Song of the Week

"Milkshake" - Kelis

[Repeat x2]
My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard,
And their like
It's better than yours,
Damn right it's better than yours,
I can teach you,
But I have to charge

I know you want it,
The thing that makes me,
What the guys go crazy for.
They lose their minds,
The way I wind,
I think its time

[Chorus x2]
La la-la la la,
Warm it up.
Lala-lalala,
The boys are waiting

My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard,
And their like
It's better than yours,
Damn right it's better than yours,
I can teach you,
But I have to charge

I can see youre on it,
You want me to teach thee
Techniques that freaks these boys,
It can't be bought,
Just know, thieves get caught,
Watch if your smart,

[Chorus x2]
La la-la la la,
Warm it up,
La la-la la la,
The boys are waiting,

My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard,
And their like
It's better than yours,
Damn right it's better than yours,
I can teach you,
But I have to charge

Oh, once you get involved,
Everyone will look this way-so,
You must maintain your charm,
Same time maintain your halo,
Just get the perfect blend,
Plus what you have within,
Then next his eyes are squint,
Then he's picked up your scent,

[Chorus x2]
Lala-lalala,
Warm it up,
Lala-lalala,
The boys are waiting,

My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard,
And their like
It's better than yours,
Damn right it's better than yours,
I can teach you,
But I have to charge

Facebook

Everyone should join the social networking site facebook. I joined recently (in the past few months) and I have so much fun! I'm up to over 150 friends, all of whom I know or have known in real-life and many of whom are people I honestly never thought I would connect with again. I've found friends from my first elementary school, people I went to camp with, ex-boyfriends, long lost high-school chums, and junior high crushes!

You create an account on the site and then start searching for names once you've found someone you know you can add them as a friend and then see who they have as friends and add any of the people you know from their friends lists and so on. It's neat to see who knows who and how the world is inter-connected. I went to Bible College in Three Hills with a girl who dated a guy I work with now in Lethbridge. It's just bizzare some of the connections.

You can add photos, post notes, even set it up to get your blog fed directly to your profile. You can send gifts, add comments, poke friends, invite people, set up events, join groups & networks. Really the possiblities are endless, so join now! (and add me as your friend... ambeebear2@hotmail.com)

www.facebook.com

Word of the Day

(A sad but true assessment of the Internet-dependent generation... )

Urban Word of the Day
http://www.urbandictionary.com/

April 28, 2007: check your vitals

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=check+your+vitals&defid=2374385

To check your email, myspace, facebook, blog, and/or any daily essential websites.

Check your vitals.

Get off the computer, whore. I need to check my vitals.

Hey, wanna go get something to eat?
Sure, but lemme finish checkin' my vitals first.

Word of the Day

(the position I currently find myself in...)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

April 27, 2007: free-timer

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=free-timer&defid=2209102

like a part-timer or a full-timer, but one major difference, a free-timer has no job. they have a lot of free time, so they are therefore a free-timer.

kaatisu: so, what do you do during the week?

girl in club: oh, im a free-timer.

Moving Day!

Hey all,
As many of you know, and some don't, I've had a rough time of it the past few months. I've had a hard-time making ends meet, working two jobs to try and compensate, have had trouble with friends & boyfriend and all in all not been too fortunate. At the start of March I had to take sick leave, at the doctor's request, from work to try to find new employment as my current job was too stressful and causing me "undue stress and anxiety that was having adverse medical reprocutions". So I searched and searched and my luck did not improve and after a month of searching I was no closer to having a job than I had been a month before. On the advice of my therapist and my doctor I stayed on leave, but due to insurance denying my medical claim for leave and E.I. not kicking in I ran out of money and finally had to give it up and find a plan B.

So on that note... today I move to Ontario and back to my parents' for awhile to clear my head, try to find some employment, get some cash in the bank and get my life all sorted out again!

If you are of the praying sort pray for me and if you are not then think warm thoughts for me.

We'll see y'all when I reach Ontario.

Love,
Amby

25 Years on the Planet

Today marks the 25th anniversary of my mumby in a hospital room in labour with lil' ol' me.

This milestone is the first one to strike me as rather hard to hurdle. 18 was exciting what with being able to drink in Alberta (where I was moving to in September of that year). 19 marked drinking age in Ontario. 20 was a double-decade but not too terrible as I was at school and had a plan for the future. 21 of course marked drinking, gambling, smoking & all other forms or debauchery as legal all over the world! But now I find myself at 25.

25 is hard to swallow. I thought by this time I'd have more accomplished, probably something I should have been thinking about at all my other milestone birthdays, but as 25 seems so far away at 18 I wasn't concerned. I thought at 25 I'd be married have a baby or at least plans for one in the future, be graduated with a bachelor's degree and a job in my field, or at least a job that would lead to a career and own my own house, or at aleast rent one in a neighbourhood where I was happy.

Instead I find myself moving home to my parents, given I did get my degree I am far from married, no children (thank goodness due to the lack of marriage thing) and I certainly don't have anything close to a dream job, heck I don't even have a job at present! To top it off my stuff is all in a storage locker, not even in an ideal location.

