Carys Weldon Blog

230 mpg, electric cars, $4500 cash, and health care?

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:08:00 +0000

I'm willing to admit, straight up, that I don't really get some of the "mastermind" thinking going on in this country. Please read, figure it out, and explain it to me?

I read an article that you might find interesting: http://apnews.myway.com//article/20090811/D9A0UEG00.html

It talks about electric cars, the "supposed" wave of the future. Apparently you can drive 230 miles in the GM Volt before you have to charge it, and they say that should take about 10 minutes. At first, I sat back with a "Wow. That would be so cool." But then the ugly little inner id I argue with daily began to poke its ugly little head out with bothersome possibilities.

Really, I need you to explain the good parts to me. Or tell me what your opinion is, good or bad, on the whole enchilada dinner cooking in my brain.

The appetizer was, of course, the cool car with amazing gas mileage. And then I fell into the soup...

It interested me in particular because it got me thinking. If we don't have to buy gas, or at least not as much, what will happen to all our convenience stores? I don't think they'll go out of business. I think they'll put electrical outlets in front of the parking spots, so you can come and charge up there, and shop for ten minutes.

Of course, that brings to mind the Walmart auto center and how two hours of waiting costs me a fortune, even if I just wander around with the intention of window shopping. I always find things I need, or the impulse to buy won't let me walk away from.

Back to the soupy car talk, though...

Alaska and other colder climate areas have electrical outlets like the ones I'm talking about because cars in those places have extra heaters, and literally have a plug-in for hooking up so their cars don't freeze up. So, I can see that some areas won't have a problem with converting to the hybrids/electric cars.

But I think a lot of people will quickly realize that we're switching our gas usage to electric usage. I would think gas stations and recharging stations, even restaurant parking, would have to charge for your electrical charge-up time. I mean, somebody has to pay the electrical bill. And since most of the U.S. doesn't have these electrical outlets already, they will have to be installed, and we all know the initial costs of those being put in will be passed on to us, the consumers.

Imagine the gas station which will then provide electrical charging options. I can't see them paying that extra portion of their power bill to charge up hundreds of customers a day and not getting anything out of it but the profit off the snacks you buy while waiting.

What do you think?

On one hand, not using a fossil fuel sounds good. We don't want to run out of our natural resources. Save the planet and all that. I really am PRO planet, andsaving resources, not trashing the world we live in so our kids and grandkids (and on down the line) will be able to enjoy some of the great vistas and recreations we do when we go to, say, our parks and lakes.

Just thinking about it almost lulls me into a peaceful little cocoon where I can dream of butterflies everywhere, and the sight and fragrance of woods, and flower filled landscapes, and wonderful riverways where canoes float peacefully, and shade trees make the world just seem heavenly.

But then, I always see the rapids up ahead and know I'm gonna get my happy little ship dumped upside down. It's inevitable. I'm not that good at captaining when there's waterfalls or rapids. I'm the girl squealing "Hang on and pray we don't flip out!" That is, of course, right before I run into a rock, or tip the boat to one side avoiding an overhanging branch. Picture: Fat chick going, "Aaaaaggghh! That wasn't a good move!" Right about the time I do the first half of the cool kayak upside down deal.

I might even hit my head on a rock while I'm under there. I'm silly enough to think it's fun after I survive that sort of thing.

Which is actually a metaphor for...can I stand to be turned upside down by this whole car thing, will I be smiling when I come up for air?

But then to figure it out, we have to look at what will be generating the extra power requirements. Will whole grids need upgraded to handle the increase the world/country will require if we all switch to the electric cars? Will we see more blackouts? How will generate this extra power? I thought they were scrambling to provide our current needs.

I guess we could put in some more hydro powered dams, and solar panels and windmills. I dunno where, but thankfully I'm the blissfully blinded and can just drive around in my new electric car with obliviousness to how it's powered. Beyond plugging it in, I mean.

I'm not against the hybrids. I'm just thinking about the whole deal. I like to travel, to drive across country. I stop at a lot of gas stations for gas and bathroom and snacks, but I think the mandatory ten minutes for charging might seem like five minutes too long. Maybe you could stop and do five, and stop every hundred miles and do five minutes. I dunno. I'm sure it would be good for those of us who really should walk a little more.

Some people would obviously charge up at home every time. Most people probably don't drive as far as I do in spurts. So, this won't matter to them. But I'm wondering if it will effectively take care of our gas problems or just transfer them to electrical problems.

And, of course, we're generally talking hybrid cars, so they can use gas and you won't have to stop and charge if you don't want to. You can fill up your gas tank and fall back on that when your power unit needs recharged. I'd say battery but I'm a little confused on the battery pack needed for the electrical car versus the battery a regular car uses. Obviously the battery packs would take up more space. Cargo area? My trunk, where I put my groceries? Or what?

Most of the hybrid cars I see on the road are two seaters that look like nothing more than the front seating area and the motor compartment. Too tiny for my tastes. But then, I'm not a scrawny chick. Maybe little people would love them. I know a ton of people that think the hybrids "are so cute." Me? I'm always looking at head room (claustrophobic), and leg room (leg, hip, and back problems demand I consider the space for my legs to be stretched out, or shifted around--whether I'm a driver or a passenger.)

I guess it doesn't matter. We regular folks will deal with whatever comes. If we can afford one, we'll get one. Maybe two or three. It'll be just like tv. Everybody'll have to buy to be cool...or whatever.

I would like to go on record saying...I don't think SOME people will ever give up their gasoline engines and muscle cars. There will always be classic car enthusiasts. I will always think the 65 mustang, or the Shelby, or the 66 Fairlane, or the 57 Chevy's of the world are truly worth owning.

The thing that makes me rave most, or which fired me up so much more than the thinking I've already tossed out for you, believe it or not, wasn't the gunk I just chatted about. Think about this...

We did the auto industry bailout. What was it? $700...BILLION? We bailed them out and then had a price tag of about the same for the banking bailout, right? (I'll stomp and rant on that another day.)

Okay, GM was supposedly going under, we bail them out, and then I hear they are selling over to Fiat, a non-American company. I'm still dizzy from trying to figure out how they can accept our tax money turned bailout cash and then sellout what it seems our government now has the lien on. If anything, you'd think the government would say, "Okay, we're selling cars now, too, and everybody can get a car at a socialist price, like we're gonna do on the health care."

(Yeah, I'm being facetious. I don't think that's realistic. Government doesn't appear to be good at managing business, in my opinion.)

But okay, we're Americans, we deal. We take it, whatever gets shoved down our throats. (Gag reflex here, and as an erotica writer, I immediately think of being on my knees in front of a man...insisting I'll like it, if I just try it.)

But then I blink, shove that aside, and see this article that says GM has this Volt car that is so amazing, but they aren't releasing it until late NEXT YEAR.

Well, folks, I read that to mean...they are busy reaping not only the happy low interest bailout cash we'll be paying back in increased taxes, (money our government borrowed from China, by the way), but they/GM are going to let the government (read this to mean US taxpayers) give the $4500 cash to QUALIFIED buyers, and sell a ton of cars through that little program, which costs taxpayers in tax levies to come--which is gonna be really crappy for those who don't qualify for the $4500 but qualify to pay higher taxes to cover the giveaways.

Maybe you qualify for the $4500 tax back and bought yourself a new car and are thrilled with the whole program. I dunno. But I'm thinking I wouldn't qualify for it, from what I hear about the deal, so I'm a little bit snippy on the topic.

So maybe I need you to explain to me why this program is great for everybody? All I can see is the bailout money coming out in future raised taxes, and the $4500 per car sold under this other program as another increase in taxes. I mean, the government doesn't have the cash sitting in Fort Knox. They have to raise the money, or pull it from somewhere.

Which brings us back in our circle jerk to the taxpayers on their knees and a whole array of taxes bombarding us, and standing outside the ring of fire is the Chinese government, the largest COMMUNIST regime on the planet. The ones who attacked MONKS not too long ago.

I wonder if this isn't a conspiracy to have us sell more of ourselves out to the enemy. They could take us over without lifting a weapon. As it is, Chinese folks are buying a lot of American property.

I'm just saying we need to pay attention to what's going on. We need to think through it, not just believe the first newscast we hear on a topic. Not just believe the folks that say, "Oh, this is gonna be so good for all of us. Trust us. Let us do what we want and you'll see."

Because, invariably, we can't see the forest for the trees, until the woods are on fire and the smoke is choking us, and burning our eyes so bad all we can do is run, and then stop, drop and roll until we're in a fetal position.

Is this too melodramatic? What do you think? Do you see it differently? If so, explain it to me (nicely please).

