Bushism...

Once again we close out the week with an inspirational quote from our illustrious president:

"Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning?" —Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000

Here is a compilation of some of Bush's best works:

Out of Touch...

It is known that President Bush doesn't read the newspaper:

HUME: How do you get your news?

BUSH: I get briefed by Andy Card and Condi in the morning. They come in and tell me. In all due respect, you've got a beautiful face and everything.

I glance at the headlines just to kind of a flavor for what's moving. I rarely read the stories, and get briefed by people who are probably read the news themselves. But like Condoleezza, in her case, the national security adviser is getting her news directly from the participants on the world stage.

(via Foxnews)

Now during a question and answer session, Bush was asked about the possibility of $4/gal gas and his response:

Q: - What's your advice to the average American who is hurting now, facing the prospect of $4 a gallon gasoline, a lot of people facing -

THE PRESIDENT: Wait, what did you just say? You're predicting $4 a gallon gasoline?

Q: - A number of analysts are predicting -

THE PRESIDENT: Oh, yeah?

Q:-- $4 a gallon gasoline this spring when they reformulate.

THE PRESIDENT: That's interesting. I hadn't heard that.

(Via Alternet)

Watch video at Alternet.

How Sick Do We Have To Be...

On Friday, the Agriculture Secretary Edward Schafer, resists banning downer cattle. What does this mean? It means that unless they can prove that the cattle were ill, they are fine for the American people to eat. This was all brought on by the video that the Humane Society of the United States had that showed downer cows being pushed and dragged by forklifts, abused by employees, and being picked up so they could pass the inspection to be slaughtered for your food. The best part came from Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa):

"Listen, Mr. Secretary," said Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, cutting him off, "the fact is that we don't know if the animals portrayed in this video were sick or not. Unless you can inform me differently, the fact is we don't know. ... We're faced with the possibility that people could become sick."

(via Nation & World)

He's correct, we don't know and how dare our government (the Department of Ag), the people that are supposed to be looking out for me and you, tell us that animals that are, by law, supposed to be humanely euthanized are good enough for me to eat. Does he remember that this was the biggest meat recall in our history? Why would you want to take a chance?

Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid...

So Hillary has stepped to the dark side (again). She is starting to use the same scare tactics that Bush and his cronies have used since 9/11. I am just waiting until she brings up the terror alert that seemed to have disappeared once Bush won his second term - weird isn't it!

This is an ad that Hilliary is running for the March fourth primaries:


Be Afraid - Be VERY AFRAID!!!

Haven't We Seen This Before?

Yes, by the Republicans!!!!!

$54...

Mark just emailed me and told me that it took $54 to fill our gas tank today. Fifty-four dollars. How is this OK? The average gas price today (2/29/08) is $3.169. Last month, the average was $2.939 and a year ago it was $2.409. So we have gone up almost a dollar in the last year. Actually it will go up over a dollar (and more) in the next couple of months. Today, the price for a barrel of oil has reached a record high of $103. I remember when it was high at $76 a barrel and that was just last summer. Now are you going to tell me that people's pay rates have been increased as well? I think not. So what is the problem here?

According to Bush, nothing. We are not heading for a recession:

"We've acted robustly and now it's time to determine whether or not this programme will actually work," Bush said, referring to a $168 billion stimulus plan he signed into law this month.

"There's no question the economy's slowed down," he said at a White House news conference. "I don't think we're headed to a recession."

NBC's today show points out that oil and gas prices are up, home sales down, the dollar is down against the Euro. Amazingly the only place that the dollar is up in the world is South Africa and South Korea. We have a war where we are spending millions daily and we are financing this war by borrowing money from other countries. How is this good. To fill our oil tank yesterday cost us $3.49/gal. This is getting out of hand. With one person working (by choice), how are families supposed to survive in this mess?

Mark and I are lucky in that we had a chance to pay off all our bills when we were both working, This cost us some things though. For three years we didn't do anything really. We rarely ate out, we didn't see any movies, we rarely went anywhere or bought anything except the needed essentials. We see the middle class fading away and what remains is the upper class and lower class. How can we keep going like this? How can we have a president that is so delusional that he truly believes that America is doing well? It will be interesting to see what happens over the next couple of months. Both Mark and I think there will be some sort of major change.

Ellen Talks About Larry...

***TRANSCRIPT***

"On February 12th, an openly gay 15-year-old boy named Larry who was an eighth-grader in Oxnard, California was murdered by a fellow eighth-grader named Brandon. Larry was killed because he...was gay. Days before he was murdered, Larry asked his killer to be his Valentine.

"I don't want to be political. This is not political, I'm not a political person, but this is personal to me. A boy has been killed and a number of lives have been ruined.

"And somewhere along the line the killer Brandon got the message that it's so threatening and so awful and so horrific that Larry would want to be his Valentine that killing Larry seemed to be the right thing to do. And when the message out there is so horrible that to be gay you can be killed for it, we need to change the message.

"Larry was not a second class citizen. I am not a second class citizen. It is okay if you're gay. I don't care what people say. I don't care what people think. And I know there are entire groups of people who face discrimination every single day and we're a long way from treating each other equally. All of it is unacceptable. All of it. But I would like you to start paying attention to how often being gay is the punchline of a monologue. Or how often gay jokes are in a movie. And that kind of message — laughing at someone because they're gay — is just the beginning. It starts with laughing at someone, then it's verbal abuse, then it's physical abuse, and then it's this kid Brandon killing a kid like Larry.

"We must change our country and we can do it with our behavior, we can do it with the messages we send our children, we can do it with our vote. This is an election year and there's a lot of talk about change. I think one thing we can change is hate. Check on who you're voting for, and does that person really truly believe that we are all equal under the law? And if you're not sure, change your vote. We deserve better. My heart goes out to everybody involved in this horrible, horrible incident."

***END***

(via Towelroad)

If you would like to volunteer your services to help gay and lesbian kids who are being harassed and bullied or if you are having difficulties because of your sexual orientation, here are some wonderful services that can help.

The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project operates the nations only 24/7 crisis & suicide prevention helpline for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. If you or a friend are feeling lost or alone call The Trevor Helpline. There is hope, there is help. The Trevor Helpline: 866-4-U-TREVOR.

PFLAG -­ Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
PFLAG promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, their families and friends through: support, to cope with an adverse society; education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy, to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays provides opportunity for dialogue about sexual orientation and gender identity, and acts to create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity.

GLASS - Youth & Family Services
Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services (GLASS) is a private, non-profit 501(c) (3) social service agency dedicated to providing a wide range of social and health care services to children and youth who are in foster care, on probation, or who are homeless. We provide these services in safe, loving, supportive, non-judgmental living environments, while providing full access to all of the educational and vocational opportunities to which these youth are entitled.

