Guelph | Vote For Environment / Voter Pour l'Environnement
Useful site- I have this linked to my home riding as they're having problems with the coding on the postal code search to get to it, and it's one of the "Red Hot Ridings" on the front page. If you're Canadian, it's at the very least a good way to find out what the latest polls for your riding say.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Vote For the Environment - Canada
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
This is how an obituary should read
Casper Star-Tribune Online - Obituaries
"True to his personal style, he spent his final hours joking with medical personnel, cussing and begging for narcotics and bargaining with God to look over his loving dog, Biscuit, and his family."
There is certainly personality to spare here. Obituaries SHOULD celebrate the person.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Inside the vaccine-and-autism scare | Salon Books
Inside the vaccine-and-autism scare | Salon Books
Salon has a GOOD article about vaccines!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
39 Masterpieces Of Creative Advertisements - Opensource, Free and Useful Online Resources for Designers and Developers
39 Masterpieces Of Creative Advertisements - Opensource, Free and Useful Online Resources for Designers and Developers
Some great advertising pictures. (Although I hate linking to a blog that doesn't credit the original creators).
Terrifying- Disney film about menstruation, in 1946
YouTube - Disney '46 - Story Of Menstruation
Apparently it's also the first time that "vagina" was used in a screenplay. I'm not sure whether this is better or worse than the godawful little pamphlets that we used to get at the doctor's office. On the upside, I was able to completely humiliate my older sister with the pamphlets when I was about 7...I picked up a pile of them, and thoughtfully dumped them on her lap when she was making out with her boyfriend :-) Amazingly enough, she still talks to me.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
YouTube - Oprah vs. over 9000 PENISES
YouTube - Oprah vs. over 9000 PENISES
She gets less and less credible every day. The fact that her staff would even let her believe for a second that she should take anything that an anonymous troll said seriously on a message board really does speak to the intelligence level at Harpo.
The scary thing is that now the "level of terror" over childhood pedophilia will reach even NEW heights, thus guaranteeing even more children anything vaguely resembling a normal childhood. I'm guessing that her fans will clamp down even harder on their children ever going out unsupervised, playing in parks, etc. It's sad.
On This Day: Witold Pilecki Allows Himself to be Captured by the Nazis
On This Day: Witold Pilecki Allows Himself to be Captured by the Nazis
On September 19, 1940, Witold Pilecki, deliberately got himself arrested by the Nazis and sent to Auschwitz, where he spent two years supplying Allied forces with information about the concentration camp.
Witold's Report
Witold Pilecki
And his death
"
Witold Pilecki escaped from Auschwitz on the Easter Monday 1943, he also survived the Warsaw Uprising an the German POW camp in Germany.
He returned to Poland after the war and started organizing resistance
against the communists.
When he learnt that the Allies would not help to liberate Poland from the Soviets he started demobilizing the military underground organization.
It was then, that the communists arrested him.
He was interrogated and tortured for many months. His finger nails were pulled out and his collarbones broken and he could hardly walk.
He never talked.
After his process, which was a simple farce, he was sentenced to death by a firing squad.
There was no firing squad though.
The executioners dragged him the basement of the Security Headquarters building, into the boiler room.
He was gagged and could not walk.
They shot him with a single slug into the back of his head. He was buried somewhere on the rubbish tip next to the Powazki Cemetery.
His body was never found."
Friday, September 19, 2008
In honour of Talk like a pirate day! -free pirate fiction download
I've heard very good things about Shimmer- it's definitely worth a free download to check it out!
The mental_floss College Ain't Cheap Tuition Giveaway
The mental_floss College Ain't Cheap Tuition Giveaway
Awesome. This is probably my favourite blog, and I'm very impressed that they are giving away $10,000 scholarships (for 2 or 4 year courses in the U.S. and Canada).
What a great idea.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Truth on Earth Band - Bios & History
Truth on Earth Band - Bios & History: "Truth On Earth is a Band featuring three sisters that sound like a rainbow of old and new, heavily influenced by ‘60’s & ‘70’s rock such as Creedence Clearwater, Lynard Skynard, Jethro Tull, Eric Clapton and Santana.
