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Tag-Archive for "experimentation"

Everything New! Mar 23

For those of you who may still follow me after my long absence, I’m back and ready to get back to some new topics. My life is chaotic at best, my mind is completely off right now, and my heart is trying to heal. Not that any of this truly matters, but I guess splitting with your wife of 13 yrs will do these things.

I have been trying many things to keep my mind busy, but it is just too powerful. I can drink myself into oblivion, and I still only have one thought, why has my life gone on this path? I can surf the internet all day, and at the end of the day, the same thought occurs! It seems no matter what I do, I look backwards now and wonder what I did so wrong along the way to make my life what it is right now. We do reap what we sow, so I’m wondering, just how bad were the seeds that I planted?

But, as with true S.Taylor form, I don’t stay in these moods for long. I’ve been here for 2 months now, by FAR the longest I have ever been in this state of mind. I’m now getting back to looking forward, life is not so bleak. I’m not a horrible person, I’m a good person who has put himself in a bad situation. It will do me no good to beat myself up forever, because the present and future is all that matters. I cannot and would not, change the past. I will know the good things that are just around the corner.

The places I have been in the past two months and the things I’ve done, I’ll keep off the public blog but will give answers to those that ask. Let’s just say, anyone in their right mind would wonder if I was trying to commit suicide by default. And I will say, the thought of death or dying myself, has no more emotion for me than sitting down to have a beer. I seem to have reached a new plateau of thoughtlessness and I, at this time, genuinely could care less if I died tomorrow or at age 100. I have decided that I will no longer be bound by limits that I or anyone else have placed on me. I have never agreed with the conservative society with all it’s rules on how things should be and what you should do, I’m going to do what I want to do even more aggressively than what I used to.

I just got a job offer yesterday, it is in Wilmington, which is somewhere I do not want to be, but, it is work. It is sales and I will make the best of it. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in sales, I’ll have to brush up the skills a bit, but I believe I will be the once famous powerhouse salesman again in no time. ( How’d you like the arrogance there, see, I am getting better) LOL!!!

My biggest dilemma now is, where do I want to live? I have definitely ruled out  Augusta for many reasons: 1. No coastline to visit, 2: Parents in the area, 3: Dreary ass weather, 4: Back to number 2, parents have become VERY opinionated and negative and they have lived here all their life, I do not want to become like them AT ALL!!!

My preference will be Florida, somewhere. I like the Southern Florida area, but would prefer west coast, not east coast. It looks as though I will be locked up in NC at least for a little bit until I get my feet back on the ground. And get this, after months of searching for a decent job, I get one, and it just so happens to be selling life insurance and annuities, and immediately my Dad says turn it down because Obama is ruining that industry.  $600.00 per week to train for 7 weeks, I think I’ll take it for now, make the most of it and see where it goes. If they pay $600.00 per week to train, I’m sure the real commissions will be wonderfully surprising!

Bye for now, will write more later on my NEW life and all the adventures I know I will encounter!!

Self Help Jul 04

Just read the most interesting article, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8132857.stm . The Canadians have just figured out that if you are a negative person, just telling yourself to be happy through mantras will not make you happy, it will probably make you more depressed.

I’m 42, and for 24 of those years I have followed some of the best self help experts in the world. They all knew then that just talking to yourself will not do it. Talking is 7% of communication, tonality is 38%, the other 55% is physiology. To tell yourself that you are happy, grateful, superior, or whatever uplifting phrase you choose to use, must be said with conviction, belief that it is true, and followed by actions that support that new belief and emotion. I can tell myself that I am an astronaut. I can even say it with conviction and fake myself into believing it. However, the moment someone asks me to pilot the space shuttle, my world crumbles around me. Then I feel depressed, scared, embarrased, guilt, etc (all bad emotions), due to the fact I took no action to make my new belief a reality.

Personally, I dove into self help with no guidance other than “Unlimited Power” by Anthony Robbins. For me it was perfect, it read just like a text book,or instruction manual, if you will. That is how my brain works, very logical and methodical. Today, the self help world has gotten diluted with many people who have no idea what self help really is. It took me many years to realize just how to effectively make changes that last. My initial changes did not last. I wasn’t living the life to support my changes. And now too many self helpers think it is OK just to tell someone to tell themselves, “I am happy”.

Now, people looking to self help, should get guidance from someone who has been there, with lots of experience. I advise them to check out the person they are going to confide in. Just as the fact you would not trust your physiology to a quack doctor, definately don’t trust your brain to a quack life coach. They can cause considerably more pain than the physician, because they will create for you a life of complete turmoil, and it may become irreparable.