I mean I know I have accomplished a lot that others at my age have not. I did graduate, I did move to another province for almost 7 years. I've been almost engaged at least twice. The problem now is getting back on track so that I don't find myself in this same situation at 30, which I know is going to be a dickens of a milestone for me if I'm not closer to accomplishments and goals than I am now.

3 Minute Management Course

This is another fwd I got awhile ago and it's really quite poignant...

3 Minute Management course

Lesson 1
A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing up her shower, when the doorbell rings. The wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs downstairs. When she opens the door, there stands Bob, the next-door neighbour. Before she says a word, Bob says, "I'll give you £800 to drop that towel." After thinking for a moment, the woman drops her towel and stands naked in front of Bob. After a few seconds, Bob hands her £800 and leaves. The woman wraps back up in the towel and goes back upstairs. When she gets to the bathroom, her husband asks, "Who was that?" "It was Bob the next door neighbour," she replies. "Great!" the husband says, "did he say anything about the £800 he owes me?"

Moral of the story:
If you share critical information pertaining to credit and risk with your shareholders in time, you may be in a position to prevent avoidable exposure.


Lesson 2
A priest offered a Nun a lift. She got in and crossed her legs, forcing her gown to reveal a leg. The priest nearly had an accident. After controlling the car, he stealthily slid his hand up her leg. The nun said," Father, remember Psalm 129?" The priest removed his hand. But, changing gears, he let his hand slide up her leg again. The nun once again said, "Father, remember Psalm 129?" The priest apologized "Sorry sister but the flesh is weak." Arriving at the convent, the nun went on her way. On his arrival at the church, the priest rushed to look up Psalm 129. It said, "Go forth and seek, further up, you will find glory."

Moral of the story:
If you are not well informed in your job, you might miss a great opportunity.


Lesson 3
A sales rep, an administration clerk, and the manager are walking to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp. They rub it and a Genie comes out. The Genie says, "I'll give each of you just one wish." Me first! Me first!" says the admin clerk. "I want to be in the Bahamas, driving a speedboat, without a care in the world." Puff! She's gone. Me next! Me next!" says the sales rep. "I want to be in Hawaii, relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina Coladas and the love of my life." Puff! He's gone. "OK, you're up," the Genie says to the manager. The manager says, "I want those two back in the office after lunch."

Moral of the story:
Always let your boss have the first say.


Lesson 4
An eagle was sitting on a tree resting, doing nothing. A small rabbit saw the eagle and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing?" The eagle answered: "Sure, why not." So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the eagle and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.

Moral of the story:
To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.


Lesson 5
A turkey was chatting with a bull. "I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree," sighed the turkey, "but I haven't got the energy." "Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?" replied the bull. They're packed with nutrients." The turkey pecked at a lump of dung, and found it actually gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree. The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally after a fourth night, the turkey was proudly perched at the top of the tree. He was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot him out of the tree.

Moral of the story:
Bullshit might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.


Lesson 6

A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into a large field. While he was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on him. As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, he began to realize how warm he was. The dung was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the bird d singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him.

Morals of the story:
1) Not everyone who shits on you is your enemy
2) Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your friend
3) And when you're in deep shit, it's best to keep your mouth shut!

This ends the 3-minute management course.

Neat Cell Phone Things

This is a fwd I got of some neat things cell phones can do, not sure if they work, but it'd be neat to try...

"Not sure if this is for Canada as well, but try it out and see...

This is worthwhile to read if you have a cellphone.

THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW YOUR CELL PHONE COULD DO.

There are a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies. Your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival. Check out the things that you can do with it:

FIRST Subject: Emergency
The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile; network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked.
Try it out.

SECOND Subject: Have you locked your keys in the car?
Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone: If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other "remote" for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk).

THIRD Subject: Hidden Battery Power
Imagine your cell battery is very low. To activate, press the keys *3370# your cell will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your cell next time.

FOURTH How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone?
To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your phone: * # 0 6 # A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. When your phone gets stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use/sell it either. If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.

FIFTH
Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 to $1.75 or more for 411 information calls when they don't have to. Most of us do not carry a telephone directory in our vehicle, which makes this situation even more of a problem. When you need to use the 411 information option, simply dial: (800) FREE 411, or (800) 373-3411 without incurring any charge at all. Program this into your cell phone now.


This is the kind of information people don't mind receiving, so pass it on to your family and friends."

Song of the Week

"Sunshine And Summertime" - Faith Hill

We?ve got bare foot ladies
and tricked out Mercedes
People getting crazy on the boulevard
We?ve got classic colas
and ice cold corona?s
and big pool parties in the back yard

I said

?heyyyyy, that?s the way we do it?
new friends and blue skies that never end.
?Heyyyyy, that?s the way we like it?
Good times, sunshine and summertime.

You?ll see straw sombreros
and t-top camero?s
Stereo?s blasting in the parking lot.
You?ll see rock hard bodies
and bikini hotties
and everybody?s got it goin? on,
and showing what they got.

?Heyyyyy, that?s the way we do it.?
New friends and blue skies that never end.
?Heyyyyy that?s the way we like it?
Good times, sunshine and summertime.

