“Sensation tells us a thing is.
Thinking tells us what this thing is.
Feeling tells us what this thing is to us.”
- Carl Jung, Father of Analytical Psychology

Do you think Psychology is just for students, academics and therapists? Then think again! Psychology is both a theoretical and applied science, and its everyday implications are many in number. In fact, every aspect of inter-personal relationships is grounded on the subconscious use of psychology.

How many times have you intuitively felt that the other person is lying simply based on their body language? Or thought of a decision from multiple points of view, including rational, emotional, intuitive, creative,

positive and negative perspectives? The wide realm of psychology has conducted research and derived conclusions about human and social behavior which can be utilized to make our lives brighter. Let’s examine how.

1. Get motivated
Whether it’s your goal to quit smoking or lose those extra kilos, psychology offers interesting ways to keep yourself motivated enough to achieve your ends. Introducing new ways to accomplish the goal, stepping out of routine, having your ends and positive results clearly in sight, and rewarding yourself on your good work are some steps you could take to keep your motivational levels high. Remember, the light from one candle can brighten up an entire room-so your positive energy might spread cheer to people in your circle of influence as well!

2. Learn to understand others better
The ability to understand yourself and others better plays a very important role in your life. Your Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ) measures this ability, and recent research places a higher value on EQ than on IQ in this era of communication. Try being more empathetic and humane-we tend to have a rather rigid mind-set if we alienate ourselves from emotions. At the same time, learn to analyze situations from a neutral perspective and keep unwarranted bias away. Don’t jump to conclusions about the root causes of the other person’s actions- open channels of communications are vital to keep a relationship in the pink of health.

3. Productivity
Have you felt overwhelmed by the amount of work or studies you have at hand? Does time seem to whiz past, and that important exam or conference meets you too soon for your liking? Mental organization is the key, as is time management. Try to focus on the task at hand, and eliminate distractions. Research in psychology has found that trying to perform more than one task at the same time seriously impairs speed, accuracy, and productivity-the reason you subconsciously write the lyrics of the song you’re listening to instead of meeting minutes!     Time management needn’t necessarily involve routine, but you need to have a specific time frame for every activity. This will ensure that you spend time at your books, as well as get time to catch that game on television, and also leave you an evening out. Sounds good? Get to that planner pronto!

4.  Improve your memory
Youngsters and working professionals are fast becoming victims to those frequent patches of memory lapse. Research on how we form new memories as well as how and why we forget has led to a number of findings that can be applied directly in your daily life. Pay complete attention to your work and relate new concepts to familiar ones. Organize your study material, and try using mnemonics. A mnemonic is simply a way to remember information, like the mnemonic VIBGYOR for the colors of the rainbow. Educators and psychologists have also discovered that having students actually teach new concepts to others enhances understanding and recall, so a study group wouldn’t be a bad idea!

5. Be healthier!
From ways to encourage exercise and better nutrition to new treatments for depression, the field of health psychology offers a wealth of beneficial strategies that can help you to be healthier and happier. Research has demonstrated that exercise can be an effective treatment for depression as well as other mental disorders. It has also been found that if you understand the ways the pill you take works in your body, you’re more likely to take it regularly; as opposed to the old practice of one-sided doctor-patient interaction. Stress is a major cause of many psychosomatic disorders, ranging from asthma to hypertension. Acceptance of the situation and a determination to stand ground and face the music will go a long way in reducing stress.
Above all, understanding the everyday implications of psychology leads to a healthy dose of inspiration-for an uncluttered, focused mind is the most fertile ground for creativity and innovation. The next time you see a kid laughing at a comic in the library, marvel at his innocent pleasure instead of snapping at him. Spend time with your family outdoors instead of in a theatre- research shows that even a brief exposure to light substantially increased alertness and cognitive ability. And get inspired, let your creativity run wild! After all:

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”

Part of what made America the greatest and most powerful nation in the world was its immigrants; proud to learn the language, to work to build a life for themselves and to call themselves Americans.  Many left war torn countries, religious persecution and starvation and were grateful for the opportunities afforded them here.

So, when did immigrants begin coming to America to take instead of give?  Now I see Spanish words under the English on almost everything I buy.  Now we are expected to assimilate to the smaller groups not the other way around.  We’re expected to be tolerant and accomodating.   

Parents, we need to teach our children the art of 'giving back', of asking 'what can I do?' not 'what can I get?' 

Sad, when you think  there is so much ‘help’ out there for immigrants and so little for our needy citizens.  My disabled sister who has worked most of her life, still hasn’t gotten a penny from disability even though she applied over five months ago.   If it weren’t for my retired Mom on her limited income supporting her, she would be out on the street. 

Something is very wrong indeed.

Several Spy posts written earlier this year - and viewed by far too few (shame on you) - were forebears to events now unfolding. Call it "term analysis.

So, to keep you from having to dig back through The Spy's File Cabinet, the following are offered. Take a look.

• Stuck In The Middle With You February 28

Middle names are tricky things.

Radio talk show host Bill Cunningham has been slammed for using Barack Hussein Obama’s middle name. In fact, it was called a “smear!” For whatever reason he did it, it’s stupid to vilify him for doing so.

• Melting Pot? March 4

I’ve become tired of the term “melting pot” to describe the American population and societal make-up. “Melting pot” is supposed to define diversity and a rich cultural stew of human interaction. At one time, it was relevant. Immigrants came here and actually assimilated into the American cultural landscape. They melded without sacrificing their own historical roots.

