Well even though it is still daylight here for us in America, many kids around the world are sleeping, waiting for Santa to come. Santa has been a busy little bee already today. You can track Santa at a fun website. Click on my link and it'll take you there. Remember, you better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout I'm telling you why, Santa Clause is coming to town TONIGHT!
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This morning was trash day in my neighborhood. My daughter always points out the sound of the garbage truck as she eats her breakfast and I always go to a window to watch it do its work around our cul-de-sac. Today when I got to the window I noticed that a trash bag had fallen out of the garbage can he had just emptied into the truck. I was curious as to what he would do about this. There was also some other pieces of trash that had spilled on the ground. Now in California on trash day it wasn't unusual to have some garbage flying around the streets in the wind because the trash man had lost a couple pieces and hadn't bothered to pick it up. Here in Kansas, people seem to be more friendly and responsible of their actions. As I watched him, he jumped out of his truck and threw the bag in the truck. He then proceeded to pick up all the other trash around the area that had fallen out of the can and threw it all in the truck. Now, he knows that his job isn't glorious. Luckily the truck does most of the dirty work, but I really appreciated this sanitation worker who took the time to get out of the truck and pick up the trasah he spilled to help keep my street looking nice and clean!
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Technorati tags: Proposition 8, Prop 8 Protests, LDS Church, Marriage, Church
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I would like to first say good job to Arizona and Florida for successfully passing a ban on gay marriage in their states. I think this was Arizona's second attempt at it so I'm glad it succeeded.
Good job California for standing up for what you believe and having your voices be heard. I updated this map all night long and felt confident for most of the night. The 52% win was a little close, but a win is a win. I know this is all about population but it makes my heart happy to see that most of the acreage of California supports traditional marriage. I'm glad that the county I come from also passed Prop. 8 with a resounding YES! I hope that we may all be able to live with respect for each other and others beliefs. I'm sure the fight isn't over, but for now we may live in peace and enjoy the God ordained definition of marriage. I wish nothing but the best for those that are struggling to accept this law. I hope the opposition can understand that we also were just fighting for what we believe in, and luckily this time the majority sided with us. Congratulations California!
Technorati tags: California, Proposition 8 results, Marriage, Family
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Today is the Day!!! Happy Voting Day! Be sure and get out to vote so that you know, no matter how the day ends, you at least had your voice and your opinion heard! Then you will know you tried your best to get what you want to happen in this country.
And of course one last plug from me about Proposition 8! Vote YES on Prop. 8. It is important to keep the traditional family as the basic, fundamental unit of society. If prop. 8 fails then homosexuality will be taught in schools. Our children will be indoctrinated with this garbage so that in later years all these gay liberalists will have the votes to pass their agendas which will surely throw this country in the toilet. It is important we teach in our homes to be respectful of all people, but that marriage is between one man and one woman, and nothing else is equal to that. That is how it has been for thousands of years and how it should continue. This may be the most important issue you vote on in your lifetime, so make the right choice, and make it count. Our children need you. Yes on Proposition 8.
Don't let the opposition intimidate you into believing their case. They are really good at preaching tolerance, yet not so good at practicing it. If they weren't so scared of losing this battle they wouldn't be keying cars, destroying and stealing signs, beating people up and all the other awful things they are doing. They, in fact, are scared. They know they are preaching lies on their side of the campaign. They know the Yes on 8 side is strong, and not backing down. Be strong. Don't be intimidated. YES on Proposition 8!!
Technorati tags: Election Day, Proposition 8, California, Families, Voting
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I thought this article has very important information about how gay marriage is being taught and spread throughout Massachusetts. This is going to happen in California if Prop. 8 fails to pass. They don't just want the right to marry, they want the right to shove homosexuality in our face, cram it down our throat and the throats of our children in a sick way. Please take the time to read how extreme things are in Massachusetts and the future of California if prop. 8 doesn't pass. Yes on Proposition 8!
Technorati tags: Proposition 8, Marriage, Family, Homosexuality, Gay Marriage, California
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Yesterday the key to my closure with Prop. 8 came to me. It does not matter what any of the arguments for or against prop. 8 are. I think that both sides are stretching the truth about the consequences of it passing or failing. I think when it comes down to it, those arguments aren't going to make anyone change their decision on how to vote. I have heard this issued compared to slavery, or giving blacks the right to vote or to marry white spouses. People say that this gay marriage thing will be the same as those examples. I'm sure we all do look back at history that took place (way before I was born) and think that it was unfortunate that blacks were treated that way. People think that we will look back and say that it was silly that we fought over this issue of gay marriage. I say that is NOT so. This is not the same issue and we will not look back and think how unfortunate it is.
As long as we are God fearing, Bible reading and believing people, gay marriage will never be looked upon as acceptable in the sight of the Lord. I know that I will never in my life, as long as I have the values I hold right now, look back and wish I hadn't voted Yes on Prop. 8. The arguments may be false, or stretched. The consequences may be in question, but marriage is what it is: one man and one woman.
