I’m all for political infographics, as an easy-to-digest way of spreading what’s going on, or someone’s agenda. But this graphic is just all kinds of wrong.

First of all, gas should NOT have been less than a dollar a gallon AT ALL, throughout the 80s, let alone 90s. Remember Reagan? Oliver North? Arms trading to the middle east? Yeah, that’s why gas was so cheap in the 80s. We should have been paying $2.50 a gallon for gas in the 80s. Then, US car companies would have focused efforts on creating more gas-onomical cars then, & wouldn’t have bottomed out when gas did skyrocket. Ppl would have automatically already have budgeted gas money as well, so it would not have made such a grave diff to them & their households.

Let’s stop & take that all in.

Then, secondly, b/c I couldn’t really care less since I don’t think gas prices should be less than $2.50 a gallon, EVER. But, secondly, they’re showing an extreme low during the Clinton administration, and then an extreme high during the Bush administration. I can’t get down with that. I think Clinton is the best Pres. I’ve ever seen in my lifetime, but I just can’t get down w/ feeding poo to the masses, most of which can’t remember enough to question what they see even though they lived it. The majority of ppl lack common sense.

If I sound like a broken record, it’s because I wrote about gas before:
lower gas prices feel like blood money in my pocket (July 29, 2008)
gassy boo-hoo (March 30, 2006)

Better World Books: It’s a pretty awesome online bookstore. Basically, everytime you buy a book online through them, they’ll donate a book. I saw a “buy 3, and they’ll donate 6″ deal too! Pretty cool. They are so cool, & I kinda want to pimp them too, but there’s SO MUCH to say about them! So, I present to you this screenshot of their home page (links to them too):

And here’s the link to Hipster Book Quotes, complete w/ a sampling of what they offer. Hipster pictures w/ great quotes from books! Hence the name. (picture links to their site)

I think we’re going to go with the last one in the 2nd row. I like the consistency of the similar frames (all being black), but it’s not too matchy or rigid. The black frames would go w/ their wall clock, and the black frame around their tv.

Unfortunately, I just bought them a digital photo frame, and it’s got a brown frame. Wah-wa! Oh well. It’s dark brown, maybe we can paint the frame or something.

The last one (the clock) is an idea I have for my own home 1 day. That way, I always know what time it is in India & Phoenix (where I have family that I call all the time). The beauty being that those 2 locales don’t observe daylight savings time, so the # of hours difference changes, and I won’t need to change the clocks!

I realize I’ve never shared her quote anywhere (here, twitter, or fb), so thought I’d take a moment to add it.

There is nobody in this country who got rich on his own. Nobody. You built a factory out there — good for you!

But I want to be clear. You moved your goods to market on the roads the rest of us paid for. You hired workers the rest of us paid to educate. You were safe in your factory because of police forces and fire forces that the rest of us paid for. You didn’t have to worry that maurauding bands would come and seize everything at your factory, and hire someone to protect against this, because of the work the rest of us did. Now look, you built a factory and it turned into something terrific, or a great idea — God bless. Keep a big hunk of it.

But part of the underlying social contract is you take a hunk of that and pay forward for the next kid who comes along. – Elizabeth Warren

From her Wikipedia page: Elizabeth Warren (born June 22, 1949) is an American bankruptcy law expert, policy advocate, Harvard Law School professor, and Democratic Party candidate in the 2012 United States Senate election in Massachusetts. She has written several academic and popular books concerning the American economy and personal finance. She contributed to the oversight of the 2008 U.S. bailout program, and also led the conception and establishment of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

I know he says “strictly platonic”, & I reckon he means it. He’s very focused on his song.

But it got me thinking. What if you were really into something? Like reeeeally into something, & you were looking for a mate, & it’d be awesome if that mate was really into it too? This would be a great way to put out something specific you’re looking for, without a commitment or “dating” game stuff, and just see if organically evolved into something more.

Also, I’m wondering if I could go to the Sly Fox on Karaoke nights to see if his dream ever came to fruition. But alas, I simply don’t have the time for that. So, if someone wants to report back, that’d be awesome!