• The Politics of Race, The Race of Politics March 18

It should be clear by now that The Spy does not agree with Obama’s politics. Check that, political philosophy. But I think he did a superb job in describing the racial landscape in the United States.

Bravo.

However… (c’mon… you knew there had to be a “however.”)

• Who? April 23

We really don’t know [much] about Barack Obama. The Jeremiah Wright and Tony Rezko controversies, along with the comments the senator made in San Francisco about Pennsylvania should make voters stop and think very hard about who this man might bring with him to the White House, the Pentagon, Foggy Bottom, Justice, Treasury, etc.

• Is Obama A Setup? June 9

Something about Barack Obama’s rise to the top of the Democratic Party heap isn’t passing the smell test. How is it that a 45-year-old with just two years of federal legislative experience has been able to sweep through the primary process and defeat the top name in the party?

A recent article by ABC outlines Obama’s campaign, and in reading it, the Spy’s BS radar went into acquisition mode.

If you want to comment, please do. The Spy is listening....

Our wall is to be 2000 miles long, as long as the low estimates of the length of the Great Wall of China. (Some estimate the other wall to be three times this length.)

Whatever your position is with respect to the wall, people agree that it is certainly symbolic of our era. It is a metaphor, a symbol, which for many replaces the Statue of Liberty. The welcoming beacon of freedom is replaced in the minds of many people with the blank expanse of the wall, like an extended palm signaling "halt." For many people outside the United States our country is seen, not as a sanctuary, and champion, for the oppressed, but as a garrison, walled like a Medieval city-state.

Looking back, Bill Clinton's euphoric descriptions of globalization (one of his favorite terms) seem naive and distant. The purpose of bridging cultures and identifying common interest has been replaced by phrases like "If you are not for us, you are against us," "bring 'em on," "we are on a crusade," and the like. We have turned a blind eye to international opinion, like the balnk stare of the wall.

We have not just invested in walling our country, but in creating a honeycomb of walls within it. Political forces have converted the world's melting pot into a fragmented society in which cultural identity is preserved in part for defensive purposes. We are becoming a society of gated communities which look out at others with distrust and fear.

Our government has a growing list of citizens identified a suspected terrorists. The number of people on the list has apparently passed one million. That's about 5 for each thousand adults. If you go to BellSquare on a busy day, there should be maybe ten or twenty "suspected terrorists" among your fellow shoppers. We have built walls around airports, public buildings and public gathering places, access permitted by guards only after inspection.

These walls of course are not just metaphorical. We have by far the biggest prison population in the world. More people are in prison than there are in Phoenix, Arizona. A staggering number of our fellow citizens have been through the criminal justice system in one way or another.  Prison construction and management has been privatized to a large degree and has become a booming industry. It could become a college major in some schools like hotel and motel management.

These are the costs of security, as we see it. The cry of "security!" seems to be in the ascendancy. It's good though to keep it in context.

Too hot to be outside? Tired of playing video games? Here's your weekend reading, from Africa to Peru, to the Philippines, to Iceland & even Fiji. Enjoy!

Gold Rush Spells Doom to Yaeda

Just a few weeks after the Arabian hunting firm officially pulled out of Yaeda, a new monster is reported to have moved into the vast valley and intends to unleash even worse destruction.

The vast untamed land had since creation been home to a number of indigenous tribes among them the rapidly shrinking population of the Hadza (Singular Hadzabe) bush people.

When a Disastrous Regime Continues

The devastating cyclone Nargis that struck southern Burma two months ago, has revealed to the world that it was even less disastrous than its military regime, which can ignore its own people in urgent needs and even could prevent and restrict relief from international communities for the hundred thousand victims of the disaster with the apprehension that it might create an atmosphere for another people's uprising in the country.

More than 100 Arrested

LIMA – More than 100 people were arrested Wednesday at the start of a nationwide general strike in Peru over the rising cost of living and other grievances, the National Police chief said.

Support for the strike, which has been declared illegal by the Labor Ministry, has been more widespread in the interior, where a 48-hour agrarian protest is being carried out and demonstrations are being staged in a dozen regions to press for the redress of local grievances.

Protesters say that García's free-market economic model has failed to bring the benefits of a recent economic boom to the large number of low-income Peruvians.

Maguindanao, RP Fall Behind Key Indicators for Education

Achieving universal primary education is one of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that the Philippines has committed itself to achieve by 2015. In its midterm progress report on the MDGs that was released last year, however, the government conceded that this was one of the goals it was unlikely to meet seven years from now.

The Polar Bear Express

So how are those beasts of the Arctic getting there? They are known to unwittingly hitch a ride from nearby Greenland on chunks of sea ice that drift to Iceland’s northern coast. There are over 600 documented cases of polar bears dropping by for a visit, and already this year two bears have made it to Iceland.

Our Future in Obama's World Must be to Solve Putnam's Problem

IT became a shibboleth of sociological truisms after the 20th century’s Second World War that every society in the world benefits by being racially, ethnically, culturally diverse. Multiculturalism, multiracialism are seen as societal barometers of progress and strength. No society has embodied this truism more than the United States.

