Now this was neat. Okay, it is especially neat to me because my Dad was a fan of the song "Mona Lisa".
link which is in Japanese but you can figure out where to hit play.
:-)
More on the Mona Lisa
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
RIP dear smoothie maker...
Yes, I've been hitting the politics hard elsewhere and at times it is challenge for even the most prolific blogger to be on top of her game on the internet.
Now my life is more difficult. My wonderful frozen homemade coffee ice caps have ceased. It was a horrible incident. Aubrey decided she wanted to make a fruit smoothie, and she did not follow the precise directions and make sure that the container was properly seated on the base.
In the ensuing smoke and noise...my smoothie maker is no more...it is only able to give a short purr from the motor and cannot even chop one frozen coffee cube.
Life will be more difficult, yet I will find a way...
:-)
Now my life is more difficult. My wonderful frozen homemade coffee ice caps have ceased. It was a horrible incident. Aubrey decided she wanted to make a fruit smoothie, and she did not follow the precise directions and make sure that the container was properly seated on the base.
In the ensuing smoke and noise...my smoothie maker is no more...it is only able to give a short purr from the motor and cannot even chop one frozen coffee cube.
Life will be more difficult, yet I will find a way...
:-)
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
A must see video....
No hamsters involved I promise. It's on Immigration, so stop by and visit me4president as linked above.
:-)
:-)
Andrew Warner's "letter" to Ted Strickland
In a piece that Andrew stated was based part on satire:
Is getting some attention on parts of the blogosphere and thru lefty blogs. Having supported third party candidates in the past and probably will again in the future, I saw the humor and the irony in what Andrew wrote. Others did not. This post isn't about that though, it's about something written in the comments by Josh Krekeler who states in part:
That's what I would like to see discussed and get more attention. If you visit instantrunoff.com there is more information. There is also a flash presentation.
If you then visit fairvote.org you'll find more information as well as where IRV is being talked about and being implemented.
According to Fair Vote, Barack Obama, Howard Dean, Dennis Kucinch, and John McCain have endorsed/supported the concept of IVR as well as many others.
Wikipedia also has quite a bit of information on this, including where it is used presently:
Instant-runoff voting (IRV) (also known as the Alternative Vote and by several other names) is an electoral system used for single winner elections in which voters rank candidates in order of preference. In an IRV election, if no candidate receives an overall majority of first preferences the candidates with fewest votes are eliminated one by one, and their votes transferred according to their second and third preferences (and so on), until one candidate achieves a majority. The term 'instant-runoff voting' is used because this process resembles a series of run-off elections. At a national level IRV is used to elect the Australian House of Representatives, the President of Ireland and the Fijian House of Representatives.
I find the idea of this very appealing but what are your thoughts on this for Ohio or for your state?
(This post was written for the Carnival of Ohio Politics, brought to you by Paul Miller of Northwest Ohio.Net, stop by and visit him tomorrow to find out what some of Ohio's best bloggers are writing about.)
I kind of wrote this tongue in cheek.
Us independents or Greens are always told to give up on our candidates. Now Dems have a feel for how absurd it can sound for someone to ask their candidate to step out of a race.
Is getting some attention on parts of the blogosphere and thru lefty blogs. Having supported third party candidates in the past and probably will again in the future, I saw the humor and the irony in what Andrew wrote. Others did not. This post isn't about that though, it's about something written in the comments by Josh Krekeler who states in part:
Instant Runoff Voting is the answer to this conundrum. Voters get to rank their choices, candidates without enough support to get elected are eliminated during virtual “runoff” rounds of counting - thus negating potential spoilers - and the candidate with a majority of voters’ support wins.
That's what I would like to see discussed and get more attention. If you visit instantrunoff.com there is more information. There is also a flash presentation.
If you then visit fairvote.org you'll find more information as well as where IRV is being talked about and being implemented.
According to Fair Vote, Barack Obama, Howard Dean, Dennis Kucinch, and John McCain have endorsed/supported the concept of IVR as well as many others.
Wikipedia also has quite a bit of information on this, including where it is used presently:
Instant-runoff voting (IRV) (also known as the Alternative Vote and by several other names) is an electoral system used for single winner elections in which voters rank candidates in order of preference. In an IRV election, if no candidate receives an overall majority of first preferences the candidates with fewest votes are eliminated one by one, and their votes transferred according to their second and third preferences (and so on), until one candidate achieves a majority. The term 'instant-runoff voting' is used because this process resembles a series of run-off elections. At a national level IRV is used to elect the Australian House of Representatives, the President of Ireland and the Fijian House of Representatives.
I find the idea of this very appealing but what are your thoughts on this for Ohio or for your state?
(This post was written for the Carnival of Ohio Politics, brought to you by Paul Miller of Northwest Ohio.Net, stop by and visit him tomorrow to find out what some of Ohio's best bloggers are writing about.)
Because a day without Hamsters....
Is a worse day than what I'm going thru right now (lol). Dealing with some personal stuff and a case of semi-writers block. I've been busy on Glass City Jungle and there are several topics I started to write about here but...Things will get better and I'll get back to the "prolific" me hopefully later.
So...in the mean time for your viewing pleasure or to make you throw things at your computer screen....
:-)
So...in the mean time for your viewing pleasure or to make you throw things at your computer screen....
:-)
Monday, May 29, 2006
A recent Kimberly Dozier report
I was sad to hear more died in Iraq, and that the deaths included two CBS employees as well as Kimberly Dozier being seriously wounded.
In a recent video piece entitled, "Iraq's Littlest Victims" she reports on how children have been effected by the terror that is a part of too many of their daily lives.
While doctors are expressing optimism that Dozier will recover, the families of cameraman Paul Douglas and soundman James Brolan, don't have that hope to cling too.
At times its really hard to even write about this topic anymore, I can only imagine what it is like for those who have a more direct connection to the war in Iraq.
In a recent video piece entitled, "Iraq's Littlest Victims" she reports on how children have been effected by the terror that is a part of too many of their daily lives.
While doctors are expressing optimism that Dozier will recover, the families of cameraman Paul Douglas and soundman James Brolan, don't have that hope to cling too.
At times its really hard to even write about this topic anymore, I can only imagine what it is like for those who have a more direct connection to the war in Iraq.
Saturday, May 27, 2006
The culture of corruption starts with the corrupt
The line in the sand concerning records taken from the Congressional office of Jefferson has escalated to threats from top Justice Department members that they would resign rather than return documents taken during the search. It's been stated that Jefferson ignored a subpoena request for eight months. So as the full fury of some in Congress appears to be focused on the unconstitutionality of the search. A larger issue is ignored...
The public perception of this is that Congress is protecting their own, while I'm sure we all agree that everyone should be innocent until proven guilty, there has been some very troubling information released about Jefferson and some of his behavior, including being caught on video tape accepting a $100,000.00 bribe. What would happen to one of us who refused to cooperate with a subpoena? Would we be allowed to wait for that long of a time period? Of course not, a warrant would be executed.
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi was quoted in the Washington Post as saying:
Exactly how far does that protection go? It's okay for Congressional members to ignore subpoenas? That whatever is within a Congressional Office is off limits?
I tend to agree with Viet D. Dinh, a former assistant attorney general in the Bush administration who is now a Georgetown University law professor, also quoted by the Washington Post:
If we look at the actual Constitution, this is what it states under Article 1, Section 6:
While I'm not going to claim to be an expert on Constitutional Law, I fail to see how that protects someone from ignoring a subponea or having their offices searched for documents pertaining to a criminal case. I further think that if Congress is interested in having the majority of the public believe that they are not just worried about the Justice Department coming into their offices since several others are also under investigation they should focus on doing a much better job of policiing and removing members who act unethically. That perhaps rather than the Democrats trying to figure out how to best capitalize on Republican corruption and Republicans trying to figure out how to best capitalize on Democratic corruption that both sides actually rid all of Congress of corruption.
Then some real progress would be made to end this "culture of corruption".
(crossposted at Watchblog)
The public perception of this is that Congress is protecting their own, while I'm sure we all agree that everyone should be innocent until proven guilty, there has been some very troubling information released about Jefferson and some of his behavior, including being caught on video tape accepting a $100,000.00 bribe. What would happen to one of us who refused to cooperate with a subpoena? Would we be allowed to wait for that long of a time period? Of course not, a warrant would be executed.
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi was quoted in the Washington Post as saying:
"Justice Department investigations must be conducted in accordance with Constitutional protections and historical precedent."
Exactly how far does that protection go? It's okay for Congressional members to ignore subpoenas? That whatever is within a Congressional Office is off limits?
I tend to agree with Viet D. Dinh, a former assistant attorney general in the Bush administration who is now a Georgetown University law professor, also quoted by the Washington Post:
The constitutional privilege for lawmakers does not "expand to insulate everything that goes on in a congressional office, especially if there's allegations of abuse of process or bribery," Dinh said. ". . . The fine line is whether or not it relates to a legislative process or not, not whether they've raided his office."
If we look at the actual Constitution, this is what it states under Article 1, Section 6:
The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.
While I'm not going to claim to be an expert on Constitutional Law, I fail to see how that protects someone from ignoring a subponea or having their offices searched for documents pertaining to a criminal case. I further think that if Congress is interested in having the majority of the public believe that they are not just worried about the Justice Department coming into their offices since several others are also under investigation they should focus on doing a much better job of policiing and removing members who act unethically. That perhaps rather than the Democrats trying to figure out how to best capitalize on Republican corruption and Republicans trying to figure out how to best capitalize on Democratic corruption that both sides actually rid all of Congress of corruption.
Then some real progress would be made to end this "culture of corruption".
(crossposted at Watchblog)
Friday, May 26, 2006
Eat it or else..
I was reading the above linked CNN article about talks with Iran, which made some interesting points, when I came across this statement:
As for the incentives package, (Iran's Ambassador) Zarif said a "carrot-and-stick" approach is not the way to proceed with negotiations.
"It's not whether Iran likes carrots," he said. "Iran likes respect. Iran demands respect. If there is to be a solution in Iran, Iran has to be part of the solution. We don't expect others to cook for us something and then present it to us and then tell us, 'Eat it or else.' This is not the way Iranians do international business."
Last week, Ahmadinejad scoffed at a European incentives package that would have provided Iran with a light-water nuclear reactor and other considerations in exchange for it giving up its enrichment program.
"Do you think you are dealing with a 4-year-old child to whom you can give some walnuts and chocolates and get gold from him?" Ahmadinejad said during a speech last week in central Iran.
One the one hand I realize Iran wants bigger incentives, yet on the other hand I do realize that the US does show any respect for other nations at times. People can try to state that it's because Iran is not worthy of respect yet the bully attitude doesn't help the majority of situations. Ahmadinejad does't want to come across to his citizens that he meekly agreed to whatever the UN/US wants, nor does the US want to come across as "giving in". There has to be a middle line somewhere and perhaps that's what we should spend a bit more time looking for. Or I predict another repeat of the whole North Korea discussions where not much is accomplished.
As for the incentives package, (Iran's Ambassador) Zarif said a "carrot-and-stick" approach is not the way to proceed with negotiations.
"It's not whether Iran likes carrots," he said. "Iran likes respect. Iran demands respect. If there is to be a solution in Iran, Iran has to be part of the solution. We don't expect others to cook for us something and then present it to us and then tell us, 'Eat it or else.' This is not the way Iranians do international business."
Last week, Ahmadinejad scoffed at a European incentives package that would have provided Iran with a light-water nuclear reactor and other considerations in exchange for it giving up its enrichment program.
"Do you think you are dealing with a 4-year-old child to whom you can give some walnuts and chocolates and get gold from him?" Ahmadinejad said during a speech last week in central Iran.
One the one hand I realize Iran wants bigger incentives, yet on the other hand I do realize that the US does show any respect for other nations at times. People can try to state that it's because Iran is not worthy of respect yet the bully attitude doesn't help the majority of situations. Ahmadinejad does't want to come across to his citizens that he meekly agreed to whatever the UN/US wants, nor does the US want to come across as "giving in". There has to be a middle line somewhere and perhaps that's what we should spend a bit more time looking for. Or I predict another repeat of the whole North Korea discussions where not much is accomplished.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Lookin for Love on Link Lovin Thursday....
Somehow this just seemed...perfect for today:
Frustrated by the limits their jobs put on their love life, some farmers and ranchers are turning to a Web site designed to play Cupid to members of the agricultural community sprawled across the United States and Canada.
Farmers Only Where the slogan is, "You don't have to be lonely! Now there's Farmers Only". Where "City Folks just don't get it"...(Evidently Cleveland Marketing and PR person Jerry Miller who created this "gets it" and he's enjoying some mighty fine profits from the looks of it.)
Happily attached? Not interested in finding that Farmer or Cowgirl out there just wrangling for your attention?
Then join in sharing some link love OTA style...Don't know what I'm talking about? Head on down the road to The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, she won't help you find the farmer of your dreams but it is the road to entertainment and information.
First today to share some link love is Planck's Constant, who'd like you to stop by to read Iran Newspaper Increases Reward to 25 grand for Holocaust Cartoon
Excerpt: Last Tuesday the Iranian Cartoon Contest ended (here are the participants from 60 countries). Some of the entrants drawings are on this page. The winners will be announced shortly and I'll list them here.
