philosopher gurl

TOP 10 TIPS FOR MARKETING TO MILLENNIALS IN 2011

2011-04-20T00:25:00.000-04:00

2010 comes to a close, I'm sure we'll all be inundated with predictions for 2011 and highlights of 2010. Marketing is no different. And when it comes to marketing to Millennials, there are definitely winners and losers. So what are the key tools for marketing to Millennials in 2011? I've compiled a list of my top 10.

Connect with Millennials. It doesn't matter how you do it, but you'd better find a way. Whether it's your deodorant brand sponsoring a cheerleading competition or your Internet start-up sponsoring a conference, human connection is still vitally important.
Brand, brand, brand. I say this every day a thousand times: brands matter. We hear that Millennials are fickle, and they're not brand loyal. Yes, this is true. But brands still matter. Would a Millennial man rather rock no name sneakers or Converse? My bet is on Converse. I'd raise that bet even higher for the hybrid that is Converse for Target.
Impact their lives. It's not enough to connect with Millennials via a platform they love or to create strong brands. How are you impacting their lives? Brands like Pepsi understand this. Instead of funneling millions into a traditional advertising campaign, it used its money to create an impact in local communities.
Understand what Millennials want. This is so much easier than it seems. Don't allow your director of research to be the keeper of all secrets. Spend a day immersed with Millennials. Take some time to see how they live, and figure out where your product fits in their lives.
Engage with Millennials. Millennials love marketing, and they certainly love brands. Allow them to participate in this process with you. We live in a world of buzz. Millennials who love your product are your biggest fans. Figure out how to engage with them.
Create products Millennials want. It seems so simple, but people create stupid, useless stuff everyday. The recession has forever changed this generation. Now, they want value and luxury for the same dollar. They don't have money to waste on a product they don't love.
Utilize every platform available to you. Please listen carefully: print is not dead. TV is not dead. All forms of media are alive. Millennials are bombarded with hundreds of messages before they even reach their first class of the day. Why would you ever cut your chances of communicating with them? They are everywhere, and your messaging should be everywhere as well.
Realize that you don't have all of the answers. As marketers, we think we do. We have research, we have resources, we have cool products to market. But a big ego is just the ingredient needed for an epic, major fail. I experienced this personally in 2010 when I helped a client launch a brand for teen girls. Needless to say, it didn't go well. Why? Because I spent the majority of my time trying to explain to my client that we didn't, in fact, know more than they did about what they wanted out of this particular product.
Solve problems. The ideas that are really making big money solve problems. Want to look great but not spend $100 on a party dress? Go to Forever 21. Want the ultimate skinny jean that won't break the bank? Head to Uniqlo. The brands that are rocking it through the recession are winning for a reason. They're really well-branded problem-solvers.
Have fun. There have been so many studies and articles published about Millennials lately. With so much doom and gloom out there, we forget that Millennials just want to have fun and enjoy life. They are attracted to brands that permeate the same message. You may think you're selling the world's most boring product, but we all need boring products, too. I don't know the last time I thought Tide was uber-sexy, but my washer needs it. I love those commercials, and I love how I feel watching them. It's like a washing party I wasn't invited to. At the end of the day, treat your product like the most exclusive VIP party that every Millennial should crave an invite to. The VIP host might cost a bit extra, though.

COMMENTARY: Think mobile. Think Facebook. Think cool. Use sensory marketing. Millennial's love to have their five senses stimulated. Bombard them with outrageous sounds and special effects, powerful imagery, exciting video and film scenes, sleek products that are easy-to-use crammed with great features and textures, tantalizing flavors and aromas, the whole sensory sheebang.

Millennial's are not tuned into marketing messages or brand hype. This goes right over their heads like a speeding jet. They don't connect with that. The sensory stimulation IS the message. Pick a great brand tagline: "Just do It". A great tagline is the single-most powerful, condensed, compact expression of your brand that you can have. Millennials connect with your brand tagline. If you don't have one, get one.

YES, Brands should engage with Millennial's, but marketer's should keep this in mind: Millennial's do not engage with a non-persons a.k.a. your brand. They engage with people. There must be two-way engagement. Make the engagement a personable, almost in-your-face and fun experience. The FREE jeans mobile promotion hit the Millennial cherry spot.

Millennial's have some king size problems of their own, which marketer's need to understand. As far as Millennial's having fun, I don't doubt this, but they are also having problems getting jobs, and I really doubt that many of them like moving back in with mom and dad. They are very optimistic about the future. I find that hard to believe, but that's what researcher's say. Let me set you strait. Here's are all my blog posts that gives you the real lowdown on Millennials a.k.a. Twenty Somethings or Gen-Y's, take your pick.

If you are a Millennial, take the Pew Research Center's "How Millennial Are You"? quiz

Courtesy of an article dated December 30, 2010 appearing in MediaPost PublicationsEngage:GenY

Inc's 30 Under 30: America's Coolest Young Entrepreneurs

2011-04-19T22:40:00.001-04:00

Source: Inc

A little piece of Perfection

2011-04-19T08:27:00.000-04:00

"A pilgrim in Nepal
finds a true path through
artichokes and totems"

~an original piece of Senryu written by Jimmy Wilder

Senryu: a Japanese poetic form that focuses on a human subject in a humorous light. They try to be roughly the n length of a breath, maybe two

Spoken Word

The Rugby Poets Club Presents: "Chariot" by Joshua Bennett from Ralph Lauren on Vimeo.

Guilty Pleasure #4: NewsCast Mashups

2011-04-19T08:21:00.001-04:00

It's a sad day in the news when the autotuned viral version of news reports get more actual hits than the news cast.

Note: This is in no way, shape or form an endorsement of the usage of autotune.

Beautiful Girls de la mar

2011-04-19T00:39:00.000-04:00

‎"Happiness is something that comes into our lives through doors we don't even remember leaving open." ~Rose Lane

The Perfect Storm

2011-04-19T00:33:00.003-04:00

What a Brilliant piece!!! I promise you, if you listen to this during a thunderstorm, it will transform your entire world

I always fall in love with an open door
With a horizon on an endless sea
As I look around the ones who were standing
right in front of me

And then my mirror speaks with a reverence
Like a soldier I can’t command
It sees a child in the body of a full-grown man

~DEath cAB

Now Das Gangsta!

2011-04-19T00:25:00.000-04:00

Your old, busted name was Monica Philosophergurl. We now dub yo ass:
Clowny Gat Slinga

i laughed so hard my eyes were literally stinging with tears

The Original Gangsta Name Generator | GangstaName.com

gangstaname.com

The original Gangsta Name Generator transforms your boring name into something gangsta!

When a woman should act like a man

2011-04-19T00:14:00.001-04:00

By Eliza Ridgeway for CNN

April 5, 2011 9:08 a.m. EDT

For women, knowing when to display "male" behavior at work can impact their chances of getting a promotion, study says.

It's not that aggressive women need to scale it back and act like a lady -- in certain situations they need to call on those behaviors.
--Olivia O'Neill, George Mason University School of Management

(CNN) -- Tilia Wong worked in construction management before going to business school and got used to thinking of herself as a businesswoman who knew how to keep assertive behavior under wraps.
"I'm a 24-year-old Asian girl telling a 55-year-old white guy what to do. I had to tone it down," she said of her workplace experience.
Fast forward to this year, when Wong began an MBA at Stanford University and had to reassess herself because classmates told her she was actually on the aggressive end of the spectrum.
Research shows that salary bumps and promotions can depend on how you act on the job -- but as Wong has learned, nobody seems to know where, exactly, a businesswoman should fall on the spectrum between "acting like a lady" or asserting herself "like a man."
"For the women who are a little softer, a little gentler, everyone tells them, 'You have to be firmer, more aggressive,'" she told CNN.
"And if you come on aggressive, they tell you, 'You have to tone it down, you have to be softer.' I haven't found someone about whom they say, 'You've got it exactly right.'"

