Tickle Me Emo

A great faked commercial for the Sesame Street Doll... "Tickle Me Emo"

Spiders on Drugs

This is a video supposedly put out by the "Natioanl Film Board of Canada" in the "Hinterland's Who's Who" series. It is all about the dangers of drugs as is represented by the test subjects; spiders. This is absolutely hilarious and really well done, looks like a film board movie from the 60's or 70's... for those who can remember back that far.

Adventure Time

This had got to be THE weirdest thing I have seen in a very long time... and I've seen some weird things!

Sims 2 Cheats

I found an awesome list of cheats for the Sims 2:
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/thesims2/hints.html

The Sims 2 package files

So I had an extreme blonde moment today. I re-installed the Sims 2 so I could play the new Sims 2 Pets I got for Christmas, this is after many months of non-play (due to having pc issues) and I had all these custom download files that I had gotten... things like sims, clothes, furniture, vehicles, etc. They were all in a folder on my hard drive called "sims downloads" and most of them were zipped, so I unzipped them only to find out they were ".package files". I had a panic attack... I had no idea what to do with .package files, so I began scouring the web to figure out this conundrum. Well lo & behold on a website for n00bs, I found an explanation.

"A package file which will show up in the game automatically once added to the Downloads folder"
http://www.personal-computer-tutor.com/sims2/install.htm

Yup a real d'oh moment for me... LOL


Oh and this is one of the best sites to d/l custom content for your sims:
http://www.modthesims2.com/

Word of the Day

(what most of these word of the day entries are ;) )

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

January 16, 2007: blogorrhea

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=blogorrhea&defid=1072873

To write a [blog] entry just for the sake of posting an entry, not because you
have done anything interesting today.

I couldn't really think of anthing good to blog about, so my last post was real
blogorrhea.

Windows Live Stuff

Microsoft has released a whole cacophony of things to use with your Windows Live ID including desktop e-mail, photo galleries, my spaces (not to be confused with myspaces) and family security to name a few.

I wonder perhaps if they are only doing this because Google now has a desktop package conveniently called Google Desktop that comes with a lot of the same things and a cool widget organizer for your desktop.
(http://pack.google.com/intl/en/pack_installer_new.html?hl=en&gl=us&ciNum=11)

In addition wouldn't it just be easier for them to give you the pop settings to put hotmail into Outlook than creating a branded 3rd party mail client that only works with hotmail when they already gave us Outlook and Outlook Express?

Well I suppose they have the big bucks to pay the programmers...

Info:


"You already know the power and ease of Windows Live™ Hotmail®. Well, we're bringing you new, free Windows Live software and services that'll work great with your current Hotmail account and give you new ways to connect and share how and when you want.

Think new software for your desktop—like Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Photo Gallery, and Windows Live Writer. Plus services you can tap into when you're online, wherever you are—Windows Live Hotmail, Messenger, Windows Live Spaces, and OneCare™ Family Safety. The best part is, they all work together so you can combine the power of Windows and the Web.

Now's your chance to get the latest versions of the Windows Live services you already have, as well as what's new."



http://get.live.com/wl/all

Song of the Week

"The Last Ten Years (Superman)" - Kenny Rogers

Oh, the last ten years, it's been quite trip
Over thirty-six-hundred spins around without a cosmic slip
But within the realm of our atmosphere
We're 'bout as out of whack as we've ever been in a million years
We watched the Y2K scare in a panic
An' we watched as time proved Nostrodamus wrong
An' we watched as Mother Nature shook the planet
An' cellular replaced the telephone
We lost Charlie Brown, Ray Charles an' Johnny Cash
We even lost Superman, mhm.

Well, the last ten years, look at the hills we've climbed
The best golfer's black, the best rapper's white an' it's about damn time
But we best beware, there's a brand new fight, you see
An' I hate to say we might be our own worst enemy
We watched Oklahoma sifting through the damage
An' we watched a US President get caught
We watched shareholders watch their savings vanish
We all cried when we watched those towers fall
We lost Minnie Pearl, Ron Reagan and Sam Ahan
We even lost Superman, mhm.

Expensive gas an' free downloads
The dot-com boom, an' reality shows
What's gonna happen next is anybody's guess
Satellite radio and hybrid cars
Hand-held computers an' a trip to Mars
It's all become a part of who we are
In the last ten years.

In the last ten years
We lost George Harrison, John Paul and June Carter-Cash
Hell, we even lost Superman
Gonna miss you, Chris...

Word of the Day

(this is the ONLY way to shop :P)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

January 14, 2007: shop naked

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=shop+naked&defid=2143188

To shop for items online; to buy things from an online store.

I think I'm going to save myself a lot of holiday shopping hassles and just shop
naked.

My Chemical Romance Lyrics

Have y'all heard the "Welcome to the Black Parade" song by My Chemical Romance? It's quite awesome, well in particular the music video is awesome... You can watch it here on youtube.



After watching it for the umpteenth time I realized I had no idea what the song was about, so here's an explanation.

"Actually, this song, as described by gerard when he recently appeared on fuse, says the man in the song, they called the patient, is dying in a hospital. And his most treasured memory was when his father took him to a parade when he was a young boy. And gerard says he believes that when you die, death comes to you in any form you want it to. So as this man is dying, remembering his father and the parade, death comes to him as a black parade."

So the more you know.... LOL

Reference:
http://www.lyricinterpretations.com/lookat.php/bands/My-Chemical-Romance/dfe093080cef9c7

The Secret LIves of Icons

This is another very funny website!

"Have you ever noticed when you use your computer first thing in the morning, some of the icons appear to be in a different place than when you left? Have you sensed that something goes on if you leave your computer on overnight? Well, when you go to bed at night and forget to shut down your computer, I think you ought to know what actually goes on. For the first time, someone has captured what takes place after you leave the room! Remember to have the sound on...."
http://www.xs4all.nl/~jvdkuyp/flash/see.htm

Real work-at-home jobs

This is an article I found on msn the other day, it's way more pertinent to Americans than Canadians sadly, but still quite interesting...

Article can be found here

text of article to follow:

"Real work-at-home jobs
By Liz Pulliam Weston

Computers and high-speed Internet access mean new, better-paying choices for people who want the flexibility and convenience of careers that don't require an office-building cubicle.

After the birth of her daughter, Carrie Opara knew she didn't want to return to her old job as a mental-health counselor. But finding legitimate work she could do at home was no small feat.

She tried a multilevel marketing plan and wound up in debt. She looked on the Internet and found plenty of scams. Finally, she heard about LiveOps, a Palo Alto, Calif., call center that hired people to work out of their own homes.

Within two years, she was earning about $2,000 a month working 30 to 35 hours a week from her home in Columbia, Md. -- about what she'd made previously as a counselor. Her shifts can be as short as 30 minutes, although she typically works five-hour blocks while her 6-year-old is in school, plus some nights and weekends when her husband, a certified public accountant, can take over child care.

Opara said she still faces the challenges familiar to every working parent: how to work enough hours, spend enough quality time with her family "and still figure out how I'm going to clean my house, make dinner and do the grocery shopping." Not having to commute or pay for child care, however, are big bonuses.

"It's fit in perfectly," Opara said, "and we also like the flexibility."

Technology is opening up new opportunities for parents and others who want to work at home. Finding and landing legitimate, profitable work still isn't easy, but here are a few venues to try:

A call center in your home
You hear a lot about companies routing their customer-service calls to workers overseas, but a less-noticed trend is the growth in home-based call-center workers. The number of such workers in North America has tripled since 2000, according to an estimate by research firm Yankee Group, with more than 670,000 phone agents in the United States and Canada now working at home.

