Waiting for the other shoe to drop...

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Quit passing the buck...
2008-01-07 04:49:00
There's a huge uproar here locally about the possible changes in the Alachua County school zones.The issue is supposed to be an overcrowded school. Bucholz High School, on the northwest side of town, is slightly overcrowded. The proposal is to rezone the district and send some students who attend BHS to Gainesville High School on the lower southwest side and Eastside High which is, as its name states, is on the east side. The southwest side is a mix of incomes and lifestyles and the east side is known as the poorer area. Neither area is all poor or all affluent, there's a mix. But there seems to be more lower income folks in the EHS area.I figured that the only issue here was whether or not it was right to bus the kids from BHS to the other side of town to attend GHS and EHS.But it's not.The Superintendent said that there was a serious problem with diversity in high schools in Gainesville. He cited his 25 years as a high school principal and then said,"I have a strong feeling abo...
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Leave Britney alone...
2008-01-04 05:04:00
This is just one of many reasons I loathe the news media:This it the ruckus outside the ambulance which carried Britney Spears to the hospital yesterday. Whether or not you're a Britney fan, wouldn't you agree that this woman deserves her privacy? And what about her kids? Is it really necessary to be taking pictures of her small children and plastering them all over the internet? So she's got problems, who of us doesn't? But how would we all like it if in the midst of those problems, people were taking videos and photos of us at our worst and writing terrible things about us?I'm not a fan of her music but I do believe that Britney deserves to be left alone. Maybe if these hounds let her alone, and if her family actually took some sort of action in the form of intervention and helped her get herself together, she'd be in better mental shape. I think her family let her down, especially her mother, who pushed her through show business at such a young age. Let this be a lesson to ...
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He's baaaack!!!
2008-01-03 12:45:00
Yep, he's back allright, in full swing.The one.The only.Officer Asshat.Several months ago I posted about Officer Asshat, the friendly neighborhood man in uniform who used to drive like a maniac to work and whose driving was putting the lives of the rest of us average law abiding citizens, in danger. I complained about it once, nothing was done. So what gives? I don't know what happened but shortly after that post we didn't see him anymore on the road. This morning he returned. And well it's nice to know that some things never change.Same car, same erratic driving, same asshole. He attempted to get around us and cut us off so he could get to the interstate first. Gee, funny how he drives so erratically, we drive so carefully and yet we both wind up at work at the same place at the same time!!DH prevents me from saying anything to him that because guy has arresting powers. I say "What? He's going to arrest me because I ask him why he drives like an asshole?" Ok so maybe he would...

For Fred Thompson fans!
2008-01-03 03:21:00
Ok I thought this was great. I've always liked Fred Thompson so I got a kick out of this! Click play and enjoy!
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I'm thinking of changing my name...
2008-01-02 04:47:00
just kidding, I like my name, it suits me!The latest heartwrenching story is about baby name remorse.I think it's funny that three year old Caroline, who was born Emma, but her parents changed her name because it didn't sound right, actually plans to call herself Emma because she likes it better.When I think of baby name remorse Emma, Luke, and Sophia don't even come to mind. I can think of those names which are much worse ....
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Local government strikes back against tobacco...
2008-01-02 00:49:00
The county government in Marion County, Florida (which includes Ocala, for the geographically challenged) will no longer hire people who use tobacco in any form. Potential employees must sign an affidavit swearing they have not used tobacco products within a year prior to employment. The rule applies to all departments under county government but does not apply to current employees of the county government or current/future employees of the county's constitutional offices (such as the Sheriff's office, tax collector's office, etc).The powers that be say this is being done to cut health insurance costs. Ok fine, I can go along with that but I'd actually like to see the data. Are health insurance premiums for companies and government agencies actually reduced if the employees do not smoke? What about people who drink? Smoking is becoming less frequent these days but people still drink. And drinking can cause problems just like tobacco. Are weWhen will it end? And what IF a perso...
More About: Government , Local , Back , Local Government , Tobacco

