avatar!

this movii is awesome!!! U need to watch it!!!

SECURITY sux

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/12/28/obama.airline.terror/index.html

normally i don't comment on world crap..but seriously WTH???!!

i mean, i get frisked - NOT IN A GOOD WAY - AND NOT EVEN BY A GOOD LOOKING GUY - by security over lotion,

BUT FREAKEN NI-CHEERIOS brought a FIRECRACKER ON BOARD???

WHAT WAS HIS EXCUSE????

New Year's celebrations???!

SNL monologue...

so, i'm not a big taylor swift fan, but i have to give credit where it is due::

just me...

Originally uploaded by synderella04

tweyes...lol

Christmas meltdown

Dear Diary:: Day 11 of crappy holiday musik. I've begun a nervous breakdown::officially. I am having dreams that this man--Santa Clause? Is REAL. Nightmares that he knows my sleeping habits, whether i'm good or bad... He breaks into my house via fireplace, gets burned, then breaks into my pantry for cookies. It gets worse::he is lactose intolerant and clogs up our toilet.
Then when he attempts to escape via fireplace, he acquires third degree burns and sues us... I better get a good lawyer, this morbidly obese, fashion faux pas, name calling man (if i said ho ho ho, i'd be in trouble for defamation of character!) NEEDS to be taken down.

the plus one factor

So...an interesting year to say the least...ESPECIALLY the last few weeks...Those who know me best...and really there is only one who knows EVERYTHING, knows what craziness I've been through. It's part of the 'growing' process though. I mean, you're not really grown at 25...are you? lol.

For everyone else...out of the 'loop', here's a brief recap:: besides the whole period thing (which-on a side note-Because I couldn't afford the Progesterone to bring it on, I didn't start taking it until last Saturday, and it's a pill a day for ten days, and my period has not come. YAY!!!), I've been going through some serious personal issues. Some of you know of what I have to deal with at home (boo-freaken-hoo), but I don't think anyone REALLY KNOWS the full extent of emotions involved, unless you ever dealt with it yourself.

Then there is always that PLUS ONE factor that...even though you didn't intentionally invite it in...it always makes itself comfortable in that already cluttered corner of your mind.

In the past few weeks I also found out that two little girls that have touched my heart MAJORLY, are going back to their family soon. I know that this is for the best, but I am incredibly HEARTBROKEN. I love them as if they were my own family, and am hoping that things will work out for them. My heart goes to the foster parents, whom I also grew to love.

That's really all for now...will post more soon...

I'll always be here

I'll always be here
Originally uploaded by viva la vibs

TAKE THAT DR. P!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sorry, but I totally have to mention names! DR. CHRISTINA LEE IS THE BEST OBGYN I'VE EVER HEARD && COME ACROSS!!! I'm sooooooooo super happy, less...ahem...mean...and just plain GIDDY. I'm still period free, but come Novembe 16, I have to take something to bring my period back on, while still administering ESTROGEN....that sux, but it's to get my period to a normal schedule. At least it will have been two months...!

kaiserslautern #6

kaiserslautern #6
Originally uploaded by paulie~

Middle Branch Falls (Middle Section)

Middle Branch Falls (Middle Section)
Originally uploaded by s_h_a_w_n_g_13

regina

regina
Originally uploaded by Wolfgang Staudt

UPDATE!

So, my Dr has been giving me Estrogen shots...and I'm period-less! WOOOOOT!!!!!!!! I feel like I should anounce it "Hi, my name is Stephanie, and I've been period-free for ***"

"Hi Stephanie!"

LOL!

But seriously, I need to thank everyone who has been such a MAJOR SUPPORT!

Side effects? The estrogen makes me all girly & gooey inside. I've cried over the stupidest things ('oh my God it's almost WINTER!'), Legit things ('Mother, if you don't get the antibiotic-YOU ARE GOING TO DIE!!!'...ok so I was a bit dramatic there), and wierd things ('That episode of HOUSE was fantastic).

These crying spells don't last long, because I pull myself together, and watch some manly WAR movie. That and Zoloft (!!!) lol.

Today was very interesting though, because I was to administer shot to self.....MY BUTT HURTS. I stuck myself several times before I got it right!!!

THANK YOU ALL!!!

don't tell me there's nothing you can do for me. part 4

FANTASTIC NEWS!!!

LAST FRIDAY I GOT AN ESTROGEN SHOT,

AND MY PERIOD STOPPED ON WEDNESDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!

don't tell me there's nothing you can do for me. part 3

AHA!!!!