If you should still choose to do it on your own, remember this above all else, “You must walk the talk!”, if you don’t, you will not achieve your goal, no matter what the goal is.

As far as the Canadian researchers, sorry it took you so long to figure this out! I can give you some lessons if you like!

Dissection of Live Animals Jun 06

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/stop-dissection-of-live-animals

Dissected puppy still alive!

Vivisection: Dissection of Live Animals

Target:
 jim.allister@europarl.europa.eu, james.nicholson@europarl.europa.eu, neil.parish@europarl.europa.eu, brian.simpson@europarl.europa.eu, alyn.smith@europarl.europa.eu, struan.stevenson@europarl.europa.eu, robert.sturdy@europarl.europa.eu, jeffrey.titf
Sponsored by: 
     Believe it or not, the puppy to your left is not dead. It will be stitched back up to be used in future experiments. Vivisection is literally the dissection of live animals. And for what purpose? Want to see more before signing, watch this: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7656355920769868606

Animals as Human Models?
The truth is that animal experiments are a cruel and fundamentally flawed method of medical research. Humans evolved from other animals millions of years ago. With each generation, each different species evolves a unique biology to help them survive in their environment.

Our bodies contain many systems such as those that coordinate immune reactions and hormones. These systems interact and work in incredibly complicated ways. Each small difference affects the way the whole body works. That’s why each animal reacts differently to substances and suffers distinct diseases. For example, despite chimpanzees being our closest relatives, they do not develop human-type AIDS when injected with HIV.

Now, there is growing disquiet and dissent in the scientific community as the fatal weaknesses in vivisection are beginning to be taken on board. One group of researchers, publishing in the prestigious British Medical Journal in February 2004, uncovered evidence that ’seriously undermined the principle that animal experiments are necessary to inform human medicine’.

New NHS Report Confirms Failings of Animal Experiments
Six recent studies funded by the NHS set out to examine the relevance to humans of testing treatments on animals. The report, Testing Treatment on Animals: Relevance to Humans, was commissioned by the NHS and published in May 2006. Its purpose was to test the extent to which animal experiments concur with the human medicine. The study revealed that:

  • animal researchers don’t talk to hospital doctors about their work
  • clinical trials with human patients get underway even before the animal research is completed
  • drugs that fail in animals are used in humans anyway
  • a drug that increased overall mortality in animals was, nonetheless, used in people
  • most of the animal research that was analysed was poorly conducted and gave conflicting results

The ConsequencesTrivial and Flawed Research
The Government consistently issues blatantly dishonest statements, claiming that UK regulations ‘permit only essential research with clear medical benefits’. In fact, the statistics show that thousands of animals are used in poisoning tests for non-pharmaceutical substances. The Government refuses to ban suffering for unarguably trivial purposes such as new laundry liquids, and allows painful and traumatic animals tests for substances like refrigerants and industrial chemicals. Furthermore, the Government admits that they have never actually conducted research to evaluate whether animal experiments benefit human medicine, despite scientific doubts over their applicability and thousands of human deaths caused by drug side-effects not revealed by previous animal tests.

     Please help me today to stop this abhorrable method of study. Your support is greatly appreciated!

 
Top Ten Things to Expect from an Obama Supreme Court: May 09

#10 expanding and perpetuating the use of racial preferences
#9 creating new constitutional rights to physician-assisted suicide and human cloning
#8 expanding judicial oversight of military detentions and CIA interrogations
#7 prohibiting tuition vouchers for religious schools
#6 banning the death penalty
#5 requiring taxpayers to fund essentially unlimited abortion rights
#4 creating new constitutional rights to massive government welfare and medical care programs
#3 stripping “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance
#2 eroding property rights
#1 ordering all 50 states to bless gay marriage

 

     Is there anything you Republicans aren’t afraid of? If so, please comment for me so I can learn. Fear, fear, fear, fear is all that you preach. Take care of me and my own, is all that you believe. There are 6 billion people on this planet, all with varying beliefs. What makes you so much more special? If American, the melting pot of the world, was run by republican philosophy only, there would be nothing but filthy rich white folks living here. I am a white man, and I would hate to live in that reality.

To work or not to work, that is todays question! May 02

     We all have experienced the dreaded sleepless night when the next day is a work day. Upon waking, the only thought on our mind is, “I don’t want to go to work!” Then we begin a dialogue that traverses the entire morning until at the last minute, we decide, we are not going to work.

