I like my iPod with Bacon
KHON2 - The Team That Knows Hawaii | Local News:
“When he saw this, he was very happy,” says Cambra. “He said, 'oh my gosh, Mom, this is just what I wanted. I can't believe you got it!'”
It was the season's 'it' gift.
“This was the last one,” says Cambra.
It was an iPod video, or so they thought.
“This is what he opened it up to -- no iPod,” says Cambra.
No iPod, she says, just a mystery meat.
“He went from joy, really happy joyful, then to discover this just angry and hurt,” says Cambra. “I'm devastated.”
Cambra works at the Keeaumoku Wal-Mart.
She put the last iPod on layaway so she could afford the $300 surprise.
“I know what I went through to get this for him. To open up and find this, I don't know what to say,” says Cambra.
No one knows how the mystery meat got inside the package.
Sorting Tags: Apple, iPod
On Christmas
I have an amazing group of friends. It does not matter if they live in (temporarily) England, off of Wilson Ave in Chicago, in my second favorite city in the world, or Hotlanta.
My friends are awesome. Just thought I'd like to say that.
Sorting Tags: Friends
Tree 2
this is my tree. It's real. There are even presents underneath it. Monika, Mario and Nicole helped me set it up.
BBC NEWS | Health | Green tea extract 'is cancer aid'
From:
BBC NEWS | Health | Green tea extract 'is cancer aid':
Green tea extract 'is cancer aid'
Green tea has been linked with a series of health benefits
A green tea extract may help patients with a form of leukaemia, a study says.
The tea, discovered in China nearly 5,000 years ago, has long been thought to have health benefits.
But the team from the Mayo Clinic in the US found it appeared to improve the condition of four patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL).
Experts said the Leukaemia Research journal study was interesting but more research was needed.
CLL is a blood and bone marrow cancer which affects white blood cells and is the commonest type of leukaemia with over 3,000 new cases - mainly in the over 60s - diagnosed each year in the UK.
Green tea has long been thought to have cancer-prevention capabilities. It is exciting that research is now demonstrating this agent may provide new hope for CLL patients
Tait Shanafelt, report author
It is called chronic leukaemia because it progresses more slowly than acute leukaemia with some patients living for decades with the disease.
As there is no known cure, doctors have traditionally not intervened in the early stages of the disease to see how it develops, before moving on to traditional forms of cancer treatment such as chemotherapy.
But the Mayo researchers decided to try green tea after a test tube study in 2004 showed it killed leukaemia cells.
Four CLL patients being treated at the clinic took green tea extract tablets containing epigallocatechin gallate, an antioxidant thought to fight cancer cells.
Doctors
Within a few months, doctors realised that three out of four patients were showing signs of the cancer regressing.
The fourth patient also showed a slight improvement, but it was not judged to be clinically relevant.
Report author Tait Shanafelt said: “Green tea has long been thought to have cancer-prevention capabilities. It is exciting that research is now demonstrating this agent may provide new hope for CLL patients.
”The experience of these individuals provides some suggestion that our previously published laboratory findings may actually translate into clinical effects for patients with this disease.“
But he warned more research was needed to prove the findings on a larger scaled and whether there were any side effects.
Ken Campbell, clinical information officer at the Leukaemia Research Fund, said: ”The findings are interesting, but we cannot say yet this is a new treatment for cancer.
“We need to carry out a large scale, controlled trial to see if the findings hold true.”Articles like this tend to piss me off more than anything else. I understand why this is a big deal, but at the same time, 3/4 people is not even close to being significant.
It was posted on
digg, and the posted didn't bother to read the damn article all the way through. that's also annoying.
The closer we get to christmas, the more I miss my parents... It's the start of a bad cycle really.
Anyway, I can't really picture my dad drinking hippie green tea. At a restaurant, yes. At home? Please.