GLAAD - Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

(via Ellen)

Pets...

One of the things that Mikayla's birth mother told our social worker was that she wanted her baby to be in a home with lots of pets. I think that when she saw our profile, that was part of the selling point. We donated four pages to our pets. I want to think that Mikayla's birth mother first had a good feeling about Mark and myself and that she also knew that the animals that we have in the house would treat Mikayla well. This has been the fact. The one we thought would have a problem with Mikayla (not aggressive), would be Eva. She is over 13 years old now and sometimes she doesn't want to be around me. She gets up and walks away. The amazing thing is with Mikayla, Eva lets her poke, prod, and lean on. Eva sniffs Mikayla wondering what this little monster is.

The one that Mikayla loves the most is Milo, our cat. This can be seen in one of the earlier post I did. You see Mikayla screaming when Milo walks in the room. Mikayla is just fascinated by this cat. She doesn't scream like that when she sees other cats, only Milo. We are lucky that we have such a great family. One that seems to get along with all the ups and downs.

Below is a video of Mikayla playing with Milo.

Puppy Abuse...

Scruffy...

I remember when I was young. I used to watch Saturday morning cartoons like a freak (didn’t all kids). My favorite cartoon was (and still is) Scooby Doo. Now I’m not saying that Scooby drove me into the animal welfare field, but you never know. I always wanted a little dog that could talk and be my best friend. Of course that was when I was young, now I have three wonderful dogs that make my days that much easier. They all have their own personalities and they all know how to push my buttons. There was also a cartoon that played once in the afternoon called “Scruffy”. I had the book (and wish I still did for Mikayla), but I mainly remember the cartoon. Although the book is out of print, I did find a review on Amazon.com. This is a review from a young kid. It will let you understand why the book should be back in print:

This story is about a mother dog, at first. She lives in an abandoned house. When she has pups, she goes out of her way to feed them. All the same, something tragic happens, and she only has one pup left. That pup turns out to be the focus of the book, and become Scruffy. Scruffy is stumbling along when she meets a male dog. He is Butch. Butch escorts her back to his pack, who lives in a car in the junkyard. All the dogs are somehow caught, and they only have a few days left. Finally, an article about Scruffy runs in the paper, and, and, and I won't tell you what happens. It has a happy ending.

This is a great book for anyone who is a real doggie lover. They don't talk, so you kind of have to mind read. This is easy. The book is a good read on a rainy day, and reminds you that everyone is special. It is almost impossible to find it. Check a used bookstore. That's where I found mine.

I still remember this book even though it was more than thirty years ago when I saw the cartoon. I was just so impressed with the story that I had to buy the book. I still have it today. The story of what happens to stray dogs and how people can save them set my life in motion to do what I am doing now. Then life took it turn on me and I lost the path that I was on. Then September 11th happened and I remember PETA, ASPCA, HAUS, and other organizations helping the rescue dogs looking for survivors in the World Trade Centers. The campaign they had to help these over worked animals, I think, helped to galvanize people to the benefit of certain animals. Watching rescue dogs bring someone out of the rubble can only melt your heart.

How To Put An Egg In A Bottle...

How To Put A Egg In Bottle - Watch more funny videos here

Diebold Spoiler...

Spoiler Alert: For those of you who don't want to know the outcome of the Presidential Race in November 2008, don't watch the video below. Diebold is the maker of the electronic voting machines that are taking over our electoral process. There is no paper trail to keep the results accurate and the company's head is the former chairman of the Maryland Republican Party.

The Onion's report:


Diebold Accidentally Leaks Results Of 2008 Election Early

This is very funny!

Spay Day...

There is another reason to celebrate today and that is the 14th annual Spay Day USA. This is the day that many shelters across the U.S. get the word out about the importance of spaying and neutering your animals. Why is this important? Consider these statistics:

Number of cats and dogs entering shelters each year:
6-8 million (HSUS estimate)

Number of cats and dogs euthanized by shelters each year:
3-4 million (HSUS estimate)

Number of cats and dogs adopted from shelters each year:
3-4 million (HSUS estimate)

Number of cats and dogs reclaimed by owners from shelters each year:
Between 600,000 and 750,000 -- 30% of dogs and 2-5% of cats entering shelters (HSUS estimate)

Number of animal shelters in the United States:
Between 4,000 and 6,000 (HSUS estimate)

Percentage of dogs in shelters who are purebred:
25% (HSUS estimate)

Average number of litters a fertile cat can produce in one year: 3

Average number of kittens in a feline litter: 4-6

Average number of litters a fertile dog can produce in one year: 2

Average number of puppies in a canine litter: 6-10

According to the Humane Society of the United States, a single un-spayed female cat, her mate, and their offspring can produce a total of 420,000 kittens in just seven years! In six years, one un-spayed female dog and her offspring can product 67,000 puppies! This results in the euthanization of millions of homeless pets.

If we want to cut down on the useless euthanasia rate in America, we need to have our animals spayed and neutered. This is the only way. Below is a video from the Humane Society of the United States on Spay Day.

Does Not Feel Any Different...

Well happy birthday to me. Today 40 years ago I made a grand entrance into this wonderful world. To celebrate this day, we had a party this past weekend. On Saturday, Mark invited friends over (I wish all my friends could have been here) and we treated everyone to a wonderful meal of Thai food. Mark also spent the morning making me my favorite cake - German Chocolate. He made this from scratch. No box for me. It turned out to be the best cake I have ever had.

As with any party we had, we spent most (if not all) of the party in the kitchen at the table eating, talking, and having a great time. There were many conversations going at once, but that was OK since I got to spend the day with people I care about. We asked people not to bring presents. I hate this part of the birthday celebration. The only present I wanted (and got) was to spend the day talking and eating (over eating really). I had at no less than three full plates of Thai food and then tried to top that with the German Chocolate cake and cheese cake that a friend made. Later that night I waddled around the house.

So what am I doing today, spending time with my daughter and listening to Janet Jackson's new CD that Mark bought for me (actually I got it myself, but I like to say its from him). I haven't yet heard the full CD since Mikayla wants me to play with her, but I will listen to it in it's entirety before the day is out. Then since it is my birthday, I get to do homework tonight. The fun never stops.

So everyone have a wonderful day today and enjoy the people around you. And celebrate my birthday. One more reason to celebrate.

Smear Against Obama...

