Sorry about the long wait, but work comes first.  Anyway, I am getting back in the swing of things for a little while.

Science News in Brief

The Large Haldron Collider has resumed operation and set a new world record for energy.  Its particle beams were accelerated at over one trillion volts.  This was just a precursor to the Collider’s primary scientific tests set for the year 2010.

Still No Black Hole: Just to give you a sense of the energy involved here: a lightning strike hits with about 1 billion volts.

A cross-disciplinary team of researchers from universities across America have released a study which indicates that climate change could increase the likelihood of civil war in sub-Saharan African countries by as much as 50% in the by 2050.  These wars would be fueled by decreased water supplies, fewer food sources, and increased poverty rates.

Talking World War III Blues: Already, 5.4 million people have died from civil war the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, making it the deadliest conflict since World War II.

Scientists seem to have discovered the reason for the hammerhead shark’s strange head shape.  The shape allows sharks to see almost in 360 degrees in binocular vision.

Weird Animal Fact: The mantis shrimp has the best eyesight in the animal world.  It is the only animal to to have hyperspectral colour vision.  That is, it can see across the electromagnetic spectrum.  We can only see visible light.

Cool Creature

I already covered the kakapo, but I have been dying to post this video.

Feature Story: Remember Me

Are some animal species more important than others?  A recent study which examined 222 carnivore species around the world points to the fact that certain carnivores should be more protected than others due to their ecological importance and individuality.

Even though carnivores are probably the most studied animal group, their taxonomic connections are not well understood.  Thanks to genetic testing, scientists are now able to construct much more accurate taxonomic maps.

The study supports the theory that describes the split of carnivores into two main evolutionary groups: dog-like carnivores (Caniforms) and cat-like carnivores (Heliforms).  The same study also revealed some so-called Confused carnivores which do not fit neatly into the aforementioned classification.

Researchers performing the study also isolated a number of carnivores which are unique in the ecological services they perform and the way they evolved.  They suggest that these species, including monk seals, red pandas, and walruses, should be more protected than others because they are so unique.  Because they are evolutionarily distinct, they have genes and evolutionary history not found in any other species.  This makes it important with regards to biodiversity: by increasing genetic variability.

The Cosmic Perspective

All people value equality: the right to be treated with equal respect and dignity as any other human being.  Those who value the environment tend to extend that to the animal world.  We do not like to show preferential treatment to certain animals just because they are cute and cuddly.  So, this study which claims that certain animals are more important from an evolutionary perspective comes as a bit of a shock.  Why should a walrus be more important than a snow leopard?

I look at this from two points of view: that of a scientist and that of an environmentalist, because I consider myself to be both.  As a scientist, I definitely see the merit of protecting certain species.  Different animals perform different tasks in an ecosystem.  Certain animals’ roles are more critical to the functioning of the system as a whole than others.  It is a principle of network systems thinking that  nodes (animals) in a system (ecosystem) can be ranked based on the number of nodes which connect to them and the importance of those nodes.  So, the more important connections an animal has, the more important it is in an ecosystem.  However, even a few important links can prove to elevate a species to a higher status than one with many relatively commonplace connections.

That being said, all animals play an important role in biodiversity.  Biodiversity provides for the astounding variety of different organisms, genes, ecosystems in which they exist, and biological services these organisms provide for life to adapt to changing environmental conditions throughout history.  It would be foolish not to save as much as we can of the already dwindling amount of biological diversity we have on this planet.  We often do not know how important something is before it is gone altogether.

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Christmas!!!

We finally got our Christmas decorations up last night– just in time for me to leave this morning!!  I’m going to be out of town until next Tuesday, so I won’t get to enjoy our decorations for a while, but at least I’ll come home to a warm, holiday home…

For now, I’m pretty happy to be in Kansas! I’ve got TWO radio stations playing holiday music, and my grandma is watching Fa-la-la-la Lifetime on TV. Definitely feels like the holidays here, too.

Travel days are always a bit confusing on my system. I woke up at 5:30 am to get to the airport, and I rode all the way there with this little girl on my lap:

She is always SO sad when I leave…  she usually lays right next to my suitcase the night before my business trips, so that I don’t forget about her! Poor girl.   At least she had a fun ride to the airport this morning, and I’m sure she kept my husband company on the way home. They’re probably throwing a house-party together as we speak.

The airport was a mad-house this morning, with everyone coming home from their Thanksgiving trips. Fortunately, LAX is pretty efficient at dealing with mass chaos. Once I got through security, I bought some magazines:

Can you believe Oprah’s news?? It will be hard to imagine daytime TV without Oprah… but 25 years is a lot for her, I’m sure!!