Sorting Tags: Cancer, mourning, Rant
Capitol Hill Blue: Bush on the Constitution: 'It's just a goddamned piece of paper'
from: Capitol Hill Blue: Bush on the Constitution: 'It's just a goddamned piece of paper':
“Mr. President,” one aide in the meeting said. “There is a valid case that the provisions in this law undermine the Constitution.”
“Stop throwing the Constitution in my face,” Bush screamed back. “It’s just a goddamned piece of paper!”
I’ve talked to three people present for the meeting that day and they all confirm that the President of the United States called the Constitution “a goddamned piece of paper.”
And, to the Bush Administration, the Constitution of the United States is little more than toilet paper stained from all the shit that this group of power-mad despots have dumped on the freedoms that “goddamned piece of paper” used to guarantee.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, while still White House counsel, wrote that the “Constitution is an outdated document.”
This is something to look
into, isn't it?
Sorting Tags: Government, Justice, Law, Rant
Tagged
My wonderful friend Jess tagged me with a meme. So, without further ado:
Five Weird Things About Me:
1) Whenever I get worried or really stressed out, the song, “The Minstrel Boy” plays in my head.
2) Lately, whenever I hear something that I am either really interested in or I really want to argue with, but i can't say anything to the talker, I start to rub my temples.
3) I'm 29 years old, and I still say “dude!”
4) I have two wallets, one for my badge and IDs, one for my money...although I keep an ATM card with my badge, “Just in case”
5) I am easily bribed by Skittles.
I'll update this with who I tagged later...
It's later:
WillBrianSethie WethieAllisonSorting Tags: Friends, Meme
Amazon.com: Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Vol. 4: DVD
Amazon.com: Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Vol. 4: DVD:
In addition to an xbox 360 and a more liberal government, this AQHF DVD would be a great present.
Sorting Tags: Christmas, greed
Why Even Have A Juvenile Court?
As it stand right now, the State of Illinois is moving to eliminate/reduce the role of the juvenile court. It's part of this “Get tough on tough kids” campaign....and all it is doing is hurting the juvenile court.
When the goal of Juvenile Court shifts from Rehabilitation to Incarceration, we destroy the very mission of the Court. Without a mission of rehabilitation, there is no point in having children go through a separate court.
Simply put, the continued criminalization of delinquency is destroying what makes the court great.
This trend is extremely apparent today, when I learned that “felons” cannot terminate from probation early; considering that there is a push to increase the number of juvenile felonies and to ensure that “felons” cannot ever have their records expunged, we are setting up society for a huge problem in 10 years. What can an unemployable, undereducated person do in this country to make money?
People will argue that if you can't afford to do the time, you shouldn't do the crime. However, that argument doesn't hold water when you realize that kids who have been involved in the court BEFORE this wave of criminilzation have been able to reform and contribute to society--as lawyers, doctors and judges and “business types”--even the so-called felons. Why is that the kids these days, who commit similiar offenses to ones committed in prevoius generations, have to be punished so severely?
One also should considered how other social factors (race, economics) impact this. Rich kids (and in my experience, White kids) have a tendency to have their charges reduced to misdemeanors (think Battery) while other kids (poor, black) have a tendency to plead guilty to Felonies. Factors such as race and economics should have no bearing on a child's charges or on the opportunities for reform.
We are all allegedly equal under the law; I guess rich white kids who sell drugs in suburbia are more equal than black kids who do the same thing.
Sorting Tags: Juvenile Justice, Rant
On Men and Monkeys: The Oldest Fight in the Culture War, II.
On Men and Monkeys: The Oldest Fight in the Culture War, II.:
Fact v. Fiction #2: Evolutionists claim that their battle against creation-science is primarily a “scientific” issue, not a constitutional question. But our treasured U. S. Constitution is written by persons and for persons. If man is an animal, the Constitution was written by animals and for animals. This preposterous conclusion destroys the Constitution. The Aguillard Humanists leave us with no Constitution and no constitutional rights of any kind if they allow us to teach only that man is an animal.
