Ok, just a small rant and how I took back my power as a consumer.
I currently don't have transportation so was very excited yesterday when my daughter's friend offered to take us to the store. I tried to be quick because I didn't want to put him out. My daughter was gathering things she wanted, to save time, and unfortunately I didn't pay as much attention to what she was putting in the cart. Usually we are together and she points out that x is a good deal because ... But not yesterday, she just went on a frenzy because my total was over $90 of what I expected. YIKES.
At the checkout I was preoccupied so when I saw the amount I'd already put my visa/debit card into the machine, but hadn't clicked on the final button. I tried to click cancel so we could reverse some of the items. It didn't work. I tried again, it didn't work. I finally had to just click done, and the cashier said I should go to customer service and have it reversed from there.
Again, no problem, as I recognized this was my fault and thought this would be a quick fix. And aside from a few snarky remarks from an old man who was standing near by (Seriously, why do people have to be so snarky?) it was just one of those embarrassing moments that can happen to anyone. BUT, I needed the money to make payments elsewhere so when I checked my bank balance last night and saw that the charge had gone through, but there was no sign of the credit...well, needless to say I was a little vexed.
Today I check again, and still no sign of the credit. So I call the store to inquire about the credit and they say sometimes it takes 3 days for a credit to go through, and that it depends on who you bank with. Well my bank is INSIDE their store. Now I'm rather miffed.
Solution: I decided to exercise my power and fine the store $1000 for bad business practice. If they can take my money immediately, they sure as heck better return it immediately, too. Had they allowed me to cancel the transaction before it was completed, it never would have required a credit to be issued in the first place.
How will I ensure they pay my fine? I will be spending $1000 in another supermarket before returning to their store. I let them know this is what I'll be doing. Hopefully they will recognize the cost of having poor systems in place. Instead of taking small financial advantage of the "credit" system. (They keep funds in their accounts for a few days before returning them to earn interest. I hope the few cents were worth it)
This is a means that a person of any financial status can use to take back their power from the corporations. It may take longer to "pay the fine" if you have less means, but you can still do it. The last time I fined a corporation was the phone company. This was in 2002. My phone bill tended not to be very large so I paid it every couple of months when it reached around $50. I had done that for a few years. Suddenly the phone company had a problem with this and when I owed them $12 for more than 30 days they sent me a shut off notice. I called them and said next payday I would pay the past due and even pay ahead on the next bill (iow, I was going to send them $50, like I had done over the previous 2 years) But they wanted the money on the 28th and I was going to send it on the 3rd. Apparently they thought that was horrible of me to expect an additional 5 days for that whopping $12 and so they shut off my phone. I suppose they thought they were going to teach me a lesson, but instead I fined them $1000. I went without a phone for 4 years until the "debt" was paid. And honestly at first I missed it, but after a bit I liked not being bothered by telemarketers, and wrong numbers. I could contact my friends through the internet so it was all good.
Friday, January 17, 2014
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Yin and Yang
I stumbled upon this article on the origins of the symbol "Where does the Chinese Yin Yang Symbol Come From?" (fitting title, no?) The symbol is the byproduct of the natural world, the universe. The Chinese character is that of the sun over the moon, the universe. The above article goes into more detail about how it is represented by the night sky and how the ancient Chinese mapped out the cycles. To look deeper into the history and philosophy of Yin Yang, I found this article from Sacred Lotus to be helpful. "The Philosophy of Yin and Yang". It shows more than just the opposites, but how they move back and forth with each other. Not only their solitary meanings, but their interdependence. How they move back and forth morphing one way, then back to the other.
The 64 characters of the I-Ching, Book of Changes, are the many faces of yin and yang and how they can work to aid us in how we interact with the world around us. The ancients used these changes in every aspect of life. If there is an interest in this for you, I urge you to investigate further.
LINKS
Where does the Chinese Yin Yang Symbol Come From?
The Philosophy of Yin and Yang
The heart of the human being is no different from the soul of heaven and earth. In your practice always keep in your thoughts the interaction of heaven and earth, water and fire, yin and yang. ~Morihei Ueshiba
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
A New Year
So we're a few weeks into the new year, and I've decided (probably like millions of others) to start blogging, again.
The topics will be rather random. Some will be based off of things I've bookmarked, or issues that are on the forefront of my mind. Things I may aspire to, or have fond memories of. Stuff that piques my interest or curiosity. Let's just see what unfolds.
First order of business is the green gift guide from the NRDC, National Resources, Defense Council. This is an organization that combines courtroom power, with grassroots clout. The gifts you purchase range from various restoration projects, to wildlife support, to eco justice and alternative energy or you can adopt an eco lawyer who will take on the legal fights on behalf of our planet.
It works in a similar manner as Heifer International who work to eradicate poverty, NRDC work to protect our planet, both organizations you purchase a gift that benefits others and receive a card acknowledging your support in the name of the recipient you choose to receive the card.
While the holiday season has passed, there is never an end to the work done by the non profits and I imagine they would love to be your stop when you are ready to give back, either as a gift to someone who has everything, or something you just do for yourself to feel like you've started to make the world a little bit better because of the choices you make. Anyway, just a little something to get me started.
The topics will be rather random. Some will be based off of things I've bookmarked, or issues that are on the forefront of my mind. Things I may aspire to, or have fond memories of. Stuff that piques my interest or curiosity. Let's just see what unfolds.
 |
| Picture courtesy of NRDC Green Gifts |
It works in a similar manner as Heifer International who work to eradicate poverty, NRDC work to protect our planet, both organizations you purchase a gift that benefits others and receive a card acknowledging your support in the name of the recipient you choose to receive the card.
While the holiday season has passed, there is never an end to the work done by the non profits and I imagine they would love to be your stop when you are ready to give back, either as a gift to someone who has everything, or something you just do for yourself to feel like you've started to make the world a little bit better because of the choices you make. Anyway, just a little something to get me started.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Berry Crumble
Berry Crumble
This is for you, Aaron.Take 2 bowls. In bowl #1 you add the berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, etc) and sprinkle some cornstarch, cinnamon and 1-2 T of sweetener (sugar, or brown sugar, or honey) and toss to coat the berries.
In bowl #2 take 1 to 1-1.2 cups of oats, some cinnamon, sugar (or brown sugar, preferably) maybe add 1 T of flour and 2 T of coconut oil (can substitute butter, but it's healthier and tastes lighter with the coconut oil) I may also be prone to adding some ground flax or wheatgerm to the crumble. stir together, then with your hands press the oil into the mix until it becomes crumbly.
Lightly grease your cooking dish (ramekin) with coconut oil and fill with the berry mix. Top with a Tablespoon or so of the crumble. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.
I'll add a photo the next time I make this.
