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Sun, 25 Mar 2007 18:19:01 -0700

The sunset was gorgeous today. A beautiful end to a beautiful day. Here are some photos I took:

(They need to be cleaned up a bit, but I don't have time at the moment, I should be working on a research paper due tomorrow.)

They really don't capture 1/10 of the beauty of the sunset, but I like the photos nonetheless and wanted to share them.

http://burntineffigy.stumbleupon.com/review/8296127/

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 09:53:46 -0800

I was flipping through the channels trying to find something to leave on in the background while I worked on a research paper this morning and I came across the most adorable children's show ever.

Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs

How cute are those tiny dinosaurs!? They're not nearly as cute in "Dinoworld" where Harry is smaller (or they're bigger, I'm not entirely sure), but still cute. The plot was silly and made little sense (even for a children's show). While in "Dinoworld," somehow Harry learned how to recover the computer files that his mother lost (when Harry pressed a button on the keyboard that somehow shut off the computer). Mum had allegedly been working on the file for days but had inexplicably not saved once. Nonetheless the file somehow ended up in the desktop trashcan.

Gaping plot holes that even a toddler (presumably their target audience) could pick out are more than made up for by the almost unbearable level of cuteness inherent in the tiny talking dinosaurs though.

I wonder if my nephew (who loved dinosaurs last time I visited, but he's 3--almost 4 now--so who knows, he may have moved on by now) knows about this show? Are there adorable bucketsaur toys I can buy for him? Or DVDs?! His birthday is coming up!

I've never been a dinosaur person, but good lord, these things are too cute!

Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs on Cartoon Network

Ah! It just keeps getting cuter, too. The pterodactyl's name is Pterence! Precious!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update! (I know you were waiting with bated breath.)

Toys!
More Toys!
DVD!
Books!
More Books!
More More Books!

(The illustrations in the original books, off of which the series was apparently based, are not nearly as cute. Still cute, but not to the degree that makes me literally squeal with delight and overloaded cuteness circuits. The book based on the TV series though has absolutely adorable illustrations, judging by the cover. The book itself is probably worse. I might have to buy one of the original books for my nephew. I buy so many books for him, soon he'll probably just know me as the aunt who keeps shoving books at him. The kid has four other aunts, I would guess that I've probably given him more books than all of them combined.)

Okay...back to the paper after this caffeine, sleep deprivation, and cuteness-fueled tangent.

http://burntineffigy.stumbleupon.com/review/6403101/

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 23:22:17 -0800

Nearly every candidate I voted for won this year. This is a huge change from the past elections I've voted in. The only candidate I've ever voted for who has won before was a Representative to the Iowa House of Reps. This year I voted for winning candidates in the following races: US Senate, US House, MN Secretary of State, MN Attorney General, MN State Auditor, State House, and State Representative. What a great year!

The only real disappointment was the MN governor's race. We should have won that. Hatch was simply not a good candidate. (I actually liked Hutchinson, the Independence Party candidate, best but he just wasn't getting anywhere near high enough numbers in the polls. So I voted for Hatch, though it was really just a vote against Pawlenty.)

Back to the good news, though, I'm pretty excited about the fact that we will soon have the first female Speaker of the House!

http://burntineffigy.stumbleupon.com/review/6377286/

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 08:57:01 -0800

VOTE TODAY!

http://burntineffigy.stumbleupon.com/review/6154297/

Tue, 24 Oct 2006 04:10:26 -0700

Gonna take a Sentimental Journey,
Gonna set my heart at ease.
Gonna make a Sentimental Journey,
to renew old memories.

Got my bags, got my reservations,
Spent each dime I could afford.
Like a child in wild anticipation,
I long to hear that, "All aboard!"

Seven...that's the time we leave at seven.
I'll be waitin' up for heaven,
Countin' every mile of railroad
track, that takes me back.

Never thought my heart could be so yearny.
Why did I decide to roam?
Gotta take that Sentimental Journey,
Sentimental Journey home.
Sentimental Journey.

I love you, Grandpa.

C.A.E.
June 26, 1923 - October 21, 2006

http://burntineffigy.stumbleupon.com/review/4716215/

Wed, 05 Jul 2006 18:40:06 -0700

Rest in Peace, Sasha
September 2003 - July 5, 2006

http://burntineffigy.stumbleupon.com/review/4707346/

Tue, 04 Jul 2006 21:52:42 -0700

A bit late, I know, but I'll say it anyway...

Happy Independence Day!!

