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Should "hate crimes" carry harsher penalties than their normal equivalent?- (for PerC competition)
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Hate crimes should not receive harsher penalties than those of their "regular" equivalents for two main reasons:
a) Harsher punishment being doled out for the same crimes undermines the purpose of giving punishment to crimes in the first place. This relies extensively on the determination of the offender's intent rather than focusing on the actual crime being committed. According to Newton's third law of motion, for every reaction there is an equal but opposite reaction. Following this mode of reasoning, if two young boys both broke someone's window with a baseball, one would expect them to receive the same punishment.
In the case of hate crimes however, weight is added to the punishment of one over the other based upon the perceived intent of each of these boys. If the assumption were that one of the boys happened to break the window out of boredom, while the other broke the window out of spite for his neighbors, the former would receive a less harsh punishment than that of the latter. The purpose of having punishments for those who commit crimes is to serve as retribution for the wrongs that they did (2) regardless of the intent behind the act committed.
b) Rather than promoting the value of tolerance, this can actually create more divides between different groups of people. Creating a separate category and punishment style for what is considered to be a hate crime only serves to create more polarization and tension between members of the respective groups involved.
For example, in the midst of the Trayvon Martin shooting drama, the Washington Post reported that a poll showed the stark contrasts between the views of whites and blacks on the matter. A large proportion of African-Americans who took the survey viewed laws such as the "Stand Your Ground" laws in a negative light as compared to their white counterparts (3). Many people in the black community probably viewed the events of this case as a hate crime, and the perceived mishandling of this case only served to make them feel seperate from other communities in the American melting pot. Rather than creating a more tolerant environment, this standard drives communities apart more than anything else.
(1) http://www.rainn.org...
(2) http://www.psychologytoday.com...
(3) http://www.washingtonpost.com...
Hate crimes are driven by a hate for another for their differences and are encouraged by other hate crimes, no matter how minuscule. The threat of receiving a certain amount of punishment has become accepted and risk-worthy. The best way to deal with hate crimes would be to scare those who believes risk is worth it to get their discrimination message across to stop or at least lessen.
The division between certain groups will increase if the punishment for hate crimes weren't harsher if anything. Hate crimes encourage others to discriminate, it's not only an act of hatred, it's also a message accepting hate as a social norm. A simple and quick answer that solves the problem is to threaten with a harsher punishment, this way hate crime counts will decrease and there would be less encouragement as a result.
In a society structured in such a way that accounts for morality and general "good", punishment for crimes committed out of hatred should be harsher. If one were to commit a crime with the intent to cause harm, as opposed to accidentally causing harm, it would make sense to impose a harsher punishment. The purpose of punishment for crimes isn't only to force equivalent exchange, but also to teach a lesson and to make sure the same crime does not happen again.
If punishment for hate crimes were to create a larger gap between certain groups of people due to bias, that is what it is, people will generally be bias and support those who they relate to most. But that does not mean the punishment should be any less. Punishment for crimes should be dealt with with the person committing the crime and the victim in mind, not with people who aren't at all involved. How bystanders feel about the outcome should not change the actual outcome, as they are simply bystanders rooting for their team. If a large group of people protest that their favorite basketball team should have won, but lost for whatever reason, that will widen the gap between the fans of the two teams, but that's not going to change the outcome.
My opponent first states that "the division between certain groups will increase if the punishment for hate crimes weren't harsher than anything." Although it is a seemingly plausible motive for those in favor of the proposition, there are other factors besides hate crimes that create divisions between groups. These factors include but are not limited to: political ideology, religion, regional biases, levels of education, and socioeconomic status. Punishing hate crimes more harshly would not eliminate the divides that arise because of these factors.
He then goes on to say that, "punishment for crimes committed out of hatred should be harsher," on the basis of using the intent of the crime as the factor that gives or takes weight away from the punishment. This extrapolates law's function to call for retribution for the misdeeds committed onto something as ambiguous and murky as an individual's true intent. Labeling crimes as hate crimes also says a lot more about society as a whole than anything else. If society did not hold onto it's notions about gender roles, race, and sexuality there would be no need to have harsher punishment for hate crimes in the first place. By doing so, they drive wedges between the groups by emphasising their existence in the first place rather than referring to members of it's nation as a collective whole.
And the gist of his final paragraph was about how people who are not involved in the offense or impacted by it are negligible in the matter. This contradicts the purpose that harsh punishments for hate crimes serves. The purpose of such laws serve as an example of what is deemed morally acceptable by society. If two constituents of the larger society cannot see the equality that this is supposed to bring, it is doing more harm than good, and is counterproductive.
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29. April – 02. Mai 2018, Dagstuhl-Seminar 18182
Software Business, Platforms, and Ecosystems: Fundamentals of Software Production Research
Pekka Abrahamsson (University of Jyväskylä, FI)
Jan Bosch (Chalmers University of Technology – Göteborg, SE)
Sjaak Brinkkemper (Utrecht University, NL)
Alexander Mädche (KIT – Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, DE)
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Simone Schilke zu administrativen Fragen
Shida Kunz zu wissenschaftlichen Fragen
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Programm des Dagstuhl-Seminars [pdf]
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Creative Commons BY 3.0 DE
Pekka Abrahamsson, Jan Bosch, Sjaak Brinkkemper, and Alexander Mädche
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At the start of the year I wanted to unleash the shackles of work a little bit to try and get out and see some more of New South Wales. With new kayaks, a National Parks pass was purchased, and quickly value was found visiting Royal National Park and Kuring-gai Chase National Park. Also fitted in a weekend in Central Otago and three weeks in Scotland to catch up with friends and family after three years in Australia. From quite an eventful year, here are my favourite ten images at the moment from the four thousand I have taken.
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3. Night photography is something I rarely get a chance to try living in Sydney, but I often have a go when I'm out in. Taken whilst visiting family in New Zealand. This photo won me a yet to be experienced helicopter ride in Cromwell.
4. North Curl Curl rockpool offers a plethora of different compositions, especially in high seas. This was taken on the headland looking down on the recently battered pool.
5. This is a spot in Sydney that doesn't seem to attract the masses. I found it quite unexpectedly when I had a early day at work and thought I'd have a wee explore along the coast to possibly find a spot that might be good a future sunrise and I came across this.
6. A weekend away down in Narooma, a planned trip to go swimming with the seals was unfortunately cancelled but the coastline presented plenty photographic opportunities and this headland was only a couple minutes from where we were staying.
7. Taken at the end of nice walk to the waterfalls on the path up to Slioch. The weather was quite mixed and this is just before we got back in the car look down towards Loch Maree and Slioch.
8. A really good soaking as the heavens opened up at Plodda Falls. I had to wade across the water to get down here from the viewpoint on the other side. Although there must have been a path here once as you can clearly used to be a path as you can still see the broken old hand rails on the right.
9. Camping at Newnes for a few days and I managed to get up Mystery Mountain overlooking the campground for sunrise.
10. Staying next to Umina Beach made for a quick and easy walk down to the beach for this shot. I like the layers on the headlands all the way to the Northern Beaches.
January February (3) March (3) (2) April (2) (2) May (2) June July August September October (1) November (1) December
January (8) February (8) March (1) April (1) May June July (2) August (2) September October November December
(4) January (4) (1) February (1) March April May June (2) July (2) (3) August (3) (3) September (3) (1) October (1) (1) November (1) December
(1) January (1) February March April May June July (1) August (1) September (1) October (1) November December
January February (1) March (1) (1) April (1) (1) May (1) (1) June (1) July August September (1) October (1) November (2) December (2)
(2) January (2) (1) February (1) March (1) April (1) (1) May (1) June July August September October November December
January (1) February (1) March April May June July August September October November December


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We are excited to announce that our identity and packaging designs for Terely and Xoco are both winners of Print + How Magazines 2012 COLOR in Design Awards!