On Sunday Nedra Pickler of the AP wrote a hit piece trying to call Senator Barack Obama's patriotism into question. Her article said that because Obama wasn't wearing an American flag lapel pin and that he didn't put his hand over his heart during the National Anthem, he is unpatriotic. It's up to us to push back against this right wing smear. Here is my letter to all the major news outlets around my area:

Right in the beginning of Nedra Pickler’s “Conservatives say Obama lacks patriotism” article for the AP, she states that “Sen. Barack Obama's refusal to wear an American flag lapel pin” throws his patriotism into question. From what I thought I knew about Miss Pickler, I assumed that she was a true unbiased reporter. What makes this article hard to swollow is that she never brought up the conservatives that are wearing the American flag lapel pin, say they are patriotic, and have had serious run-ins with the law. Let’s take a look back:

Rick Renzi (R-AZ), recently indicted on multiple counts of conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, extortion and insurance fraud, always wore his pin.

Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA) displayed his lapel pin even after having his house raided by the Feds after a two-year investigation.

No one can deny that Rep. Randall “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA) doesn’t make a statement with this lapel pin. Sadly, the Duke’s fashion choices are now limited as he is incarcerated for up to ten years after pleading guilty to tax evasion, conspiracy to commit bribery, mail fraud, and wire fraud. Come 2016, the Duke will no doubt be modeling his patriotism in the form of a dashing lapel pin once again.

Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH), who is known for wearing his lapel pin, is currently serving a prison term for conspiracy to defraud the United States and for a charge of falsifying financial disclosure forms. Very Patriotic!

Former Governor Bob Taft (R-OH) is dressed to impress with this lapel pin. Taft plead no contest to multiple misdemeanors.

Larry Craig wears his patriotic lapel pin during his mug shot for a widely discussed bathroom incident.

So, were any of these people mentioned when Pickler decided to write the smear article concerning the lack of patriotism that the conservatives said about Obama? I find the implication that someone who has dedicated his or her life to serving America lacks patriotism utterly unpalatable. But reading Nedra Pickler of the AP's Sunday smear piece against Senator Barack Obama, it appears that some in the media do not share this opinion. When reputable news outlet, such as the Associated Press, has to rely on right wing propaganda (or any propaganda) to sell articles, makes me sick. I feel myself to be very patriotic, but I don’t wear an American flag lapel pin. Is Pickler and the AP the new McCarthyism?

No doubt that as the campaign season heats up we will hear ever more despicable attacks from conservatives desperate to retain their grip on power. I do not feel that it is the media's place to trumpet these substance-less attacks, and I hope that in the future we can expect reporting that focuses on the candidate's positions rather than trying to call into question how much they love the country they tirelessly serve.


Thank you for your time,
Paul Kopulos

The information about the conservatives and their lapel pins I got from John Cole's Balloon Juice. This is a major issue if we want to have our news organizations be responsable. Most news outlets (TV, Newspaper, etc.) get their news from the Associated Press (AP) or Reuters. When these organizations feel they can make up stories and distort the facts, who can we trust. Now Mark Halperin from Time magazine is jumping on the boat.

Things McCain can do when running against Obama that Clinton has been unable to do well or at all:

1. Emphasize Barack Hussein Obama’s unusual name and exotic background through a Manchurian Candidate prism.
2. Allow some supporters to risk being accused of using the race card when criticizing Obama.

The race is getting ugly and when they pick a candidate (either Obama or Clinton), it will get a lot uglier. We need to tell the media that what they are doing will not be tolerated. To write a letter and send it to the newspapers near you click here.

Here is Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow talking about this issue.

Pets And Depression...

First we have a country here people are on all sorts of drugs and medication to help get them through the day. This is not including the "self-medication" that we do to ourselves daily (i.e. coffee, sweets, cigarettes). Since it seems that the pharmaceutical companies are running out of people to drug up, they are now going after our pets. News.com.au has the best headline: Suicidal Pets Given Anti-Depressants. People are giving Prozac to their animals now. The story talks mainly about birds, but the way I see it the pharmaceutical companies are trying to get more loving animals on these drugs since they have already flooded the human market. Some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies have also recognized the need for anti-depressants for animals or have do they see someplace else that they can make money. This can be seen in the first ever "weight loss" pill for your pudgy little pet.

In 2007, Pfizer was able to get the first doggie weight loss pill approved. The "miracle" drug is called Slentrol and it is supposed to be a fat blocker that prevents the absorption of fat in their bodies while working as an appetite suppressant to keep your dog from overeating. The Food And Drug Administration happily approves of Slentrol for use on family dogs nationwide.

The best part of the article is this: "Why are 40 percent of dogs in the U.S. overweight or obese? The answer is simple: Too much food and too little exercise," said Claudia Kirk, associate professor of medicine and nutrition at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Tennessee. "In today's hectic world, it's a challenge for many dog owners to find time to ensure their pets get adequate exercise." Lets take a look at the obesity levels in humans in the America. America is the fattest country and many people want that miracle pill to take care of not getting off their lazy asses and taking a walk. This would help their pets as well. Get the dog outside to get exercise and hey wait a minute, I'm getting exercise as well.

Why is it that we need cure all pill that is probably killing us. We are so lazy that we have to make a cure all pill for our pets. When pets are so depressed they are suicidal (how do we know) or so fat that we need a pill to help them lose weight? I think the best thing to do would be to get off our own asses and make their lives more enjoyable. Stop sitting in front of the TV or computer. Take yourself and your pets outside.

When Good Happens To Bad People...

When we think about the question “Why do bad things happen to good people” this insinuates that “god” made some decision to do harm to these people. If this is so, why doesn’t anyone ask “Why do good things happen to bad people?” “God” does not allow things to happen, people allow things to happen. Things happen to people every day and these things can be either good or bad depending on the views of different people. What might be bad for me may be good for you. Whose to say except for the people that the incident affects.

Kusner, in “To Life”, explains that in the Jewish religion god gave us free will. He also states, “Sometimes bad things happen to good people because the laws of Nature can’t tell a good person from a bad one.” The problem with this statement is who determines what makes a person bad? He also makes it known that god does not choose for us. We have free will and “A person can freely choose to become dependant on drugs or alcohol” and god will not interfere. Author C. S. Lewis said that 80 percent of suffering comes from the moral evil of mankind. The other 20% is where people’s faith comes in to play.

To agree or disagree with Kusner’s views would mean that I would have to fully understand the meaning of life and who (or what) put us here. Is there a god and if so, why were the people centuries before us the only ones able to talk with him? I see the world as a beautiful and wondrous place with many evil and despicable people running it. I do believe that Kusner is correct when he says that people are the cause of evil. People have free will and free choice, but that is where it ends. People get to choose whether they are going to harem others, steal, and give money to help an organization, or commit suicide. They are the driving force of their own lives.