Thanks to the Internet and better call-routing technology, more companies are finding they can outsource their order-taking, sales and problem-solving calls to home-based workers, said LiveOps Chairman Bill Trenchard. LiveOps not only runs an outsource operation, Trenchard said, but it provides technology for companies that want to set up their own home-based call centers.

Home-based workers tend to be better educated and more loyal than their counterparts at traditional call centers, Trenchard said. Most of LiveOps' workers have college degrees -- Opara has a master's -- and turnover is low.

The flexibility that Opara likes also benefits companies. Home-based operators are typically contractors who are paid for each minute spent on the phone, so companies can quickly gear up to meet high demand without having to pay for idle workers during slack times.

The job isn't without drawbacks. Pay usually starts around $8 an hour, assuming you get enough calls, which can come slowly at the beginning, Opara said. The jobs that simply require taking orders often pay the least, while the better-paying jobs typically require that you have sales skills.

Call centers usually have no tolerance for audible distractions, so a crying baby, barking dog or ringing doorbell could get you fired. (Some companies require their workers have dedicated offices with doors to minimize potential distractions.) An operator also needs a dedicated phone line, a computer and high-speed Internet access.

Some call centers that say they are currently hiring include:

Alpine Access
LiveOps
Willow CNS
West at Home

Start a Web business
Paul and Alison Martin, who met while they were students at Stanford University, decided to launch a Web-based baby-product business shortly after the birth of their twins, Ainsley and Sierra. The couple launched Noss Galen Baby in February 2004, just before Paul graduated.

By May 2005, Paul said, the site was profitable enough to support the family.

The Martins had some distinct advantages. Paul had programming and start-up experience from a stint at PayPal, so he built and maintains their Web site. The couple also moved from expensive Menlo Park, Calif., to more reasonable Albuquerque, N.M., which keeps down their living costs.

Perhaps even more significant, the Martins were able to capitalize their business with stock-option money from Paul's time at PayPal. But Paul said initial inventory costs were just a few thousand dollars, and he could have gotten a small-business loan or worked a part-time job to keep the venture going until profits came in.

"The most important thing is to have the mindset that you're going to make it work, that you're going to learn from your mistakes," Paul said. "It may take longer than you think. . . . There were difficult times when we were wondering if we were ever going to turn the corner."

The Martins' business isn't the only thing that's expanded. The couple are expecting their third child in March.

If you find a concept that works, you might make additional money teaching other people what you know. Tamaira Sandifer of Sacramento, Calif., launched a service called Fun Mail for Kids that sends customized packets, complete with stickers, personalized letters and crafts projects, to kids via the U.S. mail. Once that was a hit, she wrote an e-book, available for $25 on her site, to teach others how to run similar businesses on the Web.

As with any small business, it can help to draft a business plan. The U.S. Small Business Administration has a free business set-up guide on its Web site.

Online auctions
Online auction sites have helped people do more than empty their attics (or fill them up again). The largest online auction site, eBay, says 1.3 million of its 212 million registered users are "professional sellers" who report the site is a primary or secondary source of income. That's almost double the number of pro sellers from a year earlier.

Barb Webb of Salt Lick, Ky., started her online-auction career a few years ago by selling household items she otherwise would have put in a garage sale. The former corporate executive branched out by looking for bargains at local retailers and then auctioning them off for a profit on the site. In her best year, she cleared more than $10,000 -- not enough to live on but not bad as a part-time job squeezed in between activities for her three kids, now ages 4, 6 and 17.

Auction sites have "how to" sections to familiarize beginners with the selling process, and a little research can help you determine the best way to market your offerings, said Webb, the author of "The Mom's Guide to Earning and Saving Thousands on the Internet."

Sellers also need to be mindful of their reputations because bad feedback from buyers can hurt future sales, she said. Staying organized, using truthful descriptions and shipping items promptly are essentially to a profitable auction business.

Webb also advises newbies to start slowly, particularly if they're buying items with the intent to sell them at auction rather than selling off what they already own. It can be easy to misjudge what people will want to buy, she said, and listing-costs, the site's commissions and buyers who don't pay can eat into profits.

"The best way is to bank some (profits) and then reinvest some," Webb said.

Mystery shopping, survey taking and 'piece work'
Mystery shopping and survey-taking opportunities have been around for a while, but the Internet has made finding them easier, Webb said.

"Mystery shoppers" are typically paid $5 to $100 per assignment to pose as average customers and then critique a store or service, Webb said. The range for filling out surveys or participating in focus groups can be even wider, from a few bucks to a few hundred bucks a shot.

As with other work-at-home jobs, applicants need to be prepared to start small and work their way up. Research companies look for reliable, articulate, detail-oriented people and tend to reward the ones who consistently perform well, Webb said.

Both jobs tend to come with freebies as well as cash. Webb said she's been given such products as free laundry detergent and free diapers in exchange for her opinion on surveys.

Mystery shopping tends to take more time and effort but generally pays more. Webb said she makes about $6,000 a year in cash, plus free goods and services worth $3,000 to $4,000.

"I work it in with our schedule. I look at the week ahead and think, 'Where do we want to go? What do we want to do?' " she said. "If I need to buy clothes, I'll look to see if they need a mystery shopper."

Some Internet-based mystery-shopping services include:
Corporate Research International Mystery Shops
Mystery Guest
Service Intelligence Experience Exchange

National survey companies with an Internet presence include:
American Consumer Opinion
National Family Opinion
Survey Savvy

"Piece work" is an age-old concept that's been updated by the Internet, most visibly on Amazon.com's Mechanical Turk. The site pays people to perform tasks that computers can't easily do, such as fill out opinion surveys, transcribe audiotapes and see whether items for sale have been correctly "tagged," or classified.

The Mechanical Turk for which the Web site was named was a 1700s and 1800s hoax in which a supposed machine played chess (the Turk actually concealed a human chess ace). Amazon started the site to find humans to help fix problems that its automated systems couldn't. The Mechanical Turk is now used by an array of "requestors" who want people to help them with various small tasks.

The problem here is that the pay is often literally pennies -- sometimes just a single penny to perform a task that might take a few seconds or minutes. Only you can determine whether the time you spend is worth the payoff.

Other home-based businesses
There's not much high-tech about home-based businesses such as child care, house-sitting, dog walking and errand running. But classified advertising sites such as Craigslist and Expo can help you easily and cheaply connect with potential customers.

And old-school businesses, if properly run, can provide a decent living, said Steve Damato, who operates a licensed day-care center with his wife, Jodi, at their Elgin, Ill., home.

"With five full-time kids, one of which is our own daughter, and three part-time kids," Damato said, "we have found an occupation that allows us tremendous flexibility, the luxury of being full-time parents to our daughter, numerous tax benefits, no commuting, no fancy clothes . . . and not to mention a generous income between $50,000 to $60,000 a year."

The Damatos inherited the day-care business from Jodi's mother, who retired last year at 65. The Damatos moved into the mother-in-law's home to look after her and the business. Previously, Steve had worked as a flight attendant while Jodi had been a stay-at-home mother for their daughter, now 4. Besides the opportunity to be a full-time father, he likes the fact that he no longer has to work nights, weekends or holidays.

Before you launch any business, research your community's license and insurance requirements. In Illinois, for example, day-care providers who look after more than four children must be licensed, Steve Damato said, and the state provides about 30 pages of standards that centers must follow, covering everything from the number of electrical-outlet covers to the frequency of CPR training.

Damato also recommends talking to others who run similar businesses for tips and advice. You also need to gauge your own aptitude for the work.

"If you don't like changing 20-30 diapers a day or constantly wiping noses, or playing referee throughout the day, then this job is not for you," Damato said. "Otherwise, this could be a wonderful opportunity . . . for many couples."

