Thorpe's Thoughts!

20 Ways to Spice Up Your Next Date Night

2009-10-07T13:47:00.001-04:00

20 Ways to Spice Up Your Next Date Night

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WPGC - Indonesian Woman Gives Birth To 19 Pound Baby

2009-09-24T09:34:00.001-04:00

WPGC - Indonesian Woman Gives Birth To 19 Pound Baby

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Do I get the shot H1N1 shot or not?

2009-09-15T19:53:00.002-04:00

Ok, I really do not know what to do! I am not really worried about myself but I am super concerned about my kids. I really don’t know what to believe.

If you don't get the shot, what are the chances that you'll get sick? My kids always get a cold or the flu every winter. My daughter has Asthma and her colds can be really bad meaning an Asthma attack is on the way and here comes an Emergency Room visit. Of course my greatest fear is what if I do not get them the shot and they die? I know that is the worst case but hell I have to think about it. I know I could not live with that guilt.

If you do get the shot, will the vaccine be safe and effective? Ok, we are telling almost everybody to go get this shot. This is still a fairly new virus and we have not really researched this very long. What if this shot has some really bad side effects in the long run?

Swine flu, or H1N1, is already present in the area and probably will infect greater numbers of people as the weather turns cooler.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last week that 8,843 people have been hospitalized nationwide by the disease. The number of U.S. deaths stands at 556, the CDC said.

The World Health Organization describes the H1N1 virus as the dominant flu strain in most parts of the world. And it has said that it produces a "mild illness" in most patients.

So are you going to get the shot for yourself and your kids?

Do you have a fake Pastor?

2009-09-05T18:21:00.000-04:00

I know I may be walking on thin ice on this one but what the hell. I had a conversation last night over dinner with a family we use to go to church with. He is a Pastor and I like him and I think he is honest. However we talked about the bad Pastors and so I feel I should say how I feel about this matter. Don’t get me wrong. I am no saint and have no desire to become a Pastor however I do believe you should not play with God. Here are three things that might help you tell if your Pastor is suspect!

Beware when your pastor ...
1. Is overly concerned about remuneration and his own life style instead of his preaching.
Is your Pastor more concerned about feeding themselves instead of feeding their sheep? I know the church is to give the pastor a livable wage or salary, and they are to even give him "double honor" if he ministers well, and the pastor is to live of the gospel. But when the balance becomes too great towards "feathering his own nest" instead of tending to his charge, then the pastor is not what he is supposed to be.

Beware when your pastor ...
2. Drives away people instead of gathering them.
What is a bad sign is when the pastor delights or accepts driving people away when there is no need to do so. For example, the pastor is sarcastic or bitter or sharp with his words when he could have said the same thing in a different way and not offend. The offense must always be between the individual and God, not the pastor and the individual. The pastor shows them God's word and they may get offended or repent and follow God's will.

Beware when your pastor's ...
3. Leadership style is marked with cruelty and force.
"Force" here means excessive force. "Cruelty" means to break apart, to break down ones spirit. The idea is that the bad pastor is somebody who gets his will done no matter what. He is very forceful, and reserves all right for himself. Seldom is he ever wrong (in his own eyes), and even when he is wrong, he will ignore it and wants all others to ignore his errors, adhering absolute loyalty to his "always right" way.

First Date Rules!

2009-08-29T21:17:00.002-04:00

First Date Rules
1. DO talk about religion and politics.
I don't mind taking about religion or politics, I think it's interesting and a good way to learn about someone. If it turns into an argument or you really disagree with each other, no biggie, you can move on. I think most rational adults should be able to have a casual conversation on these topics without getting too heated. You may also find out if you are dating a NUT!

Don't sidestep potentially touchy subjects — a chat about the day's biggest headlines can lead to a passionate discussion or a fired-up debate, both of which can make sparks fly. (Can we say heated sex!) And what better way to show off your smarts? If you feel like you're getting into dangerous territory, propose that you agree to disagree ... and continue the discussion on date #2. (If there is one)

2. DON'T talk about your ex.
Talking about your ex-boyfriends or girlfriends ...it will kill any chances of a second date.
Airing your dirty laundry will only make you seem insecure at best ... petty and a little crazy at worst.

3. DO keep it present-tense.
Just talk about what you're doing now, what you're looking forward to, and what your goals are for the future.

Don't dwell on the past! Talk about what excites you about the future, whether it's next weekend's movie release or your long-term career plans. Everyone has a past, but focusing on the future makes you seem like a positive, happy person — an instant draw when you're chatting up someone you're interested in.

4. DON'T just talk — listen.
Express interest and curiosity in what the other person has to say. Treat him/her as though he/she is someone with whom you'd like to be a good friend. The bonus? This gives you a great deal of information. If you expend a great deal of time, effort, and attention getting to know this person, and it does little or nothing for you, then it probably won't do a whole lot for you down the line.

39 Ways to Make Your Love Last and Last (For the women)

2009-08-27T16:01:00.001-04:00

1. Fight (a little). Getting your grrs out keeps small annoyances from snowballing.

2. Walk hand in hand. Even just to your car after an evening at Waffle House.

3. Compliment each other. This one's a daily to-do, if you can. There's no nice thing that's too small to mention: his excellent taste in music, the way he always opens the door for you — it's all worth a verbal love tap. And he will swoon.

4. Make love (obviously). But also ...

5. Have generous sex. You need at least one sexual connection a week that's all about pleasing the other person. (Dear busy people: Feel free to multitask and make this the sex from before. Same goes for this next one ...)

6. Sleep together before work. Put down the straightening iron and heat things up this way: "Weekday morning sex is the secret sauce in a relationship,"

7. Get into bed and ... sleep. "Sometimes the best thing a couple can do to ignite their passion for each other is sleep,"

8. Let something go. Argue over the stuff that matters, but once a week let him (and yourself) off the hook for things that don't: Yes, he chews his popcorn loud. No, it won't kill you.

9. Laugh really hard. Laughter is a relationship's Krazy Glue: It bonds you. Uninspired? Fast-forward to the chest-waxing scene in The 40-Year-Old Virgin

... Once a Month

10. Be do-gooders. Volunteering together (even just helping a friend move) bonds you because you're ID-ing

11. Do something scary. Been together a while? A pounding heart mimics the rush of brand-new love

12. Talk about money. Whether it's "Should we open a joint account?" or just, "Hey, let's split the bill tonight."

13. Brag publicly about him: his fearless pursuit of the mouse in your kitchen, the armful of hydrangeas he surprised you with, the raise he landed even in this economy. Surely once a month you can think of something that'll make him blush in front of your friends. He'll probably get you back too.

14. Declare something "this stays in Vegas." A silly nickname, or a crazy bedroom mishap. Share something intimate, then pull the couple bubble around you tightly.

15. Be the man. Not literally, but if your guy always initiates dates, romance, whatever, take the lead for once.

16. Disappear together. Hike somewhere AT&T can't find you (and thus your mother, your boss and his needy friend Bob can't find you either). No woods? Any time spent totally alone together — a long drive, even — will do the trick.

17. Disappear alone. We're not advocating game-playing, exactly. But in this world of 24/7 availability, it can be good for your relationship to each have some solo time. Afterward, you'll feel recharged, like the free-spirited single girl he fell for once upon a time.

18. Go to a party! And mingle separately. It screams confidence and makes the after-party rehash even sweeter.

19. Have sex some way you've never had it before. A worthy challenge, whether you've been together 10 days or 10 years. Try a new position or play out a fantasy. Doesn't matter whether it's really new to you, as long as it's new to you as a couple.

... Once a Year

20. Build a doghouse. Or restore a Firebird.

21. Now get the dog. Or at least a plant. Anything that'll grow with your love.

22. Say the tough thing. The dark family secret. The crazy career dream. If you can't confess to your significant other, then who? (Hey, you think Barack never said to Michelle way back when, "This may sound nuts, but I think I want to be president someday"?)