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As soon as a couple has made provisional arrangements for a marriage to take place in approved premises, they should contact the Superintendent Registrar of the district in which the premises are situated. On the day of the marriage it will be necessary for two Registrars to attend, one to conduct the ceremony and the other to register the marriage. Registrars will attend marriages in approved premises from 10.00am to 4.00pm, Monday to Sunday, subject to availability. It is possible to book Registrars up to twelve months in advance and couples are advised to contact the register office as soon as possible. The marriage cannot take place without the presence of the Registrars.
Although it is not necessary for the couple to reside in the district where they intend to marry, they are required to give legal Notice of their intention to marry. This must be done by the Bride or Groom at their local register office(s). The two different types of Notice shown are both valid for three months.
Notice must be given to the Superintendent registrar of the district in which the Bride and Groom have resided for at least the previous seven days. A minimum of 21 days must elapse between the giving of the Notice and the day of the marriage. If the couple live in different districts, Notice must be given to the Superintendent Registrar of each district.
This is a more expensive procedure. Only one Notice is required, even if the couple live in different districts. The Notice should be given to the Superintendent Registrar of the district in which either the Bride or Groom has resided for the previous 15 days. A minimum of one clear working day must elapse between the Notice and the day of marriage.
The content of the marriage ceremony must be approved in advance by the Superintendent Registrar who will be attending on the day. Please note that, by law, only a civil ceremony is permitted: any music, reading, words or performance which forms any part of the ceremony must be secular in nature. The Superintendent Registrar will be happy to offer advice and guidance to couples that wish to personalise or enhance their marriage ceremony. The address and telephone number of the Cheshire & Ellesmere Port Office is as follows:
Cheshire West & Chester Council HQ
Nicholas Street
Telephone Number: 01244 977989


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Colt House Pistol in .38 caliber (C9823)
Guns International #: 100893412 Seller's Inventory #: C9823
Category: Colt Revolvers - Antique - Antique Revolvers - Cartridge
Seller's Information
When emailing or calling sellers direct, please mention that you saw their listing on GunsInternational.com
Seller: Collectors Firearms
Company: Collectors Firearms, Inc
Member Since: 3/6/07
State: Texas
Zip: 77063
Country: United States
Phone: (713) 781-1960
Fax: (713) 781-6407
Platinum Seller
Number of Active Listings: 5323
Seller: FFL Dealer
Return Policy: 3 day inspection and return policy on used guns.
Payment Types Accepted: M/C, VISA, American Express and Discover
Colt House Pistol in .38 caliber with etched barrel. Gun works perfectly. Bore is excellent and face of cylinder shows little or no evidence having been fired. Grips are perfect. Gun has 98% original factory nickel. Very fine example.
Price: 2,450.00
Antique: Yes


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FirstHealth Physicians Receive Hospice and Palliative Care Certifications
| Date Posted: 1/17/2013
Ellen Willard, M.D.
Aaron Gavett, D.O.
Otto Rogers, M.D.
Van Slaughter, M.D.
PINEHURST – Three FirstHealth of the Carolinas physicians have been certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine while another has been recertified. All passed their boards in October 2012 in Raleigh, N.C.
"These physicians have demonstrated expertise in end-of-life medical care that focuses on the relief of suffering and improving the quality of life for patients and families who are living with a life-altering illness," says Charlotte Patterson, director of FirstHealth Hospice & Palliative Care. "This certification will strengthen their role on the interdisciplinary team, allowing them to focus on individualized goals and advanced care planning while supporting their patients and families."
The newly certified physicians are Aaron Gavett. D.O., assistant medical director of FirstHealth Hospice & Palliative Care and a hospitalist service physician; Otto Rogers, M.D., a specialist in emergency medicine; and Van Slaughter, M.D., a hospitalist service physician. Ellen Willard, M.D., a hematologist-medical oncologist and medical director of FirstHealth Hospice & Palliative Care, has been recertified.
"We are very fortunate to have four physicians board certified in hospice and palliative care," says Daniel Barnes, D.O., president, FirstHealth Physician Group. "These physicians will work closely with our palliative care team to provide this much-needed service to our inpatients at Moore Regional Hospital. Palliative care improves quality of life for appropriate patients and families and enables patients to avoid preventable crises that can lead to unnecessary hospital admissions."
Dr. Willard was the first physician in North Carolina to earn the Hospice and Palliative Medicine certification. She was first certified 14 years ago.
"The fact that FirstHealth has a hospice and palliative care service means that we are committed to providing specialized and appropriate care for those with progressive and life-limiting illnesses and have staff with the expertise to provide that care," she says.
Related Content
April 17, 2015
Moore Regional Hospital Gets 5 Stars from Medicare for Patient SatisfactionDavid J. Kilarksi PINEHURST – Choosing where to go for hospital care can be confusing and overwhelming for patients. That choice may be a little eas…
April 14, 2015
Slaughter Named Richmond Memorial Physician of the YearVan "Beaux" Slaughter, M.D. ROCKINGHAM – A hospitalist physician known for his "great bedside manner" has been named 2015 Physician of the Year at Fi…
March 26, 2015
New Physician Joining FirstHealth Family MedicineThe latest addition to the FirstHealth network of providers in Richmond County is Dr. Sanchez.
August 16, 2018
FirstQuit - Moore CountyReady to quit tobacco? We can help. Quit Class – 1st & 3rd Thursday of the month, 9 – 11 a.m. or 2nd & 4th Wednesday of the month, 3 – 5 p.m. Supp…


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My daughter-in-love got this idea for birthday gifts for her daughter's little friends. Her idea is to use these in the car (once the candy is gone) to store coloring books, markers, paper, etc. and then use the box/lid as a desk while riding. DIL's pawpaw made the sliding lids and I cut the vinyl letters from Storybook for her. She then distressed the tops and the vinyl letters.
I should have taken a picture of the underside of the lid but didn't so I'll try to explain. The top is a smooth piece of lightweight wood that was a few inches wider than the box. On the bottom side of the lid, her PawPaw tacked 3 ridges that when the lid was slid onto the plastic box, made it fit snuggly. That's what the ribbon is glued to.
Cute huh. And who knew you could distress vinyl.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
A new idea for Vinyl
5 comments:
Great idea!!!! I'm thinking of all those stamped images, and printed images that are waiting to be colored ... and my copics .... in the car or the living room in front of the TV. This could go anywhere. And, nice job on the letters!ReplyDelete
Great ideas eiyiyi!! Thanks for sharing. ~LindaReplyDelete
NOW THATs a great idea!!! oh gosh thanks for sharing :)ReplyDelete
with a grin,
Very nice project! Did she sand them before you apply the letters to the lid...they look sanded. I should ask...are they sanded?ReplyDelete
LMcBurney, yes, she sanded the top and vinyl letter. =)ReplyDelete
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The Officer Commanding (OC), Kira Road Police Station, Bukoto can make a woman want to get locked up for drunk-driving just so she can dream the night away in his presence. I see the man on the road at least once a week but I can't get over the way he warms the blood under my skin. Before I go on, you ought to know that this is one of those thoughts that you're sure you're saying in your mind, only to realize much later that you actually typed it out loud.
I saw him today as I was winding up my morning run. He stood right outside the station, at the opposite side of the road. Arms akimbo, legs apart, he was talking to a driver with an over-loaded truck. His jaw was stern, his dark face unyielding but his eyes were so full of soul. I decided that this was the place I would do my stretch exercises. I placed my right hand onto the pole besides me and grabbed my left foot behind me with my left hand, gently pulling my heel towards my butt. I held position and looked straight ahead to appreciate the ray of masculine glory standing a few yards away.
His uniform exuding strength from his strong lean body; His well-fitting shirt running from his square shoulders and nicely outlining his broad chest and solid arms, just before it disappears, tucked securely underneath his firm torso; The black belt that is buckled steadily across his slim but solid waist firmly holding his trousers in such perfect place. His khaki trousers…GAWSH his white khaki trousers…they go on forever. Shelling narrow hips full of spirit, a tight butt filled with hope and triceps stuffed with promise. The black boots at the end of the long steamy journey; strapped firmly over a shin that clearly strides with purpose.
The sweat rolling down my neck was no longer from just the run. I looked back up and right there in that brief moment, his eyes caught mine. I wanted to look away but I couldn't. The adrenaline in my veins refused me to even try. The beat of my heart was pulsing unevenly. With an impartial nod, he smiled courteously. I started to smile back but he had turned his back to me and had started walking back into the station. Just as I was making the cautious decision to calm the hell down, a voice right in front of me bellowed – "Jangubebinkutwaleko". Startled, I looked down at the man with a red helmet and orange jacket, and with whatever breath I could find, I responded "Neddassebo…ndibulungi". I found my feet and run off. The man in the white uniform now only but a fleeting warm memory. P