Until we chat again,
Carys

Korea's cloned drug sniffing dogs

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:35:00 +0000

In today's headlines, I saw an article about Korea cloning some drug sniffing dogs. They took a working labrador retriever, cloned it, made a litter of seven pups, and put them into training. One was dropped from the program due to injury. The other six, after 16 months of training, are now working at the job they were literally born to do. The guy in charge of the project was the assistant to the man who got in trouble for falsifying test scores or something back in the Snuppy Afghan Hound clone deal. I bring this news to you this morning because I know you probably couldn't have gone another minute without knowing the most important fact about this whole situation...all six dogs are named Toppy.

I don't know about you, but little things like an animal's name, drive me crazy when I see a story about an animal. A horse is stuck in the river. Locals try desperately for 17 hours to rescue it, but it is swept downstream. What's the horse's name? Who owns this poor horse? How did it get in the river in the first place? The info never surfaced. The horse was finally dragged with ropes and a chopper up the rocky cliff side because, for some crazy reason, it was easier to do that than fly it across the river to the flat side of the bank.

I watched a show recently where a town's elephant in India got caught in a mudbog. The whole town turned out to see if their lucky charm was going to live or die, to cheer it along, many getting into the mud, climbing into the chest high mud and going under the elephant--which is very tricky since the elephant was tired and slipping and falling down a lot--but the brave men of the village fought on...what WAS that elephant's name? I dunno. Something like Moombahtoe.

The real story in both the horse and elephant stories were the heroes that risked their lives to save one animal. As a horse lover, I was certainly stricken over the equine story. Somebody HAD to save it. The upshot of that tale was the owner was charged with neglect. It over-rode the story of the heroes who worked so hard to save the animal. As much as I wanted the horse saved, I was actually ill at the end of it. More because I realized the value those locals had put on the horse. I mean, entire search and rescue and firemen teams were on the job to save it, costing the taxpayers a ton of overtime money... and I wondered... are people at risk because this who team of rescuers are out playing hero at the river? I was afraid to go and read the town's fire marshall report to see if there were any fires that day.

The elephant? My mother has a huge elephant collection. (The non-eating types.) So, I've learned something you probably already knew... elephant statues with their trunks up are symbols of good luck. You can imagine what a real elephant, tired enough to give up, could do to a whole town of believers that their luck was completely tied to the health and safety of this animal in the mud.

You'd think, if their entire town's luck depended on the creature's safety and health that someone would've been watching it better in the first place so it couldn't get in the mud bog. Therefore, thinking... it's their own fault, could have given some folks a bit of pleasure at watching the dummies who let their god-bles-sed being to stroll without supervision when it had such a ditch close by.

Anyhow, I had to give kudo's to the scrawny little men in their village who literally took their lives at risk to carry ropes under the elephant and mud, so they could try to pull it out. And more to the itty bitty man who cimbed on the thing's back, despite the slipperyness and the all-over threat of being rolled over on. I hope you're getting the full image. The mud was so slippery and deep, a person could easily go under, get sucked deeper, and never come out again. We're not talking two inches of it.

Interesting enough, the heroes that were interviewed after the elephant was saved said they took comfort, when they held their breath and went under the mud and elephant, because they could feel the elephant, cold as she was. They took strength from her presence, and her trust that they would save her. I thought it was simple and sweet, their trust between the creature and the men working to get her to safety. The simplicity of the women and children watching pensively on the side banks, praising the men and elephant, and praying...

You just don't see a village come together like that very often. It was a little like The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, after he'd done his dirty deed and it looked like all was lost, and they pulled together to sing and dance anyway. And then, voila!, Christmas returned.

I felt like I had been slipping and crawling through the mud by the time they got that packaderm onto dryer ground. Ditto with the horse in the freezing river.

But, as much an animal lover as I am, I've begun to question the way we people do things. As you know, I have a 3-4 lb yorkie named Pixie. We also have Mojo back, who is the 4 lb yorkie we bought for our third daughter on her 16th birthday instead of a car. They don't like each other much. I believe that'll change after they get a little you know what. But...these silly little dogs are like kids to me.

I have them on my lap or at my feet pretty much 24/7. The only time I get a break from them is when I have to go to the dr. or something and leave them home alone. And sometimes I send them over to my OTHER daughter's house, so they can hang with Pixie's half brother, Tonka. He's about the same size, too. We are ridiculous pet owners. Pixie has a hot pink and black polka dot dress with rhinestones on it. They all have sweaters and hoodies, matching harnesses and leashes.

I've rushed Mojo to the vet at 10 pm because he jumped off the couch and acted like he'd broken his back leg. As it turns out, it is a normal knee cap displacement thing yorkies sometimes have, and it was back in place in seconds, but because I was still worried, I had to have him checked out. Only cost me $125 for the vet to try not to laugh in my face and suggest I buy him some stairs to get up and down from the couch and bed. My husband, who paid the bill, frowned the whole time.

As much as he loves the dog, he comes from the old school farm where you shoot a dog in the head if he outlives his usefulness, breaks a leg, goes blind...or anything like that. But he's a tender heart, and the bottom line is... he was okay with me running Mojo to the vet if he really needed something. But when it turned out to be a knee issue... well, let's just say he wasn't happy about the cash cost of finding out the news, and I got a lecture on taking a moment to breathe before committing to an hour round trip drive and couple hundred bucks. You know, weigh the cost of a replacement dog versus what this COULD cost us at the vet.

But...if it was a kid, you wouldn't hesitate to get it to the doctor, I say in my defense, cuddling my baby, turned away from DADDY or grandpa or whatever I want to call him at the moment (Maybe Mr. Meany.)

So, what do you think? Shouldn't pet owners be sensible? But shouldn't they be willing to do the vet thing if needed?

Do you think the horse owner should've been charged with neglect?

And here I am thinking about the waste of expense to save the one mustang, worrying about how much it cost the town. I worry about the people who may have been endangered because the rescue teams were at the river.

The elephant? I fully understand. Primitive India town, folks living in huts, no electricity, and it was their god-creature. The luck of the tribe was in the balance as far as they were concerned.

And here I circle back to the original thing that got me started. Cloned critters. How long before people like me have the option of having our favorite pets cloned? Not long if you live in the right country.

I wonder, would you rather have a natural descendent of your favorite pet, or a clone of it? Oh, and by the way, the cloned labradors are all named Toppy. Guess the Koreans have a sense of humor. At first, I thought they were lazy. Just come up with one name, make it easy on themselves because the dogs are identical. But then I decided...no, they're just funny people.

But people pushing the limits on every civilized level. We should keep an eye on them. I say, the best way to do it is probably go to eat at Korean restaurants regularly. We may find a conspiracy.

More on conspiracies later. ;)

Deeply penetrating objects...

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 02:14:00 +0000

If you follow this blog, you probably already know my topics have ranged a lot. I guess I'm what you'd call a real scatter brain.

I write erotica, science fiction, romance...you name it. So, putting that all together is just fun for me.

While perusing a science site, I came across this quote BY A PHYSICIST which, of course, makes it so much more credible than when, say, any regular man says the same thing. And I quote “We know from the entry physics that the largest and most energetic objects penetrate deepest,” said David Morrison, an astronomer with NASA’s Ames Research Center.

I actually found it on a site talking about the Tanguska, Siberia Lake Cheko. There was something on tv that said the earth gets hit like a punching bag every day. Basketball sized objects hit every single day. Volkswagon sized debris every six months. And Tanguska size every 1000-1500 years.

Tanguska sounded familiar, but all I could remember was something about trees laying flat in odd patterns. As it turns out, some scientists have found something with their sonar equipment. The thing is 10 meters (33 ft) down, seems to be about 30 feet in diameter and 1700 tons in weight. So, of course, some folks are conjecturing the possibility of it being a spacecraft. Wouldn't that be cool to find? Or scary...? What do you think, more cool or more scary?

The whole story can be found at this ridiculously long link: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://blackfalconsoftware.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/tunguskacrater.jpg&imgrefurl=http://tech-notes.info/2007/06/30/rr-crater-may-resolve-1908-tunguska-mystery-my-take-the-aliens-did-it/&usg=__j0deVVNkElX-CzDGMH7VDEBQM_g=&h=416&w=649&sz=60&hl=en&start=9&um=1&tbnid=HmuKy3ayzlEtQM:&tbnh=88&tbnw=137&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtanguska%2Bmeteor%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4GGLL_enUS331US332%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

Talk about crap! (NOT POLITICAL)

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:19:00 +0000

Ick. I read something I'm still wrinkling my nose over. You know, the kind of story that is very short but may never go away. You can be traumatized by reading it here: http://apnews.myway.com//article/20090716/D99FODF80.html

You don't have to go because I like to go over the fine points, give you the highlights.

I'm actually trying not to laugh, now that I'm over the shock of it. I swear, I couldn't get over to this blog fast enough. Can't have you missing something that's stricken me. My brain is going, "Ick. Ick. Ick. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Ooh, that's nasty."

It's just...the world simply astounds me.

