In hope for those who fight for their lives.
In memorium for those who have lost the battle.
Showing posts with label PSA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PSA. Show all posts
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
~Fair Warning~
If you lurk without commenting, I shall send my Pirate friends after you, and I've got lots of them. If you are a Pirate, I shall send my secret Ninja. 
Shyness isn't paid, tipped or tolerated and opinions are like belly buttons; everybody's got one, so leave yours before you wander off.
Thank you.
HRH
Monday, October 11, 2010
When Will We Ever Learn
California isn't in a golden state, when it comes to hitting the books. TIME did a story on several teachers in several towns who are paying for their own supplies and going to every creative and extreme measure they can imagine, in order to come up with not only the tools they need to teach, but even basics like pencils and paper to run the classroom and their own vacuums to keep it clean. Almost $17 billion was cut from California's education system in the last 2 years. $17 BILLION.
That is an appalling number.
When teachers resort to cleaning their own classrooms after a day of teaching because the janitorial staff has been let go or had hours cut back, when they have paper curtains held together with duct tape, when they have to have car washes or bake sales to raise money for supplies and go to garage sales to come up with tools to teach children, things have gone severely wrong. This state of affairs isn't isolated to California; it's happening all over our country.
Where is this train wreck headed?
What happens to the most powerful nation in the world when the bulk of the children who will run it in varying positions and degrees in 3 decades have almost no education? Even now, the national rate of high school dropouts is stunning - Diplomas Count showed statistics at 68.8% graduation rate in 2007. There is no indication that it has improved since then.
This is not an issue.
This is a crisis that needs immediate attention and change. It is not only crucial on an individual level for each student that loses the opportunity to reach their full potential through better education, but that domino effect winds it's way up through the community into a national level and then it affects the world. If the U.S. does not have citizens with the knowledge to further this nation in every capacity then it falls behind other nations and a sociological revolution becomes probable, if history is any indication at all.
Knowledge is indeed power. Without it, we are crippling our future, the future of our nation, and the delicate balance of relations with the nations we share this world with.
I saw a bumper sticker once that said, "The world will be a better place when our schools have all the money they need and the military has to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber."
If only.
It is not with power in might that we could reach unimaginable realities, but with minds fueled by knowledge that have the capability of attaining limitless possibility.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
For The Love Of Chocolate
*News Flash* from CNN:
It is believed that the daily consumption of moderate amounts of chocolate lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Chocolate is good for your heart!
It is believed that the daily consumption of moderate amounts of chocolate lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.
It is further suggested that eating a little chocolate (dark moreso than milk and not white at all), will lower high blood pressure. 
This makes sense to me, because eating chocolate releases endorphins which produce a pleasureable feeling. High blood pressure has no chance of survival when immersed in absolute pleasure. That's the law.
"The good news is that chocolate is not as bad as we used to think, and may even lower the risk of heart disease and stroke," says Buijsse. "The bad news, at least for some of us, is that the amounts that are needed to benefit from these effects appear to be quite low."
That last part is bad news, but the good part is that it's important to eat chocolate to have a strong, healthy heart. I love this news. Most things are good in moderation. So please, endulge a little every day and treat your body to a real treat!
Bon Apetit!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Healthy & Wise
It seems standard fare that at the beginning of a New Year we tend to focus on revising ourselves and our lives. A new us, a new direction, new ideas... a fresh start.
Here's some food for thought, so to speak.
Think about all of the products that you use on your body every day, from the moment your feet hit the floor until you go to bed. Toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, lotion, cleanser, shaving cream, perfume or cologne, make-up, nail polish/polish remover, hair styling products, and on and on.
Fact: Everything we put on our bodies penetrates through our skin, nails and hair and is absorbed into our bloodstreams, spreading to every part of our bodies.
Now... think about all of the chemicals that are in each of those products, not only as a hazard unto themselves, but when combined with all of the other chemicals from the myriad of products we use; the thought of that fusion is quite disconcerting.
Not sure what those chemicals with a mile-long name are? Not sure what their effects on the body are? Check out this data base that will clear the air for you:
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php
Enter your favorite products in the search box and it will show you on a scale of 1-10 just how toxic the ingredients of that product are to you. Underneath that, it will list all of the ingredients and tell you how each one is harmful to you and whether or not they are carcinogens, among several other dangerous health concerns.
I started searching for products I use in the "zero" category.
This new year has found me restocking *everything* in my bathroom cabinets and kitchen sink cupboards.
Wishing good health to you and yours.
Here's some food for thought, so to speak.
Think about all of the products that you use on your body every day, from the moment your feet hit the floor until you go to bed. Toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, lotion, cleanser, shaving cream, perfume or cologne, make-up, nail polish/polish remover, hair styling products, and on and on.
Fact: Everything we put on our bodies penetrates through our skin, nails and hair and is absorbed into our bloodstreams, spreading to every part of our bodies.
Now... think about all of the chemicals that are in each of those products, not only as a hazard unto themselves, but when combined with all of the other chemicals from the myriad of products we use; the thought of that fusion is quite disconcerting.
Not sure what those chemicals with a mile-long name are? Not sure what their effects on the body are? Check out this data base that will clear the air for you:
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php
Enter your favorite products in the search box and it will show you on a scale of 1-10 just how toxic the ingredients of that product are to you. Underneath that, it will list all of the ingredients and tell you how each one is harmful to you and whether or not they are carcinogens, among several other dangerous health concerns.
I started searching for products I use in the "zero" category.
This new year has found me restocking *everything* in my bathroom cabinets and kitchen sink cupboards.
Wishing good health to you and yours.
Monday, January 18, 2010
The Day Of Dreams ~ Dream Of Change
It is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a day that I look forward to every year as 'The Day of Dreams'. Every year I write a message that is sent out to many. I write about life, dreams, hope, perseverance, faith, and love.
This year, we look to the future. "Dream of Change". It's poignant for many reasons. We've put a black man in the oval office; he dreams of change. He's doing his best to make that happen, but it's a long, tough road. It will come, but not overnight. Not in a year. It will happen, though. I believe that.
