Haters Wanna Hate

Yahoo! posted an article yesterday on their website of the 10 most hated NBA players. Shockingly enough, LeBron James is not the number one contender any more.

It is pretty sad that Kim Kardashian has not only smeared her reputation, but her ex-husband's reputation, as well. Kris Humphries stole the title from LeBron and is now officially the most hated NBA player. What's even more sad is he's hated based on reputation, not playing ability. If you notice number 10, Lamar Odom, that is Khloe Kardashian's current husband.

I believe people are misjudging these men and should be "hating" the Kardashian women, not their husbands. If you are going to hate an NBA player, base it on playing ability, not their choice of spouse, regardless of how they behave.

Check out the top 10, after the jump, along with the percentage of respondents who found each player unlikable (stats via EOB).
1. Kris Humphries (50 percent dislike)
2. LeBron James (48 percent)
3. Kobe Bryant (45 percent)
4. Tony Parker (37 percent)
5. Metta World Peace (36 percent)
6. Chris Bosh (34 percent)
7. Carmelo Anthony (27 percent)
8. Paul Pierce (25 percent)
9. Dwyane Wade (23 percent)
10. Lamar Odom (21 percent)

link to article: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Kris-Humphries-not-LeBron-James-is-the-NBA-82?urn=nba-wp12179

Doomsday Schmoomsday

I have never been one to believe in hype of the world ending, just because some kook says so. Needless to say, I do not believe the world will end in 2012. Perhaps things such as solar flares may occur, but I will leave that up to Science for prediction. I believe the world will end when God chooses, and NO ONE can predict that day. Also, there were several events that happened in 2011 that did not even receive the media spotlight, yet here we are still alive and standing. Obviously said events did not put an end to our existence.

link to events that happened: http://news.discovery.com/space/top-5-real-cosmic-doomsdays-2011-111206.html#mkcpgn=emnws1

I have exhausted many Internet sites reading articles about the "2012 Doomsday" and can not help but to chuckle. Many things are taken out of context, including this prediction. It turns out that this particular prediction was a numerical fluke that spread like wildfire. News broadcasts are so negative now days that they are further worsening our fears instead of putting out the actual fire itself.

I am here to try to set the record straight. If our country were to do more extensive research and not be so quick to whole-hearted believe the hype (right or wrong), we all would not be scared sh**less of the future. We would also learn not to believe everything we hear. What if Doomsday really was in the cards for us? There is not a single thing we could do about it. For Christian believers, we can prepare to finally come home to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and party it up in heaven. For all others and non-believers, they would continue to live "Hell on Earth" as it states in the bible.

Below is the link from Discovery News in regards to "Doomsday." I suggest reading this website often to receive knowledge of all the fantastic discoveries happening in the world surrounding us.

http://news.discovery.com/history/2012-doomsday-is-a-marketing-fallacy-111202.html

link to picture: http://doomsday-prophecy.maxupdates.tv/doomsday-2012-can-we-survive-it/

Words Of Wisdom

I was searching the Internet at famous quotes and stumbled upon this one from Marilyn Monroe. It really spoke to me and could not be further from the truth. Marilyn was such an inspiration to the fashion industry, Hollywood, celebrities, and fans everywhere. We could all learn something from her words of wisdom.

“This life is what you make it. Not matter what, you're going to mess up sometimes, it's a universal truth. But the good part is you get to decide how you're going to mess it up. Girls will be your friends - they'll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, some go. The ones that stay with you through everything - they're your true best friends. Don't let go of them. Also remember, sisters make the best friends in the world. As for lovers, well, they'll come and go too. And babe, I hate to say it, most of them - actually pretty much all of them are going to break your heart, but you can't give up because if you give up, you'll never find your soul mate. You'll never find that half who makes you whole and that goes for everything. Just because you fail once, doesn't mean you're gonna fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don't, then who will, sweetie? So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about.”

link to quote: http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/82952.Marilyn_Monroe

link to picture: http://www.squidoo.com/marilyn-monroe-posters

Model Behavior

I started modeling for fun a few years go. I got the idea from my friend, Jayme Bevill-Foxx. She provided me names and contact information for a couple of her photographer friends and basically, the rest is history. I am currently in the process of compiling a portfolio for submission to agencies, but it is a slow process.

I have been told to pursue modeling as a full-time career, but the problem is money. For one, I do not have a portfolio ready (it's an unorganized messed consisting of pictures on CDs and a couple of prints), and two, I have not been hired by an agency.

This brings me to my next point, Model Mayhem. modelmayhem.com is a website where aspiring models, photographers, and stylists come together and network. If you are photographer seeking subjects, a model seeking photographers, or a model seeking hair and makeup stylists, this is one of the most popular sites to visit. I like to get photography leads through Jayme or through other friends, not this website. It is a great site, you just are not quite sure what is on the other end. It is a risk you take to get your start.

Melanie Fairlight Nelson and her husband, Dave, are photographers. Dave does photography, as does Melanie, but Melanie works with wardrobe, shoot setup and model coaching. She told me about this photo shoot on Saturday that Model Mayhem hosted. We attended, but it was not quite what we expected. I have only modeled in solo shoots, so this shoot Saturday had me frazzled, because there were several aspiring models. It was extremely fun, but extremely disorganized. It was a great way to meet new stylists and new photographers, but would have been much better more organized. Photographers did not have models to shoot the whole time due to lack of stylists and designers were working with several models at a time. It is a little difficult and can get weeded when you throw a bunch of new people together with little preparation time. You could definitely tell everyone was an amateur, but you have to get a start somewhere. Overall, the photographers did a great job and we met some fun, talented people.

During the photo shoot, women were asking me for modeling tips and wardrobe choices. It felt really great to have an opportunity to help and kept me humble about what I do. I remember what it is like getting a start and it is not easy. Without friends such as Jayme and Melanie, I would not be where I am today. I love what I do and aspire to become the best I can be, no matter what!

photo credit: me, pinup session. Jill Rasco photography

Caffeind

I love coffee. In fact, I love it a little too much. Many studies have shown that coffee has health benefits, including reducing your risk of Alzheimer's Disease. (If that's really the case, I should be free and clear of it in the first place because I consume so much.)