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My left ear hurts. I'm running a low-grade fever and just spent several minutes trying to remember why I entered the kitchen. I also sound like Peppermint Patty, so I think I have an ear infection or something. I'll run it off tonight. I didn't sleep well last night. I had stress dreams I forgot immediately after awakening, but the anxiety lingered. I converted it into hyperactivity. It's better than feeling anxious, but the cost will show up tomorrow when the bruises appear. I'm stuck in walking like I just learned how mode, so I'm bumping into everything. I'm moving like my toon in World of Warcraft. (I suspect I hold some sort of server record for most times dying from accidentally falling off shit.) I'd better burn this off while running outside. Staying on the treadmill while running is out of reach today.
I prefer running outside. However, the mosquito situation sucks when you run on bike trails that hug a river. I have repellant, but it reeks. I guess that's better than skeeter bites. My imagination usually suggests I may have bed bugs when I'm covered in skeeter bites and itchy while falling asleep, (despite my weekly linen rotation and daily bathing routine.) My imagination is an asshole. As an African American, I've never had head lice, but I've heard all about it. (Most African Americans have square hair follicles. North American lice affect round hair follicles.) I guess it's worth having hairs so thick they can defy the wind. My imagination fucks with me about lice, despite this. Hell yeah, I rub oil on my scalp to prevent itching from dry skin. Still, my imagination has the gall to suggest I may be suffering from trichotillomania. Ass. Hole. 🤣
I've been painting on my new iPad Pro with the Apple pencil. Dear Wacom, thanks for everything, but I'll no longer be needing your tools. My iPad Pro made your company obsolete. I'll always remember our time together over the years before this innovative smack-down occurred. Buh-bye, now. P.S. Microsoft Surface line, too. Tut tut. There's an app that utilizes the iPad Pro as an outstanding wireless drawing tablet for your Apple machine. Other apps allow you to use it as a standalone drawing tablet that far surpasses existing (consumer) drawing tablets. As an Adobe Creative Cloud user, the Photoshop app was free, (included in rental.) I got an outstanding drawing/painting app for $4.99. (In the App Store, look under featured apps for the iPad Pro.) I'm donating my Wacom to a public school art teacher. (It's still an excellent learning tool.)
I'm going to purchase another iPad clamp holder like the one I got for my drum kit. It will allow me to adjust the position of the iPad as I paint, so it'll replicate an easel on my desktop. Actually, I think I'm just going to use the one I have now, and add a Bluetooth adapter to my drum kit. I only use it to play along with music, so a dedicated resting place (for my phone) is unnecessary. I forgot how easy it is to spend several hours painting. I have a quirk that won't allow me to listen to music while I paint. I'm starting to think it's a feature rather than a quirk because it prevents me from painting for too long. Yep. Going with a feature. I'm having caffeine withdrawal. (It took an embarrassing amount of time to figure out why I've had a headache for two days.) I might have to do something I never thought I would do. I might have to start drinking coffee. (It's the only non-retail source of caffeine I can acquire.)
I like the smell of coffee beans, but I don't like hot beverages. (Not even hot chocolate with a gazillion marshmallows.) It means I'll have to acquire a taste as an American. This is against everything I stand for! It doesn't make sense to repeatedly imbibe something that isn't immediately delicious in a first world country! Why have taste buds at all?! (Calm down, Alison.) Iced sugar water with enough coffee to prevent headaches, it is. Sigh. Dear Mountain Dew, I'll always remember our time together. You should divorce Pepsico and buy back all your stock. Employee owned businesses are edgy. Peace, out. I should make a cape with my remaining Wonder Woman fabric. Yep. This is happening. I'm off to make the ultimate empowering playlist for my run later.


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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35857838106008768082018-03-02T08:05:43.067-08:00HyperLynxmusic, recipes, book reviews and historical musings from a northern cascadianKelly Loewenhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-9763929650070677972017-01-27T12:39:00.000-08:002017-01-27T12:39:03.370-08:00Firewatch

We often play games to escape: the drab realities of our jobs, the fact that we can't actually jump very high or run all that fast, and maybe we aren't often able to be the hero in our day to day lives. Games give us the power to escape our lives, become someone else, and live another, more fantastic life, and many are quite good at doing just that. But the recent indie games Firewatch is going a step further. Painting a world that you literally step into, much more immersive than a novel or movie could be, it doesn't explain right away what its purpose is, it exists to sink into, and it lets you dive in as deep as you want. The feel of being utterly alone in a vast wilderness is palpable, as is the sense of the time period of 1989, with its analog gadgets, you can almost feel the grit coating every surface in your fire tower. Each scene is like a painting that you can step into, but the game isn't simply pretty to look at. Dangerous, mysterious, and deeply realistic, Firewatch fully takes advantage of the storytelling capacities of video games.Kelly Loewenhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-5402180121391051152016-06-23T10:22:00.003-07:002016-06-23T10:22:59.493-07:00we are glassobsessed with dystopian novels, i finally found We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
it felt strangely small and closed in and intimate in its dissonance
and the observer's eye is able to see across city blocks, through glass, glass glass, everything glass
and the author's world is glimpsed through the glass, USSR 1920
prescient: bland and terrifying
dystopia = utopia = atrophy

Kelly Loewenhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-43033552562652803772016-02-01T11:32:00.000-08:002016-02-01T11:32:01.920-08:00morality and philsophyI have always found Hume's question to be quite interesting:

"Epicurus's old questions are still unanswered: Is he (God) willing to prevent evil, but not able? then he is impotent. Is he able, but not willing? then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? then whence evil?" – David Hume

In philosophy we attempt to separate what "is" and what "should be", and this is one reason why a philosophical education is extremely important to develop your own moral compass.Kelly Loewenhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-68189354052002258252015-12-14T09:54:00.001-08:002015-12-14T09:54:30.761-08:00Gender is a performance, gender is a pattern. Gender is a performance, gender is a pattern.