Keys for the home-based worker
As you're considering potential work-at-home opportunities, keep these points in mind:

Your best opportunities may be close to home. If you're still working, rummage around your current workplace to see if any job -- not just the one you're doing now -- is portable. You might hit pay dirt if you're well-regarded and your employer has work that's not getting done or not being done well. A written plan explaining your proposal may help you sway your employer.

Otherwise, expect a lot of competition. Plenty of people want to work from home and will inundate any company they think might hire them. (One call-center company I tried to interview for this article wouldn't even talk to me, saying it already had far more applicants than it could use and didn't want another spike in inquiries that it couldn't handle.)

Don't expect to make a fortune. The sure sign of a scam is a promise of huge rewards for little effort. The real world doesn't work like that. If you have to pay big upfront fees for materials, details or training, your best bet is to walk away. Ditto for any "opportunity" that involves stuffing envelopes or assembling crafts; these activities profit only the promoters.

The folks I interviewed who are making decent money at home also made decent money in the regular workplace world. They tended to have good educations, strong business skills and a history of workplace success. If you're organized, focused, a self-starter and possessed of in-demand skills, you could do OK at home. If you're not, your options are likely to be more limited."

chanceXchange

This is kind of a neat site I was told about the other day... thought I'd pass the info on to y'all for review. :)

" chanceXchange is a free service where you can trade unwanted films, cds andbooks for those things that you really want.

It's been setup to help us recycle more and so help reduce the amount of wastewe generate on a daily basis.

Use the free service to list items you have finished with and the items youwould like... we'll do the rest.To find out more please visit the link"

chanceXchange recycle your cds, dvds and books a free exchange service

Word of the Day

(okay this one is just... well just awesome! :P)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

January 09, 2007: Bond Year

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Bond+Year&defid=2171931

Any year that ends in 007, such as 1007 or 2007.

(countdown to 2007...)
3,
2,
1,
Happy Bond Year!

Song of the Week

“Only Grace” by Matthew West

There is no guilt here
There is no shame
No pointing fingers
There is no blame
What happened yesterday…has disappeared
The dirt has washed away
And now it's clear

There's only grace
There's only love
There's only mercy and believe me it's enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
And there's nothing left now
There's only grace

You're starting over now
Under the sun
You're stepping forward now
A new life has begun
Your new life has begun

An’ there's only grace
There's only love
There's only mercy and believe me…it's enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
And there's nothing left now
There's only grace…

And if you should fall again
Get back up, get back up
Reach out and take my hand
Get back up, get back up
Get back up again
Ohh…get…back…up…again…


There's only grace…
There's only love…
There's only mercy and believe me it's enough…it’s enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
And there's nothing left now
There's only…there’s only…grace…

There's only mercy and believe me it's enough…it’s enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
And there's nothing left now
There’s only…grace……
So get back up…get back up again…
Get back up again.

Converting videso from Flash

So awhile back I posted about how to download videos from youtube.

http://drelwin.blogspot.com/2006/11/how-to-save-flash-videos-from-youtube.html

Well this is part 2, how to get those pesky files converted from .flv into something that is more easily recognized and used... like say .avi.

All you need is Cinemaforge, a neat little program that will convert into a myriad of file formats, including: .swf .avi .wmv .mov .asf

So go here and download it:
http://www.download.com/CinemaForge/3000-2169_4-10373646.html

Then just take the .flv file you made before throw it in the imput box, choose and output location and output type and then hit the encode button, wait a few seconds (or minutes depending on file size) and voila! you have a new file all ready to be played by conventional players. :)

For you more geeky types you can even change a bunch of the output features or upload the output file instead of saving it. ;)

Pet the Kitty

This a neat website that was e-mailed to me, not sure if I've shared it yet or not....

"YOU HAVE GOT TO PET THIS CAT!!!!

Cool Black Cat with Green Eyes Go to this site (link below) to see something awesome! I have no clue how they got this to work. There are some great code writers out there! If you tease her with the mouse pointer on her chest or stomach she will purr, I got her to meow also, by rubbing her forehead with the pointer. If you make a slow circle around her body, (counter-clockwise) not only will her head/eyes follow your pointer, but toward the top, her paw will go up, and when in front of her paws at the bottom, her foot comes out like she wants to play with your mouse pointer. If you move the cursor up and down between her (his?) eyes, she'll meow.(Don't hold the mouse down, just move it) Enjoy!"

http://www.broenink-art.nl/maukie2.swf

Word of the Day

(I won't lie to you, I"m only posting this one 'cuz it has the word "penis" in it... teehee)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

January 05, 2007: e-penis

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=e-penis&defid=584775

A term used to describe the technological prowess of an individual, usually in
an internet community. Factors that engorge the e-penis include [bandwidth],
computer speed, [hard drive] size, size of [DVD] collection, and an impressive
[frag] count in any number of popular [first person shooter]s.

"I have a +5 e-penis of [down smack]ing, bitch!"

"my e-penis [>] your e-penis"

Challenged Books

I found this interesting...

about.com lists the most challenged books of 1990-2000:

Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
Forever by Judy Blume
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor.

books that have either been banned or challenged in the united states (at one point or time):

1984 - George Orwell
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885) - Mark Twain
Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain
Age of Reason - Thomas Paine
Andersonville (1955) - MacKinlay Kantor
Animal Farm - George Orwell
Arabian Nights
As I Lay Dying (1932) - William Faulkner
Beloved - Toni Morrison
Black Beauty - Anna Sewell
Bless Me, Ultima - Rudolfo A. Anaya
Bluest Eye - Toni Morrison
Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
Call of the Wild - Jack London
Can Such Things Be? - Ambrose Bierce
Candide - Voltaire
Canterbury Tales - Geoffrey Chaucer
Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
Catcher in the Rye (1951) - J.D. Salinger
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
Civil Disobedience - Henry David Thoreau
Color Purple - Alice Walker
Confessions - Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Death in Venice - Thomas Mann
Decameron - Boccaccio
Dubliners - James Joyce
Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
Fanny Hill - John Cleland
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
Gone With the Wind - Margaret Mitchell
Grapes of Wrath (1939) - John Steinbeck
Hamlet - William Shakespeare
Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
House of Spirits - Isabel Allende
Howl - Allen Ginsberg
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Maya Angelou
Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
King Lear - William Shakespeare
Lady Chatterley's Lover - D.H. Lawrence
Leaves of Grass - Walt Whitman
Lolita (1955) - Vladimir Nabokov
Lord of the Flies - William Golding
Lysistrata - Aristophanes
Macbeth - William Shakespeare
Merchant of Venice - William Shakespeare
Moll Flanders - Daniel Defoe
Monk - Matthew Lewis
Native Son - Richard Wright
Nigger of the Narcissus - Joseph Conrad
Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
Origin of the Species - Charles Darwin
Portnoy's Complaint (1969) - Philip Roth
Rights of Man - Thomas Paine
Satanic Verses - Salman Rushdie
Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne
Separate Peace - John Knowles
Silas Marner - George Eliot
Song of Solomon - Toni Morrison
Sons & Lovers - D.H. Lawrence
To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
Tropic of Capricorn - Henry Miller
Twelfth Night - William Shakespeare
Ulysses - James Joyce
Uncle Tom's Cabin - Harriet Beecher Stowe
Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L'Engle

Word of the Day

(sorry there are so many of these lately, I've just gotten some very funny ones! Oh and this one is proof of my point about the redundancy of resolutions on new years, lol)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com
January 04, 2007:

resolutionary

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=resolutionary&defid=2083325

People who join a gym after the New Year, only to quit going within 3 months.

I couldn't find a free treadmill, the place was crawling with resolutionarys.

Word of the Day

(I like this one 'cuz it's soooo true)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

January 03, 2007: christmas gear

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=christmas+gear&defid=1576173

The new clothes that people wear that they recieved for the holidays. Usually worn the first week in January and is recognized by the new clothes smell and creases left from being folded in boxes since Thanksgiving.