When I dream of change, it is on every level. I look for change in my own life, day to day, as I strive to become what I want to be. I look for change in those areas of my life in which I have some personal touch or effect. I watch the horizon for change in my community, my city, state, and this great nation. I pray for change in the world.
I posted Dion's "Abraham, Martin & John" today. It’s such a beautiful song; one worth singing, if you believe what you sing. These men believed in change, and worked hard to bring it about. Mahatma Gandhi believed that we must be the change that we wish to see in the world. Mother Theresa changed the lives of many thousands of others, through her work & faith. The history of humanity is interwoven with the lives of people whose mission in life was to change the world we live in, because it is not what it should be, it is not at all the place that it could be if we all only tried like these few brilliant and peaceful guiding lights did.
On every level, every day, we have the opportunity to change this world, to change the way we live, the way we allow our society to live, and to make it right. We have the chance to love, every day.
These very good, strong people who've come and been taken away from us all too soon, are giants upon whose shoulders we stand. They've given all of us a better world, better in small pieces, in some places, and they've given us ideals to build upon and improve. They are the brightest stars in the dark night of the worst of humanity, and by reaching beyond what we believed; they have shown us what we could be, if we wanted to change. They have given us hope for something better than what we know.
We turn away from the chance to love others and change ourselves and our world much too often. We do not take up the torch that has been passed to us, that was so hard won. Would Dr. King be proud of where we've gone with his legacy? His dreams? I don't think so.
Racism is still rampant throughout the world. Hatred. Violence. Intolerance. War is still waged. We will never find peace if we do not act in love. Nothing else can bring it about... nothing else will make it change.
Dr. King's dreams are much more of a reality than they were, not because he fought with anger or violence for them, but because he protested in love and honesty; with integrity and righteousness. We all have that capability, if we so choose to live it.
This year, we look to the future. "Dream of Change". It's poignant for many reasons. We've put a black man in the oval office; he dreams of change. He's doing his best to make that happen, but it's a long, tough road. It will come, but not overnight. Not in a year. It will happen, though. I believe that.
When I dream of change, it is on every level. I look for change in my own life, day to day, as I strive to become what I want to be. I look for change in those areas of my life in which I have some personal touch or effect. I watch the horizon for change in my community, my city, state, and this great nation. I pray for change in the world.
I posted Dion's "Abraham, Martin & John" today. It’s such a beautiful song; one worth singing, if you believe what you sing. These men believed in change, and worked hard to bring it about. Mahatma Gandhi believed that we must be the change that we wish to see in the world. Mother Theresa changed the lives of many thousands of others, through her work & faith. The history of humanity is interwoven with the lives of people whose mission in life was to change the world we live in, because it is not what it should be, it is not at all the place that it could be if we all only tried like these few brilliant and peaceful guiding lights did.
On every level, every day, we have the opportunity to change this world, to change the way we live, the way we allow our society to live, and to make it right. We have the chance to love, every day.
These very good, strong people who've come and been taken away from us all too soon, are giants upon whose shoulders we stand. They've given all of us a better world, better in small pieces, in some places, and they've given us ideals to build upon and improve. They are the brightest stars in the dark night of the worst of humanity, and by reaching beyond what we believed; they have shown us what we could be, if we wanted to change. They have given us hope for something better than what we know.
We turn away from the chance to love others and change ourselves and our world much too often. We do not take up the torch that has been passed to us, that was so hard won. Would Dr. King be proud of where we've gone with his legacy? His dreams? I don't think so.
Racism is still rampant throughout the world. Hatred. Violence. Intolerance. War is still waged. We will never find peace if we do not act in love. Nothing else can bring it about... nothing else will make it change.
Dr. King's dreams are much more of a reality than they were, not because he fought with anger or violence for them, but because he protested in love and honesty; with integrity and righteousness. We all have that capability, if we so choose to live it.
I ask this of you: find the change in yourselves, and make it a lifestyle. Continue to love what is right, what is good, what is equal and strong, what grows and blesses all of us. Do not speak or act out of anything but love. Treat those around you with kindness and compassion; always. We can make this dream of change, this dream of a peaceful, fair and equal humanity, our own reality, if we choose to have it so.
Peace be with you.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Of Murderers and Journalism
Obituary:
On Friday, February 27th, 2009, the Rocky Mountain News closed down. 55 days shy of 150 years of publishing, connecting citizens throughout Colorado and the world. 200 jobs were lost; all of those people listed on the last page of the final printing of this legacy in journalism. A very black Friday indeed. I was lucky enough to have a brief bit of my own personal work published in that paper before its demise.
A Prominent and Proud Murderer Boasts:
U.S. Rep. Jared Polis.
"I have to say, that when we say, 'Who killed the Rocky Mountain News,' we're all part of it, for better or worse, and I argue it's mostly for the better," Polis said, "The media is dead, and long live the new media, which is all of us,". "Since we killed the newspapers" and "own the media," bloggers and citizen journalists have a responsibility.
"We can't just kill it and walk away," he said. "It's important for all of us to reach out to some of those . . . on the other side and present the progressive point of view," he said.
~reported by the Denver Post.
With an ironic twist and a back handed blow, Jared Polis denigrates the very form of media that defended his stance on education for minorities as recently as July 24th, 2008. I wonder what former "opinion columns and blogs" editor & author of that passionate defense for Polis, Vincent Carroll, thinks of Mr. Polis' limited perspective, now.
It's true that convergent journalism and media is the wave of the future in that field. I will be part of that, but I will not sell my soul to it as the solitary means of publishing news and maintaining communications between citizens of the world.
There is still a place for the format of media that is a foundation of the correspondence world we have now; newspapers. To state that it is "mostly for the better" that this printed legacy has met its dissolution is to wave away with indifference more than 150 years of hard work, sacrifice, truth, connection between people and the chronicles of humanity that lived every one of those days. How dare you callously disregard that rich endowment.
