Burning Memoirs

New Look

2007-03-04T14:37:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I decided on a change to the old wimpy layout I had before. This gives my memoirs more of a classic feel, which is kind of how I feel most of the time when I'm writing. Kind of like an old school journal, penning the chronicles of my life. Yeah...something like that

Pre-Wedding Bliss

2007-02-20T19:00:00.001-05:00

The countdown has officially begun toward the big day! This past weekend, Hope's family and bridesmaids threw her a bridal shower. She was really surprised because she didn't know that they were setting it up this soon. I would like to congratulate myself for being an integral part of the deception! Muahahahaha...

There are some points where I think to myself "Am I really getting married next month?" and then there are times where I think "I'm getting married!! Wooo!" I finalized my tuxedo selections for myself and the groomsmen, we'll be looking pretty sharp. Today is also the first day of my final month fitness challenge!! I've switched over my diet to be majority vegetarian and some chicken breast. Beverages will include water, milk and the occasional orange juice. Exercise consisting of morning runs, indoor exercises (crunches, pushups, running up and down the stairs) and light weight training. The fact of the matter is, I have to be looking somewhat decent on the cruise.

Cruise Itinerary:

Puerto Rico
St. Thomas
St. Maartens
Bahamas

I'm excited that I will finally be getting out of the country and seeing clear blue water and experiencing island life. Hope is double excited because she has never flown on a plane before and we will be on one to head to Miami to board the ship. I just want this time to be the happiest she has ever been, she deserves it.

More pictures to be uploaded to Flickr

2007 ReLoaded

2007-02-09T13:16:00.000-05:00

Wow, I know it's been a while since I updated my life events. Time to get back to it (for the 2.3 people who want to know). Hey so I switched over to the new Blogger platform and I think it's pretty swank. The new redesign and widgets features - very cool.

Ok so you all know that I'm getting married. I proposed on July 9th and...lo and behold, it's February already! Goodlord where did the time go?! Anyhow, we get married at the end of next month and I've been increasingly getting excited. So far we have accomplished:

Tux and dress fittings
Limo service booked
Honeymoon cruise booked and paid for (my wallet is still in shock)
Church booked
Marriage counseling completed
Reception hall booked, cake picked out...just have to pay for it

In other words...we are almost set to do this thing! I'm jumping up and down ready to say those two words!! Almost as much as my friend Leroy here. All good things come to those who wait though, right?

So 2007 has been a great awakening for me! Since the start of the new year, I have been formulating great ideas for my own company, eating better and putting HB ahead of myself (even moreso). I'll write another post on love and its ups and downs, but suffice it to say, when you decide to get into a relationship - it's an investment. Just like the stock market, there will be times when your investment is going through some rough times and then it will go through some good times. BUT, it's an investment because it is long term. Keep that in mind before you go head first into someone's cherry flavored pool of a heart.

Topics coming up in the near future that relate to yours truly:

Personal Finance
Entrepreneurship
Networking/Social Life
Love/Marriage
Education
Philanthropy and World Change

Oooh yeah folks, it's time for Dre to take on the world!

Flickr

2007-01-13T17:28:00.001-05:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Update soon

2006-12-17T12:59:00.000-05:00

Update coming soon...lots of ideas and changes have happened! Stay tuned

Finally...

2006-11-07T23:16:00.000-05:00

Well folks, that "special" project that I have been working on has finally come to an end....I got a new job!!!! I have definitely been looking to leave my current position for a while now, it just became a dead end situation for me regarding moving on in my career. That is one of the priorities right now in my life, getting my career moving and being the best I can be in what I do. So, what is Dre doing? I'll be working at one of the largest public relations agencies in the world working in their social marketing/health communications division. Believe me, this place is just where I need to go to launch myself in career bliss! At least that's how I feel right now.

What does naiveness and high ambition come together to create? You tell me. But those are two things I have going for me into this new job. A little nervous but I know I will do fine, not just fine...but great. Oh yeah and it looks like I'll finally be able to lunch with Dr. Pepper Chica now! woohoo!

And with this new job, still stay tuned for that new blog...

Equalizing the Communications World

2006-10-27T01:33:00.000-04:00

Oh yeah, hopefully sometime soon I will begin a new blog focused on my entrance into the real world of a career. The past year has taught me alot regarding how companies actually work, how companies should work and more specifically...how companies should NOT work.

Anyhoo, at this point in my career, I think communications work is great. Public relations. Client interaction - it's all good. Hopefully some good news will be coming soon, stay tuned.

The Canvas of Life

2006-10-27T01:06:00.000-04:00

I've started to get into art for some odd reason. Except for a few paper mache sculptures and finger painting, I've never really had much time to put into developing my artistic side. I've been following Argos for several months and I must say, his work has inspired me to begin seeing the colors and scenes of life in a more artistic way. His work is simple yet beautiful. If you have some time, go and check out the blog.

Speaking of art, photography goes along those same lines. I love pictures. Capturing the world around you, as it happens, as it actually looks - it's so refreshing. Over at Daily Dose of Imagery, where this picture is from, I get a smile on my face each time I lay eyes on a picture of something out in Europe or Canada. The pictures are so crisp and breathtaking. HB and I both can't wait to start traveling the world!

Chilly Time

2006-10-10T17:13:00.000-04:00

Wohoooo! the leaves are dying and gathering in wispy piles on the ground. That means a cold chill is a-comin! Man I can't wait for that extra hour of sleep...I'll need it to motivate myself to wake up in the morning when it's pitch black outside and 25 degrees. And 30 degrees in my room. Thank God for space heaters....

Bundle up and make sure those cars are winterized!!!

Heroes

2006-09-25T17:41:00.000-04:00

Well...the cool breeze in the air, changing colors of leaves and the coming of October can only mean one thing....COOL TV SHOWS!!!

Tonight, I'm really excited to see what all the fuss is about with this new NBC Heroes show. Ever since I could remember, I've been a fan of superheroes. Batman, Superman, you name it and I was watching their Saturday morning cartoon. So now that I'm a little grown up, this NBC show intrigues me. From what I know, these people all wake up to figure out they have extraordinary powers. And these are regular people....including someone addicted to drugs. Interesting.

The most interesting one I see is the character of Claire who is indestructable. Check this Youtube clip to see what I'm talking about.

Here's what I've been checking out since the new seasons of shows have begun:

House
Prison Break (did you know that Wentworth Miller aka Scofield, is bi-racial? white/black)
Grey's Anatomy

Upcoming Shows:

Heroes
LOST (oh snap, Dr. PepperChica and I are raving lunatics...)
24 (not until January...)

Downsizing Dinero Dumps!

2006-09-21T11:58:00.000-04:00

Hey folks, my ongoing struggle to maintain above-water status in my financial fight has leaped to new heights recently! I'm sure Joel would be proud of me. One of the best things to do when you are looking to save more money and get out of debt is to assess your situation and find out where the money is leaking, also known as "dinero dumping" (I coined that, thank you thank you). Dinero dumping, I've decided, should mean when you are spending more money than you have to and you are literally dumping $$ into the garbage. So far in my assessment, I've come up with a few ways to save.

1) Credit Union : last year, after graduating from college, I made one of the dumbest mistakes of my life. Buying a new car. Oh yes, there was much drooling on that warm sunny summer day, and there still is - only for different reasons. That day last year, I was drooling because I had tossed away the good ole Ford Tempo and bought a shiny new Mazda6 - man it looked good in the light. Now, think of me drooling in a more raving lunatic who is restrained as the likes of Hannibal from Silence of the Lambs...everytime I think of the car payments and what I've done, I get all sweaty and upset. Not such a pretty picture of drooling now is it Dre? All this to say, I am about to refinance my car loan with my company's credit union that I just joined and save tons on the interest rate. It's surely not a huge solution but if I can stop my dinero dumping even in the slightest with this car, I'm gonna do it

2) Auto Insurance - I cannot understand for the life of me why I did not see the light sooner.

Allstate if under 25 years old = $$$ ---> Geico if under 25 years old = $

Any questions? Make sure you are getting the right bang for your buck with auto insurance. Shop around and get enlightened.

I am one with the Gecko now.

3) Dining out - oh yes, those nights out at Outback Steakhouse and PF Chang's are now (for the most part) over. Go out, get some groceries and learn how to cook for corn's sake! (my lovely fiancee says that alot...thanks babe)

Now these three points are by no means revolutionary, just things that worked for me. There are countless other ways to cut down on spending, just look for it. I'll post more when I find more dinero dumping busters!

Kick, Push

2006-09-20T13:19:00.000-04:00

First off, the new sensation Lupe Fiasco's album is anything BUT a fiasco. Whoa. Similar to Kanye West's introduction to the album world. But I have feeling this guy won't get as crazy. The wordplay is serious, conscious hip hop has been brought back over psychadelic beats brought to you by the likes of the Neptunes.

Anyhow, my world continually is shaken up and down as my aunt recently passed away. She was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer not more than a month and a half ago. The doctors told her she had 3 months to live. I guess she had gotten tired of fighting. Rest in peace Auntie Stephanie...

Usually, I would get into a commentary about cherishing the moments you have here on earth and always letting the loved ones around you know that they are indeed loved. Most of the people who read this already know that. Keep up the good work.

I'm back on my work grind...nuff said.

Kick. Push. And cooooast....(get that album!)

Survivor: What A Shame Island

2006-08-25T12:16:00.000-04:00

You know, now that I'm getting older, it's becoming more and more apparent how ridiculous certain television programming is becoming. My recent gripe is with CBS and its newest installment of the reality tv show, Survivor. In case you haven't heard, the show is now creating teams based on none other than...race. African American, Latino, Whites, and Asian. All on an island...competing against each other. Now, I'm happy that officials in New York are taking a stand against this issue. Did the producers think for a minute that this would go over smoothly? Oh that's right, race relations in America ARE smooth, right? The answers are in a book I'm starting to re-read called By the Color of Our Skin by one of my good friends and co-workers, Barbara Diggs-Brown. I have a feeling this will open up some interesting debates and unfortunately fuel teamwork across the nation in a not so good way. What happens if the Black team fails and loses to the Latino team in an event? THIS IS RIDUCLOUS FOLKS! Apparently, some great people in the blogosphere feel the same way.

CBS can get into deep shnooky for having Janet Jackson's boob fall out but it's ok for them to support segregated game shows....2 thumbs up Viacom!

Frugal Cooking

2006-08-23T00:55:00.000-04:00

Well after my last post, you can understand why this is here as well...

Bankrate did a nice article on how to keep the greens in your fridge as well as your wallet (get it?)

Check it:

10 cooking tips

1. Buy produce in season.
2. Purchase dry spices and herbs whole.
3. Get dry milk for use in recipes.
4. Buy real cheese.
5. Seek tough cuts of beef.
6. Buy straight from local farmers.
7. Shop Latin markets and Korean grocers.
8. Don't bother with all-inclusive sets.
9. Opt for versatility.
10. Slow means cheaper.

Bon appetite! Look here for the full article.

Money. Yep, again.

2006-08-23T00:24:00.000-04:00

A couple things have been on my mind lately, some personal and some more relevant to daily life. One of those overarching thoughts has been...money. Here I am, a year outta college and I'm in a pickle. The biggest lump on this pickle is me owing people money. School loans and credit card bills. Yeah, it's not a good feeling. I think I'm going to go out and treat myself with some new sneakers and a night on the town to cheer myself up. Wait a second...is that the right thing to do when I'm broke? Know anyone who does that? In any case, I'm determined to get myself outta debt and get financially independent.

