Facebook is NOT Vegas, Baby July 5, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Humor, People.comments closed
Some people on Facebook act like they are players in Vegas . . . rolling the dice, spilling their guts, posting compromising photos, and generally letting it all hang out.
Facebook is NOT Vegas.
What happens on-line does not stay on-line.
You have the right to remain silent but (if you open your big, fat mouth) anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.
That’s right . . . with increasing frequency, attorneys (especially divorce attorneys) are trolling the pages of Facebook like the sharks they are to find evidence to use in court in divorce and custody cases:
Divorce Lawyers: Facebook Tops In On-Line Evidence
Some on-line goofs they’ve found on Facebook and other on-line sites:
* Husband goes on Match.com and declares his single, childless status while seeking primary custody of said nonexistent children.
* Husband denies anger management issues but posts on Facebook in his “write something about yourself” section: “If you have the balls to get in my face, I’ll kick your ass into submission.”
* Mom denies in court that she smokes marijuana but posts partying, pot-smoking photos of herself on Facebook.
Now, go and clean up your Facebook pages before Big Brother (or his attorney) catches you with your knickers down!
What’s So Special About Baby Ducks? July 5, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Nature, Sustainable Living.comments closed
Every day, thousands of calves are torn from their mothers . . . so that humans duped by dairy industry propaganda can drink their daily ration of “moo juice.”
May 17th ~ Public works saves 2 ducklings (article)
Shoved into pens so small they can’t turn or lie down, baby calves are left to languish and become anemic . . . so that diners can order veal scallopini in elegant candlelit restaurants.
April 27th ~ Man saves 7 ducklings from storm drain (video)
Every day, thousands of egg-laying chickens are smothered to death in battery cages on factory farms . . . so humans can serve scrambled eggs to their babies for breakfast.
May 18th ~ Banker rescues ducklings from ledge ~ crowd cheers (video)
Once hatched, male chicks are ground up alive and fed to hens to fatten them up for market. Female chicks are debeaked and given growth hormones so they can become the next generation of egg layers or fryers or roasters as quickly as possible.
May 28th ~ 9 wood ducks rescued and rehabilitated in Falmouth (video)
Every year, thousands of baby seals are clubbed to death in Canada, their fur sold to Asian markets. Korean markets skin dogs and cats . . . alive . . . so their flesh has a hint of adrenaline in it. Alaska allows the aerial killing of wolves from helicopters for sport . . . how is that “sport” when the wolves don’t have a fighting chance.
June 4th ~ Florida Firemen spend hours rescuing 3 ducklings (article)
Geese are force-fed food via tubes shoved down their throats to enlarge their already engorged livers to produce foie gras for people who enjoy “dining on delicacies, darling.”
June 8th ~ Rescue personnel spend hours rescuing 7 ducklings (article)
Between performances, the majestic Orca, a social animal in the wild, is kept isolated in small tanks (respectively the size of our bath tubs or spas) for decade after decade.
June 20th ~ Firemen rescue ducklings from storm drain (article)
Cows too sick to walk are dragged by their hind legs to slaughter, or pushed and shoved with fork-lifts, as they bellow in terror . . . so that picnickers can grill up hamburgers and steaks for 4th of July festivities.
Does anyone see the anomaly?
What’s so special about baby ducks? Why do humans go to such lengths to rescue ducklings and report on those rescue efforts?
Are baby ducks more precious than baby chicks? Baby calves? Baby pigs?
Baby seals?
Why do people who contribute to the suffering of animals by eating copious amounts of chicken, turkey, duck, pork, veal, beef, eggs, and milk raised under inhumane conditions go to the time, effort, and expense to rescue a few ducklings trapped on the wrong side of a grate?
Why is saving a few ducklings who have fallen through a storm drain newsworthy?
Why not spend that time shining a spotlight on the abuses inherent in factory farming?
My guess . . .
Rescue workers, news reporters, the viewing audience, and bystanders cheering from the sidelines want to fool themselves into believing they are kind and compassionate toward animals . . . rather than seeing themselves as the hypocrites they are each time they slice into another piece of roasted animal flesh.
What’s so special about baby ducks?
You tell me.
No rules. Just write!
Related posts: That’s My Kind of Milkshake * The Truth Behind Meat Labels * Become A Voice of Compassion * Join a C.S.A. * Top Ten List ~ Vegetarian* Gradual Change * Do Ya Think They’re Sexy? * Go HSUS! * Ten Ways to Fiber Up Your Diet * Bon Appetit!
Beware False News Reports July 5, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Health & Wellness, Humor, Mindfulness.comments closed
I came across an interesting advertorial today, designed to look like a reputable News Article on HealthNews/Weekly Health News on the benefits of the Acai Berry:
A Surprising New Way to Burn Fat Quickly
Wondering whether the “article” was legitimate, I clicked on the “Health” link at the top of the page to see what other “articles” had been posted under “Health.”
Whisked off the fake site, I landed on a News Article on Newsvine.com.
On the page, a small ad for products made from the Acai Berry.
Hmm . . .
Clicking on the Acai Berry ad (and feeling a bit like Alice in Wonderland swallowing pills labeled “Eat Me”), I landed on another FAKE News Report ~ this time, an advertorial (designated as such at the top of the page) designed to look like investigative reporting from Channel5HealthNews:
Acai Berry (Exposed): Miracle Diet or Scam
Comparing the two articles, I had to laugh.
Why put so much effort into designing web pages, and writing ad copy to look like “news” without bothering to change the photo???
That’s right . . . the reporter’s photo is the same in both articles. In the first, her name is Karen Simpson. In the second, her name is Julia Miller.
