I love bonsai trees- So cute!

 

 

 

 

NY Botanical Garden Kiku Exhibit

 

Japanese Mum - this was one of 186 flowers on one plant! It was so cool. All I could think of was that I wish that I had the time and patience to do that. Oh yea, the people responsible trained for 12 years and they are still not finished with their training.

 

Nippon Daisy bonsai - I don't know if daisy are supposed to be trees, but the guy that cultivated this plant made it into a tree.

Designin Skills

 

The invitation to the wedding- my design

Designin Skills

 
A couple is getting married on 10/13 and I designed the "libro de firmas" for the reception. I also designed the invitations. I was so proud of my work that I had to share.

Deer got hit by a car

 

Pull up your pants!

To read the whole article

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/17/baggy.pants.ap/index.html

This comment “Shop owner Mack Murray said Trenton's proposed ordinance unfairly targets blacks” shows how ignorant some people are. It is not about targeting blacks, it is about making people dress with some decency. They act as if it their right to show their underwear as a statement. It is not. And it is sad that so many black people do not have more respect for themselves to dress with decency.

Another statement from the article “There's a fear with people associating the way you dress with crimes being committed”. I agree totally. If any of these people took a class in statistics, maybe they would understand. If I see a guy with his britches down by his knees, I think “wannabe gangsta” who might try to rob me to prove to his buddies that he is a thug. He might be a nice law abiding guy, but I don’t want to take that chance. And if I feel that way and I am black, I know the white people must really be freaking out. The baggy pants black guy probably makes them think of every negative stereotype they have heard about. Instead of these black guys trying to look like people in jail, rappers, or street thugs, how about trying to look like a business person?  

 

TOP rating articles that I have written- check them out!!!

Movie reviews: Happy Feet

http://www.helium.com/tm/478978/happy-story-penguin-mumble

Fast and easy recipes: Boneless chicken breasts

http://www.helium.com/tm/538712/recipes-chicken-ricethis-recipe

Why most people choose a fixed income over owning a business

http://www.helium.com/tm/478977/owning-business-requires-effort

When you push too hard for the truth

http://www.helium.com/tm/560285/truth-usually-unfortunately-truth

Recipes: Chocolate icing

http://www.helium.com/tm/486218/recipe-chocolatiada-frosting-because

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/12/martin/index.html

I agree with this commentary. People are all up in arms about the dog fighting, but nothing is said when such viciousness is directed to other humans.

 

Why won't Mary-Kate Olsen smile?

http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/09/06/people.marykateolsen.ap/index.html

Despite what the article says, I say she is hungry. If I was malnourished I would not smile either.

WATCH OUT!!!

 
The coppers are out in full force this Labor Day weekend. slow down, keep it safe, and don't drink and drive. Chances are that you will get caught.

Fish jump in the boat

You like night fishing? Watch this and you just might rethink that. On the plus side there would be a fish fry every weekend. Somebody bring the hushpuppies.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-760820435866344019&q=fish+jump+in+boat&total=117&start=0&num=100&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

 

I have a basil plant on my back porch.And my little green friend thinks that he is hiding. I don't mind him wanting a little shade cause it is hot outside. As long as he stays outside, he won't die. I kill what comes in the house because I don't play around with critters in the house.

 

I have been very busy these days. So many side businesses because I am determined that something will make me some money one day. So to that end, I have begun to make jewelry. This is a piece that I made and sold. I am making more stuff to post on www.etsy.com (a site that only sells things handmade). If you search for seller name: Designsbonitas, you can find what items I am currently selling.

Tractor pull vid

Tractor Pull Saluda style

  Last Friday night I went to Saluda for the annual Tracker Pull. It was fun stuff. The funny part about it is the looks that I got when I arrived. Of course I was fashionably late. It started at 7:30 and I got there about 10:30. I was very conspicuous because I happened to be the only one like me there (i.e., the only brown girl). Some of the looks that I got seemed to be saying "Are you lost?". But there was great fun to be had with Teila. And the guy in the above pic was someone that I met during the course of the night. He became more eloquent speaking the more Bud he drank. A couple more hours and he might have been ready for a toastmaster's dinner or something. He was cracking me up with the constant taunts of the sorry Dodge and Chevy trucks during their drive of shame after hauling loads like little girls (instead of like REAL trucks). As soon as I get some video uploaded, I will post that so you know what a tractor/truck pull is supposed to be like.

 
So last week I went to the American Museum of Nat History because it was something to do on a Friday afternoon. I did not know about Starry Nights Jazz until we went in. The music was pretty good. I tried to take some video. There are a couple of kids that kept running in front of the cam. And ppl wonder why their children get kidnapped. They let the kids run all over the place instead of keeping them in check...but I digress. Back to the music. It was good. I would do it again.

immigration comments

More comments about the immigration debate.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/31/navarrette/index.html

 

This guy said the same thing that I said about a week ago. The Spanish people that come to US, yes many illegally, are contributing to a economic boom in towns that were previously in decline. Many people, especially in the South, are stuck on the way things used to be and do not want change. They freak out because signs are in 2 languages. And they make comments like “We don’t speak Mexican” which reveal their ignorance. And many times these are the same people that are content with doing mediocre work but expect premium wages.

To these people I say “HAVE A LITTLE COMPASSION!” There are people willing to work hard to support extended families and they are also doing something for the communities in which they live. If they are not disrupting the peace, let them be.

This was on CNN the other day.

 

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2007/07/30/roberts.blogging.pedophile.cnn

I think that the police have every right to warn the public about him. And he is complaining that his rights are being violated. How about the rights of the children he is posting to his website? I believe that they and their parents have the right to know what he is doing.

What a perv! And he wants someone to feel sorry for him. He says that he has not committed any crime against child. But in my opinion, the fact that he is talking about is just as bad as doing it. The opportunity just has not presented itself. And why should everyone just sit and wait for him to ruin some child’s life before they warn the public when he has already made known what turns him on?

 

I say let’s put up more flyers.

Doctors not charged in the 'Katrina' case

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/07/24/katrina.doctor/index.html

I am glad that the doctors were not charged in this case. Yes this is a tragic case. I cannot begin imagine the deplorable conditions that those people endured. At least some people did stay to help. I wonder how I would feel if my grandmother was bedridden and stuck down there in the blistering heat, foul stench, and no power or running water. I can imagine her telling the doctor to give her something to put her out of her misery. I would not fault anyone them for giving it to her because I would not want her to suffer. And I would feel guilty that I did not do more to get her out of the hurricane area.

 

Do you like crocs?

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070712/LIFE01/70711013/1005/

The tag line to this story is that "Crocs make clunky cool". No they do not. Just because people are wearing crocs all the time does not make them fashionable. They are still ugly. I am not disputing the fact that they are extremely comfortable shoes. But then so are bedroom slippers. The fact that some people wear them with anything makes me shake my head. Have they no sense of style? Obviously not. But that just goes to show that some people are blind followers. One nurse must have worn her shoes in the grocery store when she got off work, and all the soccer moms thought it was the new style. So they went and bought every color, wearing them with every outfit.