Steve wore his Christmas gear on his first day back from winter break and all the cool kids teased him for his shoes.

Quotes of the Day

I'll start the new year off with some quotes I've collected... enjoy!

"May you always have Love to Share , Health to Spare, and Friends that Care" - unknown

"When you're down to nothing, God is up to something." - unknown

"Yesterday is History Tomorrow is a Mystery Today is a Gift ...That's Why They Call it the PRESENT!" - unknown

"Life is Short...So Live it Today!" - unknown

"Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it ever six months" -Oscar Wilde

"I don't do drugs, I am drugs" -Salvador Dali

"THIS DAY IS YOURS DON'T THROW IT AWAY" - unknown

"To the world you might be one person, but to one person you just might be the world"

"May the Lord Bless you and keep you, May the Lord Make his face shine upon you, And give you Peace.....Forever"

"Good friends are like stars...You don't always see them, But you know they are always there”

"Don't read beauty magazines they will only make you feel ugly!"

Song of the Week

AULD LANG SYNE

Words adapated from a traditional song
by Rabbie Burns (1759-96)

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp,
And surely I'll be mine,
And we'll tak a cup o kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou'd the gowans fine,
But we've wander'd monie a weary fit,
Sin auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn
Frae morning sun till dine,
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin auld lang syne.

And there's a hand my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o thine,
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne


Meanings
auld lang syne - times gone by
be - pay for
braes - hills
braid - broad
burn - stream
dine - dinner time
fiere - friend
fit - foot
gowans - daisies
guid-willie waught - goodwill drink
monie - many
morning sun - noon
paidl't - paddled
pint-stowp - pint tankard
pou'd - pulled
twa - two

New Year's Resolutions

Well as always happens 'round this time, a new year has dawned and with a new year one must make resolutions! So here goes my resolutions for 2007!

I resolve to.... you know what no, this isn't what I want to do.

The thing is resolutions seem so corny... like you talk all big, say you'll lose weight, quit smoking, drinking, womanizing, partying... you join a gym, throw out your cigs & the booze, burn or bury the little black book and do really well for about a month, maybe two but by the time Easter rolls around you're back to your old habits, I mean in all fairness I'm sure some people stick to them, but the majority of ust make the same resolutions we did last year which were the same as the year before, and so on back as far as we can remember. I know I have

So this year I'm going to resolve simply to have a better year than I did in 2006! I'd like to lose weight, I'd like to get a better paying job, I'd like to feel loved and needed, I'd like to have friends that are true blue. I'd like to learn to be more assertive and express my feelings more openly, I'd like to cry less and have less cause to cry. I'd like to learn to love myself, I'd like to eliminate some debt, I'd like to spend more time with those I love and less with those I don't. I'd like to re-analyze and re-structure my life goals, I'd like to enjoy my work... these are the things I considered resolving to do, but just by saying I'll do them, by writing them down and sending them out into the void that is the internet doesn't mean they'll get done.

I would simply like to have a better year than 2006 and if that includes any of the above so be it, and if it doesn't then that's okay too, so that's what I'm going to resolve to do, period.

Happy 2007 all! I wish you a year of love, peace & happiness and success in whatever resolutions you set for yourself!

Word of the Day

(Happy New Year's Everyone!)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com
December 31, 2006:

Auld Lang Syne

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Auld+Lang+Syne&defid=1572097

Scottish for "Old Long Since." Which means the good old days. It is thetraditional song played on New Years Eve.

Dude, their playing Auld Lang Syne for the New Years special on t.v.

Foamy Christmas!

The Foamy "Christmas" episodes :)

http://www.illwillpress.com/xmasspecials.html

Word of the Day

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com
December 29, 2006:

vacationship

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=vacationship&defid=1878970

A long-distance relationship in which the couple only gets together for idyllicvacation-like excursions, therefore avoiding the "real-life" issues of dating.

"She met this guy online last summer, but he lives in Austin and doesn't want tomove, so they've struck up this very intense vacationship."

Manic Panic

There is this hair dye, really good stuff, called Manic Panic. It comes in a ton of bright colours and is semi-permanent, I've been using this stuff for years for all my hair-dying needs. (and believe me I have a lot of need in the hair dye department) :P

Here's their website:
http://www.manicpanic.com/

You should check it out, common retailers of this stuff are Shoppers Drug Mart and Culture Craze stores. A lot of other "punk" type stores sell it. Usually runs about $10-$14 Canadian a jar and a jar will last for two dyes on short hair and one dye on long hair.

So far I've tried Atomic Turquoise, Cotton Candy, Electric Banana, Electric Lizard, Green Envy, Fuschia Shock, Infra Red, Enchanted Forest, Ultra Violet and Shockig Blue (I think) plus the Vampire Red and Tiger Lily Orange

The only one I've been disappointed in is the Vampire Red that was really more a fuschia and very quickly faded to a bright orange... but it may have been my own fault for dying over yellow hair, lol. The colours typically last about 3 weeks in people with normal coloured hair, but because I'm an albino and have white hair they usually last in my hair about 6-8 weeks.

Here's a list of all the regular colours they have... they also have some Amplified formula colours and some mousse-like all can be found off the main site, which I listed above.

MANIC PANIC "CLASSIC" FORMULA CREAM HAIR COLORS:
http://www.manicpanic.com/cream%20hair%20color.html

MANIC PANIC® AMPLIFIED™ FORMULA:
http://www.manicpanic.com/amplified%20hair%20color.html

GEL FORMULA HAIR COLOR:
http://www.manicpanic.com/gelhcpage.htm

DYE HARD™ TEMPORARY HAIR COLOR STYLING GEL:
http://www.manicpanic.com/dhgels.html

Hair Colour Swatches:
http://www.manicpanic.com/creamswatch.htm

Hamsters Part 21

I got in just after midnight today and checked on the hamsters, there are 3 babies in the cage, all from the litter from before I left, they are getting quite big and cute but I still dare not touch them for a week or so for fear of cannibalization from the parents. :(

As sad as it was that Kus died on the upsided I now will have only 3 cages and I get move Mouse into the easy to clean cage and out of the space cage that is the bane of my existence...

Oh and I think this batch of babies is going to the pet store unless one of my friends wants them... I don't want to have 8 hamsters again! it's too crazy! LOL

Boxing Day

Did you know that most American, unlike us Canadians, don't celebrate Boxing Day? Some don't even know what it is... they don't have big "Boxing Day" sales or pandemonium at the malls... their sales day is Black Friday (the day after American thanksgiving.)

Origins of Boxing Day!

"Boxing Day is a public holiday celebrated in the United Kingdom and most other Commonwealth countries on December 26, the day after Christmas Day.[1][2]"

Origins:
"There are disparate theories as to the origins of the term. The more common stories include:
It was the day when people would give a present or Christmas 'box' to those who have worked for them throughout the year. This is still done in Britain for postmen and paper-boys - though now the 'box' is usually given before Christmas, not after.

In feudal times, Christmas was a reason for a gathering of extended families. All the serfs would gather their families in the manor of their lord, which made it easier for the lord of the estate to hand out annual stipends to the serfs. After all the Christmas parties on 26 December, the lord of the estate would give practical goods such as cloth, grains, and tools to the serfs who lived on his land. Each family would get a box full of such goods the day after Christmas. Under this explanation, there was nothing voluntary about this transaction; the lord of the manor was obliged to supply these goods. Because of the boxes being given out, the day was called Boxing Day.

In England many years ago, it was common practice for the servants to carry boxes to their employers when they arrived for their day's work on the day after Christmas. Their employers would then put coins in the boxes as special end-of-year gifts. This can be compared with the modern day concept of Christmas bonuses. The servants carried boxes for the coins, hence the name Boxing Day!