Tor's Rants shares another good post, The Buddhist I Ching: Difficulty
Excerpt: I wish I could find the quote now, but I believe I'm not horribly mangling the meaning of Pema Chodron when I attribute to her the notion that an enlightened being should be indifferent as to whether the world about them is calm or busy, or whether they are experiencing plain or pleasure.
Mark My Words wants to share 9-11 - It's a conspiracy! v.1
Excerpt: or.. Sometimes you feel like a nut ...but some people really are nuts It's going to take several posts to cover all of the discussions. I've been involved with lately ...
Frustrated by the limits their jobs put on their love life, some farmers and ranchers are turning to a Web site designed to play Cupid to members of the agricultural community sprawled across the United States and Canada.
Farmers Only Where the slogan is, "You don't have to be lonely! Now there's Farmers Only". Where "City Folks just don't get it"...(Evidently Cleveland Marketing and PR person Jerry Miller who created this "gets it" and he's enjoying some mighty fine profits from the looks of it.)
Happily attached? Not interested in finding that Farmer or Cowgirl out there just wrangling for your attention?
Then join in sharing some link love OTA style...Don't know what I'm talking about? Head on down the road to The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, she won't help you find the farmer of your dreams but it is the road to entertainment and information.
First today to share some link love is Planck's Constant, who'd like you to stop by to read Iran Newspaper Increases Reward to 25 grand for Holocaust Cartoon
Excerpt: Last Tuesday the Iranian Cartoon Contest ended (here are the participants from 60 countries). Some of the entrants drawings are on this page. The winners will be announced shortly and I'll list them here.
Tor's Rants shares another good post, The Buddhist I Ching: Difficulty
Excerpt: I wish I could find the quote now, but I believe I'm not horribly mangling the meaning of Pema Chodron when I attribute to her the notion that an enlightened being should be indifferent as to whether the world about them is calm or busy, or whether they are experiencing plain or pleasure.
Mark My Words wants to share 9-11 - It's a conspiracy! v.1
Excerpt: or.. Sometimes you feel like a nut ...but some people really are nuts It's going to take several posts to cover all of the discussions. I've been involved with lately ...
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
I could see where this could become addictive
I'm not a fan of Playstation 2, so while members of our house went into almost PS2 withdrawl symptoms when ours was stolen I just continued on my merry way.
Yet last night my daughter Erin, brought home a PS2 that she borrowed from her boyfriend and this Dance Revoltion game. It's one of those that have the floor pad that connects to the PS2.
As you can see by the picture the idea is you have to step on the correct arrow on the floor pad as it is highlighted on the game screen. At first I watched Erin and thought ehh okay but I could never do that. Then I watched my 11 year old attempt it for the first time. Figuring I could make her feel better because I would be boo'd into failure faster than she was, (missing a symbol gets you boos - get too many and you fail) I gave it a shot. Yes, I failed the first time but...I got better.
So did Aubrey, and we even got Miguel to try it. Thankfully the downstairs neighbor was not home, I don't think he would have enjoyed it.
:-)
Yet last night my daughter Erin, brought home a PS2 that she borrowed from her boyfriend and this Dance Revoltion game. It's one of those that have the floor pad that connects to the PS2.
As you can see by the picture the idea is you have to step on the correct arrow on the floor pad as it is highlighted on the game screen. At first I watched Erin and thought ehh okay but I could never do that. Then I watched my 11 year old attempt it for the first time. Figuring I could make her feel better because I would be boo'd into failure faster than she was, (missing a symbol gets you boos - get too many and you fail) I gave it a shot. Yes, I failed the first time but...I got better.
So did Aubrey, and we even got Miguel to try it. Thankfully the downstairs neighbor was not home, I don't think he would have enjoyed it.
:-)
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Abuse of Power...
If you haven't been following the case of the 14 year old girl who had been held since May 10th in isolation at the Summit County Jail because she refused to testify against a man she denies molested her, the 14 year old was released today.
Her mother states her boyfriend saw the girl having sex with 20 year old Galo Sanchez-Pesantes on Jan. 20 on a couch. The girl denied having sex and refused to write a statement for police.
According to the Akron Beacon Journal on May 16th:
Prosecutors had to drop their case against Sanchez-Pesantes last week and recharge the Akron man after the girl failed to show for his trial on May 8. The girl's mother found her the next day and called police, who took the teen into custody.
The teen, jailed since Wednesday, insists she is not a sex abuse victim and is demanding a lawyer be assigned to represent her, court records show.
However, jail officials said Monday she cannot speak with anyone without permission from county prosecutors.
Prosecutors say the teen is a material witness and is being held in jail for her own protection.
Today she was released because the Ohio 9th District Court of Appeals ruled Monday that her incarceration without a hearing, plus her detention in an adult jail, violated the law.
Prosecutors said they were not surprised by the ruling. Nonetheless, they had asked the appeals court to allow another hearing that would have extended her jail stay.
``The fact that the (juvenile) is being held in an adult facility by itself renders her detention unlawful,'' (appellate Judge Lynn) Slaby wrote.
The girl was ordered to jail May 10 as a material witness by Common Pleas Judge James Murphy who attempted to place the girl in the county's Juvenile Detention Center. Judge Linda Tucci Teodosio blocked the move, saying she could not legally hold the girl. In court papers, Teodosio cited a federal law barring juveniles who are not accused of a crime from being placed in detention. Judge Murphy then had the girl taken to the county jail on May 10th.
Further clouding this story is her mother claims the girl is a chronic run-away who uses alcohol and hangs out with older men. Her mother had no problem with the girl being held in an adult facility. Her mother is quoted as saying, "``I hope she's learned her lesson. But I will be there for her, support her and love her.''
This situation is wrong on so many levels, but I'm going to address only the legal issues. If the girl states she was not molested there will realistically be no case. Locking her in jail and not allowing anyone to have access to her without the permission of the prosecution appears to be an attempt to force her into saying what they want. The fact that a judge knowing that another judge stated the incarceration would be illegal ordered her to be held in the county jail should be creating demands for this judge to be disciplined. The fact that the prosecution also knew this was illegal should be creating huge attention. This should also be creating demands for rules to be established to protect children, if a parent locked a child in their room for 23 hours straight for that many days, Children's Services would investigate.
If this was a situation of statuatory rape, since the girl is under the age of consent this doesn't seem to be the way to go about getting cooperation. If she was truly a victim this makes her even more of a victim, at the hands of the judge, the prosecution and her own mother. The fact that it took so long to get her released and the fact that there was no one advocating on her behalf is disturbing.
Hopefully she got her ice cream which she stated she wanted and her family will get some much needed counseling. What will happen when this case is re-heard on May 31st?
Prosecutors and the girl's mother hope the teen will not run away and will testify at the trial of Galo Sanchez-Pesantes...
He's been free on bond during all of this, I hope for her sake she testifies and truthfully. If he really didn't molest her? It should end there. If he did? Let's hope it comes out and that somehow the legal system makes some much needed changes before this happens again. The legal system is supposed to protect children, not further victimize them.
(This was written for the Carnival of Ohio Politics which is hosted each week by Paul Miller of Northwest Ohio Net)
Her mother states her boyfriend saw the girl having sex with 20 year old Galo Sanchez-Pesantes on Jan. 20 on a couch. The girl denied having sex and refused to write a statement for police.
According to the Akron Beacon Journal on May 16th:
Prosecutors had to drop their case against Sanchez-Pesantes last week and recharge the Akron man after the girl failed to show for his trial on May 8. The girl's mother found her the next day and called police, who took the teen into custody.
The teen, jailed since Wednesday, insists she is not a sex abuse victim and is demanding a lawyer be assigned to represent her, court records show.
However, jail officials said Monday she cannot speak with anyone without permission from county prosecutors.
Prosecutors say the teen is a material witness and is being held in jail for her own protection.
Today she was released because the Ohio 9th District Court of Appeals ruled Monday that her incarceration without a hearing, plus her detention in an adult jail, violated the law.
Prosecutors said they were not surprised by the ruling. Nonetheless, they had asked the appeals court to allow another hearing that would have extended her jail stay.
``The fact that the (juvenile) is being held in an adult facility by itself renders her detention unlawful,'' (appellate Judge Lynn) Slaby wrote.
The girl was ordered to jail May 10 as a material witness by Common Pleas Judge James Murphy who attempted to place the girl in the county's Juvenile Detention Center. Judge Linda Tucci Teodosio blocked the move, saying she could not legally hold the girl. In court papers, Teodosio cited a federal law barring juveniles who are not accused of a crime from being placed in detention. Judge Murphy then had the girl taken to the county jail on May 10th.
Further clouding this story is her mother claims the girl is a chronic run-away who uses alcohol and hangs out with older men. Her mother had no problem with the girl being held in an adult facility. Her mother is quoted as saying, "``I hope she's learned her lesson. But I will be there for her, support her and love her.''
This situation is wrong on so many levels, but I'm going to address only the legal issues. If the girl states she was not molested there will realistically be no case. Locking her in jail and not allowing anyone to have access to her without the permission of the prosecution appears to be an attempt to force her into saying what they want. The fact that a judge knowing that another judge stated the incarceration would be illegal ordered her to be held in the county jail should be creating demands for this judge to be disciplined. The fact that the prosecution also knew this was illegal should be creating huge attention. This should also be creating demands for rules to be established to protect children, if a parent locked a child in their room for 23 hours straight for that many days, Children's Services would investigate.
If this was a situation of statuatory rape, since the girl is under the age of consent this doesn't seem to be the way to go about getting cooperation. If she was truly a victim this makes her even more of a victim, at the hands of the judge, the prosecution and her own mother. The fact that it took so long to get her released and the fact that there was no one advocating on her behalf is disturbing.
Hopefully she got her ice cream which she stated she wanted and her family will get some much needed counseling. What will happen when this case is re-heard on May 31st?
Prosecutors and the girl's mother hope the teen will not run away and will testify at the trial of Galo Sanchez-Pesantes...
He's been free on bond during all of this, I hope for her sake she testifies and truthfully. If he really didn't molest her? It should end there. If he did? Let's hope it comes out and that somehow the legal system makes some much needed changes before this happens again. The legal system is supposed to protect children, not further victimize them.
(This was written for the Carnival of Ohio Politics which is hosted each week by Paul Miller of Northwest Ohio Net)
Nipplegate...what really happened...
There is a blogswarm stirring over Livejournal cracking down on default icons that show breasts. It's being written that this is being done to target breastfeeding mothers. In a way that's true. This all started because a Livejournal user by the name of "Hardvice" received a letter informing him that he could not use his icon of Bea Arthur and her naked breasts as his default icon. So he responded in part to Livejournal:
If this is unsuitable as a default icon, then so are all of the many, many Boob Nazi icons that show breastfeeding and all the pagan icons of bare-breasted goddesses. Please inform all account holders with such default icons that they must remove them at your earliest convenience.
Then he started to report people who had pictures, and it sounds like others did as well. Which is how the "boob nazis" started getting letters from Livejournal telling them that they had to change what they were using as a default icon.
It's not Livejournal going after breastfeeding mommies. It's a guy who took issue with this and turned others in. He did so knowing that the breastfeeding supporters would get angry when they were reported. He states on his journal:
This is exactly the reason I targeted boob nazi, nudist, and pagan communities: they were the most likely to give LJA fits and fight back. Good on ye, ladies.
The utter stupidity of this whole thing is by adding animated pasties to his Bea Arthur icon it's now supposedly appropriate for default icon use.
So as the blogswarm grows and continues to state that Livejournal is against breastfeeding mom's or are prudes, etc., etc., that's how it all got started. Now should Livejournal just have selectively determined which breasts were okay and which ones were not? Or just ban all female breasts? Or let all breasts hang free as default icons? It appears they've taken the ban all female breasts that show nipples or even a hint of a nipple since he received confirmation that his new picture of Bea with animated doohickeys is acceptable.
If this is unsuitable as a default icon, then so are all of the many, many Boob Nazi icons that show breastfeeding and all the pagan icons of bare-breasted goddesses. Please inform all account holders with such default icons that they must remove them at your earliest convenience.
Then he started to report people who had pictures, and it sounds like others did as well. Which is how the "boob nazis" started getting letters from Livejournal telling them that they had to change what they were using as a default icon.
It's not Livejournal going after breastfeeding mommies. It's a guy who took issue with this and turned others in. He did so knowing that the breastfeeding supporters would get angry when they were reported. He states on his journal:
This is exactly the reason I targeted boob nazi, nudist, and pagan communities: they were the most likely to give LJA fits and fight back. Good on ye, ladies.
The utter stupidity of this whole thing is by adding animated pasties to his Bea Arthur icon it's now supposedly appropriate for default icon use.
So as the blogswarm grows and continues to state that Livejournal is against breastfeeding mom's or are prudes, etc., etc., that's how it all got started. Now should Livejournal just have selectively determined which breasts were okay and which ones were not? Or just ban all female breasts? Or let all breasts hang free as default icons? It appears they've taken the ban all female breasts that show nipples or even a hint of a nipple since he received confirmation that his new picture of Bea with animated doohickeys is acceptable.
