More than 200,000 kids spanked at school

There is an article on www.cnn.com today about how many kids are spanked at school in the USA. This floored me! Canada hasn't allowed spanking or the strap in schools for so long I assumed the USA also outlawed it... guess not. I found it interesting which states still allowed it ... I'm not judging I'm just saying... To read the article click HERE

Political Map VS Corporal Punishment Map

Mitch Hedberg Video

Food Network

OK I spend way to much time watching the Food Network so much so that I actually have a top 10 chef's list ... so here goes:

Number 1 - Lynn Crawford

Number 2 - Jamie Oliver

Number 3 - David Adjey

Number 4 - Gordon Ramsay

Number 5 - Bobby Flay

Number 6 - Robert Irvine

Number 7 - Tyler Florence

Number 8 -Masaharu Morimoto

Number 9 - Ina Garten

Number 10 - Rachael Ray

Snippit of a song By John Prine called Long Monday

You and me
Sittin' in the back my memory
Like a honey bee
Buzzin' 'round a glass of sweet Chablis
Radio's on

Windows rolled up
And my mind's rolled down
Headlights shining
Like silver moons
Rollin' on the ground

Bunny Survival Tests

http://www.keypad.org/bunnies/

Purpose of Website ...
To determine specific weaknesses and/or strengths possessed by "Marshmallow Bunnies"

In order to determine said weaknesses and strengths, many Volunteer Bunnies and Control Bunnies risked their lives to take part in several tests. The tests were usually painful, yet not always cruel.

Top 10 Secrets to Being HAPPY!

I found this online the onther day and liked it so I thought I'd pass it on....

1. Decide to be a happy person. As Lincoln observed, most people, most of the time, can choose how stressed or happy, how troubled or relaxed they want to be. Choose to be happy.


2. Watch and Read less news. As a recovering news addict, I know this can be difficult because the stock market fluctuates, politicians politic, and sports teams compete. But, most of the time, you don't need the stress. So, just don't watch. I think it was Henry Thoreau who noted that if you've ever read about a train wreck, you understand the principle and don't need to know any more about it.


3. Practice the Attitude of Gratitude. We all have so much to be grateful for. Just thanking the many people who assist us, encourage us, teach us and open doors for us could take all day!


4. Take Time. My dog has taught me much about loyalty, about noticing the sights, sounds, and smells in the yard, about being relaxed and about play. Eat when you're hungry, nap when you need it. Get your ears scratched whenever possible!


5. Laugh everyday. Hear a joke, tell a joke, laugh at yourself, laugh with your friends and family and co-workers. There are very few medicines as powerful as laughter, and I don't think you can over-dose, although it is addicting!


6. Love well. Express your affection, appreciation, friendship and warmth to those around you, and they will almost always respond in the most amazing ways! Be generous--it pays great dividends!


7. Work hard. This one comes as a bit of a surprise, but there is tremendous satisfaction in being competent, and joy in completing our assigned tasks. One of the great sources of happiness is to do work that is worthy of you, and to do it well.


8. Learn something new, everyday. To be happy, most of us must also be growing, expanding, learning and challenging ourselves. Read, listen, adapt and stretch to accommodate new ideas and new information.


9. Use your body as it was designed. Walk and run, stretch, throw things, and lift things. Dance! Exercise is good, but so is making love, mixing up a batch of cookies, or exchanging backrubs. You have a body and it can be either a source of joy, or a source of aches and pains. Your choice.


10. Avoid toxins. I prefer writing positives (things to do) rather than negatives (things to fear), but reality says there are negative people and there are bad chemicals, stressful noises, and unsafe places. Don't go there! Avoid poisons whenever possible. It seems to work out better that way

The Moldy Peaches

OK I am a fan !!!
The Moldy Peaches are stuck in my head and I can't get them out.
It's not a bad thing.

"Up up down down left right left right B A start

Just because we use cheats doesn't mean we're not smart

I don't see what anyone can see, in anyone else

But you"

lyrics from Anyone Else but You by The Moldy Peaches

Amy Winehouse

Ok so I'm about a million miles from cool, which is why I had never heard of Amy Winehouse until I watched the grammy's.

I LOVED HER.