I said ?Hey everybody, can?t you feel the rhythm??
?Now, hey everybody, don?t you want to party??
?Hey everybody, can?t you feel the rhythm now??
?Hey everybody, don?t you want to party??

?heyyyyy, that?s the way we do it?
new friends and blue skies that never end.
?Heyyyyyy that?s the way we like it?
Good times, sunshine and summertime.

?heyyyyy, that?s the way we do it?
new friends and blue skies that never end.
?Heyyyyyy that?s the way we like it?
Good times, sunshine and summertime.

Good times, sunshine and summertime
Good times, sunshine and summertime

Word of the Day

(sad but true)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

April 22, 2007: globfrag

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=globfrag&defid=1281310

Coined word from [globalization] and [fragmentation]; as the world becomes more globalized with increasing technology and knowledge, more fragmentation occurs among individuals and societies.

You only need to look into a person's bedroom to realize the seriousness of globfrag. He is stuck on his computer 24/7 with instant knowledge from all over the globe at his fingertips, yet does not know what his family is up to.

Rate Your Doctor

This site allows you to rate your home doctor's performance as a MD. You can search by doctor's name or location and see what others have written about your doctor.

I found both my doctor here and my family doctor from Ontario, it's kind of neat to see what other's said and who feels the same way I do about the level of care received.

http://www.ratemds.com/canada/

Light Up Bras!!

OMG I want one!!

http://www.enlighted.com/pages/bras.shtml

Posting to Windows Live Blog

An e-mail I got the other day of interest:

"Did you know you can post blog entries to your Windows Live™ Space without leaving your Hotmail® inbox? That means you can share the latest events in your life, your thoughts and dreams with everyone you care about without cluttering their inboxes.

To set it up so you can blog from your Hotmail inbox:

* Click the "Edit Your Space" link in the top right of your Windows Live Space.
* Enable e-mail publishing from your space by going to Options > E-mail Publishing.
* Enter up to three e-mail addresses you want to use to publish blog entries of photos to your space.
* Choose whether you want to save blog entries in draft form or to publish them to your Space immediately.
* Save your preferences.

To send a blog entry from your Hotmail inbox to your Windows Live Space:

* Create a new blog entry in an e-mail.
* Enter the title of the blog entry in the subject field.
* Type the content of your blog entry in the message area.
* Click Send to post or save the entry in your space.

And that's all it takes! Your blog entry will be published in the blog module of your Windows Live Space."

Costco: the anti-walmart

This is an interesting article I found that compares Wal-Mart to Costco from the perspective primarily of investors and stockholders.

Some quotes of interest:

"The warehouse-club retailer 'has figured out the big, simple things': Hold down expenses and prices, treat employees well, make discount shopping fashionable and keep shareholders happy."

""Membership has its privileges." That slogan belongs to American Express, but it might better apply to Costco Wholesale, the leading warehouse-club operator in the U.S., whose determination to deliver value and innovative products to its 23 million members has made it one of the country's top retailers."

"By offering one-time specials like discounted Prada bags or Callaway golf clubs at individual outlets, Costco has created what it calls a "treasure-hunt" atmosphere in its stores."

"Costco is among a handful of retailers that has flourished despite Wal-Mart Stores' (WMT, news, msgs) onslaught; Wal-Mart's more downscale Sam's Club chain runs second to Costco. With its strong labor relations, low employee turnover and liberal benefits, Costco has been called the "anti-Wal-Mart." Its approach has paid dividends because Costco, based in Issaquah, Wash., hasn't encountered the same community resistance as Wal-Mart when it has sought to open stores."

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/CostcoTheAntiWalMart.aspx

Weighing In on City Planning

This article discusses how a city's layout can contribute to the health & fitness of it's occupants. I tend to agree with the writers of the article who argue that cities where more is closer to walking distance more people are likely to walk to those places as opposed to cities where strip malls away from residential areas make "keeping fit" more of a challenge.

Some quotes of interest:

"He and other researchers have evidence that associates health problems with urban sprawl, a loose term for humanmade landscapes characterized by a low density of buildings, dependence on automobiles, and a separation of residential and commercial areas. Frank proposes that sprawl discourages physical activity, but some researchers suggest that people who don't care to exercise choose suburban life. Besides working to settle that disagreement, researchers are looking at facets of urban design that may shortchange health. "

"a lot of people out there don't like urban sprawl, and those people are trying to hijack the obesity epidemic to further the smart-growth agenda [and] change how cities look."

