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Showing posts from December, 2008
I know that there have been other stories that have captured the interest of the media and the public but this is an important story. The fact that millions of pounds of toxic waste have been dumped into East Tennessee demonstrates the danger of coal and its usage. When those that come in contact with this stuff and inevitably develop cancer and other ailments, they will have to manage alone through private healthcare and sit through years of legal wranglings. Pathetic. We need clean energy. This is but one reason why. From the New York Times December 30, 2008 At Plant in Coal Ash Spill, Toxic Deposits by the Ton By SHAILA DEWAN In a single year, a coal-fired electric plant deposited more than 2.2 million pounds of toxic materials in a holding pond that failed last week, flooding 300 acres in East Tennessee, according to a 2007 inventory filed with the Environmental Protection Agency . The inventory, disclosed by the Tennessee Valley Authority on Monday at the request of The New York T
I have a deep love for animals..I guess that really goes without saying. But I have favorites. One is the elephant. I suppose their massive size, their intellect and their strong sense of family and community has something to do with it as well as the horrific abuse they have endured. Circuses that use exotic animals have to be a thing of the past. Period. There is no way to train the largest land mammal on the planet without violence. Please support the actions below: Federal Lawsuit against Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus for Elephant Abuse goes to Trial More than eight years ago, the Animal Welfare Institute, former Ringling Bros. employee, Tom Rider, and three other national animal welfare organizations first filed suit against Ringling Bros. and its parent company, Feld Entertainment, for the mistreatment of Asian elephants under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Following countless legal challenges by the defendants, this groundbreaking lawsuit is finally going
Animal Rights Musings It appears that Britney has made a comeback with an album titled circus that came in at number one. I have nothing against Britney, in fact, I wanted her to get her life together as I know how much two little guys desperately need their mom.  But then I see the video. I know the innocent, clueless demeanor is her "thing" but using wild animals in a video? Really?  For all the information out there, there is no excuse to not know what is going on. Reports have come out now that show documented evidence that elephants in captivity - zoos, circuses and other places - live 1/3 as long as elephants in the wild. That's accounting FOR poaching. Why? I guess it might have something to do with torture and stress. Every facility that harbors elephants uses some form of punishment - bullhooks , electrocution, etc. - as these are the largest land mammals on the planet and it is hard to get them to stand on those little tiny stools or do other unnatural acts with
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Cody Homecoming 08 Josh Senior Year
Pretty happy this morning for reasons I will explain later. Got to work and put my lunch in the frig. Went to the ladies room. Something that I have started doing is covering the toilet seat. Not sure why, I just do. If there aren't covers, I'll lay toilet paper in strips around the seat. Cozy. Anyway, did that whole o/c ritual, washed hands and left. Grabbed my tea and as I was headed back to my office someone came up and said there was someone outside who had a meeting with our director at 7:30. It was now quarter to eight so I thought the least I could do was get him in out of the cold and have him sit inside. I went and fetched him, led him to the kitchen for a cup o'java because that's how I roll. Led him to a seat in the foyer as he strode behind me talking about being an engineer for some unfamiliar firm. I sat him down, turned and went into my office. The admin asst, Grace, came in and told the guy (and me) that the meeting was in a different place. I led him a
There's something amazing about satisfaction. I am finding that cool, calm, balanced place is a wonderful residence. There's the euphoria of joy, the exhilaration of falling in love, the sweeping blackness of sadness. Those ups and downs have always been a place I haven't minded residing. But I have found a wonderful place called satisfaction. Where I feel an overwhelming sense that all is right with my world. Normally this would be a temporary time, a day where all that I wanted to accomplish, do, see, be would come together. That, in the past, is how that has always been. But recently I have found that what I have accomplished in a day, is as much as I wanted to accomplish. What I have seen, what I have done, what I have been has been enough. I love my job. I love my family. My husband is my best friend and the love of my life. My children are the light of my life. My best girl friend has found love. That had been an obstacle to the destination of satisfaction for me that