I had an iced green tea from Starbucks while I waited to board my flight:

As well as a bottle of water:

I always bring a bottle of water with me on airplanes, because I don’t like drinking airplane water. (and it’s so dry in those cabins!!) I love the taste of Aquafina (it’s like crack to me!) and I like being able to put a lid on my water so I don’t knock it over if I fall asleep!

Speaking of… I had a great nap on my flight today– I woke up when we landed! Perfect.

Now I’m off to the mall, for some last-minute shopping before I have to work tomorrow! Hope you all have a great Sunday!!

Just a reminder: Today and tomorrow are the last days to help Katie and her Operation Chocolate Covered Kindness! Visit her blog and click around to help her raise money for The Enough Project!!

]]> http://emilymueller143.wordpress.com/2009/11/29/beauty-from-pain/ Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:37:38 +0000 emilymueller143 http://emilymueller143.wordpress.com/2009/11/29/beauty-from-pain/

A little deviation before I begin – It’s my birthday today! Celebrating 19 years on this earth!

And now down the real topic.  For thanksgiving this year, I traveled with my family the Washington D.C. to visit some extended family. To avoid a ridiculously long drive, we took a flight out of Dayton and into Baltimore.  On the flight, I was served my complimentary sprite and pretzels, and as I was opening the package, I noticed these funny instructions on the back -

Now, in case you can’t read this, the bag is giving you “Instructions on How to Eat Your ‘Gourmet’ Pretzels” -

1. Think about our wonderful low airfares at Airtran.com as you open the package

2.Place a pretzel in the mouth. With each crunch, be reminded of our low air fares.

3.As you swallow, remember again just how low the fares are.

4.Repeat until pretzel packet is empty.

5.Keep empty packet to remind yourself to book at airtran.com for our lowest fares and no booking fees.

I chuckled to myself, mildly amused by the package, until I opened it up and placed a pretzel in my mouth. Then I realized why they had them – these had to be the nastiest pretzels that I have ever eaten.  They were stale, tasteless, dry, and had a vaguely revolting aftertaste.  It tasted like someone had ground up cardboard, shaped it into a pretzel, thrown some salt on it, and threw it in a pretzel bag.  Yes, I was definitely getting what I paid for by taking the economy flight.  Those instructions were there to help you stomach the nastiness.  You pretty much had to focus on how much money you’d saved in order to squint your eyes and swallow that stale paste.

After I’d thrown down the bag of pretzels, I was using the time on the flight to read my Bible and pray.  I was praying rather desperately, because my home life is not the best. I have a strained relationship with my parents and sisters because of my choice to depart from the denomination that I was raised, and my family has just never been close in any case.  Harsh words and arguing are more common than encouragement  or gentleness.  Being home is a great struggle for me, and because of the way that OU works, I’m home for six weeks for break.  I was asking God the same question over and over – “God, how will I do this? I’m not strong enough to do this. How will I get through this?” Now here is where you have to give the Holy Spirit some credit, because he never fails to take advantage of what is already around us to teach us and answer us.  I heard my answer come. “Like that.” My eyes fell on the pretzel package. “Um, excuse me. Like what?” “Like that,” he replied again. “Just like that.”  I looked at it and I understood.

Life can’t always be great.  Sometimes, you’re eating oreo cream pie, and sometimes your eating cardboard pretzels.  Right now, I’m eating cardboard pretzels. And yes, it stinks. I hate it.  But it’s what God has given me, and I can endure.  Even if I have to remind myself with each bite “My faithfulness will be rewarded.  God will provide.”, I will get through this. I have a much greater reward than low air fare – I have the gift of Jesus, a complete fellowship with God, and the hope of an eternal life with Him.

And because of that I don’t want to simply get through it – I want to rejoice my way through it.  I’m isolated from my family, I don’t have a home church, and all of my friends live far away. But I now have six weeks to focus on God!  I think it must be the greatest triumph in the world, and the greatest loss for the Devil, when one of God’s children blesses, praises, and rejoices in Him even when life is awful.  As David Crowder Band says – “Dance, when you’re wounded! Dance, when you’re torn in two! Dance, when you’re broken open! Dance, you’ve got nothing to lose!”

I’ll leave with a song that I’ve been listening to a lot lately, as it reflects what I feel perfectly. “Beauty from Pain”, by Superchick. I trust that God will use the immense pain I’m going through right now for good. “You will bring beauty from pain”.

Σήμερα Σάββατο 28 Νοεμβρίου 2009 συνεχίστηκαν οι “επιχειρήσεις αεροψεκασμών” σχεδόν πάνω από όλη την Ελλάδα. Ειδικά πάνω από την βορειοανατολική Ελλάδα έγιναν μαζικοί αεροψεκασμοί, στην υπόλοιπη Ελλάδα έγιναν συστηματικοί αεροψεκασμοί. Η καθημερινότητα συνεχίζεται και χαμπάρι δεν παίρνει κανένας. Τα Chemtrails είναι αλήθεια.