Another bad parenting story...
2007-12-31 15:32:00
RedQueen sent me this story about the mother of a six year old girl who had her daughter write a false essay about the daughter's father dying in Iraq just so she could get tickets to see Hannah Montana in concert. According to the story from MyFox Dallas, the essay read:"My daddy died this year in Iraq. I am going to give my mommy the Angel pendant that daddy put on mommy when she was having me. I had in in my jewelry box since that day. I love my mommy."The DoD has confirmed that nobody by the alleged father's name ever died in Iraq. The girl's grandmother told the press that the girl's father lives in another town. And now the girl's mother, Priscilla Ceballos, admits the essay is untrue. In fact she stated that they never said it was supposed to be true. She says about her daughter:"She's aware of what she wrote, and she knows that that wasn't true." Sure the daughter knows it's not true because her daddy is alive and well but the daughter was writing what her mother tol...
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My goals in the New Year...
2007-12-31 04:23:00
I can't believe we'll be going back to work Wednesday. I can't believe we'll be stating school again on the 7th. I can't believe that this vacation has passed by so quickly. What did I do with all this time? Well I can't brood on what I did or didn't do (sorry dad that I didn't make it over there as much as I wanted to, to help you clean out the workshop!!), but it seems that every day here something had to be done. I had a lot of reading I wanted to do, some cleaning up and organizing, working inside and out of the house and before I realized it---the time is coming to an end.I've been thinking about what I want to accomplish this year. I don't do resolutions because well--I find that when I make one, I rarely stick to it. All I am going to do is try to stay on track with my goals--long term and short term. As long as I continue to make progress towards achieving them, that's good enough for me. My short-term goals include doing the best I can in my classes this next yea...
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Finished another book...
2007-12-29 15:08:00
It took me two days to finish "The Jungle" and I must say that it was quite a read. Of course it's no secret that author Upton Sinclair was a socialist but I didn't come away from the book declaring my new allegiance to the socialist movement.What I did feel was educated, enlightened and even a little disgraced at the treatment of immigrants by immigrants in those days. The book was written in 1906 and was a catalyst for change within the meatpacking industry. We owe a debt of gratitude to the late Mr. Sinclair for that. Whether or not we believe in socialism, his muckracking piece forced the government to take on the corrupted industry and reform it. If not for the reform, millions would likely have become seriously ill and even died as a direct result of the disgusting practices of the slaughterhouses and meatpacking industry.I often wonder why many of these classics are not must-reads for junior high and high school students and why so many college students never read them eith...
More About: Book , Nish

The more things change...
2007-12-28 15:57:00
the more they stay the same. Funny but true.Last night DH and I were listening to one of my over 5,000 old time radio shows, the latest being the CBS Radio Mystery Theatre series. The show was hosted by E.G. Marshall and premiered January 6, 1974, which was in fact the show we listened to last night. One of the great things about these radio shows is that I get to hear old news broadcasts and commercials. Last night's show from the 6th of January contained some great commercials for the VA Hospital (working for vets!) the Better Business Bureau (working for Americans) and Budweiser Beer.Now when's the last time you heard a beer commercial on radio? Heck that'd be about the time I remember liquor commercials on television!As we listened to the news broadcast, I shook my head and turned to DH and said "gee, nothing changes does it?"So...what was in the news on January 6, 1974?-Nixon refusing to turn over subpoenaed materials to Watergate committee-OPEC oil embargo-Nixon signs 55 mp...
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I don't pay any mind to movie critics...
2007-12-28 00:58:00
Why?Because some critics panned National Treasure Book of Secrets and I Am Legend and we really enjoyed both of them. I'm no critic but I highly recommend both. The only movie critic I ever liked was Joel Siegel. I wonder what he would have said about these films? I bet you he would have liked both.We did see the preview for the new Rambo movie---same old thing, it's cool to see a nearly 60 year old guy out there kicking some serious ass though. Also saw a preview for a movie with Martin Lawrence where he takes his girlfriend back home to meet his family. OMG that movie looks HILARIOUS!! James Earl Jones plays his father, now have you ever seen a movie with James Earl Jones that wasn't good?DH and I were laughing so hard during the preview, we forgot it wasn't the movie we were there to see!Anyway, we don't do movies very often but decided since we're on vacation, "what the heck" and since the matinees were only $5 how could we resist? Of course, while we paid a total of $10...
More About: Movie , Mind , Critics

Senseless killing of Tatiana, the Siberian tiger...
2007-12-27 01:58:00
I can't wrap my mind around this story about the killing of Tatiana the Siberian Tiger at the San Francisco zoo.Tatiana killed a teenage boy and attacked two other individuals, and police chased it and yelled "stop!" before it turned to attack them.By the way, WHo yells STOP! to a Siberian tiger?Why couldn't they shoot the tiger with a tranquilizer gun? Was it necessary to kill her?Police are investigating the idea that visitors might have been taunting the tiger and possibly helped it get out by putting a board in the moat.Animals don't have the ability to rationalize as people do. The idea of killing an animal which kills a person doesn't make sense to me. I've read that it's a myth that once a wild animal gets a taste for human flesh, it never goes back. Animals attack for a reason---for food, to protect themselves, their young, their territory. When an animal feels threatened it will attack. Humans do the same thing but the difference is we can rationalize danger, they can...
More About: Senseless , Killing , Tiana

Bah Humbug...
2007-12-25 14:13:00
This would be the first in 38 years I haven't the Christmas spirit. I know what ST would say.....Oh well, enjoy yours...

