The 7 foods experts won't eat

by Liz Vaccariello, Editor-in-Chief, PREVENTION, on Tue Nov 24, 2009 11:15am PST

1. Canned Tomatoes

The expert: Fredrick vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A

The problem: The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent characteristic of tomatoes) causes BPA to leach into your food. Studies show that the BPA in most people's body exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. "You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that's a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young," says vom Saal. "I won't go near canned tomatoes."

The solution: Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Bionaturae and Coluccio. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, like Trader Joe's and Pomi.

2. Corn-Fed Beef

The expert: Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyface Farms and author of half a dozen books on sustainable farming

The problem: Cattle evolved to eat grass, not grains. But farmers today feed their animals corn and soybeans, which fatten up the animals faster for slaughter. More money for cattle farmers (and lower prices at the grocery store) means a lot less nutrition for us. A recent comprehensive study conducted by the USDA and researchers from Clemson University found that compared with corn-fed beef, grass-fed beef is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium; lower in inflammatory omega-6s; and lower in saturated fats that have been linked to heart disease. "We need to respect the fact that cows are herbivores, and that does not mean feeding them corn and chicken manure," says Salatin.

The solution: Buy grass-fed beef, which can be found at specialty grocers, farmers' markets, and nationally at Whole Foods. It's usually labeled because it demands a premium, but if you don't see it, ask your butcher.

3. Microwave Popcorn

The expert: Olga Naidenko, PhD, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group,

The problem: Chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in the lining of the bag, are part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans, according to a recent study from UCLA. In animal testing, the chemicals cause liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancer. Studies show that microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize—and migrate into your popcorn. "They stay in your body for years and accumulate there," says Naidenko, which is why researchers worry that levels in humans could approach the amounts causing cancers in laboratory animals. DuPont and other manufacturers have promised to phase out PFOA by 2015 under a voluntary EPA plan, but millions of bags of popcorn will be sold between now and then.

The solution: Pop natural kernels the old-fashioned way: in a skillet. For flavorings, you can add real butter or dried seasonings, such as dillweed, vegetable flakes, or soup mix.

4. Nonorganic Potatoes

The expert: Jeffrey Moyer, chair of the National Organic Standards Board

The problem: Root vegetables absorb herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that wind up in soil. In the case of potatoes—the nation's most popular vegetable—they're treated with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting. After they're dug up, the potatoes are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting. "Try this experiment: Buy a conventional potato in a store, and try to get it to sprout. It won't," says Moyer, who is also farm director of the Rodale Institute (also owned by Rodale Inc., the publisher of Prevention). "I've talked with potato growers who say point-blank they would never eat the potatoes they sell. They have separate plots where they grow potatoes for themselves without all the chemicals."

The solution: Buy organic potatoes. Washing isn't good enough if you're trying to remove chemicals that have been absorbed into the flesh.

5. Farmed Salmon

The expert: David Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany and publisher of a major study in the journal Science on contamination in fish.

The problem: Nature didn't intend for salmon to be crammed into pens and fed soy, poultry litter, and hydrolyzed chicken feathers. As a result, farmed salmon is lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants, including carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame retardants, and pesticides such as dioxin and DDT. According to Carpenter, the most contaminated fish come from Northern Europe, which can be found on American menus. "You can only safely eat one of these salmon dinners every 5 months without increasing your risk of cancer," says Carpenter, whose 2004 fish contamination study got broad media attention. "It's that bad." Preliminary science has also linked DDT to diabetes and obesity, but some nutritionists believe the benefits of omega-3s outweigh the risks. There is also concern about the high level of antibiotics and pesticides used to treat these fish. When you eat farmed salmon, you get dosed with the same drugs and chemicals.

The solution: Switch to wild-caught Alaska salmon. If the package says fresh Atlantic, it's farmed. There are no commercial fisheries left for wild Atlantic salmon.

6. Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones

The expert: Rick North, project director of the Campaign for Safe Food at the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and former CEO of the Oregon division of the American Cancer Society

The problem: Milk producers treat their dairy cattle with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as it is also known) to boost milk production. But rBGH also increases udder infections and even pus in the milk. It also leads to higher levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor in milk. In people, high levels of IGF-1 may contribute to breast, prostate, and colon cancers. "When the government approved rBGH, it was thought that IGF-1 from milk would be broken down in the human digestive tract," says North. As it turns out, the casein in milk protects most of it, according to several independent studies. "There's not 100% proof that this is increasing cancer in humans," admits North. "However, it's banned in most industrialized countries."

The solution: Check labels for rBGH-free, rBST-free, produced without artificial hormones, or organic milk. These phrases indicate rBGH-free products.

7. Conventional Apples

The expert: Mark Kastel, former executive for agribusiness and codirector of the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group that supports organic foods

The problem: If fall fruits held a "most doused in pesticides contest," apples would win. Why? They are individually grafted (descended from a single tree) so that each variety maintains its distinctive flavor. As such, apples don't develop resistance to pests and are sprayed frequently. The industry maintains that these residues are not harmful. But Kastel counters that it's just common sense to minimize exposure by avoiding the most doused produce, like apples. "Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers," he says. And increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides (from all sources) with Parkinson's disease.

The solution: Buy organic apples. If you can't afford organic, be sure to wash and peel them first.

has anyone tried this?

Nasal saline flushes, or irrigation, are very useful in the treatment of respiratory allergies and sinus infections. They cleanse the sinuses and the tissues that line the nasal passages, as well as soothing the mucous membranes and thinning mucus.
Dissolve 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8teaspoon of baking soda in 4 ounces of water. Spray the mixture inside your child's nose with a bulb syringe, or, for an infant, instill several drops into the nose with an eyedropper. If you are using this technique to clear nasal congestion, you can then suck out the mucus with a bulb syringe. If you are using it to soothe and moisten the mucous membranes, do not suction out mucus afterward.

veterans day

I'm thankful to all those who have served and continue to serve and do the things that I'm not willing to do for our freedom and safety. They sacrifice so that I can do the nonsense that I do and I'm eternally grateful for that.

I'm glad the Notre Dame lost to Navy this past weekend because it gives those Navy guys something more to celebrate on this day. There is no way that Navy should ever beat ND, especially in their house and doing it the last 2 times there!!!

But it shows what our Navy is made of. They're undersized, not as athletic, not as fast, but they stick together, never break composure and execute flawlessly. They never back down... That was a hell of a victory for the Naval Academy last Saturday. Watching them play like that against Notre Dame makes me proud to be a citizen...

Forrest Consumer Forum Stats

79% of US consumers are online and 75% of that number have high speed Internet access
18 – 43 year olds spent 20% more time online in 2009 than they did in 2007
62% of US online consumers who purchased a financial product in 2009 researched it on the web first
46% more people belong to social networking sites compared to a year ago
Twitter grew 1,382% year over year, registering 7 million new users in February of 2009 alone
97% of phones in the US have a data plan
36% of smart phone users and 63% of iPhone users access the web every day from their device

We Were Once a Fairytale by Kanye

Parts 1 and 2

I watched this forgetting what the title was and I was thoroughly confused. I saw the title again and I realized that Spike Jonze, guy from Where the Wild Things Are was the director and it made sense. Kanye has a massive ego but you can tell he wants to go back prior to his success. The loss of his mom, his grandmother, his outbursts that have caused all this controversy for him has tainted it all... In my opinion he wants his dreams and hopes back.

50 Ways to Never Waste Food Again Simple idea

Using Up Vegetables

1. Leftover mashed potatoes from dinner? Make them into patty shapes the next morning and cook them in butter for a pretty good "mock hash brown."

2. Don't toss those trimmed ends from onions, carrots, celery, or peppers. Store them in your freezer, and once you have a good amount saved up, add them to a large pot with a few cups of water and make homemade vegetable broth. This is also a great use for cabbage cores and corn cobs.

3. Don't toss broccoli stalks. They can be peeled and sliced, then prepared just like broccoli florets.

4. If you have to dice part of an onion or pepper for a recipe, don't waste the rest of it. Chop it up and store it in the freezer for the next time you need diced onion or peppers.