Πηγή: http://notrailscontrailschemtrails.blogspot.com/

Flying in 3 weeks time with my girls to spend Christmas with my parents and brother on the Gold Coast.

I’ve never flown on my own with both girls. Generally one or the other will meltdown during a flight, usually I have another adult with me so it is easy to deal with… well easy for inflight meltdown.

I’m pondering making up some little business cards explaining my kids are on the spectrum and asking for patience and understanding….. and some packets of disposable earplugs. Then if a meltdown does occur I can just hand the card and earplugs over to anyone sitting near us.

Not sure how to word the card, I don’t want to give too much info but want to give enough so the people understand. I wouldn’t hand them out unless meltdowns were in progress, I don’t think random strangers need to know about my kids being on the spectrum unless it is impacting on them.

See meltdowns are a bad time to be talking to the girls, Heidi in particular needs me to be quiet and just provide her with the right sensory input, darkness, silence, squishes, whatever. Annie usually has to cry herself out without physical contact until she has calmed enough for hugs and logical discussion.

I remember reading somewhere about traveling with kids who are melting down inflight, one suggestion was that you will get more sympathy from fellow travelers if you appear to be trying to calm your child. It doesn’t matter if what you are doing is effective or not – and frankly how is a stranger going to know – so long as you look like you are trying to fix the problem. That makes sense and if it diverts antagonism away from my girls I’m happy to play that game.

But I’m also thinking of ways I can educate fellow travelers and make them feel more at ease. Particularly those in the seats close to us.

Which reminds me I had a brilliant idea of getting sleeping mask for Heidi’s eyes something that could block out all visual sensory input.

Should I be asking the Qantas people for assistance? Word up the flight crew before hand?

Me and Dytastic are off on our adventures of the Far East this week, but just to let you know we’re not living a glamourous jet-set lifestyle, here are our list of the worst things about long-haul traveling.

1: Gourmet It Ain’t

Plane food is bad 99% of the time, that is a fact of life. Mostly it can be quietly ignored, but when you’re stuck on a plane for 14 hours you really should try to eat something. I know models always say “plane food is bad because its so starchy/salty/fatty” whatever, but the truth is plane food is a hell of a lot harder on your tastebuds than your body. Mystery meat with sticky gravy and soggy vegetables anyone? Or how about scrambled eggs boiled in water with crunchy pieces of…is that supposed to be ham? Perhaps you’d prefer the vegetarian choice of pasta mush with vegetable crunch?

2: Style Goes Out The Window

I never used to understand how celebrities could look so stylish in airports, I mean how did Posh Spice and Kate Moss look so darn fresh and fashionable when I always looked like I’d been dragged through a hedge backwards? Then of course, I realised that these people don’t fly economy. There’s your explanation. For us mere mortals who have to slum it in economy, looking good and being comfortable are like oil and water. I though I had it pegged with leggings and some sort of slouchy tunic top thing, but then I had to start wearing plane socks out of necessity, and let me tell you, leggings are darn hard to slide over those babies. I bet Kate Moss doesn’t have to wear plane socks.

3: Cirque de Contortionist

Long-haul cabins are usually one comfort level below your average coach service. I mean, you have to sit up straight until the person behind you has finished his meal, and you better hope the person in front of you has the same common courtesy in store for you. If you want to go to the toilet, best wait until food service is finished, but don’t wait too long in case the guy next to you falls asleep. Better hurry too, in case said guy has fallen asleep by the time you get back, which leaves you no option but to silently climb over him. Sod’s law dictates that the moment your ass is directly in line with his face he will wake up. Then when you want to go to sleep yourself, you’ll probably find that the guy behind you is the jolly green giant, and you can’t lean your seat back. I guess it doesn’t matter anyway, since the only chance you have in hell of going to sleep is either a slightly-higher-than-recommended dose of sleeping pills or if the air stewardess accidentally-on-purpose drops a piece of hand luggage on your head.

4: Desert Dry

Air inside the cabin of an airplane is about as good for your skin as sandpaper, and that about describes the feeling in your lungs after about 30 minutes too. Newsflash: not all airlines provide water bottles for economy class passengers, only the nice ones do (the rest will burn in hell). Some airlines have “solved” this by leaving water bottles in the galley for people to help themselves, but then you are back to the old contortionist tricks, because by now the guy next to you has for sure gone to sleep and is snoring like hell. Bringing your own can be an option, unless you’re at one of those gates with a security check outside it so that the water bottle you had so cleverly remembered to bring is waaay above the 100 ml limit.