Disclaimer: I tend not to measure and have never written this recipe down before, so I hope it turns out well for you. You may want to double check the oven timing. You'll want the crumble to be golden, not burned. I tend to judge by when it is fragrant. I'm guessing it's about 20 minutes.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
A Sewing Organizer Pictorial
I stumbled upon a pictorial for a sewing organizer project on Pinterest where the link led to a site that had been red flagged and Pinterest wouldn't allow me to repost it. What to do? What to do? Alas I decided to host the pictorial from here. Note, this is not my creation. I am only hosting it out of reposting frustration.
I hope you can make good use of it :)
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Toast in the Microwave?
Ok, not really toast, but french toast. (I know, I really should have come up with a better title, so sue me) Ooh la la.
I stumbled upon this recipe, 2-minute-french-toast-in-a-cup yesterday and had to try it. I was not disappointed. That said, I have to admit I added my own little twist.
I used my sons big "Homer" mug. I cut up 2 pieces of bread and added it to the mug. In a separate container I blended 1 egg, 2T milk (I used almond), a dash each of cinnamon and nutmeg and a splash of vanilla. I've always added both cinnamon and nutmeg when making french toast. It's just my thing.
Like the recipe said I melted a little butter in the bottom of the mug before adding my bread. And I slowly added the egg mixture on top of the bread so that the top pieces get some loveliness and not just the bottom. Then I stirred it a bit to further ensure that the egg is well distributed. Into the microwave it went for 1 minute.
And for the pièce de résistance I added a sliced strawberry on top, microwaved for an additional 20 seconds and topped with maple syrup. Manoman ... it was so tasty I forgot to take a picture because I dove right in and ate it all up. Maybe next time. A big thank you to Jaime of Prudent Baby for posting this easy morning (or anytime) treat.
I stumbled upon this recipe, 2-minute-french-toast-in-a-cup yesterday and had to try it. I was not disappointed. That said, I have to admit I added my own little twist.
I used my sons big "Homer" mug. I cut up 2 pieces of bread and added it to the mug. In a separate container I blended 1 egg, 2T milk (I used almond), a dash each of cinnamon and nutmeg and a splash of vanilla. I've always added both cinnamon and nutmeg when making french toast. It's just my thing.
Like the recipe said I melted a little butter in the bottom of the mug before adding my bread. And I slowly added the egg mixture on top of the bread so that the top pieces get some loveliness and not just the bottom. Then I stirred it a bit to further ensure that the egg is well distributed. Into the microwave it went for 1 minute.
And for the pièce de résistance I added a sliced strawberry on top, microwaved for an additional 20 seconds and topped with maple syrup. Manoman ... it was so tasty I forgot to take a picture because I dove right in and ate it all up. Maybe next time. A big thank you to Jaime of Prudent Baby for posting this easy morning (or anytime) treat.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
It's a Miracle
I saw this recipe on Zonya's Health Bites on my local PBS station. And I totally loved the idea behind eating a food that is considered a negative calorie food. Zonya's Miracle Soup is just that food. Then I made it and loved it even more. Although I have to say I didn't quite follow her recipe, but there ya have it.
Here's my version.
Vegetables:
2 onions, chopped
1 green pepper, 1 orange pepper and 1 red pepper, chopped
5-10 mushrooms, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
5 carrots, chopped
5 celery stalks, chopped
Any vegetables found in the refrigerator can be cut up and added to the pot.
Shred 1 head of cabbage.
Liquids:
6 C Water or stock (vegetable or chicken)
4 C V-8 or Tomato Juice
Prepared Food:
2 Cans of diced tomatoes or 1 can diced tomatoes and 1 jar of salsa
1 T coconut oil (or Olive oil)
Seasonings:
couple of Bay Leaves
¼ c fresh parsley chopped
cracked pepper
First we want to gather our vegetables and cut them into pieces no bigger than 1 inch. Next we’ll want to heat 1 Tbs of olive oil, or coconut oil into a large pot. Then simply start adding your cut vegetables to the pot and stir so they don’t burn.. As the onions become translucent we will want to add the liquids and bring the heat up to medium high. Now you can add the cabbage, and canned tomatoes. Continue to stir and bring just to a boil. Add the herbs, and cover reducing heat to med-low, allowing the soup to simmer until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.
The final step is to salt to taste, but not too much, just before serving. I like to ladle soup into a mug and heat in the microwave for lunch and/or as a first course for dinner.
Additional: I also am inclined to add black beans to the soup for added protein.
Here's my version.
Vegetables:
2 onions, chopped
1 green pepper, 1 orange pepper and 1 red pepper, chopped
5-10 mushrooms, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
5 carrots, chopped
5 celery stalks, chopped
Any vegetables found in the refrigerator can be cut up and added to the pot.
Shred 1 head of cabbage.
Liquids:
6 C Water or stock (vegetable or chicken)
4 C V-8 or Tomato Juice
Prepared Food:
2 Cans of diced tomatoes or 1 can diced tomatoes and 1 jar of salsa
1 T coconut oil (or Olive oil)
Seasonings:
couple of Bay Leaves
¼ c fresh parsley chopped
cracked pepper
First we want to gather our vegetables and cut them into pieces no bigger than 1 inch. Next we’ll want to heat 1 Tbs of olive oil, or coconut oil into a large pot. Then simply start adding your cut vegetables to the pot and stir so they don’t burn.. As the onions become translucent we will want to add the liquids and bring the heat up to medium high. Now you can add the cabbage, and canned tomatoes. Continue to stir and bring just to a boil. Add the herbs, and cover reducing heat to med-low, allowing the soup to simmer until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.
The final step is to salt to taste, but not too much, just before serving. I like to ladle soup into a mug and heat in the microwave for lunch and/or as a first course for dinner.
Additional: I also am inclined to add black beans to the soup for added protein.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Creme de la Creme
We are not big coffee drinkers, well, my daughter would be if I let her, but basically we're occasional connoisseurs. Still one day several months ago I bought 3 coffee creamer flavors to use in our occasional cup o Joe's. Finally finished one and thought there must be a way to recycle this thing without sending it to the recycle center...upcycle, if you will.
So onto the search to see what the internet has to offer. First I stumbled upon a re-use, but I had the powdered creamer, not the liquid, so the bottle isn't clear. I found a lot of ideas for what could go inside the creamer bottle, from crackers, to game pieces, to letters or word groups as a learning tool in the classroom.
Found a few recipes for making your own creamer. This one looked pretty good, actually:
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
Mix and keep in airtight container.
But this would require a 2 week commitment of coffee drinking, that I'm not sure I'm ready to make, so I found this one made from dry ingredients.
1 cup non-dairy coffee creamer
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
In a jar with a screw-top lid, combine all ingredients and shake well to blend.
Then I stumbled upon this page with a wealth of ideas from picnic containers to piggy bank to ... a great list. http://www.ehow.com/info_8370389_recycling-ideas-coffee-mate-containers.html One thing I would add, though about their list, is that if you use your container to store laundry soap, never use it for snacks. Best to be safe than sorry. Use one for food, one for non food, ne'er the twain shall meet.