5. Roasted root vegetable leftovers can be turned into an easy, simple soup the next day. Add the veggies to a blender, along with enough broth or water to thin them enough to blend. Heat and enjoy.

6. If you're preparing squash, don't toss the seeds. Rinse and roast them in the oven, just like you would with pumpkin seeds. The taste is pretty much the same.

7. Celery leaves usually get tossed. There's a lot of good flavor in them; chop them up and add them to meatloaf, soups, or stews.

8. Use up tomatoes before they go bad by drying them in the oven. You can then store them in olive oil in the refrigerator (if you plan on using them within a week) or in the freezer.

9. Canning is always a good option. If you're doing tomatoes, you can use a boiling water bath. If you're canning any other type of veggie, a pressure canner is necessary for food safety.

10. Before it goes bad, blanch it and toss it in the freezer. This works for peas, beans, corn, carrots, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and leafy greens like spinach and kale.

11. Too many zucchini? Make zucchini bread or muffins. If you don't want to eat the bread now, bake it and freeze it, then defrost when you're ready to eat it.

12.Pickle it. Cucumbers are the first veggie most of us think of pickling, but in reality, just about any vegetable can be preserved through pickling.

Ideas for Cutting Down on Fruit Waste

13. Make smoothies with fruit before it goes bad. Berries, bananas, and melons are great candidates for this use-up idea.

14. Jam is really easy to make, and will keep for up to a year if you process the jars in a hot water bath. If you don't do the water processing part, you can keep the jam in the refrigerator for a month, which is a lot longer than the fruits would have lasted.

15. Dry your fruit and store it in the freezer or in airtight containers.

16. Make fruit leather.

17. Make a big fruit salad or "fruit kebabs" for your kids. For some reason, they seem to eat more fruit if it's in these "fancier" forms.

18. Use up the fall bounty of apples by making applesauce or apple butter.

19. Don't throw out those watermelon rinds! Pickled watermelon rind is a pretty tasty treat.

20. Make a fruit crumble out of almost any fruit you have on hand. Assemble and bake it now, or leave it unbaked and store it in the freezer for a quick dessert.

Putting Extra Grains to Good Use

21. Make croutons out of day-old bread.

22. Turn day-old bread into homemade bread crumbs.

23. Freeze leftover bread. This way you'll have day-old on hand whenever you need bread crumbs, or croutons rather than using fresh bread.

24. All of those little broken pieces of pasta in the bottom of the box? Collect them and mix with rice and veggies for a simple side dish.

25. A few tablespoons of leftover oatmeal isn't enough for a meal, but it is great sprinkled on top of yogurt.

26. Add chopped bread to a soup. It will dissolve and thicken the soup.

27. Made too many pancakes for breakfast? Put them in the freezer, then toss in the toaster for a fast, tasty weekday breakfast. Ditto waffles.

28. If you make plain white or brown rice with dinner, use leftovers for breakfast the next morning by adding them to oatmeal. This provides extra fiber and allows you to use up that rice.

29. If you our your kids don't like the bread crusts on your sandwiches, save these bits and pieces in the freezer to turn into bread crumbs later. Just throw the crusts into a food processor or coffee grinder to make them into crumbs. Season as you like.

30. If you have just a smidge of baby cereal left in the box, and it's not enough for a full meal, add it to your babies pureed fruit. It adds bulk and fiber, and keeps baby full longer.

Make the Most of Meat

31. Don't toss those chicken bones after you eat the chicken. Boil them to make chicken stock.

32. Ditto for bones from beef and pork.

33. The fat you trim from beef can be melted down and turned into suet for backyard birds.

34. Turn leftover bits of cooked chicken into chicken salad for sandwiches the next day.

35. Use leftover roast beef or pot roast in an easy vegetable beef soup the next day by adding veggies, water, and the cooking juices from the meat.

Use Dairy Before It Expires

36. If you've got a few chunks of different types of cheese sitting around after a party, make macaroni and cheese.

37. Eggs can be frozen. Break them, mix the yolks and whites together, and pour into an ice cube tray. Two frozen egg cubes is the equivalent of one large egg.

38. You can also freeze milk. Leave enough room in the container for expansion, and defrost in the refrigerator.

39. Use cream cheese in mashed potatoes or white sauces to give them thickness and tang.

40. Put Parmesan cheese into the food processor with day-old bread to make Parmesan bread crumbs. This is excellent as a coating for eggplant slices, pork, or chicken.

Herbs and How to Get the Most Out of Them

41. Chop herbs and add them to ice cube trays with just a little water. Drop whole cubes into the pan when a recipe calls for that type of herb.

42. You can also freeze herbs by placing them in plastic containers. Certain herbs, such as basil, will turn black, but the flavor will still be great.

43. Make pesto with extra basil or parsley.

44. Dry herbs by hanging them by their stems in a cool, dry location. Once they're dry, remove them from the stems and store them in airtight containers.

Don't Waste a Drop

45. Leftover coffee in the carafe? Freeze it in ice cube trays. Use the cubes for iced coffee or to cool down too-hot coffee without diluting it. You can do the same with leftover tea.

46. If there's a splash or two of wine left in the bottle, use it to de-glaze pans to add flavor to whatever you're cooking.

47. If you have pickle juice left in a jar, don't pour it down the drain. Use it to make a fresh batch of refrigerator pickles, or add it to salad dressings (or dirty martinis).

48. You can also freeze broth or stock in ice cube trays, and use a cube or two whenever you make a pan sauce or gravy.

49. If there's just a bit of honey left in the bottom of the jar, add a squeeze or two of lemon juice and swish it around. The lemon juice will loosen up the honey, and you have the perfect addition to a cup of tea.

Finally....

50. If you can't think of any way to use that food in the kitchen, compost it. Everything except for meat and dairy will work in a compost pile, and at least your extra food can be used for something useful. Such as growing more food!

repost from another blog

Decline of Jainism | Some Internal Reasons
-By Mahavir Sanglikar

Much has been written about the reasons behind decline of Jainism and Buddhism. Most of the scholars and writers have given stress on external reasons of decline i.e. the end of the royal patronage, rise of new faiths, conflicts with Shaivites, vaishnavites, veershaivites; and invasions by foreigners etc.

On the other hand, Jains believe that Jainism will decline day by day as it is written in their sacred texts. It will continue to decline until the end of this era. It is the reason of decline and nothing else.

Thus, scholars ignore the internal reasons of decline of Jainism and the both internal and external reasons are ignored by Jains themselves.

Here I would like to discuss on the most important internal reasons of decline.

Jainism lost its true spirit
Yes, Jains failed to keep its distinction. Jains adopted many Hindu faiths and rituals. They adopted many Hindu Goddesses. The most unfortunate thing was adoption of Vedic Varna system. This lead Jains towards development of caste system within their community. The worst thing was that Jains started to differentiate people in the name of castes and classes. Jainism became another version of Vedic Hindu religion. Jainism lost its true spirit. Although the untouchablity was a Vedic invention, orthodox Jains were highly responsible for spreading it.

On the other hand, Hindus adopted many good things from Jains, including Ahimsa, Vegetarianism, Anekantvad, tolerance etc. They also adopted idol worship from Jains.

Thus the masses were unable to distinguish between Jainism and Hinduism. For them, Jainism was just another sect of Hinduism. As a result Jainism lost its different identity.

Rise of Sects
Jainism was divided into two major sects, i.e. Digambars and Shwetambars. Further, they were divided into many sub sects. The monks of each sect and sub-sect started to tell the laymen that only their sect/ sub-sect was true one and other sects/sub-sects were just wrong beliefs. The monks became enemies of other Jain sects/ sub sects. There are some examples in which some influential Jain Acharyas banned other sects and sub-sects in their region with help of the kings.

Thus for Jain monks Jainism became a secondary thing and sectarian views became prominent. While Hinduism was victim of caste system, Jainism became a victim of both the Sects and Castes.

Quitting by Warriors and Brahmins
Jainism was basically the religion of Kshatriyas, the warriors. All the Teerthankars of Jains were from Royal dynasties. Many great Acharyas too were from warrior families.