The band name, lyrical messages and powerful world-changing mission are based upon the work of Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi, one of the greatest spiritual leaders of all time and the basis of Martin Luther King, Jrs Civil Rights movement. Gandhi said that Peace could best be achieved through truth and non-violent protest and he proved it for a time by causing the end of a century of British rule over India. One small man had a giant influence. So the band is named in Gandhi’s honor to carry on his work and ideals through the universal language of music to a planet that is struggling greatly just as it always has to understand and apply this very simple and highly effective principle."
Pretty impressive "teen girl band". Their music doesn't strike me as half-bad, and their message and commitment to actually contribute financially to what they believe in is a great role model for my girls. I like them.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Bad, bad, BAD idea - 6th Hitchhikers being written
BBC - Today
Ugh. Sometimes people should just let series die a natural death.
Lizard on a Wind Turbine
He looks like he's having fun :-)
YouTube - LIZARD ON MY WIND TURBINE ANOLIS CAROLINENSIS: ""
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Blogging the Muse - interview with Mary Robinette Kowal
Blogging the Muse � Blog Archive � Author Interview Series #26 - Mary Robinette Kowal
One of the authors that I've been lucky enough to find (courtesy of John Scalzi) over the past year. She's got a great blog- if you've got a couple of hours, download or read some of her fiction.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Awesome sneaky cat
YouTube - Ninja cat comes closer while not moving!: ""
Although the cat's probably wondering what the hell his idiot owner is doing.
A Villa for one euro? Yes, there is a catch
Intelligent Travel: A Villa for One Euro?
What a great idea for the town. I can imagine that people who could normally afford to buy a villa could afford the restoration on it, the local townspeople get work, and a bit of history is saved. It's impressive to see a town official thinking outside the box like that.
(Not to mention that I wouldn't complain about having a Sicilian villa. Oh well!)
Modern Love - My Son’s Battle With Autism
Modern Love - My Son’s Battle With Autism - NYTimes.com
What a heart-rending and difficult story to read. I may not agree that I would have made the same choice as she did, but there's no doubting her pain or her love for her son.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
This is a dog that REALLY wants out
YouTube - Escape de Sof�a: ""
I guess we know who's the Alpha Female in that cage!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Obama's pretty funny too
CBS | Late Show with David Letterman : Video
Nice answer. "She would be the pig."
I like him more than I thought that I would...he does seem like someone you could have a beer with.
MoreCowbell.dj
MoreCowbell.dj
I recommend Pinball Wizard with 80% cowbell and 10% Walken.
Fun site.
On 9/11, Obama-McCain (Briefly) Unite - TIME
On 9/11, Obama-McCain (Briefly) Unite - TIME
There are certain things that I'll never understand in life. My husband lived in Manhattan during 9/11, and had a large number of friends and acquaintances who were killed in the bombings. I remember being glued to my TV crying most of that day (not only because of the horror of it all...not only the numbers, but also the fact that if someone was going to be bombed in the U.S., my sleepy little town in Ontario where many bombs were manufactured was a target,and because I was scared to death for my then-boyfriend who was teaching in Tennessee near one of the possible next bombing sites). Aside from personal reasons, terrorist bombings are awful no matter which way you tabulate them.
But I've got to say that in some ways I'd considerably rather see Obama and McCain meeting at a homeless shelter to commemorate the 12-40% of Americans that live in poverty over a 10 year span, meeting at a high school to discuss appropriate education for sexually active teens, a laboratory to discuss the future of science in the United States (which is a pressing issue if you look at scientific literacy rates among U.S. teenagers), rates of funding for "special needs" people in North America- any number of things. It's not an anti-American thing- Canada has consistent and huge problems with funding for low-income families, families with special needs, and child poverty. And unfortunately Canada is certainly going down the "terrorists are the worst things on earth" mindset if you look at Stephen Harper's policies, even though we have huge internal problems (hello...why aren't we rushing through legislation for immigrant doctors to help with the internal problems we have with a huge lack of GPs?.)
I hear the pain in my husband's voice every time he talks about 9/11- his wife at the time was severely disabled, and they were caught in mid-town Manhattan in the middle of the tragedy. It took him a very long time to get her home safely, and then make his way to Ground Zero to offer whatever help he could. I'm still horrified every time I think about it, and i wasn't directly involved.
