Friday, May 22, 2009
Daytona International Aquatic Speedway
Race fans may be gearing up for some new fun. Thanks to the incessant rain and historic flooding, instead of the car races, there will now be boat races. Flood boats, start your engines!
The Floods
Volusia County, and most of Central Florida is pretty much under water now. With 4 days of nearly non-stop rain, and rainfall totals topping out at over 25 inches and rapidly climbing, it's been BAD! And it's not over yet.
There's wide spread flooding in the streets, lawns, and into homes. The sewer system can't handle the water so it's bubbling raw sewage up into the flood water. Snakes are swimming through populated areas looking for dry ground. Ants are swarming onto any and everything to find dry ground. God only knows what's in the water in the more rural areas.
It's scary to see the kids out playing in this water, as if they're at the beach. This is SO not beach water. It's scary to see cars trying to pass through flooded streets, not knowing if the street is still intact below the water. And if the water gets into the car engine...?
It's scary to see the water creeping towards your home, up over the step, slowly edging towards the door as it reaches for your possessions. On TV they say don't flush toilets! Don't wash clothes! Don't let the water run at all if it's not completely necessary! We're under a boil water alert; boil the water for 3 minutes before consuming!
We've put seed in the feeders for the poor, wet, bedraggled looking birds, some with babies in tow. Even they look tired of all the rain. The babies look somewhat shocked, as if they're wondering if they've hatched on the wrong planet. I watched my dog, confused and worried, as she tried to find a place where the water was low enough for her to squat and do her business. I watched my cat find a high patch of ground for her business, then leap from small puddle over large spans of deep water, only to splash land in more water. She let out some pitiful meows as she got soaked getting back into the house. I can't even imagine what the raccoons, possums, and other ground borrowing critters are doing to survive.
We're all scrambling to stay above water.
A street by a friends home.
The street front of another friends home.
The roads...
And it's still raining....
There's wide spread flooding in the streets, lawns, and into homes. The sewer system can't handle the water so it's bubbling raw sewage up into the flood water. Snakes are swimming through populated areas looking for dry ground. Ants are swarming onto any and everything to find dry ground. God only knows what's in the water in the more rural areas.
It's scary to see the kids out playing in this water, as if they're at the beach. This is SO not beach water. It's scary to see cars trying to pass through flooded streets, not knowing if the street is still intact below the water. And if the water gets into the car engine...?
It's scary to see the water creeping towards your home, up over the step, slowly edging towards the door as it reaches for your possessions. On TV they say don't flush toilets! Don't wash clothes! Don't let the water run at all if it's not completely necessary! We're under a boil water alert; boil the water for 3 minutes before consuming!
We've put seed in the feeders for the poor, wet, bedraggled looking birds, some with babies in tow. Even they look tired of all the rain. The babies look somewhat shocked, as if they're wondering if they've hatched on the wrong planet. I watched my dog, confused and worried, as she tried to find a place where the water was low enough for her to squat and do her business. I watched my cat find a high patch of ground for her business, then leap from small puddle over large spans of deep water, only to splash land in more water. She let out some pitiful meows as she got soaked getting back into the house. I can't even imagine what the raccoons, possums, and other ground borrowing critters are doing to survive.
We're all scrambling to stay above water.
A street by a friends home.
The street front of another friends home.
The roads...
And it's still raining....
Saturday, May 9, 2009
A Side Of Mashed Potatoes
Wednesday nights show went well, even though it started out a little slow. I hope Guest One comes back next month, June 3rd, so we can see if there's more there for her. Thank you to Jim Goodrich for suggesting I drink some water about 2+ hours into the show, and also for the title of the show. You'll have to hear his reading to understand the title.
It seemed at times that I was getting things in reverse. Why, I don't know, but since Mercury was in retrograde at the time of the show, I'm blaming it on that!
At any rate, as the show progressed, the pace picked up and readings started coming faster and easier, like they do normally, and they were very interesting. Hope you enjoy the show! Let me know what you think.
A Side Of Mashed Potatoes
Peace, love and light
LaSal
It seemed at times that I was getting things in reverse. Why, I don't know, but since Mercury was in retrograde at the time of the show, I'm blaming it on that!
At any rate, as the show progressed, the pace picked up and readings started coming faster and easier, like they do normally, and they were very interesting. Hope you enjoy the show! Let me know what you think.