Animal Crackers....Crackers or Cookies?
Yes, I am bringing to you another serious controversy....Animal Crackers are they Crackers or Cookies? Despite the line from the Shirley Temple song, "Animal Crackers in my soup, monkeys and rabbits loop the loop". I can't imagine putting today's Animal Crackers in my soup.
So...I dig deep into the investigation....
Flour, sugar, shortening, corn flour, whey solids, salt, leaving and oil-of-lemon are the ingredients behind these tasty little morsels. They have been around since the 1800's and were so popular American Bakers started providing them here in the US. Now of course the most popular known brand is the one pictured above. More than 40 million packages of Barnum's Animal Crackers are sold every year, in the United States and exported to 17 countries worldwide by NJ Bakery by Nabisco Brands.
In 1958 the creation of rotary dies was implimented to be able to give more details to the animals. That process is still being done today.
Yet why are they called Crackers when to most of us they are Cookies?
For that we go to another maker of Animal Crackers, Stauffers who still make their Animal Crackers similar to the original, they don't use the rotary die system as you can see by the Stauffers Animal Cracker Chart. Stauffer Biscuit Company produces more than 250 tons of animal crackers, cookies and snack crackers every day.
What is the difference between a cookie and a cracker?
A cookie's dough is higher in shortening and sugar; and contains less flour. The cracker's dough is flour, some shortening and sugar, and some flavors and dough conditioners.
We can also discover thru our indepth investigation that crackers are created generally by layers of dough as opposed to the way cookie dough is baked. While most of us may believe that crackers should be salty, there are a great many "Sweet Crackers" in existance. For a pictoral review of several different sorts of crunchies out there that will probably make you hungry? Visit Here, where we are reminded that the Graham Cracker is also considered a...Cracker...
There are also many ways to be creative with your Animal Crackers.
Now, I have a few hippo heads to bite off...
:-)
So...I dig deep into the investigation....
Flour, sugar, shortening, corn flour, whey solids, salt, leaving and oil-of-lemon are the ingredients behind these tasty little morsels. They have been around since the 1800's and were so popular American Bakers started providing them here in the US. Now of course the most popular known brand is the one pictured above. More than 40 million packages of Barnum's Animal Crackers are sold every year, in the United States and exported to 17 countries worldwide by NJ Bakery by Nabisco Brands.
In 1958 the creation of rotary dies was implimented to be able to give more details to the animals. That process is still being done today.
Yet why are they called Crackers when to most of us they are Cookies?
For that we go to another maker of Animal Crackers, Stauffers who still make their Animal Crackers similar to the original, they don't use the rotary die system as you can see by the Stauffers Animal Cracker Chart. Stauffer Biscuit Company produces more than 250 tons of animal crackers, cookies and snack crackers every day.
What is the difference between a cookie and a cracker?
A cookie's dough is higher in shortening and sugar; and contains less flour. The cracker's dough is flour, some shortening and sugar, and some flavors and dough conditioners.
We can also discover thru our indepth investigation that crackers are created generally by layers of dough as opposed to the way cookie dough is baked. While most of us may believe that crackers should be salty, there are a great many "Sweet Crackers" in existance. For a pictoral review of several different sorts of crunchies out there that will probably make you hungry? Visit Here, where we are reminded that the Graham Cracker is also considered a...Cracker...
There are also many ways to be creative with your Animal Crackers.
Now, I have a few hippo heads to bite off...
:-)
Monday, May 22, 2006
New York City overdue for a hurricane?
CNN has a video entitled "How New York tunnels could become canals". I watched it, including the animation that shows the potential for damage. You don't normally think of that area as being a hurricane area, but according to this it's probably a good thing people are starting to take the idea seriously.
The highest storm surges (Category 4) would occur in the following regions:
Amityville Harbor - 29 feet
Atlantic Beach & Long Beach areas - 24 to 28 feet
South Oyster Bay, Middle Bay, & East Bay areas - 24 to 28 feet
Montauk Point is completely cut off from rest of south fork during a category 1 storm.
Much of the north and south forks are entirely under water during a category 3 hurricane.
A category 4 hurricane inundates the entire towns of: Amityville, Lindenhurst, Babylon, West Islip, East Islip, Bayshore, Gilgo Beach, Cedar Beach, Great South Beach, Fair Harbor, Cherry Grove, Cupsogue, Westhampton Beach, Watermill Beach, Wainscott Beach, Plum Island, Gardiner's Island, Orient, Shelter Island (except for a few high points), Greenport, North Haven, Amagansett Beach, Napeague Beach, Montauk, Woodmere, Valley Stream, Linbrook, Long Beach, Atlantic Beach, Freeport, Merrick, Wantagh, Lido Beach, Jones Beach, and Tobay Beach.
I guess that is one thing about Ohio, our chances of getting hit by a hurricane are pretty slim.
:-)
The highest storm surges (Category 4) would occur in the following regions:
Amityville Harbor - 29 feet
Atlantic Beach & Long Beach areas - 24 to 28 feet
South Oyster Bay, Middle Bay, & East Bay areas - 24 to 28 feet
Montauk Point is completely cut off from rest of south fork during a category 1 storm.
Much of the north and south forks are entirely under water during a category 3 hurricane.
A category 4 hurricane inundates the entire towns of: Amityville, Lindenhurst, Babylon, West Islip, East Islip, Bayshore, Gilgo Beach, Cedar Beach, Great South Beach, Fair Harbor, Cherry Grove, Cupsogue, Westhampton Beach, Watermill Beach, Wainscott Beach, Plum Island, Gardiner's Island, Orient, Shelter Island (except for a few high points), Greenport, North Haven, Amagansett Beach, Napeague Beach, Montauk, Woodmere, Valley Stream, Linbrook, Long Beach, Atlantic Beach, Freeport, Merrick, Wantagh, Lido Beach, Jones Beach, and Tobay Beach.
I guess that is one thing about Ohio, our chances of getting hit by a hurricane are pretty slim.
:-)
Bike to the Bay
I said it was something I always wanted to do, but can I be ready to pull it off in just a little over 30 days?
Would the smart bet be to go for the 35 mile one day ride and then next year shoot for the two day 50 miles a day?
Can I even function at 6:00 a.m. let alone pedal a bike 35 miles?
Those are my questions for today that I have to figure out an answer to.
:-)
Would the smart bet be to go for the 35 mile one day ride and then next year shoot for the two day 50 miles a day?
Can I even function at 6:00 a.m. let alone pedal a bike 35 miles?
Those are my questions for today that I have to figure out an answer to.
:-)
Sunday, May 21, 2006
More Erin pictures!
Because I'm sure you guys want to see what her boyfriend looks like.
She and Corey have been dating over a year and a half now. This picture I took:
This next picture was taken at Toledo Botanical Gardens by another parent. This is of the whole group that Erin and Corey went to Prom with. Ironically this very bridge is the one where my first marriage happened.
Erin was not smiling but at least her eyes were open, she's one of those "blinkers".
:-)
She and Corey have been dating over a year and a half now. This picture I took:
This next picture was taken at Toledo Botanical Gardens by another parent. This is of the whole group that Erin and Corey went to Prom with. Ironically this very bridge is the one where my first marriage happened.
Erin was not smiling but at least her eyes were open, she's one of those "blinkers".
:-)
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Busy, busy day
Today was the Walk for Wishes that I was proud to be a part of this morning and today is also Prom Night.
My beautiful daughter, Erin as she is about to head off for a night of fun that takes hours of almost military type precision planning to pull off.
:-)
Friday, May 19, 2006
Driver killed near Mexico/US Border
Either I'm more tired than I thought I was or this CNN story isn't clear. It sounds like the Driver picked up suspected illegal immigrants and was heading back into Mexico. Wouldn't you want illegal immigrants to return?
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents began following the black SUV after somebody reported seeing it pick up suspected illegal immigrants near the U.S. side of the Otay Mesa border crossing, Lt. Kevin Rooney of San Diego Police Department said.
As traffic backed up near the border, the vehicle stopped on the shoulder. When agents approached and tried to get the driver to step out of the SUV, the suspect "began to drive off and he veered hard to the left, trying to get back in traffic," Rooney said. Two agents then opened fire, he said.
If they were on the US side when the Border Patrol started following them and were caught in traffic at the border, that means they were on the US side trying to go IN to Mexico.
According to the CNN article, the driver who was killed by multiple gunshot wounds, and no information as to the five people arrested who were in the SUV trying to go back into Mexico as to if they were illegal immigrants or not.
I thought the whole idea was for them to go back home, that the focus was preventing them from coming in to the country.
Fox is reporting this in a similiar manner:
SAN DIEGO — The world's busiest border crossing reopened early Friday following a nine-hour closure that occurred after federal authorities shot and killed the driver of a car headed for Mexico, officials said.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents began following the black SUV after somebody reported seeing it pick up suspected illegal immigrants near the U.S. side of the Otay Mesa border crossing, Lt. Kevin Rooney of San Diego Police Department said.
As traffic backed up near the border, the vehicle stopped on the shoulder. When agents approached and tried to get the driver to step out of the SUV, the suspect "began to drive off and he veered hard to the left, trying to get back in traffic," Rooney said. Two agents then opened fire, he said.
If they were on the US side when the Border Patrol started following them and were caught in traffic at the border, that means they were on the US side trying to go IN to Mexico.
According to the CNN article, the driver who was killed by multiple gunshot wounds, and no information as to the five people arrested who were in the SUV trying to go back into Mexico as to if they were illegal immigrants or not.
I thought the whole idea was for them to go back home, that the focus was preventing them from coming in to the country.
Fox is reporting this in a similiar manner:
SAN DIEGO — The world's busiest border crossing reopened early Friday following a nine-hour closure that occurred after federal authorities shot and killed the driver of a car headed for Mexico, officials said.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Ken Blackwell is almost penniless?
Mark Naymik of the Cleveland Plain Dealer shows his flair for humor in writing on this one:
In the Ohio Republican Party’s latest the-sky-is-falling fund-raising appeal, party chairman Bob Bennett declares that Republican gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell is “near penniless.”
And to get Republican donors reaching for their wallets faster than Rush Limbaugh stretching for his pain medication, Bennett recounts the encroaching signs of the Apocalypse: “liberal billionaires like George Soros,” “gay civil unions,” “government funded abortions,” and “Sherrod Brown.”
About the only Republican flash point he left out is Hillary Clinton.
“Time is of the essence," he writes in the letter. "We don’t have a day to lose. Ohio’s future is at stake,” he writes.
In the Ohio Republican Party’s latest the-sky-is-falling fund-raising appeal, party chairman Bob Bennett declares that Republican gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell is “near penniless.”
And to get Republican donors reaching for their wallets faster than Rush Limbaugh stretching for his pain medication, Bennett recounts the encroaching signs of the Apocalypse: “liberal billionaires like George Soros,” “gay civil unions,” “government funded abortions,” and “Sherrod Brown.”
About the only Republican flash point he left out is Hillary Clinton.
“Time is of the essence," he writes in the letter. "We don’t have a day to lose. Ohio’s future is at stake,” he writes.
The Hippies won Link Lovin Thursday...
Ick...not Ick directed at Hippies in general but if you have watched the Amazing Race you'd know that last night was the final epsiode for the season where the million dollars was won. Already being disappointed with the million dollar winner in Survivor (Aras? Another Ick), I held hope that it would not be the Hippies or the Frat Boys.
Don't know what I'm talking about? You probably are better off not sharing my weakness for several "Reality" tv shows. I don't watch American Idol, so I haven't gone completely over to the "dark side" yet for those worried about me. (lol)
So it's time to share some link lovin and if you don't know what I'm talking about on that? That my friends is much easier than Reality tv shows...take a quick visit to the Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns where you won't win a million dollars but you'll be able to find out more about how to join us.
:-)
Me4president2008 has A better idea
Excerpt: Other blots on the American Landscape
Planck's Constant stops by to share a post that I know my husband will like, Sopranos Episode 76 Cold Stones
Excerpt: Preview trailer for Cold Stones:
Previews 76 - Cold Stones Right Click to download (save target as...) to your computer.
Don't know what I'm talking about? You probably are better off not sharing my weakness for several "Reality" tv shows. I don't watch American Idol, so I haven't gone completely over to the "dark side" yet for those worried about me. (lol)
So it's time to share some link lovin and if you don't know what I'm talking about on that? That my friends is much easier than Reality tv shows...take a quick visit to the Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns where you won't win a million dollars but you'll be able to find out more about how to join us.
:-)
Me4president2008 has A better idea
Excerpt: Other blots on the American Landscape
Planck's Constant stops by to share a post that I know my husband will like, Sopranos Episode 76 Cold Stones
Excerpt: Preview trailer for Cold Stones:
Previews 76 - Cold Stones Right Click to download (save target as...) to your computer.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
When the cake is gone?
This will have to do until the next Wixey's visit.
A great advantage of loving Cheese Danish in this house? The kids do not like them. Downside to loving Cheese Danish...Miguel does like them...
