"You are the way you are because that's the way you want to be. If you really wanted to be any different, you would be in the process of changing right now."
— Fred Smith: The founder of Federal Express
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
McDonald's rivals crank up burger battle
Burger King is expanding its $1 double cheeseburger offer, ratcheting up pressure in what's increasingly looking like a burger war, though possibly irritating its own franchisees along the way.
Miami-based Burger King will begin a nationwide promotion for its $1 double cheeseburger beginning Oct. 19. Last month, Burger King cut the price on its double cheeseburger, which normally costs at least $2, to $1 in 40 markets.
Read more
Miami-based Burger King will begin a nationwide promotion for its $1 double cheeseburger beginning Oct. 19. Last month, Burger King cut the price on its double cheeseburger, which normally costs at least $2, to $1 in 40 markets.
Read more
Ohm. Ohm. Seven tips, ohm, to help you meditate. Ohm:
Meditation is not an easy practice, but it isn't as hard as most people think, according to Tim Wang, a meditator and co-founder of Three Pillars in Hyde Park. Wang gave RedEye a mini-session during a phone interview. Here are the tips he offered regarding his preferred type of meditation, which can help you focus.
Stuff
Labels:
Beth
It occurs to me I haven't done a personal update in a while....mainly because life is pretty darn good for me. No drama - no muss - no fuss. Just the way I like it. So I will start writing and see what happens.Supposed to get a hard freeze here tonight. I hope this doesn't signal the permanent end of warm weather. We've had rain for a week and I'd like to get the yard cleaned up before shutting it down for the winter. I still have loads of tomatoes but did not go out and pick them. I can only eat so many! I really did enjoy the garden this year and enjoyed sharing my herbs with my co-workers. I hate to see summer come to an end. I tend to hibernate during the winter months.
Work is good.....good in that I am thankful to still have my job as they cut staff by 10% company wide mostly supervisory and above. We lost one supervisor in our office and 8 out of our sister office in PA. Scary times. The supervisor who lost her position had more seniority than myself so they obviously took other things into consideration. This also means that her staff will get absorbed into the other teams. I now have 23 nurses who report to me - which is a big challenge. CHALLENGES and OPPORTUNITIES abound. I am working from home once a week now which is nice - that will probably increase when the office is relocated early next year.
My little Izzy is doing well. She had her first vet appointment last weekend and weighed in at a whopping 4.6 lbs. She was stuffed to the gills when they weighed her as she is a little piglet and is into absolutely everything. She makes a huge mess from one end of the house to the other. She's very attached to me though and I adore her. The others are warming up to her but she does get on their nerves. They are older and had their nice routine and here comes this little bundle of nonstop energy. She will bite you in the face in a minute and is constantly biting their ears, beards and tails. I've had to back away and let them read her the riot act. I am getting a full nights sleep now that she is sleeping in a crate out in the dining room. She usually settles down and goes to sleep. I try to take her to the office with me once a week so she's only left home all day three days a week.
We had an office party weekend before last at the home of my boss. I usually hate those types of events but I went and had a very nice time. I work with a really interesting group of women and I enjoyed getting to know them more.
Can you believe Christmas is less than three months away? I can't. I usually loathe the season but not this year. I'm approaching with a different mindset and am going to do my own thing - whatever makes me happy :)
Anyway...it's after 10 and I'm going to eat some steam veggies, read a little and go into the office in the morning. The flu shot people are coming to give us our free vaccinations. I have always gotten a flu shot and this year is no exception. I will not, however, be getting the H1N1 vaccination. I'm not in a risk group for one and it hasn't been tested enough in my view.
Hope all is well in your worlds.
Chocolate-Raspberry Avalanche Cake
Labels:
recipes
Prep Time:15 min
Start to Finish:1 hr 15 min
makes:12 servings
1 2/3 cups Gold Medal® whole wheat flour*
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups low-fat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups raspberries
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons hot tap water
1/4 cup raspberry all-fruit preserves, melted
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9” x 9” baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, 1/2 cup of the sugar, 1/4 cup of the cocoa, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a small bowl, mix 1 cup of the yogurt, the oil, and vanilla.
4. Place the egg whites in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar until stiff, glossy peaks form.
5. Stir the yogurt mixture into flour mixture just until moistened. Fold in the egg whites until no streaks of white remain. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup of the raspberries.
6. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on the rack to cool completely.
7. In a small bowl, mix the honey, water, and the remaining 1/4 cup cocoa. In another small bowl, mix the preserves and the remaining 1/2 cup yogurt. To serve, cut the cake into squares and top with a dollop of yogurt and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup raspberries.
* 1 3/4 cups whole grain pastry flour can be used instead of the whole wheat flour.
Top 10 Stolen Cars by State
You will be surprised to learn that the most frequently stolen cars are not from BMW or Lexus, but rather 15 year old cars from Honda and a 20 year old Toyota. See the list for your state.
It's Official. Summer is over!
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
353 AM EDT WED SEP 30 2009
..FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 9 AM EDT THURSDAY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
353 AM EDT WED SEP 30 2009
..FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 9 AM EDT THURSDAY
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Labels:
recipes
Easy as pie........:)
Beat 1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, 1 cup canned pumpkin, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl until smooth. Gently stir in 1 tub (8 oz) thawed Cool Whip. Spoon into prepared graham cracker crust.
Refrigerate 3 hours or until set. Serves 8.
Beat 1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, 1 cup canned pumpkin, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl until smooth. Gently stir in 1 tub (8 oz) thawed Cool Whip. Spoon into prepared graham cracker crust.
Refrigerate 3 hours or until set. Serves 8.
He works so others are not homeless
Wednesday marked 41 days that the 6-foot, 4-inch tall guy with the tattoo of Jesus on his left arm and the gray ponytail has worked at Walgreens pharmacy on Celanese Road.
In the photo department,” Ed Peirce said. “The 2-to-10 shift. Proud to do it.”
Peirce, 54, is a former stockbroker. A few years ago, he sold his business — a computer training center in West Virginia — and came to Rock Hill to be closer to his grown daughter. He had two rental houses in West Virginia and a third house in Rock Hill's Spencer Estates he owns with his sister. He planned to rent out the houses and live off the income.
Yet for 41 days he has gone to work. He took the job, he said, “to help pay the bills on the properties.”
In two of those houses are families who rent from Peirce. One man worked in construction and has a wife and two little kids. A second man worked in utilities contracting and has a baby in the house. But both tenants got laid off several months ago.
Peirce refused to evict them. He didn't throw the families into the street, though he has every right to.
“I sat with them and prayed for better times,” Peirce said. “These are stand-up guys. Family men. Proud. They paid me before, when they were working. You don't show your faith, your Christianity, in words. You do it in deeds.”
Peirce now lives in the Rock Hill house.
He'd begun to fall behind on his own bills because he didn't have the rental income. Rather than evict his tenants, however, Peirce let them stay.
Read more
In the photo department,” Ed Peirce said. “The 2-to-10 shift. Proud to do it.”
Peirce, 54, is a former stockbroker. A few years ago, he sold his business — a computer training center in West Virginia — and came to Rock Hill to be closer to his grown daughter. He had two rental houses in West Virginia and a third house in Rock Hill's Spencer Estates he owns with his sister. He planned to rent out the houses and live off the income.
Yet for 41 days he has gone to work. He took the job, he said, “to help pay the bills on the properties.”
In two of those houses are families who rent from Peirce. One man worked in construction and has a wife and two little kids. A second man worked in utilities contracting and has a baby in the house. But both tenants got laid off several months ago.
Peirce refused to evict them. He didn't throw the families into the street, though he has every right to.
“I sat with them and prayed for better times,” Peirce said. “These are stand-up guys. Family men. Proud. They paid me before, when they were working. You don't show your faith, your Christianity, in words. You do it in deeds.”
Peirce now lives in the Rock Hill house.
He'd begun to fall behind on his own bills because he didn't have the rental income. Rather than evict his tenants, however, Peirce let them stay.
Read more
First Lt. Ehren Watada Allowed to Resign
First Lt. Ehren Watada, the first commissioned military officer to refuse deployment to Iraq because he believed it was an illegal war, has won his three-year legal battle with the Army.