But new research suggests that the frustrating balancing act Wong describes can actually be more effective than finding a sweet spot somewhere on the spectrum and sticking to it.

"Sometimes you need to be more extreme, depending on the situation. It's not that aggressive women need to scale it back and act like a lady -- in certain situations they need to call on those behaviors," said Olivia O'Neill.

She's a professor at George Mason University's School of Management and author of a forthcoming study in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology that found that knowing when to display mannerisms often associated with men is more important than perfecting a one-size-fits-all persona.

"The key is to have an expanded repertoire or a tool box of traits that you can call on in professional situations," she said. "People get the mistaken impression that there's something desirable about being consistent in all contexts."

O'Neill isn't making any claims about which qualities are, or should be, innate to men or women -- she studies the cultural expectations associated with gender, and how those conflict with the demands of a corporate job.

To read more on this topic, please click here.

Guilty Pleasures #3: Retro Gaming Parodies

2011-04-18T23:38:00.000-04:00

"A useless life is an early death."
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

[Haha, I'm thoroughly convinced Goethe was a gamer]

Pac Man Cemetery

"Few people have the imagination for reality."Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Cute Roulette

2011-04-16T00:53:00.000-04:00

If you enjoyed this video, you can see this and many others at CuteRoulette.com. Click on this link for more video options.

Lose Yourself?

2011-04-15T00:44:00.000-04:00

"He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away."

~Raymond Hull

Vintage Chomsky

2011-04-15T00:39:00.000-04:00

"Any dictator would admire the uniformity and obedience of the U.S. media."
~Noam Chomsky

Creation Stories: Design Project

2011-04-15T00:37:00.001-04:00

After

Before

This piece represents how emerging civilizations created rituals and creation stories in order to justify the paying of taxes to the tribal governments and civilizations which controlled the food supply. It also serves as a reminder of how these stories have been distorted over time as they are passed along through oral traditions. I hand carved balsa foam with the small stick used in the piece and painted with gesso and acrylic. The headress was added with hot glue.

Oh Dear!

2011-04-14T01:03:00.000-04:00

Laughter really IS the best medicine

2011-04-14T00:55:00.007-04:00

Haha, so it appears that while Laughter really IS the best medicine it also makes for a very creepy preventative workout.

[Disclaimer: Not to be done simultaneously with the chocolate milk recovery program unless you like milk shooting out of your nose.]

Life As We Know It: The skinny on Chocolate Milk

2011-04-14T00:48:00.000-04:00

"Just because you accept help from someone, doesn't mean you have failed. It just means you're not in it alone." ~Eric, from the film "Life As We Know It" 2010

Rapid workout recovery drink–Chocolate milk!

Posted by Kelley Schall at 1:01 AM

Source: Athletic Foodie

Chocolate milk clearly isn’t just a favorite among the elementary school crowd anymore. Recently, it has received quite a bit of attention for its effectiveness in promoting recovery after exercise (references below). Current research supports these claims. One study compared the benefits of chocolate milk as a recovery drink with two popular sports drinks. Chocolate milk was found to improve recovery after exhaustive exercise by increasing performance in future workouts in a group of cyclists.

Carbs and Protein: Chocolate Milk

The effectiveness of chocolate milk is due to its unique nutrient composition. Research indicates that a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein is beneficial during recovery. The proportion of carbohydrates to protein in chocolate milk is consistent with these recommendations. The carbohydrates in chocolate milk are simple sugars that are quickly absorbed to replace energy stores. These sugars include lactose, which occurs naturally in cow’s milk, and added sugars.

Non-dairy milks are free of lactose and contain added sugars as the primary source of carbohydrates. While unsweetened varieties are available, they do not contain the carbohydrates your body needs to refuel after exercise. If you prefer nondairy milk, opt for chocolate soymilk after a workout. It contains a similar amount of protein as cow’s milk. Be aware that rice and almond milk may contain as little as 1 -2 grams of protein per serving and may not be as beneficial during recovery.

There are a few other points to consider when purchasing chocolate milk. First, look for fat free or low fat (1%) varieties. Many brands are made with whole milk that contains higher amounts of saturated fat. Next, be aware of what type of sweetener is used. Avoid varieties that contain high fructose corn syrup if possible. Try Horizonor Silk brands, which are made with natural ingredients. They even come in convenient single-serving containers that are perfect on-the-go.

Trying to avoid added sugars? This easy chocolate shake recipe is naturally sweetened with ripe banana. It contains the same amount of protein as an 8 ounce serving of chocolate milk, plus complex carbohydrates and fiber. Potassium from the banana and sodium from the milk help replace electrolytes lost with sweat during exercise.

Chocolatey Banana Recovery Shake Recipe:

1 cup milk of your choice

1 medium banana, frozen

2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ tsp. vanilla or almond extract

Blend all ingredients together in a blender until smooth. For an extra boost of protein, try adding 2 tablespoons of almond butter or a scoop of your favorite protein powder. Enjoy!

Always make sure to drink your chocolate milk within thirty minutes of your workout, and hydrate with plenty of water!

Reference:

Ivy, J. L., P. T. Res, R. C. Sprague and M. O. Widzer. Effect of a carbohydrate-protein supplement on endurance performance during exercise of varying intensity. Int. J. Sport Nutr. Exerc. Metab. 13:388-401, 2003.

Thomas, K., P. Morris, and E. Stevenson. Improved endurance capacity following chocolate milk consumption compared with 2 commercially available sport drinks.Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab. 34(1):78-82, 2009.

Sufjan: All Good Naysayers

2011-04-14T00:26:00.001-04:00

"Do not wait for your ship to come in - swim out to it."
- Author Unknown

Beauty in the Beast

2011-04-14T00:21:00.000-04:00

Winner of the Best-Looking Endangered Species contest! (^_^")

Source: Treehugger

Click the link to see a gallery of nominees

Chinese Maglev Wind Turbines Enter Mass Production

2011-04-14T00:16:00.000-04:00

by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY

Source: Treehugger

Construction has begun on the world's largest production base for magnetic levitation (maglev) wind power generators. According to Xinhua, the base will produce a series of small-scale maglev wind power generators with capacities ranging from 400 to 5,000 watts in the first half of 2008.

So, what the heck is a maglev generator? It improves efficiency by using magnets to reduce friction, meaning that turbines could turn with winds as low as 1.5 meters per second (m/s), and cut-in, or energy-producing, speeds of 3 m/s. The chief developer says this could cut the operational costs of wind farms by up to half, with an overall cost under 0.4 yuan ($US 5 cents) per killowatt hour. Earlier this year, an Arizona based company touted a large-scale maglev turbine, but such technology on that scale has yet to be proved.

For developing countries like China, the technology could be crucial to bringing wind power to places where it is currently un-utilized and perhaps too costly to build. For the developed world too, it could make wind power much cheaper, and wind turbines at home a more realistic option.

The company has also said it could even provide roadside lighting along highways by utilizing the airflow generated from passing vehicles (see this idea here).

If licensed to other companies (rather than illegally copied), the technology could help boost China's desperate-to-grow wind power manufacturing industry, which so far has relied on significant cooperation with foreign partners like GE, and has been somewhat stymied by the government's pricing schemes.

But wind is booming in China. It has the world's fifth greatest installed capacity, and is set to reach the government's first major wind goal -- 5 gigawatts by 2010 -- this year.

