Captain Planet, He's a Hero...

Captain Planet, he's a hero, he's gonna take pollution down to zero! That was the theme song of a cartoon I grew up with. Five children each had a power of earth (fire, water, wind, earth, and heart)to help fight off pollution and save the world. When they couldn't save the day on their own, they would hold their rings together, and call on Captain Planet. This green guy would come out, kick some butt, and save the day.
I highly doubt a green guy is going to pop out of a set of rings, so lets look at a few things we can do for ourselves, our kids, and the world. Going Green can do many things for us, including promoting health, saving money, saving our economy, good feelings of doing the right thing, and saving the world.
This site here focuses on the health benefits of going green. Pollution causes and enhances the risk of respiratory problems including, but not limited to asthma allergies, and lung cancer. Pollution also happens to be behind the deterioration of the ozone layer, which is causing global warming and messing with weather patterns (The 49 continental United States were recently covered in snow-yes global warming, and acid rain, which is better known in larger cities. Acid rain is caused be the nitric and sulfuric acids in the atmosphere coming back down in rain water. These pollutions are put off by volcanoes, but we are an even larger contributor. Fossil fuels (like burning coal) is a way we generate electricity. These fossil fuels and other pollutants put off by factories cause the pollution, which causes the acid rain. Acid rain in turn causes a decrease in overall health even though it takes time to see the effects, reduces the ph level (more acidic)in lakes and streams causing a release of aluminum which is harmful to wildlife, and degrades building materials.The sun is another victim of our polluted world. We blame the sun for causing burns and cancer; but what about the critical health benefits naturally provided by the sun? Natural sunlight assists in our calcium absorption, gives us vitamins, and has been proven to improve a person's mental health. Unfortunately with the deterioration of the ozone, the sun's rays have become too strong, and we find a need to hide from it.
So here's a few simple things we can do. There are actually 29 tips on this site, but I'm bad, and don't agree with all of them. Fluorescent bulbs are a good one, they are a little more expensive but they last a lot longer, so they are worth it. And I love the lighting! Turn off computers at night. I noticed a drop in the electric bill after I started shutting down at night. Use both sides of paper-especially if you have kids who will doodle on anything, or use unwanted pages as scrap paper for a math class. Showering usually takes less water than a bath. Don't use bottled water, it's a waste of material and energy; reuse a bottle. Turn down the thermostat. Put on some cloths, keep some cash in the bank. Inflate your tires. Use rechargeable batteries. Turn off unused lights, televisions, etc. And my favorite, plant a tree! plants counteract our release of carbon dioxide in our breath. We inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, plants inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen! You want fresh air? Plant some!

Facebook? or Addiction?!

My blogs are my final assignment due for this week. I do have plenty of studying to do, but as far as deadlines go, this is it. If I had been being a good girl, I would be finished with my homework. In fact I probably would have been finished several hours ago. So, whats the problem? Facebook! Petville and Vampire Wars. Whats really bad is, the facebook games are pretty lame. You plant crops, harvest crops, plant more crops...design a pet, clean its house, feed it, clean it, decorate, feed it...Click a button, fight a vampire, click a button, do a mission, you don't even see the battles, just statistics! So I guess the real problem is procrastination. There is a lot of studying to do this weekend, and I don't want to! The sooner I finish my assignments, the sooner I pick up the anatomy book. There should have been a warning label on the class description for Anatomy and Physiology 2-It should be called Anatomy and Physiology 10! I do have a great interest in anatomy, and I even enjoy the class; the amount of material is overwhelming though. I'm not too big on dissecting kitty cats either!

Anyway, face book is a great way to get back in touch with old friends, and keep up with family and friends. There should also be a warning attached here too though-Known to cause addictive repetitive, zombie-like symptoms! If you have other important factors in your life, such as higher education, Don't Start! The fact is Facebook games are an addiction. And I am addicted. Luckily, I have have made it through the first step and admitted to myself that I do have an addiction.

Oh that's funny! I just googled overcoming addictions and found a site on overcoming internet addictions. So anyway, I guess I need to limit my time on facebook games. And also dedicate time to each subject with no excuses to put it off. My Anatomy class probably need 2 hours every day on its own. American Economy System is next in line for difficulty, English, then Lifetime Wellness, which luckily isn't difficult at all. Unfortunately, my time off work due to layoff might be near an end. I have an interview on Tuesday for a place in Pittsburgh. Not only doe a full time job impede on my study time, the hour drive there and back will take an extra 2 hours a day away from me, school, and my family. I'm just gonna go cold turkey! Facebook every 2 days just to keep my stuff alive, and spend most of my free time studying. I do pretty well going cold turkey when it comes to correcting eating habits, so i'm sure I can pull this off. If anyone needs a support group started, you know where to go. Just start a thread on the discussion board. We could meet every other friday, and substitute our facebook addictions for boos and pizza...oh and chocolate. That should do it.

