Thursday, August 28, 2008

Some People

I was reading the Yarn Harlot's blog this morning. She told a story of riding and knitting on the subway. A little boy got on and was watching her and asked his mom what she was doing. His mother replied she was crocheting. The Yarn Harlot politely said she was knitting and the mother replied Excuse me I think I know the difference. Obviously not. Well the Yarn Harlot was speechless and said nothing back to her. WOw I feel sorry for the little boy cos I can only imagine what hell his life is living with that woman for a mother. Anyone who spends a lot of time in their life knitting knows the Yarn harlot knits. I know she does crochet because she recently crocheted an edging on her latest orange sweater. For those of you who dain to correct a knitter: Knitting uses 2-5 needles, crochet takes one. Knitting stitches look different than crocheted stitches and the differences go on. If it had been me I would have told the lady who I was and that I was knitting and embarassed her in front of her child. But then I have never been know for my tactfulness, I missed those genes somewhere.

Anal People

Yesterday several of us went to lunch, I was driving the second car. As we sat at the left turn light here comes the manager of the caves up behind me and crossed the two right hand lanes, he drove in the ditch and sat at the across light. He honestly did not want to sit and wait less than a minute (I timed it) to turn when we did. But the funny thing is as he drove towards the entrance some semi was sitting in the middle of the road lost, so he did not get back to work any faster than the rest of us. Honestly I laughed my backside off all the way back to work and thought how sad that he could not just sit for a minute and enjoy the radio or peace and quiet in his car. Some people, well he is an engineer, enough said.

ALso my aunt sent me an email and said she bought some 35quart plastic bins with lids at Dollar General. On the container was a sticker that told people not to put their babies in them with the lid on because it could cause suffocation. What kind of person would put their baby in there WITH the lid on?

Honestly we live in a nation of really stupid people.

Monday, August 25, 2008

When you need a little chocolate

Chocolate Cake In 5 Minutes!
Ingredients:
4 Tablespoons cake flour
4 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1 Egg
3 Tablespoons milk
3 Tablespoons oil
1 Mug


Instructions: Mix flour, sugar and cocoa:

Spoon in 1 egg

Pour in milk and oil, and mix well

Put in microwave for 3 minutes on maximum power (1000watt)

Wait until it stops rising and sets in the mug

Tip contents out of mug onto saucer and enjoy!

Swing Vote

I saw this movie over the weekend. Who doesn't like a Kevin Costner movie. He is basically your typical lower income guy with a daughter living in a trailor. His life consists of going to work and drinking and trying to maintain a life for his child. You can pretty much guess the plot of the movie, here is a guy in the middle of New Mexico who holds the deciding vote on who will be the next President. The movie is funny and sad but the saddest part is the very end when Bud starts talking to the two candidates on what the President should really be concerned with. If you just need to have a couple of hours where you have nothing else to do go see it but expect to come away with some thoughts that will make you think hard about who you vote for this year.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Buttheads

There was an article in the paper a month or so ago about smokers and their butts. I am not talking about the butts attached to them but the ones they throw out the windows. HOw many times have you pulled up beside a "green" vehicle and they threw their cigarette butt out the window? Do they think the tobacco is safe for the environment since it is a plant and that the paper coming from wood will eventually dissolve back into the ground? But what if you dump an entire ashtray out the window and why do smokers do that? How rude is that? If you want your house and car to smell like smoke why do you pollute my air when you dump 30 butts out your car to fly and hit my smoke free car?

How far can you walk without seeing or stepping on a butt? and why do smokers throw them on the ground, who taught them that? Cigarettes are the most littered item in America which estimates that several TRILLION filters a year do not find their way to a trash can. It can take decades for one filter to break down. Cigarette butts are made up of tiny strands of a type of plastic, which can take a dozen or more years to break down, all the while leaching their toxic chemicals into the ground and water supply.

Butts have been found in the stomachs of dead birds and fish. Lighted cigarettes carelessly tossed have caused wildfires and other fatal blazes.