Though magnets have been used before in pumps and turbines to cut down on the friction of ball bearings, they have typically been electromagnets, which require additional power. The technology behind the generators has not been specified -- obvious concerns about intellectual property in China abound -- but the company has indicated the system relies on a permanent magnet system, which needs no external power, and without which compact DVD and disk drives would not exist.

Many have speculated they use something called Halbach arrays, which help to control the magnetic field. As Jeremy at Worldchanging noted last year, "any permanent magnet system would doubtless need lots of Neodymium ("rare earth") magnets, which may have questionable sustainability when mined in large amounts, but as it happens China is rich in that element." Indeed, China controls 90% of the world market for rare earth elements.

The company notes that the generator's efficiency is 20% better than "traditional" wind turbines. Worldchanging goes on to explain that

The inefficiency of a normal windmill's drive train (which includes the gears, shafts, and bearings, everything that moves except the motor and the turbine blades) is not so terribly big at moderate and high wind speeds. According to a paper by California Wind Energy Collaborative at UC Davis, the average wind turbine's drive train is 87-89% efficient from peak wind speeds down to less than half peak wind speed. However, below roughly a third of peak wind speed, things go rapidly downhill, and by about a quarter of peak wind speed, efficiencies are wallowing sadly in the 30-40% range. The Dutch windmill manufacturer Harakosan advertises a wind turbine that has 93 - 94% drive train efficiency all the way from peak wind speed down to a quarter of peak speed.

Either way, for China's growing wind power industry, the maglev is a huge step, and one made even bigger by the current rush to take advantage of China's potential wind power, estimated around 700-1,200 gigawatts. According to the recently releasedChina Wind Power Report 2007, installed capacity in China could reach 50 GW by 2020, accounting for about 4 percent of total power generation.
Zhongke Hengyuan Energy Technology Co Ltd invested 400 million yuan in the construction and expects annual revenue of 1.6 billion yuan.
Clearly, this is only a start. But the technology sounds promising, and might make wind for the home even more attractive. And, with further investment -- and, ahem, better intellectual property protection -- we might see it develop, get scaled up, and transform the economics of wind power.

Guilty Pleasures #4: All things Jane Austen

2011-04-13T23:44:00.003-04:00

Jane Austen's Dating Do's and Don'ts

English novelist Jane Austen may have lived in a bygone era, but the love lessons she wrote into her books are timeless. What dating rules would her character Emma Woodhouse follow today? How about Anne Elliott? In her book Jane Austen's Guide to Dating, author Lauren Henderson breaks down the do's and don'ts ‑- and offers up some tips on recognizing if you're with the right guy.

Friends Don't Always Give the Best Advice

DO

Listen to your own inner voice. If a man looks great on paper, but there's simply something about him that doesn't work for you, don't force yourself against your instincts into dating him. It will never work out.

Learn to trust yourself. If a man seems too good to be true, he probably is. Don't be so swayed by compliments or courtship that you deliberately blind yourself to faults of his that may mean the relationship has no future.

Keep yourself grounded. What really happens when someone sweeps you off your feet? You lose your balance and he's still standing up. Is that what you want to happen at the start of a relationship?

DON'T
Be overpersuaded by your friends. You're the one who has to date him, not them. Of course, your friends will be right if they try to put you off an addict, cheater or axe murderer. But don't be pushed into a relationship you don't feel is right for you just because your friends are keen on the person ‑- and don't break up with someone you like and who treats you well because he doesn't immediately jell with your friends.

Be self-destructive. Don't be so desperate for a relationship that you go against the healthy self-protective instincts that we all possess. Learn to listen to and be guided by them.

Be fooled by flattery. Be wary of someone who tries to overwhelm you with compliments. How did he get to be so good at that? By doing the same with a lot of other people. You'll end up just another mark on his well notched bedpost.

Spotting a Man Who's Not Looking for Long-Term Love

He will keep you off balance by being unreliable ‑- not calling when he says he will, canceling dates without much notice.

He won't introduce you to his friends ‑- he doesn't want you to feel the security of being part of his life.

He will talk about things you can do together in the future that, however, somehow never materialize ‑- if you bring them up, he will have an excuse as to why they're not possible right now.

He will try to rush you into bed with him before you're ready ‑- he may ask to come into your apartment every chance he gets, using an excuse like wanting a cup of coffee or to use your bathroom, hoping that he can seduce you once he gets you alone.

He will try to make you feel that you have a special bond with him very quickly, when realistically you know that you haven't dated him long enough for one to have formed.

Pick a Guy Who's a Good Influence on You

DO
Keep your own values.

If someone doesn't have the same fundamental value system as you ‑- and, worse, if they try to sway you from what you know to be right ‑- you are not in a good relationship.
Choose someone who brings out the best in you.

Your boyfriend should help you to strengthen your positive qualities and suppress the negative ones.
Support him as much as he supports you.

It's a two-way street. If you're both helping each other to reach your goals in life and be nicer, happier people, you have a much greater chance of maintaining a successful, strong relationship.

DON'T
Try to change your boyfriend in major ways.

Either decide you can put up with his annoying quirks, or leave him. If you start trying to change him, you will turn into a nag, and you will end up hating yourself.
Be influenced by his bad behavior.

Don't get sucked into doing things that you feel aren't good for you. Don't stay around someone who wants to drag you down.
Put all the blame on him.

You chose him, after all. If he's not good for you, why did you pick him in the first place? Instead of blaming him, spend your time more usefully by figuring out why you made that mistake so you won't repeat it in the future.Does He Bring Out the Worst in You? How to Tell
You're stuck in a rut of criticizing each other, without the situation ever improving.

You feel irritable most of the time you spend with him, without being able to put your finger on exactly why.

You change your outfit or your hair five times before going out on a date with him, never sure whether you've picked the image of yourself that will please him.

You disagree with a lot of his core values

, but you tell yourself that it doesn't matter, because they have nothing to do with your relationship.
You find yourself doing things when out with him that you would never normally do ‑- things you don't mention to your friends because you know they would disapprove.

Steve Jobs: How to live before you die

2011-04-13T23:43:00.001-04:00

Haha, Steve Jobs genuinely gives the best commencement speeches. Check out this Ted Talk about "Hipster" Jobs.

The Movement

2011-04-13T23:26:00.000-04:00

evidently young & educated people have migration patterns. i didn't know that, but i guess that would explain my overwhelming urge to expat

“Everything is simpler than you think and at the same time more complex than you imagine” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe [my all-time favorite philosopher]

F Minus

2011-04-13T00:03:00.000-04:00

Way to be Childish

2011-04-12T23:56:00.000-04:00

Adora Svitak: What adults can learn from kids

This was my favorite Ted Talk of all time! (^_^")

Trail Mix

2011-04-12T23:15:00.004-04:00

‎"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Do We Need $75,000 a Year to Be Happy?

2011-04-12T22:38:00.000-04:00

By BELINDA LUSCOMBE Monday, Sep. 06, 2010
Source: Time Magazine

Priscilla Gragg / Blend Images / Corbis

People say money doesn't buy happiness. Except, according to a new study from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School, it sort of does — up to about $75,000 a year. The lower a person's annual income falls below that benchmark, the unhappier he or she feels. But no matter how much more than $75,000 people make, they don't report any greater degree of happiness...

To Read more click here at: http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,2016291,00.html#ixzz1Jvu5Fiud

Beyond Borders

2011-04-11T23:21:00.001-04:00

this was by far the most gripping and disturbing movie i've seen in a long time. if it weren't for the terrible love story and that god awful ending the film would have done quite well. i'm still haunted by that image of the famine starved child.

This was an image I sketched 4 days later to try to desensitize myself to the image. It still makes me naseous to look at.