23. Cancel Valentine's Day and invent your own lovey-dovey holiday. Lobsterfest 2009, anyone?

24. Fall apart. You can't schedule this. But it's important that you each know, via experience, that you can completely, utterly lose your grip — weep over a bad haircut, threaten to leave your job after a nutso day, have a wrenching fight with your mom — and not lose each other.

25. Don't. Get. Up. At least once a year, break open some bubbly, disable the Wi-Fi, and don't get out of bed for the weekend.

26. Take him to a game. Enough said!

27. Re-kiss your first kiss. All timid and hopeful ... and wonderful.

28. Write each other. A love note

29. Think back on all the reasons you fell for him, whether you've dated for a year or a decade. Some will be big (his extra-dry sense of humor); some will be small (his love of argyle). Make sure you tell him, and remind yourself. Hello, butterflies! There you are again.

... And Once In a Lifetime

30. Get lost together in a foreign country.

31. Damn the cost and go do the dream.

32. Get intimate someplace you might be discovered.

33. Suffer through food poisoning together.

34. Go to each other's "fun" high school reunions.

35. Pay off the mortgage!

36. Come back from the brink of a breakup even stronger.

37. Together, convince a skeptic pal to believe in love.

38. Have a poor phase. Maybe a rich phase, too.

39. Count the stars. Know your love is one in a billion

I'm Backkkkkkkk!

2009-07-22T16:13:00.002-04:00

well it's about time to get back to the blog I have started. I have alot on my mind and I am ready to type it out. Stay tuned because I am trying to think where to start!

Well that did not take long!

2008-06-25T14:42:00.002-04:00

JERUSALEM - Palestinian militants fired three homemade rockets into southern Israel on Tuesday, threatening to unravel a cease-fire days after it began, and Israel responded by closing vital border crossings into Gaza.
Despite what it called a "gross violation" of the truce, Israel refrained from military action and said it would send an envoy soon to Egypt to work on the next stage of a broader cease-fire agreement: a prisoner swap that would bring home an Israeli soldier held by Hamas for more than two years.
Hamas, the militant Islamic group that rules Gaza, promised to rein in the Iran- and Syria-backed faction that carried out the rocket attacks and pledged to remain committed to the truce that went into effect June 19 and urged restraint by all sides.
The fact that the cease-fire held up despite the severe strain was an indication that both sides had a lot at stake in the negotiations for a broader agreement. Hamas wants to show it can break the Israeli blockade and provide much-needed relief to Gaza's beleaguered residents, while Israel wants to stop the daily rocket fire that has disrupted the lives of thousands of its citizens.
The midafternoon barrage, which slightly wounded two people, capped a day of violence that presented the truce with its first serious test. Just before midnight, Palestinian militants fired a mortar shell into an empty area in southern Israel. And in a pre-dawn raid, Israeli troops killed two Palestinians, one of them an Islamic Jihad area commander, in the West Bank city of Nablus.
Islamic Jihad, a militant group backed by Syria and Iran, claimed responsibility for the rocket fire from Gaza. Although the West Bank is not included in the truce agreement, the group said the rockets were retaliation for the Nablus raid.
"We cannot keep our hands tied when this is happening to our brothers in the West Bank," the group said.
A neighbor said a Palestinian bystander was also shot to death by troops when he opened the door of his apartment during the raid. The Israeli military said the man was a militant killed during a gunbattle with troops.
Hamas accused Israel of provoking the rocket fire but moved quickly to lower tensions and said it would talk to Islamic Jihad to ensure quiet.
"We in Hamas are committed to the calm. We will talk and we will make sure that all of the factions are committed to the calm, too," said spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri.
Israeli government spokesman David Baker called the rocket fire "a gross violation of the calm."
Israel took no military action but late Tuesday decided to shut the crossings, cutting off shipments of basic supplies that had been increased as part of the truce deal, according to defense officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because the decision had not been made public. There was no word on when the crossings would be reopened.

Thieves take Jesus statue from church cross

2008-06-08T14:04:00.002-04:00

Now I know times are tough. I know alot of people are hurting for money. With that being said there are just some things that I KNOW I would not do. This is one of them!

Thieves who stole an 8-foot statue of Jesus Christ off a crucifix in Detroit may have been seeking copper to sell as scrap. Problem is, it's made of plaster.

The Rev. Barry Randolph said Wednesday that the statue at the Church of the Messiah is green and looks like copper, one of several metals coveted by thieves because of soaring scrap prices.
Thieves have damaged copper pipes and stolen aluminum gutters at the church over the past few months, said Donya Ray-Gregg, a member of the congregation, which over the years has dwindled from about 350 members to 50.

It's unclear when the statue was snatched. A parishioner noticed it missing Monday from its perch on the side of the church, 10 feet above the ground. A small piece of plaster was found nearby.

The church has made a public plea for help.
"It is so crazy," Randolph said. "It's been there for so long and was a symbol of hope to a lot of people in this neighborhood."

Police were investigating, but department spokesman James Tate said it was doubtful thieves had mistaken the plaster statue for copper.

"People who steal copper know what copper is and what it feels like," Tate said. "There is no way they would think a plaster statue is some type of metal."

Would you do this to your mom?

2008-05-20T20:33:00.004-04:00

I read this article today and I thought this was so sad. It was sad for many reasons. One that she lost her job and house but most of all her kids hae not come and gotten her out of this situation. Read it for yourself and let me know what you think.

Barbara Harvey climbs into the back of her small Honda sport utility vehicle and snuggles with her two golden retrievers, her head nestled on a pillow propped against the driver's seat.

A former loan processor, the 67-year-old mother of three grown children said she never thought she'd spend her golden years sleeping in her car in a parking lot.

"This is my bed, my dogs," she said. "This is my life in this car right now."
Harvey was forced into homelessness this year after being laid off. She said that three-quarters of her income went to paying rent in Santa Barbara, where the median house in the scenic oceanfront city costs more than $1 million. She lost her condo two months ago and had little savings as backup.

"It went to hell in a handbasket," she said. "I didn't think this would happen to me. It's just something that I don't think that people think is going to happen to them, is what it amounts to. It happens very quickly, too."

Harvey now works part time for $8 an hour, and she draws Social Security to help make ends meet. But she still cannot afford an apartment, and so every night she pulls into a gated parking lot to sleep in her car, along with other women who find themselves in a similar predicament.

There are 12 parking lots across Santa Barbara that have been set up to accommodate the growing middle-class homelessness. These lots are believed to be part of the first program of its kind in the United States, according to organizers.

The lots open at 7 p.m. and close at 7 a.m. and are run by New Beginnings Counseling Center, a homeless outreach organization.

It is illegal for people in California to sleep in their cars on streets. New Beginnings worked with the city to allow the parking lots as a safe place for the homeless to sleep in their vehicles without being harassed by people on the streets or ticketed by police.

Harvey stays at the city's only parking lot for women. "This is very safe, and that's why I feel very comfortable," she said.

Nancy Kapp, the New Beginnings parking lot coordinator, said the group began seeing a need for the lots in recent months as California's foreclosure crisis hit the city hard. She said a growing number of senior citizens, women and lower- and middle-class families live on the streets.

"You look around today, and there are so many," said Kapp, who was homeless with her young daughter two decades ago. "I see women sleeping on benches. It's heartbreaking."

She added, "The way the economy is going, it's just amazing the people that are becoming homeless. It's hit the middle class."

She and others with New Beginnings walk the streets looking for people and families sleeping in their cars. The workers inform them about the parking lot program.
New Beginnings screens people to make sure they won't cause trouble. No alcohol or drugs are allowed in the parking lots.

