorite poem.
03. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have, or sleep all you want.
04. When you say, "I love you", mean it.
05. When you say, "I'm sorry", look the person in the eye.
06. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
07. Believe in love at first sight.
08. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.
09. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.
10. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.
11. Don't judge people by their relatives.
12. Talk slowly but think quickly.
13. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"
14. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
15. Call your mom often.
16. Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.
17. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
18. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; Responsibility for all your actions.
19. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
20. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
21. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.
22. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.
23. Spend some time alone.
24. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
25. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
26. Read more books and watch less TV.
27. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll get to enjoy it a second time.
28. Trust in God but lock your car.
29. A loving atmosphere in your home is so important. Do all you can to create a tranquil harmonious home.
30. In disagreements with loved ones, deal with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.
31. Read between the lines.
32. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.
33. Be gentle with the earth.
34. Pray. There's immeasurable power in it.
35. Never interrupt when you are being flattered.
36. Mind your own business.
37. Don't trust a man/woman who doesn't close his/her eyes when you kiss.
38. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
39. If you make or have a lot of money, put it to use helping others while you are living. That is wealth's greatest satisfaction.
40. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a stroke of luck.
41. Learn the rules, then break some.
42. Remember that the best relationship is one where your love for each other is greater than your need for each other.
43. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
44. Remember that your character is your destiny.
45. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.
I suspect you will be surprised at how well you're doing already.
01. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
02. Memorize your favorite poem.
03. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have, or sleep all you want.
04. When you say, "I love you", mean it.
05. When you say, "I'm sorry", look the person in the eye.
06. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
07. Believe in love at first sight.
08. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.
09. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.
10. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.
11. Don't judge people by their relatives.
12. Talk slowly but think quickly.
13. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"
14. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
15. Call your mom often.
16. Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.
17. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
18. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; Responsibility for all your actions.
19. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
20. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
21. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.
22. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.
23. Spend some time alone.
24. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
25. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
26. Read more books and watch less TV.
27. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll get to enjoy it a second time.
28. Trust in God but lock your car.
29. A loving atmosphere in your home is so important. Do all you can to create a tranquil harmonious home.
30. In disagreements with loved ones, deal with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.
31. Read between the lines.
32. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.
33. Be gentle with the earth.
34. Pray. There's immeasurable power in it.
35. Never interrupt when you are being flattered.
36. Mind your own business.
37. Don't trust a man/woman who doesn't close his/her eyes when you kiss.
38. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
39. If you make or have a lot of money, put it to use helping others while you are living. That is wealth's greatest satisfaction.
40. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a stroke of luck.
41. Learn the rules, then break some.
42. Remember that the best relationship is one where your love for each other is greater than your need for each other.
43. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
44. Remember that your character is your destiny.
45. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.
Website of the Day - Rapture Ready
Here's an interesting site. Designed for those freaks amongst us who are living for the end.
My Above Ground Garden
Labels:
Beth
Step #1 - The frame
Two 6' 2"x6" boards and two 4' 2"x6" boards.
Step #2 -The dirt
Filled with six 45# bags garden soil, and two bags of manuer.
Step #3 - The plants!
Tomatoes
Herbs
Step #3 - Mapping them out
Step #4 - Sticking them in the ground!
I will take a pic each week to show their progress.
Two 6' 2"x6" boards and two 4' 2"x6" boards.
Step #2 -The dirt
Filled with six 45# bags garden soil, and two bags of manuer.
Step #3 - The plants!
Tomatoes
Herbs
Step #3 - Mapping them out
Step #4 - Sticking them in the ground!
I will take a pic each week to show their progress.
How to Let Go and Forgive
Labels:
self improvement,
spirituality,
well being
Forgiveness can change your life.
Forgiveness does not mean you erase the past, or forget what has happened. It doesn’t even mean the other person will change his behavior — you cannot control that. All it means is that you are letting go of the anger and pain, and moving on to a better place.
It’s not easy. But you can learn to do it.
If you’re holding onto pain, reliving it, and can’t let go and forgive, read on:
Forgiveness does not mean you erase the past, or forget what has happened. It doesn’t even mean the other person will change his behavior — you cannot control that. All it means is that you are letting go of the anger and pain, and moving on to a better place.
It’s not easy. But you can learn to do it.
If you’re holding onto pain, reliving it, and can’t let go and forgive, read on:
Friday, May 29, 2009
The Bogus Torture Coverup
The Pentagon is denying the facts: Photographs of Abu Ghraib torture are even more sexually explicit than first reported, including rape and sodomy, writes The Daily Beast's Scott Horton, who has obtained specific and detailed corroboration of the photos.
Read more
Read more
Action Item - Please help a child this summer
Labels:
Action Items
Hi Beth
I thought you would be interested in helping out The Fresh Air Fund by posting a mention of this exciting news on Beth's Blog. The Fresh Air Fund received a tremendous offer by some very generous donors. Any gift given from now until June 30th will be matched dollar-for-dollar. We are so excited and thought you could help by posting a mention, tweet, or by putting up one of our new banners on your site. I've set up this news release which explains everything, so please feel free to use any of the images, logos, videos, banners, buttons, etc:javascript:void(0)
http://freshairfund-newsrelease.com
We are also still in need of hosts for this summer. Host families open their hearts and home to a child to give a fresh air experience that these children never forget. Please let me know if you are able to post and if you could send me the link that would be fantastic.
Thank you so much,
Sara
--
Sara Wilson,
The Fresh Air Fund
sara@freshair.org
www.freshair.org
Here's a bit about The Fresh Air Fund from their website
THE FRESH AIR FUND, an independent, not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer vacations to more than 1.7 million New York City children from low-income communities since 1877. Nearly 10,000 New York City children enjoy free Fresh Air Fund programs annually. In 2008, close to 5,000 children visited volunteer host families in suburbs and small town communities across 13 states from Virginia to Maine and Canada. 3,000 children also attended five Fresh Air camps on a 2,300-acre site in Fishkill, New York. The Fund’s year-round camping program serves an additional 2,000 young people each year.