I have faith that I choose my fate in life. I believe that I am a good person (you may not) and have made wrong decisions of my choosing. I feel that if there were a god that was “all powerful” he would not let us destroy ourselves like we are. Why would you create something and then watch it destroy itself with such hatred? I believe what happens, happens for a reason. I do not believe that there is a god like the Christians, Jews, Catholics, or even the Muslims believe. I do believe that there is a higher power and for me to speculate what it is would make me as arrogant as the people who think they know all there is to know about their god.

Adoption Bill To Die In Utah...

Legislative Bill HB318, which would allow same sex couples to adopt in Utah, may never get to see the light of the legislature floor. Rep. Mark Walker (R-Sandy), believes that if you are successful, in a meaningful relationship, and gay, you should not be allowed to foster or adopt children. "It really just comes down to my belief that gay couples shouldn't be able to adopt children," Walker said. "It's probably 180 degrees from my philosophical beliefs." (Desert Morning News) Now according to the Intermountain Catholic News, there are more than 2,600 kids in foster care. Most are of Hispanic/Latino descent. Every year around 20,000 kids "age out" of the foster care system. This means that they turn 19 and are considered adults.

So with just 8 days left in the legislative session, people like Mark Walker have successfully managed to keep kids that may have been abused, neglected or coming from a separated home and need love, out of loving, caring families because of his beliefs. Now let me clear one thing up. From what I can tell, if you are a "single" gay person then you are fine to foster and adopt, but if you are in that caring loving relationship then you are evil and the legislature doesn't want to send that message to these homeless kids. Why would we want them to see that there are people that care for each other.

Now this plays a bigger part as well when we look at the a situation that happened in 2007 to one family. When I say one family, I mean just that. A women was having problems with a drug related criminal matter so she asked her uncle to take her 4 kids. The kids are aged 11, 6, 2-years, and 10 months old and since the father couldn't take them, she looked to family. This seems like the perfect solution, but there was one problem. He is gay and in a meaningful relationship and has been for more than 5 years. Neither of the couple has any prior criminal record, but the state doesn't like that that they are in a committed relationship (and not married - which is not allowed either).

According to Utah's laws, "to adopt or be a foster parent, you must be legally married - or single - and not cohabiting. It doesn't license foster couples who aren't legally married. In other words, gay Uncle Valdez could foster or adopt if he wasn't in a steady, thriving relationship. (Only) If he was 'single'." (via Pride Parenting) The kids were taken by the court when officials asked the court to remove them. Thank god there was a sensible judge who didn't see any reason that they couldn't stay where they were.

But that still doesn't take care of the bill that will die on the floor of the legislature. In the same article, "Another bill in the House would have extended workplace discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. That bill was sent to interim study after a committee hearing in which some testimony raised concerns about extending rights to gays and lesbians. That bill would have added protections against workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity."

This all makes me sick. So how equal do we feel? I try to tell my family that we live where we live because of all this bullshit in other states. I also remind them that if we lived in Michigan, Florida, Mississippi, or many more, we would not have Mikayla in our family. Now is that OK - NO!

Bushisms...

And to close out the week (Thank God It's Friday), here is a little something from Bush's first term. I think we should have known something back then.


"You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.'' Townsend, Tenn., Feb. 21, 2001


Makes me proud!

Scream...

Now the one thing we never expected when we adopted was the we were going to have a child that could break your ear drums with her screams. Mikayla has the highest pitch scream that I have ever heard. I used to take her to the store and look guilty when she did it, but now I just look at the people and think "Deal with it I have her screaming all day. You have five minutes." So with that said, here is her scream. Notice how she quiets the music and I am right next to the speakers when I am filming this. She screamed because she loves our cat Milo and she saw him come in. He makes an appearance near the end of the video. Also, the sound really doesn't do her justice. You have to hear her in person to appreciate.

Robot Baby Dance...

Mikayla just started one day doing a dance that I call the Baby Robot. When the music starts, she just thrashes her arms around. Now the music has to be a dance type of song. She loves music and not the normal kids songs. Her new favorite is Missy Elliot's "Ching-A-Ling". I will try to get the song with Mikayla dancing to it. Until then here is Mika featuring Mikayla.

Slap Daddy...

So what does Mikayla do when she is bored? She slaps daddy. Mikayla is sitting with dad while he reads the news. She starts to get bored and decides that she needs to keep her hands busy. Now this is a normal occurrence when dad is feeding her. For some reason she decides that she is going to slap him. She does not do this to me.

Seal Hunt...

From HSUS:

The 2007 Canadian seal hunt left at least 215,378 seals dead -- and almost all of them were babies as young as 12 days old.

One of our most effective weapons against the hunt is the Canadian seafood boycott. Seal hunting is an off-season activity for Canada's east coast commercial fishermen. They earn a small fraction of their incomes from selling seal skins to the fur industry: only a reported $17.5 million (Canadian) annually, compared to the nearly $3 billion taken in by the Canadian fishing industry from seafood exports to the United States. The connection between the commercial fishing industry and the seal hunt gives consumers all over the world the power to end the hunt.

We are excited to report that the boycott is working! The Canadian fishing industry has suffered a $460 million (Canadian) decline in the value of snow crab exports to the United States.

Help us keep the pressure on Canada's fishing industry by teaming up with more than 545,000 people who have joined the boycott.

We'll deliver your pledge to Canada's government, so the politicians will know you've joined our international ProtectSeals team to end this shameful hunt.

To sign the pledge, click here.

Videos courtesy of The Human Society of the United States:

Warning...

Four Dogs Poisoned...

Fairview, Michigan - Four dogs were poisoned on Sunday February 1, 2008. The person who did this put antifreeze in mashed potatoes and fed it to the dogs. They also left a note on the door - "Paybacks a bitch. Woof! Woof!" Out of the four dogs, three had to be euthanized due to the damage that the antifreeze did. Here is what antifreeze does:

Symptoms:
Clinical signs depend on how long it has been since the pet drank the antifreeze as well as the amount they drank. Early symptoms are much like alcohol intoxication. Dogs and cats may vomit due to the irritating effects of ethylene glycol on the stomach. They drink and urinate excessively and may be depressed and wobbly. The increased thirst is due to stimulation of the thirst centers of the brain. Pets may seem on the road to recovery twelve hours later as the ethylene glycol is metabolized by the liver and kidneys. However, a day later in cats and two days later in dogs the patients suddenly becomes much worse. They become depressed, weak, and dehydrated. They may develop diarrhea, mouth ulcers, rapid breathing and seizures. Their kidneys are often painful and swollen.

