I apologize in advance if this blog is rambling, it's been a long day.
Good news is that I've made it to the main doctor again... bad news is the doc I need to see is booked up for a couple of weeks.
Now I'll get to the point- Senator Chuck Hagel today said that a US draft may be unavoidable if the war in Iraq continues.
I feel that if the war had not been mismanaged in the first place, this wouldn't even have to be considered. If you remember, we went to war on the promise of finding WMD's in Iraq, and NONE were ever found. Later, the reasons became the "War on Terrorism" and "Fighting the Global Axis of Evil." Now don't get me wrong, Saddam Hussein was a nasty guy... but look at the lives (civilian and military) that have been lost for a war that the basis for was fictitious. Wouldn't it have made more sense to send in a Special Forces team to take him out, or even try and negotiate with him? Pres. Bush says that the US doesn't negotiate with terrorists. If you don't negotiate with the people that you fear, you become overwhelmed by the fear itself. The old saying, "Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer," carries real weight. In my experience, it will more often be your friend that stabs you in the back, and not your enemy.
If we continue this pattern of invading and avoiding people that we don't agree with, nothing will be gained and so much will be lost. Last spring, I spent an amazing and eye opening day with kids from military families and several service members that have been in Iraq. The kids don't understand why their family members are sent to a war that they see is pointless. The service members called Iraq, "A disastrous bloodbath."
I ask you, what have we gained with this war other than destroying lives and international relations? Access to one of the world's top oil suppliers so that the oil companies won't have to pay as much?
At what price of lives, American, Iraqi and Afghan, does it become too much? Ten Thousand? A Hundred Thousand? Would we accept the civilian deaths that we are now accepting in these wars if they were happening in the United States?
What world are we leaving our next generation?
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Happy Halloween!
Well, the Calendar has rolled around to my favorite holiday of the year, Halloween. I thought I would share my carved pumpkins with you to get you in the spirit!
First we have the "I tried for an evil pumpkin but it looks goofy instead." Interestingly enough this is the one that is rotting the fastest. (note: the spooky blue light on the right is a laptop, not a ghost)
This pumpkin wouldn't stand up so I had to go with a sideways one. My mother insists this one is her favorite because it's "so adorable!"
Now we have the (Sock) Monkey pumpkin. I carved this one mainly because I love sock monkeys. (I recently got Sock Monkey slippers. They ROCK!) (That and to annoy my sister. she had a bad experience with my sock monkey and his tail)
Now we have the "Lightning Storm" pumpkin. I'm a big weather nut and thought I would try something different this year. This one looks super cool lit up, but I couldn't manage to get a good picture of it. 
First we have the "I tried for an evil pumpkin but it looks goofy instead." Interestingly enough this is the one that is rotting the fastest. (note: the spooky blue light on the right is a laptop, not a ghost)
This pumpkin wouldn't stand up so I had to go with a sideways one. My mother insists this one is her favorite because it's "so adorable!"
Now we have the (Sock) Monkey pumpkin. I carved this one mainly because I love sock monkeys. (I recently got Sock Monkey slippers. They ROCK!) (That and to annoy my sister. she had a bad experience with my sock monkey and his tail)
Now we have the "Lightning Storm" pumpkin. I'm a big weather nut and thought I would try something different this year. This one looks super cool lit up, but I couldn't manage to get a good picture of it. Last but not least, we have the "Cannibal Pumpkin" Note the pumpkin gut brains oozing from the baby pumpkin.
Well, those are the pumpkins. Happy Halloween Everyone!
-Mer
Have a pumpkin picture to share? Leave a comment!
Questions, Comments, or have a story Idea?
E-mail Mer @ purplepineappletown@hotmail.com
Friday, October 19, 2007
The Dirty Jobs 150th Job Extravaganza!
Hey Everyone,Coming up on Tuesday, Oct. 23 from 9-11 pm eastern/pacific time, and 8-10 central time, the Discovery Channel is hosting the Dirty Jobs 150th Extravaganza! If you're a huge fan of Mike Rowe and the whole Dirty Jobs crew, I hope you'll watch and know that your job may not be the worst in the world!
P.S.- Posts will be sporadic until I feel better- I need something to distract myself.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Top Five Nightmare Jobs!