I understand that some may not believe in the same God I do, or read the same translation of the Bible that I do. I would say the majority of people do believe in the same God as I and therefore understand that we have a loving Heavenly Father who has defined for us this sacred union of marriage as one man and one woman.
I understand that all of us may not agree about this issue, but for me it is what it is, clear cut and straight forward. I have no argument in science and facts today. All I have is my faith in God and knowledge that He has a plan of happiness for us that involves marriage, marriage between man and wife. You may be able to argue facts and statistics but you cannot argue my faith. My faith and beliefs are something that cannot be stripped from me. I hold them near and dear to my heart. With this said I'm going to take a break from battling out the Proposition 8 fight. It became clear to me yesterday that the only way someone can be swung from their vote is for them to do soul searching and find what their beliefs are, why they do the things they do and believe the things they believe. These things we must be respectful of. Good luck in your quest for discovering what you believe to be good and true. Good luck with your vote and know that I will vote YES on proposition 8.
Technorati tags: Proposition 8, California, Family, Gay Marriage, Faith
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I thought that I would give the debate a chance tonight, but luckily I came in during a little brawl over health care and decided that I'm probably not missing much if I skip it. I think people need to stop slandering each other, harassing, and putting down. Let's just get the facts and fix the country. There are bigger fish to fry than each other!
Technorati tags: Presidential Debate, Obama, McCain
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(Disclaimer: This is the boldest I have been in talking about Prop.8 Also, if you want your comment to remain on this page, you must identify yourself. No anonymous comments will be kept, I'm not hiding from what I believe by posting under anonymous, and neither should you.)
A lot of issues we battle everyday aren't just black and white. There isn't just a clear cut answer. They usually have different options and exceptions to the rule. There is no right and wrong because there are exceptions. For instance abortion. That is not a black and white issue. I very much do not believe in abortion, I think it is wrong, but if the life of the mother is in jeopardy then perhaps it is time to terminate the pregnancy. The death of a mother is an exception to the rule. The same things goes for war. There are pros and cons to being at war. It isn't so simple to just say yes it is right, or no it is wrong. These issue have a lot of gray area where the answer may be different for everyone.
This issue of gay marriage is not one of these issues. There is no gray area. It is very much a black and white issue. Traditional marriage is right. It is natural, ordained of God and simply a matter of biology. If we look at the long term effects of this issues you will be how devastation not passing prop 8 will be. Here is a letter stating some of those long term effects:
Proposition 8 is simple and straightforward. It contains the same 14 words that were previously approved in 2000 by over 61% of California voters: “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”
Because four activist judges in San Francisco wrongly overturned the people’s vote, we need to pass this measure as a constitutional amendment to RESTORE THE DEFINITION OF MARRIAGE as a man and a woman.
Proposition 8 is about preserving marriage; it’s not an attack on the gay lifestyle. Proposition 8 doesn’t take away any rights or benefits of gay or lesbian domestic partnerships. Under California law, “domestic partners shall have the same rights, protections, and benefits” as married spouses. (Family Code § 297.5.) There are NO exceptions. Proposition 8 WILL NOT change this.
YES on Proposition 8 does three simple things:
It restores the definition of marriage to what the vast majority of California voters already approved and human history has understood marriage to be.
It overturns the outrageous decision of four activist Supreme Court judges who ignored the will of the people.
It protects our children from being taught in public schools that “same-sex marriage” is the same as traditional marriage.
Proposition 8 protects marriage as an essential institution of society. While death, divorce, or other circumstances may prevent the ideal, the best situation for a child is to be raised by a married mother and father.
The narrow decision of the California Supreme Court isn’t just about “live and let live.” State law may require teachers to instruct children as young as kindergarteners about marriage. (Education Code § 51890.) If the gay marriage ruling is not overturned, TEACHERS COULD BE REQUIRED to teach young children there is no difference between gay marriage and traditional marriage.
We should not accept a court decision that may result in public schools teaching our kids that gay marriage is okay. That is an issue for parents to discuss with their children according to their own values and beliefs. It shouldn’t be forced on us against our will.
Some will try to tell you that Proposition 8 takes away legal rights of gay domestic partnerships. That is false. Proposition 8 DOES NOT take away any of those rights and does not interfere with gays living the lifestyle they choose.
However, while gays have the right to their private lives, they do not have the right to redefine marriage for everyone else.
CALIFORNIANS HAVE NEVER VOTED FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. If gay activists want to legalize gay marriage, they should put it on the ballot. Instead, they have gone behind the backs of voters and convinced four activist judges in San Francisco to redefine marriage for the rest of society. That is the wrong approach.
Voting YES on Proposition 8 RESTORES the definition of marriage that was approved by over 61% of voters. Voting YES overturns the decision of four activist judges. Voting YES protects our children.
