tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45477398110494742892024-03-14T00:50:48.303-07:00of Greetings and Goodbyesby Becca MartinoAnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-69596098549725796242014-06-21T23:07:00.002-07:002014-06-21T23:07:50.630-07:00Green Moms MeetI am one of those people always looking for a deal, always looking for FREE, and always looking for a sample of a product! I hate buying something and it is a complete flop - lately that could be anything from a baby product to my dogs food. Even that really expensive GOOD food he turns his nose up and for a whole month of feedings I sit there and hound him (see what I did there) to eat!<script type="text/javascript">
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Back to samples! So a few weeks back, my friend Sarah invited me over to a sample party! This is where a company sends bulk samples and people come over to use them and give opinions. So the first party was for Beechnut baby foods- and let me tell you my little 13 month old toddler has a mind of her own when it comes to food, especially baby food and <i>especially </i>sauces. Moms (just Sarah and I- everyone flaked!) and babies alike dug into the food. After she graciously hosted and provided snacks she hooked me up with several jars and coupons to take home and try. My kind of day!</div>
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Today I got to go to ANOTHER sample party at Sarah's. This time cleaning products from Walgreens called Ology. I love me some green cleaning products, something safe around babies and pets, she demonstrated some product on her stove (great idea) and sent us home with laundry detergent samples. I decided I would sign up to also become an ambassador for Green Moms Meet in hopes to host my own sample parties for moms (I'll post pics of the sample parties soon) and write some reviews here! </div>
AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-26698717907354153592011-03-21T17:53:00.000-07:002011-03-21T18:14:05.366-07:00Spring cleaning never smelled so good!Not once in my could I describe myself as "excited" to spring clean! In fact, I think I probably had the reverse effect of cleaning during my spring breaks as a student.<br /><br />Today I received in the mail a glorious smelling package from <a href="http://www.bzzagent.com/">BZZAgent.Com</a> . Never heard of them? They are a great company i've had the pleasure of being an agent for since 2004. When you sign up for a campaign you're in for a real treat. I've received boxes of goodies, juice, apple crisp, beauty products, gum, you name it. Once you receive a box it's all about opening it up, trying and sharing the product, asking for feedback and reporting back to the website.<br /><br />So, I was elated when I received my box of <img src="http://img.bzzagent.com/image/scjohnson.jpg?Type=activity&Activity=2706048701&Campaign=3953203761&Uid=32299&token=6c08541e460673b82c68556cd01c5bb5" alt="" /><br /><br />Included in the box From Scrubbing Bubbles:<br /><ol><li>can of mega shower foamer with Extend-A-Clean</li><li>Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Cleaning Gel </li></ol>From Glade<br /><ol><li>Spring Collection Candle, LE- Sparkle of Spring (lime/ Ginger/Vanilla) and OMG it smells good</li><li>Plugins scented oil wamer Crisp Waters (it fits in my AIRWICK warmer!!)<br /></li><li>Pledge lemon Clean<br /></li></ol>And we're not talking "Sample" Sized products people! These are full sized bottles. Also included was a packet of coupons worth 58 dollars in savings. Since I can't wait to let my products do the elbow work, I'll post another update in a week (if not sooner!) for reviews on the products! And a photograph later on!<br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-8721824-1");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-88643723924727622752010-12-05T22:19:00.000-08:002010-12-05T22:27:31.561-08:00Pets are my passionFirst, I will apologize for not keeping my promise of updating daily- it will probably be more feasible to keep a weekly promise of updating. This is a busy time of year for me, especially because I've started a new job!<br /><br /> Second - you will probably see a lot of my pets in my photography. Layla, our dog is particularly difficult to get a good shot of - she seems to be a bit camera shy! Lots of colors have capitivated me today, the sky, the colors of my neice's knit cap, my mom's bright pink (faux) Christmas tree, my mom's cat Skippy's nose. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/TPyA3HevnFI/AAAAAAAAAJs/upCcyHSLCOs/s1600/IMG_6933.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/TPyA3HevnFI/AAAAAAAAAJs/upCcyHSLCOs/s200/IMG_6933.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547450525402766418" border="0" /></a><br />Today's photograph is of Suki, my flame point (color point shorthair) siamese, was sitting on the un-made bed, and i couldn't help notice how the afternoon light was making her glow. Our sheets are a light blue and almost an exact match for Suki's eye color and reflected beautifully. (You will also notice she is naturally cross eyed, giving a cover girl moment a bit of a twist). <script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-8721824-1");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-64767955804578881652010-11-28T14:56:00.000-08:002010-11-28T15:10:47.062-08:00Giving thanks!Several days have gone by without a new photo, and there is some explanation for that. I was driving back and forth from Salem to Vancouver for a few days of job training before Thanksgiving. Then there is T-Day, which is celebrated at least twice, if not more with different family members. There are many things I am thankful for, and one is the ability to capture moments special to my friends and family. So I made the decision not to post because I was busy traveling, and cooking and cleaning and dealing with an overly fussy problematic cat!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/TPLg2W3kCgI/AAAAAAAAAJk/jx2NBCeZm7M/s1600/IMG_6905.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/TPLg2W3kCgI/AAAAAAAAAJk/jx2NBCeZm7M/s200/IMG_6905.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544741315702688258" border="0" /></a><br />The best smile award goes to my niece Olivia with her rubber chicken, reunited after being separated for a few weeks.<br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-8721824-1");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-53890569482750117732010-11-16T14:11:00.000-08:002010-11-16T14:31:33.572-08:00The Fungus Among Us<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/TOMF__h9DPI/AAAAAAAAAJc/8yDwuVrA8ws/s1600/DSCN3670glow.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/TOMF__h9DPI/AAAAAAAAAJc/8yDwuVrA8ws/s200/DSCN3670glow.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540278563539586290" border="0" /></a><br />There is fungus among us, whether we like it or not. Mushrooms make good eats for some, poisonous eats for others, but if you're like me you think they make interesting subjects for photographs.<br /><br />These mushrooms are growing in my yard, and neighborhood park. Unfortunately I dont know enough about mushrooms to ID them (it's best to prevent dogs/cats from consuming unknown mushrooms and always wash your hands if you handle them). I discovered two separate species, so I have two photographs for today!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/TOMF0qBgLpI/AAAAAAAAAJU/mQRj9bGRWHk/s1600/DSCN3669sepia.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/TOMF0qBgLpI/AAAAAAAAAJU/mQRj9bGRWHk/s200/DSCN3669sepia.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540278368787771026" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Images copyright Becca Blessing 2010.<br /><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-8721824-1");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-4626823279345429742010-11-15T15:10:00.000-08:002010-11-15T15:35:59.412-08:00A new challengeA challenge was proposed to me, by my ever inspiring and encouraging husband to do something I have never done before. Take at least one picture every day. This might be something you have seen other photographers do, and I have been toying with the idea for awhile. So here is my favorite photo I took today, from my backyard.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/TOHDjUZEJGI/AAAAAAAAAJM/fzZZY2q2HtE/s1600/IMG_6777.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/TOHDjUZEJGI/AAAAAAAAAJM/fzZZY2q2HtE/s320/IMG_6777.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539924028179096674" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is an acorn squash I started growing this spring by seed (from a squash I purchased at a local market), and it has developed into a very large plant with lots of new fruit!<br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-8721824-1");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-7275488659268440462010-07-01T22:17:00.001-07:002010-07-01T22:18:07.939-07:00CraftbitsCraftbits.com is one of my VERY FAVORITE DIY sites! They have SOOOO many creative contributors, and I have tried out, and am planning on experimenting with several projects on there.<br /><br /> <h1>Win A Year's Supply Of Soap</h1> <p> <img alt="Craftbits_logo" class="inline-photo" src="http://www.craftbits.com/competition_images/0000/1455/craftbits_logo.jpg?1277984760" align="left" /> </p> Thanks to the new <a href="http://www.craftbits.com/soap-making-recipes#Household%20Cleaners">household cleaner</a> section on our website, we are giving away a year's supply of soap to TWO lucky winners. <br /><br />To win, you need to link to this new section from your blog or website with the code supplied below: <br /><br /><!-- Start Copy Here --><br /><br />Check out the new <a href="http://www.craftbits.com/soap-making-recipes#Household Cleaners">Household Cleaner</a> section on <a href="http://www.craftbits.com">Craftbits.com</a>.<br /><br /><!-- End Copy Here --> <br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-8721824-1");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-23939719003803241882009-12-01T22:55:00.001-08:002009-12-01T23:12:18.700-08:00It's the most wonderful time of the year<script type="text/javascript"><br />var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");<br />document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));<br /></script>Greetings Bloggers!