I read an article today on Yahoo! entitled "5 Signs You've Had Too Much Caffeine." The saying is true that too much of a good thing is bad for you and the article is further proof of this theory. “If you stop drinking coffee abruptly, you may experience irritability, fatigue, headaches, and even depression.” I know some people who are irritable even without overdoing it on the caffeine, so perhaps more coffee, or caffeine in general, is best for them. If that does not cure their problem, perhaps a sedative would.

The occasional 8 oz. cup of coffee is fine and the occassional soda or tea, as well. If you're drinking trentas from Starbucks several times a week, however, then that really is not healthy at all. This is a very interesting article, and may you enjoy it while responsibly enjoying your caffeine beverage of choice.

link to story: http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/5-signs-youve-had-too-much-caffeine-2606667/

picture source: http://askinyourface.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/186-019coffee-posters-235x300.jpg

Dysfuntion Junction

Back in September, I wrote a blog entitled, "Misery Loves Its Company." At that particular point in time, I knew a lot of people fighting tough battles. Between then and now, not much has changed.

Friends are still dealing with ill family members, break-ups, employment (or lack there of), and are having trouble grappling with the terrible hand they're dealt in life. I am reminded of the movie "The Royal Tenenbaums." If you are unfamiliar with this movie, (which is unfortunate, because it's AMAZING) Royal, played by Gene Hackman, leaves his wife and children during the children's adolescent years, a very poignant time in their life. All three children, Margot, Chas, and Richie end up succeeding in life, regardless of their dysfunctional upbringing. The reason I correlate these together is this: Your father may shoot you with a BB gun, your parents may be having affairs, you may be in love with your brother, or your brother may be a cutter. Those events happened in the kid's lives, but Margot still went on to write a play at age nine, winning an award. Richie became a success in tennis, cleaned up his act, and quit self-mutilation. Chas ends up not only finding his true self, but saving himself and his sons.

People experience dysfunctional moments in life. When this arises, they want advice, a shoulder to cry on, or simply a willing ear to listen. It is tough providing advice if you yourself are trying to beat the house with your crummy deck of cards. The message to take away from the film, this blog, and life in general, is simply to strive to achieve greatness, regardless of what hand you're dealt or how much dysfunction consumes you. Place your needs aside for a moment and focus on helping others. Their hand trumps yours. When you help others while they're being dealt nil, they in turn reciprocate to help you. Good luck out there and shoot for the jackpot!

Out Of This World Poop!

NASA is currently in a $30 million competition, sponsored by Google, to preserve lunar artifacts before contenders arrive on the moon within the next two years. 28 teams are competing to send spacecraft to the moon surface for exploration and photography.

Between 1969 and 1972, six crews left behind communication software, rovers, and fecal matter. These artifacts are segments of a larger collection, including Soviet-era spacecraft and previously crashed NASA probes.

What's poop got to do with it? Astrobiologists are interested in studying how bacteria in an astronaut's fecal matter have fared over 40 years and if it endured genetic mutation. Microbes also thrived in food containers, clothing, and other items left behind, which could have also endured mutation.

Rob Kelso, director of NASA's lunar commercial services program, stated, "In a real sense, the hardware that still sits on the moon are ongoing experiments in scientific witness plates, of looking at environmental impacts over time, which can provide significant engineering data about how systems and structures survive." Kelso also stated, "The crews put their feces bags, urine bags, food containers, their clothes, in a bag and would jettison that out of the hatch prior to liftoff as they tried to shed as much weight for ascent performance."

In order to preserve artifacts and prevent potential damages, NASA wants visitors to keep their distance. Buffer zones(between one to three kilometers, 0.62 to 1.2 miles) vary depending on particular relic and historic significance with the Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 garnering the most restricted access.

NASA spokesman J.D. Harrington told Discovery News in an email, "Any future lunar landing vehicle teams can select the level of compliance within their mission design and adopt according to their team plans." Best of luck to you, NASA, and may you win the competition!

link to story: http://news.discovery.com/space/moon-landing-sites-nasa-111024.html#mkcpgn=emnws1

Cystic Fibrosis

I posted a picture of an email I received yesterday on my Google+ page, regarding Cystic Fibrosis. Cystic Fibrosis is currently covered under medicaid. There is a 12, bipartisan senator party that is looking to restructure Medicaid deficit. They are looking to cut funding completely for CF. This is a HORRIBLE decision. CF is not covered under insurance because it is a preexisting condition. Cancer is also a preexisting condition, but that's somehow covered. The purpose of this blog is to inform you all of the cost of CF and why it is important to continue coverage under medicaid. The following information is taken from my best friend's blog. She is a victim of CF.


"The following is a list of the daily medications and supplements kept on-hand to effectively treat my CF with underlying asthma and sinusitis:

• Xopenex 1.25mg/3mL Inhaled Nebulized Solution - 2x Daily ($382 - 30 Day Supply)
• Hypertonic Saline Inhaled 7% 4mL Nebulized Solution - 2x Daily ($30 - 30 Day Supply)
• Pulmozyme Inhaled Nebulized Solution - 1x Daily ($999 = 30 Day Supply)
• Advair 500/50 Asthma Discus - 2x Daily ($275 = 30 Day Supply)
• Xopenex 15GM Rescue Inhaler - As Needed ($62 = 60 Day Supply)
• Creon 24,000U Digestive Enzymes - 5 per Meal, 3 per Snack ($2520 = 30 Day Supply)
• BioK Non-Dairy Digestive Probiotics - 3oz 2x Daily ($60 = 7 Day Supply)
• Allegra Allergy - 1x at Morning ($17.99 = 14 Day Supply)
• Singulair 10mg Asthma/Allergy - 1x at Night ($165 = 30 Day Supply)
• Flonase 16GM - 1 Puff each Nostril 2x Daily ($92 = 60 Day Supply)
• Nexium - 1x Daily ($210 = 30 Day Supply)

ANNUAL BASIC MEDICATION TOTAL = $59,484
(This total does not include multiple antibiotics and steroids used to treat numerous infections over the course of the year such as oral Levaquin, which is $469 for a 7 day supply and may be needed as often as 5-10 times per year).