China is trying to kill us

http://www.who-sucks.com/business/made-in-china-2007-danger-timeline

So I was reading the article about recalls on Chinese goods. I was
thinking that there is so much more stuff being recalled than I thought.
Why hasn't the government put some sort of ban on stuff from China? It
is all a political mess. No one cares about people and their welfare
anymore. It is all about the $$ and who can get more of it. And the
Chinese government was complaining after the deadly pet food incident,
saying that things were blown out of proportion. Why should we believe
anything they say when they obviously do not care enough about their own
people?
So then I figured it out. China is trying to kill us by poisoning the
products that we buy from them. But they won't get me. Oh no. I am
checking labels on everything from toothpaste to toilet paper to paint.

I am limiting what I buy from China because who knows what the FDA will
find and have to recall next.

I knew I needed more sleep

The Dream Diet: Losing Weight While You Sleep
Can more sleep really help us control our weight? Three top experts
explore the possibilities.

By Colette Bouchez

Lose weight while you sleep. It sounds like something you'd hear on a
late night infomercial -- just around the time you are reaching for that
bag of cookies because, well, you can't sleep.

But as wild as the idea sounds, substantial medical evidence suggests
some fascinating links between sleep and weight. Researchers say that
how much you sleep and quite possibility the quality of your sleep may
silently orchestrate a symphony of hormonal activity tied to your
appetite.

"One of the more interesting ideas that has been smoldering and is now
gaining momentum is the appreciation of the fact that sleep and sleep
disruption do remarkable things to the body -- including possibly
influencing our weight," says David Rapoport, MD, associate professor
and director of the Sleep Medicine Program at the New York University
School of Medicine in New York City.

While doctors have long known that many hormones are affected by sleep,
Rapoport says it wasn't until recently that appetite entered the
picture. What brought it into focus, he says, was research on the
hormones leptin and ghrelin. First, doctors say that both can influence
our appetite. And studies show that production of both may be influenced
by how much or how little we sleep.

In fact, have you ever experienced a sleepless night followed by a day
when no matter what you ate you never felt full or satisfied? If so,
then you have experienced the workings of leptin and ghrelin.

How Hormones Affect Your Sleep

Leptin and ghrelin work in a kind of "checks and balances" system to
control feelings of hunger and fullness, explains Michael Breus, PhD, a
faculty member of the Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine and director of
The Sleep Disorders Centers of Southeastern Lung Care in Atlanta.
Ghrelin, which is produced in the gastrointestinal tract, stimulates
appetite, while leptin, produced in fat cells, sends a signal to the
brain when you are full.

So what's the connection to sleep? "When you don't get enough sleep, it
drives leptin levels down, which means you don't feel as satisfied after
you eat. Lack of sleep also causes ghrelin levels to rise, which means
your appetite is stimulated, so you want more food," Breus tells WebMD.

The two combined, he says, can set the stage for overeating, which in
turn may lead to weight gain.

Studies: Those Who Sleep Less Often Weigh More

How the hormones leptin and ghrelin set the stage for overeating was
recently explored in two studies conducted at the University of Chicago
in Illinois and at Stanford University in California.

In the Chicago study, doctors measured levels of leptin and ghrelin in
12 healthy men. They also noted their hunger and appetite levels. Soon
after, the men were subjected to two days of sleep deprivation followed
by two days of extended sleep. During this time doctors continued to
monitor hormone levels, appetite, and activity.

The end result: When sleep was restricted, leptin levels went down and
ghrelin levels went up. Not surprisingly, the men's appetite also
increased proportionally. Their desire for high carbohydrate,
calorie-dense foods increased by a whopping 45%.

It was in the Stanford study, however, that the more provocative meaning
of the leptin-ghrelin effect came to light. In this research -- a joint
project between Stanford and the University of Wisconsin -- about 1,000
volunteers reported the number of hours they slept each night. Doctors
then measured their levels of ghrelin and leptin, as well as charted
their weight.

The result: Those who slept less than eight hours a night not only had
lower levels of leptin and higher levels of ghrelin, but they also had a
higher level of body fat. What's more, that level of body fat seemed to
correlate with their sleep patterns. Specifically, those who slept the
fewest hours per night weighed the most.

Sleep: You Can't Lose

Until doctors do know more, most experts agree that if you are dieting,
logging in a few extra hours of sleep a week is not a bad idea,
particularly if you get six hours of sleep or less a night. You may just
discover that you aren't as hungry, or that you have lessened your
craving for sugary, calorie-dense foods.

"One thing I have seen is that once a person is not as tired, they don't
need to rely on sweet foods and high carbohydrate snacks to keep them
awake -- and that automatically translates into eating fewer calories,"
says Breus.

If, on the other hand, you already sleep a lot, or you increase your
sleep and feel even more tired, you should talk to your doctor. Experts
say you may be one of the thousands of people with undiagnosed sleep
apnea.

Says Roca: "As research continues, more and more data comes to the
forefront to suggest that you simply can't cut back on sleep without
paying some price."

SOURCES: David Rapoport, MD, associate professor and director of the
Sleep Medicine Program, NYU School of Medicine, New York City. Michael
Breus, PhD, Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine; clinical director of The
Sleep Disorder Centers of Southeastern Lung Care, Atlanta. Dominic Roca,
MD, director of the Connecticut Center for Sleep Medicine, Stamford
Hospital. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2004; vol 141: pp 846-850. PLOS
Medicine, December 2004; vol 1. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and
Metabolism; vol 89: pp 5762-5771. American Journal of Physiology --
Heart and Circulatory Physiology, July 2000; vol 279: pp H234-H237.

(c) 2005 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved.

I love this blog entry

Everybody needs to read this blog entry. And check out the link in her blog so that you get the FULL understanding.

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=2853964&blogID=281202363

In my opinion, let them pay for their own surgery. I can't believe that this is even an issue.

 

I stayed at a Holiday Inn the other weekend. My roommate thought the sky was falling. But I could not be mad at HI. They have full breakfast with lots of bacon. That made up for a lot.

R Kelly

I was wondering what happened to the trial against R Kelly. It was all in the news and then nothing. How many underage girls does he have to pee on before they give him a speedy trial?

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/05/07/rkelly.trial.ap/index.html

killer scared to die

Why is it that Killers are afraid to die? They were so big and bad when they were killing other people. But when their time has come, they want the all those bleeding heart liberal activist group to find loopholes in the system to save their lives.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/05/02/lethal.injection/index.html

Check this article out. Article states that "Muslims need to have better sex". I have to agree with this.

Imus in the morning

Imus in the morning

The above link talks about Imus losing MSNBC over his commments the other week. A white guy calling those girls "nappy headed" was bad enough. I don't know what he meant with calling them nappy headed. Where did he even hear that? Given the fact they were playing BASKETBALL, I am sure they were not going to look like they just stepped out of a beauty salon. So that was just plain asinine on his part. But the "hoes" part was ridiculous. He called in to question the character of people he does not even know. I know some newcasters like to ask what is the difference between a rapper using the word "hoes" and everybody else. First of all, why would any one with any modicum of intelligence want to use rappers, gangster, thugs, or pimps as their model standard. If Imus had been a 14 year old kid from the Mid-west saying something like that, I would be more inclined to think he got it from listening to that rap crap. Yea I said it. A lot of that rap is crap because all it does is demoralize women and idolize people who sell drugs, ruin lives, and kill people over trivial matters.
But I digress.
Back to Imus. What an idiot. It is those small comments that people make that give insight into how racist they really are. I hope he loses his job over that thoughtless comment.