Also, why not mix up the text of the articles just a bit??? Except for the lead-in paragraphs, the number of pounds lost, and the name of the specific products “tested,” the reported results are almost word-for-word identical:
#1: Week One (Karen)
After one week on the diet using both products I was surprised at the dramatic results. My energy level was up, and I wasn‘t even hungry. A welcomed side effect of the Acai Berry diet is its power to curb the appetite.
I honestly felt fantastic.
Best of all, I didn‘t even change anything about my daily routine. On Day 7, I got on the scale and couldn‘t believe my eyes. I had lost 3.5 lbs. But I still wasn‘t convinced, since they say you lose a lot of water weight at the beginning of any diet. I wanted to wait and see the results in the upcoming weeks. But it sure was looking up! I now weighed under 120 pounds for the first time in years!
#2 Week One (Julie)
After one week on the diet using both products I was surprised at the dramatic results. My energy level was up, and I wasn‘t even hungry, an apparent side effect of the Acai Berry which curbs the appetite.
I honestly felt fantastic.
And I didn‘t even change anything about my daily routine. On day 7 I got on the scale and couldn‘t believe my eyes. I had lost 9 lbs. But I still wasn‘t convinced as they say you lose a lot of water at the beginning of any diet. I wanted to wait and see the results in the upcoming weeks. But it sure was looking up! I now weighed under 140 lbs for the first time in years!
#1 Week Two (Karen)
After two weeks of using both supplements, I started the week off with even more energy, and actually sleeping more soundly than before. I was no longer waking up during the night and tossing and turning because my body was actually able to relax (this is a result of getting rid of the toxins, I think). Plus I still managed to lose another 7 pounds, putting me at an unbelievable 10.5 lbs of weight loss, in just 2 weeks.
I must admit that I‘m starting to believe that this diet is more than just a gimmick.
#2 Week Two (Julie)
After two weeks of using both supplements, I started the week off with even more energy and was actually sleeping more soundly than before. I was no longer waking up during the night and tossing and turning because my body was actually able to relax (this is a result of getting rid of the toxins I think). Plus I still managed to lose another 7 lbs, putting me at an unbelievable 16 lbs of weight loss, in just 2 weeks.
I must admit that I‘m starting to believe that this diet is more than just a gimmick.
#1 Week Four (Karen)
After the fourth week, my final results were shocking. I lost an unbelievable 18 lbs since starting the Acai Max Cleanse and Colon Cleanse diet! Actually everyone at WeeklyHealthNews is kicking themselves for not having volunteered to be the guinea pig. Using the Acai Max Cleanse and Colon Cleanse in week 4 I lost 4 more pounds. The results are consistent! But to be honest, I really didn‘t have much more than that left to lose. I am definately going to continue taking the Acai Max Cleanse afterwards because it has so many antioxidants and vitamins that makes my skin look unbelievable.
#2 Week Four (Julie)
After the fourth week, my final results were shocking. I lost an unbelievable 26 lbs since starting the Acai Ultra Lean and ColoTox diet! Actually everyone at News 5 is kicking themselves for not having volunteered to be the guinea pig. Using the Acai Ultra Lean and ColoTox in week 4 I lost 3 more lbs. But to be honest I really didn‘t have much more than that left to lose. Given the results and the added health benefits I will continue to use the products indefinitely!
My guess?
Advertorial claims for FREE trials of Acai Ultra Lean, Acai Max Cleanse, Colon Cleanse, and ColoTox are full of . . . “output from the colon cleanse.”
This is nrhatch, investigative reporter, signing off of SLTW Health News.
Aah . . . that’s better!
A Turning Point July 5, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Magick & Mystery, Mindfulness, Nature, Poetry.comments closed
I stood in the cleansing rain
Mesmerized
Ignoring the droplets that blurred my vision
Regaining my clarity
A flash of pristine white and midnight black
Sailing across the surface of the water
Skimming sustenance with ease
and simplicity born of knowingness
A turning point . . .
Soaring across the waves
No longer distracted by the turbulence
Returning to the flow of life
Swallowing the moment whole
Gustatory pleasure replenishing joy
An infinite horizon in the distance
Miraculous mysteries on its shores
All else fades away
Save for the promise of this day
Skimming the surface of the sea
to keep my hopes and dreams alive
Related posts: Anywhere Is * Building A Mystery * Our Field Of Dreams
Veggie Kabobs July 5, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Food & Drink, Vegetarian Recipes.comments closed
Summertime fun means lighting up the backyard grill, or cooking out at the lake or beach.
If you want to increase the number of meat-less meals you serve, both inside and out, one option is to grill up some Veggie Burgers or Veggie Dogs. Another option is to grill veggies or fruit.
Here’s our favorite recipe for Veggie Kabobs. The marinade adds a delicious smoky sweetness to the veggies and fills the air with a heavenly aroma:
VEGGIE KABOBS
2-3 onions, quartered
2-3 red or green peppers, cut into squares
2-3 small zucchini, cut into cubes
2-3 small yellow squash, cut into cubes
pint of cherry tomatoes
Mix up marinade: 1/2 cup each of salad oil, catsup, and vinegar, 1 tsp. black pepper, 1 clove minced garlic
Pour marinade over veggies. Refrigerate 2-3 hours.
Thread kabob skewers with veggies in alternating colors.
Grill slowly, basting with marinade. Serve over rice or quinoa.
Related posts: Zucchini Boats * Pasta Salad * Yummy Hummus * Ten Ways to Fiber Up Your Diet * Bon Appetit! * Bruschetta
Spirit Lights The Way 