One of the dogs (maybe more) were part of a search and rescue team. These are the same types of dogs that help during major disasters. The people have not been found.

The family has set-up an account to pay for the euthanasia and autopsies:
Northland Area Credit Union
208 N Morenci Avenue
Mio, MI 48647
Account under: Courtney French

The news video is here. There is a commercial before hand, but you need to watch the story - so sad.

Story of Stuff...

One of the things that Mark and I have been trying to do is cut back on all the needlessness around the house when it comes to "stuff". Mark has already done this when he made a major life change (right after I meet him) and got rid of most of his possessions. Was it a big deal? When he talks about it he tells me that it was a sort of cleansing. Why did he need all these things? What purpose did they have in his life? He looks back and realizes that he did it because these items (cars, pictures, CD's, books, furniture, etc.) had too much of a hold on his life. He knew that things didn't make who he was, but with our society we are prone to just buy more and more and more.

But at what cost? One thing we are very happy about is that most of the items that we have for Mikayla (clothes, toys, book) we all given to us. Many people generously gave us clothes and told us that if they didn't fit or didn't want then pass them on to the next person. We bought all her books from the library book sale (some were given to us), and toys were given to us. Although we have bought new items, we have tried to keep it to only the very much needed items. We ask people to look at second hand stores and garage sales to get things for us, but mainly we want to tell people that "things" are not needed to make Mikayla. She is happy playing with things around the house and I think she is using her imagination which is what we want.

Where do we stand now with stuff. I think we have too much (and so does Mark). As Mikayla grows we know that she is going to want certain items, but we want to start now and instill in her a sense of responsibility for what she does to this Earth and the people on it. With that said, the movie below gives a great breakdown of where stuff comes from, what it is doing t the people of the world and why we all need to take a look at the stuff we have and think about the stuff we think we "need".

From the "Story of Stuff" website:
From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.

This video is worth the 20-minutes. Also, check out the website here.

Worse President Ever...

George W. Bush has shattered a record that has stood for 55 long years, and there's not any one reason. It's everything, although I suspect that liberals would more likely say Iraq and torture, conservatives would say immigration and runaway spending, and everyone would now say the economy.

Worse the Watergate: Bush scores lowest presidential approval rating EVER!!!

You gotta love this, and he thinks he is doing what the American people want! Right now Bush stands at 18% believing that he is doing a good job. How does he stack with the other presidential lows:

Nixon, as he was hounded out of office in August 1974, never dipped below the mid-20s.

Here's a pretty good compilation of poll numbers from Roper. To summarize the highlights:

Clinton low: 36 percent, May 1993 (early missteps like Zoe Baird)

George H.W. Bush low: 29 percent, August 1992 (recession)

Reagan low: 35 percent, January 1983 (recession)

Carter low: 28 percent, July 1979 (high gas prices)

Ford low: 37 percent, January 1975 (economy, Nixon pardon)

Nixon low: 23 percent, January 1974 (Watergate)

Johnson low: 35 percent, August 1968 (Vietnam)

Lowest ever? That would be Harry Truman during the Korean War, in February 1952, at 22 percent.

(via Attywood)
American Research Group

Smile...

This little clip shows you what fun Mikayla is. I just love watching this video. This is the fun of having kids. They remind us that no matter what, you can stick your tongue out at the world and give it raspberries and then laugh at it. So before you go to work or start your day, watch Mikayla's video and just smile.

Toxic...

One thing that Mark and I wanted to do when we adopted was to be sure that our little baby had the best that she could possibly have. This is a concern that all parents have. We wanted to be sure the food we were giving her was the best. We started talking about how we were eating and how that had to change when we brought the little one home. We ate poorly, as most people do. We would get packaged prefab food. We would by ice cream (sometimes still do) and eat a couple of pints in one sitting. We never really looked at what we were putting into our bodies until we decided to adopt. Then things changed. We started to eat better and read ingredients. Prefab food for the most part was off the table. We tried to become healthier.

So when Mikayla came into our lives we wanted to start her off with the ideals. We bought only organic baby formula. Although we tired many, her taste was for the more expensive brand – Similac. There was rumor that some mothers produced breast milk after their kids stopped nursing and they were selling it for new parents. Breast milk is the best, but we didn’t want to go that far. We would know nothing of this person, so we decided to stay with Similac.

We also didn’t want to get anything that was made in China when it came to bottles because, well, we just didn’t trust that either. Part of our research was finding out who had the toughest laws when it came to their kids. All our findings led to England. They have stronger laws concerning plastics and they seem to care about what the kids put in their mouths. In 2004 “Trade ministers from across the European Union have agreed on a law to phase out six toxic chemicals used to soften vinyl plastic in children's toys - seven years after researchers found evidence of a link between the chemicals and both liver damage and reproductive failure”. (read article) So for the bottles we went with Avent. They are made in England and they are wonderful.

So for the last 10 months we thought that we were doing the best for out little girl. Now all the reports are coming out about Bisphenol-A (BPA), which is a TOXIC chemical that is being used in the linings of baby formula cans. I felt confident that Similac was not one of them, but to my surprise Similac is made by Abbott Laboratories. Not only the possible formula contaminations but now there are reports that the plastic bottles may also have significant levels of BPA. So were we giving our daughter a double dose? For the bottles, from what I can gather is this chemical leaches out when heated. So if you follow the instructions on the package and boil them, then you are letting this toxin leach out.

There are glass bottles out there, but we thought for safety sake why not use a plastic bottle and one from a country that seems to not use toxic chemicals in their kids products. So much for that. Advent is one of the products that the Canadians are testing. “Researchers tested 19 baby bottles purchased in nine U.S. states and Canada including Avent, Dr. Brown, Evenflo, Disney, Gerber, and Playtex. When the bottles were heated to 175 degrees F (80 degrees C), they all leached BPA at about five to seven parts per billion. They also found that because of the BPA’s chemical makeup, it may leach more in fatty or acidic liquids, such as milk or apple juice, than in water.”

Why am I so upset? Critics say that BPA, which mimics the hormone estrogen, causes hormonal, neurological, and behavioral problems. They say that the levels are not high enough to cause concern, but they also said that about lead paint, asbestos, cigarettes, and many more things that are bad now.

On the upside, “Trade ministers from across the European Union have agreed on a law to phase out six toxic chemicals used to soften vinyl plastic in children's toys - seven years after researchers found evidence of a link between the chemicals and both liver damage and reproductive failure.” Maybe the U.S. will follow suit. The only problem is that we get most (if not all) of our stuff from China, and we know what has been happening there lately.