It is fact that most of the people follow religion of their kings. In ancient and medieval India, for many dynasties, Jainism was their family religion. But we can see that many royal families eventually renounced Jainism and joined other faiths. Most of the times, it happened because of lack of foresight of Jain monks.

As the Royal families quitted Jainism, their subjects also followed them.

On other hand, the Brahmin class was another important pillar of Jainism. The fact is that most of the important Jain literature is written and compiled by Brahmins. They were staunch and true Jains. But they too quitted Jainism.

These two were the most important pillars of Jainism. As these pillars got themselves removed from the structure, the building was broken down.

Negative Contribution of Jain Monks
Unfortunately, many orthodox and foresightless Jain monks also were a major reason for decline of Jainism. While the Jain monks of ancient India initiated millions of people into Jainism, the Jain monks of later period stopped such kind of initiation. The worst thing was that some orthodox Jain monks and bhattaraks started to expel people from Jain community.

Most of the Jain monks always used to say that in fifth era Jainism would decline day by day. This statement was hammered for hundreds of years. The statement worked as a self-suggestion and killed the spirit of enthusiastic monks.

A large number of Jain monks lost respect because of their immoral and corrupt activities. This forced many people to quit Jainism.

Money Orientation
As Warriors and Brahmins quitted Jainism, this religion went under control of Baniya (merchant) people. As they were basically money-oriented people, money became the most important thing in Jain religion. Building more and more temples became a preferential thing. The baniyas started to decorate Jain idols with ornaments. Donating to temples and rituals became the only meaning of religion. Temples became places of auctions for rituals. For these people, knowledge was always on least priority.

As Jainism became the religion of Baniyas, extreme Ahimsa became prominent in Jain community. Joining armed forces, cultivation and all productive occupations were declared as sins. This forced most of the remaining non-baniyas to leave this religion.

In such conditions, there was no question of spreading Jainism in masses. There was no question of joining this religion by knowledge-oriented people.

These are some of the internal reasons of decline of Jainism.

Is there any bright future for Jainism?
I think NO! Any religion prospers only if new people continuously join it. Jains have closed their doors for new comers. Moreover, followers of any religion are ambassadors of it. If the followers of Jainism are giving bad impression on masses, why they should think positive about Jainism?
Posted by Mahavir S. Chavan at 2:59 PM

Part 1 of Tupac's Lost Vibe Interview

kanye's outburst

I'm a huge fan of his music, I can get with his persona and style... A lot of his outbursts I defend just because I like him and I'm able to put myself in his shoes. I'm known for my outbursts as well. So in a sense I'm defending my own behavior. Most of the time Kanye does this type of stuff I think its amusing, however, there something really wrong with the way he stole Taylor's moment. This wasn't the grammy's, and the vote came from popular vote. That doesn't help his cause here. I thought his apology on Jay Leno was decent but he could've been more articulate. It was good that he was spontaneous with it but its like he didn't say ALL the right things. Reference Mike Vick's apology insincere or not that's how it's done.

a forwarded email but mad funny

Random Thoughts of the Day:

I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves me.

Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

I don't understand the purpose of the line, "I don't need to drink to have fun." Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and sticks when they've invented the lighter?

Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.

That's enough, Nickelback.

I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

The letters T and G are very close to each other on a keyboard. This recently became all too apparent to me and consequently I will never be ending a work email with the phrase "Regards" again.

Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.

There is a great need for sarcasm font.

Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the fuck was going on when I first saw it.

I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it.

The other night I hit a new low at an open bar. I had already hopped on highway blackout when, inevitably I had to find a bathroom. Eventually I decided it was probably on the other side of the bar so I tried to walk over there, but ran into a guy coming the other way. We played that, Both go left, Both go right game to no avail, so I finally put out my hand to guide myself past and that's is when I realized, yup, that's a mirror I just tried to walk through. And the guy on the other side is me. Even cats can recognize their own image.

How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.

I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

The only time I look forward to a red light is when I'm trying to finish a text.

A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.

Was learning cursive really necessary?

Lol has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say".

I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying.

My brother's Municipal League baseball team is named the Stepdads. Seeing as none of the guys on the team are actual stepdads, I inquired about the name. He explained, "Cuz we beat you, and you hate us." Classy, bro.

Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".

How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?

I love the sense of camaraderie when a n entire line of cars teams up to prevent a dick from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!

Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in' examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies"

What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?

While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.

MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.

Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

I would like to officially coin the phrase 'catching the swine flu' to be used as a way to make fun of a friend for hooking up with an overweight woman. Example: "Dave caught the swine flu last night."

I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

Bad decisions make good stories

Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do!

Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every year?

If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.

Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem....

You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.

Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.

There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

"Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.

I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?'

While watching the Olympics, I find myself cheering equally for China and USA. No, I am not of Chinese descent, but I am fairly certain that when Chinese athletes don't win, they are executed.

I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Damnit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

When I meet a new girl, I'm terrified of mentioning something she hasn't already told me but that I have learned from some light internet stalking.

I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.

Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles...

As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.

Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.

I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

I think that if, years down the road when I'm trying to have a kid, I find out that I'm sterile, most of my disappointment will stem from the fact that I was not aware of my condition in college.

Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.

Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, hitting the G-spot, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet my ass everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time...

My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the hell do I respond to that?

It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text.

I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.

I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.

The other night I ordered takeout, and when I looked in the bag, saw they had included four sets of plastic silverware. In other words, someone at the restaurant packed my order, took a second to think about it, and then estimated that there must be at least four people eating to require such a large amount of food. Too bad I was eating by myself. There's nothing like being made to feel like a fat bastard before dinner.

i cant wait to do this someday!

http://www.woollypocket.com/howto.php#

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Coffee grounds and filters
Tea bags
Used paper napkins
Pizza boxes, ripped into smaller pieces
Paper bags, either ripped or balled up
The crumbs you sweep off of the counters and floors
Plain cooked pasta
Plain cooked rice
Stale bread
Paper towel rolls
Stale saltine crackers
Stale cereal
Used paper plates (as long as they don't have a waxy coating)
Cellophane bags (be sure it's really Cellophane and not just clear plastic—there's a difference.)
Nut shells (except for walnut shells, which can be toxic to plants)
Old herbs and spices
Stale pretzels
Pizza crusts
Cereal boxes (tear them into smaller pieces first)
Wine corks
Moldy cheese
Melted ice cream
Old jelly, jam, or preserves
Stale beer and wine
Paper egg cartons
Toothpicks
Bamboo skewers
Paper cupcake or muffin cups


From the Bathroom

Used facial tissues
Hair from your hairbrush
Toilet paper rolls
Old loofahs
Nail clippings
Urine
100% Cotton cotton balls
Cotton swabs made from 100% cotton and cardboard (not plastic) sticks


Personal Items

It might be a good idea to bury these items in your pile. Just sayin'.

Cardboard tampon applicators
Latex condoms


From the Laundry Room

Dryer lint
Old/stained cotton clothing—rip or cut it into smaller pieces
Old wool clothing—rip or cut it into smaller pieces


From the Office

Bills and other documents you've shredded
Envelopes (minus the plastic window)
Pencil shavings
Sticky notes
Business cards (as long as they're not glossy)
Receipts


Around the House

Contents of your vacuum cleaner bag or canister
Newspapers (shredded or torn into smaller pieces)
Subscription cards from magazines
Leaves trimmed from houseplants
Dead houseplants and their soil
Flowers from floral arrangements
Natural potpourri
Used matches
Ashes from the fireplace, barbecue grill, or outdoor fire pit


Party and Holiday Supplies

Wrapping paper rolls
Paper table cloths
Crepe paper streamers
Latex balloons
Raffia
Excelsior
Jack o' Lanterns
Those hay bales you used as part of your outdoor fall decor
Natural holiday wreaths
Your Christmas tree. Chop it up with some pruners first (or use a wood chipper, if you have one...)
Evergreen garlands


Pet-Related

Fur from the dog or cat brush
Droppings and bedding from your rabbit/gerbil/hamsters, etc.
Newspaper/droppings from the bottom of the bird cage
Feathers
Alfalfa hay or pellets (usually fed to rabbits)
Rawhide dog chews
Fish food
Dry dog or cat food

Free Tax School in Hawthorne call 310-355-0511

possibly the coolest thing ive ever seen

looked good

for the skeptics out there...