These medications are accompanied with routine CF specialist check-ups every 3 months which are comprised of pulmonary function tests, sputum cultures and a consultation with the specialist (approximately $1500 a visit); Annual expanded CF specialist check-ups which along with the typical follow-up routine also includes x-rays and bloodwork (approximately $2700 a visit); "Tune-Up" hospital stays which usually last 7-10 days and focus on building the patient up with antibiotics, physical therapy and bed rest (my stay last year totaled $33,774); "Sick" hospital stays which last until you are well enough to be released without fear of relapse (my stay for Pneumonia in February totaled $59,943); And various surgical procedures, in my case being 4 nasal polyp removals over the past 10 years, my latest in September of 2010 (each rounding out at approximately $7000).

MY PERSONAL GRAND TOTAL TO DATE FOR 2011 = $120,927
And it's only May. I still have my annual visitation next month, 2 more routine check-ups, who knows how many more hospital stays and 7 more insurance premiums. AND I have a "mild" case! This comes nowhere close to CFers who are admitted for months at a time, are dependent on daily IV antibiotics and oxygen and have organ transplantation tagged on.

And the real kicker? It is absolutely impossible once diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis to obtain a generic insurance policy, as CF is a pre-existing condition that, unlike others that may have a year or two waiting period until coverage is approved, does not heal over time. In layman's terms, unless CF patients have insurance policies existing when they are diagnosed or their state offers a government-funded insurance plan specifically for pre-existing conditions (such as Texas, thankfully, although the premiums per month, deductible and co-insurance amounts are exorbitant), EVERYTHING IS PAID FOR OUT OF POCKET. If you lose your insurance due to a company filing error (like I did), if you are too old to be covered under your parents' policy or if you are diagnosed at a time when you are uninsured...You. Are. Screwed. To date, I am approximately $250,000 in debt that I am slowly paying off and most likely will be for the rest of my life. It becomes a matter of picking and choosing which treatments and medications are priorities and which ones can be rationed, which is the second highest reason (the first being terminal CFers not receiving organ transplantation in time) for rapid decline and death in CF patients. A health issue that we were born into. A health issue that is not our fault. A health issue we can not get rid of. And we can not save our own lives because of the almighty dollar."

Post Rapture

I am sharing an excerpt from my best friend's blog. I could not have said this better myself. To the Christian man continually giving us a bad rep, QUIT PREDICTING WHEN A RAPTURE IS GOING TO OCCUR.

"By now, I'm sure everyone has heard the big prediction. Arithmetic may not be my strong suit, but I'm 99.9% certain that no matter how "holy" the math that David Koresh wannabe did was, the Rapture is not going to take place tomorrow.

I am a Christian. Not a fanatic. (There's a very fine line.) And it seems that every Christian out there with common sense is thinking the exact same thing: "In the Bible, doesn't it clearly state more than once that no one knows when the Father will return except for the Father Himself?" Preeecisely. You'd think that these extremists, in all of their Bible toting and quoting glory, would be privy to that information.

But as much as I want to roll my eyes and admonish them, I can't help but be more focused on what I find to be the truly tragic part of the equation. Don't get me wrong...Even as a Christian, I don't claim these fruitcakes. (Zing. Sorry.) But you know what? At least they believe in SOMEthing. The only reason this event has my attention whatsoever is because of the multitudes of non-believers that are coming out of the woodworks, the blatant disrespect to their fellow human beings for not sharing in their lack of beliefs and comments that are being posted on message boards across the world:

"When this doesn't pan out, can we finally stop taking the Bible and its wizard in the sky seriously altogether?"

It makes me sad...Heartbreakingly sad...That something as sacred as believing in God is taking the fall for something that man created.

To be a Christian is not to say that I think I am perfect. Far from it. I take the Lord's name in vain in Dallas rush-hour traffic, I party more than I should, I have moments of doubt and I enjoy some extremely shallow and materialistic things. But I also believe with all of my heart, mind and soul that Jesus died for my sins, saved my life and forgives me for being an idiot on a daily basis. It's an amazing comfort, assurance and elation that can not be described in words. Do I believe in the Rapture? Yes. Do I believe in Heaven and Hell? Absolutely. Do I believe that if I don't forward a Facebook post that I will go to said Hell? Not in the slightest.

So to anyone out there who runs across this blog and feels it necessary to chastise me for "believing a fairy story", I don't mind. It will never change my beliefs or the way that I live. Because the bottom line is that I would rather live as if there is a God and find out there isn't than live as if there isn't to find out there is."

"The Discovernator"

I am an avid subscriber to Discovery news and found this email today in the inbox. It's interesting, random facts. I'm not sure about you, but it would be pretty amazing to live nine days without a head. Then again, your brain would be located in your body for that to happen. It wouldn't necessarily be fun but, it would be interesting. I'm reminded of that scene in "Kill Bill Vol. 2" where BB Kiddo pulls out Elle Driver's second eye and she flounders around for a while. I think that's what it would be like living without a head for nine days.


Here is the link to the story. May you also enjoy :)

http://news.discovery.com/games-quizzes/discovernator-crazy-amazing-facts-101411.html#mkcpgn=emnws1

Donner, Party of 81

A new book has been published titled, "An Archaeology of Desperation: Exploring the Donner Party's Alder Creek Camp." For those unfamiliar with this party, they were American pioneers who set out on a journey to California in 1846. Their journey was four to six months and by the end, in February 1847, were snowbound in Sierra Nevada, leaving them stranded and without food. This book analyzes the tragic journey and reveals what was consumed.

The 81 pioneers' menu consisted of family pets, bones, twigs, what was known as the time as "glue", strings, and ultimately, human remains. Cannibalism was deduced due to the lack of human bone fragments identified. With nothing left to eat, historical records indicate some of the snowbound victims resorted to consuming bodies of others who perished.