In churches, it was traditional to open the church's donation box on Christmas Day, and the money in the donation box was to be distributed to the poorer or lower class citizens on the next day. In this case, the "box" in "Boxing Day" comes from that lockbox in which the donations were left.

Boxing Day was the day when the wren, the king of birds,[3] was captured and put in a box and introduced to each household in the village when he would be asked for a successful year and a good harvest. See Frazer's Golden Bough.

Evidence can also be found in Wassail songs such as:
Where are you going ? said Milder to Malder,
Oh where are you going ? said Fessel to Foe,
I'm going to hunt the cutty wren said Milder to Malder,
I'm going to hunt the cutty wren said John the Rednose.
And what will you do wi' it ? said Milder to Malder,
And what will you do wi' it ? said Fessel to Foe,
I'll put it in a box said Milder to Malder,
I'll put it in a box said John the Rednose.
etc...

Because the staff had to work on such an important day as Christmas by serving the master of the house and their family, they were given the following day off. As servants were kept away from their own families to work on a traditional religious holiday and were not able to celebrate Christmas Dinner, the customary benefit was to "box" up the leftover food from Christmas Day and send it away with the servants and their families. (Similarly, as the servants had the 26th off, the owners of the manor may have had to serve themselves pre-prepared, boxed food for that one day.) Hence the "boxing" of food became "Boxing Day". "

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

Song of the Week

"Santa Baby" - Marilyn Munroe

Buh-bum.. buh-bum...
Santa baby, just slip a sable under the tree, for me
Been an awful good girl
Santa baby so hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa baby, a '54 convertible too, light blue,
I'll wait up for you dear
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Think of all the fun I've missed,
Think of all the fellows that I haven't kissed
Next year I could be just as good
If you check off my christmas list

Santa baby, I want a yacht and really thats not a lot
Been an angel all year
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa honey, one little thing I really need, the deed
To a platinum mine,
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa cutie, and fill my stocking with a duplex and cheques,
Sign your x on the line
Santa cutie, and hurry down the chimney tonight

Come and trim my chirstmas tree,
With some decorations bought at Tiffany's
I really do believe in you,
Let's see if you believe in me

Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing, a ring,
I don't mean on the phone,
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry, tonight.

Merry Christmas

From our house to yours....

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! :)

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Yup you guessed it, the old tried and true traditional Christmas story....

"Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Clement Clarke Moore

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!

Word of the Day

(this one is hilarious!!!)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com
December 24, 2006:

Santa

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Santa&defid=1372732

The fattest, oldest pimp this side of the north pole.

Santa has three hoes. Damn that's jolly.

Hamsters Part 20

Mark called today (he was house-sitting) to tell me KusKus had died. :( I guess he went to feed the hamsters and she was dead, that makes me sad, she was one of my favourite hamsters.

Word of the Day

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com
December 22, 2006:

Christmas creep

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Christmas+creep&defid=1199619
A phenomenon where the Christmas season starts earlier and earlier each year.

If they don't keep the Christmas creep under control, the season will start in June before we know it.

Word of the Day

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com
December 21, 2006:

Chrismukkah
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Chrismukkah&defid=1353296

Mixed celebration of Hannukkah and Christmas for Christian/Jewish families.

Originated from [The OC].

Happy Chrismukkah: Eight days of presents, followed by one day of many presents.

The Sims Stories

Yet another new game released just in time for Christmas

This one is a bit different though, it's a PC game of the Sims that is a stand-alone from the Sims 2, in a way it's own game with the characters from the Sims, from what I can surmise it is basically a game with a plot that can be played through to completion as opposed to an open-ended, build-your-own-adventure, never-ending epic like the original Sims & Sims 2.

"Introducing The Sims™ Stories!

Eager to get your friends on The Sims™ bandwagon? Then this is the game for them! The Sims™ Life Stories is the first release in an all-new, standalone product line called The Sims™ Stories. Play through all the great moments of your Sim's life in this easy-to-play, laptop-friendly version of The Sims. In the new and engaging directed Story mode, you take your Sims through a unique and entertaining storyline full of romance, conflict and dramatic twists. In open-ended Classic mode, you create Sims and then choose how they'll fulfill their dreams through life's biggest moments."

"What is The Sims Life Stories?
The Sims Life Stories is the first release in an all-new PC product line called The Sims Stories. All releases in The Sims Stories line offer two fun ways to play, directed Story mode and open-ended Classic mode, and are designed with laptop-friendly controls that let you play even when you're on the go!

In The Sims Life Stories, play through Riley's life story as she returns home to start a new life with new friends, new experiences, and unexpected surprises. A second story lets you sort out the love life of Vince, a love-struck high-tech whiz who's been unlucky in love so far.

Also Coming Soon to The Sims Stories Line: The Sims Pet Stories challenges your Sims to care for and train loveable but unpredictable pets, while The Sims Castaway Stories helps your Sims make a new life in an unexplored island paradise."

http://thesims2.ea.com/about/sims_stories/index.php?sssdmh=dm24.99627&nl_122106

No Place Like Home for the Holidays

I'm heading home for Christmas :D It's only 8 days but I will take what I can get! I'm so excited I can barely contain myself!

I worked OT to make up the time and now I can go and feel good about the world :)

Song of the Week

"River" - Joni Mitchell

Its coming on christmas
Theyre cutting down trees
Theyre putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
But it dont snow here
It stays pretty green
Im going to make a lot of money
Then Im going to quit this crazy scene
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I made my baby cry

He tried hard to help me
You know, he put me at ease
And he loved me so naughty
Made me weak in the knees
Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
Im so hard to handle
Im selfish and Im sad
Now Ive gone and lost the best baby
That I ever had
Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
Oh I wish I had a river
I made my baby say goodbye

Its coming on christmas
Theyre cutting down trees
Theyre putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on

Hamsters Part 19

So there are more baby hamsters today... At least 2, we'll see if they make it 'til I get back from holidays.

Get in touch with Santa

Remember the good old days when jolly old Saint Nick was only available through a letter... a letter you would never get a reply from except to see that wonderful toy you had asked for sitting under the tree on Christmas morning?

Well those days are no more... thanks to the wonder of technology Santa is readily available in via many mediums:

You can add Santa to msn:
NorthPole@live.com

You can view his webpage:
http://www.santaonspaces.spaces.live.com/

You can read his blog:
http://emailsanta.spaces.live.com/

You can send him an e-mail:
http://www.asksanta.ca/

OR

http://www.emailsanta.com/

Phone him:

1-800-972-6242 (info)

OR

Vonage Kids Call Santa at 1-700-CALL-SANTA

Have Santa phone you:
(e-mail to) santacalling@gmail.com (info)

OR

http://www.santaspeaking.com/

OR

http://www.santacallslive.com/

Or the good old fashioned snail mail:

SANTA CLAUS
NORTH POLE
H0H 0H0
CANADA

Or you can stalk (er I mean track) him on Christmas eve to figure out when he'll be at your house:
http://www.noradsanta.org/index.php

OR

You can also download the Google Earth extension to track Santa
http://earth.google.com/santa/

WoW trailers

Here's some trailers for the new WoW expansion... they're pretty stellar :)

http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/downloads/movies.html

http://www.apple.com/games/trailers/worldofwarcraft/burningcrusade/

Comcast Tech Goes Postal

You know I'll be getting calls about this one... *SIGH*

CHICAGO -- A cable contractor has been charged in the death of a nurse who was found dead in her bathtub last October, and they suspect him in a similar slaying that occurred last Friday.
The body of 39-year-old nurse Janice Ordidge was found in her bathtub in October. An autopsy determined she was strangled and the death was ruled a homicide, according to a report from the medical examiner’s office.