Wow, again, thank you alllll so VERY MUCH for your suggestions. This is another one I recieved from a dear friend (name is omitted):

Hey girl,

I'm sorry to hear that you're going through this. I had something similar but I don't know if it's the same thing. I first got my period at 11 yrs. At this age is when I began to experience vision black outs, dizziness, bruising easily, Periods with huge blood clots. For a while doctors could not explain what it was, until I ended in the hospital almost dead. Any way I had a condition called ITP- Immuno Thrombocytopenia Purpura. It is an auto immune disease. My spleen which works to fight germs and stuff in the body had instead turned against my blood cells. I had to have my blood count checked weekly for a while to make sure my platelet count wasn't too low. I was also on prednisone for a while. At age 13 I had my spleen removed and haven't had a problem with that since. I get the dizziness and vision blackouts very rarely. Well, I will pass this blog along for you. And I will keep you in my prayers.

I want you all to know that I am definitely looking up these suggestions, and am doing research on all.

Now for some good news:

Last Tuesday, I went to a specialist that was referred to me by a coworker. I went to her an ABSOLUTELY LOVED HER. First off, she actually sat down and 'interviewed me'. She was with me for a full hour and a half. Once she (somewhat) understood my condition, even teasing me and tellin me that I am a 'walking textbook', she told me that she is going to start from scratch, and find the problem. I felt very comfy with her, and am going back this Friday.

I thank you ALL for your support, and will keep you posted...literally.

OMG TOOO FUNNii

This is hilarious!!!!! Even if you've past this age.. This is an actual letter from an Austin, TX woman sent to American company Proctor and Gamble regarding their feminine products. She really gets rolling after the first paragraph. It's PC Magazine's 2007 editors' choice for best webmail-award-winning letter.

Dear Mr. Thatcher, I have been a loyal user of your 'Always' maxi pads for over 20 years and I appreciate many of their features. Why, without the Leak Guard Core or Dri-Weave absorbency, I'd probably never go horseback riding or salsa dancing, and I'd certainly steer clear of running up and down the beach in tight, white shorts. But my favourite feature has to be your revolutionary Flexi-Wings. Kudos on being the only company smart enough to realize how crucial it is that maxi pads be aerodynamic. I can't tell you how safe and secure I feel each month knowing there's a little F-16 in my pants.

Have you ever had a menstrual period, Mr. Thatcher? I'm guessing you haven't. Well, my time of the month is starting right now. As I type, I can already feel hormonal forces violently surging through my body. Just a few minutes from now, my body will adjust and I'll be transformed into what my husband likes to call 'an inbred hillbilly with knife skills.' Isn't the human body amazing? As Brand Manager in the Feminine-Hygiene Division, you've no doubt seen quite a bit of research on what exactly happens during your customer's monthly visits from 'Aunt Flo'... Therefore, you must know about the bloating, puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our intense mood swings, crying jags, and out-of-control behaviour. You surely realize it's a tough time for most women. The point is, sir, you of all people must realize that America is just crawling with homicidal maniacs in Capri pants... This brings me to the reason for my letter.

Last month, while in the throes of cramping so painful I wanted to reach inside my body and yank out my uterus, I opened an Always maxi-pad, and there, printed on the adhesive backing, were these words: 'Have a Happy Period.'

Are you kidding me? What I mean is, does any part of your tiny middle-manager brain really think happiness - actual smiling, laughing happiness, is possible during a menstrual period? Did anything mentioned above sound the least bit pleasurable? Well, did it, James?

FYI, unless you're some kind of sick S&M freak, there will never be anything 'happy' about a day in which you have to jack yourself up on Motrin and Kahlua and lock yourself in your house just so you don't march down to the local Walgreen's armed with a hunting rifle and a sketchy plan to end your life in a blaze of glory.

For the love of God, pull your head out, man! If you have to slap a moronic message on a maxi pad, wouldn't it make more sense to say something that's actually pertinent, like 'Put down the Hammer' or 'Vehicular Manslaughter is Wrong', Sir, please inform your Accounting Department that, effective immediately, there will be an $8 drop in monthly profits, for I have chosen to take my maxi-pad business elsewhere. And though I will certainly miss your Flex-Wings, I will not for one minute miss your brand of condescending bull. And that's a promise I will keep.

Always.

Best,

Wendi Aarons

Austin , TX

don't tell me there's nothing you can do for me. part 2

Hey all! I got some great emails, and fantastic suggestions! For this i thank you all! I'm gonna answer some questions that I've received:

I've been asked twice about Endometrial Ablation.