Dhruva –

Today, I was asked a direct question and gave a direct answer:

I believe that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry.

I hope you’ll take a moment to watch the conversation, consider it, and weigh in yourself on behalf of marriage equality:

http://my.barackobama.com/Marriage

I’ve always believed that gay and lesbian Americans should be treated fairly and equally. I was reluctant to use the term marriage because of the very powerful traditions it evokes. And I thought civil union laws that conferred legal rights upon gay and lesbian couples were a solution.

But over the course of several years I’ve talked to friends and family about this. I’ve thought about members of my staff in long-term, committed, same-sex relationships who are raising kids together. Through our efforts to end the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, I’ve gotten to know some of the gay and lesbian troops who are serving our country with honor and distinction.

What I’ve come to realize is that for loving, same-sex couples, the denial of marriage equality means that, in their eyes and the eyes of their children, they are still considered less than full citizens.

Even at my own dinner table, when I look at Sasha and Malia, who have friends whose parents are same-sex couples, I know it wouldn’t dawn on them that their friends’ parents should be treated differently.

So I decided it was time to affirm my personal belief that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry.

I respect the beliefs of others, and the right of religious institutions to act in accordance with their own doctrines. But I believe that in the eyes of the law, all Americans should be treated equally. And where states enact same-sex marriage, no federal act should invalidate them.

If you agree, you can stand up with me here.

Thank you,

Barack

Here’s my old post from November 2008 (seriously? I’ve been complaining about this that long?!): I didn’t realize it was still 1960

Gallup poll on acceptance of marriage (sigh… same-sex marriage, since I think we’re still calling it that for now).

When you get a student loan, you sign a PROMISSORY NOTE to get that loan. PROMISSORY. You LITERALLY PROMISE to pay that money back.

Teaching impressionable, quick to jump young adults that you can just take money for free is irresponsible. If anything, we need to tackle the issue of rising tuition costs that are out of control. NOT teach our youth that you can sign a promissory note for tens of thousands of dollars & just ask them to be “forgiven”. It’s not like you ate your co-workers piece of cake. It’s TENS of THOUSANDS of dollas! And you signed a paper after “loan counseling” PROMISING to pay it back! Are we teaching STUDENTS, those who are signing up asking to learn, that reneging on your word is the way to start your independent life?!?!?!

For the record, b/c for some reason, my personal experience will be questioned & thought of as relevant — I did take out loans. I was not given a free education. I am the daughter of immigrants. I did work 80-90 hrs a week during my summers from college, & I did take 10 yrs to pay off my loans. But I did pay them off, & I’m glad I did. My student loans taught me to budget, be responsible, & helped me raise my credit score. And if I do say so myself, my credit score is pretty spectacular!

It’s gotten an “R” rating by the Motion Picture Association of America, ONLY due to the usage of the “F-word” in this film. But the words used are those of children, ages 11-17, told to other children. There are much more violent & adult-themed movies given a rating of PG-13.

But this movie, one that should prob be shown in schools, one that is teaching our youth of the real consequences of bullying, has been given an “R” rating, & will not be seen by those who need to see it most.

These kids already know these words. Geez, I am shocked by how much kids know these days. I certainly did not use any type of bad words when I was a kid. I never saw a movie that had the “F-word” in it until I was 18; and my jaw dropped when I heard it b/c I was in a large public space & there it was, coming off a huge movie screen. But these kids today? They hear bad words & see questionable content everywhere. I don’t remember songs with bad words on the radio when I was a kid either. But I hear stuff on the radio now; & even when they attempt to bleep stuff, you know what they’re bleeping.

Anyway, I’ve signed this petition. It was started by a Katy Butler, a high-schooler in Ann Arbor, MI. I heard about this on the Ellen show today (it was a previous episode on my dvr); and I had to post about it. Katy has started this petition to change the rating to PG-13 so that this movie can be seen by those who need to see it most.