<br /><br />I'm back, and with some DIY Projects to boot. My husband Kyle and I just bought and moved into a duplex in August. Much like our marriage, there have been bumps in the remodeling road, but we have learned to take everything in stride. We are learning as we go along, and there have been a lot of tears and a lot of laughs.<br /><br />We recently adopted two kittens, Suki and Saya, and my sister's dog, Layla. The kittens have been acting as my sidekicks while Layla supervises from the sidelines and occasionally comes in for a closer look or to reward my hard work with licks.<br /><br />Now, onto the real reason for the blog: the holiday season is one of my favorites, great deals on craft materials and lots of projects to consider making as gifts. Often too many that I get myself and my wallet into a bit of a tizzy.<br /><br />Some of my recent projects have been decopaging a dresser, refinishing a coffee table, dining table and some frames. Projects to come include a magnet board for your recipes/wall, magnets, a peanut heart for the squirrels, and more!<br /><br />Tomorrow will mark the completition of my DIY Decopage Dresser, and I hope to get you some pictures and instructions up.<br /><br />For now, take a look at these great, inspirational DIY websites. My favorite is <a href="http://beachbrights.blogspot.com/">Beach Brights</a>, a DIY Master Christy Bright runs the site and has fantastic ideas. If you follow her you have a chance to win a prize! I recently won <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/What-Shall-We-Do-Today/Catherine-Woram/e/9781845978877">What Shall We Do Today</a>, a DIY book of 60 crafts to do with kids. My second DIY website pick is <a href="http://www.diyideas.com/">DIY Ideas</a>, presented by Better Homes and Gardens (and publishes a magazine under a similar title). It doesn't appear that they update their site more than monthly, but you can find great projects by digging a little. You can also follow them on FaceBook.<br /><br />Well bloggers, that's it for tonight, I'm hitting the proverbial hay.<br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />try {<br />var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-8721824-1");<br />pageTracker._trackPageview();<br />} catch(err) {}</script>AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-70821050764942167772009-07-23T20:02:00.001-07:002009-07-23T20:02:57.315-07:00Life and LoveWell, I'm very excited to say in 9 days, or a little less, that i'll be married! Seemed like 14 months ago this day would never come, and it seemed like a month ago I'd never be ready.<br /><br />Most everything is set into place, only minor details like getting alterations complete, packed and everyone organized is left to do.<br /><br />After our lovely honeymoon in Disneyland, we'll be traveling to Bellingham to participate in Kyle's best man's wedding, and spending a day in Seattle before we return "home".<br /><br />We'll move into our new duplex off Shenandoah Ave about two weeks after the wedding, so anyone and everyone who wants to come help me clean and paint is welcome! In the mean time i'll be living out of a suitcase at Kyle's residence off Browning until its time for the real move.<br /><br />Just a quick refresher for those who need it: <br /><br />The ceremony and reception dinner will take place at Ron's Pond in Monmouth Oregon at 16300 Shady Ln. Rd, Monmouth 97361.<br /><br />The ceremony will start about 630 pm to last about 20 minutes, followed by a reception line and dinner /dancing.<br /><br /><br />We are registered at target and in desperate need for just about everything and anything.AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-25829236974177404772009-06-12T00:01:00.000-07:002009-06-12T00:26:31.102-07:00Graduation 2009<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/SjIC9tD7gYI/AAAAAAAAAIc/Cd2PZmwRm3o/s1600-h/P6120042.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 176px; height: 132px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/SjIC9tD7gYI/AAAAAAAAAIc/Cd2PZmwRm3o/s320/P6120042.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346338966733554050" border="0" /></a><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");<br />document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));<br /></script>At 4:30 I heard the news from a <a href="http://kflyfm.com/pages/donk_live">Donkey Show</a> news alert, fatal car accident along I5 southbound, just north of the exit we needed.<br /><br />Mom and I were late heading out late, and decided to take the back roads to graduation, but according to the <a href="http://www.democratherald.com/articles/2009/06/11/news/local/4loc01_fatal.txt">Albany Democrat Herald</a>, the accident actually took place around 1:30 so there may have been no actual need for rerouting.<br /><br />Regardless, we got to the fairgrounds on time, and graduation went as planned. Fortunately Rita Cavin, LBCC president is a fair woman, and didn't clog graduation full of boring speeches.<br /><br />For me, this event was a proud moment, long awaited, and remembered for a long time.<br /><br />My highschool graduation, is also one to be remembered forever, but not for the same reasons. It was 105 degrees that day in June, and we had to spend four hours practicing outside without breaks and refreshments. Those who needed to seek refuge from the heat were threatened with not being allowed to participate that evening.<br /><br />By the time I got home around 12:30 that afternoon, the tentative plan to go to North Fork had been cancelled because I started throwing up. Heat stroke.<br /><br />Many of the students had been showing signs of heat stroke (nausea, dizzyness) by the time graduation practice had wrapped up, but I seemed to be affected very negatively.<br /><br />14 hours later I was still sick, but ready to pass out on our bathroom floor from utter exhaustion.<br /><br />Fortunately, tonight was not like that night in 2003. I arrived on time, feeling good as I met up with fellow Commuter's and waited. Then waited some more until it was time to go outside to wait even longer. Then a time came where we filled the fairgrounds, listened to a few minor speeches, then went and smiled pretty for the camera.<br /><br />Now I write to you as a 2009 graduate from LBCC with my Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer, Photography emphasis, and don't it feel good!<br /><br />My goal is to keep up the blog for the summer, and to keep you updated as I check things off my long list, and to keep you refreshed in between with wacky news!<br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />try {<br />var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-8721824-1");<br />pageTracker._trackPageview();<br />} catch(err) {}</script>AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-56081158438996259322009-06-07T14:35:00.000-07:002009-06-07T15:08:06.319-07:00If God had a cell phone . . .<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/Siw30iHqSAI/AAAAAAAAAIU/5WXlsFCHTtI/s1600-h/sistineGod.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344708233433597954" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; width: 143px; height: 200px;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/Siw30iHqSAI/AAAAAAAAAIU/5WXlsFCHTtI/s200/sistineGod.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>If God had a cell phone, some might wonder what he would do with it. Would he text? Would he use the tip calculator? More importantly would God tweet?!<br /></div><div><br />According to <a href="http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2009/6/3quatro.html?a">McSweeny's Internet Tendency</a>, they have figured out exactly what God would do- he would text the 10 Commandments according to Jamie Quatro. </div><div><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div>1. no1 b4 me. srsly. </div><div>2. dnt wrshp pix/idols</div><div>3. no omg's</div><div>4. no wrk on w/end (sat 4 now; sun l8r) </div><div>5. pos ok - ur m&d r cool6. dnt kill ppl </div><div>7. :-X only w/ m8</div><div>8. dnt steal</div><div>9. dnt lie re: bf</div><div>10. dnt ogle ur bf's m8. or ox. or dnkey. myob.<br /></div><div>M, pls rite on tabs & giv 2 ppl. ttyl, JHWH.</div><div><br />ps. wwjd? </div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div>Incase you cannot decipher, or are not familiar with the 10 Commandments here are the <strong></strong><a href="http://www.allabouttruth.org/10-commandments.htm"><strong>10 Commandments</strong></a> according to AllAboutTruth.org: </div><div><br /></div><div></div><div>ONE: 'You shall have no other gods before Me.'<br /></div><div>TWO: 'You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.'<br /></div><div>THREE: 'You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.'<br /></div><div>FOUR: 'Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.' </div><div></div><div>FIVE: 'Honor your father and your mother.' </div><div></div><div>SIX: 'You shall not murder.' SEVEN: 'You shall not commit adultery.' </div><div></div><div>EIGHT: 'You shall not steal.' </div><div></div><div>NINE: 'You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.' </div><div></div><div>TEN: 'You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.' </div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 204);"><br /><br /><br />Sometimes, I have a need for a little cell phone humor when everyone is so consumed by technology, we forget how to write and communicate with one another. </span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 204);"></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 204);"><br />Even the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/vatican">Pope</a> is using YouTube and text messages to spread the Word, and I ponder to myself, what would God really think about technology! </span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 204);"></span> </div><div><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 204);"><br />Photo courtesy of Higherthings.Org</span></div>AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-12853954851589611102009-06-07T13:56:00.000-07:002009-06-07T14:25:57.548-07:00Sailor duck saves life.