This is something that I actually suggested to both GYN's, and both had the same answer. Though it might help for a few years, my problem may return. I am only 25 years, and my age concerns them. Another concern on both parties, is future pregnancy. I am not married, and have no children, and someday I would like that. Ablation is an option, but when nothing else can be done. I know a few couples, one in particular, who have adopted an incredible little girl, so if that is ever something I would have to consider, I will definitely go for it. Hopefully with the same results!

Has your friend tried testosterone cream? My mom was on it for her hormones during the starting of menopause - she can't do many meds because she gets EVERY side effect, no matter what. She was told by her doctor that the cream, applied topically, can help a wealth of feminine problems, including very heavy periods. Evidently, low testosterone levels in women is a cause of heavy cycles.

Hers had to be mixed at a pharmacy, specially equipped to make it, and she had to order it a few days ahead so they had it made before she went to pick it up.Just a thought. Don't know if it will work or not...

Yes I have, actually, and upon reading this email, I may just try it again. It worked temporarily, but, as with many things I've tried, it stopped working. BUT, I never had it mixed at the pharmacy! So I will DEFINITELY look into that!

I would highly suggest your friend go to the Mayo Clinic. They now have 3 locations. I was having some major girly issues too and they were able to solve and fix the problem with just 2 appointments. While my issues were not the same as your friend's, I had been struggling for 5 years hoping from one doctor to the next, one specialist to the next, experiencing some pretty extreme treatments. I finally gave up on all the doctors around here and made an appointment. My insurance paid for Mayo the same as any other specialist. It was well worth the two 8 hour drives! I should add, my problem is not 100% fixed, but it is 1000 times better than it was before.

Please tell your friend about Mayo and tell her I've said a prayer for her. I desperately hope they can help your friend; I have a special place in my heart for hurting women because of my own experience with girly issues.

I LOVED this suggestion, and will DEFINITELY look into it!!!

Thyroid issues can cause similar problems. I could always tell if I was slipping back hypothyroid by what happened w/ my cycle.

Second option, a co-worker w/ similar troubles used Lupron. I don't know anything about the potential side effects of the Lupron injection but I don't think she would have cared what they were...she was just so glad to have some relief.

I have had my thyroid checked and it was normal, but maybe there are other more specific tests out there that I am unaware of. I do have a sister who had to have her thyroid removed, do to other complications...maybe it runs in the family. I have never heard of Lupron, but I will bring it up to the next physician that sees me.

I had a friend who had her period for months at a time- she ended up havinga hysterectomy and it (obviously) stopped. She was in her 30's at the time,but already had her 2 kids.

Look at the Endometrial Ablation question and times the answer by 10. lol. I won't say I haven't considered it, though. It kills me that this is, ultimately, and option...

Advise her to consult with a geneticist. This sounds to me like a metabolic disorder. If this is the case she is unlikely to get answers or relief from healers, naturopaths, or gynecologists. It may not be easy to find the right specialist so she should ask for a referral from her primary care physician - she needs an MD who is specifically trained in genetic disease. It will be much easier to get an appointment with a genetic counsellor but that is absolutely NOT what she wants - they are not diagnosticians.

FWIW, I'm a geneticist (but research, not medical so I can't help). I have a son with a genetic metabolic disorder. And I had a roommate many many years ago with von Willbrands disease, a genetic disorder in the same general family as hemophilia, and she described periods very much like your friend's.

I like this suggestion very much, too. I would have never thought to go to a genetecist. I did get test for von Willbrands disease, several months ago and the result was negative. Although I am happy with that result, I do want to get retested, because...and she admitted it...that particular person had never done the test before!

Has she tried being on birth control pills?

Yes, I've been on/off them for 12 years. The most recent birth control I'm trying is the Nuva Ring. It has lightened my periods somewhat, but I still bleed through. As soon as my insurance approves it, I will be receiving another Depo-shot, and the hope is that the combo Depo + Nuva, will eventually put a stop to my periods.

My best guess - based on similar history and experience - Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (sometimes called PCOS). She should ask her GYN to refer her to a Reproductive Endocrinologist if its confirmed to be PCOS. They are usually the most experienced with treating the symptoms of PCOS, current/updated research and medications, etc.

I was diagnosed with PCOS, but it had to do with my high blood sugar at the time. Since then, I've lost weight and my blood sugars were normal. As a matter of fact, there had been a 'mini-battle' between my Personal Care Physcian & GYN about putting me on diabetic meds. My PCP fought against, whilst GYN fought for. Eventually, it was settled that with another abnormal lab reading, I would have to take the meds. Like I said...my sugars have been normal. I will look into going to an Endocrinologist, though. Thank you!

I don't know how to help your friend, but --and this may sound kind of weird-- has she tried any alternative doctors, especially an acupunturist? I have various friends who have had a variety of ailments incurable by regular doctors who had success through acupuncture.