Read all the articles:
BPA Leaching From Baby Bottles
Baby Formula Additives Under Scrutiny
Toxic Chemical Used To Make Baby Formula Cans Under Review
'Significant' Levels Of Bisphenol A
Toxic Softeners In Plastic Toys
Infant Formula Cans
Congress Asks: Is Baby Formula In Safe Cans?
Toxic Toys No More

Lost: Theory and More...

OK, So I am a Lost fan. Not as big as some people who spend way too much time going over every minute, but I am a fan. I am really happy that they got their mojo back. Yes it all started at the end of last season and has hit the ground running this year. If you haven't gotten into this show, you are defiantly missing out. The mysteries and characters are better than any show on TV now. So with that said, I am going to post a little something that I have found. This gives nothing away for season 4, but will help get your mind asking questions and wanting more answers (unless you don't watch then well).

This theory is from Entertainment Weekly:

Another (time travel) theory:
Which leads me to my Big Theory of the Week: There's a secret war raging in the larger Lost world — a war over reality itself. The war is being fought by two rival groups that have knowledge of future events. Each group is leveraging this knowledge to facilitate different, self-serving outcomes. The castaways — and possibly the Freighter Four, too — are pawns in this quantum chess match. They are being moved around the board of the Island — and the larger world — in order to create certain events that generate certain consequences (or useful energies) that are either advantageous to their cause...or disadvantageous to their rival's cause. On one side of the board is Ben. On the other side, Matthew Abbaddon, who, I believe, works for a company that was introduced in the recent online tie-in game ''Find 815'', a group whose name was inspired by James Clerk Maxwell, a group called...the Maxwell Group.

What is in the Water?
This season started with something very interesting in the water. When you watch the Logo for Lost with the Island the reflection is not of the Island but of a city and buildings. Why is this? I have been trying to find a picture of this season's logo but have been unable to.

Another theory (via LostPedia):

The Vile Vortices are twelve roughly evenly distributed geographic areas that are alleged to have the same mysterious qualities popularly associated with the Bermuda Triangle. The best-known vortices are the the Bermuda Triangle itself, the Devil's Sea near Japan and the South Atlantic Anomaly.

Five of the twelve vortices fall on a latitude close to the Tropic of Capricorn, while another five fall close to the Tropic of Cancer. The remaining two are located on the North and South Poles. Together they form the vertices of an icosahedron.

How it applies to lost "middle of a spiders web" to which boats and ships are drawn to through the Vile Vortices. As the Island is ostensibly a tropical Pacific island it is located spatially near the Fiji Vortex - but in another dimension. A discharge emanating from the electromagnetic anomaly on the Island is enough to trigger one or mor: It is surmised that the Island is a "central dumping ground" - thee of the Vortices to open. It is also enough to alert the 'outside world' as to a disturbance via the electromagnetic grid line.

The Orchid:
Then I heard something on this week's Podcast. They said to check out the video below to get an idea of how a Polar Bear can get in the desert. Watch it once and then watch it again and look at my notes below.


Take note:
1. 0:39-There is bearded man - who is he?
2. 0:49-a building not on the island
3. 1:09-"God loves you as he loved Jacob"
4. 1:42 - A shot of the barracks where Ben lived

Now for the interesting part. The scientist doing the film is holding a rabbit with the number 15 on it. At 1:23 something falls. Behind him is another rabbit on a metal shelf with the number 15 on it. He starts yelling, "don't let them near each other". He also asked, “When did you she the shift” and she responds “-20”. It’s been nine minutes since she did so. She also mentions that they are still learning. So what does all this mean? Obviously they are working on some sort of transport and does it fall into the Vile Vortices?

Cruelty: The Animal/Human Connection...

We live in a violent society. Many people have been taking notice of a certain connection. A connection between animal cruelty and human abuse. In an article by John Locke called “Cruelty”, he makes note of how, we as a society, would exclude “butchers from juries of life and death”. He felt that these men have become desensitized and could not truly see the court case for what it is. It was his thought that butchers have become desensitized by the “cruel” acts they perform on animals.

The topic of desensitization in kids is touched on in Mead’s article “Culture Factors”. As television gives us more and more graphic shows and parents allowing kids to watch more adult shows, we as a society have turned off or blocked something in the human mind. When you see a dead body, do you feel anything? Probably, but with shows like CSI, Criminal Minds, and many more we tend not to be fazed by a body sitting on a table sliced opened. The graphic shows I watch are CSI: NY, NCIS, and Criminal Minds. I know the difference in a body that is made up for TV and one that is hanging out of a car window. But do these shows desensitize me and how I feel? If they do, how do they affect the growing mind of a child? We also have to look at video games that kids are playing today. So how are children to distinguish what is right and wrong when it comes to killing? As Mead stated, “Pests to be killed, food to be eaten, pets to be loved, are discriminated for the growing child.” We, as the adults, need to help guide these kids. We need to let them know what is right and wrong.

We, as parents, need to be aware of what kids are doing and why. There are people that believe that people that cause animal cruelty are psychopaths (“It is an undeniable fact that cruelty of any kind has its roots deeply buried in psychopathology”), I agree with a different mind set that states, “researchers cannot assume that animal abusers are ‘psychopaths’, ‘cold- blooded killers’, or ‘sadists’ thought to act impulsively without reason”, but we need to look deeper into the reasons why they are doing what they do. Kids tend to act out for various reasons, but that does not make them killers or rapist. It makes them human. It’s when they step over the line that parents need to worry.

But if a child acts out and kills an animal, what do we do? We cannot let this incident go unpunished. Mead says that if we do not punish the child for something that is “tabued”, then there is the possibility that the child will “try it again (or) try something bigger”. Parents and educators need to understand that any type of cruelty is a cry for help in some way. We need to pay more attention to our kids and try to find out what is bothering them. If the cruelty increases with the child, there is a chance that this child will grow to be a burden to society. But how can we do this when our lives are so busy? How can we keep an eye on everything a child does?

As with anything in animal welfare, education is the key. We need to help educate the public on the different signs that can be linked to animal cruelty. Many people have no perception or a very small idea of what can happen to a child that commits animal cruelty. Someone who abuses animals may have some physiological problems; they may grow up to be abusive or worse a murderer. Shelters need to have an outreach program that goes into schools to talk with young people about animal abuse. We need to teach teachers to be aware of what to look for in kid’s behavior and then what to do to help. We tend to leave this to the police or local authorities, but we need to step up and help guide the police and the local authorities in looking for certain signs and what to do and whom they should contact if they see these signs of animal abuse. The police may only know to call child services and not the local shelter if an animal is involved.

