Don't drink THIS water..

If there was ever a time to abide by the words..DON’T DRINK THE WATER..now would be a good time. Pollutants that mimic natural hormones have created a "toxic stew" in the Potomac River..altering the sexual development and the immune systems of fish. OK..the rules of life just went out the window.

In its annual "State of the Nation's River" report..the Potomac Conservancy focused on concerns first raised in 2003..when fish began dying in large numbers in such Potomac tributaries as the Shenandoah River.

As scientists investigated those fish kills..they found that male bass around the Potomac watershed were growing eggs.

The issue..

The term intersex..or intersexual characteristics..describes a range of abnormalities in which both male and female characteristics are present in the same fish. Intersexual characteristics are most commonly described as the presence of female germ cells..which are the precursor to mature eggs..in a male reproductive organ.

The occurrence of intersex fish has been related to chemicals..often termed endocrine disruptors..that affect the reproductive system. Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interfere with the natural balance of hormones that regulate development, reproduction, metabolism, behavior and the internal state of living organisms. Occasionally these abnormalities can be noted externally but most often the main reproductive organs must be examined under a microscope for diagnosis of intersexual characteristics.

The presence of this abnormality or intersexual characteristic has been used as an indicator of exposure to estrogenic chemicals and has been documented in a variety of wild fish species in a number of rivers and estuaries around the U.S. and several other countries.

It seems likely..the report said..that the cause is not a single chemical but a mixture whose components might be different around the river. Pesticides might dominate in rural areas..for instance and human hormones downstream of a sewage plant.

Hedrick Belin..the conservancy's president..said that the best solution to the problem was to try to keep these chemicals out of the water in the first place. That could entail increased testing to figure out which chemicals have hormone-mimicking properties or installing measures to keep animal waste from washing downstream.

Hormone-mimicking chemicals "don't set our river on fire. They don't wash up onshore. We're not seeing them; we're not able to smell them," Belin said. "But the intersex fish . . . is a clear signal that something is wrong."

This month..the USFS released the final report of a six-year study, titled "Assessment of Endocrine Disruption in Smallmouth Bass and Largemouth Bass in the Potomac River Watershed." The study found a substantial proportion of abnormal fish from sites on the Potomac and Monocacy rivers and the Conococheague Creek in Washington County. Some sites were reported to have between 82 and 100 percent of the male fish with some female characteristics.

Although the risk to humans from fish with intersexual characteristics is currently unknown, the much bigger issue is the quality of the water that the Potomac provides to the millions of people who take their drinking water from it. The river supplies drinking water for Frederick, Montgomery and Prince George's counties in Maryland, Fairfax County in Virginia and the DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

If the water in your river makes the male fish grow vaginas..stay thirsty. If I wanted to drink something that makes me grow a vagina..I’d order a wine cooler or a Zima.  Which is why I stopped drinking wine coolers..and Zima's in the first place. 



Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

NFL Rookie Salaries..for unproven players

Greetings to my HALE'S ANGELS.  With each blog I write..I try to talk subject that is appealing to most or all of you.  I think I accomplish that feat 95% of the time.  HOWEVER..this blog may be more appealing to the sport fan.  Just some warning to my faithful.  I promise to be back with something that will appeal to the 95% possee.

With the 75th annual draft in the books..there are going to be a lot of very wealthy rookies out there..some of whom will garner considerably larger contracts than their veteran teammates.

Around the NFL there is strong disapproval about the amount of money rookie players are making. After the 2008 NFL draft..Roger Goodell (NFL Commissioner) expressed his wishes to change the current rookie contract structure. Goodell flung an interesting idea of implementing a rookie salary cap..similar to that of the NBA. During a press conference with reporters in February 2008..Goodell stated that he and the NFLPA have met and discussed this issue and the owners are interested in following through with the idea of redistributing the money to veteran players who have already proven themselves and their worth.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke about this issue Saturday and had some pretty strong words on the matter.

“I love Sam Bradford, and I hope he’s great, but he probably made somewhere between $40 and $45 million the night before last,” said Goodell, speaking to a group of select fans who won a random lottery to ask the commissioner questions. “He has not even hit the field yet and that’s a guaranteed contract. So if Sam Bradford can’t play, what good does that do any other NFL player? As much as I like these young rookies, and I do think they’re terrific, it’s crazy to give someone who hasn’t proven themselves on the NFL field $45 million.

“I think over these three days, we will give $600 million in guaranteed money to these rookies that you’re hearing their names. $600 million. And if let’s just say half of them don’t make it and the money is equivalent to this, that’s $300 million out the door. It doesn’t go to veterans, it doesn’t go to owners. It goes to somebody who couldn’t play the game. That’s wasting money.”

After looking at recent rookie contracts..it is insanely hard to believe that most are making over proven veterans..well over proven veterans.

Seeing as the attendance of rookies at training camp is so vital to the success of the player, it pained some to see 2007 1st overall draft pick JaMarcus Russell hold out of camp until he was signed to a 6-year, $61 million deal with $29 million guaranteed. Russell..for what he was paid and guaranteed be the biggest flop in the NFL. One cannot help but wonder if the reason why rookies get paid so much up front is to prevent another “JaMarcus Russell hold out.” The NFL owners are not crying poor..so Goodell’s battle is not one of finances but one of fairness. Do not think for one minute that rookies believe that the amount of money being paid to them is sane.

A great point made by the late Gene Upshaw was that the rookie contracts only help those free agent veterans who are up for new contracts. What Mr. Upshaw means is that..for example..lets jump into the shoes of an 18-year-old girl who is negotiating with her parents about buying a car. The teen..so paradoxically calm..says..“But, Mom! Angie got a BMW and she’s only 16!” This is a perfect parallel to the situation in the NFL. Agents of veteran free agents can go to negotiations armed with the contracts of these rookies. Whew..no wonder why teams these days want to stay clear of early first round picks.

Seeing as the attendance of rookies at training camp is so vital to the success of the player..it pained some to see 2007 1st overall draft pick JaMarcus Russell hold out of camp until September 12th when Russell was signed to a 6-year, $61 million deal with $29 million guaranteed. One cannot help but wonder if the reason why rookies get paid so much up front is to prevent another “JaMarcus Russell hold out.” The NFL owners are not crying poor..so Goodell’s battle is not one of finances but one of fairness. Do not think for one minute that rookies believe that the amount of money being paid to them is sane. In an interview with Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan..he stated: “I’ll take it. I see both sides of the argument but I’m going to take the (current) argument now.”

Goodell goes on to say..

"It's really had a dramatic impact on the way we pay our players and the way teams are built in the draft. ... It's not that I'm opposed to the rookies getting money, I think that's great. But I think the veterans that have proven themselves on the NFL Level deserve the bulk of the compensation. When a player is drafted and doesn't make it and he takes that money out of the system, that's a disadvantage to the other players in the league. That's what I keep trying to get across. We need to keep the money in the system and it needs to go to the veterans that deserve it. ... It's a relatively simple fix if we sit down and address it."

Roger Goodell is not wasting any time on this matter so look to see some headlines fairly soon.

Bottomline..sports primadonnas are insanely paid. Collectively from all sports..their salaries could solve the national deficit. But..its not to their fault at all. They are simply getting paid for their market allows. Business is business. Would I like to see a change?  Absolutely.  The highest salaries should go to those proven.  Period!

Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

Keep HOME in our prayers..

I just wanted to take the time to wish all of the tornado victims and families well..and that they are on my mind and prayers.  Specifically the families of Mississippi and Alabama.  With respect..I acknowledge those tragedies away from HOME..i.e., Haiti and all those other countries that endured the acts of God.  However..I think its very important to keep HOME..the US..in mind when our own have fallen victim to such events.  As with Haiti and those other places..lets do whatever we can to help make a difference.  I just hope the media gives this moment the same attention that it did with those events outside the US.  Our people of HOME need our support. 

Don't be confused by the lies of the fools and deceivers..hope and believe in the things that we need to survive.  In a world where no one's alone..trust should come easily.  Just reach out your hand..and I'll give you mine.


Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

Thoughts on Adoption Reunions..

Just some thinking to words on this rainy/stormy Saturday night.  Before I go any farther..I want to say THANKS AGAIN for the birthday wishes.  Very much appreciated.  Moving on..I caught the backend of an adoption reunion story (TV) that didn't seem to have a happy ending.  Thought I share my two-cents worth of thoughts..