That was then. At the dawn of this 21st century, new research by Harvard political scientist, Robert Putnam, seemingly challenges this shibboleth. Putnam’s work and findings are based on interviews with almost 30,000 of his fellow Americans. Through their confessions and admissions, Putnam found that ‘the greater the diversity in a community, the fewer people vote and the less they volunteer, the less they give to charity and work on community projects’. Indeed, ‘in the most diverse communities, neighbours trust one another about half as much as they do in the most homogenous settings’. According to one report, Putnam’s study is ‘the largest ever on civic engagement in America’ and the outcome that ‘virtually all measures of civic health are lower in more diverse settings’ has certainly unsettled the orthodoxies of integrationism, multiracialism and multiculturalism that have so long been taken for granted as evidenced in metaphors of ‘the melting pot’ and the ‘salad bowl’ and so on.

All that said, the cheese fondue was very tasty, and the chocolate, well, can you really say anything bad about chocolate fondue? It was truly awesome. We had the Smores, which was milk chocolate with marshmallow creme and graham cracker crumbles. Mmmmm, I could eat a pot right now and it's 8:30 am. There was also wine :).

Summation: this was quite an experience, not what I expected though. I would probably not go back for the entire meal, but I would go back just for the chocolate (and wine). 3 Stars.

As you can see from my previous posts, I'm not a huge fan of Barack Obama.  While he's a celebrity to those on the left, he's a socialist to most knowledgable Americans.  Well, today he said something that we've all been expecting:  Americans should start learning Spanish.

A reasonably intelligent person can understand that a common language is necessary to a successful society and a prosperous existence.  Without it, we'd be back at the Tower of Babel and human endeavor would be relatively impossible.  Millions of immigrants throughout the years have understood that assimilation was the key to success and that learning the native language is the first step toward assimilation.

As a melting pot, the United States literally is the home of people from hundreds of countries, languages and dialects.  It would be impossible for each nationality to try to learn every other nationality... it would also be futile.  A logical approach would be for the most common language to be learned by everyone and adopted as the "native language"... that being English.  In fact, millions of people in other countries learn English so that they can participate in our culture and communicate in business.  Not in the Barack Obama Utopia.

Because he has campaigned openly against an immigration policy that enforces our laws by denying entrance, acceptance and support to those who are here illegally, he has now said that we, the offended party, should learn to speak Spanish.  This man cares more about offending those who are here illegally or who have refused to assimilate into our society, to which they came freely, than he does those who were born and raised here and on whose backs this country was built.  There is such a thing as national pride... should we also start learning the words to the Star Spangled Banner in Spanish?

I have a pretty strong feeling that this sentiment is not going to be taken very well by the every day American or by the immigrant who studied and struggled to learn English to become American.  The pride an immigrant feels in becoming an American is not just about the economic, religious or social freedom this country offers, but about joining a nation that welcomes people from around the world and offers them a chance to do the impossible.  "Give Us Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Huddled Masses Yearning to Be Free" was an inspiration to immigrants yearning to become part of something they could not in their homeland.  Unfortunately today many Spanish speaking immigrants want to enjoy all the freedoms that America provides while huddling together to maintain a sub-culture of the country they willingly left behind.

I do not begrudge anyone for wanting a better life for themselves or their families.  Nor do I take umbrage with the idea of learning Spanish, as I did in high school.  However, I do begrudge those who want to have their cake and eat it too.  Many Americans gave up convenience to be a part of this great "melting pot" from a multitude of backgrounds.  One of the things that makes America great is that we are a diverse people, from different cultures, backgrounds and religions, bound together in the name of liberty standing as one people.  Barack Obama wants to faction these United States into the United States of Latino-America.  Not without a fight!

Obama is stupid. And a hypocrite. He tells us to learn Spanish and French but won't tell immigrants to learn English. Does he even speak Spanish and French?

Yah I went there. US is a melting pot. Get over it and learn English.

To bring you up to date

With my mostly fabulous life, I had to walk and diet my well-padded off this past week because C and I were to have a holiday weekend of indulgence. Thursday we went to The Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant in Columbia, Maryland, and had a lovely romantic meal. It's pricy, but a good place for a special occasion. I loved the vegetables in the broth and the white chocolate dessert fondue was out of this world. Friday we went to celebrate Independence Day at our friends' house on the Eastern Shore, after doing a little shopping and checking out the iPhone we intend to get when it goes on sale this coming Friday. We like the idea of the iPhone 3G as it has super fast internet connections, but we both really wish Landware would hurry up and write a version of Pocket Quicken for it so we will still be able to sync the Quicken transations we make 'on the road' with our home machine.

Back early to wake up to get to the gym and see Neal afterwards; then a bit more shopping and back to the Shore for our friends' Summer Party. We met their unique neighbour and had a good time.  Here are some pictures from the party. It was nice because it was our friend CK's birthday. I wish I could think of things he might like for presents as some of his gifts to me have been so thoughtful. He's hard to get along with sometimes, but I don't think he's malevolent, just awkward. And aren't we all awkward from time to time?

Also I have a video of the unique neighbour and her dog, Friday - more videos to come:

After so many early days, Sunday we did zip-zero-nada outside the house. Today C & I went to Plato's for breakfast and I took the rest of the day off. Can't keep doing that though. Not feeling so well right afterwards so I didn't go work out which is kind of a bummer since I'd planned to start Neal's work out regimen but that'll have to wait until Wednesday.

The incredible shrinking AngloAm

Well, I am - I've lost another two pounds and that after gorging myself at the friends and the big meal. I still have to be vigilant this week as I've lost another two days of exercising. Last week I was so nervous about not going to work out; today's been so sluggish. I don't know why. Somehow I don't want to go back to work. But I also don't want to be destitute, so....

Who could it be now?