I don't think that anyone could argue that terrorism isn't bad, worthy of attention, or worthy of combating in an intelligent way. But I grew up learning from boat people who had escaped from Vietnam and other Eastern countries (my parents' church sponsored 6 families in the 70s, so they became part of our family), Cubans (fortunately Canadians can go to Cuba, and our dollars help to make a lot of Cuban families' lives better if you do it intelligently), people from Eastern Europe, as well as Jewish and Egyptian and Irish and Iranian friends who faced terrorism on a daily basis, that 3000 people dead is horrendous no matter which way you cut it, but with all of the challenges facing the world right now, my guess is that there are other issues which should possibly take precedence if you're trying to become President of the United States.
As a Canadian I have a vested interested in seeing a "good" U.S. President. Like it or not, the rest of the western world unfortunately has a vested interest in the U.S. election. That's scary with the way that things are going right now.
Stephane Dion | Not a leader.
St�phane Dion | Not a leader. | Not worth the risk. | notaleader.ca
It's always good to see that the Conservatives are living up to the class that we've grown to expect of them. I'd thought that it was a satire site, but apparently it's not. It's still pretty funny if you can get over the fact that it's meant to be real.
Vaccine Skeptics vs. Your Kids
Vaccine Skeptics vs. Your Kids
Well-done article. And I was actually surprised- much as I like MotherJones, I truly would have expected them to come down on the anti-vaccination side. Kudos to them.
Experts say autism may have helped boy survive ordeal
Front page news - newsjournalonline.com
Such an incredible story- it was great to see a happy ending for a change. I can certainly understand what they're saying about the water as well- 2 of my kids are more comfortable in the water than anywhere else.
While I can't even imagine the horror that his parents have gone through and I wish that it had never happened (obviously), it's wonderful to see such a happy ending, and also to see something positive about autism in the media. Our kids so often have incredible strengths which are ignored because they are "disabled".
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Respectful Insolence: Barack Obama: A pro-vaccine pharma shill who doesn't care about autistic children?
Respectful Insolence: Barack Obama: A pro-vaccine pharma shill who doesn't care about autistic children?
Finally! A candidate actually comes out on the side of science! (and is predictably attacked by the anti-vaxers)
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
35 of the Most Unique & Creative Sofa Designs
35 of the Most Unique & Creative Sofa Designs
Oh, would my kids love this!
(The others are pretty cool too)
Monday, September 08, 2008
The Age Project
ageproject :: Home
Interesting. I seem to think that people are younger than they are. I don't know whether that says anything about me or not.
The 10 oddest travel guides ever published.
The 10 oddest travel guides ever published. - By Paul Collins - Slate Magazine: "[B]eating the hand against the mouth and making a wow-wow sound is deeply racist"
Sphere: Related ContentSunday, September 07, 2008
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Online articles lead to rapid scientific consensus, forgotten ideas
Online articles lead to rapid scientific consensus, forgotten ideas: "as more and more articles are readily available online, researchers, on average, cite fewer articles"
Fascinating article, and a bit scary. I was led to it after watching this video of a book scanner, which is pretty impressive (even with the porn music playing).
Friday, September 05, 2008
The Omnivore's 100 ....mmmm- a food post for Friday!
Instructions: (from The Very Good Taste Blog)
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.
The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush (with the codicil that I'm pretty sure that it wasn't "real" Baba Ganoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes (My Dad was a winemaker, and consistently won prizes for his strawberry wine. My usual taste in wine is extremely dry, and white, but damn, the strawberry wine was GOOD!)
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese (I'm Pennsylvania Dutch background- this wasn't an option).
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi (nope, but it sounds like I'd like it).
34. Sauerkraut (Yes, and if there is a Satan, he lives on Sauerkraut). See Pennsylvania Dutch reference above, as this made regular appearances on my dining table as a child. Amazingly enough, much as I dislike eating it, there's very little in my experience that approaches the zen of making it. Pounding cabbage (and adding spices, salt, and love in the proper doses), is not only a good physical workout, but there's a lot of spiritual things that go on as well. Or maybe that's just because I've only made it with my family).