As an example, the girls start to wear cute, tight, heeled shoes. The kind that pinch your toes, leave blisters if you walk too far, but they look beautiful. The girls happily suffer for fashion because the ultimate goal of the girls is to look cute while they do whatever it is they are doing. (Yes, they want to be doctors and scientists and artists, but they need to look cute at the same time.) They wear a skirt and tights, it looks adorable. They are relatively comfortable, a little constricted. They might see the boys chasing each other and jumping over a fence. You cannot jump over a fence wearing heels and a skirt. So the performance becomes a pattern, as the less you jump over fences, the more you get out of the habit until horse-play is not something you do, and you become a gentle, feminized person. So did the girl choose the shoes because she is a girl, or did the shoes make the girl more likely to act like a girl?

Of course you can't remove social influences from the question, but if you try a thought-experiment and ask yourself if, in the wild, the female of a species would purposefully want to hinder her physical abilities to not only attract a male, but to appear pleasing to all the other males she isn't even trying to attract, I'd say it sounds like a conspiracy. It seems like it would a good bit of propaganda to get a whole half of a species to limit itself and boost the other half.

My personal experience as a youth was thinking, why would I wear heels, what if I want to run? What if I need to run... away from someone? (Who wants to hurt me, or worse....) I'm not letting these feminine trappings make me feel unsafe. It's not worth it to look like a cute angel with tiny delicate unicorn feet, even though I do want that, because I've been told I want that, I've been shown how cute it is. I want to be cute. My giant feet look big enough on their own, but I strap on hiking boots and I kick ass and I tell myself I don't care if it's not feminine. It's my right as a living breathing being with a body to not have my body be in pain all the time, to let my body move the way it was meant to. (This could also apply to bras but that's a whole 'nother story....)

I'm getting sick of feeling torn inside, sick of feeling like it's more important to look good than to get shit done. I want to be so darn awesome at stuff that I look good for that reason, not because I'm sexually attractive. I am attractive but I am also strong, and while looks do fade, inner strength won't fade if you let it grow. And there is a wild, rare beauty in a person who follows their own path.
Kelly Loewenhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-66183935199825517712015-12-09T08:54:00.002-08:002015-12-09T08:55:14.118-08:00Forever is nothing we can have
One thing that I've noticed as I get older, is how things don't last. I had this idea, as a kid, that if you hang onto something, you can keep it forever. Well, I learned that forever is nothing we can have, and you can't hang onto anything.

How long do things last?

Certain materials do seem to last. But everything is slowly disintegrating from the inside out.

That object that you tuck into a box is going to be ravaged by time and there's nothing you can do about it. Those lotions are going to be oil-slicks in the back of your cupboard. Those spices are turning into coloured dust. Those photographs are slowly fading to grey.

I noted, that while memories do fade as well, they last longer and are much more enjoyable to look back on than crumbling knick-knacks and stained chemises.

As I peer into the drawers and boxes and realise that the things I put in there no longer exist, I exalt in the act of fully enjoying an object in the moment, rather than holding onto it until some indefinitely-never-arriving glowing future.
Kelly Loewenhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-30420810990980994202015-12-08T09:17:00.000-08:002015-12-08T09:17:49.850-08:00Too much junk this holiday? Fill your heart with puppy love.Don't we all already have too much junk? Sure, we need things but we get the things we need for ourselves. Gifts are nice but if it's just an obligation to spend money, it doesn't really fit into the spirit of giving.

Every holiday I wonder, do I need to buy into all this consumerism? I always tell myself I won't, but then people start buying me presents and the guilt rolls in. A couple of hand-made gifts and a few treats here and there are nice but I want to donate to a cause as my gift to my friends and family. And I hope that they might join me and raise even more for an awesome cause!

My solution: Asking you to please donate to my favourite cause, the Second Chance fund at the BCSPCA. Raising funds for specific animals who need life-saving surgery, this is a great way to give joy and love this holiday season.

Look at that punam.

My angel this season is a nine-year-old Lhasa Apso named Zizi. She has been neglected too long, and needs a chance in her golden years to live life free of pain and surrounded by love, just like all of us. She needs $3800 for her surgery and care, of which $2745 has already been raised. I set my goal at $100 but I think we can raise $1055 and complete Zizi's surgery fund, with your help.

My Holiday @BC_SPCA fundraising page for Zizi the Lhasa Apso! https://t.co/bNWdYkYKDV pic.twitter.com/gaX5OyeuJL
— Ruby Tuesday (@kellynicola) December 8, 2015
Kelly Loewenhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-39784046090636922212015-11-25T14:16:00.000-08:002015-11-25T14:18:29.492-08:00a political cartoon

Bring on the steamroller, Site C is coming through! #SiteC #Zunar #BCPoli -- 4 @AmnestyOnline Human Rights Course pic.twitter.com/rgtmOFIrNq
— Ruby Tuesday (@kellynicola) November 25, 2015

Check it out here:  Rights1x Human Rights: The Right to Freedom of ExpressionKelly Loewenhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-28786089290658049882015-11-24T10:23:00.000-08:002015-12-14T08:31:51.407-08:00Do protest marches have an impact?
This morning I received an email regarding a climate march taking place soon, to coincide with the Paris Climate Summit that starts on November 30, 2015. It included a video of the climate marches in 2014, which was both inspirational and a little worrying. The video got me thinking: do marches work? What do they accomplish? My first instinct is that they do little but soothe the protesters themselves. They could connect the activists together in a stronger community, inspire activists to get even more passionate, and encourage the marchers to feel like their views are being heard. But are they really having those impacts? Are there any outside impacts, aside from the positive benefits to the marchers themselves? I wanted to find out a little bit more.

The Atlantic's piece from 2014 called Why Street Protests Don't Work, details some recent marches and the effects of them, and finds that social media and online activism has negatively affected the impact of protest marches. Now there are many marches that do not accomplish anything. An article called Marches and Demonstrations Do Work, For A Variety of (Good and Bad) Reasons, details how marches do have an impact, but that impact is often negative against the cause of the protest. The author details how immigrant marches in Arizona in 2006 and 2007 , intended to bring support for undocumented immigrants, actually caused more racial tension, and increased calls against legalizing the large numbers of undocumented immigrants who filled the streets. Another article in favour of protests, says that the important act of showing those in power they are being watched is more than enough to make protest marches worthwhile.<o:p></o:p>

Most of those I spoke to here in Canada about protest marches, from people in their 20's and 30's, to people in their 40's and 50's, did not think that protest marches have any impact at all on the politics at large. These are people who sympathize with the goals of the marchers in many cases, and yet see this form of activism as fruitless, or even as working against the objectives. A few people made hesitantly supportive comments, but nobody could voice what real impacts protests would actually have, instead vaguely referencing solidarity, spreading information and awareness, and creating visibility for the cause as the more tangible benefits of protest marches. Many young people are disillusioned with activism, finding that nothing much changes despite the energy poured into their causes.<o:p></o:p>

There was some optimism about protests and marches from those I spoke to. Some people believe that peaceful protests are an important way to express yourself in today's society, and that marches and demonstrations have a huge impact compared to "armchair activism" aka online activism, clicktivism, on social media. An article on Slate described protests as one of the only ways that disenfranchised people have to engage with democracy and express their political opinions. However, when we started discussing violent protests, things got a little murkier. Being from Canada, we are lucky to be legally allowed to protest, and while things have gotten a bit unclear with the previous Harper government's condemnation of masked protests, generally we are protected and allowed to express ourselves. However, in some places in the world, people are so thoroughly oppressed, and the government so reprehensively despotic, that peaceful protests are not allowed and the marches often turn violent. Governments would be well-advised to allow peaceful protests, as shaking a bottle with the lid tightly closed can shortly lead to a messy explosion. Politicians in Canada might even see peaceful protests as a way to crack the lid and let out the pressure without any explosions.<o:p></o:p>

I guess it really comes down to what the goals of the marches are. If your goal is to raise awareness, and to show the politicians what you believe in, maybe protests do have a positive impact. But to affect real change to the laws and political systems of your country, I have come to believe that marches are not as effective as we wish them to be. I am, however, stumped as to a better solution.<o:p></o:p>

eta (Dec. 14, 2015): In light of the extremely promising Paris Climate Talks, I should add that it has been said that the global climate marches have had an important influence on letting decision makers know that the people want progress on climate change.

