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Sarah Palin on Oprah.

Few things truly frighten me, the one thing that does is Ms. Sarah Palin and her divisive behavior. It starts with a few snide comments and then progresses into pure hatred against anyone or for that matter, anything that is different than her way of how she sees the world. We saw a little of it on the campaign trail.

I watched the Oprah interview with an open mind and thought that Oprah took it easy on Palin. However, she kept it professional as Oprah always does. I just want someone to ask Palin the tough questions and I would like an answer that is true - - with Sarah Palin you get passive agressive answers that I never seem to truly believe. Maybe one day Palin will go on other shows like Bill Maher or any network besides Fox News and be true and honest.

Did anyone see the Oprah - Palin interview? If so, I would love your thoughts.

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To all of the veterens and their families of past and present, we love you and think about you daily.

Favorite Scary Films

After reading Kerri's question of the day, I got to thinking, what are your favorite horror/scary movies. It was hard to narrow it down to 5, but here are my fav 5:

1. 28 Days Later

2. The Exorcist

3. Shawn of the Dead (more of a comedy, but one of my favorite zombie movies)

4. Blair Witch Project

5. The Ring

What are your favs?

Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

I love this time of year for many reasons, but here's one of my favorite simple recipes. Enjoy!

1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil or butter
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon garlic salt
2 Teaspoons Worstershire sauce
2 Cups raw whole pumpkin seeds

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees
2. Combine all ingredients in bowl
3. Bake for 1 hour, stirring occasionally

Serves 8.

Healthy Happy People = Success

I just finished watching Oprah and I am stunned at how progressive Denmark is. I love America and because of that I will be the first person to point out our faults. I am not so blinded by the dream or idea of a perfect America, that it clouds my judgment; we could use some improvement for sure. I truly believe that the last 8 years set us back at least 20. With that said, I would love to fill in the details of Denmark, the happiest and healthiest country on earth.

Education: Free education. When you go to university they pay you around $500 just for going.

Homelessness, unemployment and poverty: are very low. If you are unemployed the government will pay 90% of your income for up to 4 years, if needed.

Maternity: 6 month to 1 year paid maternity leave. Regardless of where you work. Most women take a year.

Healthcare: is free! 1/3 of the population rides bikes, making them even healthier.

Work: everyone usually gets off at 4 pm, so they have more time to spend with family. Creativity is valued in their culture. Commuting long distances is unheard of and most commute by bike.

Ok.. so the cons.. their income taxes are 50% or higher. This of course, is really high. However the government uses these taxes wisely (see above). I don’t know about you all, but I would love to live in a culture that has free healthcare and education. Where the arts are just as important as business, where you choose a career that is fulfilling and not just for how much money you make. Where family is valued and I’m not just buying stuff to fill up the void or to keep up with the neighbors.

I do realize that they are not perfect, no culture is. But it seems like they have a pretty good system going and maybe we should embrace and look into their lifestyle to see why the Danes are so darn happy.

What..??

Should the Louisiana Justice of the Peace who refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple be dismissed? Hmmmmm…. a Justice of the Peace, infringing his views on a marriage because of skin color, not so acceptable.

Let’s talk about the issue. First let’s hear what non apologetic Justice of the Peace Keith Bardwell said:

"I'm sorry, you know, that I offended the couple, but I did help them and tell them who to go to and to get married," Keith Bardwell said on CBS' 'The Early Show' Monday.

Bardwell, a justice of the peace in the state's Tangipahoa Parish, refused to issue the license to groom Terence McKay, who is African-American, and his white bride-to-be, Beth Humphrey, in early October. The couple was later married by another justice of the peace.

Bardwell, who is white, defended his actions, saying that he was worried about an interracial couple's future children and the hardships they would face.

"I've had countless numbers of people that was born in that situation, and that they claim that the blacks or the whites didn't accept the children," Bardwell told 'Early Show's' Harry Smith. "And I didn't want to put the children in that position."