I thought you would be interested in helping out The Fresh Air Fund by posting a mention of this exciting news on Beth's Blog. The Fresh Air Fund received a tremendous offer by some very generous donors. Any gift given from now until June 30th will be matched dollar-for-dollar. We are so excited and thought you could help by posting a mention, tweet, or by putting up one of our new banners on your site. I've set up this news release which explains everything, so please feel free to use any of the images, logos, videos, banners, buttons, etc:javascript:void(0)
http://freshairfund-newsrelease.com
We are also still in need of hosts for this summer. Host families open their hearts and home to a child to give a fresh air experience that these children never forget. Please let me know if you are able to post and if you could send me the link that would be fantastic.
Thank you so much,
Sara
--
Sara Wilson,
The Fresh Air Fund
sara@freshair.org
www.freshair.org
Here's a bit about The Fresh Air Fund from their website
THE FRESH AIR FUND, an independent, not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer vacations to more than 1.7 million New York City children from low-income communities since 1877. Nearly 10,000 New York City children enjoy free Fresh Air Fund programs annually. In 2008, close to 5,000 children visited volunteer host families in suburbs and small town communities across 13 states from Virginia to Maine and Canada. 3,000 children also attended five Fresh Air camps on a 2,300-acre site in Fishkill, New York. The Fund’s year-round camping program serves an additional 2,000 young people each year.
Q. Did the Obama administration burn soldiers' Bibles?
Labels:
FactCheck.org
A: The military destroyed Bibles printed in Afghan languages to prevent distribution to local Muslims. But it happened during the Bush administration.
Read more
Read more
5 ways to find the money hiding in your closet
When credit was flowing, stock portfolios were rising and jobs were plentiful, Americans bought and bought, stuffing their closets with everything from designer shoes to coats.
Now, worried shoppers are looking to their closets — including many items inside that still have price tags attached — as a means to raise cash to help them get by.
"People are coming up with creative ways to turn all that stuff into money," said Lisa Lee Freeman, editor-in-chief of ShopSmart, which is published by Consumer Reports.
Here are ways to make your closets work for you:
Now, worried shoppers are looking to their closets — including many items inside that still have price tags attached — as a means to raise cash to help them get by.
"People are coming up with creative ways to turn all that stuff into money," said Lisa Lee Freeman, editor-in-chief of ShopSmart, which is published by Consumer Reports.
Here are ways to make your closets work for you:
Rare animals 'to be moved from native habitats because of climate change'
Labels:
animals,
environment,
Global Warming
Conservationists fear that rapid climate change could see animals and plants "trapped" in homes that become too hot or dry for them, raising the possibility of extinction.
But now for the first time experts have been evaluating ways to help species adapt to rapid climate change.
They are considering a controversial strategy called "managed relocation".
Read more
But now for the first time experts have been evaluating ways to help species adapt to rapid climate change.
They are considering a controversial strategy called "managed relocation".
Read more
Website of the Day - Cards of Change
Labels:
website of the day
There's more talent out on the streets than ever before. Brilliant people looking to reshape their country, build their career and perhaps even grow your business.
Cardsofchange is a place where the glass is always half-full. A destination where all the bad news of the day takes a back seat to stories of individual success.
Our mission is to collect as many business cards and stories of positive change of people who have recently been laid off and connect them with new opportunities from potential employers, business partners and people who make the effort to look on the bright side of life.
Cardsofchange is a place where the glass is always half-full. A destination where all the bad news of the day takes a back seat to stories of individual success.
Our mission is to collect as many business cards and stories of positive change of people who have recently been laid off and connect them with new opportunities from potential employers, business partners and people who make the effort to look on the bright side of life.
New Cancer Tests Could Sell Over the Counter
Over-the-counter tests for lung, colon, prostate and other cancers could soon be available at your local pharmacy, say scientists from the University of Central Florida.
The tests, which scientists compare to over-the-counter pregnancy tests, would detect seven to 10 different kinds of common cancers using a single drop of blood, and take a few minutes to complete.
"We want to use this as a screening tool, not a diagnostic tool," said Qun Huo, a professor at the University of Central Florida who developed the testing system and announced it at a recent conference in Houston. "If people are willing to do more screening, then they can catch any unusual changes due to cancer sooner, and the survival rates should increase."
The tests could reach the market in as little as two years, Quo says.
Read more
The tests, which scientists compare to over-the-counter pregnancy tests, would detect seven to 10 different kinds of common cancers using a single drop of blood, and take a few minutes to complete.
"We want to use this as a screening tool, not a diagnostic tool," said Qun Huo, a professor at the University of Central Florida who developed the testing system and announced it at a recent conference in Houston. "If people are willing to do more screening, then they can catch any unusual changes due to cancer sooner, and the survival rates should increase."
The tests could reach the market in as little as two years, Quo says.
Read more
What do Starbucks and Wal-Mart have in common?
Both corporate giants have long track records of harassing their workers when it comes to joining unions. Harassment and intimidation are illegal under Federal law, and we won't stand for it. Tell Howard Schultz, Starbucks' billionaire owner, to respect the people who work for Starbucks.
Sign the memo to Mr. Schultz: http://stopstarbucks.com
In 2005, we took on Wal-Mart for their assault on workers with Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price. Now we are exposing Starbucks' atrocious labor practices in our newest campaign, Stop Starbucks.
Sign the memo at http://stopstarbucks.com and help us reach 50k signatures. Then send this video to your friends and family and post it on your Facebook page.
Tell us YOUR Starbucks story at http://stopstarbucks.com
Sign the memo to Mr. Schultz: http://stopstarbucks.com
In 2005, we took on Wal-Mart for their assault on workers with Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price. Now we are exposing Starbucks' atrocious labor practices in our newest campaign, Stop Starbucks.