For years there has been debate over the seriousness of global warming. There are many who feel that man-made global warming is hogwash and there is no scientific evidence to support it while others feel that it is a very serious problem that requires immediate attention. Some view Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” as a wake up call to the climate change crisis while others think it’s a political message with doomsday scare tactics. A recent article from the Wall Street Journal Opinion Column discusses the increased number of people who are skeptical on man made climate change including a number of well know international scientists and politicians many of whom openly doubt the science of human-caused global warming. And in a recent Guardian article, the results of a Pew poll of Americans revealed that only 49% of Americans believe the earth is getting warmer because of human activity.

So while top scientists, government officials and average Joes continue to debate this issue, you may be wondering whether or not it’s worth your time and effort to live greener. Here are five reasons to live greener even if you’re not worried about global warming.

1. Living greener can save you money. Making small changes in your every day life to live greener doesn’t have to cost a lot and over time can save you lots of money. Investing in a few reusable water bottles and coffee mugs can save you tons of money you might otherwise spend on individual servings of bottled water and coffee house coffee. Replacing your light bulbs with more energy-efficient ones and turning off lights and electronics when not in use, uses less electricity and saves money on your electric bill. Fixing water leaks in your home and conserving water saves money on your water bill.

2. If you live greener, you’ll probably be healthier. Eating less meats, processed foods and fast food is not only a greener way to live but it will help you to live a healthier life. Riding your bike or walking to your destination, cuts back on your gas usage and provides you with a great opportunity for exercise.

3. By living greener, you can protect marine life and wild animals. When plastic items are not recycled or disposed of properly they pose a risk of entanglement, suffocation, choking or internal damage to marine animals and wildlife who mistake plastic items as food. By recycling as much as possible and disposing of other items correctly you can reduce this risk to animals and marine life.

4. There is a limited amount of space in landfills. In many areas of the U.S. it is estimated that landfills will begin to run out of space in the next 10 – 20 years and in many places there are environmental laws in place which prohibit the building of new landfills. By following the three R’s (reduce, reuse and recycle) you can reduce the amount of trash you contribute to landfills and help increase the usability of current landfills.

5. Living greener doesn’t mean you have to give up living. By making simple changes in your lifestyle you can live greener without much personal sacrifice. Simply by reducing your waste, recycling, not buying unnecessary items and conserving energy & water you can make a huge impact on the environment and still live your life. You’ll also be setting a great example for others who might also start to live greener.

So even if you don’t think global warming is a serious issue, you can still reap huge benefits from living a greener life. And what’s the harm in that?

The Watchmen - not the movie

So at the office today I watched The complete motion comic, The Watchmen. Imagine an actual graphic novel/comic with limited motion added to the original frames. Only thing that sucked is that the narrator did all the voices even the female, BUT it was like nothing I've ever watched before. The Watchmen the movie was such a time warp and universe warp that it was amazing on its own. I was so fascinated with Doctor Manhattan and his godlike abilities. But this motion comic was something else. It had the same eerie story and the movie mimicked as far as plot goes. The movie actually captured some detail that isn't in the novel thanks to special effects. Anyways, I thought it was intriguing because of the alternate universe it takes place in and it also makes you think about humanity in a different way. Check it out sometime!

growing up

Lately, I've been able to get away with some inappropriate behavior for someone in their late 20s. Being reckless and irresponsible was so early 20s, but its nice to know that I still have the ability to just act like a fool. I get this feeling that as I get older I'm supposed to be behave perfectly. I'm sure there's a combination of reasons as to why I feel like I should handle every situation like an expert at this point in life, but regardless, its hard to shake.

We have so much information and at our fingertips that we pretty much know about everything even if we're experiencing it for the first time. I don't even have to go the doctor, I just webmd.com it and see how serious it is. If I'm working for a client and I know nothing about their industry, I just go to lifehacker.com or google it.

today's theme

If it sounds too good to be true, it might be just what you deserve after all the drama. Enjoy the moment.

Don't Stop to Ya Get Enough...

My favorite Jacko song. Not sure if that's the title but I love it. So I might have my opinion on his death and what it means to me. To be honest, this guy died to me like 15 years ago. His music has lived on we all can youtube his videos, his performances, etc... I'm not emotional about this. A little nostalgia given the circumstances. I'm not happy that he died. But his life was tragic from the beginning despite the amount of success and his immense talent.

Lets just look at the facts. His guy may or may not have been a child molester. He was exonerated in one case. There was more than one case that shockingly similar circumstances. Note: he was exonerated after settling out of court with the family for an undisclosed amount of money speculated $20 million. Hmm, that sounds about the right amount when someones life is ruined. I got $17 bucks when in my class-action suit, but I wasn't only inconvenienced, not raped or anything.

Anyways, the guys best years were way behind him. He literally has been melting down for the last 20 years with his face, skin, and public appearances. I don't know, this guy just seemed liked his life was going to see end badly. I'm not going to worship this guy as a hero but I'm sad he past and I respect his talents.

American soccer just made a huge step forward

from another site

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nick and norah

This movie was really good. Maybe great. It has something to do with it based on a novel, another has to do with its producers casting it perfectly. Another part has to do with the how the dialogue was real and same with the soundtrack. It made me want to become one of those indy rocky guys. Btw, their use of the non-stereotypical gay guys was excellent. I want have a gay friend like one of those guys from the Jerkoffs. Ok not have a gay friend but acquire a gay friend. Those little moments in the movie when they connected was how I felt a lot of times. Anyways, after watching a date movie like that Die Hard is still one of the greatest action flicks of all time, a cult classic and full of more one liners. I'm still a hetero, macho, doochie.

organic supplements

I'm trying to make organic supplements and mostly vegan protein supplements one of the major themes of my workout regiment. i can say that i can feel the difference. it feels more holistic, and at the same time i am seeing major results. it might be because i go the gym every chance i get free time but that isn't what i'm trying to say. i want to give the simplest advice to those who are trying to get fit or get in even better shape than their already great or good shape.

if you go to the gym 3 times a week, go 5 or more. make sure u get at least 20 grams of protein in ur body within 30 minutes of ur workout. use natural proteins if you can. in my experience creatine or whey protein can make ur body dependent on that source. build it naturally and ur progress will be there when you are forced to take extended absences out of the gym. make sure you constantly mix up ur workout so ur muscles dont get acclimated. that means have 2 work outs plans for each muscle alternating on days.

watch ur calorie intake and ur calorie use in a day. get a pedometer if you need to my. my rule is on a slow day at least 10k steps. remember 3000+ is one pound of fat. also, the u get out of the food u put in ur body is what u get out of it. so eat organic and eat in moderate amounts.

drink tons of water. if u drink enough water in a day and avoid processed foods and get enough sleep ur body will not need caffeine.

keep this in mind, its all about pushing through barriers. dont feel like ur making progress if ur doing the same amount of cardio each time you go. keep making it challenging in small incremental amounts.

yoga and stretching make a difference. if it wasnt for childs pose and downward dog i wouldnt be able to put that much stress on my core everytime i go.

dont skip abs!!

im sorry for the incomplete and random advice. it seems like theres alot more that im not giving away than i am putting out there. but it really comes down to this. envision what you want to accomplish and your body will start looking better. my goals mainly revolve around my basketball game but one of my goals was to put up 225 on the bench 10 times. i weigh 166/ 5'11". i dont carry extra weight around and have a smaller bone structure so that is a challenge. but because of that goal ive started making other goals in my work out as i noticed my progress very closely.

i feel good, better than ever and it took a few months to start noticing changes. ive been working out for the last 6 years consistently off and on because of work or whatever but now that is built in to my daily routine its hard to keep me away from doing something.

just keeping pushing urself.

life is like video footage, hard to edit... directors... they never understood it - the rza

Mobilizing the Green Revolution | 3rd Whale

Mobilizing the Green Revolution | 3rd Whale

Shared via AddThis

emma deigman - cover

shes really, really good.

tatooes

One thing I've learned throughout the years of study within economics is that declining economy means less frivolous purchases, less name brand products purchased, more drinking, and for some reason more tatooes. Its become a major part of our culture as athletes display them in every sporting event we watch. I'm surprised I didn't see more tatooes during the Olympics. Can you imagine seeing the American pole vaulter with a neck tatoo that reads; 'Above the Line' or something really lame like that?/

Anyways, I'm not a big tatoo guy. I think if you need one or 2 for a really good reason then hey, I'm all for it. If you need a really a good reason google jay mohr tatoo and see why he was inspired to get a special one for a relative.