My thoughts on various news items of the day

I hope they are wrong about this year's hurricane season (click here). Or at least that it does not mess up our vacay.

Country singer got warrents! I thought this kind of stuff only happened to rappers. But then again, this did happen in Texas. (to read the story click here)

This is why you have to be able to trust the person who you are dancing with. A girl just cannot let any Joe Blow throw her in air. Make a bad judgment and the next thing she knows is that she is being treated for a concussion. I don't think she will win the lawsuit. But if she does, it would set a precedent. We all know that it is hard enough to get guys to dance now. Imagine how it would be if they were afraid they might get sued. I can hear the excuses already. Or better yet, the women have to sign a waiver before entering the club saying they will dance at thier own risk. (to read the story click here)

What is up with that?

Why is Newt so hateful towards people who are not native English speakers?
Click here to read the story.

Foxy Brown

Foxy Brown has warrents

And I thought that was her hair!

NYC mugger

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/03/14/mugging.outrage.ap/index.html

When are they going to catch this guy? I mean he is beating up 100+ year ladies. Can we put this crackhead in jail so that he can receive some "street justice"?

Chinese food

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/diet.fitness/03/21/chinese.food.ap/index.html

So basically don't eat American-ized Chinese food. If real Chinese food was so bad, all the Chinese would be fat instead of the fat Americans.
That being said, I will just drink an extra cup of water to try flush that sodium out my system, because I LOVE Chinese boneless ribs with extra hoison sauce and hot mustard!

Que nice!

 

I just wanted to share because I like this picture.

Why is it that people who have the most annoying, grating, nails-on-chalkboard irritating laugh want to be ALL in your face laughing at stuff that is not even that funny?

If you are laughing but everyone else looks like they want to cringe-
SHUT UP!!!!!

My Published Articles

Below are my top earning articles on Helium. Let me know what you think.

http://www.helium.com/tm/146845/heard-about-white-college

http://www.helium.com/tm/130837/great-ideas-weekend-vacations

http://www.helium.com/tm/125717/artists-create-painting-because

http://www.helium.com/tm/124210/countries-would-visitwith-turmoil

http://www.helium.com/tm/146839/control-freaks-worst-bosses

Dark day

People have been pissin me off more than usual lately and I don't know why. I think I am getting tire of overlooking stupidity and illogical behavior. I feel like if someone makes one more idiotic comment, I might scream and poke them in the eye. Just the thought of inflicting bodily harm, makes me perk up.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/01/31/gangsta.parties.ap/index.html

Yea, it is a shame that these white kids are acting like they don't have any training. But why are black people giving them so much fodder to work with? If they were making fun of something that could not be helped, I would be more inclined to say that they were racists. These kids are imitating the rappers, gangsters, and pimps. And they think they are being cool with the nasty gold, silver, platinum mouth grills, pants hanging down low, and all around sloppy dress. So my message is to black people: STOP EMBARASSING YOURSELF!!! You are a disgrace to your race.


http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/01/31/hand.gels.reut/index.html
Can we just let idiots kill themselves and move on? I am tired of new stories telling me stuff that is obvious. But now some dummy dies and I am supposed to be concerned. Whatever!

Which ATHF character am I?

I am Frylock from Aqua Teen Hunger

You're the true leader of the Aqua Teens. You are wise and powerful, unlike your teamates, who are always getting into trouble. You keep everyone in line without pushing people around.

Check out the link to discover who you are http://members.aol.com/chrispyk16/Aquateens.html

Looking for new desktop wallpaper?

Click here

http://www.helium.com/tm/125751

Movies

Check out my list of best movies and let me know what movies are on your list.

http://www.helium.com/tm/126948

Tips for great nails

click here http://www.helium.com/tm/124223

My Favorite food list- Top 20

1. A REAL Southern meal consisting of Buttermilk Fried chicken, Collard greens, Macaroni and cheese (not that stuff from a box), and cornbread from scratch
2. Artichoke spinach cheese dip
3. Baby back ribs
4. Bacalao with Mangu (a Dominican dish made with salted codfish and plantains topped with sautéed onions and melted cheese)
5. Bacon wrapped scallops
6. Barbecue pork shoulder (I do not mean pork slathered in BBQ sauce. I mean pork that has been cooked for 14+ hours on low heat)
7. Cheesecake (adding a fruit topping like strawberries or raspberries is excellent)
8. Curry (Chicken is probably the most popular, but lamb curry is the most tasty.)
9. Fresh fish (broiled, grilled, or fried - fresh fish is delicious any way you cook it)
10. Good quality chocolate (Belgium, Switzerland, and Japan all have excellent chocolatiers)
11. Maine Lobster (best served with a baked potato and garlic butter for dipping)
12. Mexican food (most entrees are variations tortillas, meat, cheese, and some sort of red-tomato based- or green-tomatillo based- salsa)
13. New England clam chowder
14. Oysters (best served with crackers and Texas Pete hot sauce)
15. Pizza (pepperoni is the most popular, but rustic style with tomatoes and basil is nice also)
16. Shrimp
17. Small game meat (e.g. rabbit or squirrel) fricassee or stew with root vegetables
18. Steamed crab legs
19. Sushi (contrary to popular belief, sushi does not mean "raw fish")
20. Thai food

http://www.helium.com/tm/122947/although-there-different-types

Another poem

http://www.helium.com/tm/121312/untitledself-doubt-rears-headam

Check out my latest poem. Let me know what you think.

Be Smart

Superfoods for the Brain

Beans. Beans are "under-recognized" and "economical," says Kulze. They also stabilize glucose (blood sugar) levels. The brain is dependent on glucose for fuel, Kulze explains, and since it can't store the glucose, it relies on a steady stream of energy -- which beans can provide. Any beans will do, says Kulze, but she is especially partial to lentils and black beans and recommends 1/2 cup every day.

Pomegranate juice. Pomegranate juice (you can eat the fruit itself but with its many tiny seeds, it's not nearly as convenient) offers potent antioxidant benefits, says Kulze, which protect the brain from the damage of free radicals. "Probably no part of the body is more sensitive to the damage from free radicals as the brain," says board-certified neurologist David Perlmutter, MD, author of The Better Brain Book.
Citrus fruits and colorful vegetables are also high on Perlmutter's list of "brainy" foods because of their antioxidant properties -- "the more colorful the better," he says. Because pomegranate juice has added sugar (to counteract its natural tartness), you don't want to go overboard, says Kulze; she recommends approximately 2 ounces a day, diluted with spring water or seltzer.

Freshly brewed tea. Two to three cups a day of freshly brewed tea -- hot or iced -- contains a modest amount of caffeine which, when used "judiciously," says Kulze -- can boost brain power by enhancing memory, focus, and mood. Tea also has potent antioxidants, especially the class known as catechines, which promotes healthy blood flow. Bottled or powdered teas don't do the trick, however, says Kulze. "It has to be
freshly brewed." Tea bags do count, however.

Dark chocolate. Let's end with the good stuff. Dark chocolate has powerful antioxidant properties, contains several natural stimulants, including caffeine, which enhance focus and concentration, and stimulates the production of endorphins, which helps improve mood. One-half ounce to 1 ounce a day will provide all the benefits you need, says Kulze. This is one "superfood" where more is not better. "You have to do this one in moderation," says Kulze.