(Aldi's 2.94 for a box of six and they are biggggg Cheese Danishes)
:-)
Extortion by spammers
I haven't met anyone who enjoys spam, what some of us have had to do here on our own blogs to deal with the spammers is irritating at times. Yet Spam has taken on very menancing form that in some cases is actually extortion.
As the above linked Washington Post article points out, this isn't just about email boxes or blogs being spammed or even Blue Security folding under the threats of the spammers:
Alan Paller, director of research for the Bethesda-based SANS Institute, a computer security training group, said extortion attacks have exploded in the past few years. With Blue Security, Paller said, the attackers' extortionist demands were that the company merely stop interfering in a multimillion-dollar spam operation.
"We're hearing from federal law enforcement that they are getting more than one new case of online extortion each day," Paller said.
And it can affect many people:
The spammer's counterattack generated so much Internet traffic that it also affected other sites, including Six Apart Ltd., a San Francisco-based company that runs millions of Web sites through its TypePad and LiveJournal blogging services. The attack also shut down operations for roughly 12 hours at Tucows Inc., a Toronto-based Internet services company that helped manage Blue Security's site.
Tucows chief executive Elliot Noss called the attack "by far the largest the company had ever seen," and said that only a handful of companies have the infrastructure in place to withstand such an assault, much less a more powerful one.
"This attack really was like trying to take out a mosquito with an atomic bomb," Noss said.
What to me is most irritating is none of us are going to buy the crap these spammers send us anyway. Or at least we shouldn't. Maybe that should be the goal, to get the message out there to never ever ever buy anything from these spammers. If they ceased to make a profit they'd cease spamming.
As the above linked Washington Post article points out, this isn't just about email boxes or blogs being spammed or even Blue Security folding under the threats of the spammers:
Alan Paller, director of research for the Bethesda-based SANS Institute, a computer security training group, said extortion attacks have exploded in the past few years. With Blue Security, Paller said, the attackers' extortionist demands were that the company merely stop interfering in a multimillion-dollar spam operation.
"We're hearing from federal law enforcement that they are getting more than one new case of online extortion each day," Paller said.
And it can affect many people:
The spammer's counterattack generated so much Internet traffic that it also affected other sites, including Six Apart Ltd., a San Francisco-based company that runs millions of Web sites through its TypePad and LiveJournal blogging services. The attack also shut down operations for roughly 12 hours at Tucows Inc., a Toronto-based Internet services company that helped manage Blue Security's site.
Tucows chief executive Elliot Noss called the attack "by far the largest the company had ever seen," and said that only a handful of companies have the infrastructure in place to withstand such an assault, much less a more powerful one.
"This attack really was like trying to take out a mosquito with an atomic bomb," Noss said.
What to me is most irritating is none of us are going to buy the crap these spammers send us anyway. Or at least we shouldn't. Maybe that should be the goal, to get the message out there to never ever ever buy anything from these spammers. If they ceased to make a profit they'd cease spamming.
Why I don't have a problem with Blogging Ohio
Some of my fellow bloggers have not looked kindly upon the addition of what they refer to as a "McBlog" Tim Russo was the first place I read where problems with this was expressed, so I'm linking his article for those who missed this.
Maybe I'm viewing this wrong but one of the reasons I blog and I do the whole Blog it Toledo column for the Toledo Free Press that's become a big part of my other blog, Glass City Jungle is because I want more people to read blogs and to blog. If people who visit there actually visit some of the blogs featured they could very well find more readers.
Yes, I'm sure Blogging Ohio is designed to make a profit. To me the very creation of a place like Blogging Ohio shows that blogging has become more recognized. It's not as if they are taking advertiser dollars away from the majority of us. Especially since most of us don't have advertisers anyway.
I'd love to blog and have it be a paying job. (No this is not a kiss up attempt to get Brad to hire me, I already know that won't happen.) Yet I'm not going to begrudge those who are doing it. One of the blogs I wrote about in one of my columns was featured on Blogging Ohio, the Glass City Gourmet I was happy to see her get more attention. My only kvetch was I didn't see an active link to her blog listed. Blogging Ohio also focuses on some of the smaller blogs, like one written by my friend Hooda Thunkit which I think is awesome. I want all of the Toledo blogs and Ohio blogs to get attention and to get more readers and if Blogging Ohio helps any of them?
Good job Blogging Ohio.
Maybe I'm viewing this wrong but one of the reasons I blog and I do the whole Blog it Toledo column for the Toledo Free Press that's become a big part of my other blog, Glass City Jungle is because I want more people to read blogs and to blog. If people who visit there actually visit some of the blogs featured they could very well find more readers.
Yes, I'm sure Blogging Ohio is designed to make a profit. To me the very creation of a place like Blogging Ohio shows that blogging has become more recognized. It's not as if they are taking advertiser dollars away from the majority of us. Especially since most of us don't have advertisers anyway.
I'd love to blog and have it be a paying job. (No this is not a kiss up attempt to get Brad to hire me, I already know that won't happen.) Yet I'm not going to begrudge those who are doing it. One of the blogs I wrote about in one of my columns was featured on Blogging Ohio, the Glass City Gourmet I was happy to see her get more attention. My only kvetch was I didn't see an active link to her blog listed. Blogging Ohio also focuses on some of the smaller blogs, like one written by my friend Hooda Thunkit which I think is awesome. I want all of the Toledo blogs and Ohio blogs to get attention and to get more readers and if Blogging Ohio helps any of them?
Good job Blogging Ohio.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Gambling on a Marketing Plan...
Todd Hoffman works for Ohio Learn and Earn which thru FieldWorks is helping to get signature petitions to get enough signatures to get their constitutional amendment for gambling on the November ballot.
Ironically, FieldWorks has worked for the Sierra Club and the DNC according to their own website.
Todd, who has been sending me unsolicited emails as well as linking this blog on his blog, says this isn't about gambling. He says this is about providing scholarships to college students. He's also had several posts on Buckeye State Blog where he hasn't always been upfront that he is being paid to promote this.
I have a problem with that and I don't agree with Todd that this is about providing college scholarships. It is about gambling, that's the whole purpose of the proposed constitutional amendment with a side benefit being promoted as college scholarships. Which if you do some reading on only will help the top 5% for the first 12 years, maybe more added but not a major benefit until after 12 years have passed.
I think we should take a quick look at the groups behind Learn and Earn. First, Penn National Gambling, Inc. On their website they list their many locations, one of which is Raceway Park in Toledo. According to their own news releases:
"We will be the third largest gaming company in terms of revenue and (operating earnings)," said Kevin DeSanctis, president and chief operating officer. With about $2.4 billion in expected revenue, Penn would trail only Harrah's Entertainment (NYSE:HET - News) and MGM Mirage (NYSE:MGM - News).
In Todd's latest email which is also on the Learn and Earn blog it states:
Why is Cincinnati casino lobbyist Gerald Austin working on a second amendment? Well a couple months ago, the Learn and Earn Committee approached Cincinnati city officials and business interests about designating a location for downtown slot machine parlor. At the time, city officials were not interested. So the Learn and Earn amendment was written and certified including seven racetracks, two near Cincinnati, and two slot machine parlors in Cleveland.
That's not entirely accurate according to the The Enquirer:
Cincinnati was included in original ballot language submitted by Learn and Earn.
But perceived apathy on behalf of city leaders, and concern by Penn National Gaming Inc., which owns the lucrative Argosy Casino in Lawrenceburg, combined to have the Queen City taken off the list.
It's also been stated by the Cleveland Plain Dealer here:
Learn and Earn appeased Penn National by dropping Cincinnati as a gambling site. Penn National operates the Argosy riverboat casino in Indiana, a short drive from Cincinnati.
It's also about profits for Forest City Enterprises Inc., this article shows their interest in gambling.
Jeff Jacobs, a Cleveland developer whose company operates several casinos in other states and owns property in the Flats entertainment district in Cleveland stands to make a profit. Gambling hasn't always been a money maker for Mr. Jacobs, in 1998 Mr. Jacobs suggested Colonial Downs Holdings Inc. of New Kent, Va., a company that owned the horse track in Virginia, could need to seek bankruptcy protection from creditors. Jacobs has supported trying to bring gambling to Ohio for quite some time.
My problem with this isn't that I am necessarily against all gambling, I have personally gone to Raceway Park and I've had a blast every time I have gone. My problem with Learn and Earn is they are trying to market this as a way to fund college tuition yet no matter how you want to dance around it? It's about gambling.
If Ohioans decide they want a constitutional amendment to allow this type of gambling on the ballot? That's fine with me. If Ohioans by a majority decide they want this type of gambling in Ohio? I probably would never vote for it because I don't see gambling as the economic fix but it would at least be on the actual merits. However what isn't fine with me is how this is being marketed and how it was named. They are hoping that the voters will ala Ohio Lottery believe that this is all for the major benefit of our young people rather than the reality which is just a tad different.
This was written for the Carnival of Ohio Politics sponsored by Paul Miller of Northwest Ohio Net stop by and visit to find out what some of Ohio's best bloggers are writing about.
Ironically, FieldWorks has worked for the Sierra Club and the DNC according to their own website.
Todd, who has been sending me unsolicited emails as well as linking this blog on his blog, says this isn't about gambling. He says this is about providing scholarships to college students. He's also had several posts on Buckeye State Blog where he hasn't always been upfront that he is being paid to promote this.
I have a problem with that and I don't agree with Todd that this is about providing college scholarships. It is about gambling, that's the whole purpose of the proposed constitutional amendment with a side benefit being promoted as college scholarships. Which if you do some reading on only will help the top 5% for the first 12 years, maybe more added but not a major benefit until after 12 years have passed.
I think we should take a quick look at the groups behind Learn and Earn. First, Penn National Gambling, Inc. On their website they list their many locations, one of which is Raceway Park in Toledo. According to their own news releases:
"We will be the third largest gaming company in terms of revenue and (operating earnings)," said Kevin DeSanctis, president and chief operating officer. With about $2.4 billion in expected revenue, Penn would trail only Harrah's Entertainment (NYSE:HET - News) and MGM Mirage (NYSE:MGM - News).
In Todd's latest email which is also on the Learn and Earn blog it states:
Why is Cincinnati casino lobbyist Gerald Austin working on a second amendment? Well a couple months ago, the Learn and Earn Committee approached Cincinnati city officials and business interests about designating a location for downtown slot machine parlor. At the time, city officials were not interested. So the Learn and Earn amendment was written and certified including seven racetracks, two near Cincinnati, and two slot machine parlors in Cleveland.
That's not entirely accurate according to the The Enquirer:
Cincinnati was included in original ballot language submitted by Learn and Earn.
But perceived apathy on behalf of city leaders, and concern by Penn National Gaming Inc., which owns the lucrative Argosy Casino in Lawrenceburg, combined to have the Queen City taken off the list.
It's also been stated by the Cleveland Plain Dealer here:
Learn and Earn appeased Penn National by dropping Cincinnati as a gambling site. Penn National operates the Argosy riverboat casino in Indiana, a short drive from Cincinnati.
It's also about profits for Forest City Enterprises Inc., this article shows their interest in gambling.
Jeff Jacobs, a Cleveland developer whose company operates several casinos in other states and owns property in the Flats entertainment district in Cleveland stands to make a profit. Gambling hasn't always been a money maker for Mr. Jacobs, in 1998 Mr. Jacobs suggested Colonial Downs Holdings Inc. of New Kent, Va., a company that owned the horse track in Virginia, could need to seek bankruptcy protection from creditors. Jacobs has supported trying to bring gambling to Ohio for quite some time.
My problem with this isn't that I am necessarily against all gambling, I have personally gone to Raceway Park and I've had a blast every time I have gone. My problem with Learn and Earn is they are trying to market this as a way to fund college tuition yet no matter how you want to dance around it? It's about gambling.
If Ohioans decide they want a constitutional amendment to allow this type of gambling on the ballot? That's fine with me. If Ohioans by a majority decide they want this type of gambling in Ohio? I probably would never vote for it because I don't see gambling as the economic fix but it would at least be on the actual merits. However what isn't fine with me is how this is being marketed and how it was named. They are hoping that the voters will ala Ohio Lottery believe that this is all for the major benefit of our young people rather than the reality which is just a tad different.
This was written for the Carnival of Ohio Politics sponsored by Paul Miller of Northwest Ohio Net stop by and visit to find out what some of Ohio's best bloggers are writing about.
Why I could never support Ken Blackwell....
This one article from the Cleveland Plain Dealer points out precisely where the foundation for his campaign started, what it is based on and to me proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that he will cross the lines of his religion versus rights of others if he is elected.
He is more than welcome to follow whatever religion he chooses, his supporters are more than welcome to follow any religion they select. Yet when it crosses the line into making anyone else have to deal with a moral ethic that is not based on our constitution? I say no.
Largely as a result, Blackwell today is the Republican nominee for Ohio governor. He also is a national political figure and, courtesy of the organizers of the Virginia conference, a member of the Arlington Group, a powerhouse, by-invitation-only organization whose roughly 60 members have direct access to the White House.