I've mentioned all this before but, really folks, we aren't doing ourselves any favors by not properly managing our funds. My buddy Joel knows that all too well. As a matter of fact, its thanks to him that I've shaken myself out of this downward spiral and put some deep thought into change. If you're a regular customer to the mall of blogs, you might have caught onto the phenomenon of PF blogs, or Personal Finance blogs. Its like Money Fever has struck the blogosphere! 20 somethings and 30 somethings are realizing, "hey, being in debt sucks!" or "hmm, I have no kind of savings..." or better yet "I don't have any money and I work a decent job...where did it go?" It's time to wake up folks. I've compiled a short list of PF blogs that I've come across and that I read whenever they are updated. One obviously you know is Joel's blog and the rest are here:

My Money Blog - pretty straightforward advice and relevant info
Young and Broke - I like this one, she definitely adds a human touch that we can all relate to
I Will Teach You To Be Rich - Ramit is the man - he has a range of topics he covers that go from the straightforward to the conversational. He may even host a regular chat.
And one of my favorite titles, Stop Buying Crap - I mean, how much simpler can you get?

Check these out for a wealth of info and some thought provking entries. Or just a good financially sound laugh.

Start helping yourself out!

Food for Thought

2006-08-17T11:13:00.000-04:00

Good morning everyone,

Of course I don’t want to start your day off on a sour note, but I wanted to give you all something to think about. Right now I’m kind of in a daze (and frankly upset) after hearing that my aunt was diagnosed with a form of incurable pancreatic cancer. She is a great lady and even though none of you know her, I’m sure each of you know a similar person in your life that means a lot to you or is a family member that you have enjoyed good times with. I apologize in advance if I’ve brought up any sad memories, but I just wanted to slide a quick, but meaningful thought in. Life is short. I know we hear that all the time, but it seems to ring truer now that I’ve become an adult. In any case, make sure the time you spend with people – take the time every now and then to let them know you care. A hug, a small gift, a dinner/lunch/breakfast on you, a “hey, I’m really glad you’re in my life”, something like that. You really never know when it will be time to let them go and on a less intense level, you might just make their day. Feel free to pass this thought around to those you know and care about.

Take care...

Phones...

2006-08-09T10:37:00.000-04:00

Why does Verizon continue to curse me??? Why? Just months after getting a "new" phone (because we all know they give you a refurbished one....), I am now having problems again. The problem now is that my phone does not charge. It just stopped charging when I plug the adapter in. No matter where I go, the adapter does not work. Why is this bad? Because this is the only means of communication I have phone-wise.

More importantly the "project" I'm working on, needs to have that number up and running so I can get calls!

I'm headed out right now to a Verizon store. Is T-Mobile better? Cingular? Or maybe I should get into the new age of VoIP...

I'm running around...

2006-08-07T09:53:00.000-04:00

....like a chicken with its head cut off!

But it's all for good reason. First of all, this wedding thing...sheesh, alot to do! So far, HB and I have found

a wedding photographer/videographer
put a down payment on a reception hall
picked out our wedding party
found a church
nailed down a limo service (we got the stretch Navigator with 22's....yeah right) and
last but not least, we have registered on that popular wedding website.

Not too shabby for less than a month into the proposal. Although I must say, getting over that initial laziness that I so often have has been not as much of an effort than I thought. Which is a good thing because I don't want to be beaten up by my fiancee. This isn't stressful for her at all!

In other news, I have been working REALLY hard on another project that LW knows all too well...but she is over that hump. I'm still rotting in the wastelands!

LW has also sparked my interest to listen to non mainstream music or at least music that isn't spewed all over the radio every 5 minutes. And when I say spew, I mean to invoke a vision of regurgitated mess splattering everywhere. That's pretty much what the music is. Alas, that is for another blog entry...I've found some interesting music through MySpace, so I'm happy about that. One of the people that I found and liked was a dude named Louis Logic, very cool cat and a refreshing look at what hip hop really is/was/should be like. Check it out.

On your way to the top, don't forget to stop and enjoy life every now and then.

Life Changer

2006-07-28T09:44:00.000-04:00

Well folks, yes, it is official, I popped the question to HB and we are planning to get married next March! Woohoo! If you can't tell, I'm one excited dude over here. So let the planning craziness begin! Oh crap...time to start getting rid of bad habits...

On another note, for those who don't know, I've never seen my father before. The guy rolled out on moms before I was born (two thumbs up brotha!). In any case, moving on in my life, I decided to find him. Isn't the Internet great? Within 2 days, I found out where he lived. Turns out he was no more than 20 minutes from where I was for the past 6 years. It also turns out that I have a brother....

Moreover (who says that anymore?), he knew one of my good friends and his mother for the past 10 years!! Talk about six degrees of separation right? I left a message on his voicemail, but he hasn't gotten back to me in the past 2 weeks. Oh well, I have a great stepmother and a brother. I'm blessed.

I feel as if i have a new sense of purpose in my life - God is definitely doing something for me.

Zooomr Photo Sharing

2006-07-11T11:42:00.000-04:00

kelloggs-mask-pirateHosted on Zooomr

Hey folks,

Thanks to Steve Rubel's MicroPersuasion blog (that I absolutely must read every time there is an update), I came across this interesting new photo sharing website called Zoomr. It looks like it is positioning itself to be a Flickr competitor and hey, I root for the underdog sometimes!

In this case, the underdog is giving away free Pro accounts.

Hmmm...free...

Wow, that took all of 2 seconds to convince me to get one! I love taking pictures, photography is going to be one of those hobbies that just keep getting better for me with time. Check out Spyder's blog (one of my blog buddies on the right hand side of the page), he is one of those professional type picture takers. Even though he is a nerd for not updating his blog in a while, he is still cool.

Blah to Pets

2006-06-22T14:15:00.000-04:00

Well...my fish has officially passed out of this world as of...*checks watch* 35 minutes ago. Violent death, pretty darn sad. What's even MORE sad is that I've had him for basically a month. That's it. Maybe he came with a disease or something but good grief, am I that bad of a pet owner??

Sigh.

R.I.P. Pyke

Thanks for making my office space a little more bearable.

Save the Internet!

2006-06-19T13:26:00.000-04:00

One Million Americans Urge Senate to Save the Internet

WASHINGTON (June 14) -- The SavetheInternet.com Coalition today
delivered more than 1 million petitions and letters from average Americans to
Capitol Hill, urging Congress to protect Net Neutrality and stand firm against
efforts by phone and cable companies to control the Internet.
At a press
conference on Capitol Hill, Senators Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Byron Dorgan
(D-N.D.) called upon their colleagues to heed the public outcry and support the
"Internet Freedom and Preservation Act" (S. 2917), a bipartisan bill that would
bar companies like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast from blocking, degrading or
interfering with content or services on the Internet.
"The idea that brings
us together is a free and unfettered Internet," said Senator Snowe. "It's vital
we preserve, not undermine, the extraordinarily democratic technological network
- over which content providers from the largest corporations in the biggest
cities in the world to single individuals in rural towns have equal opportunity
to reach millions of Internet users."

"It's essential that we preserve
Internet freedom," said Senator Dorgan. "The open architecture which now exists,
and which allows everyone fair access to any site on the Internet, without
gatekeepers, must be preserved. That is what our bill would do - preserve
Internet freedom, which is at the very core of what makes the Internet so
important, and something that enriches the lives of millions of Americans."
The million petition signatures and letters were collected via the
SavetheInternet.com Coalition Web site and by members of the coalition,
including Free Press, MoveOn.org Civic Action, Common Cause, Consumers Union,
True Majority and Working Assets.

"Net Neutrality has allowed the Internet
to become the new public square, where everyday people can participate in our
democracy and have their voices heard," said Joan Blades, the co-founder of
MoveOn.org. "We cannot let the Internet gatekeepers decide who gets into the
public square -- everyone from MoveOn to the Christian Coalition should get in,
so the best ideas can thrive based on their merit. The SavetheInternet.com
Coalition will intensify our grassroots pressure on the Senate to assure that
Internet freedom is preserved and Net Neutrality remains the law of the land."

Read the rest and learn more at www.SavetheInternet.com

Mo Money, Mo Problems?...err how about No Money, Mo Problems

2006-06-09T13:17:00.000-04:00

So, a couple weeks ago I decided to take a long hard look at my finances. I realized that....I was poor. Poor as in, I wasn't doing a good job of saving, cutting back how much money I spend and ultimately being a good steward of my money. So I began to do what I usually do when I have a problem that I want to learn how to fix - I dive into information. So I scoured the net for all sorts of information on how to deal with money problems. One of the key issues I wanted to tackle was debt. Popping out from the womb of a University means a few things:

1) Knowledge + No Debt

2) Knowledge + Debt

3) No Debt

4) Debt

I'll take whats behind door numberrrr TWO!!! What? A lifetime of school loan debt? Hmm....doesn't seem like the kind of game show you want to be on huh? Many of us don't.

So...Operation Get My Azz Out of Debt has begun! Now I've added some new links over here and one of them is a website with Joel Maxwell and his wife's decision to get out of debt completely. Check them out with the link over there. His blog basically chronicles their lives in getting out of debt. Join the bandwagon folks!! No one can get you out of debt except a) the lottery or b) you

And guess what...the lottery aint gonna happen. And if you had a rich uncle Benny in Palm Beach, after he died you would find out he left all his money to his 3 imported spider monkeys. So there goes that.

In any case, here is an excerpt from Joel's June 1 entry. Very important concept of using cash to buy stuff:

-----------------------------------------------
June 1, 2006
Paying Cash…Again
Filed under: General — Joel @ 1:30 am
Several weeks ago I wrote a post about paying cash, and how important it is for a variety of reasons. This past week I have re-visited this need. Don’t worry, I haven’t fallen off the wagon and started using my credit cards again.
Among the many things we discovered upon returning to our home this past month was a large number of unopened Wal-Mart items that we thought we needed a year ago, but were quick to decide to return now. We in fact had over $130 of stuff. We had Wal-Mart put the money on a gift card when we returned it. With a temporary pay issue with the Army because of my transfer, this gift card filled in great as our grocery envelope.
Why all this is noteworthy is really amazing. I have been really disciplined with my money the last several months, so I didn’t think it was possible, yet the card disappeared in less than one week. It usually takes two weeks to spend that much cash on groceries. There is just something about spending actual cash that makes you spend less. You really have to feel the pain!
-----------------------------------------

Let that marinate.

Every Day is a Winding Road

2006-05-30T22:37:00.000-04:00

You ever get to the point where you just can't sigh anymore? Can't gripe anymore? Can't point the finger anymore?

All you can do is lay back and figure out what you are going to do about it. No more sessions of massive reflection on where you made mistakes or what you could have done.

Each day, we all have the opportunity to change something about our lives. Good grief, I'm starting to sound like my mother here but, the choices we make every day directly impact what is going to happen later that morning, the afternoon and nighttime. Then that affects what happens the following day. Did we prepare enough for that presentation? Could we have RSVP'd for that seminar when we thought about it instead of "putting it on the to do list"?

It's kind of like the way health and nutrition is approached. Small steps. It's the small choices and decisions that we make that snowball into the big changes.

Choose wisely.

10 Ways to Rethink Your Work

2006-05-24T13:33:00.000-04:00

Fast Company's blog had an interesting take on how art and photography tactics can apply to how you think about work.

We all know that it's easy to get lulled into the day in and day out bla bla bla of work. It's always good to get a fresh take on what you spend alot of your life doing.

Ooo! It may even be inspirational!

Dude! You Can Un-Crappify your Dell!

2006-04-12T13:35:00.000-04:00

Mmmm. Lifehacker. Me like Lifehacker.

Ever buy a new Dell system (like me) and wonder why it still acts as slow as your old machine? Well, wonder no more technologically advanced citizen! Dell systems, in case you haven't figured it out yet, come with a boatload of junky and needless software to increase the bulges in the pockets of internet service providers that shall remain nameless...

Want to drop the axe on this phoolishly phishy programs in one fell swoop? So did this guy. Check it out and be amazed.

I was helping a friend set up his brand new Inspiron 1300 and it took
FOREVER for it to boot up. It’s a very dissatifiying experience to pull a brand
new computer out of the box and be spammed with a bunch of trial software. After
removing all of the crap, (which took a significant amount of time) it booted
much faster and performed like it should. I kept thinking it would be nice to
have an automated way to remove all this stuff. Thus was born the Dell
De-Crapifier script.