Please vote YES on Proposition 8 to RESTORE the meaning of marriage.
RON PRENTICE, President
California Family Council
ROSEMARIE "ROSIE" AVILA, Governing Board Member
Santa Ana Unified School District
BISHOP GEORGE McKINNEY, Director
Coalition of African American Pastors
The no on 8 campaign will tell you these things are false, but if you take a look at where this lifestyle is already in practice you will see they are in fact true. In Massachusetts school children are being taught that homosexual marriage is equal to traditional marriage. This could have devastating impacts on the fundamental unit of society, the family. This is not about hate, this is not about prejudice, this is not about control, this is about protecting families and children. There is no gray area here. There is a right and wrong choice. Please register to vote in this upcoming election and cote YES on Prop. 8.
Technorati tags: Marriage, Family, California, Proposition 8, YES on Prop 8, gay marriage
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Technorati tags: Proposition 8, California, Marriage, Presidential Candidates, Obama, Palin, McCain, Biden
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MYTH: Razor Blades in Halloween Candy
I thought this myth would be fitting for this time of year with Halloween night fast approaching. I must admit that I had never heard of this myth before I start doing Myth Busting Monday. I am a huge fan of Halloween and trick or treating and all the end of October holiday festivities, but finding tainted Halloween goodies would turn holiday fun into something deader than a zombie.
Here's how livescience.com covers this myth:
Someone ruined the fun for all of us, spreading this cautionary tale about razor blades turning up in apples, candy and other treats given out at Halloween. Intense parental candy-scanning ensued, though actual occurrences of booby-trapped goodies were extremely rare. Most of the fear-mongering developed because of the 1982 Tylenol-tampering scare. [source]I do remember the rule at my house was that my Dad had to inspect my candy 'haul' to make sure it was safe before I could start eating it, but there was never any mention of 'razor blades.' One year an old lady gave us Nibs for a 'treat'; you might be thinking 'what's the big deal about that?' well the big deal was she had just opened a big bag of Nibs, poured them into a bowl and was handing out individual pieces, needless to say those were confiscated.
The Lake County Sheriff's Department is investigating after a razor blade was found inside a piece of candy. David Mahon, 15, made the dangerous discovery in a Three Musketeers bar. The teen picked up the candy after a night of trick-or-treating.According to the super myth busting website snopes.com they confirm that this myth is True. So even though there have been actual occurrences of this myth being true, the likelihood of this happening to you is very rare. So as far as classifying this myth as true or false, I have to say it is true because it has actually happened.
He said he found the razor blade after noticing the wrapper had been tampered with.
"In light of this incident, we really want to get the word out to the community and ask parents to do very thorough checks of their children’s candy prior to them eating it and if they see anything like this, or anything similar, to contact us," said John Herrell, a Lake County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson. [source]
Technorati tags: razors, blades, halloween, candy
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I thought it appropriate in these times of turmoil and attacks on the family that we take a look at the divine plan for families in this earth life.
“We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.
“All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.
“In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.
“The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.
“We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.
“Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. ‘Children are an heritage of the Lord’ (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.
“The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.
“We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.
“We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society”If you like this post consider Subscribing to my full feed
I have found yet another great website to help answer questions and clear up issues you may have with proposition 8. This website is called What is Prop 8.This website is great because it talks about great things like different religions stand on proposition 8, the consequences of prop 8 failing, legal battles, scholarly viewpoints and much, much more. It is quite full of information. Check it out and suport Prop. 8! YES on Prop. 8!!
Technorati tags: Proposition 8, marriage, family, religious views, gay marriage
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MYTH: A Dog's Mouth is Cleaner Then a Human's
By nature I am not a dog person; growing up I never had a dog and even though my parents had dogs and cats when they grew up they always told me that they were 'allergic' so I couldn't have one. No pets was no big deal for me, I was glad that cleaning up after an animal was not part of my chore list. As I look at other people interacting with their dogs I am amazed at the 'bond' between the pet and owner. I always find it interesting when I see someone driving around with their dog sticking its head out the driver's window; to me that seems dangerous, unless the dog is contributing to driving by working the turn signals or something like. And the one thing that I complete don't understand is when owners KISS their dog, but after doing some research on this myth it looks like it might be more sanitary than kissing a human.
A reader wrote into about.com about this very myth: "a dog's mouth cleaner than a human's." They responded to the reader by saying that dogs don't particularly care what goes into their month, here is a quote from the article:
"A dog's mouth contains a lot of bacteria," notes Dr. Gary "Ask the Vet" Clemons. "Remember, a dog's tongue is not only his wash cloth but also his toilet paper." [source]That was enough to convince me that this myth is totally not true, but here is some more evidence to help convince those of you who are still unbelievers.
He thinks the myth that a dog's mouth is clean stems from their practice of licking their wounds.