Like the story a few days ago, it'll sound like I'm telling a joke, but here goes:

A guy named Sodoma... (I know, the name alone would give a kid a bad attitude. I'd have that changed in a court of law. Did you know most surnames originate from an ancestor's profession or crime? I'm getting pictures in my mind. I swear, I can't help it.

On with the story--
So this guy named Sodoma
crapped on the sidewalk... (That's right, the SIDEWALK. The sidewalk on the town square. While there aren't a ton of details to this story, they clarified that he didn't bring the feces from, say, a bathroom, or get it out of a bag he'd brought from scooping after a dog. Oh no, this man made this particular mess fresh on the spot.)

I know, I'm damned wordy and really drag out the dumbest things. I AM working on my pacing.

So, Sodoma scoops up his fresh, uh, delivery
then smeared it on a door

The door of the community coalition.

Sheriff says it's a couple of misdemeanors. Sodoma will get charged somewhere between $65 and $650. (And we used to complain about the bathroom stalls that required a dime or a quarter.)

Sheriff arrested the guy because it was basically against their town's basic morals.

Kinda makes you wonder why the community coalition made him mad about in the first place, doesn't it?

I always wondered what kind of people wiped crap on walls. You know, when you go into a public bathroom and sit down and just get started and look around and...holy shit, crappy stuff on the wall. So disgusting!

Turns my stomach. Ditto with people flippin' boogers ANYWHERE or wiping those on the wall. Is it that hard to get some tissue paper for the job?

What is it with people? How do we stop this stuff that's just plain nasty!

I mean, everybody has things in their nose from time to time that has to come out. But a tissue in a closed stall in the bathroom is a nice way to handle it. Or a tissue PERIOD.

Statistics say one of the most common things to do while stopped at a stoplight is pick your nose. After I watched the Family Feud episode that gave me that little tidbit, I couldn't help but notice...and it is too true.

Don't get me wrong...we all have our own little personal issues, things that offend others. Everybody has to deal with body fluids. Or solids. Or whatever. We all have times when our nose runs so much, we can't keep up with it. Or maybe that's just me and my allergies.

You know, when I was first asked to write erotica, I was told one of the big differences between it and mainstream romances is that erotica doesn't necessarily leave out the body fluids. It wasn't until then that I realized how clean most books USED to be in that department. But since I've been checking, I've noticed a lot more liquids in those mainstreams. Or is it just me?

I have another question for you... Why do people come in the front door and fart? Why don't they push it out before they come into closed quarters? And why do people laugh about farts?

Explain it to me. I dare ya.
And honestly, wouldn't you change your name if it were Sodoma?

Recipes wanted!

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:12:00 +0000

I'm excited about a deal I just made with a publisher. I've been toying with opening submissions for a cookbook where all the recipes are put in poetic form. It is open to anyone with a good recipe and a poetic soul. It doesn't matter if you've written poetry before either.

I created a yahoo group where I could post the calls for submissions. See if you can find it by putting in cookbook contributors wanted or editorJD. Let me know if the page works or not. And read the guidelines and tell me what you think. Everybody's got a recipe, right? Here's your chance to have a cookbook with your own recipe and name in it. Check it out!

In-vitro twins at age 66?

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:12:00 +0000

Okay, I have a new one for you. Have you ever heard of hormone therapy rejuvenation of a uterus after 18 years of menopause?

This will sound like a joke...
So, a 66 year old woman goes into a sperm bank...
Turns out the fertility doctor gave her three weeks of hormone treatment, rejuvenated her and implanted a couple of fertilized eggs from a younger woman. And voila! Lady has twins, gets in the news for being the oldest woman on record. Lied about her age. Apparently, there is no set age for when women cannot be impregnated at the doctor's office, although some won't do it after 50 and others after 55, which is the age this gal said she was.

You can read the whole story here: http://apnews.myway.com//article/20090715/D99F0AMO1.html

I just have to wonder...WHY? I would be afraid I wouldn't be able to raise them, that I'd die and leave them orphans. (Which is what happened, according to the article.)

The uncle sold exclusive story rights so as to provide for the twins, two boys.

While I have five kids, and love them dearly, I'm happy to be at the "Kids are all out of school" place in life. It's like a relief to get them all to 18 and beyond without them being pregnant or whatever. Although, I don't judge the girls that end up having babies. I see it as a very common place thing these days.

And I see more women, like Sandra Bullock (love her!) 40 and fine without giving birth. She's got step kids now, and she's an animal lover. Those are sometimes easier to deal with than pregnancy, labor and delivery.

I say "Power to your own path," usually.

But in-vitro at age 66, that just sounds like insanity to me. As much as I love kids, I would've said it would be smarter to adopt a child or two already on the planet. Or foster care. Sometimes people THINK they want another kid, do the foster thing and realize that it was their dream, or that they really don't wanna mess with kids all over again. I'm just astounded, I guess, that there are TWO women who've in-vitro'd at age of 66. The other is mentioned in the article, in case you're curious to want to read more about her, too.

Would you do that?
My pregnancies and deliveries were all pretty easy as those things go. My longest labor was only 7 1/2 hours long, the others, in case you're curious, are: 5 1/2 hrs, 2 hrs 17 minutes, 3 hrs, and 3 hrs. (On the dot pretty much--and I'm not exaggerating here.)

Anybody wanna talk about their pregnancies or deliveries...or the sex that got them there? By all means, post away! I've probably confessed this already, but my fourth daughter...I know I conceived her with a condom in my hand...not where it needs to be for prevention. AND my husband had bragged at work that he was going home to get me pregnant. So, he was very persuasive, no--insistent, that night which really boils down to making it all a pleasure for me. Of course, he obviously sealed his own deal or the girl would've been left an angel in heaven. But no, she got a quick joy ride to planet hell.

In other news, I may have to have a surgery on my lower back AFTER a surgery on my neck. Ain't that great? Do me a favor, and pray for some miracles to come my way, would ya? Thanks!

Cyber attacks on U.S. (contest!) Win a $10 gift certificate!

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:03:00 +0000

This posting holds details for a contest to win a $10 gift certificate.

But first, the nitty gritty of today's headlines. How many times do I need to say "Heads up, friends. Let's hope Obama's" chats are making some real progress for US.

It appears a little like...while the cat's away, the mouse has come out to play. Or attack. Not that the president is the actual gatekeeper on U.S. computers.

Have you seen this? http://apnews.myway.com//article/20090708/D99A8SB80.html
It's an article detailing the high number of cyber attacks and cracks made to U.S. security over our Independence Holiday.

Like I've said before, I don't want to be a doomsayer. I want to be an ostrich with my head in the sand, but for some reason, I can't look away. I can't close my eyes.

And I can't be secure in my own little happy corner of the Ozarks when I know the likes of communists on the other side of the world have somehow infiltrated the sanctuary of the U.S.--and I do believe my country is the safest sort of sanctuary from terrorists because we fight the fight on the other side of the world.

What disturbs me most is the trend for terrorists to come over into OUR playground.

Honestly, this isn't really a surprise. Is it?

Clear back when I was young, and Disney put out that movie WAR GAMES, I think the seed was planted. Or maybe before that in a Star Trek or Twilight Zone episode, it was precursed. If so, can you point us to the episode(s)? (Contest opportunity #1: email me with your answers. I'll do a drawing from those who participate.)

In that movie Hackers with Angelina Jolie, we saw a warning.

Before 9/11, we had so many "Look what we can do!'s" And then, when our perimeter bases had been stepped down (thanks Clinton), we were vulnerable enough to take a hit, a really big hit that rumbled the streets around the world.

I don't really want to get into a political bashing here. I just can't help but point out some of the obvious reasons we have taken hits in the last ten years. I know a lot of people want to blame things on GW Bush but the writing went on the wall during the Clinton administration. We were totally set up. Clinton fully expected it, too. That's one of his reasons for bringing in the U.N. peace keeping troops. I know I've said this before, but think, people. Who are these troops meant to control?

With things like the lockdown in China, and N. Korea's little froggy nukey finger itching to play in the big kid's game, we MUST send up prayers or meditation or whatever you personally do. I don't want people to get all crazy in paranoia. After all, what can you do?

Well, you can stay cool, calm and collected, and get your affairs in order. (No. Just kidding. Keep your affairs in chaos.)

I truly believe that there is a higher power that listens when people come together for a common cause and ask for help that can make a difference. So, pray for Obama, and all our politicians, that they will be clear headed and have the best interests for our citizens, and the whole world, upper most in their mind as they make choices in governing our nation.

Stop complaining about the war and start praising the efforts for peace. And do something to commend a hero. Look around, there are soldiers coming home every day. There are welcoming committees forming to welcome them as they arrive at local airports. Find one in your area. Throw some cookies or something, maybe a card of appreciation or balloons in for the soldier and his family. It's a little thing to do considering our troops are putting theirselves on the literal chopping block during daily active duty...and all so we can go shopping at the mall today, and buy groceries without ration stamps.