But nowadays its gotten out of hand. The stuff that people put on their bodies is ugly and if you ask me, a bad idea. I say, look how it turns out on a t-shirt first. And then decide if you need to get that on your arm. I say if you need your name in chinese or some foreign language, just a chain with a pendant and never take it off.

terminator salvation errr terminator episode 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcg5t0mT8V4

They've disabled the embedding feature otherwise I would embed here so you can see how epic the trailer makes the movie look. It makes you want to run out and see it to find out what happens to John Conner and how Skynet is defeated. Well, that isn't really what this movie is about.

There was so many holes in the story. A couple I've debated in great detail with a few friends. My biggest problem is with the predestination paradox. Spoiler Alert if you haven't seen the movie!!

How can Kyle Reese, who is a high school kid basically in Salvation, go back in time to impregnate John Conner's mother to make John. Especially when John Conner will his inspiration to go back in time since at the end of Salvation he becomes the leader of the Resistance. And another thing, if the Terminator must go back in time to kill John Conner so they can win the way, why don't they just go back in time and kill Kyle Reese's parents before Kyle can be conceived. There's in an infinite amount of ways to alter history to get to a place where things won't fall in place for either side.

There's going to be 2 more Terminator movies and I'm also predicting a prequel for Marcus Wright.

granola chicks

For some reason, those hippie-type white chicks that hang out or work at vegetarian restaurants have an eye for non-white similar type guys, or so my theory goes. I've noticed this a few times. I don't need to get into the psychology of it but I love going to those particular places where they congregate and seeing the flirty eyes, and unwarranted compliments being sent my way.

Playing nonchalant in their world is being shy which turns out to be an even more of a turn on.

you can quote me on that

narrow minds sound like broken records

Top 10 Renewable Energies

Some guys list. But he is misinformed about nuclear power. Nuclear fission rather than fusion and even fission relies on materials that are not renewable. Also, natural gas isn't revewable either.

10 Tidal Power - Tidal energy can be generated in two ways, tidal stream generators or by barrage generation.
9 Wave Power - Wave power is the transport of energy by ocean surface waves, and the capture of that energy to do useful work — for example for electricity generation, water desalination, or the pumping of water (into reservoirs).
8 Solar Power - Photovoltaic (PV) Solar power is harnessing the suns energy to produce electricity.
7 Wind Power - Wind power is the conversion of wind energy by wind turbines into a useful form, such as electricity or mechanical energy.
6 Hydroelectricity - Hydroelectricity is electricity generated by hydropower, i.e., the production of power through use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water.
5 Radiant Energy - This natural energy can perform the same wonders as ordinary electricity at less than 1% of the cost.
4 Geothermal Power - Geothermal energy is a very powerful and efficient way to extract a renewable energy from the earth through natural processes.
3 Biomass - Biomass, as a renewable energy source, refers to living and recently dead biological material that can be used as fuel or for industrial production. In this context, biomass refers to plant matter grown to generate electricity or produce for example trash such as dead trees and branches, yard clippings and wood chips biofuel, and it also includes plant or animal matter used for production of fibers, chemicals or heat.
2 Compressed Natural Gas - Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline, diesel, or propane fuel.
1 Nuclear Power - Nuclear power is any nuclear technology designed to extract usable energy from atomic nuclei via controlled nuclear reaction

star trek fan

As I sit at my office on a Sunday and work I tuned into the Star Trek Marathon. I had to find something after the Mavs game so I figured I would give it a shot. It's just providing background stimulation for ADD. From time to time I realized I was getting more and more intrigued with Spock, Captain Kirk, and my favorite McCoy. These guys are BADASS. I can see how people get wrapped up in this stuff. It's not Star Wars but the concept is awesome. No wonder its longevity. Can't wait for the movie. It looks way too good to pass up. Plus, JJ Abrams the main writer for LOST and the creator of Fringe is directing.

at a crossroads

So here I am... at a point where I have to decide what I'm going to do for the next few years. My options are to keep exploring, continue to do what I've been doing and feeling like I'm half-assing it. My other option is to throwing everything into one long-shot venture that might not give me the payout I deserve at the end of the day but might be the most full-filling. I'm trying to decide on if this is my destiny or not. I'm not sure....

For me to succeed at this, I have to know that this is my only option. In order to survive I would have to succeed. So that's the decision I'm trying to make right now. Its difficult not to procrastinate on choosing a path.

writer's block

I haven't been able to come up with a thought provoking blog post in a while. My mind is just too busy to come up with a good session to write a great blog. It's funny because I don't have twitter and don't follow anyone on twitter, but my thoughts for blog posts would be excellent twitter fodder. Whatevs.

fail blog

good way to take a break during the day, you know - break up the monotony of

best michael jordan mix out there

dallas

I love Dallas. It was a really cool place and I had no idea. I admit that I had some preconceived notions even though I had been there as a child, but its a place I could live in if I had to and enjoy it. The difference between LA/Dallas in regards to personal interactions with strangers was night and day. It was the same way when I went to Houston. Basically, people in LA have manners but don't show them. People walk around with tunnel vision and a must protect myself attitude, from others. In Dallas its easy to express yourself and people are naturally friendly. It was so refreshing.

And my friends there are just so fun. In a weekend we have like 20 stories, a few new nicknames. I got a lot of insight into married life which was great for me. I know a little bit more about what to expect when that day comes. I can't wait to go back...

peoples

Over the years the inner circle of friends that I've kept has grown and shrunk and changed drastically. It's part of life, nothing to overthink. But there's a few people that I've lost contact with that I'd like to get an update on. I'd like to get an update from them if I can have it my way. It's not just for my own curiosity. It's hard to stop caring about someone just because they are no longer part of your life. It doesn't really matter if they don't care about me. It's not about what's happened or who did what to whom.

awesome article

The Startling Effects of Going Vegetarian for Just One Day
By Kathy Freston, Huffington Post. Posted April 2, 2009.

Sometimes, solutions to the world's biggest problems are right in front of us. The following statistics are eye-opening, to say the least.
I've written extensively on the consequences of eating meat -- on our health, our sense of "right living", and on the environment. It is one of those daily practices that has such a broad and deep effect that I think it merits looking at over and over again, from all the different perspectives. Sometimes, solutions to the world's biggest problems are right in front of us. The following statistics are eye-opening, to say the least
.
If everyone went vegetarian just for one day, the U.S. would save:
● 100 billion gallons of water, enough to supply all the homes in New England for almost 4 months;
● 1.5 billion pounds of crops otherwise fed to livestock, enough to feed the state of New Mexico for more than a year;
● 70 million gallons of gas -- enough to fuel all the cars of Canada and Mexico combined with plenty to spare;
● 3 million acres of land, an area more than twice the size of Delaware;
● 33 tons of antibiotics.
If everyone went vegetarian just for one day, the U.S. would prevent:
● Greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 1.2 million tons of CO2, as much as produced by all of France;
● 3 million tons of soil erosion and $70 million in resulting economic damages;
● 4.5 million tons of animal excrement;
● Almost 7 tons of ammonia emissions, a major air pollutant.