5: Kids in Business

There is nothing worse than boarding a flight and heading back to economy and then passing a pint-sized child wallowing in space in a nice, soft, cushiony business class seat. Those things have ample space in economy for chrissake! I get that as a parent you’d quite like your child to sit next to you on a flight, but the mere sight depresses the hell out of me. But then again, if you are surrounded by screaming kids in economy, why not let the business class passengers share in that joy too….?

Σήμερα Παρασκευή 27 Νοεμβρίου 2009 γίνονται μαζικοί αεροψεκασμοί πάνω από την Θεσσαλονίκη και πάνω από όλη την Ελλάδα. Από τις πρώτες πρωινές ώρες τα αεροπλάνα άρχισαν τις “επιχειρήσεις αεροψεκασμών” πάνω από την Βόρεια Ελλάδα και μέσα σε λίγες ώρες άλλαξαν την όψη ολόκληρου του ουρανού, γεμίζοντας τον με τεχνητές χημικές αραιές νεφώσεις. Στην Αττική οι “επιχειρήσεις αεροψεκασμών” άρχισαν μετά τις δώδεκα. Δείτε στο 2:36 πως το αεροπλάνο άρχισε να εκπέμπει μεγάλη χημική γραμμή. Οι μεγάλες γραμμές που βλέπουμε δεν είναι τα παγωμένα καύσιμα, αλλά αυτό που παγώνει και εξαπλώνεται είναι το χημικό ψεκάσιμο υλικό. Αν ήταν τα τυχόν παγωμένα καύσιμα όπως θέλουνε να πιστεύουμε, τότε καθημερινά μέρα και νύχτα θα υπήρχαν εκατοντάδες μεγάλες γραμμές και ο ουρανός θα ήταν συνέχεια “συννεφιασμένος”. Τα τυχόν καύσιμα χάνονται μέσα σε 15 με 30 δευτερόλεπτα ανάλογα με την ταχύτητα του αεροπλάνου (Contrails). Αν μένουν και εξαπλώνονται, είναι το χημικό ψεκάσιμο υλικό (Chemtrails). Απαιτούμε επιτέλους από το όποιο ελληνικό δημόσιο να μας πει τι είδους πειράματα γίνονται πάνω από την χώρα μας. Οι “επιχειρήσεις αεροψεκασμών” η Chemtrails είναι πραγματικότητα.

Πηγή: http://notrailscontrailschemtrails.blogspot.com/

Flanker para o Equador ?

O presidente equatoriano Rafael Correa irá a Moscou para discutir compra de armas, em especial a compra de vários helicópteros e sistemas de defesa aérea incluindo no pacote mísseis IGLA. Fontes militares equatorianas dão conta que deverá ser formalizada à compra de mais dois helicópteros Mi-17 que devem se juntar as três outras aeronaves recebidas ano passado. (Nota do Blog especula-se que o Equador poderia devolver os helicópteros indianos Dhruv caso se comprove que o acidente ocorrido foi motivado por uma falha irreparável no projeto da aeronave)

Fontes ligadas a Rosoboronexport dão conta que espera-se que o Equador efetive a intenção de compra de seis caças Sukhoi Su-30MK2 Flanker (com opção de mais seis) o que elevaria o “pacote” de financiamento para mais de 200 milhões de dolares.

Mas tanta cortesia por parte dos russos tem um preço. Os Russos esperam que o Equador reconheça a independência da Abkhazia e Ossétia do Sul (regiões antes pertencentes a Geórgia). Uma fonte do Ministério Russo de Negócios Estrangeiros disse que o Equador deverá anunciar oficialmente a sua posição durante a visita do Presidente Equatoriano.

By Vinna com informações do Ria Novosti, Argenpress e Pravda

Austrália recebe dois Boeing 737 AEW&C

 

Fonte: Revista Asas

A fabricante de aeronaves Boeing entregou ontem à Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF, força aérea australiana), os dois primeiros B-737 AEW&C (de alerta antecipado e controle), numa cerimônia organizada na Base Aérea de Williamtown.

Com a entrega dessas duas aeronaves, os pilotos e técnicos da RAAF vão utilizar agora o Operacional Flight Trainer, Operational Mission Simulator e o Mission Support System, o que vai permitir uma excelente familiarização com os sistemas operacionais da aeronave, modos de voos e capacidades dos equipamentos eletrônicos embarcados nos B-737 AEW&C.