Color Does Matter

2011-04-11T23:04:00.002-04:00

Stop Counting Produce Servings and Focus on Colors Instead
Source: HealthCastle.com

Written by Gloria Tsang, RD and Christina Newberry of HealthCastle.com
Published in March 2011

(HealthCastle.com) You've probably had the 5-a-day slogan for fruits and vegetables drilled into your brain since you were a little kid. Most people don't want to spend time measuring their fruits and vegetables, so we'll let you in on a secret. While you should definitely try to incorporate more fruits and veggies into your diet, it's actually more important to get a good variety of different colors of produce. Each color group has different phytochemicals, so mixing and matching gets you the most bang for your produce buck. That's why we say 5-a-day is out, and 3-a-day is in: 3 different color groups of fruit and veggies, that is!

Fruit and Vegetable Color Groups

Red:
Provides lycopene, which may help prevent lung and prostate cancers, andantioxidants that may help prevent heart disease.
Top picks: red grapes and apples, cherries, rhubarb, red bell peppers, tomatoes,beets.
Purple:
Provides anthocyanins, which may help prevent heart disease and lower the risk ofcancer.
Top picks: concord grapes, blueberries, blackberries, plums, figs, eggplant.
Green:
Provides lutein, which may reduce the risk of stroke and protect eyes against macular degeneration.
Top picks: green grapes and apples, honeydew melon, kiwi, spinach, avocado, green beans.
Orange:
Provides beta carotene, which may help prevent some cancers, reduce the risk of heart disease, and improve immune function.
Top picks: mango, oranges, peaches, pumpkin, carrots, corn.
White:
Provides anthoxanthins and allicin, which can help lower blood pressure and protect against stomach cancers.
Top picks: bananas, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, turnips.

The Bottom Line

Choose at least one item from three different produce color groups daily to maximize the benefits of the fruit and veggies you eat. Stop counting 5-a-day and focus on 3-a-day instead!

So how much fruit and veggies should you be eating? An adult female should eat 2.5-3 servings of veggies and 1.5-2 servings of fruits, while an adult male should eat 3-4 servings of veggies and 2-2.5 servings of fruit. A serving amounts to one cup of raw fruit, one cup of cooked veggies, or two cups of raw veggies - so it's not as simple as it may seem.

And here's the kicker. Be sure to watch!!!

Guilty Pleasures #2: Retail

2011-04-11T22:19:00.003-04:00

Retail - A Comic by Norm Feuti

www.retailcomic.com

Guilty Pleasures #1: Graphic Parodies

2011-04-11T22:03:00.000-04:00

Giving Up

2011-04-11T00:31:00.000-04:00

It never fails, this woman will always manage to melt my heart to stone.

Also check out this other vid. The embedding was disabled but it was cute enough to recommend.

Mos Definitely!

2011-04-10T22:16:00.003-04:00

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.”
~Mark Twain

LocaVore

2011-04-10T22:11:00.003-04:00

Source: The Onion

APRIL 4, 2011

Eating Locally

The locavore movement—in which people eat food produced near their home to reduce their carbon footprint—is getting more and more popular. Here are some ways you can do more to eat locally:

Take time to eat more. You'll end up eating more local foods just from increased odds
For those of you living in the Southwest, remember that grilled lizard can really add some nice texture to sand-based dishes
Broccoli eaters should consider moving to California's Salinas Valley, where the bulk of the crop is grown in the U.S. Naturally, this would put further strain on the state's water supply and cause overcrowding, but at least you'd get some broccoli
At the supermarket, haughtily inquire of the 16-year-old kid loading bottles of milk into the dairy case if that milk comes from a local source; keep at him if he hesitates
You like to talk big, so prove it. Raise and kill your own turkey for Thanksgiving. Go on, do it
Lucky Northfield, IL residents are in for a treat: They live practically next door to Kraft Foods headquarters, which means they can have all the Stove Top stuffing they want with no guilt
Try a rooftop garden to provide you with basics like chives, oregano, or pigeons
Tie one end of a 100-mile rope to your house and the other end to your waist to ensure that you only eat within that radius
When visiting a farmers market, make sure to bring along a sharpened pocketknife to inspect the merchandise. You can only gauge whether you’re getting the freshest produce by annoying the shit out of vendors
Eat whatever the hell you want and just tell people you're eating locally

Ladies' Lil' Life Lesson #1

2011-04-09T22:07:00.013-04:00

"(785) I was thinking.... Barbie has an awful lot of nice things for a girl whose knees do not bend..." ~texts from last night (^_^!)

More than meets the eye....

2011-04-08T21:14:00.001-04:00

Na, na, na, nanana-nah...

2011-04-05T18:15:00.004-04:00

Holy Cow!!! (or chicken)

2011-04-03T19:11:00.001-04:00

Estimates suggest that more than a billion kilos of feathers are produced each year in the US alone

Chicken feathers suggested as basis for plastics

Source: BBC

The millions of tonnes of chicken feathers discarded each year could be used in plastics, researchers say.

A study reported at the American Chemical Society meeting in the US suggests feathers could lead to more environment-friendly, lighter plastics.

The chemical recipe requires significantly less petroleum-derived material.

To read more: click here

Pepsi Reveals World’s First 100% Plant-Based Bottle

By Kyana Gordon on March 15, 2011

Today, PepsiCo unveiled a breakthrough in bottle technology with the announcement of the world’s first petroleum-free plastic bottle in an effort to further reduce its carbon footprint by piloting production of the new bottle in 2012. The snack and soft drinks company will use raw materials such as switch grass, pine bark and corn husks, and has identified methods to create a molecular structure that is identical to polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, which is the plastic material used to produce a majority of bottles. The race to create a petroleum-free bottle was triggered in 2009 when Pepsi’s rival Coca-Cola unveiled a bottle that was 30 percent plant-based. Environmentalists have been critical of petroleum-based plastic because of their high carbon emissions and for being slow to biodegrade.

Pepsi said the new bottle will eventually allow for by-products from its food businesses, including potato peels from chips and orange peels from juice to be recycled into bottles. PepsiCo Chairman and CEO, Indra Nooyi adds the company will ultimately have “a sustainable business model that we believe brings to life the essence of Performance with Purpose.”

Culture-gasm!!!

2011-04-03T19:00:00.000-04:00

"Nah, Hooking up is such a communist notion. Think about it, you're giving it up for free and giving everybody equal access but you're not really seeing the benefits of it. That kinda sounds like a poor way to live..." lOl. Sometimes I don't know where I come up with this stuff. = P

John Legend - Rolling in the Deep (Adele Cover) by johnlegend

Consider that the appetizer before watching this fascinating documentary. You can find more documentaries like this here

7 Scientific Reasons a Zombie Outbreak Would Fail (Quickly)

2011-04-02T18:59:00.000-04:00

By David Dietle Aug 17, 2010
Source: cracked

Let's pretend for a moment that zombies are real (as if half of you weren't already daydreaming about that very thing). Have you noticed how most zombie movies take place only after the apocalypse is in full-swing? By the time we join our survivors, the military and government are already wiped out, and none of the streets are safe.

There's a reason the movie starts there, and not earlier. It's because the early part, where we go from one zombie to millions, doesn't make any sense. If you let the creeping buzzkill of logic into the zombie party, you realize the zombies would all be re-dead long before you even got a chance to fire up that chainsaw motorcycle you've been working on. Why?

To read more click here

So, You do the Math...

2011-04-02T18:55:00.000-04:00

“A quality education has the power to transform societies in a single generation, provide children with the protection they need from the hazards of poverty, labor exploitation and disease, and given them the knowledge, skills, and confidence to reach their full potential.” ~ Audrey Hepburn

So take from this information what you will. One thing that I noticed right off the bat was that when I went to Google Images for the search term quality education, there weren't any US colleges branded in the top hits. Also under the web section for this term, the first sites to come up were for home schooling and for educational programs abroad... which I believe speaks volumes about the American education system and where it's priorities lie. It also speaks volumes about our distorted view of economics....