1. Tech Support- This would have to be the worst job I can think of. People calling you every day and complaining, and then getting angry at you for no apparent reason. I mean, no one ever calls Tech Support to say, "Hey, my computer's running fine and your doing a great job!"
2. U.S. Military Soldier in Iraq-
For risking their life on a daily basis, these people get Less than $2000 dollars a month, with lower ranks starting at $1000. Add that to inadequate body armor, and you've got a nightmare job.
3. Recycling Plant Worker- They sift through garbage to pull out any salvagable recyclables. Easily the most nauseating on this list, they sort through everything from rotting meat to hypodermic needles, all for minimum wage.
4. Hazmat Diver- They swim into clouds of waste, inside nuclear reactors and through toxic spills on America’s coasts and inland waterways. When the Environmental Protection Agency identifies pollutants, it contracts with a hazmat team to clean things up. That means using giant vacuums to suck up a polluted lakebed, hoisting leaking barrels to the surface, or diving into the heart of an oil spill or into a sewer to fix a clog.
5. Being Mike Rowe- Host of Dirty Jobs on the Discovery Channel, this guy has done over 150 dirty jobs, from sewer cleaner to Alligator Farmer. He started the series in honor of his father, who was a pig farmer for most of his life, and tries out jobs that make civilized life for the rest of us possible.
Survey: What's the worst job you've ever had? Leave a comment!
-Mer
Questions or Comments, or have a story idea? Contact Mer at purplepineappletown@hotmail.com
2. U.S. Military Soldier in Iraq-
For risking their life on a daily basis, these people get Less than $2000 dollars a month, with lower ranks starting at $1000. Add that to inadequate body armor, and you've got a nightmare job.
3. Recycling Plant Worker- They sift through garbage to pull out any salvagable recyclables. Easily the most nauseating on this list, they sort through everything from rotting meat to hypodermic needles, all for minimum wage.
4. Hazmat Diver- They swim into clouds of waste, inside nuclear reactors and through toxic spills on America’s coasts and inland waterways. When the Environmental Protection Agency identifies pollutants, it contracts with a hazmat team to clean things up. That means using giant vacuums to suck up a polluted lakebed, hoisting leaking barrels to the surface, or diving into the heart of an oil spill or into a sewer to fix a clog.
5. Being Mike Rowe- Host of Dirty Jobs on the Discovery Channel, this guy has done over 150 dirty jobs, from sewer cleaner to Alligator Farmer. He started the series in honor of his father, who was a pig farmer for most of his life, and tries out jobs that make civilized life for the rest of us possible.
Survey: What's the worst job you've ever had? Leave a comment!
-Mer
Questions or Comments, or have a story idea? Contact Mer at purplepineappletown@hotmail.com
Friday, September 21, 2007
Haunt Your Own Yard in Ten Easy Steps!
1. A Fog Machine-
The first step for haunting your yard is a fog machine to create that eerie atmosphere. As a bonus you could find one to go near your candy bowl that's shaped like something creepy, such as a Beating Heart Fogger.
2. Strategically Placed Strobe Lights-
Combining your fog machine with strategically placed strobe lights is a must in order to get that Haunted House feeling for your yard. Place either one large one next to the fog machine or many small ones around your yard, depending on the size of area you want to cover.
3. Spooky Music-
Spooky Music is a must if you’re going to haunt your own house. You can find the spooky sounds CD's pretty much anywhere that they sell Halloween stuff, I even found some at the Dollar Store today. If you have a multiple CD player, I would suggest getting several, so you don't have to loop just one CD over, and over, and over. (Trust me, it gets annoying after the second hour or so)
4. Skeletons-
Skeletons are a staple of haunted houses and decorators alike. Try to look for ones that aren't just plain, like this Evil Pumpkin, or the Hanging Melting Flesh skeleton. Of course, you could always go for the standard Glow Skeleton, but that's not nearly as much fun.
5. Scary Jack-O-Lantern(s)-
Scary Jack-O-Lanterns are an absolute must have. They can get downright eerie when added to a display or just by themselves. To avoid the wind blowing out your candle (and that black burnt spot on your pumpkin from the heat), grab a pack of LED tea light flickering candles. They won't blow out in the wind and look like the real thing. The only downside is they cost about $3 for a pack of two. (We found ours at Hobby Lobby) But if you think about it, that's pretty cheap since you can use them over and over again, and it will run for 24+ hours before you have to replace the button cell battery.