"When in 2014 the UN Secretary General convened his UN Climate Change Summit and hundreds of thousands of people marched in the streets of New York, it was then that we knew that we had the power of the people on our side." - Christiana Figueres, head of UN climate talks, speaks to the power of our marches in her closing speech to the summit today [Dec 12].

Further reading:<o:p></o:p>

Why Civil Resistance May Not Work: Geopolitics and the Effectiveness of Ukraine's Nonviolent Protests<o:p></o:p>

Small Change: Why the revolution will not be tweeted<o:p></o:p>

Why Street Protests Don't Work <o:p></o:p>

Marches and Demonstrations Do Work, For A Variety of (Good and Bad) Reasons<o:p></o:p>

Protest marches and demonstrations still have an impact

Protest Is Democracy at Work<o:p></o:p>
Kelly Loewenhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-79582416209206383472015-08-11T10:19:00.000-07:002015-08-11T10:19:23.431-07:00Why it's easy to be an atheistThis is my response to the religious blog post "IT'S NOT EASY TO BE AN ATHEIST" by Rev. Dan Erickson.

I couldn't help but want to respond to this article because, as an atheist, I'm sick and tired of all the mistaken assumptions placed on me by condescending members of the religious theocracy. The author believes that its easier to just accept his particular religion, and gives his reasons for why he thinks it would be hard to be an atheist, showing more about his misguided understanding of secularists and general humanity than about any challenge to being a free-thinking atheist.

First, the aspiring atheist should sequester him/herself in urban settings and avoid the majesty, power and beauty of nature.The Bible says, "The heavens declare the glory of God and the skies display his craftsmanship."One may "understand" that the "northern lights" which seem to be dancing across the sky on a clear night are the result of solar activity, but when actually viewing them, it is hard to avoid the thought that they point to something far more magnificent than our sun. Mountains, lakes, streams, trees and wild flowers all have ways of planting questions in an atheist's mind: Is everything merely a cosmic accident? Could this all have "just happened?" Or, is there an "intelligent designer" behind the marvelous phenomena of nature? Those type of questions challenge atheistic "faith."

The beauty and majesty of nature makes me, as an atheist, even more impressed with the complexity and raw power of the universe, without having to rely on an explanation of a creator to neatly package away the wildness into a narrow box of understanding. Just because the Reverend Dan feels terrified by the idea of not being able to explain the sunset without resorting to a magical spirit, doesn't mean everyone feels the same way. I am more than happy to bask in the magnificence of nature without having to explain it away with a designer. In fact, the sheer un-knowable power of nature is beautiful and terrible at the same time, and cannot be explained by our silly little creation stories. Science can lead us to understand some of this majesty, but to deign to think we know all and can control all is the ultimate hubris. Trees, flowers, mountains and streams do not plant questions in my mind about a deity, which leads me to believe you really don't understand atheists... as confirmed as I continue to read this ridiculous polemic. Trees and flowers may plant questions in my mind about ecology, biology, atmosphere and environment, but they don't threaten my "faith" as Erickson calls it. My love of nature isn't faith.

Second, someone who does not want to believe in God should avoid spending time with religious believers and taking their experiences seriously. Human beings have vivid imaginations. The fact someone claims to have an encounter with God, doesn't mean it actually happened. However, when people living at many different times and in many different places all report a similar experience, intellectual honesty requires investigation of those reports. A plausible alternative explanation needs to be identified to these being genuine God encounters. If that does not seem feasible, ignoring people who claim to have had those experiences may be an atheist's safest choice.

Rev. Erickson does have a point that it is a great idea for atheists to avoid religious people, simply because we do not want to waste our time listening to irrelevant fiction masquerading as something important. The fact that so many people around the world throughout history have had hallucinations and daydreams about a deity, or are willing to unconditionally believe those who do, does require investigation, but that investigation leads me soundly to the realm of cultism, crowd-mentality, and lack of reliability of the senses. People see what they want to see, and follow the currents of what other people tell them to believe. Truly critical thinkers are rare, and that is why they are so important. The vast majority of humanity is more than willing to believe the latest snake-oil salesman who rolls into town with cures and proclamations. Because the major religions are old, and their authors of fiction long dead, it seems like people are willing to believe them, but to me Christianity is just like Scientology, but older. Made up for the benefit of its creator, there may be nuggets of wisdom contained within but they are simply allegories and to believe them to be true is another serious failure of logic.

 Third, one who wants to maintain his/her atheism should avoid urgent or life-threatening situations. During those times people are tempted to call upon a supernatural outside agent for help. There seem to be very few atheists in battlefield foxholes or in classrooms during final tests. Situations in which humans are vulnerable and powerless are also occasions when people tend to turn to a deity. During a drought, farmers with little religious inclination often start praying for rain. Of course, it is not easy to make sure one never encounters these type of situations, but they are fertile ground for theism to grow.
I sincerely doubt this author has done surveys of how many soldiers in foxholes and students taking exams are atheist or not, but he seems to think that everyone in a tough situation does exactly what he might do. This lack of understanding of difference among people is a little shocking considering this author is supposed to be a leader of a community. To me, it shows that he is most likely a short-sighted leader who can only give advice from his own narrow perspective. To address the actual issue, this point really shows the reason why people feel the need to believe in religion in the first place, but doesn't prove that religion is right. This shows that when people feel powerless, it makes them feel better to feel like somebody is looking out for them because the reality is too frightening for many people to accept. The reality that when you are feeling vulnerable or helpless, there isn't a god out there controlling things and making them go your way. If there was, wouldn't both sports teams win, if they both prayed to god to ask him to make them win? Or was one sports team more deserving of god's micromanagement than the other? For an atheist to encounter a situation where they feel powerless, it can be tough, just like it's tough for any person to encounter a situation where they feel powerless. Where the atheist is different is in their response to that situation. We do not believe we are special princesses that deserve our daddy god to come fix things for us. We are all part of the same vast, uncontrollable world and that can be scary, but it makes me hold onto my logic and critical thinking with even more gratitude.

Fourth, a person wanting to avoid theism should hole up in a university-like setting, where atheists tend to congregate. They do so not because they are more intelligent than theists, but because this setting allows for greater energy devoted to explaining away God's existence than most. When theistic thoughts start to seep into one's mind, it is helpful to have friends around who will serve as a reminder that, even though arguments in favor of atheism are often shallow and self-refuting, "cool people" just don't believe in God.
I do tend to agree with the author, here, that university is a great place for secularists and atheists to congregate. Because being in a community that values critical thinking, scientific investigation, and exchange of ideas is a great place to be for any atheist who feels like they are alone in a world of frightened, reactionary, shallow believers. In reality, intelligent people do tend to gather at universities. While there are many other factors involved in who gets to attend university such as socio-economic background and the unique historical and cultural context of each region's institutions of higher learning, universities do tend to assemble more rational, intelligent groups of people who are open to challenging their beliefs, and willing to take the hard road of questioning all assumptions.