<script type="text/javascript"><br />var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");<br />document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));<br /></script><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><a href="http://www.insidebayarea.com/search/ci_12522193?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com">Bay Area News</a> reported that a rubber duck in the form of a sailor saved a 90-year-old woman's life this weekend.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Thursday, after Shirley Madsen had a riveting day at the casino she </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/Siwqk4jYM4I/AAAAAAAAAIE/ovcZJu2N15s/s1600-h/ducky.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 172px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/Siwqk4jYM4I/AAAAAAAAAIE/ovcZJu2N15s/s320/ducky.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344693670926365570" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">decided to have a bath before dinner. </span><br /><br /><span id="iba2_siteCss"><span id="iba2_siteCss"><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >"I only had an egg and a half of a pancake for breakfast," Madsen said. "When I got home I <span style="font-size:100%;">wa</span>s trying to decide whether to have dinner first or take a bath."<br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">According to Madsen's daughter, Diane Weber, Madsen leads a very active lifestyle, and it is not uncommon for her to miss her daughters phone calls during the day.<br /><br />However, when Madsen decided to get out of the tub she could not lift herself. She stayed warm by continually draining and refilling the tub with warm water.<br /><br />Too weak to use her hands as a cup, Madsen discovered that a rubber sailor duck had a hole in the bottom that would be sufficient for collecting water.<br /><br />Madsen was discovered by Weber on Saturday when another daughter, Christine Steigelman grew concerned. Madsen returned home with dry skin, a deep tissue bruise and the equivalence of two bed sores.<br /></span></span></span></span><br /><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >"I will never get in another bathtub, ever," Madsen said.<span id="iba2_siteCss"><span id="iba2_siteCss"><p>With a laugh, she further advises: "Get a bunch of rubber duckies and make sure one of them can't swim." </p></span></span></span><span id="iba2_siteCss"><span id="iba2_siteCss"><br /><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 204);">Having a safety plan is important when many of us have older relatives that are beginning to show signs of aging. Madsen's daughter Steigelman said, "</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 204);font-family:times new roman;" id="iba2_siteCss" ><span id="iba2_siteCss">We are close (family) and we had a routine, but we did not have a plan."<br /><br />Madsen will be equipped with a waterproof medical alert device in case of this ever happening again. Unfortunately for some, it is too late, our elderly relatives may be too weak or confused to push the button on the device.<br /><br />If you have an elderly relative, make sure you talk with your family to create a plan like Madsen's daughters did. If she doesn't answer their twice daily phone calls, a member of their family will go to her home and check on her. </span></span></span><span id="iba2_siteCss"><span id="iba2_siteCss"><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 204);"></span><br />For more information on medical alert devices, check out LifeStation's 11 tips, and an article in the <a href="http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/22/a-call-for-help/">NYTimes</a> about the importance of research.<br /><br />Flickr photo by Jo Naylor.<br /></span></span><script type="text/javascript"><br />try {<br />var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-8721824-1");<br />pageTracker._trackPageview();<br />} catch(err) {}</script>AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-85192133362180540642009-05-29T22:33:00.000-07:002009-05-29T22:49:18.835-07:00Q&A with Sami Laskos<span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >On April 22, there was a special surprise waiting in the LBCC Commons for students. Sami Laskos, a Culinary student at LBCC had made a cake depicting zombie's eating Chef Scott Anselm's head. I had the chance to see the cake with my own eyes, and speak with Sami in an email interview for a short Q&A.<br /><br />Laskos, a second year culinary student, had made the cake because she had signed up for a bakery display rotation.<br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >Culinary student James Scales has had plenty of experience working with Sami and really enjoyed her creative cake, "</span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >The best part about working with Sami is she has the ability to get the work done.<span style=""> </span>No matter what it is, she can motivate a group, organize people, or getting through any of the work that needs to be done, and she'll do it in a way that's fair to everyone involved." </span><br /><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/Sh7cBWMpCqI/AAAAAAAAAHk/HnmS_aQHNCg/s1600-h/WebSami%27s-Cake.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 234px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/Sh7cBWMpCqI/AAAAAAAAAHk/HnmS_aQHNCg/s320/WebSami%27s-Cake.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340948123804568226" border="0" /></a></span><div style="text-align: center;font-family:times new roman;"><blockquote><span style="font-size:100%;">Sami Laskos proudly looking over her completed cake.</span></blockquote></div><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >Thanks for taking the time to speak with me the other day about your cake. </span> <span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >Why did you make this cake?</span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br />The cake was a project for my Bakery Display rotation. As a second year<br />culinary student, there are 6 mandatory rotations and 7 "elective"<br />rotations; each rotation is 8 or 9 school days. Bakery Display is an<br />elective rotation with a pretty simple goal: create something that<br />demonstrates at least 3 bakery skills. It's incredibly open ended. There<br />have been sugar sculptures, chocolate sculptures, even a Rice Krispie<br />castle... But I think cakes are the most popular because the basics are<br />familiar, but a cake can transform into almost anything.<br /><br />At the end of your rotation you display your project in the scramble area.<br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >What was your inspiration?</span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br />As a first year culinary student I said I'd never do a Bakery Display<br />project... I'm not good in the Bakery. Cooking and Baking lay at opposite<br />ends of the culinary spectrum. Cooking is pretty "free-form" and there<br />aren't a lot of rules: some of this, some of that... Baking is more<br />scientific and exact, and I think it requires more patience.<br /><br />Over the summer I watched an episode of "Ace of Cakes" that lit the fire. A<br />woman wanted a cake for her husband with zombies sucking his brains. Simply,<br />I liked the idea of a zombie cake much better than I liked the idea of a<br />traditional wedding cake. School started a few weeks later and I signed up<br />for the rotation. The decision didn't really catch up to me until 6 months<br />later when the rotation came up and I went "Oh shit... I guess now I have to<br />do it."<br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >How long did the cake take to make?</span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br />Not including the hours I spent hammering out the idea and mapping out a<br />game plan... I'd say somewhere around 30 hours in the kitchen. At one point<br />I fell behind (the zombies were trickier that I'd imagined) and I was coming<br />in before school and staying after to get it done...<br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >What was your favorite part about making the cake?</span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br />Truely, I didn't know what I was doing. I just kinda went for it... and I<br />suprised myself.<br /><br />Little things like lips and eyes took forever. Where things like carving<br />facial features out of cake seemed to almost happen on their own. Each small<br />accomplishment boosted me for the next challenge.<br /><br />It's a great feeling to work really hard on something and then have it turn<br />out better than you'd imagined (the silly thing actually looked like chef<br />scott!). The cake is actually still sitting the classroom because I just<br />can't bear to get rid of it yet : )<br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >What did the other students think?</span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br />I tried to keep the identity of the head a secret until the last minute- but<br />Chef Scott knows everything that happens in that kitchen and I'm sure he<br />knew before I did. Chef took it in good humor, though he says he'll get me<br />back : ). As for students, there was a lot of "you're doing what?!" and<br />"they're letting you do that?" I'm still in shock that I got away with it.<br />throughout the whole project I was kind of waiting for someone to put a stop<br />to it. But they didn't, and I just kept pushing. The blood was the "frosting<br />on the cake" if you will... the head looked much more innocent before the<br />blood. It even dried like real blood! Overall, the kitchen got a kick out of<br />it.<br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >Chef Scott Anselm, noted that "</span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >Sami's cake was very creative and incorporated many sound culinary techniques.<span style=""> </span>Sami is skilled and has a good sense of humor.<span style=""> </span>I think she and the other students enjoyed poking fun at me.<span style=""> </span>We all have a good tome together in the kitchen."<br /><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ></span>AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-58541160890596386832009-05-25T20:31:00.000-07:002009-05-30T19:37:43.992-07:00All hail to you, Linn-Benton.