Guy flies plane into IRS building

CNN has pictures of the IRS building in Austin Texas burning and billowing smoke to be seen from miles around. A man who worked in the building said it felt like a bomb had hit. The whole building shook violently, and everyone was running out as fast as they could. It wasn't a bomb, but a plane flown by another unsatisfied customer of the American Government.

Joe Stack is, or was, the man who flew his small Piper Cherokee PA-28 into the seven story building. Only he and one other died, and two others were hospitalized, and 11 had minor injuries in the event. Unfortunate as this is, that is only 2 deaths out of 200 employees; one death being the suicidal tax payer. That's just not too bad compared to the lives that could have been lost. This article I read contains a message Joe Stack wrote on one of his web sights. He wrote about insanity being repetition, and that he was going to end it. He wrote "take a pound of my flesh and sleep well". Before destroying an IRS building, Joe began his day by burning down his house. The horrible part about that is the man had a wife and a little girl. However mad this man was at the U.S. government; why would he leave his family homeless as well as without a husband and father?

Joe Stack had also typed a 6 page suicide note. If anyone has time, I would suggest reading it. It is interesting to see what drove this guy. In his letter he writes about people being brainwashed through education about America being a free society,and spending all of his adulthood unlearning what he was taught. He also talks about the medical system murdering, killing, and stealing from tens of thousands of people every year. That caught my attention since I am going to school to be in the medical field. He also goes on about the American justice system, retirement benefits, tax laws, George Bush's run, and the rich getting richer. He ends it with "The communist creed:From each according to his ability, to each according to his need. The Capitalist creed: From each according to his gullibility, to each according to his greed".

I don't feel sorry for this guy. Whatever went dreadfully wrong in his life, probably wasn't the worst thing a person has had to endure. Sure there are many things about our government that I don't agree with. Health-care and insurance needs definite improvement, credit score bs drives me nuts, politics, and so on, its far from perfect. However, destroying a building just doesn't help anything. This guy thought he was so smart, but he obviously missed the fact that he did plenty of harm himself, and not a drop of good. I am especially sorry for his wife and child that he left behind. And left homeless on top of it. I hope he wasn't expecting his family to receive any type of insurance for his death. Its not like it was accidental! Suicide is so selfish! I don't think a person who commits suicide deserves an ounce of respect.

Jabber over government frustration

After writing a blog on the guy who flew his plane into the IRS building, I started thinking about what does drive me nuts about the government. Welfare and Medicaid for starters. Welfare paid for by hard working, tax-paying Americans. The majority of welfare benefits is then distributed to lazy, non-working, American wannabes. Keep in mind that I have no problem with Welfare helping people who are willing to help themselves. I have seen enough people using it just because they don't want to take care of themselves. These same people also happen to do drugs, neglect their children, and don't even clean house, let alone work or try for an education. When my older sisters went to high school, they came home and told mom about the lesson they learned in school that day. One of their "teachers" told them to have babies and live off of the government, it's the easiest way to go. I hope that teacher wasn't there very long. The oldest of the two didn't go that route. Unfortunately, the younger one did. She was pregnant at 14, had the baby at 15, started running away from home, and dropped out of high school. Can anyone guess who supports her? All of us! I think there should be a law that refuses government aide to anyone who drops out of high school for at least 10 years.

I know its not a good thing to brag on, but I was pregnant my senior year of high school. I didn't tell my parents, and found the number to life choices (a free clinic that helps pregnant women). At 20 weeks in my pregnancy, I went there, they were very helpful in every way possible. They showed me my options of keeping the baby or giving him up for adoption, a doctor volunteered his time to give me a free ultrasound, they tried talking me into telling someone about it, and they started talking to me about the possibility of welfare. I stopped her immediately. There is no way I was going to suck off the government while I was an able bodied person. She had never heard anyone refuse it before. I don't know if it is sad or sickening, the amount of able bodied people who suck off the government, but you can count me out. I now have 3 boys, I have always earned my own income and taken care of my boys, and now I am up for another round of education. I did graduate high school, and had my 1st boy 2 weeks later.

Politics also get on my nerves. In the beginning of this country, people were elected who really cared about the people and the future of our nation. Now its based on who has the most money donations and flashiest campaign. On top of that, if the person running is not democrat or republican, there is no chance. The last presidential election, I didn't agree with Obama or Palen. I liked the other guy. Wow, look at that last sentence. Palen and the other guy...Palen wasn't running for president, she was running for vice president. She was brought in the race to get attention for the old guy with no name to fight against the racial card Obama had. The other guy I liked, I can't remember his name because he wasn't democratic or republican, and didn't have the constant advertisements. The whole thing depends on the amount in the person's bank, and the people they know. It makes me sick to think that this is how we choose who will run our government.