[Car Lover] : Rent-A-Shelby GT

2006-04-12T13:25:00.000-04:00

Behold. The Shelby Mustang GT available for your driving pleasure at a fraction of the cost. How so do you ask? Silly one, you rent it from Hertz of course!! This article from CNN has all the info you need.

The NY Auto Show is going to be something I have to experience next year.

Those cars, slightly modified versions of the Shelby GT350 available for
purchase at Ford dealerships, were available to members of the Hertz Sports Car
Club and could be rented at selected Hertz airport locations around the
country.

Shelby produced 1,000 of the cars, most with automatic transmissions and black-and-gold paint schemes, but the program lasted for only one year, said Matt Stone, executive editor of Motor Trend Classics magazine. During that time, rental Shelbys made occasional weekend appearances at race tracks, he said.Forty years later, Hertz customers will again get the chance to rent a Shelby. This time, 500
black-and-gold Shelby GT350s will have 325-horsepower engines and high-performance suspension. A standard Mustang GT has a 300-horsepower
engine.

Load up the Ammo for Super Size Me Attack Round 2!

2006-04-11T17:22:00.000-04:00

McD's may take hit from 'Fast Food Nation' film

By Kate Macarthur Published: April 10, 2006

McDonald's Corp. is wise to brace for a potential sales drop when a movie based on Eric Schlosser's book "Fast Food Nation" hits theaters later this year and "Chew on This," his book for kids, hits shelves in May. At least 61% of readers polled online by Advertising Age believe these projects will hurt sales at Mickey D's, even if they disagree over the length and depth of the damage. Beth Fornaro, senior broadcast producer for Marc USA, Pittsburgh, believes the "potential for harm is great if this film succeeds in planting the 'gross' factor in consumers' minds," she wrote. "Seeing firsthand some of the potentially unsavory aspects of food prep is probably the biggest threat. Look what the finger in the chili did to Wendy's." Even if there is an effect, it will be short-lived, said others.

Angela Natividad, marketing analyst for DriversEd.com, agreed the bottom line could suffer in the near term, but "I see McDonald's taking precautionary stances in which health and wellness are promoted, and they'll see this thing through," she wrote. Patrick O'Malley, marketing coordinator for RdF Corp., sees the potential harm as a mere blip. "After 'Super Size Me,' many of my peers claimed they would never touch fast food again," he wrote. "Two weeks later they had forgotten all about their promises and were back at the drive-through." Former McDonald's marketing executive Brad Ball, CEO of Ball Entertainment Corp., thinks a sales impact is unlikely, but said the more likely scenario will be a "number of meetings inside the company to discuss current and future initiatives to deal with flack." He said, "'Super Size Me' may lay claim to having pushed 'super size' off their nomenclature, but sales/transactions actually increased over the past three years. Go figure."

-----------------------------------------------------------

Wow. Makes me happy I don't eat fast food anymore. Although, I must say, it's pretty sad that sales actually increased after the movie came out. People just don't care and want to continue killing themselves slowly. Wallowing in the murky pool of reused burger grease.

Mmmm....burger greeeeaaase.

Procrastination

2006-04-04T20:51:00.000-04:00

This article brought to you by the good people of LifeHacker.

For many of us, putting things off to the very end is a sign of laziness and to others, it's something they have to do in order to "really get it done". Problem is, you never know when something will go wrong and oopsies, you don't have time to fix it. And then you either get a D+ in that English class or that special someone gets greeted by a creepy crawly under your pile of clothes you never put in the laundry. D'oh!

Anyhow, this article produced by student helpers @ California Polytechnic State touches on the unfavored subject of procastination and why it's important to understand it...to get rid of it.

Excerpt from article:

Four Simple Reasons for Procrastination

Difficult - the task seems hard to do; we naturally tend to avoid difficult things in favor of those which seem easy to us.
Time-consuming - the task will take large blocks of time, and large blocks of time are unavailable until the weekend.
Lack of knowledge or skills - no one wants to make mistakes, so wait until you learn how before you start.
Fears - everyone will know how you screwed up.

The simple cure? Do everything opposite. Tell yourself: this isn't so hard, it won't take long, and I am sure that I know how to do it, or that I can learn while I'm doing it. And no one else really cares because they are all so busy with their own problems.

Live and Learn - It's Fundamental

2006-03-30T15:14:00.000-05:00

Picture taken above driving into Raleigh, NC

Ey'body know that I like to learn, whether reading, listening to music, watching good movies that spark my interest - it's all good. Education is something no one can take away from you, remember that.

On a non-preachy note, in my web surfings I came upon this website. It's incredible why I havent found something like it before!

Why not spend some spare minutes learning Spanish, Russian or Italian? Driving to North Carolina (like I try to do once erry 2 months) and tired of music? Why not learn about what reallly went down during Pearl Harbor. Hey, it's not for everyone - but I like the concept.

Thoughts from the Sage of Quiet Storms

2006-03-27T19:36:00.000-05:00

Nope - I haven't written in here for a long time....and no I don't have any profound reason why. I just had to take a break from it I guess. I do like writing though, so here I am again. Recently, I've been having a good number of epiphanies (sp?) regarding living, success and enjoying life. And I'm determined to stick with these quasi-philosophies. Nothing major - just appreciate the people in your life and let them know you appreciate them for who they are. Trust me, it makes a difference! Friends and family - yeah, you never know how long they are around, treat them well even when they are a pain in the arse. Good friends, once you have them, enjoy their company and get together often. Life goes by fast ( good grief I'm already 24??), nuff said.

Knowledge -

Not everything there is to know is found scribbled on paper. Live life. Experience things you wouldn't normally and figure out fun ways to learn. Hey, get some friends together, sip on some Starbucks and head downtown D.C. and check out some museums. Might learn a thing or 4 about African sculptures or who the heck Enola Gay is! Learn something about poetry, you never know, you might discover your inner Poe or...yeah, see? Learning is fundamental.

Relationships -

Relationships are fragile. Handle with care and put some time into them. These can be platonic but I'm pretty much talking about the romantic level. Once you are in one, the word "casual" just doesn't make sense to me. Make the effort and you will be amazed at the fulfillment. Or else you end up like Hassel the Hoff here...

Cereal -

Malt O Meal isn't that bad!! Mmmm for Golden Puffs!

--= End Rant =--

Facebook: My New Addiction

2006-03-02T14:58:00.000-05:00

I am meeting up with SO many long lost friends!!

Facebook is such an amazing website! I'm glad someone thought of it. Life changing stuff right there...in life if you don't have your friends to share it with, it's a pretty dull life.

Yay for Facebook!

Oh Rita!

2006-02-21T16:22:00.000-05:00

Visit your local Rita's Water Ice or else.

It is the stuff of the yum.

Deep Thoughts 2

2006-02-20T22:02:00.000-05:00

Problems folks. We have problems now.

Apparently, I was recently informed (as of tonight) that the owner of the house where I am renting a room, says that he cannot have me sleep in the house anymore. I can stay there all day if I want, even work or do whatever until around midnight. But not sleep.

It seems that, he has had a problem since around 21/22 years old, that he sometimes cannot sleep peacefully when certain people are around him. He told me that when I am sleeping in the house and he is ready to sleep, my "brainwaves" or "energies" throw him off from sleeping. He has tried to get over it and even though I am the greatest roomate he has ever had, it just won't work.

He suggested spending the night at HB's place every night but I can leave my stuff there in the room. He also suggested that he would refund my security deposit and cut me a check for 1000 dollars for moving and relocation costs if I decided to move.

What the.....

Yeah, my mouth is still hanging open. Stay tuned.

Deep Thoughts 1

2006-02-20T21:40:00.000-05:00

I have recently had some time to digest the events that have been taking place over the past several weeks. Namely, my mother moving out of my immediate sight and living in North Carolina. A week after she moved down there, I decided to take a long weekend and visit her down there. I woke up at 4am in the morning and rolled out. There is a certain calmness and focus that comes with waking up early in the morning, I have found out. In any case, being down in North Carolina was relaxing in some ways. After arriving there I promptly hit the sack in my new room, complete with ceiling fan and spacious area. Being with mom was nice. We have been on such shaky terms for the past 3 years, it was a relief to see her geniuinely happy to see me. I helped her out alot, mainly with unpacking and setting up computer things.

Mothers invest so much into our lives from even before being born. Single parent mothers, in my own mother's case, invest even more of their blood, sweat and tears - that is something I will always cherish with my mother. It was hard to fully absorb the fact that she is no longer living in Maryland. But looking beyond her departure, I came to realize something. My true independency. As I continue to grow as a man, I have to realize that life does not always go in our favor (more on that later). Or more clearly, does not always seem to go in our favor. I think that with my mother being in a different location, our relationship can grow in a different way. She now has time to realize her issues and to focus on taking care of herself and only herself - which she really needs. Ever since me and my sister were born, she has not had one moment to herself. She needs that now. And I am happy that she can get that opportunity.

As for myself, this is a chance for me to gather my resources and take my own decision making skills to another level. It's now time for me to grow up for real now - mom is still around, but it is my turn now to be my own leader.

God bless mothers.

DC Auto Show

2006-02-16T23:06:00.000-05:00

Went to the DC Auto Show at the new Convention Center 'bout 2 weeks ago. I know I'm late....

Peep some of the pics...I'm a Mazda owner but I'm also a hot car lover.

New Mazda CX-7 --- 2007 Mazda Miata ------- Aston Martin Vantage

Lamborghini Diablo and more hot rides.

Coming Soon..

2006-02-16T10:10:00.000-05:00

Deep thoughts coming soon....

See Like Superman?

2006-02-09T00:05:00.000-05:00

Yeah, that's exactly the look I had on my face when I read this article in Wired.

Now I have been afflicted with nearsightedness for most of my life and as annoying as it can be sometimes e.g. cracked/lost glasses, cleaning contact every night, losing contacts - I have gotten used to it. And now I'm reading about how to get vision better than...perfect?

Hmm. Well I guess it's not perfect anymore.

Double the clarity of 20/20 vision, these new pixel-tastic lenses fix everything! Your own personal scleral gnomes to correct your vision problems. How neato is that?

...well not so neat if you are an Iraqi terrorist in the scope of an American sniper thousands of feet away on a rocky canyon top. Hmm.

Here are the highlights of the article:

PixelOptics of Roanoke, Virginia, just won a $3.5 million Department of Defense grant to refine its "supervision" technology, which Blum claims could double the quality of a person's eyesight.
Tiny, electronically-controlled pixels embedded within a traditional eyeglass lens.
Ophthonix in San Diego has already sold thousands of the lenses in California, and expects to roll out its product soon.

CIA Counter Terrorism Chief Steps Down

2006-02-08T14:12:00.000-05:00

CIA counter-terrorism chief steps down
By David MorganReutersTuesday,
February 7, 2006; 6:20 PM
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the CIA's
counter-terrorism center has been forced to step down as part of efforts by
the spy agency to bolster its pursuit of al Qaeda, current and former
intelligence officials said on Tuesday.

Robert Grenier, 51, told colleagues in an e-mail on Monday that he had been asked to move on from the helm of the unit that plans and executes CIA counter-terrorism operations and provides analysis on terrorism issues. It was not clear whether Grenier planned to leave the spy agency and there was no immediate word on
who would succeed him in the counter-terrorism post.

I highly doubt that he was planning on leaving at any time. This seems to have attachments to the whole domestic spying scandal that apparently is becoming a witch hunt according to some in the government.

The CIA has been criticized for failing to track down al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and his second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahri, who are believed to be somewhere along Pakistan's border with Afghanistan. A failed CIA attempt to eliminate Zawahri with a missile strike last month in Pakistan was condemned in Islamabad and set off anti-American protests across the country after 18 civilians including women and children died in the attack. The CIA's counter-terrorism center has recently lost stature as the result of intelligence reforms that created the National Counter-terrorism Center to oversee strategic planning and serve as a clearinghouse for intelligence and analysis for the entire intelligence community in that area.

Is it really this hard to find one man? Is he that well protected? Don't we have better technology than them? Yeah, them. Is this delay in finding Bin Laden going to increase the chances of another 9/11 attack in the future?

