I was visiting billy’s blog yesterday and took a side trip to meet eloon. She has a very funny story about the power of suggestion on Thursday, August 7, starting with

I was visiting at Altered Perceptions this morning, and came across a post questioning whether there should be a Code of Ethics for bloggers. Dawn provided a link to Calblog where the proposal for the Code of Ethics has been made. I strongly encourage you to visit and read the comments, but I’ll summarize them here.
First, it was felt by many that the term “Code of Ethics” was inappropriate due to the fact that blogs are a personal rather than professional endeavor. Anticipatory Retaliation suggested that it might be more appropriate to call them “Standards,” since standards do not carry any moral weight.
The sugggestion that most appealed to me was that each blogger should post their own guidelines in the “About Me” section of their blog. The most commonplace, and generally agreed upon guidelines are these:
1. Give credit where credit is due. Link to your sources when your post builds
off someone else’s work. Cite original information.
2. If you are reporting on factual information, check your facts.
3. Do not change a post significantly once it has been established on your blog.
Personally, I will go back to change typos, grammar goofs, and broken
links within the first few minutes after I have posted, but rather than edit a
post in a way that changes the message, the better choice is to add an
Update at the bottom of the post.
4. Somewhere at your site, post your stand on the issue of comments. Let
your readers know in advance how you handle obscenity or personal
attacks, should you choose to delete this material from your blog.
5. Do not delete a post. I’m not sure I agree with this. I have deleted one
post and the comments that went with it. It was a personal rant that I later
regretted. In the future, I might also delete a post if it caused me grief. I’d
like to see some discussion of this issue as to why a blogger shouldn’t have
control over their own blog.
In the comment section at Calblog, Claxton6 (who does not have a blog link) suggested that bloggers might want to read Rebecca Blood’s “Weblog Ethics.” I find them appropriate for blogs which focus on news or political issues, but to some degree, unnecessary for those of us whose blogs are personal commentary.
If you read Dawn’s post, you’ll see that she doesn’t feel blog police are necessary or desirable, and I agree with her. However, a collection of common practices that might guide new bloggers as they put their oars in the stream is a good idea. Let each person post their own guidelines and no one will have to pony up for police uniforms.

Sorry, Sir. I’m learning how to embed pictures tonight, and I needed the practice *smirk*

Do you believe there’s a good day to die waiting for you out there?
We’ll always be reminded of the Klingons who felt it was good to die in battle, and the men of the Wild West who prefered to die with their boots on.
John Grisham, opens his book “The Testament” with a billionaire signing a new will and then jumping to his death.
But on the other side of the coin is the mountain climber who cut off his own arm this year rather than face theGrim Reaper.

Continue reading →

A T-shirt announcing:
CO-ED NAKED GOLF!!
Jeeze……watch where you swing that thing!

Actually, my mind is still stuck on this weekend’s topics. Last night I still felt too rotten to cook, so DH did take out from Olive Garden. Two of the four of us are ill, and he brings back four full sized entrees, four salads that could feed eight people, complete with salad dressing, cheese and croutons, and a bag of breadsticks. I had lasagana last night. It was very comforting, but filling. I’m working on the salad for lunch. Despite eating strangely, and eating things that are NOT on my diet, I’ve lost more weight. That may be the only good thing to say about being sick.
I was a little surprised about Acidman’s reply to my question about comfort food. I rather expected that he would choose something inherently Cracker, but he likes egg drop soup. I guess that’s an upscale chicken noodle soup. Dr. D. could have been raised in my family; his choices match mine down the line. Bogie really surprised me, with “refried beans.” Actually, bogie, add a little cheese to that, and put it on a Tostito, and I might agree. See…..it’s that starch thing again. Cheese goes well with anything. Speedbump is probably thinking of a suggestion for the queso at Miguelitos’s right now! *WEG*
I was at the grocery store again today for more tush watching. I’m not a spring chicken any longer, and I recently realized that I’ve stopped watching the very young guys in favor of those who are a little older. Guys who are in their mid thirties to their late fifties seem to really draw my eye, especially if they have kept themselves fit. I’m happy to say that there are a LOT of guys who fit that description.
I wonder, after all the years that men have made it clear that they watch women, all the talk about “hooters” and “headlamps” and such, does it embarrass guys to know they are being watched? I don’t go around making appreciative noises and pumping my arm in the air, and contrary to public opinion, I DON’T DROOL! But (and I’ve learned this from my MOTHER..) when you stop looking you might as well be dead. Actually, I was talking with Mother about this today. I asked her if she found that she was watching older men too, and she said “No.” She didn’t care to elaborate on the subject (pehaps she feared being immortalized here), but it seems she just likes MEN. PERIOD! Especially if they happen to have small red convertibles!
If ya really want to do something nice for me, arrange for a parade of attractive men to pass my way, today. I need a gutter guy, and a lawncare guy, and a handyman. Send the UPS and the FedEx guys, and the postman, and have a poll taker and floral delivery guy visit. Heck, if you can’t think of any excuses, tell them to stop by and say they are LOST! Make my day!

I have to say thank you to Sgt. Hook for the kindest of mentions. I’ve been trying to learn my way around Site Meter, and discovered that of the last 100 visits, perhaps half or more of them came through his blog.
Sarge, your support of new bloggers is a gracious thing. I’ll remember and pass the favor on as I spread my wings.
If you haven’t been to visit Sgt. Hook’s blog, you must! He’s a remarkable military man, and an incredible “human bean.” *G*

I discovered today that Anna Paquin, who won an Oscar at 11 for her role in “The Piano,” has continued to act. I don’t know where I’ve been the past ten years. She’s been in more than thirteen movies since she did “The Piano.” I’ve actually seen her in “Finding Forrester,” (my famous lack of memory creeping in here), and I have a copy of the movie “Amistad” which I’ll watch now. What caught my attention was that she also plays “Rogue,” a mutant, in the “X-men” movies.
Now I have TWO reasons to see the “X-men” movies: Anna, and Hugh Jackman. THERE’S a man who’s easy on the eyes. He played a pretty role in “Kate and Leopold,” but he plays “Wolverine,” another mutant.
Jamie….you can have Toby Keith…..I’ll take Hugh!

Lately I’ve been reading a lot of political and militarily oriented blogs. I’m astounded at how far I’ve let my knowledge of current events slip. After all, I was once married to a political science teacher, and my life was filled with a constant flurry of newspapers, radio and TV news, canvassing, elections and government activity.
But that’s another story for another day. What I wanted to tell you about was a new site that I just discovered for those of us who are acronymly challenged:
acronymfinder.com
YEAH!!! Now I don’t have to ask dumb questions!

Did you know that Fellowes has created a shredder that will shred CDs, paper clips, and credit cards? (Model PS70-2CD $180). Since we now store so much of our personal information on CDs, I suppose this is a wise thing. Pardon my ignorance, but isn’t it possible to erase a CD?? That would be a lot cheaper than shredding the suckers.
For those of you on a tight budget, the Royal MD 100 “Media Destroyer” is only a hundred bucks.