Read my poetry

http://www.helium.com/tm/118749

On a serious note...

Check out this article I wrote about the death penalty.

http://www.helium.com/tm/103684

But in the end...

I did not have a BAD vacation. I was annoyed at times (hence the previous posts), but at least I was with my friends and family. The best times we had were just chillin by the beach/on the deck/in the stateroom/in the hot tub, sipping on our choice beverages, and shootin the breeze. No worries. Just party time.

And I am goin to do it again next year if I can.

OH YEA!!!!!!

Stranded on an island?

Doesn't this look like a page from Robinson Crusoe? Well I thought so.

Day at Sea

This was one day when we are cruisin along on the way to port of call. I was so mesmerized at the color of the ocean. Even now when I look at the picture, I can just lose myself in it. 

My vacation in a minute.

Day 1 – Leaving port

Day 2 – At sea – I won some free art, a small bottle of tequila, and a shot glass.

Day 3 – Grand Cayman – I think GC is not worth putting on the Caribbean port of call route for a few years. Then maybe these people would learn to appreciate the good thing they have with all the tourists coming through their town. They like your $$ but don’t want to have a good attitude about it. If I did not go there again, my feelings would not be hurt.

Day 4 – Costa Maya – love the little pueblito Mahahual. We went to la escuela and saw all the little ones. Cute kids. Then we all chilled on the beach, knocking back pina coladas and cerveza. Could everyday be this cool? Quite possibly the most relaxing day ever!!!!

Day 5 – Belize – Nana did not get to go to Belmopan, but she did get to see Miss Jean and another one of her friends. Everyone got the real Belize City tour. We went to Brodies and got some goodies. Only thing, I let the taxi driver lead me to believe that I could get a better deal down by the pier. Against better judgment, I listened to him. At Brodies the item cost $5 BZ. At the pier, same item cost $5 US. Same difference? No. $1 US = $2 BZ. So down at the pier, I had to bargain them down to the Brodie’s regular price! I did get a nice Coach in Belize, so I can't be too mad at them.

Day 6 – Cozumel – We rented jeeps, which turned out to be a minor fiasco. Some people don’t know how to drive with people following them AND they don’t know how to use signal lights. On the plus side, I did get to go to the beach. Oh yea -2.5 words- Carlos n Charlies. Always a fun time to be had, drink as much as a you want as long as you stay with your group (that is where Natalie Holloway made her fatal mistake)

Day 7 – At sea – Very choppy waters. I did not do much. All of us just laid around and watched movies in the room on the DVD player. Over the Hedge and Ice Age 2. Over the Hedge was very cute – I give it 3.5 stars. Ice Age 2 was not as funny as the first – I give it 2.75 stars.

Day 8 – return home – Debarkation process was hell. Enough said about that.

Keep posted, pictures will be loaded later in the week...

You say “Royal Caribbean” – I say “BOOOOOO!!!”

Why I will never sail RCCI again.

1. The mediocre Customer service – the cabin stewards were slack all the time. And that was when you could find someone. The first sign that there would be problems was on day 1 when we were waiting for our luggage. Stuff was sitting at the end of the hallway, while the stewards were chatting and shooting the breeze with each other. We ended up going and getting our luggage ourselves. I have friends who had their “do not disturb” sign on their door, and subsequently did not receive any of the daily newsletters. But they did receive the flyer about tipping guidelines, which was slid under the door. The dude left information when he wanted to get his tips, but no other time. They did not even get the information about the disembarking process. Interesting. In my opinion, he did not deserve anything at all. I don’t know what my friends did, but I would not have given him anything.
2. The stale bread – Okay everyone knows that I am a bread lover. I saw all the pastries and I was in heaven, or so I thought. The first few days, I chomped away. The bread was a bit tough, but I thought it was me. Then Levee complained about her toast was better used as croutons. Again, I thought it was an isolated incident. Then Dave mentioned none of the bread was fresh out the oven. I did not have an answer for that. Once again, giving them the benefit of the doubt, I said maybe they put bread in the refrigerator. Well the final straw for me was…MOLD!!!!! Yea I said it. MOLD. I was eating a cheese Danish. After one bite, I saw what looked like pepper. I was a bit confused because what would pepper be doing in a cheese Danish. Upon closer inspection, it was mold spores. I could have thrown up right there. I almost did , I was so disgusted. I went to the supervisor of the Windjammer Café and showed it to him. He was like “Thanks for finding it.” He got my name and room number. I thought that something was going to be done about it. WRONG! I did not hear anything else about it. I guess if I got very sick, they would at least have a record that it was because of something I ate.
But at least one question was answered. Is the bread fresh? Absolutely NOT!
3. The obviously rigged casino – Not that I am gambler, but I do like to go to the casino and see the players play. Well RCCI will make sure you leave all your $$ in their casino with nothing to show for it. I saw a woman playing and she got the bonus round on the slot machine. That in itself is nothing spectacular. Well, I supposed she was making too much noise for the Casino manager. He came and looked at her machine, watched her play for a few minutes, and then he punched something in on his little device (it looked like a calculator). After that, she did not win another dime on that machine. And she played at least $25 more dollars (50 cents at a time). It was obvious to me, that the Casino manager did something to the odds of the machine so that it would not pay out any more money. I think that is just wrong. And if they would do that in the Casino, I know that they would not mind trying to get over on me in other ways too.
4. The slow Internet – Considering that they were charging 50 cent a minute for Internet, you would think that RCCI would have invested in a faster connection speed. One time, I logged on and it took 5 minutes for Gmail website to come up. Then it locked down. Leaving me to look at a white screen. I ended up disconnecting. But I was still charged the 5 minutes that I was logged on. I complained at the Purser’s desk (no one was stationed at the Internet Café- I think they need some one there to handle problems like that). The dipwad at the Purser’s desk, said “Try later in the evening, there are probably too many people online right now.” I looked at him, bit my tongue, and walked away. That was the most asinine statement I had heard all day and I did not want to ruin my cruise by getting put off at the next port of call. However, in my mind I questioned his parentage, and called him all sorts of names (none of which I will print here at the risk of offending those of delicate sensibilities)
5. The in-room entertainment – Granted, I don’t go cruising for the in-room entertainment, but when I am looking for a little down time, it is nice to know what movies are playing. And it is a little annoying when the same movie is playing for 3 days.
6. Formal night is too serious – this was the first cruise that I have heard of someone being denied entry to an event because they were not dressed in formal attire. That soured the Captain’s reception for me.
7. Late night is 1 AM!!!!!! - When RCCI say some thing is open "late", they mean it closes at 1. It was 3 in the morn and we were looking for food. Everything was closed. When I complained to Nana about it, she said that was because we should have been in bed at that time. That did not mean much to me considering her idea of bed time is 6 in the evening. I say, they should be open 24 hours. So we had to order room service and wait another 45 minutes. We were all grumpy about that.

Kramer's' Racial Tirade

Incidents like this is how people start to get paranoid, thinking all
people are racist.
With those statements, he might as well have put on a triple K outfit
and started burning crosses.
If he had not been a closet racist, he would not have even thought to
say that stuff.