An intelligence source, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the departure, said Grenier was asked to step aside by the CIA clandestine service chief, whose identity is secret. "There is a sense that he was not necessarily aggressive enough or forward leaning enough, that this is a good officer but there might be a better choice for this post at this time," the source said. Grenier, who has been director of the counter-terrorism center for less than a year, had spent much of his career undercover in overseas assignments, often in the Middle East. He was CIA station chief in Islamabad at the time of the September 11 attacks.

I don't think this was the best time to show the weakness of the CIA.

Song of the MONTH

2006-02-08T10:45:00.000-05:00

Return of the Mack - Mark Morrison.

It is the ultimate old school jam!!!!!

Woot!

Thanks LW1!

DC Auto Show

2006-02-06T23:26:00.000-05:00

Last week was a highlight for me, especially because I got to go to the DC Auto Show!

Yeah I love cars...especially fast and expensive ones. But I also like the flashy and show cars...hence the cool picture in front of the Chrysler 300C Pimped Out Version

More pics to come...

Act A Fool!

2006-02-01T15:26:00.000-05:00

Work seems so much more fulfilling when you can email a bunch of co workers round the clock about random funny crap like

Marine life fetishes
Sexy Schoolgirl Outfits
Allergic reactions

My co workers are so cool

If you got late bills and you just lost yo job, tell me what you gon do? ACT
A FOOL!!" - Ludacris

Moved!

2006-01-31T22:07:00.000-05:00

Finally! I have moved out of Craphole City into something more to my tastes...that would be read as cheaper. Basically here are the pros and cons of the new residency:

Pros

Closer to work
$200 cheaper rent
Quiet living area
My own bathroom
Bigger room
No longer in the basement
Bigger room
No loudass 17 year old kid and mindless friends
Two pianos (keyboard and traditional)
I have my OWN parking space

Cons

Utilities not included
No internet directly in house - must connect using a down the street wi-fi connection (still not verified as to how effective that is)
No cable television
No living room tv
No internet!!!!!!!

As you can see, the pros outweigh the cons, even if having no cable or internet counts as like 3 points each...but still. In the longrun, I think it's alot better.

So, for all my cool co workers like LW(1), LW(2) and Stappy - we can have lunch at my place and be back with plenty o time for work. Mmmm and LW(1) can do some baking of cookies during the lunch hour....win win situation.

Yay for me.

Happy/Sad Weekend

2006-01-27T23:13:00.000-05:00

Happy: My mom is moving away next weekend to start a new and hopefully fulfilling life
Sad: My mom is moving away...
Real Sad: My mom really is leaving me....

Happy: I am moving out of craphole city this weekend.
Sad: Having to pack all this ish up and paying to have it moved.

Happy: Having friends to help me with the move
Sad: Not being able to do much to compensate them

Happy: Getting my security deposit back
Sad: Using all of it to pay for a security deposit and first month rent at new place

Happy: Friends went to Cubik to party and get their bounce and wiggle on.
Sad: I am here blogging about not being able to go because I am at home packing.
Real sad: As I sit here blogging, I realize how much more packing and things to take care of I must do.

Night Night. They better not have had too much fun....

YARR!!!!

2006-01-24T11:00:00.000-05:00

The Modern Day Pirate’s Remedy for Everything

Do you have feelings of inadequacy? Do you suffer from shyness? Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive?If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist about Grog®.

Grog® is the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident about yourself and your actions. Grog® can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the world that you're ready and willing to do just about anything. You will notice the benefits of Grog® almost immediately, and with a regimen of regular doses you can overcome any obstacles that prevent you from living the life you want to live. Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past, and you will discover many talents you never knew you had.

Stop hiding and start living, with Grog®.Grog® may not be right for everyone. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use Grog®. However, women who wouldn't mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it. Side effects may include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, incarceration, erotic lustfulness, loss of motor control, loss of clothing, loss of money, delusions of grandeur, table dancing, headache, dehydration, dry mouth, and a desire to sing Karaoke and play all-night rounds of Strip Poker, Truth Or Dare, and Naked Twister.

Onward and Upward - Growing Up

2006-01-23T08:05:00.000-05:00

Yeah....been a little minute since I last posted. Nothing extraordinarily important or newsworthy going on though...just lazy I guess. Of recent news though, Friday night I was taught the basics of being an uber cool DJ! Went to the Crib of Deez with Dr. Pepper Chica to become initiated. It was so fun! Definitely wish I hadnt forgot the camera or I woulda had pics to blog with...oh well.

I then finally got to hang out with my cousins that I havent seen or talked to in a while...we chilled at my aunt's house and then chowed the heck down at Mongolian BBQ - one of THE best places to eat in town...all you can eat...fix your own bowl of meats and veggies....mmmmmm

Then back to the house where we basically all passed out and then I hung with HB for the rest of the day. Then comes sunday where I was going to help my mom begin packing for her move to North Carolina...this is where things get real sad folks. I just kept getting into a depressed funk all day - alot of tears shed. It seems the more that I try to deny the fact that my mom is leaving me, the worse I feel. And I still feel pretty bad. It will probably be this way until she moves and well after the event...I guess it's part of growing up.

On another note of moving, I am finally getting the hell out of the place where I'm at now. No more ex-wife drama, parking spaces drama, laundry noises and 17 year old son and his loud ass friends playing Playstation at 2am in the morning. Good riddens...onward and upward. I'm out.

Johnny5...is....Alive?

2006-01-06T14:55:00.000-05:00

The Lego-bots are coming
Lego unveiled the newest version of its Mindstorms
product at the Consumer Electronics Show this week: a programmable
robotics kit that allows consumers to build fully functional robots out of
the classic plastic toy.
The company introduced the first version of
Mindstorms in 1998 and has since garnered a passionate fan base. News of the
update began to spread among aficionados earlier this week, after Wired
ran an article talking about the design process behind the new robots.
According to the article, Lego
worked with fans to create the new version, paying beta testers in Lego kits
and getting their input on design an programming.
"Relying on the
(Mindstorms User Panel) is a gamble that Lego hopes will lead not only to a
better product but also to a tighter, more trusting bond between corporation and
customer," the magazine wrote.

This is so uber-awesome!! I've just started tinkering around with robotics (thanks Make Magazine) with my boy DStew. Now how can I resist a combination with my new hobby and Legos??

R.I.P Lou Rawls.

2006-01-06T12:40:00.000-05:00

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060106/ap_on_he_me/fit_fittest_city

Lou Rawls dead at 72
Soul singer known for stunning voice, charitable endeavors

(CNN) -- Lou Rawls, whose mellifluous baritone was featured on hits ranging from
his own "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" to Sam Cooke's "Bring It on
Home to Me," has died. He was 72.
Rawls died Friday morning at Cedars-Sinai
Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, where he was hospitalized last month
for treatment of lung and brain cancer, said his publicist, Paul Shefrin. His
wife, Nina, was at his bedside when he died.
The singer was as well known for
his charitable activities as he was for his smooth four-octave range. He founded
the Lou Rawls Parade of Stars Telethon, which raised millions of dollars for the
United Negro College Fund. Rawls was diagnosed with lung cancer in December 2004
and brain cancer in May 2005, according to the AP.
He is survived by his
wife Nina, as well as his three adult children, Louanna Rawls, Lou Rawls, Jr.
and Kendra Smith, and his infant son, Aiden.
You will be missed Lou. That was definitely good music. Another legendary singer passes away....

Operation Meltdown NYC

2005-12-20T22:27:00.000-05:00

Wow....I have never heard of a more disastrous thing to happen to NYC since 9/11...

Transit workers go on strike because of low wages and not good enough benefits. Imagine the Brookly Bridge packed with people...just trying to get to work! Absolutely ridiculous. I know a couple people in NYC and talked to them tonight. They are livid. Can you blame them? So the court ordered 1 million dollars a day fine to the Transit Union.

Also, check this story here on Wired about what NYC people are doing on the Web about all this and how Craigslist is tha shizznit

Birdnapped!!

2005-12-20T14:18:00.000-05:00

What kind of sick, twisted idiot would do something like this??

It's bad enough the penguin species is what it is....

Baby Penguin Is Stolen From Zoo
BY DAVID STRINGER,
Associated Press Writer1 hour, 30 minutes ago
A baby penguin thought to have
been snatched from a zoo as a quirky festive gift is unlikely to survive until
Christmas Day, his keeper warned Tuesday.
Toga, a three-month old jackass
penguin, was stolen from Amazon World on the Isle of Wight in southern England
on Saturday.
Zoo manager Kath Bright said the bird, who was taken from a
compound where he lived with his parents and four other penguins, would probably die of malnutrition if not urgently returned.

Peep the rest of the article

Germs on Cloud Chariots!!!

2005-12-20T13:30:00.000-05:00

Being the public health/infectious disease nerd that I am - I stumbled across this article that spoke about Nanobacteria.

Does the thought of disease literally raining down upon you scare you to death?
Does the idea that you can no longer open up your mouth to eat a snowflake scare the living crap out of you?
Is there something worse than acid rain?

If you answered yes to the first two and calmly shrugged to the last one....BE AFRAID! BE VERY AFRAID!!!

Yes folks, scientists have found that certain kinds of deadly bacteria can and do in fact hitch rides inside the clouds of the atmosphere and return to earth in the form of rain or other precipitation. This in fact, causes disease to travel and continue to wreak havoc on the human race.

As if we needed another global health issue to deal with. Bad germs. BAD!

I really need to get away

2005-12-19T13:49:00.000-05:00

I'm just tired of crap lately....wish I could disappear to a place that is peaceful and quiet and I don't have to do anything or say anything to anyone.

This is what it would look like.

Picture taken at Raleigh and Catherine's Wedding by Me

Chestnuuuuts Roasting on an Open Fiiiire!

2005-12-18T12:37:00.000-05:00

Whoever said last minunte Christmas shopping was a bad thing must not have ever tried it!! Woohooo this weekend HB and I decided to run around to get some shopping done and I must say, I got some good deals on some neato supreme-o things!

First off....Kohl's is like the best place to get alot of gifts. The place has everything!

Kohls = Walmart - insane people/lines + friendly atmosphere + friendly employees

Shopping will resume today in a few minutes and hopefully we will be back in time to see the Redskins vs Cowboys game. That game is gonna be off the CHAIN!

Anyhow, I defintely plan on having more money and more gifts for my people's next year. I'm gonna have to beg D to consider hanging around the area with my boy Fumbles

Merry Week Before Christmas!!

R.I.P. Tookie

2005-12-13T09:29:00.000-05:00

Stanley Tookie Williams, Crips Gang Co-Founder, Is Executed

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 13 - Stanley Tookie Wiliams, a condemned gangster whose execution drew more national and international attention than any here in decades, was executed by lethal injection and pronounced dead at 12:35 this morning at San Quentin State Prison.

Mr. Williams, 51, a co-founder and leader of the Crips gang of Los Angeles who was convicted of the brutal murders of four people in 1979 amid an avalanche of gang violence there, had become, to his supporters, an icon of jailhouse redemption and a powerful critic from his cell on death row and through his writings of the perils and misguided allure of the gang life on the nation's urban streets.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I don't know how I really feel about all this. Growing up in a strict private school for most of my life, I was taught that capital punishment was the way to go. If you kill, you must be killed as well. An eye for an eye type of education I suppose. However, after reading this man's story and life in prison, you can't help but feel sorry that this execution happened. At least coming from someone who wasn't even born when the murders took place. We could argue on and on about what is fair in the justice system and what isn't - I have a friend who is doing the law school thing and I'll chat with her on her thoughts of the death penalty. But I think on a fundamental level - the choices you make everyday have some sort of consequence, either in the short or long term, or even both.

The self is not something ready-made, but something in continuous formation through choice of action.

- John Dewey

Pop Smarts or Pop Farts?

2005-12-09T13:17:00.000-05:00

Kellogg promises healthier Pop TartsCereal maker says it will use new soybean oil in some products; calls on others to make switch.