Arlington Group members and their spouses have donated $18,400 to Blackwell, and their organizations have provided vast quantities of money and assistance to him in other ways.
He is more than welcome to follow whatever religion he chooses, his supporters are more than welcome to follow any religion they select. Yet when it crosses the line into making anyone else have to deal with a moral ethic that is not based on our constitution? I say no.
Largely as a result, Blackwell today is the Republican nominee for Ohio governor. He also is a national political figure and, courtesy of the organizers of the Virginia conference, a member of the Arlington Group, a powerhouse, by-invitation-only organization whose roughly 60 members have direct access to the White House.
Arlington Group members and their spouses have donated $18,400 to Blackwell, and their organizations have provided vast quantities of money and assistance to him in other ways.
Citizens for Community Values, whose president, Phil Burress, sits on the Arlington Group's executive committee, poured nearly $1.2 million into the campaign to ban gay marriage in Ohio. He was assisted by Arlington Group member Colin Hanna of Let Freedom Ring in West Chester, Pa., which spent nearly $1 million organizing "pastor policy briefings" in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
For all of those who made such a fuss about out of state support for Democratic issues/candidates? How they have no right to do that here in Ohio? I'd suggest taking an equal look at Blackwell and where his support is coming from.
Between January 2005 and last month, Blackwell collected more than $3.8 million, surpassing Petro by more than $1 million and raising only slightly less than his Democratic opponent, U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland.
A report by Ohio Citizen Action found that more than $900,000 of Blackwell's money came from out of state - just short of what Petro, Strickland and Democrat Bryan Flannery combined raised from out-of-state donors.
Blackwell's trying to distance himself from earlier comments, he's scrubbed his blog from the primary according to those who read his blog. After taking their money and sitting at their table? Now he's trying to soften his tone.
Yet, sorry Ken...comments like this from supporters? Proves that's not going to happen:
"One of the reasons I'm so high on Ken Blackwell, and he shares this perspective, is that this is not just another skirmish in the culture war," said Stephen Crampton, an Arlington Group member who serves as chief counsel at Wildmon's Center for Law and Policy. "This is the ultimate battle. He who wins the same-sex marriage battle in effect wins the culture war."
They are supporting you because you made them believe that you would make this a culture war not a run for what was best for the residents of Ohio. All residents of Ohio, which believe it or not? Includes homosexuals.
More proof that some people are stupid....
Bears eat monkey, visitors shocked
OMG! A wild animal actually ate another wild animal?
Visitors reported that the grisly scene began as several bears chased the monkey, a macaque, onto a wooden structure at Beekse Bergen Safari Park.
They said a bear tried unsuccessfully to shake the monkey loose, ignoring attempts by keepers to distract it. The bear then climbed up and grabbed the monkey, mauling it to death and bringing it to its concrete den, where three bears ate it.
The park confirmed the killing. "The habitats here in the safari park are arranged in such a way that one animal almost never kills another, but they are and remain wild animals," it said in a statement.
While my story doesn't include death, this reminds me of several years ago when I was doing the parental chaperone thing at the zoo for one of my bunch. We were at the monkey cage. The monkey was having a good ole time exposing his penis to all who cared to see. Okay, so the kids giggle and you just say "Yes, Monkey's can be silly" and herd your little group to another animal. Yet there was this woman who loudly demanded someone make the monkey stop. Excuse me? One man said something before I could, "What do you want them to do? Take away his monkey porn?".
Yes, amazingly there are wild animals in the Zoo...
:-)
OMG! A wild animal actually ate another wild animal?
Visitors reported that the grisly scene began as several bears chased the monkey, a macaque, onto a wooden structure at Beekse Bergen Safari Park.
They said a bear tried unsuccessfully to shake the monkey loose, ignoring attempts by keepers to distract it. The bear then climbed up and grabbed the monkey, mauling it to death and bringing it to its concrete den, where three bears ate it.
The park confirmed the killing. "The habitats here in the safari park are arranged in such a way that one animal almost never kills another, but they are and remain wild animals," it said in a statement.
While my story doesn't include death, this reminds me of several years ago when I was doing the parental chaperone thing at the zoo for one of my bunch. We were at the monkey cage. The monkey was having a good ole time exposing his penis to all who cared to see. Okay, so the kids giggle and you just say "Yes, Monkey's can be silly" and herd your little group to another animal. Yet there was this woman who loudly demanded someone make the monkey stop. Excuse me? One man said something before I could, "What do you want them to do? Take away his monkey porn?".
Yes, amazingly there are wild animals in the Zoo...
:-)
Monday, May 15, 2006
psst....I have a bridge to sell you too!
Everytime I read the cute name they came up with to get slot gambling to be legal at several of Ohio's horse race tracks I can't help laughing.
"Ohio Learn and Earn"
What can we learn?
Some of who is behind this
The owner of a Toledo racetrack has folded its campaign for electronic slots at horse tracks only, opting instead to join a proposal that would allow slots at tracks and at two sites in downtown Cleveland.
Penn National Gaming Inc., the deep-pocketed owner of Toledo's Raceway Park, said Monday it was joining the Learn and Earn campaign.
That means voters will likely see just one gambling proposal on the November ballot, backed by the state's seven racetracks, Forest City Enterprises Inc. and businessman Jeff Jacobs.
What can we earn?
Ohio Learn and Earn is hiring according to this
FieldWorks is hiring management level staff to run a statewide petition drive to increase college education funding in Ohio. Positions are based in Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Toledo, starting immediately. We are hiring for the following positions: State Director, Office Directors, Deputy Office Directors and Administrative staff.
Salary: $2600-$4800 per month, plus benefits. Salary is dependent on position, skills and experience.
Drats...Somehow I don't think they would hire someone who doesn't believe that this is really about helping Ohio kids to get a free college education.
:-)
"Ohio Learn and Earn"
What can we learn?
Some of who is behind this
The owner of a Toledo racetrack has folded its campaign for electronic slots at horse tracks only, opting instead to join a proposal that would allow slots at tracks and at two sites in downtown Cleveland.
Penn National Gaming Inc., the deep-pocketed owner of Toledo's Raceway Park, said Monday it was joining the Learn and Earn campaign.
That means voters will likely see just one gambling proposal on the November ballot, backed by the state's seven racetracks, Forest City Enterprises Inc. and businessman Jeff Jacobs.
What can we earn?
Ohio Learn and Earn is hiring according to this
FieldWorks is hiring management level staff to run a statewide petition drive to increase college education funding in Ohio. Positions are based in Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Toledo, starting immediately. We are hiring for the following positions: State Director, Office Directors, Deputy Office Directors and Administrative staff.
Salary: $2600-$4800 per month, plus benefits. Salary is dependent on position, skills and experience.
Drats...Somehow I don't think they would hire someone who doesn't believe that this is really about helping Ohio kids to get a free college education.
:-)
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Okay, so I'm not a fan of Mother's Day
Yet...I do love cake. It's my favorite type of cake and was from my favorite bakery.
So Happy Mother's Day even to those who don't like Cake.
:-)
Friday, May 12, 2006
Lisa Stress Relief...
What do I do to relieve stress?
When reality gets too real and I want to escape it for a few hours?
Sometimes it's this:
And sometimes it's
Pharaoh is more difficult because you have to meet certain goals to be able to move to the next level, the Sims2 is more interactive. I never got the hang of PS2 even before ours was stolen, but I used to really rock at Sega...especially Phantasy Star...
:-)
When reality gets too real and I want to escape it for a few hours?
Sometimes it's this:
And sometimes it's
Pharaoh is more difficult because you have to meet certain goals to be able to move to the next level, the Sims2 is more interactive. I never got the hang of PS2 even before ours was stolen, but I used to really rock at Sega...especially Phantasy Star...
:-)
Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!..umm maybe wolf?
Check out CNN's headline as linked above:
Diplomats: Enriched uranium found in Iran
yet...
The diplomats, who demanded anonymity in exchange for revealing the confidential information, said the findings were preliminary and still had to be confirmed through other lab tests. But they said the density of enrichment appeared to be close to or above the level used to make nuclear warheads.
This all seems sooo familiar...deja vu....Another country....hmmm started with an "I"....
Come on CNN, surely you know better by now or at least should be more careful in your headline selection.
:-)
Diplomats: Enriched uranium found in Iran
yet...
The diplomats, who demanded anonymity in exchange for revealing the confidential information, said the findings were preliminary and still had to be confirmed through other lab tests. But they said the density of enrichment appeared to be close to or above the level used to make nuclear warheads.
This all seems sooo familiar...deja vu....Another country....hmmm started with an "I"....
Come on CNN, surely you know better by now or at least should be more careful in your headline selection.
:-)
I feel the earth move under my feet....
When I read the above linked Toledo Blade article, that's the song that popped into my head....
LIMA, Ohio — A small earthquake shook part of northwest Ohio for a few seconds but didn’t cause any damage, the Ohio Seismic Network reported today.
The quake, which had a preliminary magnitude of 2.8, struck at 9:51 p.m. Thursday and was centered about eight miles west of this city, said Mike Hansen, the network’s coordinator.
No injuries were reported, the Allen County sheriff’s office said.
Hansen said the quake occurred in the Anna Seismic Zone, an area of northwest and western Ohio named for the town of Anna in Shelby County.
“That’s traditionally part of our most active seismic zone in Ohio, but it’s been quiet for the last decade or so,” he said.
Seven earthquakes have been recorded in northeast Ohio this year, with the strongest producing a magnitude of 3.0, Hansen said.
LIMA, Ohio — A small earthquake shook part of northwest Ohio for a few seconds but didn’t cause any damage, the Ohio Seismic Network reported today.
The quake, which had a preliminary magnitude of 2.8, struck at 9:51 p.m. Thursday and was centered about eight miles west of this city, said Mike Hansen, the network’s coordinator.
No injuries were reported, the Allen County sheriff’s office said.
Hansen said the quake occurred in the Anna Seismic Zone, an area of northwest and western Ohio named for the town of Anna in Shelby County.
“That’s traditionally part of our most active seismic zone in Ohio, but it’s been quiet for the last decade or so,” he said.
Seven earthquakes have been recorded in northeast Ohio this year, with the strongest producing a magnitude of 3.0, Hansen said.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Cruise not feeling the Link Lovin Thursday....
According to CNN, Tom Cruise's "strange" behavior may be costing him at the box office. While here in Toledo there are still lots of TomKat fans, no love at the box office:
Days after his latest movie, "Mission: Impossible III," opened to lower-than-expected domestic ticket sales, a USA Today/Gallup poll showed Cruise's star power has dimmed considerably during the past year in the eyes of the public.
In the poll of 1,013 adults conducted over the weekend the film opened in theaters, 35 percent had a favorable opinion of Cruise, while 51 percent had an unfavorable opinion.
Yet the chance for "star power" still exists for you, and if you know what to do? ACTION! If you don't? Visit The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns where I promise you a "mission accomplished".
:-)
123beta stopped by and would like you to read NSA: Building Database Of U.S. Phone Calls
Excerpt: The MSM is at it again. There's really no story here. As far as I know the NSA...
Me4President2008, shares a post that is about more than just me...I Knew It
Excerpt: Lisa isn't upset today, but does she feel bad for Tom
Tor's Rants wants to share The Buddhist I Ching: Regulation
Excerpt: One can see the influence of China's native Taoism on the Ch'an (Zen) school of Buddhism here. It's very naturalistic and concerned with striking an elemental balance that's just so.
Planck's Constant has an interesting post, No nude for L'Oreal - Scarlett Johansson
Excerpt: Back in December Scarlett Johansson had signed a four million dollar contract with L'Oreal. But now she's balking at taking off her clothes for their new campaign:
Comedian Jenée: People are Idiots has this, Maybe He Wanted A Blow Career
Excerpt: I noticed he wore a wedding band. Not that I was interested, but it told me he’s either Sleazy Cheater Guy or Waste My Time Guy. But I held out hope he was that golden bar creature: Rich Drink Buyer Who Doesn’t Even Make A Pass Guy.
Days after his latest movie, "Mission: Impossible III," opened to lower-than-expected domestic ticket sales, a USA Today/Gallup poll showed Cruise's star power has dimmed considerably during the past year in the eyes of the public.
In the poll of 1,013 adults conducted over the weekend the film opened in theaters, 35 percent had a favorable opinion of Cruise, while 51 percent had an unfavorable opinion.
Yet the chance for "star power" still exists for you, and if you know what to do? ACTION! If you don't? Visit The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns where I promise you a "mission accomplished".
:-)
123beta stopped by and would like you to read NSA: Building Database Of U.S. Phone Calls
Excerpt: The MSM is at it again. There's really no story here. As far as I know the NSA...
Me4President2008, shares a post that is about more than just me...I Knew It
Excerpt: Lisa isn't upset today, but does she feel bad for Tom
Tor's Rants wants to share The Buddhist I Ching: Regulation
Excerpt: One can see the influence of China's native Taoism on the Ch'an (Zen) school of Buddhism here. It's very naturalistic and concerned with striking an elemental balance that's just so.