We all know that reunions between birth parents and adoptees don’t always go smoothly or last the distance. But why is it that relationships between biologically related people are so difficult and take so much work?

I came across a blog post which addresses this sensitive subject. In her post..she reviews a book by David Jones entitled “My Father’s House”..an adoption memoir written twenty odd years ago. In this book..a couple of thought-provoking ideas are raised.

The overall theme is that blood is not thicker than water..that being genetically related does not guarantee acceptance or bonding. Jones describes a practice in ancient Roman times when a man who sired (always wanted to use sired in a blog..so masculine) a child had to have that child placed at his feet after birth..so that he could pick it up and “bond” or adopt it as his own. Without this happening..the father has not committed himself to being the father of that child.

Jones goes on to align adoption with marriage. In marriage..each person chooses the other and makes a commitment to a relationship. In adoption..there is also choice and an agreement to commit to an ongoing relationship.

Jones’ message is clear. When parents and children are forced apart by adoption..the “bond”..albeit biological..has been broken and is not strong enough to ensure a connection when these parties meet later on in life. He believes that the reason that adoptees see their adoptive parents as their “real” parents is because of the choice factor..despite it being one-way rather than two-way.

This perspective may evoke some heated debate. Is Jones mainly speaking about birth fathers who don’t carry the grief and loss that birth mothers do? And how does he explain the really strong relationships between separated families wen they are finally reunited? And what about the myriad of other factors that come into play when families affected by adoption come together?

For those adoptees who struggle with the question about why their reunions haven’t succeeded..such a theory makes perfect sense. Perhaps it is a chink of the puzzle that forms the complex picture of adoption.


Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

HEAVEN HIDE YOUR EYES..

Just got through watching some more news about the Vatican Corporate Office..and how they are handling the continued sex scandal.  I'm still amazed at how much they are still protecting their own.  CNN presented some data to support the facts.  Here is what I got from it..

Everybody has been talking about it..but now we have quantified data proving the point.  Most Americans and most Catholic Americans think the Pope has done a terrible job dealing with the priest pedophilia scandal. CNN/Opinion Research Corp survey results released Friday also indicate that recent revelations about that matter have hurt the pope's standing with the public:

Fifty-nine percent of American Catholics questioned in the poll have a favorable view of the pope, down 19 points from February. Among all Americans, the slippage is even greater: from 59 percent in February to just 35 percent today. "Only a quarter of U.S. Catholics have an unfavorable view of the pope, but they don't seem satisfied with his track record on the growing and persistent scandal within the church," CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said.

Now..does anyone really think the Church or the Pope might re-think how to handle this ongoing tragedy and the public relations disaster it has created for the Church? Of course not!

Some other statistics..

The Catholic figures show that between about 4% of priests and deacons serving in the US between 1950 and 2002 had been accused of sexual abuse of someone under 18.  Four out of five of their victims were male. Most were adolescents..two out of five were 14 or over..15% were under 10.

This is sick..but whether it is more sick than the record of any other profession is not obvious. The concentration on boys makes the Catholic pattern of abuse stand out..what makes it so shocking is that parents trusted their children with priests. They stood in for the parents. But this isn't all that different from the pattern in the wider world..either..where the vast majority of abuse comes from within families. The other point that makes the Catholic abuse is that it is nowadays very widely reported. It may be the best reported crime in the world:..that..too tends to skew perceptions.

This is an institution..governed as it always has been..by fallible and often corrupt human beings. If anyone still believes the Pope has any sort of connection to God..I would like that person to explain how he or she can possibly continue to believe that such a connection exists under current circumstances. Please avoid using excuses for what the Church leadership has done. They provide no insight to those of us outside the church as we try hard to understand what keeps people in the church.

..HEAVEN'S EYES WILL NEVER DRY.


Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

BIG BEN gets his..

Like any bad boy who has misbehaved..Ben Roethlisberger..needs a time out..and he got his today..courtesy of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. BIG BEN got served with a six (6) game suspension that I feel was rightly applied.

Listening to the naive and dishonest media discussion about the latest sexual assault allegation leveled at Ben Roethlisberger..you'd think Usher..and maybe Rick Pitino..were the only other Americans who wants to make "love in this club”. No wonder Goodell had such a difficult time ruling on how long to suspend the Pittsburgh quarterback

Now that we know the penalty..let's discuss SICK PRICK BEN in something resembling proper context. There is no doubt Roethlisberger is an idiot worthy of suspension. What I've yet to hear or read is a fair justification for why he deserved punishment.

When the Georgia police released the details of the notes it took during its investigation of Roethlisberger..the media cherry-picked and repeated the alleged "eyewitness" accounts as though they were as unimpeachable as a video replay.

According to the "witnesses"..Roethlisberger's bodyguards dragged the accuser to the bathroom..blocked the entrance into the bathroom and Roethlisberger approached the accuser with his penis exposed.

Once these accounts were introduced as "evidence" into the court of public opinion..broadcasters and pundits had all the ammo they needed to convict JACKASS BEN as "disgusting" and call for Goodell to take swift and hard action.

If you read the police accounts..the accuser's sorority sisters drove this case. If SLIMEBALL BEN's bodyguards dragged the accuser to the bathroom..you could make the argument that her sorority sisters dragged her to the police.

Her initial story to the police was weak at best and made absolutely no sense at worst.

The case was so flimsy that SLUT BEN was never even arrested. Once she sobered up..the accuser didn't even cooperate with the police.

Let me repeat..BIG BEN is a freaking idiot who deserved to be suspended. Off the field..he thinks with the wrong head. In pursuit of a wham-bam..he's twice -- that we know of -- placed himself in a vulnerable position.

But the ugly truth is SNEAKY BEN isn't all that different from a lot of guys and girls who use alcohol as their aphrodisiac of choice. Any woman who has belonged to a prominent sorority has heard the lecture about safety rules to follow when entering a male fraternity house for a mixer/party.

"Don't drink the punch. It might be laced with a roofie."

"Don't go anywhere in the house alone."

The rules are reminders that no matter how nice the guy might sound there's a damn good chance he's looking for one-night-stand sex or trying to set up a train. Some of the women are looking for the exact same thing.

Think about it..CEO BEN basically hired men to hand him KY Jelly and condoms and stand..guard while he had public sex.

IN DENIAL BEN needs to go to a room somewhere..preferably where no alcohol is served..and think about the consequences of his actions.

Let the apologists rant about Roethlisberger has not been charged with any crime. Let them rant that Roethlisberger is getting hosed because of his celebrity status.

That’s exactly the point here..Roethlisberger is the starting quarterback on an NFL team..and a two-time Super Bowl winner. He shouldn’t act like some 18-year-old kid on a pub crawl with his buddies..hoping to hook up with some babes. He looks and acts like Frank the Tank from “Old School.”

As Terry Bradshaw eloquently and appropriately explained..Ben doesn't know who he is and what position he holds. He's a millionaire franchise quarterback..an ambassador for the Steelers and the city of Pittsburgh.

There are compromises that need to be made if you are a celebrity. And then there’s the basic understanding that you have some sort of moral compass as a human being.

And let’s not forget that this is the second incident where Roethlisberger has been accused of rape..though he hasn’t been charged in either case.

Some people might call him a Super Bowl quarterback.

Others might cast him in a different light..as a predatory pig.

Today..Mr. Goodell gave him the label..SUSPENDED BEN!


Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

Facebook/Twitter updates that annoy me..

I'm a big fan of Facebook..not so much Twitter..for the simple fact of being able to reconnect with old friends..classmates.and to be able to stay in the loop of family who live too far to visit on a regular basis.  Like the rest of the Facebook/Twitter community..I sometimes go a little crazy with my thoughts..rants..photos..happy moments..sad times.  It is the tool to "vent" or "share"..if you will.  Once you hit the SHARE button..it is kind of like that moment of exhaling.  With that said..let me rant about some of the most annoying things people do on Facebook and/or Twitter.  To each their own..but this is my blog..therefore its MY RANT.  :-)

Top 5 Most Annoying Things People Do..