With little fanfare the Army at Fort Lewis, Wash., accepted the resignation of the 1996 Kalani High School graduate, and he will be discharged the first week in October.
Read more
Listen to your inner voice
In A New Earth, Eckhart Tolle writes that to awaken to your life's purpose, you have be ready for a change in the state of your consciousness. But how do you know when that time comes? And where can you even begin?
The one big question most of us ask ourselves is "What should I do with my life?" For most people, it's very difficult to answer. Use these simple suggestions from people who have successfully answered this question and are now living the lives of their dreams. Be inspired to pursue your dreams and discover the impact you are meant to have on the world!
The one big question most of us ask ourselves is "What should I do with my life?" For most people, it's very difficult to answer. Use these simple suggestions from people who have successfully answered this question and are now living the lives of their dreams. Be inspired to pursue your dreams and discover the impact you are meant to have on the world!
Hummer Owners Claim Moral High Ground
Hummer drivers believe they are defending America's frontier lifestyle against anti-American critics, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.
Authors Marius K. Luedicke (University of Innsbruck, Austria), Craig J. Thompson (University of Wisconsin–Madison), and Markus Giesler (York University, Toronto) researched attitudes toward owning and driving Hummers, which have become symbols to many of American greed and wastefulness.
The researchers first investigated anti-consumption sentiments expressed by people who oppose chains like Starbucks and believe they are making a moral choice by shunning consumerism. To these critics, Hummers represent the ills of contemporary society. As one extreme example, on www.fuh2.com, people have posted thousands of photographs of middle fingers directed at Hummer vehicles.
Read more
Map of Every McDonald’s in the Country
In the United States, it is never more than 145 miles to the nearest McDonald’s. And that’s in North Dakota.
Read more
Things A Dog Must Remember
1. The garbage collector is not stealing our stuff.
2. I do not need to suddenly stand straight up when I'm lying under the coffee table.
3. I will not roll my toys behind the fridge, behind the sofa, or under the bed.
4. I must shake the rainwater out of my fur before entering the house.
5. I will not eat the cats' food, before they eat it or after they throw it up.
6. I will stop trying to find the few remaining pieces of clean carpet in the house when I am about to get sick.
7. I will not throw up in the car.
8. I will not roll on dead seagulls, fish, crabs, etc. just because I like the way they smell.
9. "Kitty box crunchies," although they are tasty, are not food.
10. I will not eat any more Kleenex or napkins and then redeposit them in the back yard after processing.
11. The diaper pail is not a cookie jar.
12. I will not chew my humans' toothbrushes and not tell them.
13. I will not chew crayons or pens, especially not the red ones, or my people will think I am hemorrhaging.
14. When in the car, I will not insist on having the window rolled down when it's raining outside.
15. We do not have a doorbell. I will not bark each time I hear one on TV.
16. I will not steal Mom's underwear and dance all over the backyard with it.
17. The sofa is not a face towel. Neither are Mom's & Dad's laps.
18. My head does not belong in the refrigerator.
19. I will not bite the officer's hand when he reaches in for Mom's driver's license and car registration.
20. I will not play tug-of-war with Dad's underwear when he's on the toilet.
21. I will not eat mint-flavored dental floss out of the bathroom garbage, to avoid having a string hanging out of my butt.
22. I will not use "roll around in the dirt" as an option just after getting a bath.
23. Sticking my nose into someone's crotch is not an acceptable way of saying hello.
24. I will not hump on any person's leg just because I think it is the right thing to do.
25. I will not fart in my owners' faces while sleeping on the pillow next to their heads.
26. I will not come in from outside and immediately drag my butt across the carpet.
27. The toilet bowl is not a never ending water supply, and just because the water is blue, it doesn't mean it is cleaner.
28. I will not sit in the middle of the living room and lick my crotch when company is here.
29. Suddenly turning around and smelling my butt can quickly clear a room.
30. The cat is not a squeaky toy, so when I play with him and when he makes that noise, it's usually not a good thing.
2. I do not need to suddenly stand straight up when I'm lying under the coffee table.
3. I will not roll my toys behind the fridge, behind the sofa, or under the bed.
4. I must shake the rainwater out of my fur before entering the house.
5. I will not eat the cats' food, before they eat it or after they throw it up.
6. I will stop trying to find the few remaining pieces of clean carpet in the house when I am about to get sick.
7. I will not throw up in the car.
8. I will not roll on dead seagulls, fish, crabs, etc. just because I like the way they smell.
9. "Kitty box crunchies," although they are tasty, are not food.
10. I will not eat any more Kleenex or napkins and then redeposit them in the back yard after processing.
11. The diaper pail is not a cookie jar.
12. I will not chew my humans' toothbrushes and not tell them.
13. I will not chew crayons or pens, especially not the red ones, or my people will think I am hemorrhaging.
14. When in the car, I will not insist on having the window rolled down when it's raining outside.
15. We do not have a doorbell. I will not bark each time I hear one on TV.
16. I will not steal Mom's underwear and dance all over the backyard with it.
17. The sofa is not a face towel. Neither are Mom's & Dad's laps.
18. My head does not belong in the refrigerator.
19. I will not bite the officer's hand when he reaches in for Mom's driver's license and car registration.
20. I will not play tug-of-war with Dad's underwear when he's on the toilet.
21. I will not eat mint-flavored dental floss out of the bathroom garbage, to avoid having a string hanging out of my butt.
22. I will not use "roll around in the dirt" as an option just after getting a bath.
23. Sticking my nose into someone's crotch is not an acceptable way of saying hello.
24. I will not hump on any person's leg just because I think it is the right thing to do.
25. I will not fart in my owners' faces while sleeping on the pillow next to their heads.
26. I will not come in from outside and immediately drag my butt across the carpet.
27. The toilet bowl is not a never ending water supply, and just because the water is blue, it doesn't mean it is cleaner.
28. I will not sit in the middle of the living room and lick my crotch when company is here.
29. Suddenly turning around and smelling my butt can quickly clear a room.
30. The cat is not a squeaky toy, so when I play with him and when he makes that noise, it's usually not a good thing.
Silent Cancer Killers
Ovarian and cervical cancers are so deadly because the symptoms, if a woman even has any, easily can be missed until after the cancer advances and spreads.
Learn more and fight back
Learn more and fight back
Monday, September 28, 2009
Today's Quote
Labels:
Today's Quote
To live with a feeling of fulfillment is the greatest blessings for any human being. Only when gratitude flowers can fulfillment happen. When gratitude becomes your attitude, fulfillment becomes your nature.
~ Paramahamsa Nithyananda
~ Paramahamsa Nithyananda
Obama's Election Clearly Doesn't Mark the Beginning of a 'Post-Racial' Society
With the nation’s first black president in the White House, some pundits have started employing the narrative of a “post-racial” America to frame events. In this view, Barack Obama’s election has leveled the playing field and obviated the struggle for racial equality. In many ways Obama has played along, scrupulously avoiding comment on racial matters since he began his presidential campaign.
Yet racism persists in the Obama-era, the supposedly post-racial world. According to culture critic and author Henry Giroux, this racism is different from the historical “crude racism with its biological referents and pseudo-scientific legitimations.” Instead, he writes, this new breed of racism “cynically recodes itself within the vocabulary of the civil rights movement, invoking the language of Martin Luther King Jr., to argue that individuals should be judged by the ‘content of their character’ and not by the color of their skin.”
Read more
Yet racism persists in the Obama-era, the supposedly post-racial world. According to culture critic and author Henry Giroux, this racism is different from the historical “crude racism with its biological referents and pseudo-scientific legitimations.” Instead, he writes, this new breed of racism “cynically recodes itself within the vocabulary of the civil rights movement, invoking the language of Martin Luther King Jr., to argue that individuals should be judged by the ‘content of their character’ and not by the color of their skin.”
Read more
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Today's Quote
Labels:
Today's Quote
"When plans are laid in advance, it is surprising how often the circumstances fit in with them."
Sir William Osler
1849-1919, Physician
Sir William Osler
1849-1919, Physician
Our Daily Chicken
Labels:
Humor
After watching sales falling off for three straight months at Kentucky Fried Chicken, the Colonel calls up the Pope and asks for a favor.