December 9, 2005: 9:05 AM EST

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Kellogg Co., the world's largest cereal maker, said Friday it plans to reduce artery-clogging trans fats in some of its products and called on others to invest in a new variety of soybean oil it said is healthier.
Kellogg (up $0.08 to $43.91, Research) said it plans to replace trans-fat-producing oils in products like Cheez-It crackers and Pop Tarts toaster pastries with Monsanto Co.'s (down $0.39 to $77.18, Research) Vistive, a soy oil introduced last year that reduces the need for partial hydrogenation.
Hydrogenation is a chemical process used to give oils a longer shelf life. It also produces trans fats, which health experts say raise cholesterol levels and lead to an increased risk of heart disease.
The move by the maker of Frosted Flakes and Keebler cookies comes nearly two years after big food manufacturers like Kraft Foods Inc. (up $0.31 to $29.34, Research), PepsiCo Inc. (down $0.15 to $59.07, Research) unit Frito Lay and Tyson Foods Inc. (up $0.23 to $16.52, Research) announced plans to eliminate or reduce trans fats due to growing consumer concerns about health problems like obesity and diabetes.
The effort also comes ahead of a Jan. 1 deadline, when the Food and Drug Administration will require food labels to list the amount of trans fat in products.
Kellogg, which will introduce the first of its reformulated products in early 2006, acknowledged that it has been slower than others in the industry to reduce trans fats.
Oil alternative scarce
In an interview, President and Chief Operating Officer David Mackay said Kellogg was committed to using low linolenic soybean oil because, unlike other oils, it does not alter the taste of food and doesn't increase levels of saturated fat.
But a senior executive said that the variety of soy oil it sees as a healthier alternative is not yet fully available for use in all of the company's snack foods.
"The issue is really availability," Mackay said, adding that there was not yet enough supply to be able to reformulate the company's Keebler cookies.
As a result, Kellogg said it is calling on farmers, seed producers and rival food companies to help increase the supply of low linolenic soybeans used to make oils like Vistive.
The Battle Creek, Mich.-based company also said it will work with a Bunge-DuPont joint venture to increase production of its version of the oil, called Nutrium.
About 80 million pounds of low linolenic soybean oil was expected to be produced in 2005, though that is expected to climb to 400 million pounds in 2006, according to the Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils.
-----------------------------------------

People just need to leave well enough alone - you know the Pop Tarts are gonna taste like cardboard even MORE now! Spew.

On another note, there is an Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils???? WTH?

Iraq is Getting the Hookup

2005-12-07T17:54:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush touted U.S. wartime successes in helping
Iraq improve its economy and infrastructure Wednesday during a high-profile
speech saying "we have to win the battle after the battle."

With growing public doubts about the war and heightened congressional
debate about the U.S. military deployment, Bush focused on reconstruction
efforts, saying U.S. strategy has shifted from large projects to smaller jobs
that can be completed quickly, such as sewer lines and city roads.

What the crap is going on here??? First it was, we need to get rid of the terrorists and now it's, we need to establish a Starbucks in Iraq???? How to get rid of the potholes in the roads???
Give me a %$&$!!! break here! With looking at other reasons to stay in Iraq, we will never leave....those poor soldier's and their families...

My Name is Cooler Than Yours

2005-12-07T17:46:00.000-05:00

I hate those birthday alarm programs...but I signed up for my cousin's anyway. Does he not know my birthday??? Grrr....

After I signed up for it...I saw a link where it showed what your name means and how popular it was over the past century...my name is losing popularity :(

--==Find out how popular your first name has been over the past 100 years, just click below and enter your first name.==--
http://www.birthdayalarm.com/name

Tryptophan Delight!

2005-11-19T20:26:00.000-05:00

Well folks, its that wonderfully delicious time of year again! Yep, saturday night. Wait no...Thanksgiving!!! Yeah thats it. For the first time I will be goin on a long road trip in Optimus and heading to North Carolina for the holiday. I can't wait really. Sure, its a 6 hour drive but hey, with the leftover Halloween candy and some coffee in the A.M. I should be good to go! I'm gonna be gone for the next week so I wanna see some love when I get back! Hope everyone has a good vacation/holiday.

What is WRONG with these people??

2005-11-16T01:54:00.000-05:00

Regular, diet or ... salmon soda? Seattle beverage maker continues wacky holiday-season flavor trend

Reuters

Updated: 8:59 p.m. ET Nov. 14, 2005

SEATTLE - For beverage connoisseurs tired of turkey-and-gravy or green-beans-and-casserole flavored sodas, there’s a new choice being offered this year by specialty U.S. soda maker Jones Soda Co.: salmon.

Jones Soda, the Seattle company that scored a hit during the last two holiday seasons with its turkey and gravy-flavored sodas, said it is offering the orange-hued fish-flavored drink this year in a nod to the Pacific Northwest’s salmon catch.

“When you smell it, it’s got that smoked salmon aroma,” said Peter van Stolk, chief executive of Jones Soda.

The artificially flavored salmon soda will be offered as part of a $13 “regional holiday pack” that also includes other unusual sodas such as turkey & gravy, corn on the cob, broccoli casserole and pecan pie.

While those five bottles will be offered locally, Jones Soda is also selling its similarly-priced “holiday pack” of turkey and gravy, wild herb stuffing, brussels sprout, cranberry and pumpkin pie sodas across the country.

Van Stolk, who built his Seattle-based soda company by selling traditional sodas as well as exotic flavors such as green apple, bubblegum and crushed melon, said that “the most important thing (about Jones Soda) is that we can laugh at ourselves.”

Asked whether he liked his new salmon soda, van Stolk said: “I cannot finish a bottle, I just can’t.”

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10044481/

Can We Really Tell Another Country What To Do At This Point?

2005-11-16T01:11:00.000-05:00

Bush: China shouldn't fear freedom

Taiwan cited as example of successful Chinese democracy

KYOTO, Japan (CNN) -- U.S. President George W. Bush has told Beijing's leaders that it is in their interests to promote greater freedom in the world's most populous nation.

Speaking to media in Japan Wednesday, Bush said China's leaders should not fear a free society.

Saying that regions became better off and more stable as democracy spread, the president said, "What I say to the Chinese is ... a free society is in your interests."

"Leadership should not fear a free society."

Bush's comments were in response to a question at a news conference held Wednesday with Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

They come ahead of a speech to be delivered later Wednesday in which the U.S. leader will push China to grant more freedoms to its people, citing Taiwan as an example of a successful Chinese democracy.

In remarks released from the speech, Bush urges Chinese leaders to allow more freedom in their country, including the right "to worship without state control."

"Modern Taiwan is free and democratic and prosperous. By embracing freedom at all levels, Taiwan has delivered prosperity to its people and created a free and democratic Chinese society," Bush will say according to an advance text released by the U.S. White House.

"By meeting the legitimate demands of its citizens for freedom and openness, China's leaders can help their country grow into a modern, prosperous and confident nation," Bush will say.

"In the 21st century, freedom is an Asian value because it is a universal value."

President Bush is due to arrive in China on Saturday, after attending the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Busan, South Korea with leaders of 20 other countries in the Pacific Rim. (Ministers adopt plan)

By talking about Taiwan, Bush is raising an issue that has been a major U.S.-Chinese irritant. Taiwan, 160 kilometers (110 miles) off China's southern coast, split from the mainland when nationalist leaders fled there in 1949 during China's civil war.

Since then, Beijing has threatened repeatedly to use force against the self-governed island that China claims as its own.

The island has had de facto independence for more than 50 years, largely because of U.S. support.

While saluting Taiwan's progress and urging China to take more steps, Bush stresses that the United States is not changing its official policy that there is one China -- including Taiwan -- or its position that there should be no unilateral attempt to change the status quo by either side, AP reported.

At the news conference, Bush reiterated that the U.S. would continue to seek a peaceful resolution of the Taiwan issue and to encourage dialogue on the topic.

In his speech, Bush also pushes China to open its economy to international competition to narrow the expected $200 billion trade surplus with the United States, according to the AP. (Trade deficit sore point)

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Wednesday agreements between the U.S. and China outnumbered the differences.

"The Chinese people talk about human rights every day," Li told Hong Kong Cable TV.

"Everything we do is for improving the people's livelihood, that includes guaranteeing the people's property rights, political rights and cultural and education rights and democratic development rights."

"China needs to provide a level playing field for American businesses seeking access to China's market," Bush will say, adding that China must fulfill its promise to move towards a more market-based currency.

Moms

2005-11-13T21:43:00.000-05:00

Well, my for those who don't know - my mother is leaving Maryland to move down to North Carolina to live. When she first told me of her idea to do this, I thought, more power to ya Ma! For most of her life she has devoted all her time to her children, me and my sister. Now it's time for her to relax and live her own life. I definitely want that for her. Unfortunately now that time is winding down on her move out clock...I find myself reminiscing alot of what we did together and how important she is to me. I want to look out for her all the time and just make sure that she is doing well, and its been weighing alot on me about this move. I won't be able to see her all the time, although I will be calling her alot. However, my sister is down there and some other people she knows, so I feel pretty good knowing that she won't be alone. But still...

God bless mothers

Orderly Enlightenment

2005-11-10T00:46:00.000-05:00

Wow, I just learned of a phrase that I should have known about a long time ago due to my growing geekosity...the word is : Life Hack.

What is a life hack you ask? From what I understand, it is a tool, be it electronic based or human intuition based, that allows your life to be made simpler. A video game hack makes it easier to play that game so it only makes sense what a life hack does. Interesting.

In any case, I came across this website that apparently is a listing of popular websites. And I came across the 43 Folders website. Check it out on the list. I learned about how to make organization work for me instead of tech pushing companies telling me what I should do to be organized. I like I like :

Take it away Gina -->

Gina: “There is no perfect personal organization system”

November 9th, 2005 @ 11:41

Geek to Live: How to find the perfect productivity tools - Lifehacker

Gina nails it in her overview of how she evaluates and chooses tools:

While you evaluate your choices - Palm Pilot? Hipster PDA? EssentialPIM? A Moleskine? - instead of considering the features of one approach over another, turn your focus inward. What must your calendar do for you? How will you use it? Will it fit into your life? Be honest. Don’t let the features dictate how you use the tool, let your needs dictate what features you require…

Taste-testing is easy. Committing to a tool is more difficult. With the daily onslaught of new and sexy apps out to help you get organized, it’s hard to settle on just one. Don’t get stuck in continual evaluation analysis paralysis, hopping from one solution or software package to another, relentlessly re-working your process for the sake of finding the perfect system. Don’t let Shiny New Thing seduce you. Stick to what works.

Speaking of work, remember: No personal organizer is going to do the work for you. You’ve got to work your system to keep your life in order - period, end of story.

Nicely put, G.

Related: I’ve always felt there was precisely one person who should feel compelled to try every squirrely system mentioned on 43 Folders: me. I doubt anyone at Bon Appetit expects you to prepare and consume every recipe they publish; likewise, Gina, me, and the world’s other productivity pr0nographers would never wish non-stop life refactoring upon any of you.

For the love of God, please take Gina’s advice — read broadly, choose mindfully, and rebuild from scratch really infrequently.

Posted in Life Hacks, Tips, Productivity, Productivity Pr0n, Links

-------------------

Yay for 43 Folders!

Awareness Issue: Wear Red Day

2005-11-08T09:38:00.000-05:00

My current career position has me in health communications, or something like that. Anyhow, I've been interested and involved in public health for sometime now, even getting my undergrad degree in it (go terps!). So I wanted to put this notice out there in cyberspace for anyone who comes across it. It's a very important subject:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Join Americans nationwide on Friday, February 3, 2006 to celebrate the third annual National Wear Red Day. Wearing red shows your support for women's heart disease awareness. So take women's health to heart by wearing your Red Dress Pin, the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness. Or show off a favorite red dress, shirt, or tie and help spread the word that heart disease is the #1 killer of American women. Unfortunately many women do not realize they are at risk for heart disease. That's why the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and its partners sponsor The Heart Truth—a national awareness campaign for women about heart disease. Use The Heart Truth tools below to get ready for National Wear Red Day 2006 and make a difference in women's lives in your community.