1. NO PROFILE PHOTO. If you don't have a photo of you..not your cat..or dog..or fish..or logo..I probably won't follow or join you. FB/Twitter is about developing relationships with people..not logos or cats.
2. YOUR ID IS A COMPANY NAME. Again..its about relationships with people..not companies. If you have a company name..that account should only be used to broadcast company updates or have very company specific discussions. My personal preference is to have relationships with people.
3. ALL BROADCAST..NO CONVERSATION. If you have a stream of updates that does not include any replies..then I probably won't follow you. You're just not interesting. You're using FB/Twitter just to broadcast your messages without interaction.
4. FOLLOW-ME-BACK-NAZIS. These are the people that follow thousands of people hoping that some will follow them back. These are the same people that get mad at you..and sometimes send you harassing messages if you don't follow them back. Look..just because you follow me does not mean I want to follow you. In fact..I only follow back about half the people that follow me. I look at your profile..check your recent messages and profile..and decide if what you are saying is useful to me. Not useful..no follow. Sorry..stop harassing me! You can unfollow me if you like.
5. TMI..aka TOO MUCH INFORMATION.  Look..I like how FB/Twitter is a combination of some business and some personal info..so I can get to know people on both levels. But there are limits. I do not care if the burrito you ate for lunch is too spicy. I do not care if your cat is feeling sad. I do not care if your computer is slow. I do care where you are hanging out..if you are attending a cool event..if there is a major development in your life..wedding..baby..moving..job..and if you find an article online that is particularly interesting. Try to think about if your status messages are interesting..at all.

That's my five for now.  Some people might think that having a blog..and asking people to join my fan page makes me a hypocrite.  Might..might not.  You can decide for yourself and act accordingly.  Regardless..I do appreciate the people who take time to read my thoughts..and respond accordingly.  Its all good.


Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

Shopping for "LOVE" in all the wrong places..(PG13)

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COMFORTABLY DUMB..from Reality TV!

We all have our guilty pleasures.  I..like most of you..have lots.  Yes..I have ones that I deem good..and ones..that I deem REALLY GOOD.  The really good ones..I'll save for another day..another venue..and in person with lots of beers.  For now..you get to hear about this particular pleasure that I'm having these days.  REALITY TV.  No..not all reality TV.  I really find most too lame for my time.  After hours of turning pages and staring at the laptop..there’s nothing quite like reality TV to mash up the gray matter up there in the ol’ cranium. It’s nothing to be ashamed of..even for recovering high culture addicts and self-proclaimed arts snobs.  Here are a few that I must admit that I will either stop the remote when I come across the show..OR..I actually plant myself on the couch (Tuesday nights..8:00p..NBC) and watch with dedication.

Like any other show following a mansion full of dysfunctional individuals incapable of engaging in civil human interactions..“Bad Girls Club” doesn’t have much to offer the viewer..except for the most deliciously grisly..vicious girl fights found on TV! The show’s premise is nebulous..but that’s not really the point. The women sometimes vaguely refer to being there for some sort of “learning experience.” I’m not sure what they could be gaining from laying in bed all day..drinking high amounts of alcohol..and giving each other bodily injuries..besides 15 pounds and mad hair pulling skills. OK..this one is pretty lame.  NO..I'm not dedicated to the show.  When flipping the channel..I find myself coming back to this show..just to see what they will do or say next.  I simply shake my head..and become COMFORTABLY DUMB. 

Next..as this one I'm somewhere between 50-80% dedication..

The casts from VH1’s “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew” and “Sex Rehab with Dr. Drew” continue their path to recovery in a half-way house. The source of most of the drama can be summed up in three words..Kari Ann Peniche. Dr. Drew is the only person the meth-addicted..sex-addicted..violently temperamental former Miss Teen USA is willing to show any semblance of respect to. On “Sex Rehab”..she pissed off the rest of the cast by demanding fresh juice at her bedside in the mornings..attacking a Pasadena Recovery Center employee and then refusing to store any of her belongings in garbage bags upon being discharged. On “Celebrity Rehab”..she seduced former Alice in Chains bassist and heroin addict Mike Starr into painting a “bikini top” on her naked breasts and flashed other male patients her vagina in order to cure her boredom. On the premiere of “Sober House”..she already failed her first drug test and proved unwilling to join the group..so hopefully this season will be just as outrageous. Tune in to VH1 on Thursdays at 10 p.m.  I simply shake my head..and again..become COMFORTABLY DUMB.

Last..but not least..is my FAV reality show right now.  I'm 100% dedicated every week to this one..THE BIGGEST LOSER.

This show is so uplifting..it’s sick. The ninth season of “Biggest Loser” promised the heaviest competitors in the program’s history..and it dead.  HOWEVER..instead of the usual psychological pain and physical exploitation..this time around it really seems like NBC is actually interested in improving these people’s lives instead of using their life-threatening disease to satisfy drama-hungry viewers. Here’s the usual drill..the contestants go to a ranch where they do nothing but work out with trainers Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper. What’s missing from this season is the Michaels-style impromptu therapy..if you can call it that (see I really watch and pay attention to this show). She usually dogs the contestants..forcing them to confront deeply repressed emotional traumas as they lift weights and run on the treadmill for hours on end. This always seemed a bit disturbing..especially since Michaels is a mere fitness professional with no psychology background and really has no business reaching her well-toned biceps into people’s subconscious minds. Less-than-subtle Subway product placements seem to have replaced many of the meltdowns..but if you’re interested in watching people be awkwardly sincere as they change for the better..make sure to watch on Tuesdays at 8 p.m.  SAM and KOLI (cousins) are my FAV competitors for this season's show. 

If anything comes out of watching reality tv..it can be said that I indeed am diversed..have an open mind..but some time on my hands that will give the head a much needed feeling..COMFORTABLY DUMB.

Peace out to my HALE'S ANGELS!

Fate..Destiny..Free Will. Choices or not??

I'm a firm believer that things happen for a reason.  I believe in fate and destiny..however..I do acknowledge and respect free will.  I don't believe in coincidences.  There is a rhyme and reason for our walks of live.  Yes..there are times we take the road and eventually get to the fork.  Which way do we go..depends on our current mindset..the people around..lots of things.  We generally are in a position to makes things happen.  However..with things..come circumstances and further choices that eventually get us to where we ultimately are suppose to be.  Which brings me to this question..do we have free will or are we just puppets in a fate and destiny? Well the truth is that it’s a bit of both really.

It is such a fundamental question about our lives..which countless people ask on a daily basis..and yet it is probably one of the things we’ll never know in our non-spiritual forms. I..for one..occasionally wake up bruised and scarred from the events of the previous day. But does that mean that my fate should leave me scarred and always and in a state of disrepair? In fact the opposite is true. If you often wake up dreading the daily grind then maybe it’s about time you stopped fate in it’s tracks. After all..do you want your fate to be that of someone who always wakes up on the wrong side of bed?

With this in mind there are two ways of further looking at this whole argument.

First.is your fate..to you..so mundane that all it involves is the daily slog and nothing more? No enjoyment..no fulfillment..and no satisfaction with your actions? Do you live each day because you have to or is there a deliberate demeanor to which you act? If your fate is sealed..then what more is there for you to do apart from just go with the flow? This would also mean that there is little that can be done about the future except let it happen.

Lets face it..thats not the most productive way to live your life. In my experience..this kind of thinking leads to an innate laziness and a tendency to procrastinate heavily.

The second way to percieve this..is that fate exists but that you are not at its mercy. Fate is a force we cannot control..however we can always determine what we choose to be in this moment. I choose how to perceive where I am right now..and what to do with what has been bestowed on me. I can choose consciously what decisions to make..and do what we feel is right for me. When faced with something..I can choose to deal with it as a challenge and to make the most of it..or to do it half heartedly.

It’s not always easy to choose the latter..in fact..it is always the more difficult of the two. To be productive and proactive is never a quick coast down a hill. It’s more like being on a escalator walking up the stairs..you’re making the effort. And an unseen force is giving you a helping hand.

Fate and destiny..they seem to be synonyms up to a certain point. Questions always arise when one or the other is mentioned. Can we rebel against our own destiny? Can we truly decide the path we want to take in life?

These are questions with no definite or final answer. Nevertheless..everything depends on our determination..our strength to defeat the obstacles we meet on our life's journey.

A lot of successful and driven people in many varied fields confess that fate seems to be against them at the launch of their career. Most of them lived completely different lives before they achieved success..and they are proud to remember those times. It was hard..many successful folks say..but nothing could have held them back as they strove to the best. They also admit that they never dared dream they would be so famous or successful.