The Pope says, "What can I do? "The Colonel says, "I need you to change the daily prayer from, 'Give us this day our daily bread' to 'Give us this day our daily chicken'. If you do it, I'll donate 10 Million Dollars to the Vatican."
The Pope replies, "I am sorry. That is the Lord's prayer and I can not change the words." So the Colonel hangs up.
After another month of dismal sales, the Colonel panics, and calls again.
"Listen your Excellency. I really need your help. I'll donate $50 million dollars if you change the words of the daily prayer from 'Give us this day our daily bread' to 'Give us this day our daily chicken.'"
And the Pope responds, "It is very tempting, Colonel Sanders. The church could do a lot of good with that much money. It would help us to support many charities. But, again, I must decline. It is the Lord's prayer, and I can't change the words."
So the Colonel gives up again. After two more months of terrible
sales. The Colonel gets desperate. "This is my final offer, your Excellency. If you change the words of the daily prayer from, 'Give us this day our daily bread' to 'Give us this day our daily chicken' I will donate $100 million to the Vatican." The Pope replies, "Let me get back to you."
So the next day, the Pope calls together all of his bishops and he
says, "I have some good news and I have some bad news. The good news is that KFC is going to donate $100 million to the Vatican."
The bishops rejoice at the news. Then one asks about the bad news.
The Pope replies, "The bad news is that we lost the Wonder Bread account."
The Pope says, "What can I do? "The Colonel says, "I need you to change the daily prayer from, 'Give us this day our daily bread' to 'Give us this day our daily chicken'. If you do it, I'll donate 10 Million Dollars to the Vatican."
The Pope replies, "I am sorry. That is the Lord's prayer and I can not change the words." So the Colonel hangs up.
After another month of dismal sales, the Colonel panics, and calls again.
"Listen your Excellency. I really need your help. I'll donate $50 million dollars if you change the words of the daily prayer from 'Give us this day our daily bread' to 'Give us this day our daily chicken.'"
And the Pope responds, "It is very tempting, Colonel Sanders. The church could do a lot of good with that much money. It would help us to support many charities. But, again, I must decline. It is the Lord's prayer, and I can't change the words."
So the Colonel gives up again. After two more months of terrible
sales. The Colonel gets desperate. "This is my final offer, your Excellency. If you change the words of the daily prayer from, 'Give us this day our daily bread' to 'Give us this day our daily chicken' I will donate $100 million to the Vatican." The Pope replies, "Let me get back to you."
So the next day, the Pope calls together all of his bishops and he
says, "I have some good news and I have some bad news. The good news is that KFC is going to donate $100 million to the Vatican."
The bishops rejoice at the news. Then one asks about the bad news.
The Pope replies, "The bad news is that we lost the Wonder Bread account."
Extract Trailer (2009)
Labels:
Movie Trailers
Joel, the owner of an Extract plant, tries to contend with myriad personal and professional problems, such as his potentially unfaithful wife and employees who want to take advantage of him.
Painting I Purchased
Labels:
Beth
I tend to like abstract art - or landscapes - but I saw this painting and fell in love with it. The photograph doesn't do it justice. It's filled with colors - colors that match my liv room colors perfectly. If I had the means to relocate to another country - France would be one of my top 5 choices.
Another Blonde Joke
Labels:
blonde jokes,
Humor
A judge was interviewing a blonde woman regarding her pending divorce, and asked, "What are the grounds for your divorce?"
She replied, "About four acres and a nice little home in the middle of the property with a stream running by."
"No," he said, "I mean what is the foundation of this case?"
"It is made of concrete, brick and mortar," she responded.
"I mean," he continued, "What are your relations like?"
"I have an aunt and uncle living here in town, and so do my husband's parents."
He said, "Do you have a real grudge?"
"No," she replied, "We have a two-car carport and have never really needed one."
"Please," he tried again, "is there any infidelity in your marriage?"
"Yes, both my son and daughter have stereo sets. We don't
necessarily like the music, but the answer to your questions is yes."
"Ma'am, does your husband ever beat you up?"
"Yes," she responded, "about twice a week he gets up earlier than I do."
Finally, in frustration, the judge asked, "Lady, why do you want a divorce?"
"Oh, I don't want a divorce," she replied. "I've never wanted a divorce. My husband does. He said he can't communicate with me."
She replied, "About four acres and a nice little home in the middle of the property with a stream running by."
"No," he said, "I mean what is the foundation of this case?"
"It is made of concrete, brick and mortar," she responded.
"I mean," he continued, "What are your relations like?"
"I have an aunt and uncle living here in town, and so do my husband's parents."
He said, "Do you have a real grudge?"
"No," she replied, "We have a two-car carport and have never really needed one."
"Please," he tried again, "is there any infidelity in your marriage?"
"Yes, both my son and daughter have stereo sets. We don't
necessarily like the music, but the answer to your questions is yes."
"Ma'am, does your husband ever beat you up?"
"Yes," she responded, "about twice a week he gets up earlier than I do."
Finally, in frustration, the judge asked, "Lady, why do you want a divorce?"
"Oh, I don't want a divorce," she replied. "I've never wanted a divorce. My husband does. He said he can't communicate with me."
You Know You're A Righ Wing Nut If:
You didn't get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President.
You didn't get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate energy policy.
You didn't get mad when a covert CIA operative got outed.
You didn't get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.
You didn't get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us.
You didn't get mad when we spent over 600 billion(and counting) on said illegal war.
You didn't get mad when over 10 billion dollars just disappeared in Iraq.
You didn't get mad when you saw the Abu Grahib photos.
You didn't get mad when you found out we were torturing people.
You didn't get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans.
You didn't get mad when we didn't catch Bin Laden.
You didn't get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed.
You didn't get mad when we let a major US city drown.
You didn't get mad when the deficit hit the trillion dollar mark.
You finally got mad when.. check this out... when the government decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they were sick. Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, are all okay with you but helping other Americans... well that's downright un-American.
You didn't get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate energy policy.
You didn't get mad when a covert CIA operative got outed.
You didn't get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.
You didn't get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us.
You didn't get mad when we spent over 600 billion(and counting) on said illegal war.
You didn't get mad when over 10 billion dollars just disappeared in Iraq.
You didn't get mad when you saw the Abu Grahib photos.
You didn't get mad when you found out we were torturing people.
You didn't get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans.
You didn't get mad when we didn't catch Bin Laden.
You didn't get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed.
You didn't get mad when we let a major US city drown.
You didn't get mad when the deficit hit the trillion dollar mark.
You finally got mad when.. check this out... when the government decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they were sick. Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, are all okay with you but helping other Americans... well that's downright un-American.
The disgusting sports sex scare
THE SALACIOUS sports media and the puritanical zealots who run international track and field have joined forces to hit a new low.
Someone in the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) leaked to the press that Caster Semenya, the 18-year-old 800-meter track champion from South Africa, is, in the words of Oren Yaniv in the New York Daily News, both "a woman...and a man!"
After being subjected to a battery of "gender tests," which included invasive exams by a gynecologist, an endocrinologist and a psychologist, Semenya's private business is now being presented for public consumption.
If the leaks are to be regarded as true, they show that Semenya has internal testes and no womb or ovaries. She is possibly one of the millions of people in the world (one of 1,666 births in the U.S. alone) who are classified as "intersex."
Or she may have Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS), which affects two to five out of every 100,000 births. The different biological gender classifications are complex, ever-changing and, ideally, private. But to the drooling press, it's vulture time.
As Yaniv wrote, "The tests, ordered...after Semenya's 800-meter victory in the World Championships, determined she's a hermaphrodite--having both male and female organs." Now the story has gone international, and Caster Semenya has gone into hiding.
Read more
Someone in the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) leaked to the press that Caster Semenya, the 18-year-old 800-meter track champion from South Africa, is, in the words of Oren Yaniv in the New York Daily News, both "a woman...and a man!"
After being subjected to a battery of "gender tests," which included invasive exams by a gynecologist, an endocrinologist and a psychologist, Semenya's private business is now being presented for public consumption.
If the leaks are to be regarded as true, they show that Semenya has internal testes and no womb or ovaries. She is possibly one of the millions of people in the world (one of 1,666 births in the U.S. alone) who are classified as "intersex."
