Please vote for the small town of Elmvale to win a community center; they really need it! All you have to do is click and enter the captcha words. You can do it as many times as you’d like.
http://kraftcelebrationtour.tsn.ca/top20/1697#matchup
(Contest closes @ Noon EST on Friday, July 23rd, 2010.)
Thanks!
Edited: July 23rd, 2010
I was on the Speech/Debate team in high school. I dabbled in a little bit of everything, with the exception of Discussion (because it just didn’t appeal to me) and did very well, but it was clear that my real passion was for the Interp events like Prose and Poetry. I made it to State in both of those events all four years and won first in each of them as a Junior and a Senior, took second as a Sophomore and placed third when I was a Freshman. (A progressive clean sweep, woohoo!) /end bragging rights
Considering that background, I guess it’s kind of odd that I don’t really care for Spoken Word recordings. Aside from Jim Morrison and Henry Rollins, there wasn’t much I could get into *listening* to; I tend to prefer reading the written word. I say “wasn’t” because in college, I discovered a compilation with some tracks that blew me away. They still do today. It’s called Home Alive: The Art Of Self Defense. The proceeds went to an anti-violence organization that provided self defense classes. (It recently discontinued operation, sadly.)
Anyway, I’m so obsessed with these two particular pieces that I just HAD to share them here. You can listen to them at the links below. Beware though… they aren’t exactly uplifting, to put it mildly.
Theory Of Mutation by Wendy O-Matik & Untitled by Kristen Kosmas
I can read like that, but I sure as hell can’t write like that. Wow. Just wow.
Edited: July 12th, 2010
Effective immediately, if your account expires, you can still hang out on the site! Details from the HMFIC below. ;)
kevin writes: When Camwhores started, it was completely free. Anyone could watch, anyone could chat, there was no such thing as a membership.
As Camwhores grew, we listened to what you guys wanted. We removed all the crazy popup ads that we were once known for. The *nine* banner ads that used to be on the front page are gone, replaced with just one that’s only visible if you’re not a member. This, along with adding features that cost us actual money (paying the lovely cammers here for shows and the like) meant that we had to start charging for memberships. To the subscribers we have now, we are extremely thankful. We wouldn’t be here without you guys.
Over the years, we focused so much on obtaining more members and trying to make our current members happy that we lost a bit of focus on what a non-member to Camwhores saw. Prior to today, non-members could only view the site for a few minutes without ads being thrown in their faces. Every 20-30 clicks on the site would result in more ads. Frankly, this sucked. Going forward, we’re committing to make the site as un-annoying as possible to everyone, including those who haven’t chosen to subscribe.
But, our biggest change is what we’re doing with members who let their accounts expire. Effective immediately, if your account expires, you can still hang out on the site.
Expired accounts will now be able to:
* Log in to the site normally
* Chat on the tagboard
* View the cam archives
* Participate in the forum
* Create a profile
* Post on your blog, or comments on other’s blogs.
An expired account cannot:
* Watch streaming video (due to the bandwidth expenses)
* See members only cams (to comply with the agreement we have with our cammers)
* Vote on pictures/cams
Expired accounts that stay on the front page for more than 4 hours without moving or saying anything will be redirected to a non-updating page, to help preserve our bandwidth when people walk away from their computers. You can re-join the main page with one click.
While some of the details will need to be tweaked going forward, this currently applies both to paid customers and free trial accounts after they expire. When either account expires, you’ll be able to stay on the site as an “expired user” for at least 90 days with the above restrictions.
No changes are being made to what paid customers get, you get EVERYTHING you had before with no exceptions.
We’re hoping this makes the site friendlier for everyone, and less money driven. We’re here for fun, not trying to suck subscription funds out everyone who wants to watch. Just because someone can’t afford a subscription today doesn’t mean we don’t want them here.
Now, I have 4 free trial invites. If you want one and you promise not to be a jerk while on the site, email tousledelegance AT gmail.com. I would especially like to see some of the old members come back!
Edited: April 1st, 2010
Realtors are some of the phoniest, most deceptive people I have had the displeasure of encountering. Day after day, I witness them telling complete untruths and it disgusts me. That tactic isn’t being a star seller; that’s being a bold-faced LIAR. They are so hungry for a commission that they throw ethics right out the window and it makes me want to puke.