I say, Thank God God blesses America. As we feed the world and bring peace to its corners, we will be blessed. I'm grateful to have so much. Not that I have a lot. But I like the choice to go to church when I want. I like knowing that, for the most part, if my kids are in school or college, they're generally pretty safe.

Contest opportunity #2: Post anything you do/have done to show support for our troops. If you donated something that was sent, cool. If you collect items and make sure they get sent, sweet. If you write soldiers, someone you know or for "any soldier", awesome. If you can find a place where e-cards can be sent, let us know. Or, if you found a story about someone sending something to the troops that really was worth talking about, give us the link. Participators will get their name in a HEROES drawing.

Crazy Chinese?

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:41:00 +0000

I'm a big fan of chinese food. Love General Tso's Chicken (as mild as you can make it), and Mongolian Beef, and Sez Schuan, rice...

For a brief few moments, I considered giving it all up.

I know, that's insane.

I have actually considered boycotting all of China's products, and then I realized that my local Chinese place is run by American citizens, so I got over boycotting that pretty easy.

Many a time, I've heard about the Chinese putting lead paint on kiddy toys, or melamine in some food product. Pretty friggin' inhumane, the people who do that sort of thing. They should be shot. You know, first in the toe, then in the shin, then the kneecap. You get the idea.

I guess I should say I'm a fan of more than just Chinese food, and angry at more than the lead paint thing. I'm a big cheerer of their cameras and fireworks. Cannot say enough about fortune cookies that bid me good fortune.

Their politics are, as those of us raised during the cold war would say, they are atrocious, something not to trust. For that reason, I probably would have had to turn down free tickets to the Beijing Olympics.

Especially after their attack on the Tibetan months. When you see a country in this modern world shut down ALL internet and cell phones and communications of the masses, you need to sit up and take notice.

I'm sure you're all over informed on this stuff, and I'm a day behind on everything. But have you seen the feeds on the death toll in Xinjiang? For a quick view, go here: (Wait. Don't worry as you scroll down and see blood. The guy pictured survived the riot.)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/07/world/asia/07china.html

All of this reminds me that the country of China IS still communist. I'm not an alarmist, not trying to make people do anything but think, and pray. ALthough, I'd be okay if I riled at least one person to a point of waking them up.

While America likes to go and feed the world and fight the fights of the downtrodden, we have some governments/countries who have very opposite political agendas. It is because of these other countries that we need to fight the fights over on the other side of the world. Much better on their soil than ours, as far as I'm concerned.

Have you had a chance to read PACK TABOO yet? It's in the werewolf series NOW IN PRINT and EBOOK from Mojocastle. It's a story about inter-racial romance, but it touches on politics. I'll try and post an excerpt of it sometime soon, see if I can whet the appetites of those who haven't picked it up.

Anyhow, what do you think of the Chinese uprising and all that control they've got? I can't imagine my government blocking off a whole city, locking it down. Can you?

Size DOES matter

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:50:00 +0000

We hear it all the time. Some of us adamantly tell our husbands and boyfriends, "No, it doesn't matter honey. Not at all."

And, in turn, we let them tell us that the size of our boobs and butts don't matter, and we pretend to believe they like us the way we are. (Not that I'm saying any of us lie!)

Most of us just want to avoid conflict. After all, there are some things we just can't fix. Or (plastic surgery as it is these days) can't afford to fix.

But, in some things, size matters so much that we absolutely cannot fidget on the issue. For example, if a man's thingy (you know, hangy down danglies) can't reach your G, it's important. So, someone invented a length enhancing sleeve for him to put on. I dunno if that sort of thing works. Do you? (Please! Please! Do tell if you know!)

In blogs gone by, I've complained about everything like airline seat size to, um, well everything I can think of. And that, simply, is because size DOES matter. It matters most to me because I'm what some folks would describe big and beautiful. Others would just say big. Whatever.

I stepped into an elevator yesterday at my doctor's office and was shocked to find how big it was. There were ten of us in it, and room for another dozen. You know, if the rest were skinny minnies, midgets, and children.

It was a pleasant surprise. As was getting a meal at a fast food joint that turned out to be more than I could eat. I hate leaving a meal while I'm still hungry. Don't you? I always wonder why sometimes I can eat a lot, and other times I can barely get a few bites in. I've been thinking of trying those FULLBARS. They're supposed to make you feel full. Has anyone tried them? Are they good tasting? Do they work? Somebody give'em a shot and get back to me. K?

So, on the bigger and better game, I think a car should have more head room and more leg room. I like big beds but I don't want it so big I can't find the guy I like to cuddle up next to. I like big blankets, but not so much that I lose my little yorkie and can't find her for ten minutes because she's lost under there. (Usually happens when I really gotta go to the bathroom and don't have time to play Marco Polo with her.)

I like bigger shade trees, and smaller roses, but I love big cabbage roses. I love a big steak but am good with a little salad. I love long movies, unless you're talking WaterWorld with Kevin Costner.

I love big books. If it's good, I'm happy to read and read and read. I also like anthologies with little short stories. Like Cup of Comfort for Cat Lovers (See my story Creepy Cat in there!) and Deadknots (Paranormal Mystery Anthology I did with my friend CJ Winters.) My Journal Jumpstart (by Jennifer DiCamillo) has a bunch of little short true stories from my life with short writing exercises.

My werewolf series has short stories and the tales get longer and longer as the series progresses. I figure the deeper in you get, the more you need. Am I wrong in that?

Is that true about sex?

I am currently working through the new lubricants for enhancing female pleasure to see if any of them work. Have you tried any of them? If so, please report! I'll give a blow by blow (giggle!) after I've finished checking them out. So stay tuned.

I think I've bounced off my original topic again. (What's new with that?) I was actually planning on blogging about the size of pens. Art pens and pencils to be exact. I dunno if any of you fancy yourself artists or not, but I found this pen and pencil blog and came to the conclusion that size DOES matter.

You can check it out here: http://onelonemanspensandpencils.blogspot.com/2009/02/does-size-make-difference.html

The blogger says he respects your right to differ about whether size matters or not as long as you respect his right to be an old geezer.

I thought about the term Pencil Dick and decided I needed to pull these thoughts together. Can you think of other terms for male genitalia that are sorta funny?

For the record, I personally eliminate donkey dick. That's not funny. It's scary. How ya gonna bury that? (With lots of pain?)

And, have you heard the latest term REDONKULOUS? Now, what do you think THAT means?

Update on muscle cramp info

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:31:00 +0000

Oops, I forgot to add this link to an old Amish cure for muscle cramps. (You know I live in the Ozarks where a large population of Amish live, right?)

I've never tried this, but I like the fact that the ingredient list is simple enough I think you could just add the items to your diet and maybe achieve the same thing.

http://www.stopslegcramps.com/

It's vinegar and garlic, etc. things most people would have or be able to pick up at a trip to a regular grocery store. Okay, I'm married to an Italian, so garlic is a regular deal at my house, maybe not yours. But those are cheap enough.

I'm a big fan of apple cider vinegar. Did you know it has about 95 vitamins and minerals in an easy to assimilate form? It's one of the best/most natural ways to get your daily quota of vitamins. I think it is probably why it was used in popular recipes like pickling and cole slaws. People probably felt better after eating those things and never even knew why. Ditto with apples.

Muscle cramp cures!

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:19:00 +0000

I suffer from chronic muscle cramps because I have fibromyalgia among other things, so I'm always looking for whatever my body might be missing that causes the problem. Despite taking muscle relaxers and qualaquin--a version of quinine, I still have this issue, and it seems to be getting worse.

Thus, you see my chronic internet surfing for cures. Today, I came across something that I think you will all be interested in, a website that lists pretty much everything from toe cramps to cramps just in the left leg, versus the right. It narrows down which cramp signals a need for electrolytes (toe cramps), calcium, magnesium, creatin==I found it to be a list I might refer to often.

My husband, for example, suffers toe cramps. I remember the first time he had one--I laughed so hard I cried. Of course, that was before I'd ever experienced the phenomena. Since, I have been wholly repentant of that laughter. I've taken it back a thousand times.

Anyhow, if you've ever suffered a muscle cramp, even something as small as on a toe, you'll appreciate this list.

http://www.acu-cell.com/dis-mus.html

Check it out and tell me what you think.

Hitler's Art

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:02:00 +0000

I know I said I'd probably talk about SoonerCON, the science fiction convention I went to this last weekend but I'm gonna put that off until tomorrow. Sorry for another day's delay.

I turned the tv on this morning--which is always a no-no if I really want to get serious and write, but sometimes I do it before I think. Anyhow, I have a few favorite movie stars, and John Cusack is one of them. I saw a movie he was in titled MAX. He plays an art dealer in 1918 and buys and sells some of Adolf Hitler's artwork.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I suppose I'd filed away the fact that he had aspired to be an artist at one time. But there's a lot of facts rattling around in my brain that I've put "out of mind."