"And they'll be licking that wound and you'll notice that the wound heals very fast … what that tongue does is it gets rid of the dead tissue," said Becker.
He compares that tongue lashing to the work of a surgeon who cleans out a wound, and said the licking also stimulates circulation. [source]
Here is what livescience.com says about this myth:
Despite a habit of licking things no human would dare, Fido's mouth is often touted as scientifically more sterile. Truth is, oral bacteria are so species-specific that one can't be considered cleaner than the other, just different. [source]
Anything that uses it's tongue for toilet paper has my vote for having a dirtier mouth than someone that doesn't.
Conclusion: False
Technorati tags: dog, mouth, cleaner
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Technorati tags: Marriage, family, proposition+8, gay+marriage, California
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I was interested to find out what the 27 states that already have a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and woman. I found them on The Heritage Foundation website. I love the Heritage Foundation. When I was in college study marriage and family I took a class where we did research for the Heritage Foundation and were able to help expand their database on the importance of different aspects of marriage and family. I wanted to post the list of states that have passed this amendment to help prove a point that the majority still wants marriage define as between a man and woman. Here's the list:
Alabama
Alaska
Arkansas
Colorado
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
South Carolina
South Dakota
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Wisconsin
If you are interested in finding out more about what marriage is defined as in all 50 states click this link to the Heritage Foundation. Also on the list is only 26 because the smaller states I had a harder time reading the chart and couldn't tell what the 27th state was. Sorry about that. Also, I'm happy to report that Kansas is on the list. Maybe this move that I thought was so awful isn't bad at all. Good for my state recognizing traditional marriage! Go Kansas! And, as always vote YES on Proposition 8 to protect marriage.
Technorati tags: marriage, proposition 8, marriage in the 50 states, family
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I thought this was a very interesting video addressing the current housing and economic market. Enjoy!
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MYTH: Chicken Soup Can Cure the Common ColdAs summer comes to an end and the cool winds of change blow as the fall weather begins to make its presence know; you can smell the newly sharpened pencils, hear the shuffling of papers and watch the children on the playground. Each day at school there is the regular routine of passing periods, passing notes and passing GERMS. It is amazing to me that you can go through the whole summer without a sneeze or a sniffle but two days after school starts you spend the next week recovering from your first cold of the season.I like how livescience.com covers this myth:Cure is a strong word, but science suggests Moms around the world are still right in forcing spoonfuls of chicken soup down their kids' throats. Studies have found that the broth actually contains anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce congestion.[source]
The Lawerance Journal-World goes into more detail how this is tested:Basically, it worked this way: Rennard and his colleagues collected neutrophil samples from healthy volunteers. Neutrophils are white blood cells that defend against infections. Chicken soups tested by the researchers had anti-inflammatory agents that reduced the movement of neutrophils. Although it’s not completely understood, scientists think reducing movement in neutrophils can help ease the symptoms associated with a cold. “The chemistry is very complicated,” Rennard says. “The chemistry of the soup is probably different than all the different components.”[source]
I always remember having soup when I was sick, but for me it was only thing that sounded good. I am sure that there are good elements to having a warm health meal while you're sick; I would say that chicken soup is a helpful tool to getting over a cold but not a 'cure'.Conclusion: False
What are your thoughts about this myth, let us know in the comments
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For everyone interested (which should be everyone because this affects all of us) Here is a movie about all issues regarding Prop. 8. How this isn't just a battle over same sex marriage, it is also a battle over abuse of powers. Supreme Court judges do not have the right to speak for the people, that is not their job. Please take a look at this video regarding why you should vote YES on prop. 8. It is about 30 minutes so please allow for that when you start it. Thanks!! Happy voting!
Technorati tags: Gay Marriage, Proposition 8, God, Family
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You may be mistaken to think that because you are bombarded with advertisements and commercials for anti proposition 8 propaganda that that is what the state wants. You would be mistaken. In life, the minority of the group usually ends up being the loudest for some reason. Well with this matter of marriage and family, let's have the majority, the group that believes in the traditional marriage and all that goes with it, be loud and strong and stand up for what they believe.
The family is the central unit of society and so it is our job to protect it and conserve it. Did you know that 27 other states have already added an amendment to there state constitution making marriage one acceptable between a man and a woman. 27 other states have passed this without the media reporting this and making a big deal about it. That statistic means that more than half of the country believes that marriage should be between man and wife. That is the majority. California now needs to follow suit and pass Proposition 8.
I am sickened that Governor Schwarzenegger supports this and is willing to spend tons of money rewriting all the text books in California to support this change. That is sick. It is also very wrong that he will approve "Gay day" when he begins to sign bills again. Why don't we have a "straight day."
Proposition 8 does not take any rights away from same sex partners. They have every single right as a married couple. The only things that Prop 8 is doing is protect marriage's definition and keeps it between one man and one woman. I hope that even if you know people who are gay, or have loved ones that are gay you can get passed seeing this as hate. This is not hate. This is simply protecting the sacredness of marriage. Please vote YES on Prop. 8! Remember if you want to donate, support Prop 8 or need a yard sign to show your support visit Protectmarriage.com.