I WILL TRY ANYTHING!!!! At this point, if you tell me to hang upside down so that the blood rushes elsewhere...well I might not do that...but I'll try anything!!!

THANK YOU ALL FOR THESE FANTASTIC SUGGESTIONS!!!!

don't tell me there's nothing you can do for me.

Okay, so here's the deal. I'm twenty-five years old, I began to get my period the summer I turned 11. When I was 13 I developed a condition known as Menorrhagia. I would get my cycle for a long period of time (e.g. MONTHS) then it would go away, be normal...etc. I went to different doctors, OBYN's, naturalists, etc. Last summer, I underwent a dilation and curettage (D&C), and it seemed, like the issue had been resolved. Thanfully, no malignancies were found, everything seemed...'normal'. I only had spotting from time to time, but other than that, everything was A-OK.

Well in December 2008, my 'female gift' returned...with a vengeance. I'd like to say that this gift was refundable, but unfortunately, it was not. My period was heavy, I experienced large amounts of clotting with A LOT of pain, and winded up with another D&C in February '09. It did not work, my bleeding was still as heavy and painful as before. My GYN prescribed the Depo-Provera shot, to no avail. I was placed on different medications, also with no results. I was placed on a patch that made me soooo sick within 24 hours, and the only thing sorta working is the Nuva Ring.

I guess what I'm saying is...I'VE HAD MY PERIOD CONTINUOSLY SINCE DECEMBER 2008!!! I'm incredibly anemic, undergoing treatment for THAT, undergoing treatment for my period, which is not working, and trying different GYN's...The last straw was last Monday, when a 'new' GYN told me "There is nothing I can do for you".

THAT PISSED ME OFF.

So, Even though I'm going to ANOTHER 'new' GYN on Tuesday, I am asking all of you to PLEASE keep emailing this blog around. I have done research, and so far NOTHING. The only 'like' experience is the story in the bible, and Jesus is not around for me to touch is clothes and get some HOLY SPIRIT to dry me up. Please, I'M BEGGING, keep this floating....MAYBE THERE IS SOMEONE OUT THERE WHO HAS EXPERIENCED THIS SAME ISSUE!!!!

Don't write comments on my blog, I can read them for some reason. My email is synderella04@hotmail.com. THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH!!!

musikfest 2009

we went two sundays in a row!!!
COMPLETE AWESOMENESS!!!

all the lonely people

view

view
Originally uploaded by synderella04

tammy and maddie

tammy and maddie
Originally uploaded by synderella04

Picture 052

Picture 052
Originally uploaded by synderella04

some pics

olivia and steph

olivia and steph
Originally uploaded by synderella04

JULY 25, 2009

kayla and olivia

kayla and olivia
Originally uploaded by synderella04

JULY 25, 2009

an old video

Picture 017
Originally uploaded by synderella04

back in 2007

Oldest known Bible goes online

Oldest known Bible goes online


By Richard Allen Greene

CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/07/06/ancient.bible.online/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

LONDON, England (CNN) -- The world's oldest known Christian Bible goes online Monday -- but the 1,600-year-old text doesn't match the one you'll find in churches today.

The British government bought most of the pages of the ancient manuscript in 1933.

