Saturday, August 23, 2014

A Collection of ALS Ice Water Bucket Challenge Videos

(Most Links will direct you to a Facebook Video. Some privacy setting may prevent you from viewing all videos.)

James Rudy, a long-time survivor of ALS

FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND OTHER FACEBOOK FRIENDS
Kat Galloway, my mother
Kc Galloway, my sister
Tony Corradi, Kc Galloway's boyfriend
Cameron Corradi, Kc Galloway & Tony Corradi's son
Tim Galloway, my brother
Margie Tiberio, my Aunt
Mikey Tiberio, my cousin
Denise Deramo, Tasha Jones' mother
Steve Riggle, a Friendship Raceway Drag Racer
Willie Mays, Police Officer for Youngstown State University


You can view my video and Tasha Jone's video from the August, 20th Article:  My ALS Ice Water Bucket Challenge Video

Thursday, August 21, 2014

My ALS Ice Water Bucket Challenge Video

Wow... So the this campagn has raised over 53.3 million in just 25 Days!  I donated!  And so did Tasha Jones .  You can make your donations on their website:  ALS Ice Bucket Water Challenge Donations Form. (This link will direct you to their site!) or you can download a printable donation form by clicking here and mailing it to:

The ALS Association
Gift Processing Center
PO Box 6051
Albert Lea, MN 56007

 You can check their website ALSA.ORG for more details!


Here are our ALS Ice Water Bucket Challenge Videos!  Hope you enjoy!


That water was sooooo cold!


I don't know whose idea this was? LOL.  But it was a good one!!



Thursday, August 14, 2014

Looking Forward To This Weekend!! Vacation Time!

So, the entire family is going to Cleveland tomorrow!  Friendship Raceway is closed this weekend because of the Jefferson County Fair, so Dad put this vacation together for us!! 

THANKS DADDY!  YOU TOO MUMMA! :)

Our original plan was to drive up Friday afternoon, check into our hotel, and hangout for that first day.  And then off to Geauga Lake's Wild Water Kingdom Saturday and Cleveland Metroparks Zoo on  Sunday.  But, when Dad found out it was supposed to rain on Sunday, he changed the schedule up a bit.  Now, we plan on leaving tomorrow morning at 8:00am and driving straight to the Zoo.  Saturday we will go to the water park and Sunday will be our chill day!! 

Anyhow....  I haven't been on more than a day excursion for over 3 years, so, I am totally psyched!!





Thursday, July 31, 2014

Laural Hollow Park, Newell, West Virginia

The most perfect, private, little place :)

Tasha drives passed this little park on a daily basis on her way to work and has expressed her interest to me several times.  The park's entrance is all you can see from the street, because the entire place is engulfed in trees!

We decided to explore!

Paths wind into one another and lead into the opening of the park, which is set up to be amphitheater.  It's actually an old Polar Bear Den re-purposed as the stage, and is surrounded by benches that I believe to have been donated.

It's a really neat little park.  From what I understand, they hold concerts and other community events here.  You can view more info on the website : http://www.laurelhollowpark.net/












Wednesday, July 23, 2014

I only want to help.

My entire life, I have been that girl. The girl that worries. The girl that cares.  The girl that always has to get involved and voice her opinion. The counselor, the confidant, the go-to.

I have some innate instinct to play mother hen to any person I come across whom may seem unhappy, upset, or in need of a friend. I have even found myself hugging complete strangers at the pharmacy counter because I noticed them crying or distraught.

For the most part, I can say that being an empathetic person has given me the highest level of fulfillment and the attainment of incomparable bonds and relationships.


On the other hand, being critically involved in the lives of others is pretty tricky business.

People don't always want to hear the truth.  Sometimes people don't want a solution.  They don't want to be understood.   They want to be pitied and comforted.  That's the kind friend I have trouble being.

When something is wrong, I can't just let it be.  I must take action. Something must be done to fix the problem. So, when I see a person I care about acting in a behavior that is neither beneficial to them or their causes, I have to bring it to their attention.  That is what a friend does.  When your messing up.  Your friend plays that mirror for you and lets you know that your messing up. 

So.... sometimes you don't want to hear what I think, or what I have to say.  Understandable.  But know this...  I cared enough to have an opinion.  If my words sometimes seem harsh, let me apologize now.   I really only want to help.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

U.S. Government Borrowing

Good Afternoon!  I am still on this kick of trying to grasp all this money mumbo-jumbo...  I'm thinking I should have taken an Economics course somewhere along the line, but I never have.  (Perhaps that will be my next feat).

Anyhow.  Yesterday, I spent much of the afternoon reading about fractional reserve banking practices used around the world.  I read that banks have gained control of the land and resources of some of the poorest countries in the world.  Today, I am trying to learn about our own countries debts.

It's common knowledge that our government has a deficit.  But, we keep on spending, so, where is all that money coming from?