And then there are the craft ideas: Like the Coffee Mate Snowman, Santa and the Easter Bunny But they seem a little out of season.
When I came to this page, I thought perhaps that is what I would do with the first of my empties. We also don't use a whole lot of sugar at our house, so having a container that holds a small quantity would do just the trick. Lots of other great ideas in the comment section of that page, too.
But in the end I decided to use a suggestion I read for repurposing a Clorox wipes container...go figure.
So onto the search to see what the internet has to offer. First I stumbled upon a re-use, but I had the powdered creamer, not the liquid, so the bottle isn't clear. I found a lot of ideas for what could go inside the creamer bottle, from crackers, to game pieces, to letters or word groups as a learning tool in the classroom.
Found a few recipes for making your own creamer. This one looked pretty good, actually:
Cappuccino Creamer
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk1 1/2 cups skim milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
Mix and keep in airtight container.
But this would require a 2 week commitment of coffee drinking, that I'm not sure I'm ready to make, so I found this one made from dry ingredients.
Cappuccino Creamer
1 cup Hot Chocolate Mix1 cup non-dairy coffee creamer
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
In a jar with a screw-top lid, combine all ingredients and shake well to blend.
Then I stumbled upon this page with a wealth of ideas from picnic containers to piggy bank to ... a great list. http://www.ehow.com/info_8370389_recycling-ideas-coffee-mate-containers.html One thing I would add, though about their list, is that if you use your container to store laundry soap, never use it for snacks. Best to be safe than sorry. Use one for food, one for non food, ne'er the twain shall meet.
And then there are the craft ideas: Like the Coffee Mate Snowman, Santa and the Easter Bunny But they seem a little out of season.
When I came to this page, I thought perhaps that is what I would do with the first of my empties. We also don't use a whole lot of sugar at our house, so having a container that holds a small quantity would do just the trick. Lots of other great ideas in the comment section of that page, too.
But in the end I decided to use a suggestion I read for repurposing a Clorox wipes container...go figure.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Frittata Frenzy
About a month ago I saw a cute little fry pan, the perfect size for frying an egg. Since then I have been on a huge frittata frenzy. I will simply fry up leftover anything, pour an egg mixed with milk over it and sprinkle some cheese in or on to guild the lily.
Today's frittata consisted of:
1/2 a portabella mushroom thinly sliced
2 strips of zucchini cut into 1/2-1" pieces (to cut strips I used a potato peeler to make a long thin strip of zucchini)
2 slices of pre-cooked potato (I cooked it in the microwave, stopping a minute before completion) diced
1 Tbls of diced cornbeef
Once the potatoes start to brown a little I add about 1T of shredded Italian cheese. And top with 1 egg and 1 T milk (I used almond milk) a dash of salt and pepper, scramble together and pour over the vegetables.
I gently lift the sides and tilt the uncooked eggs to cover, until most of the egg is cooked through. Then I get out my trusty salad plate to cover the pan and flip. I slide the frittata back into the pan to cook the uncooked side and sprinkle a little more cheese on top and wallah!
The best thing about my little frittata's are that I don't think I've made the same one twice. I use whatever happens to be in the fridge, or needs to be used.
Today's frittata consisted of:
 |
| Frying the veggies in my little egg pan |
2 strips of zucchini cut into 1/2-1" pieces (to cut strips I used a potato peeler to make a long thin strip of zucchini)
2 slices of pre-cooked potato (I cooked it in the microwave, stopping a minute before completion) diced
1 Tbls of diced cornbeef
Once the potatoes start to brown a little I add about 1T of shredded Italian cheese. And top with 1 egg and 1 T milk (I used almond milk) a dash of salt and pepper, scramble together and pour over the vegetables.
I gently lift the sides and tilt the uncooked eggs to cover, until most of the egg is cooked through. Then I get out my trusty salad plate to cover the pan and flip. I slide the frittata back into the pan to cook the uncooked side and sprinkle a little more cheese on top and wallah!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
I'm Busched
Yesterday we went to Busch Gardens Europe in Williamsburg, VA. This was our 4th trip this year. We didn't quite get the early start we'd hoped, as my daughter wanted to spend over an hour straightening her hair. (Lesson #1 don't bother straightening your hair before going to a park with water rides) We took an alternate route from the one the GPS gave us previous times (Lesson #2 google map before a trip so you can see the different potential routes you can take, instead of relying on GPS to give you the best one. Even with their "detour feature" our efforts yielded much better results. A paper map is also very handy.) and we hit zero traffic jams. Not sure if this is because we left earlier, but I would think driving through Hampton Roads at 8am has great potential for traffic jams...but we were lucky. Considering our last trip to Busch Gardens took us almost 4 hrs and 3 major traffic jams, I was very grateful for this smooth commute.
Having a yearly pass (which really is a necessity if you plan on going more than once in a year so I think we'll call this Lesson #3) we didn't have to bother with the entry line and the only hold up we encountered was Mike's line choice for scanning his ticket. Riley and I went to a line with only 1 person in it. (Lesson #4 don't follow the herd, check out your potential options before making a choice) We grabbed a map to make a makeshift plan as to where we'd go and decided to hit a ride that we missed the last time we were there, Europe in the Air located in Ireland. Not 30 steps later our first major incident. My right flip flop broke. (Lesson #5 bring a spare pair of shoes in case of an emergency) Now, I remembered that they sell flip flops at some of the shops in Italy, but we were headed the opposite direction, and figured I could endure for a bit, even though the pathways were made of graveled cement (ouch) and in the sun were very hot.
Europe in the Air was awesome. It is a 4D ride, in a theater of motion, where you fly over bits of Ireland, England, France, Germany and Italy. As I tend to get Vertigo, I did get a bit of motion sickness, but it was worth it. Not to mention that the theater is air conditioned, a great reprieve from the hot sun outside. Afterward I found out that there is a shop in France (next to Ireland) that sells shoes, so we headed there. Unfortunately, the selection was small and the prices....well let's just say I decided to suffer a little longer. (They ranged from $20-$35 for FLIP FLOPS) Riley and Mike hit the Griffin while I waited, then we took the lifts back down to England where we would catch the train to Italy. (Lesson #6 is for the park designers: While those with young children really like the Elmo World option for their little ones, there is a significant population that is repulsed by the sounds. The volume is way too high, and I think it might be better situated in a side area, rather than a heavy traffic area. My daughter won't ride the train from England to Italy because of the loud Sesame Street jingle they play as the train passes that area, and frankly I have to cover my ears, too, although I'm not quite as repulsed as my 12yo is.)