These subtle and dangerous attacks on God Himself and the Constitution must be repelled. There are additional “Fictions” being hurled by evolutionists against creationism, and we will consider these in our next “Briefing.” As the battle moves into the courtroom again, WE MUST BE PREPARED TO DEFEND THE TRUTH!I give up. This kind of “logic” and “reasoning” kills brain cells.
Sorting Tags: evolution, Monkey, Science, Quote
Boing Boing: Pentagon bravely vigilant against sinister, threatening Quakers
FromBoing Boing: Pentagon bravely vigilant against sinister, threatening Quakers:
Pentagon bravely vigilant against sinister, threatening Quakers
NBC has published excerpts from a leaked Department of Defense document in which it is revealed that the Pentagon spied on a meeting of peace activists at Florida Quaker House and branded their work as a threat to national security.
The DOD database obtained by NBC News includes nearly four dozen anti-war meetings or protests, including some that have taken place far from any military installation, post or recruitment center. One “incident” included in the database is a large anti-war protest at Hollywood and Vine in Los Angeles last March that included effigies of President Bush and anti-war protest banners. Another incident mentions a planned protest against military recruiters last December in Boston and a planned protest last April at McDonald's National Salute to America's Heroes -- a military air and sea show in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
The Fort Lauderdale protest was deemed not to be a credible threat and a column in the database concludes: “US group exercising constitutional rights.” Two-hundred and forty-three other incidents in the database were discounted because they had no connection to the Department of Defense -- yet they all remained in the database.Yes, the traitorous society of friends. Wow. Isn't this is illegal?
Sorting Tags: Government, Justice, Terrorism
Merry Fucking Christmas 2: Enjoy iDOC Kid!
This is not my fault, nor should I even begin to feel bad about this; however, I can not help it. A kid that has been almost 20 times before turning 16, is a high ranking member of the Gangster Disciples AND is resistant to all forms of treatment probably shouldn't be in the community if he has sexually offended.
In fact, according to my evaluation, he shouldn't be.
Merry Christmas kid.
Sorting Tags: Christmas, Government, Holidays, Juvenile Justice, Probation
Merry Fucking Christmas
In the spirit of the holidays, I will now present the most requested christmas song in the Gleason/Murphy/Conti /Pristo/Durkin familyFairytale of New York:
It was Christmas Eve babe
In the drunk tank
An old man said to me, won't see another one
And then he sang a song
The Rare Old Mountain Dew
I turned my face away
And dreamed about you
Got on a lucky one
Came in eighteen to one
I've got a feeling
This year's for me and you
So happy Christmas
I love you baby
I can see a better time
When all our dreams come true
They've got cars big as bars
They've got rivers of gold
But the wind goes right through you
It's no place for the old
When you first took my hand
On a cold Christmas Eve
You promised me
Broadway was waiting for me
You were handsome
You were pretty
Queen of New York City
When the band finished playing
They howled out for more
Sinatra was swinging,
All the drunks they were singing
We kissed on a corner
Then danced through the night
The boys of the NYPD choir
Were singing “Galway Bay”
And the bells were ringing out
For Christmas day
You're a bum
You're a punk
You're an old slut on junk
Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
You scumbag, you maggot
You cheap lousy faggot
Happy Christmas your arse
I pray God it's our last
I could have been someone
Well so could anyone
You took my dreams from me
When I first found you
I kept them with me babe
I put them with my own
Can't make it all alone
I've built my dreams around you
copyright 1988 Shane MacGowan & Jem Finer
Sorting Tags: Christmas, Family, Gleason, Holidays, Pogues, Music, Christmas
For the Googling Bloodsuckers:
Someone keeps coming by the blog with the search words “Judith Gleason + Insurance.” This is directed for you, incase you are looking for my mom--
Judith Gleason had an insurance policy that BARELY covered her burial. There is no estate. Fuck off.