Finally finished one book!
2007-12-25 04:07:00
I finally finished Charles Dickens "A Tale of Two Cities" and I must say it's one of the best books I've ever read. What an incredible ending! I just kept thinking about that story for hours after finishing it...Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle" is supposed to be next but I may put that one off for now. I'm just not in the mood for it yet. Between reading and relaxing I'm working on some math to get ready for next term so I can really only get one more in right now before school begins. I've a feeling I may wind up with more Sherlock Holmes...just can't get enough of Holmes LOL. My goal is to try and get a book done per month. I enjoy reading, I really do, and I so enjoy the classics.I'm going to make up my reading list right now!
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A tale of two roofers...
2007-12-22 16:45:00
Several months ago DH and I noticed the ceiling in the guest bathroom was discolored along the edge in the shower. The wall of the shower was warped too, because water had gotten in there. Of course we put a ladder on the porch and looked at the edge of the roof above the bathroom and felt the soft spot and saw a small hole. We immediately contacted LL who promptly came up one day and fixed it. Problem was it was still leaking. Finally, knowing that we can't have mold growing and that the problem would only get much worse, we contacted LL again and told him we needed to get professional help.I contacted two local roofing companies. First I called Company #1, who is a very well known and reputable roofing company with trucks all over the place (in fact I once knew the brother of the guy who owns it). I gave the answering service a very detailed message and included our home phone number and even my work number complete with my office extension.Then I contacted roofer #2, another fam...
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It sucks to be sick...
2007-12-20 04:19:00
Since I can't sleep because the Nyquil hasn't kicked in I thought I'd rant a little here. Ranting can be so much fun especially when you feel like shit.Being sick really sucks anytime it happens, but it sucks worse when it's before a holiday in which you have nearly two weeks off and it sucks worse when you have a lot to do at work to get ready for a break. Fortunately for me, my work preparing for the break is pretty much done save admitting a few students who have turned their credentials in late, but worse case scenario I can do that on January 3rd when I return. Rewind to this past Monday, it was the coldest day we've had so far this year and in this part of Florida, that's cold. I'd say it was about 36 when DH and I got to work but the forecaster said the wind chill made it feel like it was in the 20's and it indeed felt like it. I love the cold but the only thing about it I don't like is when I have to sit in a cold draft all day long because the windows in my office...
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A difficult battle...
2007-12-19 03:50:00
I'm just bitching here because I got sick yesterday when I came home from work and I'm just feeling well----bitchy.I was doing great on the weight watchers (online) but several months ago something happened and I started slacking. RQ and I would weigh ourselves at work on a simple bathroom scale then I bought a weight watchers scale and it had me 20 pounds more so I had to go with that since they are very reliable. That was tough! I'm still weighing every Tuesday morning at home (lost three pounds since last week, but I'd gained a few pounds back in previous months) and DH wants to lose too and we're trying to eat right but I haven't been exercising. I was doing so good and really feeling great--which came straight from that feeling of accomplishment! Now I get depressed again about it for not reaching my goal yet and for not sticking to the change in lifestyle plan.I've got to get back into it. I told DH no trigger foods like chocolate, pasta or desserts. Of course we don't...
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More proof that zero tolerance in schools is asinine...
2007-12-18 02:07:00
According to this outrageous story, a fifth grade girl was arrested by police after school officials caught her using a steaknife to cut the piece of steak her parents packed for her lunch. The ten year old girl was arrested and suspended ten days and may possibly be charged with a felony weapons charge.All this for cutting her steak with a steaknife. They treat real criminals better than this! In fact we have rapists and murderers running around on the streets raping and murdering innocent people every day. And the best we can do is arrest children for doing nothing wrong?It's another case of zero tolerance gone way too far. Thanks to zero tolerance, school officials no longer have to do the jobs they're paid to do. They no longer are required to think or use good judgment. Zero tolerance paved the way to treating every child the same for every offense. And these folks are the ones who are teaching your children how to think and make solid judgment. The way it works now is they s...
More About: Schools , Tolerance , Proof