So if you feel you have to smoke become a responsible smoker and place your butts into a trash receptacle. Keep your butts in your own car and be a responsible smoker.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Home Remedies

AMAZING SIMPLE HOME REMEDIES

1. AVOID CUTTING YOURSELF WHEN SLICING VEGETABLES BY GETTING SOMEONE ELSE TO HOLD THE VEGETABLES WHILE YOU CHOP.

2. AVOID ARGUMENTS WITH THE FEMALES ABOUT LIFTING THE TOILET SEAT BY USING THE SINK.

3. FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE SUFFERERS ~ SIMPLY CUT YOURSELF AND BLEED FOR A FEW MINUTES, THUS REDUCING THE PRESSURE ON YOUR VEINS. REMEMBER TO USE A TIMER.

4. A MOUSE TRAP PLACED ON TOP OF YOUR ALARM CLOCK WILL PREVENT YOU FROM ROLLING OVER AND GOING BACK TO SLEEP AFTER YOU HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON.

5. IF YOU HAVE A BAD COUGH, TAKE A LARGE DOSE OF LAXATIVES. THEN YOU'LL BE AFRAID TO COUGH.

6. YOU ONLY NEED TWO TOOLS IN LIFE - WD-40 AND DUCT TAPE. IF IT DOESN'T MOVE AND SHOULD, USE THE WD-40. IF IT SHOULDN'T MOVE AND DOES, USE THE DUCT TAPE.

7. IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.

DAILY THOUGHT:
SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES - NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING
BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS

Save the Earth ... it's the only planet with Chocolate

Military Losses

> Military Losses, 1980 thru 2007
>
> Whatever your politics, however you lean, and however you feel
> about the current administration, this report should open some eyes.
> Military losses from 1980 through 2007.
>
> As tragic as the loss of any member of the US Armed Forces is,
> consider the following statistics: The annual fatalities of military
> members while actively serving in the armed forces from 1980 through
> 2006 - by any cause.
>
> 1980 .......... 2,392 (Carter Year)
> 1981 .......... 2,380 (Reagan Year)
> 1984 .......... 1,999 (Reagan Year)
> 1988 ........... 1,819 (Reagan Year)
> 1989 .. ........ 1,636 (George H W Year)
> 1990 .......... 1,508 (George H W Year)
> 1991 .......... 1,787 (George H W Year)
> 1992 .......... 1,293 (George H W Year)
> 1993 .......... 1,213 (Clinton Year)
> 1994 .......... 1,075 (Clinton Year)
> 1995 .......... 2,465 (Clinton Year)
> 1996 ........... 2,318 (Clinton Year)
> 1997 ........... 817 (Clinton Year)
> 1998 .......... 2,252 (Clinton Year)
> 1999 .......... 1,984 (Clinton Year)
> 2000 ...........1,983 (Clinton Year)
> 2001 ............. 890(George W Year)
> 2002 ........... 1,007 (George W Year)
> 2003 .......... 1,410 (George W Year)
> 2004 .......... 1,887 (George W Year)
> 2005 .............. 919 (George W Year)
> 2006.............. 920 (George W Year)
> 2007............. 899 (George W Year)
>
> Clinton years (1993-2000): 14,107 deaths
>
> George W years (2001-2007): 7,932 deaths
>
> If you are surprised when you look at these figures, so was I.
> These figures mean that the loss from the two latest conflicts in the
> Middle East are LESS than the loss of military personnel during Bill
> Clintons presidency; when America wasn't even involved in a war! (Unless
> you include Bosnia or the disgrace of Mogadishu, Somalia when Clinton
> failed to respond to terrorists; Remember 'Blackhawk Down'?)
>
> And, I was even more shocked when I read that in 1980, during
> the reign of President (Nobel Peace Prize winner) Jimmy Carter, there
> were 2,392 US military fatalities! From what? How?
>
> I think that these figures indicate that many members of our
> Media and our politicians will pick and choose the information on which
> they report. Of course we all know that they present only those FACTS,
& gt; which support their agenda-driven reporting.
>
>
>
> But why do so many of them march in lock step to twist the
> truth? Where do so many of them get their agenda? Obviously there is
> one shared agenda. Could it be from the most powerful Democratic family
> of the decade?
>
> Do you want further proof? Consider the latest census of
> Americans. It shows the following FACTS about the distribution of
> American citizens,by race:
>
> European descent ............................69.12%
> Hispanic.......................................12.5%
> Black .................... .........................12.3%
> Asian............................................ 3.7%
> Native American............................1.0%
> Other.............................................2.6%
>
> Many media lead us to feel the military death ratio is off
> balanced compared to the di str ibution by race in America. Here are the
> fatalities by RACE over the past three years in Iraqi Freedom. Do the
> comparison yourself.
>
> European descent (white) ............74.31%
> Hispanic....................................10.74%
> Black ......................................... 9.67%
> Asian........................................ 1.81%
> Native American....................... 1.09%
> Other........................................ 0.33%
>
> Our mainstream media continues to spin these figures (for political gain). Nothing more. It's all about politics.
>
> I hope that during the time between now and November,
> intelligent Americans can decipher: the facts from the spin, the
> spinners from the leaders, those who seek even more power from those
> that seek justice, and the dividers from the uniters.
>
> Over the next months let's be good listeners and see and hear
> who tries to divide our nation; and who wants to unite our nation. Who
> wants to control how our money is spent and who wants our money spent
> the way we would spend it. Who seeks power and who seeks justice? Who
> spins the facts and who is genuine?
>
> (These statistics are published by Congressional Research
> Service, and they may be confirmed by anyone at:
>
> http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL32492.pdf)
>
> 'History does not entrust the care of freedom to the weak or
> timid.' - Dwight D. Eisenhower