Ok, so we walked to Italy instead of taking the train, and the first shop we reach only has men's flip flops (IOW, too big) and those prices are even worse than the prices in France. I saw one pair that was $65. WHO in their right mind pays $65 for flip flops? (Lesson #5 restated...BRING a second pair of shoes) Mike and Riley head over to Apollo's Chariot while I look for other shops. I had to give my daughter her shoes back so she could go on the ride, and I have to admit I was feeling the effects of the pavement even more so, and my usual charm lost its edge as I made haste through the crowd to various shops. At the third shop I tried, I finally found a pair of flip flops for 12.99. At that point 12.99 seemed like a good deal (it's all relative, baby) and I purchased them. (Lesson #5 restated. BRING a second pair of shoes)
Now it was time to get wet, so we headed over to the rapids, everyone armed with their own shoes. Riley didn't want to go on them at first because she worried about her hair getting wet and getting curly. (Remember Lesson #1? Don't bother straightening your hair before going to Busch Gardens.) But it was hot, so she conceded and joined us on the rapids. This is where my next unexpected event occurred. Why it was unexpected is my own ignorance, as I should have mathed this one out. But my flip flops got wet and because the thong part was made of fabric, they stretched out. Now as any flip flopping wearer knows, loose flip flops can be a pain to walk in as your feet have to kind of clutch at the bottom of the shoe to keep them on. (Lesson #7 don't wear fabric based flip flops to a water park...and if you are a water park, don't sell that style either)
Mike left us when we left Italy to do his own thing and I was still feeling a little motion sick from the first ride (not much, but enough to notice) so figured I might need to eat something to settle my stomach. We bought Churro's, but manoman was that a bad idea. Turns out my loose tooth was very sensitive and when I accidentally touched it while placing a bit of churro in my mouth, I felt like jumping out of my skin. And the fact that Churro's have so much sugar, I figured it was why it didn't help my stomach much either, so off to Fest Haus in Germany to find some real food to eat. My stomach did start to calm, but now my tooth hurt worse than ever and I was getting a headache. Not to mention the fact that from clutching those stupid flip flops, my feet developed some serious cramps that took almost 30 minutes to subside. I tried to hold a good cheer for my daughter as I didn't really see how I could make everyone end their day on my account, but honestly all I wanted to do was a find a bed and lay down for awhile.
Now my daughter was starting to get tired too. And we hadn't reconnected with Mike yet, so I called him and we decided to meet up. By the time he arrived it hurt for me to even talk as even my lip touching my tooth was painful. But the sight of Mike rejuvenated my daughter who now said she wasn't really tired, she was just bored because she didn't want to go on any rides by herself, this time. (Most of the time she does go by herself because she likes to ride the same ride over and over LOL)
We had planned to stay for the fireworks show, so I showed Mike, on the map, where I'd be for us to meet up while the two of them took off to go on a few more rides. At last I found a spot where I could be a little out of the way and just lay my throbbing head down for a bit with the added perk of being next to the bridge where we'd watch the fireworks. However, that didn't seem to last, as Mike called after only 30 minutes as he couldn't find me, and he'd lost Riley. Seems she really was tired and had I not been distracted by my own issues I would have put the pieces together. She didn't go to bed early enough the night before and only slept a few hours the night before that. She was not only tired, but CRANKY too. (Lesson #8 it is worth canceling plans if the child hasn't had enough sleep) She got mad at Mike and took off because she didn't want to look at the map with him about where to meet me. She said she already knew and headed in the wrong direction.
Mike and I decided it was best not to wait for the fireworks and just go home. It took us about a half hour to find her. It seemed like the moment I realized she probably went to Pompeii to get splashed, that we saw my soaking wet little rag doll heading towards us. She, of course, balked at leaving, but not that much, as she REALLY was tired, just didn't want to admit it.
So what did we learn from all this:
Having a yearly pass (which really is a necessity if you plan on going more than once in a year so I think we'll call this Lesson #3) we didn't have to bother with the entry line and the only hold up we encountered was Mike's line choice for scanning his ticket. Riley and I went to a line with only 1 person in it. (Lesson #4 don't follow the herd, check out your potential options before making a choice) We grabbed a map to make a makeshift plan as to where we'd go and decided to hit a ride that we missed the last time we were there, Europe in the Air located in Ireland. Not 30 steps later our first major incident. My right flip flop broke. (Lesson #5 bring a spare pair of shoes in case of an emergency) Now, I remembered that they sell flip flops at some of the shops in Italy, but we were headed the opposite direction, and figured I could endure for a bit, even though the pathways were made of graveled cement (ouch) and in the sun were very hot.
Europe in the Air was awesome. It is a 4D ride, in a theater of motion, where you fly over bits of Ireland, England, France, Germany and Italy. As I tend to get Vertigo, I did get a bit of motion sickness, but it was worth it. Not to mention that the theater is air conditioned, a great reprieve from the hot sun outside. Afterward I found out that there is a shop in France (next to Ireland) that sells shoes, so we headed there. Unfortunately, the selection was small and the prices....well let's just say I decided to suffer a little longer. (They ranged from $20-$35 for FLIP FLOPS) Riley and Mike hit the Griffin while I waited, then we took the lifts back down to England where we would catch the train to Italy. (Lesson #6 is for the park designers: While those with young children really like the Elmo World option for their little ones, there is a significant population that is repulsed by the sounds. The volume is way too high, and I think it might be better situated in a side area, rather than a heavy traffic area. My daughter won't ride the train from England to Italy because of the loud Sesame Street jingle they play as the train passes that area, and frankly I have to cover my ears, too, although I'm not quite as repulsed as my 12yo is.)
Ok, so we walked to Italy instead of taking the train, and the first shop we reach only has men's flip flops (IOW, too big) and those prices are even worse than the prices in France. I saw one pair that was $65. WHO in their right mind pays $65 for flip flops? (Lesson #5 restated...BRING a second pair of shoes) Mike and Riley head over to Apollo's Chariot while I look for other shops. I had to give my daughter her shoes back so she could go on the ride, and I have to admit I was feeling the effects of the pavement even more so, and my usual charm lost its edge as I made haste through the crowd to various shops. At the third shop I tried, I finally found a pair of flip flops for 12.99. At that point 12.99 seemed like a good deal (it's all relative, baby) and I purchased them. (Lesson #5 restated. BRING a second pair of shoes)
Now it was time to get wet, so we headed over to the rapids, everyone armed with their own shoes. Riley didn't want to go on them at first because she worried about her hair getting wet and getting curly. (Remember Lesson #1? Don't bother straightening your hair before going to Busch Gardens.) But it was hot, so she conceded and joined us on the rapids. This is where my next unexpected event occurred. Why it was unexpected is my own ignorance, as I should have mathed this one out. But my flip flops got wet and because the thong part was made of fabric, they stretched out. Now as any flip flopping wearer knows, loose flip flops can be a pain to walk in as your feet have to kind of clutch at the bottom of the shoe to keep them on. (Lesson #7 don't wear fabric based flip flops to a water park...and if you are a water park, don't sell that style either)
Mike left us when we left Italy to do his own thing and I was still feeling a little motion sick from the first ride (not much, but enough to notice) so figured I might need to eat something to settle my stomach. We bought Churro's, but manoman was that a bad idea. Turns out my loose tooth was very sensitive and when I accidentally touched it while placing a bit of churro in my mouth, I felt like jumping out of my skin. And the fact that Churro's have so much sugar, I figured it was why it didn't help my stomach much either, so off to Fest Haus in Germany to find some real food to eat. My stomach did start to calm, but now my tooth hurt worse than ever and I was getting a headache. Not to mention the fact that from clutching those stupid flip flops, my feet developed some serious cramps that took almost 30 minutes to subside. I tried to hold a good cheer for my daughter as I didn't really see how I could make everyone end their day on my account, but honestly all I wanted to do was a find a bed and lay down for awhile.