Today I was lazy...
2007-12-16 04:25:00
But I did have enough energy to go over and visit with ma and pa and grams on the homestead. Since they tore down that old porch the place looks a whole lot better. They've purchased some $15,000 worth of materials and are about to start remodeling a 27 year old doublewide manufactured home. When they're done, it'll be awesome. At one time when pa would ask "where do we start?" but now he's got a plan. Wait till you see the place when it's finished, you won't recognize it.Saw my aunt and uncle today. It was just my luck they were there when I pulled up. I drove straight to grams house hoping I'd miss them but when I walked over to ma and pa's they were still there. I talked to pa and ignored my uncle. I really didn't know what to say to him.Back in July I told you the story about the email my uncle sent me asking me not to use the word "friggin" in my emails because it was a curse word. I replied that it wasn't a curse word and he actually took the time to go to several o...
More About: Today , Lazy

I'm too nice..
2007-12-15 03:42:00
I like being a nice person. I think being a nice gal is the real me. I rather enjoy joking and laughing and smiling. All my life I've been a pretty happy go lucky person. Oh I've had my moments but the real me is not a bitch. Oh of course every now and then I have to be a bitch, which is ok, cause it's so rare. But it's not the real me.Now let me just say I don't start arguments at home. (But I always seem to wind up in one, usually defending myself!) Oh sure I've swept the kitchen floors five to six times in one day because DH would track dirt into the house and prior to the sixth time I said "did you wipe your feet?" and he says yes and I wind up sweeping one last time. But even then I don't yell. I get pissed off and sigh a little but I don't raise my voice. I have been known to slam a few doors and such but nothing major.But I am so sick of arguing. And today I found myself actually screaming at the top of my lungs "SHUT THE F*CK UP!"Rewind to this afternoon. DH and I we...
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It's NOT the University's job to educate me on the effects of alcohol...
2007-12-13 18:36:00
According to the UF Dean of Students website:Alcohol misuse represents a serious health issue for colleges and universities around the country. Surveys indicate the majority of college students drink regardless of their age and that approximately two out of every five college students engage in high risk drinking. High-risk drinking is associated with unintentional injury (e.g., motor vehicle crashes, falls, and drownings), sexually transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancy, sexual assault, violence, and poor academic performance. In 2005 the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) estimated over 1,700 student deaths, 599,000 injuries, and 696,000 assaults annually associated with excessive drinking. Further, according to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, high-risk drinking epitomizes the greatest single problem that America's universities must address. Good GRIEF!UF now requires new students to participate in an alcohol education and awar...
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Politicians who have nothing better to do...
2007-12-13 01:33:00
Florida state Senator Gary Siplin is again introducing legislation which would ban low-hanging baggy pants in the public school system. The bill calls for suspension and/or expulsion if a student breaks the rule.Why do we need politicians introducing legislation to ban low-hanging baggy pants from public schools? Isn't there such thing as a school dress code? And doesn't each school district have such a thing? Yes, and the teachers, parents, and students within individual districts should be the ones discussing these decisions, and it's up to school administrators to enforce them.You might be asking what harm it would cause if the state legislature did pass such a bill.The harm comes in yet one more piece of idiotic legislation on the books. Don't we already have enough ridiculous government intervention in our lives? Don't these yahoos have more pressing issues to tend to?When will they get it?
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Is it a gender thing? Or is it just me?
2007-12-12 01:43:00
DH and I get up at 5 am during the week.From 5-5:15 I get our lunches ready, from 5:15-5:30 I clean the kitty litter box, feed and water Peeps and Pebs, then I make the bed and straighten up. From 5:30-5:45 I prepare breakfast which normally includes soy milk, raisin bran and orange juice. From 5:45-6:15 I get ready for work. While I'm doing that DH unplugs the coffee pot, makes sure the girls have plenty of water (we keep an extra bowl in the office), and he puts the dishes in the dishwasher. We try to be out the door no later than 6:20 so we can get to work by 6:55.Three mornings in a row we leave closer to 6:30. This morning I had to iron a shirt because I didn't finish my ironing Sunday night. I squeezed in opening the ironing board and turning on the iron between making the bed and eating breakfast. Then I ironed after showering so I could let my hair dry in the towel.In the meantime, 6:20 was approaching and I was a few minutes from being ready. DH starts bitching and that'...
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Florida's attempt at new state songs bites...
2007-12-11 03:29:00
Florida's picking a new state song because apparently Stephen Foster's "Old Folks at Home" is too racist. Gee, I've seen the lyrics, sang "Way upon the Suwannee River" when I was a kid, never sounded racist to me. Oh sure, it's written in Uncle Remus but the language reflected the times in which it was written.Click here to listen to the three choices up for Florida's new state song which is designed to reflect our "diversity"My opinion:"Where the sawgrass meets the sky"Sucks."My Florida Home'Sucks. But not as bad as the sawgrass meets the sky one--ewww!"Florida, My Home"Sucks. But not as bad as My Florida Home and definitely not as bad as the sawgrass one.All the talent we have in this state and we can't come up with something better? Florida needs something "folksy" and something to reflect it's "southern" heritage. So far what they've chosen as the finalists really bites. We can only hope that they'll dump these three and keep searching.
More About: Songs , State , Temp