Now after googling her I see she's racked up quite the reputation but frankly I don't care. Every song I have heard of hers I have not just liked but loved.

I urge you all to give a listen to some of the song samples she has on her site.

Monty Python - Airplane Hijacking

John Heffron

http://www.johnheffron.com/

Things that make My Blood Boil - Part 3

Provincial Government has now introduced a "Taxi Bill of Rights".

Ok this irritates me… A Taxi Bill of Rights????

The more I think about the tax money and time spent on this “Taxi Bill of Rights” the more my blood boils.

For those of you that haven’t read this yet I’ve added them below. (I’ve also added my comments in brackets)

As a Taxi Passenger you have the right to:

Be picked up and transported to your stated destination by any available on duty taxi driver. (OH is that how the whole call a cab thing works. You call a cab … a working taxi driver picks you up… and then take you to your destination. Thanks for clearing that up)

Pay the posted rate by cash, or accepted credit card or TaxiSaver voucher (DOH! I always pay with jellybeans)

A courteous driver who provides assistance, if requested (Personally I always expect to be treated this way but for those of you out there with self esteem issue that like to be abused this “rights for you”)

Travel with an assistance dog or portable mobility aid (Wasn’t it already the law that guide dogs could go where there owners go?? And is there a rash of taxi drivers saying “you can come in the cab but your oxygen tank stays??”)

A taxi that is clean, smoke free and in good repair (Hey I wish my husband would do this with our car)

Direct the route, or expect the most economical route (It scares me that this one needs to be in righting)

A quiet atmosphere, upon request (Are there grown ups around that don’t know they can ask the cab driver to turn down the music?)

A detailed receipt, when requested (Again isn’t this the law already?)

As a Taxi Driver you must obey all laws and have the right to refuse to transport a passenger:

To avoid contravening a law or condition of license (not only should this go without saying why are they using the word avoid?)

To protect your, or any passenger’s, health or safety (Ok I get the refusing a passenger if they are drunk or abusive but how would a taxi driver be protecting my health and safety by refusing me a ride?)

If the passenger is acting in an offensive manner (Are there cab drivers that don’t know this? And if so should they be driving?)

If the passenger refuses to provide a deposit, if requested (DUH)

The Ministry of Transportation new title should be Ministry of Stating the Obvious or perhaps The Ministry of Spending Tax Payers Money it the Most Frivolous Way, but I guess there are just to many Ministers that applies to.

I'm not saying they are bad sentiments, I'm just saying does the Government need to spend tax dollars on stating the obvious?

Happy Robbie Burns Day

Robbie Burns (1759 – 1796) Born in Alloway in South Ayrshire in 1759, the son of a farmer, Scotland’s national bard was the eldest of seven children. At this time Scotland was probably the most literate country in Europe and as a result Robert was well read and educated, despite regarding himself as a simple tenant farmer.

He was a poet and a lyricist and is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland,

He is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic movement and after his death became an important source of inspiration to the founders of both liberalism and socialism.

Celebration of his life and work became almost a national charismatic cult during the 19th and 20th centuries, and his influence has long been strong on Scottish literature.

Address To The Toothache

By Robbie Burns

My curse upon your venom'd stang,
That shoots my tortur'd gooms alang,
An' thro' my lug gies monie a twang
Wh' gnawing vengeance,
Tearing my nerves wi' bitter pang,
Like racking engines!

A' down my beard the slavers trickle,
I throw the wee stools o'er the mickle,
While round the fire the giglets keckle
To see me loup,
An' raving mad, I wish a heckle
Were i' their doup!

When fevers burn, or ague freezes,
Rheumatics gnaw, or colic squeezes,
Our neebors sympathize to ease us
Wi' pitying moan;
But thee! - thou hell o' a' diseases,
They mock our groan!

Of a' the num'rous human dools --
Ill-hairsts, daft bargains, cutty-stools,
Or worthy frien's laid i' the mools,
Sad sight to see!
The tricks o' knaves, or fash o' fools --
Thou bear'st the gree!

Whare'er that place be priests ca' Hell,
Whare a' the tones o' misery yell,
An' ranked plagues their numbers tell
In dreadfu' raw,
Thou, Toothache, surely bear'st the bell
Amang them a'!