6. Creepy Cobwebs-
A lot of people discount the 99 cent bags of cobwebs with plastic spiders mixed in them. They're cheap, and stretched over a dead tree or bush, look pretty darn creepy in the dark. Downsides are that it takes a long time to stretch it out to make it look like a web, and it's nearly impossible to get all of it off.
7. A Coffin-
Some of the scariest yards I’ve been to are the ones that have a person lying in a coffin that pops out at random moments. You can either build your own- (one person spray painted a refrigerator box and cut a lid out of it) or buy one, which can get expensive depending on the amount of detail you go into. You could also toss out the coffin and simply jump out at people if you have a convenient location.
8. Ghosts-
I don't care if you say this is too cliché, ghosts can scare the pants off of people if they pop out of nowhere and manage to look unearthly. Cheesecloth makes a great fabric for making ghosts, just make sure you cover any support poles you use so it doesn't look too cheesy. (Ha, ha)
9. Random props-
You can use just about anything to spice your yard up, from tombstones to body parts. Some of my favorites I found are: Eyes, Ears, and Fingers Assortment, Skinned left arm and leg, a heart, Peeled-Off Face, and the Bag O' Bones.
10. A Scary Costume-
Hopefully, this is obvious. I hope that no one would be as dimwitted as to spend so much time on their yard they would forget the most important part of a scary set up. Some of the best (if you’re willing to spend the money) I’ve ever seen are the Creature Reacher collection. Or you can always go as a generic zombie, which can scare the living daylights out of people if you do it properly. (Hint: for that lovely undead look, try combining black and white cream paint, and don't forget the blood!)
In case you’re wondering, I don't have the scariest yard on the block. I'm hoping next year to be able to get a costume website to sponsor an amazing one (By letting them put a giant sign in the yard) Chances are slim that it'll happen this year, but if you’re interested, let me know. All the products featured on this page come from http://www.frightcatalog.com/ if anyone is wondering.
-Mer
Questions, Comments, or have a Story Idea? E-Mail Mer- purplepineappletown@hotmail.com
The first step for haunting your yard is a fog machine to create that eerie atmosphere. As a bonus you could find one to go near your candy bowl that's shaped like something creepy, such as a Beating Heart Fogger.
2. Strategically Placed Strobe Lights-
Combining your fog machine with strategically placed strobe lights is a must in order to get that Haunted House feeling for your yard. Place either one large one next to the fog machine or many small ones around your yard, depending on the size of area you want to cover.
3. Spooky Music-
Spooky Music is a must if you’re going to haunt your own house. You can find the spooky sounds CD's pretty much anywhere that they sell Halloween stuff, I even found some at the Dollar Store today. If you have a multiple CD player, I would suggest getting several, so you don't have to loop just one CD over, and over, and over. (Trust me, it gets annoying after the second hour or so)
4. Skeletons-
Skeletons are a staple of haunted houses and decorators alike. Try to look for ones that aren't just plain, like this Evil Pumpkin, or the Hanging Melting Flesh skeleton. Of course, you could always go for the standard Glow Skeleton, but that's not nearly as much fun.
5. Scary Jack-O-Lantern(s)-
Scary Jack-O-Lanterns are an absolute must have. They can get downright eerie when added to a display or just by themselves. To avoid the wind blowing out your candle (and that black burnt spot on your pumpkin from the heat), grab a pack of LED tea light flickering candles. They won't blow out in the wind and look like the real thing. The only downside is they cost about $3 for a pack of two. (We found ours at Hobby Lobby) But if you think about it, that's pretty cheap since you can use them over and over again, and it will run for 24+ hours before you have to replace the button cell battery.
6. Creepy Cobwebs-
A lot of people discount the 99 cent bags of cobwebs with plastic spiders mixed in them. They're cheap, and stretched over a dead tree or bush, look pretty darn creepy in the dark. Downsides are that it takes a long time to stretch it out to make it look like a web, and it's nearly impossible to get all of it off.