"For decades, housing and population growth in U.S. suburban areas have outpaced those in city centers. Shifts in commuting patterns reflect the trend toward people residing at a sizable distance from where they work, shop, and play. According to U.S. Census data, the average commute lengthened from 22.4 minutes to 25.1 minutes between 1990 and 2000, and the proportion of workers walking or biking to work dropped by one-quarter. "

"Frank's team, like the other groups, found that areas with interspersed homes, shops, and offices had fewer obese residents than did homogeneous residential areas whose residents were of a similar age, income, and education. Furthermore, neighborhoods with greater residential density and street plans that facilitate walking from place to place showed below-average rates of obesity. "

http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20070120/bob9.asp

Song of the Week

"The Race is On" - Sawyer Brown

I feel tears wellin' up cold deep inside
like my heart's sprung a big break
and a stab of loneliness sharp and painful
that I may never shake

You might say that I was taking it hard
since you wrote me off with a call
But don't you wager that I'll hide in sarrow
when I may lay right down and bawl

Chorus

Now the race is on
and here comes pride in the backstretch
Heartaches goin' to the inside
My tears are holdin' back
They're tryin' not to fall
My hearts out of the runnin'
True love's scratched for another's sake
The race is on and it looks like heartaches
and the winner loses all

One day I ventured in love
never once suspectin' what the final result would be
and how I lived in fear of waking up each morning
finding that you're gone from me
There's ache and pain in my heart
for today was the one that I hated to face
Somebody new came up to win her
and I came out in second place

Chorus

Now the race is on
and here comes pride in the backstretch
Heartaches goin' to the inside
My tears are holdin' back
They're tryin' not to fall
My hearts out of the runnin'
True love's scratched for another's sake
The race is on and it looks like heartaches
and the winner loses all

Webby Awards 2007

The Webby Awards Nominees for 2007 were announced the other day:

http://webbyawards.com/webbys/current.php

Be sure and go vote for your favourites!

Might I suggest:

BEST USE OF VIDEO OR MOVING IMAGE:
House of Tomorrow http://www.entry-site.nl/webbyawards/houseoftomorrow/

BEST VISUAL DESIGN - AESTHETIC:
IKEA, Dream Kitchen http://demo.fb.se/e/ikea/dreamkitchen/site/default.html

GAMES:
American Dad vs. Family Guy Kung Fu http://adfg.fuelindustries.com/

GAMES-RELATED:
GameSpot http://www.gamespot.com/

HUMOR:
The Onion http://www.theonion.com/

MOVIE & FILM:
Shortbus Official Movie Site and Salon http://www.shortbusthemovie.com/

SOCIAL NETWORKING:
Facebook http://www.facebook.com

Dating Advice

This is an article from Canadian Living that I found particularly interesting. It's basically dating advice on where you should be focusing your energies and trust to stop ending up with the kind of dates you don't want.

"What's stopping you from finding a good partner? How to avoid bad dates and broken hearts
Do you attract one louse after another? End the cycle by placing trust in the right hands so you can go on better dates and end up in healthy relationships
By Dr. Marion Goertz

We are designed to be "relational" beings, yet we receive some of our greatest joy and also some of our deepest wounding in relationships. Many of us don't "do" relationships well. We make the same poor choices again and again, thinking somehow that we'll find true love at the end of a long, dark tunnel. Some of us may be wise about guarding our investments, even our time, but fail miserably at guarding our hearts.

Trust is key
We need people in our lives to affirm, support and challenge us. We need calm, trusted voices that speak in love and truth to stop harmful habits and launch new, healthier ones. We need the mirrors of self and social reality held up to inform and shape lives that are honorable and honoring. So how then do we identify and manage those relationships that go way beyond providing the challenges that make life interesting and move into territory that can be either unsafe or even insane? Trust yourself and those closest to you -- here's how:

1. Trust your head
Listen to what people are saying when they speak -- don't edit or give them the benefit of the doubt without clarifying true intent. Believe them when they reveal negative qualities and decide whether you can live with them or not. Forget about trying to fix them later. Distrust flattery that is accompanied with an attempt to control or manipulate you. Notice self-centredness and be cautious about broken promises. Use your head and accept that you are not meant to be friends with everyone you meet and that you certainly aren't meant to date them, either.

2. Trust your heart
A partner's mean talk that bruises your spirit comes from a place so dark and deep that you could die trying to change it. Many victims of domestic abuse were conned by spouses who appealed to their need to rescue a wounded soul. Trained professionals are the only ones who should engage with profoundly wounded people who are actively trying to pass their pain on to others. If you have asked your partner for greater respect and the attitude doesn't change, wish them well, head for the door and don't look back.

3. Trust your gut
Your intuition, your sixth sense, is worth developing. Is there a huge gap between what you are being told and what you are actually seeing and sensing with your partner? Check that out. Forget about not wanting to offend someone. Call him or her on bad behaviour and bad vibes. Check out your perceptions and reactions with others that you know and trust. In short, don't give a player another minute of your precious time.

4. Trust friends
Listen and learn when the people closest to your potential date make them the butt of jokes. Drinking too much, being perpetually unemployed and the like should be major deal breakers for you. Run far away before you become a part of that sad, unfunny picture.

5. Trust your spiritual barometer
Do you believe that life is guided by a higher power? A bigger purpose than for just your own happiness? Partner choice can go a long way toward helping or hindering your ability to live out the destiny meant for you. Be reflective and meditative, listening wisely for the unsettled disquiet or all-out anxiety that a particularly ill-suited companion might evoke in you. If you tolerate unacceptable behaviour because you can't live without someone, you're DUI -- dating under the influence -- of guileless body chemicals rather than a benevolent guiding life force. Time for a course correction!