Anyhow, the movie had me intrigued enough to go look at his art. I thought you might like to check it out, too.

There are links in the middle of the page here:
http://www.hitler.org/art/

And you can click on the pics down the left side of the page here to get a closeup view:
http://www.reuters.com/news/pictures/rpSlideshows?articleId=USRTXE0PD#a=1

You can find more if you google Hitler's Art. That also led me to a page that had quotes from Hitler about being a Christian. I guess I hadn't ever thought about his religious affiliations before.

I find it fascinating, though, that so many people count themselves Christian (over the years) and then go out and kill in His name. I don't read anything in the scriptures that suggest to me that He would approve of murder in His name. (But that's how I read it.)

Here lately, though, I've seen a lot of professing Christians whom I'm pretty sure Christ would NOT agree with. Like that long time mentor/preacher of Obama's, Jeremiah Wright. I'm fascinated by the footage of some of his sermons on youtube. In case you haven't seen them, you might want to go here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hPR5jnjtLo&feature=related

Turning the topic a little here, in more than one video sermon, Wright says Obama isn't rich. What do YOU think the definition of rich is? Where is the financial level of income that constitutes wealthy in this country?

Cats (can) spread brain parasites

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:02:00 +0000

I know most of you are cat lovers. Right now, I have a story in Cup of Comfort for Cat Lovers just for folks like you.

I also have a story in The Ultimate Horse Lover's Guide, too, but that's a topic for another day. (Those are under that other name I go by. Newbies may brouse archives or links to find my g-er-rated side.)

Okay, I'll come clean. My story in CoC for Cat Lovers is called CREEPY CAT and in that I boldly admit I'm really a dog and pony girl. But I have loved many, many cats over the years.

All that aside, I was watching Animal Planet--the channel I choose to leave on for my 3 lb yorkie, Pixie, to watch when I leave her alone. Well, that and Disney. I don't leave AP on if they're doing something scary like Animal Control on Parade or something like that. Those dog catchers are scary. But maybe not as scary as some of those pet owners out there. (There's an x-rated topic there, don't you think? They outlaw nudity and sex--and that's wholly natural behavior and state of being, but they put animal cruelty on g-rated channels--does NOT make sense to me.)

Okay, that wasn't what I wanted to talk about today. I like a blog called NOT EXACTLY ROCKET SCIENCE. You can find it here:

http://notexactlyrocketscience.wordpress.com/2007/01/14/brain-parasite-drives-human-culture/

I learned that cats can spread brain parasites. Now, first let me tell you how I got there today. On AP, we were watching a show with true animal facts and they addressed the "Do earwigs really like to go in human ears, or eat human brains?" I guess it was a rumor...which I had not gotten into the loop of.

I assume you didn't know since you didn't keep me up to date. In case you didn't know, we have a reciprocal relationship here. I post. You post. We all post. The more you post, the more I think about giving away gift certificates and other freebie stuff.

Anyhow, nobody told me that crazy folks actually thought those creepy earwigs crawled into ears. So, the show had me on the edge of my sofa seat, cliff hung for two commercial breaks before they finally said, "No. Not true."

Such a relief! I mean, common sense told me it wasn't true. But common sense doesn't really rule the world. (You knew that, right?)

Anyhow, that show got me thinking about what kind of things might want to eat human brains. Okay, THAT might be partially because I spent the weekend at SoonerCON, a science fiction convention in Oklahoma City. Heckuva lot of fun. I'll probably elaborate on that tomorrow. Suffice it to say there was a lot of zombie talk over the last three days.

Girls wearing ZOMBIE panties and showing them off. Wait, that was at SINNERcon, which was the late night activities that go along with SoonerCON. Yeah, you might want to read up on THAT and show up next year.

So, back to the brain eating bug thing... Trichinosis came to mind. You know, the kind of worms that live in meats that are not cooked well enough, and more often than not in pigs, of all the critters out there.

I also thought about MAD COW disease which, we all know, is a brain thing.

So, I typed into a search box on the net, "Parasites in human brains." And there I got pointed directly to NOT EXACTLY ROCKET SCIENCE where I learned about the THING that cats may carry.

Vaguely, somewhere in the back of my mind, I had heard about "Pregnant women should NOT clean cat boxes." And I believe this is a warning all people should know about. Just google for more of the WHY NOTS.

Anyhow, because I am NOT a rocket scientist, and know (no offense here) that some of you aren't either, I thought you'd like to read a blog which assumes we need informed on a few points. And I did, so...yay for the blogger who created the informative piece.

And I'll just creep back out of my blog here, where I generally post nothing of value to the human race and point you to something that might keep your brain from being eaten. Go. Please. We do NOT need more zombies in this world. We have enough braindeads walking around.

(She says as she actually goes to eat a pretty rare piece of steak.) If I sound like I've had something eating my brain, it's probably whatever's in steak that doesn't get fully cooked.

Ah, great. I just realized I have a totally reasonable excuse for being sort of a mad cow.

Great. Just great.
Wait. Is that good to know I have an excuse for my insanity, or not?

Crazy stories, duct taping boyfriend?

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:47:00 +0000

Apparently, a woman in California got her friend to help her duct tape the daughter's boyfriend...

It's a short story, but you can read it here: http://apnews.myway.com//article/20090604/D98JH7T80.html

What was more entertaining than that is the list of strange stories at the bottom of the page. Imagine a company which lists bodies as assets.

Just thought you might be interested in some off the wall reads.

Interesting stats

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:18:00 +0000

I find stats on religion, political votes and polls, and terrorists fascinating SOME DAYS. Today is one of them, I guess, because I spent way too much time surfing sites to read up. So, steel yourself folks. Get ready for the cold, hard facts.

(Giggling) I can't remember where I read that over 90% of stats are made up, but the more I heard people quote me, "Well, such and such percentage of people said this..." I started asking, "Which people? Where did you get this information?"

My husband, for one, is a master of guesstimations. Are you? If so, get a piece of paper. Guess how many people in the world are of which faith. And then sit back, and get ready to test your knowledge. (I hear the bells of final jeopardy playing, don't you?)

Honestly, I only like to make up statistics when someone else has thrown one out that I know is obviously fake. If you said, "Seven million Americans bite their nails a day," I would probably throw back, "But 1.62 million of those are chewing their toenails, and are infants under the age of 11 months. Do those really count in this reckoning of yours?"

(Those stats were completely made up, by the way. I have no idea how many people in America chew their nails a day in the U.S. For that matter, I don't even know how many people are in the US currently.)

Which meant I had to go look that up. Total U.S. population can be found here, and you can also break that down to state by state if you want to.

http://www.google.com/publicdata?ds=uspopulation&met=population&tdim=true&q=what+is+the+population+of+the+USA

I think it started clear back when the game show Family Feud posted percentages on the big game board. Most of the time, those answers were nothing like mine, so I assumed they were asking...oh, I dunno, aborigines in Australia's outback, or pygmies in the rainforest or something. You know, no one that had grown up in the U.S. anywhere near where I did.

But then, as the game wore on, I started thinking more like their polled public answers. So, then I had to wonder if they should say "We polled people in the midwest over the age of twelve. Or under the mean average of 79." Or whatever.

Anyhow, as always, I'm mostly just rambling on when I should get to the crux of what sent me searching today. I braved my email inbox this a.m. and have been sucked into the muck and mire for over 6 hours now. So, if you see signs of me being mentally ill, I'm sure I can blame it on overexposure to an abundance of spam.

Which makes me question how the islanders who were fed SPAM during WW2 and afterward are faring mentally. (Totally irrelevant except for the fact that I saw the most amazing Island dancers in person Monday night. They did the ring dance where the guys contortion their way through hoops smaller than any hula hoop I ever played with as a kid, and they fire danced, and made fire literally crawl the flooring in a mesmerizing way.) Anyhow, that's a whole other story. If you chant over and over again for me to tell you about the nearly naked men in skirts dancing at the church shindig, I can cough up more details, but I really think I've hit the highpoints already.

Back to my original topic, which was statistics...

Since 9/11/2001, we've heard more talk about Muslims than I remember in all the rest of my life put together. Mostly, we Americans are continuously being fed "tolerance and acceptance". Personally, I think it's funny since tolerance and acceptance don't seem to be in the mainstream Muslim thinking.

I saw an article that said Obama called America one of the biggest Muslim countries in the world. He bases that on the estimated 2-3 million Muslims supposedly in our country.

Of course, Obama was raised by a woman who loved Muslims and married two of them. And he was raised on pro-Muslim turf. So, he's got an affinity for Muslims. It's no surprise that he's trying to help Americans accept Muslims.

While I personally find that a little scary, since it reminds me of the pre-9/11 days when we were told to let Muslims settle in our communities and accept them with open hearts and arms. We did, of course, because America lets everyone come in and make themselves at home.