Or she may have Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS), which affects two to five out of every 100,000 births. The different biological gender classifications are complex, ever-changing and, ideally, private. But to the drooling press, it's vulture time.
As Yaniv wrote, "The tests, ordered...after Semenya's 800-meter victory in the World Championships, determined she's a hermaphrodite--having both male and female organs." Now the story has gone international, and Caster Semenya has gone into hiding.
Read more
The Insurance Industry's Heartless Logic: Getting Beaten by Your Husband Is an Excuse to Deny Coverage
Labels:
health care
In eight states and the District of Columbia, being the victim of domestic violence is considered a pre-existing condition by insurance companies.
Read more
Read more
Al Franken Reads the 4th Amendment to Justice Department Official
Just in case he wasn’t familiar with it, Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) decided to read the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution to David Kris, assistant attorney general of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, who was testifying to the Senate Judiciary Committee today to urge reauthorization of expiring provisions of the USA Patriot Act.
Franken, who opened by acknowledging that unlike most of his colleagues in the Senate, he’s not a lawyer, but according to his research “most Americans aren’t lawyers” either, said he’d also done research on the Patriot Act and in particular, the “roving wiretap” provision that allows the FBI to get a warrant to wiretap a an unnamed target and his or her various and changing cell phones, computers and other communication devices.
Noting that he received a copy of the Constitution when he was sworn in as a senator, he proceeded to read it to Kris, emphasizing this part: “no Warrants shall issue but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
“That’s pretty explicit language,” noted Franken, asking Kris how the “roving wiretap” provision of the Patriot Act can meet that requirement if it doesn’t require the government to name its target.
Kris looked flustered and mumbled that “this is surreal,” apparently referring to having to respond to Franken’s question. “I would defer to the other branch of government,” he said, referring to the courts, prompting Franken to interject: “I know what that is.”
Kris explained that the courts have held that the law’s requirements that the person be described, though not named, is sufficient to meet the demands of the Constitution. That did not appear to completely satisfy Franken’s concerns.
Read more
Franken, who opened by acknowledging that unlike most of his colleagues in the Senate, he’s not a lawyer, but according to his research “most Americans aren’t lawyers” either, said he’d also done research on the Patriot Act and in particular, the “roving wiretap” provision that allows the FBI to get a warrant to wiretap a an unnamed target and his or her various and changing cell phones, computers and other communication devices.
Noting that he received a copy of the Constitution when he was sworn in as a senator, he proceeded to read it to Kris, emphasizing this part: “no Warrants shall issue but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
“That’s pretty explicit language,” noted Franken, asking Kris how the “roving wiretap” provision of the Patriot Act can meet that requirement if it doesn’t require the government to name its target.
Kris looked flustered and mumbled that “this is surreal,” apparently referring to having to respond to Franken’s question. “I would defer to the other branch of government,” he said, referring to the courts, prompting Franken to interject: “I know what that is.”
Kris explained that the courts have held that the law’s requirements that the person be described, though not named, is sufficient to meet the demands of the Constitution. That did not appear to completely satisfy Franken’s concerns.
Read more
What does the world's oldest man eat?
So what does the world's oldest man eat? The answer is not much, at least not too much.
Walter Breuning, who turned 113 on Monday, eats just two meals a day and has done so for the past 35 years.
"I think you should push back from the table when you're still hungry," Breuning said.
At 5 foot 8, ("I shrunk a little," he admitted) and 125 pounds, Breuning limits himself to a big breakfast and lunch every day and no supper.
Read more
Walter Breuning, who turned 113 on Monday, eats just two meals a day and has done so for the past 35 years.
"I think you should push back from the table when you're still hungry," Breuning said.
At 5 foot 8, ("I shrunk a little," he admitted) and 125 pounds, Breuning limits himself to a big breakfast and lunch every day and no supper.
Read more
Put in a Small Rain Garden
Homeowners and businesses can stem the tide of polluted runoff threatening our waterways by setting up a simple "rain garden," which is beautiful as well as beneficial.
Read more
Read more
Earth needs users' guide to protect it from people
Labels:
environment
A new users' guide is needed to help protect the Earth from dangerous changes such as global warming and extinctions of animals and plants caused by humans, scientists said.
A group of 28 experts suggested nine key areas, such as freshwater use, chemical pollutants or changes in land use, where governments could define limits to ensure a "safe operating space for humanity."
Read more
A group of 28 experts suggested nine key areas, such as freshwater use, chemical pollutants or changes in land use, where governments could define limits to ensure a "safe operating space for humanity."
Read more
Mother fights off cougar during attack on son, 5
The father of a 5-year-old British Columbia boy who was attacked by a cougar in Washington state says his son is recovering well from the traumatic ordeal.
Mark Impey was on a hike with his wife and two children in Colville National Forest on Wednesday when he was faced with the most terrifying ten seconds of his life.
Impey and his daughter were walking about 50 metres ahead of his wife and son when he was startled by their screams.
At first, Impey assumed they had stepped on a wasp nest. But when he ran back to check, he saw that a big cat had his son, Simon, by the head and his wife, Dawn, was trying furiously to fend the animal off with a metal water bottle.
"I really think it was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time," Impey said in an interview.
Dawn's repeated blows with the water bottle finally forced the cougar to retreat into the bush.
But it was then that Impey saw Simon's face and Dawn's hands both covered in blood.
Read more
The Mess Left Behind
William Rivers Pitt
The simple fact that an American president had to stand before that world body and apologize, to all intents and purposes, for the last American president is a stinging humiliation for this country, but the sad fact is that it had to be done. Resentments over what Mr. Bush and his minions did during their time continue to fester all over the world, but especially in and due to the two war-torn countries where fighting and dying continue even at this very moment - two countries Mr. Bush tore apart with the greedy opportunism of a spoiled child opening other people's Christmas presents.
Read more
The simple fact that an American president had to stand before that world body and apologize, to all intents and purposes, for the last American president is a stinging humiliation for this country, but the sad fact is that it had to be done. Resentments over what Mr. Bush and his minions did during their time continue to fester all over the world, but especially in and due to the two war-torn countries where fighting and dying continue even at this very moment - two countries Mr. Bush tore apart with the greedy opportunism of a spoiled child opening other people's Christmas presents.
Read more
Easy French Apple Dessert Squares
Labels:
recipes
Enjoy a warm and delicious bite of fall with a modern twist on old-fashioned apple bars.
Prep Time:25 min
Start to Finish:1 hr 50 min
makes:15 servings
Streusel
1 cup Bisquick Heart Smart® mix
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup no-trans-fat 65% vegetable oil spread stick
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
Fruit Mixture
6 cups sliced peeled tart apples (6 medium)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup Bisquick Heart Smart® mix
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup fat-free (skim) milk
2 tablespoons no-trans-fat 65% vegetable oil spread stick, melted
2 eggs, beaten
2 egg whites, beaten
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix 1 cup Bisquick mix and the brown sugar. Cut in 1/4 cup vegetable oil spread, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until crumbly. Stir in walnuts; set aside.
2. In large bowl, mix apples, cinnamon and nutmeg; spoon into pan. In medium bowl, stir remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour mixture over apples. Sprinkle with streusel.
3. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean and top is golden brown. Cool 30 minutes or until set before cutting into squares. Store in refrigerator.
Here's The Joke
Labels:
Humor
A little boy was waiting for his mother to come out of the grocery
store. As he waited, he was approached by a man who asked, "Son, can
you tell me where the Post Office is?"
The little boy replied, "Sure! Just go straight down this street a
coupla blocks and turn to your right."
The man thanked the boy kindly and said, "I'm the new pastor in town.
I'd like for you to come to church on Sunday. I'll show you how to get
to Heaven."
The little boy replied with a chuckle. "Awww, come on... you don't
even know the way to the Post Office."
store. As he waited, he was approached by a man who asked, "Son, can
you tell me where the Post Office is?"
The little boy replied, "Sure! Just go straight down this street a
coupla blocks and turn to your right."
The man thanked the boy kindly and said, "I'm the new pastor in town.
I'd like for you to come to church on Sunday. I'll show you how to get
to Heaven."
The little boy replied with a chuckle. "Awww, come on... you don't
even know the way to the Post Office."