The 1800's were an extremely tough time in American History. This book, according to co-editor Kelly Dixon, "emphasizes the fact that the historical and archaeological sources present a complicated story about humans doing whatever possible, including eating hide and strings as well as consuming their dogs, before making the desperate decision to cannibalize..." Dixon and co-editors Julie Schablitsky and Shannon Novak identified rodent, canine, deer, rabbit, horse and oxen/cattle bones within 16,000 plus bone fragments. Hair, bones, skulls, and fragments of half-consumed limbs were said to be around the fire. Jacob Donner's body was found with his heart and liver removed and his limbs and arms were cut off.

Concluding thoughts of the book mention that no intact skeletons were found at the excavation site. "If the Donner families consumed only flesh and organs, as would be expected from comparative cases of survival cannibalism, then only soft tissue would have been cooked over a fire or broiled over a pot." "Beyond the cannibal tale, this hero saga reminds us of our own fragility, mortality, and resilience in the face of unfamiliar circumstances and less-than-predicatble futures." Now, who wants to join me for a nice, juicy steak?

link to story: http://news.discovery.com/history/donner-party-cannibalism-remains-111010.html

"They Took Our Jobs!"

This title is derived from an episode clip of "South Park." In this scenario, it is applicable.

I wrote a blog back in August about Steve Jobs stepping down as Apple's CEO and Tim Cook continuing on his legacy. Steve Jobs left behind an extraordinary legacy. He was a strong fighter, innovative thinker, and now after his passing, has some pretty large shoes to fill.

I admit that I made fun of the iPhone 4S release, because it's still lacking, regardless of the fancy new gadgets and updates. This does not change how I felt about Steve as a respectable businessman. It also does not change how I feel about existing Apple products. I am still very much a Macintosh addict. Steve does have large shoes to fill, but that does not mean Tim and the rest of the Apple team are incapable of carrying on such a legacy.

Consumers may not be happy with Apple or its performance over the past several years, but that negative thinking did not deter Steve from accomplishing his dreams. He continued to pave the way for Apple and technology in general. Steve's positive thinking, innovative ideas, and tenacity are what helped turn Apple into what it is today.

I leave you with this quote from Jobs. May you also take away from it. "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Google, The Other Big Brother

Google just launched a new application called Google Wallet. It stores virtual versions of your existing credit and debit cards on your phone. You tap the phone to pay and redeem offers using near field communication, or NFC.

It will eventually hold majority to all of the cards you keep in your wallet today. Since Google Wallet is a mobile app, currently available only on android smartphones, it will store thousands of payment cards and Google Offers, without the buldge. Eventually, loyalty cards, gift cards, receipts, boarding passes, tickets, even your keys will be seamlessly synced to your Google Wallet. Every offer and loyalty point will be redeemed automatically with a single tap via NFC.

I will not be using this new app, simply because Google already knows us all way too well. Jimmy Fallon said it best on his 30 September 2011 show, "Thank you, the newly released Google wallet app that no longer requires you to carry credit cards. Nice try Google, but you aren't getting your hands on my personal information; except for every word I've ever said in an email, everything I've searched for on the internet, who my friends are, where I'm traveling to everyday, how I got there, and of course, what my house looks like from space. That's it, that's where I draw the line." Spot on, Jimmy.


http://www.google.com/wallet/vision.html

Misery Loves Its Company

The saying goes "when it rains, it pours." It seems lately this scenario is happening to many people and happening too frequently. Between friends with ill family members, friends getting divorced, friends going through horrible breakups, friends losing loved ones, friends getting admitted into hospitals, and friends getting evicted, it's difficult to stay positive, much less find the good in life.

We are also taught that life isn't easy. Not only is life a complete 180 from easy, it's cruel, inconsiderate, and at times hateful. Life can portray itself as a dodge ball game in middle school. No one could have ever prepared us fully for the 100 mph dodge ball being hurled at your face by the bully.

There is no way to be 100% prepared to handle life's dodge balls, but we can love those people encountering the worst game of their life and pray for them. Offer a kind ear for listening or a shoulder they're able to cry on. Continue to persevere and know that there IS good in life. All we can do is the best we possibly can, pray, think positively, know that what you do is worth it and everything will work itself out in the end. Life is TOO short to focus on the negative. It's even shorter to be carrying all the burden on yourself alone.

Be like Abigail Breslin in the above referenced movie poster, "Little Miss Sunshine." Regardless of what life throws her way, she still embraces life with open arms, remains positive, and dances her little ass off! Even if your family member is dead in the back of your van, or your brother discovers he's colorblind after years of silence, regardless of what life is like for you and how the people are in it, think of positives. Be reminded of your health, family (functional or dysfunctional) , friends, beautiful, fall weather, pumpkin spice lattes, Oktoberfest beer, music, and many other things. Seek advice, seek help, offer advice, offer help. Take time out of your day to thank others and simply say "You're a wonderful person!" "Thank you for your friendship!" "Life will get better for you!", "I love you. Have a great day.", or "I am here for you." In simple terms, love one another and be appreciative of the good that is left in the world. People will take notice of your positive energy, constant support, love and appreciate it more than you know.

I Hear Voices

Three voices I love and could listen to all day everyday:

1. Sam Elliott
2. Jeff Bridges
3. Samuel Beam, a.k.a. Iron & Wine

SO therapeutic!

Most of you know who 1 and 2 are, but if you are unfamiliar with 3, you can learn more about him here: http://www.ironandwine.com/

*The "Kiss Each Other Clean" album is amazing!

Heeeeeeere's Johnny!

We've all seen interesting tattoos on individuals. One individual in particular has the most unique tattoos out there, Johnny Depp."My body is my journal, and my tattoos are my story."

You can find the meaning behind his tattoos here: http://tattoos.ygoy.com/2010/05/19/johnny-depp-tattoos/

Random, fun fact about JD: He was 26-years-old when filming "Edward Scissorhands."