Now, I need to go on record as saying I don't think it's right to terrorize anyone. I'm not posting this discussion to incite riot. I just think I'm tired of keeping my tongue on political issues because I've been told a writer should keep personal opinions on politics to themselves so as not to run off a book sale.

But I'm an American and I believe in freedom of speech. What good is the right if you don't exercise it? Especially if you hold your tongue while everyone else is ranting their view?

I'm a big fan of Edmund Burke, who said "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."

I believe Americans need to wake up, and speak up, especially when it comes to issues involving terrorists, politicians NOT representing you properly, and other issues that are seriously hitting home these days.

So, I've opened up the Muslim can of worms today. Why? To point at Obama and say, "You know he's FOR Muslims, right?" Nah. You'd have to be deaf, dumb and blind not to know that. I assume my readers are on the ball enough to catch simple basics about our new president.

And I know a bunch of you voted for him. Power to you for exercising your right to vote. We all should vote according to our conscience, and stand behind our choices by virtue of pride...if there is any in the choice we made.

I thought you might be interested in a few sites. The first answers the question of how many Muslims are in the world, and in the U.S. in particular. This is important because we need to know what the percentage is, and take that into consideration as special efforts are made to accommodate them.

http://www.islamicweb.com/begin/population.htm

This may be put into better context when you look at the pie chart of ALL religions found on this page: http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html

Here's a website that lists the terrorists who have perpetrated crimes against the U.S. or its citizens:

http://www.nctc.gov/site/profiles/index.html

Now, if you are so sucked into stat fascination and need another site to ponder over, you might want to go here: http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/index.html

Oooh the poor mexicans!

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 22:37:00 +0000

I'm against illegal aliens in this country. I believe we provide plenty of legal ways to be in our country, and those who don't want to do the paperwork can stay out. (I know, it's not politically correct, but I don't care.)

So, I'm surfing the net and what do I come across? An announcement from the Bank of Mexico saying the U.S. recession is hurting migrant Mexican's families. Apparently, the money being sent home to Mexico has decreased 18% since this time last year and the article says our crackdown on illegal immigration is partly to blame and has some mexicans not coming up to the U.S. now.

You can read the whole (short) article here:
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090601/D98HV2FO0.html

Tell me what you think.

World War 3 has started?!?

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:37:00 +0000

I'm sure you've heard about the nuclear test North Korea launched this last week. Have you seen the headlines speaking about it? Announcing it as the official beginning of WW3? I thought, if you haven't, you might be interested in reading a few of the articles.

First, let me point you to a WW3 scenario drawn up long ago: http://www.threeworldwars.com/world-war-3/ww3.htm

Now, here's the headline that got my attention today, the one that says WW3 started this week:
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=99441

Here's an article that says it actually started on 9/11: http://www.conspiracypenpal.com/columns/ww3.htm

Here's some bulletin/community boards/info on what Nostradamus said would start WW3: http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message477091/pg1

Now, I ask you, what do you think? Has WW3 started? Do you know of other articles addressing this topic?

I'm not saying it has or has not, (I'm still meditating on that), but I think we should wake up and see what's going on, and consider the consequences to come from the can of worms spilling out onto the world wide political scene.

Real cacao?

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Fri, 29 May 2009 23:15:00 +0000

Ever try real cacao nibs? Little tiny pieces of dark cocoa bean? I've been intrigued by them ever since I first saw them on ebay. You can buy them by the pound there.

Then, while at a gift shop in Bradleyville, Missouri, ( http://www.getawaygiftshop.com/index.html )I came across this Rain Forest trail mix that included the real chocolate flakes mixed with coconut flakes. I'm not a super coconut fan, but together it was great.

Every time I go into a health food store or gift shop, I look for it. I gave you the link but I'm not seeing it among their products online list. I do know they sell wax melt candles that are out of this world, strong fragrance for the small pittance they ask. They really give the house a nice scent.

So, if you're interested in something like that, you can contact them. Their soaps have a really nice scent, too, and I bought some of the lotion because it was a unique scent and strong.

Now, all that aside, going back to that real cacao that I became addicted to after picking up a small package of the rain forest trail mix at the Bradleyville store, I found something of the same nature at my local health food store and this is a link to their online site:
http://shop.sweetriot.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=182&zenid=89210340c15ee835260e09eefb001d5f

Now, obviously, you're probably not going to be interested in picking up a dozen of these little tins of chocolates, but I thought you might keep your eye out and try it. At my local store, the individual tins run about $3.88.

The big point of going into all this is...I actually think you could lose weight using these really strong bitter sweet candies. I tried the #65.

I think the harsh unsweet center of the real cacao nib, coupled with the outer sweet chocolate layer, makes for a satisfying treat. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that these might be the elusive little thing we are looking for when we have those eating binges, and snack on just about everything. You know, the stuff you take a bite of, and put back in the cabinet, and then move onto the next thing you can find, hoping to solve your cravings? When you can't quite put a finger on what you're craving?

The little pieces are small, like a chocolate covered raisin. Nothing big, nothing to brag about on the size level.

But, I think, when you have those munchies and can't seem to settle your cravings...? If you get some of these, I think you'll find that you don't need to go through every cabinet looking for the thing that'll settle your craving.

If you see it, and try it, come back and let us know what you think. If you've already tried it, or another thing that you think fits the same bill, come back and let us know.

I really can't afford any more of those foraging episodes. It is so much easier to take a little piece, wait a few moments, and realize the cravings have been appeased. I just thought you might also want to try this. You don't have to go for that particular brand. It's just the one I found that I think would do the trick. I'm sure there are plenty of other products of the same nature out there.

Ciao!
~Carys

Pushing a suicide jumper?

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Sun, 24 May 2009 03:06:00 +0000

Did you see the headline about the suicide jumper in China who climbed up onto a bridge, contemplating suicide while police cordoned off the road, blocking traffic for five hours? Apparently a guy got tired of the drama and went up, shook the man's hand, and pushed him. I thought it was funny when I read it. (The guy survived.)

You can read the full story here: http://apnews.myway.com//article/20090523/D98C8RHG0.html

I completely understand someone being suicidal. But it appears more like a plea for help and attention when a man goes to a public bridge and contemplates it for five hours while traffic backs up, giving police ample time to inflate a jumping mat below...and some stranger time to get annoyed enough to go up and push him off the bridge.

And my girls call me a drama queen.

I would never go to a PUBLIC bridge where traffic is thick. But, apparently, that particular bridge is very popular for the suicidal types in the area. The article says 19 people have tried to jump there since APRIL. Nineteen. I had to lean back and say, "Wow."

So, apparently, people in China have as much trouble, or maybe more, with money than we do. The article didn't say if any of the others had accomplished their mission to die. I'm thinking the cops should just keep the mat out there.

The guy who was pushed broke some bones. I bet he'll sue, get the money to pay his bills, and it will be all good for him. He could probably also sue the police for allowing the man to break through the police barricade. Then, if the man who pushed him is broke, he could still get his bills paid. I mean, doesn't their lack of prevention thereby make them accomplices now?

Debt forgiveness?

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Fri, 22 May 2009 22:54:00 +0000

I like to watch the independent CURRENT films they play on satellite channels. Have you ever seen any of those?

There was one just yesterday where people from Africa were interviewed. I'm sure I'm way behind the times on this sort of thing, but apparently Tony Blair did a "debt forgiveness" to people in underpriveleged nations like Ghana.

Wouldn't WE like to get that?

But, you know what? To my shock and irritation, the people on the receiving end of the debt forgiveness were angry over it. I just can't fathom their thinking.

Although I know it is similar to the attitude America gets around the world. We give and give and give, and those who received from us are torn between appreciating it and biting the hand that feeds their nation.

Several times lately I've caught clips on tv about the people living in actual dumps, collecting garbage to sell for any price. Of course, in American living standards, the situation is atrocious and people are donating quite well to help the people in this garbage dump.

But, more to my surprise, they interviewed an old lady who'd lived 35 years in the dump and got a place in brand new public housing. She was not happy there. She complained that people expected her to wear shoes now that she had a nice apartment. Of course, they had provided her with new shoes, too.

Then, the interviewer asked her if she liked having a tv. The lady's lips pursed. Apparently, she had a tv while living in the dump, and electricity to run it.

She was annoyed that they'd taken her ability to work away from her. Now that she didn't live in the dump, she wasn't allowed to scavenge. She had to make do with the free foods and standard of living the government provided.

I just wonder...is it me, or does this seem remarkably ungrateful? My husband is a firm believer that people will walk away from something if they don't want to do it. He thinks that the people living in those dump sites do so because they like the lifestyle. They perceive themselves like modern day treasure hunters, work when they want, can get handouts regularly, and don't have to work regular hours, or pay taxes.

What do you think?

Silly armed robbery...?

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Sun, 17 May 2009 01:25:00 +0000

Okay, well, I know you count on me to find interesting things to talk about, and sometimes I fall short, but I have a new one today.

