Summertime Blues: blogophilia 27.6

Bonus Points:
(Hard, 2 pts):   mention either "the Magnificent Seven" or "Seven Samurais"
(Easy, 1 pt):  include the word "volitorial"

https://www.facebook.com/notes/marvin-martian/blogophilia-week-276-summertime-blues/610842628936958

"Long, long ago in the far off galaxy, the most adorable Martian (Marvin) with his canine (Commander K) dwelled in the City of 'New Orleans'..... "

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivXAxY6iFWE


I sit up during the middle of the night, not being able to sleep...  The phone wire is filled with black birds, and I think of Nina feeding them because they are black birds singing in the dead of night.  Their soulful bird calls remind me of the school season coming up, with less time to frolic in the fun sun. 

Then I ponder if anyone else, such as Trevor having the Summertime Blues, because the routine is not as it is during the rest of the year...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_wu_v7NvTI


Rather than moping that summer is almost over, my mind brings back memories of when I was a small child, and Japan's Foundation Day (similar to USA's Independence Day) was on my birthday, and then there were fireworks, parades, and all sorts of celebration with dragon parades and everything...  So I wonder how it was like back in the day, when the Emperor would have his Seven Samurai as his personal army, in case of attack, and that it must have been really neat to live in those times, as The David often talks about The Magnificent Seven.
Back to reality...  I think back to the birds on a  wire, wishing that I could be volitorial like the birds.  I wonder if Barbara K would like to fly with the birds, also?



p.s.  To participate, click the link at the top of the blog.  It's fun, and it's a creative outlet.  Go for it!  :)
 

Targeted to Supress Free Speech? I think not. (updated)

I had an interesting conversation on the phone.  I seem to be the target of numerous phone calls, that if they're not asking for money for some group, most of them worthy to donate to, like the American Veterans, others, are more of an annoyance, because of it's content.  Most of them don't leave a message, so I don't know what they're calling about.  But, if I get several from a certain phone number, I'll call them back, because occasionally, they're looking to contact my ex - for an unpaid bill.

Anyway, this one was for some group about American Law Justice, or something along that line...  So, he wanted to know if I still supported them.  Sometimes.  So he goes on this big schpeel about how Obama and the IRS targeted the Tea Party, a family rights group, and a marriage protection group, all affiliated with conservative groups, to be audited.  Because those who are opposed to these groups are big buck players, a conservative millionaire would match each donation.  Well, sorry, I have no money to give.  I'm barely keeping up with my bills now.  I could hear his disappointment over the phone.

So, I let him know, that I support The Constitution on our Freedom of Speech.  That should never be muzzled, because it's at the corner of our very own foundation.  I also said that because this same Constitution also says all men are created equal, it is just as wrong to have laws that say some people can't get married.  He argues that the Tea Party is more about economics.  Well, these other groups were mentioned as well.  And, having family benefits are less expensive than individual benefits.  He says that Obama care is going to add tons of dollars at the expense of taxpayers...

I continue to say that human life is more important than money.  He agrees.  Well, I had a friend, and know of other people who have died on the current health care system, because of lack of access to getting health care. Obama Care is trying to fix that...  I got hung up on.  I guess he didn't want to continue the conversation.  Fine.

But here is what I can gather...  His big gripe was the fact that his fellow conservative groups were muzzled to the point that they were supposedly not allowed to take part in the political system.  Everybody is supposed to be able to take part.  Here is the problem.  The Tea Party got it's tax status as a charity non-profit, a 501c3.  So did these other conservative groups to protect the Marriage Act, and take a pro-life stance.  Fine.  You have the right to take what ever stance you believe is right, and be vocal about it.  It's the way the system here is celebrated.  Our Founding Fathers wanted it this way, so that free people could participate in their own government without fear of imprisonment, outcasts, etc.  I love the very cornerstone that we are built on.

As a founder of a non-profit, a 501c4, to push social issues to change political climate, laws, and what not, I also know that there is a HUGE difference between a social charity and a social political welfare nonprofit.  A charity (501c3) gives to the community or group to help the needy that is defined in their mission.  A social welfare (501c4) changes the political environment to promote change either in thinking or in defined law.