A Blind Boy

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat.


A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"


The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way."
What he had written was: "Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it."

Do you think the first sign and the second sign were saying the same thing?

Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?


Moral of the Story : Be thankful for what you have. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively.

Invite others towards good with wisdom. Live life with no excuse and love with no regrets. When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear.

Monday, August 11, 2008

How many millions did we pay in taxes for this?

Hello everyone,


As you know I am not a very political person. I just wanted to pass
along that Senator Obama came to Bagram Afghanistan for about an hour
on his visit to "The War Zone". I wanted to share with you what
happened. He got off the plane and got into a bullet proof vehicle, got
to the area to meet with the Major General (2 Star) who is the
commander here at Bagram.
As the Soldiers where lined up to shake his hand he blew them off and
didn't say a word as he went into the conference room to meet the
General. As he finished, the vehicles to ok him to the ClamShell (pretty
much a big top tent that military personnel can play basketball or work
out in with weights) so he could take his publicity pictures playing
basketball. He again shunned the opportunity to talk to Soldiers to
thank them for their service.

So really he was just here to make a showing for the American's back
home that he is their candidate for President. I think that if you are
going to make an effort to come all the way over here you would thank
those that are providing the freedom that they are providing for you.

I swear we got more thanks from the NBA Basketball Players or the
Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders than from one of the Senators, who wants to
be the President of the United States. I just don't understand how
anyone would want him to be our Commander-and-Chief. It was almost that
he was scared to be around those that provide the freedom for him and
our great country.

If this is blunt and to the point I am sorry but I wanted you all to
know what kind of caliber of person he really is. What you see in the
news is all fake.

In service,
CPT Jeffrey S. Porter
Battle Captain
TF Wasatch
American Soldier

Special Olympics 2009

RED HEART® SUPER SAVER® A PERFECT MATCH FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS


Athletes at the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Idaho will be wrapped in a little handmade love, courtesy of knitters and crocheters across the country. Coats & Clark is sponsoring a project to provide each athlete with a scarf created in white and delft blue Red Heart® Super Saver® yarns.

The World Winter Games aim to give a scarf to each athlete, the delegates supporting them and various dignitaries who will be visiting the Games—and they need help to meet that mark. This is where Coats & Clark comes into the picture.

"We're thrilled to sponsor this project. Our goal is to see 5,000 scarves donated. It's a big number, but I'm confident we can do it," says Vicki Blizzard, media relations and special promotions director for Coats & Clark. "Knitters and crocheters are dedicated and generous and are known for rising to this type of challenge."

No special patterns or skills are required to create a scarf. Beginners, schools, scout troops and other local groups are actively encouraged to participate. "Our only rule," says Blizzard, "is that the scarves are knitted or crocheted by hand using delft blue (885) and white (311) Red Heart Super Saver yarn, because these colors perfectly match the Special Olympics logo and were chosen specifically by the World Winter Games organizers."