"It's kind of hard to apologize for something that you really and truly feel down in your heart you haven't done wrong," Bardwell told WAFB on Saturday.

He has apparently been refusing marriage licenses to interracial couples for years and no one has ever said anything; he stated in another interview. Then went on to say…. another JOTP always seems to marry them anyways…

Baldwell’s's stance technically violates the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court Loving vs. Virginia ruling that state governments could not place race-based restrictions on marriage. But the official said he is within his legal rights to recuse himself from performing a marriage ceremony.

It might be your legal right, Mr. Baldwell, but it makes my stomach turn with your dangerous and divisive behaviour. Email Governor Bobby Jindal and ask for Justice of the Peace Bardwell’s dismissal.

http://www.gov.la.gov/index.cfm?md=form&tmp=email_governor

Where the Wild Things Are

Like so many others from my generation, I have loved the book Where the Wild Things Are since I was a child. When I first saw the trailer for the movie a few months ago, I was so happy and amused by the fact that someone would make such an ambitious jump from a beloved children’s novel (a seven page surrealist.visionary.magical.imagination induced children’s novel) to a movie, but then I saw it…. Spike Jonze Director… well that was all I needed.

IT was Spike Jonze for crying out loud, what could go wrong…?

I’ll tell you what went wrong; pretty much the entire thing. I was sitting there feeling the awkward and aloneness that most of us all feel at the age that Max was; an adolescent. The loneliness mixed with imagination going crazy, trying to figure out where you fit in the world. However, it was a beige oddity, filled with moments of slight visionary sad happiness.

This book to me was like you were always prowling around in the night, alone, loaded with just your imagination and a brave wolf suit, oblivious to what was King at that time, your parents, peers and school teachers. It was just you… you were alone… and it was ok… but in the end; isn’t it all just a dream? Monsters and strange creatures don’t really exist. Or do they?

 THIS is what I wanted and this movie never delved into that curiousity or imagination. Unfortunately, it fell flat... like a boring, aloof, beige, non-existent journey into nothingness.

However, it was a better journey that most Directors will ever give us, so hats off to you Spike Jonze; it was a an intersting journey, that wasn't necessarily my vision and for that alone, I thank you.

Halloween Costume Ideas..

I love Halloween, since I was a child. Maybe it's because fall is my favorite time of year and you get to use your imagination and get dressed up as how you like and then there's the candy! Okay, so now that I'm an 'adult', replace candy with alcoholic beverages of choice and a fun night out dressed as a sexy devil.

This year I'm stumped. No idea what to be for Halloween. It seems like most people will put on a Kate Gosslin wig and some sneakers and they are done. I want my costume to really be different this year. So I extend a hand to my PNN friends to see if you have any suggestions. Or what are you wearing for Halloween? What are your kids going to be?

Body Confidence

I was watching the Today Show this morning and saw that a long time model for Ralph Lauren was let go because she was too big. This model is 5'10 and 120 lbs. I am 5'10 and haven't weighed 120 since junior high!

Years ago I did a little bit of plus size modeling, more for myself than making society realize that we are all different sizes and THAT is beautiful. It was never really difficult for me to get on the runway, besides having a fear of crowded places. It was empowering to get on the stage or do a photo shoot. I tried to not let those demons in; I wonder if my thighs look fat, is my stomach too big, everyone is staring at my fat ass. I powered through it all and had a lot of fun. It was nice to be around women who were caring and they just got me.

Here are some beautiful plus size women who are brave and awe inspiring to many people, especially I hope tween girls who are targeted relentlessly to look thin by media and society. Let's take some time to celebrate our bodies! Cheers!

Crystal Renn

Lizzie Miller (this photo appeared in Glamour in August)

Heartbreaking.

I was just going about my day and when I got onto Facebook where a friends post stopped me in my tracks...

This little girl just couldn't let go of her fathers hand and no one had the heart to tell her no.