I guess we're done with the Wilson Brothers and as you can see there's a new big obsession for you to guess...I'll give you a hint - I'm sure you're asking yourself who it is, and it is! However, I also know that plenty of people visit this blog for eye candy now, not to wait around, so here are some teasers from Brazilian model and apparently Speedo aficionado Ricardo Baldin....

(All the appearance of modesty....)

This is the United States of America.  A land where all have been invited to BECOME a part of a cultural melting pot.  The United States is an English speaking country and was founded with the freedom OF religion, not the freedom FROM religion.  Lets celebrate the birthday of a Nation where we have freedoms to vote, speak our minds, own our homes and choose how our children are raised.

Happy Birthday  United States of America!

One reason I love Brazil is for its diverse nature, its mistura (mixture) of ethnicities, how so much mixing is still happening and most importantly, how these mixtures are changing the literal and figurative face of Brazil.

The Remix

The Native Brazilians, or Brasis, only had other Brasis to mix with (not a small number, as they numbered in the several millions and had been living there for the last 15,000-20,000 years) until the arrival of the Portuguese in 1500. The Portuguese then brought the Africans into the mix, albeit through a life of servitude. For a long while, these three ethnicities mixed and formed the bulk of the first kind of Brazilian.

In the late 19th and 20th centuries Italian, German, Spanish, Arab and Japanese immigrants settled Brazil and played an important role in its culture. If you ever have wondered why these later immigrants all settled into the lower Brazilian states (such as Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul), it is solely because the cash crops that needed to be grown would prosper only in these types of humid climates (the North & Northeast has long been arid).

This new blood brought with it a new kind of lifestyle, creating a multicultural and multiethnic society. Brazil was a colony of Portugal for over 3 centuries. Large numbers of settlers coming from Portugal arrived during this period (nearly 1 million) and brought their culture to the colony. The native inhabitants of Brazil had a strong contact with the colonists. Many were exterminated, others mixed with the Portuguese. For that reason, Brazil holds Amerindian influences in its culture, mainly in its food and language (Brazilian Portuguese has hundreds of words of Native American origin, mainly from the Tupi-Guarani).

Black Africans, who were brought as slaves to Brazil, also participated actively in the formation of Brazilian culture. Although the Portuguese colonists forced their slaves to become "more civilized" (that meant to convert to Catholicism and speak Portuguese) their cultural influences were absorbed by the inhabitants of Brazil of all races and origins. Some regions of Brazil, especially Bahia, have obvious African legacy in the music,food, language, etc.

Immigrants from Italy, Germany, Spain, Japan and the Middle-East played an important role in the areas they settled (mostly Southern and Southeastern Brazil). They organized communities that became important cities (Joinville and Caxias do Sul, for example) and brought important contributions to the culture of Brazil.

Current Trends

After the First World War and during and after the Second World War three other waves of immigrants came to Brazil from Europe and Asia, in the wake of great disturbances that were caused by the wars. Jewish immigration became important. In the second half of the 20th century, immigration to Brazil was greatly reduced, in part because checks on entrance of foreigners became more rigid, but also because immigration pressures decreased as wealth and political and economic stability increased in those countries which contributed most. During the 1970s Brazil received quite a large number of Lebanese immigrants escaping the civil war, as well as a considerable number of other Middle Easterners like Palestinians and Syrians. During the 1990s Brazil received small numbers of immigrants from the former republics of Yugoslavia, from Afghanistan and West Africa (mostly Angolans and Nigerians). Recent immigration is mainly constituted by Chinese and Koreans and, in a smaller degree, by Argentines and other Latin American immigrants.

As a social consequence of the political situation in Bolivia, many Bolivians now live in Brazil. Between 1,200 and 1,500 Bolivian immigrants come to Brazil every month looking for a job. Most of them work in the illegal textile industry in the Greater São Paulo. There are an estimated 200,000 Bolivians living in the Greater São Paulo, majority is of illegal immigrants.

Consequences

As happened with several other countries in the Americas, such as the United States, which encountered immigration from many countries, Brazil quickly became a melting pot of races and nationalities, but being peculiar in the sense of having the highest degree of intermarriage in the world. Immigrants found there a strong social and cultural tolerance toward inter-racial marriage, with large numbers of mulattoes, mestizos and mixed European/African/Indian people. Correspondingly, this free disposition of Brazilians toward inter-racial and inter-ethnic reproduction, though it was not accompanied by an entire lack of racism, reflected in low psychological and social barriers to intermarriage between Europeans, Middle Easterners and Asians of several origins, as well as between people of different religions.

Another likely consequence of strong immigration from North and South Europeans and Asians was the development of a work ethic and education-based personal progress ethic which were, perhaps, lacking in the Brazilian ethos so far, as well as the importation of much needed skills acquired by these people in their countries of origin. As a result, distribution of wealth, economic resources and education has largely accrued to the states in the South and Southeast.

Terms

Cabloco = European + Amerindian.

Mulato = African + European.

Cafuzo = Amerindian + African.

Issei, Nissei, Sansei, Yonsei = First, Second, Third & Fourth Generation Japanese-Brazilian.

(There is a joke for any generation past Nissei, in which they say they should be called Numsei. In proper Portuguese, it would be "nem sei" which means "I don't even know")

This article on Wikipedia has some interesting charts which break down the different waves of immigration by year and ethnicity. It is also where I took much of my information.

Dash of Indian

Pinch of Dutch, spoon of Malay

Add English flavour

Some Chinese for taste

Two bundles of fresh French herbs

Mix all and stir well.