1 of 2


Discovered in a monastery in the Sinai desert in Egypt more than 160 years ago, the handwritten Codex Sinaiticus includes two books that are not part of the official New Testament and at least seven books that are not in the Old Testament.
The New Testament books are in a different order, and include numerous handwritten corrections -- some made as much as 800 years after the texts were written, according to scholars who worked on the project of putting the Bible online. The changes range from the alteration of a single letter to the insertion of whole sentences.
And some familiar -- very important -- passages are missing, including verses dealing with the resurrection of Jesus, they said.
Juan Garces, the British Library project curator, said it should be no surprise that the ancient text is not quite the same as the modern one, since the Bible has developed and changed over the years.
"The Bible as an inspirational text has a history," he told CNN.
"There are certainly theological questions linked to this," he said. "Everybody should be encouraged to investigate for themselves."
That is part of the reason for putting the Bible online, said Garces, who is both a Biblical scholar and a computer scientist.
"Scholars will want to look very closely at it, and some of the Web site functionality is specifically for them -- the ability to search the text, the ability to highlight a word, the degree of detail is particularly interesting for scholars interested in the text," he said.
Don't Miss
Codex Sinaiticus project
But, he added, "It's for everyone, really a wide audience, because of curiosity, because they appreciate the value of it."
By the middle of the fourth century, when the Codex Sinaiticus was written, there was wide but not complete agreement on which books should be considered authoritative for Christian communities, according to the Web site where the Codex is posted.
The Bible comes from the Monastery of St. Catherine in the Sinai desert, where a scholar named Constantine Tischendorf recognized its significance in 1844 -- and promptly took part of it, Garces explained.
"Constantine Tischendorf was in search for ancient manuscripts, so he appreciated the age and value of it," Garces said.
He took a handful of pages to Germany to publish them, then returned in 1853 and in 1859 for more. On that last trip, he took 694 pages, which ended up in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The Soviet government decided to sell them in 1933 -- to raise money to buy tractors and other agricultural equipment.
The British government bought the pages for £100,000, raising half the money from the public. Garces called that event one of the first fundraising campaigns in British history.
Film footage from the time shows crowds of people turning out to see the manuscript, which was considered a national treasure, he said.
Though the Bible has been reassembled online, in the real world it remains scattered.
Most of it is in London. Eighty-six pages are held at the University Library in Leipzig, Germany, parts of 12 pages are held at the National Library of Russia in St. Petersburg, and 24 pages and 40 fragments remain at St. Catherine's Monastery, recovered by the monks from the northern wall of the structure in June 1975.
The manuscript contains the Christian Bible in Greek, including the oldest complete copy of the New Testament. (A copy held at the Vatican dates from about the same period.) Older copies of individual portions of the Christian Bible exist, but not as part of a complete text.
The Codex also includes much of the Old Testament that was adopted by early Greek-speaking Christians.
That portion includes books not found in the Hebrew Bible and regarded in the Protestant tradition as apocryphal, such as 2 Esdras, Tobit, Judith, 1 & 4 Maccabees, Wisdom and Sirach.
The New Testament portion includes the Epistle of Barnabas and The Shepherd of Hermas.
As it survives today, Codex Sinaiticus comprises just over 400 large leaves of parchment -- prepared animal skin -- each of which measures 15 inches by 13.6 inches (380 mm by 345 mm).
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Why is There Opposition to Jehovah's Witnesses?

Why is There Opposition to Jehovah's Witnesses?


Author: Fleur Hupston
Published: May 8, 2009


Throughout the history of Jehovah's Witnesses, their beliefs and practices have spurred controversy and opposition all over the world. Why do they face such opposition?

Persecution has been a recurrent experience of the Jehovah's Witnesses since its foundation. Political and religious animosity against them has at times led to mob action and government oppression, in countries such as Cuba , the United States , Canada and Nazi Germany.

Activities of Jehovah's Witnesses have previously been banned in the Soviet Union and in Spain and they are still banned in several countries such as China , Vietnam and many Islamic states.

Ken Jubber writes that, "Viewed globally, this persecution has been so persistent and of such an intensity that it would not be inaccurate to regard Jehovah's Witnesses as the most persecuted religion of the twentieth century."

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not seek to be persecuted or hated and they do not enjoy the hardships — fines, imprisonments, beatings even executions. They desire to lead a calm and quiet life, they appreciate the religious freedom they have in most lands to carry on with their worship and preaching activity and are generally known to be honest, law-abiding citizens in every country they reside in. Why, then, are they objects of hatred?

Politically Neutrality and Jehovah's Witnesses

Jehovah’s Witnesses act upon their religious beliefs in ways that make them unpopular with some. They remain neutral towards the politics and wars of the nations and will not get involved in taking up arms to kill other human beings.

Sometimes this has been wrongly taken to mean that the Witnesses are disloyal citizens. But as a whole, Jehovah's Witnesses will obey the laws of the land to the fullest extent without political involvement or the sacrifice of human life — Jehovah's Witnesses refuse conscription.

"Perhaps the most notable thing about the Witnesses is their insistence upon their primary allegiance to God, before any other power in the world,” points out Dr. C. S. Braden in These Also Believe.

Jehovah's Witnesses Are Targets of Accusations

The accusations lodged against Jehovah's Witnesses sometimes take the form of lies or twisted presentations of their beliefs. Misinformation and unjustified attacks of their beliefs have led some to persecute and punish members of this religion in some lands.

For example, because Jehovah's Witnesses seek non-blood medical treatment that is in harmony with their desire to obey the Bible’s command to "abstain from blood," (Acts 15:29) they have wrongly been labeled “child murderers” and “a suicide cult.”

But the fact is that Jehovah’s Witnesses place a high value on life, and they seek to obtain the best available medical care for themselves and their children. One accusation holds that numerous children of Jehovah’s Witnesses die each year as a result of refusing blood transfusions, though some claim that this allegation is unfounded.