Jerk Alert

I stumbled upon this picture today. If it were on a t-shirt, I'd wear it in a heartbeat.

Chatbot

I read an article today on Discovery News, regarding internet-enabled cars of the future. (More on that story later.) I showed my co-worker the story and asked his opinion. He then told me to search for "chatbot talks to chatbot" on the internet, thus results in the below youtube video. If this will be the future of our cars, I think i'll start walking, taking the DART, cab, or riding a bicycle. Best part is towards the end. Enjoy :)

FAIL

This is the headline news on today's Dallas Morning News website: http://www.dallasmorningnews.com/

You're doing it wrong, BP. I wonder what Obama will say about this? "This is a tragedy. Oil companies need to be responsible" blah, blah, blah. Is this why gas is still high? What a mess.

Tragic Anniversary

*I took this photo of the American flag that was found in rubble of WTC.*

September 11, 2001. I had just completed first period of marching band. I was walking from the band hall to my second period class, C++ programming. Walking by myself, I pass by Deven Wrigley and Chase Doyle who were saying, "so, a plane struck the tower? then another plane struck another tower?" I was confused and didn't know what that was about. I approach the class to hear everyone in a fury discussing planes, collisions, deaths, and terrorist acts. Immediately I rushed to the computer to find our country was under attack. New York, Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon had all been struck by OUR OWN planes! Who would do such a thing to a beautiful, free place?! The entire classroom period we watched video after video of plans being slammed into the WTCs, Penn, and DC.

Every single time I visit NY, I go to Ground Zero, have a moment of silence, pray, and see the surrounding museum memorials. One quote I read that's forever etched into my mind is, "We were in the second tower when we saw the first tower go down. We saw plane number two on the way and I thought to myself 'oh, good! help is on its way!'" *quote not an exact verbatim, but close.*

We don't just need anniversaries alone to remind us of that horrific day. We should celebrate life, celebrate lives lost and the heroes who fought for us that day everyday. NEVER forget who we are as a country, what we stand for, and most importantly NEVER forget what those people in those three areas went through. Be thankful people were so selfless to save their beloved country and please keep their legacy alive by reciprocating their heroism. Practice random acts of kindness, reach out to those in need, say a little prayer for our country everyday, and most importantly: continue to lift up and pray for the heroes and lives lost on 9/11/2001. What do you do to remember?

http://news.discovery.com/history/september-11-remembrance-110902.html

Hippie Corpse

My apologies for being out of pocket for a few days now, but I'm back.

While reading Discovery news this morning, a particular story jumped out at me. "Green Cremation Offers Clean Departure." There is a new cremation process that uses water and a chemical called potassium hydroxide, which is highly alkaline -- the opposite of acid. "Resomation", as the term is called, is the first new commercially available service for handling human remains since cremation was approved more than 100 years ago. The water is heated and gently circulated. After two- to three hours, all that is left of the body is bone, which is then ground down into a powder to be returned to the family. The water, which contains broken down organic materials, is funneled into standard municipal water treatment facilities and returned into the hydrological cycle. (Water gets recycled back into the main water supply of city. Then again, so does your bath water and water from washing machines.)

So far, alkaline hydrolysis has been approved for commercial use in Florida, Minnesota, Maryland, Oregon, Kansas, Colorado and Maine. The University of California, Los Angeles, also is slated to receive a resomation machine for use through its medical school. Several other states, as well as the United Kingdom and other countries, are considering the technology. If you notice, Texas does not have it, yet, and I doubt we will for a very long time. There's no word when it will be released here, but if it is, I definitely want to be a hippie corpse!

Link to story: http://news.discovery.com/earth/green-cremation-110905.html

LOUD NOISES!

Due to noise pollution, some birds are forced to sing at higher frequencies making them less attractive. Noise pollution from roads, industries and other sources forces some birds to sing at higher frequencies. Since the male birds are having to change their tunes, they become less attractive to females. (I know some men in real life who are like this.)

A new study shows that when bombarded by noise pollution, some male birds begin to sing higher tunes, rendering them less attractive to females. Data from study suggests that birds must make difficult trade-offs in urban areas and areas where loud noises threaten to drown them out. In order to rise about the norm in an area surrounded by noise, they sing less appealing songs or tones, or sing the songs that make them sound appealing at the risk of not being heard at all.

It will be interesting to see what happens over the next few years with these birds.

Link to story: http://news.discovery.com/animals/noise-pollution-birds-110829.html

Apple Of My Eye

Apple says goodbye to Steve Jobs as CEO and welcomes Tim Cook into the position. I believe Apple will continue to thrive, regardless of who the CEO is. I'm giving Tim the benefit of the doubt and believe he will carry on where Steve left off. Congratulations, Tim, and may you continue to carry on a legend.

Link to story: http://theweek.com/article/index/218645/5-tips-for-apples-new-ceo-tim-cook

"I Love Boobies"

The title is derived from a bracelet campaign to help fight breast cancer. While at the doctor yesterday for my annual, I noticed a pamphlet about breast cancer. Cancer has been on the forefront of my mind recently, due to people currently in my life who have fought and beat it. The title, "Nearly 90% of women who get breast cancer have NO strong family history" caught my eye.

What caught my eye next was "now there's a genetic test as individual as you are that can tell you your risk for breast cancer." Knowing the people I do who have or had cancer, never had a family history of it. In a way, it's as if cancer just randomly chose them. I was intrigued to see what type of test this was and how it was able to tell you your risk, based on genes and family history just on a single test alone.

The test is called OncoVue. It's a new genetic breast cancer risk test based on multiple gene combinations shown to have a significant relationship to breast cancer. This test is genetic based, relevant to all women, regardless of family history. The OncoVue test results enable you to understand individual risks of developing cancer by analyzing DNA together with family history and personal lifestyle factors. The OncoVue test score indicates lifetime risk of developing cancer, but is not a diagnosis.

The best part is how this test works. OncoVue uses the latest understanding of the human genome in identifying specific genetic changes that are strong indicators for risk. The test is quick, painless, and only requires you to swish a little mouthwash in order to collect some cheek cells to determine DNA. When results are ready, you meet with a medical professional to review score and discuss individual level of risk.