Today the entire office, minus the one person it impacted most, got a glimpse of the type of crap I see every day. A walk-in started discussing using our services with one of the agents. During that conversation, they told him they had already been working with another agent in our firm. At that point, he should have then referred them back to her. Not only is that the thing to do, it is also our company policy to turn them back over to the person that they had contact with first. Instead, he ignored this protocol and began initiating the process with them himself right here in the lobby.
After these folks left and he started to head upstairs to do a comparative market analysis, one of the other agents asked if they said that they had spent a half hour talking to another agent about listing the property on Friday. She asked nicely, though she was totally aware that they had mentioned it because she was standing there during their exchange. She was hoping to politely give him the hint that what he was doing was improper. Immediately, he busts out with a flippant response and stomps up the steps, “I can’t babysit everything around here!!!!!” (This from the man that I had to pester every single day for a solid month just to get him to set up his voicemail?! Are you fucking kidding?!)
Miss Agent isn’t going to stand for that kind of treatment. She follows him and says there was no need for him to be rude to her when she was just trying to help. He gets all huffy and shouts that he doesn’t appreciate her insinuation that he was stealing someone’s client. (Hmmm. Why did he immediately get so defensive and loud if he truly believed he’d done nothing wrong?) Miss Agent points out that she just asked him a question and not only did he cop and attitude with her, but he also did not answer the question. He then yells at her,” NO, the answer is NO.” Double-you tee eff. That is absolutely not true. He knows it and so does everyone else in the office because we were all right there in the same room! Dirtbag.
Miss Agent replies, “Ok. Ok, that’s fine, but that’s no way to talk to me about it.” He slams the fucking door in her face and she comes running downstairs, so angry she is shaking. And so am I. I’m sick of this guy’s shit. This isn’t the first time he has lied… except usually, he tries to blame it on being new, feign ignorance and claim whatever it was had never been explained to him (though I know for a fact it indeed was, because, again, I was sitting right there when it happened). The bottom line is that this dude SUCKS (his attitude, his knowledge, his skills) and that is why he hasn’t made ANY money AT ALL yet. I think it is only a matter of time before he is gone and I hope it’s sooner than later. Dick.
Edited: January 20th, 2010
I grit my teeth every time a bill from a particular company crosses my desk. They tout themselves as “A Christian Repair Service” and their invoices have a crucifix on them. *shudder* Admittedly, I am slightly amused that they’ve accidentally worded it so that it implies Xians need fixing, but while your spiritual beliefs may govern your thoughts and actions, I strongly feel Business and Religion should be kept separate… I’ve never understood the compulsion to mix the two so incredibly publicly.
I may be an Atheist, but honestly, I would cringe every bit as much if I saw a bill from a company labeling themselves as “Atheist Owned And Operated.” (There’s a time and place for everything! Spirituality is a private thing!) I’m actually shocked that any mention of being a “faith based” company is legal; that seems to teeter on the brink of being discriminatory.
I find using God for marketing purposes to be distasteful, inappropriate, and, well, kind of slimy and creepy. The church is a wide social network and the opportunity for word of mouth through church functions seems like it would be sufficient enough to draw a significant amount of customers without plastering so much what is, essentially, overt propaganda elsewhere.
It seems like such an odd thing to do. It does nothing to promote the idea that their goods or services are somehow better in quality (because they are “blessed,” haha); it sort of gives off a condescending vibe to me. I mean, ones religion does not imply they are more professional or more experienced than those of another. It’s completely irrelevant in that respect! It is not an accurate indicator of ethical business practices. In fact, to some, it is off-putting, suggesting exactly the opposite and deters patronage. (And the erroneous assumptions/broad generalizations go both ways. Both “sides” are guilty of making them. You can thank the antics of figures such as Marilyn Manson, Ozzy Osborne, Jim Baker and Jimmy Swaggart alike for drawing attention to the negatives and/or extremes.)