-----Original Message-----
From: Turman

I was amazed shocked and saddened. Just goes to show what true colors
come out under adversity. I thought part of the comedy "game" was to
come back at hecklers and beat them at their own game.Not do all and say
all to belittle a person mercilessly. I'm not really hurt or offended by
this as much as I am shamed. Ashamed that a "professional" had to resort
to that level of offense to "win" the arguement. So put him on the same
shelf as Mel Gibson as someone I will never be entertained by again and
save the apologies for someone else

-----Original Message-----
From: Nicole

No more Seinfeld for me. (If you are at work, turn your speakers down or
put on your headphones because this is loud.) . . . . . . .

I'm sure everyone has heard about this outrageous display of racism by
now. Click on the link below to see it for yourself. I can't believe I
used to watch Seinfeld. Maybe this explains why minorities were so
underrepresented on that show. This is absolutely unreal.

'Kramer's' Racial Tirade:
http://us.video.aol.com/video.index.adp?pmmsid=1772645

NYC trip part II

****unfortunately there are no pics because I left my camera****

I wanted a Coach bag and I still had to buy jewelry. Well my budget for
jewelry was $1 per set. After a few stops, I was beginning to think that
I was being unrealistic. Then I realized that I was not looking in the
right places- because I hit JACKPOT on Fordham road. There was this
wonderful little shop that had ALL the goodies I was looking for. I
ended up buying more than $20 worth of stuff. Gifts for everyone.

Then I went downtown to find my find my next purchase: COACH bag. I
found a nice brown bag that was to die for. It looked like it would be
the sister to Gina's bag. Que lindo! It is at a good price since it is
last season style. Still quite fashionable to me. :)
Then David and I walked down Broadway and checked in the shops along the
way.

Note for future reference: Across from Crate + Barrel on corner of
Broadway, there is a subway station with the D line. It makes it very
easy to get the Manhattan. One train all the way from Bronx. Woooohoooo.

What I love about NY: FOOD
I had Dominican breakfast (eggs, bacon, papas, y pan), arroz con
habichuela, arroz con frijoles, tostones, platanos maduros, oxtails,
Jamaican chicken patties, and a sausage dog with everything.
What I missed having: gyros from 170th and pizza from Fordham Road (When
I went to Fordham, I just had breakfast).

Sunday ~~~~ Time to Go ~~~~~ saying until the next time and not good bye

I went to Grandview Cong meeting at 9.30. That was nice. I saw so many
old friends. This time I got email address and phone numbers so that I
can keep in touch. Everyone asked how long I was in town. I felt bad
that my answer was "I leave this afternoon". So next time I will call
people and let them know that I am coming around.

Isn't this delicious? Yummy. 

NYC trip

I had to go to NJ for a 2-day meeting this week. So I took off Friday and headed to NY to see Lillie and David. Well on Friday, I wanted to go to the Chocolate Show (www.chocolateshow.com) in Manhattan. It was awesome. But before I get to the show, let me talk about how we (David and I) got there. Well, we took the A train to 59th street. Then we had to take the 1 train to 18th avenue. We made it to 59th okay. While we were waiting for 1 train, the policeman said that there would be no 1 service downtown. So we were going to wait for the A train to come back and take to 42nd street. So then the policeman made another announcement saying that there was NO downtown service with the station. Funny sidebar: A lady asked the policeman why, as if she was going to get the policeman to change his mind. So since we had to leave the station, David suggested that we walk down to 18th. So we walked alllllll those blocks. It was not like we could not take public transport. But we were feeling fancy free. Well, by 34th street, we were tired. We went to the Manhattan mall. We finally made it to the chocolate show. It was great. People were giving truffles left and right. I made myself sick eating so much chocolate and drinking wine.

This is how you know you are know you are in LA. I would have stayed so that I could get in the video and be on TV...Nana and Aunt Norma were rushing me.

Why does everyone see that napping is a good idea but my boss?

WebMD

The Power of Napping

Ready, set, sleep! WebMD offers tips on how to snuggle up for a quick
snooze.

By Heather Hatfield Reviewed By Louise
Chang

Napping is a proven way to clear out the cobwebs and pave the way for a
more productive afternoon --whether it's Wednesday or the weekend. In
fact, in today's hectic world, as our lives get busier and the amount of
sleep we get at night gets shorter, counting sheep come midafternoon can
be an important way to recharge your battery.

"The majority of Americans are sleep deprived -- they aren't getting
enough nighttime sleep," says Bill Anthony, PhD, author of The Art of
Napping. "Since most people can't rearrange their lives to get more
sleep -- with two jobs, child care, elder care, long commutes, whatever
it happens to be -- we recommend they learn how to nap."

Experts describe to WebMD the power a "power nap" can have on your life,
and offer tips on how to snuggle up for a quick snooze.

Know When to Nap

"Naps are one of the most powerful alertness strategies," says Mark
Rosekind, PhD, president and chief scientist at Alertness Solutions. "It
is the only strategy that gets directly to the 'sleep debt' we rack up
at night when we don't get the amount we need."

So one of the most important components of napping is knowing when to
lie back and relax.

"What people should do is develop their own signs and symptoms
checklist: What are the things you do when you know you are at your peak
performance, and what are your individual signs and symptoms that
indicate you are tired," Rosekind tells WebMD.

For some people, it's mood; anything sets them off. For others it's
memory; they can't remember where they put their keys.

"You need to identify signs for you that you are off your game, and
those are cues that you should use to indicate you need a nap," says
Rosekind. "When you're not getting enough sleep, it can degrade all
aspects of who you are -- affect your judgment and decision making. It
can reduce your reaction time, your memory, your communication skills,
and these things can go down 20%-50%."

Even NASA Likes to Nap

Napping is a good solution to achieving optimal performance. So when
you're ready to catch some ZZZs come 1 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon at
work, how can you get your boss on board with you sleeping on the job?
Tell her even NASA agrees with napping.

"When I was at NASA we gave the pilots a planned nap in the cockpit,"
says Rosekind, who is a board member of the National Sleep Foundation.
"While two pilots flew the plane, the third would have 40 minutes to
nap. We found they would sleep for 26 minutes, which boosted their
performance by 34% and their alertness by 54%."

In less than a half hour, the pilots were able to increase their
performance significantly, and better yet, explains Rosekind, the
effects of a short nap lasted for two to three hours.

Control Your Environment

"If possible, lying flat when you're napping is a good start," says
Rosekind. "Control the environment, which means dark and quiet, and that
can either be shutting windows and doors, or potentially earplugs if
needed, and sometimes a mask is good for daytime naps. Create as much
comfort as you can get, give yourself enough space, control the
temperature with a blanket or a pillow -- [and] any other things you can
do to get comfortable."

Get Out Your Blankie

"Gather your 'napnomic' devices," says Anthony, who is director of
psychiatric rehabilitation at Boston University. "It's a word we made up
meaning devices that assist you in napping. As infants and toddlers we
had teddy bears, bottles, pacifiers, crib sheets -- all these things to
help you nap. We do this as an adult, as well, although it might be a
favorite blanket, or opening a window, putting on music, various things
that get you in a napping mood."

Anthony explains that in addition to your own napnomic devices, napping
is an individual unconscious activity. You should nap according to what
works for you. Some people need to eat before they nap; others do it on
an empty stomach. Some people need background noise, others prefer dead
silence. How you nap, explains Anthony, should center around your own
napping style.