Planck's Constant has an interesting post, No nude for L'Oreal - Scarlett Johansson
Excerpt: Back in December Scarlett Johansson had signed a four million dollar contract with L'Oreal. But now she's balking at taking off her clothes for their new campaign:
Comedian Jenée: People are Idiots has this, Maybe He Wanted A Blow Career
Excerpt: I noticed he wore a wedding band. Not that I was interested, but it told me he’s either Sleazy Cheater Guy or Waste My Time Guy. But I held out hope he was that golden bar creature: Rich Drink Buyer Who Doesn’t Even Make A Pass Guy.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Need a laugh today?
This has to be one of the most enjoyable videos I've seen. Yes, even better than the Hamsters....Make sure your sound isn't up high first though.
A huge thank you to Jason over at the The Glitch for finding this.
:-)
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Corruption....
Power tends to corrupt;
absolute power corrupts absolutely
Much has been made about Ney, Noe, Abramoff, Taft and other Republicans as a sign of corruption that should encourage people to vote Democrats into office, not just here in Ohio but nationwide. Yet the problem is not really Republicans, it is that Republicans have held power long enough to be corrupt. I’m crazy you say? How dare I dispute the facts surrounding these wicked, bad Republicans?
Take a short adventure with me into Toledo, Ohio…Yes, the hometown of the now infamous Tom Noe. Democrats are and have been the majority party for quite some time. Yesterday a former Toledo Councilperson, Bob McCloskey pled guilty to two federal counts of bribery and no contest and was found guilty of one of two unrelated felony counts of bribery in Lucas County Common Pleas Court.
It’d be easy to just point to McCloskey as just one “bad apple” yet there were signs that went ignored by other City Council members and in at least one particular situation City Council votes were changed. That’s a big situation, the City of Toledo is involved in a ten million dollar civil lawsuit as a result of accusations made against Bob McCloskey.
Four people changed their vote that created this situation; one of those was Bob McCloskey. The other three are not mentioned often in articles concerning this situation. However if you go back into the Toledo Blade archives, since the City of Toledo does not provide online City Journal information back to 2002, Wilma Brown, who is still a current Toledo City Council person changed her vote. Peter Ujvagi who is now the 47th District House Representative for this area and Tina Skeldon who is now Tina Skeldon Wozniak, a current Lucas County Commissioner, also changed their votes.
We also know now that Wade Kapszukiewicz a former Toledo City Council person, now Lucas County Treasurer was approached by Bob McCloskey in what he felt may have been an attempt at a bribe. Even Republican George Sarantou is publicly stating he also experienced a similar experience. It’s also now been stated that former City Council President Louis Escobar was aware that McCloskey had asked EJS for the money before the vote took place in 2002. Mr. Escobar said he told him it would “look strange” for McCloskey to change his vote after he had previously supported the developer.
Escobar was not present on August 27, 2002 when the vote took place. Yet we do not know why Wilma Brown, Peter Ujvagi or Tina Skeldon Wozniak changed their votes, most of them will not comment because of the “on going civil case”. While that’s understandable it’s also hard to just blame Bob McCloskey. While he may bear the ultimate responsibility in all of this none of these people stepped forward.
Wilma Brown made a comment in today’s Toledo Blade in another article that was about Councilman Frank Szollosi’s attempt to strengthen ethic requirements for Toledo City Council members:
"If you're gonna be a crook, you're gonna be a crook no matter how many pieces of paper you have,"
That’s true, especially if you are surrounded by public officials that will look the other way. There have been many excuses made as to why no one reported this. Many of us feel, rightfully so that these elected officials did have a duty, a moral one since it’s been stated they had no legal duty to report this.
So it’s not just a Republican issue of corruption, it’s an issue that can happen anywhere when one party is allowed to remain in control, and too many of it’s own members are not willing to speak out. Until the day comes when political parties demand ethical behavior from their own party members rather than finger pointing at the other side this will never change.
(This article was written for the Carnival of Ohio Politics hosted by Paul Miller of Northwest Ohio Net where every Wednesday you can read what some of Ohio's best bloggers are writing about)
absolute power corrupts absolutely
Much has been made about Ney, Noe, Abramoff, Taft and other Republicans as a sign of corruption that should encourage people to vote Democrats into office, not just here in Ohio but nationwide. Yet the problem is not really Republicans, it is that Republicans have held power long enough to be corrupt. I’m crazy you say? How dare I dispute the facts surrounding these wicked, bad Republicans?
Take a short adventure with me into Toledo, Ohio…Yes, the hometown of the now infamous Tom Noe. Democrats are and have been the majority party for quite some time. Yesterday a former Toledo Councilperson, Bob McCloskey pled guilty to two federal counts of bribery and no contest and was found guilty of one of two unrelated felony counts of bribery in Lucas County Common Pleas Court.
It’d be easy to just point to McCloskey as just one “bad apple” yet there were signs that went ignored by other City Council members and in at least one particular situation City Council votes were changed. That’s a big situation, the City of Toledo is involved in a ten million dollar civil lawsuit as a result of accusations made against Bob McCloskey.
Four people changed their vote that created this situation; one of those was Bob McCloskey. The other three are not mentioned often in articles concerning this situation. However if you go back into the Toledo Blade archives, since the City of Toledo does not provide online City Journal information back to 2002, Wilma Brown, who is still a current Toledo City Council person changed her vote. Peter Ujvagi who is now the 47th District House Representative for this area and Tina Skeldon who is now Tina Skeldon Wozniak, a current Lucas County Commissioner, also changed their votes.
We also know now that Wade Kapszukiewicz a former Toledo City Council person, now Lucas County Treasurer was approached by Bob McCloskey in what he felt may have been an attempt at a bribe. Even Republican George Sarantou is publicly stating he also experienced a similar experience. It’s also now been stated that former City Council President Louis Escobar was aware that McCloskey had asked EJS for the money before the vote took place in 2002. Mr. Escobar said he told him it would “look strange” for McCloskey to change his vote after he had previously supported the developer.
Escobar was not present on August 27, 2002 when the vote took place. Yet we do not know why Wilma Brown, Peter Ujvagi or Tina Skeldon Wozniak changed their votes, most of them will not comment because of the “on going civil case”. While that’s understandable it’s also hard to just blame Bob McCloskey. While he may bear the ultimate responsibility in all of this none of these people stepped forward.
Wilma Brown made a comment in today’s Toledo Blade in another article that was about Councilman Frank Szollosi’s attempt to strengthen ethic requirements for Toledo City Council members:
"If you're gonna be a crook, you're gonna be a crook no matter how many pieces of paper you have,"
That’s true, especially if you are surrounded by public officials that will look the other way. There have been many excuses made as to why no one reported this. Many of us feel, rightfully so that these elected officials did have a duty, a moral one since it’s been stated they had no legal duty to report this.
So it’s not just a Republican issue of corruption, it’s an issue that can happen anywhere when one party is allowed to remain in control, and too many of it’s own members are not willing to speak out. Until the day comes when political parties demand ethical behavior from their own party members rather than finger pointing at the other side this will never change.
(This article was written for the Carnival of Ohio Politics hosted by Paul Miller of Northwest Ohio Net where every Wednesday you can read what some of Ohio's best bloggers are writing about)
Monday, May 08, 2006
Today's mystery
I went to pick up the phone to make a call having used it earlier with no problem and nothing...no dial tone and a message flashing on the phone "NO LINE". Yet my dsl works so there must be some type of a line signal.
No, it's not a billing issue, and Miguel said when he tried to call it just rings then goes over to voicemail.
I'm not complaining that my dsl is working, but it seems strange that the phone line would be dead here from the house yet the dsl signal would still work...
I even moved the phone to another phone jack to make sure it wasn't a problem with that outlet or the dsl filter.
Now I miss having a cell phone.
:-)
Update...I emailed Miguel and had him call the phone company - appears I am not alone. They are having trouble throughout the Toledo, Maumee, Sylvania areas. They are currently testing the line.
Second update...now my comments for haloscan are "temporarily disabled"...what was that you wrote C about not everyone out to get me? lmao
Amazing....sometime between tonight and tomorrow actually ended up happening tonight. Figures first call? A telemarketer...(lol)
No, it's not a billing issue, and Miguel said when he tried to call it just rings then goes over to voicemail.
I'm not complaining that my dsl is working, but it seems strange that the phone line would be dead here from the house yet the dsl signal would still work...
I even moved the phone to another phone jack to make sure it wasn't a problem with that outlet or the dsl filter.
Now I miss having a cell phone.
:-)
Update...I emailed Miguel and had him call the phone company - appears I am not alone. They are having trouble throughout the Toledo, Maumee, Sylvania areas. They are currently testing the line.
Second update...now my comments for haloscan are "temporarily disabled"...what was that you wrote C about not everyone out to get me? lmao
Amazing....sometime between tonight and tomorrow actually ended up happening tonight. Figures first call? A telemarketer...(lol)
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Sometimes cheaper isn't better
I shop at Aldis here in town on a very regular basis. Price wise on most products they are even less expensive than Sam's Club. Saturday as an example, I spent almost 60 dollars yet ended up with items for at least four family meals, a week's worth of items to pack for Aubrey's lunch and breakfast items for the house for close to a week. Even a few extra's like some more ice cream cones, ice cream, hot fudge and strawberry topping.
Their canned items are almost always cheaper than any grocery store sale price. No discernable difference in vegetables, with fruit you may get some irregular shapes but quality is still similiar.
I did today discover one item that was ickky.
I love marshmallows and have bought the Kroger brand in the past if there was a huge price difference between that and Kraft. I'm sad to say though "Toasty Puffs" have way to much powder still left on them which not only leaves a huge mess on your hands but gives them a rather strange taste.
So if you decide to visit your local Aldis? Stay away from the marshmallows.
:-)
Then of course it started me on a search about Marshmallows
"Nineteenth century doctors extracted juice from the marsh mallow plant's roots and cooked it with egg whites and sugar, then whipped the mixture into a foamy meringue that later hardened, creating a medicinal candy used to soothe children's sore throats."
As well as something you know I'll have to now try...Making my own:
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup water
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sift the cornstarch and confectioners sugar into a bowl. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch square baking pan and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch-and-sugar mixture into it. Tilt the pan to coat the sides and the bottom. Leave any excess in the pan.
Sprinkle the gelatin into the water in a small saucepan and let soak for five minutes. Add the granulated sugar and stir over low heat until the gelatin and sugar dissolve.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the gelatin mixture, corn syrup, salt and vanilla and beat for 15 minutes on high speed, until peaks form.
Spread the fluffy mixture in the prepared pan and smooth the top. Leave for two hours or until set.
With a wet knife, cut the marshmallow mixture into quarters and loosen around the edges. Sprinkle the remaining cornstarch-and-sugar mixture on a baking sheet and invert the marshmallow blocks onto it. Cut each quarter into nine pieces and roll each one in the starch and sugar.
Place the marshmallows on a cake rack covered with paper towels and let them stand over night to dry the surface slightly. Store airtight; the marshmallows will keep for a month.
After all, they can't be worse than the ones I just bought...can they?
Their canned items are almost always cheaper than any grocery store sale price. No discernable difference in vegetables, with fruit you may get some irregular shapes but quality is still similiar.
I did today discover one item that was ickky.
I love marshmallows and have bought the Kroger brand in the past if there was a huge price difference between that and Kraft. I'm sad to say though "Toasty Puffs" have way to much powder still left on them which not only leaves a huge mess on your hands but gives them a rather strange taste.
So if you decide to visit your local Aldis? Stay away from the marshmallows.
:-)
Then of course it started me on a search about Marshmallows
"Nineteenth century doctors extracted juice from the marsh mallow plant's roots and cooked it with egg whites and sugar, then whipped the mixture into a foamy meringue that later hardened, creating a medicinal candy used to soothe children's sore throats."
As well as something you know I'll have to now try...Making my own:
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup water
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sift the cornstarch and confectioners sugar into a bowl. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch square baking pan and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch-and-sugar mixture into it. Tilt the pan to coat the sides and the bottom. Leave any excess in the pan.
Sprinkle the gelatin into the water in a small saucepan and let soak for five minutes. Add the granulated sugar and stir over low heat until the gelatin and sugar dissolve.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the gelatin mixture, corn syrup, salt and vanilla and beat for 15 minutes on high speed, until peaks form.
Spread the fluffy mixture in the prepared pan and smooth the top. Leave for two hours or until set.
With a wet knife, cut the marshmallow mixture into quarters and loosen around the edges. Sprinkle the remaining cornstarch-and-sugar mixture on a baking sheet and invert the marshmallow blocks onto it. Cut each quarter into nine pieces and roll each one in the starch and sugar.
Place the marshmallows on a cake rack covered with paper towels and let them stand over night to dry the surface slightly. Store airtight; the marshmallows will keep for a month.
After all, they can't be worse than the ones I just bought...can they?
Saturday, May 06, 2006
As Ohio goes so goes the Nation?
My home state has been stated to be the one to watch in regard to Republican versus Democrat by many political experts. There will be much written about Strickland, Blackwell, DeWine and Brown over the next few months. Yet there is something more happening in Ohio.