Now go harass some other family you fucking vulture.
Sorting Tags: Gleason, grief, mourning
What on Earth is Wrong With Me
I admit, I'm a fan of John Cusak. One of my favorite movies of all time?
Better of Dead. Another favorite?
High Fidelity. So, I figured I'd always end up watching
Must Love Dogs with someone. I could avoid the obvious Chick-Flick factor of it by saying, “It's okay, it's got John Cusak.” See, I had a premade excuse for watching a chick flick.
Instead, I'm watching this on my flight back to Chicago. A full flight back to Chicago. Romantic? No. Slightly pathetic? Yeah.
Two mid to late 30s divorcee's meet, through the internet, at a dog park. Romantic Comedy ensues.
Everyone knows that dating adventures, and misadventures, are high-larious. In the dating world, everyone is fantastically beautiful, charming and terriblly witty. Families break out into 70s theme songs at home with startling regularity. People can make a living by making boats that never sell, and live in fantastic exposed brick loft. Despite screw ups, betrayals and broken hearts, everything turns out for the best in the end.
Wait, my family and friends break out into song. By family, I mean me. By friends, I mean that I can, on occasion, get strangers to sing along. By home I mean randomly, on the street. By 70s theme song, I mean any song that fills my head. Actually, my friends and family to have a tendency to do this, but, they tend to get embarrassed.
(As I'm writing this, the Airplane just censored the move. Stockard Channing sasy, “gosh darn” instead of “god damn.” Diane Lane says “Heck” instead of “Hell,” “ticked” instead of “pissed.” That's ridiculous and very weird tangent..)
Some movies, like this one, are supposed to be entertaining. It really isn't fair to be so dismissive of these types of movies. Especially since it's a John Cusak movie. I figure it has something to do with the chick flick/date movie clashing with something that is going on in the back of my head. This time, I think my cynicism is slightly undeserved. The movie is a bit cheesy and predictable, but I did enjoy it. Even with the retarded censoring.
Sorting Tags: Dating, Movies, Rant, Travel
ScAlito
Hullabaloo :
From:Saturday, December 03, 2005
Alito Night Musicby digbySamuel Alito is a real piece 'o work:From TChris at Talk Left:If a police officer doesn’t know why a suspect is fleeing, it’s reasonable for the officer to shoot the suspect to death and ask questions later. As you pause to consider the absurdity of that proposition, ask yourself why a government lawyer would consider it reasonable for an officer to shoot and kill an unarmed teenager who had just stolen $10 in a burglary. And then ask whether a lawyer who expressed that belief should serve on the Supreme Court.As an assistant to the Solicitor General, Judge Alito weighed in on a case involving an officer who was investigating a possible burglary. The officer heard a door slam, then went to the backyard where he “shined his flashlight on a youth who appeared to be unarmed and who was trying to climb a six-foot-high chain link fence to escape.” The officer “seized” the kid by shooting him in the head."I think the shooting [in this case] can be justified as reasonable," Alito wrote in a 1984 memo to Justice Department officials. Because the officer could not know for sure why a suspect was fleeing, the courts should not set a rule forbidding the use of deadly force, he said. "I do not think the Constitution provides an answer to the officer's dilemma," Alito advised.When in doubt, blow their brains out. That's the kind of thoughtful, deliberate analysis we need on the Supreme Court. When the case was decided, we had a majority of non-psychos on the court:The 4th Amendment forbids "unreasonable searches and seizures" by the government, and the high court said that killing an unarmed suspect who was subject to arrest amounted to an "unreasonable seizure.""It is not better that all felony suspects die than that they escape," wrote Justice Byron White for a 6-3 majority in Tennessee vs. Garner. "Where the suspect poses no immediate threat to the officer and no threat to others, the harm resulting from failing to apprehend him does not justify the use of deadly force to do so."Said White: "A police officer may not seize an unarmed, nondangerous suspect by shooting him dead." The burglar who stole $10.00 was only 15 years old. There is a lot of going on in this article. But, I'm posting this here to rant later. I thought the criminalization of delinquency was bad...but this?