I am so adamant about religion not belonging in the workplace that I was one of several employees who quit when the corporation was purchased by owners who added “John 3:16″ to the signs, began hosting morning prayer meetings at the office and instituted religious t-shirt Fridays. The vigils and clothing were not mandatory, but if you didn’t participate, you were told you were not being a team player. Luckily, the conflicting bus schedule got me out of attending, but when I wore a top with an Ankh on it, I was sent home and ordered to change out of my “Satanic attire,” that was the last straw. I secured another job, with their competitor, that very afternoon. It is a shame I felt compelled to do so, but to me, “freedom of religion” also means freedom from it. If I want a God, I know where to start looking; it should not be on my desk. :P
Edited: July 28th, 2009
After watching recent news reports, I’ve noticed that it seems many of us think our votes entitle us to an awful lot of access to politicians personal lives. (On a related note: Overall, the general sense of entitlement in society today is staggering. The behavior of so many people often has me asking the rhetorical question, “Who do you think you are?!”) It is understandable to want to vote for someone who shares your views and can relate to your agenda (yes, we all have one). To not want to cast vote for someone who does not is, actually, your RIGHT, but only the degree that you aren’t infringing on anyone else’s rights. However, if you are unsure of where a candidate stands, in that case, it might be in your best interest to simply abstain from voting for that office. Exercising that type of freedom- to choose or to choose not to make a choice, is part of what allows the system to work.
While it matters to me whether an illegal act has been committed, I don’t care who elected officials are fucking; I feel that’s a private matter. Sure, the ‘injured spouse’ could be considered a victim, but adultery isn’t a crime, per se. It’s certainly grounds for dissolution of a marriage, but it isn’t an offense punishable by law, though their spouse may find ways in which to punish them for it. ;)
The real injustice is that careers are forever jeopardized by private matters that don’t affect competence or ability to perform job duties. I’m baffled that sex between two consenting adults causes such a stir. Granted, when it is done on company time or financed with company funds, that’s another matter, but done ‘off duty’ and with their own earned monies shouldn’t be grounds for termination! Yes, a certain conduct is expected of them AT WORK – just like it is of you, but what one does in their freetime, provided it is legal, has so little bearing on other areas of their life or yours.
Some may argue that politicians should be held to a higher standard. I believe the time to let go of our ideals about what a politician is and should be is long passed. In this era, the best we can hope for is that they are not criminals. Certainly, this is unfortunate and sad fact, but a reality none the less and it is something to which we must adapt. Our adaptability is key to our success as a nation.
Others may argue that an affair is a reflection of character and, therefore, an indication that someone cannot be trusted with the job of running our country. Before you start spewing that logic, it might be a good idea to ask yourself: How above reproach are you? What things have you done that would be reason for you not to be trusted and have things taken away from you, have your life ruined? More importantly, who is qualified to make that judgment? The common man? Your next door neighbor? The guy in line at the supermarket? The woman waiting for the bus? I mean, they vote and pay taxes too, so… ???
Most of us, thankfully, are instilled with a basic sense of right and wrong; that isn’t exclusive to any certain religious sect. We can all probably agree to the general compromised summation of: those that kill or steal should be held responsible for their actions and receive some sort of punishment. (It is the specifics upon which we can’t agree.) I know I definitely can’t get past the fact that the world can’t be that envisioned “better place” with these thinly veiled attempts to enforce any particular set of morals on others. I feel like an old woman as I sit here shaking my head and muttering, “what a shame; we have so much potential.”
Edited: June 25th, 2009
By Exene Cervenka
Because our skins aren’t thick enough, the walls are too thin , our muscles have not evolved , we are not strong enough to protect us from ourselves…
Look! Soft tan tissue – they are on the cover of the swimsuit issue. He wishes you were her. Because he is looking for something much much more sexier and voluptuous. So he takes out a personal ad that says: “Personality a PLUS …”
Those guys they do everything for us. Wedding rings, diamonds, we get to by stuff… STUFF… Lots and Lots of STUFF.
Shops, malls, homeshopping walls… is it enough stuff? Is it ’stuff’ enough?
We don’t know any better, I guess. And now home shopping replaces television trinity ministry in some homes, I guess. And now at least people are getting something for their money.
Taxes to taxes, dust to dust. They do everything for us.
Edited: April 15th, 2009
Postmaster General John Potter asked lawmakers on Wednesday to lift the requirement that the post office must deliver mail six days a week. Faced with decreasing mail volume due to people using email rather than “snail mail” as a way of sending communications, and increasing costs, the post office had a loss of $2.8 billion last year. The change would not necessarily mean an end to Saturday mail delivery. Studies have looked at the possibility of skipping mail on days that are generally lighter, such as Tuesdays. “The ability to suspend delivery on the lightest delivery days could save dollars in both our delivery and processing and distribution networks,” Potter said. “I do not make this request lightly, but I am forced to consider every option given the severity of our challenge.” Would you have a problem with one less day of mail delivery?