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar (Absolutely. I don't like the taste of cigars or cognac separately, but I'm distinctly "unfeminine" enough that I love them together.)
37. Clotted cream tea Oh God yes.
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat (I have family who raise goats, and it's awesome).
42. Whole insects (Grasshoppers? I've had chocolate ones. My daughter used to pick caterpillars off of neighbouring bushes when the kids were still in their stroller, which grosses her out to no end now).
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk Great for making soap too!
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut (An old SO brought them up from Tennessee for us. Apparently they're better before the 12 hour drive).
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal Once. I don't like meat with things on it, unless they're not pickles and mayonnaise.
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini When Satan's not eating sauerkraut, he's right in there with the olives.
58. Beer above 8% ABV I live in Canada, and I'm from a family of beer-makers.
59. Poutine Ha- I'm Canadian! REAL Poutine has no relation to what you find in most shops.
60. Carob chips Health food phase...wouldn't do it again.
61. S’mores Every chance I get! Only over a campfire though.
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin I always thought that Kaolin was rocks, so no.
64. Currywurst I don't even want to know.
65. Durian Not yet...maybe in February.
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake If God were real, these would be staples.
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette One of the reasons why pigs were invented.
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe Not all it's cracked up to be- it's been legal up here for a while.
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill - If you run over something up here, you can keep it. Venison is good.
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum - it sounds great!
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky I've had something similar, but I guess it doesn't count.
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse I was lucky enough to have a stepmother who had lived in Holland. Even though I was a horse-mad teenager at the time, she didn't tell me what it was until the meal was over. It was incredibly good.
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam I'm married to an American. Not only have I eaten it, I have a sad amount of it in my cupboards.
92. Soft shell crab One of the reasons that we're alive.
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox I loved it before I knew that it was called bagels and lox. I always just called it smoked salmon on a bagel until I married a New York Jewish guy. I've got to say that it's almost reason enough in itself to be married.
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta I live in an Italian town, and it's cheap. Student staple.
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee Same thing. A University town, and we drank it to be cool. I can't say that my taste buds are really up to distinguishing coffee tastes in the morning, but I like it.
100. Snake
If you want to do it yourself...here's the original list with none of my comments on it.
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake
People who I would love to see their answers...
Juli
Mark
Teeni, with one of the best blog names ever.
Casdok
Ann
Phil
Chris
TBATM
So much for reddit being female friendly :-( ...now with a new and shiny update
lipstick.com: celebrity news that matters to you
I can't believe that with the number of smart women who are regular participants on reddit.com, they decide to build a site like this. I don't care about an entertainment site, but why the hell is it pink and frilly?
Disillusionment is not fun.
(Apparently lipstick.com was founded before reddit was bought by Conde Nast. They were supposedly trying out things to see what would sell, and they were bought before this was one of the options....thank God).
I feel a bit better now- I'd really enjoyed it for the past few years, but it's always fun to be able to keep the economic considerations in the BACK of your mind.
For the record (as I said above) "Reddit had been SO much more female-friendly- you could actually go an entire day without hearing an anti-woman comment, and the level of discussion was just quite a bit higher"
Which was why I was so shocked when I saw this stupid thing. I'm still having a blast on reddit, and I'm glad that this lipstick.com thing was "pre-me". Allow me to keep my illusions as long as I can.
FAMILY IS EVERYTHING- Stephen Harper
YouTube - FAMILY IS EVERYTHING
Funny Stephen Harper ad. Hmmm...maybe if he's so up on family he'd actually work on child poverty and developing a national daycare system. Of course that wouldn't be nearly as much fun as "cracking down on crime", withholding medical care from people who don't meet his criteria of "good" citizens (see Insite), or wasting taxpayers' money and time by breaking his own election laws and wasting money on by-elections that aren't going to happen. Nice try, Steve!
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Sarah Palin- What is it exactly that a VP does?
YouTube - Sarah Palin- Qualified to Be VP
While she's obviously cut off in the clip, the entire quote is actually even worse, in my opinion.
"As for that VP talk all the time, I’ll tell you, I still can’t answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the VP does every day? I’m used to being very productive and working real hard in an administration. We want to make sure that that VP slot would be a fruitful type of position, especially for Alaskans and for the things that we’re trying to accomplish up here for the rest of the U.S., before I can even start addressing that question".