In addition, research in 2006 shows that there are over 100,000 doctors in the United States alone that offer some version of bloodless treatment to all patients regardless of religious beliefs, providing Jehovah's Witnesses with a viable alternative treatment.

Religious Opposition to Jehovah's Witnesses

In many instances, the principal instigators of persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses have turned out to be religious opposers who have used their influence with political authorities and the media to try to suppress the activities of the Witnesses.

For example, they zealously preach the good news of God’s Kingdom, but people often misunderstand their zeal, viewing their preaching as “aggressive proselytizing.”

Jehovah's Witnesses have fought legal battles the world over to protect their right to worship and preach.

As Dr. Charles Haynes said, “We all owe the Jehovah’s Witnesses a debt of gratitude. No matter how many times they’re insulted, run out of town, or even physically attacked, they keep on fighting for their (and thus our) freedom of religion. And when they win, we all win.”


http://religious-persecution.suite101.com/print_article.cfm/why_are_jehovahs_witnesses_so_unpopular

Sources:

Jubber, Ken (1977). "The Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Southern Africa ". Social Compass, 24 (1): p.121.
Cox, Archibald (1987). The Court and the Constitution. Boston , MA : Houghton Mifflin Co.. p.189.
Dr. Charles Haynes, First Freedoms: A Documentary History of First Amendment Rights in America (2006) and Religion in American Public Life.
Jehovah's Witness Official Website.

ATM MACHINE..MALE VS. FEMALE!

MALE VS. FEMALE AT THE ATM MACHINE

A new sign in the Bank Lobby reads:

'Please note that this Bank is installing new Drive-through ATM machines enabling customers to withdraw cash without leaving their vehicles..

Customers using this new facility are requested to use the procedures outlined below when accessing their accounts.

After months of careful research, MALE &FEMALE Procedures have been developed. Please follow the Appropriate steps for your gender.'

*******************************
MALE PROCEDURE:
1. Drive up to the cash machine.
2. Put down your car window.
3. Insert card into machine and enter PIN.
4. Enter amount of cash required and withdraw.
5. Retrieve card, cash and receipt.
6. Put window up.
7. Drive off.

*****************
**************

FEMALE PROCEDURE:
What is really funny is that most of this part is the Truth.!!!!

1. Drive up to cash machine.
2.. Reverse and back up the required amount to align car window with the machine.
3. Set parking brake, put the window down.
4. Find handbag, remove all contents on to passenger seat to locate card..
5. Tell person on cell phone you will call them back and hang up.
6. Attempt to insert card into machine.
7. Open car door to allow
easier access to machine due to its excessive distance from the car.
8. Insert card.
9. Re-insert card the right way.
10. Dig through handbag to find diary with your PIN written on the inside back page.
11. Enter PIN.
12. Press cancel and re-enter correct PIN.
1 3. Enter amount of cash required.
14. Check makeup in rear view mirror.
15. Retrieve cash and receipt.
16. Empty handbag again to locate wallet and place cash inside.
17.. Write debit amount in check register and place receipt in back of checkbook.
18. Re-check makeup.
19. Drive forward 2 feet.
20. Reverse back to cash machine.
21. Retrieve card.
22. Re-empty handbag, locate card holder, and place card into the slot provided!
23. Give dirty look to irate male driver waiting behind you.
24. Restart stalled engine and pull off.
25. Redial person on cell phone.
26.. Drive for 2 to 3 miles.
27. Release Parking Brake.

12 ft JW

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

evian roller babies

this is disgusting.

By Paula Hancocks
CNN
as seen on CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/07/15/tv.show/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

GAZA CITY (CNN) -- It's meant to be a children's program, but "Young Pioneers" on Hamas-run television is well-known for pushing the boundaries of what most people would deem suitable content for children.


The martyrdom mission re-enactment using actors, was played to Reem Riyashi's children.

1 of 2 One episode raised eyebrows when it first aired two years ago on al Aqsa TV, featuring two young Palestinian children being shown a re-enactment of their mother's preparations for and execution of a suicide bombing.

The show was recently aired for the children of the bomber and other youths in a studio audience.

The young anchor sounds a defiant note: "And here we say to the occupier that we will follow her doctrine, the doctrine of the martyr mujahida Reem Riyashi, until we liberate our homeland from your illegitimate hands."

Riyashi killed four Israelis in a 2004 attack at the Erez crossing between Gaza and Israel.

In the video, an actress playing her prepares explosives for her mission, ignoring her children's questions about what she is doing.

"Mummy, what are you holding in your arms -- a toy or a present for me?" her daughter asks.

Her daughter then sees a news report about the suicide bombing and sings, "Only now I understand what was more important than us."