So, a kid walks into a store and does his best to perpetrate an "armed robbery"...but he doesn't have a weapon under his clothes (Jimmy Cagney style), oh no, this is a modern Einstein.

Get this...he had a banana.
Yep, that's what I said. A banana?

When he ended up detained by being locked in the store until the cops arrived, he ate the banana...thus destroying evidence.

When will modern day criminals get smart enough to realize there are cameras everywhere these days?

You can read the short blurb on that story here:
http://apnews.myway.com//article/20090516/D987HMC00.html

And in MY local news, Friday (yesterday a.m.), I was at a Kum & Go gas station. For those of you who live in more civilized parts of the world, YES, they really are called that. Google if you don't believe me.

Anyhow, I was filling up my gas tank when I heard some commotion. Running out the door of the gas station, the manager--a tall lanky dude--(that's a little crazy)--starts hollering, "Hey! Don't you dare drive off! You owe me!"

The guy in the van who was driving away without paying for his gas had his driver side window down, elbow on the "sill." So, there was no doubt he heard, because I turned to look/watch and he actually leaned out his window, head swiveled backwards toward the guy running after him, yelling. Yes, while he was driving away. So, he compounded the situation by endangering another car or two pulling into the station off the busy street.

Next thing I know, (while I'm still trying to figure out what the heck is going on)--yes, I know, I'm a little slow at having the words sink in. Anyhow, the manager lobs a rock (God knows where he found it. For all I know he had it in his pocket for just this sort of occasion.)

The rock hits a dead center to a window, shatters it. So, now everyone is looking, mouths agape.

The driver hits his brake, leans halfway out the window and screams, "You crazy sonofabitch!"

To which the manager replies, "Yeah. That's right. Why don't you come back here and we'll talk about it."

"Oh, fuck you!" The driver calls, hitting his accelerator hard, swerving to narrowly miss the next car coming in.

The manager then announces to a packed parking lot of onlookers, "I had a feeling! Sometimes you just know somebody's gonna try and drive off like that."

I was still wincing over the possibility of somebody, like a kid, being in the van, and maybe being hurt by something like a fist sized rock coming through the window. So, I went inside, making up the excuse that I needed another water bottle. (in my head, of course, no one else would care if I needed a wb or not.)

The guy is already back behind the counter and rattling on, obviously still on an adrenalin high from his little situation. No one is saying a word. It was funny to me because the rest of those people couldn't have hiked in there to pay any faster.

I had paid outside at the pump. I just wanted to see what he was saying in there because every time the door opened, I could still hear him talking at high, pumped up, volume.

Anyhow, the line gets long fast, people behind me. I get up there to the counter and break the stunned customer silence by asking, "Did you get his license plate number, so you could file a report?"

"Call the police?" He shook his head. "Didn't you hear me say we'd settle this between us? He won't be coming back here any time soon."

I was thinking, "Oh, yeah he will. Guys that'll drive off owing $30 for gas will come back and throw a rock through your window from the street later, or watch to see your car and slip around to damage it when you're working the next time."

I didn't say it. The guy asked us all, "Did you see it? I nailed that window with that rock."

I said, "Yeah. You broke it. I hope there were no kids in there." That gained some murmurs of agreement from the crowd.

And I'm thinking, I wonder, in a court of law, who would be out most? A drive off is stealing, but there are rules on how to report things like that. I'm sure no one in the world would go to that gas station if they knew the manager might lob rocks at their vehicle.

I mean, the average person isn't a thief. (I know, I'm an idealist. I NEED to have faith that people are basically good, and the ax murderers and rapists are few and far between.) BUT sometimes honest people pump gas, climb in their cars and pull away, then realize (V-8 slap to the forehead) and turn around and go pay. Imagine having a moment like that, heading toward the road--and getting a rock through your windshield. The guy in the van wasn't within 100 feet of the exit/roadway. Barely pulling away from the pump when the rock hit.

I know my husband sometimes will pull the car up to the front of the store, in a parking space before going in to pay, if the place is hopping and people are waiting in line. I learned a big lesson. Hold up the pump traffic. Don't take a chance of getting a window knocked out by some psycho $8 an hour gas clerk.

I dunno. Maybe it was HIS station/franchise. Do you think that makes it a validated response?

The guy didn't miss a beat to my comment about kids being in the vehicle. He said, "Well, now, if he had a kid in there that got hit by flying glass--"

I inserted, "Which could blind a kid. Or how about the rock hitting a kid in the head and killing 'em on the spot?"

The guy said, "Well, that guy deserved what he got."

Now, I don't think it's right to drive away from a pump without paying. My brother and one of my daughters have worked at gas stations, and my brother's pay was docked the amount if he didn't insist someone prepay. (Nevada stations all have PREPAY on the pumps.)

Gas stations, to me, are getting scarier and scarier. The one my daughter worked at...the managers/owners of that store were idiots...she's a cute little 5'6" white chick with long blonde hair, and they'd have her work the nightshift ALONE. It was the most robbed store in Springfield, Missouri. When I found that out, (learned both in the same convo), I insisted she quit right then.

Love her, but sometimes she's too confident in herself. Probably because she always had her fat mama and big Italian daddy backing her up. Apparently, she would do things like go out to the parking lot to tell the Mexicans they couldn't fight in her parking lot. (Not a racial slur here. Apparently, they did it regularly there.)

It was the care in Springfield MOST LIKELY to get your car stolen from. One shift, someone stole a car with a baby in a car seat in the back seat. They brought it back two minutes later when they realized it. I guess it's one thing to steal a car, another to get a baby with the deal.

I don't know about you, but I love to read THE DARWIN AWARDS. Talk about your stupid criminals. And the CAUGHT ON TAPE shows are funny when it goes to convenience store thieves. (Grosses me out when it is about cooks gone bad.)

Do you have any stories that are funny or horrifing like these?

Remembering our Moms...

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Sat, 09 May 2009 01:54:00 +0000

This post is for women. Men will probably say, "What up? There's no sex in this post." But then, given the topic, who wants sex and their Mom talked about in the same sentence or blog?

If you decide you don't want to read one of my book length posts, by all means, skip to the last paragraph or so and get the recapped version.

I know my kids go blind and deaf and sing "Lalalala" at the very thought that I'm not a virgin, that I'm not really Mary, Mother of God...although they DO believe they are totally akin to heavenly beings. (Angels? Fallen Angels?) I keep swearing I am, too, but apparently my halo has slipped (when my mouth first opened?)

Anyhow, you know what weekend it is. Come Sunday, whether you are getting along with your Mom or not, whether she is living or not, you will probably be thinking about her...or adamantly trying to put her out of mind.

I'm sure my five kids will be torn between all that. One may be wishing I was dead, who knows?

The idea is sad--now that I'm seeing it from the Mom's viewpoint. If you remember, last year I mentioned that one of my daughters boycotted me for my birthday and Mother's Day, which happen to fall on top of each other. I cried and cried and cried. Have you been on either side of this door? Both sides are cold, aren't they?

The point isn't to whine. It's to say...I have gone years where I didn't talk to my Mom for Mother's Day or her Birthday (both in the same month, too.) I never did it out of meanness, though. I did it because I made myself sick over the idea of listening to her go on about how wonderful my two sisters are. It seems that no matter how good I was at anything, it wasn't ever as good as they were. Am I alone in this sort of thing?

My mother never reads this blog, but I like to publicly apologize--to her, for not being everything she wanted, and better than I am. And to my daughters for maybe being too much like my mom, or worse, being like no other mom in the history of mouthy moms--in any case, someone to avoid for whatever reason. And to my Mother-in-law for not being the best daughter-in-law in the world. God knows I tried. Although, I have to admit, my husband's youngest brother has a wonderful wife who holds her tongue. EVERYONE loves her, even me!

I'm just saying, life as a woman, mother, daughter, wife, daughter-in-law...they're all hard. *Hugs to all of you.*

It's funny how we can love our Mother's but spare them only a few calls a year. Some of us may visit even less. I'm always impressed by those who have wonderful relationships with their mothers, and never admit to strained feelings. I don't know how they do it. Although, I wish my girls could all say that. But then, I voice my opinions when I see them doing things I taught them (for 18 years!) to not do...and that doesn't make me the most popular person in the family. But what do you think, should a Mom stop being a parent and voicing those things just because the kid had another birthday?

I wish I could cut my tongue out, usually, after I leave the situation and go through self-recriminations. But then I go and watch something like WIFE SWAP and see the other end of the spectrum--the moms that don't set any rules.

I want to believe that scripture in the Bible that says (paraphrase) "Train up a kid in the way they should go and they'll not depart from it. Or, they might, but they'll circle back around, given enough time, and kids of their own."

I actually like to flip to the next page and read the scripture that says to beat your kids. Okay, I think it actually says something more about sparing the rod spoiling the child. I swear, I was NOT a child beater. But, I honestly think the urge to do it comes up more as they are adults than when they were younger. Think it's my patience getting old?