A Side Of Mashed Potatoes
Peace, love and light
LaSal
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Susan Boyle, et al.
She's become a world famous singer already. Walked onto the 'Britain's Got Talent' stage and blew everyone away. Got onto YouTube and, with over 5 million views, is currently blowing the world away. I've only heard her sing one song, but she was phenomenal. She gave me goose bumps, her voice was so astonishing. Now this morning, on one of those morning news shows, they're talking about "should Susan Boyle get a makeover".
A makeover? Excuse me, why? She's a world wide phenomenon already! NOW you want to make her over? After the fact? Isn't that the old 'lock the barn doors after the horse escapes' mentality? If you hadn't noticed, she's ADORABLE! She's got a personality to match, ADORABLE! And she's got a voice to blow other singers out of her league, makeovers notwithstanding.
It's funny, since she didn't become famous using phony hair, eyelids, cheeks, teeth, lips, chin, boobs, nails, and a lipo'ed ass, everyone is all confused and wondering if we should get her some of those things now. Have plastic surgery alterations to our faces and bodies become such the norm that people in this country forgot what a naturally formed human female looks like? Take another look people, she's actually cute!
I hope and pray that she's not bullied, or pressured into feeling that she should do anything to change her appearance. Perhaps, all by her amazing self, she can change the standard of beauty in this country to something more natural. We've already seen the pendulum swing from prepackaged, crap laden, over processed foods to actual, real, unadulterated food. Here's hoping that Susan Boyle can swing the pendulum from adoration of plasticized women to appreciation and love of real women!
YouTube has the embed option disabled, but here's the link to her singing for as long as it lasts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk
P.S. I heard her sing two songs now. Here she is talking and singing and getting a date on Larry King.
A makeover? Excuse me, why? She's a world wide phenomenon already! NOW you want to make her over? After the fact? Isn't that the old 'lock the barn doors after the horse escapes' mentality? If you hadn't noticed, she's ADORABLE! She's got a personality to match, ADORABLE! And she's got a voice to blow other singers out of her league, makeovers notwithstanding.
It's funny, since she didn't become famous using phony hair, eyelids, cheeks, teeth, lips, chin, boobs, nails, and a lipo'ed ass, everyone is all confused and wondering if we should get her some of those things now. Have plastic surgery alterations to our faces and bodies become such the norm that people in this country forgot what a naturally formed human female looks like? Take another look people, she's actually cute!
I hope and pray that she's not bullied, or pressured into feeling that she should do anything to change her appearance. Perhaps, all by her amazing self, she can change the standard of beauty in this country to something more natural. We've already seen the pendulum swing from prepackaged, crap laden, over processed foods to actual, real, unadulterated food. Here's hoping that Susan Boyle can swing the pendulum from adoration of plasticized women to appreciation and love of real women!
YouTube has the embed option disabled, but here's the link to her singing for as long as it lasts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk
P.S. I heard her sing two songs now. Here she is talking and singing and getting a date on Larry King.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Chocolate, too!
Apparently there is something else to be said about chocolate. (See last post)
Ready for it? Chocolate has been to outer space! YES! SPACE! CHOCOLATE IN SPACE! Seriously, what were the odds of that happening. Not that bad considering how much everyone loves chocolate, including astronauts.
My Twitter friend, the rocket scientist, Joe Williams, (yes, a real rocket scientist who knows rocket science) told me about chocolate's outer space adventures, and was then kind enough to send proof. Proof which I now share with all of you.
Chocolate, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm............
This should banish any lingering doubts about chocolate's universal appeal, don'tcha think?
Ready for it? Chocolate has been to outer space! YES! SPACE! CHOCOLATE IN SPACE! Seriously, what were the odds of that happening. Not that bad considering how much everyone loves chocolate, including astronauts.
My Twitter friend, the rocket scientist, Joe Williams, (yes, a real rocket scientist who knows rocket science) told me about chocolate's outer space adventures, and was then kind enough to send proof. Proof which I now share with all of you.
Chocolate, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm............
This should banish any lingering doubts about chocolate's universal appeal, don'tcha think?
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Chocolate
Chocolate. Really, is there anything more that needs be said?
Chocolate. It's dark, velvety, smooth, and decadently delicious. Even slightly mysterious. It's been labeled a guilty pleasure. Today we know there is nothing to feel guilty about because chocolate is actually good for you! Can it get any better?