All these facts make us wonder whether an apparently pre-established fate can be modified or completely changed. And if we indeed can change fate..how can we demonstrate what we're capable of? Could there be a way to modify the data..which composes the abstract book of life..just as easy as correcting something on a computer? And if that holds true..how do we know that there wasn't a mistake in the first place..and our determination does not do more than merely correct it?

These thoughts and ideas represent suppositions. Nevertheless..since many different people offer suggestions that their lives have changed..this increases our confidence that we can do it too. If we can't control our destiny..we can..at least..contribute to what's happening to us during our everyday existence.

Let's quickly look at the idea of karma concerning fate and destiny. If we treat others the right way..if we are always honest and always mind the truth..perhaps bad fate will go around us..showing us that we can make our own destiny.

On the other hand..we cannot help wondering about the converse. What happens to a person who starts off with a wonderful destiny..but during his or her life commits a series of unpardonable mistakes. Will that destiny change?

Could it be true that we actually get the destiny we deserve? People who suffer tremendously for having lost somebody dear to them or people born with a disease or a handicap will answer with a resounding no. There are a lot of good people in pain..so the theory that we get what we deserve is not always accurate. But what if we have to pay for the errors others committed? Would that make us think deeper before carrying out something we are not really proud of..fearing that some innocent person will pay..in the future..for our actions of the present?

There is no doubt that opinions are split when it comes to such a subject. However..meditating on these kinds of themes help us understand ourselves better and..hopefully..get us closer to appreciating our fate and destiny.


Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

Love is..

My mind is pretty much wide open to most everyday things.  I try to look at the big picture..or alternatives to any item..topic..situation..reality..fantasy.  Just a way to keep my vision as broad as possible.  I was reading a book..and the last paragraph of the chapter was this.

"There comes a point where you just love someone. Not because they are good, or bad, or anything at all. You just love them. It doesn't mean you will be together forever. It doesn't mean you won't hurt each other. It just means you love them. Sometimes in spite of who they are, and sometimes because of who they are. And you know that they love you, sometimes because of who you are, and sometimes in spite of it."

Interesting stuff.  Could be about a family member..an acquaintance..a friend..a lover..or someone who simply is in your thoughts or dreams?  Whoever..or whatever it is..love is always there for you to give..and that can be a good thing.

Love is a very special thing.  A smile..a tear..a soft summer rain.  It has no beginning..it has no end.  But its always best when its with a friend..

Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

Salt and Peppaa..of a diff'rent flavaa.

Happy Saturday to all HALE'S ANGELS.  Its a beautiful day in the VILLE.  Hope you have a wonderful day doing whatever.  I came across this article..and it caused a simple head shake.  Like what in the hell were they thinking.  You can CLICK THE TITLE to view the article.  Here's a quick bit..

A tiny misprint..but an Australian publisher had to pulp a cookbook after one recipe called for "salt and freshly ground black people" to be added to the dish.

"We're mortified that this has become an issue of any kind, and why anyone would be offended, we don't know," head of publishing Bob Sessions was quoted as saying.

Yeah..right.

Even my non-caucasian friends would have laughed at the "misprint".  Obviously..there were no quality assurance done during the "proofreading".  Regardless of who or what this error falls under..it is of poor taste..no pun intended.  Maybe if we dig deeper into the cookbook..we might have them telling us to sprinkle some "white peeps" instead of salt or crackers. 

So..the next time you pick up the peppaa shakaa..and you hear some voices screaming..or yelling..now you know.  Unbelievable..

Thought it was a good way to laugh at stupidity..as it continues to run wild.



Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

SEX ED..sexting version

If ever there was a "hot button issue"..sexting fits the bill. It has peaked the curiosity..ire and concern of everyone from parents to school administrators to policymakers to law enforcement and understandably..and believe it or not..mobile carriers. As you may know..sexting is generally defined as the act of sending sexually explicit photos via cell phones..or over other electronic devices..including computers.

In and of itself..sexting is eyebrow-raising. Add to the equation a sender or receiver who is under the age of eighteen and suddenly a problem of ever-growing proportions begins to appear. Getting the word out to kids about the possible ramifications of sexting is the key. Child pornography charges..a jail sentence and having to register as a sex offender should deter them from sending a racy photo of themselves or someone else. And..even if these legal repercussions were to disappear..the emotional fallout would remain as would the effects such a decision could have on their future.

The solution..SEXting EDucation.

A new study of teens by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children said that 1 in 5 teens have used the new art of “sexting” in communicating suggestive..nude..or nearly nude photos through cell phone text messages or email.

Sexting by teens is a growing issue for parents.  Most teens who sexted sent the photos to boyfriends or girlfriends..but a startling 11% sent them to complete strangers! Of teens who sexted..80% are under 18.  Nearly all teens..91% are online. 60% have instant messaging..75% have a cell phone..and 72% have profiles on social networking sites like Facebook.

While teens seem to recognize the problems with sexting..they tend to do it anyway. One in four teens know of somebody who has had a problem with sexting..usually the sending of a picture around school. Others have been sexually victimized.  As they say..numbers don't lie.

But..what do you do when companies launch commercials that may be construed as possible sexting?

It's no surprise that some..including Consumer Reports..are concerned about an advertisement for Microsoft's new Kin line of smart phones..targeted at social-network-crazy teens and young adults. At about 40 seconds into the commercial..a guy uses his Kin to snap a photo up his T-shirt and share it with his friends.  The concerns forced Microsoft to pull the ad.  Microsoft said it pulled the commercial after a barrage of complaints. It had appeared prominently on the Kin home page.

Click the TITLE to watch the Microsoft ad.  Do you think this Kin commercial encourages sexting?


Sexting falls under the proverbial phrase..'You can't stop it..you can only hope to contain it.'  Education and communication with the kiddos is very important.  However..we all know..its just not the kids.  THEREFORE..we all should be careful.  No one wants to get their 15 minutes of fame via a website or cell phone.


Give me your thoughts.  Always looking for feedback from my HALE'S ANGELS!

Friday Fumblings..

It's Friday...a beautiful, albeit warm day in the Ville..mid 80s.  Who would be happy to say TGIF??  Its a fun weekend for the Louisville area..as they will be doing Thunder over Louisville tomorrow night.  All is well..until I visit CNN.com and get the latest news.  These items absolutely floored me..got me sick to my stomach..pissed me off..and confirms how stupidity and senselessness run wild around towns..

My first take..and this one angers me the most.

A Michigan man could face life in prison after he allegedly tortured and ultimately killed his girlfriend's 4-year-old son last week for wetting his pants..prosecutors say.  Brandon Joshua-Frederick Hayes..24.."systematically beat" Dominick Calhoun..4.."pummeling [him] with fists and kicking him" on his arms..legs and genitalia..Genesee County prosecutor David Leyton told CNN.

Hayes also apparently burned the boy in the course of the torture. "The knuckles across one hand were charred,"..Argentine Township police chief Dan Allen said.

"I've been doing this a long time, and this is the worst case of child abuse I've ever seen," the police chief said. "In all respects, he was tortured."

Prosecutors arraigned Hayes on Thursday on nine charges..including one count of first-degree premeditated murder..one count of first-degree child abuse and one count of torture..which by itself carries a possible life sentence.

"Little Dominick met his boogeyman, and that was defendant Hayes," Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell said at a news conference Thursday.

Hayes' motivation for his savage multiday attack on the boy was that the child "had wet his pants," Leyton said. "It had happened before."

Dominick's mother..Corrine Baker..was present for at least some of the beating and tried to shield the boy from Hayes' aggression..authorities said.

"She tried to lay on top of the child to guard the child against being beat any further, but she was beat in the process," according to the police chief.

The sequence of events that led to the discovery of the abuse began when Baker's sister and several acquaintances came to the apartment to buy drugs from Hayes..according to Allen. After seeing Dominick's condition..the sister alerted the boy's paternal grandfather..who in turn contacted authorities.

When emergency responders entered the apartment on the afternoon of April 11, Dominick was "barely alive." EMS transferred him to Hurley Hospital in Flint, where he was pronounced brain dead.  The boy was taken off life support the following morning.

Dominick's mother's whereabouts and actions through all portions of the torture session remain somewhat hazy. The county prosecutor said his office is "still investigating her involvement in all this."

"She's also culpable for putting him in the dangerous position in the first place," he added.