National Priorities Project. (2014). President Obama's 2015 Budget. Retrieved from: https://static.nationalpriorities.org/images/fb101/2014/presidents-budget.png


 
According to this infographic created by the National Priorities Project, our federal government plans on borrowing 15% of the money (approximately $561 trillion) that it is projected to spend in the year 2015.

When the federal government needs to borrow money-as it will for 2015- it does so in two main ways.  It will either borrow the money from other federal trust funds that have run a surplus (establishing what is known as federal debt), or, it will borrow from the people (establishing what is referred to as debts held by the public).

When the federal government borrows money from the people, the Treasury will issue bonds and other securities, and, the people who purchase these bonds are, in actuality, investing in our government. 

Anyone can buy the bonds, but as you will notice in the pie graph entitled Who Does the U.S. Government Owe Money To?,  international investors make up a whopping 47% of the federal debt held by the public.

National Priorities Project.  (2014). Who Does the U.S. Government Owe Money To? Retrieved from: https://static.nationalpriorities.org/images/fb101/2014/us-government-owes-money.png




It reminds me of the several times I have heard people say, "China will own us one day"?   I mistakenly thought this referred to our imports of China's products.  I mean, almost everything you see has a 'Made in China' stamp on it.  Today, I am realizing that the meaning of that statements runs much deeper....

Out of all of our international investors, we owe the biggest chunks to China ($1.3 trillion) and Japan ($1.2 trillion).

Another interesting fact that I read can be reflected back onto yesterday's article, Are Banks Taking Over?, where I ponder Julian Websdale's theories of banks and banking families taking over the world. The second largest debt held by the public, is made up of domestic investors like American citizens, as well as, institutions like private banks. The pie graph doesn't give enough detail to determine exactly how much of that debt is owed to private banks.... but I suppose any percentage of the $11.9 trillion dollar debt can obviously be considered significant.

Our governments borrowing practices have become a pretty controversial issue.  Some feel borrowing money will only help dig ourselves deeper-and-deeper into the hole of debt, while others believe that borrowing will help stimulate our economy, which would, in turn, help us to climb out of that hole of debt.

I don't believe I have acquired enough information to make that judgment for myself, but at least now I understand how our government borrows money and who it borrows money from.  


Resource:  National Priorities Project. (2014).  Federal Budget 101.  Retrieved from : https://www.nationalpriorities.org/budget-basics/federal-budget-101/


Monday, July 21, 2014

Are Banks Taking Over?

I can remember my father telling stories of finding money after my great-grandmother passed away.  She was so terrified of using banks and the threat of a depression that she hoarded the family's money in secret stashes throughout the house.  I used to chalk this up to the old-Italian superstitious ways of my elders.  Now, as an adult, I am starting to get the drift...

In a general sense, we all keep our money in banks to keep it safe?  Right?!  We don't want someone to be able to break into our homes and steal our stashes of cash! So, to ease our minds, we give it to the bank to hold on to it for us. 

Hmmmmmm......   (I'm thinking)  How safe can your money really be when you put it into a bank?

Don't be fooled.  Banks are not giant piggy-banks or lock-boxes.  Banks are businesses.  And just like any other business in the world, banks are out to make a profit. More importantly, like every other business in the world, banks also risk failing.

Know this...  When your account balance says $5,000, there isn't some drawer inside of that bank with your name on it that has your five grand inside.  When you make a deposit, that money is now considered an asset of the bank, and your bank balance only reflects the amount the bank owes you as the depositor. 

Now that the banks own your money, they don't just leave it sitting in a drawer somewhere for your later retrieval.  Banks are only required to keep a portion of your cash on hand to be able to fill your demand for withdraws.  They lend out the rest of your money to other clients - Which is no big deal.  Right?!  We don't seem to mind that banks are lending out our money to make a profit. 

But what if I told you that banks are legally allowed to lend out more money than they have on deposit?
 
Yes, you heard that right.  Banks are loaning out more money than they have. Its called fractional reserve lending.

Julian Websdale, author of Understanding the Illusion of Money and the Economic System Construct, used following diagram to explain this practice.
Websdale, J. (July 18th, 2014).  Banks artificially create money. Retrieved from: http://themindunleashed.org/2014/07/understanding-illusion-money-economic-system-construct.html



Now, ask yourself again....  How safe is your money when you put it in a bank?  What happens to your money if the borrowers your bank choose to loan to, fail to repay? 

As crazy as it may sound, this practice, called fractional reserve banking, is currently used in all countries of the world.

Websdale believes such banking practices has allowed banking families to attain high power and great fortunes, while the rest of the world is left enslaved to foot the bill.

Think about it.

We all know how it works.  In order to get a bank loan, you must put up some kind of asset for collateral, like your car, house, or business.  If you are unable to fully repay the loan plus interest, the bank gains ownership of that asset.