Your words are filled with shallow indifference, and are tossed out with irresponsible, mindless disdain.
You've qualified yourself (and the entire populace of humanity) as 'citizen journalists of the world'... and that is a slap in the face of the professionals who hold together the entire media industry. How dare you disrespect and dishonor every single one of those individuals.
Perhaps you think you have the education, tact, talent and time to produce the quality work that currently educates and informs the rest of the world. Judging by your ever-so-eloquent dismissal of the Rocky Mountain News, I'd say absolutely not. Your over-inflated confidence in the rest of the populace to produce responsible, unbiased, intelligible, accurate, timely, current news is not only entirely without base, it is unquestionably impossible. Best of luck with that whole notion.
Mr. Polis:
Do NOT make the careless libertine assumption that all bloggers and online media are responsible for the cessation of the Rocky Mountain News and all of its ilk. You have no right whatsoever to include anyone but yourself in your ridiculously stated position. I am a blogger. I am an online media journalist. I am an 'in print' media journalist. I am a citizen. I fit nicely into each and every single category that your verbal incompetence has encompassed.
I demand of you that you never assume that you may include me in your self-deprecating drivel. I give you neither license nor permission to name me or my work when you make thoughtless unsubstantiated statements about a subject that you very obviously know too little about. Next time you open your mouth, try to refer to only those people who actually stand with you in your transparent and flimsy ideals.
**Update**
Before I had the chance to publish this diatribe for you, Mr. Polis, I see that you've already come to the press that you so shamelessly flouted, to offer regrets for your mindless remarks and ideas... you must have a very good public relations agent. That's good, Mr. Polis, it's painfully obvious that you desperately need one.
On Friday, February 27th, 2009, the Rocky Mountain News closed down. 55 days shy of 150 years of publishing, connecting citizens throughout Colorado and the world. 200 jobs were lost; all of those people listed on the last page of the final printing of this legacy in journalism. A very black Friday indeed. I was lucky enough to have a brief bit of my own personal work published in that paper before its demise.
A Prominent and Proud Murderer Boasts:
U.S. Rep. Jared Polis.
"I have to say, that when we say, 'Who killed the Rocky Mountain News,' we're all part of it, for better or worse, and I argue it's mostly for the better," Polis said, "The media is dead, and long live the new media, which is all of us,". "Since we killed the newspapers" and "own the media," bloggers and citizen journalists have a responsibility.
"We can't just kill it and walk away," he said. "It's important for all of us to reach out to some of those . . . on the other side and present the progressive point of view," he said.
~reported by the Denver Post.
With an ironic twist and a back handed blow, Jared Polis denigrates the very form of media that defended his stance on education for minorities as recently as July 24th, 2008. I wonder what former "opinion columns and blogs" editor & author of that passionate defense for Polis, Vincent Carroll, thinks of Mr. Polis' limited perspective, now.
It's true that convergent journalism and media is the wave of the future in that field. I will be part of that, but I will not sell my soul to it as the solitary means of publishing news and maintaining communications between citizens of the world.
There is still a place for the format of media that is a foundation of the correspondence world we have now; newspapers. To state that it is "mostly for the better" that this printed legacy has met its dissolution is to wave away with indifference more than 150 years of hard work, sacrifice, truth, connection between people and the chronicles of humanity that lived every one of those days. How dare you callously disregard that rich endowment.
Your words are filled with shallow indifference, and are tossed out with irresponsible, mindless disdain.
You've qualified yourself (and the entire populace of humanity) as 'citizen journalists of the world'... and that is a slap in the face of the professionals who hold together the entire media industry. How dare you disrespect and dishonor every single one of those individuals.
Perhaps you think you have the education, tact, talent and time to produce the quality work that currently educates and informs the rest of the world. Judging by your ever-so-eloquent dismissal of the Rocky Mountain News, I'd say absolutely not. Your over-inflated confidence in the rest of the populace to produce responsible, unbiased, intelligible, accurate, timely, current news is not only entirely without base, it is unquestionably impossible. Best of luck with that whole notion.
Mr. Polis:
Do NOT make the careless libertine assumption that all bloggers and online media are responsible for the cessation of the Rocky Mountain News and all of its ilk. You have no right whatsoever to include anyone but yourself in your ridiculously stated position. I am a blogger. I am an online media journalist. I am an 'in print' media journalist. I am a citizen. I fit nicely into each and every single category that your verbal incompetence has encompassed.
I demand of you that you never assume that you may include me in your self-deprecating drivel. I give you neither license nor permission to name me or my work when you make thoughtless unsubstantiated statements about a subject that you very obviously know too little about. Next time you open your mouth, try to refer to only those people who actually stand with you in your transparent and flimsy ideals.
**Update**
Before I had the chance to publish this diatribe for you, Mr. Polis, I see that you've already come to the press that you so shamelessly flouted, to offer regrets for your mindless remarks and ideas... you must have a very good public relations agent. That's good, Mr. Polis, it's painfully obvious that you desperately need one.
Friday, November 21, 2008
A Little Good News
"Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are suspending all foreclosure sales of occupied homes during the holidays."
And just when I was wondering where the Spirit of Christmas had gone to...
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
We Have A Winner
HOPE
CHANGE
REBIRTH
VISION
UNITY
PROMISE
FAITH
FUTURE
DIVERSITY
EXCITEMENT
DREAMS
Congratulations, President Barack Obama!
God Bless America
Photos from Time and Chicago Tribune
CHANGE
REBIRTH
VISION
UNITY
PROMISE
FAITH
FUTURE
DIVERSITY
EXCITEMENT
DREAMS
Congratulations, President Barack Obama!
God Bless America
Photos from Time and Chicago Tribune
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Streets Paved In Poverty
Join Blog Action Day and be the difference that makes it change.
This is a special story about one man. Meet Jason.
Jason, like thousands of people across our country, is homeless. The day I visited with him, he was homeless in Santa Fe, sitting on the sidewalk on San Francisco street, just outside of a Starbucks coffee shop.