63 years of radiation insights from Hiroshima and Nagasaki

2011-04-01T18:31:00.001-04:00

By Janet Fang | Mar 31, 2011
Source: Smart Planet

The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 exposed hundreds of thousands to intense heat and ionizing radiations. Long-term health studies of the survivors may provide insight into the radiation-related effects occurring in Japan now.

To read more, click here

The art of the perfect prank

2011-04-01T18:18:00.002-04:00

30 March 2011

Source: BBCnews

Jeremy Beadle's pranks were a huge TV hit in the UK

As April Fools jokers hatch their plans, what's the secret to a perfect prank, asks broadcaster Toby Amies. And how far do the very best tricksters go in preparing their practical jokes?

This article is not a hoax. I promise you. It's a serious work about the practical joke.

How far would you go to pull off a prank? The dole queue? In 1987, a young British broadcaster called Chris Morris let off helium into the BBC Bristol studio, causing the newsreader's stories to reach a higher and higher pitch. Chris lost his job. And started his career in satire.

Would you risk prison? Pranks are often protests, against unfairness or authority or reality. And protest is increasingly risky in the 21st Century.

As the film director Billy Wilder said: "If you are going to tell people the truth, be funny or they will kill you."

Click here to read more at BBCnews

Hidden in the Heartstrings

2011-03-23T00:47:00.001-04:00

“Run your fingers through my soul. For once, just once, feel exactly what I feel, believe what I believe, perceive as I perceive, look, experience, examine, and for once; just once, understand.”

"A: thankful much?

B: ....why yes...yes i am....

A: fall in love much?

B: ....why yes....yes i do...but i don't fall in love with people...

A: ummmm.....then who do you fall in love with?!?

B: ....I fall in love with souls...."

~Ait Vrai

FACT: Chuck Norris doesn't cheat death. He wins fair and square.

2011-03-23T00:30:00.000-04:00

This one is my favorite Chuck Norris meme by far...

But there are some other close favorites:

And last but not least... the runner up for favorite Chuck Norris meme goes to:

For more Chuck Norris facts feel free to click here.

This post was

The Risks of Peace

2011-03-22T21:34:00.002-04:00

posted by SUSAN CORSO at Ode Magazine on 8/ 8/2007 5:11 pm

Creating peace on this planet requires risk. Did you already know that? It surprises me that so many of us think we know what peace is. I’m not sure we do. I’ve been working with peace as a spiritual priority in my life for more than fifteen years, and I’m not sure I know what peace is.

On the other hand, I definitely know what a chocolate chip cookie is, and I also know how to create one. Peace isn’t the same thing as that. There is no recipe, and its form morphs as soon as we think we have it pinned down. Peace is the biggest umbrella idea I know other than God. God, bless Her, as a word, puts off enough people that I’m sticking with Peace in this entry.

So let me ask some rough-and-tumble questions in no particular order:

What is an economics of peace?
What is a family of peace?
What is a government of peace?
What is a church of peace
What is a war of peace?
What is a zoo of peace?
What is a classroom of peace?
What is a stock market of peace?
What is a surrender of peace?
What is a chocolate chip cookie of peace?

I don’t personally know the answers to these questions, but I know that if I’m asking the questions, then the answers exist in me somewhere, or else I wouldn’t be asking them.

I am a fan of that wondrous poet Rainer Maria Rilke. In his Letters to a Young Poet, written in 1903, he writes:

“...have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.”

Are you willing to take the risks needed to created peace on our lovely blue and green marble Earth? Live the questions now. The more of us who do so, who say yes to the questions, who risk living the questions, the sooner we will create peace on earth.

Dear Friend...

2011-03-22T21:34:00.001-04:00

"Balance is not letting anyone love you less than you love yourself." ~Felipe (Eat, Pray, Love)

Kinda makes you think...

2011-03-22T21:33:00.004-04:00

"A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval."
- Mark Twain

"Nothing is a greater impediment to being on good terms with others than being ill at ease with yourself."
- Honore De Balzac

"There is overwhelming evidence that the higher the level of self-esteem, the more likely one will treat others
with respect, kindness, and generosity. People who do
not experience self-love have little or no
capacity to love others."
- Nathaniel Branden

"One must have the adventurous daring to accept
oneself as a bundle of possibilities and undertake
the most interesting game in the world, making
the most of one's best."
- Harry Emerson Fosdick

"When you're a beautiful person on the inside, there is nothing in the world that can change that about you. Jealousy is the result of one's lack of self-confidence, self-worth, and self-acceptance. The Lesson: If you can't accept yourself, then certainly no one else will."
- Sasha Azevedo

"Acceptance of one's life has nothing to do with resignation; it does not mean running away from the struggle. On the contrary, it means accepting it as it comes, with all the handicaps of heredity, of suffering, of psychological complexes and injustices."
- Dr. Paul Tournier

"It is rewarding to find someone you like, but it is essential to like yourself. It is quickening to recognize that someone is a good and decent human being, but it is indispensable to view yourself as acceptable. It is a delight to discover people who are worthy of respect and admiration and love, but it is vital to believe yourself deserving of these things."
- Jo Coudert

"Self-acceptance comes from meeting life's challenges vigorously. Don't numb yourself to your trials and difficulties, nor build mental walls to exclude pain from your life. You will find peace not by trying to escape your problems, but by confronting them courageously. You will find peace not in denial, but in victory."
- J. Donald Walters

Generosity is another quality which, like patience, letting go, non-judging, and trust, provides a solid foundation for mindfulness practice. You might experiment with using the cultivation of generosity as a vehicle for deep self-observation and inquiry as well as an exercise in giving. A good place to start is with yourself. See if you can give yourself gifts that may be true blessings, such as self-acceptance, or some time each day with no purpose. Practice feeling deserving enough to accept these gifts without obligation-to simply receive from yourself, and from the universe."
- Jon Kabat Zinn

"Where you are and what you are right now has to be made right, even if you don’t like it that much. Nevertheless, it is you. By criticizing and negating the current circumstances, what you are saying is that you are not okay. What is around you is only an extension of who you are. Look at those things and realize that they are what they are, imperfect though they may be. By accepting the truth, you propel yourself into better circumstances. By resisting, you live in the constant negativity of your own dissatisfaction."
- Stuart Wilde

For more of these awesome quotes: click here

The Cost of Giving (It) Up

2011-03-22T21:33:00.000-04:00

Sex Is Cheap

Why young men have the upper hand in bed, even when they're failing in life.

By Mark RegnerusPosted Friday, Feb. 25, 2011, at 12:23 PM ET

We keep hearing that young men are failing to adapt to contemporary life. Their financial prospects are impaired—earnings for 25- to 34-year-old men have fallen by 20 percent since 1971. Their college enrollment numbers trail women's: Only 43 percent of American undergraduates today are men. Last year, women made up the majority of the work force for the first time. And yet there is one area in which men are very much in charge: premarital heterosexual relationships.

When attractive women will still bed you, life for young men, even those who are floundering, just isn't so bad. This isn't to say that all men direct the course of their relationships. Plenty don't. But what many young men wish for—access to sex without too many complications or commitments—carries the day. If women were more fully in charge of how their relationships transpired, we'd be seeing, on average, more impressive wooing efforts, longer relationships, fewer premarital sexual partners, shorter cohabitations, and more marrying going on. Instead, according to the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (which collects data well into adulthood), none of these things is occurring. Not one. The terms of contemporary sexual relationships favor men and what they want in relationships, not just despite the fact that what they have to offer has diminished, but in part because of it. And it's all thanks to supply and demand.