<script type="text/javascript"> </script><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); text-align: center;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;">In the green Willamette Valley</span></p><div> </div><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); text-align: center;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;">Under skies of grey and blue</span></p><div> </div><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); text-align: center;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;">Is a school that welcomes ev'ryone,</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); text-align: center;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;">Where dreams can always come true.</span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 204, 255);" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255);"><span style="font-size:100%;">All hail to you, Linn-Benton!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); text-align: center;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;">Where learning changes lives,</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); text-align: center;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;">Where caring teachers show the way,</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); text-align: center;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;">And ev'ry student strives.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); text-align: center;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;">To achieve their own potential,</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); text-align: center;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;">To aspire and succeed;</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); text-align: center;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;">Linn-Benton's opportunities</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); text-align: center;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;">Are ev'rything we need.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">As spring term winds down, <a href="http://www.linnbenton.edu/">Linn-Benton Community College</a>’s Concert Choir is gearing up for a special last show. James Reddan, conducting the final performance in June, has the honor of premiering LBCC’s first Alma Mater “All Hail to You, Linn-Benton”.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">The debut will take place June 4, 7:30 p.m. at the First Assembly of God Church in Albany. </span><br /><span style=""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p>LBCC was established in 1966 as a two-year public college, and has never had an Alma Mater. Reddan decided to take the task on as a personal project because he felt the school needed one. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p>When I asked Reddan about the importance of an Alma Mater he said, “A school song (Alma Mater) is a way of showing pride in where you go to school, what you have learned, and celebrating the knowledge you take out into the world.”<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><o:p></o:p>The Alma Mater for LBCC was created by Eugene local, <a href="http://www.rebeccaoswald.com/">Rebecca Oswald</a>, a composer.<span style=""> </span>Her history with Reddan extends prior to 2001, where they both attended University of Oregon School of Music and Dance for their master’s programs. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><o:p></o:p>According to Oswald, Reddan proposed the idea of the Alma Mater to her last fall, and she began researching the school’s history, and said, “</span><span style="">Words of praise, reverence, and loyalty are essential” in the lyrics.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Oswald was inspired by students admiration of faculty and staff on campus, as well as the remarked beauty and location of LBCC. After much research, which included a survey filled out by students, faculty and staff, and visits to the campus</span> . <span style=""> Oswald was able to complete the Alma Mater in late March and was told by Reddan that the dean and president “heartily” approved of the lyrics. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><o:p></o:p> </span><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <script type="text/javascript"><br />var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");<br />document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));<br /></script><span style="">For tickets to the June 4 concert visit the <a href="https://secure.boxofficeavenue.com/LinnBenton/">Russell Tripp Preformance Center Box Office</a> or call 541-917-4531.<br /></span> <p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">All Hail to You, Linn-Benton<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">Music by Rebecca Oswald<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color: rgb(192, 192, 192);">Dedicated to the LBCC Choirs, James Reddan, Conductor in memory of John Reddan</span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">In the green Willamette Valley<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">Under skies of grey and blue<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">Is a school that welcomes ev'ryone,<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">Where dreams can always come true.<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">All hail to you, Linn-Benton!<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">Where learning changes lives,<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">Where caring teachers show the way,<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">And ev'ry student strives.<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">To achieve their own potential,<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">To aspire and succeed;<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">Linn-Benton's opportunities<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">Are ev'rything we need.<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">As we step into the future<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">With a vision bold and bright,<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">We'll remember our beloved school,<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">This shining beacon of light.<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">All hail to you, Linn-Benton!<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">With gratitude sincere;<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">Our hopes and dreams become more real<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">With ev'ry passing year.<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">As eager, life-long learners<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">In this new millennium,<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;" class="MsoPlainText">Linn-Benton, you have taughts us<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 255); font-style: italic;">That the best is yet to come!</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <span style=""><br /></span><script type="text/javascript"><br />try {<br />var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-8721824-1");<br />pageTracker._trackPageview();<br />} catch(err) {}</script>AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-22834741499284066072009-05-24T23:58:00.001-07:002009-05-27T11:28:20.245-07:00Summer lovin' will have us a blast . . .Summer is knock, knock, knocking on our doors, and many of us are starting to concoct ideas, trips, and shenanigans.<br /><br />Unfortunately for us, we still live in Oregon. It will rain. It is inevitable according to the <a href="http://countrystudies.us/united-states/weather/oregon/">Country Studies</a> Web site, and Albany can expect anywhere from .5-7.7 inches of rainfall each month.<br /><br />When it does rain, we should be prepared. Like a philosophical <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0lKrXx4lLhE/ShpAbkuC_eI/AAAAAAAAAA4/FDETECwcYBs/s1600-h/2087133956_9276870b01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 224px; height: 168px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0lKrXx4lLhE/ShpAbkuC_eI/AAAAAAAAAA4/FDETECwcYBs/s320/2087133956_9276870b01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339651150658600418" border="0" /></a>man once said, turn on, tune in and drop out. Oh wait, I'm talking about surfing the Web. Put on your <a href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/miscellaneous/b81b/">fingerless gloves</a> kids, it's time to have some fun with my favorite time-killing sites!<br /><br />If you'd like to do some shopping, go to <a href="http://www.mysimon.com/">MySimon</a>, where you can shop for prices 'till your cows come home.<br /><br />Looking for a present for that special someone that likes quirky shirts? Or perhaps you're in the office on a rainy day and feel the sudden urge to shoot someone with a <a href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/warfare/">marshmellow</a>? Head to ThinkGeek for your shenanigans.<br /><br />But what if that special someone is being a Debbie-Downer and you need a laugh? Well, odd news stories always cheer me up and I know just where to look. If you go to Drew Curtis' <a href="http://www.fark.com/">Fark</a> you will not be disappointed as they update several times a day with genres like sad, strange or scary stories. You will find the best stories originate in Germany or Florida.<br /><br />Next, head over to <a href="http://popcap.com/">PopCap</a> to numb your brain a little longer with a riveting game of Zuma or my nephew's new favorite, Mummy Maze.<br /><br />Know someone getting married? <a href="http://www.theknot.com/">The Knot</a> has all the tools you need to transform into bride-zilla.<br /><br />Feel like flexing your brain muscles? Check out this day in history over at the <a href="http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do">History</a> Channel Web site, then skip over to <a href="http://www.hulu.com/">Hulu</a> for your favorite summer flicks like "Southland" or "So You Think You Can Dance."<br /><br />So, before you know it, the day has gone, the rain has slowed down to a drips pace, go to the <a href="http://www.weather.com/">Weather Channel </a>Web site to find the rest of your weeks forecast.