326 MEMORY

Recollect ten years

Though just a moment ago

Forgot what I did!

327 MENORAH

There can be no light

Kislev without a shammash

Lives lost not in vain.

328 MENTOR

Odysseus’ friend

Adviser and the wiser

My house is your house.

329 MEPHISTOPHELES

Faustus I may be

But am I humanity?

An eternity.

330 DESTINY

Chance’s existence

Pales predetermination

Bows to the future.

331 METEOR GARDEN

Mortal enemy

Four flowers find their duty

A first love gloomy.

Daring Dao Ming Shi

Shan Cai don’t bow to bully

Lei sad and silly.

Meizuo stricken

The sentimental Xi Men

Acting like children.

Young love gone searching

Among distant stars shooting

Attracted to Earth.

Have faith for ‘tis Fate

No matter what road we take

God give for Love’s sake.

332 WOMAN

Well-behaved women

Will never make history

And therefore, I will!

Cats and women have

Mainly one thing in common

Thy do as they please.

Why are the women

More interesting to men

Than men to women?

Sigmund Freud still asks

The great question not answered:

What a woman wants.

Life on a planet

Haven’t you stopped to wonder

Is born of woman.

Men are quite stupid

That’s why women are crazy

That’s what you should know.

333 TIME

This makes more converts

Less of an education

More than a reason.

Half our lives is spend

In finding something to do

With what we rushed through.

334 CIVILIZATION

Individual

Commitment to group effort

That is why this works.

335 CHOICE

It is my doing

Whether I fail or succeed

One key to my deed.

336 AWARENESS

In such sound moments

Heightened by our own unease

We find our answer.

337 ENDING

The world is but round

There is no such thing as well

As a beginning.

338 EFFORT

A Haitian will say

That beyond the mountains

Are mountains again.

339 EDUCATION

A book is opened

At first such strange words stumble

Pure of intention.

340 EXPERIENCE

A sweet child stumbles

Calls out but no one answers

Gets up unperturbed.

341 DIVERSITY

The objective is

The happiness of humans

All so different.

342 LUST PART 2

Lying side by side

Fighting emotional tide

Rollercoaster ride.

343 LUST PART 3

A sweet face serene

Bliss arrives at the night scene

What does a touch mean?

345 LUST PART 4

Man out of control

Sensing a woman’s wanton soul

Fitting in the role.

346 LUST PART 5

Pray I will not tell

Having hidden in a well

Opening my shell.

347 LUST PART 6

Some take this feeling

Like a sword with no meaning

A heart believing.

]]> http://everythingbutamericasucks.wordpress.com/?p=5 Fri, 20 Jun 2008 05:15:17 +0000 mclephi http://everythingbutamericasucks.wordpress.com/?p=5 As American's we pride ourselves on three things. The first being we are the third most populated country in the world. Secondly, we pride ourselves on is the fact that Celine Dion is not American, and finally we pride ourselves on the fact that we are not the Pitcairn Islands.

Say what you will about the "Melting Pot" society and the American culture but at least we have a culture. With a population of 48 residents the Pitcairn Islands are more like a weekend smuggling of illegal immigrants into our country than a country of its own.

Unlike American's booming economy the Pitcairn Island's economy thrives mostly on the barter of fruits, fish, and postage stamps. Although America has become increasingly dependent on other countries for things like oil, fine European automobiles, and the great labor that only a 7 year old Asian kid's can manufacture; at least it isn't a crate full of bananas and some fish. Hell, even their third export is old American stamps. Do you see us exporting the diamonds we get from those dying African kids? Hell no we keep those diamonds and give them to our richest and most spoiled Hollywood sluts.

The Pitcairn Islands are made up of 9 families. in the last 21 years an outstanding two children were born. In American there is a child born almost every second. What does that mean? Unlike the Pitcairn Islands in American we understand the importance of rebuilding our population. What would happen to the poor Pitcairn's if a house burnt down, there was a terrorist attack, or a school shooting took place at the only school on the island? Probably nothing because nobody cares, but in America we like to play it safe and pop out a few babies just in case.

The only thing American's love more than our freedom is our religion. Fortunately for the atheists on the Pitcairn Islands they rarely visit America. There is only one church on the island with only 8 individuals practicing regularly. So what does that mean? Devil worshiping islanders. Imagine everything you have seen in the movies except a lot more lame and in smaller numbers.

Perhaps the only thing more sad than the country itself is it's incredibly stupid laws. Dancing, public displays of affection, and the consumption of alcohol are all offenses in this small and ignorant country. But for all the booze hounds on the island there is still hope. The island has recently established a 6 month license to purchase alcohol. Thats right for only the small small cost of 10 New Zealand dollars you to can get drunk off your ass and vomit in that beautiful blue water.

anche oggi mi sono fatto 2 lavatrici...oggi è il mio giorno off e quindi mi rilasso, sveglia tardi...colazione alle 2 del pomeriggio..e finito di scrivere esco e mi butto nella city!

qui procede tutto bene, sto sempre di piu amando londra, mi piace, e mi ci trovo bene, amo londra e le persone che la colorano e movimentano, un pò meno gli inglesi, non so perche ma quei pochi che incontro mi stanno sulle scatole!

preferisco molto di piu il melting pot che cè qui a londra!

solo qui posso stare con una spagnola  tutta la sera a parlare dei nostri sogni, della musica, della vita ecc.ecc.

oppure ritrovarmi alle 5 del mattino con un russo a parlare della cecenia!