To better understand what's going on, it's worth a crash course in "sexual economics," an approach best articulated by social psychologists Roy Baumeister and Kathleen Vohs. As Baumeister, Vohs, and others have repeatedly shown, on average, men want sex more than women do. Call it sexist, call it whatever you want—the evidence shows it's true. Inone frequently cited study, attractive young researchers separately approached opposite-sex strangers on Florida State University's campus and proposed casual sex. Three-quarters of the men were game, but not one woman said yes. I know: Women love sex too. But research like this consistently demonstrates that men have a greater and far less discriminating appetite for it. As Baumeister and Vohs note, sex in consensual relationships therefore commences only when women decide it does.

And yet despite the fact that women are holding the sexual purse strings, they aren't asking for much in return these days—the market "price" of sex is currently very low. There are several likely reasons for this. One is the spread of pornography: Since high-speed digital porn gives men additional sexual options—more supply for his elevated demand—it takes some measure of price control away from women. The Pill lowered the cost as well. There are also, quite simply, fewer social constraints on sexual relationships than there once were. As a result, the sexual decisions of young women look more like those of men than they once did, at least when women are in their twenties. The price of sex is low, in other words, in part because its costs to women are lower than they used to be.

And yet while young men's failures in life are not penalizing them in the bedroom, their sexual success may, ironically, be hindering their drive to achieve in life. Don't forget your Freud: Civilization is built on blocked, redirected, and channeled sexual impulse, because men will work for sex.

But just as critical is the fact that a significant number of young men are faring rather badly in life, and are thus skewing the dating pool. It's not that the overall gender ratio in this country is out of whack; it's that there's a growing imbalance between the number of successful young women and successful young men. As a result, in many of the places where young people typically meet—on college campuses, in religious congregations, in cities that draw large numbers of twentysomethings—women outnumber men by significant margins. (In one Manhattan ZIP code, for example, women account for 63 percent of 22-year-olds.)

The idea that sex ratios alter sexual behavior is well-established. Analysis of demographic data from 117 countries has shown that when men outnumber women, women have the upper hand: Marriage rates rise and fewer children are born outside marriage. An oversupply of women, however, tends to lead to a more sexually permissive culture. The same holds true on college campuses. In the course of researching our book Premarital Sex in America, my co-author and I assessed the effects of campus sex ratios on women's sexual attitudes and behavior. We found that virginity is more common on those campuses where women comprise a smaller share of the student body, suggesting that they have the upper hand. By contrast, on campuses where women outnumber men, they are more negative about campus men, hold more negative views of their relationships, go on fewer dates, are less likely to have a boyfriend, and receive less commitment in exchange for sex.

To read the rest of this article: click here

World Economics explained by Cows

2011-03-22T21:32:00.000-04:00

SOCIALISM:
You have 2 cows and you give one to your neighbour.
COMMUNISM:
You have 2 cows; the Government takes both and gives you some milk.
FASCISM:
You have 2 cows; the Government takes both and sells you some milk.
NAZISM:
You have 2 cows. The Government takes both and shoots you.
BUREAUCRATISM:
You have 2 cows; the Government takes both, shoots one, milks the other and throws the milk away…
TRADITIONAL CAPITALISM:
You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull. Your herd multiplies, and the economy grows. You sell them and retire on the income.
AN AMERICAN CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You sell one, and force the other to produce the milk of four cows. Later, you hire a consultant to analyze why the Cow dropped dead.
A FRENCH CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You go on strike because you want three cows.
A JAPANESE CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You redesign them so they are one-tenth the size Of an ordinary cow and produce twenty times the milk. You then create A clever cow cartoon image called Cowkimon and market them World-Wide.
A GERMAN CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You reengineer them so they live for 100 years, Eat once a month, and milk themselves.
AN ITALIAN CORPORATION:
You have two cows, but you don’t know where they are. You break for lunch.
A RUSSIAN CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You count them and learn you have five cows. You count them again and learn you have 42 cows. You count them again And learn you have 2 cows. You stop counting cows and open another bottle of vodka.
A SWISS CORPORATION:
You have 5000 cows, none of which belong to you. You charge others for storing them.
A CHINESE CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You have 300 people milking them. You claim full employment, high bovine productivity, and arrest the newsman who reported the numbers.
AN INDIAN CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You worship them.
A BRITISH CORPORATION:
You have two cows. Both are mad.

brought to you by CreationRobot

Be Happy Dammit! (^_^!)

2011-03-22T21:24:00.001-04:00

"Happiness is not about what happens to you, but how you choose to respond to what happens. That's why it's called happiness not happenness--though it could be called hope-ness. You must always leave room for hope that all has happened for good cause." ~excerpt...

Eye Wonder....

2011-03-22T21:21:00.000-04:00

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

“Wondering's healthy. Broadens the mind. Opens you up to all sorts of stray thoughts and possibilities.” ~Charles de Lint

How To: Use Your Gifts Wisely

2011-03-22T21:18:00.000-04:00

The Power & Promise of Humane Education

Inspiring young people to live humane values is among the most important work you can do to build a better world.

Unprecedented global challenges require novel approaches. Old methods of education don’t help us address pressing issues, such as environmental decline, human rights violations and cruelty to animals. Popular culture often makes things worse by glorifying celebrity, violence and greed. How can you help young people better themselves and the world?

There is a way to make real change happen.

You can help the next generation decrease suffering, oppression and destruction and create positive change for a kind, just, sustainable world.

In The Power and Promise of Humane Education, learn how to engage young people to explore social justice, environmental ethics, animal protection and more. Get the keys to unlock each young person’s potential – and your own -- to be a force for good and to help lead us to a better future:

Reverence, respect, and responsibility for the earth and its inhabitants,inspiring the young people you touch to make better choices.

Accurate information, so they’ll make more conscious decisions that advance the world they – and you - want to see.

Curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking that reveal different perspectives and new solutions.

Positive choices that provide a path for action and that engender energy and hope.

To read more about Humane Education click here.

"The Law of Two Feet: If you aren't in a place where you are learning or contributing, go somewhere where you can." -- Chuck Sandy

Bucket list item #1: To Have A Happy Holi

2011-03-20T07:11:00.002-04:00

At some point in my lifetime I would love to spend some time in India, particularly as the Spring season is welcome with the celebration of the festival of Holi, a holiday where kids and adults, frolic and throw colored water on each other. On the day of Holika Dahan people burn logs of wood to symbolize victory of good over evil and observe Holi Pooja.

According to the Society for the Confluence of Festivals in India (SCFI), the legend of Holi tells us:

The Legend begins...

There was once a demon king by the name of Hiranyakashyap who won over the kingdom of earth. He was so egoistic that he commanded everybody in his kingdom to worship only him. But to his great disappointment, his son, Prahlad became an ardent devotee of Lord Naarayana and refused to worship his father.

Hiranyakashyap tried several ways to kill his son Prahlad but Lord Vishnu saved him every time. Finally, he asked his sister, Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap. For, Hiranyakashyap knew that Holika had a boon, whereby, she could enter the fire unscathed.

Treacherously, Holika coaxed young Prahlad to sit in her lap and she herself took her seat in a blazing fire. The legend has it that Holika had to pay the price of her sinister desire by her life. Holika was not aware that the boon worked only when she entered the fire alone.
Prahlad, who kept chanting the name of Lord Naarayana all this while, came out unharmed, as the lord blessed him for his extreme devotion.
Thus, Holi derives its name from Holika. And, is celebrated as a festival of victory of good over evil.