"What we are trying to do is we pull bad apples out, and we put good apples in the parking lots and really help people out," said Shaw Tolley, another coordinator with New Beginnings.
Most of the time, the lots are transition points. New Beginnings works with each person to try to find a more permanent housing solution.

"It saddens me when they live in their vehicles," Tolley said. "It is not the most ideal situation for senior citizens and families, but it is reality."
He added, "We need to engage this problem. This is reality."

John Quigley, an economics professor at the University of California-Berkeley, said the California housing crisis has left many middle-class families temporarily homeless or forced them to go to food banks to feed their families.

"Part of the reason why it's so painful in Santa Barbara is, there's so little in the way of alternative housing," Quigley said. "If there were alternative low and moderate housing and rental accommodations that were reasonably close by, you can imagine it wouldn't have this desperate look to it as people living in their cars."

At the only lot for women in Santa Barbara, it's a tough existence. There are no showers or running water. On the night CNN visited, a half-dozen women were in the parking lot before nightfall.

Linn Labou, 54, lives in her car with four cats. She used to be in the National Guard and is on a waiting list for government housing, but the wait is a year long.

"I went looking for family, but I couldn't get them to help me," she said.
As for Harvey, she begins each day by walking her two dogs before going to her part-time job. She leaves the dogs in her car with its windows cracked while she works.

100,000 Dead?

2008-05-09T21:14:00.002-04:00

I hear it and read about it but for some reason I can not wrap my mind around the fact that a storm could possibly kill this many people. I am a logical person. Sometimes maybe to logical I guess. I think about the hurricanes that hit the east coast of the US every year. You always hear of lots of homes that are damaged. Power will be out for a few days. You may hear of a handful of deaths.

Now you take this storm that hit Burma. In comparison it would have been a category 3 maybe 4 hurricane. This storm may at the end kill 100,000 people. Why? I can only assume that it is because of the infrastructure is so weak. The do not have homes and building that have codes like we do in the US. Maybe they have an extremely large amount of people that live close to the coast line. Regardless, that’s like a nuclear bomb hitting that country. How many children will die? You are talking about a generation or a couple of generations gone.

How to Raise a Happy Kid

2008-05-06T15:56:00.002-04:00

Five Steps to Lifelong JoyFortunately, it’s easier than you might think to begin instilling the inner qualities that lead to a lifetime of happiness. With patience and an open mind, the following five steps can help you lay the groundwork for your child:

Connect with others. More than any other single factor we can control, connection is the key to a happy childhood, and adulthood. Connection, in the form of unconditional love from an adult, helps foster self-confidence. Try to create an atmosphere at home in which your child feels cared for, welcomed, and treated fairly. Without that feeling, kids shy away from new things and experiences.

Foster a can-do attitude. This is one of the most reliable defenses against depression and despair at any age. Children watch and learn from how you deal with disappointment, be it in your career or at an athletic event or even just in being cut off in traffic. You can encourage competition, making sure that your child experiences both victory and defeat, and help her deal with each. You can use humor to deal with the pain, or bits of philosophy, or simply let your children see that you never give up.

Pretend and play. Unstructured play hones children’s imagination, teaches critical problem-solving skills, and trains them to tolerate frustration. It also helps children learn that doing things again and again leads to improvement. In fact, play is the most important “work” your child can do. Practice, as part of structured activity, trains children how to receive help and get the most from other adults, such as good teachers and coaches.

Create opportunities for mastery. With mastery comes confidence, leadership skills, initiative, and an enduring desire for hard work. It transforms a child (or an adult) from a reluctant, fearful learner into a motivated player. One of the great goals of parents, teachers, and coaches should be to find areas in which a child might experience mastery, then, make it possible for the child to feel this potent sensation. Once there, children want to go there again and again.

Provide recognition. The feeling of being valued by others (friends, family, community) is key. You can exert a tremendous positive influence through the recognition you offer. We adults too quickly forget how much it meant to us when we were young — it meant the world to us, and to children today it still does. Recognition in turn reinforces the sense of connection that all children need.

Why did he not just wait and speak!

2008-04-28T20:22:00.002-04:00

Today I am just so fustrated! I am upset on so many levels. I can not understand why this man would come out now and start as he states it "Defending the Black Church". If he was any type of friend to Barrack would he not have waited? We had a real chance for a black President. This is all it takes for other races to be confused and sterotype blacks in one group. I am sure Obama is red hot. This helps Hillary, it helps McCain, most of all it helps Rev. Wright! Now don't get me wrong. He does have a right to defend himself. He is right on several things he has said. He has been unfairly attacked. My point is there is a time and place to go on attack. This was not the time. What a selfish act!

Out of a tragedy comes some news that strengthens your faith.

2008-04-17T15:46:00.003-04:00

I am sure everyone has heard about the horrible plane crash in the Congo this week. Well a story from it gave me a lot to think about. This family was in Africa doing a missionaries trip and was on the plane. They survived the crash. So many people died. Why did they survive? Could it be that they were doing God’s work and their family was blessed because of it? I like to think so.
I have a friend who is on a missionary’s trip right now in Africa. This made me think of her. I know my prayers go out to her and her team. You may know of some people who are on missionary trips. Please say a prayer for them! Please read the article below. Also if you want to read about what organization my friend works for here is a link for you. http://www.impactmovement.com/

A missionary family from Minnesota is glad to be alive and together after surviving a plane crash in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the father said Wednesday.
Barry and Marybeth Mosier were on their way to visit their son Keith, 24, in Kinsangani, Congo, with two younger children when their plane crashed on takeoff Tuesday in Goma. More than 30 people died as the plane plowed through a market and burned.

April Mosier, 14, managed to escape quickly, her father said by phone from Goma.
"April raced ahead, and she got to the front of the plane as one of the first people, I think," said Barry Mosier, 53.

The girl encountered a man who was tearing through an opening in the fuselage, Mosier said.
"He was pulling parts of the plane in or pushing them out, trying to make a hole. And she told him -- she speaks Swahili well -- she said, 'We've got to get a hole in this plane or we're all going to die.' " Watch as Barry Mosier describes the chaos »
When the hole was big enough, April tried to dive through it. She made it with a push from the man, and other passengers followed, he said.

Don't MissAir Crash kills 33; one passenger among dead Meanwhile, Mosier said he and his wife were carrying their son Andrew, 3, forward in the shoving "mass of humanity" trying to escape the burning plane. They got out through the opening in the fuselage. The child's leg was broken in the crush of people, but his parents didn't realize it until later.
April became separated from her parents and was whisked away to a hospital, convinced her family was dead, her father said.

"Outside the plane she was wandering around. ... It was total chaos," he said. "People were screaming and yelling because the plane had landed on this market. All of a sudden out of the blue all of these people who were just standing there are now dead.

"So there's parts of bodies, and people burning, and people screaming and yelling, and she was out there by herself."
About 25 minutes later, the Mosiers were reunited at the hospital.

"When we saw each other at the hospital, I can tell you it was a grand reunion," he said.
The Mosiers, who have been Seventh-day Adventist missionaries in Iringa, Tanzania, for eight years, went to the church office in Goma to let Keith and other loved ones -- including two other grown children in the U.S. -- know they were all right.

While there, someone noticed Andrew's leg was swollen, and the Mosiers returned to the hospital. They learned that Andrew's femur was broken near the hip, and he is now in a cast that reaches from his toes to his rib cage, Barry Mosier said.
"He doesn't like it very well, as most 3-year-olds wouldn't," Mosier said.

The family will recuperate in Goma for a few days before deciding whether to resume the trip to Kisangani, where Keith Mosier has been a volunteer missionary for two months, Barry Mosier said.