And who borrows money from the banks?  Damn near everyone.

From individuals, to businesses, to entire governments, everyone is borrowing from the banks.  And when loans go unpaid, banks are taking over land, homes, and businesses.  According to Websdale, some of these banks are already controlling some of the poorest countries of the world.

It is easy to recognize how banks could potentially take over the world, considering that borrowing has become a universal norm. 

Reference: Websdale, J. (July 18, 2014). Understanding the Illusion of Money and the Economic Construct. The Mind Unleashed. Retrieved from: http://themindunleashed.org/2014/07/understanding-illusion-money-economic-system-construct.html

Saturday, July 19, 2014

My new favorite web stop: The Mind Unleashed

I was breezing through my Facebook news feed when I stumbled across this post:



"We seek to break the chains of conventional thinking and inspire others to get involved and help create big change on the planet. We believe that we are in the midst of a massive paradigm shift, and many are starting to realize that business as usual means that we will travel down a path of half-conscious self destruction. Here you will find a healthy mixture of information related to activism, awareness, and personal growth.

If ordinary people really knew that consciousness and not matter or material possessions is the link that connects us with each other and the world, then their views about war and peace, environmental pollution, social justice, religious values, and all other human endeavors would change radically.

Join the Global Shift in Awareness!
"          -The Mind Unleashed (description)

The website is amazing, chalked full of interesting info! Check it out:  TheMindUnleashed.org

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Triple Town - Android App - One of my new addictions

This is the cutest little puzzle game & super addictive!

The goal is to build the biggest city possible.  Use 3 grass icons to create a bush, 3 bushes to create a tree, three trees to create a house & so on.  See how high of a score you can get before you run out of space!  My average town scores about 50,000, but my best town scored just over 200,000..  I just can't stop!  :) Enjoy!

Download it from Google Play Here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.spryfox.tripletown&hl=en

Monday, July 14, 2014

My Discovery of the World Happiness Report

As of 2012, the United Nations began publishing the World Happiness Report.  This project, sponsored by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, aims to measure the happiness of people all over the world, determine the causes of human happiness and unhappiness as a whole, and persuade policy makers to use this information to guide future policy creation.

I am in  ❤ with this idea! 

We live in an age of constant contradiction.  The world enjoys technologies of unimaginable sophistication; yet has at least one billion people without enough to eat each day.  The world economy is propelled to soaring hew heights of productivity through ongoing technological and organizational advance; yet is it relentlessly destroying the natural environment in the process.  Countries achieve great progress in economic development as conventionally measured; yet along the way succumb to new crises of obesity, smoking, diabetes, depression, and other ills of modern life. 
These contradictions would not come as a shock to the great sages of humanity, including Aristotle and Buddah.  The sages taught humanity, time and time, again, that material gain alone will not forfill our deepest needs, most importantly to promote the end of suffering, social justice, and the attainment of happiness.  The challenge is real for all parts of the world.
Helliwell, J. F., Layard, R., & Sachs, J. (Eds.). (2012) World Happiness Report.  New York:  Earth Institute

I encourage you to read the reports for yourself. That's how I plan on spending my afternoon!

View the World Happiness Report of 2012 [PDF]: http://www.earth.columbia.edu/sitefiles/file/Sachs%20Writing/2012/World%20Happiness%20Report.pdf

View the World Happiness Report of 2013 [PDF]: http://unsdsn.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/WorldHappinessReport2013_online.pdf






Listen to Happy by Pharell Williams: http://www.musicaddict.com/download/1091019-happy--pharell-williams-mp3.html

Thursday, June 26, 2014

I am Mercurian

I take the role of observer, avid for novelties, discoveries, and surprises.  Everything catches my attention and becomes an opportunity for new encounters, relationships, and learning.  The world amazes me, amuses me, and sometimes stimulates my curiosity.  Because the most important thing is to discover, and because I consider that each new situation is packed with potentialities, I try to fill the gaps in my knowledge. Although my open-mindedness may scatter my centers of interest, it also enables me to carefully avoid sticking to only one immutable and rigid view.  The slightest sign enables me to perceive the other side of the coin, as well as the infinite complexity of people and of situations...