Holi is also celebrated as the triumph of a devotee. As the legend depicts that anybody, howsoever strong, cannot harm a true devotee. And, those who dare torture a true devotee of god shall be reduced to ashes.

Kids playing Holi. (Pic courtesy K.R.Deepak)
Images taken from WeMakeBelieveStudio

Celebration of the Legend

Even today, people enact the scene of 'Holika's burning to ashes' every year to mark the victory of good over evil.
In several states of India, specially in the north, effigies of Holika are burnt in the huge bonfires that are lit. There is even a practice of hurling cow dungs into the fire and shouting obscenities at it as if at Holika. Then everywhere one hears shouts of 'Holi-hai! Holi-hai!'.

The tradition of burning 'Holika' is religiously followed in Gujarat and Orissa also. Here, people render their gratitude to Agni, the god of fire by offering gram and stalks from the harvest with all humility.

Further, on the last day of Holi, people take a little fire from the bonfire to their homes. It is believed that by following this custom their homes will be rendered pure and their bodies will be free from disease.

At several places there is also a tradition of cleaning homes, removing all dirty articles from around the house and burning them. Disease-breeding bacteria are thereby destroyed and the sanitary condition of the locality is improved.

Slowing Down for Spring Break

2011-03-11T22:02:00.003-05:00

"Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why." ~Eddie Cantor

When words just aren't enough

2011-03-11T09:44:00.000-05:00

Dear Springtime,

Please come back soon.

Sending all my love,

Monica*

Brilliant

2011-03-10T22:38:00.000-05:00

“Before the beginning of great brilliance, there must be chaos. Before a brilliant person begins something great, they must look foolish in the crowd.”

“Simplicity is the key to brilliance” ~Bruce Lee

“Brilliance is typically the act of an individual, but incredible stupidity can usually be traced to an organization” ~Jon Bentley

“If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull.” ~W. C. Fields

[Although to be fair I should note the Disclaimer:]
“Intellectual brilliance is no guarantee against being dead wrong.”

Here's an incentive to Stay in School

2011-03-10T22:06:00.000-05:00

How do we motivate ourselves to stay interested when our workloads stifle our creativity?

"Creativity in education is as important as literacy & we should treat it with the same status..."

Hipster Dog (aka Hipsterus Caninicus -- etym. Hyde Park)

2011-03-10T22:00:00.000-05:00

Peek a boo: The Key to Self Discovery

2011-03-10T21:25:00.000-05:00

Education as an alien...

2011-03-10T21:11:00.001-05:00

“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” ~Scott Adams

Sounds of Appalachia with Silas House

2011-03-10T20:34:00.003-05:00

"A writer of startling abilities." ~The Atlanta Journal Constitution

For more on Silas House's efforts as an environmental activist for the Appalachian region, Check out House's Op-Ed piece "My polluted Kentucky home" with the New York Times.

Reinvent

2011-03-10T20:24:00.001-05:00

Proverb #1

2011-03-10T20:15:00.003-05:00

A match made in heaven...

2011-03-10T20:14:00.000-05:00

Now that's one hell of a penpal!

2011-03-10T20:13:00.002-05:00

It's good to see that our troops are beginning to be a little more thorough...

This gives me a lot to reconsider

2011-03-10T20:10:00.000-05:00

Soooo, based upon that circumstance, when people say that God doesn't like Gay marriage, how do I know they're not just putting words into God's mouth?

...and in all honesty, this also makes me want to really consider some of the other arguments....

Bear with me here...

2011-03-10T12:31:00.001-05:00

SMH #2: And a Half Men

2011-03-10T12:17:00.001-05:00

image source: IFSW

At least 5,000 people a month die in the ongoing genocide in the Sudan. 6,430 Palestinian people have been killed in the conflict in the Middle East since the year 2000. Even here in Chicago's South Side there is a daily tragedy. Now, I ask you, WHO CARES about Charlie Sheen???

True Beauty is In the Eye of the Beholder...

2011-03-09T23:06:00.000-05:00

“Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it”
Confucius

We Have a Contender: Cutest Puppy Photo Ever

2011-03-08T21:06:00.000-05:00

Due to the overwhelming response for the cutest puppy photo ever, it never occurred to me that there could be any contenders for the title of Cutest Puppy Photo Ever (as evidenced by the name of the title). But after a brief review of this submission we've decided to award the title of 1st runner up to this photo... under the condition that the gratuitous use of baby within the photograph doesn't really make it the cutest puppy photo, but might very well qualify the submission to be one of the cutest "baby with puppy" photographs we've seen. Either way, if you have a puppy photo that you think is better, or can top the cuteness of any of our previous photograph selections we'd be more than happy to repost your submission. = )

Because Love is Meant to be Shared

2011-03-08T19:55:00.001-05:00

"A warm smile is testimony of a generous nature..." ~Magic Fortune Cookie

Today I am wearing the smile that you left me with. (^_^")

It's Official: the Cutest Puppy Photo EVER!!!

2011-03-08T18:52:00.000-05:00

Photo Credit goes to Jessica Davis

What better way to commemorate the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day than with this photographic masterpiece by Jessica Davis. This goes out to all of the incredibly talented and brilliant women I know out there. May this photo always brighten your hardest and most difficult days --and if there's room for it, why not; let's add your best and brightest as well. = )

Oh SNAP!

2011-03-08T18:43:00.010-05:00

Haha, This is some really crazy stuff; Ya dig?

I don't think breakfast is ever gonna be the same for me again.

Party like a Panda

2011-03-08T18:40:00.000-05:00

Because birthday's shouldn't be the only excuse to party hard.

Rediscovering Your Inner Child through Play

2011-03-08T18:37:00.002-05:00

Stumbled across this today. It's pretty flipping fantastic. Enjoy! = )

The Google Books version can be found here.

Also recommended:

Here's a link for the GoogleBooks result.

Here's a link for the GoogleBooks result or if you prefer the author's website.

Say Cheese...

2011-03-06T04:31:00.001-05:00

Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day. ~Quoted in P.S. I Love You, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Being alive does not constitute living.

2011-03-05T22:41:00.002-05:00

People often say that this or that person has not yet found himself. But the self is not something one finds, it is something one creates. ~Thomas Szasz, "Personal Conduct," The Second Sin, 1973

WHAT IS LIFE?

Life is an Adventure ... Dare it. Life is a Beauty ... Praise it. Life is a Challenge ... Meet it. Life is a Duty ... Perform it. Life is a Love ... Enjoy it. Life is a Tragedy ... Face it. Life is a Struggle ... Fight it. Life is a Promise ... Fulfill it. Life is a Game ... Play it. Life is a Gift ... Accept it. Life is a Journey ... Complete it. Life is a Mystery ... Unfold it. Life is a Goal ... Achieve it. Life is an Opportunity ... Take it. Life is a Puzzle ... Solve it. Life is a Song ... Sing it. Life is a Sorrow ... Overcome it. Life is a Spirit ... Realize it. (Anon)

~Title quote taken from A. Tolliver

Because You're Worth It

2011-03-05T22:16:00.001-05:00

Sometimes you just gotta choose your own adventure. But you know, choose wisely...

"Chariot" by Joshua Bennett

2011-03-05T22:00:00.000-05:00

The Rugby Poets Club Presents: "Chariot" by Joshua Bennett from Ralph Lauren on Vimeo.

When award-winning spoken-word artist Joshua Bennett performed at the White House, he received a standing ovation from President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and about 200 guests. A featured poet on the HBO seriesBrave New Voices, Joshua plans to pursue a PhD in English from Princeton and continues to be grateful for, and humbled by, the opportunity to inspire others.

For more about the Ralph Lauren Rugby poetry contest, click here.