Now my daughter was starting to get tired too. And we hadn't reconnected with Mike yet, so I called him and we decided to meet up. By the time he arrived it hurt for me to even talk as even my lip touching my tooth was painful. But the sight of Mike rejuvenated my daughter who now said she wasn't really tired, she was just bored because she didn't want to go on any rides by herself, this time. (Most of the time she does go by herself because she likes to ride the same ride over and over LOL)
We had planned to stay for the fireworks show, so I showed Mike, on the map, where I'd be for us to meet up while the two of them took off to go on a few more rides. At last I found a spot where I could be a little out of the way and just lay my throbbing head down for a bit with the added perk of being next to the bridge where we'd watch the fireworks. However, that didn't seem to last, as Mike called after only 30 minutes as he couldn't find me, and he'd lost Riley. Seems she really was tired and had I not been distracted by my own issues I would have put the pieces together. She didn't go to bed early enough the night before and only slept a few hours the night before that. She was not only tired, but CRANKY too. (Lesson #8 it is worth canceling plans if the child hasn't had enough sleep) She got mad at Mike and took off because she didn't want to look at the map with him about where to meet me. She said she already knew and headed in the wrong direction.
Mike and I decided it was best not to wait for the fireworks and just go home. It took us about a half hour to find her. It seemed like the moment I realized she probably went to Pompeii to get splashed, that we saw my soaking wet little rag doll heading towards us. She, of course, balked at leaving, but not that much, as she REALLY was tired, just didn't want to admit it.
So what did we learn from all this:
- Don't bother straightening your hair before going to a park with water rides.
- Google map directions to see if you can find a better route than your GPS and bring a paper map, just in case you need to make modifications.
- Get a yearly pass, if you plan on going 2 or more times during the year. The price is about $10 more than what you'd pay going just once, once you factor in the parking fee. The yearly pass includes parking, and a 10% discounts whenever you buy anything, including food, drinks, souvenirs, etc.
- Don't follow the herd. It only takes a little effort to find a more expeditious route.
- Bring a spare pair of shoes (and I didn't mention this, but I saw a lot of people wearing socks and shoes, and frankly, that seems like folly too, as over half the rides you get wet, which would mean walking around in wet shoes. I don't even want to be in a room where those folks are removing those shoes LOL)
- For the park designer...put a childs theme area outside of common areas, many of your patrons will appreciate it.
- Don't wear fabric based flip flops on water rides.
- Be willing to cancel/or change your plans if the child(s) has not had enough sleep. In the end no one has a good time, so plan ahead, make sure they are well rested before embarking on a long day of fun and adventure.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
10 Things We Can Do To Reduce Oil Consumption
This is a copy of a blog post at greenpeace.org expanded upon with my personal touches. Seemed a good topic to add since I've been away from my "daily" exercise so long. My editorial on this will be in red.
US Energy Information Administration - Independent Statistics and Analysis
The United States is 3rd amongst the world producers of oil. And yet we import twice as much as is produced by the top oil producing country. No other country even makes a close second.
1. U.S. consumes 19.498K barrels of oil a day
2. China consumes 7,381K barrels of oil a day
3. Japan consumes 4,785K barrels of oil a day
1. U.S. imports 10,984K barrels a day.
2. Japan imports 4,652K barrels a day.
3. China imports 3,858K barrels a day.
Over 6,000 products are made with petroleum byproducts. Here's a list of just 144 of the kinds of things that use them.
Partial list of Petroleum based products
This entry comes by popular request. A lot of people have been asking what they can do to use less oil, and reduce demand for the sticky stuff ruining beaches everywhere. Here's my top ten, feel free to add to it in comments:1. Carpool, cycle or use public transport to go to work.
If this is not possible for your situation, then you can always leave home a little earlier and park further away from your job. If you work 30 miles, then drive 29 miles and park, and walk the last mile to work. (Or whatever would suit your situation, some could walk 5 miles, some maybe only a few blocks because of safety issues, but even a little bit adds up)
2. Choose, when possible, products packaged without plastic and recycle or re-use containers.
Always keep a reusable bag(s) handy for shopping or if you are only getting 1 or 2 items, just say no to a bag. If you find you bought more than your reusable bag can hold, than donate it to your local thrift store.
If it has holes in it, or you needed to cut the handle off because the bagger tied it in a knot (I hate when they do that), then you can cut the bag into a sheet and iron 3 together to make a plastic fabric. I made my daughters Halloween bag using this method decorated with the individual candy bags she got from the school Halloween party. Not beautiful, I know, but it was made an hour before trick or treat time. You could make your own REUSABLE plastic bags to take to the store with you, that is more durable than the one's they hand out. One could make shower curtain liners, or bathroom window curtains, coasters, there are some wonderful creative "re-use" ideas out on the net. Here's a link to get your creative juices started: Plastic bag crafts. Just keep those things out of the landfill, please.
3. Buy organic fruits and vegetables (fertilisers and pesticides are based on oil more often than not). And always look local first. Produce that is imported from across the country and other parts of the world require a far greater amount of oil than those products grown in your community. Better yet, start your own backyard or patio or even a windowsill garden.4. Buy beauty products (shampoo, soap, make-up) based on natural ingredients, not oil. Another tip from a reader on that blog recommends buying bar soaps instead of the plastic pump bottles. If you already have the plastic pump bottle, reuse it. Add soap ends and water to make your own, albeit, a bit chunky, liquid soap. There are a myriad of natural products that you can use to replace the chemical products on the market.5. Choose when possible locally produced products (less transport involved).
Also instead of driving to find what you are looking for, consider using the internet first, then the telephone second to see if you can find it before you leave the house.6. Buy clothes made out of organic cotton or hemp - not from oil derivatives.
Synthetic fibers are made from oil derivatives. That said, I buy most of our clothes from second hand stores and don't worry as much about the label, as the item already went through the market place, therefore you aren't creating a demand for the oil derivatives.7. Use non-disposable items in picnics and summer festivals.8. Quit bottled water. I know this is controversial, but you couldn't pay me to drink our local tap water. When I first moved here I was a tap drinker, even though it didn't taste very good. Within a month I started getting kidney cramps. I switched to bottled water and no more kidney pain. If you are like me and your local water is unbearable, then at least buy from the largest carton available and use your own individual, reusable container, instead of buying the 1 time only drink bottles. Some stores will allow you to refill containers which is another means of saving.