Sleep Inertia

"Another important tip to napping is to understand and be prepared to
deal with sleep inertia," Anthony tells WebMD.

Sleep inertia, he explains, is that groggy and disoriented feeling some
people get when you wake up from a nap.

"The trick is to find out what nap period works best for you that
doesn't produce that feeling," says Anthony.

For some, 10 minutes is just right for a nap, while for others, 20
minutes hits the spot. Whatever your nap number, if sleep inertia does
set in, you can easily spring back into your afternoon, explains
Anthony. Splash water on your face, have a glass of water, go for a walk
-- something quick to wake yourself up.

Nappers beware, however, that you can overdose on the afternoon snooze.
When your nap starts creeping upward toward 25 minutes or 30 minutes and
beyond and you fall into deeper stages of sleep, you can hinder your
ability to fall asleep when it counts: at night.

'Nappus Interruptus'

Also important when you hit the hay midday is to do it uninterrupted.
"You need to have control over your napping environment and make sure
you have privacy," says Anthony. "We call it 'nappus interruptus': if
you are going to get interrupted from your nap it's not going to be a
good nap."

Set Your Alarm

"Ensure that you have a way to wake up on time," says Anthony. "Either
an alarm clock, a wrist watch, or a colleague that will wake you up on
time. A lot of people lie down and they don't know if they're going to
wake up or they worry they're going to sleep too long, and it winds up
ruining their nap."

Stay Regular

"Just as you should have a regular sleep-wake schedule at the same time
every day from Monday to Monday, including the weekends, your napping
should be regular as well," says James Maas, PhD, professor of
psychiatry at Cornell University.

While napping once or twice a week might feel good, it can throw your
internal clock -- what experts refer to as circadian rhythm -- out of
whack.

"You shouldn't just nap once or twice a week; you have to do it on a
regular basis or you'll screw up your circadian rhythm," says Maas.
"It's like playing ping-pong with your sleep habits."

Sleep at Night

While napping is crucial to getting the sleep we need when we're burning
the candle at both ends, it's also important not to undervalue the sleep
we need at night. The amount of sleep each person needs may depend on
different factors such as age.

"Try to avoid all naps as a general rule, unless you can't meet your
daily sleep requirement," says Maas. "If a person is having adequate
nocturnal sleep at night he should never feel tired during the day."

While some people never nap and feel good all day long, others are
constant nappers. Why the discrepancy? It probably has something to do
with the fact that the first group is well-rested, while the second is
just plain pooped because they stay up late and get up early.

"If you do have that tired feeling after lunch and have a dip in
alertness, that should be a signal that you are not getting adequate
sleep at night, which means you need to nap during the day to make up on
the sleep you miss at night," says Maas.

Enjoy Your Nap Time

"Revel in your nap," says Anthony. "You are unconscious, but you should
be enjoying it. Tell yourself or your colleagues that napping is good
for you and it's going to help your mood and productivity -- and that's
a fact. So remind yourself of that and get over the guilt and enjoy it."

Published Sept. 25, 2006.

SOURCES: Bill Anthony, PhD, author, Art of Napping; professor, Boston
University. James Maas, PhD, professor of psychiatry, Cornell
University, Ithaca, N.Y. Mark Rosekind, PhD, president, chief scientist,
Alertness Solutions; board member, National Sleep Foundation, Cupertino,
Calif.

This is why I hate rich people.

MotherJones.com / News / Exhibit

A Look at the Numbers: How the Rich Get Richer How the rich get richer.

Clara Jeffery --- May/June 2006 Issue

IN 1985, THE FORBES 400 were worth $221 billion combined. Today, they're
worth $1.13 trillion-more than the GDP of Canada.

THERE'VE BEEN FEW new additions to the Forbes 400. The median household
income has also stagnated-at around $44,000.

AMONG THE FORBES 400 who gave to a 2004 presidential campaign, 72% gave
to Bush.

IN 2005, there were 9 million American millionaires, a 62% increase
since 2002.

IN 2005, 25.7 million Americans received food stamps, a 49% increase
since 2000.

ONLY ESTATES worth more than $1.5 million are taxed. That's less than 1%
of all estates. Still, repealing the estate tax will cost the government
at least $55 billion a year.

ONLY 3% OF STUDENTS at the top 146 colleges come from families in the
bottom income quartile; only 10% come from the bottom half.

BUSH'S TAX CUTS GIVE a 2-child family earning $1 million an extra
$86,722-or Harvard tuition, room, board, and an iMac G5 for both kids.

A 2-CHILD family earning $50,000 gets $2,050-or 1/5 the cost of public
college for one kid.

THIS YEAR, Donald Trump will earn $1.5 million an hour to speak at
Learning Annex seminars.

ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION, the federal minimum wage has fallen 42% since
its peak in 1968.

IF THE $5.15 HOURLY minimum wage had risen at the same rate as CEO
compensation since 1990, it would now stand at $23.03.

A MINIMUM WAGE employee who works 40 hours a week for 51 weeks a year
goes home with $10,506 before taxes.

SUCH A WORKER would take 7,000 years to earn Oracle CEO Larry Ellison's
yearly compensation.

ELLISON RECENTLY posed in Vanity Fair with his $300 million, 454-foot
yacht, which he noted is "really only the size of a very large house."

ONLY THE WEALTHIEST 20% of Americans spend more on entertainment than on
health care.

THE $17,530 EARNED by the average Wal-Mart employee last year was $1,820
below the poverty line for a family of 4.

5 OF AMERICA'S 10 richest people are Wal-Mart heirs.

PUBLIC COMPANIES spend 10% of their earnings compensating their top 5
executives.

1,730 BOARD MEMBERS of the nation's 1,000 leading companies sit on the
boards of 4 or more other corporations-including half of Coca-Cola's
14-person board.

THE BIDDER who won a round of golf with Tiger Woods for $30,100 at a
2004 Buick charity auction could deduct all but about $200.

TIGER MADE $87 million in 2005, all but $12 million from endorsements
and appearance fees.

THE 5TH LEADING philanthropist last year was Boone Pickens, in part due
to his $165 million gift to Oklahoma State University's golf program.

WITHIN AN HOUR, OSU invested it in a hedge fund Pickens controls. Thanks
to a Katrina relief provision, his "gift" was also 100% deductible.

LAST YEAR 250 COMPANIES gave top execs between $50,000 and $1 million
worth of wholly personal flights on corporate jets.

THIS PERK is 66% more costly to companies whose CEO belongs to
out-of-state golf clubs.

THE U.S. GOVERNMENT spends $500,000 on 8 security screeners who speed
execs from a Wall Street helipad to American's JFK terminal.

UNITED HAS CUT the pensions and salaries of most employees but promised
400 top executives 8% of the shares it expects to issue upon emerging
from bankruptcy.

UNITED'S TOP 8 execs will also get a bonus of between 55% and 100% of
their salaries.

IN 2002, "turnaround artist" Robert Miller dumped Bethlehem Steel's
pension obligation, allowing "vulture investor" Wilbur L. Ross to buy
steel stock and sell it at a 1,000% profit.

IN 2005, DELPHI HIRED Miller for $4.5 million. After Ross said he might
buy Delphi if its labor costs fell, Miller demanded wage cuts of up to
63% and dumped the pension obligation.