I don't pretend to speak for all atheists but this post summarizes the indignant feelings I had while reading the above quoted religious tripe.
Kelly Loewenhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-80179026558258008572015-03-02T10:05:00.000-08:002015-03-02T15:05:12.344-08:00music monday #14

music monday #14

1. Atlas Genius - Trojans (Lenno Remix)
2. Sun Airway - Soft Fall
3. The Soft Pack - C'Mon
4. Tame Impala - Solitude is Bliss
5. George Ezra - Budapest
6. Linda Perhacs - Children
7. Geographer - I'm Ready
8. St. Lucia - We Got It Wrong
9. LE1F - Sup
10. Kitty - Ay Shawty 3.0 (feat. Lakutis)
11. Crystal Fighters - Solar System
12. Crystal Fighters - Follow
13. Lemon Jelly - Stay with You (Radio Version)
14. Mother Mother - Business Man
15. Bleachers - I Wanna Get Better
16. Jai Paul - BTSTU (Demo)
17. Local Natives - Breakers
18. St. Vincent - Chloe in the Afternoon
19. Still Corners - Berlin Lovers
20. Porcelain Raft - Unless You Speak From Your Heart
21. RAC feat. Tegan and Sara - Hard to Hold
22. RAC feat. Speak - I Should've Guessed
23. The Swell Season - Low Rising
24. Holly McNarland - Mystery Song
25. Django Reinhardt - I'se a Muggin'
26.Wilco - Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway (Again)
27. WE ARE TWIN - The Way We Touch
28. Francesco Yates - Call
29. Grimes - Genesis
30. Ghostpoet - Survive It (Koreless Remix)
31. Dan Croll - From Nowhere
32. Torres - New Skin
33. James Blake - Retrograde
34. Unknown Motral Orchestra - Waves of Confidence
35. Sylvan Esso - Dreamy Bruises
36. Thom Yorke - Atoms for Peace Four Tet Remix)
37. CocoRosie - After the Afterlife

Here's the playlist on Google Play Music.

I couldn't locate a free streaming copy of Holly McNarland's Mystery Song, so unless you have Google Play Music, it may have to remain a mystery song to you.Kelly Loewenhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-52297474386602082962015-02-16T08:45:00.000-08:002015-02-17T14:02:57.422-08:00music monday #13

Link to listen to Injured Birds - K:
On FacebookKelly Loewenhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-6839528313592981842015-01-12T15:18:00.000-08:002015-01-13T11:47:30.898-08:00music monday #12

1. Osca - Blood

2. Thievery Corporation - El Pueblo Unido

3. Rah Rah - What About Love?

4. Rah Rah - FUCK NAFTA

5. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Satan Said Dance

6. Mogwai - Remurdered

7. Kongos - I'm Only Joking

8. Lowell - The Bells

Kelly Loewenhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-52949239294882134932014-12-29T13:34:00.000-08:002014-12-29T13:34:00.365-08:00music monday #11

music monday #11

1. Metric - Black Sheep
2. The Asteroids Galaxy Tour - The Golden Age
3. The Crookes - Afterglow
4. Summer Camp - Life
5. Girls - God Damned
6. Purity Ring - Fineshrine
7. Yellow Ostrich - When All Is Dead
8. Nada Surf - Clear Eye Clouded Mind
9. Catcall - August
10. The Stone Roses - Something's Burning
11. About the Girl - Tiger Evolution
12. Wolfpack Beartrack - Modern Realm
13. Dr. Dog - Exit for Sale
14. Pinback - Tres
15. Grizzly Bear - Yet Again
16. Opossom - Getaway Tonight
17. Opossom - Cola Elixir
18. Bahamas - Okay Alright I'm Alive
19. Hot Chip - Hand Me Down Your Love
20. Fiona Apple - Werewolf
21. Eight and a Half - Go Ego
22. Throwing Muses - Pearl
23. Cat Power - Ruin
24. The Stills - Don't Talk Down
25. Santigold - The Keepers
26. Saint Etienne - Heading for the Fair
27. Funkefeller feat. Steph - Hunt You Down
28. Department of Eagles - Around the Bay
29. Télépopmusik - Love Can Damage Your Health (Abicah Soul & Dennis Ferrer Mix)
30. Sibylle Baier - Forgett
31. Powderfinger - My Hapiness
32. Dan Mangan + Blacksmith - Post-War Blues
33. Radical Face - Welcome Home
34. Cold Cave - Icons of Summer
35. Sebadoh - Punching Myself in the Face Repeatedly, Publicly (Remastered)
36. Röyksopp - 49 Percent
37. SURES - L.A.
38. New Cassettes - Silent Guns
39. Best Coast - Rhiannon
40. The Crystal Ark - Tusk
41. Blind Pilot - We are the Tide
42. Joy Division - Isolation - [High Wycombe Town Hall Live 13 July 1979] (Sound Check) (- High Wycombe Town Hall Live 13 July 1979 Sound Check)
43. Strangejuice - So Lonesome I Could Die
44. Snow Patrol - On/Off
45. St. Lucia - Before the Dive
46. Yukon Blonde - For LA
47. The Young Professionals - TYP DISCO
48. Yukon Blonde - Breathing Tigers
49. Crystal Fighters - Follow
50. Snowblink - Rut & Nuzzle
51. Dum Dum Girls - Bedroom Eyes
52. Cider Sky - Pieces
53. Blouse - Time Travel
54. Mira Billotte - As I Went Out One Morning
55. Alanis Morisette - woman down
56. Matthew Dear - Headcage
57. Matthew Dear - Up & Out

Songs not on Youtube:
The Crystal Ark - Tusk
Strangejuice - So Lonesome I Could Die
Yukon Blonde - Breathing Tigers

Kelly Loewenhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-8483024987918468632014-12-22T08:26:00.000-08:002014-12-22T08:26:00.728-08:00music monday #10

Hey guys! Today's a quick one... for some reason, I don't find that a lot of great new music comes out in December. But I still managed to find a few sweet ones for you.

1. Natalia Kills - Kill My Boyfriend
2. Pnau - Embrace
3. Rah Rah - I'm A Killer
4. Ingrid Michaelson - One Night Town (feat Mat Kearney)
5. Gonzales - Take Me To Broadway
6. The Lovetones - This Great Romance
7. Monogem - Wait and See

Kelly Loewenhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-89632786295712759042014-12-18T10:57:00.001-08:002014-12-18T10:57:06.556-08:00new music

I couldn't find this track anywhere on Google Play Music or Youtube but here it is on Soundcloud.

Listen to a little chill deliciousness for your Thursday.Kelly Loewenhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-28649164446361818782014-12-15T08:00:00.000-08:002014-12-15T08:49:24.566-08:00music monday #9