6. Trust your kids
Don't make your kids your confidants around adult matters, but listen to what they say and notice their reactions to people and situations. Talk with them about both their unease and their too speedy familiarity with someone new in their life. There may be some "mouth of babes" wisdom that you would be wise to heed. Sadly, there are predators who will try to get close to you in order to get at your kids.

7. Trust your dog
Kids and dogs often have a heightened awareness of the good and evil in people. Mild jealousy is to be expected when you introduce a new love to a family pet; however, lock the doors on anyone who causes Fido to growl or bare his teeth and pay attention if your pet's negative reaction is out of character or extends beyond the first couple of meetings."


http://www.canadianliving.com/canadianliving/client/en/Health/SpecialDetailNews.asp?idNews=236524&pg=1&idsm=420&special=1

Citizen Kane in Popular Culture

This was just an interesting Wikipedia article I came upon. It's a list of all the references to "Citizen Kane" in popular culture.

The ones I'm familiar with are of course the 8 Simpsons episodes that make some reference & references in Family Guy. LOL.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_Kane_in_popular_culture

The Easter Bunny

Some info on the origin of the Easter Bunny from Wikipedia:

"Origins
Eggs, like rabbits and hares, are fertility symbols of extreme antiquity; since birds lay eggs and rabbits and hares give birth (to large litters) in the early spring, these became symbols of the rising fertility of the earth at the Vernal Equinox.

The saying "mad as a March Hare" refers to the wild caperings of hares as the males fight over the females in the early spring, then attempt to mate with them. Since the females often rebuff the males' advances before finally succumbing, the mating behavior often looks like a crazy dance; these fights led early observers to believe that the advent of spring made the hares "mad". Rabbits and hares are both lagomorphs; they are prolific breeders. The females can conceive a second litter of offspring while still pregnant with the first (the two are born separately); this phenomenon is known as superfetation. Lagomorphs mature sexually at an early age and can give birth to several litters a year (hence the saying, "to breed like bunnies"). It is therefore not surprising that rabbits and hares should become fertility symbols, or that their springtime mating antics should enter into Easter folklore; however, the notion of a rabbit that lays eggs has an uncertain past. It may have simply arisen from a confusion of symbolism but, like much of the holiday of Easter itself, it could be a direct heritage from older traditions. In Germanic and Slavic languages, the word "Easter" comes from an ancient pagan goddess of the spring named Eostre. According to legend, Eostre once saved a bird whose wings had frozen during the winter by turning it into a rabbit. Because the rabbit had once been a bird, it could still lay eggs, and that rabbit became the modern Easter Bunny[1].

The precise origin of the custom of colouring eggs is not known, although it too is ancient; Greeks to this day typically dye their Easter eggs red, the color of blood, in recognition of the renewal of life in springtime (and, later, the blood of the sacrificed Christ). Some also use the color green, in honor of the new foliage emerging after the long "dead" time of winter. Other colors, including the pastels popular in the United States and elsewehere (possibly symbolizing the rainbow), seem to have come along later. [citations needed]German Protestants wanted to retain the Catholic custom of eating colored eggs for Easter, but did not want to introduce their children to the Catholic rite of fasting. Eggs were forbidden to Catholics during the fast of Lent, which was the reason for the abundance of eggs at Easter time.[citations needed]

The idea of an egg-laying bunny came to the United States in the 18th century. German immigrants in the Pennsylvania Dutch area told their children about the "Osterhase". "Hase" means "hare", not rabbit, and in Northwest European folklore the "Easter Bunny" indeed is a hare, not a rabbit. According to the legend, only good children received gifts of colored eggs in the nests that they made in their caps and bonnets before Easter.[citations needed]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Bunny

Peeps

I bought some of these little chicken marshmallows on sale today (go after Easter chocolate sales!) mostly because I wanted to know what they tasted like. They are pretty satisfactory although quite sweet.

" Peeps are small marshmallow candies, sold in the United States, which are shaped into baby ducks, rabbits, and other animals. There are also different shapes used for various holidays. Peeps are primarily used to fill Easter baskets, although the Just Born company is trying to change that by introducing new shapes and advertising "Peeps - Always in Season". They are made from marshmallow, sugar, gelatin, and carnauba wax."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peeps


Peeps & the Microwave:
I want to put them in the microwave and see if they will explode the apartment like on South Park, but Mark advises this is a bad idea. ;-)

"In the South Park episode "Fantastic Easter Special," Professor Teabag defends his honor by putting a box of Peeps into a microwave oven and turning it on. This results in the Peeps expanding and exploding out of the microwave, destroying the entire mansion and allowing Stan and Kyle to escape. "

(and that's from Wikipedia so you know it had to have happened! LOL)

Peep Jousting:
"The messy and largely self-entertaining game, "Peeps Jousting" is played with a microwave. One takes two Peeps, and licks the right-hand side of each until sticky. A toothpick is thereby adhered to each Peep, pointing forward like a jousting lance. The Peeps are then set in a microwave, squared off against one another, and heated up. As they expand, the toothpick lances thrust toward each opponent, and the winner is the one that does not pop and deflate. Both usually are eaten after the competition, however, regardless who the victor was, calling into question the nature of "winning" in such a circumstance.[1] This folkloric tradition has been noted by the Washington Post.[2]"



Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

April 08, 2007: Peeps

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Peeps&defid=39600

Marshmallow candies in the shape of rabbits and baby chickens. Usually served around Easter. Also short for "people".