Credit:  CNN.com

Without wearing myself out..this is one of the most disgusting things I've read about in a while.  This SICK PRICK better get his.  Actually..he'll probably get life in prison without the possibility of parole.  Truth is..Brandon Joshua-Frederick Hayes is a DEAD MAN WALKING.  Its no secret that even the hardened criminals who reside in prison have a soft heart for children.  It will be a matter of time before Brandon Joshua-Frederick Hayes meets his GRIM REAPER in the big house.  Brandon..its going to be a painful..slow torturing process..on your way to your final destination..HELL.

Proof that stupidity continues to run wild..

Police say a Phillie’s fan vomited on an 11-year-old girl on purpose!  Matthew Clemmens..21..was arrested on Wednesday during the Phillies/Nationals game after he allegedly stuck his finger down his throat and projectile vomited on the girl and her father. His friend was ejected from the stadium earlier for unruly behavior.

WTF?!?!?!?!?  What's funny..the father is a police officer..off-duty at the time. 

This one..I don't know all the details..don't care to know all the details.  Philly fans are the most obnoxious..absured people ever.  They cheer when their own QB gets hurt..because they think they are playing bad.  They cheer when opposing players get carted off the field into an ambulance.  They are cut-throat..and ignorant.  OK..not all of them.  But its safe to say..more than 50% of them.  But in the case of Matthew Clemmens..he just sky rocketed to the top of the stupidity food chain. 

More news about Ben Roethlisberger ..and its not good.  Documents coming out basically confirm the public opinion of him as some type of SICK PRICK.

The Georgia police officer who took the first report from the woman who accused Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of sexual assault has resigned.  Sgt. Jerry Blash resigned Wednesday..a day before the Georgia Bureau of Investigation made public all documents related to its investigation of a 20-year-old woman's claim that Roethlisberger sexually assaulted her in a nightclub.  Blash is the only officer who interviewed the quarterback. He acknowledged in an interview with investigators that he made some derogatory comments about the accuser to other officers..and that some in Roethlisberger's party may have overheard him.

Photos surfaced online a week later of Roethlisberger smiling alongside Blash at the Milledgeville nightclub where the alleged assault took place. The photos were taken hours before the allegation was made.

The accuser..a college student..said she tried to get away from Roethlisberger while in the bar and told him.."No, this is not OK," according to the police documents released Thursday.

In a statement to police on March 5..the woman said Roethlisberger encouraged her and her friends to take numerous shots of alcohol. Then one of his bodyguards escorted her into a hallway at the nightclub..sat her on a stool and left. She said Roethlisberger walked down the hallway and exposed himself.

"I told him it wasn't OK, no, we don't need to do this and I proceeded to get up and try to leave," she said. "I went to the first door I saw, which happened to be a bathroom."

According to her statement..Roethlisberger then followed her and shut the door.

"I still said no, this is not OK, and he then had sex with me," she wrote. "He said it was OK. He then left without saying anything."

Credit: ESPN.com

Granted..Benny did not get officially charged..but its pretty damn clear..he is guilty in the eyes of public.  The NFL and Pittsburgh Steelers are going to eventually suspend and fine him.  Good for saving the NFL and team's face.  What about the victim here?  Look for her to file a civil suit soon.  It will be the second similiar one in a year for HORNY BEN.  SICK PRICK!!!!

Geez..my Friday started out well..and look where I land.  I'm through venting for now.  I'll get back to you later.


Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

Materialism..the inner monster!

I've always tried to cognizant of those who have low self-esteem.  The last thing I would ever want to do is make people feel inferior..somehow to me..especially if one is already down.  My personality has always allowed me to interact with everyone.  I like being known as being friendly.  I'm a big fan of karma.  However..getting back to low self-esteem.  There is so much out there that helps promote it..and oppose those who are already feeling low.  The sh!t on cable..the reality sh!t on MTV that show off their "gorgeous..albeit dysfunctional" people.  Nonetheless..the young feel like they're competing with those people..trying to measure up to them.  TV and beauty magazines promote low self-esteem..period.  With that said..I wanted to find out more on low self-esteem..and what really triggers it..and what it triggers.  Found some interesting info on how low self-esteem and materialism kinda go hand-in-hand..

Researchers have found that low self-esteem and materialism are not just a correlation..but also a casual relationship where low self esteem increases materialism..and materialism can also create low self-esteem. The also found that as self esteem increases..materialism decreases. The study primarily focused on how this relationship affects children and adolescents. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and University of Minnesota found that even a simple gesture to raise self-esteem dramatically decreased materialism..which provides a way to cope with insecurity.

"By the time children reach early adolescence, and experience a decline in self-esteem, the stage is set for the use of material possessions as a coping strategy for feelings of low self-worth," they write in the study, which will appear in the Journal of Consumer Research.

The paradox that findings such as these bring up..is that consumerism is good for the economy but bad for the individual. In the short run..it’s good for the economy when young people believe they need to buy an entirely new wardrobe every year. But the hidden cost is much higher than the dollar amount. There are costs in happiness when people believe that their value is non-essential. There are also environmental costs associated with widespread materialism.

In the book “Happiness: Lessons From a New Science”..it exposes a paradox at the heart of our lives. Most of us want more income so we can consume more. Yet as societies become richer..they do not become happier. In fact..the First World has more depression..more alcoholism and more crime than fifty years ago.

Statistically people have more things than they did 50 years ago..but they are actually less happy in several key areas. There is also the considerable cost of what materialism does to the environment. We don’t yet know what final toll that could take in terms of quality of life and overall happiness. What many people don’t understand is that if we want to save the environment then at some level we have to buy and consume less. We don’t need to buy so much bottled water. Studies have shown it’s usually not any purer than city tap water..which doesn’t leave mountains of plastic bottles strewn across the nations landfills. It also wastes energy and resources to make those plastic bottles and the many other unnecessary things that both youth and adults alike believe they need to have in order to enjoy life and feel good about themselves.

Mad Magazine summed it up with the statement..“The only reason a great many American families don't own an elephant is that they have never been offered an elephant for a dollar down and easy weekly payments.”

That funny statement..is only funny because it’s somewhat true. The reason people want whatever is currently “hot” is because they believe it will contribute towards their satisfaction and happiness in life. The word “believe” is the key here. People believe that buying more and more things will make them happy..when in fact research has shown time and time again that this simply isn’t the case. What we do know for sure is that buying more and more unnecessary things is damaging our planet and contributing to global warming.

Sure..one person being less materialistic isn’t going to make a noticeable impact on the environment..but it will make a positive impact in that one life. Once entire nations start to understand the myths about what really makes individuals happy..the world will stand a fighting chance.



Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

Can't argue with Heff..

Wow. Even Playboy mogul Hugh Hefner thinks Tiger Woods and Jesse James are a couple of lying sacks of sh!t..

At his 84th birthday party in Las Vegas, the Playboy founder shared his thoughts with a magazine group on Jesse's cheating on Sandra Bullock with several tattooed strippers.

"When you get married, you make a commitment. I had a lot of girlfriends, but it's not the same as cheating. I don't cheat. I am very open about what I do... Sandra Bullock's husband looks like a real creep. I think that when you are in a relationship, you should be honest. The real immorality of infidelity is the lying."

He also talked about Jesse and Tiger's so-called sex addiction.

"This whole idea that it's a sex addiction is a cop out. Some people become obsessed with sex, but it's not like an alcohol or drug addiction. He [Tiger] did it because he could get away with it."

Do you agree with Hugh Hefner?  I have to confess..if there is someone qualified to talk about 'sex addiction'..or the myths of 'sex addiction'..its The Hef.  This guy have been around 'playmates' all his adult life..and the 'mates know Hef's rules.  I've never heard about Hef admitting or not admitting to being a sex addict.  He basically says his life "is what it is"..the life of a playboy. 

Another question that was asked to Hef..what is something he wanted for his birthday.

“Just more of the same,” he said. “I’m really savoring a real sense of satisfaction. I don’t want to screw it up because it’s working so well, but I’m not going to rule out marriage if she wanted to.”

Am I envious of Hef's lifestyle?  Haleyeah.  Could/Would I do it?  Probably not.  That's a lot of "maintenance" going on in that mansion..and I'm not a handy man.  You know..I think I need to shut up about me..and just carry on with the way my cards have been dealt..before I put the foot in the mouth.

Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

Paranormaa can destroyaa..

People who REALLY know me..know of my obsession with the paranormal.  Hey..Fox Mulder (X-Files character) was and is one of my favorite heroes of all-time.  The paranormal can range from alien life..alien sightings..alien abduction..TO..ghost..spirits..other worldly experiences.  Personally..I would like to experience these things that go bump in the night..so i can BUMP BACK.  Maybe I should be careful what I wish for..but to truly know something..is to experience it first hand.  HOWEVER..if I can't experience first hand..find those who have had the opportunity..