I don't know about you, but for just a gargle and swish mouthwash to determine cancer, I'm definitely on board!!! Amazing how Science is making such a miraculous break through!

Diamonds Aren't Just For Girls...

Scientists have found a planet believed to be a giant diamond. The body is leftover from a massive star, now reduced to solid crystal-like carbon diamond. This planet is part of a binary star system located 4,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation Serpens (The Snake), which lies about one-eighth of the way toward the center of the Milky Way galaxy. The diamond planet was found as part of an ongoing search for pulsating stars, known as pulsars, which scientists like to use as probes.

Link to story: http://news.discovery.com/space/diamond-planet-110825.html#mkcpgn=emnws1

I'm Accidentally Rich, B****!

Science.discovery.com released a top 10 list of accidential inventions. These accidents have also caused their inventors to be extremely wealthy. Thank you, inventors, for the accidents you stumbled upon! The list consists of the following:

10. Saccharin
9. Smart Dust
8. Coke (Coca-Cola)
7. Teflon
6. Vulcanized Rubber (what tires, shoes, and hockey pucks are derived from)
5. Plastic
4. Radioactivity
3. Mauve
2. Pacemaker
1. Penicillin

link to story: http://science.discovery.com/brink/top-ten/accidental-inventions/inventions-01.html

News-Worthy?

I went to the Dallas Morning News website this morning to do some reading and exercise my brain with the crossword puzzle. The most news-worthy story that made the site headline was about an ex CEO of Hooters. Really? This is headlining news, why??? Glad to know where priorities are with our news publication.

Life's A Beach

Mission Beach

Likes & Dislikes Of Big Brother

In Berlin, Germany, officials are trying to make the Facebook "like" button illegal. "The state of Schleswig-Holstein's data protection commissioner, Thilo Weichert, on Friday ordered state institutions to shut down the fan pages on the social networking site and remove the "Like" button from their websites, saying it leads to profiling that violates German and European law. On Friday, Weichert issued a statement saying technical analysis by his office shows Facebook violated German and European data protection laws by passing content data to the social network's servers in the U.S." Seems quite ridiculous to me. Sieg Heil!

Link to the story: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/19/facebook-like-button-illegal-germany_n_931652.html

Life's Calling

We have all undoubtedly battled with the $75,000 question, "What do you want out of life?" or "What do you want to do with your life?" Many people already know the answers to these questions by the time they begin college, or even discover it upon completion of college. However, many others, such as myself, are still grappling with this. We are still on the path to self-discovery and trying to figure out life's plan for us.

It has taken me well over 4 years to complete a Bachelor's Degree. It's because I have changed majors many times and still haven't quite found my calling. Again, I've always been told I'm a wonderful writer and have a great way with words. I have been told to get an English degree. While declaring a Business major and taking Business classes, I had several writing assignments. I did better on the actual writing assignments than I did on the quizzes and exams.

Case in point. I retook Accounting this past Summer and pulled off a B. Math was never a strong suit and I do poorly in classes I don't care 2 cents about. I received an email from my professor today in regards to grading comments on an Annual Report Project I submitted. I made a 100. (Further proof that hard work and dedication really do pay off!) This is what the email said:

"Marianne – Good through ratios. Used Reuters.com for comparisons. She would invest. Investors should hold stock. Earnings per share has increased. Steady sales throughout the year. Steady earnings throughout the year. Revenue up for the current year. Earnings per share better than Lowe’s. Effective management. Attributes lower sales for the last quarter to the housing slump. Discusses debt-to-equity changes. Don’t understand 'minimal historical surprises’. Home Depot is a steady company preferable to Lowe’s for investment. 100 points When I consider buying stock, I tend to start in 3 areas: customer confidence - sales revenues are at least stable if not increasing; management's competence - how does management generate cash flow and control debt?; market confidence - measured by the price earnings ratio. If satisfied with the above, then I'm willing to spend the time to analyze in detail. I agree with everything you said but would like to see more raw analysis of the numbers comparing your notion of key ratios to industry or sector or to Home Depot's direct competition, Lowe's. Thanks for a well-done, thoughtful paper. Dean Wallace"

I am quite thrilled and proud of myself! I put forth most of my effort on an English-based assignment and did well. Looks like English really is my life's calling.

It Smells Like Teen Spirit Birthday

Happy birthday to Frances Bean Cobain! This young, beautiful, fashionista turns 19 today. It's such a shame that her mother, Courtney Love is a train wreck (love her music, though, just not her) and her father, Kurt Cobain, isn't around anymore to see how lovely she's turned out.

link to story: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/blogs/thread-count/frances-bean-cobain-fashions-timely-new-muse-20110818

Vampire Craze

photo: Robert Pattinson as a vampire in "Twilight." credit: Summit Entertainment

Vampires have been a hot, trending topic these past several years. No, there is no end in site, at least not within the next couple of years. What some people don't realize is vampires date back to the early 16th century. Not all vampires have been like Robert Pattinson's character in "Twilight" and Tom Cruise's character in "Interview With the Vampire," but it is interesting to see how many variations have derived from the original.

link for story: http://news.discovery.com/human/beyond-twilight-vampires-110817.html#mkcpgn=emnws1

I Love Goooooold!!!

Gold is at an all-time high right now and it keeps increasing daily. It opened up on the NYSE this morning at a quote of $1,825.10 (cost of 1 ounce). If you have gold that you don't want anymore, or if you're in need of money, sell it and become richer. Then again, current predictions for the cost of 1 ounce by December 2011 will be $2,500. Crazy! Hide yo kids, hide yo wife.....

Fry, Baby, Fry!

Top 10 list of things we shouldn't fry, according to the Huffington Post. It's quite interesting, however, why WOULDN'T you fry bacon?! Bacon ANYTHING is delicious!