Sign the memo at http://stopstarbucks.com and help us reach 50k signatures. Then send this video to your friends and family and post it on your Facebook page.
Tell us YOUR Starbucks story at http://stopstarbucks.com
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Today's Quote
Labels:
Today's Quote
"If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love. Don't be surly at home, then go out in the street and start grinning 'good morning' at total strangers."
Maya Angelou
Poet, Writer and Performer
Maya Angelou
Poet, Writer and Performer
Website of the Day - Run Pee
Labels:
website of the day
A site which lets you know when its a good time to take a bathroom break during a specific movie.
How to Start an Organic Garden in 9 Easy Steps
Grow your own delicious, healthful organic food. Tips on planning, composting, watering, weeding, harvesting, natural pest control and more.
Read more
Read more
Symptoms of Inner Peace
by Saskia Davis
Be on the lookout for symptoms of inner peace. The hearts of a great many have already been expose to inner peace and it is possible that people everywhere could come down with it in epidemic proportions. This could pose a serious threat to what has, up to now, been a fairly stable condition of conflict in the world.
Some signs and symptoms of inner peace:
* A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences.
* An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.
* A loss of interest in judging other people.
* A loss of interest in judging self.
* A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.
* A loss of interest in conflict.
* A loss of the ability to worry. (This is a very serious symptom.)
* Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation.
* Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature.
* Frequent attacks of smiling.
* An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.
* An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.
WARNING:
If you have some or all of the above symptoms, please be advised that your condition of inner peace may be so far advanced as to not be curable. If you are exposed to anyone exhibiting any of these symptoms, remain exposed only at your own risk.
Be on the lookout for symptoms of inner peace. The hearts of a great many have already been expose to inner peace and it is possible that people everywhere could come down with it in epidemic proportions. This could pose a serious threat to what has, up to now, been a fairly stable condition of conflict in the world.
Some signs and symptoms of inner peace:
* A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences.
* An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.
* A loss of interest in judging other people.
* A loss of interest in judging self.
* A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.
* A loss of interest in conflict.
* A loss of the ability to worry. (This is a very serious symptom.)
* Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation.
* Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature.
* Frequent attacks of smiling.
* An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.
* An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.
WARNING:
If you have some or all of the above symptoms, please be advised that your condition of inner peace may be so far advanced as to not be curable. If you are exposed to anyone exhibiting any of these symptoms, remain exposed only at your own risk.
Girl at the Beach
Labels:
Humor
A couple lived near the ocean and used to walk the beach a lot. One summer they noticed a girl who was at the beach almost every day. She wasn't unusual, nor was the travel bag she carried, except for one thing; she would approach people who were sitting on the beach, glance around and then speak to them.
Generally, the people would respond negatively and she would wander off. But occasionally someone would nod and there would be a quick exchange of money and something that she carried in her bag.
The couple assumed that she was selling drugs and debated calling the cops, but since they didn't know
for sure, they decided to just continue watching her.
After a couple of weeks the wife said, "Honey, have you ever noticed that she only goes up to people with boom boxes and other electronic devices?" He hadn't and said so.
Then she said, "Tomorrow I want you to get a towel and our big radio and go lie out on the beach. Then we can find out what she's really doing."
Well, the plan went off without a hitch and the wife was almost hopping up and down with anticipation when she saw the girl talk to her husband and then leave.. The man then walked up the beach and met his wife at the road.
"Well, is she selling drugs?" she asked excitedly. "No, she's not," he said, enjoying this probably more
than he should have.
"Well, what is it then? What does she do ?" his wife fairly shrieked.
The man grinned and said, "She's a battery salesperson."
"Batteries?" cried the wife..
"Yes!" he replied.
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN
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OOOOH! You're gonna dislike me for this - but it will make your day!
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"She Sells C Cells by the Seashore!"
Generally, the people would respond negatively and she would wander off. But occasionally someone would nod and there would be a quick exchange of money and something that she carried in her bag.
The couple assumed that she was selling drugs and debated calling the cops, but since they didn't know
for sure, they decided to just continue watching her.
After a couple of weeks the wife said, "Honey, have you ever noticed that she only goes up to people with boom boxes and other electronic devices?" He hadn't and said so.
Then she said, "Tomorrow I want you to get a towel and our big radio and go lie out on the beach. Then we can find out what she's really doing."
Well, the plan went off without a hitch and the wife was almost hopping up and down with anticipation when she saw the girl talk to her husband and then leave.. The man then walked up the beach and met his wife at the road.
"Well, is she selling drugs?" she asked excitedly. "No, she's not," he said, enjoying this probably more
than he should have.
"Well, what is it then? What does she do ?" his wife fairly shrieked.
The man grinned and said, "She's a battery salesperson."
"Batteries?" cried the wife..
"Yes!" he replied.
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN
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OOOOH! You're gonna dislike me for this - but it will make your day!
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"She Sells C Cells by the Seashore!"
The Amazing Lyrebird Spoof
You may know that the lyrebird is infamous for imitating the sounds around him—but you've never seen him quite like in this hilarious re-edit of a scene from David Attenborough's Birds.
Elephant Story
In 1986, Peter Davies was on holiday in Kenyaafter graduating from Northwestern University .
On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air.
The elephant seemed distressed, so Peter approached it very carefully. He got down on one knee, inspected the elephants foot, and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As carefully and as gently as he could, Peter worked the wood out with his knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot.
The elephant turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments. Peter stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away. Peter never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.
Twenty years later, Peter was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son.
As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Peter and his son Cameron were standing. The large bull elephant stared at Peter, lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down. The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man. Remembering the encounter in 1986, Peter could not help wondering if this was the same elephant.
Peter summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing, and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder. The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Peter legs…
…and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly.
Probably wasn't the same fucking elephant.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Did Michelle Obama make $317,000 a year while working part-time at the University of Chicago Medical Center?