For anyone who wonders about paranormal experiences..all they have to do is ask around. Many people have their own personal experiences. Within my circle of family..friends and acquaintances..we’d be surprised by the first-hand stories we hear. I am not a fan of unverified second-hand stories. But when people tell me their own actual experiences..it gets my attention.  I recently heard such a story from a family friend..the experience she had three years ago. My mother conveyed to her friend that I would love to hear this story..so she called me to share it with me.

She lived in a second floor apartment with her husband. Early one night while she was lying in bed with her husband sleeping next to her..she had not yet gone to sleep..when she noticed something outside the bedroom window. A large disk of light..nearly filling the window..rose up like a giant version of the moon. It became stationary..and she heard a buzzing sound. She became completely paralyzed. Her paralysis was so complete she could not wiggle a finger. She tried to awaken her sleeping husband but she was utterly unable to move. She was terrified. She felt an intense pressure..describing it as if something was inside her head trying to remove a part of her skull. This lasted for a couple of minutes when the disk of light moved away from the window and her paralysis ceased. She was frightened and could not sleep all night.

She then recounted an event that happened the previous day before her nighttime encounter. On occasion her job required her to drive to the bank. Usually it took half an hour. That prior day..after taking care of the banking business..while driving back to the office..she noticed something very strange. The clock in her car was over two hours past the time she left the office. Nearly two hours were missing. She hadn’t gone anywhere else..and had no idea where the time went. When she returned to the office late she didn’t give it much thought afterwards.

After her scary paralysis experience..she investigated what happened to her. Only after reading about other people’s similar experiences did she make the connection between her own missing time and the events that transpired the night afterwards. She was convinced aliens visited her. Missing time..paralysis..the disk of light, the feeling of having something implanted or removed are all common elements of the phenomena.

What should we think of her experience? Sleep paralysis combined with a waking hallucination would be a natural explanation. Sleep paralysis is said to replicate some of the alien abduction sensations. During REM sleep (rapid eye movement)..the body is in paralysis. Otherwise the body would fling around during REM sleep repeating the behavior in the dream. When someone awakes from REM sleep..the body might continue this paralysis for a short time while conscious..which would be very disconcerting. Vivid hallucinations often accompany waking from REM sleep.

However..she said she hadn’t gone to sleep yet and was wide-awake. Plus we have the baffling missing time. IF it was not sleep paralysis..was it a paranormal event? Actual aliens? We don’t know. I can see why extraterrestrial intervention seems like the logical explanation for these phenomena. We assume aliens would have almost magical abilities with their technology. Perhaps a bit too magical.

Extraterrestrials seem to be invisible at will. They can enter houses with closed windows and touch an individual while their spouse sleeps undisturbed in the same bed. Can aliens move in and out of time and space? Sounds more like the behavior of spirits to me. Some say that alien abductions are really out-of-body spirit abductions. A clue is the buzzing sound and paralysis..which are the beginning stages of astral travel. Out-of-body episodes would explain the missing time as well. Was the disk of light a portal to where astral entities dwell?

She was lucky to have this experience. She had a chance..however frightening..to experience something otherworldly. If it was only (still rare) sleep paralysis..such an experience could be a learning experience in the origins of a lot of mythology. If it was a real encounter with aliens or spirits..better yet..THAT would really be a learning experience!

IF you've encountered any type of "other-worldly" experience..please share with me.  I really dig this stuff.  Hey..the TRUTH IS OUT THERE..we just need to be pointed in the right direction.  Maybe our pointers come from something that we're not used to experiencing everyday..


Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

Fool me once Ben..shame on you. Fool me twice..

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger became the subject of a police investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct for the second time in a year. The alleged victim was hospitalized following the incident..which occurred in the restroom of a college bar in Georgia.

When an athlete is accused of sexual assault there’s usually no shortage of voices expressing doubt about the allegations. This case..however..is different. Now that Roethlisberger is at the center of his second sexual abuse scandal in nine months..commentators have been forced to revise their typical skeptical responses. As it turns out..the classic approach of discrediting or blaming the victim doesn’t play as well the second time around..instead of maligning the quarterback’s 20-year-old accuser..many in the media have simply ignored her.

Take an article in The Atlantic by Hampton Stevens..who echoes fellow Atlantic writer Ta-Nehisi Coates’ sentiments by calling Roethlisberger immature:

"To keep partying like a frat boy when you’ve got much bigger responsibilities would have been irresponsible…. Ben clearly is."

I’m not one to rush to the defense of fraternity members..but equating alleged sexual abuse that sent a woman to the hospital with “partying like a frat boy”? Stevens goes on to say:

"Ben isn’t the only one Ben’s actions affect… The Steelers have invested millions of dollars in his future. So have the corporations whose products he happily endorses. More importantly, the nation’s army of Steelers fans have invested their time, money, hopes, dreams, and love."

Stevens doesn’t include the alleged victim on the list of “entities” affected. Bleacher Report columnist Todd Kaufmann even more willfully disregards of her:

"If you’re Ben Roethlisberger, how do you put yourself in a situation where this kind of thing might happen to you again?Whether he assaulted the girl is irrelevant in my thinking at this point. What matters is why he put himself in this situation…again."

Yes Ben..why did you put yourself in that situation? How could you leave yourself so vulnerable? Going to a bar..you were asking to be accused of sexual assault!

Kaufmann also asserts that whether or not the allegations are true is irrelevant. Really?? Consider if Roethlisberger had been accused of child molestation for the second time. Would a columnist have said.. “Hey..it doesn’t matter if he really did it..the real question is..‘What was he doing hanging around children..again? Has he learned nothing?’”

No..of course not..because that would be asinine.

These columnists’ responses to Roethlisberger’s newest scandal betray that they don’t take these kind of allegations seriously..even the second time they are made. Rather than dealing with the quarterback’s alleged sexual misconduct..they criticize him for partying..as if that’s what the police investigation will be about. They do not denounce the alleged sexual assaults..because they try not to acknowledge them. And since they can’t as easily get away with vilifying the second accuser..they dismiss her entirely.  I wonder how many allegations have to be made before the media changes its tune.

Big Ben was a guest at at UK basketball game this past season.  If he's at another game..I will simply turn off the game.  Generally..where there is smoke..there is fire.  My advice to my Hale's Angels..hide your daughters.  My opinion of Big Ben???  He's a piece of shit!


Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

The Taboo Life of Swinging and Polyamory..HEAVY STUFF.

One thing I haven't blogged about is SEX.  This blog is about some of the taboos of sex.  If I offend anyone..my apologies.  Just thinking out loud here.  This blog may be the heaviest..deepest yet.  Enter at your own risk..

While reading posts on a message board about nonmonogamy..I came upon a thread debating the difference between polyamory and swinging. One poster defined swinging as being only about the sex and polyamory as being more centered on the love aspect. I considered what category I might fall into..and I came to the conclusion that I don't fit neatly into either one of them..but rather somewhere in the middle.

Nonmonogamy is a blanket term covering several different types of interpersonal relationships in which some or all participants have multiple marital..sexual..and/or romantic partners. This can be contrasted with its opposite.monogamy..and yet may arise from the same psychology. The term has been criticized as it implies that monogamy is the norm and that any other way of relating is somehow a deviation of that norm.

Swinging..sometimes referred to as the swinging lifestyle..is a non-monogamous subculture..treated much like any other social activity..that can be experienced as a couple.  The phenomenon of swinging..or at least its wider discussion and practice..may be seen as part of the sexual revolution of recent decades..which occurred after the upsurge in sexual activity made possible by the prevalence of safer sex practices during the same period. Swinging was once called wife swapping in the past..but this term has been criticized as androcentric and inaccurately describing the full range of sexual activities in which swingers currently may take part in today's society. It reflects the origins of swinging of actually swapping wives.  Many times they belong to swing clubs and often their outside couplings involve group sex. At such planned gatherings for "playcouples"..there tend to be rather strict guidelines on what is permissible in the pursuit of extracurricular pleasure.