How to talk to complete idiots
Labels:
editorials,
political commentary
Mark Morford/SF Gate
There are three basic ways to talk to complete idiots.
The first is to assail them with facts, truths, scientific data, the commonsensical obviousness of it all. You do this in the very reasonable expectation that it will nudge them away from the ledge of their more ridiculous and paranoid misconceptions because, well, they're facts, after all, and who can dispute those?
Why, idiots can, that's who. It is exactly this sort of logical, levelheaded appeal to reason and mental acuity that's doomed to fail, simply because in the idiotosphere, facts are lies and truth is always dubious, whereas hysteria and alarmism resulting in mysterious undercarriage rashes are the only things to be relied upon.
Examples? Endless. You may, for instance, attempt to explain evolution to an extreme fundamentalist Christian. You may offer up carbon dating, the fossil record, glaciers, any one of 10,000 irrefutable proofs. You may even dare to talk about the Bible as the clever, completely manufactured, man-made piece of heavily politicized, massively edited, literary myth-making it so very much is, using all sorts of sound academic evidence and historical record.
You are, of course, insane beyond belief to try this, but sometimes you just can't help it. To the educated mind, it seems inconceivable that millions of people will choose rabid ignorance and childish fantasy over, say, a polar bear. Permafrost. Rocks. Nag Hammadi. But they will, and they do. Faced with this mountain of factual obviousness, the bewildered fundamentalist will merely leap back as if you just jabbed him with a flaming homosexual cattle prod, and then fall into a swoon about how neat it is that angels can fly.
But it's not just the fundamentalists. This Rule of Idiocy also explains why, when you show certain jumpy, conservative Americans the irrefutable facts about, say, skyrocketing health care costs that are draining their bank accounts, and then show how Obama's rather modest overhaul is meant to save members of all ages and genders and party affiliations a significant amount of money while providing basic insurance for their family, they, too, will scream and kick like a child made to eat a single bite of broccoli.
Remember, facts do not matter. The actual Obama plan itself does not matter. Fear of change, fear of the "Other," fear of the scary black socialist president, fear that yet another important shift is taking place that they cannot understand and which therefore makes them thrash around like a trapped animal? This is all that matters.
Read more
There are three basic ways to talk to complete idiots.
The first is to assail them with facts, truths, scientific data, the commonsensical obviousness of it all. You do this in the very reasonable expectation that it will nudge them away from the ledge of their more ridiculous and paranoid misconceptions because, well, they're facts, after all, and who can dispute those?
Why, idiots can, that's who. It is exactly this sort of logical, levelheaded appeal to reason and mental acuity that's doomed to fail, simply because in the idiotosphere, facts are lies and truth is always dubious, whereas hysteria and alarmism resulting in mysterious undercarriage rashes are the only things to be relied upon.
Examples? Endless. You may, for instance, attempt to explain evolution to an extreme fundamentalist Christian. You may offer up carbon dating, the fossil record, glaciers, any one of 10,000 irrefutable proofs. You may even dare to talk about the Bible as the clever, completely manufactured, man-made piece of heavily politicized, massively edited, literary myth-making it so very much is, using all sorts of sound academic evidence and historical record.
You are, of course, insane beyond belief to try this, but sometimes you just can't help it. To the educated mind, it seems inconceivable that millions of people will choose rabid ignorance and childish fantasy over, say, a polar bear. Permafrost. Rocks. Nag Hammadi. But they will, and they do. Faced with this mountain of factual obviousness, the bewildered fundamentalist will merely leap back as if you just jabbed him with a flaming homosexual cattle prod, and then fall into a swoon about how neat it is that angels can fly.
But it's not just the fundamentalists. This Rule of Idiocy also explains why, when you show certain jumpy, conservative Americans the irrefutable facts about, say, skyrocketing health care costs that are draining their bank accounts, and then show how Obama's rather modest overhaul is meant to save members of all ages and genders and party affiliations a significant amount of money while providing basic insurance for their family, they, too, will scream and kick like a child made to eat a single bite of broccoli.
Remember, facts do not matter. The actual Obama plan itself does not matter. Fear of change, fear of the "Other," fear of the scary black socialist president, fear that yet another important shift is taking place that they cannot understand and which therefore makes them thrash around like a trapped animal? This is all that matters.
Read more
Judge considers bid to block merger of voting machine giants
A federal judge in Camden, N.J., agreed late Friday to hear a request for an emergency injuction that could halt Election Systems & Software's announced acquisition of Diebold Inc.'s Premier Election Solutions.
The quietly arranged shotgun wedding between the two voting-machine giants would give ES&S control of election systems in use in almost 70 percent of the nation's voting precincts. Federal Judge Robert Kugler agreed to hear Tuesday the request for immediate injunction brought by a small competitorm, Hart InterCivic Inc.
Hart argues that waiting to resolve the matter could affect elections across the nation because state and local officials won't be able to wait on a decision and would have to do business with ES&S.
Hart's attorney, Jonathan Rubin, an anti-trust specialist for the Washington law firm Patton Boggs, contends that jurisdictions across the nation select voting-machines based on competitive bids, which would be next to impossible if the acquisition went through.
"We're hopeful that the judge will recognize the profound public importance of putting an immediate stop to the deal," Rubin told McClatchy.
Read more
The quietly arranged shotgun wedding between the two voting-machine giants would give ES&S control of election systems in use in almost 70 percent of the nation's voting precincts. Federal Judge Robert Kugler agreed to hear Tuesday the request for immediate injunction brought by a small competitorm, Hart InterCivic Inc.
Hart argues that waiting to resolve the matter could affect elections across the nation because state and local officials won't be able to wait on a decision and would have to do business with ES&S.
Hart's attorney, Jonathan Rubin, an anti-trust specialist for the Washington law firm Patton Boggs, contends that jurisdictions across the nation select voting-machines based on competitive bids, which would be next to impossible if the acquisition went through.
"We're hopeful that the judge will recognize the profound public importance of putting an immediate stop to the deal," Rubin told McClatchy.
Read more
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Flooding in the Southeast
Heavy rains, beginning on September 19th, dumped between 15 and 20 inches of rain over three days on parts of Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. The deluge overwhelmed natural and man made systems, and the record-breaking downpour turned streams into rivers, swamping neighborhoods, washing out roads and, unfortunately, taking at least nine lives. Damage costs are estimated at $250 million, the cleanup just now beginning. Georgia's Republican Governor Sonny Perdue recently announced that President Obama has issued a Federal Disaster Declaration for individual assistance to aid residents of five affected counties. Collected here are a few recent photos around the area, largely centered on Atlanta, Georgia. (30 photos total)
They Walk Among Us and Many Work Retail
Labels:
Humor
I was at the checkout of a K-Mart. The clerk rang up $46.64 charge. I Gave her a fifty dollar bill. She gave me back $46.64. I gave the money back to her and told her that she had made a mistake in MY favor. She became indignant and informed me she was Educated and knew what she was doing, and returned the money again. I gave her the money back, same scenario!
I departed the store with the $46.64.
I walked into a Starbucks with a buy-one-get-one-free coupon for a Grande Latte. I handed it to the girl and she looked over at a little chalkboard that said "buy one-get one free." "They're already buy-one-get-one-free," she said, "so I guess they're both free"
She Handed me my free Lattes and I walked out the door.
One day I was walking down the beach with some Friends when one of them shouted, "Look at that dead bird!" Someone looked Up at the sky and said, "Where"?
While looking at a house, my brother asked the real Estate agent which direction was north because, he explained, he didn't want the sun waking him up every morning. She asked, "Does the sun rise in the north?" When my brother explained that the sun rises in the East, and has for sometime, she shook her head and said, " Oh I don't keep up with all that stuff."
I used to work in technical support for a 24/7 call center. One day I got a call from an individual who asked what hours the call center was open. I told him, "The number you dialed is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week." He responded, "Is that Eastern or Pacific tim e e?" Wanting to end the call quickly, I said, "Uh, Pacific."
My sister has a lifesaving tool in her car designed to cut through a seat belt if she gets trapped. She keeps it in the trunk.
My friends and I were on a beer run and noticed that the cases were discounted 10%. Since it was a big party, we bought 2 cases. The cashier multiplied 2 times 10% and gave us a 20% discount.
