Thursday, November 20, 2008

WOW

Yesterday I read that a woman received a new wind pipe created from her own stem cells.

WOW!!!!

She had some kind of condition that had eroded the cells around the wind pipe until there was nothing left but a strand. The doctors had considered removing one of her lungs but instead they took some stem cells from her hip bone marrow and re-created the wind pipe!

I find this astounding. I have often said that America is far behind on these medical marvels as there is no Government funding directed in this direction. Mostly because George W. Bush thinks that we need to take stem cells from embryos and he does not want "babies" (embryos)being created for this sole purpose. So now we know! There are many roads still to travel and I hope America, as a country, is not left behind as they have been in many other regions (education etc).

Hooray for medical marvels!

Now a dilema!

SHOULD WE KILL HEALTHY PEOPLE FOR THEIR ORGANS?

Suppose Bill is a healthy man without family or loved ones. Would it be ok painlessly to kill him if his organs would save five people, one of whom needs a heart, another a kidney, and so on? If not, why not?

Consider another case: you and six others are kidnapped, and the kidnapper somehow persuades you that if you shoot dead one of the other hostages, he will set the remaining five free, whereas if you do not, he will shoot all six. (Either way, he'll release you.)

If in this case you should kill one to save five, why not in the previous, organs case? If in this case too you have qualms, consider yet another: you're in the cab of a runaway tram and see five people tied to the track ahead. You have the option of sending the tram on to the track forking off to the left, on which only one person is tied. Surely you should send the tram left, killing one to save five.

But then why not kill Bill?

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Election Night - Good Night My Friends

I should have started this blog earlier in the night but as I sit here at 10:55pm on the night of the US election I have bitten my nails down to the quick and we still do not know what the result will be.

Right from the start my nerves have been on edge. McCain was up 16 - 3 at the beginning. I thought I was going to throw up. Jamie kept telling me it was too early but I was still on the edge of my seat.

To relieve my nerves I decided to play poker online but everyone that was playing was asking who was winning the election. It was people from England, France, New Zealand - the whole world it seemed is looking toward America to see what will happen next.

10:58 - the Associated Press just announced that Obama has won Florida

11:00 pm - MSNBC just announced Obama as winner!!!!

There are still so many states still to count (CA, OR, WA, MT, ID, NV, AZ CO,) the list goes on. too many to count but still they are giving the election to Obama. I'm not too sure that McCain will step down just yet but its very exciting. It's 294 - 145 right now so there is no way that OBAMA can lose (even if they fight over Florida).

WOW - I thought I was going to be up all night waiting for a result. This was so sudden.

History has been made tonight! 40 years from when Martin Luther King's speech and look at us now! amazing.

All eyes will be on Obama to ensure that he steps up to the plate and makes his time in this office the best that it can be.

I am so happy to have seen this in person. For it to happen in my life time is unfathomable! How far we have come. Lets take this momentum forward as America comes together to heal and grow and travel in a new direction.

I'm looking at the group of people gathered in Grant Park in Chicago waiting for Obama to make an appearance and I see a very diverse group of people. White, black, hispanic, young and old, all there to celebrate - a sea of people waving American flags with hope in their hearts.
I'm just waiting to hear Obama's acceptance speech but he probably didn't think he was going to be needed for a while yet.

11:14 Obama 306 - McCain 146 WOW (still no news from Indiana). They have announced that McCain has already conceaded to Obama by phone.

I wonder how those people I know that were so against Obama will adjust to the new president. I know that i have been playing with the idea of leaving the country if McCain got in but would I have?

11:18 McCain and Palin have taken the stage. I wonder if he will ever speak with Palin again.....Maybe she's really a democrat at heart and she was a dumb ass on purpose....

A million people at a park in Chicago have respectfully turned their eyes to the jumbo tron to watch his speech.

11:19 Obama 333 - McCain 146

11:29 Obama 333 - McCain 155

Locally NBC has sent poor Tim Malloy to Riviera Beach to be amongst "the people". He is so overwhelmed by the crowd and you can tell he's not sure what they are going to say when they get on camera - hillarious!

11:38 Obama 338 - McCain 155

11:57 Obama takes the stage for his acceptance speech!

The next 1st family of the United States of America!
Not a big fan of Michelle's dress for tonight :(

The applause lasts for at least 2 minutes

There's no secret service on stage. Very strange. But a very emotional speech about family and his best friend Michelle. Oprah is the crowd as well as Jesse Jackson. It feels like something out of a movie. a movie that is released on the 4th of July weekend (starring Will Smith!). He sounds a bit like a preacher some times though.

12:15 Speech is over but why didn't Joe Biden come on stage during the speech? he's here now and Oprah is crying!

We've been waiting for the election to be over, fed up with the negative ads and idiotic SNL skits, but now that it is over I feel deflated. Lost. what now? What will everyone argue about now?

