Sometimes All it Takes is a Well Phrased Apology.

( message via another group today--)

 

Dear World:
We, the United States of America , your top quality supplier of the ideals
of liberty and democracy, would like to apologize for our 2001-2008
interruption in service. The technical fault that led to this eight-year
service outage has been located, and the software responsible was
replaced November 4. Early tests of the newly installed program indicate
that we are now operating correctly, and we expect it to be fully functional
on January 20. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the outage. We
look forward to resuming full service and hope to improve in years to come.
We thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,

The United States of America

I did NOT write this I am NOT claiming any rights to Words or Works  I Just am Amused andFrankly Couldn't have said it better.

IMPORTANT !!!

want to tell the Government what you think?

You can !

http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/opl/

I Just did.

I can't even tell you ... Just click and see

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11739943?source=most_emailed

OMG I've been TUT ? ED ?!

Well finally I have a place to Brag a bit. LOL

My daughter is the Artist not me I'm the Proud Mom of an artist who dabbels in Art herself LOLOL.

I've been scanning into the computer all my daughters sketches for a month or so with the intent to have Free to Use Art to share and use in making Digital Scrap's and Tags as well as web set's.

So I'm not a pro at line art or tubing but I'm getting better and if I had a mouse instead of this darn touch pad on my laptop I think my progress would be even faster. So having said that I belong to a wonderful Google mail group that helps me learn my software and is HUGEly supportive of my effort's.   I also have been a fan of the person who posted a tut with my permission on his site (link below) using one of my daughter's drawings.  Thank you Spencer.

The one's I've been scanning are all non filled in or non colored blanks as I requested of her. I figured they allowed for more personalization for people choosing to use them as fillable charms or making stickers or even brushes.

Once I get this place set up right LOL or Organized better I'll provide these on my site as well .

so to see the tut click 

http://humbuggraphicsgalore.blogspot.com/search/label/tutorial

it is very easy to follow and I hope you have fun looking around his site.

I can't thank him enough for the boost to my confidence as he is someone I look up to.

and here is the link to join the  group if you need a place to ask questions or just feel at home and inspired by wonderful others.

http://groups.google.com/group/scrap-stuff-with-psp-and-ps?hl=en

Group owned by another Great person I look up to as well.  Her Blog is here

http://scrap-stuff-with-psp.blogspot.com

GREAT Tutorials avail at her Blog as well

Ode To The Zone

Copy Right Information-and classes

Copy Safe Tubes and The best Copy Compliant Tutorial Site List Available 

Managers , Staff and Members that Care so Much that it's like a Home 

NO Drama, NO Nastyness if you make a mistake, Just friendly people who Explain things as many times as needed without sniping or complaining

People That care and Share their lives and their Talent's everyday

A place where Artist's are member's too

You can Chat with some of the best known Free to Use as well as Pay to Use Licensed and Independently Licensed Artist's in the industry

Challenges and Rewards 

Tubing Classes available

Anything you want to learn just ask one or more Member's or Staff will be more than happy to help

Need Tech Help with your PC or Software ask the Tech Guy

Artist's  donate Prizes as well as judge some of the challenges

Scrap kit's by member's here also

I just can not express what The Zone means to me.

I'd been knocked around by a lot of people for belonging to Groups in G-mail and Yahoo, I'd been threatened and accused of being a Pirate for just belonging to a group. I was at my wit's end in trying to find someplace that was all about teaching well everything or at least Anything from understanding my software as well as keeping me up to date on permissions and copy right's. I was ready to chuck everything in the garbage. I didn't want my Licenses' any more I didn't want to PSP at all and all those new programs family and friends had gotten for me for my birthday and Christmas were going out the window too.  I was just dang done with the Drama and the Paranoia in the Digital Art world.  Everyone was pointing fingers . No One was teaching anybody anything just leveling accusations at every mistake ...the Nastyness was just unbearable.  I was disgusted. 

Then I found the Zone.  

I was in Heaven creativly ! So many Quality CC Tubes and links to CC resources as well as tutorials.  In addition you actually had rep.s of CILM MPT AMI as well as New Agencie's being Born right here in the Threads you could bump into and Chat with some of your Fav. Artist's. 

I found that asking a question would get you friendly , considerate answers in a prompt manner and Mistakes were handeled with Grace and dignity rather than accusations or name calling.