I didn't leave my heart...
...but I think I left my Cell in Seattle.
Sweet.
Technorati Tags: Seattle
Stupid Pictures
In cleaning out all the backups I've made for friends and family, I discovered a slew of pictures my mom took. Some of this pics may actually be from my aunt Gina, but, some are definitely from my mom.
This is a rather unexpected gift.
Technorati Tags: mourning
Leaving Seattle
Note: When I get home, I'll upload pictures. Then I'll add them to this post.By my time, it's about 2:30 am. In Seattle, it's only 12:30. Mark and Jessica--friends who mean the world to me--are dragging their buts out of bed early to drive my fat ass to the Airport. For that, and a wonderful weekend, I am very grateful.
Every time I come out to see my Seattle Posse, I find it harder and harder to leave. This time, the younger Beloit crowd argued with me that it would, in fact, be cheaper for me to live out here and FLY back to visit friends and family in other places of the country. I'm not so sure that they're right. SEA-TAC isn't O'Hare; furthermore, I think Seattle's standard of living is higher than Chicago's--I know the real estate situation is just as crazy.
I also cannot bear to live that far away from my family. I have cousins that I need to see off into College. I have a brother that is getting married. I have friends, who might as well be family, who just had a baby. My roots in Chicago just run too deep. As much as I entertain the idea, I can't leave.
The best thing about visiting Seattle is the fact that I just get to relax and review what's happened in my life. In some way, it's nice to have to discuss things with people who care, but are removed from the situations.
As of this writing, I am not looking forward to going home. I miss my brother, my soon to be sister and law, my family and my co-workers... But I am going to miss my friends here too. Also, let's face it, I'm not too keen about work right now, nor do i want to face a Chicago winter armed only with a light Corduroy jacket.
This will change tomorrow night, when I drive back from group on the South Side to see the lights, skyscrapers and lakefront that are so essential to my Chicago. This idea that somethings change so slowly, they don't feel like change at all. Just like my friendship with the Seattle crew--it's changed, but it has changed so slowly that I never noticed at the time.
If I keep writing now, this will only get worse. Expect an edit on this peeps--as this post was written just before sleep.
Technorati Tags: Beloit, Chicago, Family, Friends, Rants, Travel
Edward R Murrow and the Internet
I just finished
"Edward R. Murrow and the Birth of Broadcast Journalism (Turning Points in History)" (Bob Edwards)
and I realized a couple of things: 1) I miss Bob Edward's voice and 2) Modern broadcast Journalism is a damn dirty shame.
Murrow began his career in education, and from Edward's book, it is clear that it always was a passion of his. It was an educated American public that turned against facism in the 40s and (eventually) turned it's back on red-baiting and McCarthyism of the 50s. He may not have been perfect, but Murrow's belief in education, and his passion for the truth, made him the broadcast journalist upon which every subsequent journalist would be judged.
Bob Edwards ends his book by saying that Murrow was unique and that the conditions were ripe for a "Murrow." Edwards goes onto argue that Murrow got to set the standards high because he was the first broadcast journalist. At the same time, Edwards goes on to say that today's broadcast environment would have infuriated Murrow so much that he would give up on journalism and focus on education.
I'd like to think he'd go on to
Beloit but that's just wishful thinking on my part.
I think, however, that given the meteoric rise of the internet, now would be the perfect time to have dozens of well written, well spoken Murrows--each one shaking up some aspect of modern day living. Given the "terrorist baiting" of the
radical right, this needs to happen sooner rather than later.
Technorati Tags: Justice, Media, Public Radio, journalism
For Evan
It's okay man. They have lots of treatment options for genital herpes.