music monday #9

1. Austra - Lose It
2. Oddisee - Another's Grind
3. Fiona Apple - Anything We Want
4. Zulu Winter - Bitter Moon
5. AlunaGeorge - Put Up Your Hands
6. Tears for Fears - Head Over Heels / Broken
7. Saint Etienne - I've Got Your Music
8. Zulu Winter - We Should Be Swimming
9. White Arrows - I Can Go
10. Zeus - Are You Gonna Waste My Time?
11. DARK SiSTER - Don't Step Where i Crept (bonus track)
12. Fleet Foxes - Lorelai
13. A Place To Bury Strangers - Fear
14. M83 - Skin Of The Night
15. The Young Professionals - Gucci Gun
16. My Tiger My Timing - Let Me Go
17. Condry Ziqubu - Confusion (Ma Afrika)
18. The Antlers - Parentheses
19. M.I.A. - Paper Planes (Diplo Street Remix feat. Bun B & Rich Boy)
20. Kindness - Swingin Party
21. Neko Case - Stinging Velvet
22. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - I Don't Wanna Pray
23. Twin Shadow - When the Movie's Over
24. Saturday Night Gym Club - I Know feat. Ellie Walker
25. Band of Horses - Knock Knock
26. Jack White - Inaccessible Mystery
27. Deep Time - Bermuda Triangle
28. The Rural Alberta Advantage - Two Lovers
29. Ludacris - Move Bitch
30. Shazalakazoo - Sunny Side of the Street
31. Doop - My Chihuahua
32. Phantogram - Bloody Palms (dOP Bandage Remix)
33. Chairlift - Planet Health
34. Django Django - Love's Dart
35. Lord Kitchener - Kitch You're So Sweet
36. Tanlines - Real Life
37. Van She - Idea of Happiness
38. Mira Billotte - As I Went Out One Morning
39. Friendly Fires - True Love
40. M83 - Reunion (Mylo Remix)
41. Daniel Rossen - Golden Mile
42. I Blame Coco - Selfmachine
43. Ariane Moffatt - Too Late
44. Phèdre - IN DECAY
45. Vampire Weekend - Giving Up The Gun
46. The Dø - Dust It Off
47. Collie Buddz - Blind To You
48. Metronomy - Corinne
49. Van She - Calypso
50. Class Actress - Keep You
51. No Doubt - Settle Down

Not on youtube:
Jack White - Inaccessible Mystery

<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong370599390" name="gsSong370599390" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=37059939&style=wood&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=37059939&style=wood&p=0" />Bermuda Triangle by Deep Time on Grooveshark</object></object>
<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong3696044779" name="gsSong3696044779" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=36960447&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=36960447&style=metal&p=0" />Calypso by Van She on Grooveshark</object></object>Kelly Loewenhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-91379853065878736192014-11-17T11:20:00.001-08:002014-11-17T11:20:25.621-08:00music monday #8

1. Zhu - Faded (Odesza remix)
2. Shamir - On the Regular
3. Chanel West Coast - Karl
4. Chanel West Coast - Bigger Than
5. Deerhoof - Doom (from their new album Isla Bonita... not available to listen free online)
6. Saturday, Monday - Headshake (feat. Julia Spada)Kelly Loewenhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-22570104856420836962014-11-03T14:57:00.000-08:002014-11-05T20:57:40.338-08:00music monday #7

on Google Play: October playlist

Text list:
1. Not on Drugs -Tove Lo
2. i - Kendrick Lamar
3. Stolen Dance - Milky Chance
4. Zero (Knuckle G Remix) - Chela
5. Jesus - Amos Lee
6. A La Mode - Los Abandoned
7. Panda Road - Deerhoof
8. XOXO - Cherub
9. All - Cherub feat. Natalie Prass
10. Leather Jacket II - Deerhunter
11. Monster Hospital (MSTRKRFT Remix) - Metric
12. Run This World (Funkerman Mix) - Keliet feat. Mereki
13. Sound (Manfredas Remix) - Telepopmusik
14. A Thousand Light Years - Murray A. Lightburn
15. Bus Stop - Kay
16. Colours - Hot Chip
17. Vessel - Dan Mangan + Blacksmith
18. Hands - Alpine
19. Pumpin Blood - NONONO
20. Gooey - Glass Animals
21. Hey Mami - Sylvan Esso
22. Need U - Oceaán
23. Habits (Stay High) - Tove Lo
24. Inside Out - Spoon
25. This Head I Hold - Electric Guest
26. One Day / Reckoning Song (Wankelmut Remix) (Radio Edit) - Asaf Avidan & The Mojos
27. Find a New Way - Tune-Yards
28. You Rascal You - Hanni El Khatib
29. The Heart It Beats the Thunder Rolls - The Wind and The Wave
30. I Will - Sky Ferreira
31. We Used to Be Friends - The Dandy Warhols
32. Don't Wanna Dance - MØ

http://open.spotify.com/track/29p1HOghJTFGqPcAUGdTmv

Kelly Loewenhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-92078630240838987832014-10-21T09:27:00.001-07:002014-10-21T09:27:23.028-07:00

I'm participating in Nanowrimo 2014 this year. If you haven't heard of it, it's a web-based challenge to write a book in the month of November... NAtional NOvel WRiting MOnth. I had heard about this for years but always thought "later" or "next year" or "when I'm older" but hey I'm pretty damn old now and you don't know how long life is going to last so I decided, fuck it, I'm doing it.

I don't start writing until November, but a lot of people have suggested writing an outline or doing research ahead of time, and I think that might help me actually finish this project (I've started many stories but never finished a long one).

Without giving too much away, it's a crime novel set in Canada and I need to do research on how crimes are investigated in Canada. My imagination is far-too influenced by American crime tv shows and novels and I keep thinking FBI etc. There IS a CIA in Canada but it isn't a department, it's a way of analyzing criminals. But I'm not setting my story in the States... I want a story set in Canada, and I'm going to write one.

Kelly Loewenhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-72558507911726581692014-09-25T15:01:00.002-07:002014-09-25T15:01:34.738-07:00Banned and Challenged Classic BooksThe following list of banned and challenged classic books is from the American Library Association's website.

I have made a goal to read all of these books. The ones I have read have proven to be lasting and memorable experiences and I look forward to reading the rest, and sharing my thoughts here on HyperLynx.

Banned & Challenged Classics

Each year, the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom records hundreds of attempts by individuals and groups to have books removed from libraries shelves and from classrooms. See Frequently Challenged Books for more details.

The titles below represent banned or challenged books on that list ( see the entire Radcliffe Publishing Course list here). For more information on why these books were challenged, visit challenged classics and the Banned Books Week Web site.

1. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
3. The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck
4. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
5. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
6. Ulysses, by James Joyce
7. Beloved, by Toni Morrison
8. The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding
9. 1984, by George Orwell

11. Lolita, by Vladmir Nabokov
12. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck

15. Catch-22, by Joseph Heller
16. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
17. Animal Farm, by George Orwell
18. The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway
19. As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner
20. A Farewell to Arms, by Ernest Hemingway

23. Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston
24. Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison
25. Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison
26. Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell
27. Native Son, by Richard Wright
28. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, by Ken Kesey
29. Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut
30. For Whom the Bell Tolls, by Ernest Hemingway

33. The Call of the Wild, by Jack London

36. Go Tell it on the Mountain, by James Baldwin

38. All the King's Men, by Robert Penn Warren

40. The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

45. The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair

48. Lady Chatterley's Lover, by D.H. Lawrence
49. A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess
50. The Awakening, by Kate Chopin

53. In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote

55. The Satanic Verses, by Salman Rushdie

57. Sophie's Choice, by William Styron

64. Sons and Lovers, by D.H. Lawrence

66. Cat's Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut
67. A Separate Peace, by John Knowles

73. Naked Lunch, by William S. Burroughs
74. Brideshead Revisited, by Evelyn Waugh
75. Women in Love, by D.H. Lawrence

80. The Naked and the Dead, by Norman Mailer

84. Tropic of Cancer, by Henry Miller

88. An American Tragedy, by Theodore Dreiser

97. Rabbit, Run, by John Updike

Kelly Loewenhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-86129060712763411462014-09-24T08:57:00.002-07:002014-09-24T08:57:54.437-07:00Tone It Up!I love Tone it Up so much... but we have a conflicted relationship. Basically, I follow everything they do, but never actually do any of it myself. Part of me has always been waiting until I actually buy the nutrition plan, because I feel like why do it if you don't go all the way? And it's a bit out of my price range for casual buying, so I also hesitate to spend the money if I don't have the committment.