 This breaks my heart.

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local-beat/Little-Soldier-Girl-Didnt-Want-to-Let-Go-63629627.html

Bodies Exhibit.. a must see!

I'm so excited because Bodies the Exhibition is coming to Seattle once again! I saw this a few years ago and I have to say it is AMAZING. If you're not in the Seattle area, it's coming to other cities too. I highly recommend this for children. It will give you a new perspective on your body.

http://www.bodiestheexhibition.com/intro.html

Too tacky?

So we've all opened a gift at the holidays and wondered, what about me exactly made you think  'this is so her' when you bought this? A Chia head of Barack Obama, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and my personal favorite, the Statue of Liberty, with crown I must add.

I personally thought these were a joke when I first saw the commercial, but quickly realized that this is Chia and they make pottery heads that grow some kind of plant to look like faux hair. They usually stick to cartoon characters, but this year they've gotten into politics. Which one do you think is the tackiest? Or do you secretly like these and want one under the Christmas tree? Is there a family member or friend that would love one? I fully expect one for Christmas, but which one? I can only guess.

Dreamer.

Society often forgives the criminal; it never forgives the dreamer. ~ Oscar Wilde

A wall builder.

Build bridges, not walls. So simple.
Yet, it explains most things in my 36 years. You know when you hear something and it speaks to you, that sums up a whole multitude of things? This was that moment for me.

I'm a wall builder; always have been and hopefully soon I will be free of this annoying part of me. I have many people around me that love and care for me unconditionally, but could there be more of these supportive people in my life? Could I have built more bridges instead of walls...? Sadly, yes.

Whether it was a co-worker who annoyed me with their 'silly little habits' or a general point of view that was against mine; therefore how could we be friends when we have nothing in common.
Could it be that friend from high school that I pushed away from because they decided to have children and stay in the suburbs. 
Or friends of friends that I was a bit jealous of and maybe was a bit bitchy too.
An 'annoying' friends boyfriend, who doesn't fit into what I would consider good enough for her, but an ok guy.

Why do I build walls? It's fear; the fear of everything.
What if someone laughed at me or argued against my views, criticized or mocked me, what if? Who cares, right? I think we as humans generally care what others think about us. Nothing wrong with that, unless you let it take over. Maybe that is what I've done; stayed in fear and let others decide my fate. Writing this is taking me to a place where I don't want to go, an ugly part of my soul. So today I am starting to build that bridge to others that I have built a wall in front of.

Today I will take one brick from my wall and place it on my bridge in hopes of making my structure stronger.

Mahatma Gandhi

Happy Birthday to one of the most kind and progressive thinkers of our past; Mahatma Gandhi.You changed the world and I thank you for that.

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. ~ Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

~ Stuff I like ~

A Chinese farmer found a way to make a mini pear baby buddha. I hope to see them in stores in the US. So cute!

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A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they shall never sit in. ~ Greek Proverb

Going Rogue

This just in news... go ahead and put it in book I'm never going to read file, but Ms. Sarah Palin has a new book deal, so Ms. Palin and her handlers have decided to call her memoir: going rogue. Here's Dictionary.com's definintion of rogue:

Synonyms:
1. villain, trickster, swindler, cheat, mountebank, quack. See knave. 

Noun. 
* An unprincipled, deceitful, and unreliable person; a scoundrel or rascal.
* One who is playfully mischievous; a scamp.
* A wandering beggar; a vagrant.
* A vicious and solitary animal, especially an elephant that has separated itself from its herd.
*An organism, especially a plant, that shows an undesirable variation from a standard.

Adj. 
* Vicious and solitary. Used of an animal, especially an elephant.
* Large, destructive, and anomalous or unpredictable: a rogue wave; a rogue tornado.
*Operating outside normal or desirable controls.

Verb
* To live or act as a rogue.