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0lKrXx4lLhE/ShpA_I_iNdI/AAAAAAAAABA/xQNY9k18Vj4/s1600-h/3175249724_9bf3959280.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 163px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0lKrXx4lLhE/ShpA_I_iNdI/AAAAAAAAABA/xQNY9k18Vj4/s320/3175249724_9bf3959280.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339651761691047378" border="0" /></a>Happy surfing folks!<br /></div><br /><br /><br />_Becca Martino<br />Fingerless gloves photo by voteprime/ surfing photo by chrisjohnbeckett's (Flickr).AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-79225534214692242752009-05-17T21:51:00.000-07:002009-05-27T11:17:08.003-07:00Celebrate diversity: 55 years since Brown vs Board<span style="font-family:times new roman;">58 years ago, in </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=map+of+Kansas&oe=utf-8&rls=FlockInc.:en-US:official&client=firefox&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&gl=us&ei=c-oQSo7jEKWitgO4voyKAw&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1">Topeka, Kansas</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">, a lawsuit was brought against the Board of Education by 13 parents on behalf of 20 children according to </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://brownvboard.org/summary/">Brownvboard.org</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: times new roman;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/ShDrMia_8aI/AAAAAAAAAHA/mFvzAP72CZo/s1600-h/Kansas.bmp"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 118px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/ShDrMia_8aI/AAAAAAAAAHA/mFvzAP72CZo/s200/Kansas.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337024159065043362" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">On May 17, 1954 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the parents, granting African American students the right to attend any public school.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">The case originates in Topeka, when a young African American girl named Linda Brown, was told she could not attend a public school close to her home. Instead, she was sent to an "All blacks" school nearly an hour away.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Chief Justice Earl Warren stated that the "separate but equal" doctrine was in clear violation of the 14th amendment "which guarantees all citizens equal protection of the laws."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">The parents involved in the </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:times new roman;" >Brown v. Board of Education</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> case weren't the only to petition the government regarding segregation.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">In the late 1800s, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that having segregated railroad cars conformed to the 14th amendment in the case of </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:times new roman;" >Plessy v. Ferguson.</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> This ruling was impacting to the state of Kansas because it declared that all public locations were justifiably segregated.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Five different cases originating from five different states (Delaware, Kansas, South Carolina, Virginia and Washington, DC) with 200 plus plaintiffs were combined under the </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:times new roman;" >Brown v. Board </span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">case, which created a domino-effect across the nation which begged for social change.</span><br /><a style="font-family: times new roman;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/ShD0qJy3aPI/AAAAAAAAAHI/_Ounzw-lijg/s1600-h/welikeyou.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/ShD0qJy3aPI/AAAAAAAAAHI/_Ounzw-lijg/s320/welikeyou.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337034563454986482" border="0" /></a><blockquote style="font-family: times new roman;">Women protesting Brown v. Board: "We like you, but we don't want you in our school". Flickr photo by Techne.<br /></blockquote><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">According to the </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=VideoArticle&id=6900">History Channel</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> Web site, the U.S. Supreme Court required public schools to "integrate with all deliberate speed."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Today, residents in Topeka, Kansas, celebrated the courts ruling. Linda Brown just happened to be one of those attending.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">"How much it's meant to so many people all over the United States, not only all over the United States but the entire world," Linda Brown said.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;"><br />--<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 255);">Without the Brown v. Board act, we would not be able to appreciate the great diversity our world has to offer. Open minds would be fewer,hatred would perhaps run rampant and we wouldn't be celebrating our first black president.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 255);">Fortunately, US history has proven that people will always stand up for the greater good, and our constitution will be there to back them up.</span><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Map provided by Google.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">To view a short clip of "This day in History" click </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://link.history.com/services/player/bcpid18808667001?bctid=1213938660">here.</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> Provided by History.com.</span>AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-72917283250603123622009-05-17T21:22:00.000-07:002009-05-17T21:48:36.000-07:00Kilt wearer or cross-dresser: you decide.<script type="text/javascript">We've<br />var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");<br />document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));<br /></script>Most of us have experienced a time in middle or high school where school officials have decided a certain type of clothing inappropriate. For me, popular, inexpensive shoes (the ones with blinky lights in the heel), BK's were forbidden because they were potentially "gang" related.<br /><br />Even Halloween costumes were monitered closely for offensiveness.<br /><br />Utah however, has decided that a student wearing a kilt could be misconstrued as a cross-dresser.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/ShDk3riWOiI/AAAAAAAAAG4/LkT5VqOZyLg/s1600-h/3364882227_d2bec5f597.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/ShDk3riWOiI/AAAAAAAAAG4/LkT5VqOZyLg/s200/3364882227_d2bec5f597.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337017203664763426" border="0" /></a>In an article posted today on <a href="http://www.standard.net/live/news/173494/">Standard.net </a>reports that student Gavin McFarland, of Scottish heritage, was told to change from his kilt after many complaints by students and teachers. The principle Craig Jessop said that wearing the kilt could be misconstrued as cross-dressing.<br /><br />District spokesman Nate Taggart disagreed "We certainly do not consider wearing a kilt, especially for a school project, as cross-dressing."<br /><br />A public apology will be issued to McFarland and hopefully the state can take this as an educational directive.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;"><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">McFarland's mother said it best in the article, </span></span><span style="font-family:courier new;">"A kilt is a distinctive garment. Nobody mistakes it for a skirt."</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:courier new;">The description provided by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilt">Wikipedia</a>: the </span><b style="font-family: courier new;">kilt</b><span style="font-family:courier new;"> is a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear, originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century<br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-family:courier new;">These are my thoughts exactly. Hopefully the school will take it upon themselves to educate one another about different cultural backgrounds.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">Principals should be trained on when its right to make comments, because its these statements that could land the school in the middle of a lawsuit.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">--</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">Weekly there is a gentleman at LBCC who wears a pink plaid mini skirt with stockings, and you can definitely tell that it is no kilt.</span><br /><br />At first, I was quite surprised, and now it is just one of those things that makes LBCC unique. I feel fortunate we live in a pretty diverse state, and I hope that my future children will grow up with respect and knowledge of cultural diversity. </span><br /><br /><br />Commenters came across very passionately on the site:<br /><br /><strong style="font-family: times new roman;">Ryan</strong><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> wrote:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">...and on the other hand, it's sad to see a school administrator, who was just trying to do his best, trashed so publicly in this manner. I'm sure Gavin's parents did a fine job yelling at Mr. Jessop, teaching him a lesson before this article was published. Thank you for humiliating and bullying our underpaid educators who occasionally make a mistake. </span><br /><br /><span id="comment_dimmed" style="font-family:times new roman;"></span><strong style="font-family: times new roman;">Kevin</strong><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> </span><span id="comment_dimmed" style="font-family:times new roman;">wrote:</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">I just found this article in the Seattle PI. All I have to say is the principal's ignorance regarding Gavin's kilt is symptomatic of the false multiculturalism that has pervaded modern education. By that, I mean we have lost practically ALL knowledge of eastern and western European customs and their influence in America. Pretty stupid that a school principal, who likely has a Masters' Degree or higher, would make an assertion as dumb as that. Then again, graduating from college does not guarantee smarts.