Coats is providing a knitted pattern and a crochet pattern but any pattern from basic stitches to complicated colorwork and stitch patterns may be used. Personal notes from knitters and crocheters who want to send their best wishes to the athletes are encouraged and should be firmly attached to the scarves, which will be handed out before the Opening Ceremony.

Special Olympic Scarves pattern

Completed scarves must arrive by January 15, 2009, and should be sent to:

2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games Scarf Project
3150 West Main Street
Boise, Idaho 83702

About the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games: The 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games will be held in Idaho, USA, February 7-13, 2009, and will include approximately 3,000 athletes from more than 100 countries and 6,000 volunteers. Competition will take place in seven winter sports – Alpine Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Figure Skating, Floor Hockey, Snowboarding, Snowshoeing and Speed Skating. Competition and other activities will take place in communities and venues throughout Idaho.



http://www.coatsandclark.com/Crafts/Crochet/Features/Special+Olympics.htm

Noah in 2008

NOAH TODAY


In the year 2008, the Lord came unto Noah,who was now living in the United States, and said: "Once again, the earth has become wicked and over
-populated, and I see the end of all flesh before me."

"Build another Ark and save 2 of every living thing
along with a few good humans."

He gave Noah the blueprints, saying:
"You have 6 months to build the Ark before I will
start the unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights."

Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah
weeping in his yard - but no Ark.

"Noah!," He roared, "I'm about to start the rain!
Where is the Ark?"

"Forgive me, Lord," begged Noah, "but things have changed."

"I needed a building permit."

"I've been arguing with the inspector
about the need for a sprinkler system."

"My neighbors claim that I've violated the
neighborhood zoning laws by building the Ark in my
yard and exceeding the height limitations. We had to
go to the Development Appeal Board for a decision."

"Then the Department of Transportation demanded a
bond be posted for the future costs of moving power
lines and other overhead obstructions, to clear the
passage for the Ark's move to the sea. I told them
that the sea would be coming to us, but they would
hear nothing of it."

"Getting the wood was another problem. There's a ban
on cutting local trees in order to save the spotted owl."

"I tried to convince the environmentalists that I
needed the wood to save the owls - but no go!"

"When I started gathering the animals, an animal
rights group sued me. They insisted that I was
confining wild animals against their will. They
argued the accommodations were too restrictive, and
it was cruel and inhumane to put so many animals in
a confined space."

"Then the EPA ruled that I couldn't build the Ark
until they'd conducted an environmental impact study
on your proposed flood."

"I'm still trying to resolve a complaint with the
Human Rights Commission on how many minorities I'm
supposed to hire for my building crew."

"Immigration and Naturalization are checking the
green-card status of most of the people who want to work."

"The trades unions say I can't use my sons. They
insist I have to hire only Union workers with
Ark-building experience."

"To make matters worse, the IRS seized all my assets,
claiming I'm trying to leave the country illegally
with endangered species."

"So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least 10
years for me to finish this Ark."

"Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine,
and a rainbow stretched across the sky."

Noah looked up in wonder and asked,
"You mean you're not going to destroy the world?"

"No," said the Lord.
"The GOVERNMENT beat me to it."

Andy Rooney and Telemarketers

Tips for Handling Telemarketers

Three Little Words That Work !!

(1)The three little words are: 'Hold On, Please...'

Saying this, while putting down your phone and walking off (instead of hanging-up immediately) would make each telemarketing call so much more time-consuming that boiler room sales would grind to a halt.

Then when you eventually hear the phone company's 'beep-beep-beep' tone, you know it's time to go back and hang up your handset, which has efficiently completed its task.

These three little words will help eliminate telephone soliciting.

(2) Do you ever get those annoying phone calls with no one on the other end?

This is a telemarketing technique where a machine makes phone calls and records the time of day when a person answers the phone.

This technique is used to determine the best time of day for a 'real' sales person to call back and get someone at home.

What you can do after answering, if you notice there is no one there, is to immediately start hitting your # button on the phone, 6 or 7 times, as quickly as possible This confuses the machine that dialed the call and it kicks your number out of their system. Gosh, what a shame not to have your name in their system any longer !!!