I was hurrying past him to go from one appointment to the next and I saw him out of the the corner of my eye, sitting there with his hand on the dogs leash, holding his guitar, staring at the sidewalk from under the low brim of his weathered hat.
I was compelled to stop. "What songs do you know?" I asked with a smile.
His voice was very quiet. "I just play my own stuff."
"Could I please buy a song from you, sir?" I knelt down before him.
He picked up his chin and his guitar, and played a tune for me. We visited for a while. He said he's been all over the country, from Florida to LA and the toughest part of being homeless is finding a dry place to stay.
The rain that has curled his hat has also washed the words off of his guitar, and his hopes and dreams right away with them.
How do you get up out of that hole? Where do you go from there?
On to the next town.
The road does not stop.
The problem of homelessness in this country does not stop.
There are efforts made here and there, by local churches, by independent groups and by individuals who want to make a difference, but it's like painting a house with an artists fine tipped paintbrush.
Our leaders have not yet found a solution to this issue, but some are trying. There must be more effort, more decision, more action to make it happen. If you live in the states, contact your leaders; your mayor, your city counsel people, your senator and your governor and tell them that this must change now. There are solutions for every situation that people are willing to change.
Someday your road will lead you home, Jason.
This is a special story about one man. Meet Jason.
Jason, like thousands of people across our country, is homeless. The day I visited with him, he was homeless in Santa Fe, sitting on the sidewalk on San Francisco street, just outside of a Starbucks coffee shop.
I was hurrying past him to go from one appointment to the next and I saw him out of the the corner of my eye, sitting there with his hand on the dogs leash, holding his guitar, staring at the sidewalk from under the low brim of his weathered hat.
I was compelled to stop. "What songs do you know?" I asked with a smile.
His voice was very quiet. "I just play my own stuff."
"Could I please buy a song from you, sir?" I knelt down before him.
He picked up his chin and his guitar, and played a tune for me. We visited for a while. He said he's been all over the country, from Florida to LA and the toughest part of being homeless is finding a dry place to stay.
The rain that has curled his hat has also washed the words off of his guitar, and his hopes and dreams right away with them.
How do you get up out of that hole? Where do you go from there?
On to the next town.
The road does not stop.
The problem of homelessness in this country does not stop.
There are efforts made here and there, by local churches, by independent groups and by individuals who want to make a difference, but it's like painting a house with an artists fine tipped paintbrush.
Our leaders have not yet found a solution to this issue, but some are trying. There must be more effort, more decision, more action to make it happen. If you live in the states, contact your leaders; your mayor, your city counsel people, your senator and your governor and tell them that this must change now. There are solutions for every situation that people are willing to change.
Someday your road will lead you home, Jason.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Blog Action Day ~ 2008
Blog Action Day is on October 15th. The topic this year is POVERTY.
This is a very serious world wide issue and it should not be overlooked.
It knows no borders
It knows no time
It knows no ethnicity
It knows no religion
It knows no age
It knows no gender
Poverty knows pain
Poverty knows suffering
Poverty knows sickness
Poverty knows desperation
Poverty knows hopelessness
Poverty knows death
Poverty knows humanity
WE ARE HUMANITY
We can make the difference, if we choose to do it.
Join Blog Action Day and be the difference that makes it change.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Sign O' The Times
Mostly Wordless Wednesday:
Clipped this coupon out of the phone book. Totally legit...
BWAH?!!!!
Clipped this coupon out of the phone book. Totally legit...
BWAH?!!!!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Ladies Choice ~ A Womans Right To Vote In America
Eighty-eight years ago, after long angry battles that raged, arrests, tortured incarcerations, marches, picket lines and a war for equality that drew blood and the attention of the nation, women finally won the right to vote.
HBO created a movie about the women who fought so tirelessly so that all the generations of women after them could have a voice... could live in a society of equality... it's a tough movie to watch, to realize what was sacrificed so that women could step behind the curtain and exercise their choice... their right to vote, to change the nation and the future of our country. I absolutely recommend this Hilary Swank gem: Iron Jawed Angels
Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady StantonBoth of these ladies worked incessantly to get the vote, and both passed away before their dreams were realized.
~Alice Paul~
Lucretia Mott
~Lucy Burns~
“Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that 'twixt the Negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what's all this here talking about? That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?
Then they talk about this thing in the head; what's this they call it? [member of audience whispers, "intellect"] That's it, honey. What's that got to do with women's rights or Negroes' rights? If my cup won't hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?
Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him.
If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it. The men better let them.
Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old Sojourner ain't got nothing more to say.”
--Sojourner Truth
Whether you vote Democrat, Republican or Independent...
GET OUT AND VOTE
The right to do so was not given freely, it was hard fought and hard won by the blood and tears of our foremothers.
Make their sacrifices and dreams count.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Watching Whale Rights
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has filed an environmental impact statement in an attempt to facilitate the reduction of occurrences of ships striking the endangered species of right whales in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Let's start with the most significant piece of information: there are about 300 right whales left in the world.
The major east coast shipping lanes cross the migration route of the whales (a slow moving species) and a few times a year, ships collide with the whales, killing them.
NOAA is requesting the implementation of a law that would require ships traveling within 20 nautical miles of the coast, in the specific areas of natural habitat for the right whales, to reduce their speed to 10 knots.
Think school zone.
Slow down to protect those who are naive to the possibility of danger.
This will have a financial impact on the ships; it will increase their cost due to time constraints. This is what we call an opportunity cost, in economics. There are sacrifices to be made, and this is one that absolutely should be made. It is the noble endeavor to save and protect a species that has no knowledge of the threat of it's demise.
We are duty bound and morally obligated to do it.
NOAA is accepting comments about this possible change until September 29th, 2008.
If you feel at all compelled to make your voice heard, I urge you to contribute your opinion. Make your thoughts and concerns known to those who can make a difference.
NOAA's environmental impact statement
NOAA's website
To email your comments: shipstrike.EIS@noaa.gov Tell them what you think!