The mind is a vast machine that can break down. When this happens, things go wrong for many reasons. People are angry with someone who did them wrong, so they want revenge. Kids are left out, ostracized and made fun of and they tend to act out, sometimes violently. We have no real understanding of where violence comes from, but at some point in everyone’s life there was a violent act or thought. We need to learn to understand our emotions. Cruelty is a desire and a readiness to give others pain without feelings or remorse. We all just need to heed the signs.

How Arrogant...

How arrogant can someone be? Well seems like the president is topping the charts when it comes to arrogance and even ignorance. I got this clip from Crooks and Liars. In it Laura is quoted as saying that "No one suffers more than their President. I hope they know the burden of worry that is on his shoulders every single day for our troops"

OH MY GOD!!! She is telling the American people that this moron is suffering more than the 3,963 soldiers that have lost their lives? That he is suffering more than the families that have lost their loved ones in this stupid war? That he suffers more than the men and women that are going back on their third, fourth and FIFTH rotation? How dare she!!!

And Him, what an idiot. It like listening to a third grader that was held back for four years. Here is his response to Ann Curry's question about the burden:

Ann Curry: So I’ve been wondering, ever since she said that, will the burden of worry, do you think about this war in Iraq, will ever truly leave you?

Bush: Well, what, what what, what, what,(Yes he actually said what five or six times - One great speaker) we mean is the fact that a mother has lost a son, or a wife has lost a husband, or husband has lost a wife. I’ll forever, ya know, uh, carry that with me. On the other hand, I firmly believe that the mission will yield piece. And as people are now beginning to see, Iraq is changing. Democracy is beginning to take hold. And I’m convinced 50 years from now people will look back and say Thank God there were those who were willing to sacrifice.

Here is the video:




The best part of this video is the mentality that Bush has concerning the economy. He thinks that our economy is deteriorating because we built too many homes. Not because we are spending $275 million per day and $4,100 per household. This couldn't possibly be the problem. On the other hand he did make a point that he believes the war is good for our economy. How you may ask? "Because we are buying equipment". So according to our president, War is good for us, but if the war is good then why are we heading into a recession? Oh ya, because we don't have the money to spend on the war, we are borrowing from China (among other countries), the companies that are buying the equipment do not have their offices in the U.S. Why would they, then they would have to pay taxes. Check out this transcript from Andy Rooney

This all comes down to what Eisenhower said about the Military Industrial Complex:


Here is something that people should watch to understand why we are where we are with this war:
IRAQ For Sale:

Blackwater, America's Private Army:


We have lost more than 3,900 men and women in this war. The Iraqis have lost 1,173,743 due to the invasion/occupation by the U.S. Military. It's time to get MAD! It is time for a change. It's time for Bush and Cheney and the evil administration to be held accountable for the War Crimes they have committed. One president got impeached for getting a blow job, why let this one go for getting people killed?

You're Gonna Miss This...

Today started a little rough for Mikayla and me. She is on this screaming frenzy while wanting to be picked up, put down, crawling, and climbing the stairs (thanks Mark). If you don't know, Mikayla can Scream. I mean high pitched ear piercing scream. When I tell people with kids this, they smile and say "ya we know how it is", then Mikayla lets one rip and they turn back to me with the biggest look of sympathy on their face. I will have a video soon, but even the video doesn't let you hear her wonderful rang.

So anyway, I am overly tired today since I was woken up three times last night by a child that sleeps very restlessly. Last night we tried to put Mikayla back in her crib to sleep, but that lasted only two hours and she was back in bed with us. Now you have to imagine this bed of ours. We have a king size bed. The bed sleeps Mark, Mikayla, Bailey and Phoebe (two of our dogs), and myself. The two dogs that sleep on the bed are not small either. Bailey is 65 lbs. and Phoebe is 50 lbs. How do we do it? You got me, but we do.

Mikayla is on a pretty routine schedule. At night she likes to read and play until around 8:30-9:00p.m. At this point she wants a little more food to push her over the edge of sleep and then lays her head on mine or Mark's shoulder to fall asleep. If I am ready to go to bed, I will take her and sleep while Mark does school work.

At around 2:00a.m. I get woken up with either a punch to the face, a slap to the cheek, or my beard get pulled. Now you have to understand that Miss Thing isn't awake at this point. She is doing this in her sleep. So for the next 15-30 minutes I am fighting with a 9 month old baby's hands. Trying to keep them off my person. Then I get kicked in the groin. Fine. I gently push her away from me and try to get back to sleep. She then rolls towards me and starts the fight all over again.

The out of nowhere, her hands stop and she is asleep once again. This last until 6:30-7:00a.m. when she starts to wake. She is just like Mark, they both need at least 30 minutes to wake up and start the day. Me, on the other hand, can jump out of bed and go (or I used to). Now I am so tired from fighting with sleeping baby hands that I want a little more time to rest before we start the day of screaming.

So with an understanding of my sleep deprivation, I was making lunch for Mikayla and myself when on the radio came a song I had never heard before. The song is from Trace Adkins and is called "You're Gonna Miss This". This has to be the best song for any parent and it is now my favoritest song. I understand it because Mark and I have many times sat and talked about the past year and how we already miss the little baby that was Mikayla. The first smile, laugh, cry, feelings of anger, feelings of joy, and yes even the first poop. I have those stories and tell them all the time. They are what makes Mikayla who she is and what makes us her parents. So anyway...

Below is the only video that I could find of it, but you get the idea. So remember that no matter how bad it may seem, you will miss it one day.

Just For Laughs...

Man mistakes bar patrons for bears

Daniel Pement was charged with six counts of misdemeanor assault after allegedly spraying patrons with bear repellent spray, twice.

On Saturday, after being escorted out of the bar, Pement allegedly returned a few minutes later and began spraying other bar attendees. After the police arrived, they confiscated the bear spray - only to be called back Sunday for the same offense. Pement had acquired another can of spray.

(via Common Wealth Times)

$3,000,000...

This is the starting bid for The World's Greatest Music Collection. From EBay:

From Thomas Edison to American Idol, this is the complete history of the music that shaped and defined five generations. 3 million records and 300,000 CDs containing more than 6 million song titles. It's the undisputed largest collection of recorded music in the world. About half of the recordings are new and never played, and every genre of 20th century music is represented. There are countless rare recordings worth hundreds, or even thousands of dollars each on the collectibles market. Organized and cataloged, the collection is meticulously maintained and housed in a climate-controlled warehouse. The estimated value of this amazing collection is more than $50 million.

Every recording in the collection was purchased by the collection's owner over the past fifty years and represents a lifetime of work and his desire to see the music preserved for future generations. Advancing age and health concerns are forcing the owner to sell.