I'm audi this sunday to chill with some peeps.

Dark Chocolate

Some good news about dark chocolate... hopefully the Easter bunny delivered some for y'all. LOL


"IV: Possible Health Benefits of Chocolate

Two significant studies on the possible health benefits of chocolate were published in 2003 in prestigious scientific journals. One study, published in Nature magazine, found that only dark chocolate was a potent antioxidant. This study established that adding milk to chocolate or drinking milk with dark chocolate prevents the body from absorbing the antioxidants in chocolate. The second study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that dark chocolate appeared to lower high blood pressure among middle-aged people with mild cases of hypertension.

A later study by Italian researchers at the University of L’Aquila corroborated the finding that dark chocolate could help lower blood pressure. This study also found that dark chocolate helped boost the body’s ability to metabolize sugar from food, a finding that could have implications for the treatment of diabetes. Other studies have found that dark chocolate can improve cardiovascular health, as well as thin the blood, in much the same way that aspirin does, thus cutting the risk of clots.

Medical researchers caution, however, that dark chocolate is high in calories and fat. They recommend that people eating dark chocolate for its possible health benefits should eat moderate amounts and cut back on equivalent sources of calories. They also note that flavonoids can be obtained from other food sources.

Several chocolate manufacturers are developing products high in flavonoid content and are actively pursuing possible health benefits from chocolate with pharmaceutical companies. Mars, Incorporated, a U.S. chocolate manufacturer, patented a method for processing cocoa beans that it says preserves flavonoids by changing the way the beans are fermented, dried, and processed. Mars products made by this method are marketed with the label Cocoapro. In 2005 Barry Callebaut, a Swiss-based manufacturer and reportedly the world’s largest producer of chocolate, began marketing a chocolate product under the trademark Acticoa. The company said the product was high in flavonoids due to a manufacturing process in which a certain proportion of cocoa beans are washed rather than fermented."


http://ca.encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761569428/Chocolate.html#p7

Song of the Week

(As an aside on the South Park Easter special they made a Latin version of this song for the Hare Club for Men followers to sing.)

"Peter Cottontail" - Steve Nelson & Jack Rollins

Here comes Peter Cottontail,
Hopping' down the bunny trail,
Hippity, hoppity,
Easter's on its way.

Bringing' every girl and boy Baskets full of Easter joy,
Things to make your Easter bright and gay.
He's got jellybeans for Tommy,
Colored eggs for sister Sue,
There's an orchid for your Mommy
And an Easter bonnet, too.

Oh! here comes Peter Cottontail,
Hopping' down the bunny trail,
Hippity hoppity,
Happy Easter day.

Here comes Peter Cottontail,
Hopping' down the bunny trail,
Look at him stop, and listen to him say:
"Try to do the things you should."
Maybe if you're extra good,
He'll roll lots of Easter eggs your way.

You'll wake up on Easter morning
And you'll know that he was there
When you find those chocolate bunnies
That he's hiding everywhere.

Oh! here comes Peter Cottontail,
Hopping' down the bunny trail,
Hippity hoppity,
Happy Easter day.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter !!!!!

Everything I Need to Know, I Learned from the Easter Bunny...

1. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

2. Walk softly and carry a big carrot.

3. Everyone needs a friend who is all ears.

4. There's no such thing as too much candy.

5. All work and no play can make you a basket case.

6. A cute little tail attracts a lot of attention.

7. Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day.

8. Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits.

9. Some body parts should be floppy.

10. Keep your paws off other people's jellybeans.

11. Good things come in small-sugarcoated packages.

12. The grass is greener in someone else's basket.

13. An Easter bonnet can cover the wildest hare.

14. To show your true colors, you have to come out of your shell.

15. The best things in life are still sweet and gooey.

Messenger Plus Live

A Messenger Plus for Windows Live Messenger has been made!

I downloaded it just the other day, this little appy is awesome with a ton of cool features!

It lets you send sounds & custom sound files over msn to people who have Plus Live.

You can organize & clean-up your contacts list based on whether that person has logged on
recently and whether they have you on their contacts list.

You can make chats into a "tabbed" view so that as people message you it only takes up one windows and one item in the task bar.

You can set custom text messages so that with a simple keystroke it will type and entire phrase, you can also set custom "away" status messages (similar to ICQ) that can be delivered to people who message you while you are "away".

You can also set it up so certain contacts "float" on your desktop where they are always accessible & you can even set it up so you can login to more than one msn at the same time!

You can also use it to change the colour scheme of your msn, mine is a nice light green now, so much more soothing than the stanadard blue & white combo.

It also does a ton of other neat little things that I haven't discovered yet, but y'all should definately check it out!