"But flying here is not a popular thing to talk about just now," he said wryly.
Andrew has made up his mind, his father said.
"He says he doesn't want to ride in airplanes anymore," he said.
Marybeth Mosier, 51, suffered a black eye and bruised ribs, said her husband, who added that he was unhurt.

"We couldn't believe that our family of four could all escape a plane that was crashed and on fire, but by God's mercy we did," he said.
Mosier said he believes the family made it for a reason.
"I think the Lord has a plan for us, otherwise we wouldn't have survived," he said. "He still has work for us to do."

And that work just might be in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
"We actually came here with the idea of seeing if we could move here to Congo, so it's been kind of a rough introduction," Mosier said.
"I think we'll keep praying about that. We know that the safest place in the world to work is where the Lord wants you to work."

We better wake up!

2008-04-14T16:13:00.003-04:00

I read and watch CNN everyday like alot of people. I am sure that many government administrations have the same facts that we read each and everyday. How long do you have to read or hear the same thing before you take some kind of action. Poor people all over the world are tired of being poor for one but most of all they are tired that their families are starving! When people reach the point of despair there is a trickle down effect that will happen for sure. One is protests and riots, the second is crime. It's funny, usually when there is an increase in crime no one ties it to an increase to another problem.

I hope when you read the below article that it makes you think about where we are in this nation and around the world. We better learn to take care of one another and we better learn that when you you put capitalism above caring for the human race we are headed for some serious problems.

(CNN) -- Riots from Haiti to Bangladesh to Egypt over the soaring costs of basic foods have brought the issue to a boiling point and catapulted it to the forefront of the world's attention, the head of an agency focused on global development said Monday.

"The finance ministers were in shock, almost in panic this weekend," he said on CNN's "American Morning," in a reference to top economic officials who gathered in Washington. "There are riots all over the world in the poor countries ... and, of course, our own poor are feeling it in the United States."

World Bank President Robert Zoellick has said the surging costs could mean "seven lost years" in the fight against worldwide poverty.

"While many are worrying about filling their gas tanks, many others around the world are struggling to fill their stomachs, and it is getting more and more difficult every day," Zoellick said late last week in a speech opening meetings with finance ministers.

"In just two months," Zoellick said in his speech, "rice prices have skyrocketed to near historical levels, rising by around 75 percent globally and more in some markets, with more likely to come. In Bangladesh, a 2-kilogram bag of rice ... now consumes about half of the daily income of a poor family."

The price of wheat has jumped 120 percent in the past year, he said -- meaning that the price of a loaf of bread has more than doubled in places where the poor spend as much as 75 percent of their income on food.

Now here is a dumb idea!

2008-04-10T17:13:00.002-04:00

After I read this I said to myself. This is asking for trouble. We live in a world that people are just doing things that are crazy. People are under alot of stress. People are losing there jobs and homes. So what is gonna happen will your boss walks up to you and tells you that your services are no longer needed? Read the article below and let me know what you think.

TALLAHASSEE, Florida (Reuters) - Most Florida residents would be allowed to take guns to work under a measure passed by Florida lawmakers on Wednesday.

The bill, allowing workers to keep guns in their cars for self-protection, was approved by the Florida Senate by a vote of 26-13. It now goes to Republican Gov. Charlie Crist to sign into law.
Backed by the National Rifle Association and some labour unions, the so-called "take-your-guns-to-work" measure would prohibit business owners from banning guns kept locked in motor vehicles on their private property.

The measure applies to employees, customers and those invited to the business establishment as long as they have a permit to carry the weapon.

Backers say the measure upholds the vision of the authors of the U.S. Constitution, who made the right to bear arms part of the Bill of Rights.

"The second thing they wrote about in that constitution was the right to bear arms," said Sen. Durell Peaden, a Republican from Crestview, Florida. "It was what was dear in their hearts."
The measure exempts a number of workplaces including nuclear power plants, prisons, schools and companies whose business involves homeland security.

Critics say the measure usurps business owners' rights to determine what happens on their property and puts workers and managers at risk from disgruntled employees.

Dozens of workplace shootings occur every year in the United States and studies have shown that job sites where guns are permitted are more likely to suffer workplace homicides than those where guns are prohibited.

"This is an attempt to trample upon the property rights of property owners and attempt to make it more difficult to protect the workers in a workplace and those who visit our retail establishments," said Sen. Ted Deutch, a Boca Raton Democrat.

Oklahoma, Alaska, Kentucky, and Mississippi have similar laws, although in Oklahoma, an appellate court barred the state from enforcing the legislation on grounds that it was unconstitutional.

Florida business groups are urging the governor to veto the measure, saying owners should be allowed to determine what happens on their property.

"We are disappointed that politics clearly won over good policy," Mark Wilson, president and chief executive of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement.

Bebe's Kids

2008-04-01T20:50:00.002-04:00

Alright, this was given to me to blog on, and when I read it I thought "Good One". I really don't remember third grade but I do know that if a teacher upset me I did not think "I'm gonna kill her". I also would not have followed the group that said let's all kill her!" When you read this you will laugh and shake your head. I do want you to do one thing though. Think about your some people you may know and think of they have kids that might fit this mold. Then make sure you keep your kids away from them, also you might not want to make them mad before they try and kill you!

Waycross, Ga. -- A group of third-graders plotted to attack their teacher, bringing a broken steak knife, handcuffs, duct tape and other items for the job and assigning children tasks including covering the windows and cleaning up afterward, police said Tuesday.

The plot by as many as nine boys and girls at Center Elementary School in south Georgia was a serious threat, Waycross Police Chief Tony Tanner said Tuesday.

accidentally killed her? Absolutely," Tanner said. "We feel like if they weren't interrupted, there would have been an attempt. Would they have been successful? We don't know."

The children, ages 8 and 9, were apparently mad at the teacher because she had scolded one of them for standing on a chair, Tanner said.

They could be expelled, but a prosecutor said they are too young to be charged with a crime under Georgia law.

Tanner said school officials alerted police Friday after a pupil tipped off a teacher that a girl had brought a weapon to school.

Police seized a broken steak knife, handcuffs, duct tape, electrical and transparent tape, ribbons and a crystal paperweight from the students, who apparently intended to use them against the teacher, Tanner said.

Theresa Martin, spokeswoman for the Ware County school system, said nine children had been given discipline up to and including long-term suspension. She would not be more specific. She said none of the children had been back to school since the case came to light.

The alleged target is a veteran educator who teaches third-grade students with a range of learning disabilities, including attention deficit disorder, delayed development and hyperactivity, friends and parents said.

Tanner said the scheme involved a division of roles. One child's job was to cover windows so no one could see outside, he said. Another was supposed to clean up after the attack.

"We estimate between six to nine students were involved. ... We're not sure at this point in the investigation how many of the students actually knew the intent was to hurt the teacher," Tanner said.

The parents of the students have cooperated with investigators, who aren't allowed to question the children without their parents' or guardians' consent, he said. Authorities have withheld the children's names.

Police expected to forward the results of their investigation to prosecutors, Tanner said.
Children in Georgia can't be charged with a crime unless they are at least 13, District Attorney Rick Currie said.

Martin, told The Florida Times-Union of Jacksonville, Fla., that administrators would follow school system policy and state law in disciplining the students.

"From what I understand, they were considered pretty good kids," Martin said. "But we have to take this seriously, whether they were serious or not about carrying this through, and that's what we did."

Four mothers of other third-grade students at Center Elementary called for the immediate expulsion of the suspected plotters.

Stacy Carter and Deana Hiott both cited school system policy stating that any student who brings "anything reasonably considered to be a weapon" is to be expelled for at least the remainder of the school year.

"We don't want our children around them," Carter told the Times-Union. "The one with the knife could have stabbed my child or someone else's child at lunch or out on the playground."
"This is an isolated incident, an aberration. ... We have good kids," Center Principal Angie Coleman told the newspaper.