Annoying!
2007-12-09 14:58:00
Here's something new.UF students can't register unless they first provide UF with emergency contact information. That's thanks to the incident at Virginia Tech. Yes it's simple to do, just go into your online portal and add it but frankly I think it should be optional! A few weeks ago I tried updating my directory information I couldn't do shit to it until I entered emergency contact information.This is basically a CYA move by the institution to protect them from lawsuits. In case some angry asshole opens fire somewhere on campus, they can call the cell phone I don't have and send the email to my account which I don't check but twice a day.Hmm ok...
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For me the semester is O-V-E-R!
2007-12-08 14:26:00
Well I finished the three final exams and my official grades this term are two A's and a B+. Ok ok so I'm spoiled by having earned nothing but A's and one B these last three years, but considering that the Meteorology class was really difficult, I think that B+ is fine with me! My GPA is now 3.63.Woo hooo!!! I need a break. Funny thing is that I feel like celebrating and yet all I want to do is NOTHING! No classes, no homework, no studying, NOTHING until January 3rd. My friend and former professor Diana suggested I either take the time to relax and catch up on reading and doing fun things I enjoy OR spend the time catching up on other stuff. I vote for the fun stuff. For me that includes finishing "A Tale of Two Cities" and then jumping into Sinclair's "The Jungle" followed by none other than Sherlock Holmes volume II.Yeah I know it sounds terribly exciting eh? But a little egg nog and butterscotch schnapps, some warm candles, a toasty house, and a kitty kat sprawled across my l...
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Educators need a history lesson about the "oldest seagoing service"
2007-11-08 01:29:00
History of the Coast Guard:The United States Coast Guard, one of the country's five armed services, is a unique agency of the federal government. We trace our history back to 4 August 1790, when the first Congress authorized the construction of ten vessels to enforce tariff and trade laws, prevent smuggling, and protect the collection of the federal revenue. Known variously as the Revenue Marine and the Revenue Cutter Service , we expanded in size and responsibilities as the nation grew.The service received its present name in 1915 under an act of Congress when the Revenue Cutter Service merged with the Life-Saving Service. The nation then had a single maritime service dedicated to saving life at sea and enforcing the nation's maritime laws. The Coast Guard began to maintain the country's aids to maritime navigation, including operating the nation's lighthouses, when President Franklin Roosevelt authorized the transfer the Lighthouse Service to the Coast Guard in 1939. Later, in ...
More About: History , Lesson , Going , Goin

Oy!
2007-11-06 14:13:00
Ok I've been sick the last few days. Woke up Monday morning feeling like crap and it came on so suddenly. It's a shame because the weekend was such beautiful weather and I felt great!Anyway, been sick, my PC crashed, and I'm behind on schoolwork. More later...

I want to know who is voting...
2007-11-05 10:51:00
and that they are actually who they say they are and legal to vote.In this story, Minnesota Rep. Ellison proposes to ban such requirements because it's akin to a poll tax and allegedly disenfranchises poor, women, elderly and young people.Oy vey!The poor can't get a picture ID?The elderly can't get a picture ID?Women can't get a picture ID?Young people can't get a picture ID?Why? Because they don't have the money?Ok fine. We can solve this problem by requiring photos in addition to signatures on ALL voter registration cards. The voter reg cards are free and so the picture is too. At the same time all the disenfranchised folks get their voter registration cards they can get their picture taken. I've got no problem with that. Do you?
More About: Voting

Huh?
2007-11-05 01:48:00
Here's an interesting but strange video of a Muslim cleric explaining to three young men how exactly a man is supposed to beat his wife if she disobeys him.