One way I could gain weight is to eat all of these items, minus the spam curds. Really? Spam curds? That sounds sickening, fried or not! It may eventually make me gain weight, however, my heart, arteries, and body in general would hate me forever.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/14/10-things-we-shouldnt-be-frying_n_926555.html#s329608&title=Pickles

DWI: Driving With Igloo

My friend, Jerod Alexander, had this article posted on his facebook. It sparked my interest.

A 23 year-old Australian man was arrested for drunk driving. He was caught driving a motorized, homemade beer cooler without a license. His attorneys convinced to grant an ajournment to determine whether or not the cooler in fact was a motor vehicle.

Here in Texas, we see this quite frequently with John Deere riding lawn mowers. It's still highly amusing to read these stories. What will people come up with next??

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/09/drunken-driving-motorized-beer-cart_n_922552.html#s331202&title=Lyle_Monroe_Bensley

Broke As A Joke

The United States, in a nutshell, is broke. With a $14 trillion deficit, almost matching up with our GDP, we're simply broke. You can see for yourself at the website usdebtclock.org (same website I referenced in a couple blogs ago.) "'It seems to me it's physically, humanly impossible for the U.S. to ever pay off its debt,' Jim Rogers, the famous stock expert, tells CNBC. 'They can roll it over and continue to play the charade, but the U.S. is bankrupt.' Rogers, the best-selling financial author and co-founder of the Quantum Fund, warns that the S&P's recent downgrade didn't go far enough, as Washington probably doesn't even deserve the AA+ rating.

Famed economist and author Robert Wiedemer recently warned that Washington, D.C.'s, reckless financial policies could lead us to a 90% stock market collapse, 50% unemployment, and 100% annual inflation."

taken from: http://www.grassrootsactionalert.com/archive.asp?ref=7-GrassrootsActionAlert-100817-TMA

Here's a link for a video on how to protect your financial future: http://w3.newsmax.com/a/aftershockb/video.cfm?promo_code=CD63-1


We can argue to the death about who is ultimately at fault, but that's a waste of time. What we need to do is vote NEW people into the government. 133 people (give or take a few) ultimately make decisions for us and obviously they're doing a horrible job. Times need to change and it starts with voting. So go do it and get these morons out.

Separation Of Church and Employer

Thanks to an email from my bff, Becky Summers, I had a great laugh today. Normally, the saying is separation of church and state. In this case, separation of church and employer. I found this highly amusing and had quite decent belly laugh from this. Sadly, there have been many times I've thought exactly what this states. Thanks, Beck, for making my day. If any of you were amused by this, let me know and I'll post some more.

Debt Crisis

As we all know, the debt crisis is a hot topic and has been for quite some time. No one is on board with the damage done by our country, regardless of what party you are. I read today that Barack Obama is unveiling a tour bus. With the United States currently over $14 trillion in debt, it makes me wonder, "Where did he get the funding for the bus?"

link for article: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/obama-bus-catches-buzz-233029764.html

Also, here is a link for current state debt clocks and world debt clocks. It's also on real time changing rapidly, less than a second. Quite fun to watch if you ask me :)

http://www.usdebtclock.org/

Age Of Innocence?

Growing up, I watched "Sesame Street." It was educational and fun to watch. It also kept me entertained and acted as a wonderful babysitter while the parents needed a short break from us.

When I was doing my daily reading on theweek.com., and on the internet in general, I stumbled upon "Sesame Street clarifies puppets' sexuality." I was caught off guard. I remember clearly watching the show and its many segments. I never once thought at age 5 (give or take a couple years), "gee, are Bert and Ernie married?" What bothered me about this article is why can't kids just be kids? Why can't they enjoy educational, fun shows without having to worry if the puppets are gay or not? Don't get me wrong, this isn't a "I'm bashing gays" blog. That is NOT my intent.

My intent is this: Kids today are already bombarded with Apple products, Baby Einstein products, and many other flashy, distracting items. Why can't at least a tiny part of their childhood still be sacred without the government or politics becoming involved? It's a 20 minute tv show for crying out loud. Are we really to the point in life now where we have to analyze EVERYTHING, including childhood shows?! Let children watch it and enjoy it without clouding their mind with political subliminal messages. They have their whole life ahead of them to be exposed to that.

http://theweek.com/article/index/218267/only-in-america-sesame-street-clarifies-puppets-sexuality

Flatulence

Happy National Baked Bean Month! (however, not exactly sure what month NBBM falls in) Still great, though. :)

http://coedmagazine.com/2011/07/03/cinemas-7-funniest-fart-scenes-in-honor-of-national-baked-bean-month-videos/#photo=7

Nostalgia

While on the hunt for a dating article to blog about (I'll give you a moment to scoff and chuckle), I found this link on thechive.com. It's making me miss my younger years, for sure. Ah, the good ole days.

http://thechive.com/2011/08/12/i-substitute-your-current-reality-with-a-better-one-down-memory-lane-35-photos/

What's In A Name?

I had an interesting conversation the other day with a friend about football. I know what you're thinking. No, I'm not a big fan of football, especially the Cowboys. I can't stand the Cowboys and will not cheer for them. Never have and never will. The ONLY time I WIll cheer is when money is involved (if and when I buy football squares.) I'm sure I'll lose followers for not being a fan, but oh well. Moving on. In our conversation, I was told that these 5 teams below (football and other sports) are the top 5 teams in the entire world generating the most revenue, based on name alone. Regardless of overall and current stats, these 5 teams bank:

1. Manchester United
2. Dallas Cowboys
3. New York Yankees
4. Washington Redskins
5. New England Patriots

*side note: I do enjoy watching the Pats and am a huge soccer fan. So, I'm thrilled to see soccer as #1 on the list. Take that, Jerry Jones! :P

Food For Thought

I picked up a package of animal crackers a few moments ago to snack on. Before opening, I read the ingredients. (Sure, poke fun, but I read ingredients on everything.) Sure enough, this tiny package included high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient. Needless to say I threw the whole package away.