Outras três aeronaves serão entregues até o final de 2010, incluindo o exemplar que será modernizado com as configurações finais dos sistemas AEW&C e de suporte de medidas eletrônicas (SME). Até o início de 2011, toda a frota de B-737 da RAAF terão os sistemas finais de AEW&C e SME instalados.

Os B-737 da RAAF formam construídos utilizando a plataforma do B-737-700, aeronave de médio porte comercial de sucesso da Boeing. As aeronaves possuem um potente radar multifuncional de varredura eletrônica, que são controlados por técnicos através de 10 consoles avançados instalados no interior da aeronave, capazes localizar simultaneamente alvos aéreos e marítimos. Além de realizar missões vigilância, controle aéreo e patrulha, os aviões também são capazes de realizar operações de guerra eletrônica.

Συνεχίζονται και σήμερα Τετάρτη 25 Νοεμβρίου 2009, οι “επιχειρήσεις αεροψεκασμών” πάνω από όλη την Ελλάδα. Τα αεροπλάνα με τις μεγάλες χημικές γραμμές (chemtrails) που ψεκάζουν, δημιουργούνται τεχνητές χημικές αραιές νεφώσεις που καλύπτουν τον γαλανό ουρανό, και σταδιακά πέφτουνε προς το έδαφος όπου και τα αναπνέουμε. Η καθημερινότητα συνεχίζεται και χαμπάρι δεν παίρνει κανένας. Τα Chemtrails η ψεκασμοί ή όπως θέλετε πείτε τα είναι αλήθεια.

Πηγή: http://notrailscontrailschemtrails.blogspot.com/

Mr. David Archuleta is spending Thanksgiving in an airplane! No fair!He needs a very thick blanket, or anything that can keep him warm. Which reminds me of this…

What a cutieee! I hope it’s just a short trip though.

On this Thanksgiving Day, as I peruse the sale ads for the perfect Bluray player to shop for on Black Friday, I’d like to take a moment to remember and give thanks for VHS tapes.  And more specifically, the beloved nude scenes from VHS tapes that left an indelible mark in my memory.  I’m well aware that the movies from which these scenes originate have since been transferred to newer, better formats but on what Bluray disc can you fit 3, count them 3! feature-length feature films recorded in EP from HBO in the middle of the night? (Or, before the days of copy-protection dubbed from one VHS deck to another.) Who prefers the crystal-clear picture and sound of DVD to the blurry bliss of a desperately worn-out VHS copy of “Revenge of the Nerds”, with matching sun-faded box art?! And who needs chapter markers? When I was 13, I had every R-rated VHS tape in my collection queued up just seconds from the “good parts” and that served me just fine. So on this Turkey Day, I’d like to pay tribute to fond memories from a different era in home entertainment.  Here are some of my favorite “SCinemax” moments from the VHS years:
The Random knockers from “Airplane!”

Beverly D’Angelo taking a shower in “National Lampoon’s Vacation”

And the gaggle of naked executioners scene from “Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life”

So what are some of your favorite VHS moments?

August 29^th

I was in Vancouver. There was a layer of ash over everything. There was snow in the background, in the mountains.

September 1^st

I was living next to an odd river. I was upset it was fake. It was somewhere up north. I went into the river, it had no water. They always turned off the water in the Fall. I was standing in it, when suddenly someone turned on the water again. I was stuck in the river. There was a child following me.

September 6^th

I was in a strange mall. I wanted to get a camera. It was a Canon and it folded up to be tiny and could be carried on a key ring, but still had all the available features.

September 7^th

I was stuck in a mall. I couldn’t leave. One of the stores was closing down, so I stole something. There was a priest there. My car fell off a bridge into the water. I saw the word horseman.

September 13^th

I was on a boat. There was a swamp we were going through. There were weird animals in the swamp, including a huge snake. I had to meet some strange man named Richard at a coffee shop.

September 15^th

I was at a school reunion. Things were strange, I got lost. Every store was having a huge sale. Staci, a girl from school, had become a missionary. Suddenly, I was at a water park. I had to walk over a huge hole full of water to get to the rides. There was a couple that kept insisting that Ted Kennedy was still alive.

September 16^th

I was with a strange, unknown woman. We were both looking at a map of North America. We were looking at places we thought should have waterfront property, creating floods. We were concentrating on the North. There was a judge living with her son in that area, for some reason we thought it should be flooded.

September 20^th

I was in a mall in Washington DC, with another girl. She was modeling clothes. We were trying to steal tea. Suddenly, I was with Laura Bush. She was talking about her kayak that could fit in the bathtub. We were working on a calendar, I was walking a dog. The dog was trying to eat a poisonous plant, I wouldn’t let him. I tried to eat the plant.

September 23^rd

I was at some sort of auditorium with Laura Bush, GW Bush and Obama. There was something wrong, something sad was happening. I was trying to help Laura Bush. I was showing her my cat.