7. A Coffin-
Some of the scariest yards I’ve been to are the ones that have a person lying in a coffin that pops out at random moments. You can either build your own- (one person spray painted a refrigerator box and cut a lid out of it) or buy one, which can get expensive depending on the amount of detail you go into. You could also toss out the coffin and simply jump out at people if you have a convenient location.
8. Ghosts-
I don't care if you say this is too cliché, ghosts can scare the pants off of people if they pop out of nowhere and manage to look unearthly. Cheesecloth makes a great fabric for making ghosts, just make sure you cover any support poles you use so it doesn't look too cheesy. (Ha, ha)
9. Random props-
You can use just about anything to spice your yard up, from tombstones to body parts. Some of my favorites I found are: Eyes, Ears, and Fingers Assortment, Skinned left arm and leg, a heart, Peeled-Off Face, and the Bag O' Bones.
10. A Scary Costume-
Hopefully, this is obvious. I hope that no one would be as dimwitted as to spend so much time on their yard they would forget the most important part of a scary set up. Some of the best (if you’re willing to spend the money) I’ve ever seen are the Creature Reacher collection. Or you can always go as a generic zombie, which can scare the living daylights out of people if you do it properly. (Hint: for that lovely undead look, try combining black and white cream paint, and don't forget the blood!)
In case you’re wondering, I don't have the scariest yard on the block. I'm hoping next year to be able to get a costume website to sponsor an amazing one (By letting them put a giant sign in the yard) Chances are slim that it'll happen this year, but if you’re interested, let me know. All the products featured on this page come from http://www.frightcatalog.com/ if anyone is wondering.
-Mer
Questions, Comments, or have a Story Idea? E-Mail Mer- purplepineappletown@hotmail.com
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Peeps Halloween Costume!
I don't know about you guys, but I share a love of Peeps almost as much as -RoG- from I-mockery.com. Well, Today in my browsing, I found the Best Halloween Costumes EVER!
That's right folks, you can be a Marshmallow Peep for Halloween! But not only can YOU be a Peep, so can your children!
Is it me, or does this baby look way too happy? It's creeping me out. And the arms are definetly Photoshopped or digitalized or something.
Source pictures are from- http://www.buycostumes.com/
That's right folks, you can be a Marshmallow Peep for Halloween! But not only can YOU be a Peep, so can your children!
Is it me, or does this baby look way too happy? It's creeping me out. And the arms are definetly Photoshopped or digitalized or something.Source pictures are from- http://www.buycostumes.com/
That's all for now everyone- hope you're having a great day.
-Mer
Questions, Comments, or have a story idea? Contact Mer at purplepineappletown@hotmail.com
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day Everyone!
If you didn't know, today is national Talk Like a Pirate Day. Yaargh! I've composed an "official" sea shanty to honor this fine occasion.
Arrrghhh....
I am a pirate, sailing the seas,
my dastardly ways bring others to their knees
if you come across me, run the other way please,
because I am a pirate sailing the seas.
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum,
yo ho ho and a bottle of rum,
yo ho ho and a bottle of rum,
Won't someone pass the rum?
If you cross me I know lots of ways,
to torture and kill you until the end of your days,
we'll keelhaul ya along our pirate ship,
until you come out, ya drip!
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum,
yo ho ho and a bottle of rum,
yo ho ho and a bottle of rum,
Won't someone pass the rum?
Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day ye scurvy scallywags!
-Mer
Questions or Comments, or have a story idea? E-mail Mer at purplepineappletown@hotmail.com
Arrrghhh....
I am a pirate, sailing the seas,
my dastardly ways bring others to their knees
if you come across me, run the other way please,
because I am a pirate sailing the seas.
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum,
yo ho ho and a bottle of rum,
yo ho ho and a bottle of rum,
Won't someone pass the rum?
If you cross me I know lots of ways,
to torture and kill you until the end of your days,
we'll keelhaul ya along our pirate ship,
until you come out, ya drip!
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum,
yo ho ho and a bottle of rum,
yo ho ho and a bottle of rum,
Won't someone pass the rum?
Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day ye scurvy scallywags!
-Mer
Questions or Comments, or have a story idea? E-mail Mer at purplepineappletown@hotmail.com
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