Passport Stamps

"...For he that does good, having the unlimited power to do evil, deserves praise not only for the good which he performs, but for the evil which he forbears. Fare thee well, gallant outlaw!"

As said from the Black Knight Champion (a very good knight, indeed) to that bow-bender Robin of Locksley as they part company in the forest.

And this altogether from that book which I so *highly* recommend you do yourself the good of endulging in its pages whatever time you may find... "Ivanhoe", by Sir Walter Scott.

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.

Settling Matters Of The Heart ~ The Cardinal Rules Of Love

One of my very dearest fellow lion owners from the Shameless Lions Writing Circle; Rel of Under The Microscope (and his lion Zaccharias), recently posted a question regarding couples who settle for each other, when they are perhaps not well suited for one another.

Is it okay to settle? Rel asked.

My heart and mind were stirred into a tempest with this query... as I have a very strong belief about it. It is one that is well known to my friends, and usually shared emphatically with those who ask me about it. My response to Rel was this:

I am sure that it is a matter of opinion; and for some, yes... settling is fine, they'd rather have someone than be alone.

For me... absolutely not.

I'd never, ever settle. If it's not absolute, true, real love then I don't want it. I am worth that. I am worth being loved for who I am, all of my days, by one who could not imagine waking up without me by his side every day of his life, and one who wouldn't want to.

And he is worth being loved like that in return, for as I expect it, so would I give it, to the nth degree.

What is real love, but living your life with a partner whose existence is the air that you breathe, one who fills your heart with fiery passion, strong love and peaceful contentment, and who, by their love and devotion, is the inspiration that lifts the wings of your soul to reach ever higher, to be the best that you can be... and then, to give all of that back to your mate with every fiber of your being out of the necessity of love, because your heart would burst if you did not; you could know no other way to exist than to give all of yourself to him, as he does to you.

What is settling for mediocrity in the face of that? It is nothing, and I would walk away from nothing, every time. I would rather be alone than in a lie. If I settle, then what do I believe I am worth? No better than sufficient? Acceptable? What do I believe that my partner is worth then, if I am settling for mediocrity with him... then that makes him less than he should be worth in the eyes of one who should love him without limits.


I have seen too many cold and loveless relationships die, or exist like a hollow and empty shell for no beneficial reason. Life is far too short to live like that; without love, within a lie. If it's not the real thing, it isn't worth the endeavor.

Thank you, Rel. This was a very good question.

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...

Tall Tales

It was that time again, I had to go to the doctor to make sure the engine and parts were all working like they should be.
As a rule (not quite Cardinal), unless I am -thisclose- to dying, I don't go to the doctor. There's almost nothing that aspirin or hydrogen peroxide can't fix.

My doctor led me down the hall to the exam room.

"It seems you missed this question when you filled out your paperwork. How old are you?" she asked.

I didn't miss it, and I'd hoped she would.

I lied about my age.

She wrote it down.

"How much do you weigh?" she continued her interrogation of my highly personal information.

I lied about my weight.

She wrote it down.

"How tall are you?" she was relentless.

"I'm 5'7." I didn't mind this question.

She put her paperwork down and looked at me in consternation.

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am." I was miffed that she disagreed.

"You are not 5'7." She was adamant.

"I most certainly am too 5'7, it's on my drivers license!" I was bordering on indignant at this point.

"I am 5'8 and you are not an inch shorter than me. Stand on this thing." she was resolute now.

I stood on the thing and she measured my height.

"You are 5'5 and a half." she said smugly.

I was aghast. I truly believed I was 5'7. I'd thought that for years. It is on my drivers license.
I wept. Suddenly I was so much shorter than I thought I was. My stature had been substantially deflated, as well as my ego.

I haven't been back to see her since, but I have begun purchasing higher heels!

These shoes (and several other cute styles) can be bought here.

Showers, Surprises and Suppositions

Did you ever say, "Rain, rain, go away and come again another day..."?
Well, today is the day that it's coming back. In buckets, thankfully. We needed it. The omniscient weather forecasters predict rain throughout the weekend; and if they are proved right, I will be delighted.

It feels like fall... just a sampling, of course, but enough that I can curl up under my favorite blanket (crocheted just for me by a sweet friend in just the color I love), and I can sip tea, read books and nap intermittently.

Doesn't that sound divine?

Oh yes, there will be homework and random household duties, but there will be indulgence all around and throughout it, and I can hardly wait.

NEXT:

I laughed so much I cried.
There are reports that Big Foot has been found. Dead. In Georgia (USA), of all places. Big Foot lived in Georgia all this time?! Who knew? The finders of this quarry will reveal his corpse today.


This is being reported on CNN no less...



I wonder what we have roaming around in the Rocky Mountains?

*************************************
UPDATE!!!

CNN has shown this Bigfoot find to be a hoax!
Steady yourself from the shock...

Say What?!

I am back in school again. Already. I'm excited for it, I love going to this school, love the campus, the classes, the instructors; they've mostly been great.

I am required to take a macroeconomics class, and I've put it off for so long that I have to take it now. So, I opted to take it online this semester... to save myself the anguish of going to the campus and sitting through an economics class in person; which for me would be right up there with Chinese water torture.

The instructor asked that we all introduce ourselves in an online discussion forum. One lady said she'd just gotten back from the UK, to which the instructor replied that he would love to visit the UK, it's on his list of places to go... and he will be going to the UK as soon as the dollar is stronger against the euro.

-blink-

Right eyebrow raises slowly in disbelief.

I'm taking economics from a man who doesn't know that the whole of the UK uses the British Pound Sterling?

Fantastic.

I certainly hope that was a typo.

Passport Stamps

"Withhold no sacrifice, grudge no toil, seek no sordid gain, fear no foe, all will be well." ~ Winston Churchill

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!