A 501c3, is supposed to be a charity.  Think ASPCA, your Church or Synagogue, domestic violence shelters, and other do-good places.  Their main purpose is to raise funds to protect abandoned or abused animals, practice your faith, protect abused women/children in a safe shelter, or other good things like help poor people get into a home.  These types of groups are NOT allowed to spend more than 10% of their efforts and funds toward lobbying and changing social/political welfare.  Thus, being more charitable, maybe say, by promoting or creating awareness.

A 501c4 can spend as much time and money as they want, to dedicate toward lobbying, pressing for different laws, etc...  The awareness would go along with that, but, none of their funds or actions have to go toward charity, at all.

So, what is the Tea Party?  Well, obviously, they're not a charity group to help needy tax payers, they want to change the tax laws to lower taxes, and let the charities help the poor in need.  Same goes for the pro-life group.  The defense of traditional marriage is more about keeping the law the same, to define it as a sanctity between a man and a woman.  It's their right to do so, because the constitution allows it, but, they need to remember that they aren't working for a charity, they are working to press their personal stances on a political level.  This means, if they sign up to be a 501c3 to be a charity, they better prepare to be investigated, even if it means to audit them to see where the group money is being spent.  Don't like it?  Then organize as a group of individuals to make your claim and stop hiding behind a charitable organization to push a political agenda.

The biggest thing of how I came to this opinion, and stand by it, is, here I have my own cause, called Youth Voice Initiative, to push laws to stiffen punishments on those who abuse our children, whether physically, sexually, mentally, grossly neglect, etc.  yet the church I belong to won't put petitions up, because they won't cross the line of religion and policy making rules upon the other.  Fair?  Maybe not, but, it's an issue that stands with the program. 

I almost forgot to add that a 501c3 charity can give you 100% tax deductible donation receipt.  A 501c4 social welfare/political  group can only give you a portion of it as a tax write off, because it can only be for the awareness portion, and not the lobbying or the political push.  The Tea Party registering as a charity is automatically going to get targeted as to what they do as a nonprofit, as opposed to what their mission is.

Once Upon a Mid July Night

Bonus Points:
(Hard, 2 pts):   Have something vanish into thin air
(Easy, 1 pt):  Mention olivine

https://www.facebook.com/notes/marvin-martian/blogophilia-week-266-once-upon-a-mid-july-night/607022022652352

It was dark.  I was trying to fall asleep, once upon a mid July night, then I practically jumped out of my skin when Ruggi came and rapped on my window, scaring my shadow off of my feet.  Since I wasn't going to be able to go back to sleep, I figured I'd put my jacket on and see what was going on.

I open the window, wondering how Ruggi got up and down so fast...  I come out, and chasing as fast as I could after her.  In the moment of trying to keep up, I didn't hear the sound of the band playing classic rock...

So anyway, out of breath, I come up on a shed, which the doors had fallen off, and it had gotten repurposed to a make shift stage, and here is a jamming group, all dressed in olive green, and who called themselves Igneous.  So, Katie Sanders, who happens to be a geologist or archeologist of some kind, tells me it's a type of olivine, a type of mineral that occurs naturally.  Hmm.  Pretty good rockers.  Hey, they're Igneous Rock!  Clever name...

As I watch the slamming guitars, I recognize that the drummer is DJ Myke's kid!  How about that?  These kids can knock out the music!  As I get lost into the music, and become one with the beat, the band plays a jazz/rock fusion that just swings the guitar into awesomeness.

All of a sudden, the band disappears into thin air, taking Heather with them, and the group of Blogophilia Bloggers merges back into the mist and I can still hear Micki talking.  I find myself sprawled all over my bed, sheets and blankets strewn all over the floor...  I must have dreamed the whole thing, but I swear I was there!  I shiver with cool sweat on my skin...  Maybe that crazy kid hit me with that guitar...

Dang it all, the action wasn't real.  Now I feel like this...


p.s. To participate, click to link at the top of the blog to see the rules.  Write your own story, and don't forget to post it back into the comment at the bottom of that post, so you can be added in.