oppure ancora ritrovarmi in mezzo ad un addio al nubilato con 12 bellissime ragazze che pensano che sono lo chef e mi strapazzano tra foto e carezze hehehe!

e ne avrei molte altre...ma mi fermo qui..hehehe!

poi per il resto è un po come ad essere a casa,

qui ho molti amici italiani, ogni tanto si esce e quando si esce si fa casino..

insomma sto bene,

questo non vuol dire che non mi mancate voi... anzi vi penso sempre!!!! :-)

a lavoro tutto bene,

domenica sera il cuoco è andato via alle 9.30 ed io ho tenuto in mano la cucina facendo credo 10 persone,

ho fatto 5 pizze, qualche antipasto, 2 carbonare, 1 linguine con i gamberoni, farfalle gamberi pollo e zucchine, 2 ravioli alla parmigiana, e poi non ricordo...ma cmq tutto da solo ..

oramai sono il rambo dei fornelli!

ieri ha giocato l'italia ma io avevo un party e quindi ero very busy!!!

la partita con l'olanda l'ho vista perche era il mio day off.... i miei coinquilini l'hanno vista seduti nel mio letto...che belloooo hehehe! (ho la tv in camera)io ho deciso invece di mescolarmi alle persone e cosi sono andato in un pub, ho preso la mia bella birra ed al momento di scegliere dove sedermi ho visto un gruppo di italiani con bandiera maglie e schiamazzi vari..cosi ho deiso di sedermi da tutt'altra parte, mi sono messo ad un tavolo insieme ad altre e dopo la prima azione dell'olanda ho capito che ero dalla parte sbagliata..ero con gli olandesi!!! pure loro lo hanno capito, hehehe

ci siamo scambiati qualche sfottò ed alla fine un bel no fight ha fatto sotterrare l'ascia di guerra!

cosi in mezzo ad olandesi e francesi anti italia, mi sono visto la partita!

ad un certo punto ai francesi ho spiegato che noi siamo i campioni del mondo  do you remeber? ehehehe e li ho ottenuto il rispetto dagli olandesi!!!!hehehehe

mi sono divertito un sacco peccato per il risultato!

ho conosciuto un pezzo grosso della western union helk elzenga, che mi ha pure offerto birra e patatine,

questo è il bello di londra..un olandese che vive qui da dieci anni..lo conosci durante una partita e ti offre da bere e da mangiare!

bhe serata positiva!

bene si è fatto tardi io devo uscire che ho varie cose da fare... noi ci sentiamo presto!!!

scrivetemi, telefonatemi, mandatemi email, e venite pure a trovarmi!!!!

aaaaaa annuncio:

io a fine agosto vado alla tomatina,  quindi sarebbe buono vederci a valencia e andarci assieme!!!! il 27 agosto!!!!

io l'ho scritto!!!!

purtroppo quest'anno niente pamplona..mi spiace sarà per il prossimo anno!

see you.

In School

Choir and Band concert was yesterday! The highlights were

- Band playing Harry Potter
- Can You Feel The Rhythm by Choir
- How Can I Keep From Singing by Choir

When we got up there to be honest I was just wondering when the songs were going to be over. There are three choirs and these were our choir's songs which are totally and utterly ridiculous.

- Cuckoo Clock Duet
set in Austria it tells the story of the family Fruggenheim who has bought a cuckoo clock to find out it cannot cuckoo!

- In Paradisum
a song meant to wish a dead person happinness in heaven / next life.

- Feel Good
....

At the end of the concert my mom commented that apart from two people everyone in Choir looked really bored. I agreed with her. In my school we have a system that you can choose your electives from middle school and up. However P.E. is forced ( sadly ).
Today I found out my Science and English grade for the end of this year. Science = B+ English = A+. I'm jumping for the joy at the English one.

Friends

I was worried about my friend. We launched this elaborate scheme which both suceeded and failed to get her to listen. Now she's fine but right now I'm wondering whether it's for real because this friend lies a lot and can easily hide stuff.

Music

Since it was my description of the blog to tell you everything I have to tell you one of the greatest joys in my life. Music. The fact that it can shut out other things, let you be in your own world, you can jump around in your bedroom, or sing your heart out in the shower. I don't mean Choir music I mean rock and Broadway. I just love Phantom of the Opera, Rent and Wicked. Right now The Music Of The Night is stuck in my head. I also love music reality shows like American Idol. I laugh like hell during auditions. My favorites were the one who made the song for Simon the one that went '' We're brothers foreever. '' and '' Going down Moses ''. Hysterical.

Babbling

Sorry I spent all this time babbling about nothing. Those two are characteristics ( sp? ) of mine ( babbling and saying sorry a lot )

<3. SomebodyCares

"Do you like fondue?" she asked me.

"Well, I've only had it once, but it's a bubbling hot-pot of cheese with bread on the side, so it's really everything that I love."

We did some web-based research and found out that Providence is very lacking in the fondue restaurant department. There was one in Boston that sounded promising, but expensive; and there was a "Melting Pot" in Framingham, MA, which is a bout 45 minutes away. Even though the brakes on my car were making horrifying noises-- we drove to our cheese because it's important.

When we arrived, I must admit, I was impressed with the decor. Sure the outside looked like a car dealership, but the inside was quite cozy, all booths with lots of privacy. There were lots of families with hyperactive 10-year-olds, and petulant pre-teens, but the hostess led us away from all of that to a cozy booth for two.