Pay-per-view funeral Webcasts go live in Britain

2008-04-01T17:40:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone know that I am a technology person. I must say when I read this I had to laugh out loud. This is taking technology to a whole new level. Now I have my own idea now that I think I will put in my will for Pam to follow. It will be that I want a webcam in my casket. Of course I will need an outside electrical outlet next to my headstone. I will need the inside of the casket to be lit of course so that Pam can log on the computer to check and see if I am still there. I don't want someone to dig me up. Who knows I could still be alive and wake up later and be trapped. If Pam is checking on a regular basis, she would be able to see and ear me screamimg!

LONDON - Pay-per-view funerals go live online in Britain on Tuesday, allowing mourners who cannot attend services in person to pay their last respects via the Internet.
Despite criticism of the scheme as macabre, the company who launched the service, Wesley Music, is planning to offer it to crematoria across the country who will charge a one-off payment of around $150 for access to a funeral Webcast.
Mourners use the password to access a live online broadcast of the funeral service captured by a small camera mounted in the chapel.

"Families are dispersed across the world these days and sometimes it's the case that someone cannot get home in time for a funeral," said Alan Jeffrey, director of Wesley Music.
"For those who need it, this is a very important service. It means that rather than being excluded, they can at least witness and be a part of a funeral as it happens. In a time of stress this is something that can ease the pain."
David Powell, of funeral directors Henry Powell and Son in Southampton, southern England said he had already tested the service during three funerals. He insisted they remained private, intimate affairs despite being broadcast on the Web.

Man gets 25 years for microwaving baby

2008-03-30T19:24:00.004-04:00

Whenever I hear of stories that I think are just the most depressing I always get proved wrong. When I was growing up I never heard of stories like this. I know our parents did not. What is the world coming to? It seems like every year you hear of parents that kill their children. Why? These children did not ask to come in this world. What could be so bad that these parents would kill their own chldren? I can not imagine hurting any child. The idea of hurting my own actually makes me sick to the stomach. I would rather kill myself. This man only got 25 years. 25 years for putting his child in the microwave. He claims he is crazy. No he is not crazy he is sick and he deserves so much more than 25 years. Seeing that he got off light I hope that God will punish him like he truly deserves. Mr. Mauldin you day will come.

AT&T says it can't find skilled workers

2008-03-28T18:06:00.002-04:00

Well, get a load of this. When I read this I got really upset. I got upset because I have a few friends that are looking for work. When you read this you will see what I mean. Are they trying to say everyone out here with a degree can not handle a call center job? Maybe no one wants the job because they want to pay some low salary that an american can not survive of of. Please tell me your thoughts!

AT&T pledged in 2006 to bring back 5,000 customer service jobs to the U.S. from India, eliminating its low-wage foreign call centers. But CEO Randall Stephenson said this week he can't find enough skilled workers to fill the jobs.
"We're having trouble finding the numbers that we need with the skills that are required to do these jobs," Stephenson told a business group in San Antonio. So far, only 1,400 jobs have been successfully brought back here.
Stephenson gave an especially candid speech, deploring the fact that the high school dropout rate is as high as 50% in some cities.
"If I had a business that half the product we turned out was defective or you couldn't put into the marketplace, I would shut that business down," he said. Ouch. He added that his company can do work in Bangalore, India, just as easily as it could in the U.S.
"I know you don't like hearing that, but that's the way it is," he said.
Perhaps Stephenson should consider this: AT&T is only paying a $30,000 annual salary for those jobs. Raise the salary, and you might just find those skilled workers.
AT&T shares slid less than 1% today to close at $37.64.
Update: I found 16 customer service openings on AT&T's Web site today. They are located across the country, in cities like El Paso, Tex.; Goldsboro, N.C.; Louisville, Ky; Metairie, La; Orange Park, Fla. and Winston Salem, N.C. A $30,000 salary will go farther in those cities than in New York City, as one commenter astutely noted.

You Big Dummy!

2008-03-25T17:38:00.002-04:00

Ok, I know I should get some comments on this one. Kwame Kilpatrick has made so many stupid mistakes that I can not believe it. Let me just name a few. One, did his parents not tell him"You can not do what white people do and get away with it." Even now white politicians can not get away with much because the media is in everyone's business. Can we say ex governor of New York! Next in this age of technology does he not know that everything leaves a trail! Next, once you know you are caught in a lie, can we just admit it! Wow I could go on and on but I will make this one short. Can't wait to see comments about this one.

Why Marriages Fail

2008-03-25T17:11:00.002-04:00

Not all marriages fail for the same reason. Nor is there usually one reason for the breakdown of a particular marriage. Nevertheless, we hear some reasons more often than others.

They are:

Poor communication

Financial problems

A lack of commitment to the marriage

A dramatic change in priorities

Infidelity

There are other causes we see a lot, but not quite as often as those listed above

They are:

Failed expectations or unmet needs

Addictions and substance abuse

Physical, sexual or emotional abuse

Lack of conflict resolution skills

Communication (Easy to say but hard to do)

Poor communication is often the catalyst for all other marital problems.

Unfortunately, the simple act _of saying “I do” doesn’t turn a spouse into a mind reader. _So couples must share their thoughts and feelings or they risk losing touch with what is important in their marriage.

Direct communication is always best. As the old saying goes: Mean what you say, say what you mean. If you want or need something, tell your spouse. If your spouse is doing something that bothers you, tell him or her why it bothers you and what you would like your spouse to do about it. As with all communication, however, the secret is in the delivery. Never be accusatory or disrespectful.

If your spouse reacts badly to something you’ve said, it’s possible that he or she did not understand what you meant. Before you overreact, take time to find out what your spouse thinks you meant, and, if necessary, explain what it is you were trying to say.

Arguments are a legitimate way to communicate, but the arguments must be based on a person’s actions or words, not what one side imagines is motivating the other side. Arguments are also okay when they are fair, honest disputes about family policy or priorities.

Personal attacks against your spouse are disrespectful and they get in the way of real discussion about important matters.

Some communication problems may be the result of the different ways men and women tend to communicate. Each sex often expects a particular response when they say something, and some are surprised or offended when they get something else. Women often want their feelings acknowledged, while men want to fix things, to solve problems.

For example, a wife who complains about her terrible day at work probably wants empathy, not a discussion about what she should have done to avoid it. Alternatively, a husband who asks his wife where she wants to go for dinner probably wants an answer, not a vague response that “anything is fine.”

It is dangerous to react to your spouse with anger. Anger impairs judgment and impedes communication. When people get angry, they may be speechless, or they may cry, yell, stomp out of the room, run away, or throw things. Some may even beat their spouse or children. None of this conduct helps a marriage thrive. It does not resolve disputes; it simply intimidates the other person.

Communication Do’s and Don’ts

Focus on solving the problem instead of winning the argument;

Listen with an open mind to make sure you understand what your spouse means instead of launching into an unnecessary argument;

Explain yourself if you feel you have been misunderstood;

Respect each other’s opinion, even if you can’t find an immediate solution to the problem;

Spend time discussing problems and issues you each think are important;

Be quick to forgive, quick to forget;

Be sincere. Your words may say one thing, but your body language may convey something completely different;

Don’t talk in code. Say what you mean, and say it respectfully;

Don’t go to sleep before resolving a conflict;

Don’t talk to your spouse in a rude, disparaging way;

Don’t criticize your spouse in front of others;

Don’t let anger cloud your judgment about the proper way to speak to and treat your spouse;

Don’t start arguments based on things that happened long ago;

Don’t assume that your spouse is personally attacking you just because he or she disagrees with you.

Financial Problems (We all have them)

No matter how rich or how poor a couple is, one of the constant subjects of marital disagreement is money. Whether it’s over how money is earned, spent or saved, money fights are common because money is a part of daily life, from paying the electric bill to saving for retirement.