Labels:
FactCheck.org
This allegation in a chain e-mail is wrong: Obama's reported income was $103,633 in 2007, the year she reduced her work schedule to part time.
Read full analysis
Read full analysis
Too much knowledge can exaggerate the danger of a pandemic
Labels:
swine flu
Amid the uncertainty over whether this swine flu outbreak will expand from a serious Mexican epidemic into the global pandemic long expected by public health authorities, one thing is certain.
As events unfold, the public will know more about the viral disease, its progress through human populations, what authorities are doing in response and what individual citizens can do for themselves, their families and their neighbours than at any time in human history.
This can be both a blessing and a curse.
Read more
As events unfold, the public will know more about the viral disease, its progress through human populations, what authorities are doing in response and what individual citizens can do for themselves, their families and their neighbours than at any time in human history.
This can be both a blessing and a curse.
Read more
Website of the Day - Divine Caroline
Labels:
website of the day
At DivineCaroline, you'll be spending time with women who embrace the fact that life isn't always easy or beautiful or fair. Our dream is to give you a place to come together and express yourselves. What brings you joy. What breaks your heart. Makes you giggle. What pisses you off. Confuses you. Entertains you. What keeps you strong. And if all that sounds too heady, remember we're also discussing stuff like sketchy relatives and good kissers.
Skin - Trailer
Labels:
Movie Trailers
SKIN is one of the most moving stories to emerge from apartheid South Africa: Sandra Laing is a black child born in the 1950s to white Afrikaners, unaware of their black ancestry. Her parents are rural shopkeepers serving the local black community, who lovingly bring her up as their ‘white’ little girl. But at the age of ten, Sandra is driven out of white society. The film follows Sandra’s thirty-year journey from rejection to acceptance, betrayal to reconciliation, as she struggles to define her place in a changing world - and triumphs against all odds.
How to Keep Your Desk Organized
A clutter-free desk can help you have a clutter-free mind. Follow these steps to see for yourself:
I know what Victoria's Secret is.
Labels:
Humor
The secret is that nobody older than 30 can fit into their stuff.
Marital Bliss
Labels:
Humor
A married couple is driving along a highway doing a steady 60 miles per hour. The wife is behind the wheel. Her husband suddenly looks across at her and speaks in a clear voice. "I know we've been married for twenty years, but I want a divorce."
The wife says nothing, Keeps looking at the road ahead but slowly increases her speed to 65 mph. The husband speaks again. "I don't want you to try and talk me out of it," He says, "because I've been having an affair with your best friend, And she's a far better lover than you are."
Again the wife stays quiet, But grips the steering wheel more tightly and slowly increases the speed to 75 He pushes his luck. "I want the house," he says insistently..
Up to 80. "I want the car, too," he continues.
85 mph. "And," he says, "I'll have the bank accounts, all the credit cards and the boat!"
The car slowly starts veering towards a massive concrete bridge. This makes him nervous, so he asks her, "Isn't there anything you want?"
The wife at last replies in a quiet and controlled voice. "No, I've got everything I need," she says.
"Oh, really," he inquires, "so what have you got?"
Just before they slam into the wall at 85 mph. The wife turns to him and smiles. "The airbag."
The wife says nothing, Keeps looking at the road ahead but slowly increases her speed to 65 mph. The husband speaks again. "I don't want you to try and talk me out of it," He says, "because I've been having an affair with your best friend, And she's a far better lover than you are."
Again the wife stays quiet, But grips the steering wheel more tightly and slowly increases the speed to 75 He pushes his luck. "I want the house," he says insistently..
Up to 80. "I want the car, too," he continues.
85 mph. "And," he says, "I'll have the bank accounts, all the credit cards and the boat!"
The car slowly starts veering towards a massive concrete bridge. This makes him nervous, so he asks her, "Isn't there anything you want?"
The wife at last replies in a quiet and controlled voice. "No, I've got everything I need," she says.
"Oh, really," he inquires, "so what have you got?"
Just before they slam into the wall at 85 mph. The wife turns to him and smiles. "The airbag."
Indonesian Orangutan habitat wiped out
Labels:
animals
Part of a national park on Borneo island home to hundreds of endangered orangutans has been turned into a development zone complete with an airport and brothels, Indonesian activists said.Almost 600 of the long-haired apes have disappeared from Kutai National Park, East Kalimantan province, over the past seven years of unchecked construction, the Centre for Orangutan Protection (COP) said in a statement.
"The number of orangutans in the area, which was 600 individuals in 2004, has fallen to only 30 to 60 individuals at present," Hardi Baktiantoro from the Centre for Orangutan Protection (COP) told AFP.
Read more
Why the Caged Bird Sang
By William Rivers PittDick Cheney has been doing a lot of talking lately. From his most recent barrage of public statements, we have gleaned that he loves Rush Limbaugh, doesn't much care for Colin Powell, believes President Obama is about to sell the Sixth Fleet to the Taliban for pennies on the dollar and thinks torture is a nifty and effective tool that saves lives and defends freedom. Really, this isn't anything we haven't heard before from our growly, snarly, face-blasting former vice president. But it does beg the question: What the hell is he up to? NPR's Ron Elving posited the question in an article titled "What is Dick Cheney Trying to Accomplish?"
I know why this caged bird sang. He was terrified of the very real cage that could be waiting to swing open and swallow him up if the true nature of his torture directives became widely known. If the entire country comprehends the awful fact that women and boys were forcibly raped upon his specific orders, Dick Cheney's bets would all be off.
The caged bird sang to stay out of a cage. Now he's free as a bird, and ours is a badly damaged and disgraced country because of it.
Read more
Apply Shopping Techniques to Finding a Hubby
Do you like shopping, but not dating? What if there was a way to make dating just like shopping? In “How to Shop for Husband,” author and TODAY contributor Janice Lieberman uses her shopping and dating expertise to help you close the deal on the most important “purchase” of your life — your spouse.