I couldn't find my luggage at the airport baggage area, so I went to the lost luggage office and told the woman there that my bags never showed up. She smiled and told me not to worry because she was a trained professional and I was in good hands. "Now," she asked me, has your plane arrived yet?"
While working at a pizza parlor I observed a man ordering a small pizza to go. He appeared to be alone and the cook asked him if he would like it cut into 4 pieces or 6. He thought about it for some time before responding. "Just cut it into 4 pieces; I don't think I'm hungry enough to eat 6 pieces."
I departed the store with the $46.64.
I walked into a Starbucks with a buy-one-get-one-free coupon for a Grande Latte. I handed it to the girl and she looked over at a little chalkboard that said "buy one-get one free." "They're already buy-one-get-one-free," she said, "so I guess they're both free"
She Handed me my free Lattes and I walked out the door.
One day I was walking down the beach with some Friends when one of them shouted, "Look at that dead bird!" Someone looked Up at the sky and said, "Where"?
While looking at a house, my brother asked the real Estate agent which direction was north because, he explained, he didn't want the sun waking him up every morning. She asked, "Does the sun rise in the north?" When my brother explained that the sun rises in the East, and has for sometime, she shook her head and said, " Oh I don't keep up with all that stuff."
I used to work in technical support for a 24/7 call center. One day I got a call from an individual who asked what hours the call center was open. I told him, "The number you dialed is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week." He responded, "Is that Eastern or Pacific tim e e?" Wanting to end the call quickly, I said, "Uh, Pacific."
My sister has a lifesaving tool in her car designed to cut through a seat belt if she gets trapped. She keeps it in the trunk.
My friends and I were on a beer run and noticed that the cases were discounted 10%. Since it was a big party, we bought 2 cases. The cashier multiplied 2 times 10% and gave us a 20% discount.
I couldn't find my luggage at the airport baggage area, so I went to the lost luggage office and told the woman there that my bags never showed up. She smiled and told me not to worry because she was a trained professional and I was in good hands. "Now," she asked me, has your plane arrived yet?"
While working at a pizza parlor I observed a man ordering a small pizza to go. He appeared to be alone and the cook asked him if he would like it cut into 4 pieces or 6. He thought about it for some time before responding. "Just cut it into 4 pieces; I don't think I'm hungry enough to eat 6 pieces."
Your Health Insurer Will Screw You
Labels:
health care
Got health insurance? Think you're sitting pretty? Think again.
Health insurance companies fatten their bottom line not by helping people but by screwing them.
For-profit companies make money three ways:
First, they use medical underwriting, which is industry shorthand for finding ways to reject those applicants most likely to need care. Not only people with serious illness are denied insurance; so are individuals who may be 20 pounds overweight as well as those with acne or an old athletic injury.
Second, health insurers routinely weasel out of, or delay for months -- even years -- making payments for valid medical and hospital claims.
Third, they look for plausible reasons to reverse payments they have already made on your behalf. These reversals can occur one or more years after you thought your bill had been paid. And when a physician or hospital has to refund a payment, guess who gets the bill. You.
Read more
Health insurance companies fatten their bottom line not by helping people but by screwing them.
For-profit companies make money three ways:
First, they use medical underwriting, which is industry shorthand for finding ways to reject those applicants most likely to need care. Not only people with serious illness are denied insurance; so are individuals who may be 20 pounds overweight as well as those with acne or an old athletic injury.
Second, health insurers routinely weasel out of, or delay for months -- even years -- making payments for valid medical and hospital claims.
Third, they look for plausible reasons to reverse payments they have already made on your behalf. These reversals can occur one or more years after you thought your bill had been paid. And when a physician or hospital has to refund a payment, guess who gets the bill. You.
Read more
End-of-Life Plan
Labels:
Weekly Savings Tip
Life can change quite suddenly and unexpectedly. Decision-making during these stressful and vulnerable times can be difficult and the results can often have far–reaching consequences. The key is knowing the issues and having a plan in place before the unexpected happens.
Whether you are currently dealing with the loss of a loved one, caring for an aging parent, or own a business or have children and need to be ready for the future, a new free resource, A Guide to Financial Decisions: Implementing an End-of-Life Plan, will identify many of the issues, decisions and programs of which you should be aware, such as:
- Guardianship for Minor Children: Choosing the person who will care for your child if you are unable to do so is a critical decision for all parents. Learn why it’s important to name a guardian in a legally executed will or trust so that your children are cared for by the person you designate.
- Titles: Choosing the person to be the listed owner, or “title holder,” to your various assets, such as your home and financial accounts, is an important decision. Learn more about the steps to take to ensure that your wishes are known and respected.
- Life Insurance: One of the most common reasons for buying life insurance is to replace the loss of income that would occur in the event of your death. Learn about the common types of life insurance policies to ensure there are funds available to support your family in the case of your untimely death.
This guide, developed by certified public accountants, is the result of a vision brought to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants by Hospice of Michigan and the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants.
For more information, visit the 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy Web site.
Visit www.FeedthePig.org for more money-saving tips!
Whether you are currently dealing with the loss of a loved one, caring for an aging parent, or own a business or have children and need to be ready for the future, a new free resource, A Guide to Financial Decisions: Implementing an End-of-Life Plan, will identify many of the issues, decisions and programs of which you should be aware, such as:
- Guardianship for Minor Children: Choosing the person who will care for your child if you are unable to do so is a critical decision for all parents. Learn why it’s important to name a guardian in a legally executed will or trust so that your children are cared for by the person you designate.
- Titles: Choosing the person to be the listed owner, or “title holder,” to your various assets, such as your home and financial accounts, is an important decision. Learn more about the steps to take to ensure that your wishes are known and respected.
- Life Insurance: One of the most common reasons for buying life insurance is to replace the loss of income that would occur in the event of your death. Learn about the common types of life insurance policies to ensure there are funds available to support your family in the case of your untimely death.
This guide, developed by certified public accountants, is the result of a vision brought to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants by Hospice of Michigan and the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants.
For more information, visit the 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy Web site.
Visit www.FeedthePig.org for more money-saving tips!
10 Things Your Lawyer Won't Tell You
Continuing its series of dirty little secrets of various industries and professions, Smart Money turns it attention to lawyers (and the things they don't want you to know).
Right-Wing Hatemongering Fueled by Christianity?
Former president Jimmy Carter went on the record to point out that he believes that racism is at the heart of the great deal of the extreme animosity being leveled at President Obama (NBC News September 15). Carter identified himself as a Southerner with an insider's understanding. There's something he didn't mention however: the special culpability of his own religion -- Evangelical Christianity -- for the anti-Obama hyperventilating and furious reaction to our first black president. And that reaction has less to do with race and more to do with the ugliest side of religion.
The fact is that if you're going to blame one group above all others for the willful ignorance and continuing ugliness of the response to President Obama the best candidate would be the evangelical/fundamentalist community. The angry part of the South Carter spoke of is racist because it's dominated by a certain type of "Christian" culture.
Since Carter is also an evangelical Christian (as well as a Southerner) he would have done well to use his evangelical insider status to point to not just racism but to scream bloody murder about a bigger problem today: the hijacking of Christianity as the source of the hate and anger directed against all things "other" by a vocal (and health care lobby-organized and funded) angry minority of voters who are poisoning the American body.
Read more
The fact is that if you're going to blame one group above all others for the willful ignorance and continuing ugliness of the response to President Obama the best candidate would be the evangelical/fundamentalist community. The angry part of the South Carter spoke of is racist because it's dominated by a certain type of "Christian" culture.
Since Carter is also an evangelical Christian (as well as a Southerner) he would have done well to use his evangelical insider status to point to not just racism but to scream bloody murder about a bigger problem today: the hijacking of Christianity as the source of the hate and anger directed against all things "other" by a vocal (and health care lobby-organized and funded) angry minority of voters who are poisoning the American body.
Read more
The Truelove
The Truelove
There is a faith in loving fiercely
the one who is rightfully yours,
especially if you have
waited years and especially
if part of you never believed
you could deserve this
loved and beckoning hand
held out to you this way.
I am thinking of faith now
and the testaments of loneliness
and what we feel we are
worthy of in this world.