However, I have attempted a few of the workouts and the sheer intensity of them has been tough on me. I must admit it scared me off. I want to be sexy and fit like Karena and Katrina, but I'm not sure I have the guts! Even Karena's beach yoga routine gave me nausea because it was so intense.... It's more of a long term goal I guess, to perhaps finish more than half of one of these routines without feeling like I'm about to die.

If you are a regular Tone it Up girl, do you find that the workouts are super intense and difficult, or do they get a bit easier?

Below is the playlist of all Tone it Up uploads on Youtube. A great resource... if you have the guts!

 Kelly Loewenhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-42569636355054269392014-09-22T15:36:00.002-07:002014-09-22T15:38:54.827-07:00music monday #6

welcome, lovelies. check out the youtube playlist below for some hotcha new music for your burning little ears.

Songs that aren't on Youtube:
Souljah Fyah - 8 Days of Summer (preview on CD Baby)

Kelly Loewenhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-51190499169610612572014-09-22T09:44:00.000-07:002014-09-22T09:44:23.131-07:00Salmon

 Spawning Sockeye Salmon - Photo from Wikimedia Commons

We British Columbians are proud of our wild salmon. No other province can boast the thousands of kilometers of salmon spawning streams and rivers that BC has. Salmon are an important part of human life on the Pacific coast. Salmon are important to feed people, bring tourists to the province, and also to support the rich ecosystem of BC wild animals. Salmon are a key part of ecosystem health, and support wildlife such as bears, marine birds, and other fish. Salmon are important to our cultural heritage, and their life cycle is inspiring and fascinating.But salmon in our Pacific ocean are being threatened by drastic overfishing, toxic contaminants dumped into the ocean, and, potentially -- marine oil tankers and oil spills. This issue does not just affect the coast, as salmon travel thousands of kilometers inland, some to the Prince George area, to spawn and they just won't make it if we keep threatening them. Coastal watersheds are among the most productive biological communities on earth. Protecting salmon means protecting these coastal ecosystems. British Columbians demand better management of our oceans and more marine protected areas, as well as an increased vigilance against overfishing. We are proud of our wild and beautiful province and we want to keep it that way.
Take action: Restore Wild Salmon - Ban Salmon Feedlots in BC
Demand Government Action to Protect Wild SalmonKelly Loewenhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-82141383870899543722014-08-19T09:10:00.000-07:002014-08-19T09:16:50.345-07:00Beauty Oils, Your Next Beauty Obsession - Get Radiant!
Beauty: it's all about the oils.
Far from the days of our oleophobic mums, we have turned full circle and now beauty oils are often the answer to many of our aesthetic trials and tribulations.

Are You Afraid to Use Beauty Oils for Fear of Greasy Skin and Hair?

In the past, we use to consider it an ultimate beauty sin to use oils on your skin or hair, and many products were available to blast oil into submission. Products proudly declared themselves to be oil free! This aversion to oils still affects us today, with many not knowing that beauty oils are very different from french-fry grease. In fact, applying the right beauty oils can reduce your skin's sebum production, which often goes into over-drive when we eliminate our natural protective barrier with cleansers.

What is the Best Hair Oil
When you are looking for the best hair oil, you may find that argan oil is mentioned again and again. Made from the kernels of the argan tree, which grows only in Morocco, argan oil is one of the ultimate beauty oils for hair, and is also great for the face and skin, and the cuticles.

Argan oil for hair
Apply a quarter-size amount to your hands, and rub them together as if you were applying hand lotion. Then run your fingers through your clean, damp hair, concentrating on the ends but also distributing throughout. This technique prevents you from applying too much in one spot. When your hair dries, it is soft, shiny and not oily in the slightest. If you have finer, or thinner hair, use a dime-size amount rather than a quarter. For thicker hair, it's ok to use quite a lot, and I promise you it will not make your hair look greasy.

Other hair oils
Another great hair oil that I use is Afragreen Total Hair Nutrition. It's a great mixture, which contains olive oil, grape seed oil, hemp seed oil, avocado oil, almond oil, castor oil, jojoba seed oil, meadowfoam seed oil, rosemary, nettle, horsetail, chamomile, black seed, lavender, basil, sage and vitamin E. Believe me when I say it makes your hair luxuriously soft, and it really has helped me get less flyaways and breakage. Which is great for summer when your hair is constantly getting caught in the bling on your sweet sunglasses!

Some beauty uses for coconut oil
Another of the best beauty oils is coconut oil. My favourite body butter has coconut oil as a main ingredient (along with other healing oils such as macadamia nut and hemp seed) and it is really therapeutic. It can quickly heal dry, cracked or troubled skin, and it is amazing for long winters. You can use pure coconut directly on your skin and hair. The best way to use it is to rub it vigorously in your hands to warm it up before applying to your skin or hair. A small amount goes a long way when its warmed up this way. I read on pinterest that you can whip coconut oil to make it even more delicious to apply to your skin, but I haven't tried it yet... I'll keep you updated! Coconut oil really has 1001 uses, including removing eye makeup and as a lip balm. It's also delicious to fry food in, but that's another tale!

Cuticle oil
Another oil I adore is cuticle oil. I use Julep's essential cuticle oil. It really helps if you get hangnails or just dry cuticles, and it smells nice. Other cuticle oils would work fine but I always prefer to use natural oils whenever possible. This cuticle oil contains jojoba, sweet almond, castor, rosewood, lavender, and ylang ylang oils, along with vitamin e oil for a purely natural boost for the delicate skin around your fingernails. Any of these oils would also work plain as a cuticle oil, particularly the sweet almond oil.

Essential oils for beauty
Essential oils can also be useful for health and beauty DIY. You can use them in DIY deodorant, soaps or lotions. You can also add them to epsom salts or directly into the water for a lovely foot soak. To apply it directly to your skin, some essential oils need to be mixed with a carrier oil such as almond oil as they may irritate in the concentrated doses they are sold in. It really depends on the oil but there's tons of information online about each oil. My favourite is sweet orange oil for a foot soak.

DIY Coconut Oil Conditioning Spray

Get an empty spray bottle, put 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and fill with warm water. Shake and spray on your hair for a great leave-in conditioner.

Relaxing Essential Oil Soak

From whole living, draw yourself a bath and sprinkle in some epsom salts, 10 drops of lavender essential oil, and half a cup of baking soda to draw out toxins and balance your skin's pH.

DIY Sugar Hand Scrub

Put about 2 tablespoons of sugar in your hand, pour a good amount of olive oil over top, and scrub! This will give you deliciously soft hands in under a minute. This also works with coconut oil, and can also be used on your knees or feet or really anywhere if you're willing to jump in the shower after.

Facial cleansing oils
Facial cleansing oils, which you use to remove all the dirt, oil, and makeup from your face, are amazing! Cleaning your face with oil? It actually works! The oil bonds to the oils in the dirt and when you rinse it away, it leaves your skin fresh and clean and not dried out. Some great ones to try are Julep's Bare Face Cleansing Oil, and Josie Maran's Argan Cleansing Oil. Josie Maran's Argan Cleansing Oil contains argan oil, mixed with several other nutrient-rich oils such as sunflower, pomelo grapefruit, and grapeseed oil. Beauty oils can be very useful for beautifying and cleansing yourself, Geishas, and the internet is a wealth of information on how to use each one. I recommend argan oil as a really awesome, go-to beauty oil. Make sure to get 100% argan oil. Try it!Kelly Loewenhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585783810600876808.post-18557985679089605062014-08-18T09:17:00.000-07:002014-08-19T09:19:30.037-07:00music monday #5This song is my latest obsession. I can't stop listening to it! It's full of unexpected stops and quick-cut beats. They played this on Conan and they sound just as great live. Kelly Loewenhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com