CNN's coverage of this story
Thanks to NOAA for the whale images, except the first image which is AP.
Let's start with the most significant piece of information: there are about 300 right whales left in the world.
The major east coast shipping lanes cross the migration route of the whales (a slow moving species) and a few times a year, ships collide with the whales, killing them.NOAA is requesting the implementation of a law that would require ships traveling within 20 nautical miles of the coast, in the specific areas of natural habitat for the right whales, to reduce their speed to 10 knots.
Think school zone.
Slow down to protect those who are naive to the possibility of danger.
This will have a financial impact on the ships; it will increase their cost due to time constraints. This is what we call an opportunity cost, in economics. There are sacrifices to be made, and this is one that absolutely should be made. It is the noble endeavor to save and protect a species that has no knowledge of the threat of it's demise. 
We are duty bound and morally obligated to do it.
NOAA is accepting comments about this possible change until September 29th, 2008.
If you feel at all compelled to make your voice heard, I urge you to contribute your opinion. Make your thoughts and concerns known to those who can make a difference.
NOAA's environmental impact statement
NOAA's website
To email your comments: shipstrike.EIS@noaa.gov Tell them what you think!
CNN's coverage of this story
Thanks to NOAA for the whale images, except the first image which is AP.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Cuil New Things
I am a seriously devoted Google user. I love Google.
But... not everyone does. Some of the Google team left that company to start their own search engine site:
Welcome Cuil.com (pronounced 'cool')... this would appear to be the antithesis of Google. Its home page is black, and its approach is different in that the results of your search are organized by ideas, and they guarantee user privacy. They offer 120 billion pages through which to search.
Maybe they can help me find...
But... not everyone does. Some of the Google team left that company to start their own search engine site:
Welcome Cuil.com (pronounced 'cool')... this would appear to be the antithesis of Google. Its home page is black, and its approach is different in that the results of your search are organized by ideas, and they guarantee user privacy. They offer 120 billion pages through which to search.
Maybe they can help me find...
Friday, August 1, 2008
Cardinal Rules V
It has come to my attention that we need to review the rules.
Not regular rules, which are meant to be bent, broken, twisted and otherwise tossed aside with scandalous disregard, but Cardinal Rules. Guidelines and standards by which we live, and which are never, ever broken.
In order to provide an all encompassing and comprehensive list, I have requested the assistance of four incomparable women who are wise, witty, experienced, strong, open minded and walk through each day with humor and a good woman's grace.
Welcome to Minx of The Inner Minx, Sognatrice of Bleeding Espresso, Heart of Guilty With an Explanation, and Vanilla of Absolute Vanilla. Thank you for your assistance ladies, I couldn't have designed a better team to produce these essential life rules.
We will feature each ladies Cardinal Rules for one day this week.
Cardinal Rules
Scarlett's Cardinal Rules:
~ Thou shalt not hate. No good comes of it, which consequently makes it a monumental waste.
~Be honest, kind and patient
~We are not as good as we could be; strive to be a better person and leave this world a better place for your having passed through it, EVERY single day. We are part of everyone and everything around us, build and grow within it.
~When you're wrong, say so, and apologize sincerely - repaired bridges will last decades longer than weak and broken ones
~Do not judge... lest ye be judged
~Forgive. Remember the lesson, and grow from it, but forgive
~Treat others with dignity and respect
~When you give your word, stand by it and make its worth good
~Always have dreams... they may change over time, but always have dreams
~Don't pass up opportunities to close your eyes and make a wish
~When you can help, do. There is no excuse to walk away from need when you can make a difference
~Don't assume anything; ask and be certain
~LISTEN with everything in you
~Never, ever ask a man how you look unless he's gay. - Straight men don't look at clothes, they look at where the clothes stop and the skin begins. If they have a 'vested intimate interest' in you, you are not going to get an honest answer. The only straight men who have any fashion sense at all are Metrosexual and they are in short order; if you find one, keep him in whatever capacity you can get him (preferably friends). This is what your girlfriends are for; your good close girlfriends who would tell you if you had broccoli in your teeth and if your outfit is NOT flattering.
~Let the people that you care about know just how much they mean to you - you don't know how much time you have left with them
~Laugh a lot; laughter is the rainbow that pushes the clouds away
~Hold hands; there isn't anything we can't get through when we have a hand to hold along the way
~There are times when one must splurge, life is too short for permanent practicality
~Be daring whenever possible -it broadens horizons, and you will miss less of life
~Explore what you do not understand until you do understand it, even if you disagree
~Look closely at who and what is beneath the surface, and you will always be surprised one way or the other
~Time is the most precious gift and commodity that we are ever given; how you spend it absolutely defines who and what you are
Thank you Heart, Minx, Vanilla and Sognatrice for your help on this project, it's been so fun and a very good review!
Not regular rules, which are meant to be bent, broken, twisted and otherwise tossed aside with scandalous disregard, but Cardinal Rules. Guidelines and standards by which we live, and which are never, ever broken.
In order to provide an all encompassing and comprehensive list, I have requested the assistance of four incomparable women who are wise, witty, experienced, strong, open minded and walk through each day with humor and a good woman's grace.
Welcome to Minx of The Inner Minx, Sognatrice of Bleeding Espresso, Heart of Guilty With an Explanation, and Vanilla of Absolute Vanilla. Thank you for your assistance ladies, I couldn't have designed a better team to produce these essential life rules.
We will feature each ladies Cardinal Rules for one day this week.
Cardinal Rules
Scarlett's Cardinal Rules:
~ Thou shalt not hate. No good comes of it, which consequently makes it a monumental waste.
~Be honest, kind and patient
~We are not as good as we could be; strive to be a better person and leave this world a better place for your having passed through it, EVERY single day. We are part of everyone and everything around us, build and grow within it.