My favorite statistic is this: According to Environmental Defense, if every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted vegetarian foods instead, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than half a million cars off of U.S. roads. See how easy it is to make an impact?
Other points:

Globally, we feed 756 million tons of grain to farmed animals. As Princeton bioethicist Peter Singer notes in his new book, if we fed that grain to the 1.4 billion people who are living in abject poverty, each of them would be provided more than half a ton of grain, or about 3 pounds of grain/day -- that's twice the grain they would need to survive. And that doesn't even include the 225 million tons of soy that are produced every year, almost all of which is fed to farmed animals. He writes, "The world is not running out of food. The problem is that we -- the relatively affluent -- have found a way to consume four or five times as much food as would be possible, if we were to eat the crops we grow directly."
A recent United Nations report titled Livestock's Long Shadow concluded that the meat industry causes almost 40% more greenhouse gas emissions than all the world's transportation systems -- that's all the cars, trucks, SUVs, planes and ships in the world combined. The report also concluded that factory farming is one of the biggest contributors to the most serious environmental problems at every level -- local and global.

Researchers at the University of Chicago concluded that switching from standard American diet to a vegan diet is more effective in the fight against global warming than switching from a standard American car to a hybrid.
In its report, the U.N. found that the meat industry causes local and global environmental problems even beyond global warming. It said that the meat industry should be a main focus in every discussion of land degradation, climate change and air pollution, water shortages and pollution, and loss of biodiversity.
Unattributed statistics were calculated from scientific reports by Noam Mohr, a physicist with the New York University Polytechnic Institute.

Ineligible Bachelors: Indian Men Living in U.S. Strike Out

Vikas Marwaha would normally be considered a good catch by Indian parents seeking a husband for their daughter. The 27-year-old software engineer earns $80,000 to $100,000 a year and comes from a family "of doctors and engineers," according to his profile on a matrimonial Web site.

But Mr. Marwaha works for a start-up Internet phone company in San Francisco. And because the U.S. economy is wobbly, that's a problem. Many Indian parents now are balking at sending their daughters to the U.S. to marry.

During a two-week wife-hunting trip to India in December, Mr. Marwaha interviewed 20 potential brides in 10 days. He says several parents asked him, "How has the recession impacted your job?" Mr. Marwaha says he assured them he hadn't been affected at all, but still he returned to the U.S. brideless.

View Interactive
A Match Made in India

See matrimonial ads for Indians seeking a bride or groom.

Indian parents used to think it a plus to marry off their daughters to Indian men living in wealthier countries, including the U.S. and Britain. But as India has grown more affluent in recent years, the demand for overseas Indian grooms has been fading. While India's economy is also slowing down, it is still growing, and layoffs aren't as widespread as in the West.

"Even if something happens, in India there's a comfort" that the woman's parents are around to help, says Murugavel Janakiraman, founder of the matrimonial Web site Bharatmatrimony.com. Favorable responses to overseas grooms registered on his site have declined by 20% in the past nine months, he says.

Rahul Tamrakar, 32, a full-time consultant for International Business Machines Corp. in Chicago, has been looking for a bride back home in India. But he says prospective in-laws were worried that "consultant" was a euphemism for "unemployed." One parent asked to see his tax returns. He refused, and the talks fell through. Now, "I'm trying to meet up [with] girls who are in the U.S. already," he says.

Some brides simply see India as more livable these days. As salaries have gone up there, Indian married couples are able to afford houses, and young women with jobs have money of their own. In contrast, in the U.S., "people have to even clean their own toilets," says Hasit Dave, 55, who runs the Klassic Match Marriage Bureau in Ahmedabad, a city in the western Indian state of Gujarat.

To be sure, some Indian brides, particularly those from modest backgrounds, still welcome foreign bridegrooms. But it's become a harder sale for women who see better prospects for themselves in India.

Anisha Seth, 26, has been looking for a groom for two years now. But she feels "jittery" about considering nonresident Indians as possible options.

Ms. Seth grew up in Lucknow, a medium-size town southeast of Delhi, but now works as a financial executive in Mumbai and lives alone in an apartment. Ms. Seth is part of a wave of Indian women who have, in recent years, started working and living away from their parents before marriage.

Ms. Seth says that if she were to move to the U.S. or to another developed country, she might not get a job quickly and would have to be dependent on her husband for a while. While she's open to the idea of giving up her independence, she worries that given the state of the U.S. economy, a groom based in America might not be earning enough to support her. For instance, Ms. Seth says she likes nice clothes and would like to have a flat-screen TV. "Is he really prepared to provide the kind of lifestyle that I have right now?" She expects a husband to earn more than she does.
[Sandeep Gohad]

Sandeep Gohad

Career-oriented Indian women, meanwhile, have grown concerned about their job prospects in the U.S. Sandeep Gohad, a Manchester, Conn., software consultant who's between jobs, got such questions during a two-month-long visit to his hometown of Pune, near Mumbai. He told bride candidates they would have a hard time getting a work visa in the U.S. And even if they did, finding jobs would be tough. He, too, came home single. An engineer or doctor "has absolutely no reason to go to the U.S.A. and work as a housewife," he says.

Even today, many Indian marriages are orchestrated by parents who plan everything from finding the spouse to the wedding ceremony. They often start by signing up with a marriage bureau or placing classified ads in Indian newspapers.

A recent ad listed under the heading Nonresident Indians read: Brahmin boy, very handsome, 27 years old and 178 centimeters tall (5 feet 10 inches), who has done his MBA and a bachelor's in computer science, working in New York, on an H-1B work visa, seeks a professionally qualified, very beautiful, tall girl.

Based on responses to the matrimonial ads and matches from marriage bureaus, parents of would-be grooms living in America -- sometimes in consultation with their sons -- short list the women. The prospective groom then visits India for one to three weeks, and if he chooses a woman -- and she agrees -- the marriage is set. He then returns to India after a few months for the wedding.

Until recently, overseas candidates would quickly elicit 10 to 15 responses from young women, says Smita Seth, 55, owner of Manpasand Marriage Bureau in Ahmedabad. But in the past few months, she has had to coax parents to even consider overseas grooms; they prefer men from their own towns instead.

Mr. Marwaha, the San Francisco software engineer, learned that the hard way. All meetings with potential brides were in the presence of the women's parents. The typical meeting started with the parents briefly interviewing Mr. Marwaha, primarily about his finances. Among the 20 or so women he met, the parents of half of them were reluctant to send their daughter to the U.S., either because they were worried Mr. Marwaha would lose his job or because they felt they couldn't verify his credentials. The other women just "didn't click" with him, he says.

Given the difficulty in finding matches for Indians abroad, some matchmakers are now charging them more. Mr. Dave of Klassic Match charges a minimum fee of $100, versus $50 for candidates living in India. He charges more for specific requirements. For instance, he says some overseas Indians want a bride who is smart, fluent in English, and "simultaneously, docile in the house." He says such women are now harder to find, so he bumps up his fees for some searches.

Some overseas Indians are throwing in the towel. Software engineer Abhishek Khaitan, 30, moved back to India in January after living in the U.S. since 2004. Mr. Khaitan, who is divorced, had been looking for a wife since the summer of 2008, to no avail. Mr. Khaitan has found a job in the south Indian city of Hyderabad and has been in touch with potential brides. "Things are working out, being here," he says.

Ineligible Bachelors: Indian Men Living in U.S. Strike Out

Vikas Marwaha would normally be considered a good catch by Indian parents seeking a husband for their daughter. The 27-year-old software engineer earns $80,000 to $100,000 a year and comes from a family "of doctors and engineers," according to his profile on a matrimonial Web site.

But Mr. Marwaha works for a start-up Internet phone company in San Francisco. And because the U.S. economy is wobbly, that's a problem. Many Indian parents now are balking at sending their daughters to the U.S. to marry.

During a two-week wife-hunting trip to India in December, Mr. Marwaha interviewed 20 potential brides in 10 days. He says several parents asked him, "How has the recession impacted your job?" Mr. Marwaha says he assured them he hadn't been affected at all, but still he returned to the U.S. brideless.

View Interactive
A Match Made in India

See matrimonial ads for Indians seeking a bride or groom.

Indian parents used to think it a plus to marry off their daughters to Indian men living in wealthier countries, including the U.S. and Britain. But as India has grown more affluent in recent years, the demand for overseas Indian grooms has been fading. While India's economy is also slowing down, it is still growing, and layoffs aren't as widespread as in the West.