High fructose corn syrup is such a gaudy, completely unhealthy, unnecessary ingredient!!! I am well aware of the many studies and debates on HFCS and people will argue until they're blue in the face that it's completely fine and healthy. Newsflash: your body CAN NOT process corn. I will even venture out, being completely gross and "unlady like" for a moment and say you'll find corn in your excrement. Your body simply can not process it. At all. So why would HFCS be any different?? It isn't.

I am completely disgusted at the food industry making HFCS such a huge staple in our food products. I have found it in animal crackers, apple sauce (apples are naturally sweet, extra sugar isn't needed), and even hot dog wienies. It seems rather pointless to me to have it in such foods, but you can thank the government (FDA) for declining healthy foods, ergo declining health in America.

Due to the drought, crops are suffering, yet corn is magically thriving. Why is that? Well, the government of course. They spend numerous resources trying to continually grow it. Don't believe me? Its evidence is apparent in the dried up fields you drive by. It's also being grown in factories for cows to eat...who should be eating grass instead.

If you're one of those that doesn't care about what's in the food you eat, by all means indulge. However, if you're like me and actually care what goes into your body, take a gander at the food ingredients in the next item you buy. You'll be surprised at what's inside. Happy eating!

Snail Glow

These unique snails produce light, bioluminescence, creating an illusion of larger appearances to ward of predators.

We're asked at some point in life, "What super power would you have and why?" I believe I have found my answer. Being a 27 year-old, petite girl, it'd be pretty amazing to glow some fluorescent color, appearing larger to ward off my predators..... or ward off creepy guys who hit on me.

http://news.discovery.com/animals/glowing-snail-light-101215.html

LHC FTW!

The Large Hadron Collider. "Researchers think that the Universe originated in the Big Bang (an unimaginably violent explosion) and since then the Universe has been cooling down and becoming less energetic. Very early in the cooling process the matter and forces that make up our world ‘condensed’ out of this ball of energy.

The LHC will produce tiny patches of very high energy by colliding together atomic particles that are travelling at very high speed. The more energy produced in the collisions the further back we can look towards the very high energies that existed early in the evolution of the Universe. Collisions in the LHC will have up to 7x the energy of those produced in previous machines; recreating energies and conditions that existed billionths of a second after the start of the Big Bang.

The results from the LHC are not completely predictable as the experiments are testing ideas that are at the frontiers of our knowledge and understanding. Researchers expect to confirm predictions made on the basis of what we know from previous experiments and theories. However, part of the excitement of the LHC project is that it may uncover new facts about matter and the origins of the Universe.

One of the most interesting theories the LHC will test was put forward by the UK physicist Professor Peter Higgs and others. The different types of fundamental particle that make up matter have very different masses, while the particles that make up light (photons) have no mass at all. Peter’s theory is one explanation of why this is so and the LHC will allow us to test the theory."
*definition taken from the www.lhc.ac.uk*

This will be the very last element on earth to be proven. Upon completion, the LHC and data derived from it will change the future of Physics drastically. Here's a link of where it currently stands:

http://batavia.patch.com/articles/fermilab-cern-poised-to-isolate-fabled-god-particle

What's The Purpose Of A Porpoise?

I'm sitting at my desk when I suddenly hear my co-worker giggling like a little kid. I ask what's funny, when he shows me this website. I, too, giggled like a little kid. I thought this was the cutest thing!!! A porpoise is a "toothed whale" related to dolphin and whale. I completely forgot about these cetaceans. Better yet, why is my co-worker looking up mammal articles?

http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110164/Life%20of%20the%20dolphin/dolphinvsporpoise.htm

What's Your Favorite Planet? Mine's The Sun!

We've always been taught in school that the Earth and moon rely on each other for gravitational pull. New research shows differently. "Without a moon, life on Earth probably would have flourished as well, since Jupiter and other factors exert a steadying hand."

http://news.discovery.com/space/earth-moon-life-tilt-110808.html#mkcpgn=emnws1

And speaking of Jupiter:

http://news.discovery.com/space/nasas-juno-probe-sets-sail-for-jupiter-110805.html

Comic Relief

Happy belated birthday to the icon Lucille Ball. You know her from the "I Love Lucy" show. It's amazing to see how much of an impact she's had on the comedy scene. Long live her wonderful legacy!!!

http://news.discovery.com/history/lucille-ball-turns-100-photos-110806.html#mkcpgn=emnws1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY8Zw85rqHU&feature=related

She Is Just Not That Into You.

I should be in bed sleeping, but am plagued by too much caffeine, so this is the outcome.

For numerous years, women have been told "He Is Just Not That Into You." You can thank Greg Behrendt and the "Sex And The City" cast and crew for its epic rising. Because of this, there is now a book and a movie. We're taught growing up, via parenting or John Hughes films or Nicholas Sparks films of what dating is/should be or specific actions performed by guys means specific things. That is the case usually, but not all the time.

Eventually, over time, guys have discovered this theory and the power it holds. If you read the book (by the way, prepare for some rude awakenings and reality checks, ladies) you will discover that there is a lot of truth to it. What I have discovered recently is that this premise also applies to ladies.

Ladies, how many terrible dates have you been on? Due to a bad date, how often have you ignored the guy? We are all adults here and each person should converse and simply say to the other "I'm just not that into you." No one wants to have that discussion, but it's necessary. If we have that dreaded discussion, it would eliminate conflict and "stage 5 cling on" incidents.

Contrary to popular belief, guys, not all of you are God's gift to women. Same applies to you, ladies. The "I'm not into you" CAN go both ways. It's very simple: if you have a bad date and choose not to see the person again, simply say "I'm just not that into you." And for Pete's sake, be a decent person and tell the other why. We're all adults, so let's act like it :)

Beginning

If you can't tell by now, I got the "Deep Thoughts" title from the SNL short. Everyone loves a good laugh.

This is also my first time to blog. I've kept a journal (you know, one of those things you write in with a pen or pencil on paper that's now supposedly obsolete) for a while, but have slacked on writing. I've always been told to start a blog, so, here we are.

From time to time, I'll post random thoughts, ideas, funnies, and just overall outlooks on life. Hope you enjoy!