Today's New York Times has an article that highlights why many feel Ohio is important:
The Washington Post has also had several recent articles about politics in Ohio. This article is one of those that highlights the expectation that Ohio will be the battleground state.
While the political pundits discuss the Governor and the Congressional races in Ohio, you'll be given the impression that it is just those candidates. Exciting news such as Ballot Access released will most likely not even be mentioned:
Bob Fitrakis who some of you might know from his Columbus Dispatch columns under "Fraudbuster Bob" and Bill Peirce won't get the media coverage. They won't get big political guns to come in to help them win an election. Heck they'll be lucky if they are even allowed to be listed by their real party designation and participate in a debate. The media will make this just about the Two Party people not the Independent candidates. I haven't had the opportunity to learn a lot about Bob Fitrakis, but Bill Peirce participated in a Meet the Bloggers event so I was able to both read the transcript and download the podcasts for that interview.
Why is this important? Beyond trying to promote third party candidates, most of these political pundits don't seem to grasp an understanding of Ohio's political climate. Yes people really do not like Taft and they are not happy with the current Republican majority State government. Yes John Kerry almost won Ohio and he did win my County. Ohio does have a larger number of those who register as Democrats than they do Republicans. Close to eight million out of Ohio's 11 million residents are registered to vote; 1,344,124 list themselves as Democrats, 1,093,819 list themselves as Republicans.
It's evident that a majority of Ohio voters not only don't participate in primaries but also don't want to list themselves as being one of either main Party. Ohio is a divided state. While there may be parts of Ohio like Cuyahoga County as one example, are more "Liberal" in make up that's not true across the State. The area around Cuyahoga is where Sherrod Brown is from and was successful as a member of the House. In the 2004 Presidential campaign John Kerry won with very high numbers in Cuyahoga County as well as having the largest number of voters for one County. The more Southern parts of Ohio tend to have stronger Republican numbers and my Northwestern Ohio, which includes Lucas County may have more Democrats but they are more moderate Democrats. As one example, in 2004 State Issue One which was the Constitutional Amendment to state marriage is between a man and a woman passed with 61.71% of the vote. Even in the more "Liberal" county of Cuyohoga this amendment passed.
In the Governor's race these two Third Party candidates could have an impact on the final outcome. Ken Blackwell will continue to reach out to his base which includes a great number of those who voted for the Marriage Amendment. Ted Strickland will try to tie Blackwell to Taft. Many disgruntled Petro supporters could turn to Bill Peirce, many Democrats are not happy with the Ohio Democratic Party, the more moderates could turn to Bill Peirce, the more liberal could turn to Bob Fitrakis. In the Senate race the impression that Sherrod Brown is more liberal than the majority of the state could create a win for Mike DeWine. While Sherrod won the primary it appears at first glance to an outsider that this was a respectable win, yet once you take into consideration his primary opponent that selected running as a Democrat because that was how he voted last and promoted the idea of death to homosexuals as well as other extreme ideas? It puts a different meaning on 22% of Democrats selecting him. One can realistically hazzard a guess it wasn't because they supported this man's ideals, they were openly stating they did not support Sherrod Brown. This was without the help of Karl Rove who has been stated is advising Mike DeWine.
Millions of dollars from out of state will pour into Ohio to influence the outcome. The star names from both parties will venture into Ohio to help their party win. It's already becoming not what is best for Ohioans but what is best for both Parties in their quest to take seats. After they leave we who are Ohioans are stuck with the end result, which is why it's important that those of us who live here know there are more than just two candidates for Governor, that we keep demanding that the Third Party candidates be included and given adequate media coverage. It's important that those of you who are not Ohioans to consider lending your support to these third party candidates.
Since so many are watching, there is no better time to demonstrate that not only is it possible for third party candidates to get on the ballot but that we want more of a choice than just D or R. It not only helps Ohio but it helps all of those who are contemplating running for office under a third party discover that they can have an impact.
(cross posted at Watchblog)
Today's New York Times has an article that highlights why many feel Ohio is important:
For the Democratic Party, the road back to power in Washington begins here in Ohio. But as long-dominant Ohio Republicans struggle with a corruption scandal, economic distress and rising voter unease, Democrats face a challenge in making the state a launching pad to seize control of Congress and the White House, leaders of both parties say.
The Washington Post has also had several recent articles about politics in Ohio. This article is one of those that highlights the expectation that Ohio will be the battleground state.
While the political pundits discuss the Governor and the Congressional races in Ohio, you'll be given the impression that it is just those candidates. Exciting news such as Ballot Access released will most likely not even be mentioned:
On May 1, the Ohio deadline this year for the independent candidate procedure, the Libertarian and Green Party candidates for Governor each submitted more than twice the required 5,000 signatures. Libertarian Bill Peirce turned in 13,400, and Green Bob Fitrakis turned in 10,900. The Green running for Secretary of State turned in 9,000. Under Ohio election laws, neither is permitted to have his party label on the ballot. Instead, Ohio will only print “other-party nominee” on the November ballot. The Libertarian lawsuit against Ohio’s procedures for new parties, argued in the 6th circuit in early September 2005, is still awaiting a decision.
Bob Fitrakis who some of you might know from his Columbus Dispatch columns under "Fraudbuster Bob" and Bill Peirce won't get the media coverage. They won't get big political guns to come in to help them win an election. Heck they'll be lucky if they are even allowed to be listed by their real party designation and participate in a debate. The media will make this just about the Two Party people not the Independent candidates. I haven't had the opportunity to learn a lot about Bob Fitrakis, but Bill Peirce participated in a Meet the Bloggers event so I was able to both read the transcript and download the podcasts for that interview.
Why is this important? Beyond trying to promote third party candidates, most of these political pundits don't seem to grasp an understanding of Ohio's political climate. Yes people really do not like Taft and they are not happy with the current Republican majority State government. Yes John Kerry almost won Ohio and he did win my County. Ohio does have a larger number of those who register as Democrats than they do Republicans. Close to eight million out of Ohio's 11 million residents are registered to vote; 1,344,124 list themselves as Democrats, 1,093,819 list themselves as Republicans.
It's evident that a majority of Ohio voters not only don't participate in primaries but also don't want to list themselves as being one of either main Party. Ohio is a divided state. While there may be parts of Ohio like Cuyahoga County as one example, are more "Liberal" in make up that's not true across the State. The area around Cuyahoga is where Sherrod Brown is from and was successful as a member of the House. In the 2004 Presidential campaign John Kerry won with very high numbers in Cuyahoga County as well as having the largest number of voters for one County. The more Southern parts of Ohio tend to have stronger Republican numbers and my Northwestern Ohio, which includes Lucas County may have more Democrats but they are more moderate Democrats. As one example, in 2004 State Issue One which was the Constitutional Amendment to state marriage is between a man and a woman passed with 61.71% of the vote. Even in the more "Liberal" county of Cuyohoga this amendment passed.
In the Governor's race these two Third Party candidates could have an impact on the final outcome. Ken Blackwell will continue to reach out to his base which includes a great number of those who voted for the Marriage Amendment. Ted Strickland will try to tie Blackwell to Taft. Many disgruntled Petro supporters could turn to Bill Peirce, many Democrats are not happy with the Ohio Democratic Party, the more moderates could turn to Bill Peirce, the more liberal could turn to Bob Fitrakis. In the Senate race the impression that Sherrod Brown is more liberal than the majority of the state could create a win for Mike DeWine. While Sherrod won the primary it appears at first glance to an outsider that this was a respectable win, yet once you take into consideration his primary opponent that selected running as a Democrat because that was how he voted last and promoted the idea of death to homosexuals as well as other extreme ideas? It puts a different meaning on 22% of Democrats selecting him. One can realistically hazzard a guess it wasn't because they supported this man's ideals, they were openly stating they did not support Sherrod Brown. This was without the help of Karl Rove who has been stated is advising Mike DeWine.
Millions of dollars from out of state will pour into Ohio to influence the outcome. The star names from both parties will venture into Ohio to help their party win. It's already becoming not what is best for Ohioans but what is best for both Parties in their quest to take seats. After they leave we who are Ohioans are stuck with the end result, which is why it's important that those of us who live here know there are more than just two candidates for Governor, that we keep demanding that the Third Party candidates be included and given adequate media coverage. It's important that those of you who are not Ohioans to consider lending your support to these third party candidates.
Since so many are watching, there is no better time to demonstrate that not only is it possible for third party candidates to get on the ballot but that we want more of a choice than just D or R. It not only helps Ohio but it helps all of those who are contemplating running for office under a third party discover that they can have an impact.
(cross posted at Watchblog)
Friday, May 05, 2006
CIA Director Porter Goss has resigned
CIA Director Porter Goss has resigned, President Bush announced today. That's the breaking news headline from CNN.
Perhaps it's just my mood today but immediately the song "Another one bites the dust" came to mind.
:-)
Perhaps it's just my mood today but immediately the song "Another one bites the dust" came to mind.
:-)
One of those life's ironic moments...
Recently I was happy to have finally gotten a review from the "wonderful" Ohio Child Support system and had support almost doubled since the original decree and subsequent emancipation of children reduced the weekly amount.
Granted several snafu's happened that I'm still working on but for a brief time I was happy to finally start receiving the higher amount. We will never be rich but it at least looked more "survivable".
I just was informed by my ex-husband that his employer has decided to shut down their entire plant and terminate everyone rather than laying them off. Tonight is his last night of work and supposedly insurance benefits for the two girls will no longer exist after tonight either. Twenty years of employment there for him has ended in the midst of a struggle between union/management and the economy.
No it's not the end of the world and we'll survive thru this, the girls and I have been thru worse. Other people right now are going thru worse. Many children don't even get child support at all. I already know what my options are as far as health insurance for them so that at least is not a worry.
Yet, I couldn't help wondering as I hung up the phone from hearing the news...if bad things are supposed to happen in three's...Shouldn't I be due for at least a short break?
:-)
Granted several snafu's happened that I'm still working on but for a brief time I was happy to finally start receiving the higher amount. We will never be rich but it at least looked more "survivable".
I just was informed by my ex-husband that his employer has decided to shut down their entire plant and terminate everyone rather than laying them off. Tonight is his last night of work and supposedly insurance benefits for the two girls will no longer exist after tonight either. Twenty years of employment there for him has ended in the midst of a struggle between union/management and the economy.
No it's not the end of the world and we'll survive thru this, the girls and I have been thru worse. Other people right now are going thru worse. Many children don't even get child support at all. I already know what my options are as far as health insurance for them so that at least is not a worry.
Yet, I couldn't help wondering as I hung up the phone from hearing the news...if bad things are supposed to happen in three's...Shouldn't I be due for at least a short break?
:-)
Back on Watchblog
After a brief absence when I was getting Glass City Jungle established, I'm writing on Watchblog again.
Today's post is on my thoughts concerning yesterday's National Day of Prayer and an organization I felt is crossing the line of the original intent of the Statute.
Link for those of you interested.
:-)
Today's post is on my thoughts concerning yesterday's National Day of Prayer and an organization I felt is crossing the line of the original intent of the Statute.
Link for those of you interested.
:-)
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Link Lovin Thursday and the Mystic Judge
Or so he claimed in the above link.
MANILA (Reuters) - A Philippine judge who claimed he could see into the future and admitted consulting imaginary mystic dwarfs has asked for his job back after being fired by the country's Supreme Court.
He told investigators that three mystic dwarfs -- Armand, Luis and Angel -- helped him carry out healing sessions during breaks in his chambers.
Those of you who want to share some link lovin, you know what to do! Don't know what I'm talking about? You don't need Armand, Luis and Angel, all you have to do is visit The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns where alllllll will be revealed....
:-)
123beta stopped by this morning to share Tamiflu For The Masses
A Nobel prize-winning chemist has devised a straightforward method for making Tamiflu, and has not yet patented it.
One of my best buddies, me4president2008 wants you to read Jurors listen to Me4Prez, AG to investigate
Lisa has found a way for a justice to prevail over illness.
Then Dane Bramage tells us the Headlines for Thursday 05/04/2006
Halle Berry says she wants to adopt
Oow! Oow! ME! Me! Adopt Me!
Springsteen expresses New Orleans' pain
That pain has a name and it's Ray Nagin
Tor's Rants stopped by to point out The Buddhist I Ching: Thunder
One excellent meditation that I used to alternate with mindfulness of breathing meditation is called mettabhavana, or loving-kindness, meditation. I can attest to its efficacy in helping calm negative emotions, and in dealing with difficult people.
Planck's Constant would like you to read, Things that tick me off at the movies
I am deeply invested into this film I'm watching in my home. The time is thousands of years into the future. The plot is intricate, yet understandable. Clever and unpredictable. The action is breathtaking, the dialogue scintillating, the actors magnificent in the execution of their craft. The director does not intrude into the film with quirky angles or POV. Scenes slide into each other without jarring effect.
MANILA (Reuters) - A Philippine judge who claimed he could see into the future and admitted consulting imaginary mystic dwarfs has asked for his job back after being fired by the country's Supreme Court.
He told investigators that three mystic dwarfs -- Armand, Luis and Angel -- helped him carry out healing sessions during breaks in his chambers.