Get more information from the NIH website here

This goes out to all the ladies - please take care of yourselves.

Destination: Boondocks

2005-11-07T19:08:00.000-05:00

Now I have read the Boondocks comic strip ever since it came out and I must say, I have almost never NOT cracked up or nodded in solemn agreement at one point or another. Kudos for Mr. Aaron (who I might add is a University of Maryland alum - GO TERPS!).

I am glad he has found the right venue for this brand of comedic...enlightenment of sorts. You simply can't go wrong with Cartoon Network.

Catch the show on Adult swim - can't remember the time but you know....new link to the site added on my list here.

Peep it. And be as cool as this guy

How to Manage Geeks

2005-11-04T12:22:00.000-05:00

Man I love Fast Company magazine. Business with a twist of all sorts. This one caught my eye because I wanted to know what this article said about managing people like me. Now yes I am a geek...fortunately for me, I am one of the upper eschelon of COOL geeks. Yes, I have a life and I do things other than type on the computer, play video games and read bo...hmmm....we'll leave that for right now. Read the full article here
If you're nerdy and you know it clap your hands! *crickets chirp*
...........Now I know I'm not the only one needin to clap here!

Anyway, check out what the businessworld has to say about it :

There's a saying in Silicon Valley: "The geeks shall inherit
the earth."

That's a sign, if you needed one, that we have permanently
entered a new economy. Once a term of derision, the label "geek" has become a
badge of honor, a mark of distinction. Anyone in any business in any industry
with any hope of thriving knows that he or she is utterly dependent on geeks --
those technical wizards who create great software and the powerful hardware that
runs it. The geeks know it too -- a fact that is reflected in the rich salaries
and hefty stock options that they now command.But how do you manage these geek
gods? Perhaps no one knows better than Eric Schmidt, CEO of Novell Inc. Schmidt,
44, is a card-carrying geek himself: His resume boasts a computer-science PhD
and a stint at Sun Microsystems, where he was the chief technology officer and a
key developer of the Java software language. And, as if his technical skills
weren't enough to prove the point, Schmidt even looks the part, with his
boy-genius face, his wire-rim spectacles, and his coder's pallid
complexion.

Fumbles McStupid: Holy Schnikie, a Real Laser Gun!

2005-11-03T21:14:00.000-05:00

http://fumblesmcstupid.blogspot.com/2005/11/holy-schnikie-real-laser-gun.html#links

Should we be scared? HELL YEAH! She would we be even more scared that Fumbles McStupid saw this and is pondering its uses?? HELLZ YEAH! hahahahaha

For real though, imagine the Rocketeer (yes, throwback Disney move...that was the ish man!) having this thing! He would r00l!!!

My Space Recording Label??

2005-11-03T13:42:00.000-05:00

MySpace Records should find an immediate audience in users of the Web site
that spawned it. MySpace, founded
as an online community where members could share their likes and dislikes,
has become a heavily
trafficked home for musicians and music fans of all stripes.
Boasting
more than 35 million members, MySpace sports pages for more than 550,000 artists
and bands. According to ComScore Media Metrix, it was the No. 4 Web domain in
August in terms of page views, ranking behind Yahoo, eBay and MSN and ahead of
Hotmail, Google and AOL.
The major labels have come to understand the wisdom
of promoting their acts on MySpace: This year, Coldplay, Foo Fighters, Weezer,
Nine Inch Nails, the Black Eyed Peas and Death Cab for Cutie, among others, have
promoted their new releases with album world premieres and music streaming on
the site. All those titles enjoyed debuts at or near the top of the Billboard 200. Madonna's new album, "Confessions on a
Dance Floor," due Nov. 15, will be streamed exclusively on the site.

Wow. That is pretty darn funny news right there. I....don't know what to say.
Read the full story here

Firefox. Hoo-rah.

2005-11-03T12:55:00.000-05:00

Firefox Achieves 10% Global Market Share

sebFlyte writes "ZDNet is reporting
that according to OneStat's latest figures, Firefox
has passed the 10 percent market share mark. At 11.5 percent, it's still got
a long way to go to reach Internet Explorer's 85.5 percent, but it's heading in
the right direction. The report also mentions some odd geographical variation:
Firefox's market share is almost three times higher in the US than UK, for
example." From the article: "...other companies have noticed a decline in
Firefox over recent months. Last month, Web applications provider
NetApplications reported that the open source browser's share of the market
dropped by 0.7 percentage points from August to September. Although this wasn't
the first time that Firefox' share has dropped, RedMonk analyst James Governor
said he believes the overall trend for Firefox is upwards."

How can you not cheer for the underdog here? Firefox ain't playin about making themselves a worthy adversary of Bill Gates and Co. I kinda like that. Although the Web hasn't fully seen the light of Firefox, since not all websites I go to accept it, it's stuff fun to use. Love that tabbing feature. Plus I like being all nerdy with web browsing...I believe that is one of the extensions.

NerdFox2.0

Hoo-rah.

The Matrix is Coming Pt 2

2005-11-03T09:50:00.000-05:00

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000560066327/

It just keeps getting better doesnt it?

Yep!!! Remember those posts I had about robots taking over and the government snooping into our lives? Ok good, I don't remember either. But anyway, check out this post from Engadget. They're coming folks...and we can't do a damn thing about it...

RFID system that predicts future behavior
Posted Nov 2, 2005, 9:00 PM ET by Evan BlassRelated entries: Wireless

The point of computers was supposed to be to make life easier, but you wouldn’t know it with the way most people battle their PCs everyday just to keep them working properly. That’s why we love to see technology actually being used to help us out with the little things in life, like opening doors, adjusting the lights/temperature, and cooking our Ramen noodles. At the WPC EXPO 2005 in Japan, attendees and different objects were fitted with RFID tags (pictured) whose movements and habits were monitored and stored as XML markup. The really neat trick here is the system’s software, which has limited abilities to predict someone’s behavior and manipulate real-world objects accordingly. For now this tech is only being used for rather mundane tasks such as monitoring door locks and light switches, but we envision future revs that serve our more esoteric needs, such as learning that Thursday nights are happy hour and automatically telling the alarm clock to let us sleep in on Friday morning.

DOOM!!!!!

Fumbles McStupid: I Want To: A Page of Utilities

2005-11-01T08:58:00.000-05:00

Check out my office buddy's w00tilici0us blogging of something I like!! W00t!!

Fumbles McStupid: I Want To: A Page of Utilities

Caw! Caw!

2005-11-01T08:30:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. President George W. Bush will unveil a national strategy for bird flu on Tuesday, in a bid to reduce the chance that an outbreak among people could become widespread, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said.

All I can say is....this better be good. I mean, do we as a country actually understand the potential devastation that this disease can bring? I try not to be a naysayer or someone who spreads lies that scare folk but...I can't help but notice the popups of the disease in recent weeks. People here in America feel so safe from "them". You know, "those people" outside of this continent. Overseas bad stuff can't come over heeeere where all the good stuff is right? Wrong. It's only a matter of time before some god forsaken bird or some infected person flies over to the states...most likely here in the DC area (yay!) and starts the trend of the avian flu boogie.

More to follow after our fearless leader unveils the plan to save us all...

Full story here

You Cannot DeLay the Inevitable!!

2005-10-20T22:18:00.000-04:00

HOUSTON - Rep.
Tom DeLay turned himself in Thursday at the sheriff's office and was fingerprinted, photographed and released on $10,000 bail on conspiracy and money-laundering charges.
ADVERTISEMENTAccompanied by his attorney, Dick DeGuerin, the former House majority leader showed up about midday, appeared before a judge and was gone in less than 30 minutes, sheriff's Lt. John Martin said.

"Now Ronnie Earle has the mugshot he wanted," DeGuerin said, referring to the Travis County district attorney who brought the charges. DeLay and his lawyer have accused the district attorney of trying to make headlines for himself.
The Texas Republican is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Friday in Austin. The charges forced DeLay to give up his House leadership post.
The defense later Thursday asked Judge Bob Perkins to step aside and for the trial to be moved out of Travis County. Perkins has donated to causes and people opposed to DeLay, and his impartiality might be questioned, the motion said.
The motion listed 34 contributions from Perkins, which included donations to
John Kerry, the Democratic presidential candidate in 2004; MoveOn.org, a liberal advocacy group; and national, state and local Democratic committees.
Earle said he would oppose the motion to move the trial, and criticized the request that the judge step aside.
"The logic behind the defendant's motion to recuse Judge Perkins would mean that no criminal defendant could be tried in a court presided over by a judge who did not belong to the defendant's poltical party," Earle said in a statement.
The change-of-venue motion cited media attention and noted that Austin, widely perceived as a liberal town, is "one of the last enclaves of the Democratic Party in Texas."
DeLay had been expected to turn himself in in his home county outside Houston, Fort Bend, where a horde of reporters awaited. But under Texas law, he could check in anywhere in the state.
DeGuerin said he and DeLay went to the sheriff's office in Houston because it was convenient and because "I wanted to avoid the circus."
"That's what Ronnie (Earle) wanted. He wanted a perp walk and we did not want to do it," the defense attorney said.
DeLay and two political associates are charged in an alleged scheme to funnel corporate donations to candidates for the Texas Legislature. State law prohibits donations of corporate money for direct campaign purposes.

Saddam 0 Saddam's Lawyer -1

2005-10-20T21:55:00.000-04:00

Lawyer for Hussein co-defendant kidnapped
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- An attorney for a co-defendant of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was abducted Thursday after five gunmen stormed his office, an Iraqi police official said.

Now what should we make of this circumstance? Does someone not want the innocent Mr. Hussein to have help in the courtroom? *gasp*

But on a serious note. That sure sucks.

The Net! The Net! The Net is on Fire!

2005-10-19T16:00:00.000-04:00

Go FireFox! I feel warm already!

Should Bill Gates and his challenging computer crew of crackerjack crazies feel the jitters of competition??

Wasnt it just the other day that Firefox got 1 million downloads? Good sheeshin grief!

webslash writes "Mozilla's Firefox web browser crossed the 100 million downloads milestone today. Webmasters are adding Firefox download counters on websites to keep track of the downloads in real time. Firefox celebrated 50 million downloads just 6 months back and with the release of Firefox 1.5 Beta 2. Additionally the Firefox 2/3 roadmap also looks promising."

Native American Knowledge

2005-10-16T23:59:00.000-04:00

Ok so on Saturday me and Hope decide that we are gonna be chillin down in DC gettin our cultural learning on at the Native American museum. When we got off the Metro, it became obvious that something big was goin on....oh yeah! The Million More Movement! Wow, has it been 10 years since the Million Man march already? I guess so. So anyways, this event is supposed to be even bigger. We decided to pass through and check it out. Trust me, there were thousands. Erykah Badu and Russell Simmons were among the stars to speak and that we heard. Not a bad lil outing despite the massive crowding.

Sweet touch screen technology in the museum! (Thunderbird and Whale totem)

Wall of artistic pieces - I love this stuff

"Coiled Dragons" : Guns were good for trading, bad for killing innocent Natives...

Mad Scientist Vol 1: MouseBot

2005-10-16T22:55:00.000-04:00

Well for those who know much about me, I'm a nerd. I've been a nerd ever since I could remember. But at least I'm a good looking nerd LOL Anyhoo, I heard about this new magazine called Make and its basically for all those amateurs out there who love tinkering around with gadgets and whatnot and building things for themselves. I am one of those people. I was an aerospace engineering major for 2 years and even though I hated most of the curriculum, I enjoyed ENES101 which me and a team built a wind powered water pump. Those were the days...ah the freshman yearness...anyhow, I'm starting to relive my dormant passions through this magazine, with the help of one of the smartest dudes I know! Thanks DS (scientist at NIH actually). So here are some pics from last week's "Mad Scientist" installment.

We are trying to make a light sensing robot...not too complicated, especially after all my knowledge on robotics and circuitry came back to me.

MouseBot body (aint it cute??)