Our server, a nice younger guy, chatty, but not too chatty, and knowledgeable of wine, came out, lit our tabletop burner, and we ordered our first vat of cheese. We finished it quickly, and ordered another (cause why not). As we were ordering the second, out server asked us, "How did you two meet?"

"Well," Kelly said, "we went to college together, sort of, and we also worked together, although we really didn't like each other at first..."

"And the rest is history." he finished.

"Well, no, not really..." I started.

"I'm from Montana!" Kelly blurted out, cutting me off. "I'm just visiting."

I looked at her in complete confusion, but the server rolled with it by asking if she skied.

Once he'd gone, I looked at her still with complete confusion, and she responded with, "he thinks we're a couple, and I would like to sleep with him, I can't have him thinking I'm gay. Do you think we could work something out so I can sleep with him?"

A week later, I was recounting this incident to another friend on the phone.

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense," she said, "fondue restaurants are kind of romantic with the food sharing and the fact that it's kind of expensive. Didn't you know that? Why did you go there?"

"Because Kelly wanted fondue, and I haven't had it since we were in Switzerland 7 years ago, and that was the least romantic meal ever. Don't you remember, we sat at a rustic picnic table in a building that looked like a ski chalet? Also, Kelly said she always goes there with her mom, and there were tons of families there."

"Yeah, but it's totally a date place, at least Kelly's hot."

At least Kelly is hot.

Current Emotional Panic Meter out of 10: 6

The United States is literally a melting pot of different cultures, this documentary shows how the blending of these people and history created theses landmarks. The viewer will visit places where Mother Nature took the design into her own hands leaving us with wonders to behold.

“Great American Landmarks” is a rich tapestry of detail and photography. Some sites shown are the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, and the Statue of Liberty.

Mi sono imbattuto per caso in un sito di propaganda politica legata alle elezioni americane. Un fatto che mi riguarda personalmente. Il sito in questione è nato con lo scopo di condurre una battaglia contro il senatore dell’illinois Barack Obama. Infatti, il sito chiaramente schierato dalla parte di Hillary Clinton si chiama stop-obama. Il suo intento è quello di operare un attivismo online che mira a distruggere la figura di Barack Obama. Gli amministratori del sito sono 4 giovincelli: un american jew, un afro-american, un asian-american e una donna latin-american. La squadra è dunque multietnica ed è un campione rappresentativo  del melting pot americano. Gli amministratori di quel sito naturalmente fanno catenaccio nei confronti di Obama e della sua campagna cercando di smontare il successo di Barack e su cui la rete ha avuto un ruolo decisivo. Sull’argomento si sono scritti molti editoriali che confermano la potenza benefica del web nella campagna di Barack Obama. Il senatore dell’Illinois ha superato ogni record per quanto riguarda l’uso della rete. Obama è onnipresente nella rete. Laddove c’è un social network c’è un suo spazio dove Obama veicola messaggi, manda post, blogs, appelli, o fa fund raising. Insomma Barack Obama che deve molto del suo successo alla rete e alla sua capacità di creare communities partecipate. Praticamente riuscendo laddove Howard Dean aveva fallito, puntando forse in modo prematuro tutta la sua campagna sulla rete. Io personalmente sono anche un patito della rete e un cultore dei social media. E in quanto sostenitori fin dall’inizio della candidatura di Obama, e primo non americano ad aver creato un comitato di fans, ho anche un forte attivismo online.  "Con attivismo on line si intende un insieme di tecniche utilizzate attraverso la Rete per comunicare e interagire con individui che condividono obiettivi comuni. I primi fenomeni che cominciano tuttavia a mostrare le potenzialità della Rete in questo settore nascono intorno alla fine degli anni novanta. Da allora l'attivismo on line e gli strumenti che ne hanno consentito lo sviluppo hanno ampliato notevolmente le proprie potenzialità. All'email si sono aggiunti feeds, SMS text messaging, forum, piattaforme di social network, blog, widgets. La rapidissima diffusione di questi strumenti su scala mondiale è stata garantita anche grazie al costo d'accesso praticamente nullo della tecnologia (Luca Euleteri)." 

Dico tutto questo per segnalare un fatto curioso che mi riguarda direttamente. Ebbene gli ammnistratori del sito anti-obama credono che io sia una delle figure chiavi dell’attivismo online nei social network  a favore di Barack Obama. Che lusinga! Fin qui tutto bene. La ricerca muove da un presupposto di teoria della rete conosciuto con il nome di (Six degrees separation) spesso è usato per disegnare una "mappa del potere" in una community o un'organizzazione. Da cui sono giunti alla conclusione che mi riguarda (one degree separation che denoterebbe un livello di vicinanza massima)  partendo da la mia iper-presenza nelle community a sostegno di Obama. Poi il fatto che faccio parte del Top Ten del sito ufficiale http:/www.barackobama.com/ essendo la mia pagina al 6° posto nel rank secondo i punteggi attribuiti rispetto al grado di partecipazione attiva nel sito medesimo. Fin qui tutto vero. Ma quando poi da quella ricerca insinuano (con tanto di disclaimer) che farei parte pure di coloro che hanno l’intenzione di sabotare la DNC d’accordo con il collettivo R68 (cioè degli studenti che sognano di ricreare il movimento del ’68 ) nel caso Obama non dovesse essere il Nomminee. AZZ!!!! Il fatto è che io partecipo a diversi gruppi aperti e chiusi e il mio contributo spesso è legato a mandare messaggi del tipo con Barack Presidente si inaugura una nuova era di pace e una possibilità di sconfiggere l’idea dello scontro di civiltà. Il fatto che tra i miei gruppi ci sono diversi che nascono dai campus universitari è secondo loro la prova che sono connesso con coloro che vorrebbero un sabotage. Una cazzata! Temo che l’essere musulmano è stato la chiave per simili. Insomma io attivista di primo piano lo sanno tutti ma “menti diaboliche” non me lo aveva mai detto nessuno. E comunque sia, immaginare una vicinanza così stretta a Barack Obama mi lusingherebbe oltremisura. Perciò un grazie di cuore ad Hillary! 