This can be said of anything you buy that comes in plastic. Buy the largest laundry detergent, dish soap, syrup, etc, etc. If you prefer to have your smaller bottle save it, and refill it from the larger bottles. Or look for glass containers to hold your supplies.
Tunist made a good point about using a water filter instead of buying bottled water. I suppose it's high time I check that out.9. Fly less. (Sorry blog author, but I could have come up with something better than that as a #9, as have many of those who've posted in the comments section...yes flying less is good, but many of us don't fly at all so....) I think I would add drive less. Make sure when you need to go out, take care of several tasks at once. Do your grocery shopping weekly instead of daily. See if you can find a friend or two to come along, too. This will save 1 or 2 cars less on the road for a shopping trip. Here are a few from the comment section:
From Bongodog: “Don't use styrofoam, bubblegum, or ballpoint pens!
Download MP3s instead of buying plastic-packed CDs
REFILL your plastic dispensers instead of replacing them.
Lose the hair gel.
Use KY Jelly instead of Vaseline!
From tangent: As regards plastic dispensers - it would be better to buy bars of organic soap instead that only use paper packaging and don't contain oil derived substances.”10. Demand that your government encourage renewable energy instead of subsidizing oil. No beating this idea. We must make ourselves heard that this is non negotiable .
US Energy Information Administration - Independent Statistics and Analysis
The United States is 3rd amongst the world producers of oil. And yet we import twice as much as is produced by the top oil producing country. No other country even makes a close second.
1. U.S. consumes 19.498K barrels of oil a day
2. China consumes 7,381K barrels of oil a day
3. Japan consumes 4,785K barrels of oil a day
1. U.S. imports 10,984K barrels a day.
2. Japan imports 4,652K barrels a day.
3. China imports 3,858K barrels a day.
Over 6,000 products are made with petroleum byproducts. Here's a list of just 144 of the kinds of things that use them.
Partial list of Petroleum based products
Monday, January 25, 2010
Is the Kindle For You?
I decided to treat myself this Christmas and bought myself a Kindle. I really do like it, but not quite as much as I thought I would. So I thought I'd post some things I noticed so you (the reader) can access whether or not the kindle is for you.
1) You can set up your kindle with your daily paper. No more worries about if it arrived, as it automatically is uploaded onto your kindle using whispernet, so long as you have the whispernet turned on.
Now this is a very great feature if you read the NYT, or WallStreet Journal, or one of the other papers (currently there are 54 US papers on Kindle, mostly large market or financial newspapers) that are available with kindle. But if you prefer your small town paper, well you'll just have to read that the old fashion way because there are a limited amount of papers to choose from (at least as of todays date)
2) You can also set up your magazine subscription to automatically upload.
That is if you only like reading Time, Newsweek, or Ellery Queen (a total of 44 titles as of todays date) than you're in luck. Unfortunately, I tend to prefer different magazines that they don't have.
3) Lower price for new release books. Now this is nice if you like to read a book as soon as it hits the shelf. Instead of shelling out 29.95, your kindle cost is only 9.99. A big improvement and 13 books and your kindle will pay for itself.
However, for me, I tend to buy books from used book stores, sales, and thriftstores. Always looking for the bargain price. I don't think I've ever bought a book fresh off the press. And Amazon does not lower the price once the paperback comes out. A huge downside for me.
4) They do have download for free items. Now we're talking. Most classics can be found for free, plus some authors have their work on kindle for free or a low price, so YES, I can bargain hunt on kindle. There are over 400,000 titles in the kindle book shop.(link is sorted by price low to high, so you can see all the free books available)
5) Instant look up. I love this feature. You can go to any word you're reading and look up the meaning. I downloaded a copy of the The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam Jr.for free and didn't even realize all the words I didn't know. Some are archaic, because the translation is from the mid-19th Century and some I simply was not familiar. Almost all were accessible with the dictionary stored within kindle. But if you prefer you can download another dictionary and make it your default. I just love, love, love this feature.
6) Blogs. Yes, you can even have your favorite blog uploaded, that is if it is available. Now it is harder for me to have a problem with this one because the price is reasonable (99 cents to 1.99/mo and one that is 2.99), and I think almost every blog is available (how cool is that?) for subscription. Ok, maybe not every blog and newsfeed, but they do have over 8,000 to choose from. You even get 2 weeks free to try it out before the billing begins.
7) Another groovy perk (hehe, I said groovy) is that Amazon will store your content so if your kindle is lost, stolen, or damaged you do not lose all you have invested in your kindle. Very cool.
8) You can upload your own files for a fee. Not as thrilled about this feature. 1) because they don't tell you the fee outright. I hate when merchants do that.
9) You can upload books from other sources, although I have no idea how this works exactly. I suspect you download to your computer, then from your computer you upload to your kindle as the power cord also is a USB cable for syncing and editing your notes. (note to self, finish reading the manual)
10) Notes and bookmarks -- another great feature. I haven't yet mastered this, but I do like this feature very much and think it would be very handy, especially for students (or anyone who is doing any research)
I'm sure I'm leaving something out, and when I recall what it is I'll write a part 2. Until then, ciao.
1) You can set up your kindle with your daily paper. No more worries about if it arrived, as it automatically is uploaded onto your kindle using whispernet, so long as you have the whispernet turned on.
Now this is a very great feature if you read the NYT, or WallStreet Journal, or one of the other papers (currently there are 54 US papers on Kindle, mostly large market or financial newspapers) that are available with kindle. But if you prefer your small town paper, well you'll just have to read that the old fashion way because there are a limited amount of papers to choose from (at least as of todays date)
2) You can also set up your magazine subscription to automatically upload.
That is if you only like reading Time, Newsweek, or Ellery Queen (a total of 44 titles as of todays date) than you're in luck. Unfortunately, I tend to prefer different magazines that they don't have.
3) Lower price for new release books. Now this is nice if you like to read a book as soon as it hits the shelf. Instead of shelling out 29.95, your kindle cost is only 9.99. A big improvement and 13 books and your kindle will pay for itself.
However, for me, I tend to buy books from used book stores, sales, and thriftstores. Always looking for the bargain price. I don't think I've ever bought a book fresh off the press. And Amazon does not lower the price once the paperback comes out. A huge downside for me.
4) They do have download for free items. Now we're talking. Most classics can be found for free, plus some authors have their work on kindle for free or a low price, so YES, I can bargain hunt on kindle. There are over 400,000 titles in the kindle book shop.(link is sorted by price low to high, so you can see all the free books available)
5) Instant look up. I love this feature. You can go to any word you're reading and look up the meaning. I downloaded a copy of the The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam Jr.for free and didn't even realize all the words I didn't know. Some are archaic, because the translation is from the mid-19th Century and some I simply was not familiar. Almost all were accessible with the dictionary stored within kindle. But if you prefer you can download another dictionary and make it your default. I just love, love, love this feature.