~When you're wrong, say so, and apologize sincerely - repaired bridges will last decades longer than weak and broken ones
~Do not judge... lest ye be judged
~Forgive. Remember the lesson, and grow from it, but forgive
~Treat others with dignity and respect
~When you give your word, stand by it and make its worth good
~Always have dreams... they may change over time, but always have dreams
~Don't pass up opportunities to close your eyes and make a wish
~When you can help, do. There is no excuse to walk away from need when you can make a difference
~Don't assume anything; ask and be certain
~LISTEN with everything in you
~Never, ever ask a man how you look unless he's gay. - Straight men don't look at clothes, they look at where the clothes stop and the skin begins. If they have a 'vested intimate interest' in you, you are not going to get an honest answer. The only straight men who have any fashion sense at all are Metrosexual and they are in short order; if you find one, keep him in whatever capacity you can get him (preferably friends). This is what your girlfriends are for; your good close girlfriends who would tell you if you had broccoli in your teeth and if your outfit is NOT flattering.
~Let the people that you care about know just how much they mean to you - you don't know how much time you have left with them
~Laugh a lot; laughter is the rainbow that pushes the clouds away
~Hold hands; there isn't anything we can't get through when we have a hand to hold along the way
~There are times when one must splurge, life is too short for permanent practicality
~Be daring whenever possible -it broadens horizons, and you will miss less of life
~Explore what you do not understand until you do understand it, even if you disagree
~Look closely at who and what is beneath the surface, and you will always be surprised one way or the other
~Time is the most precious gift and commodity that we are ever given; how you spend it absolutely defines who and what you are
Thank you Heart, Minx, Vanilla and Sognatrice for your help on this project, it's been so fun and a very good review!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Cardinal Rules IV
It has come to my attention that we need to review the rules.
Not regular rules, which are meant to be bent, broken, twisted and otherwise tossed aside with scandalous disregard, but Cardinal Rules. Guidelines and standards by which we live, and which are never, ever broken.
In order to provide an all encompassing and comprehensive list, I have requested the assistance of four incomparable women who are wise, witty, experienced, strong, open minded and walk through each day with humor and a good woman's grace.
Welcome to Minx of The Inner Minx, Sognatrice of Bleeding Espresso, Heart of Guilty With an Explanation, and Vanilla of Absolute Vanilla. Thank you for your assistance ladies, I couldn't have designed a better team to produce these essential life rules.
We will feature each ladies Cardinal Rules for one day this week.
Cardinal Rules
Sognatrice's Cardinal Rules
Per Sognatrice's request, this is a second publishing of a post she wrote when she turned 31, and it's completely appropriate for this project. Thanks Sognatrice!
31 Things I’ve Learned in My 31 Years
1. Family members can be friends and friends can be like family members.
2. Laughing until your stomach hurts should happen at least once a day.
3. Being alone does not have to mean being lonely.
4. Dreaming is essential to living.
5. When what others want and what you want differ, trust your instincts.
6. Dogs are woman’s best friend too.
7. Sometimes love really isn’t enough.
8. Broken hearts should be worn with pride; it means you dared to love.
9. Peanut butter goes with everything.
10. Fireplaces, books, and blankets rule, especially when enjoyed together.
11. Inclement weather and important appointments are like peas and carrots.
12. Trying new things and meeting new people keep life interesting.
13. You can’t control what others do, but you can control how you react to them.
14. Stepping and/or kneeling on tacks hurts. A lot. Avoid it.
15. Love can be found in the wind.
16. Trust is a choice.
17. Innards for dinner do nothing for me.
18. The shower is a good place to cry.
19. Living simply helps others simply live.
20. Being wrong isn’t failure, it’s human.
21. Everything happens for a reason.
22. Sleeping, particularly napping, is underrated.
23. Being the bigger person isn’t always easy, but it’s always rewarding.
24. The sound of someone’s voice can be the most beautiful music in the world.
25. You don’t need to meet someone in person to develop a close relationship.
26. Success and happiness are best defined individually, i.e., by each person.
27. Appreciating small, good things makes dealing with big, bad things easier.
28. Homemade is always better.
29. Being accessible 24 hours a day is annoying.
30. The best way to learn a foreign language is full, painful-at-times immersion.
31. Moving ahead is easier if you understand where you’ve been.
____________________________________
Thank you so very much Cara! What a wonderful list, and all of it so true!
Tomorrow will be our last installment of Cardinal Rules, don't miss it!
Not regular rules, which are meant to be bent, broken, twisted and otherwise tossed aside with scandalous disregard, but Cardinal Rules. Guidelines and standards by which we live, and which are never, ever broken.
In order to provide an all encompassing and comprehensive list, I have requested the assistance of four incomparable women who are wise, witty, experienced, strong, open minded and walk through each day with humor and a good woman's grace.
Welcome to Minx of The Inner Minx, Sognatrice of Bleeding Espresso, Heart of Guilty With an Explanation, and Vanilla of Absolute Vanilla. Thank you for your assistance ladies, I couldn't have designed a better team to produce these essential life rules.
We will feature each ladies Cardinal Rules for one day this week.
Cardinal Rules
Sognatrice's Cardinal Rules
Per Sognatrice's request, this is a second publishing of a post she wrote when she turned 31, and it's completely appropriate for this project. Thanks Sognatrice!
31 Things I’ve Learned in My 31 Years
1. Family members can be friends and friends can be like family members.
2. Laughing until your stomach hurts should happen at least once a day.
3. Being alone does not have to mean being lonely.
4. Dreaming is essential to living.
5. When what others want and what you want differ, trust your instincts.
6. Dogs are woman’s best friend too.
7. Sometimes love really isn’t enough.
8. Broken hearts should be worn with pride; it means you dared to love.
9. Peanut butter goes with everything.
10. Fireplaces, books, and blankets rule, especially when enjoyed together.
11. Inclement weather and important appointments are like peas and carrots.
12. Trying new things and meeting new people keep life interesting.
13. You can’t control what others do, but you can control how you react to them.
14. Stepping and/or kneeling on tacks hurts. A lot. Avoid it.
15. Love can be found in the wind.
16. Trust is a choice.
17. Innards for dinner do nothing for me.
18. The shower is a good place to cry.
19. Living simply helps others simply live.
20. Being wrong isn’t failure, it’s human.
21. Everything happens for a reason.
22. Sleeping, particularly napping, is underrated.
23. Being the bigger person isn’t always easy, but it’s always rewarding.
24. The sound of someone’s voice can be the most beautiful music in the world.
25. You don’t need to meet someone in person to develop a close relationship.
26. Success and happiness are best defined individually, i.e., by each person.
27. Appreciating small, good things makes dealing with big, bad things easier.
28. Homemade is always better.
29. Being accessible 24 hours a day is annoying.
30. The best way to learn a foreign language is full, painful-at-times immersion.
31. Moving ahead is easier if you understand where you’ve been.
____________________________________
Thank you so very much Cara! What a wonderful list, and all of it so true!