The camera cuts back to the faces of her two children watching the re-enactment.

The Israeli monitoring group Palestinian Media Watch publicized and condemned the program when it first appeared.

The group told CNN, "These young children are tragic victims of horrific child abuse." Watch a report on the controversial episode »

Dr. Eyad Sarraj, a leading Palestinian psychiatrist in Gaza, worries about how glorifying suicide bombers affects children.

"Three years ago, we did a study on children in Gaza between the ages of 12 and 14, and we asked them, what would you like to be when you are 18?" Sarraj said. "At that time, 36 percent of boys said, 'I would like to be a martyr,' and 17 percent of the girls said the same."

He said children in Gaza had been so traumatized by Israeli-Palestinian violence over the years that their perceptions of life and death were damaged.

It's possible for most people in the region to watch al Aqsa television if they have the right satellite dish, though it's not possible to tell how many have seen the footage.

It is Hamas-run and its audience probably is restricted to those with that political affiliation.


Al Aqsa did not return CNN's calls for comment on the program.

Two years ago, the station created a Mickey Mouse-style character that encouraged "violent resistance" against Israel and simulated the use of an AK-47 and grenades.

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Seven Civil War stories your teacher never told you

Seven Civil War stories your teacher never told you
By Eric Johnson




(Mental Floss) --

Perhaps your history teachers failed to alert you to these Civil War facts: Jefferson Davis nearly got mugged by an angry female mob; Abraham Lincoln loved the Confederate anthem "Dixie," and Paul Revere was a Civil War casualty.

"Dixie" was was a huge hit across the country and quickly became one of Abraham Lincoln's favorite tunes.