"Even if something happens, in India there's a comfort" that the woman's parents are around to help, says Murugavel Janakiraman, founder of the matrimonial Web site Bharatmatrimony.com. Favorable responses to overseas grooms registered on his site have declined by 20% in the past nine months, he says.

Rahul Tamrakar, 32, a full-time consultant for International Business Machines Corp. in Chicago, has been looking for a bride back home in India. But he says prospective in-laws were worried that "consultant" was a euphemism for "unemployed." One parent asked to see his tax returns. He refused, and the talks fell through. Now, "I'm trying to meet up [with] girls who are in the U.S. already," he says.

Some brides simply see India as more livable these days. As salaries have gone up there, Indian married couples are able to afford houses, and young women with jobs have money of their own. In contrast, in the U.S., "people have to even clean their own toilets," says Hasit Dave, 55, who runs the Klassic Match Marriage Bureau in Ahmedabad, a city in the western Indian state of Gujarat.

To be sure, some Indian brides, particularly those from modest backgrounds, still welcome foreign bridegrooms. But it's become a harder sale for women who see better prospects for themselves in India.

Anisha Seth, 26, has been looking for a groom for two years now. But she feels "jittery" about considering nonresident Indians as possible options.

Ms. Seth grew up in Lucknow, a medium-size town southeast of Delhi, but now works as a financial executive in Mumbai and lives alone in an apartment. Ms. Seth is part of a wave of Indian women who have, in recent years, started working and living away from their parents before marriage.

Ms. Seth says that if she were to move to the U.S. or to another developed country, she might not get a job quickly and would have to be dependent on her husband for a while. While she's open to the idea of giving up her independence, she worries that given the state of the U.S. economy, a groom based in America might not be earning enough to support her. For instance, Ms. Seth says she likes nice clothes and would like to have a flat-screen TV. "Is he really prepared to provide the kind of lifestyle that I have right now?" She expects a husband to earn more than she does.
[Sandeep Gohad]

Sandeep Gohad

Career-oriented Indian women, meanwhile, have grown concerned about their job prospects in the U.S. Sandeep Gohad, a Manchester, Conn., software consultant who's between jobs, got such questions during a two-month-long visit to his hometown of Pune, near Mumbai. He told bride candidates they would have a hard time getting a work visa in the U.S. And even if they did, finding jobs would be tough. He, too, came home single. An engineer or doctor "has absolutely no reason to go to the U.S.A. and work as a housewife," he says.

Even today, many Indian marriages are orchestrated by parents who plan everything from finding the spouse to the wedding ceremony. They often start by signing up with a marriage bureau or placing classified ads in Indian newspapers.

A recent ad listed under the heading Nonresident Indians read: Brahmin boy, very handsome, 27 years old and 178 centimeters tall (5 feet 10 inches), who has done his MBA and a bachelor's in computer science, working in New York, on an H-1B work visa, seeks a professionally qualified, very beautiful, tall girl.

Based on responses to the matrimonial ads and matches from marriage bureaus, parents of would-be grooms living in America -- sometimes in consultation with their sons -- short list the women. The prospective groom then visits India for one to three weeks, and if he chooses a woman -- and she agrees -- the marriage is set. He then returns to India after a few months for the wedding.

Until recently, overseas candidates would quickly elicit 10 to 15 responses from young women, says Smita Seth, 55, owner of Manpasand Marriage Bureau in Ahmedabad. But in the past few months, she has had to coax parents to even consider overseas grooms; they prefer men from their own towns instead.

Mr. Marwaha, the San Francisco software engineer, learned that the hard way. All meetings with potential brides were in the presence of the women's parents. The typical meeting started with the parents briefly interviewing Mr. Marwaha, primarily about his finances. Among the 20 or so women he met, the parents of half of them were reluctant to send their daughter to the U.S., either because they were worried Mr. Marwaha would lose his job or because they felt they couldn't verify his credentials. The other women just "didn't click" with him, he says.

Given the difficulty in finding matches for Indians abroad, some matchmakers are now charging them more. Mr. Dave of Klassic Match charges a minimum fee of $100, versus $50 for candidates living in India. He charges more for specific requirements. For instance, he says some overseas Indians want a bride who is smart, fluent in English, and "simultaneously, docile in the house." He says such women are now harder to find, so he bumps up his fees for some searches.

Some overseas Indians are throwing in the towel. Software engineer Abhishek Khaitan, 30, moved back to India in January after living in the U.S. since 2004. Mr. Khaitan, who is divorced, had been looking for a wife since the summer of 2008, to no avail. Mr. Khaitan has found a job in the south Indian city of Hyderabad and has been in touch with potential brides. "Things are working out, being here," he says.

notice most things involving kanye r thoughtful?

Suns Nash leading NBA energy movement

From driving a hybrid car to installing solar panels on his home, Steve Nash always strives to be energy conscious.

The Phoenix Suns guard hopes his friends around the NBA community can learn some ways to do their part in the coming days.

The NBA announced plans Wednesday for its first “green week,” a number of activities to raise awareness and funding for environmental protection. Green week officially begins today and runs through April 10.

Nash, who started a recycling program when he played in Dallas, hopes the initiative helps others throughout the league to “just learn more and spread the word and the message, and get people more active in conserving and reusing and recycling.”

“I think it’s great that we’re taking the first steps to changing the culture and to moving in the right direction,” he said.

Teams will be outfitted with shooting shirts made of 100 percent organic cotton and take part in community events such as tree plantings and recycling drives. Autographed Spalding basketballs, made from 40 percent recycled materials, will be auctioned on nba.com, with proceeds benefiting the Natural Resources Defense Council.

The league will launch a Web site (nba.com/green) that will offer greening tips, including some its own teams are already using to modify their arenas to minimize energy consumption.

Nash sees plenty of waste during the season, from too much paper products in the arenas to too many hotel rooms that inevitably have all the lights on when he checks in. He said something as simple as not letting the water run too long in the shower can make a difference.

“If you just make one change like that, before you know it you’ll open your eyes how we overuse energy,” Nash said. “I think that will be a great goal for people to come in contact with NBA green week, to come away from it with one new lesson and one new goal.”

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Jime Rome's take on Pickup BBall guy

There's about 50 types of these guys. But this guy is me. Only difference is I forget about the losses the second I step out of the gym. And I remember the great plays I made ALWAYS. I was born to compete, born to win, and born to play basketball. I'm proud of being pickupbbal guy.

“Serious pick up player”! Every run has one. When the guy he’s guarding tosses him the ball to check it, “serious guy” turns around to survey all four of his teammates to make sure they’re ready to D-Up! Then he’ll wipe his hands on the bottom of his shoes…slap the ball…and roll it on the ground back to his man.

And if he’s not the guy checking the ball, he’s D’ing up like crazy on the wing trying to deny his man the ball. And he already knows all his man’s tendencies, because while he was waiting to get on, he was actually scouting everyone else. “Serious guy” was born to compete. And he can always tell you his stats at any time during a game; “I’m 2-8, with 1 dime, and 3 turnover…feed me the rock.”

And don’t forget “the jerk”! With “the jerk”…everything is a foul. I mean everything!!! But he doesn’t say “foul”…he’ll say, “my ball” or “stay here” or “I got it”. Or worst of all “and 1” which he says even when the ball is nowhere near going in. And it works on both ends of the floor…you blow right behind him…you travelled. And if you disagree with him, he’ll go. Literally! Ten he’s likes to fight the guy and the jerk all rolled into one.

So, when you finish watching the Final Four and you’re all “geeked” for your local run, be on the lookout for all these guys. Then again, you probably are one of these guys and just don’t know it. Or to quote my boys Koppleman and Levine from “Rounders”…“if can’t spot the sucker in the first twenty minutes…you are the sucker!”

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biggest crush

sonal shah from scrubs

wayy too much for me.

she went to loyola chicago, we're made for each other.

SIGH.....

new years eve

3 months later and it's still on my mind. 2009 just got EVEN MORE intriguing 3 months later...