Leggere qui il processo politico: http://www.stop-obama.org/?p=242

I think I have a compromise for the "One Nation Under God" and "In God We Trust".

One Nation Under God

Our Pledge of Allegiance didn't always have "God" in it until around the 50s. I think it might have had it beforehand for a spell though. Not sure. But anyway, those that choose not to believe in any God are finding this offensive. Well, I have an idea. Is it less patriotic to recite the pledge as "One Nation Under The People"? After all, our Declaration of Independence started with "We the people..." so it still be patriotic. Does that need to be a law? I would hope not! I think that we shouldn't need a law that allows some people (including those who are being sworn in as citizens, children in school, etc.) to recite it one way or the other. Those who are God-believing and who want to say "One Nation Under God" should do so. And with the same volume in voice, those who want to say "One Nation Under The People" should also be allowed without criticism to do so. And those who wish not to partake at all, shouldn't be criticized either. That would be true freedom: Compromise with consideration of beliefs.

In God We Trust

There's "In God We Trust" on our paper money. I think on our coins there isn't but I really haven't checked much. Some want that off the currency. Well, in today's world, you don't really need paper or coin to get the things you need, really. Heck, I can go to the corner car wash, insert my debit card, and get tokens (which bear a car and the name of the car wash, nothing religious) and go ahead and wash up my car. So, I have a compromise idea: Why not those that don't believe in God not use paper money! Just as some religious groups do not do certain things. Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays. Amish do not use technology. I have a Presbyterian friend who rarely to never watches TV. (Though I don't think it's necessarily for religious reasons, it's more like what I agree with - nothing good on and what is on is usually depressing!) So, if you don't believe in God, you don't need to use paper or coin money. You can use other currency that is non-religious - your debit card! It's usually accepted at most places. These days, you can get whatever you need to survive without ever handling coin or paper money. And you're not really doing anything too different or being kept from anything that others might not be. Jewish see Christian stuff all around Christmas. They don't buy it though. There are some that don't believe in Halloween, so they don't participate. It's out there for those that want it. But if you don't want it, you don't need it. You could also let your family/friends know that you don't accept paper/coin money and the reasons why. They can send gift cards for stores you go to (my step mom does that, and believe me, it's very appreciated). Most gift cards are good up to 1 year anyway. Or they can do other things for you.

Swearing Under Oath: So Help Me God

As far as I understand, if you make it known that you are not religious/don't follow any God, then the courts can not force you to invoke God and swear over a Bible. So you're all ok there. Those that do believe in him, the option is there.

There are many ways to live a life. And whatever way you choose - it's out there. That's the thing with a "Something for Everyone" melting-pot society our country is based on. There's a schmorgasborg of different things out there for everybody. Pick what you like, avoid what you don't. As long as an individual or group of individuals don't come up to you forcing  you to look at something or hear or talk about something you rather not be in contact with.

We all should be allowed to choose our own lifestyles.

On Tremont Street, near the confluence of Chinatown and the South End, I heard two girls talking shit.

“You been talkin’ shit about me?”

“No! Nu-uh.”

“You lyin’ to me! You talkin’ shit right now!”

About 300 feet after I passed them, I saw two more groups, one Asian, one more mixed, and a chubby kid, maybe 11 years old, shouted, “Chick fight!” He sprinted across Marginal Street, leading the multinational stream of tweens—black, white, Asian, Dominican.

Nothing brings people together like a chick fight.

Our current VP is American, as was the VP before him.  He has this charming southern accent and all the wonderful southern gentleman manners to go with it.  My office is very eclectic.  There are very few born and bred Canadians here, most people have immigrated here from places far away.  They have come to Canada to have a better life for themselves and their families.  Truly we are a melting pot.  Considering the industry I work for, we better not have any meltdowns, but I digress.

I guess it's a cultural thing.  Yesterday I overheard my VP talking to one of the engineers who was born in another country.  He asked the VP where he was from and the VP said "Virginia".  I missed part of the conversation, but I heard the VP say "West Virginia is a different State...".

I guess U.S. geography is as much of a mystery to us as Canada is to them.

I had someone from our Virginia office two summers ago ask me about the weather up here.  I said it was really hot, we were in the middle of a heat wave.  She said it must be terrible with the heat not to have air conditioning ...

Not missing a beat, I replied that not only have we had air conditioning in Canada for a couple of years, but we recently invented ice.  For some reason, one of the myths along with us living in igloos is that it's not hot enough to warrant air conditioning, eh.

And we don't say 'eh', eh?

I've been told by some Americans that my "accent" makes me sound like I'm from Ohio.  I tell them that I'm a "Tra-na" girl (read: Toronto), and I don't have an accent.  I also like to enter my "foy-yay", go sit on my "couch" and drink "pop".  My American counterparts enter their "foy-yer", sit on the "sofa" and drink "soda".

But then again, their President can't pronounce Nuclear.