These above are not my own words, but rather an incorporation of interpretations of my natal chart.  Don't know wth I'm talking about?? LOL.  You Can Read More Here: Born December 30, 1982, I am Capricorn

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Am I Wrong? Niko & Vinz

Am I wrong for thinking out the box from where I stay?
Am I wrong for saying that I choose another way?
I ain't trying to do what everybody else doing
Just cause everybody doing what they all do
If one thing I know, I'll fall but I'll grow
I'm walking down this road of mine, this road that I call home

So am I wrong?
For thinking that we could be something for real?
Now am I wrong?
For trying to reach the things that I can't see?
But that's just how I feel,
That's just how I feel
That's just how I feel
Trying to reach the things that I can't see

Am I tripping for having a vision?
My prediction: I'ma be on the top of the world
Walk your walk and don't look back, always do what you decide
Don't let them control your life, that's just how I feel
Fight for yours and don't let go, don't let them compare you, no
Don't worry, you're not alone, that's just how we feel

Am I wrong? (Am I wrong?)
For thinking that we could be something for real?
(Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah)
Now am I wrong? (Am I wrong?)
For trying to reach the things that I can't see?
(Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah)
But that's just how I feel,
That's just how I feel
That's just how I feel
Trying to reach the things that I can't see

If you tell me I'm wrong, wrong
I don't wanna be right, right
If you tell me I'm wrong, wrong
I don't wanna be right
[2x]

Am I wrong?
For thinking that we could be something for real?
Now am I wrong?
For trying to reach the things that I can't see?
But that's just how I feel,
That's just how I feel
That's just how I feel
Trying to reach the things that I can't see


So am I wrong? (Am I wrong?)
For thinking that we could be something for real?
(Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah)
Now am I wrong? (Am I wrong?)
For trying to reach the things that I can't see?
(Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah)
But that's just how I feel,
That's just how I feel
That's just how I feel
Trying to reach the things that I can't see

LISTEN TO THE SONG (link will open in a new window):  Am I Wrong - Nico & Vinz

Monday, June 23, 2014

My Music Downloads

All songs can be found on MusicAddict.com

Na Na - Trey Songz
Fancy - Iggy Azalea (feat. Charli XCX)
Loyal - Chris Brown (feat. Lil Wayne & Tyga)
Am I Wrong - Nico & Vinz
Long Way To Go - Cassie
We Dem Boyz - Wiz Khalifa
Who Do You Love - YG (feat. Drake)
Lalala - Naughty Boy (feat. Sam Smith)
Show Me - Chris Brown
Latch - Disclosure (feat. Sam Smith)
Or Nah - Ty Dolla (feat. Wiz Khalifa & DJ Mustard)

(links coming soon)
Believe - Lil Wayne (feat. Drake)
Main Chick - Kid Ink (feat. Chris Brown)
The Man - Aloe Blacc
Trophies - Young Money (feat. Drake)
Studio - ScHoolboy Q (feat. BJ The Chicago Kid Oxymoron)
The Worst - Jhene Aiko
Drunk In Love - Beyonce
Hold On, We're Going Home - Drake (feat.Majid Jordan)
The Monster - Rihanna (feat. Eminem)
Holy Grail - Jay-Z (feat. Justin Timberlake)
Rap God - Eminem
Blurred Lines - Robin Thicke (feat. T.I. & Pharrell)
Can't Hold Us - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (feat. Ray Dalton)
Suit & Tie - Justin Timberlake (feat. Jay-Z)
Rude - Magic
Good Kush & Alcohol - Lil Wayne (feat. Drake)
Hold On, We're Going Home - Drake


Backseat - New Boys (feat. The Cataracs  Dev)
Come to me - Diddy (feat. Nicole Scherzinger
Deliverance - Timbaland
Elevator - Flo Rida (feat. Timbaland)
Hot 2 Nite - New Edition
Hydrolics - Bow Wow (feat. Diddy)
Lights Out - Kleo
Little Freak - Usher (feat. Nicki Mina)
Love Games - Lady Gaga
Luv 2 Luv U - Timbaland & Magoo
Me & U - Cassie
Meet In The Middle - Tibaland
P.Y.T. - Michael Jackson (feat. Will I Am)
Rehab - Rihanna (feat. Justin Timberlake)
Roger That - Young Money
Round Here - Memphis Bleek (feat. T.I. & Trick Daddy)
She Looks Like Sex - Mike Posner
Summer Love - Justin Timberlake
Throw It Up - Rihanna
TKO - Justin Timberlake
Touch It - Busta Rhymes
Up Jumps Da Boogie - Timbaland &Magoo (feat. Missy Elliot & Aalyah)
Welcome to Jamrock - Damian Marley



Rush, Rush - Paula Abdule

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Perfect Definition - April

From the Latin, meaning 'to open up'
symbolic of Spring
She is strong and solid with a protective streak.
A lady who makes unbreakable bonds of love.
The female tower of strength.

Friday, May 23, 2014

I found a Giant Silk Moth: Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia)

As I was opening the tower for Test-N-Tune this afternoon, I was met by this huge butterfly, or so I thought.

After setting up, I had a few minutes and decided to try to identify my new friend. 

Well, turns out...  He is a Giant Silk Moth.  The largest species of moths in North America.


This one is a male.  Only the males have the large feathery antennas.  I am pretty lucky to lay eyes on this guy, since his adult life only lasts approximately two weeks. 

 Read More on Wiki: Hyalophora Cecropia