Personally, I think that I'd prefer my second-in-command to be more worried about the entire country rather than just my home state (or province in my case).
Mythbusters Adam on Education Issues
Mythbusters Adam on Education Issues – Importance of Education - Popular Mechanics
Excellent advice for any government which funds science programs.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
One Dad's Opinion: What's Next?
One Dad's Opinion: What's Next?:
Steve references a great new study ("Properties of supportive relationships form the perspective of academically successful individuals with autism") in this thought-provoking post.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
CDC measles expert weighs in on vaccinations
CDC measles expert weighs in on vaccinations, so does Amanda Peet: Scientific American Blog
"If you have 100 unvaccinated people in a room and a person with measles walks in and coughs, 90 people or more will get measles."
That's terrifying.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Autism statistics alarm Somalis
Autism statistics alarm Somalis
I wonder if it might be similar to the institutional autism also found in Romanian orphanage kids? I have no idea, but I know bad Somalia is, and I wonder if there are classes of autism that are based in extremely deprived early childhoods. NOT refrigerator mother theories.
On a different note, who knew that there were so many Somalis in Minnesota?
The laundry gods are smiling on us!
IBasket - Chic Automated Washing Machine Of The Future - Born Rich
It it dried as well I'd pay anything for it. Having triplets, I've done more laundry than any sane person would ever want to do in their lifetime...my username should be Sisyphus.
Swedish Cowboy Church accused of abusive practices
Talk To Action | Reclaiming Citizenship, History, and Faith
(Not a great subject, but it's the best headline that I've seen for quite a while. Who knew that there were "Cowboy churches"?)
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Ray Bradbury Turns 88
Slashdot | Ray Bradbury Turns 88
Fantastic. A world without him in it will be just a little bit poorer.
Firefox Comment Snob - Before and After on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Firefox Comment Snob - Before and After on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Wow- this is great! It would certainly make youtube bearable.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Diary of terminally ill woman who chose euthanasia
Diary of terminally ill woman who chose euthanasia | Life and style | The Guardian
Incredible story. After watching my mother die by inches from melanoma, I'll never understand why euthanasia isn't legal everywhere.
Prostitutes of Old Japan (photos)
Okinawa Soba's slideshow on Flickr
Gorgeous pictures, unhappy faces.
Dinosaurs helped build the pyramids, school director says
MaltaToday
Cool. I love finding things like this.
The 5 Most Badass Presidents of All-Time
The 5 Most Badass Presidents of All-Time | Cracked.com
It's actually a great article :-)
Friday, August 22, 2008
Athlete Without Compelling Personal Drama Expelled from Olympics - Yahoo! News
Athlete Without Compelling Personal Drama Expelled from Olympics - Yahoo! News
The best part about it is that it's Yahoo news, and not The Onion.
Does the President pee biblically?
Ship of Fools: FruitTube
Wow. I'm not sure what to say, except that theoretically he has people who LISTEN to him. Ugh.
New Federal Regulation to Consider Birth Control Pills an Abortion - Health & Fitness - InfoNIAC
New Federal Regulation to Consider Birth Control Pills an Abortion - Health & Fitness - InfoNIAC
This is just crazy. I remember (growing up beside America), always being told that they had the best health care in the world. Apparently not, if you're female, (or uninsured, etc. etc.) Sometimes I think that the States have just gone insane, and it very much saddens me.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
13 Magnificent Renewable Energy Successes and Failures
13 Magnificent Renewable Energy Successes and Failures : EcoWorldly
"If a woman hauls water for 4 hours a day, her chances of escaping poverty are low.
The cost of change: 15 cents"
Sometimes my struggles seem kind of trivial.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Disabled turtle finds romance after getting wheels
Disabled turtle finds romance after getting wheels - Yahoo! News: "Disabled turtle finds romance after getting wheels"
Happy story of the day!
Autism Society of America and AMC Entertainment Host Sensory Friendly Films
Autism Society of America: Autism Society of America and AMC Entertainment Host Sensory Friendly Films
What a fantastic idea- I would LOVE to see this in Canada as well!
Can Facial Structures, Brain Abnormalities Reveal Formula For Detection Of Autism?