Read more
Read more
Don’t Become a Victim to Scams
Labels:
Weekly Savings Tip
Many people have lost their jobs in the last few months as the economy has turned sour. Scam artists are still fully employed, however, in good times and bad. The threat of being defrauded is just as prevalent during a recession, as money becomes tight and thieves work overtime to get their hands on yours.
The “We can repair your credit!” Scam:
During a recession, a lot of people fall behind on their payments for credit cards and other debt. Con artists take advantage of this situation by creating fake companies that offer to “clean up” your credit. This can be confusing, because there are legitimate, accredited credit counseling agencies that do advise people on how to improve their debt situation. No one can quickly “erase” information from your credit record, however, or repair it immediately, so be wary of offers to do so. And remember that if there are mistakes on your report, you can resolve this problem yourself by contacting the three national credit bureaus.
For more information, the National Foundation for Credit Counseling site (www.nfcc.org) contains debt advice and a list of ethical credit counseling agencies.
Read more on common scams and how to avoid becoming a victim.
The “We can repair your credit!” Scam:
During a recession, a lot of people fall behind on their payments for credit cards and other debt. Con artists take advantage of this situation by creating fake companies that offer to “clean up” your credit. This can be confusing, because there are legitimate, accredited credit counseling agencies that do advise people on how to improve their debt situation. No one can quickly “erase” information from your credit record, however, or repair it immediately, so be wary of offers to do so. And remember that if there are mistakes on your report, you can resolve this problem yourself by contacting the three national credit bureaus.
For more information, the National Foundation for Credit Counseling site (www.nfcc.org) contains debt advice and a list of ethical credit counseling agencies.
Read more on common scams and how to avoid becoming a victim.
First Black Mayor in City Known for Klan Killings
Labels:
human interest,
race relations,
society
The city of Philadelphia, Miss., where members of the Ku Klux Klan killed three civil rights workers in 1964 in one of the era’s most infamous acts, on Tuesday elected its first black mayor.
James A. Young, a Pentecostal minister and former county supervisor, narrowly beat the incumbent, Rayburn Waddell, in the Democratic primary. There is no Republican challenger.
The results, announced Wednesday night, were a turning point for a mostly white city of 7,300 people in east-central Mississippi still haunted by the killings, which captured front-page headlines across the nation and were featured in the 1988 film “Mississippi Burning.”
“This shows a complete change of attitude and a desire to move forward,” said Mr. Young, 53, a Philadelphia native who integrated the local elementary school as the only black student in his sixth-grade class in the mid-1960s. “When I campaigned, the signs on the doors said, ‘Welcome,’ and I actually felt welcome.”
Read more
James A. Young, a Pentecostal minister and former county supervisor, narrowly beat the incumbent, Rayburn Waddell, in the Democratic primary. There is no Republican challenger.
The results, announced Wednesday night, were a turning point for a mostly white city of 7,300 people in east-central Mississippi still haunted by the killings, which captured front-page headlines across the nation and were featured in the 1988 film “Mississippi Burning.”
“This shows a complete change of attitude and a desire to move forward,” said Mr. Young, 53, a Philadelphia native who integrated the local elementary school as the only black student in his sixth-grade class in the mid-1960s. “When I campaigned, the signs on the doors said, ‘Welcome,’ and I actually felt welcome.”
Read more
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Today's Quote
Labels:
Today's Quote
We know what we are, but know not what we may be.-William Shakespeare
The Wayback Juke Box - Eric Clapton-When You Got A Good Friend-Live
Labels:
music videos,
Wayback Juke box
EC is my favorite artist of all time.
Can We Still Be Friends ( by Michael Brass )
Labels:
music videos
Stumbled upon this amateur video and thought it was a very good cover to one of my favorite songs so am sharing.
Bracelet says: 'I need a job'
In the latest incarnation of those silicone bracelets stamped with uplifting phrases, a pair of Florida women are manufacturing wristbands with this make-or-break message: "I need a job."
Consider it the perfect accessory for these challenging times.
The bracelets, available in yellow or pink, also direct folks to LaidOffNeedaJob.com — a Web site started by Barbara Bourn, a self-described, underemployed interior design sales rep, and Stephanie Aucoin, who lost her job in an accounting firm.
Read more
Here's The Joke
Labels:
Humor
A woman goes into a sporting goods store to buy a rifle.
"It's for my husband," she tells the clerk.
"Did he tell you what gauge to get?" asked the clerk.
"Are you kidding?" she says. "He doesn't even know that I'm
going to shoot him!"
"It's for my husband," she tells the clerk.
"Did he tell you what gauge to get?" asked the clerk.
"Are you kidding?" she says. "He doesn't even know that I'm
going to shoot him!"
The GOP's "Era of Apologizing"
Labels:
Republican Party
Bt Robert Parry
Republican National Chairman Michael Steele says, "the era of apologizing for Republican mistakes of the past is now officially over." But that must have been a very brief "era," since it's hard to remember any significant mistakes that the GOP has owned up to - except perhaps that George W. Bush wasn't right-wing enough.
Instead, leading Republicans - and right-wing pundits - have engaged in a steady campaign of defending almost every controversial action of the Bush years, including torture of detainees, a war of aggression in Iraq, disregard of constitutional rights, failure to address global warming, massive tax cuts for the rich, the absence of financial regulation, etc., etc.
Nor has the Republican Party apologized for its ugly chip-on-the-shoulder tone and divisive tactics. It continues to exploit "wedge issues" designed to split the nation, now focusing on "gay marriage" as the party earlier relied on the "Southern strategy" to attract white voters upset about civil rights for blacks.
The GOP also won't stop its extreme rhetoric. Its national committee even contemplated demanding that the Democratic Party change its name to the "Democrat Socialist Party" - though the idea was ultimately rejected.