6) Blogs. Yes, you can even have your favorite blog uploaded, that is if it is available. Now it is harder for me to have a problem with this one because the price is reasonable (99 cents to 1.99/mo and one that is 2.99), and I think almost every blog is available (how cool is that?) for subscription. Ok, maybe not every blog and newsfeed, but they do have over 8,000 to choose from. You even get 2 weeks free to try it out before the billing begins.
7) Another groovy perk (hehe, I said groovy) is that Amazon will store your content so if your kindle is lost, stolen, or damaged you do not lose all you have invested in your kindle. Very cool.
8) You can upload your own files for a fee. Not as thrilled about this feature. 1) because they don't tell you the fee outright. I hate when merchants do that.
9) You can upload books from other sources, although I have no idea how this works exactly. I suspect you download to your computer, then from your computer you upload to your kindle as the power cord also is a USB cable for syncing and editing your notes. (note to self, finish reading the manual)
10) Notes and bookmarks -- another great feature. I haven't yet mastered this, but I do like this feature very much and think it would be very handy, especially for students (or anyone who is doing any research)
I'm sure I'm leaving something out, and when I recall what it is I'll write a part 2. Until then, ciao.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Best Foods pt 3
Next on the list in Best Foods we're not eating is:
I suppose you could use this veggie as you would spinach (although a longer cook time) or kale or any of the other leafy greens.
Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes.Now to be honest I've never had swiss chard so I have no ideas to add to the suggestion here. I hope someone will come along and help with their favorite ways of eating this leafy vegetable. (please, pretty please?)
How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil.
I suppose you could use this veggie as you would spinach (although a longer cook time) or kale or any of the other leafy greens.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
A Random Dream of Garlic
I had a dream where a woman was talking with a group of friends, saying that she would not allow her children to go to Disneyland or participate in large group activities because of the risk of "catching something".
I couldn't help but tell her that I try to add garlic to our diets when bugs are going around. She smugly said, "We don't do garlic" and proceeded to hurry away. But I called out, "It's not that hard, just add garlic to your spaghetti sauce and have garlic bread. And Garlic Chicken is quick, easy and tasty." I noticed that her "rush" subsided as she slowed her pace, not quite ready to admit that she was intrigued.
I went on to tell her that many foods can help build our immune system, but that did not effect her as she continued, albeit a bit slower, on her way. So I added "chewing on Echinacea root is good when we are faced with being close to people during flu season", then I woke up. Not sure what the dream meant, but figured it would make a good post.
Rustic Garlic Chicken from Food and Wine dot com
Olive Garden's Tuscan Chicken on youtube
An easy Garlic Chicken recipe from garlic central dot com
You can also add extra garlic to any spaghetti sauce. It can easily be added to mashed potatoes, too.
Some more links:
on Garlic
on your immune system
I couldn't help but tell her that I try to add garlic to our diets when bugs are going around. She smugly said, "We don't do garlic" and proceeded to hurry away. But I called out, "It's not that hard, just add garlic to your spaghetti sauce and have garlic bread. And Garlic Chicken is quick, easy and tasty." I noticed that her "rush" subsided as she slowed her pace, not quite ready to admit that she was intrigued.
I went on to tell her that many foods can help build our immune system, but that did not effect her as she continued, albeit a bit slower, on her way. So I added "chewing on Echinacea root is good when we are faced with being close to people during flu season", then I woke up. Not sure what the dream meant, but figured it would make a good post.
Rustic Garlic Chicken from Food and Wine dot com
Olive Garden's Tuscan Chicken on youtube
An easy Garlic Chicken recipe from garlic central dot com
You can also add extra garlic to any spaghetti sauce. It can easily be added to mashed potatoes, too.
Some more links:
on Garlic
on your immune system
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Best Foods pt 2
The second food item listed in Best Foods we're not eating is:
I didn't add measurements because, frankly, I don't know them. I tend to cook without measuring. I made this last night to see what measurements I used and blast if I didn't forget to measure again. So I'm afraid in that regard you're on your own. Sorry about that.
I also like cabbage steamed (or cooked in the microwave) with onions and carrots with some butter melted on top. I tend to use onions and carrots with most things I make with cabbage. This same combination is what I use for egg rolls. I stir fry the cabbage, onions and carrots (sometimes I add other veggies or leftover meat) and when tender I put in a bowl with 1 beaten egg. Then I put a tablespoon or so in a wonton wrapper, roll up and fry for egg rolls. I use the leftover egg roll fixings to rice in a fry pan to make stir fried rice (add soy sauce and turmeric). For the stir fried rice I like the steam in bag rice with peas and carrots in it....makes for a quick meal.
Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.Well this one is an easy one for me, as I have cabbage in the frig throughout most of the year. I use cabbage to make egg rolls, or Chinese salad, or boiled, or baked and microwaved. I'm not a big coleslaw fan, but cooked, I love cabbage. However, that said, I do like Chinese salad which is raw cabbage, so I guess I'm not the figurehead of consistency.
How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches.
Chinese Salad
shredded cabbage
thinly sliced onion
shredded carrot
cooked chicken, cubed (or turkey, or tofu)
1 pkg of raman noodle soup
soy sauce
sesame oil (or olive oil)
rice wine vinegar
chopped garlic (opt)
toasted sesame seeds
green onion chopped
In a small bowl combine oil, vinegar, garlic and spice packet from raman soup. I like to soak the meat in soy sauce or you can also add part of oil/vinegar to marinade the meat. Mix all the veggies, and pour the oil/vinegar/spice over the salad and toss liberally. (If you have the time, allow these to marinade together for a couple hours in the frig) Add the meat, and crunched up dry raman noodles and toss again and sprinkle the top with sesame seeds and green onion.
I didn't add measurements because, frankly, I don't know them. I tend to cook without measuring. I made this last night to see what measurements I used and blast if I didn't forget to measure again. So I'm afraid in that regard you're on your own. Sorry about that.
I also like cabbage steamed (or cooked in the microwave) with onions and carrots with some butter melted on top. I tend to use onions and carrots with most things I make with cabbage. This same combination is what I use for egg rolls. I stir fry the cabbage, onions and carrots (sometimes I add other veggies or leftover meat) and when tender I put in a bowl with 1 beaten egg. Then I put a tablespoon or so in a wonton wrapper, roll up and fry for egg rolls. I use the leftover egg roll fixings to rice in a fry pan to make stir fried rice (add soy sauce and turmeric). For the stir fried rice I like the steam in bag rice with peas and carrots in it....makes for a quick meal.
Teux Deux
I have to say, I'm really terrible about making lists and therefore end up walking around wondering what the heck it is that I'm supposed to be doing.