The Pursuit of Happiness

2011-03-05T21:59:00.009-05:00

"The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly. Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive. To put it more accurately, it is not so much that you use your mind wrongly—you usually don't use it at all. It uses you." ~Eckhart Tolle

A face only a mother could love...

2011-03-05T21:58:00.000-05:00

While I am first and foremost an advocate of nature based mentor ship and outdoor learning, I have a feeling this is most likely the outcome if my Calculus class was taught outside.

But seriously have you looked at those faces, especially the ones on the water buffalo. They're priceless

Don't be a Quitter

2011-03-05T21:57:00.000-05:00

Never give up on Yourself

"To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting." ~e.e. cummings, 1955

The Nature of a Mentor

2011-03-05T21:56:00.003-05:00

‎"When the pupil is ready to learn, a teacher will appear... We cannot see our reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see..."

"Change and growth take place when a person has risked themselves and dares to become involved in experimenting with their own life." - Herbert Otto

"A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions." - Oliver Wendell Holmes

"The value of experience is not in seeing much but in seeing wisely." - Sir William Osler

"Study nature, Love nature, be close to nature. While some might; it will never fail you." ~Frank Lloyd Wright

Fish out of water...

2011-03-03T08:15:00.006-05:00

This was a collage that I did for class de-constructed from Photoshop.

Original Emphasis....

Simplified...

“Beauty comes from a life well lived. If you've lived well, your smile lines are in the right places, and your frown lines aren't too bad, what more do you need?” ~Jennifer Garner

Well if it feels good...

2011-03-01T19:14:00.000-05:00

Sic n Heavenly

2011-03-01T18:30:00.000-05:00

Imogen Heap - Hide and seek (Roxsonix Remix).mp3

4.85 MB

"When I die I want to be encased into a tomb filled with sub-woofers pumping out a mix of industrial, dub step, and ambient music. An eternal playlist mofo...haha" ~C. Enleightenedheimer

Jacqueline Novogratz: Inspiring a life of immersion

2011-03-01T17:57:00.000-05:00

Judge not lest ye be Judged....

2011-03-01T17:54:00.006-05:00

U.S. Will No Longer Defend Anti-Gay Marriage Law
by NPR STAFF AND WIRES

Attorney General Eric Holder, pictured earlier this month in Indianapolis, said the Justice Department has defended the law until now because the government was able to advance reasonable arguments for the law based on a less strict standard.

February 23, 2011
The Obama administration says a federal law that bans recognition of same-sex marriage is unconstitutional and has directed the Justice Department not to defend the law anymore in court cases across the country.

The decision announced Wednesday represents a big victory for gay rights activists.

"From now on, the Justice Department will no longer fight to support the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act in court. But the government will continue to enforce the law across the executive branch unless Congress repeals it or a federal judge throws it out."
To read the full article click hereTo read the full article click here

Sunday Songs: For Laz'n about

2011-03-01T17:53:00.001-05:00

Surprise!!!

2011-03-01T17:48:00.003-05:00

Because anytime's a good time for a surprise party, right?

Ignorance or Bliss?

2011-03-01T17:47:00.000-05:00

I was told today by a friend that they were glad that I was "snarky" too.

snarky:

A witty mannerism, personality, or behavior that is a combination of sarcasm and cynicism. Usually accepted as a complimentary term. Snarkis sometimes mistaken for a snotty or arrogant attitude.

Her snarky remarks had half the room on the floor laughing and the other half ready to walk out.

but the truth is...

"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day." — E.B. White"

I feel like I live in a world where choosing bliss condemns me to choosing to be ignorant and indifferent to the suffering of others or to my own. And I wonder if that was possible whether or not I'd choose to be. Obviously not, since I keep delving into issues like these. I guess I choose to build a life that extends beyond me. I only question if there isn't a better way to accomplish more. Cest le vie.

ABC Shows Everyday Bravery in Face of Arizona’s Racial Profiling

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

Excerpt of Article from ColorLines

In January Sens. Paul Vitter and Rand Paul introduced legislation to repeal birthright citizenship. Arizona advanced its pair of birthright citizenship rollback bills, SB 1308 and SB 1309, out of committee last Tuesday. They’re headed now for the Senate floor. Proponents of the state-level and federal bills have been open about wanting to trigger a Supreme Court review to re-evaluate the 14th Amendment.

“If we get the correct court decision…we will not be dispensing citizenship like a door prize,” Arizona state Rep. John Kavangah said the day he filed his bills in January. “Especially not for those whose parents snuck into this country illegally through the back door.”

...and this is sort of the clusterf*ck that all of that song and dance turns into. I'm only glad to see that everyone in Arizona hasn't lost their damn mind.

I think I've definitely done this before... it works.

2011-03-01T17:44:00.002-05:00

When she sobers up we should definitely hang out. = )

Happy Hour

2011-03-01T17:30:00.004-05:00

"Hey, it's gotta be five o clock somewhere in the world!"

Satellite Photo of the World at Night

wait, STOP!!!

and we'll play you out with a little bit of b.o.b.

Beauty grows in dark moments...

2011-03-01T17:28:00.003-05:00

“The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.” ~ M. Scott Peck

Not the brightest crayon in the box...

2011-03-01T17:27:00.000-05:00

Beauty obviously doesn't equal brains as we can see with Beyonce's recent black face blunder....

Beyonce's face 'voluntarily darkened' for controversial shoot
A French magazine says Beyonce posed this way to "return to her African roots"

Feb 24, 2011
Editors of a French fashion magazine have defended a controversial photoshoot featuring Beyonce in dark make-up, insisting the singer's face was "voluntarily darkened" for the spread.

Here's a video from the shoot:

According to my unsolicited opinion on fb:
"i tried to think of what the benefits are of her doing this would be and frankly i couldn't think of any. in fact the only justification i could think of for not thinking about it more is that i rationalized that it was a stupid thing to get all bent out of shape over. but from a cultural identity standpoint, i do see this as kind of a red flag. a) if this is how she's opting to get back to her roots, then i kind of get the feeling that she lacks the understanding of what that means and the constructive ways to do that, which makes me want to revoke her role model card. b) it makes me think that perhaps she needs to be more immersed with african culture and educated about the cultural identity issues within the black community on a less superficial level because frankly, that move stuck me as something that you would expect from a disconnected debutante. and perhaps it's simply an error of privilege for her not to recognize why this was innappropriate. but c) i don't think i actually care. i just don't want her teaching young girls to make choices like this."

this may explain how poor education or "miseducation" disseminates into youth culture.

But, on a positive note, I did find a few bright young stars who I thought represented what a better African American role model should be:

Mapped Model of My friends

2011-03-01T17:26:00.005-05:00

‎

"If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day." — E.B. White

This is one hell of a tool to try and plan my spring break. JK, i'm not going to Greece, not yet anyway, not just YET. = p

Somebody's Puppy Pooh'pd

2011-03-01T17:06:00.002-05:00

“Beauty comes from a life well lived. If you've lived well, your smile lines are in the right places, and your frown lines aren't too bad, what more do you need?” ~ Jennifer Garner

I think I'm having an eargasm!

2011-03-01T17:01:00.002-05:00

I'm all the way surprised i havent got an ear infection \_(ツ)_/¯ what? this track is soooo sic!

It rubbed off; from friction...

2011-03-01T16:58:00.000-05:00

This has to be one of Swanson's finest moments... and other related choice moments from parks and rec.

Meet this strapping young buck from Headlines tshirts

This is my absolute favorite video clip from the show.

...and speaking of FANTASTIC FINDS

It's a beautiful world we live in.

2011-02-20T12:56:00.004-05:00

"Freedom is a privilege, enjoy it." ~A. Najwa