Read more
Republican National Chairman Michael Steele says, "the era of apologizing for Republican mistakes of the past is now officially over." But that must have been a very brief "era," since it's hard to remember any significant mistakes that the GOP has owned up to - except perhaps that George W. Bush wasn't right-wing enough.
Instead, leading Republicans - and right-wing pundits - have engaged in a steady campaign of defending almost every controversial action of the Bush years, including torture of detainees, a war of aggression in Iraq, disregard of constitutional rights, failure to address global warming, massive tax cuts for the rich, the absence of financial regulation, etc., etc.
Nor has the Republican Party apologized for its ugly chip-on-the-shoulder tone and divisive tactics. It continues to exploit "wedge issues" designed to split the nation, now focusing on "gay marriage" as the party earlier relied on the "Southern strategy" to attract white voters upset about civil rights for blacks.
The GOP also won't stop its extreme rhetoric. Its national committee even contemplated demanding that the Democratic Party change its name to the "Democrat Socialist Party" - though the idea was ultimately rejected.
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Water Wars Strike Ahead of Predictions
Rainfall patterns altered by climate change and worsened by inequity in the water distribution system has led to a water crisis in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.
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Rediscover Who You Are
Labels:
spirituality,
well being
Who am I? It's a lifelong question, and getting beyond appearances and labels is the crucial first step in launching your comeback.
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Minn. cancer patient back home,
A 13-year-old cancer patient and his mother who spent a week on the run to avoid forced chemotherapy faced a court hearing Tuesday to determine the boy's medical fate.
Daniel and his mother, Colleen, arrived back in Minnesota on a chartered jet early Monday after sparking a nationwide search.
Brown County court officials said a custody hearing for Daniel Hauser was scheduled for 2:15 p.m. CDT.
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Daniel and his mother, Colleen, arrived back in Minnesota on a chartered jet early Monday after sparking a nationwide search.
Brown County court officials said a custody hearing for Daniel Hauser was scheduled for 2:15 p.m. CDT.
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Italy will consider accepting Guantanamo detainees
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said Monday his country will consider accepting an unspecified number of detainees from the U.S. military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
In an interview with CNN, Berlusconi said Italy is prepared to help the United States deal with terrorism by allowing Guantanamo detainees to be relocated there.
"If we can do this favor for the American people and the U.S. government, we will certainly do it," he said.
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In an interview with CNN, Berlusconi said Italy is prepared to help the United States deal with terrorism by allowing Guantanamo detainees to be relocated there.
"If we can do this favor for the American people and the U.S. government, we will certainly do it," he said.
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Wilco's Jay Bennett found dead
Labels:
deaths
Jay Bennett was a master in the recording studio, the type of talent who could pick up almost any instrument and make music on it. On stage, he could be a whirling, chain-smoking, dreadlocked dervish. As a key member of Wilco and a prolific artist and producer for other bands, Bennett had a reputation as a musical obsessive who chased perfection.
He was in the middle of recording another solo album in Champaign when he died over the weekend at age 45.
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He was in the middle of recording another solo album in Champaign when he died over the weekend at age 45.
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Is the Army demanding information about soldiers' privately owned firearms?
Labels:
FactCheck.org
This is another false Internet rumor. A memo from one commander of a small unit in Kentucky was an isolated mistake that was quickly corrected; it wasn't Army policy.
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Study: Worldwide surface temperatures will rise more than 9 degrees (F) by 2100
Labels:
environment,
Global Warming
Global warming will be twice as severe as previous estimates indicate, according to a new study published this month in the Journal of Climate, a publication of the American Meteorological Society.
The research, conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), predicts a 90% probability that worldwide surface temperatures will rise more than 9 degrees (F) by 2100, compared to a previous 2003 MIT study that forecast a rise of just over 4 degrees.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2007 forecast a temperature rise of anywhere from 2 to 11 degrees by 2100 based on a variety of different greenhouse-gas-emissions scenarios.
Unless greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, "there is significantly more risk than we previously estimated," says study co-author Ronald Prinn of MIT. "There's no way the world can or should take these risks."
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The research, conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), predicts a 90% probability that worldwide surface temperatures will rise more than 9 degrees (F) by 2100, compared to a previous 2003 MIT study that forecast a rise of just over 4 degrees.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2007 forecast a temperature rise of anywhere from 2 to 11 degrees by 2100 based on a variety of different greenhouse-gas-emissions scenarios.
Unless greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, "there is significantly more risk than we previously estimated," says study co-author Ronald Prinn of MIT. "There's no way the world can or should take these risks."
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Pergola
Am seriously thinking of having a pergola built out back over the porch. Would add value to the house, offer some shade and I can't think of a good reason not to. I would of course want white. They make vinyl kits ---- or I could contract with someone to build one. I have to do my homework. Here are a few examples I found on the internet.
The Newburgh Four -- And The Goverment Mole Who Betrayed Them
This is very interesting......from TPM
We're starting to get a rich picture of the four hapless Jihadis who were arrested Wednesday night for plotting to bomb two New York synagogues, as well as the FBI informant who deceived them. And the overall portrait that's emerging is that of a group of struggling, disaffected petty criminals, who bonded at a Newburgh, NY mosque over having spent time in prison, before being taken in by a Pakistani immigrant looking to win leniency for a crime of his own.
There's little doubt the bumbling would-be bombers went far enough with the plot to demonstrate that they had the intention to commit terror, and for that they'll pay the price. But the whole tale comes off perhaps more as a sad glimpse into the lives of a loose group of aimless and obscurely embittered Americans than as a dire illustration of the threat of home-grown terrorism.
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We're starting to get a rich picture of the four hapless Jihadis who were arrested Wednesday night for plotting to bomb two New York synagogues, as well as the FBI informant who deceived them. And the overall portrait that's emerging is that of a group of struggling, disaffected petty criminals, who bonded at a Newburgh, NY mosque over having spent time in prison, before being taken in by a Pakistani immigrant looking to win leniency for a crime of his own.