Years ago in the Hebrides
I remember an old man
who walked every morning
on the grey stones
to the shore of the baying seals,
who would press his hat
to his chest in the blustering
salt wind and say his prayer
to the turbulent Jesus
hidden in the water,
and I think of the story
of the storm and everyone
waking and seeing
the distant
yet familiar figure
far across the water
calling to them,
and how we are all
preparing for that
abrupt waking,
and that calling,
and that moment
we have to say yes,
except it will
not come so grandly,
so Biblically,
but more subtly
and intimately in the face
of the one you know
you have to love,
so that when we finally step out of the boat
toward them, we find
everything holds
us, and confirms
our courage, and if you wanted
to drown you could,
but you don’t
because finally
after all the struggle
and all the years,
you don’t want to any more,
you’ve simply had enough
of drowning
and you want to live and you
want to love and you will
walk across any territory
and any darkness,
however fluid and however
dangerous, to take the
one hand you know
belongs in yours.
~ David Whyte ~
There is a faith in loving fiercely
the one who is rightfully yours,
especially if you have
waited years and especially
if part of you never believed
you could deserve this
loved and beckoning hand
held out to you this way.
I am thinking of faith now
and the testaments of loneliness
and what we feel we are
worthy of in this world.
Years ago in the Hebrides
I remember an old man
who walked every morning
on the grey stones
to the shore of the baying seals,
who would press his hat
to his chest in the blustering
salt wind and say his prayer
to the turbulent Jesus
hidden in the water,
and I think of the story
of the storm and everyone
waking and seeing
the distant
yet familiar figure
far across the water
calling to them,
and how we are all
preparing for that
abrupt waking,
and that calling,
and that moment
we have to say yes,
except it will
not come so grandly,
so Biblically,
but more subtly
and intimately in the face
of the one you know
you have to love,
so that when we finally step out of the boat
toward them, we find
everything holds
us, and confirms
our courage, and if you wanted
to drown you could,
but you don’t
because finally
after all the struggle
and all the years,
you don’t want to any more,
you’ve simply had enough
of drowning
and you want to live and you
want to love and you will
walk across any territory
and any darkness,
however fluid and however
dangerous, to take the
one hand you know
belongs in yours.
~ David Whyte ~
Astronomers Find Coldest, Driest, Calmest Place On Earth
The search for the best observatory site in the world has lead to the discovery of what is thought to be the coldest, driest, calmest place on Earth. No human is thought to have ever been there but it is expected to yield images of the heavens three times sharper than any ever taken from the ground.
Read more
Read more
Another Blonde Joke
Labels:
Humor
This blonde was really down on her luck, needed some big time cash quick so she decided that she was going to have to become a kidnapper.
She goes to a playground and grabs a ten year old boy. Then she writes out the ransom note, saying...
"I've kidnapped your son. Place ten thousand dollars in small bills in a paper bag and place it under the slide at the playground by 9 tomorrow morning."
....signed, "The Blonde Kidnapper"
She pins the ransom note to the boy's shirt and sends him home.
The next morning she shows up at the playground shortly after 9, and sure enough there's a paper bag under the slide. She opens the bag containing the ten thousand in cash and a note:
"How could you do such a thing to another blonde!?!"
She goes to a playground and grabs a ten year old boy. Then she writes out the ransom note, saying...
"I've kidnapped your son. Place ten thousand dollars in small bills in a paper bag and place it under the slide at the playground by 9 tomorrow morning."
....signed, "The Blonde Kidnapper"
She pins the ransom note to the boy's shirt and sends him home.
The next morning she shows up at the playground shortly after 9, and sure enough there's a paper bag under the slide. She opens the bag containing the ten thousand in cash and a note:
"How could you do such a thing to another blonde!?!"
Terror Suspect Was 'The Donut Guy'
It's enough to make you paranoid: The friendly vendor who hands you coffee every morning just the way you like it and sports a "God Bless America" sign on his cart could be apparently plotting to kill as many of your neighbors as possible in a massive terror attack. The New York Times offers up an early portrait of Najibullah Zazi, the 24-year-old Afghan immigrant who prosecutors accused this week of training with Al Qaeda in Pakistan and conspiring to launch a bombing attack in America using beauty supplies. According to the Times, Zazi was raised in Queens, where he was known growing up for his love of Islam and basketball. He struggled in high school and dropped out to help his father make money, eventually working as a vendor cart operator in Lower Manhattan. "He was a dumb kid, believe me," one older relative told the Times. "He was well-spoken," one customer told the Times. "He always said good morning to everyone. He used to memorize what everyone needed in the morning."
Read more
Read more
Old is just Old - Old is not Dumb!
Labels:
Humor
A strong young man at a construction site was bragging that he could out-do anyone in a feat of strength. He made a special case of making fun of one of the older workmen.
After several minutes, the older worker had enough.
'Why don't you put your money where your mouth is,' he said. 'I'll bet a week's wages that I Can haul something in a wheelbarrow over to that building that you won't be able to wheel back.'
'You're on, old man,' the braggart replied. 'Let's see you do it.'
The old man reached out and grabbed the wheelbarrow by the handles.
Then, nodding to the young man, he said, 'All right, Dumb guy , get in.
After several minutes, the older worker had enough.
'Why don't you put your money where your mouth is,' he said. 'I'll bet a week's wages that I Can haul something in a wheelbarrow over to that building that you won't be able to wheel back.'
'You're on, old man,' the braggart replied. 'Let's see you do it.'
The old man reached out and grabbed the wheelbarrow by the handles.
Then, nodding to the young man, he said, 'All right, Dumb guy , get in.
Bob Dylan to release Christmas album; donates royalties to World Food Program
International royalties from Bob Dylan's first Christmas album will be donated to the World Food Program to feed hungry people around the world, the U.N. agency announced Thursday.
"Christmas in the Heart" will be released Oct. 13, Columbia Records has said.
Every 25 cents that goes to the World Food Program can buy a cup of porridge for a school child at a time when hunger threatens the lives of 108 million people worldwide, said Josette Sheeran, the U.N. agency's executive director.
Dylan had previously announced that U.S. royalties would go to the American organization Feeding America. It is estimated that will help feed 1.4 million U.S. families during the holidays.
Read more
"Christmas in the Heart" will be released Oct. 13, Columbia Records has said.
Every 25 cents that goes to the World Food Program can buy a cup of porridge for a school child at a time when hunger threatens the lives of 108 million people worldwide, said Josette Sheeran, the U.N. agency's executive director.
Dylan had previously announced that U.S. royalties would go to the American organization Feeding America. It is estimated that will help feed 1.4 million U.S. families during the holidays.
Read more
Nintendo to cut price on Wii to $200
The game console maker hopes to drive holiday sales with the 20% reduction, which comes after Sony trims the price on its PlayStation 3 and Microsoft issues a rebate on its Xbox 360 Elite.
Read more
Read more
$10 toy hamster might be holiday seasons big hit
The nation's biggest toy-store chain is placing its holiday bets — and because the stakes are high, the prices are lower.
If Toys R Us' testing is any indication, a $10 toy hamster might be a runaway hit.
Chief Merchandising Officer Karen Dodge said her staff of buyers spends the better part of the year mulling what will be the top toys for gift-giving. Some they test in small markets and gauge consumers reaction.
"We get the read on that, extrapolate, and go from there," she said. This year, for example, they tested Zhu Zhu Hamsters — the interactive squeaking toy rodents — in Arizona. They sold out, Dodge said.
Toys R Us' holiday hot list of toys it plans to heavily promote and stock this year, released Thursday, features just a handful of toys over $100.
Read more
If Toys R Us' testing is any indication, a $10 toy hamster might be a runaway hit.
Chief Merchandising Officer Karen Dodge said her staff of buyers spends the better part of the year mulling what will be the top toys for gift-giving. Some they test in small markets and gauge consumers reaction.
"We get the read on that, extrapolate, and go from there," she said. This year, for example, they tested Zhu Zhu Hamsters — the interactive squeaking toy rodents — in Arizona. They sold out, Dodge said.
Toys R Us' holiday hot list of toys it plans to heavily promote and stock this year, released Thursday, features just a handful of toys over $100.