From one rogue to another; Ms. Palin I am thankful everday that you are not in the White House. Just keep booking private speaking engagements and have someone write your memoir, don't worry those checks will keep rolling in. Oh and don't worry about those Alaskans that you were so concerned about.. they obviously don't need a rogue like you.

U2: a love affair

The year was 1987,I remember waiting at a friends house for the bus to arrive and we were watching the new TV station MTV. So MTV wasn't really new, but to the girl who had basic cable, it was. Then it came on... Where The Streets Have No Name from the Joshua Tree. I was mesmerized watching these 4 guys from Dublin get onto a rooftop and perform a impromto concert in LA. From that day on I have had a love affair with U2. After much begging and pleading, I finally got the cassette tape of Joshua Tree from the music store. I listened to this album over and over, at night going to sleep, in the morning before school, on the bus, at lunch and anytime in between. Always having my Walkman in tow. So 21 years later, here I am, watching SNL and feeling the same way I did when I was 13 years old; impressed. It's nice to know some things don't change, except now I have an IPod and MTV doesn't play many videos.

How about you? Any U2 stories of your own?

Wal-Mart best sybolizes America, poll finds?

You know my dislike of polls about now, but this one is rediculous. Over half of the pollsters (1,097 repspondents nationwide, conducted by phone through CBS News) said that Wal-Mart is the institution that best symbolizes America. The runners up; Google, Microsoft, NFL and the banking and securities of Goldman Sachs.Wow, we are in a crisis in America, I think we all know that, but Wal-Mart? Just as frustrating is that Goldman Sachs was even on the list. Now given this list and if I had to choose one of these institutions to best describe America, I would have to vote for Google or Microsoft. Where's McDonalds on this list? To be honest, I would put McDonalds before Wal-Mart anyday. So McD's workers are paid a little over min wage, but I believe that they have health care and they can one day own a franchise. Wal-Mart not so much. Maybe McD's is helping with the epidemic of obesity, according to another poll by Medical News Today lists 30% of Americans are obese... let me say that again; 30% of Americans are obese. That is an astounding number really.

I guess McDonalds should be at the top of the list. Wouldn't that be the best institution to sum up a nation where 30% of the populous is obese? I unfortunately think so.

Enough with the polls already!

It happens everyday, I get out of bed and shuffle to the kitchen where I start a big pot of coffee, then to the computer to check my email and to make sure all is well in the world. Then it happens, the first one of the day, it's a poll, it stares at me while I try to ignore but, I can't.... not when CNN wants to know.. "will the economy get worse before it gets better?".... I need to know what people think, i need to vote darn it, my voice needs to be heard! So I vote, and by the way 53% of Americans say that the economy will get worse before it gets better. Okay, not the best news, but I feel optimistic, so I move on. The Today Show is on in the background and Matt Lauer asks the question.. "What are Obama's poll ratings? And should he be worried?" ... Uh oh, now I've never taken this poll about the president and how you think about the job he is doing. Who is taking these polls? Who's paying other companys to take these polls? Are there people sitting in rooms at the white house waiting for the results of said polls? Are they waiting for the poll from The Nation.. "What do you think of the presidents appearance on David Letterman?"

Finally there's my favorite; Facebook. I'm a self proclaimed FB addict, I love the silly quizes "Which Grease character are you?" Turns out most eveyone is Sandy. There's actually a poll application for FB and the IPhone, so you can take polls 24/7 if need be. These polls; and most especially the reporting of these polls like it's scientific has got to stop, or at the least, slow down. But wait, even PNN has a poll widget! I must add it because I want to know..."Are you ready for fall?"..66% of you say YES! It's a fresh start. Now I can start the day.

A few movies that I recommend:

I rented Australia the other day and I have to say that although It might have been a bit ambitious, this was a great movie. It's Baz Luhrman so be ready for a fantastical experience, but there was something campy and fun about this movie. Hugh Jackman is not hard to watch either.