And I have no intention of destroying any government buildings over my frustrations.

Snowy Winters

What is more exciting to a child than finding a foot of snow on the ground on a school morning? Not a whole lot from what I can remember from my childhood. Staying home from school, building snowmen and snow forts, free falling backwards to make the perfect snow angel with no prints, and all out snowball wars with neighborhood kids, took place of teachers droning on over social studies. This is the normal winter I am used to in this area where I grew up. For the last few years all we have had is ice storms and power outages. Finally a real winter has returned, and it's everywhere!
Dallas' Fort Worth has received record snowfall. They have broken 3 of their own records for snowfall this winter. Having 15.7 inches of snow this season gives them the second snowiest winter on record. On Thursday they had 11.2 inches of snow giving them the most snow in a calender day. And their total snow measures 12.5 inches giving them their most snow in a 24 hour period. Ice and snow has taken down power lines, leaving 206,000 Oncor electric customers without power. A single customer usually having a whole family, means there is a lot more people living with no power. Along with downed trees and power lines, people are dealing with roofs collapsing under the unaccustomed weight of snow. They are also looking at more ice and freezing temperatures tonight.
As if the job market hasn't been bad enough, employment and lack thereof has been affected by the constant snow storms up in New York. People ready for hire have been postponed, and people who have jobs are filing for unemployment due to businesses closing. For businesses that are open, people getting to work is a challenge too great for many. Chief economist Stefane Marion originally was looking forward to an increase in jobs for February. Now he says an estimated 150,000 jobs could be temporarily lost due to the weather conditions. Retail, manufacturing, construction, and transportation have been hit the hardest. The situation in New York is being compared to a snowstorm from January of 1996 which left 4 feet of snow on the ground, and leaving 1.8 million people who had jobs, stuck at home unable to get there.
Apparently I am not the only one with nerves on edge awaiting the coming of Spring. In Lorain Ohio, A woman noticed a man with a snow blower clearing the driveway. She offered the man twenty dollars to clear her driveway as well. When the woman's boyfriend found out the man was paid that much, he confronted the man clearing the driveway. The boyfriend was furious about being "charged" twenty bucks. The other man argued that he didn't charge anything, the money was offered to him. The woman's boyfriend hit the other man with a snow shovel, breaking his arm in three places. It's definitely time for people to get some fresh spring air.
I also found this little article about a 9 year old a and 3 year old left home alone. The 3 year old was found by a neighbor wandering out in the snow wearing nothing but a shirt, no underwear or pants, and crying. Child Services were contacted, and police are investigating.

walk, talk, sit down, shut up

"You spend the first couple years of your child's life teaching them to walk and talk. You then spend the rest of their lives teaching them to sit down and shut up." -Millie Turley. The all knowing wisdom of my mother. She has raised eight of us girls; she would know.
I have spent absolutely all day trying to complete homework that should have taken me three hours max! I woke up at 6:00 a.m., and woke my 1st grader up at 6:30 to sign his valentines cards for his school party. I didn't get a chance to earlier this week because I have spent all my free time studying for the anatomy lab test I took last night. After taking the test I had to visit Wal-Mart to pick up a valentines mail box for my son's school party (I tried helping him make one-don't ask), and a $1.00 heart chocolate box with red roses, identical to the one he had chosen for his teacher a couple weeks ago (he has no idea his little brother tore it apart and ate the chocolate). I also went to pick up some Valentine's gifts for my boyfriend. My ex hated valentines day, so I am not used to buying valentines for a man. So, I feel kinda odd getting flowers and "girly stuff" for him. I picked up some candy he likes, some southern comfort and cranberry juice for his favorite drink, and I got the courage to pick up some pink, lacy, valentines bra and panties to add to his gift bag. What else would a man really want? I am usually a pretty shy person, and Wal-Marts underwear isle is right out in the open. Just when I was picking up my underwear, a girl walks right up to me; at this point I very slightly recognized her, but I just couldn't place her. Then she asked me how I thought I did on the lab. I am amazed I kept my shade of red toned down as much as I did. I have class with this girl twice a week in A&P2.
Back to today, I have been trying to get caught up on the homework I have put off all week to study for that test. After juggling chores, a 3 year old, and a 10 month old all morning while trying to study, I finally reach nap time. It's such a peaceful part of the day, and I can usually get quite a bit done. Today however, my 6 year old came in just in time to stir things up right before nap time. He had a great day at school, but then he had to start picking fights with his little brother about his goodies from school. Everything is kind of a big blur from that point until Billy came home around 5:20. I think I managed about 20 minutes of homework, and lots of laundry, dishes, and kis messes throughout the day. Billy has now taken the older 2 boys out of the house, and i'm finishing my homework with my 10 month old in my lap, asking "whas this, whas that?" Yes, he's learning to talk. I am very proud, now in about another year I will be teaching him to sit down and be quiet. He is giving me a smile I have been needing all day; even though I could type faster with 2 hands.