Attitudes toward money are learned in childhood. When spouses are raised with widely differing attitudes toward money, conflict is inevitable. The key is for couples to discuss their views on money and to decide among themselves how they will make decisions about how the family money will be controlled.

It is probably not a good idea to have one spouse in complete control of all family assets. That’s not to say that a spouse with a particular skill in managing money should not use that skill, but that spouse should always discuss with the other spouse what he or she is doing.

There are several ways you may decide to divvy up the responsibility. Some couples keep their earnings separate but agree in advance who will pay what bills. Some couples put every penny of their financial lives into a joint account. Financial togetherness can be as intense or as separate as the parties wish. As long as the goals and attitudes toward money are shared, the mechanics of fiscal management are less important.

Managing The Marital Money

Here are some ways to prevent money-management disputes from destroying a marriage:

1. Regardless of who earns how much, make a fair division of responsibility for both routine family financial decisions (such as utilities or groceries) and the major ones (such as a house or a car).

2. Set short- and long-term goals together, and stick to them unless you both agree to change them.

3. Be sure each partner has some money they can spend however they like. The amount, of course, depends on your financial circumstances. Neither spouse should ever have to beg for money.

4. If you spend more than you earn, work out a budget together and follow it for at least a year. Don’t deviate from the budget unless you both agree. If you can’t work out your own budget, see a financial planner.

Lack of Commitment

Marriage is supposed to be a lifetime commitment, a pledge to do whatever is necessary to keep the relationship together. If couples look at matrimony as a job they can quit or an apartment they can break the lease on, their marriage is headed for trouble. Spouses have to agree that keeping the marriage healthy is their top priority. To do that, they have to commit time and energy to it. Both spouses should be as concerned with the welfare of each other as they are with themselves.

Devoting time to one’s marriage can require some tough decisions, such as turning down challenging work assignments that would take away from “couple time,” spending less time with friends, leaving the office even when duty calls, etc. But it can also be as simple as having a weekly “date night.”

Though unexpected events, such as death of a family member or loss of a job, happen to everyone, these events should not be used as an excuse to ignore one’s commitment to their marriage. Committed couples who deal with unexpected problems together actually strengthen their marital bonds.

Do you lack commitment to your marriage?

Are you a “workaholic”? Do you spend so much time at work (or at your volunteer job) that you miss important family functions? Do you rationalize the excessive time you spend at work by saying it’s “for the family”?

Have you physically or emotionally abused your spouse? Are you so hung up on having control over everything that you lash out to keep your spouse in line?

Do you spend hours and hours meeting strangers on the Internet?

Do you complain about your spouse in anonymous chat rooms?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may lack the necessary commitment to keep your marriage afloat. These aren’t the only situations, but they are ones we see a lot. Workaholics use work as an excuse to avoid conversation and intimacy with their spouse. Abusers use threats and violence to make sure they always get what they want. Internet junkies shut their spouses out by talking to strangers about marital problems.

If you notice yourself in these scenarios, it’s time to recommit yourself to your marriage.

Changes in Priorities

The most common change in priorities comes during a “mid-life crisis." Fearing the transition into older age or more responsibility (such as having children), many people push aside all that they have valued in exchange for something new, exciting or completely opposite.

But there are other reasons for changed priorities: children going to college, which can often prompt stay-at-home moms to re-evaluate their lives in their children’s absence; a deteriorating sex life; major health problem; the completion of a longtime goal; or death of a parent or child. Any of these things can make a person feel the need to break away from their “routine” as a way to get back what they feel they have lost.

Once again, the key is communication. Couples need to discuss their priorities and their expectations, and what they hope to achieve in the future. And they should do this not just on their honeymoon, but throughout their marriage. Even if they don’t always agree on the specifics of the new priorities, an open line of communication will facilitate a resolution as well as prevent unpleasant surprises.

Infidelity (Thank God my friends don’t have this issue)

The sad fact is that that some people will risk their entire marriage for the sake of an extramarital affair. But infidelity is rarely the only reason a couple breaks up. Usually, a couple has a host of other problems and infidelity is simply “the last straw.”

The expectations and priorities of a spouse who commits the adultery may have shifted, as discussed above. A cheating spouse may find comfort in the arms of someone else when the other spouse has stopped communicating. Neither scenario is an excuse, but spouses who have extramarital affairs pick an inappropriate way to fulfill a need that’s not being met at home.

The spouse who is betrayed may feel humiliated. Children sense these feelings and may worry that the unfaithful parent will someday betray or abandon them in the same way.

In addition to the emotional toll on the family, extramarital affairs also present health risks, such as AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases that can cause infertility or death to an unsuspecting spouse.

Not all couples split up after infidelity. Some may be able, after a great deal of time and effort, to repair the broken bonds. If staying together is an option, a marriage counselor or pastor will be of enormous help in making the transition.

The Journey to Happiness

It has been said that most of life’s happiness, and most of its misery, emanate from one’s marriage.

Spouses in a happy marriage are more productive on the job, are physically healthier and experience less emotional stress than their unhappily married counterparts. They also raise happier, healthier, more confident children who themselves go on to have happy marriages.

With so much riding on it, it makes sense for couples to make their marriage their number one priority. We hope that the information provided here helps couples begin the journey to their own happiness.

Improving Your Marriage

Treat your spouse like your best friend or most important colleague.

Don’t expect to get more from your spouse than you give of yourself.

Don’t lose your sense of humor; have fun with your spouse.

Don’t demean your spouse in public or in private.

Learn to listen, learn to hear.

Learn to argue respectfully.

Look for resolution rather than victory.

Assess your own mistakes and acknowledge them.

When you apologize, mean it, and sound like it. Be short on blame and long on forgiveness.

Be willing to change your opinions and attitudes.

Look at changes in your life as an opportunity to grow.

Don’t try to change your spouse; accept your spouse “as is.”

7 Kinds of Sex Every Married Couple Should Try

2008-03-12T18:40:00.003-04:00

Ok, I have been debating if I should write on this topic or not. Everyone has their thoughts on this. Men and women think differently for sure on this. I am sure I will get some comments on this so let me put out my legal notice now! I think that this should be simple to follow but I do understand that life gets in the way. I myself need to try harder to follow my own advice more often. So to my friends (and even you strangers) that may read this I hope you enjoy. This is grown folk stuff.

1. Pushing-Your-Boundaries Sex

There's nothing like the moment when you're lying naked with your partner you've known and loved for a long time, panting and puffing, thinking, Wow, we've never done that before.

2. Maintenance Sex

Let's face it — sex just isn't going to be an eye-gazing spiritual encounter every time. Most couples think everything has to feel perfect, or you both have to be in a sexual mood to have sex, but if everyone waited for that, sex wouldn't happen very often at all.

3. Vacation Sex

My point here is that bedroom sex can get old, it's often your surroundings that are getting stale, not your partner. So if you haven't had vacation sex lately, do it! You don't need a plane ticket to get started: Head to a hotel downtown and call it a vacation. You can look forward to it and build it up beforehand for even better sex.

4. Make-up Sex

It's been said you shouldn't go to bed angry. And sometimes, you can take that to a different extreme, ensuring that after a fight you go to bed happy — very, very happy. Yes, we're talking about the wild and intense world of make-up sex

5. Comfort Sex

If you're feeling sad, depressed, grieving, alone, or hurt, sex can be the perfect antidote. Why? Because it's the opposite of all those things — it's about being close, warm, loving, and together. And because sometimes talking about your troubles or sadness isn't what you want, while sex can be

6. Crazy Hang-from-the-Chandelier

SexYou know what I am talking about: wild, sweaty, so-good-it-makes-you-holla sex. No matter how long you've been together, you need to have earthshaking sex like this once in a while — even if it's once in a very long while. I think having an extra-hot sexual experience is like being reborn! (As my wife would say - Praise Jehovah)

7. No Sex – Sex
Some times you are just too tired. Even acknowledging that you want your partner is important, whether or not you follow through. Instead just two warm bodies that love each other and appreciate that a simple touch can be enough for the night

For those who love to read.