Can Facial Structures, Brain Abnormalities Reveal Formula For Detection Of Autism?
Interesting stuff. I find it fascinating that part of the research will be funded by the Department of Defense in the U.S. - that strikes me as odd.
Basics - The Furcifer Labordi Chameleon Has a Short Life and an Interesting Life History - NYTimes.com
Basics - The Furcifer Labordi Chameleon Has a Short Life and an Interesting Life History - NYTimes.com
Wow- this is one neat animal. I love finding out about species that I didn't even know existed.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Race to be first led to autism research short-cuts - more on Andrew Wakefield
Hampstead and Highgate Express - Race to be first led to autism research short-cuts
And more commentary on Left Brain/Right Brain
I very much hope that Wakefield will eventually be held accountable for all of the harm that he's caused.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Serious cute overload
Green Expander | Antares - Newest attraction for the Berlin Zoo
New baby tiger. Hot damn, that is adorable.
YouTube - R Word
The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network's video response to the use of "retard" in Tropic Thunder.
YouTube - R Word
Over the past few days I've heard a lot of people try to defend the use of the word "retard". My guess is that Ben Stiller really didn't mean any harm by using it, but it's one of those words that has always made my skin crawl. In my society at least (Canada), it's so commonly used that it's a basic part of most kids' vocabulary.
I often think that it's similar to the "n" word, and I've had more than a few discussions with various owners of community websites about the hypocrisy of filtering the "n" word while "retard" is allowed to pass unchecked.
I'm not actually a huge fan of political correctness, but I also don't see how it helps anyone at all when derogatory language towards a certain group is a part of our society. I hope (but don't expect) that society sees my kids as human beings, but when I hear the word "retard" applied to them (none of them are actually mentally retarded, by the way, and it wouldn't matter in this context if they were), it's just another example of how we use language to control and put other people down. At this point in humanity's evolution, you would hope that we'd be moving beyond that.
And Ben Stiller's response:
While not denying that ridicule exists in the film, Wheeler, Shriver and the rest of the protesters miss the point of who is being made fun of, Stiller told MTV News.
"It's sort of edgy territory, but we felt that as long as the focus was on the actors who were trying to do something to be taken seriously that's going too far or wrong, that was where the humor would come from," Stiller insisted. "[The joke is on] actors reaching for roles in terms of hopefully winning awards."
While I understand what he was trying to do, it still seems like poor judgment, and I'd truly prefer my kids growing up in a society where this is not appropriate. Of course, I'd also like the sky to rain chocolate and wine and books, but that's just me.
Monday, August 11, 2008
The 100 Most Common English Words
Codebox Software - The 100 Most Common English Words
This was hard. I'm relatively smart (when I've slept), and have a decent vocabulary (when I've slept), and I only got 52. I'm not sure what the criteria are, but it's interesting.
xkcd - Google Maps
xkcd - A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language - By Randall Munroe
It's great to see xkcd getting back to the basics.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
George Orwell's Diaries
August 9, 1938 � THE ORWELL PRIZE
Great! The Orwell Trust is re-publishing George Orwell's diary day by day, 70 years after it was written. I think that it's going to be fascinating.
Fun fact about Orwell that I didn't know...re-reading "The Nasty Bits" by Tony Bourdain the other day, Orwell apparently wrote a book about his experiences working in a restaurant. As a wanna-be foodie (who never has time to cook real food as everyone in my house eats different things), I want to read the book!
Profiles in Manliness: Viktor Frankl
Profiles in Manliness: Viktor Frankl | The Art of Manliness
Fantastic article- how Viktor Frankl helped people to find meaning in life even while in a concentration camp. I'm looking forward to reading his book now.
Saturday, August 09, 2008
I did like this ....Barack Roll
YouTube - Barack Roll
But I'm disappointed that they didn't include more real dancing footage. You can almost see his hips move in the first 2 seconds.
Robot Playmates Help Autistic Kids With Social Skills
Robot Playmates Help Autistic Kids With Social Skills - DrKoop.com
Interesting, although something about it creeps me out on first reading.
Friday, August 08, 2008
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Moving...ugh!
I'm moving today...back in a few days!