Police say Anthony Triplett, 25, is in custody and charged with first-degree murder, criminal aggravated sexual assault, and residential burglary. More charges might stem from another homicide discovered last Friday The body of 23-year-old Urzula Sakowska was found nude in her bathtub in her home on the 6100 block of South McVicker Avenue either neighbors or friends, according to police news affairs officer Kelly Liakopoulos. Sakowska, whose mouth was duct-taped, was pronounced dead at the scene and an autopsy found that she died from suffocation and strangulation, according to a medical examiner's office spokesman.
She had a scheduled appointment with Comcast.

According to the sergeant, police were suspicious of Triplett's alleged involvement because a white cable truck or van was seen at the time of the deaths.

People who live nearby are surprised to hear the news.

"That's...that's not good," stammered one surprised neighbor.

"It's rough, it's terrifying," said another.

"We've lived here for 17 years, and I can't believe this happened," said resident Jennifer Elgan.
Comcast spokesperson Rich Ruggiero said the man was contracted through a company called Premier, and was suspended on Dec. 10, two days after the slaying.

"We wish to express our sympathy for the family impacted by this tragedy," said Comcast in a statement Wednesday. "We are cooperating fully with Chicago Police as they conduct their investigation."

Triplett will appear in court Friday.

Stay with NBC 5 for updates on this developing story.

**EDIT**

Here's some new info...

From Comcast:
"We wish to express our sympathy for the families impacted by this tragedy. Mr. Triplett is an employee of Premier, an independent contractor. We have been notified by Premier that Mr. Triplett passed the required background check and criminal history check, and had no prior criminal record. Premier has been suspended as a Comcast contractor."

http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/local_story_349070601.html

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=4864440

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/chi-0612210049dec21,1,3358347.story?coll=chi-ent_tv-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true

Death...

Sorry to be so morbid so close to Christmas, I'm just working through some stuff right now.

I've just found out a friend of mine from high school died today...

and even though I was working through some stuff regarding it and had a post here I've deleted all of it because people commented I had my facts wrong regarding his death, although they WERE the facts printed in the newspaper. I feel that people should take up their problems with the newspaper that printed those facts originally and not berate my blog for reposting what I read in a reputable newspaper. Also no one EVER told me the real facts so I couldn't even edit what I had written to be accurate.

Song of the Week

(warning this one is sad!)

"The Cat Carol" - Meryn Gadell

The cat wanted in to the warm warm house,
but no one would let the cat in
It was cold outside on Christmas Eve,
She meowed and meowed by the door.

The cat was not let in the warm warm house,
And her tiny cries were ignored.
'twas a blizzard now, the worst of the year,
There was no place for her to hide.

Just then a poor little mouse crept by,
He had lost his way in the snow.
He was on his last legs and was almost froze,
The cat lifted him with her paw.

She said "Poor mouse do not be afraid,
because this is Christmas Eve.
"On this freezing night we both need a friend,
"I won't hurt you - stay by my side."

She dug a small hole in an icy drift,
This is where they would spent the night.
She curled herself 'round her helpless friend,
Protecting him from the cold.

Oooooo

When Santa came by near the end of the night,
the reindeer started to cry.
They found the cat lying there in the snow,
and they could see that she had died.

They lifted her up from the frozen ground,
and placed her into the sleigh.
It was then they saw the little mouse wrapped up,
she had kept him warm in her fur.

"Oh thank you Santa for finding us!
"Dear cat wake up we are saved!"
..."I'm sorry mouse but your friend has died,
there's nothing more we can do.

"On Christmas Eve she gave you her life,
the greatest gift of them all."
Santa lifted her up into the night sky,
and laid her to rest among the stars.

"Dear mouse don't cry you are not alone,
you will see your friend every year.
"Each Christmas a Cat Constellation will shine,
to remind us that her love's still here."

Hamsters Part 18

One of the girls died, so we are down to 2 :( The others started to eat her... thankfully Mark found the body when he was over & we disposed of it.

Amazing Christmas Light

I know I showed these off last year, but they are fantastic and need to be reveled in yet again...

Christmas lights set to musical score Here's some more cool Christmas lights videos: http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-7247304136151735536&q=christmas+lights http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=4076466488182278865&q=christmas+lights http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=5474660704209488365&q=christmas+lights http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-6458539689785580334&q=christmas+lights

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=7751485222029867963&q=christmas+lights

Word of the Day

(Beware all... I think this is a marvelous idea!)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com
December 09, 2006:

Hasselhoffing
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Hasselhoffing&defid=749357

The act of changing a colleague's desktop wallpaper to display the manlyphysique of David Hasselhoff.

Dear God man! I leave my workstation for a few moments to visit the big boysroom and you've Hasselhoffed me!

Spinach recall

There was an article I read back in September about the recall of Spinach from the states due to an e coli scare associated with that spinach... It's now December and although the article say to not buy such spinach until it is deemed save I have not heard another thing about this... when can I eat my spinach again?

It's interesting to see how quickly the media will jump all over a medical threat, but when that threat is over it is never mentioned to the public so the public will continue on in their paranoid delusion created by the media, fearing what they eat, drink, breathe, etc. In all fairness the media should report more on when a threat is over, not just when it is a threat.

This website is a good example of the media scaring the public... all the items were recalled but very few have follow up articles as to whether a product was later re-released or deemed safe. http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/recalls/

Here is the spinach article (from the above website) if you wanted to read it for yourself:


Beware of bagged fresh spinach from U.S., advisory warns
Monday, September 18, 2006 11:18 AM ET

People should not eat bagged fresh spinach from the United States until further notice, a federal advisory is warning after an E. coli outbreak that has made more than 100 Americans sick.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is attempting to find the bacteria source that prompted the outbreak that started last week and has spread to at least 19 states.

The Public Health Agency of Canada reported that no illnesses have been reported in Canada due to the contaminated spinach.

The advisory issued by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said it was co-operating with the Public Health Agency, Health Canada and U.S. officials in the investigation.
Natural Selection Foods, LLC, of San Juan Bautista, Calif., has recalled all of its products that contain spinach in all the brands they pack with "Best if Used by Dates" of Aug. 17 through Oct. 1.

Natural Selection Foods, LLC brands include: Natural Selection Foods, Pride of San Juan, Earthbound Farm, Bellissima, Dole, Rave Spinach, Emeril, Sysco, O Organic, Fresh Point, River Ranch, Superior, Nature’s Basket, Pro-Mark, Compliments, Trader Joe’s, Ready Pac, Jansal Valley, Cheney Brothers, Coastline, D’Arrigo Brothers, Green Harvest, Mann, Mills Family Farm, Premium Fresh, Snoboy, The Farmer’s Market, Tanimura & Antle, President’s Choice, Cross Valley, and Riverside Farms.

Consumption of food contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 bacteria may cause serious and potentially life-threatening illnesses.

People with compromised immune systems, young children and the elderly are at particular risk of developing serious complications. Individuals who experience symptoms of illness should contact their doctor.

Word of the Day

(this one is dedicated to Steve hehe)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com
December 07, 2006:

elationship

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=elationship&defid=1704264

This refers to a couple (friends, lovers, whatever) that know each other *only*via online correspondence (e-mail, IM chats, video rooms, etc.).

A: Jasmine and I have a great elationship, dude.
B: Um, she lives in Vietnam, dude.
A: I know, but she writes very flirty e-mails. And her myspace is totallyhott.

PostSecret 6

Here's an interview with Frank Warren (the creator of PostSecret) I found it quite interesting :)

20 Questions with Frank Warren
Written by Scott Semegran
Thursday, 03 August 2006

Do you feel the urge to reveal your deepest, darkest secrets? If you do, you are not alone. Thousands of people have revealed their secrets on a web site called PostSecret.com. According to Technorati, PostSecret.com is the seventh most popular blog on the internet as of August 1, 2006. What is PostSecret? It’s a web site that invites you to anonymously reveal your secrets. The directions are simple:

“Each secret can be a regret, hope, funny experience, unseen kindness, fantasy, belief, fear, betrayal, erotic desire, feeling, confession, or childhood humiliation. Reveal anything - as long as it is true and you have never shared it with anyone before.”