MouseBot body pose (sodering iron, breadboard, his cameo in Make Magazine article)

More work area shots...MouseBot is getting wheels here...yes that is an eraser being used as a wheel...

Btw..Hot Zone was an awesome book..muahahahahha we're doomed!

B.L.A.H.

2005-10-11T23:05:00.000-04:00

this blog is pictureless because of my mood

Ever feel just tired of things? Sometimes you will be sitting, chilling at home and you just don't want to deal with something (or someone). That could be a bad thing sometimes, but I just can't help it. Like you know you have to put away clothes from the dryer but the pile just sits there for days until the next time you have to do laundry....or when you want to wear a piece of clothing from "the pile" its all wrinkled. So in that instance, its a double fold pissing off. Pissed off because its wrinkled and then pissed off again for knowing that you should have put these clothes away the day of laundry.

On another rant and rave...I need money. Like I said in a previous financially gloomed post, my job doesnt pay regularly. Yes, most NORMAL places pay on the first and 14th or something like that. My job still pays twice a month whenever they feel like it. For some reason I always feel a steady separation between those who have too much...I mean, who are higher up in the company and those who...aren't. I don't like that feeling.

Joke Time

2005-10-09T22:10:00.000-04:00

This is a story about a couple who had been happily married for years.
The only friction in their marriage was the husband's habit of farting
loudly every morning when he awoke. The noise would wake his wife and
the
smell would make her eyes water and make her gasp for air. Every
morning she would plead with him to stop ripping them off because it
was
making her sick. He told her he couldn't stop it and that it was
perfectly
natural. She told him to see a doctor; she was concerned
that one day he would blow his guts out.

The years went by and he continued to rip them out! Then one
Thanksgiving
morning as she was preparing the turkey for dinner and he was upstairs
sound asleep, she looked at the bowl where she had put
the turkey innards and neck, gizzard, liver and all the spare parts
and a
malicious thought came to her.
She took the bowl and went upstairs where her husband was sound asleep
and, gently pulling back the bed covers, she pulled back the elastic
waistband of his underpants and emptied the bowl of turkey guts into
his shorts. Some time later she heard her husband waken with his usual
trumpeting which was followed by a blood curdling scream and the sound
of
frantic footsteps as he ran into the bathroom. The wife could
hardly control herself as she rolled on the floor laughing, tears in
her
eyes!
After years of torture she reckoned she had got him back pretty good.
About twenty minutes later, her husband came downstairs in his
bloodstained underpants with a look of horror on his face. She bit her
lip
as she aske d him what was the matter.
He said, "Honey, you were right. All these years you have warned me
and I
didn't listen to you."
"What do you mean?" asked his wife.
"Well, you always told me that one day I would end up farting my guts
out, and today it finally happened.
But by the grace of God, some Vaseline, and these two fingers, I
think I
got most of them back in.

Don't Even Mess Foo

2005-10-06T23:18:00.000-04:00

Ok so...I'm a Smallville fan....

The theme song gets me hyped and I've been hooked ever since it started...cept the time when I didn't see any of Season 3...

So those are my two favorite shows folks...Lost and Smallville. And eaaaach week, I get giggly and googly eyed when Wednesday/Thursday roll around. And I make sure I have no plans at the times when my shows come on foo!!

"Wanna go to the movies on Wednesday man? The show starts at 7 30 and ends at...what do you mean you can't?"

That's how it goes. And yes, the picture is quite silly.

Don't mess.

Kickbuttology

2005-10-06T22:36:00.000-04:00

Yeah I'm talkin to you!

Look at this sexy beast.

He thinks that just because he goes to the gym now, that he can pose and take pictures of himself flexing muscles.

Alot of people don't understand me when I take on goals for myself. Especially at this point in my life. The me of 3 years ago would have never been at this point.

Change is good sometimes.

But that is NOTHING compared to this running machine right here!!

Oh snap! LW is KILLIN that treadmill!

Look at her go!!!!!

Cue Evil Laughter Now

2005-10-04T17:11:00.000-04:00

Man oh man...the thing that puts a smile on my face...so check this out, my boy Peter Jackson I guess you could say is one successful director these days. After the epic Lord of the Rings trilogy...the dude basically can retire and his children as well. What could be next for this sloppy dressed, messy haired millionaire? Hmm, does the sound of gun fire, aliens screaming in horror and massive explosions catch your fancy? Well feast your eyes on the next project of King PJ himself...

Don't Laugh...That's Neo Talking to you in your Head

2005-09-27T13:51:00.000-04:00

Ever notice that there are more and more self checkout lines at grocery stores these days? Particularly Giant and Safeway? yeah. Ever hear about the robots that are being built in Japan that talk and even almost look human? yeah. Mechwarrior robots in the works? yeah. Still think I'm crazy for shouting "The Matrix is Coming! The Matrix is Coming!"???

It gets even better.

Thats right...soon they will be able to control us from the INSIDE - freakin Nanotechnology is upon us!!

Now yeah I know, I know, I'm a crazy sci fi lunatic. But mark my words people...that night after a hearty helping of a Taco Bell value meal...and you have a tingly sensation while you are laying the smackdown on the toilet? Yeah...they will be robots in your poop!!!

SOYLENT GREEN IS MADE OF PEOPLE!!!!!! ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Sending out an SOS!

2005-09-26T13:57:00.000-04:00

Ok, so it seems like I have joined the millions of people across the world who have fallen in love with the show on ABC called "Lost".

2 words. Frickin Awesome.

Those 2 words describe this series. It blows my MIND how genius this whole thing is!! The intricate plots, the twists and the turns...good grief!! I LOVE THIS SHOW!!

Before the second season recently started, I was talking to my roomate and he seemed like he had just finished drinking 10 bottles of Pepsi the night before the new season would start. I told him that I never got into the show and although it looked interesting, I just didnt make the time to watch. After staring at me for like a solid minute as though he had seen a ghost, he proceded to yell "WHAAAAAAT???" Shortly thereafter, I was convinced that I needed to see this show. I then went to Blockbuster and rented it, watching it with Hope. We are both freakin hooked. I need to rent 2 more cd's which is probably about 8 more eps before I get caught up with the new season. I want to stay up all night if I could and just watch the rest...but alas, I am no longer in college and the working world strongly recommends me to go to work on time. If you have NOT seen this show....you are most assuredly just like the people on the island....LOST

Get to Blockbuster you PHOOL!

Can These People Get a Break?

2005-09-23T14:34:00.000-04:00

New Orleans Relives Flooding Nightmare

NEW ORLEANS Sep 23, 2005 — Hurricane Rita's steady rains sent water pouring through breaches in a patched levee Friday, cascading into one of the city's lowest-lying neighborhoods in a devastating repeat of New Orleans' flooding nightmare.
"Our worst fears came true," said Maj. Barry Guidry of the Georgia National Guard.
"We have three significant breaches in the levee and the water is rising rapidly," he said. "At daybreak I found substantial breaks and they've grown larger."

Dozens of blocks in the Ninth Ward were under water as a waterfall at least 30 feet wide poured over and through a dike that had been used to patch breaks in the Industrial Canal levee. On the street that runs parallel to the canal, the water ran waist-deep and was rising fast. Guidry said water was rising about three inches a minute.
The impoverished neighborhood was one of the areas of the city hit hardest by Katrina's floodwaters and finally had been pumped dry before Hurricane Rita struck.
A spokeswoman for Mayor Ray Nagin said officials believed the neighborhood had been cleared of residents. But throughout Friday, water began rising again onto what remained buckled homes, piles of rubble and mud-caked cars that Katrina had covered with up to 20 feet of water.
Refugees from the Lower Ninth Ward were housed at the Progressive Baptist church in Lafayette. They were watching the TV news as the canal levee was breached again, flooding their neighborhood anew.
"It's like looking at a murder," Quentrell Jefferson said. "The first time is bad. After that, you numb up."
Forecasters say anywhere from 3 to 5 inches of rain could fall in New Orleans as Rita passes Friday and Saturday, dangerously close to the 6 inches of rain that Corps officials say the patched levees can withstand.
Another concern is the storm surge accompanying Rita, which could send water rising as much as 3 to 5 feet above high tide.
Already Friday morning, a steady 20 mph wind, with gusts to 35 mph, was blowing, along with steady rains.
-----------------------------------------------------

It's almost like nature is purging the state of something....

Mmmm...The Smell of Sanitation

2005-09-23T13:25:00.000-04:00

Wow, has this been the week of utter mediocre hell or what? Well, after the whole weekend with my brother in law passing it seemed fitting that the week was poised to get better, or at least BE better than the previous. Holy ridiculous thinking Batman! I was wrong! So this project at my job has been driving me insane without any rest. As of right now though, I think I'm on top of it...rather than it being behind me, having a good ole time (sigh)

And then Tuesday...oh Tuesday. Ok so, this would be the day where I thought I was going to leave the Earth and die. I wake up with a sharp pain in my stomach due to gas I think (I know you wanted to hear that one)...thanks Mom for making that food!! Anyway, I run like crazy to the bathroom cuz I feel like my appendix is going to burst and then outta nowhere, I hit the floor of my bathroom and smack my head into the porcelain furnishing right in front of the shower. My head was spinning and I couldnt move..no seriously...I could NOT MOVE. For some reason, the Knight Rider theme song began playing in my head as I contemplated having my body found in the bathroom all alone. Not cool! Long story short, I spend the day in the ER, everything checks out and I am told to take better care of myself and to get out of the bed slower next time. How much do we pay doctors again? Thanks.

Oh yeah, needles hurt. Especially when the nurse sticks you with it 5 times trying to find a vein.

Rest in Peace

2005-09-16T09:41:00.000-04:00

Death in the family is never a good thing. Today I am attending my very first funeral...and to some that may be astonishing as I am 23 years old. I guess it's time for me to be up close and personal with a very real event in the life cycle. To tell you the truth, my first wedding I was in was 2 years ago! Seems like I am learning quickly. The person who passed away is my brother in law. My sister is pretty sad and upset about everything, even though they were seperated for a while. But still, holy matrimony is no small ideal. Add to the fact that he died before she could come visit him, you can now see where alot of regret will stem from. The thing I a bit nervous about is how I will react and feel. I mean, here is a guy that I've seen many times. Talked to. Played Playstation with. And now he is gone...very weird. The first person in my life who I knew personally that has died. Other than my grandmother but I was 4 years old. Even though I am a documentary media type person, I love taking pictures and then writing about how I feel and what I see...for some reason, today just doesn't seem right to be capturing the moment on film. I will keep it on the reel of my mind...to keep it real in my mind.

R.IP. Jermel Barnett. He will be survived by his wife and two daughters.

Spiffy Time Weekend

2005-09-10T01:47:00.000-04:00

Woohoo! Another opportunity for me to wear a suit this weekend! For anyone who cares, it's my aunt's birthday bash weekend and I get to show off. Pictures to come soon after the weekend.

Speaking of occaisions to wear my suit, I can't believe that I have been to like 4 weddings this summer. And it also dawns on me, all my friends are married...well like at least most of them are. Am I missing something here? I feel so aloooone! Oh well, time for some new friends I guess! lol

It's RPT!!! (Random Photography Time) - Cherry Blossom Festival 2005 - taken by yours truly.

PFBlog.com - Common Cents - Proud Member of The Personal Finance Blogger's Network

2005-09-07T19:07:00.000-04:00

PFBlog.com - Common Cents - Proud Member of The Personal Finance Blogger's Network

Can't blame a brotha for trying to pursue 1 million dollars! After all, he is a Microsoft employee. I have come to think that I am becoming obsessed with money. In the way that I want to make FULL use of it the best way I can. With investing, correct money management and just having alot. Seriously. I want money and I want to make it so that I can take care of myself and my family and be able to do the things I want. Yay for aspirations.