</span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"></span><br /><br /><br /><br />Flickr photo by alan(ator).<br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />try {<br />var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-8721824-1");<br />pageTracker._trackPageview();<br />} catch(err) {}</script>AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-32687065776736317462009-05-17T21:15:00.000-07:002009-05-17T21:50:33.361-07:00Celebrate Christmas the Floridian wayChristmas in <a href="http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/may/06/dead-animals-toys-hung-trees-fort-pierce/">Florida</a> comes early this year, when a report was filed Monday May 6, 2009 by an anonymous caller to the Fort Pierce police department that two palm trees lining the 800 block of South Indian River Drive, had been uniquely decorated.<br /><br />Decayed fish, toys, and seagulls with ropes around their necks had been strewn about the trees.<br /><br />Animal control cleaned up the scene and put ropes/toys into evidence.<br /><br /><br />Commenters on the TCPalm website had some interesting thoughts about this.<br /><br /><div class="comment" id="c341551"> <p class="comment-info"><strong>namvet67</strong> wrote: </p> <p>I am sure its just a "religous" practice, someone<br />is trying to summon their "god or gods". Happens<br />in Miami/Dade all the time!!!! As far a serial<br />killers are concerned, most do have some animal<br />mutalation in their backgrounds.It is a harbinger<br />of things to come in a lot of cases, as is the<br />guy who tried to abduct that young lady in Vero<br />last week, he is someone who should be sent away<br />for a long,long time.This guy attempted to spirit<br />away this lady in a van and we all know what he<br />had in mind. Wonder what his attorneys will come<br />up with in his defense??Insanity perhaps?</p> </div><br /><br /><div class="comment" id="c341732"> <p class="comment-info"><strong>BORF</strong> was more sing-songy:<br /></p> <p>It's beginning to look a lot like christmas ....</p> </div>AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-4817122272332840082009-05-06T11:25:00.000-07:002009-05-06T12:22:12.941-07:00Guards in Florida prisons shock kidsApril 24, 2009 was "Take your daughter/son to workday", across the nation.<br /><br />Ten Florida prison employees have been suspended and one fired, while investigations of guards using stun guns on as little as six children who were visiting, continue.<br /><br />A news article from the<a href="http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/article998415.ece"> St. Petersburg Times</a> reported early Wednesday May 6, that up to six children are victims of a real life "show and tell" game. <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Franklin+Correctional+Institution,+Florida&daddr=Indian+River+Correctional+Institution+in+Vero+Beach+to:Martin+Correctional+Institution+in+Indiantown&hl=en&geocode=%3BFVa7pAEduPsz-yEsHPM2kkcXGg%3BFcTtngEdrvIz-yEb0wHEUBaA7Q&gl=us&mra=ls&sll=31.276904,-90.939442&sspn=17.045479,26.630859&ie=UTF8&ll=28.6807,-82.5169&spn=8.764914,13.31543&t=h&z=6">Three separate prisons</a> have revealed that guards zapped the victims, ages ranging between 8 and 14, with "electronic immobilization devices," a.k.a the stun gun, which produces a 50,000 volt shock.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/SgHi7JQuiMI/AAAAAAAAAGw/0jjtV-oo7eg/s1600-h/345024180_500c0e896c.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/SgHi7JQuiMI/AAAAAAAAAGw/0jjtV-oo7eg/s200/345024180_500c0e896c.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332792939509614786" border="0" /></a><br /><br />When George Sapp, deputy secretary of institutions for the Department of Correction, heard rumors that the Franklin Correctional Institution in the Panhandle ordeal was not an isolated one, he began calling wardens and discovered that Indian River Correctional Institution in Vero Beach and Martin Correctional Institution in Indiantown had similar events take place.<br /><br />However, Gretl Plessinger, a corrections spokeswoman, said that the three situations were "separate and unrelated," suggesting that no coordination or planning was to have taken place.<br /><br />Matthew Foster, attorney for one victim said that his client "sustained abrasions and trauma when the powerful jolt knocked her to the ground, requiring a doctor's treatment."<br /><br />The Department of Corrections is leading the investigation with House Council on Criminal and Civil Justice Policy keeping a watchful eye.<br /><br /> "If we think the department is not thorough and is taking care of its own, we'll step in," said State Rep. Julio Robaina, R-Miami, chairman of the House Council.<br /><br />The ten suspended employees are currently on administrative leave with pay, and will be notified by mail if and when they can return to work.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/SgHh_KQYysI/AAAAAAAAAGg/9lBUKCDyk44/s1600-h/3382506514_a5eda39e16.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/SgHh_KQYysI/AAAAAAAAAGg/9lBUKCDyk44/s200/3382506514_a5eda39e16.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332791908984474306" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:courier new;">Since high school I have been an avid listener of the radio show <a href="http://www.lovelineshow.com/">Loveline</a> featuring Dr. Drew and various hosts (including Adam Corrolla and Striker). To liven up the show, they played a game called "Germany or Florida" in which you had to guess where a crazy story originated.<br /><br />Florida seems to be taking the cake in the news this week, producing one horrific story after another.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">Personally, I am not surprised that this situation happened, and really that it was only a matter of time. I would not be surprised to find that more prisons around the country have experienced situations like this many times.<br /><br />What I would like to know is how the situation came about? Did one or two kids mention it, and sweet talked the officers into a live demonstration? Was it an idea floated between the officers?<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">Next, I would like to know how the story leaked? It makes you wonder if the children were bragging to their friends, and a teacher found out; or if a prison employee reported it to their superior; or if the child told the opposite parent who responded accordingly.<br /><br />Then I would like to discuss the fact that tazing children unnecessarily should involve a punishment much more harsh than losing a job or suspension with pay.<br /><br />Personally, I feel like this falls under the category of "cruel and unusual" or even torture, no matter the context of how the situation came about.<br /><br />This just proves, that not every fertile person should be reproducing.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">photo credits: photo of Drew Pinsky provided by shell belle (Flickr); photo of stun gun provided by yoheiyamashita</span></span><span style="font-family:courier new;"> (Flickr).<br /></span><h1 style="font-family: lucida grande;"><br /></h1>AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-70176782879409745822009-05-03T22:00:00.000-07:002009-05-30T13:21:05.209-07:00Holocaust survivor speaks at LBCC<p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/SiGR93fStaI/AAAAAAAAAHs/dReqpKec2MY/s1600-h/Alter1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 143px; height: 266px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/SiGR93fStaI/AAAAAAAAAHs/dReqpKec2MY/s320/Alter1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341711125091366306" border="0" /></a>Alter Wiener, Holocaust survivor and author of “From a Name to a Number” spoke at <span class="caps">LBCC</span> Tuesday, April 28, from 3 to 5 p.m. to an audience of 300. His speech was about his experience of the Holocaust, learning from history’s mistakes, celebrating life, and was followed by a question-and-answer session.</p> <p>Wiener began his speech by telling us he was not here to entertain, but to tell us his story.</p> <p>It began when Wiener was 13, after Germany invaded Poland and people were fleeing for their lives. Separated from their father, Wiener’s family tried to leave the country unsuccessfully. They learned three months later that, along with 37 others, Wiener’s father had been shot and left for dead in a ditch on the outskirts of Poland.</p> <p>Not long after, the Gestapo came for Wiener’s oldest brother and, when Wiener turned 15, he too was sent to a labor camp. That camp was called Blechhammer. Soon after arriving, he discovered his brother had been there for a year.</p> <p>He described the car that transported him and many others to Blechhammer as hellish.</p> “People died standing up because there was no room to lay down and die,” Weiner said. <p>Conditions at Blechhammer weren’t any better. Wiener shared an 8 by 10 foot room with 24 other people. There were no mattresses, pillows, or blankets – only bed frames that were already inhabited by roaches and mice. For breakfast, they were given stale, moldy bread and for dinner a watery soup. One might be considered lucky if their bowl contained a floating potato or onion.</p> <p>Four months after arriving at Blechhammer, Wiener was transferred to his second labor camp and later transferred to his third, fourth and fifth camp.</p> <p>He learned that Jews weren’t the only ones being persecuted. It came as a surprise when he saw groups marching into camps wearing different badges and soon learned that 30-40 different groups of people were persecuted, including Soviets, homosexuals, and gypsies.</p> <p>Wiener described several unfathomable events that took place during the three years he was living in camps. He told of one particular event where a commander entertained himself by having everyone in Wiener’s barracks stand under the cold showers for an entire night. When the sun came up, he sent them to work.