Chocolate. You can eat it as a desert. You can eat it as a snack. You can eat it when you're feeling down and it'll help your brain release endorphins so you'll feel better. You can pair it with other things, like ice cream or stir it into a pot of chili. You can drink it in milk, or in a liquor. You can make something spectacularly rich, eye-poppingly, complicated, or simply dip some fresh, plump, red, ripe strawberries into it. It can be frozen, heated, chipped, whipped, creamed, and stirred into any number of recipes. It's uses seem endless.
Chocolate. It even smells delicious. It's used in body washes, soaps, lotions, and perfumes. There's a chocolate strawberry truffle bubble bath that children should not be allowed to use. Why? Because it smells so wonderful, that even knowing it's bubble bath, it takes extraordinary will power not to lick the bubbles.
Chocolate. It's so highly prized, it's used for gift giving. It's been used as money, as medicine, as a divine energy drink, as well as for sculptures, fountains, and even clothing! But isn't the best just a small square of dark chocolate? With it's promise of mystery, of that velvety, meltingly delicious dark ride into smooth, rich, chocolaty, momentary oblivion.
Chocolate.
Chocolate. It's dark, velvety, smooth, and decadently delicious. Even slightly mysterious. It's been labeled a guilty pleasure. Today we know there is nothing to feel guilty about because chocolate is actually good for you! Can it get any better?
Chocolate. You can eat it as a desert. You can eat it as a snack. You can eat it when you're feeling down and it'll help your brain release endorphins so you'll feel better. You can pair it with other things, like ice cream or stir it into a pot of chili. You can drink it in milk, or in a liquor. You can make something spectacularly rich, eye-poppingly, complicated, or simply dip some fresh, plump, red, ripe strawberries into it. It can be frozen, heated, chipped, whipped, creamed, and stirred into any number of recipes. It's uses seem endless.
Chocolate. It even smells delicious. It's used in body washes, soaps, lotions, and perfumes. There's a chocolate strawberry truffle bubble bath that children should not be allowed to use. Why? Because it smells so wonderful, that even knowing it's bubble bath, it takes extraordinary will power not to lick the bubbles.
Chocolate. It's so highly prized, it's used for gift giving. It's been used as money, as medicine, as a divine energy drink, as well as for sculptures, fountains, and even clothing! But isn't the best just a small square of dark chocolate? With it's promise of mystery, of that velvety, meltingly delicious dark ride into smooth, rich, chocolaty, momentary oblivion.
Chocolate.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Incompettax
The problem with income tax is that it's so dang hard to understand. We need businesses with trained professionals to help people figure it out. Why? It's ridiculous. How did this country get their people to the point of paying so much tax on so many different types of stuff?
Most all of these idiotic taxes should be outlawed!!!
Schedules A, B, C, D, E, F, H, J, and SE, forms 1040 to 9465, and then all the miscellaneous forms in between! And one form can have a 100 page instruction booklet! WTF?! And of course, all instructions are written in a specially designed, "You're Going To Find Yourself Way Too Confused To Understand This, Go Find Someone More Competent" tax lingo.
For instance, one minor detail amid a garbage heap of confusion, did you know about the earned income credit? You can get it if you've earned any income. Unless. Now you have to read and interpret the list of why you wouldn't qualify despite earning income.
Did you purchase an asset? If you did, and you take a 179, it could screw with your EIC. That's if you knew about, qualified for, and took said EIC.
Two Questions:
1) Have you finished your tax return yet?
2) Did you do it yourself?
Peace, love and good luck,
LaSal
Most all of these idiotic taxes should be outlawed!!!
Schedules A, B, C, D, E, F, H, J, and SE, forms 1040 to 9465, and then all the miscellaneous forms in between! And one form can have a 100 page instruction booklet! WTF?! And of course, all instructions are written in a specially designed, "You're Going To Find Yourself Way Too Confused To Understand This, Go Find Someone More Competent" tax lingo.
For instance, one minor detail amid a garbage heap of confusion, did you know about the earned income credit? You can get it if you've earned any income. Unless. Now you have to read and interpret the list of why you wouldn't qualify despite earning income.
Did you purchase an asset? If you did, and you take a 179, it could screw with your EIC. That's if you knew about, qualified for, and took said EIC.
Two Questions:
1) Have you finished your tax return yet?
2) Did you do it yourself?
Peace, love and good luck,
LaSal
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