Those of you who want to share some link lovin, you know what to do! Don't know what I'm talking about? You don't need Armand, Luis and Angel, all you have to do is visit The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns where alllllll will be revealed....
:-)
123beta stopped by this morning to share Tamiflu For The Masses
A Nobel prize-winning chemist has devised a straightforward method for making Tamiflu, and has not yet patented it.
One of my best buddies, me4president2008 wants you to read Jurors listen to Me4Prez, AG to investigate
Lisa has found a way for a justice to prevail over illness.
Then Dane Bramage tells us the Headlines for Thursday 05/04/2006
Halle Berry says she wants to adopt
Oow! Oow! ME! Me! Adopt Me!
Springsteen expresses New Orleans' pain
That pain has a name and it's Ray Nagin
Tor's Rants stopped by to point out The Buddhist I Ching: Thunder
One excellent meditation that I used to alternate with mindfulness of breathing meditation is called mettabhavana, or loving-kindness, meditation. I can attest to its efficacy in helping calm negative emotions, and in dealing with difficult people.
Planck's Constant would like you to read, Things that tick me off at the movies
I am deeply invested into this film I'm watching in my home. The time is thousands of years into the future. The plot is intricate, yet understandable. Clever and unpredictable. The action is breathtaking, the dialogue scintillating, the actors magnificent in the execution of their craft. The director does not intrude into the film with quirky angles or POV. Scenes slide into each other without jarring effect.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
The Keiser Factor in Lucas County
Last night's results for here in Lucas County ended up with an unofficial count of 7,264 or 30.53% for Merrill Keiser. That surprised me, having read some of Keiser's positions. Granted I live in a County where during the recent Lucas County Commissioner race a Blade/Zogby Poll listed 30% of the supporters of one of the candidates confused him with his uncle who passed away two years prior. So I can't pretend I am living in an area that has politically informed residents. However, yesterday's election did not have a large turnout, which traditionally means it is a more devoted number who are committed to voting that do so.
Was this a Hackett rebellion? That is the way some are viewing this but I'm not sure that is the case here. Today as I was in Toledo driving down one of the main drags (Reynolds/Conant) I was amazed at the number of Keiser signs I saw. There had to have been over 30 of them up and down the road. Not one Sherrod Brown sign was seen.
Was this vote a result of Sherrod being viewed as "too liberal"? Is this voters not being informed enough to know what Keiser's positions were? Was this directed at Sherrod because of Paul Hackett? Whatever the reason, it is something that should be looked at before November. If voters here can be that easily attracted to Keiser, it makes a Lucas County win even more difficult for Sherrod in November. He can safely ignore some of the smaller counties and pull off a win but Lucas County does pull large enough numbers that both DeWine and Brown could need the numbers.
(this was written for the Carnival of Ohio Politics which is brought to you by Paul Miller of Northwest Ohio Net stop by to see what some of Ohio's best bloggers are writing about)
Was this a Hackett rebellion? That is the way some are viewing this but I'm not sure that is the case here. Today as I was in Toledo driving down one of the main drags (Reynolds/Conant) I was amazed at the number of Keiser signs I saw. There had to have been over 30 of them up and down the road. Not one Sherrod Brown sign was seen.
Was this vote a result of Sherrod being viewed as "too liberal"? Is this voters not being informed enough to know what Keiser's positions were? Was this directed at Sherrod because of Paul Hackett? Whatever the reason, it is something that should be looked at before November. If voters here can be that easily attracted to Keiser, it makes a Lucas County win even more difficult for Sherrod in November. He can safely ignore some of the smaller counties and pull off a win but Lucas County does pull large enough numbers that both DeWine and Brown could need the numbers.
(this was written for the Carnival of Ohio Politics which is brought to you by Paul Miller of Northwest Ohio Net stop by to see what some of Ohio's best bloggers are writing about)
Whatever happened to...parents?
As seen by the above link, CNN is reporting:
In a deal announced Wednesday, the nation's largest beverage distributors agreed to stop selling non-diet sodas to most public schools, where childhood obesity has become an increasing concern.
"This is truly bold step forward in a struggle to help more than 35 million American young people live healthier lives," said former President Clinton, whose William J. Clinton Foundation helped broker the deal.
Public high schools would still be sold diet soda under the agreement, but elementary and middle schools would be sold only unsweetened juice, low-fat milk and water, he said.
First of all, even though I am a fan of diet Pepsi, diet pop is not any healthier in large quantities than regular pop, so that seems to be an equally silly trade off.
Second, did pop machines belong in elementary schools in the first place? My children have never been allowed to drink pop in school with the rare exception of holiday parties and even then most times juice was served.
Third this is a PR move that is not going to do anything about childhood obesity. Anyone pay attention to how much time elementary children even have for a lunch period? How many cans of pop do you think they are even drinking? Given the typical 20 to 30 minutes and the line waiting required? I'd say not much.
The CNN article gives conflicting information:
Nearly 35 million students nationwide will be affected by the deal, said The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, which worked with Clinton's foundation and the American Heart Association on the deal.
Yet:
The move shouldn't have much impact on the $63 billion beverage industry's bottom line, said John Sicher, editor and publisher of Beverage Digest, which compiles extensive data on the industry.
"The sale of sugar-carbonated sodas in schools is a tiny, tiny part of their overall volume," Sicher said. "The impact is more in terms of responsibility and accountability to the consumer."
And:
School sales of those kinds of drinks have been on the rise in recent years, while regular soda purchases by students have been falling, according to an ABA report released in December. But regular soda, averaging 150 calories per can, is still the most popular drink among students, accounting for 45 percent of beverages sold in schools in 2005, the report said.
In a deal announced Wednesday, the nation's largest beverage distributors agreed to stop selling non-diet sodas to most public schools, where childhood obesity has become an increasing concern.
"This is truly bold step forward in a struggle to help more than 35 million American young people live healthier lives," said former President Clinton, whose William J. Clinton Foundation helped broker the deal.
Public high schools would still be sold diet soda under the agreement, but elementary and middle schools would be sold only unsweetened juice, low-fat milk and water, he said.
First of all, even though I am a fan of diet Pepsi, diet pop is not any healthier in large quantities than regular pop, so that seems to be an equally silly trade off.
Second, did pop machines belong in elementary schools in the first place? My children have never been allowed to drink pop in school with the rare exception of holiday parties and even then most times juice was served.
Third this is a PR move that is not going to do anything about childhood obesity. Anyone pay attention to how much time elementary children even have for a lunch period? How many cans of pop do you think they are even drinking? Given the typical 20 to 30 minutes and the line waiting required? I'd say not much.
The CNN article gives conflicting information:
Nearly 35 million students nationwide will be affected by the deal, said The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, which worked with Clinton's foundation and the American Heart Association on the deal.
Yet:
The move shouldn't have much impact on the $63 billion beverage industry's bottom line, said John Sicher, editor and publisher of Beverage Digest, which compiles extensive data on the industry.
"The sale of sugar-carbonated sodas in schools is a tiny, tiny part of their overall volume," Sicher said. "The impact is more in terms of responsibility and accountability to the consumer."
And:
School sales of those kinds of drinks have been on the rise in recent years, while regular soda purchases by students have been falling, according to an ABA report released in December. But regular soda, averaging 150 calories per can, is still the most popular drink among students, accounting for 45 percent of beverages sold in schools in 2005, the report said.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Iraqi's discover need to read fine print in enlistment papers
No matter which version you decide is closer to the truth, the US who is downplaying the incident or the al-Jazeera one, this is just one more stumbling block to creating a large enough security force to enable the US to leave.
As reported in the above Washington Post article:
The graduation of nearly 1,000 new Iraqi army soldiers in restive Anbar province took a disorderly turn Sunday when dozens of the men declared that they would refuse to serve outside their home areas, according to U.S. and Iraqi military authorities.
The protest was triggered by an announcement that the new soldiers, all residents of Anbar province -- widely considered the heartland of Iraq's Sunni Arab insurgent movement -- would be required to serve outside their home towns and outside the province as well.
The men claim they were promised that they would serve in their own province....
A mediator, Brig. Salah Khalil al-Ani, said the soldiers were angry because they believed they would be assigned to serve in their province and home towns according to an agreement worked out by tribal and religious leaders in Anbar with Defense Ministry officers.
But (Lt. Col. Michael Negard, spokesman for the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq) said the soldiers knew what they were getting into when they enlisted. "They're recruited for national service, and they know this," he said. "They're prepared from the beginning to serve where the needs of the Iraqi army go."
That seems to be up for dispute, and it doesn't sound like all of them are prepared from the beginning to serve outside of their province....
"We had volunteered to serve our cities and communities, particularly our families in Ramadi and Fallujah, who have been mistreated by the present soldiers of the Iraqi army, who come in large part from Shiite areas," said one of the recruits, Ahmad Mahmoud Azzawi. "If they disperse us to Shiite and Kurdish areas, we will not go. Frankly, we would much rather go back to our land, to plant and reap our produce, than to serve others.
That points out one of the problems in Iraq, the Shia versus Sunni division that realistically is not going to be solved by sending Sunni into Shia regions. They may want a "diverse" Iraqi army but right now the problem is trust and situations like this don't help.
As reported in the above Washington Post article:
The graduation of nearly 1,000 new Iraqi army soldiers in restive Anbar province took a disorderly turn Sunday when dozens of the men declared that they would refuse to serve outside their home areas, according to U.S. and Iraqi military authorities.
The protest was triggered by an announcement that the new soldiers, all residents of Anbar province -- widely considered the heartland of Iraq's Sunni Arab insurgent movement -- would be required to serve outside their home towns and outside the province as well.
The men claim they were promised that they would serve in their own province....
A mediator, Brig. Salah Khalil al-Ani, said the soldiers were angry because they believed they would be assigned to serve in their province and home towns according to an agreement worked out by tribal and religious leaders in Anbar with Defense Ministry officers.
But (Lt. Col. Michael Negard, spokesman for the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq) said the soldiers knew what they were getting into when they enlisted. "They're recruited for national service, and they know this," he said. "They're prepared from the beginning to serve where the needs of the Iraqi army go."
That seems to be up for dispute, and it doesn't sound like all of them are prepared from the beginning to serve outside of their province....
"We had volunteered to serve our cities and communities, particularly our families in Ramadi and Fallujah, who have been mistreated by the present soldiers of the Iraqi army, who come in large part from Shiite areas," said one of the recruits, Ahmad Mahmoud Azzawi. "If they disperse us to Shiite and Kurdish areas, we will not go. Frankly, we would much rather go back to our land, to plant and reap our produce, than to serve others.
That points out one of the problems in Iraq, the Shia versus Sunni division that realistically is not going to be solved by sending Sunni into Shia regions. They may want a "diverse" Iraqi army but right now the problem is trust and situations like this don't help.
Monday, May 01, 2006
A day without an immigrant so far...
According to video on CNN it appears the one rally in Homestead Florida is rather large but will this end up causing the huge impact that rally organizers predicted?
Locally this has not been promoted, the Toledo Blade reports:
Closer to home, Baldemar Velasquez, founder and president of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee, will put the organization's demonstration to music.
Mr. Velasquez and several caravans of supporters plan to travel to U.S. Rep. Paul Gillmor's office in Tiffin and "serenade" him. Mr. Gillmor (R., Old Fort) voted for the bill approved by the House.
Mr. Velasquez said maybe the soft touch may reach Mr. Gillmor, because efforts to reach him about the plight of undocumented immigrants and their worth to the American economy have not.
"We're going to join the Sisters of St. Francis and we're going to do a community serenade," Mr. Velasquez said. "We have maybe between 50 to 100."
The light-hearted protest will be different than a general strike in places such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, prayer vigils in places such as Philadelphia, and marches and other actions from New York to Alaska.
Mr. Velasquez said FLOC is not encouraging people to walk off their jobs or students to walk out of school for the day.
"Latinos already have a hard enough time trying to get an education. Staying in school is an important thing unless it's an organized event like we did on [April 12], where many teachers did it as part of their curriculum and schools doing it as part of their education," he said.
Locally this has not been promoted, the Toledo Blade reports:
Closer to home, Baldemar Velasquez, founder and president of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee, will put the organization's demonstration to music.
Mr. Velasquez and several caravans of supporters plan to travel to U.S. Rep. Paul Gillmor's office in Tiffin and "serenade" him. Mr. Gillmor (R., Old Fort) voted for the bill approved by the House.
Mr. Velasquez said maybe the soft touch may reach Mr. Gillmor, because efforts to reach him about the plight of undocumented immigrants and their worth to the American economy have not.
"We're going to join the Sisters of St. Francis and we're going to do a community serenade," Mr. Velasquez said. "We have maybe between 50 to 100."
The light-hearted protest will be different than a general strike in places such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, prayer vigils in places such as Philadelphia, and marches and other actions from New York to Alaska.
Mr. Velasquez said FLOC is not encouraging people to walk off their jobs or students to walk out of school for the day.
"Latinos already have a hard enough time trying to get an education. Staying in school is an important thing unless it's an organized event like we did on [April 12], where many teachers did it as part of their curriculum and schools doing it as part of their education," he said.