3 words

honestly, literally, obviously

I and Americans use these 3 words, wayyyy too much. Honestly... Yeah so everyone thing else would have to be dishonest right? Literally... it took me literally an hour to get ready. Yeah cause we can't just say it took an hour. Obviously, we're in a recession. Yeah, poindexter, that's obvious. I'm trying to limit my usage of these words and encourage everyone else to. Also try awesome and amazing. They're really not the superlatives they used to be after we got so desensitized by their usage.

asian drivers

From my observance, the probability that I will be cut off by asian driver is 3/4. The math might not be exact here but I can't remember the last time someone pulled off a ridiculous maneuver or drove beneath the speed limit seemingly unaware of the moving environment around them. I'm not putting asian people on blast. Specifically, I'm calling out Asian Fobs 35+.

Another cross-section of the driving public is the black girl on the cell phone. If you honk at her, she will get out of her car at the light and go off on you while she's still on the phone... so I've seen.

And obviously, it's not every single person in these demographics. But in my experience the probability goes up significantly. When I pull up next to the car that pulled out in front of me when I was going at least the speed limit only to slam on my breaks to avoid a near collision I check to see who's driving. Check it out.

vintage

steroids

The second best pitcher of his generation and the 2 best baseball players of their generation took performance enhancing drugs. Many olympic athletes got pinched too. Reports on football players break every season (even kickers). WWF/WWE were under a lot of scrutiny as well as RAPPERS. Golfers are getting screened now too. Yeah...

So I'm just going to assume that everybody in the world is on steroids or performance enhancing drugs and I'm the only one that isn't. Guilty until proven innocent. If anyone achieves in sports reaches the pinnacle of their success I can only think that they're cheating in some way. After all, if you're not cheating, you're not trying....

3 Cups of Tea

One of the most unbelievable stories. If you don't know what I'm talking about go pick up the book. 3 Cups of Tea by Greg Mortonsen. The guy is a freaking hero and he's a regular guy. It was inspiring to see a normal person with tremendous amounts of commitment, motivation, and persistence succeed the way he has.

Just the first chapter itself should be a book. I was stuck when I hit the end because I wanted to hear more about his experiences in Central Asia. I wanted to learn more about how he worked around the Taliban and the Wahhabi Madrasas in Pakistan.

You'll have to read the entire book to find this quote:

"580 letters, 12 rams, and 10 years of work was a small price to pay, Mortenson thought, for such a moment...."

Market-Created Celebrities

Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, the list goes on. These people aren't even relevant to normal society, yet they get just as much coverage on CNN as Barack. Because of the female Market-Created Celebs, there's been a noticeable increase (to me) in the proliferation of skanks across America.

Another bunch of crap is these bands that come out of these reality TV shows on MTV. Most of them sucked and you never here from after their first album flops. If they do have success they have no staying power. Reason I'm burning on this today is because I found out from one of my employees that this chick from the group Danity Kane is on the cover of playboy. Proliferation of skanks. I don't want to condemn all these so-called artists. I just don't feel like they work as hard as others to be successful and ultimately famous.

Would I go on a reality TV show to be famous? No. Would I watch someone make a fool out themselves, yeah. My friend was on Rock of Love 2 and as painful as it was to see this former NASA Engineer straddling Brett Micheals in a short skirt, I couldn't turn away.

yahoo does it again

There is something exhilarating about taking the big leap from dating to becoming a permanent "item" and making that final commitment. But before you run off into the sunset with your mate, make sure that the time you choose to commit is the right time -- and with the right person.
As a divorce attorney, I have found over the years that most couples who wind up splitting do so because there are discrepancies or control issues over what I term the "Big Six." These six categories include: wealth/property and money; children; health, physical and mental; growth, professional and personal; intimacy and loss of love; and fear, both physical and emotional. I ask my clients to take a close look at each of these categories to determine if there are major conflicts, not only with his or her chosen mate but also conflicts within themselves.
Have you found the right person? Is it the right time? Here are eight key questions to ask your mate -- and yourself. The answers will be very telling.
1. How do you believe we should spend our money and on what? If your mate says, "On fun stuff and we'll get to the bills later," you better reconsider going the commitment route until your mate grows up a bit. Most marriages and long-term relationships break up due to stresses and squabbles over money. Splits happen when a couple's values in spending and saving simply do not match. Don't overlook this question. It is critical in determining whether you or your mate are a match and whether you are both ready for a mature relationship -- one that requires fiscal responsibility.
2. What are your thoughts about starting a family? If your mate says, "This is not something I can even think about right now," do not ignore that remark. It could be that your mate will put this decision off longer than you wish or one day stand up and announce, "I've decided against having children." You also need to be honest with yourself. Do you want children? Let your mate know this up front. You may also want to ask your mate about his/her point of view on how the children should be raised. If there are huge discrepancies in this department, there are bound to be serious problems down the road.
3. If I get sick, how will you take care of me? If your mate laughs off such a question with, "How do I know? I'll figure it out then," you should take that offhanded remark as a serious indicator that your mate might not be grown up enough to handle your critical needs. There is a way to test this one: How does your mate treat you when you get sick with the flu? Also, if you know deep down that you would not have the patience or fortitude to care for an ailing mate, be fair and let him/her know of your concerns. Who needs someone in his/her life who is only there for the good times?
4. Do you envision us growing old together? If your mate quips, "How the heck do I know, that is a long way off" or "I guess so," neither answer should satisfy you. To suggest that you or your mate is uncertain of your eventual fate together -- or cannot envision those "golden" years as a couple -- should be a neon sign with bright red lights that flash, "This may only be temporary." Commitments should be thought of as permanent, not temporary.
5. Do you ever think about your ex? If the answer from your mate is "Well, I do sometimes," then you want to ask the next question: "In what context?" If your mate shares stories about the fun they used to have together, this could mean your mate is not over his or her last love. And what about you? Do you still think about your ex? When? How? I highly recommend backing off the commitment stage until you and your mate can safely say that thoughts about your exes are fleeting or random.
6. Has your mate ever told you they scared a former mate in any way? If your mate's answer is something like "Well, yeah, I scared my ex every time I became jealous or mad," step back and think twice. Though your mate may think he/she is ready for a commitment, it may not be the right time for one. If you have had similar issues, the same may apply to you. Are you worried your mate might cheat on you or keep secrets from you or inflict emotional or physical harm on you? If the answer is yes, tackle this now, not after you have made a commitment. Maybe you or your mate could benefit from therapy, anger management, rehab, or other appropriate behavior modification assistance.
7. Is your mate good at problem solving? Does your mate meet challenges head on and collaborate on solutions to problems, or sweep issues under the rug? What about you? Are you mature enough to approach your mate to say, "We have a problem. Let's find a solution to it." How you handle problems together may well determine how long your relationship will last.
8. How does my mate deal with a "screwup?" Does my mate place blame? Does my mate take responsibility for his/her actions? How do I handle my mistakes? Do we both acknowledge our errors and resolve to deal with them? If chronic, negative behavior persists in this area, take a second look to decide if you two are a good match and if you are ready to commit. It is not unusual, for instance, to have each partner blame the other, which rarely accomplishes anything. Placing blame, or finding fault, can only worsen once you are committed.

i despise people

My tolerance is a rollercoaster. Somedays I just want to punch people directly in the throat and somedays I'm just loving having people around. I think the a lot of it has to factor into this Tax Business. The amount of low quality people that come through the door is staggering. I've had the unpleasure of dealing with some scumbags.

Another thing that has been driving me insane is the inconsistency in logic which apply in their day to day lives. For instance, I ordered enough supplies to last to the end of tax season so I wouldn't have to worry about it. With all the other things I'm involved in would be a strain on me to have to make another order for all the stuff that is needed for an office of 10-15 employees AND customers. MY supervisor, who happens to be the coowner tells me that I shouldve have ordered more from particular vendors to get a pricebreak. Not that he would know when the price breaks came because he hasn't ordered anything before, but he would have flipped out on that bill. Dude do you want to splurge or you want to be cheap, what's it gonna be??

That's one of the things I'm burning on. But it's nice laugh about it now.

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