Tomorrow will be our last installment of Cardinal Rules, don't miss it!
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Cardinal Rules III
It has come to my attention that we need to review the rules.
Not regular rules, which are meant to be bent, broken, twisted and otherwise tossed aside with scandalous disregard, but Cardinal Rules. Guidelines and standards by which we live, and which are never, ever broken.
In order to provide an all encompassing and comprehensive list, I have requested the assistance of four incomparable women who are wise, witty, experienced, strong, open minded and walk through each day with humor and a good woman's grace.
Welcome to Minx of The Inner Minx, Sognatrice of Bleeding Espresso, Heart of Guilty With an Explanation, and Vanilla of Absolute Vanilla. Thank you for your assistance ladies, I couldn't have designed a better team to produce these essential life rules.
We will feature each ladies Cardinal Rules for one day this week.
Cardinal Rules
Minx's Cardinal Rules
1. The biggest wardrobe is ours by right. You can have the small one in the spare bedroom and the old chest of drawers in the garage.
2. Supportive undergarments are never talked about in public and we don't own any anyway. The one you might have seen belongs to a fat friend.
3. Shoes are bought in bulk, it is the law.
4. We reserve the right to hate something once we get it home and can store it in your (small) wardrobe for the next five years.
5. Mirrors lie all the time but you are expected to tell the truth!
6. New boots always come with a free pair of jeans, a new top, a scarf and that lovely jacket that you've had your eye on for ages.
7. A coat is never bought to keep the rain off. We have cars for that.
8. Our bum's never look big in anything, but the bum walking down the street in front of us is allowed to be huge, absolutely huge.
9. A nod from behind the paper is not the answer we are looking for when we have inquired whether we look okay. "You look nice" is enough to send us running for a change of clothes.
10. It is perfectly acceptable to wear your best t-shirt to bed and to drop chocolate pudding all over it but unless you have a death wish don't ever put any of our clothes on - ever.
11. Female underwear is made to fall apart after six washes - it is a design fault.
12. "No, of course it's not new. I bought it in the sale last year" is always the gospel truth. Would I lie to you?
______________________________________
Thank you so very much, Miss Minx! What a fabulous list!
Words to live by, unquestionably.
Come back tomorrow for Sognatrice's Cardinal Rules!
Not regular rules, which are meant to be bent, broken, twisted and otherwise tossed aside with scandalous disregard, but Cardinal Rules. Guidelines and standards by which we live, and which are never, ever broken.
In order to provide an all encompassing and comprehensive list, I have requested the assistance of four incomparable women who are wise, witty, experienced, strong, open minded and walk through each day with humor and a good woman's grace.
Welcome to Minx of The Inner Minx, Sognatrice of Bleeding Espresso, Heart of Guilty With an Explanation, and Vanilla of Absolute Vanilla. Thank you for your assistance ladies, I couldn't have designed a better team to produce these essential life rules.
We will feature each ladies Cardinal Rules for one day this week.
Cardinal Rules
Minx's Cardinal Rules
1. The biggest wardrobe is ours by right. You can have the small one in the spare bedroom and the old chest of drawers in the garage.
2. Supportive undergarments are never talked about in public and we don't own any anyway. The one you might have seen belongs to a fat friend.
3. Shoes are bought in bulk, it is the law.
4. We reserve the right to hate something once we get it home and can store it in your (small) wardrobe for the next five years.
5. Mirrors lie all the time but you are expected to tell the truth!
6. New boots always come with a free pair of jeans, a new top, a scarf and that lovely jacket that you've had your eye on for ages.
7. A coat is never bought to keep the rain off. We have cars for that.
8. Our bum's never look big in anything, but the bum walking down the street in front of us is allowed to be huge, absolutely huge.
9. A nod from behind the paper is not the answer we are looking for when we have inquired whether we look okay. "You look nice" is enough to send us running for a change of clothes.
10. It is perfectly acceptable to wear your best t-shirt to bed and to drop chocolate pudding all over it but unless you have a death wish don't ever put any of our clothes on - ever.
11. Female underwear is made to fall apart after six washes - it is a design fault.
12. "No, of course it's not new. I bought it in the sale last year" is always the gospel truth. Would I lie to you?
______________________________________
Thank you so very much, Miss Minx! What a fabulous list!
Words to live by, unquestionably.
Come back tomorrow for Sognatrice's Cardinal Rules!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Cardinal Rules II
It has come to my attention that we need to review the rules.
Not regular rules, which are meant to be bent, broken, twisted and otherwise tossed aside with scandalous disregard, but Cardinal Rules. Guidelines and standards by which we live, and which are never, ever broken.
In order to provide an all encompassing and comprehensive list, I have requested the assistance of four incomparable women who are wise, witty, experienced, strong, open minded and walk through each day with humor and a good woman's grace.
Welcome to Minx of The Inner Minx, Sognatrice of Bleeding Espresso, Heart of Guilty With an Explanation, and Vanilla of Absolute Vanilla. Thank you for your assistance ladies, I couldn't have designed a better team to produce these essential life rules.
We will feature each ladies Cardinal Rules for one day this week.