I hope that circles back around by the time I get some grandkids.

Back to my original thought...about Moms and remembering them...I was looking at flowers online and got sidetracked by wedding flowers and then went down THAT merry little lane. Remember, I have four daughters, only one is married. I dream A LOT.

Anyhow, that led me to a page with an article about how to honor loved ones who have passed away. (Crossed over, died, whatever you want to call it.)

You can read it here: http://weddings.about.com/b/2009/02/18/acknowledging-a-deceased-parent-at-your-wedding.htm

But BEWARE, you will probably get choked up before you're half way through the suggestions people have shared about how they honored loved ones. That'll come about ten comments after you wonder if some of the dolts bothered to read the previous ones about lighting a candle. Some of the ideas were precious enough to read through the repetitions.

Near the end (in case you get bored and wonder if there's anything new the bottom of the list), some photographer guy suggests photoshopping your dad in...first in regular form, and then if you don't like that idea, just make him look ethereal, like a ghost. I actually thought that was worth smiling over.

Anyhow, if you're missing your Mom, or anyone else this month (thinking ahead to Memorial Day), you might want to incorporate a concept into your home. Obviously, the candle idea always floats.

But, if your Mom's still here, think about calling her. My husband's mother had cancer/surgery/chemo last year and I've been thinking a lot about the fact that it's nice she's still here, and they're talking a lot more, like when he's driving home from work. (Half hour commute.)

So, I guess I just want you to take a few minutes to appreciate your mom for SOMETHING. Call her if you can stand it. Send her flowers last minute if you haven't already, and can afford it. But really, the call is GOOD. Make it cheerful and upbeat, and bring up some funny memory. Keep it short if you have to. And maybe you could send up an extra special prayer in thanks afterward. Thanks you had her around for one more year to hear her voice. Thanks the call is over. Whatever.

Just remember one thing...bringing somebody into this world is never a painless thing. If pregnancy doesn't tear you apart, labor probably will. I mean, really, delivering a bowling ball size head doesn't come easy. And if you were lucky enough to be knocked out for the ordeal, you still had to wake up to the incision. And ALL moms have to deal with crying babies, night feedings, dirty diapers (that alone should get us into heaven!) Although, I have to say, those night duties seem so much more preferable to adult night duty where you wonder/worry about your kids and have no control over where they are, who they're hanging out with, or what they're doing.

So, just...give your Mom a break. Or be nice to someone else's mom. Or strain yourself to think of a nice thing about a mom, a good memory or whatever. And, if you come up short, GOOGLE. ;)

250 ways to kill hiccups?

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 01:16:00 +0000

While looking up some info on prescription medication I'm taking, I came across an interesting site...with things I had never heard before. I thought you might be interested in 250 ways to stop hiccups.

I don't usually mind if someone has them. I mean, I'd rather no one did, but it happens. So, who cares?

The answer is simple: Men like my husband. That's who. I dunno why, but hiccups drive him crazy. I'm hoping this website's information may bring peace to us for years to come.

http://www.musanim.com/mam/hiccup.htm

Go ahead. Check it ouf it hiccups sometimes plague you or your kids or your husband or best friend or whatever.

I hope you're having a great day. *hugs* ~Carys

Crying over a movie, losing weight, and other crap

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:21:00 +0000

This morning, I watched Reign Over Me, the Adam Sandler movie about a man who lost his wife and three daughters on 9/11. Have you seen it?

It's not an action movie, or a romance. And knowing just the little bit I've mentioned about the plotline, I had to wait until I was in the mood to watch it.

It's not a fast paced flick, and I think a lot of people would turn it off. I stuck with it, though, and found it to be a serious tear jerker at the end...in a good way. It was sooo sweet, the way the man missed and loved his family.

I've been having trouble focusing on working/writing. I figure reading or watching a movie is, at the very least, helping me to think about other stories and characters and how things are plotted. Hopefully, I can incorporate some of those things into my future writings.

I moved on from the movie, and multi-tasking with laundry and ebay and other stuff, to watch that damned You Are What You Eat. I don't like that show. The nutritionist annoys the hell out of me. She's rude and insulting to the overweight people she helps. She knows her stuff, though, because they all lose weight. But some of the stuff she suggests they eat just make me ill. Bean curd tea for breakfast? Who the hell wants to eat that? Or, er, drink it?

Does anybody that reads this blog actually consume bean curd puree or soup or tea or whatever for breakfast or any other meal?

The narrator on the show says, "Here's a whopper of a shopper she's about to confront. She's wearing an enormous size..." It gets worse from there. I think he said something next about her "craving for grazing" and "the girl's extra weight is the equivalent of carrying a bridesmaid up the aisle."

The host asks, "Has it come into your head just how big you really are?"

I'm here to say to the entire world...I don't know one overweight person who wouldn't be thin, if they knew how to make it happen. No one wants to be obese.

Of course, I took offense for every overweight person in the world. Talking to fat people like that, or about them, isn't acceptable. Considering more of the world IS overweight, I wonder why we allow that BS. Do you think it's because we're being attacked and so we don't

And the host waltz's into the bridal shop where the girl is trying to find a wedding dress and makes the insult, "You know, you're the widest bride I've ever seen." Then she goes on to say the girl doesn't deserve to have a body.

It just breaks my heart. Why is it okay for people to be rude to the overweight?

I learned something. The host says our poo should NOT smell, and should look like big fat sausage. I figured you would want a second opinion on that, so I went surfing the internet for websites on poo, and found a site that is quite adamant about it being "the original" and that you should not go elsewhere for info on defecation.

If you're remarkably bored, but oddly fascinated enough to go and see this site, you can find it here: http://www.heptune.com/poop.html

It even has a link to the poop photo gallery. I just gotta say, Geez, what is this world coming to?

Worse, if you read down the page, the author adresses the concept of eating poo. Yeah. I'm scarred at the thought.

I followed a few other sites and was annoyed that one author suggested that autistics often eat their feces. There's even a name for eating it. (Yeah. I'm about to throw up just thinking about it.)

So, why talk about it here?

Because...I've had IBS symptoms for nearly 18 years. The one thing I've learned is that an increasing number of people DO have IBS or Crohn's or some other digestive problem.

I've tried all sorts of things to cure myself. I've eaten rice for months, almost exclusively. That helps, believe it or not. And it generally reduces the painful spasms that often accompany bowel issues.

I've also tried a variety of vitamins and digestive enzymes. I tried those after I realized I wasn't losing weight with the rice diet.

The enzymes help the situation, but aren't as good as the rice at keeping things flowing smoothly, regularly.

I've tried everything from fiber pills to fiber in beverages to...well, just about everythiing anyone, including a ton of doctors and pharmacists, have suggested. I still have those "gotta go NOW" moments.

I know, many people will say "too much info!" But, honestly, the longer I suffer with this problem, the more I realize I am not alone, and the majority of people I know have some sort of digestion issues. So, it's a topic to tackle, and revisit whenever we get some news that might help someone.

So, now's your turn. What do you know about this? Can you make any helpful suggestions?

Favorite books and authors and red heads...?

noreply@blogger.com (CarysWeldonblog) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 18:38:00 +0000

I have always been attracted to red headed women on books, and sometimes I really like the dark auburn on a rugged hero. But, I took a beginning to a romantic novel to one of my workshops and they voted the red hair down, hands down. I found it interesting, too, because I also searched out most popular names for years and found Jonathan and Patricia to be in the top ten almost continuously. So, I named these characters to suit the research...although I called the girl Tricia. Anyhow, the other writers didn't like the combo of names and hair color.

I love books set in the highlands, Ireland, Scotland, Old England, Wales, etc. I love tales like William Wallace (Brave Heart). One of my favorite covers of all time was a book called Devil in a Kilt. See it here: http://www.amazon.com/Devil-Kilt-Sue-Ellen-Welfonder/dp/0446610259

It made me a Sue Ellen Welfonder fan. If you're a fan of highlander tales, you might want to check out her whole back list on Amazon. Let me point you to one in particular, Bride of the Beast. If you read the Publisher's Weekly review, it says the lack of period detail will frustrate readers. I didn't find that to be true. I did suffer from a few other things. The hero's name is Marmaduke, and he's scarred terribly. I preferred to put those thoughts out of mind while reading the tale. I was particularly skewered and drawn again and again to a certain passage where he gives the heroine oral favors. I thought the scene remarkable in the way it was worded, and thought you might be intrigued enough to seek out a copy and report your thoughts on it.

What do you love? Any books that you can totally recommend? Also in the back of my memory is a book with a heroine Philippa/Pippa. An Amazon search pulled up a bevy of books that might be pleasing to my reading palate, both with characters named Philippa/Pippa, or written by someone of the same moniker.

Interesting how things happen to pull you into another writer's snare. Don't you think?

What is your preferred description of a hero, and a heroine?