The Civil War, in addition to being among the defining moments of U.S. history, is also the source of some bizarre and surprisingly cool trivia.
1. Lincoln's first solution to slavery was a fiasco
Early in his presidency, Abe was convinced that white Americans would never accept black Americans. "You and we are different races," the president told a committee of "colored" leaders in August 1862. "...But for your race among us there could not be war...It is better for us both, therefore, to be separated."
Lincoln proposed voluntary emigration to Central America, seeing it as a more convenient destination than Liberia. This idea didn't sit well with leaders like Frederick Douglass, who considered colonization to be "a safety valve...for white racism."
Luckily for Douglass (and the country), colonization failed spectacularly. One of the first attempts was on Île à Vache, a.k.a. Cow Island, a small isle off the coast of Haiti.
The island was owned by land developer Bernard Kock, who claimed he had approved a black American colony with the Haitian government.
No one bothered to call him on that claim.
Following a smallpox outbreak on the boat ride down, hundreds of black colonizers were abandoned on the island with no housing prepared for them, as Kock had promised.
To make matters worse, the soil on Cow Island was too poor for any serious agriculture. In January 1864, the Navy rescued the survivors from the ripoff colony. Once Île à Vache fell through, Lincoln never spoke of colonization again.Mental Floss: 6 Historical Events People Love to Reenact
2. Hungry ladies effectively mugged Jefferson Davis
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The Confederacy's image hinged on the notion that the rebellious states made up a unified, stable nation.
However, the hard times of war exposed just how much disunity there was in Dixieland.
Civilians in both the North and South had to cope with scarcity and increased food prices, but the food situation was especially bad in the South because outcomes on the battlefield were directly linked to the CSA's currency -- rising food prices were hard enough to deal with without wild fluctuations in what the money in your pocket could buy.
Invading northern troops, of course, poured salt on the wounds of scarcity, burning crops and killing livestock. But in Richmond, Virginia, those who couldn't afford the increasingly pricey food blamed the Confederate government. Hungry protesters, most of whom were women, led a march "to see the governor" in April 1863 that quickly turned violent.
They overturned carts, smashed windows, and drew out Governor John Letcher and President Jefferson Davis.
Davis threw money at the protesters, trying to get them to clear out, but the violence continued. So, he threatened to order the militia to open fire, which settled things down pretty quickly.
3. The Union used hot air balloons and submarines
The balloons, directed by aeronaut Thaddeus Lowe, were used to spot enemy soldiers and coordinate Federal troop movements. During his first battlefield flight, at First Bull Run, Lowe landed behind Confederate lines, but he was rescued.
The Union Army Balloon Corps got no respect from military officials, and Lowe resigned when he was assigned to serve, at a lower pay grade, under the director of the Army Corps of Engineers.
In all, the balloonists were active for a little under two years. Mental Floss: 7 Modern Flying Car Designs
In contrast, the paddle-powered Alligator submarine saw exactly zero days of combat (which is why it can't officially be called the U.S.S. Alligator).
It suffered from some early testing setbacks, but after some speed-boosting tweaks, it was dispatched for Port Royal, South Carolina, with an eye towards aiding in the sack of Charleston. It was to be towed south by the U.S.S. Sumpter, but it had to be cut loose off of North Carolina on April 2, 1863, when bad weather struck.
Divers and historians are still looking for the Alligator today.
But the undersea capers don't end there. A few months after the loss of the Alligator, the CSA launched their own submarine, the H.L. Hunley, named after its inventor.
The Hunley attacked and sank the U.S.S. Housatonic off the coast of Charleston, making it the first submarine ever to sink an enemy ship.
The only problem is that it also sank soon afterwards, and all eight crewmen drowned.
4. "Dixie" was only a northern song
The precise details of when composer Dan Emmett wrote "Dixie" seemed to change every time he told the story (and some even dispute that Emmett was the author in the first place).
But he first performed it in New York City in 1859, with the title "I Wish I Was in Dixie's Land."
Emmett was a member of a blackface troupe known as the Bryant's Minstrels, but he was indignant when he found out that his song had become an unofficial anthem of the Confederacy.
He went on to write a musicians' marching manual for the Northern army.
Before and during the war, the song was a huge hit in New York and across the country, and quickly became one of Abraham Lincoln's favorite tunes.
The day after the Surrender at Appomattox, Lincoln told a crowd of Northern revelers, "I have always thought 'Dixie' was one of the best tunes I have ever heard. Our adversaries over the way attempted to appropriate it, but I insisted yesterday that we fairly captured it."
He then asked a nearby band to play it in celebration.
5. Paul Revere was at Gettysburg
Paul Joseph Revere, that is the famous Paul Revere's grandson.
Unfortunately for fans of the first Revere and his partly mythical Ride, PJR was in the infantry, not the cavalry, with the 20th Massachusetts.
He and his brother Edward were captured at the Battle of Ball's Bluff in October 1861. After being released in a prisoner exchange, the Reveres rejoined the fight.
Paul was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in September, 1862, shortly before he was wounded in the brutal Battle of Antietam (a.k.a. the Battle of Sharpsburg).
Edward, however, wasn't so lucky -- he was one of more than 2,000 Union soldiers who didn't make it out of Sharpsburg, Maryland, alive.
By the following year, Paul was promoted again to Colonel, leading the 20th Massachusetts at Chancellorsville and, in his final days, at Gettysburg.
On July 3, 1863, he was mortally wounded by a shell fragment that pierced his lung, and he died the next day.
He was posthumously promoted again to Brigadier General, and is buried in Cambridge, Massachusetts.Mental Floss: 10 Things to Remember About Memorial Day
6. Mark Twain fired one shot and then left
At least, that's what he claimed in "The Private History of a Campaign that Failed," a semi-fictional short story published in 1885, after The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but before A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.
In it, he recounts a whopping two weeks spent in 1861 with a Confederate militia in Marion County, Missouri. But he introduces the tale by saying that even the people who enlisted at the start of the war, and then left permanently, "ought at least be allowed to state why they didn't do anything and also to explain the process by which they didn't do anything. Surely this kind of light must have some sort of value."
Twain writes that there were fifteen men in the rebel militia, the "Marion Rangers," and he was the second lieutenant, even though they had no first lieutenant.
After Twain's character shoots and kills a Northern horseback rider, he is overwhelmed by the sensation of being a murderer, "that I had killed a man, a man who had never done me any harm. That was the coldest sensation that ever went through my marrow."
However, his grief is slightly eased by the realization that six men had fired their guns, and only one had been able to hit the moving target.
7. The armies weren't all-male
Hundreds of women on both sides pulled a Mulan, assuming male identities and appearances so that they might fight for their respective nations.
Some of them did it for adventure, but many did it for monetary reasons: the pay for a male soldier was about $13 month, which was close to double what a woman could make in any profession at the time.
Also, being a man gave someone a lot more freedoms than just being able to wear pants. Remember, this was still more than half a century away from women's suffrage and being a man meant that you could manage your monthly $13 wages independently.
So it should come as no surprise that many of these women kept up their aliases long after the war had ended, some even to the grave.
Their presence in soldiers' ranks wasn't the best-kept secret. Some servicewomen kept up correspondence with the home front after they changed their identities, and for decades after the war newspapers ran article after article chronicling the stories of woman soldiers, and speculating on why they might break from the accepted gender norms.
Perhaps not surprisingly, in 1909 the U.S. Army denied that "any woman was ever enlisted in the military service of the United States as a member of any organization of the Regular or Volunteer Army at any time during the period of the civil war."
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