</p> <p>Many actions were criminalized in these camps, including talking to each other while working and bartering for food, as Wiener learned after trying to trade his watch for some bread which he never received. When the commanders learned of the trade, they whipped Wiener 15 times.</p> <p>Finally, on May 9, 1945 the Russians liberated his camp and Wiener was set free, weighing only 80 pounds. With only four surviving family members left out of 123, Wiener felt his time in Poland had come to an end and decided to move to the United States.</p> <p>Now Wiener lives in Hillsboro, and speaks regularly at schools, churches and prisons about his experience. Instead of dwelling on atrocities committed against him, Wiener wanted people to learn that he believes that “we should be judged on an individual basis” </p> <p>Wiener concluded many points in his speech by reiterating his belief that Hitler was a man without a heart, and someone needed to teach him to love.</p> <p>Wiener was also very quick to point out the ignorance of Holocaust deniers, like the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.</p> <p>“How dare he say so,” said Wiener, “there are photographs, and buildings, and graves, and I’m still here carrying my physical and mental scars. If you are tortured once, you are tortured every day.”</p> <p>Audience members were moved to tears and gave Wiener a standing ovation before the speech was opened up to a question and answer session.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/SiGU7SNHU4I/AAAAAAAAAH0/r8jmWZE8mmg/s1600-h/AlterStudents.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/SiGU7SNHU4I/AAAAAAAAAH0/r8jmWZE8mmg/s320/AlterStudents.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341714379258155906" border="0" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><blockquote>Alter speaking to students individually after the speech.<br /></blockquote></div><p><br /></p>When I interviewed audience members, most left with mixed feelings of hope, sympathy and curiosity. Bob McCormick, a retired vet and education major at L.B.C.C. said, "my heart is opened more, there is great importance in passing this lesson on to our children."<br /><br />Another audience member, Zachary Dietrich thought that the story about the watch was most shocking, "how anyone could be punished for trying to eat isn't fathomable."<br /><br />photos by Becca Martino.AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-64892294998414065162009-05-01T13:27:00.000-07:002009-05-01T13:57:19.410-07:00Thank you mass media.Ah mass media hype [aka mass hysteria]- how I loathe thee, you embarrass an aspiring journalist like myself.<br /><br />When I originally discovered and reported about the swine flu last, I was very concerned. After all, a huge number of people seemed to be immediately sick. <span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class="on" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><img src="img/blank.gif" alt="Link" class="gl_link" border="0" /></span></span><br />It's been exactly a week since I first read about it, and even while the number of sick has increased in Mexico city, and there are cases all over the U.S. those numbers are still very minor and insignificant to the number of people who die every year from the flu.<br /><br />Right now, numbers reported by <a href="http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-national/20090501/US.MED.Swine.Flu.US/">AP </a>suggest that 140 are sick in the United States. 140 Out of <a href="http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html">300</a> million people living in the United States? Tell me HOW THAT DESERVES 24 news coverage?<br /><br />That is why I REFUSE to watch, listen or pay attention to any of the news during times like this, or during election season, and I think you should refuse as well.<br /><br />Lack of creativity has brought our beloved mass media providers to report on one topic 24 hours a day. Even during the same news reports like AP or T.V. segments and companies like Fox or KGW repeat the same thing over and over again.<br /><br />How many different ways you can say 1,000 people in Mexico are sick, you might get sick too, wash your hands because there is no cure? ONE YOU IDIOTS. Please explain why one needs to devote a whole hour news program unless you're going to bring me original coverage.<br /><br />Does Obama not have enough to do without the media blowing topics way out of proportion?<br /><br />There are two logical explanations for everything.<br /><br />1: Residents in Mexico City live in a more polluted, crowded environment than most in the U.S., with little options for quality health care.<br /><br />2: Numbers are rising in the U.S., because those experiencing regular flu symptoms decide to get screened. Normally, we would stay home and wait it out.<br /><br /><br /><br />Here in Oregon, WOU has decided to close campus classes and events through Monday because there may be a potential case.<br /><br />Shutting down a college campus is not going to stop the spread of the flu, it's going to accelerate it because kids wont have homework and they're going to go party, or have fun in the sun.<br /><br />According to the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/01/health/01egypt.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Egypt%20slaughtering%20pigs&st=cse">NYTimes</a>, Cairo, Egypt, is experiencing a more serious problem, all because of mass hysteria created by the news. They are forcibly slaughtering all the pigs in the country as a precaution.<br /><br />So friends and family, when you hear the news, check your sources and take a step back so you can logically analyze the situation, and put a blanket on the fire that is mass hysteria.AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-52350426405115640742009-04-27T10:58:00.000-07:002009-04-30T16:25:08.375-07:00Kazakhstan Hearts UFOs<div><a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/asia/">The Republic of Kazakhstan </a>in Central Asia, would like to properly welcome UFO's when they arrive on our lovely planet, thats why a typical field or air-strip will just not do.</div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>According to an article on <a href="http://www.allnewsweb.com/page6696692.php">All News Web</a>, Kazakhstan is in the process of building the world's first alien embassy. The embassy is sure to include a guesthouse, a translation service, and theatre. </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>The Caspian Sea, which borders Kazakhstan, currently houses an underwater base which is supposedly being used by UFOs.<br /><blockquote></blockquote><br /><blockquote>"Fuad Gasimov, the head of neighbouring Azerbaijan’s national Aerospace Agency<br />has confirmed this to be the case and has gone on record stating the old USSR<br />constantly monitored alien spaceships regularly entering the water but kept this<br />a military secret."</blockquote></div><br /><div>So it makes sense then, our accepting friends in Kazakhstan should be the first to welcome our ET friends. </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>The original post came from a website in <a href="http://express-k.kz/show_article.php?art_id=25593">Cyrillic</a>, but some responses to the article are in English. </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div><strong>IQXSORG writes:</strong> Bravo to the Citizens of Kazakhstan!</div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>Thank you for the post and hello from Dayton, OH U.S.A.! IQXS sends you sincere good wishes for your excellent project and hopes your skies will be filled with incoming "visitors" soon! The world is watching! Kudos on being true future-thinkers, unafraid to challenge the status quo! We salute your efforts and wish you the best! Ciao!IQXS</div><br /><div> </div><br /><div><strong>Pleya </strong>must be a journalist because he/she writes: Where is the visual evidence? Pictures of the building & surrounding? Any pix of UFO above the Caspian Sea? </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div style="font-family: courier new;"> </div><br /><div style="font-family: courier new;"> </div><span style="font-family: courier new;">Lets take a minute to applaud Kazakhstan for welcoming our outer-space neighbors. Nothing shows diversity like welcoming extra-terrestrials.</span><br /><div style="font-family: courier new;"><br />Another reason to applaud Kazakhstan? For putting up with this crazy story. I for one, think it's a rumor, facilitated by well known actor <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacha_Baron_Cohen">Sacha Baron Cohen</a>. You may recognize him as Borat, or Ali G.<br /><br />Here is why:<br />1st: In an article in the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/05/weekinreview/word-for-word-raelian-agenda-you-figured-cloning-human-would-be-their-biggest.html?scp=1&sq=Alien%20Embassy&st=cse">NY Times</a>, written by Noam Cohen [Noam is one of Sacha's middle names, that he could have been using as a writer] he spoke about <a href="http://rael.org/rael_content/intro.php?elan=English">Raëlians</a>, a group I will label as extra-terrestrial enthusiasts, who were sent to build an Alien Embassy in the Holy Land.<br /><br /><br />2nd: While Kazakhstan is not the Holy Land, Cohen's character Borat, was a reporter from Kazakhstan.<br /><br />3rd: If you google the article, it does not appear in any reputable news journals like the Times, Washington Post or even the Oregonian.<br /></div><br /><div style="font-family: courier new;"> </div><br /><div> </div>AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-28085652940259649342009-04-26T11:26:00.000-07:002009-04-26T11:58:05.259-07:00Swine Flu Epidemic to become Pandemic?A few days ago, we heard of reports of a deadly flu in Mexico, where thousands were sick, and almost 100 dead. Stores in Mexico reported selling out of medical masks within a few a minutes, yet more seem to be contracting and dying from the virus.<br /><br />According to the <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/">Centers for Disease Control</a>, its a respiratory disease typically found in pigs caused by type A influenza.