     I don’t want to go to work. I have to go to work. Work sucks and I don’t want to go. My boss will get mad at me if I don’t go. Who cares what he thinks, he’ll get over it. But if I don’t go in, the project won’t get done right or at all. Oh well, I’ll catch it up later. How much money will I lose if I take today off? Wow, that much, let me see if I can afford to take it off. No, but what the hell, live a little, right. No, you can’t be that irresponsible. Everyone else does it, why not me?…………………………………………………………On and on! I’m not going in!

     Now that that has been decided, what is my excuse? Sick, family emergency, dog chewed my tire off, hair is falling out, car won’t crank, cat peed on my clothes(all of them), I have Spring fever, I’m still drunk from last night, city is paving my street, I’m going into labor, my hair is green, my agoraphobia is kicking in,…………………………………On and on. Then you decide on the only rational excuse there is, I’m sick!

     Now all this stress actually makes you sick, so you spend the day lying around on the couch feeling guilty about calling in. This causes more stress and throughout the day, you continue to ask yourself, should I have just gone in. Now you are back to arguing with yourself again and getting more stressed out. The kicker is you can’t leave the house, because you called in sick and you can’t be seen in public in fear of being caught in a lie.

     Wouldn’t it have been easier just to go to work?

Top 10 Ways to Prevent Animal Cruelty May 02
Anne Marie Lucas with Dog

If you’re a fan of the award-winning reality series Animal Precinct, then you’ve already seen the ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement’s Supervisory Special Investigator Annemarie Lucas in action. But did you know that you, too, can help crack down on animal cruelty in your own community? Read on for Officer Lucas’s take on making the world a safer place for animals:

1. Be aware. Without phone calls from the concerned citizens who report cruelty in their neighborhoods, we wouldn’t know about most instances of animal abuse. It all comes from the public, it all starts with YOU—that’s why it’s so important to keep your eyes and ears open. Get to know and look out for the animals in your neighborhood. By being aware, you’re more likely to notice, for example, that the dog next door who was once hefty has lost weight rapidly—a possible indicator of abuse.

2. Learn to recognize animal cruelty. Here are some signs and symptoms that we see in many of the cases we investigate:

  • Tick or flea infestations. Such a condition, if left untreated by a veterinarian, can lead to an animal’s death.
  • Wounds on the body.
  • Patches of missing hair.
  • Extremely thin, starving animals.
  • Limping.
  • An owner striking or otherwise physically abusing an animal.
  • Dogs who are repeatedly left alone without food and water, often chained up in a yard.
  • Dogs who have been hit by cars-or are showing any of the signs listed above-and have not been taken to a veterinarian.
  • Dogs who are kept outside without shelter in extreme weather conditions.
  • Animals who cower in fear or act aggressively when approached by their owners.

3. Know who to call to report animal cruelty. We’re lucky here at the ASPCA in New York City, because we have Humane Law Enforcement officers who have the power to investigate and arrest perpetrators of animal cruelty in the state of New York. But every state and even every town is different. In some areas, you may have to rely on the police department to investigate animal cruelty; in others, you may have to contact local animal control or another municipal agency. If you aren’t sure where to report cruelty visit our Report Animal Cruelty section.

4. Provide as much as information as possible when reporting animal cruelty. The details that you provide can go a long way toward assisting the investigating officer. It helps to write down the type of cruelty that you witnessed, who was involved, the date of the incident and where it took place.

5. Call or write your local law enforcement department and let them know that investigating animal cruelty should be a priority. Animal cruelty is a CRIME—and the police MUST investigate these crimes.

6. Know your state’s animal cruelty laws. These vary from state to state, and even from city to city. You can visit the ASPCA’s online database of more than 550 animal cruelty laws—and their penalties—in all 50 states.

7. Fight for the passage of strong anti-cruelty laws on federal, state and local levels by joining the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade. It’s frustrating when I have built a strong case against someone who has been arrested for cruelty to animals and the judge treats it like a simple violation. But with stronger laws, they’ll be more likely to receive tougher penalties. As an ASPCA Advocacy Brigade member, you’ll receive emails asking you to write letters encouraging your legislators to pass these laws-and you can send them directly from our website.

8. Set a good example for others. If you have pets, be sure to always show them the love and good care that they deserve. But it’s more than just food, water, and adequate shelter. If you think your animal is sick, bring him to the veterinarian. Be responsible and have your animals spayed or neutered. And I always give my own pets lots of hugs when I get home!