Read more
Co-workers discover they are brothers
For weeks, Randy Joubert and Gary Nisbet laughed off customers’ comments that the two furniture deliverymen looked similar enough to be brothers.
It wouldn’t be long before fate would prove the old adage, the customer is always right.
Joubert said something in him clicked after yet another customer asked the same question during a routine delivery in late August.
Prefacing his line of questioning with the statement, “Don’t think I’m weird,” Joubert asked his co-worker a few pointed questions based on names and dates gleaned from his own adoption records.
Seconds later, Joubert realized that the man who had been on the other end of countless couches, mattresses and recliners since July wasn’t just a co-worker. Nisbet was the long-lost brother for whom he had been searching.
Read more
It wouldn’t be long before fate would prove the old adage, the customer is always right.
Joubert said something in him clicked after yet another customer asked the same question during a routine delivery in late August.
Prefacing his line of questioning with the statement, “Don’t think I’m weird,” Joubert asked his co-worker a few pointed questions based on names and dates gleaned from his own adoption records.
Seconds later, Joubert realized that the man who had been on the other end of countless couches, mattresses and recliners since July wasn’t just a co-worker. Nisbet was the long-lost brother for whom he had been searching.
Read more
Apple Crisp
Labels:
recipes
Prep Time:15 min
Start to Finish:50 min
makes:8 servings (about 2/3 cup each)
6 cups sliced unpeeled cooking apples (6 medium)
1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup Gold Medal® whole wheat flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter or no-trans-fat 68% vegetable oil spread stick, softened
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Reduced-fat vanilla ice cream, if desired
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix apples, apple juice concentrate and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon until well mixed. Spread in baking dish.
2. In same medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle over apples.
3. Bake uncovered 25 to 35 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. Serve with ice cream.
Banks fight to kill proposed consumer protection agency
If you doubt that U.S. banks long to return to the days of impotent regulation, you need only look at one of the financial sector's top legislative priorities: killing a proposed new agency that would be dedicated solely to protecting consumers' financial interests.
The Obama administration is asking Congress to create a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency to regulate consumer financial products ranging from credit cards to mortgages, and to simplify disclosure about them all.
Though virtually every cause of the nation's recent financial crisis was rooted in weak consumer protection, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is leading the fight against the proposed agency on grounds that it would make credit less available and more costly. The American Bankers Association, the Independent Community Bankers of America, and the Financial Services Roundtable also oppose the measure.
"We have no argument that regulation failed. Consumer protection is just one of the many areas where it fell down," said David Hirschmann, the president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Center for Capital Markets, which opposes the panel. "It just simply adds a new layer of regulation without fixing . . . our outdated, broken regulatory structure that was a contributing factor in our crisis."
The Chamber said it's spending about $2 million on ads, educational efforts and a grassroots campaign to kill the agency. It said that the grassroots effort has led to more than 23,000 letters sent to Congress to date.
Read more
The Obama administration is asking Congress to create a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency to regulate consumer financial products ranging from credit cards to mortgages, and to simplify disclosure about them all.
Though virtually every cause of the nation's recent financial crisis was rooted in weak consumer protection, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is leading the fight against the proposed agency on grounds that it would make credit less available and more costly. The American Bankers Association, the Independent Community Bankers of America, and the Financial Services Roundtable also oppose the measure.
"We have no argument that regulation failed. Consumer protection is just one of the many areas where it fell down," said David Hirschmann, the president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Center for Capital Markets, which opposes the panel. "It just simply adds a new layer of regulation without fixing . . . our outdated, broken regulatory structure that was a contributing factor in our crisis."
The Chamber said it's spending about $2 million on ads, educational efforts and a grassroots campaign to kill the agency. It said that the grassroots effort has led to more than 23,000 letters sent to Congress to date.
Read more
Friday, September 25, 2009
Today's Quote
Labels:
Today's Quote
"The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire."
— Ferdinand Foch: Was Commander in Chief of Allied armies during WWI
— Ferdinand Foch: Was Commander in Chief of Allied armies during WWI
Witness: Census worker’s body found naked, bound, gagged
The Associated Press reported on Friday evening that according to a witness, the Kentucky teacher and part-time census worker who was found dead and with a rope around his neck in a remote area of a national forest on September 12 was also naked, bound, and gagged when his body was discovered.
Jerry Weaver was attending a family reunion when he and a group of relatives went to visit family graves at a cemetery in the forest and found the body of Bill Sparkman.
Read more
Jerry Weaver was attending a family reunion when he and a group of relatives went to visit family graves at a cemetery in the forest and found the body of Bill Sparkman.
Read more
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Today's Quote
Labels:
Today's Quote
We can always choose to perceive things differently. You can focus on what's wrong in life, or you can focus on what's right."
- Marianne Williams
- Marianne Williams
Top 25 Censored Stories for 2010
From Project Censored where you will find a link to each of the stories listed.
* 1. US Congress Sells Out to Wall Street
* 2. US Schools are More Segregated Today than in the 1950s
* 3. Toxic Waste Behind Somali Pirates
* 4. Nuclear Waste Pools in North Carolina
* 5. Europe Blocks US Toxic Products
* 6. Lobbyists Buy Congress
* 7. Obama’s Military Appointments Have Corrupt Past
* 8. Bailed out Banks and America’s Wealthiest Cheat IRS Out of Billions
* 9. US Arms Used for War Crimes in Gaza
* 10. Ecuador Declares Foreign Debt Illegitimate
* 11. Private Corporations Profit from the Occupation of Palestine
* 12. Mysterious Death of Mike Connell—Karl Rove’s Election Thief
* 13. Katrina’s Hidden Race War
* 14. Congress Invested in Defense Contracts
* 15. World Bank’s Carbon Trade Fiasco
* 16. US Repression of Haiti Continues
* 17. The ICC Facilitates US Covert War in Sudan
* 18. Ecuador’s Constitutional Rights of Nature
* 19. Bank Bailout Recipients Spent to Defeat Labor
* 20. Secret Control of the Presidential Debates
* 21. Recession Causes States to Cut Welfare
* 22. Obama’s Trilateral Commission Team
* 23. Activists Slam World Water Forum as a Corporate-Driven Fraud
* 24. Dollar Glut Finances US Military Expansion
* 25. Fast Track Oil Exploitation in Western Amazon
* 1. US Congress Sells Out to Wall Street
* 2. US Schools are More Segregated Today than in the 1950s
* 3. Toxic Waste Behind Somali Pirates
* 4. Nuclear Waste Pools in North Carolina
* 5. Europe Blocks US Toxic Products
* 6. Lobbyists Buy Congress
* 7. Obama’s Military Appointments Have Corrupt Past
* 8. Bailed out Banks and America’s Wealthiest Cheat IRS Out of Billions
* 9. US Arms Used for War Crimes in Gaza
* 10. Ecuador Declares Foreign Debt Illegitimate
* 11. Private Corporations Profit from the Occupation of Palestine
* 12. Mysterious Death of Mike Connell—Karl Rove’s Election Thief
* 13. Katrina’s Hidden Race War
* 14. Congress Invested in Defense Contracts
* 15. World Bank’s Carbon Trade Fiasco
* 16. US Repression of Haiti Continues
* 17. The ICC Facilitates US Covert War in Sudan
* 18. Ecuador’s Constitutional Rights of Nature
* 19. Bank Bailout Recipients Spent to Defeat Labor
* 20. Secret Control of the Presidential Debates
* 21. Recession Causes States to Cut Welfare
* 22. Obama’s Trilateral Commission Team
* 23. Activists Slam World Water Forum as a Corporate-Driven Fraud
* 24. Dollar Glut Finances US Military Expansion
* 25. Fast Track Oil Exploitation in Western Amazon
Beatles sell 2.25 million re-released albums in 5 days
Nearly 40 years after breaking up, The Beatles are still breaking records for album sales.
EMI Group PLC says consumers in North America, Japan and the U.K. bought more than 2.25 million copies of the Fab Four's re-mastered albums in the first five days after their Sept. 9 release.
Read more
EMI Group PLC says consumers in North America, Japan and the U.K. bought more than 2.25 million copies of the Fab Four's re-mastered albums in the first five days after their Sept. 9 release.
Read more