There's little doubt the bumbling would-be bombers went far enough with the plot to demonstrate that they had the intention to commit terror, and for that they'll pay the price. But the whole tale comes off perhaps more as a sad glimpse into the lives of a loose group of aimless and obscurely embittered Americans than as a dire illustration of the threat of home-grown terrorism.
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Monday, May 25, 2009
Today's Quote
Labels:
Today's Quote
Death is nothing at all. I have only slipped away into the next room. I am I, and you are you. Whatever we were to each other, that we still are. Call me by my old familiar name. Speak to me in the easy way that you always used. Put no difference in your tone. Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow. Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together. Pray, smile, think of me, pray for me. Let my name be ever the household word that it always was. Let it be spoken without effect, without the trace of a shadow on it. Life means all the it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was; there is unbroken continuity. Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just round the corner. All is well.
Harry Scott Holland
1847-1915
Harry Scott Holland
1847-1915
Involuntary Military Service Under the Radar
"I felt like I was being robbed of everything," Matthew Dobbs said over the phone from his home in Houston, Texas. "I had visions of military police banging down my door and dragging me back to war."
Dobbs, a 26-year-old former soldier who served a tour in Afghanistan from 2003-2004, was recounting a story that has become familiar in the ongoing Global War on Terror. It is the story of a soldier who, after serving a tour overseas and being discharged from active duty, received involuntary orders to redeploy to Iraq or Afghanistan years later.
Dobbs was not a victim of stop-loss, the policy of involuntarily extending a GI's term of service, sometimes after multiple tours in combat zones. This practice has recently garnered widespread negative attention and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates claims that it will be phased out.
Rather, Dobbs was a victim of reactivation orders from the Individual Ready Reserves (IRR), a lesser-publicized form of involuntary service that has been fueling troop supply for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. While there has been a strong reaction to stop-loss, IRR recall has slipped under the radar, creating the illusion that the problem of involuntary military service has been solved.
The IRR is composed of troops who have finished their active duty service but still have time remaining on their contracts. The typical military contract mandates four years of active duty and four years in the IRR, but variations exist and an individual's IRR stint might be longer or shorter. IRR members live civilian lives, are unpaid and are technically required to show up for periodic musters. Many have moved on from military life and are enrolled in college, working civilian jobs or building a family.
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Dobbs, a 26-year-old former soldier who served a tour in Afghanistan from 2003-2004, was recounting a story that has become familiar in the ongoing Global War on Terror. It is the story of a soldier who, after serving a tour overseas and being discharged from active duty, received involuntary orders to redeploy to Iraq or Afghanistan years later.
Dobbs was not a victim of stop-loss, the policy of involuntarily extending a GI's term of service, sometimes after multiple tours in combat zones. This practice has recently garnered widespread negative attention and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates claims that it will be phased out.
Rather, Dobbs was a victim of reactivation orders from the Individual Ready Reserves (IRR), a lesser-publicized form of involuntary service that has been fueling troop supply for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. While there has been a strong reaction to stop-loss, IRR recall has slipped under the radar, creating the illusion that the problem of involuntary military service has been solved.
The IRR is composed of troops who have finished their active duty service but still have time remaining on their contracts. The typical military contract mandates four years of active duty and four years in the IRR, but variations exist and an individual's IRR stint might be longer or shorter. IRR members live civilian lives, are unpaid and are technically required to show up for periodic musters. Many have moved on from military life and are enrolled in college, working civilian jobs or building a family.
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Remembering George W. Bush
Labels:
George W. Bush,
Humor
All quotes 100% authentic, and courtesey of George W. Bush.
"I think we can agree. The past is over."
"I have learned from mistakes I may or may not have made."
"It was just inebreating what the Midlands was all about then." (A slip on exhillerating)
"It's clearly the budget. It has a lot of numbers on it."
"The most important job is not to be governor, or first lady in my case."
"Will highways on the internet become more few?"
"Like your neighbor just like you like to be liked yourself."
"Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning? Laura and I really don't realize just how bright our children is."
"I was raised in the West. The West of Texas. It's pretty close to California. More so than Washington, D.C. is close to California."
"I propose that every city have a telephone number 119 -- for dyslexics who have an emergency."
"There ought to be limits to freedom." Said about parody websites of him.
"I believe that we are on an irreversible trent toward democracy and more freedom- but that could change."
"One word sums up probably the responsibility of any governor, and that one word is 'to be prepared.'"
"Verbosity leads to unclear, inarticulate things."
"I have made good judgements in the past. I have made good judgements in the future."
"A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the poles."
"Illegitimacy is something we should talk about, in terms of not having it."
"We are ready for any unseen event that may or may not occur."
"For NASA, space is still a high priority."
"We have a firm committment to NATO; we are a part of NATO. We have a firm committment to Europe; we are a part of Europe."
"Who is to blame for riots? The rioters are to blame."
"The Holocaust was an obscene period in our nation's history. I mean in this century's history. But we all lived in this century. I didn't live in this century."
"Quite frankly, teachers are the only proffession that teach our children."
"It isn't pollution that's ruining the environment; it's all the impurities in the air and water that's doing it."
"It's time the human race entered the solar system."
"I think we can agree. The past is over."
"I have learned from mistakes I may or may not have made."
"It was just inebreating what the Midlands was all about then." (A slip on exhillerating)
"It's clearly the budget. It has a lot of numbers on it."
"The most important job is not to be governor, or first lady in my case."
"Will highways on the internet become more few?"
"Like your neighbor just like you like to be liked yourself."
"Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning? Laura and I really don't realize just how bright our children is."
"I was raised in the West. The West of Texas. It's pretty close to California. More so than Washington, D.C. is close to California."
"I propose that every city have a telephone number 119 -- for dyslexics who have an emergency."
"There ought to be limits to freedom." Said about parody websites of him.