Polyamory is the practice..desire..or acceptance of having more than one intimate relationship at a time with the knowledge and consent of everyone involved.  Polyamory..often abbreviated to poly..is sometimes described as consensual..ethical..or responsible non-monogamy. The word is occasionally used more broadly to refer to any sexual or romantic relationships that are not sexually exclusive..though there is disagreement on how broadly it applies..an emphasis on ethics..honesty..and transparency all around is widely regarded as the crucial defining characteristic.  Polyamory differs from polygamy..which refers to multiple marriage..although the word "polygamy" is often used to refer only to polygyny..one man with several wives. Traditional polygamy is usually patriarchical and often claims a religious justification. Polyamory..on the other hand..is a more modern outlook grounded in such concepts as gender equality..self-determination..free choice for all involved..mutual trust..equal respect among partners..the ideal of compersion..and other mostly secular ideals. As of July, 2009 there are estimated to be more than 500,000 polyamorous relationships in the United States.

"Organized adultery" kind of takes all the fun out of it for most people. Though I appreciate the aspect of honesty in that one is doing this with the full knowledge and approval of their primary mate..I can't quite think of it as a "togetherness activity" to be shared with other couples like bowling.  I have some kinds of experience and/or knowledge..but I find I enjoy it better when I do it one at a time..even if it's one in the morning and another in the afternoon.

Where do I fit into all of this?  I do not believe in "informing the government" of my private personal relationships..so I am what most conservative/conventional folks would call "single"..hence that would make me unwelcome at swingers' events. And I'm sure it wouldn't help me be any more welcome to consider that the term "swinging" itself makes me roll my eyes..I cannot get past the mental picture of monkeys in trees. And though..like swingers..I'm able to neatly separate sex from love..I do not limit love to one partner...but I have other sexual outlets of various emotional types..ranging from rather intense to very casual. Though I'm friends to all of them..the balance tends to fall right in the middle of the sex and love side..which would tend to annoy many polyamorists. However..I am honest with all partners..informing them that I am neither a swinger..nor a polyamorist..I'm a UK fan!. If they are willing to accept that..it proceeds from there..if they are not..no harm done.

Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

Friday Night "Just Saying"..

OK..enough is enough.  Stop calling “The Tea Party” phenomenon a “Movement”. To be a real political movement..you have to move toward some specific legislative goal. The Suffrage Movement gained voting rights for women..the Civil Rights Movement outlawed discrimination against blacks..and the Gay Rights Movement brought us the Winter Olympics.  Just saying..

Regarding GAYS in the military..it’s not going to make the military soft or anything less. They’re still soldiers.  Yea..they’re gay..but we’re not talking Ru Paul..Elton John gay..we’re talking “Brokeback Mountain” gay.  Just saying..

Regarding reform..fundamental reform doesn’t come from bipartisanship. Bipartisanship has become appeasement. Barack Obama won an election based on a set of principles..fight for them.  Just saying..

Next time President Obama addresses America's school children..he has to tell them they're obese and that they should get off drugs..or they'll grow up to be Rush Limbaugh.  Just saying..

And on a closing note..you prevent future torture by prosecuting past acts of torture.





Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

Maybe the DEMs should take the TIGER approach..(PG17)

Its a beautiful Friday here in Louisville, KY.  Temps in the mid to upper 50s..with lots of sunshine.  Spent the day with Mason and Jacqueline..and loved every minute of it.  We had good conversation..watched TV..and really enjoyed each other's company.  Now their off upstairs playing WII..and I'm putting my two-cents in a blog regarding some news info I just view.  Here's my FITTY-CENT on politics today..

Democrats should not listen to the people who are now saying they shouldn't attempt anything else big for a while because health care was such a bruising battle. Wrong..because I learned something watching the lying bullies of the Right lose this one..when they're losing..they squeal like a pig. They kept saying things like..the bill was being "shoved down our throats" or the Democrats were "ramming it through." The bill was so big they couldn't take it all at once!

And I realized listening to this rhetoric that it reminded me of something..Tiger Woods' text messages to his mistress that were recently made public.  He said..and I quote.."I want to treat you rough..throw you around..spank and slap you and make you sore. I want to hold you down and choke you while I f*ck that ass that I own. Then I'm going to tell you to shut the f*ck up while I slap your face and pull your hair for making noise." Unquote.

And this..I believe..perfectly represents the attitude Democrats should now have in their dealings with the Republican Party.."Shut the f*ck up while I slap your face for making noise..now pass a cap-and-trade law..and repeat after me..'Global Warming is fo real!'"

The Democrats need to push the rest of their agenda while their boot is on the neck of the greedy..poisonous old reptile. Who cares if a cap-and-trade bill isn't popular..neither was health care. Your poll numbers may have descended a bit..but so did your testicles.

So don't stop..we need to regulate the banks..we need to overhaul immigration..we need to end corporate welfare including at the Pentagon..we need to bring troops home from everywhere..we need to end the drug war..and we need to put terrorists and other human rights violators on trial in civilian courts..starting with Dick Cheney.

Democrats in America were put on earth to do one thing..drag the ignorant hillbilly half of this country into the next century..which in their case is the 19th..and by passing health care..the Democrats saved their brand. A few months ago..Sarah Palin mockingly asked them.."How's that hopey-changey thing working out for ya?" Great..actually. Thanks for asking. And how's that whole Hooked on Phonics thing working out for you?
 
Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

Wednesday Wrap -- 04/07/2010

Taking some time to recap what I deemed highlights of MY Wednesday.  Here ya go..

Watched my Redsox lose to the Yankees..3-1 in 10 innings.  The Yanks win the season opening series..2-1.  It was a great series for baseball to start the season with.  I feel confident that my Sox will do well this season.  However, I truly believe..the Yanks are the team to beat in the American league.  One knock on this game..and series..the length of these games.  Yesterday's game last over 3.5 hours.  That is crazy for a baseball game.  That kind of timeframe will lose the novice/casual fan.

Saw my Reds lose AGAIN to the St Louis Cardinals..6-2.  Reds have some potential this year..more than they've had for the last 10 plus years.  I look forward to this season with this young talent.  Regarding the National league team to beat..that be the Phillies!

UK athletics made it official that five (5)..yes five players have declared for the NBA Draft..John Wall, Demarcus Cousins, Patrick Patterson, Eric Bledsoe and Daniel Orton.  That's just crazy.  ESPN NBA expert..Chad Ford..projects ALL FIVE to be drafted in the first round.  It would be a first..for a college team..to have that many drafted in the first round..not to mention..4 of the 5 are freshmen.  The education critics are going to have a field day with this..as it does put UK in a negative light regarding the "one and done" player..who is perceived as simply going through the classroom motions just to get to draft day.  Not sure I can argue this point much.  Unfortunately..that's the name of the game these days regarding the NBA and high school all-americans.  Wall, Cousins and Patterson were all potential first round NBA picks if they were allowed to make the jump straight out of high school.  Me personally..I think the rule should be more than one year in college.  How many?  Who knows.  But these kids still need maturing..and time to experience life.  I'm pretty sure there is at least one in this group that is not ready for the NBA daily grind.  Time will tell.  What does this mean for UK?  Simple..RELOAD.  Coach Cal is a master recruiter..and we stand to get a lot of the top players left.  If we pull off what I think we can..we very well may have the top recruiting class for the second year in a row.  Again..time will tell.

The buzz yesterday continued to be about Tiger's return to golf today.  Truth is..the golf world needs him.  I'm not a golfer..so it doesn't faze me either way.  He is great for the name..just not in the game of life.  As I've said in the past..the game of life is his and his family's.  Good luck to Tiger..

Stayed in tune with the mining accident in West Virginia.  Really sad for the families and all involved.  Again, its such a dangerous way of life.  Yet, the families and survivors spoke of those risks and knew of potential consequences.  I just hate that many are having to deal with these consequences. There was one miner who seems to have had a thought about something bad happening.  Joshua Napper died in the West Virginia mine on Monday. On Sunday..he left his mother with letters to his girlfriend and daughter.."If anything happens to me..I'll be looking down from heaven at you all."  WOW!!  God speed to the survivors and families.

I started something yesterday that I had not done since I was under 10 years old..read the Bible.  I got an app for my Blackberry..and now that I'm capable of understanding..and comparing my beliefs with the word..I look forward to revisiting the WORDS. Initially its not to read from a religuous view..but of beliefs and how these words can help me understand and/or challenge those beliefs.  Stay tuned..