Create a 4-by-6-inch postcard and draw, paint, or cut and paste whatever you desire to reveal your secret. Then anonymously mail to it to Frank Warren, the artist behind the project. Every Sunday, he puts the postcards on his web site. Sometimes disturbing, sometimes funny, and sometimes sad, it’s hard not to feel a wide range of emotions when reading the submissions. The skeptic in me ponders if the secrets are really secrets at all. But the artist in me knows that it really doesn’t matter if the person is telling the truth or not. We all have secrets. We all have something we hide about ourselves. It’s the choice to reveal what we want to the world that makes us who we are. And reading the submissions reveals more about us than it does the person who submitted it. It should remind us all that we have our own secrets to deal with.

PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives is a collection of submissions to PostSecret and it has garnered rave reviews. And Frank is currently busy prepping a new book titled My Secret: A PostSecret Book, scheduled to be released this October. He took time out of his busy schedule to answer our 20 Questions. Read what he had to say:

Q: When was the last time YOU confessed a secret?
I'm not Catholic so I am not required to confess. (Did I sidestep that successfully?)

Q: According to about.com, "The sacrament [of confession in Catholicism] is used for the forgiveness of sins committed after baptism. It's a sign from God to impart grace to the soul. We reconcile ourselves with God through confession." Do you see any parallels between this Catholic sacrament and your audience confessing their secrets to the PostSecret community?
I think sharing a secret can be thought of as a spiritual experience, among other ways. I know that some of the postcards I receive display artwork and care that appears to have taken such an investment in time and effort. Much more than would be necessary to simply tell a secret. I think these cards represent something more than we can see. Maybe for these people, sharing their secret is a search for grace.

Q: What is your selection criteria for posting on PostSecret?
When I travel to college campuses and talk about what people like to see on the web site this is what they tell me. They like secrets that have a strong visual message and a simple easy to read secret. They like secrets that they have not seen before. And they appreciate a variety of sexual, philosophical, humorous, remorseful and joyful secrets every week.

Q: Many of the submissions are altered or modified versions of post cards that can be bought in a store. Have you encountered any issues with claims of copyright infringement?
Very little for the website and traveling art exhibit. A few have been vetted by my attorney for the books.

Q: Do you have a philosophy to live by?
We are all on our own journey from the home we were born into toward the home we make for ourselves.

Q: Why are people compelled to tell their secrets?
I think on the website I have created an environment where a person can share a private secret without any social cost.

Q: What inspires you as an artist?
A tedious business.

Q: Have you received any requests to reveal the owner of a submission?
Sometimes I receive multiple emails from people sure that the same secret is from someone they know. They all want me to confirm a return address. I never do. I suggest instead that they chose to believe whatever will make their life more meaningful.

Q: Are you a spiritual person?
My faith is a work in progress. Currently I am discovering spiritual meaning in how the pain and suffering I experienced growing up is enabling me to find purpose as an adult.

Q: How did your association with hopeline.com come about?
I have been a volunteer taking hopeline calls for over three years now. I have also lost a friend and family member to suicide.

Q: A New York Times review claims, "[PostSecret] isn't really a true confessional after all. It is a piece of collaborative art." Do you agree with that?
I would rather not define the project. It is what it is. I am moved by it and if others continued to be moved by it too, I will keep going.

Q: If you were trapped on a deserted island, what three things would you need to survive?
I just need one thing, New York City.

Q: Do you have a favorite submission? If not, do you have a submission that comes to mind, for whatever reason, above all the others?
A person mailed me a photograph and on the back wrote. "I steal small things from my friends to keep memories of how much I love them." Sometime I laugh when I read that, other times it makes me sad. It's now my favorite poem.

Q: Are you an Elvis man or a Beatles man?
I like them both. But if I had to pick which superpower I wanted between flying and being invisible, I would chose flying. Because sometimes seeing so many secrets makes me feel like I am invisibly watching people's lives already.

Q: According to an article on usatoday.com, PostSecret is your third art project. Tell us about some other art projects you've worked on?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4415-2004Oct3.html

Q: What words of wisdom did your father share with you? Was it good advice?
I told me father last week that watching him try to start several small businesses and fail was a great lesson for me. It showed me that there is no shame in trying something and failing and it demonstrated to me how hard one has to work to create and grow a business or any venture.

Q: Will there be a documentary filmed about PostSecret?
There are talks now but nothing is set.

Q: Were you originally surprised at the amount of creativity these strangers had at artistically expressing themselves?
For me this was a great surprise. How courage can be more important than talent or technique in creating meaningful art.

Q: What's the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
Take the dog out to go pee. Pick up my New York Times. Walk downstairs and check my email.

Q: Do you see a future without secrets appearing in your mailbox?
I hope they never stop. (There's your secret).

Please visit postsecret.com.

http://www.quirkee.com/interviews/20-questions/20-questions-with-frank-warren.html

S.A.D.

Here's a new one to me... Seasonal Affected Disorder. It's a medical condition, a form of depression affecting people in one season only, usually in the darker, drearier winter months from October to February.

I hate to self diagnose... but I think this may say a lot about my current mood over the winter for the past few years... LOL

"Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, also known as winter depression is an affective, or mood, disorder. Most SAD sufferers experience normal mental health throughout most of the year, but experience depressive symptoms in the winter or summer. SAD is rare, if existent at all, in the tropics, but is measurably present at latitudes north of 30°N, or south of 30°S."

"Seasonal mood variations are believed to be related mostly to daylight, not temperature. For this reason, SAD is prevalent even in mid-latitude places with mild winters, such as Seattle and Vancouver. People who live in the Arctic region are especially susceptible due to the effects of polar nights. Prolonged periods of overcast weather can also exacerbate SAD.

SAD is a serious disorder and may require hospitalization. The symptoms of SAD mimic those of dysthymia or clinical depression. At times, patients may not feel depressed, but rather lack energy to get out of bed and do things. Norman Rosenthal, MD, pioneer in SAD research and author of Winter Blues: Everything You Need to Know to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder, has described SAD as “an energy crisis.”[1] He has estimated that the prevalence of SAD in the adult US population is between 1.4 percent (in Florida) and 9.7 percent (in New Hampshire)."

"Treatments using light are the most common, and of these bright light therapies tend to be the treatment of choice.[1] The use of a therapuetic light box is the most effective, leading to an approximately 85 percent success rate[10]. A specially designed light, many times brighter than normal office lighting, is placed near the sufferer. It should provide a dose of 10,000 lux. Many use it for 30-60 minutes daily. The sufferer should remain within sight of the light-box, with their eyes open and unshielded, only occassionaly glancing at the light box. The best time to administer light therapy is still a matter of debate, though use in the morning has been suggested to mimic the effects of normal dawn on the patient.[11]In fact, some studies have shown dawn simulation to be more effective than bright lights in treating SAD.[12] Light therapy may take several weeks to take full effect though some improvement should be noted within a week. It should be continued until natural daily light exposure becomes sufficient, usually during spring.[citation needed]"

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

Other Sources for Info
http://www.sada.org.uk/
http://www.cmha.ca/bins/content_page.asp?cid=3-86-93

Where to get Light Boxes online:
- http://www.sunshinesales.ca/?ref=gg_sad
- http://www.fullspectrumsolutions.com/?sc_cid=150&s_kwcid=seasonal%20affective%20disorder%20light%20therapy373686976&gclid=CLLlmaX47YgCFSXLYAodaTOdiw