If you are in the mood to go see a movie in the theater, I highly recommment 9. This movie had me from begining to end. There was a real end of the world, surealist feel to it and the animation is mesmerizing. It was also nice to go to the theater and not know what to expect and to be happily taken away for 76 minutes.

How important is hair color?

Maybe it's the start of fall or maybe it's just how I roll, but I'm wanting to change my hair color. This comes about once or twice a year, depending on the year. Now I know this doesn't seem like a big deal and to be quite honest, I do realize that we are in the middle of two wars, a rececssion and all that serious stuff. Sometimes a girl just wants to make a change.

I've been a blonde since I was born. I have fought the onslought of my hair going darker for YEARS and sometimes think I rely too heavily on being a blonde. Okay, I'll be the first to admit that blondes really do have more fun or at least get more attention. Is this in my head? What's the big deal anyways? Am I really this vain? Am I really blogging about my hair color? I would like to know what other women think about this. How important is your hair color to you?

What happened to women's happiness....?

So there's a new article out  that says that women's happiness has been on the decline since the 70's... and men's happiness has only risen. I've never claimed to be a genius but this is kind of a no brainer, let me state first that I consider myself a liberal feminist, with that said, I believe that we (women) have taken on more and more since the 70's and we are still trying to catch up to men and all they have.

Why are we trying to catch up to men, why can't we pave our own road and do it a little differently?

I truly believe that in some cases we are paving our own road; more men are staying home and nurturing their children, men seem to take a larger role in parenting due to women going to work and taking on more responsibilities outside the home and becoming a partner. I remember just a few years ago people would be awestruck that a man would stay home and 'babysit' their children while the woman would go to work, or god forbid, go out with friends for an evening to unwind, unheard of! While I believe all of the afore mentioned things are a great start, what is this doing to our happiness? Why do we have to be perfect at everything? Why do we have to take on more and more and not get to ask anyone for help? I guess the answer is we don't have to do any of these things. The few things we need to do is take care of ourselves, take care of our children and family. We should let go of the stereotypes of men vs. women and our roles in society. Because in the long run, won't it all just come naturally if we just let go? Ask a man near you today if he is happy.... I guarantee I know his answer.

Is civility gone...?

It's been a long week or two with Joe Williams, Serena Williams (must be a Williams thing) and of course, Kanye. Now all the news stations can talk about is are we getting ruder, are we stressed out, is civility gone? Of course we are stressed out; the economy is crap, we are all scared of losing our jobs, or we have lost a job and there are no good jobs to be had. Our health care system is in serious need of an overhaul and no one seems to want to change anything. Most of us are living paycheck to paycheck and have been for years. Racism is rearing it's ugly head and the only person willing to talk about it is President Carter. Two wars with no real end in sight.. no idea why we stopped being civil to each other? All I can do is to not fall into the trap and make good decisions. Maybe I will tune out for a weekend; I will stop with social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and blogging, I will try to be nicer to everyone I encounter and maybe even shoot a smile to the mail carrier or to that neighbor that I think is annoying. A little courtesy can go a long way.

Goodbye Sonics!

The news yesterday about the Seattle Supersonics leaving for OKC was not a shocker, I think most of were waiting
for the news, it was just a matter of time for the Sonics. Personally I don't care too much about them leaving. However,
they gave us 41 great and not so great years and that alone needs to be respected. So good luck to you Oklahoma City and
your newly acquired team, I have a feeling that you needed them more than Seattle did.

Boom de ya da

As I woke up this morning in a bit of a mood, i mean it is only Wednesday, what is there to be so cheery about?

Then I grabbed a cup of coffee and logged on to my computer. Luckily there was a video from YouTube awaiting
me from a friend. It was titled "Boom De Yada"... I've now watched it at least ten times.... it still makes me smile.
Now I have to go jump in the shower and get to work... so around 3 today when I am feeling stressed out or that
boss is the most insensitive jerk alive, I will click on this video and remember really how wonderful the world is.

Have a wonderful day.

6 Steps To Fame