2008-03-11T16:25:00.002-04:00

Ok, for those who do not know my wife Pam loves to read. I came across this site today and thought it might be interesting. Here is the scoop.

WWW.DAILYLIT.COM

Being well-read might not be your biggest priority, but it comes in handy during dinner conversations. Luckily, there's DailyLit. The site offers both classic and contemporary titles, all provided in quick-reading installments that can be sent to you either via e-mail or RSS. Since most of the classics are in the public domain, they're free; newer titles are available for purchase.

I will have Pam write a review later!

For my friends who need some help getting organized!

2008-03-11T16:15:00.002-04:00

I have a website that you need to check out and use.

WWW.IWANTSANDY.COM

While a glut of applications help you organize appointments on a calendar, there's a lot of activity in your daily life that doesn't fit neatly into your calendar's time slots. Not good at remembering to print out your flight confirmation code? Send a message to Sandy, and she'll remind you in a daily digest, in a text message or as an event on your calendar. Using e-mail, SMS, Twitter or Jott, you can set up and receive reminders for appointments, contacts, lists and random information. And, true to her humanlike presence on the site, Sandy speaks and understands plain English -- just like a real personal assistant.

Better than: Paying a real Sandy who needs sick days.

Let's give our jobs in America to everyone in the world!

2008-03-06T16:38:00.003-05:00

Shares of Airbus' parent company surged Monday, March 3, after the French planemaker snatched a $35 billion U.S. Air Force contract from its American rival, the Boeing Co.

The deal was a blow for Boeing, which had supplied refueling tankers to the Air Force for nearly 50 years, and it was a surprise to defense analysts and U.S. lawmakers.

"We should have an American tanker built by an American company with American workers," said Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan., who represents the district in Wichita where Boeing would have done much of the tanker work. Tiahrt said he will try to reverse the decision.

Officials with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents Boeing workers, on Monday called for Congress to pass legislation barring the Pentagon from awarding contracts to foreign companies that receive "anticompetitive" subsidies. The U.S. Trade Representative has filed a complaint against the European Union with the World Trade Organization charging the EU with providing unfair subsidies to Airbus for aircraft.

Since we have opened up the doors why don't we buy our tanks from China, missles from North Korea and ships from Russia!

Peace in the Middle East?

2008-03-05T17:20:00.002-05:00

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she believes a peace deal in the Middle East is still possible. Speaking after a meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah, she called for a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians.Mr Abbas broke off all contact with Israel in response to the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip in which over 100 Palestinians were killed. Israel says the action was intended to put an end to the ongoing rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip; Jerusalem withdrew most of its troops from the area on Monday.Secretary Rice, who is on a two-day visit to the region, agrees with Israel that the attacks cannot be tolerated but also believes that Israel should do more to work towards peace in the Middle East. She is due to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem later today.

Now there has been fighting on may different levels in the middle east all of my lifetime. I have also had the chance to visit many countries in the middle east and my personal take on it is that there will always be fighting on some level. They just can't get along! Even though it would be totally worng you would think that muslims would unite against Israel but that has never happened. Trust me Isreal will never be taken over either.

I don't mean to sound hopeless but I do not think peace in the middle east will ever happen. Please take my poll and let me know your thoughts.

Great Free Software

2008-03-03T18:53:00.002-05:00

Ok, I get IT questions all the time from freinds and family. I only recommend software that I know that works and that is safe. Well I came accross one that we all should use in order to get a better grip on our finances, It is called Mint.

Mint isn't like Quicken, where you enter in all your transactions. Instead, it syncs with your bank and credit card accounts online, checks your spending habits, and tells you how to improve to save money. If you're not paying attention to your spending, it'll send you regular alerts to inform you where your money has gone (nice for making sure you haven't been ripped off).

www.mint.com

$4.00 A GALLON!

2008-02-27T19:33:00.002-05:00

You have got to be kidding me! I read an article today saying that by spring gas could cost $4.00 a gallon. Now lets go back only two years ago. Do you remember how much a barrel of gas cost? Well it cost $55.00 a barrel. Today it costs over a $100.00 a barrel. What is a brotha to do? Thank God I work close to home now. This may force me to stay put for a minute! I could also get a moped. Can you picture that! I would get a Harley Jacket and helmet and putt down the road. I know this will be a killer for some people. Families are strapped for money and most are on tight budgets. Something has to give. I know the CEO's of the oil companies and dancing evryday. Must be nice to be them.

Chicken noodle soup, Chicken noodle soup, Chicken noodle soup

Money Money Money!

2008-02-26T19:11:00.001-05:00

No good news today on the economic front. Consumer confidence plunged, the wholesale inflation rate soared, the number of homes being foreclosed jumped, home prices fell sharply and a report predicts big increases in health care costs.

Inflation at the wholesale level soared in January, pushed higher by rising costs for food, energy and medicine. The monthly increase carried the annual inflation rate to its fastest jump in a quarter century.

The Labor Department said Tuesday that wholesale prices rose 1 percent last month, more than double the 0.4 percent increase that economists had been expecting.
The January surge left wholesale prices rising by 7.5 percent over the past 12 months, the fastest pace in more than 26 years, since prices had risen at a 7.5 percent pace in the 12 months ending in October 1981.

So now let’s think about this in the simplest of terms. I may be off a little on things here so forgive me but I would bet I am pretty darn close. If inflation is rising by 7% and the average annual salary increase is 3 to 4% then the average person is getting behind every year by 3 to 4%. Now this only looks at inflation. We would then take into account taxes. What I feel is the issue is that what we as families need the most will go up the most. Most of us around my age can remember that when we were thinking of buying our first home we wanted to by homes in the counties and suburbs. The reasons were simple. Less crime, better schools, and newer homes to name a few. However our jobs stayed in the city and we would deal with the commute. Now with gas prices over $3.00 people are not having the same feelings anymore. One can easily spend $200 to $400 dollars in gas a month. One can also spend up to $400 a month on a family health insurance plan. Even though it is not a necessity in the house cable TV can easily cost $60 a month. I could go on and on but I know you are feeling me.

Now I know I have only talked about families so I can only assume that the single people out here feel it just as bad. Is there any question now why crime goes up year by year? People are going to try to survive anyway they know how. Well we better learn to fall on our knees and pray to God for his help and mercy. Things are getting crazy!

A new day in Cuba

2008-02-24T19:33:00.002-05:00

Well today Fidel Castro stepped down as the leader of Cuba for almost 50 years. His brother Raul will now take his place. Cuba is was of the few communist coutries left in the world. I can remember growing up studying about Fidel and JFK about the "Cuban Missle Crisis". Fidel has always been called stubborn and not willing to listen. Doesn't that sound like our President Bush? My hopes for this day is that the people of Cuba will have a country where they have a better economic system and better health care. Cuba is one of the coutries I would love to go visit. They have alot of vintage cars that are still on the road today. Let's not even talk about the great food and music. Well maybe my visit will happen sooner than later. I can only hope.

Snow Day

2008-02-22T20:14:00.002-05:00

Well today was a nice surprise. We had an ice storm and they closed schools and I also did not go to work. I found myself smiling like my kids. I wanted to do the snow day dance like them. I willl take a free day off anytime. It was nice to chill out. We went to the movies and to dinner as a family. Overall a pretty good day if I must say so. Let's hope winter is not over yet!