10 FORMER ENRON directors agreed to pay shareholders a $13 million
settlement-which is 10% of what they made by dumping stock while lying
about the company's health.

POOR AMERICANS spend 1/4 of their income on residential energy costs.

EXXON'S 2005 PROFIT of $36.13 billion is more than the GDP of 2/3 of the
world's nations.

CEO PAY AMONG military contractors has tripled since 2001. For David
Brooks, the CEO of bulletproof vest maker DHB, it's risen 13,233%.

AT THE $10 MILLION bat mitzvah party Brooks threw his daughter last
year, guests got $1,000 gift bags and listened to Aerosmith, Kenny G.,
Tom Petty, Stevie Nicks, and 50 Cent-who reportedly sang, "Go shorty,
it's your bat mitzvah, we gonna party like it's your bat mitzvah."

FOR PERFORMING IN the Live 8 concerts to "make poverty history,"
musicians each got gift bags worth up to $12,000.

OSCAR PERFORMERS and presenters collectively owe the IRS $1,250,000 on
the gift bags they got at the 2006 Academy Awards ceremony.

A DOG FOOD COMPANY provided "pawdicures" and other spa treatments to
pets of celebrities attending the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.

ONE OF MADONNA'S recent freebies: $10,000 mink and diamond-tipped false
eyelashes.

PARIS HILTON, who charges clubs $200,000 to appear for 20 minutes,
stiffed Elton John's AIDS benefit the $2,500-per-plate fee she owed.

ACCORDING TO Radar magazine, Owen Wilson was paid $100,000 to attend a
Mercedes-Benz-sponsored Hamptons polo match. When other guests tried to
speak with him, he reportedly said, "That's not my job."

-- Clara Jeffery (Ed.)

Ohio Cult leader

http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/10/24/ohio.execution.ap/index.html?eref=rss_
latest

This is why you don't follow a cult. He get upset and everyone dies.

Need help parking?

http://www.cnn.com/2006/AUTOS/10/16/lexus_self_park/index.html
And then you friends call you a goober because you can't park your own
car.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/10/10/people.johansson.ap/index.h
tml

She says she is not promiscuous. No she is just a ho (and I am not
talking garden tool).

Los Angeles Trip...part one

Los Angeles trip

First of all this trip has been a series of adventures and
misadventures. I should have known it was going to be an interesting
weekend when I was without power Thursday night and had to pack by
candle light. Then I left my Ipod in the car. Why was that so
memorable? Because I was at the gate waiting with Nana to board the
airplane! Thankfully we arrived at the airport in good time, so I had
enough time to go BACK to the car, get my Ipod, and return to the
gate. It took me an hour of walking to get my little mp3 player. In
retrospect, I am glad that I did. However when I went through Security
the second time, they threw away my lip gloss because it was not in a
"plastic bag". Nana said those heifers fished it out of the trash
after I left. I believe that. Well once on the plane I could not get a
comfortable position to sleep. So I was tossing and turning the whole
4 hours. My side and neck hurt from the way I was contorted at times.
And on top of that, I had stomach cramps.
Well when we got to LA, we got to the Dollar car rental place without
a hitch. I was happy about that. And I even got to rent a 2006 Jeep
Liberty. I was saying "SWEET!!!!" because I knew that I looked ultra
cool. Also we arrived at the hotel without a hitch. I had directions
on my email, I did not have a chance to print them out. But I was not
stressing, I was too tired for that. I had been up since 6:30 am, so I
was not in the mood for anything but a shower, check my email, and go
to bed. Well I could not check email because internet is $10/day!!!! I
was very conflicted with those prices. I could not bring myself to log
on. Screw that. This is LA. Surely there is a free hot spot somewhere.
On the first day of our vacation, I took Nana to Aunt Norma's house.
Aunt Norma was so happy to see us. She could not believe that I got
there without calling her first for directions. I was on top of the
world, quite pleased with myself. It is funny that I had been so smug,
because I would not have believed what was going to happen within the
next few hours.
I left Nana at the Aunt Norma's because they were going to a funeral
at 2. One of their Belizean sisters had passed and so they were going
to pay their respects. I told them I was going shopping. Well, I was
going to the swat meet on Slauson. I decided to make a detour at
Walgreens. I needed to refill a prescription, buy some hair products,
and get a memory card for my camera. Yeah, I said a memory card. ALL
the memory cards I have at home and not a one in my possession now
that I am thousands of miles away. Well I got everything but the
memory card and I was about to go across the street to the CVS. When I
got in my Jeep, the b*stard would not start. This was not supposed to
happen. This is a 2006 JEEP!!!! WTF?!?!? So I breathe in and out to
calm myself. There has got to be a simple explanation. I turn the off
the car and try again. Nothing. So I call Dollar rental.
I want to scream "TAKE THIS POS AND BRING ME ANOTHER CAR!!!!"
But instead, I politely ask, "Is there a reason it won't start?"
The chick on the other end does not know. She said she will put in a
call for jump start. Ok. It will be about 45 minutes. Ok. Meanwhile, I
am glad that I am in the shopping center. I go to Goodwill. Nothing of
interest there, but a small bag on sale for $2.50.
Then I go across the street to the CVS. I needed to walk anyway (or at
least that is what I tell myself). I am still looking for a memory
card, so it is not like I am wasting time. Well CVS employees seem to
be quite inept. I thought it was a simple question, "DO you have
secure digital memory cards?" Something must have been lost in
translation because took 3 people to help with that one. Then they
found one. Just one 128MB card for $40. I was like, "Ahhhh, no. See ya
later losers."
So I head up the street. Not like I am driving any where any time
soon. There was a Rite Aid. On the walk over there, I get a phone
call. The jump start guy will be there in 15 minutes. My day was just
about to pick up. And in Rite Aid I found a 128 MB card for $10. Yes,
things were picking up. I was feeling good again.
Well, I leave Rite Aid and arrive at my POS the same time at the jump
start guy. He asked to me to pop the hood and he used his equipment to
give it a jump. Nothing. So the jump start turned to be a no start
waste of time. I was bummed out at this point. So I called the rental
people back and told them I needed another car. They sent one in an
hour and half. I waited in Starbucks – which I thought was a free hot
spot but was NOT! If you buy T-mobile minutes then you can connect. So
I listened to my Ipod (glad I had it) and chilled with my frappacino.
I figured that I had to buy something since I was there for so long.
Well then they guy came with the new car and I was on my way. Hurrah.
I made it to the swap meet. But alas, no decent looking purses to take
my breath away. I did get a couple of nice blouses. Actually they are
HOT! I cant wait to wear them. People will ask "Oooo, where did you
get that?" And I can say Cali.

But the trip is not over yet. To be continued...

Are you ghetto????

You know you ghetto if you thought putting a window air conditioner in your 78 cutless was a good idea
 

More wedding pics

I had a good time at the wedding. See Kathy with her pretty dolled up face. She is such a cutied. Her sis looks just like her. And K. finally admitted as much last week. I told her she was late cause everybody been telling her that for a long time. And my two Rachels were there too. I was too much fun to be with everyone that I have not seen in a long long time. I will have a to a better job of keeping in touch.  