September 26^th

I was standing on a hill, watching the sea. There were a lot of people on the beach, having fun. A huge wave came out of nowhere. People went into the water and drowned. There was a car in the water. It was like a toy and got swept out to sea.

September 29^th

I was in an airplane with a strange man who had wild brown hair and a wild beard. We were trying to get over the international dateline, but we were having problems.

October 3^rd

There was a man, somewhere in the Middle East, amongst Arabs. He was not Arabic. He was walking through a very poor village. He got in a small plane to pilot it, it crashed in water. He lived, but had too many secrets. He had a pill, took it, and died. He was in very shallow water.

October 9^th

I was riding a bike along the South American coast, something was wrong, the atmosphere was all weird and a hole opened up in the sky.

October 12^th

I was in Africa. There was terrible flooding. I was trying to get to places on a bus. People kept trying to get into my backpack and steal things.

October 26^th

I was looking at a floor, it was ruined by water and age. There was American money all over the place, but it was moldy and in bad shape. People were trying to grab the money, but it fell apart in their hands.

October 27^th

I was in an old house, getting ready to move. Satan was changing bodies, he was in a little boy. My parents old buffet had stuff in it. Things were empty all over the Quad Cities, all the stores were closed. One of the parks had weeds and plant growth all over it, like nobody had taken care of it. People were gone.

Seating Comfort Fail

Picture by: dunno source Submitted by: dunno source via Fail Uploader

Sitting between two Sumo wrestlers from the larger parts of Japan, I’m flying from LAX to SLC to spend this holiday with my familyand friends. It’s uncomfortable as hell, but some things are simply worth the hassle.

This is of course, one of them, but I’m planning on holding my expression of appreciation for the hassle until I’m no longer a head jammed between two separate sets of shoulders. Visualize a bowling ball stuck in a very narrow alleyway, halfway up from the street.

I’m actually grateful for the opportunity to be flying home as I was teaching today until 4:00 and didn’t leave for LAX at 3:00 as planned. A student who’d sworn up and down that she wouldn’t be later than noon showed up at 1:30 and we didn’t get into the sky until 3:00, about the same time I’d meant to leave for LAX.  But…I’m also incredibly grateful for the opportunity to teach.  In fact, it means more to me than ever. I’ll never be a world competitor-level skydiver again, and I’ll never be able to keep up with the twenty-somethings that can kick my ass backwards from Monday. But I do love the thrill of teaching, and will do so until the day I’m wormfodder.

Getting to LAX was stressful (LA traffic is usually about as relaxing as dodging seagull poop bombs falling on a busy pier) and true to form, the hurriedier I go, the behinder I get. The 91 freeway North had an accident. And of course, so did the 110. AND the 105. I needed to be at the airport by 5:30 to catch my flight, and at 6:15 I was pulling into the long-term parking lot. Not a good omen.

I’m grateful to a friend for talking me through the drive and keeping me calm while I was contemplating jumping out of my truck and screaming “I’ve got a temper and I’m not afraid to use it!” and hoping that would clear traffic ahead. That could have begun a bad day… Thankfully, my flight was magically delayed and I got through security just in time to catch the flight, even though it had been delayed by 30 minutes. Glad for the “no baggage” thing.

So back to the two Sumo wrestlers and the unmentioned guy across the aisle….

The gentleman seated across from me is having a discussion with his wife about “regifting” and how horrid it is, “how could anyone do such a thing?” What makes this eavesdropping really uncomfortable is that in order to listen in, I’m practically nose to nipple with the oversized man-boob of the 350 pounder sitting next to me. And I don’t want to rile him any (he’s sleeping, or pretending to be. Or maybe his eyelids are simply as overweight as he is, I’m not sure). But…the conversation is one I’d really like to jump into. We’ve all received weird gifts in the past, right? Yet my plane-mate is proclaiming that re-gifting is right up there with cheating at cards, taking the quarters from your daughter’s pile of tip change, or thumbing through Cosmo in the checkout line (it’s a Utah thing….)

Hmmm…I for one, don’t have a lot of use for the gallon of  Old Spice that I received for Christmas one year. And the Chia Pet head of George W. Bush? It’s either gonna get round-filed or handed off to someone as a joke gift, or maybe as repayment for the strip monopoly game I got for my 40^th birthday. Either way…it seems a shame to throw away a gift that is still shrink-wrapped. I’d return it, but the day after Christmas, Walmart immediately lowered the Chia-head of the president from 49.99 to 2.99. It  wasn’t worth the gas cost to drive to the store’s return department.

Which brings me to another reason I like re-gifting; Return Departments. Have you ever braved one the day after Christmas?