Turning 40 (Take Two)

2008-02-20T15:52:00.001-05:00

Ok, After a comment made on "Turning 40" it was brought to my attention that I did not mention my wife Pamela Lynne Cole Thorpe whom I married on May 25th 1996 on a sunny summer day in Baltimore Maryland. I renewed my vows on May 25th in Jamaica 10 years later also on a sunny day. Thinking of Pam also makes me feel a little old seeing that I met Pam in 1986 at the University of Pittsburgh. Thats a long time. The years we have been married have moved fast. Although when I ponder on them it does seem like forever. (Not in a bad way for those that may read to much into it) Now I know what Obama feels like! We have been through alot together. She has given me two very cute kids even though they are spoiled. They act and look like Pam. Now read into that! LOL

Anyway I will end on this pleasant note. I hope like Pam's Grandmother and Grandfather, I hope that we will celebrate our 50th Anniversery together on May 25th 2046. Also in an island!

Turning 40

2008-02-16T15:53:00.000-05:00

I can not believe that I will be turning 40 this year. Time really does fly by. I think time goes by faster when you have kids. Maybe it is that you just pay more attention to things when you have children. It seems like at every corner there is a birthday or a holiday again. It seems like Christmas is every 6 months! I must say I am overall happy with my 40 years. I have been all over the world. That has been great. I have done so many things that most people have never thought about doing or experiencing. If life was a board game and there was a card named "DO OVER" I would not need many of those. One for sure maybe two, but I would be doing very well at the game. I also think about my family. I am the youngest of six. Wow, if I am feeling old then I can only think of how they feel. My mom is 80. I was glad to be able to go to St. Louis and celebrate that with her thanks to a friend Rose Thompson. I have done ok. I have never been in trouble, over achieved in school, athletics and the work world. Chante is a cutie. She has her own attitude that’s for sure. DJ always makes me laugh. He has a good heart. He wants everyone to be happy, even if he does not know them. I hope he keeps that quality. Starting better than his dad. If I am lucky enough to see them maybe marry that will be interesting. Almost funny. I’ve got my small group of friends. My lifelong friend Garry the person who pushes me to be better, Barry who is my sports conversation friend, and Tendai who is my friend who will start the new revolution with me. Of course they are all much deeper than that but I like to keep it simple. As far as women friends I do not have any, just kidding. They know who they are. Don’t need to shout them out because if I people read this and they are not on the list I will offend. LOL

Well my plans for 40 and beyond are to do things that will make me happy. Whatever that may be? I don’t even know.LOL I have a few more places that I want to see in the world. Seeing that I am hoping on another 40 years I should have plenty of time but I will not take that for granted.

Valentines Day

2008-02-14T18:11:00.000-05:00

Well it is the day for love. Why isn't everyday like that? Did you know the average person spends $123.00 on this day for their special person? Anyway I guess we all need a day to tell the people we take for granted that we love them. I encourage everyone to call their family and freinds and tell them how much they mean to us. We don't know how much time we have left on this earth so we should not waste it. They may not be here tomorrow. How many times do we say that someone has been on our mind? If you don't call them then at least say a prayer for them tonight. I hope all of my family and friends are having a great day.

Top 10 Ways to Live Longer for men

2008-02-13T16:33:00.000-05:00

Well I read this article today. Of course you never know if things like this are true but hey I can go along with most of these and you won't have to go out of your way to do them. So to my hommies give it a try.

1. Grill a steak. You may think it's bad for your heart, but you'd be wrong. Beef contains immunity-boosting selenium as well as homocysteine-lowering B vitamins. And up to 50 percent of the fat is the heart-healthy monounsaturated variety.
2. Tell your wife to butt out. People who are exposed to cigarette smoke for just 30 minutes, three times a week, have a 26 percent greater risk of developing heart disease than people who rarely encounter secondhand smoke.
3. Take aspirin. Regular aspirin consumption cuts the risk of coronary heart disease by 28 percent in people who have never had a heart attack or stroke.
4. Drink more tea. Men who drink 2 cups of tea a day are 25 percent less likely to die of heart disease than guys who rarely touch the stuff. The reason: flavonoids in the tea, which not only improve blood vessels' ability to relax, but also thin the blood, reducing clotting.
5. Touch her. Ten minutes of skin-to-skin contact (hand-holding, hugs) with your mate can help keep your blood pressure and pulse from spiking during stressful times, according to University of North Carolina researchers.
6. Go fishing for tuna. Omega-3 fats in tuna help strengthen heart muscle, lower blood pressure, and prevent clotting — as well as reduce levels of potentially deadly inflammation in the body.
7. Pair up. Married men are less likely to die of heart disease than bachelors. Scientists looked at men with mildly high blood pressure and found that after 3 years of marriage, the happily married men had healthier hearts than their unmarried brothers.
8. Adopt a dog. All that love ("You're a good boy, yes you are!") and aggravation ("Bad dog! Don't eat Daddy's crab dip!") makes your heart more adaptable and better able to deal with the stress that can lead to heart disease.
9. Rinse, brush. Rinse your mouth with mouthwash and toothpaste that has antibacterial properties. They'll reduce oral bacteria, which can decrease your risk of a heart attack by 200 to 300 percent.
10. Make friends at work. Men with the most work friends also have the lowest heart rates and healthiest blood-pressure levels, even during times of stress.

GM offers workers buyouts as posts loss

2008-02-12T20:00:00.000-05:00

DETROIT - For all the good in GM’s 2007 results — the near-record worldwide sales, the reduction in labor costs and in retiree health obligations — there is no getting around the $38.7 billion in red ink.

The largest annual loss in the history of the auto industry signals that even with a garage full of hot vehicles and a historic new labor contract, GM has little hope of making a profit again before 2010 as the weak U.S. economy and competition eat away at its gains.

GM reported the record-setting loss on Tuesday and promptly offered a new round of buyouts to 74,000 U.S. hourly workers in hopes of replacing some of them with lower-paid employees.
GM wouldn’t say how many workers it hopes to shed or how much it expects the buyouts to cost, but under its new contract with the UAW, it will be able to replace up to 16,000 workers doing non-assembly jobs. The new employees will be paid half the old wage of $28 per hour.

Under the offer, retirement-eligible workers could get between $45,000 and $62,500 as an incentive to retire with full pension and health benefits. Other workers will have the option to retire early or take up to $140,000 to leave with no pension or health care.

I hope that the GM workers take some time and think about what they are being offered. Yea $45,000 to $140,000 sounds like a great deal. However is it enough to take care of you through the long run. Do you want to take the money and run and end having to work the rest of your life? Nobody ooffers you that kind of money because they care. Also I do not think that it fair that they have an employee that they pay $28.00 an hour now and when they leave they can rehire at $14.00. Same job, same responsiblities, they economy is not getting better, gas is not going down, so how are people going to survive making less.

Waterboarding

2008-02-11T18:29:00.000-05:00

Wow,
The press must be getting really good or there are some serious snitches. For those of you who do not know, waterboarding involves strapping a person down and pouring water over the suspect's cloth-covered face to create the sensation of drowning. It has been traced back hundreds of years, to the Spanish Inquisition, and is condemned by nations around the world. Critics call it a form of torture. Last week, for the first time, the administration acknowledged that Mohammed was among three suspects who were waterboarded. CIA Director Michael Hayden said that waterboarding was used, in part, because of widespread belief among U.S. intelligence officials that more catastrophic attacks were imminent. Everyone does this our other forms of torture that are worse. Trust me. It's just different seeing that we have to admit that we do this.

And in the beginning...

2008-02-10T18:33:00.000-05:00

Ok, here is my attempt to have a diary to share my thoughts. I hope for this to be my way of providing self therapy because if you know me, you know I am not going to a shrink. I have alot on my mind. Alot good, very little bad but it will sometimes get ugly. I look forward to my friends sharing their comments with me as well.