Human Mysteries...

The Human Body is a 'Treasure Trove of Mysteries', one that still confounds Doctors and Scientists about the details of its working . It's not an overstatement to say that every part of your body is a miracle.    Here are fifty facts about your body, some of which will leave you stunned . . . or . . .
1 .        It's possible for your body to survive without a surprisingly large fraction of its internal organs.    Even if you lose your stomach, your spleen, 75% of your liver, 80% of your intestines, one kidney, one lung, and virtually every organ from your pelvic and groin area, you wouldn't be very healthy, but you would live.

2 .        During your lifetime, you will produce enough saliva to fill two swimming pools .  Actually, Saliva is more important than you realize . If your saliva cannot dissolve something, you cannot taste it.

3 .        The largest cell in the human body is the female egg and the smallest is the male sperm.  The egg is actually the only cell in the body that is visible by the naked eye.

4 .        The strongest muscle in the human body is the tongue and the hardest bone is the jawbone.

5 .        Human feet have 52 bones, accounting for one quarter of all the human body's bones.

6 .        Feet have 500,000 sweat glands and can produce more than a pint of sweat a day.

7 .        The acid in your stomach is strong enough to dissolve razor blades.  The reason it doesn't eat away at your stomach is that the cells of your stomach wall renew themselves so frequently that you get a new stomach lining every three to four days.

8 .        The human lungs contain approximately 2,400 kilometers (1,500 mi) of airways and 300 to 500 million hollow cavities, having a total surface area of about 70 square meters, roughly  the same area as one side of a tennis court. Furthermore, if all of the capillaries that surround the lung cavities were unwound and laid end to end, they would extend for about 992 kilometers. Also, your left lung is smaller than your right lung to make room for your heart.

9 .        Sneezes regularly exceed 100 mph, while coughs clock in at about 60 mph.

10 .      Your body gives off enough heat in 30 minutes to bring half a gallon of water to a boil.

11 .      Your body has enough iron in it to make a nail 3 inches long.

12 .      Earwax production is necessary for good ear health.   It protects the delicate inner ear from bacteria, fungus, dirt and even insects . It also cleans and lubricates the ear canal.

13 .      Your ears secrete more earwax when you are afraid than when you aren't.

14 .      Your teeth start growing 6 months before you are born.  This is why one out of every 2,000 newborn infants has a tooth when they are born.

15 .      A baby's head is one-quarter of its total length, but by the age of  25 will only be one-eighth of its total length. This is because people's heads grow at a much slower rate than the rest of their bodies.

16 .      Babies are born with 300 bones, but by adulthood the number is reduced to 206.  Some of the bones, like skull bones, get fused into each other, bringing down the total number.

17 .      It's not possible to tickle yourself.  This is because when you attempt to tickle yourself you are totally aware of the exact time and manner in which the tickling will occur, unlike when someone else tickles you.

18 .      Less than one third of the human race has 20-20 vision.  This means that two out of three people cannot see perfectly.

19 .      Your nose can remember 50,000 different scents.  But if you are a woman, you are a better smeller than men, and will remain a better smeller throughout your life.

20 .      The human body is estimated to have 60,000 miles of blood vessels.

21 .      The three things pregnant women dream most of during their first trimester are frogs, worms and potted plants.  Scientists have no idea why this is so, but attribute it to the growing imbalance of hormones in the body during pregnancy.

22 .      The life span of a human hair is 3 to 7 years on average.  Every day the average person loses 60-100 strands of hair.  But don't worry, you must lose over 50% of your scalp hairs before it is apparent to anyone.

23 .      The human brain cell can hold 5 times as much information as an encyclopedia.  Your brain uses 20% of the oxygen that enters your bloodstream, and is itself made up of 80% water.  Though it interprets pain signals from the rest of the body, the brain itself cannot feel pain.

24 .      The tooth is the only part of the human body that can't repair itself.

25 .      Your eyes are always the same size from birth but your nose and ears never stop growing.

26 .      By 60 years of age, 60% of men and 40% of women will snore.