O thou grim, mischief-making chiel,
That gars the notes o' discord squeal,
Till humankind aft dance a reel
In gore a shoe-thick,
Gie a' the faes o' Scotland's weal
A towmond's toothache.

Chess genius Bobby Fischer Dies

Bobby Fischer, who died on Thursday aged 64, was a high school dropout who may have been the greatest chess player of all time, but ended his life in eccentric seclusion.

To tell you the truth I'm not a big Chess fan but I love the movie Searching for Bobby Fischer. Which is why I even know anything about the man. The movie is a story of a boy that has a natural ability and how his parents and the other adults in his life handle his talent.

Both the movie and Bobby Fischer life are good examples of what can happen when children are pressured or given fame without tools to deal with them.

It reminds me of a story I read about a mother that found out her 5 year old son was going to die. After crying and working up the courage she called him to her so she could break the news.

He came running in the room with a great big smile on his face and the mother had to bite her lip not to start crying again. She said, "Son, I have something hard to tell you". He paused sensing something was wrong and said "What mommy? Why are you sad?". She replied not wanting to prolong the moment "I spoke with the doctor and you are going to die" He exclaimed " RIGHT NOW???" and she said, "No. no honey not RIGHT NOW" and he responded "Oh OK" smiled and ran back out to play.

Kids are naturally resilient and optimistic, it's adults that give them hang ups, fear, and pressure.

The Mind

Free Rice

http://www.freerice.com/

This is a site that not only tests your vocabulary but also feeds the poor.

The game is a simple "Guess the definition" type game.

If you get it right, you get a harder word.

If wrong, you get an easier word.

For each word you get right, they donate 20 grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program.

It's fun and it helps people.

The End of the Internet

CLICK HERE TO REACH THE END OF THE INTERNET

The Gunslinger

OK I am re-reading (for the sixth time) The Gunslinger Series by Stephen King.

I am a huge Stephen King fan and have read and re-read all of his books. I know there are those of you out there that discount his books and I am here to urge you to read this series.

I am a veracious reader and this series is perhaps the best EVERY written. Even if you hate Stephen King you need to read these books.

Just the first sentence was enough for me to be hooked

"The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed"

The novel was inspired by the poem "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came" by Robert Browning

It is about a Gunslinger named Roland Deschain of Gilead that is on a quest to reach The Dark Tower, the axis upon which infinite numbers of parallel worlds rotate. The Dark Tower is under assault by the Crimson King, Lord of Discordia, a Satan-like figure bent on destroying the Dark Tower by undermining the "Beams" that support it.

So in the high speech of Gilead " I ask you to remember the face of your father and yield to your Ka. Read this book!"

The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower, Book 1)

Taj Mahal - The Blues

I could listen to Taj Mahal 24 7

LOST John Lock

I miss LOST :o(

Is it me or is this never going to come back on?

The Blues Brothers in B.C.

We went to the Blues Brothers Show at The River Rock Casino last night in Richmond, B.C.

It was an amazing show and a fantastic venue. It had everything from great music to laugh out loud fun. It was a complete performance!

Dan Akroyd as Elwood Blues did an amazing vocal and his energy on stage was electric.

Not only was Dan in town entertaining the masses he was also promoting his new line of Wine and Tequila.

Jim Belushi as Zee Blues sang his heart out and gave a perfect stage performance.
Jim can also be seen touring with The Sacred Hearts or on his TV Show According to Jim.

The Sacred Hearts are a spectacular Band. The talent in this group is overwhelming.

Larry Lee Lerma (bassist)
Johnny Lee "Shotgun" Schell (guitarist)
Glen Clark (piano)
Joe "Lester" Sublett (saxophonist/composer)
Julie "The Dove" Delgado (vocalist)
Johnny "The Beast" Rubano (vocalist/trumpet)
Darrell "The Good Shepherd"
Leonard (trumpet)
Tony "Diamond Ring" Braunagel (drummer)
J.J. "Taboo" Holiday (guitarist) - Member of the Imperial Crowns
Jimmie "The Dynamic" Wood (harmonica/vocals) - Member of the Imperial Crowns

On a personal note I'd like to say Thank You to Dan, Jim and the band for an amazing night and give a shout out to Dave, Wally and Amy.