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The <span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-health/20090425/MED.Swine.Flu.Q_A/">AP</a> </span>released a Q&A about Swine Flu, hoping to cure some widespread panic that is sure to follow.<br /><br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Symptoms</span>: similar to a regular flu, cough, fever, fatigue and lack of appetite.<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Prevention</span>: The flu shots will most likely be ineffective, however, two flu treatments called Tamiflu and Relenza seem to be affective. <br /> <br />In a separate article from <a href="http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20090426/MED.Swine.Flu/">AP</a>, they warn to <span style="font-weight: bold;">seek hospitalization</span> when:<br />a fever of 100 + degrees, body aches, coughing, a sore throat, respiratory congestion and, in some cases, vomiting and diarrhea.<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><br />In an article by Donald McNeil, Jr. on the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/us/24flu.html?ref=health">NYTimes </a>website, Dr. Nancy Cox, the chief of the agency’s flu division says:<br /> <blockquote> " The A (H1N1) flu strain they had was quite unusual. It contained gene segments from North American swine, bird and human flu strains as well as one from Eurasian swine." </blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">More current updates tell us that there are 20 confirmed cases throughout five U.S. states and suspected cases as far away as New Zealand. </span><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Remember: </span>When you are sick, stick to common sense.<br /><ul><li> Cover your mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing <span style="font-weight: bold;">with the crook of your elbow or upper arm</span> instead of your hands.<br /></li><li>Wash hands after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose. </li></ul><ul><li>If you think you have the flu, stay at home. </li></ul><ul><li>Avoid close contact with those who are sick. </li></ul></div>AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-36731297592574842502009-04-24T11:31:00.000-07:002009-04-24T22:45:06.245-07:00Teh sickNormally I pride myself on the fact that I rarely get sick. All last term, sickness spread through my school and Newspaper office like the <a href="http://zombie.wikia.com/wiki/Rage_virus">Rage Virus</a>. It seemed as though Mary Anne, Rick, James, Eve and Lydia were all taking turns getting sick. I was happy as a clam when I remained healthy even though my mom and fiance both experienced different illnesses themselves.<br /><br />Then comes Max Brown, newest addition as feature editor and friend at the <a href="http://commuter.linnbenton.edu/">Commuter</a>. Unknowingly, Max carried a little bug, the very thing that would be perfect to bring a Becca down.<br /><br />I'm not sure what it was but it definitely caught me off guard. Sunday night it started as a pain-in-the-ass sore throat, which continued through Monday. I blamed it on freshly cut, beautiful smelling grass that lay on the lawns of LBCC. This beautiful grass however, had never bothered me in the past.<br /><br />Why did I blame it on mother nature? Well, Monday I sat in the lawn for three hours drawing mother nature herself with my Drawing I class taught by Gary Westford.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Tuesday showed up with bright eyes, as I slowly melted off my bed and onto the floor because my legs were too weak to carry, and my head was to heavy to lift, I realized, it wasn't mother nature, it was <a href="http://maxbrown-jn216.blogspot.com/">MAX</a>!<br /><br />I tried to open my eyes and they burned, I tried to breathe threw my nose and failed, the thought of eating breakfast made my stomach lurch. Somehow I ended up at school after taking a shower, eating breakfast and passing out half-on and half-off my moms bed, oh and driving was somewhere in there.<br /><br />I gagged my way through Bio 103 lab, where we dissected Chicken legs. When red marrow shot out of the bone after my lab partner Robin snapped it, I was ready to throw my towel in.<br /><br />I kept my head down and survived work for a couple hours, and somehow made it home. I was exhausted. Surely bed was the right thing for me.<br /><br />My eyelashes wanted to sew together as i curled up in bed. so. tired. Then i felt it. it started as a little tickle. then wet. then a little more tickle dripping from my nose. I knew right then, it would be a sleepless night.<br /><br />Wednesday woke me up, even if I hadn't had any sleep. Do stay home? Do i go to school? I never miss school, so I go, for a very very very long day. Class, Class, break, class, break, three hour class then a drive home. so. tired.<br /><br />sleep.<br /><br />Thursday, glorious Thursday. How i praise you. No classes today. Just homework (yeah right). If i wasn't in my bed i was on the couch, or puttering around the house in my leopard print bathrobe. It took everything I had to muster up some energy to get cracking on my homework by 9.<br /><br />but what is this? DO MY EYES DECEIVE?! A BAND NEW <a href="http://abc.go.com/primetime/greysanatomy/index?pn=index">GREY'S ANATOMY</a>? FOLLOWED A BRAND NEW <a href="http://abc.go.com/primetime/privatepractice/index?pn=index">PRIVATE PRACTICE</a>? TWO NEW <a href="http://www.nbc.com/The_Office/?__source=front-door%7Cshows%7Cdropdown">OFFICE'</a>S on CH.8 and NEW <a href="http://www.cbs.com/primetime/csi/">CSI</a> on CH.6 , and the new show <a href="http://www.nbc.com/southland/">SOUTHLAND</a> on CH.12?! Why Lord, do you painfully torture me with this scheduling of more shows than my DVR can conceivably record. I miss the Office's, CSI, (<a href="http://www.nbc.com/parks-and-recreation/">Parks and Rec</a>) and <a href="http://www.fox.com/hellskitchen/">Hells Kitchen</a>. Grey's Anatomy and Private Pratice always win. Thank you good Lord for giving me T.V. online!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://maxbrown-jn216.blogspot.com/"></a><a href="http://zombie.wikia.com/wiki/Rage_virus"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><br /></div>AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547739811049474289.post-84710320040778551722009-04-19T21:49:00.000-07:002009-05-30T19:54:18.578-07:00Nazi hunters: Unsung Heroes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/SiHxAGvXs6I/AAAAAAAAAH8/lbjDo4ivXrM/s1600-h/Auschwitz.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vCJDFpdeOa0/SiHxAGvXs6I/AAAAAAAAAH8/lbjDo4ivXrM/s320/Auschwitz.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341815617149711266" border="0" /></a><br /><p>Sixty-four years have passed since the end of World War II, and it is still widely talked about today. When I interviewed Dr. Paul Kopperman at <span class="caps">OSU</span>, he mentioned that especially because of the popularity of Hollywood movies, the interest in <span class="caps">WWII</span> has “gained momentum since the 80’s.” Alongside Hollywood’s view, we have dates to recognize veterans, memorials to remember communities lost; memoirs to learn about personal strife, like those of Anne Frank and Ellie Wiesel. Museums, speakers and survivors around the world are dedicated to remind us of the tragedy that was the Holocaust. Even the villains like Josef Mengele are remembered for their atrocities in hopes that we can learn to be better people, to remember that all have equal rights.<br /><br /></p><blockquote></blockquote> <p></p> <p>Overlooked by some, and unknown to others, and supported by survivors and victims, there are some unsung heroes of this awful tragedy. Simon Wiesenthal, Serge and Beate Klarsfeld, Efraim Zuroff are just a few of a special group dubbed as Nazi-hunters, who should be particularly remembered when speaking about the Holocaust. </p> <p>These four people, among others have made a living seeking out and bringing to justice Nazi war-criminals like Mengele who were or are hiding out around the world. Mengele was known as ‘The Angel of Death’ working as a doctor at different death camps, doing notorious experiments on twins. Individuals like the Klarsfelds, and governments, including the United States and Germany, are still very active today in seeking out justice against perpetrators of war-crimes, “trying to come to terms with happened,” says Kopperman. </p> <p>A Nazi war-criminal is one who is suspected of committing war crimes, crimes against peace, or crimes against humanity. When I spoke with Michele Wilson, anthropology instructor at <span class="caps">LBCC</span> she said “these are people who removed basic human rights.” After the war, many suspected war criminals, like Mengele fled to other countries seeking exile and protection. They had help from Nazi sympathizers to escape to places like Argentina and Paraguay who had particularly good relationships with Germany according to Kopperman, and refused to cooperate in the apprehension of suspected criminals. Unfortunately, Mengele was never brought to justice, believed to have died on a beach in Brazil in 1979.<br /><br />When I asked Holocaust survivor, and Oregon local Alter Wiener his opinion of those in pursuit of Nazi war criminals he said, "They [war criminals] should be brought to justice. I'm not looking for revenge, revenge is to only please me." </p> <p>Kopperman noted that hunters like Wiesenthal, who passed away in 2005 and the Klarsfelds, who are actively and legally pursuing those suspected of war crimes during World War II. “They kept meticulous files and work off of leads and experience,” he goes on to say that “they have exonerated some who did not act out of malice”. It is important to note that not all who participated in the war as Nazi’s are sought, only those who cruelly stripped away basic human rights. Once found, these criminals are often sent back (not always) to the location of their crime, typically Germany or Austria.</p> “We can define [Nazi Hunters] them as heroes on a humanitarian level,” says Wilson, “ We feel better when we get rid of evil.”<br /><br /><br />Photo of Auschwitz block 10 where Mengele conducting twin experiments; by athena. [flickr]AnchorsAwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13574668737189501098noreply@blogger.com1