I’m thinking that the French had a better time of it against the English Armada.
Very Large People In Polyester fighting for space in an area smaller than most corrals,  these anti-regifters sound akin to braying donkeys as they argue with return clerks about why they should get regular price for something they’re returning even though the post-Christmas price is 90% off of whatever it was paid for. It was a gift, it cost them NOTHING! Whatever happened to “It’s the thought that counts?”

Duh…it’s also a new profit program, right? Mark up an item 150% of cost, then discount it by 50% of the retail price, which still engenders a profit margin of 50%, then discount it by 90something percent the day after the holiday and still clear a minimal profit for the fast turnaround.

It’s amazing the crap people will buy in the Christmas buying frenzy. Honestly….how many of your friends really NEED a Ped-Egg, and how many of them are wondering if they have funky feet and you’re trying to be diplomatic with your gift?  When I got a gallon of Old Spice, I found my insecurities wondering if I smelled so badly that only a worser smell could mask the olfactory offensives?  That  24 pack of battery-operated personal fans…let it sit right where it will be the day after Christmas. Honest. I don’t want/need one. Although they could be fun in freefall….Hmmmm….. Silly String is really fun in free fall too.

Back to reality here tho; I am a grateful person. This year, I’ve learned more about life than I had in the previous lifetime. If I were a cat, I’ve used up eight of my nine. I’m gonna make this last one count. I’m grateful for the thoughts sent my way, and I’m grateful for all the love and support sent my way. I’m appreciative of the cards, letters, emails….and I’m gonna re-gift them all. I promise, if you sent me some love, some support, a card, a happy thought, I’m going to re-gift it and pass it along.

Re-wrapped, of course.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from my very humble trailer in Lake Elsinore, California.

Συνεχίζονται και σήμερα Τρίτη 24 Νοεμβρίου 2009 οι “επιχειρήσεις αεροψεκασμών” πάνω από όλη την Ελλάδα. Τα αεροπλάνα κάνουν ειδικές πτήσεις πέρα-δώθε και εκπέμπουν μεγάλες χημικές γραμμές (Chemtrails) που στην συνέχεια δημιουργούνται τεχνητά αραιά χημικά νέφη να απλώνουν στον γαλανό ουρανό και σταδιακά να πέφτουν προς το έδαφος, όπου και τα αναπνέουμε. Τι είδους “πειράματα” γίνονται πάνω στον ουρανό; και γιατί κάποιος αρμόδιος δεν παίρνει θέση πάνω στο θέμα των Chemtrails; Τα Chemtrails η Χημικές ουρές ή όπως θέλετε πείτε τα, είναι πραγματικότητα.

Πηγή: http://notrailscontrailschemtrails.blogspot.com/

see you soon.

OUT NOW: Another cool, funky and jazzy take on the song mix, Slim K “(Move & Dance) Burn The Disco: L.A. Nightflight Edition” by Marcel Agterhuis (Netherlands). For all my Friends, Supporters and Fans of Good Music; Here’s another remix release and You just don’t have the time to go to iTunes — I have made it easy for YOU “once again” to go and get it for ONLY $0.99; and then PLEASE spread the Word on your pages; Write a review IF You Like It?! Any feedback is much appreciated ;=)
One more last Remix release is coming within the next couple of weeks, stay tuned! iTunes Link HERE

design by Slim Khezri

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The Neocon Republican Terrorist vision of a divided and segregated America, where everybody that is not a white Anglo-saxon Christian is considered cannon fodder and trash, is coming to fruition. It is reminiscent of the reaction to the new population of freed slaves that the white former slave masters had after they were soundly defeated in the Civil War by the Union army.

This is the period in our history called Reconstruction where,for a decade after the Civil War,blacks gained political power, and some attained financial wealth as well.

During Reconstruction, southern whites turned violent when they saw blacks making major gains.

 Reconstruction was followed in the South by domination by the Democratic Party and the enactment of Jim Crow laws, grandfather clauses and similar measures. The bitterness and repercussions from the heated conflicts of the era lasted well into the twentieth century.

Read more about the Reconstruction era here… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconstruction_era_of_the_United_States 

Southern state governments quickly enacted the restrictive “black codes“. However, they were abolished in 1866 and seldom had effect, because the Freedman’s Bureau (not the local courts) handled the legal affairs of freedmen.