Let's take a break and breathe and watch what will happen now.

So......as Senator McCain says, and let's hope it's his last words...........Good night My Friends!

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Jealousy Raises its Ugly Head

Saturday 9:00am

Jason and I had driven around for a little while trying to find a place for Jason to go vote that didn't have a huge line. Pretty impossible since the early voting stations have been experiencing 2.5 hours wait for the past 3 weeks. We decided on going to the Palm Beach County Court House where I sat outside waiting for 2 1/2 hours so that Jason could do his patriotic duty. I knew he couldn't give up the wait because I would give him a hard time so I was in for the long haul.

While I sat there I watched the people come and go on their way to vote and I realized how jealous I was. I had already committed to becoming a citizen if John McCain gets elected so that I can vote in the next election but not being able to vote this time was really making me mad. How could I wait this long without becoming a citizen of the country I have chosen to live in? I have been here 18 years - it's about time I made the effort to take the test. I've never cared before. I already pay taxes etc but now, at this time of such a divide in the community of who should be the next president I feel I need my voice heard. I have been yelling and arguing with anyone that will fight back - just as a way to get my opinon heard.

It's strange to me that I have been through so much and so many changes recently but the inability to vote is what is making me the most frustrated right now. Watching the citizens come and go through the parking lot of the courthouse I wondered "have they done their research?", "Are they making educated decisions?". Obviously not all of these people think the same as I do so I don't expect them to make the same decisions as I do but all I ask is that they have done their research and are not wasting their vote.

To be honest I can't wait til it's all over. 2 days. 2 days is all we have to wait and the only way I can put thsi jealousy to bay is to make a change in my life.

I am committing to everyone I know that I WILL become a citizen if the United States of America.

Oh and don't you be jealous cos when I get my US citizen I will also keep my British citizenship and when I travel there will be no immigration lines for me!

Good Luck to everyone and lets hope that Tuesday night brings a solution to this countries woes, whomever is elected.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Is there Anyone Out There part 2

God.

We have no way of knowing if there is such a thing.

Countries are at war over it.

People live their lives as they think God would want them to.

If there is a God how many are there? Every organized religion seems to have their own one.

But there is no way of knowing if there is such a thing.

What has inspired this bout of blogging? News from the UK of course. A group of Atheists have raised some money to put ads on the sides of buses that say:

"There's probably no God. So go out and enjoy your life".

read story here: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,443705,00.html

Hmmmmm. It's kind of in your face isn't it? It's true - we all try to be good people, do what we think is right in our lives - but is it from a fear of God or a fear of being put in jail? There are many things that we could be doing that is not illegal but maybe not good in the eyes of God so why do we refrain from being 'bad'?

I laugh at people who only believe that we came from Adam and Eve (read Sarah Palin) because I think it's naive. But I do believe in God. I am a strong believer in evolution. How much of a hand did God play in that? These are things, believe it or not, that I haven't spent much time thinking about.

I'm not a fan of organized religion like Catholicism. From what I can see it is based on fear. I am more spiritual thinking, along the lines of Karma etc. If we are all led to believe there is no higher power and we can go out and enjoy life - what ever way that takes you - what role would your conscience play? I can't imagine a scenario of dying and getting met at the pearly gates to see where I'm going to end up. But I do believe that we have more than one life. I would like to think that I will exist for more than 80 odd years (or how ever many years I'll live this time around). what a waste your life would be if you only got to do it once. What about all the lessons we learn throughout our lives? what good are they if we don't come back and try again?

I knew someone years ago who's family were big church people (they were Christian Scientists). He would say that if ever he found out he was terminally ill he would spend his last years/months going around killing drug dealers etc. I think he thought that would be useful (or noble). He wasn't worried about be put in jail since he was dying anyway and he didn't seem worried about answering to God either so what's the point of the facade of going to church? I wonder if that ever happened how his conscience would hold up.

I don't really have an opinion on the conversation around should we pray in school, should we remove "In God We Trust" from our money - maybe we should change that to "In Warren Buffet We Trust" - what difference does it make? If you're a believer does it gave you solace to see it on your money? If you're a non-believer it's only words.........

Somewhere in the Middle East (sorry not sure where) a British citizen was killed for trying to promote Christianity. Why? Why would someone go to a country that is so obviously not Christian and try to convert people? What is it that convinces people that everyone should be of one religion? What right does someone have to tell me what I or anyone else should believe. I have no sympathy for these people (missionaries). If a country invites Christians (or other belivers) to their country to help them spread the word fine, that country should be held responsible for the safety of these people. But I don't see that happening do you? American's are outraged that Muslims are trying to spread the word over here, trying to recruit more Muslims - don't they see that is exactly what they are doing in other parts of the world????? Crazy!