You can find the appy here:
http://www.msgpluslive.net/

For a complete list of features click here:
http://www.msgpluslive.net/features

And you can download sound packs for it here:
http://www.mpsounds.net/

AbeBooks Rare Bibles

This is a neat section of the AbeBooks website I came across the other day. It's their rare Books section featuring some rare Bibles:

"A truly rare Bible can induce ecstasy in the most seasoned of collectors. It's little wonder why. If beauty and history were not enough, the value of certain Bibles is remarkable: a single leaf of Gutenberg’s 42-line Bible sells for $60,000 and up. Scott Brown, editor of Fine Books & Collections magazine, guides us through this collector's heaven."

http://www.abebooks.com/docs/RareBooks/?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=com-2007-03b&cm_pla=intro&cm_ite=rb&cm_lm=el:68fe70ddbf


Main website:
http://www.abebooks.com/

Word of the Day

(hehe it's the motto on Jebediah Springfield's statue... Go Simpsons!)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

April 05, 2007: Embiggen

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Embiggen&defid=125407

Verb. To make more admirable or great.

A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man.

Christian Idol

I found an article about a show that was recently aried called "Gifted" It was a "Christian alternative" to the hit show "American Idol". Bascially determining who was the most "gifted" with musical talents.

I really think that although there is a place for Christian music and some Christian "alternatives" to secular options that this show may have taken it a bit too far, I mean who are the judgest to say who is most God-gifted in talents?

Official site for "Gifted":
http://www.giftedshow.com/default2.aspx

The article:
"Not to be confused with the Gospel Music Channel's Gospel Dream competition, Gifted is the second CCM-based talent search fashioned after pop-culture phenomenon American Idol. The program was hosted by Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell and masterminded by Johnny Wright (manager for Littrell, as well as N'SYNC and Britney Spears). Despite its marquee value, the show wasn't a hit, though it did spawn one winner, seven additional finalists, and this CD/DVD compilation, Gifted: Season One.

Like most Christian alternatives to other ventures and products in the mainstream, Gifted is noble in its safe-for-the-whole-family intent: to provide a "talent show where the only goal of the contestants (and the judges) is to glorify God!" Here the roles of Simon, Paula, and Randy are filled by CCM veterans Michael Sweet (Stryper), Eddie DeGarmo (DeGarmo & Key), and gospel legend Andraé Crouch. Together they crowned Da'Quela Payne as the first-season victor, and her pop anthem "I Will Find a Way" is as pretty as pop anthems can get—a rousing, faith-affirming AC pop hit-in-the-making. But for all of its prettiness, the song also happens to be the only original on the album, and is ultimately characterless.

Most of Gifted: Season One is like that: a young, eager, and pretty-voiced contestant paired up with a song that's already been over-covered and overplayed to begin with. Sure, these are familiar hits (many of them modern worship standards), and that's to be expected. But great singers merit great songs, or at least distinctive arrangements and memorable performances. What we don't need is an album of glorified karaoke, offering washed-up renditions that hide any personality the singers may have.

There's an exception or two, such as an urban-pop version of "Blessed Be Your Name." But on the whole, very little of Gifted: Season One can compete with the charisma and talent exhibited on American Idol, a show that's at its best when the finalists take chances with their vocals and arrangements."

http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/reviews/2007/gifted.html

CBC Test the Nation

This is a neat IQ test from the CBC show "Test the Nation" that aired on March 18th. It tested people from all over Canada to see who had the highest IQ. The test is available on the website for you to do at home.

The test is available here:
http://www.cbc.ca/testthenation/takethetest/

"What was Test the Nation: IQ?
Test the Nation was Canada’s first real-time interactive national IQ test. It was a live two-hour show, with seven teams of Canadians competing in our Toronto studio while viewers played at home to find out their IQ. The show revealed information about others who are playing at home and in the studio: Did blondes do better than brunettes? Who has the quickest wits – right-handers or left-handers? Which province thinks it’s the smartest and which province is the smartest?"

If you want more info on the show itself you can find it here:
http://www.cbc.ca/testthenation/


Results of the test:
"The average IQ is 90-110. After all 60 questions, the Surgeons team proved to be super sharp with an average IQ of 119, followed closely by the Millionaires team with 118. The Fitness Instructors proved that braun equals brain with their third place score of 112. The Mayors team was right in the middle of the board with 110, with just two IQ points separating their team from the Radio DJs’ 108. The Tattoo Artists came in with an average IQ of 101, and Celebrities rounded out the board at 98.

The highest score in studio belonged to Tom O’Sullivan from the Millionaires team, whose IQ of 137 puts him in the top 2% of the population.

Shaun Majumder came in with the top score in the Celebrity team."

Full results can be found here:
http://www.cbc.ca/testthenation/results/

Word of the Day

(I totally partake of retail therapy!)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

April 02, 2007: Retail Therapy

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Retail+Therapy&defid=515907

The act of shopping as an outlet for frustration and a reliever of stress.

Juju's Retail Therapy session went quite well; she visited the local Sephora for her fix of new eyeshadows, as well as the jewelry cart for a pair of new obnoxious but cute earrings. Nothing beats spending money to forget about your troubles.