Technorati tags: Proposition 8, California, gay marriage, marriage
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Amid the rocky state of the economy life still goes on. People are switching jobs, going on vacation and even moving. Now is probably a good time to get a great deal on real estate if you have the money. Bruce Germinsky has commercial real estate as well as high end propertyin Monmouth County on the Jersey Shore.
The best way to successfully find a new property is to have a real estate professional help you. They will help you define what you want and search it out for you. If you live on the east coast Bruce Germinsky is your man for commercial, retail, and residential high end properties. To find out more about Bruce and his theories of helping you can check out his Realtor page. There are some beautiful luxury water front homes for sale. That kind of real estate is always expensive but at this point you may be able to find a great price for a luxury home.
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I don't understand why people need to be told not to talk on cell phones while driving, or not to put on make up, read the newspaper, or even texting. No matter what vehicle you are driving or are in control of, you don't do anything but pay attention while operating it. People have such a lack of common sense, or else over confidence in their ability to multi task. Get over yourself and pay attention to the road. If not for the sake of your own life, for the sake of other lives. It's called common courtesy to try and not kill other people by your lack of regard for safety. I'm sure there is a lawsuit in the works for the conductor of the train that ran the red light and killed 25 people in California because of alledgedly texting while operating the train. I think that people sue people too often over stupid things, but in this case, sue away. Sue the pants off of whoever is responsible. Money won't bring your loved ones back, but perhaps someone will learn a lesson. There are plenty of useless accidents and deaths due to multitasking while driving. Driving is already a multitasking job; driving with your hands at ten and two, checking your mirrors and altogether being aware of the drivers around you. Please don't add some other activity into the mix. And while we're on the subject Don't drink and Drive!
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MYTH: A Penny dropped from the top of a tall building could kill a pedestrian
I have visited the Empire State Building a few times; the first time was in 7th grade on a school trip and even in 7th grade I had the thought cross my mind 'what would happen if I dropped something off the top of the building?' While on the observation deck, my best friend and I found an observatory ticket that some one must have dropped, it was the size of a normal raffle ticket. Being a 12 year old, away from home for the first time, on the complete opposite side of the country and being with my group of friends, we threw it off. To our surprise, it just seemed to float through the air; it would fall a little then a gust of wind would blow it higher and it basically just floated away. When it was time to leave the Empire State Building we casually mentioned the 'ticket launching' to our teacher, he grew very concerned and proceeded to give us a lecture on how dangerous that was. If only I knew then what I know now.
The famous myth busting duo, Jamie and Adam from the TV show Mythbusters have tested this myth on their show. Here is their procedure for testing this myth:
the Mythbusters tried to find the terminal velocity (maximum free-fall speed) of a penny compared to a human's by skydiving. They found out that the pennies had a slower terminal velocity than a human's, so they set up an experiment in the workshop. The Mythbusters set up a windpipe testing for terminal velocity (basically a tube facing upright with a leafblower with controllable throttle on the bottom). They found out the terminal velocity, and then fired the pennies at that velocity (with a modified staple gun) into a person's head and a sidewalk. There was no damage to either of them. After, the pennies were shot at their hand, and no real damage was done, a little sore/stinging.I have actually seen this episode and watched them fire pennies onto their hands. I looks like it hurts but it really doesn't do much damage.
Conclusion: ---- Pennies dropped from a skyscraper cannot fall in a way that they can implant themselves in the ground/ kill someone. They don't have enough mass.[source]
A penny isn't the most aerodynamic of weapons. A combination of its shape and wind friction means that, tossed even from the 1,250-foot Empire State Building, it would travel fast enough merely to sting an unlucky pedestrian. [source]This is one myth where I have had some actual experience with what the myth is talking about, and although I haven't conducted the exact experiment to test this myth, from what I have experienced I can conclude that this myth is false.
Technorati tags: dropping, penny, Empire, State, Building
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MYTH: The Vanishing Hitchhiker
This is one of those myths that was probably 'made up' to scare kids from hitchhiking or picking up hitchhikers. I can remember growing up, going to Halloween parties and listening to a variation of this myth. The best description of this myth is as follows:
One of the oldest known urban legends around, this ghostly tale goes back to a time when the mystery hitchhiker was picked up in a horse and buggy. The passenger is often a young girl who, upon reaching the address she has provided, is found to have disappeared from the back seat altogether. The driver discovers his charge to have died several years earlier. Completely unverifiable, but a chilling tale nonetheless.[source]Looking into this myth it seems that its origins go back centuries; the myth started with horses and buggies and it has evolved to cars.