That said, I did stumble upon this cool website for tracking what you need to get done. Teuxdeux.com is a very simple list making and tracking tool. If you do not check off something as done it automatically moves to the next day. Gotta love simplicity, and so ends today's post.
That said, I did stumble upon this cool website for tracking what you need to get done. Teuxdeux.com is a very simple list making and tracking tool. If you do not check off something as done it automatically moves to the next day. Gotta love simplicity, and so ends today's post.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Regulation - It Is What It is
From Merriam-Webster's definition
Main Entry: 1reg·u·la·tionPronunciation: \ˌre-gyə-ˈlā-shən, ˌre-gə- also ˌrā-\Function: nounDate: 16651 : the act of regulating : the state of being regulated
2 a : an authoritative rule dealing with details or procedures> b : a rule or order issued by an executive authority or regulatory agency of a government and having the force of law
synonyms see law
Now sadly some misinformed folks think regulation is unamerican, so figured it was time for a little edification.
The U.S. Constitution uses the word "regulation" 6 times. A simple word search of the text will demonstrate this. Whereas "free market" is mentioned 0 (that is zero) times, and "capitalism" is mentioned 0 (zero) times. Feel free to search your own synonyms for unrestrained markets and see the number of entries the forefathers thought were important enough to include in the constitution.
Let's look and see what they had to say on the matter.
- In Article I, section 4:
The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.
- Article I, section 8:
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
- Article I, section 9:
No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one State over those of another; nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in another.
- Article III, section 2:
In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.
- Article IV, section 2: (This was modified by the 13th amendment in 1865)
No Person held to Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequence of any Law or Regulation therein, be discharged from such Service or Labour, but shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labour may be due.
- Article IV, section 3:
The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State.
Clearly the founding fathers knew the importance of regulation and regulatory bodies. I hope that cleared that up for you.
:)
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Procrastination
Why do now what you can put off until tomorrow.
I struggled with what to write about today and as the day nears its end and still I have nothing, it became clear that procrastination will be the topic of the day.
Now I found an interesting little thing on another blog regarding stress control and procrastination. This was an idea that seemed so novel to me. Make a procrastination list. I think I like that idea.
We often get so busy and always either write down or have in the back of our minds all the things we need "to do". This adds to our stress load. So in 8 Unconventional Ways To De-stress and Release Tension at the Zen habits blog, I could not help but be intrigued with #5 on the list.
And so I put it to you, find things that you, too, can add to your own personal procrastination list.
I struggled with what to write about today and as the day nears its end and still I have nothing, it became clear that procrastination will be the topic of the day.
Now I found an interesting little thing on another blog regarding stress control and procrastination. This was an idea that seemed so novel to me. Make a procrastination list. I think I like that idea.
We often get so busy and always either write down or have in the back of our minds all the things we need "to do". This adds to our stress load. So in 8 Unconventional Ways To De-stress and Release Tension at the Zen habits blog, I could not help but be intrigued with #5 on the list.
5. Procrastinate. Make a list of things to do and then don’t do it. Call it your procrastination list. Then make the decision to engage in something you really feel like doing. If and when you become inspired to do something on your procrastination list then go for it. Maybe you really don’t have to do those things on your procrastination list or perhaps someone else may want to do those things for you. I believe that if you’re not accepting, enjoying or enthusiastic about what you’re doing then you shouldn’t do it. By procrastinating you often let go of resistance and become more relaxed.
And so I put it to you, find things that you, too, can add to your own personal procrastination list.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Haiti
Many prayers to those in Haiti enduring this tragedy after this devastating quack.
There are many ways you can help.
Use your cellphone. You can text "Yele" to 501501 to donate in $5 increments to Yele.org. Yele.org is a grassroots effort dedicated to improving life in Haiti through projects that raise hope and rebuild their nation.
The Red Cross is accepting donations by texting "Haiti" to 90999. This will contribute in $10 increments. Both of these resources will add your donation to your cell bill.
Doctors without Borders are also accepting donations. They had 3 hospitals in Haiti that have been damaged and became unusable during the quake. They are continuing to send more doctors to the area to treat the injured. Donate to Doctors without Borders
Oxfam America - Donate online
"Oxfam has long experience in Haiti, and we're rushing in teams from around the region to respond to the situation where our assistance is most needed. Our response will include providing clean water, shelter, sanitation and helping people recover – your donation will go immediately to the most critical needs in Haiti, and we will ensure that every penny is used wisely." --Oxfam America
Please do your research before making donations. Sadly some are opportunistic, but I have checked the above organizations and recommend that you do the same.
There are many ways you can help.
Use your cellphone. You can text "Yele" to 501501 to donate in $5 increments to Yele.org. Yele.org is a grassroots effort dedicated to improving life in Haiti through projects that raise hope and rebuild their nation.
The Red Cross is accepting donations by texting "Haiti" to 90999. This will contribute in $10 increments. Both of these resources will add your donation to your cell bill.
Doctors without Borders are also accepting donations. They had 3 hospitals in Haiti that have been damaged and became unusable during the quake. They are continuing to send more doctors to the area to treat the injured. Donate to Doctors without Borders
Oxfam America - Donate online
"Oxfam has long experience in Haiti, and we're rushing in teams from around the region to respond to the situation where our assistance is most needed. Our response will include providing clean water, shelter, sanitation and helping people recover – your donation will go immediately to the most critical needs in Haiti, and we will ensure that every penny is used wisely." --Oxfam America
Please do your research before making donations. Sadly some are opportunistic, but I have checked the above organizations and recommend that you do the same.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Sticker Madness
Here's a fun little idea to do when the kids have a snow day (or when you're feeling a little creative and playful), make your own stickers.
It's really pretty easy.
What you need:
1 envelope (1/4 oz) unflavored gelatin
4 tablespoons boiling water
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/2 tsp flavoring extract
Add gelatin to the boiling water and stir until dissolved. Stir in corn syrup and flavoring.
You can use your own artwork, wrapping paper, magazine pictures, whatever moves you. Simply paint the sticker gum to the back of your art and allow to dry. Then cut out your "sticker", lick and paste.
If you aren't ready to let your inner child out to play, you can also use this tip for making your own address labels or resticky envelopes that lost their zest. Or for bookplates such as those needed to free your books (see bookcrossing.com).
This idea came from Skip to My Lou
It's really pretty easy.
What you need:
1 envelope (1/4 oz) unflavored gelatin
4 tablespoons boiling water
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/2 tsp flavoring extract
Add gelatin to the boiling water and stir until dissolved. Stir in corn syrup and flavoring.
You can use your own artwork, wrapping paper, magazine pictures, whatever moves you. Simply paint the sticker gum to the back of your art and allow to dry. Then cut out your "sticker", lick and paste.
If you aren't ready to let your inner child out to play, you can also use this tip for making your own address labels or resticky envelopes that lost their zest. Or for bookplates such as those needed to free your books (see bookcrossing.com).
This idea came from Skip to My Lou
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