27 .      We are about 1 cm taller in the morning than in the evening, because during normal activities during the day, the cartilage in our knees and other areas slowly compress.

28 .      The brain operates on the same amount of power as 10-watt light bulb, even while you are sleeping.  In fact, the brain is much more active at night than during the day.

29 .      Nerve impulses to and from the brain travel as fast as 170 miles per hour.  Neurons continue to grow throughout human life.  Information travels at different speeds within different types of neurons.

30 .      It is a fact that people who dream more often and more vividly, on an average have a higher Intelligence Quotient.

31 .      The fastest growing nail is on the middle finger.

32 .      Facial hair grows faster than any other hair on the body.  This is true for men as well as women.

33 .      There are as many hairs per square inch on your body as a chimpanzee.

34 .      A human fetus acquires fingerprints at the age of three months.

35 .      By the age of 60, most people will have lost about half their taste buds.

36 .      About 32 million bacteria call every inch of your skin home.  But don't worry, a majority of these are harmless or even helpful bacteria.

37 .      The colder the room you sleep in, the higher the chances are that you'll have a bad dream.

38 .      Human lips have a reddish color because of the great concentration of tiny capillaries just below the skin.

39 .      Three hundred million cells die in the human body every minute.

40 .      Like fingerprints, every individual has an unique tongue print that can be used for identification.

41 .      A human head remains conscious for about 15 to 20 seconds after it has been decapitated.

42 .      It takes 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown.

43 .      Humans can make do longer without food than sleep.   Provided there is water, the average human could survive a month to two months without food depending on their body fat and other factors.   Sleep deprived people, however, start experiencing radical personality and psychological changes after only a few sleepless days.  The longest recorded time anyone has ever gone without sleep is 11 days, at the end of which the experimenter was awake, but stumbled over words, hallucinated and frequently forgot what he was doing.

44 .      The most common blood type in the world is Type O.  The rarest blood type, A-H or Bombay blood, due to the location of its discovery, has been found in less than hundred people since it was discovered.

45 .      Every human spent about half an hour after being conceived, as a single cell.  Shortly afterward, the cells begin rapidly dividing and begin forming the components of a tiny embryo.

46 .      Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people do.

47 .      Everyone has a unique smell, except for identical twins, who smell the same.

48 .      Koalas and primates are the only animals with unique fingerprints.

49 .      Humans are the only animals to produce emotional tears.

50 .      The human heart creates enough pressure to squirt blood 30 ft. in the air.

Prepare to be Boarded: Blogophilia 25.6

Blogophilia Week 25.6 - Prepare to Be Boarded...
Bonus Points:
(Hard, 2 pts):   Use a lyric from any Temptations song
(Easy, 1 pt):   Mention a weather condition


https://www.facebook.com/notes/marvin-martian/week-256-prepare-to-be-boarded/596107927077095

I remember when I was a kid.  Maybe older than 8, younger than a teen, so about a tween...  My great grandmother, in her 80's along with my great grandfather, both Hungarian, lived up on this farm up in Stanley, WI.  The same grandma that had the 3rd grade education, and the grandpa that came from Hungary, and was not versed in English.  Anyway, they had this big farm house, and always had dogs.  But, in their older ages, was not very good at keeping house, as their bedroom was on the main floor, the rest were upstairs, and I remember sneezing and coughing all night, due to the dust.

So one time, my sister and I slept out in the car.  And I actually saw 3 red blinking dots, in a perfect triangle.  I tried to rouse my sister, to let her know that there was some weird set of lights, and they quickly came down from the sky, and hovered.  It was way too quiet for a chopper, and plus, they'd have more lights.  I thought I was imagining it, but the skies were clear, with stars shining brightly!  And all of a sudden, I heard Marvin Martian demanding "Prepare to be boarded"!  I explained that this is just a car, that it's not a ship.  It only rides on the ground with gas.

A huge tiredness waved over me, and I couldn't tell if I was dreaming or if it were for real...  I went into a deep sleep.  The next thing I knew, I was seeing crazy things...  Here I was, at a track to see the horse races, but, here it comes, a strange little sighting!