9. Talk to your kids about how to treat animals with kindness and respect. I regularly see children in homes where animal abuse has been reported. If a parent isn’t treating the family’s pets right, I tell kids that their dog or cat would really appreciate fresh water every day, or if they spent some time playing with them. If the animal has been left outside without shelter, I’ll say, ‘You have a nice house, and if you get cold, you can put a coat on. But your dog can’t do that. Don’t you think he’d like a nice warm place to go, too?’ I know of families who watch Animal Precinct together, and I think this can help children understand that animals are living creatures who have the ability to feel pain, joy and sadness. You can see these emotions on the faces of the animals on the show.

10. Support your local shelter or animal rescue organization. Before I even knew that police for animals existed, I was volunteering at an animal shelter. It’s a great way to make a difference. Some of our ASPCA volunteers foster animals who have been abused in their former homes, giving these dogs and cats the chance they deserve to have a good life. You can find a list of shelters and rescue groups in your area in our National Shelter Directory.

 

Credits for this post go to the ASPCA.org website. I simply copied and pasted the information. I hope we all find it useful.

Alternative wind power! May 01

Now this company has some ideas on energy. Love their innovation!

What is in a name! Apr 30

     Hey all you who read and/or follow my blog. Lately I’ve been getting the “Yo great name for a site like this”! I don’t understand why so many people are commenting on this. Have I hit a creative milestone? I think not.

     If these comments are because of my empty thoughts, well I never promised a thrilling mind tingling experience. If it is due to the master of nothing phrase, well that’s what I am. I’m pretty decent at alot of things, but great at none. Do any of you know what Shifu xu means?

     If all the comments are sincere, and I hope they are, then a great thanks goes out to you for reading and letting me know you enjoy. Happy reading to you all! I’ll post more in a little while.

Intelligent life on Earth! Mar 29

     I sit here this AM and was thinking about the honeybees that my Aunt put to their death. It was a massive comb underneath the cover of their grill on their porch. By the size of the comb, which stretched almost to the ground, it had been some time in the making. The story was of how they did not know about it until they heard all the buzzing. It was on your porch, get out much.

Either way my point is that honeybees are disappearing, this has been in the news for a few years now. The intelligent decision to slaughter these bees is what gets me upset. For one they are in a fight for their survival every day and are now presumed to be fighting not to become extinct. I don’t believe any thought was given to help this hive relocate, just a selfish desire to have them gone no matter the method. Of course the easy way is death. They are such small insignifigant creatures.
A few little known facts about honey bees.

  1. Communicate by dancing – they report the location of food sources by wagging their backend. The dances always show the direction of food in relation to the sun.
  2. See in color – experiments done with color coded cards proved that bees will return to the properly colored card every time with no hesitation. They can even tell shades of gray.
  3. They hear – when rigged with electric current and related to a particular sound when on and off, the bees learned when their food source was electrified and dangerous by hearing the noise.
  4. Tell time – When a bowl of sugar water was placed out only between 10 and 12, the bees learned the time and would not show up at any other time.
  5. Anticipate – to me this is the most amazing – James Gould one of the most famous authorities on bee behavior, placed a food source next to the hive. Once the bees discovered it, He moved it 164 feet away. After one minute they found the food, so he moved it another 164 feet away and again they found it in less than a minute. After a few moves they found it faster and faster and then he noticed that they began to wait for him at the next location.

He then complicated the equation by doubling the distance each time he moved the food. He put the bowl next to the food source and every few minutes he would move the bowl four times farther away than before. He started at 4 inches, then 8, 16, 32 and so on. Soon he was moving the dish more than 100 feet in a single jump and before long the bees were waiting for him at his next food drop.

  1. Bees have different dialects – German bees do not understand Italian bees.
  2. Honey never spoils – honey found in tombs from over 400 years ago was still good when the tombs were opened
  3. One honey bee lives for one month and collects about one twelfth a teaspoon of honey
  4. They use ultraviolet vision to see which flowers have the most honey.
  5. Bees make over 300 different kinds of honey, with different flavors and colors
  6. And they know when you’ve artificially sweetened their food and will not eat it.

With all this said, I ask you, from the two characters in my story, who is the most intelligent? You will also notice that with living right next to my Aunt and her family, no one was stung or attacked by the bees.

Those life forms you find unintelligent, do your research and you will find just how amazing some of them can be.