Southern's class requirements

Missouri Southern State University has offered affordable distance learning for over thirty years now. They openly encourage non-traditional students to take advantage of the online and evening classes. I am glad to be attending this University, despite the long, tiring, days I spend working, studying, and taking care of my family. I know that when I finally get through, I will have a better life with less worries, and more family.

There are some areas that has come to my attention, which could use some improvement. Availability of classes for one thing. I have attended night class for both my A&P 1 and 2 (Anatomy & Physiology) classes this year. Both classes were full of students, most of which, were non-trads in some sort of medical field. One fairly big, important, class I need, and I'm sure most if not all the other students need is Intro to Chemistry. There are only 2 Intro to Chemistry classes I found in the schedule; both are only offered in the late morning on campus. Obviously this is not a class that should be taken on-line, but surely there is enough demand to have an evening class. I have also considered taking it as a Summer course, but I found in my Southern Catalog that it is offered as F,S (Fall, Spring) No Summer class offered. Now this is my first year, so I am hoping they offer more Summer classes than I am finding. I only found two courses I need offered in Summer according to the catalog. I am greatly anticipating the Summer class schedule, If they don't offer more classes, I will be attending school much longer than I had hoped.

Another thing that has proven aggravating to me, is their list of required courses. MIDS was the biggest joke I have ever been through, and I am just sure there are many who agree. If you attended the orientation like you were supposed to, you got all the information that MIDS is designed to teach. Not only was it a waste of money, I actually lost time 3 hours every week, that I could have spent on a class that mattered, or my family. It's no wonder they require that course though; they don't need to hire real professors. My "instructor" was more like an ADD 10 year old from you know where. The University still gets paid for every credit hour just like any other course though.

Math is a good course, it helps improve problem solving skills. There is no reason a Nurse needs to go through Math 130. Why??? There are a few equations I actually used during my little time in Engineering, mostly to rescale objects. I am not going to need to know the square root of say...137 when I'm a nurse! Then there are core classes that let you choose which one you prefer. Once you choose the 1 or 2 from each required category however, you still end up having to choose about the same thing. I would really like to take Spanish. It seems to me it could take over one of the literature choices, and it would contribute to my career choice.

Difficulty landing a job

For over a year and a half now, my place of employment has been laying people off on a fairly steady basis. It has finally caught up to me; last Friday was my last day there. That is why this article caught my attention when I was looking for blog ideas. The article gives 10 reasons you may not be chosen for a job. The most valuable characteristics an employer looks for in a person is the ability to multitask, showing initiative, and creative problem solving. The 1st reason they list is lying. Everything you put on your resume can be checked, 57% of employers will automatically trash that resume. That sounds about right to me, what is the point in hiring a person who is going to lie? If you have an area of concern, the article says to use a cover letter to tell your story. The second reason a potential employee can be dismissed is having a potty mouth. An employee should refrain from saying negative things about a previous employer. Next is long term potential. When an employer asks where you see yourself in 5 years, he wants to hear that you have thought of your future in that company. Digital dirt comes in as number four. Be sure the employer can't find incriminating photos or content via the internet, which has become a common way to look up potential employees. Not knowing the company is fifth item on this list. Just as the company can check up on you; you should do your own homework on the company. Acting cocky or plain uninterested can also cost you a job at number seven. Number eight says that you should not bring up salary before the employer does. Ninth on the list says you need to be able to give examples of your accomplishments as proof of your ability to help the company in some way. The final reason a person may loose a job is lack of experience, or lack of proof of experience. A manager wants a person who isn't going to need as much training.

If you have sent dozens of resumes to no avail, or have had dozens of interviews, and still have no job, here's what you can do. This sight gives an overview of the interviewers position, selecting jobs right for you, going back over your resume, how to dress, and information about interviews. There is even a part that, seems to me, encourages stalking employers on Twitter.

A clip from The Washington Post, says that the economy is still too weak and fragile to be hiring on any large scale. Even though the layoff rate has decreased, 85,000 net jobs were lost in December 2009. Economists believe that the unchanging unemployment rate is due to the "hundreds of thousands of frustrated workers" who have given up looking for a new job. The Democrats, in fear of citizens turning back to the Republicans, are working hard on creating jobs. A 2.3 billion dollar tax credit for renewable energy, which should create 17,000 jobs, and 154 billion dollar jobs bill are a couple of their plans for renewal.

With about 8 million Americans without a job, there is a lot of competition out there. No wonder finding a job is so difficult, unless of course you want to ask "Would you like to super size that?" Good luck paying bills with that money!