(3) Junk Mail Help:
When you get 'ads' enclosed with your phone or utility bill, return these 'ads' with your payment. Let the sending companies throw their own junk mail away.

When you get those 'pre-approved' letters in the mail for everything from credit cards to 2nd mortgages and similar type junk, do not throw away the return envelope.

Most of these come with postage-paid return envelopes, right? It costs them more than the regular 41 cents postage 'IF' and when they receive them back.

It costs them nothing if you throw them away! The postage was around 50 cents before the last increase and it is according to the weight. In that case, why not get rid of some of your other junk mail and put it in these cool little, postage-paid return
envelopes.

One of Andy Rooney's (60 minutes) ideas.
Send an ad for your local chimney cleaner to American Express. Send a pizza coupon to Citibank. If you didn't get anything else that day, then just send them their blank application back!
If you want to remain anonymous, just make sure your name isn't on anything you send them.

You can even send the envelope back empty if you want to just to keep them guessing! It still costs them 41 cents.

The banks and credit card companies are currently getting a lot of their own junk back in the mail, but folks, we need to OVERWHELM them. Let's let them know what it's like to get lots of junk mail, and best of all they're paying for it...Twice!

Let's help keep our postal service busy since they are saying that e-mail is cutting into their business profits, and that's why they need to incr ease postage costs again You get the idea !

If enough people follow these tips, it will work ---- I have been doing this for years, and I get very little junk mail anymore.

Back Away From The M's

Dear Mars Company: What on earth are you thinking changing M&M's. You made us eat different flavors and seriously that is wrong. You introduced new colors and that was wrong. We just want our little round disc of chocolate with a candy coating with your m on it. NOTHING ELSE> Now they want to make a new M: they are fatter and less uniform, they have no candy shell-just a shiny topcoat with a marbleized, almost metallic-looking finish in bright colors. There are five flavors-mint chocolate, mocha, triple chocolate, raspberry almond and chocolate almond. Do you honestly think in that little disc you can get that much flavor? They are $3.99 for a 6 ounce package, kind of really pricey dont you think? Mars hopes to attract a young, fashion-conscious consumer to the product. It is candy for goodness sakes, not Manolo Blahniks. Mars says we found that premium chocolate lovers want the smooth, creamy taste to the be first thing they taste in a chocolate product. OK Mars, listen up if I want premium chocolate I order my Jacques Torres chocolate on line and have it delivered. If I need a quick chocolate fix I buy a package of m's. M&M's are NOT premium chocolate. In fact the first ingredient on my package of M's in my desk is milk chocolate. I never knew milk chocolate was considered premium chocolate. So heres to you Mars, as an older consumer I will not pay that kind of money for a package of M's that aren't really M's. So I hope those young fashion conscious consumers have lots of money to spend on your fancy pants M's.

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Funerals

I attended a funeral yesterday of one of my bff's from High School. Her mom was 75 the same age as mine. It kind of hit home for me. I feel very blessed to have both my parents alive at my age because many don't and one lady at work who is not even 40 has lost both of hers. Oh I admit sometimes they drive me nuts but I would not have it any other way. The preacher sucked but the only thing he did that had my attention was a poem about Mothers and how you never really lose your mom cos there is something everyday that reminds you of your mother. For instance my mother loves roses and when I see a beautiful rose it reminds me of my mom or pansies, they do have a smiling face if you look close enough. Bread baking reminds me of my mom, yellow reminds me of her cos she is almost alway a happy camper except for when dad drives her bonkers. My love of baking I get from her and my craft genes as well as my grandmothers.

It was an open casket which I do not believe in, why would you want to look at a dead person, those that say oh she looks so natural, no she doesn't she is dead. Anyway Ruth had been riddled with arthritis so bad she could not do anything so her pain is gone and she is in a better place. She decorated wedding cakes and there is truly not much better than wedding cake cold and butter cream frosting. I remember going there and eating the scraps, what good scraps they were.

This was my second funeral this year and that is 2 over my quota, so please God no more this year.

Ravelympics2008

So if you sign up to participate in the Ravelry Olympics before they start on Friday you can sit back, knit on your project and imagine millions of others sitting and knitting with you. I signed up today and am going to make a baby afghan. It is almost too hot but I need to have it done so off I shall be starting Friday.