On a lighter note..Mohr Keet..96 years old..bungie jumped off a bridge 709 feet high.  Word has it..every time he jumps..he is scared.  But for him..it's all about overcoming fear.  HOLY HELL..709 FEET!!!!  The guy is twice my age..and 100x more fearless.  His jump was submitted to the Guinness Book of World Records.  My kind of jumping is...in the shower...into bed..something along those lines.  Good for him and his heartbeat of life.

Who can tell me what song these lyrics belong too?
"I don't mind you coming here / and wasting all my time / 'cause when you're standing oh so near / I kinda lose my mind / it's not the perfume that you wear / it's not the ribbons in your hair / I don't mind you coming here / and wasting all my time"



Happy Thursday to the Hale's Angels!

Butler Bulldogs Coach on Dave Letterman..

I pride myself in being a college basketball fan first..then a UK basketball fan.  Meaning..I can be objective about my Cats..yet cheer along the way.  Butler basketball has been a familar name for me..however, I must admit that I was not familar with any of the players or even their coaches name.  That all changed onced I watched their first game in the NCAA tourney this year.  I have to admit..I was one of the millions who immediately feel in love with this team..due to their heart, spirit and youthful, talented coach.  Brad Stevens is a major name in the college ranks now.  Its unheard of for a 33 year-old coach to lead their team to a championship game..one shot was making crazy history.  The more I watched them..and listened to Brad during interviews..whats not to like about the program.  I got to watch Coach Stevens on the Dave Letterman show.  What a great person.  Butler is no longer a secret.  They return enough players that should get them ranked in the top 10 for the 2010-11 season.  This is the new "feel good" thing in college hoops. 

Click on the TITLE to watch the interview.

Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

Latest Peeves..

As I filter through my days..I tend to come across things that..depending on my mood..can irked the sh!t out of me.  Here's my latest peeves..

Is it me..or is Mario Lopez on the tube a lot these days?  The boy wonder from Saved By The Bell..the guy is definitely nice on the eyes for the ladies..but come on.  He's on EXTRA..hosting one of those dance shows on MTV..he was a character the last two seasons on NIP/TUCK.  His face is everywhere.  I have nothing against him or his talents..but there has to be a line..even for the ladies..or the not so masculine males.

CSI..all of them.  The overacting skills of David Caruso.  UGGGHHHHH!!

Watching a sporting event..and having the camera pan to the crowd..you'll always find a fan or two..or lots..waving their index finger..proclaiming their team's status as NUMBER ONE.  What if you're a fan of a "not so good team"???  Truth is..not everyone can be number one.  For once..I would like to see someone hold up the right amount of fingers..or a sign that says we're number 19 or 114th in the nation..and be damn proud of it. That would be cool..and the right thing to do.  For example..as a UK basketball fan..I could get away with holding up 8 fingers..since we made the ELITE EIGHT. UL fans..not enough fingers.  Just saying..

If I have to listen to another song that my kids have to play on the radio that says the word "SHAWTY" (or however you spell it) OR..where the singer has to say their name through the song.. "LUDACRIS".  CLICK!!!  There's no hate in the type of song/genre..its every song or genre that has to go to those lengths.  Equal opportunity here..

Definitely don't want to leave politics out of my latest peeve.  Right says WHITE..Left says BLACK.  This CAT is officially changing to INDEPENDENT.

Who can tell me what song these lyrics belong too?
 "Cause when the roof caved in and the truth came out..I just didn't know what to do. But when I become a star..we'll be living so large..I'll do anything for you"



Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

Monday Madness

Greetings to my Hale's Angels.  Hope everyone had a great Easter with your family..friends..whoever.  It was a beautiful and blessed day for me.  I wanted to share some thoughts on all of the happenings of yesterday..Monday.. April 5.  Here I go..

First off..how about that NCAA Mens National Championship Game.  What an exciting game.  Give it up for the Dukies and Coach K for capturing their fourth championship.  Whether you like Duke/Coach K or not..they are the benchmark of men's college basketball.  They run the ship right..with talent..albeit 3-4 year talent..and high graduation.  Talent and brains can go a long way.  I'm a UK fan..therefore I basically never root for Duke..except a few times per year.  I root for them everytime they play North Carolina..just so they can help put some distance with UK and UNC's program wins.  I did root for Duke over WVU in the Elite Eight..but I was pulling for Butler all the way last night.  The refs let them play..and they both fought till the very last shot.  It was a fun game to watch.

Yesterday was technically "Opening Day" for Major League Baseball.  My all-time fav teams are the Boston Redsox and Cincinnati Reds. I'm not a 'johnny come lately' Redsox fan either.  My momma can verify with all my Boston and Cincy stuff while I was a kiddo.  I got to watch my Reds get waxed by the St Louis Cardinals yesterday.  Albert Pujols is absolutely the best player in baseball these days.  However, I really enjoyed watching my Redsox beat those YANKEES Sunday night (Bill Saunders..let the games begin).  You know it's officially spring when baseball throws its first pitch.  Speaking of first pitch..how bout Barry's (President Obama) first pitch at the Washington Nationals game?????  Way high and outside.  Not a baseball guy..but can shoot hoops.

Yesterday..Tiger Woods gave his first real press conference.  He's at Augusta preparing for the Masters tourney and took time to meet with the media.  I'm not going to go in detail about his words..or how he continued to skirt around questions..or how I really don't buy his sincerety..or his excuses..or his bullsh!t  The bottomline..he still has a way to go to get his life back to the good graces of all involved.  I'm still not so sure if playing this year helps his cause with his family.  Who knows?  Its Tiger's life..and I'm rooting for him and his family.

Yesterday..spring football practice continued for all the college schools.  Just to highlight the big two around here..Louisville and Kentucky have shown a lot of new energy at their practices.  I look forward to a fun season from both schools.  One more thing..UK, UL and Western KY all sport first year black coaches for the 2010 season.  Progress in the college game.  That's a good thing..

Yesterday..I read up on how the Vatican is blasting the anti-Catholic "hate" campaign.  Blasting the "haters" who are "hating" ripping them over those "supposed" crimes.  You know..all of the alter boys who were "supposedly" subjected to those "horny" priests.  The Catholic Corporation office at the Vatican continues to look the other way..and hide away the information.  So sad..nuff said.

My heart goes out to the West Virginia town who lost their loved ones in that tragic mining explosion.  Very sad.  I wonder what kind of hazard pay that profession gives.  That's not a knock or wise-crack.  Its a very dangerous way of living.  God bless their families..

Some inspiring words I caught from an AndersonCooper360 show on CNN.."Lets make this a better world.  When push comes to shove..what have we really learn?"

Quick shout out to Kelsey, Claire, Mason and Jacqueline.  Miss you guys.  Can't wait to see you!!

Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

Some Political Babbling..

I'm on my political roll right now.  Just getting around to fully watching the Cheney/Biden battle several Sundays ago..I think in early February.  Here's my take on Cheney..and the democratic view of their battle.

I wish somebody in the Democratic party had that sort of Cheney fortitude..that sort of perseverance to stick by what they think is right. I'm not in a position to questioning Cheney's sincerity..I question his intelligence. I don't think he reads the situation in the world correctly. I think the idea that we use an army to fight terrorism is just wrong. They don't have an army..they have exploding underwear. It's just not a wise decision. But he's also..what I don't admire..is a liar.  Joe Biden had that correct.  For him to go after the Democrats for treating terrorists the exact same way his administration did.  They were all tried in courts in America and all put away. If I was a criminal or a terrorist..whatever you want to call them..I would fear a prosecutor..a seasoned Federal prosecutor in our system.  And the reason why they will never get out of prison..because if there's one thing we can still do in this country..is put people in prison and keep them there.  Unfortunately Obama and other Democrats are backing off that notion.  That's so typical of the Democrats. As soon as somebody screams..one little squeak out of anybody..it's "sorry..you're right..we'll do the opposite".

What the Democrats never understand is that Americans don't really care what position you take. Just stick with one..just be strong. Most are not bright enough to really understand the issues. But like an animal..they can sort of sense strength or weakness. They can smell it on you. So when you back off a situation like that.. you just look weak.

It seems like the Republicans who are always the Jack Bauer "24" tough guys..and macho..should be the ones who want to try this guy in Manhattan. That to me seems like the breast-beating macho position. We're going to try him right where the crime occurred. We're going to stick his nose right in it..as opposed to their argument that he's going to mock us. Mock us..really?  That's cowardly to me to be afraid of it.



Peace out my HALEYUNNS!