Technorati tags: vanishing, hitchhiker
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If you live in California or have family or friends in California than you may be away of the battle for same sex marriage that is going on. Proposition 8 is going to be on the ballot this November in California and I encourage everyone to vote YES. By checking the YES circle you will agree that there should be an amendment added to the California constitution defining marriage as a union between one woman and one man. It is vital that this measure passes and that gay marriage is banned from the state. For the rest of us not in California we are very much effected by this also. California is an influential state. If this measure doesn't pass in California that the rest of us may be forced to have this forced on us as well in the future. We need to protect the traditional definition of marriage. It is true and correct. Marriage is ordained by God and intended for ONE MAN and ONE WOMAN. I encourage everyone to support this bill by going to Protectmarriage.com and donating money to the cause. They need all the money they can get to help campaign, and put commercials on tv. For humanity's sake we need everyone to vote YES on prop. 8. Even if you have friends or family who is gay you can still vote YES. The rights and privileges of marriage should be only intended for heterosexual couples. It is ok to keep the perks of marriage between man and woman. This in no way hurts homosexual couples. They can still live together in their unions. Please realize the importance of this drastic measure and support Prop. 8. VOTE YES ON PROP. 8!!!
Technorati tags: Proposition 8, gay marriage, California, Marriage
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I feel that in this day and age with the great modern technology we have, it is more than possible to buy things for a great deal. Especially with the current state of the economy, people are looking to get a deal because the prices of everyday goods are skyrocketing before our very eyes.
There are some tools that the average consumer can use in order to get a deal on the products you shop for. Shopwiki is a fantastic website that lists stores and websites that sell pretty much whatever item you are looking for. It has a huge directory of items. Just search and find the best deal. Shopwiki crawls the internet looking for all these deals so you get an unbiased selection of offers. Since there aren't coupons for everything we need, I'm glad there are sites like Shopwiki to help you comparison shop right from your computer.
We have friends with a Wii that we really love to play, so I will be using Shopwiki for a Wii in the near future. There are many products I want, but haven't found a great price for, but now that I'm better informed I'll probably be able to find the best bang for my buck pretty easily. The next time I start doing research on a product I will start at Shopwiki.
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There are a few things regarding Big Brother 10 that I need to get off my chest. I HATE Memphis and Dan. Memphis is a player. I hate him. He is so full of himself. He deserves to get kicked off. I do not want him to win the money. More than my not wanting Memphis to win is my not wanting Dan to win. He is ridiculous. I can't even stand to hear him talk. He is also way too confident in himself. Plus, he is such a pansy. He doesn't have the guts to get what he wants done without trying to make it look like it was someone else's fault. I hate him! I know that he will probably win though because doesn't the person you hate the most always end up winning Big Brother??? YES!
Technorati tags: Big Brother 10, reality
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Like a lot of Americans I have felt that I could stand to lose a few pounds lately. I've had this complaint for a couple years, but my upcoming cruise has finally been motivation enough for me to start doing something about it.
A while ago I bought a workout DVD that I really like. It is indoor walking that also adds little bursts of intensity to help burn more fat, and one segment includes weights. I love this video because it is do-able. I don't enjoy setting myself up to fail. I feel that a diet wouldn't work because I don't have the self control to stop eating yummy foods that aren't so good for you. So since I don't want to set myself up to fail, my plan is to work out everyday with a video I feel I can succeed with. I have now been doing this workout plan for 7 weeks and it is going good.
A few weeks ago I read about the Biggest Loser workout video and I purchased one of those. This DVD will totally kick your trash. It is a lot more intense than my previous movie and I find myself battling with myself about whether or not I am going to work out. I don't want to fight, I just want to do it. So I think I need to try a different movie. Any suggestions?
I have enjoyed bettering myself. I think I have probably lost 2-3 pounds. I am shooting for 10 pounds. I don't own a scale because I don't think I would be able to control how many times a day or week I would get on it, so I'm going by how my clothes fit me. I'm trying to get down one pant size and my reward will be getting a new dress for my upcoming cruise!! Go me!
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We often try to have game nights with our friends. When we go to our friends house we play some great group games that also require some brains such as ticket to ride and settlers of catan. Well I would like to host a game night but am a little ashamed of having brainless games. I think it is time to invest in very fun group game that also requires some thinking. Any suggestions? I don't think Uno or Life will do with this crowd.
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I don't care what kind of silly tests they do on commercials, there is no deodorant out there that prevents sweat marks, maybe in normal people, but not people like me with a little bit of a sweating problem. If you know of a magic deodorant out there that will help me and free me from wearing all dark colors, please leave a comment and let me know!
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So this show is my guilty pleasure! I really enjoy watching The Hills. I do get frustrated with Spencer who I think should get hit by a bus. I really don't like Heidi, and I think Stephanie should be able to be friends with whoever she wants. I'm glad the drama is my life, but I enjoy watching it in someone else's! So yay! The Hills has begun again and I can now be sucked into an immature world of stupid drama!