The history of 20th century music belongs in a museum (existing or new), or a music library. The collection's owner is seeking a private collector or a philanthropist willing to buy and donate the collection. A donation would qualify as a tax-deductible event. The collection contains many thousands of duplicate copies, which could be sold individually on the collectibles market to recoup a substantial part of the purchase price.

Charged...

Source: Associated Press

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - Two former slaughterhouse workers were charged Friday with abusing ailing cattle in a case based on undercover video footage showing crippled and sick animals being shoved with forklifts.

Bench warrants for the arrest of Daniel Navarro and Luis Sanchez were issued after they failed to appear for arraignment. Prosecutors did not know if they had retained lawyers.

Authorities said Navarro and Sanchez were seen in the Humane Society video, which showed workers kicking, shocking and otherwise abusing "downer" animals that were apparently too sick or injured to walk into the slaughterhouse. Some animals had water forced down their throats, San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael Ramos said.



The slaughterhouse in Chino is operated by Westland/Hallmark Meat Co., which supplies meat to the federal school lunch program and to major hamburger chains. The U.S. Department of Agriculture suspended operations at Westland/Hallmark after the video surfaced earlier this year, and lawmakers in Washington called Thursday for an investigation.

Continue Reading: Two Men Charged

Trust - I Don't...

There are many reasons why I don't trust Hillary Clinton. The biggest reason - Bill. Since he has been campaigning for her, he seems to be bringing the slim. He lies (which isn't new), he continues to bring up how good he did - which means to me that he want to be president again. I did this while in office so I can have Hillary do the same - Not Good. But that is her husband. She could be different. She could mean what she says, if only she could not change her mind. Then we have the underhanded way she is running her campaign. All the democrats agreed that Florida and Michigan would be left out of the delegate count since they went against the DNC and changed their primary dates. All Democrats Agreed!!!

Now that she is behind Obama in delegates and he is on the fast track to winning, she is telling everyone that she wants the votes in Michigan and Florida to count. I just cannot see why people would vote for Hillary when she tries to change the rules. What is going to happen if she doesn't like something while in office. Will she change the rules to fit her agenda as one such president has already done? I see another Bush in a nice pantsuit.

Now for Hillary's ideas of Change:


Remember that all these changes were done in the same night at the same debate - scary. How will she handle the stress of the White House? With all that said, if she does get the nomination I will defiantly vote her in. Why? I don't trust McCain any more than I like Bush - which is ZERO!

It's Started...

Yes it has finally started. We are in the stage of I want to read and re-read the same book - ALL THE TIME. This took hold maybe a week ago, but over the weekend we have seen a major increase. It's interesting that she has a favorite book for each one of us. For me, her favorite is "10 Little Ladybugs" by Melanie Gerth. This is the exciting story of 10 ladybugs being taken to some other part of the forest (I think). The story is too in depth for me to understand. The nice thing about this book is that Mikayla can feel the ladybugs - and number 4 is her favorite.

For Mark, she has picked an easier book, "Baby Faces". I think she did this because Mark has so much happening in his life, she knows that he needs some downtime, and this is it. She loves all the facial expressions that the babies have, but I think she really likes it when daddy makes the faces as well. Now we don't just read these books, there are others.

We have a few titles in the same line. They are the "Happy Baby" series. The great thing about these books is they use some of the same (or similar) pictures. This weekend Mikayla started to take note of that. She would be sitting on my lap and when we came to a picture that she has seen in another book, she would crawl off my lap and find that book. I would then open the book to the page with the picture and hold them up together. She was fascinated. This amazed me. I have a great fear that she is going to be a lot smarter than either Mark or myself.

God help us.

Would You...

Cloning is the new black. There is a Korean company that will let you remember your loving pet by bringing them back. As Fox reports: "RNL Bio on Friday announced it would work with Seoul National University scientists, who created the first cloned canine, "Snuppy," to offer customers a re-creation of their deceased pet for $150,000."

To pay $150,000 dollars to bring back an animal that may look the same, but will defiantly have different traits, mannerisms, and disposition. As Mark mentioned, our pets are the way they are because of the experiences they had. Just like people, I am who I am because of the things I have done. So why would anyone want to do this? This, again, is what is wrong with the world. Lets take a look at what else could be done with 150 thousand dollars - Homeless vets, abused women and children, Diabetes, Cancer, any disease, many humane societies and much, much more.

Although I truly don't believe this, many people tell me that we are a Christian nation. We are supposed to help our fellow man (as long as they are the right color). Why is it then that we take money that can help people and clone an animal when there are so many in the world today that need homes.

Along the same thought, there is a company that will preserve your pets until they are ready to be cloned. ViaGen is the company and for $1,500 they will send a refrigerated biopsy kit to your vet so they can take a small biopsy of "fido". If "fido" has dies, you will only get five days to get a biopsy. After that, he is really gone.

What would you do?

Jump Around...

This video is old, but I wanted to test the blog's ability to take videos. This video is was the start of Mikayla's dancing. Although it was in her jumper, she now will bounce when a good song is played. What does she like you may ask? Wheel's on the Bus? Itsy, Bitsy Spider? No, none of those. She like anything with a good beat. Her favorite right now is Missy Elliot's "Ching-a-ling". She is also partial to Mika as I have mentioned in an earlier post, but really anything with a beat. So until I get some of the newer videos loaded onto my computer, enjoy Miss Mikayla Jump Around!!

Remember Him...

While looking at another blog, I came across the past. Do you remember Sam Harris? For those of you who didn't watch TV in the 80's (Mark) or like reality TV (then or now), he was the grand champion of the very first Star Search in 1984. Star Search was the true very first American Idol. He won with his version of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" - it was (and still is amazing). See below.



Little did I know that he has had nine - yes nine - studio albums. I can only remember two and I think I still have one. Well he is back with a new song "War on War". I pleasantly surprised. This song is really good. He is also putting together a video contest for his fans. From his War on War website:

With the W.O.W. video contest, we are inviting you to express your vision and creativity -- your passion, frustration and truth -- put to my song which calls for the end of war. Here's what you do:

• Listen to the song for inspiration!
• Create an original music video (like you would see on VH1 and MTV etc.) to the song War on War as the only audio and in its entirety.
• We will soon provide raw footage of me singing the song, which may be incorporated into your video, if you wish.

So here is the new song from Sam Harris:



And for some fun - did you know he is gay? This I didn't and I also missed him on the CBS show "The Class", which I watched religiously. It was from the creaters of "Friends", they never should have taken it off the air. He played Perry Pearl, the immaculately dressed husband of one of the classmates, Holly. In the show she has no idea that he is gay - and he denies it himself. Here is clips of Sam from "The Class":