Song of the Week

"Marshmallow World" - Brenda Lee


It's a marshmallow world in the winter
When the snow comes to cover the ground
It's the time for play
It's a whipped cream day
I wait for it the whole year around
Now those marshmallow clouds being friendly
In the arms of the ever-green-trees
And the sun is red like a pumpkin hay
It's shining so your nose won't freeze
Oh' the world is the snowball, see how it grows
That's how it grows
Whenever it snows
The world is the snowball just for our soul
So get up and roll it along

It's a yumm yummy world made for sweet hearts
Take a walk with your favorite guy
It's a sugar date what a spring is late
In winter it's a marshmallow world

(It's a marshmallow world in the winter)
(When the snow comes to cover the ground)
It's the time for play
It's a whipped cream day
I wait for it the whole year around
(Those marshmallow clouds being friendly)
(In the arms of the ever-green-trees
And the sun is red like a pumpkin hay
It's shining so your nose won't freeze
Oh' the world is the snowball, see how it grows
That's how it grows
Whenever it snows
The world is the snowball just for our soul
So get up and roll it along

It's a yumm yummy world made for sweet hearts
Take a walk with your favorite guy
It's a sugar date what a spring is late
In winter it's a marshmallow world

It's a marshmallow world
It's a snow covered world
It's yummy, yummy world
It's a marshmallow world

PostSecret 5

There's a new PostSecret book out!!!

It's called "My Secret"

I'm refraining from buying either book because I want them for Christmas!

In January there is another one coming out called "The Secret Lives of Men & Women"

I'm going to buy that one with any Christmas money I get! :)

If you want to buy them for yourself (or a friend) you can get them through Amazon, Chapters, Barnes & Noble, or at most local retailers.

The Sims 2

I have to admit I haven't been playing the Sims as avidly as I used to (sad to day real life gets in the way...) so today as I was finalizing my Christmas list and, of course, visited the Sims 2 site... they actually have quite a few expansion packs!! Here's what I found...

The Game:

The Sims 2:

The sequel to the best-selling PC game of all-time!
In the The Sims™ 2, you direct your Sims over a lifetime and mix their genes from one generation to the next. You set your Sims' goals in life; popularity, fortune, family, romance or knowledge. Give them a long, successful existence or leave their lives in shambles. Take them to extremes, from getting busted to seeing a ghost, from marrying an alien to writing a great novel. Unleash your creativity with the all-new Create-A-Sim, new building options, and the new in-game movie camera. Get ready to mix their genes, fulfill their dreams, and push them to extremes. What do you want to do with your Sims' lives?

The Expansions:

The Sims 2 University
Your Sims Are Taking Over Campus!
Your Sims are now young adults leaving home to live the ultimate college fantasy. Immerse them in college life as they become the Big Sim on Campus. They'll relish their new-found freedom as they party with friends, join fraternities and sororities and pull outrageous pranks. Your Sims will explore all the campus hot-spots as they frequent lounges, gyms, coffee houses and more. Help them fulfill new lifetime goals to unlock more rewards and reap all of the benefits of their university years.

The Sims 2 Nightlife
Send Your Sims on an Epic Night Out
Your Sims are on the town hitting all the swanky hot spots. Whether they're dancing until dawn, romancing that special someone, or striking out at the bowling alley, it'll be an unforgettable night! Let your Sims loose to enjoy their favorite after-dark activities as they pursue a life of pleasure. Determine their love lives as you discover the chemistry between Sims. Will their life aspirations and personalities click or clash? It could be the beginning of a stormy affair or a dating disaster. Ready for fun and romance? Bring on the night!

The Sims 2 Open for Business:
Your Sims Get Down To Business
Now your Sims can create their own businesses. They can design their own clothing boutique, beauty salon, florist, high-end electronics shop, bustling restaurant chain, or virtually any other type of business. Hire your staff as the business grows and put talented Sims to work making toys, running the register, crafting floral bouquets, giving sales pitches, or manufacturing robots. But watch out for slacker employees and be prepared to fire them on the spot. From clever tinkerer to master craftsman, develop your Sim's talents to best suit your business needs. Will they build a thriving business empire or become eccentric entrepreneurs designing the next big thing?

The Sims 2 Pets
Get Your Paws on The Sims™ 2 Pets Expansion Pack!
Create the perfect pet for your Sims to train, play with, and love throughout a lifetime. Pick everything from their paws to their personality. Choose from dozens of popular dog and cat breeds like Schnauzer and Siamese. Or create a unique cat or dog by modifying their features and body type. Your Sims can teach their pets tricks, take them for a romp in the park to meet other furry friends, or buy them toys, beds, and much more. But pets have minds of their own-so expect the unexpected!

The Sims 2 Seasons
(this one is coming soon)
Enjoy All Four Seasons with Your Sims!
Head outdoors for year-round fun with your Sims! New seasonal activities await your Sims including snowball fights, chasing fireflies, jumping in leaf piles, and more. Strengthen family ties in Winter, let romance bloom in Spring, deepen the bonds of friendship in Summer, or fast-track your career in Fall. Your Sims can now explore new careers and master new talents throughout the year, but beware freezing, sunburn, sneezing, and other unexpected weather effects! Dress your Sims appropriately or face the consequences!

The Stuff Packs:

The Sims 2 Family Fun Stuff
Must-Have Items for your Sims' Entire Family!
Add excitement to your Sims' family with this all-new collection of furniture, clothing, and décor. Decorate the home with an assortment of cool new furnishings, including upscale living room items and adventurous bedroom sets. Dress your Sims in matching attire for an amusing day out with the family. With 60 new items from castle beds to cruise ship replicas, your Sims now have more stuff for family fun.

The Sims 2 Glamour Life Stuff
Must-Have Items to Glam Up Your Sims' Lives!
Your Sims can now indulge in a glamorous life with this collection of luxurious furniture, fashionable clothing, and extravagant décor items*. Create lavish homes furnished with the finest modern bedroom, living room, and dining room sets. Turn heads in the neighborhood as your Sims show off elegant gowns, red carpet formalwear, and cool casual styles at their next big soirée. Your Sims will live the high life with 60 new items including pop-art paintings, sectional sofas, a high-end stereo, fur coats, and more!

The Sims 2 Happy Holiday Stuff
Celebrate the Season with Must-Have Holiday Items from Around the Globe!
Spice up your Sims' holidays with this updated collection of seasonal items, outfits, and décor. Deck their homes with traditional décor items from around the globe including mistletoe, reindeer lawn ornaments, and an all-new European-style Father Christmas. Indulge your Sims this season with this collection of 60 items of festive fun!


The Extras:

The Sims 2 Holiday Edition
Celebrate the Season with a Limited Edition of The Sims 2!
Celebrate the season with a limited edition of The Sims™ 2. The Sims™ 2 Holiday Edition includes The Sims 2 plus The Sims™ 2 Happy Holiday Stuff. Create and control your cast of Sims characters. Determine their personalities, appearance, behavior, choices, and more. Design and enhance their homes with countless building and décor options. Guide them through a lifetime! And now you can add sparkle to their holiday celebrations with a bonus collection of festive holiday items from around the world. 'Tis the season to explore the open-ended, creative gameplay of the world's most popular people simulator! Give the perfect gift-classic Sims gameplay spiced up for the holidays!

The Sims 2 Happy Holiday Mini-Pack
Celebrate the Season with All-New Must-Have Holiday Items for Your Sims!
Spice up your Sims' holidays with this mini-collection of seasonal items, outfits, and décor. Add even more sparkle and fun to your Sims' celebrations with 10 all-new festive items from around the globe, plus 10 all-new outfit options like a kimono or European Santa ensemble and more! Indulge your Sims this season and round out your holiday collection with these fun new items!

http://thesims2.ea.com/about/index.php?pid=pcgames

Quote of the Day

"Don't try to change the world, let the world change you" - annon