Labor Day weekend in Charleston

We went to Charleston, SC Labor Day weekend. It was a lot of fun. As you can see Soria caught a crab. No not from a skanky ho, but he dug up the beach to find it. Funny thing is that crab pinched him. But in the crab's defense, dude did dig a hole deep enough to reach his WHOLE ARM while he was laying on his stomach.
Other than that excitement, we were just chillin, soaking in some rays. Sweet! 

His last thoughts?
"I should have tried to rob the little lady down the street"

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/09/08/nurse.intruder.ap/index.html

Want an iPod? Read my review

I bought my iPod off of Ebay and I want to share what I have learned
from that experience.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buying a used 4G 40GB iPod iPod comes with its ups and downs.
It is great to have all that memory space to listen to hours and hours
of music.
Don't expect to have 12 hours of battery life with a 4G. I am finding
that my 4G iPod might last 5-6 hours. Not that I am complaining, but
that is half of what I thought I would be getting.
But be careful that you don't erase all the music off the iPod when you
connect to iTunes. Better yet, find another program to manage your iPod
music collection. There are plenty of them out there. Just google it.
You will find it will be better for you in the long run.
There are also programs that will allow you to use your iPod for all
sorts of things. Making good use of all that hard drive space has
allowed my iPod to become like a Palm Pilot of sorts for me.
And if you are buying off of Ebay, make sure that you note if the vendor
shows an picture of the iPod or a stock photo. A stock photo means that
it is a picture of what the general new iPod looks like. So you should
not base your buying decision on that. You want to be sure that the iPod
does not look too beat up. The hard drive is very sensitive. If there
are lots of scratches you might be buying a ruined hard drive which will
die on you as soon as you get it.
And when you hear the hard drive running, keep iPod completely still.
Like I said before, the hard drive is very sensitive.
You might want to invest in a decent docking unit, preferably one that
will allow you to listen to music while it is charging.
Treat your iPod with care and you will be glad that you have it. Drop or
shake it, and you will probably be looking on Ebay to buy iPod parts.

Animal-Rights Protests Get Personal

I read this article and I think that Pharmaceutical companies R&D should
perform their testing on the animal rights activists since these people
want to bully firms into not testing the animals.
I know that if the choice was between me and lab rat, I rather the lab
rat try the drug first. I got more to live for.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Animal-Rights Protests Get Personal

Some animal-rights activists have stepped-up their protests, targeting
pharmaceutical companies-and, in a few cases, their employees-in an
ongoing campaign to end the use of animals in biomedical research.

As animal-rights activists have stepped-up their efforts to protest
animal testing, even a few Pfizer colleagues have felt the effects. A
small number of colleagues have received e-mails and letters, according
to Judy MacArthur Clark, who chairs the Pfizer Animal Care and Welfare
Board, and there have been a handful of isolated incidents in which
activists protested outside colleagues' homes.

"Thankfully, no one has been hurt or threatened with harm," she said.
"Nonetheless, we are taking these incidents very seriously. Colleagues
have every reason to be concerned that these groups are disrupting both
their business lives and their personal lives."

Despite the necessity for animal studies in R&D to develop life-saving
medicines, animal-rights groups insist that all animal testing be
stopped, MacArthur Clark said.

"We provide humane care for all laboratory animals and insist on a
compassionate approach to their use," she said. "Our facilities,
personnel and practices meet or exceed strict regulations protecting
animals. We work hard to refine our procedures so that they are
minimally invasive, to reduce the number of animals used in studies, and
to replace animal studies with other technologies wherever possible."

Many activists have singled out Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS), a
contract research organization (CRO) which serves the pharmaceutical,
biochemical, veterinary and food industries. Accusing HLS of animal
cruelty, the activists recently expanded their protests to include major
firms who they believe are clients of HLS. During the week of August 14,
protesters picketed and chanted outside the Washington, D.C. offices of
several pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer.

"The animal-rights groups involved in these demonstrations are
specifically attacking us for using contract research organizations
which they are determined to undermine," MacArthur Clark said. "What
they do not realize is that we carefully audit all CROs before placing
studies with them, and our veterinarians ensure that this audit covers
the standards of care and welfare in addition to the quality of
operation. We are confident that the CROs we use practice similar high
standards of care and welfare as ourselves."

John Theriault, Pfizer's vice president of Global Security, explained
that, while recent protests aimed at Pfizer have not been violent or
gone beyond the legal bounds of free speech, some activists have been
known to be physically aggressive in the past.

"As a result, we are monitoring activities directed at Pfizer and our
colleagues, and we are in regular contact with law-enforcement
authorities," Theriault said. "Our objectives are to protect colleagues
by raising their awareness of the problem, providing guidance on how to
deal with protesters if they encounter them, and ensuring that law
enforcement takes prompt and decisive actions if protests turn violent."

The worthless music industry

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/ptech/08/21/itunes.holdouts.ap/index.html

I would almost pity the artist. But if their songs were worth anything,
people would not mind buying the album.

Prohibited Items

I hate terrorists!!!!!!!

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/new-items.shtm

95% of my cosmetics fall under the list of now prohibited items. Do the
terrorist care that now I won't be so soft and smooth and so fresh and
clean after my journey? I guess not. They should realize not everyone
wants to to smell FUNKY like them!

Animal activist looking like retards to me...

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/08/14/foie.gras.ap/index.html

Soon they will tell us we can't eat chicken.

Charleston

I went to Charleston, SC to go to the beach. It was cool. I slept most of the weekend. I enjoyed relaxing. Well you know anytime that I am able to sleep, I am having a good time. 

WYFF4.com - News - Dead Mouse Found In Restaurant Customer's Salad

http://www.wyff4.com/news/9608370/detail.html?treets=gs&tid=265557567581
3&tml=gs_7am&tmi=gs_7am_1_06000108022006&ts=H

Do you agree or disagree?

So a few weeks ago, I sent out this message to all my friends for them
to describe me in one word. This is a portion of how my friends
described me.

Melissa said I was "Luminous"
Abby said I was "Strong-willed"
Gustavo said I was "Amitosa" (friendly)
Hector Luis said I was "Amorosa" (loving)
Stephany said I was "Trustworthy"
Jorge said I was "Alegria" (Happiness)
Seraphin said I was "Alegre" (Happy)

Dave Chappelle is a comic genius!

I was going to try to boycott the lost episodes of the Chappelle show
since it was sans Chappelle. But the lure of his
oh-so-funny-all-the-time comedy was too great.

I know that I have made myself a pawn for Comedy Central in the
meantime. But at least I am not going to buy the DVD that they put out.
I have already seen adverts for it. That is where I draw the line.

THIS IS FOR YOU CHAPPELLE!

Yea I said it like Chappelle is going to Google his name and my posting
will come up. Who knows? Dave if you are reading this, how about doing a
show in Clemson, SC again? Or maybe even Charleston, SC? If your tix are
not too high, I will try to support you best I can.

Exercise machines

We have a internal trading post where people post the items they have
for sale.
I saw this

"Nordic Track CX 925 Elliptical Machine. Less than 2 years old $475
with Delivery available. For details call x **** or 803-***-****. "

My question is "Why is this person trying to get the $$ they put into
the exercise machine?" Don't they know that all exercise equipment
depreciates faster and greated that an automobile driving off of a car
lot.

If I am paying that kind of money for a exercise machine it will be
brand new. And here is another thought. For that kind of money, if I
wanted to work on used machines, I would just join a gym.

Tripped me out so much that I had to share.