What is this, anyway?  The sheep races?  And what's with the stuffed animal sheep jockeys anyway?  Is it a herders' stampede?  Ah, but then, it all makes sense.  It's Irene, the sheep herder trying to make it back to the barn before the calm of the storm.  It was soon to be dark and violent thunder.

My mind meanders away from there, and I am walking near the creek at the back of my great grandmother's farm, where the wheat or some other grain used to grow, probably to help feed the cows she once had...  it wasn't a big creek, but, it was good for minnows, or something.  With a subtle wind, it sounds as if the rippling creek was talking to the trees rustling.  I turned my head, thinking I was being hailed...  but it almost sounded if someone was singing "and ole man river, he just keeps rolling around"

I awake, in the front seat of the car.  My sister is starting to wake up.  It's a bright sunny morning and the ground is dry.  I so wished that Jessica could see what a great day it was.  I sit up and stretch, wondering how much of the night's events were real vs. dreaming...  On the way to the outhouse, telling her what I dreamed.  A faint but familiar sound of rippling waves and rustling tree leaves...  I almost heard it, "show me that stream called the Jordan River"...  My sister is sure I dreamed everything...  Christopher would probably sing to me.  But I'm sure I really saw the UFO... 

Until next time, I'm probably going to have this song stuck in my head...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYO7Avah1k8


p.s.  For those of you who aren't participating, and it looks interesting, please click the link at the top of my blog, to see the full set of rules.  It may seem daunting at first, but, it's not as bad as you think.  I find that creative writing, or even incorporating some of your own stories to fit the topic is VERY therapeutic.  Feel free to share with others.

Uncontrolable Laughter: Blogophilia 24.6

Bonus Points:
(Hard, 2 pts):   Quote Lucille Ball
(Easy, 1 pt):  Include someone wearing a pink skirt doing something for cookies


https://www.facebook.com/notes/marvin-martian/blogophilia-week-246-uncontrollable-laughter/596103987077489


As a home care worker, I got accustomed to visiting people in their homes, and watching the shows they like to watch.  Of course, most of the older ladies absolutely LOVE the "I Love Lucy" show.  As Barbara K will testify, we all fall onto the floor with uncontrolled laughter.  It's because she not only shows us what's messed up about real life, sometimes, she's so dramatic about it.  We can't help but to laugh with her on her adventures.

On the other hand though, Stormy Gail Dormire's gray cat, Clarice understands all too well that life is also serious, and we must do what we can to push forth what is right, because even cats say, "I'd rather regret the things that I've done, than the things I haven't done" Very wise cat, that Clarice.

Driving home from doing my home care job as an aide, I see someone wearing a pink skirt that resembled a girl scout, but of course not even girl scouts wear pink.  This was Kismet, who was dancing energetically by a table stacked in front of a laundromat, selling cookies for the Breast Cancer Society.  Good cause, and who doesn't like cookies?  I stop and buy some.

So I eat a couple cookies on the way home, and I'm not sure if it was because my blood sugars spiked to high, I was hallucinating, or if the cookies were laced with some kind of psychedelic drug...  Because, all of a sudden, I see this Pig in Boots, or is this some other Stomping Ground for one of the three Little Pigs who built one of those houses that got blown down by the big, bad wolf...  But here is a strange sight.

But suddenly, I realized that this was hogwash because we all know when they roll in mud, that pigs squeal and that Christopher is a real ham with his pet pig, and we already know that Miss Piggy won't get turned into moo shoo pork anytime soon. 

So I guess it wasn't a hallucination or my diabetes messing with me...  I just can't believe what a porker I can be when it comes to cookies...  Maybe I'll stop snacking on cookies when pigs fly or should I say march?

But you know, once I worked at a pumpkin farm giving tours to kids, and one of them asked me, "what's a hot dog you buy at Halloween"?  I didn't know...  but of course, the kid tells me it's a "Hallow weinie"!  *forehead slap*  Duh.  Funny, coming from a kindergartener.

Now, here is a silly song with me, Lika:  https://www.facebook.com/notes/marvin-martian/blogophilia-week-246-uncontrollable-laughter/596103987077489