"I believe that we are on an irreversible trent toward democracy and more freedom- but that could change."
"One word sums up probably the responsibility of any governor, and that one word is 'to be prepared.'"
"Verbosity leads to unclear, inarticulate things."
"I have made good judgements in the past. I have made good judgements in the future."
"A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the poles."
"Illegitimacy is something we should talk about, in terms of not having it."
"We are ready for any unseen event that may or may not occur."
"For NASA, space is still a high priority."
"We have a firm committment to NATO; we are a part of NATO. We have a firm committment to Europe; we are a part of Europe."
"Who is to blame for riots? The rioters are to blame."
"The Holocaust was an obscene period in our nation's history. I mean in this century's history. But we all lived in this century. I didn't live in this century."
"Quite frankly, teachers are the only proffession that teach our children."
"It isn't pollution that's ruining the environment; it's all the impurities in the air and water that's doing it."
"It's time the human race entered the solar system."
5 ways to make your fuel take you farther
1. Map it out. Plan your route in advance to minimize the miles you need to drive and to keep you from getting lost.
2. Take your time. The faster you drive, the worse your gas mileage will be.
3. Shed the carrier. Avoid carrying things on top of your vehicle. On the highway more than 50% of engine power goes to overcoming aerodynamic drag. Roof racks significantly increase drag.
4. Drive smoothly. Hard acceleration and braking can reduce fuel economy by about 20%. Using cruise control can help avoid that.
5. Shut down when stopped. Rather than sit idiling at rest stops or in long fast-food drive-through lines, turn off your engine and walk inside. When you have your car idling, you're getting zero miles per gallon.
From Consumer Reports/July 08/pg 49
2. Take your time. The faster you drive, the worse your gas mileage will be.
3. Shed the carrier. Avoid carrying things on top of your vehicle. On the highway more than 50% of engine power goes to overcoming aerodynamic drag. Roof racks significantly increase drag.
4. Drive smoothly. Hard acceleration and braking can reduce fuel economy by about 20%. Using cruise control can help avoid that.
5. Shut down when stopped. Rather than sit idiling at rest stops or in long fast-food drive-through lines, turn off your engine and walk inside. When you have your car idling, you're getting zero miles per gallon.
From Consumer Reports/July 08/pg 49
World’s First 100% Solar-Powered Stadium
A new solar powered stadium has been built in Taiwan for the 2009 World Games in July. Designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito, the stadium incorporates 8,844 solar panels on the roof. The roof will generate enough energy to power the building’s 3,300 lights and two giant television screens.
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Commander of the cover-up
WHEN NFL player-turned-Army Ranger Pat Tillman died at the hands of U.S. troops in a case of "friendly fire," the spin machine at the Pentagon went into overdrive. Rumsfeld and company couldn't have their most high-profile soldier dying in such an inelegant fashion, especially with the release of those pesky photos from Abu Ghraib hitting the airwaves.
So an obscene lie was told to Tillman's family, his friends and the American public. The chickenhawks in charge, whose only exposure to war was watching John Wayne movies, claimed that he died charging a hill and was cut down by the radical Islamic enemies of freedom.
In the weeks preceding his death, Tillman was beginning to question what exactly he was fighting for, telling friends that he believed the war in Iraq was "[expletive] illegal." He may not have known what he was fighting for, but it's now clear what he died for: public relations. Today, after five years, six investigations and two congressional hearings, questions still linger about how Tillman died and why it was covered up.
Now the man who greased the chain of command that orchestrated this great deception is prepared to assume total control of U.S. operations in Afghanistan: Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal. It was McChrystal who approved Tillman's posthumous Silver Star, a medal given explicitly for combat, even though he later testified that he "suspected" friendly fire.
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So an obscene lie was told to Tillman's family, his friends and the American public. The chickenhawks in charge, whose only exposure to war was watching John Wayne movies, claimed that he died charging a hill and was cut down by the radical Islamic enemies of freedom.
In the weeks preceding his death, Tillman was beginning to question what exactly he was fighting for, telling friends that he believed the war in Iraq was "[expletive] illegal." He may not have known what he was fighting for, but it's now clear what he died for: public relations. Today, after five years, six investigations and two congressional hearings, questions still linger about how Tillman died and why it was covered up.
Now the man who greased the chain of command that orchestrated this great deception is prepared to assume total control of U.S. operations in Afghanistan: Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal. It was McChrystal who approved Tillman's posthumous Silver Star, a medal given explicitly for combat, even though he later testified that he "suspected" friendly fire.
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The 13 Hottest Summer Reads
Just as Memorial Day announces the start of summer, so, too, do readers begin packing vacation bags with novels, stories, and biographies to read from now through August. Here’s a baker’s-dozen list of the must-reads, the great reads—and the slightly offbeat titles you might not yet have thought of, but will likely be hearing a lot more about.
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Labels:
Beth
The first pic is a pic of my 'fixer upper house' when I bought it. The rest are the drastic changes. The flower bed to the left of the porch I put in last spring so last year the annuals didn't look like much. This year they look better and next year I imagine they will be awesome. I want to paint that fence white.
Three Wolf Moon T-shirt inspires wave of snarkiness on Amazon product reviews -- and sales skyrocket
The pros of Three Wolf Moon, according to the Amazon reviewer who turned the accurately titled T-shirt into an ironic Internet phenomenon, are these: "Fits my girthy frame, has wolves on it, attracts women."
The cons? "Only 3 wolves ... cannot see wolves when sitting with arms crossed, wolves would have been better if they glowed in the dark."
Somehow that posting, in November, started circulating around the Net. And this month a flood of new Three Wolf Moon reviews came in, turning it into the latest in an oddball and thoroughly engaging Internet sub genre we'll call Customer Review Comedy:
--"Whenever I wear the wolf shirt I have a lot less issues with involuntary urination. I have not studied it long enough, however, to establish a cause/effect relationship."
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