Song of the Week

"Nan You're A Window Shopper" - Lily Allen

The bottom feels so much better than the top!
So much better.

[Chorus:]
Nan you're a window shopper,
taking a look but you never buy.
Nan you're a window shopper,
You won't pick it up if its over a fiver.
Nan you're a window shopper,
get on the bus coz you still can't drive.
Nan you're a window shopper,
mad as fuck only just alive.

Get up in the morning and you like your tea milky,
you fumble for your glasses coz without 'em you cant see,
It's funny how I come round your house and I'm 20
and I still have to wear all the presents you sent me.
I walk into your kitchen everything's got a label,
you done your Christmas shopping and we're only in April.
And you wont leave the house unless your wearing your thermals,
you're covered all in cat hair and you're stinking like Strepsils,
Your heading down the Bowls Club,
have another orange squash.
Balls are rollin rollin rollin.
You can't walk right coz things aren't what they were,
your ankles are swollen swollen swollen.

[Chorus]

You're walking down the post office to pick up your pension,
and then you're off to Bingo, it's become an obssession.
So weary of the kids when their wearin' their hoods up,
and even if they smile at you, you think its a stick-up.
You only buy the paper just to cut out the coupons,
your saving 50p but what do you want with tampons?
Your always at the doctor picking up your prescription,
and they throw in some K-Y just to ease up the friction.
You gotta leak in your colostomy bag,
yeah its got a hole in hole in hole in.
At the weekend your shopping with your trolley,
its so sad how your rollin rollin rollin.

[Chorus]

Webaroon Update

I posted awhile back about a little app called Webaroo (http://drelwin.blogspot.com/2006/10/webaroo.html) that allows you to save webpages for use offline.

Well I've recently acquired some new information about upgrades to the program:

Now you can use Mobilizer widgets (http://www.webaroo.com/share) for your blogs and sites. This allows you to create widgets that can be posted on your blog to either share the webaroo packs you use with your friends or allow your friends to download your blog as a webaroo pack. I've created a widget to allow y'all to download this blog. You can find it in the sidebar under my technorati search engine.

There is now an online Web Pack catalogue http://www.webaroo.com/webpacks that shows you all webpacks available for download and lets you download packs instantaneously. My favourite packas are the ones for Wikipedia, the Dilbert one, the Harry Potter one & the photoblog ones.

There is also now a portable drive version of Webaroo. You can carry your web on these drives and plug and play from any laptop or desktop.

Another neat new feature is the blogger feed one that is accessible on mobile devices "Read your favorite Blogger blogs with this service on your phone.You can update the pack whenever you like and receive fresh content. You can also use this service to post to your blog."

Check out the website here:
http://www.webaroo.com

Or if you want to download it so you can start getting my blog package from my link you can download it by clicking:
http://www.webaroo.com/download

Word of the Day

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

April 01, 2007: I pity the fool

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=I+pity+the+fool&defid=340933

In Mr. T-glish, a rhetoric comment equivalent to the English "I'd best not find out who it was."

I pity the fool who scratched my car.

April Fool's

The only joke I fell for today was when my homepage www.shortbus.ca (a forum put up by people I work with) was "taken down due to corporate orders" or some such thing because we were "putting up information of a sensitive nature and the parent company would no longer allow it." That wasn't the exact wording, but it was a pretty good hoax. Two thumbs up to the admin that did it as he also took down all the subsequent pages so it actually looked as though the site was missing.


Oh and there was this gem put out by Google announcing "Google TiSP"

Basically it's an internet service that works through the plumbing of your toilet! LOL

"Want wifi around? Just flush it down"

"Installing a typical home TiSP system is a quick, easy and largely sanitary process -- provided you follow these step-by-step instructions very, very carefully.

#1 Remove the spindle of fiber-optic cable from your TiSP installation kit.

#2 Attach the sinker to the loose end of the cable, take one safe step backward and drop this weighted end into your toilet.

#3 Grasp both ends of the spindle firmly while a friend or loved one flushes, thus activating the patented GFlush™ system, which sends the weighted cable surfing through the plumbing system to one of the thousands of TiSP Access Nodes.

#4 When the GFlush is complete, the spindle will (or at least should) have largely unraveled, exposing a connector at the remaining end. Detach the cable from the spindle, taking care not to allow the cable to slip into the toilet.

#5 Plug the fiber-optic cable into your TiSP wireless router, which has a specially designed counterweight to withstand the centripetal force of flushing.

#6 Insert the TiSP installation CD and run the setup utility to install the Google Toolbar (required) and the rest of the TiSP software, which will automatically configure your computer's network settings.

#7 Within sixty minutes -- assuming proper data flow -- the other end of your fiber-optic cable should have reached the nearest TiSP Access Node, where our Plumbing Hardware Dispatchers (PHDs) will remove the sinker and plug the line into our global data networking system.

#8 Congratulations, you're online! (Please wash your hands before surfing.)"

http://www.google.com/tisp/


Here's a few good ones put out by the media that are listed on the Wikipedia site over the years:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Fools

(There's also info on the site about the origins of April Fool's in case you were curious)