The Black Codes indicated the plans of the southern whites for the former slaves.^[24] The freedmen would have more rights than did free blacks before the war, but they still had only a limited set of second-class civil rights, no voting rights, and, since they were not citizens, they could not own firearms, serve on a jury in a lawsuit involving whites or move about without employment.^[25] The Black Codes would limit blacks’ ability to control their own employment. The Black Codes outraged northern opinion. They were overthrown by the Civil Rights Act of 1866 that gave the Freedmen full legal equality (except for the right to vote).^[26

 There were many reported murders of blacks in the south during reconstruction, but many killings of blacks went unreported, and by all accounts, millions upon millions of African-Americans were killed by the hands of bitter southerners, as reported in this account taken from Wikipedia by a soldier visiting from the North...

The number of murders and assaults perpetrated upon Negroes is very great; we can form only an approximate estimate of what is going on in those parts of the South which are not closely garrisoned, and from which no regular reports are received, by what occurs under the very eyes of our military authorities. As to my personal experience, I will only mention that during my two days sojourn at Atlanta, one Negro was stabbed with fatal effect on the street, and three were poisoned, one of whom died.

In todays modern post-racial world, we have organizations and groups that have a mission to keep track of, and to investigate the existence of, the number of racially motivated,or bias motivated crimes against minorities,religious groups, gay Americans.

Currently, America is going through another Reconstruction like era,as we are experiencing the racial backlash of hatred based on the election of our first black president,Barack Obama.

The election of Barack has caused a rise in all forms of hate crimes, as well as the emergence of the Ku Klux Klan as a force to stoke the flames of hatred and encouraging physical action of violence against blacks, Gays, and all other religious groups that are not Christian.

What is most distressing is that the tide of racial violence is being egged on and financed by the foreigner Rupert Murdoch, and the entire Republican party,that at one time represented the opposite of what they believe in now.

For a group that, centuries ago, used to be the main supporter of civil rights, they currently are the main driving force behind this increasing tide of racism and bigotry that is the rage in most of the states in America.

The racist are moving from the south, and invading the once liberal California, in order to spread their southern tradition of hatred and illiteracy. Hate crimes based on sexual orientation shot up 21 percent in Los Angeles County last year, while religious crimes increased 14 percent, because the southern bigots have moved in.

The Daily News in Los Angeles reports that...in 2008  in the Valley,James Shamp, an African-American man who worked as a janitor at a bowling alley in Canoga Park, was shot to death as he was throwing out trash. According to the report, three members of the Canoga Park Alabama gang, which has a long history of violent anti-black crimes, were arrested and charged with murder and hate crime enhancements.

The San Fernando Valley had the most amount of hate crimes in the Los Angeles area.

"Whenever I look at a map of hate crimes, I find there is a great diversity of hate crimes that occur in the San Fernando Valley," said Robin Toma, executive director of the commission. "You have anti-Semitic hate crimes, homophobic hate crimes and racially motivated hate crimes. There is also the phenomena of racialized gang violence."

Sexual orientation hate crimes rose the most last year, with more than 80 percent targeting gay men and at least nine crimes traced to Proposition 8.

A report on a sexually motivated hate crime from the Daily News... A white lesbian couple walking hand-in-hand on the beach in Malibu. The mother of a white tourist family from Arkansas told them, "You are going to burn in hell!" and dumped her water bottle on one of them and punched one in the face...

Please keep that level of ignorance in Arkansas,...and my family is from Arkansas.

The election of the first black president and hot-button issues such as abortion and gay marriage contributed to the spikes, anti-bias groups say. Public figures like Sarah Palin and Glen Beck have done a lot to cause the current racial hatred that whites are visiting on all others.

The two of them have been quite effective when it come to rallying sympathy for groups like the KKK and the Nazis.

USA TODAY is reporting that the number of attacks on blacks increased 8% to 2,876, accounting for seven of every 10 race-motivated crimes.

"There is this kind of extremism going on," says Hilary Shelton, director of the NAACP Washington bureau. He says Obama's election and the recession led to a backlash against blacks as some people look for someone to blame for hard economic times. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-11-23-hate-crimes_N.htm

I say to the world, this is a good look at the so-called ''Post-Racial'' America, a country where race relations and the unity of the races has been usurped by the in vogue traditional American practice of racial bias,hatred and division.

Our country has been going through this cycle for well over a Hundred and 8o years, and by the looks of things, that sad tradition will continue.

What do we do to end this....will we come together, or will we have to resort to our primal instinct, where only the strong survive.

I think that based on 200 years of data and statistics, the tradition of racism is alive, well, and thriving in the United States, and that we are guilty of the same atrocities against humanity...our own people, that we so blatantly accuse our so-called enemies of doing to their minority populations.

We are all truly hypocrites.

Read more on this story from these trusted sources…

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/23/hate-crime-on-rise-gay-re_n_368276.html

http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_13829526

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2009/11/20/LA-sees-hike-in-certain-hate-crimes/UPI-95381258737529/