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

Happy Mothers Day

Love You Forever is a short book written by Robert Munsch and published in 1986

It always makes me cry.

"I'll love you forever,I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be."

To listen to Robert Munsch read the story CLICK HERE

Free Your Mind

Free your mind and the rest will follow, be colorblind, dont be so shallow
Before you read me you gotta learn how to see me

Albert Hofmann

Albert Hofmann died Tuesday. He was 102.

Albert was a Swiss scientist best known for synthesizing lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).

Hofmann authored more than 100 scientific articles and wrote a number of books, including LSD: My Problem Child

Click here to read LSD: My Problem Child

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

Spider Soliltaire

Get Flash Games for your MySpace Profile

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/

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

Farewell

My Pal Eric is going into early retirement today.

In the 60's people used to go "Find themselves" all the time.

These days people who "drop out" of the norm are called bums.

Personally I'm very happy that my friends is quiting his job and taking off into the unknown.

I wish you well on your journey and I expect you to blog regularly from where ever you land http://www.ericsestimate.com/

Below is a snippet of a Dylan song that reminds me of you, well at least you before you decided to quit.

HIGHLANDS
Words and Music by Bob Dylan
"Well my heart's in The Highlands with the horses and hounds
Way up in the border country far from the towns
With the twang of the arrow and the snap of the bow
My heart's in The Highlands, can't see any other way to go

Every day is the same thing, out the door
Feel further away than ever before
Some things in life it just gets too late to learn
Well I'm lost somewhere, I must have made a few bad turns

I see people in the park, forgettin' their troubles and woes
They're drinkin' and dancin', wearin' bright colored clothes
All the young men with the young women lookin' so good
Well I'd trade places with any of 'em, in a minute if I could

I'm crossin' the street to get away from a mangy dog
Talkin' to myself in a monologue
I think what I need might be a full length leather coat
Somebody just asked me if I'm registered to vote

The sun is beginnin' to shine on me
But it's not like the sun that used to be
The party's over and there's less and less to say
I got new eyes, everything looks far away

Well my heart's in The Highlands at the break of day
Over the hills and far away
There's a way to get there, and I'll figure it out somehow
Well I'm already there in my mind and that's good enough for now"

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.

Cool Gadgets

I was stuck on this sight for a while.

It's http://www.coolgadgets.org/ they have everything from a Flying Alarm Clock that literally takes you Out of Bed to a MP3 Player for your Pet .

Going to prove there are people with to much time and money...

Here is a link to thier Top 15 Weird Gadgets You Never Thought Existed