Pls sign this petition: MPAA: Don’t let the bullies win! Give ‘Bully’ a PG-13 instead of an R rating!

You may also want to contact the Motion Picture Association of America: ContactUs@mpaa.org
Phone & Fax # for offices in major cities: http://www.mpaa.org/about/contact

Trailer for the movie:

There are no Polar Bears in Antarctica, and no penguins in the Arctic Circle!!!

It was a trick riddle! Polar Bears & penguins would never meet in this world to be able to talk to each other. heehee.

They should just be called North Polar bears or something like that. Actually, no land animals live in Antarctica.

The 2 poles are as diff as can be. The Arctic Circle is primarily an ocean, where the Antarctic is a land mass (hence it being an actual continent), covered in ice.

Despite being a huge land mass (1.5 times the size of entire US), Antarctica is ruled by a 1959 Treaty that made it a shared demilitarized zone only used for peaceful interaction & scientific research; thus it has no countries, and is not part of any country. Antarctica is land, yet has no land animals. Only marine life resides there – whales, seals, & penguins (& about a dozen bird species).

Where the Arctic is an ice-covered ocean, ironically, with land animals. Among them are the Arctic hare, fox, wolf, lemming, muskox, wolverines, ermines, Arctic ground squirrels, and caribou. And of course, polar bears! The Arctic also has many, many different birds; and marine mammals such as seals, walrus, whales, narwhals, killer whales, & belugas. The Arctic also has an indigenous population, where there are no known native humans to Antarctica.

So, I guess if a polar bear ever did see a penguin, he’d totally be like “Dude! Where’d you come from?!!?”

———————————————————–

This whole post came about because I saw this piece made by little lion designs. She’s a friend of mine & makes art from re-purposed fabric. I also saw this real life picture shot of a mama & baby polar bear. Please note that polar bears may look cute, but are vicious, vicious creatures WHO WILL CUT YOU! I think that’s part of what makes this piece PERFECT for baby nurseries, or kid’s rooms. B/c most moms come across as sweet & normal, but if you mess w/ their baby, they will turn vicious to protect their own!

I saw it, & started wondering about polar bears & googled & one led to another & I learned a bunch about the Arctic & Antarctic.

this picture links to little lion designs "nursery art" photo album

Filed under: Uncategorized ]]> http://sweetsunshower.com/2012/01/28/what-did-the-polar-bear-say-to-the-penguin/feed/ 1 yllwdaisies bazinga_b polar bears side by side http://sweetsunshower.com/2011/12/23/i-cant-shut-off-my-inner-critic/ http://sweetsunshower.com/2011/12/23/i-cant-shut-off-my-inner-critic/#comments Sat, 24 Dec 2011 00:19:07 +0000 yllwdaisies http://sweetsunshower.com/?p=1137 ]]> So, a couple friends of mine posted this video. It’s full of humanity, & is actually a lovely, lovely statement on how to live.

I do like the video and its message. Don’t get me wrong. I just can’t seem to shut off my inner critic. I notice things. Minute things. Things that just don’t add up, & I don’t like inconsistency/discrepancies. So, even though this is a lovely video, & you should appreciate it as such, I thought I’d at least get out of my system the things I noticed on 1st watch.

At 0:45 – the young boy puts down his skateboard to help the lil ole lady. After crossing the street, he then crosses the other street, going even further away from his stuff. He just left his skateboard there?

At 1:30 – the old lady gives a woman change for the parking meter.
2 things – a. she was holding change in her hand the whole time? Maybe that’s why she was struggling w/ her bags. Why didn’t she just put the change away in her cross-body purse? And b. – why is the girl putting change in a meter where there’s no car? There’s no car in either of those 2 parking spots!

At 2:10 – what the heck is in that luggage that makes it that heavy?!?! I mean, I know I sometimes have a morbid mind, but the only thing I can think of is that it’s a dead body in there. It’s gotta be over 100# by the way they’re lugging it!

It’s a great message to put out into the world. And I can appreciate that. I just can’t shut off my cynical mind.