Wish me luck- moving is almost as bad as hospital days were.
My hometown's "Enabling Garden" (opens as .pdf)
geg-in-ontario-gardener-2008.pdf (application/pdf Object)
If there's anything better than "horticultural therapy", I'm not sure what it is. Gardening is one of the great joys of my life, and I'm glad that I live in a place which is using it as a resource.
(Funny story related to gardening- when I was in the midst of my teenage angst my parents took me to see our family doctor about my depression. Instead of putting me on meds, he gave me two choices- go to Africa and teach English for a couple of months, or dig a hole in the garden. I asked him how big the hole had to be, and he said to just keep digging it and filling it in and digging it again until I felt better.
I do miss doctors like that- while obviously all types of depression can't be cured by helping others or working with your hands, I still can't help but think that he had a good point. Oh, and he made house calls too!)
Jenny McCarthy speaks out on Michael Savage - Access Hollywood - msnbc.com
Jenny McCarthy speaks out on Michael Savage - Access Hollywood - msnbc.com: "I think a great way for an apology is to be sat down and educated about it,” Jenny said. “I’d love to just quietly (sit down with him and) educate him on the facts. It was clear he doesn’t know anything about autism"
The irony is almost frightening.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
A bit of a change
I stole this meme from Teeni, who I was drawn to by Casdok.
I am: Packing to move.
I think: That there is too much intolerance in the world.
I know: Very little about too many things.
I have: An amazing family.
I wish: That people understood science.
I hate: Stewed tomatoes and bras.
I miss: Horseback riding.
I fear: Giant spiders
I hear: Very little.
I smell: forest, and I think of my mom.
I crave: Sausage rolls from my favourite bakery.
I search: for meaning.
I wonder: When the Song of Ice and Fire series will be finished.
I regret: Not being cloned. If I was, Dylan would still be at home.
I love: Reading an amazing book for the first time.
I ache: Everywhere, at the moment.
I am not: As bitchy as I sometimes appear.
I believe: That if people are good to each other, most other things fall in line.
I dance: When I'm drunk.
I sing: When I'm alone.
I cry: Thinking about my cats.
I fight: When I'm frustrated.
I win: Every single day that my kids are still alive and healthy.
I lose: At chess.
I never: fail to be amazed at my kids.
I always: make coffee as soon as I get up.
I confuse: actions and meaning
I listen: to my cat purring on my chest
I can usually be found: on my front porch
I am scared: of who will look after my kids when I'm gone
I need: books
I am happy about: my upcoming marriage
I imagine: a world where kids don't hurt
I tag:"
Mother of Shrek
Blei
TBTAM
Trauma Queen
Grrraphics
Some of them I don't even know, but I read their blogs and would be interested to see what they say!
The blanks are
I am:
I think:
I know:
I have:
I wish:
I hate:
I miss:
I fear:
I hear:
I smell:
I crave:
I search:
I wonder:
I regret:
I love:
I ache:
I am not:
I believe:
I dance:
I sing:
I cry:
I fight:
I win:
I lose:
I never:
I always:
I confuse:
I listen:
I can usually be found:
I am scared:
I need:
I am happy about:
I imagine:
I tag:
MYSTERY OF AUTISM BEGINS WITH DECIDING WHAT IT IS
MYSTERY OF AUTISM BEGINS WITH DECIDING WHAT IT IS - Yahoo! News
Dear Abby does a great job talking about autism.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Dying eight-year-old 'marries' his school sweetheart - Telegraph
Dying eight-year-old 'marries' his school sweetheart - Telegraph
I have no idea how I feel about this. Having a daughter who is a cancer survivor, I've seen too many kids die from our time in the oncology wards.
But there's just something "off" about it to me. That's a lot of pressure to put on a little girl.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Obama’s Response to the New Yorker Cover, as Told to Larry King
It's nice to see someone who is not only articulate, but gracious as well. How long has it been since there has been someone in politics who not only doesn't fly off the handle when they are "insulted", but manages to turn it into another valid talking point?
Sphere: Related ContentSunday, July 13, 2008
Current Archaeology - The Enigma of the Red Snake
Current Archaeology - The Enigma of the Red Snake
Great archeology article...I'd never even heard of this before. Fascinating.
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