Enough I say!

Believe what you want to get you through the day!

Don't expect to convince someone to change their beliefs because of your opinion (I have taken this on board myself recently re: the election)

Enjoy your life - because it could be the only one you have!

But if you are in my circle please be kind :)

Love yas!

Monday, October 20, 2008

Is There Anyone Out There?

A recent story from England, UK states that a passenger jet nearly collided with a UFO has got me thinking! click here to read story:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,440946,00.html (fox news)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7679145.stm (bbc news)

I read last week that the DOT have been trying to push through a retro fit for Passenger planes to be fitted with a new GPS system that would be more accurate and stop the zig zagging that they need to do as they cross country. This would not only save on fuel costs for the airlines but be safer - as no pesky UFOs would be able to sneak up on them in the sky!! The airlines of course have been fighting this change as it would cost beacoup bucks! and by cutting fuel costs would mean they would have to cut the costs to passengers.

As technology evolves many changes will need to take place. As the flying cars, that we've all been promised since the 60's, become available and now air traffic from other planets - that obviously don't follow the rules by asking for clearance - the skies will become overly populated.

My nephew, Scott, has always dreamt of being an air traffic controller. No amount of arguing how stressful it is or under paid it is will sway him. He's looked into the school he needs to attend in England and he now has a new video simulator (like flight simulator) but it's from the controller's end. But I doubt they are focusing on the multi-dimension aspect of air traffic. Is there an under cover department of transportation that has thought of this and are developing their skills as I type? Or maybe we will drop our biases and hire an alien (read not Mexican) for the job, with more experience, probably speaks the dialect of many planets etc.

I'm not of the mind set that we are the only ones out here. How could that be? That's like believing we were all born from Adam and Eve! I saw a T-shirt the other day that said "Palin thinks Dinosaurs were Jesus' ponies" hee hee

Are you a believer?

If you are or if you're not, be on the look out for strange things in the air. Don't be in too much of a rush for flying cars , there's no regulation and worse - no room for Superman!

Like they say in Louisiana................. Bayou

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Sorry - Couldn't Resist



" Back up that ass" Said the Turtle to the Jaguar

New TV Line Up

I've decided to take a break from the election. Not just for my sanity but also because I know you mist be bored with my rantings :) My next favorite subject is TV!!! I love TV and I had to get rid of our TiVo earlier this year; cutting back on expenses and also because I was addicted to too many shows!!!! Here's my favs this year:

Grey's Anatomy - Thursday ABC 9:00pm - Love it! I know all the back and forth "I love you" no "I love someone else" stuff has been seen before in many other shows but I like how the characters interact with each other. Susan's new boyfriend, Jackson, is in hospital right now (real life) in critical condition after a motorcycle accident. He has a head injury and swelling on the brain!

Survivor - Thursday CBS 8:00pm - Didn't watch this last year but missed it :( So decided to put it on my list of "what to watch"

Amazing Race - Sunday CBS 8:00pm (after football) - Never missed a season! Still fantasize about entering but I need to be in better shape before I even consider it. What a blast. 30 days to travel around the world and experience different cultures!

House - Tuesday Fox 8:00pm - Not only is he British (fake American accent) but he's arrogant and funny. I wish there was a real one of these cos I would send Judi to find out what is wrong with her!!!!! I think Judi might stump him though :)

ER - Thursday NBC 10:00pm - final season! Didn't really watch this last year either but thought it deserved my attention for the last season. Jason hates this show because of all the ridiculous accidents that happen (cue helicopter slamming into parking lot etc). Gaby is leaving tonight :(

Eli Stone - Tuesday ABC 10:00pm - This was a bit of a sleeper last year. I didn't catch mane episodes on TV but watched them on-line. It's right up my alley. Kind of kookie with a bit of psychic stuff thrown in. If you liked Ali McBeal back in the day this is for you.

Heroes - Monday NBC 9:00pm - of course! how could I nearly forget Heroes. Love it. So confusing. Don't watch if you're easily distracted or if you have a husband that will stand there and say "I don't get it" "what's going on now?" "Why is she a bad one now?" Argh!

Life on Mars - Thursday ABC 10:00pm - Another show that originated in the UK. Was highly rated over there and had a huge following. First show was aired last week. Looks good but I will hold out for a few more episodes before I give it my stamp of approval

Worst Picks....

Knight Rider

Of all the shows that are out there - this is the worst. The worst acting, the worst action, the worst special effects. Don't waste your time.

If you need to catch up on some shows you've missed try these sites:

This has a list of many shows from across the stations

http://www.tv.yahoo.com/

These are all specific to the station they are broadcast on

http://www.nbc.com/
http://www.cbs.com/
http://www.fox.com/
http://www.abc.com/

So that's it for today from TV Land.