Technorati tags: The Hills, MTV, Heidi and Spencer, Lauren
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I am loving the Olympics, which most people probably are. I'm so happy to have a DVR so I can record as many 5 hours blocks as I want to and then fast forward through the sports I'm less interested in. I'm mostly hooked on swimming and gymnastics right now. I'm really not interested in volleyball, or any of those "ball" sports. I'm very happy to have two weeks of the Olympics and don't mind at all the change in the regularly scheduled programming. What are your favorite sports to watch?
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My Dad loves to collect silver coins and now he and I are trying an experiment. I am going to be selling silver American Eagles coins on ebay. Hopefully I won't let me Dad down and the coins will sell for a great price! Any tips? Interested in buying one? Let me know!
Technorati tags: ebay, silver, coins, American Eagles
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I have been feeling the twinge lately to start getting back into blogging. I quit last November when google slashed my page rank because of different sponsored post. I have had a hard time having a desire to get into it, because of my hard work down the drain. I need to get back into it, though, because it was nice to be productive during the days in between taking care of my daughter. We'll see how it goes but hopefully we're back!
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Well it is a sickening day when California overturns a ban on Gay Marriage. I am sick to be from California. It is despicable! Marriage is ordained of God and to be between a man and woman. I am disappointed in the supreme court for thinking that the privilege of being married can be given to gay couples. It is just wrong!
Technorati tags: California, gay marriage, marriage
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I look forward to Thursdays! Not only are they close to Friday (which is always a happy day) but in my little world they also mean play date day! Every Thursday morning my two friends their kids and my daughter and I get together at someone's house and play for an hour and a half. Well the kids play and we talk. As much as my daughter needs the social interaction and friendship, I think I may need it more. Thursdays are days that bring me back to sanity. They help me feel good about my life and like I can survive. Living all the other days stuck at home with my daughter can really take a toll sometimes. It feels so good to get out. There are a couple times when I take my husband to work so that I can have the car and it is sweet freedom to be able to go where ever I want whenever I want! I think that is a sign it is time to become a 2 car family! Now just to work on the plan to be able to afford one...
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Of course when I say groundhog's day I am referring to the movie. I feel like everyday is the same, the same things happen, in the same order and it is just blah. Everyday my daughter and I get up at about the same time, we eat the same things for breakfast, we watch the same shows and play the same games. I'm not quite sure how to break the vicious, repetitive cycle. Until I figure that out, put on your hats and booties folks, it's going to be a long ride.
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MYTH: Adults don't grow new brain cells
I have watched a lot of tv shows lately that delve into the structure and function on the human body; one of the things that I found interesting was that they pointed out that you are born with all the muscle fibers you will ever have, although the fibers may get bigger or smaller new fibers cannot be grown. Examples like this might lead one to believe that a person is born with all the brains cells they will ever have but studies have shown that neurons in the brain grow and change during the adult years. I remember growing and some times enjoying the smell of gas a little too much while filling up the car and thinking that I have a few less brain cells now. Although it may be true that brain cells are lost during such activities, I find hope in the knowledge that I can grow new ones to replace the ones I lost during 'mindless' activities. Here are some quotes from the internet 'tubes' that support the notion of growing new brain cells.
Much of a human's crucial brain development happens during childhood, but it isn't all downhill from there. Studies have shown that neurons continue to grow and change well into the adult years. [source]Research with mice discovered these results:
The researchers found that while pyramidal neurons didn't exhibit any structural changes—which is consistent with previous reports—a group of inhibitory neurons called "interneurons"did.Other research done with rhesus monkeys resulted this way:The researchers estimate that on average, about 14 percent of the interneurons they observed showed structural modifications.
Approximately 20 to 30 percent of the neurons in the neocortex, the part of the brain responsible for higher functions such as thought, are made up of inhibitory interneurons. These neurons are believed to play an important role in regulating brain activity by delaying or blocking signals from excitatory neurons. [source]
Elizabeth Gould and Charles Gross performed their research on rhesus monkeys, whose brain structure is very similar to that of humans. They found that neurogenesis -- the formation of new nerve cells -- takes place in several different regions of the cortex that are crucial for cognitive and perceptual functions. The cerebral cortex is the most complex region of the brain and is responsible for high-level decision making and for learning about the world. The results strongly suggest that the same process occurs in humans. Their report is published in the Oct. 15, 1999 issue of Science. [source]This discovery of new brain cell growth has opened up new possibilities for combating brain degenerating deceases.