Monetary Nightmare

2005-09-07T18:48:00.000-04:00

And so begins my journey into relative poverty...it seems like I haven't gotten paid for three weeks...oh wait, maybe because thats TRUE! My silly job does not have a regular timetable in which they pay their employees. Sometimes it's 2 weeks, sometimes its 2.5 weeks and now it's looking like 3 weeks is the longest stretch of time before next paycheck. Unfortunately for yours truly, I have been paying off certain bills from a past life as well paying my car note and rent. All large chunks of money that apparently have left me with a not so good dependency on my credit cards. If she was here, Suze Orman would kick my tail for my frivolous spending and lack of responsibility when it came to spending money and not saving. My deepest apologies Suze. Unfortunately, the person who is doing the suffering is me. So ladies and gentlemen, it has occurred to me that it is time to enter semi-hermit mode. That's right, semi hermit mode. A quarter there, a dime here...it all adds up maaaaaan! Time to make full use of my EasyMac stash (yes I know Shannon, it's full ofGod awful ingredients such as eye of newt and ankle bone of kangaroo) but hey! I gotta eat right?? It has also dawned on me that credit cards are too easy to use. No cash? Use credit! A simple flick of the wrist, a silent whoosh and bada bing, you have what you wan...err need! yeah need. I need to go into rehab...

Kanye West: Soon to Be New Target of Federal Govt

2005-09-06T22:04:00.000-04:00

Kanye West's Torrent of Criticism, Live on NBC

By Lisa de MoraesSaturday, September 3, 2005; Page C01

Why We Love Live Television, Reason No. 137:

NBC's levee broke and Kanye West flooded through with a tear about the federal response in New Orleans during the network's live concert fundraiser for victims of Hurricane Katrina last night.

The rapper was among the celebs and singers participating in the one-hour special, produced by NBC News and run on the NBC broadcast network, as well as MSNBC and CNBC, because, hey, the numbers couldn't be any worse than usual on a Friday night and hopefully they'd raise a chunk of change for a good cause, the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
Among the performers, Faith Hill sang "There Will Come a Time," which included the lyrics, "The darkness will be gone, the weak shall be strong. Hold on to your faith." Aaron Neville performed Randy Newman's "Louisiana 1927" with its chorus: "They're trying to wash us away, they're trying to wash us away."
West was not scheduled to perform; he was one of the blah, blah, blahers, who would read from scripts prepared by the network about the impact of Katrina on southern Louisiana and Mississippi.
West and Mike Myers had been paired up to appear about halfway through the show. Their assignment: Take turns reading a script describing the breach in the levees around New Orleans.
Myers: The landscape of the city has changed dramatically, tragically and perhaps irreversibly. There is now over 25 feet of water where there was once city streets and thriving neighborhoods.
(Myers throws to West, who looked extremely nervous in his super-preppy designer rugby shirt and white pants, which is not like the arrogant West and which, in retrospect, should have been a tip-off.)
West: I hate the way they portray us in the media. You see a black family, it says, "They're looting." You see a white family, it says, "They're looking for food." And, you know, it's been five days [waiting for federal help] because most of the people are black. And even for me to complain about it, I would be a hypocrite because I've tried to turn away from the TV because it's too hard to watch. I've even been shopping before even giving a donation, so now I'm calling my business manager right now to see what is the biggest amount I can give, and just to imagine if I was down there, and those are my people down there. So anybody out there that wants to do anything that we can help -- with the way America is set up to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off, as slow as possible. I mean, the Red Cross is doing everything they can. We already realize a lot of people that could help are at war right now, fighting another way -- and they've given them permission to go down and shoot us!
(West throws back to Myers, who is looking like a guy who stopped on the tarmac to tie his shoe and got hit in the back with the 8:30 to La Guardia.)
Myers: And subtle, but in many ways even more profoundly devastating, is the lasting damage to the survivors' will to rebuild and remain in the area. The destruction of the spirit of the people of southern Louisiana and Mississippi may end up being the most tragic loss of all.
(And, because Myers is apparently as dumb as his Alfalfa hair, he throws it back to West.)
West: George Bush doesn't care about black people!
(Back to Myers, now looking like the 8:30 to La Guardia turned around and caught him square between the eyes.)
Myers: Please call . . .
At which point someone at NBC News finally regained control of the joystick and cut over to Chris Tucker, who started right in with more scripted blah, blah, blah.
"Tonight's telecast was a live television event wrought with emotion," parent company NBC Universal said in a statement issued to the Reporters Who Cover Television after the broadcast.
"Kanye West departed from the scripted comments that were prepared for him, and his opinions in no way represent the views of the networks. It would be most unfortunate if the efforts of the artists who participated tonight and the generosity of millions of Americans who are helping those in need are overshadowed by one person's opinion."
West's comments would be cut from the West Coast feed, an NBC spokeswoman told The TV Column. (The Associated Press later reported that only his comment about the president was edited out.) The show was live on the East Coast with a several-second delay; someone with his finger on a button was keeping an ear peeled in case someone uttered an obscenity but did not realize that West had gone off-script, the spokeswoman said

Why is it always me?

2005-09-06T21:43:00.000-04:00

You know what? I just came in from passing out at my mother's house because I'm not feeling so well. For those that do not know my situation for housing, I am living in a this cramped up rowhouse community where there is only one designated space for parking. My roomate and I set it up so that whoever comes home last gets the reserved spot. Now I come home and a car is in the reserved spot. This is not the first time this has happened mind you, but this time I am truly pissed off. My roomate is having his house remodeled. Did he mention to say that there would be days of remodeling, guys using my exclusive bathroom, making a mess of it and always down in the den area where I was supposed to be able to relax in? NO. Its nearly 10 at night and there is a guy working and drilling on the kitchen upstairs. Guess where the bastard parked? Yes, in the reserved space. I am so outraged right now because its a continuous set of #$#! that goes on around here. Especially after my car got vandalized in this retarded community. I am done. The guy talks like a baby too, one of those speech impediments. Can't stand him now so I can talk ish...I just wish I would have better luck with living situations dagone it!!! I have some prospects now...oh well if I lose my security deposite. This is insane. When you dont look forward to coming to your own place. I just want to punch something right now, the back of my neck has been hot for like an hour....the guy in the picture is who I want to be right now...

Survival Of The Fittest?

2005-09-02T23:59:00.000-04:00

These people are awesome.

http://www.livejournal.com/users/interdictor/

Vacation is Over

2005-09-02T23:43:00.000-04:00

Vacation is over: A letter to Bush from Michael Moore

For those of you who don't remember this is the guy who wrote Farenheit 911.
Friday, September 2nd, 2005

Dear Mr. Bush:

Any idea where all our helicopters are? It's Day 5 of Hurricane Katrina and thousands remain stranded in -->-->-->New Orleans-->--> and need to be airlifted. Where on earth could you have misplaced all our military choppers? Do you need help finding them? I once lost my car in a Sears parking lot. Man, was that a drag. Also, any idea where all our national guard soldiers are? We could really use them right now for the type of thing they signed up to do like helping with national disasters. How come they weren't there to begin with? Last Thursday I was in south -->-->Florida-->--> and sat outside while the eye of Hurricane Katrina passed over my head. It was only a Category 1 then but it was pretty nasty. Eleven people died and, as of today, there were still homes without power. That night the weatherman said this storm was on its way to -->-->New Orleans-->-->. That was Thursday! Did anybody tell you? I know you didn't want to interrupt your vacation and I know how you don't like to get bad news. Plus, you had fundraisers to go to and mothers of dead soldiers to ignore and smear. You sure showed her!
-->--> -->
I especially like how, the day after the hurricane, instead of flying to -->Louisiana-->, you flew to -->-->San Diego-->--> to party with your business peeps. Don't let people criticize you for this -- after all, the hurricane was over and what the heck could you do, put your finger in the dike?
--> -->
And don't listen to those who, in the coming days, will reveal how you specifically reduced the Army Corps of Engineers' budget for -->-->New Orleans-->--> this summer for the third year in a row. You just tell them that even if you hadn't cut the money to fix those levees, there weren't going to be any Army engineers to fix them anyway because you had a much more important construction job for them -- BUILDING DEMOCRACY IN IRAQ!
--> -->
On Day 3, when you finally left your vacation home, I have to say I was moved by how you had your Air Force One pilot descend from the clouds as you flew over -->-->New Orleans-->--> so you could catch a quick look of the disaster. Hey, I know you couldn't stop and grab a bullhorn and stand on some rubble and act like a commander in chief. Been there done that.
--> -->
There will be those who will try to politicize this tragedy and try to use it against you. Just have your people keep pointing that out. Respond to nothing. Even those pesky scientists who predicted this would happen because the water in the -->Gulf of Mexico--> is getting hotter and hotter making a storm like this inevitable. Ignore them and all their global warming Chicken Littles. There is nothing unusual about a hurricane that was so wide it would be like having one F-4 tornado that stretched from -->New York--> to -->-->Cleveland-->-->.
--> -->
No, Mr. Bush, you just stay the course. It's not your fault that 30 percent of -->-->New Orleans-->--> lives in poverty or that tens of thousands had no transportation to get out of town. C'mon, they're black! I mean, it's not like this happened to -->-->Kennebunkport-->-->. Can you imagine leaving white people on their roofs for five days? Don't make me laugh! Race has nothing -- NOTHING -- to do with this!

You hang there, Mr. Bush. Just try to find a few of our Army helicopters and send them there. Pretend the people of -->New Orleans and the -->-->Gulf--> -->Coast-->--> are near Tikrit.
Yours,

Michael MooreMMFlint@aol.com www.MichaelMoore.com

In The Face of Natural Disaster

2005-09-02T23:22:00.000-04:00

Bush: Katrina Response 'Not Acceptable'

By JENNIFER LOVEN The Associated PressFriday, September 2, 2005; 11:09 PM

NEW ORLEANS -- Scorched by criticism about sluggish federal help, President Bush acknowledged the government's failure to stop lawlessness and help desperate people in New Orleans. "The results are not acceptable," Bush said Friday in the face of mounting complaints from Republicans and Democrats alike.

Now is it just me or does that burn you up? Why do you THINK Bush is facing mounting complaints??? Its freakin friday and this whole mess is still out of control. All you have to do is look at the faces on these people....hell, look at the PEOPLE themselves! The sheer amount is staggering to the thought. I heard that the soldiers are only giving them one bottle of water and MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) per person! Um...how about if you are already badly dehydrated? Isnt that water going to disappear within a few minutes? My prayers go out to these people...

Check the next entry for a very interesting post from our good friend Michael Moore aka Mr. Farenheit 9/11

Out with the Old and In with the New

2005-08-27T04:02:00.000-04:00

Although it has been a while, I thought I would take some time to pour out a little liquor for my fallen automobile...The Green Machine. 1994 Ford Tempo. Rest in Peace. So now...

In with the freakin new!!! 2005 Lapis Blue Mazda6s. Don't hate. Appreciate.

Welcome Back Me

2005-08-27T03:55:00.000-04:00

So many changes go on in a young man's life during the early twenties. I'm convinced of that. Especially for young men who are trying to find direction and focus for their lives. That would be me...yeah me. I think the reason I am going to keep up with this blog now is to just document my thoughts and ideas about circumstances I'm in and if I will either sink or swim.

2005-03-04T15:55:00.000-05:00

Now this is a picture from the snow we had at the beginning of the year. This is the kind of snow that we still need to have! So what if its already March? Its still cold...isnt it? I know I'm not the only one breaking out the chapstick every 5 minutes. Ok, well I probably am but its still cold out! Can I get some kind of kudos on my artistic portrayal?? I tried yall, I tried.

Winter Wimpyland

2005-02-28T15:03:00.000-05:00

Hmmm...these are one of the reasons why High School was so fun. School closings. Another day here in the Montgomery Co./PG County area and schools are closed again!! Schools have been closed since last Thursday and the snow has been nothing short of a major disappointment. SIX TO EIGHT INCHES they told us and I am looking outside now and seeing uber wimpy flakes of chilly water. Not only has this been a disappointing winter with regards to the amount of snowstorms but the "snow storms" have been less powerful than my Ford Tempo going uphill! Anyhow, I would like to thank Westat for sponsoring my increased growth and knowledge of data analysis! Awesome company and I am definitely glad I got an internship there.

Where tha snow at??