Save Netflix, I don’t send/receive much postal mail. However, there are people who depend upon receiving medications and checks in the mail by a certain date. Any delay causing those to be late, even by a day, really has an impact on those folks. For them, I would oppose this change.
Edited: February 2nd, 2009
Trixie posted a blog entry on the American Idol that makes some terrific points [here]. Still, I’ve never been able to watch the program for more than a couple of moments. Not only because it is just not my thing (if I wanted to watch people sing Karaoke versions of songs I don’t particularly like, I would go to a bar), but also because the way these people are treated is crap and I’m not amused by others misfortune or their pain, regardless of how poor they sing/perform. Much like when I see America’s Funniest Home Videos, I don’t think it is funny; I feel sorry for the people in those clips and hope they are ok. I guess that’s why it really bothered me when a guest this morning on Bob & Tom said [sic], ‘Without this show these people have no way of knowing they have nothing to offer society.’ I didn’t laugh at that crack. The statement is both mean and patently untrue. It is a strange thing for me to say/feel, since generally, I am a fan of what most people would probably consider inappropriate and/or offensive humour (and certainly a bit of satire or parody) but not cruel, base slights. So, no, “your momma’s so fat…” jokes and slapstick comedy don’t do it for me… Nor does American Idol.
Edited: January 29th, 2009
I received a gift card from Sephora and decided to review the things I bought: Make Up For Ever HD Primer in Green, Kevyn Aucoin’s Eyebrow Pencil in Brunette, Sephora’s makeup eraserpen and their sharpener.
The primer is fantastic, the best I have everused. I have combination skin and most primers are so mattifying that theycause my cheeks to flake and my t-zone to get greasy fairly quickly. Not so with this product! My face becomes matte and without dryness and after using this daily for a week, I have yet to experience oiliness while wearing it.
I have natural pink undertones that I despise, which is why Iselected the green shade. I see a slight reduction in redness afterapplying, but the real impact comes after I put on my foundation (MAC StudioFix NC15) because my skin is so well prepped. It goes on smoother and coverage is much better and my blush blends much better. I see a longevity in my makeup as well; I usually wear it about 15 hours and need no touchups.
In terms of price, at $32, it is a bit more than I wanted to spend, but the quality is truly worth it and a little bit of this product goes along way so it should last quite a while. I am extremely likely to buy this again.
The brow pencil is almost akin to the holy grail! ;) Since my ink has faded, I draw my eyebrows on, preferring them very thin and highly arched, so I have beensearching for a very small tipped pencil for that sort of ‘detail work.’ I’ve tried some other self sharpening pencils that had fairly small tips,but they just did not get sharp enough to suit me. This one is even smaller than any of those and while it does not come to a point as I had hoped, I find it does not need to be pointy; it is still sharper than any of the others.
This pencil is nearly perfect! Staying power is excellent, whic his very important to me since I have no hairs left. It does not smudge, so it would not be a good candidate to use as eyeliner. It is not cakey like so many of the long-wear variety, nor is it shiny like so many eyeliner pencils that I’ve tried to use for brows instead. I can sketch freely with it to get the right size/shape and I can easily remove any excess/mistakes without screwing up the whole brow.
The only cons are: 1)the brunette shade is a light brown, which is considerably lighter than mynaturally black hair and 2) it is $24. Still, this pencil is so close to being exactly what I am looking for that I will definitely buy again. I expected quality because of the brand name and I got it. I cannot wait to try some of Kevyn’s other items.
The Sephora eraser beats out thecompetition too. Others I have tried did take off product, but they were sooily that they smeared the entire area, causing me to have to start all overanyway. This one does the trick. The only drawback is whatever you remove ends up on the tip. This isn’t a problem if you quickly blot the tip on something before capping it again. Price is about what I paid for similarproducts in a drugstore. Good deal, nice item I will use and re-purchase.
The Sephora sharpener is a steal. At $3, it is cheaper than you’ll find in many drugstores. As of yet, it has not broken off the tips of any of my pencils. It sharpens evenly and well enough. Will purchase another when necessary.
Edited: January 7th, 2009