Here are some quotes from some of my favorite Americans/some of my favorite quotes about America:

"I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually." - James Arthur Baldwin

"America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination, and unbeatable determination to do the job at hand." - Harry S Truman

"The highest patriotism is not a blind acceptance of official policy, but a love of one's country deep enough to call her to a higher plain." - George McGovern

"Give me liberty or give me death." - Patrick Henry

"We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately." - Benjamin Franklin (at the signing of the Declaration of Independence)

"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it." - Thomas Jefferson

"Liberty must at all hazards be supported." - John Adams

I hope that Americans took time today to remember the 56 men of vision and courage who signed the Declaration of Independence and thus risked their lives to gain independence. Thank you Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton, Samuel Adams, John Adams, John Hancock, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry, Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery, Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott, William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris, Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark, Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross, Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean, Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll, George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton, William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn, Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton, Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, and George Walton.

[On a lighter note, I hope that you also celebrated the independence of your nation by blowing up a small part of it. Or at least watched someone else blow things up. ;) I also hope that someone got the reference.]

http://burntineffigy.stumbleupon.com/review/4107239/

Sat, 06 May 2006 06:40:22 -0700

On hiatus - very limited internet access for the next 3 wks

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Sat, 22 Apr 2006 00:22:39 -0700

Happy Earth Day!

The History of Earth Day from Wikipedia

"In January 1970, the Environmental Teach-In decided to call their one-off event held on April 22nd, Earth Day. The successes day led to it becoming a regular event. Senator Gaylord Nelson, an environmental activist in the U.S. Senate, took a leading role in organizing the celebration, to demonstrate popular political support for an environmental agenda. Senator Nelson staffed the office with college students and selected Denis Hayes (a Harvard student and Stanford graduate) as coordinator of activities. It was the era of student political activism and outdoor protests that attracted news cameras.

According to Senator Nelson, Earth Day "worked" because of the spontaneous response at the grassroots level. Though he felt his committee had neither the time nor resources to organize the 20 million demonstrators and the thousands of schools and local communities that participated, these things did happen. According to the Senator, "It organized itself."

The "holiday" proved extremely popular in the United States. The first Earth Day, in 1970, had participants and celebrants in two thousand colleges and universities, roughly ten thousand primary and secondary schools, and hundreds of communities across the U.S. Senator Nelson directly credited the first Earth Day with persuading U.S. politicians that environmental legislation had a substantial, lasting constituency. In 1971 Senator Gaylord Nelson announced an 'Earth Week' -- for the third week of April -- as a yearly event."

10 Things You Can Do To Decrease Climate Change from Yahoo!
1 - Change a Light Bulb
One compact fluorescent bulb lasts as long as 13 regular bulbs and uses 75% less energy. Find other quick ways to save at home here.
2 - Leave Your Car in the Dust
Carpool or take public transportation to work and keep some of that hard-earned pay in your pocket. For trips to nearby stores or friend's houses, walk or bike.
3 - Power Up
Where does your electricity come from? Lots of utilities offer renewable options these days, like incorporating some wind and solar into the mix. Find cleaner energy options in your area by using this clickable map.
4 - Drive Smart
If you do drive, consider a hybrid or an alternative fuel vehicle. Or buy a TerraPass to ease your driving guilt. Buying a TerraPass offsets the impact from your car by decreasing emissions from other sources by the same amount your car produces.
5 - End the Junk Mail Trail
Save trees and the energy used in paper production by taking your name off mailing lists.
6 - Power Down
Shutting down your computer when you're not using it can save from $100 to $400 a year in electricity. Turning off other appliances can save even more.
7 - Buy Local
On the average, produce grown in the U.S. travels 1500 miles to reach grocery store shelves. Save on fuel by buying from local growers, or create your own community garden.
8 - Geek Out
You don't have to give up your gadgets to slow climate change. Use solar power to charge your cell phone, iPod, radio -- just about everything -- under the sun.
9 - Wash and Wear
The newest, most efficient washers use up to four times less energy than older models, and can save $70 a year in energy costs. Try line-drying your laundry, and find more energy-efficient appliances here.
10 - Chip In
The easiest way to contribute can be powerful: make a donation. These organizations are already working to slow climate change. Click here to find out more and give them the help they need.

Ten Ways You Can Make Earth Day Matter from the World Wildlife Fund

1. Don't leave the water running.
2. Flick off the light when you leave the room.
3. Print on both sides of the page at work.
4. Wash your clothes in warm or cold water.
5. Ditch the paper cups.
6. Use the right settings on your appliances.
7. Turn off your computer at the end of the day.
9. Look at the labels.
10. Send an Earth Day E-Card.

(Okay, I left out 8, because it was just asking for donations...)

Other Earth Day links:
What's your ecological footprint?
EPA Earth Day Site
Earthday Network
Climate Change Solutions: What You can Do Right Now
Take Action! (Sierra Club)