While the adult brain was once thought to be a mostly static structure, scientists have discovered in recent years that some parts of the brain -- most notably, the hippocampus, an area involved in learning and memory, and the subventricular zone, which lines one of the brain's fluid-filled cavities -- continually produce neurons, especially after injury."We know new cells are made and go to the site of new injury, whether it's stroke or Parkinson's or Alzheimer's," says David Greenberg, a neuroscientist at the Buck Institute for Age Research in Novato, CA."One strategy to treat neurodegeneration is to boost this response." [source]As research on brain activity and growth continues I am sure there will be more information about ways to keep our brains active and growing. The first time I was introduced to a sudoku puzzle my wife's mom told me that those puzzles are good for brain activity and preventing Alzheimer's; I don't know about the whole preventing Alzheimer's thing but one thing that I have noticed through a lot of my reading on this subject has suggested to keep your mind active through activities like phsyical exercise and mind puzzles to help keep the mind healthy.
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Currently around the country people are stressing out about their taxes. With only about a month before they are due some people may be starting to sweat it, while others are filing for an extension. For us, thanks to our friend Turbo Tax we filed electronically yesterday! YAY! I've already had confirmation that both states and the feds have received our tax return and we are about 1 week from our refund! I'm sure glad that's over, and really glad that next year we will only have to file in one state instead of two!
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MYTH: There are chemicals to detect pee in a poolThe joke's on you! I can tell you that no such product exists. Once upon a time there was a product like that, but it was intended as a joke! It was not intended to be anything else! Urine in a swimming pool is no joke: it can quickly deplete the chlorine level, especially in smaller pools, and will lead to the formation of odorous chloramines. If there is urine in the pool, the odorous combined chlorine level will rise and the free chlorine level will bottom out. Large amounts of shock will probably be required to restore the proper chlorine levels..... I hope that I have debunked the myth [source]Here is another great resource debunking this myth:
So, is there a chemical that can be added to swimming pools, to change colour and mark out naughty people who wee in the water? According to Prof. Selinger, almost certainly not. Urine is made from water, inorganic salts, urea, creatinine, ammonia, catecholamines, allantoin and the breakdown products of red blood cells, which give it its yellowish colour. There are also many other chemicals in varying ratios, depending on your health and many other factors. Which one of these many chemicals will you choose to react with? If a chemical can react to urine, it might also react to your sweat. This is such a difficult problem, that it seems that nobody has tried to solve it. And if such a chemical did really exist, surely cheeky kids would urinate while swimming past other kids, to put the blame onto them. [source]My wife took a lot of chemistry classes during her college career so we have talked about the validity of the myth many times. One of the major flaws of this myth that we have talked about is that there would have to be such a huge concentration of the of the 'detecting' chemical in order for the detection to occur. The probable concentration levels needed for something like this to actually work would result in having to swim in more chemicals than water.
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MYTH: Drugged travelers wake up in a bath tub of ice with a missing kidney
I remember the first time I heard this myth and being totally shocked that someone would go through all that effort to get some extra cash. After hearing about it I would occasionally hear other people talk about it as a joke or tv shows making fun of the situation but I never gave it much thought past that. To give you some more insight into this myth here is a version of the story I found while researching this myth.
"Bob" — was on a business trip alone somewhere in Europe, and went out to a bar one night to have a cocktail. Wouldn't you know it, he woke up the next morning in an unfamiliar hotel room with severe pain in his lower back. He was taken to the emergency room, where doctors determined that, unbeknownst to himself, Bob had undergone major surgery the night before. One of his kidneys had been removed, cleanly and professionally. [source]In other versions the myth take place in Huston, New Orleans, Las Vegas or other major US cities; but no matter the place all the stories are basically the same, some one wakes up with missing kidneys. The urban legend site snopes.com has the complete email concerning this myth that was passed around the internet back in '97, you can read it here.
A drug-induced haze, a bathtub full of ice, a gaping hole where the left kidney should be: you may have heard the main ingredients of this popular legend, which has turned up in various forms. Organized bands of organ-thieves are the usual culprits and students or business travelers their victims. A particularly rampant e-mail outbreak of this (un-true) tale in 1997 prompted law and organ-donor groups to issue press releases debunking the legend. [source]
In fact, it's all but impossible for such activities to take place outside properly-equipped medical facilities, UNOS argues. The removal, transport, and transplantation of human organs involves procedures so complex and delicate, requiring a sterile setting, minute timing, and the support of so many highly-trained personnel, that they simply could not be accomplished "on the street," as it were.In my opinion, the criminals in this story go through a lot of effort to get the organs in addition to preforming the surgery in such a way as to have the 'donor' live to tell the tale. If there are criminals out there that are willing to go through all that effort for an organ then there should be poachers out there that put elephants and rhinos to sleep in order to harvest their ivory; but instead, rather than go through all that trouble, the poachers kill the animals and then remove the ivory. I think organ harvesters would do the same that if organization like that really existed; why settle for one or two kidneys when potentially they could harvest an entire body full of organs. I know this is kind of a morbid way of looking at the situation, but the criminals in this myth are just way to nice.
The National Kidney Foundation has repeatedly issued requests for alleged victims of such crimes to come forward and validate their stories. To date, none have. [source]
Technorati tags: stolen, kidneys
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