Cardinal Rules
Heart at Guilty With An Explanation
1. Don't worry about what people think; they don't do it very often.
2. Treat service people politely and respectfully. Someone who is nice to friends but rude to the waiter is not a nice person.
3. Never, ever ask someone when her baby is due unless you know for a fact that she is really pregnant.
4. Never try to convert anyone to your religious beliefs. This is arrogant and demeaning and will always be resented. Besides, everyone's views are equally valid.
5. Always try to support and build up your friends. If you can't do that in honesty, they shouldn't be your friends.
________________________________________
Thank you very much, Heart! Excellent list.
Come back tomorrow for more Cardinal Rules!
Not regular rules, which are meant to be bent, broken, twisted and otherwise tossed aside with scandalous disregard, but Cardinal Rules. Guidelines and standards by which we live, and which are never, ever broken.
In order to provide an all encompassing and comprehensive list, I have requested the assistance of four incomparable women who are wise, witty, experienced, strong, open minded and walk through each day with humor and a good woman's grace.
Welcome to Minx of The Inner Minx, Sognatrice of Bleeding Espresso, Heart of Guilty With an Explanation, and Vanilla of Absolute Vanilla. Thank you for your assistance ladies, I couldn't have designed a better team to produce these essential life rules.
We will feature each ladies Cardinal Rules for one day this week.
Cardinal Rules
Heart at Guilty With An Explanation
1. Don't worry about what people think; they don't do it very often.
2. Treat service people politely and respectfully. Someone who is nice to friends but rude to the waiter is not a nice person.
3. Never, ever ask someone when her baby is due unless you know for a fact that she is really pregnant.
4. Never try to convert anyone to your religious beliefs. This is arrogant and demeaning and will always be resented. Besides, everyone's views are equally valid.
5. Always try to support and build up your friends. If you can't do that in honesty, they shouldn't be your friends.
________________________________________
Thank you very much, Heart! Excellent list.
Come back tomorrow for more Cardinal Rules!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Cardinal Rules I
It has come to my attention that we need to review the rules.
Not regular rules, which are meant to be bent, broken, twisted and otherwise tossed aside with scandalous disregard, but Cardinal Rules. Guidelines and standards by which we live, and which are never, ever broken.
In order to provide an all encompassing and comprehensive list, I have requested the assistance of four incomparable women who are wise, witty, experienced, strong, open minded and walk through each day with humor and a good woman's grace.
Welcome to Minx of The Inner Minx, Sognatrice of Bleeding Espresso, Heart of Guilty With an Explanation, and Vanilla of Absolute Vanilla. Thank you for your assistance ladies, I couldn't have designed a better team to produce these essential life rules.
We will feature each ladies Cardinal Rules for one day this week.
Cardinal Rules
Absolute Vanilla's Cardinal Rules:
Some (but by no means all!) Cardinal Rules:
If you don't want to know the truth, don't ask for it.
If you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say anything.
If aren't willing to play nicely, don't play at all.
Play nicely, but don't be a doormat. I mean, do you really want everyone's dirt rubbing off on you?
Set your boundaries, or run the risk of invasion.
Men, like grizzly bears, need their caves. Respect that and just let them be - or run the risk of being growled at or bitten.
If you want a strong willed person to do something, let them believe it was their idea. (How one achieves this is generally beyond me!)
If you want to get slim - don't eat carbs after lunchtime.
If you really want to get thin - don't eat sugar. Yes, that's right, put those jelly beans down now!
Laugh every day. Sing in the shower. Have fun. Smile at strangers. Talk to and cuddle animals. Hug trees. And practice mindfulness.
Walk tall and believe in yourself - you'll feel so much better about you and your life. Oh go on, try it, I dare you!
Practice positive affirmations - and do it in the present tense. So it's not "I want to be a successful published author", but "I am a successful published author". Now go and practice signing autographs!
Love yourself and know you're beautiful. Smile at yourself in the mirror. See, there you go - you are beautiful and lovable.
Know that all is one.
___________________________________
Thank you so much Vanilla!
Come back each day this week for more Cardinal Rules.
Not regular rules, which are meant to be bent, broken, twisted and otherwise tossed aside with scandalous disregard, but Cardinal Rules. Guidelines and standards by which we live, and which are never, ever broken.
In order to provide an all encompassing and comprehensive list, I have requested the assistance of four incomparable women who are wise, witty, experienced, strong, open minded and walk through each day with humor and a good woman's grace.
Welcome to Minx of The Inner Minx, Sognatrice of Bleeding Espresso, Heart of Guilty With an Explanation, and Vanilla of Absolute Vanilla. Thank you for your assistance ladies, I couldn't have designed a better team to produce these essential life rules.
We will feature each ladies Cardinal Rules for one day this week.
Cardinal Rules
Absolute Vanilla's Cardinal Rules:
Some (but by no means all!) Cardinal Rules:
If you don't want to know the truth, don't ask for it.
If you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say anything.
If aren't willing to play nicely, don't play at all.
Play nicely, but don't be a doormat. I mean, do you really want everyone's dirt rubbing off on you?
Set your boundaries, or run the risk of invasion.
Men, like grizzly bears, need their caves. Respect that and just let them be - or run the risk of being growled at or bitten.
If you want a strong willed person to do something, let them believe it was their idea. (How one achieves this is generally beyond me!)
If you want to get slim - don't eat carbs after lunchtime.
If you really want to get thin - don't eat sugar. Yes, that's right, put those jelly beans down now!
Laugh every day. Sing in the shower. Have fun. Smile at strangers. Talk to and cuddle animals. Hug trees. And practice mindfulness.
Walk tall and believe in yourself - you'll feel so much better about you and your life. Oh go on, try it, I dare you!
Practice positive affirmations - and do it in the present tense. So it's not "I want to be a successful published author", but "I am a successful published author". Now go and practice signing autographs!
Love yourself and know you're beautiful. Smile at yourself in the mirror. See, there you go - you are beautiful and lovable.
Know that all is one.
___________________________________
Thank you so much Vanilla!
Come back each day this week for more Cardinal Rules.
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