Here was a Forum Group that was Proactive in teaching Both the Artist's how to help protect themselves as well as Teaching Member's how to be CC and Help the 2 ?Sides? of the CC issue to see the benefit's to helping each other.

Everyday is something new to learn again. Or it's just a Great place to park it in a thread or two for the day and discuss things with each other. Even play some games.

So here is the Link  to the best place to learn how to be CC and have a ton of fun don't wait Join today and finally relax in a safe place   http://www.thezonegroups.com

Can't wait to see you all over there

CLICK These Links Please Show you CARE

Animal Rescue Click to Give

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3&link=ctg_ars_home_from_trs_home_sitenav

While you are there follow the Tabs on site to Give to ...

The Literacy Program Click to Give Free Books

Click to Give Free Child Health Care

Click to Give Free Mammograms- Every Woman is someone's Mom , Sister, Daughter, Wife,

Click to Give Free Food - End World Hunger

Click to Protect Endangered Habitat- Without Trees All us Air Breathers have nothing to Breath Save the rainforest Now.  

Another E-mail that made me giggle and think

And a Child shall "Teach Them" ?! LOL Want to know how you are presenting yourself to the world ask a child to show you ...

Before anyone start's hating me over this one Let me Say this. I truely Hope the new President will at least try to do the things he promised. I am very Glad America voted for someone from an ethnic background. He's no  Rev Martin Luther King but since someone decided that was too great a possibility and eliminated that Great man before his time I guess we'll all have to wait and see what happens. He may surprize many. I certainly hope so.

However the Pragmatist in me feels it's a losing battle and I do not Believe he will accomplish much. Too many White guys with Fat wallets want him to Fail.

The Power is Not the President's. 

It's Congress and Senate that run the show folks. If you want change you HAVE to Start by Cleaning House !      Only a little Pun was intended LOLOL

For real  folks it's not the President that makes or breaks anything. He hasn't got enough Power to do a dang thing alone.  Our Gov. was set up to be this way (3 branches all share the power)  No ONE man was to be allowed ALL or ABSOLUTE Power. (Power corrupts, Absolute Power corrupts Absolutely)

Our Founders knew what they were doing.

The Point was NOT to have a KING we had just begun a War to get rid of one we didn't want another.

One of the Best things We had Proved to all the nay sayers in those early years was When Mr. George Washington Stepped down and made way for the Next Freely elected President. LOL Man I wish I Could have seen the Looks on world leaders faces.  Just about every one of the European Countries watching felt That NO way NO how was any man going to give up a seat of power easily let alone willingly and they all were chomping at the bit to be able to tell us "we told you so!"  Then Mr G. Washington Stepped aside not only willingly but very likely Gladly. It's a Heck of a responsibily to shoulder..To be the First President of the United States of America. To be the one EVERYONE watched just waiting for any sign of weakness or a rumble of discontent from the population at large. They expected Failure everyday. Most still do. Yet here we are Still One Nation (Under Many Gods) .  Best of All We The People Are  Still TRYING, Still IMPROVING , Still LEARNING, and Still FREE !

So Mr. Obama Please do Try ! Please do work Hard ! Please Keep Learning ! Please Help US Keep growing ! 

By compairison to how long the rest of the world have been doing this whole Government thing (wink) we ARE just unrulely Teen-agers with a need to rebel and test the limit's and our beliefs, Be a Good Parent and Help us get it all figured out safely. For a Common Good. For All of Us.   We are giving you a chance now help us help you ! We all be in this together.

What follows is from an E-mail sent to me...I have no idea who wrote this I can assure you I did NOT. I am not Claiming this as my words or works . I am Sharing because I feel it  States a view point with out being an ass about it.

So here it is ...

---------------E mail----------------------------

 

Ice Cream & The Election 

Excellent analogy!
From a teacher in the Nashville area.

Who worries about "the cow" when it is all about the "Ice Cream?
The most eye-opening civics lesson I ever had was while teaching third grade this year.
The  presidential election was heating up and some of the children showed an interest.
I decided we would have an election for a class president.
We would choose our nominees. They would make a campaign speech and the class would vote.
To simplify the process, candidates were nominated by other class members.  
We discussed  what kinds of characteristics these students should have.  
We got many nominations and from those, Jamie and Olivia were picked to run for the top spot.
The class had done a great job in their selections.  
Both candidates were good kids.  I thought Jamie might have an advantage because he got lots of parental support. I had never seen Olivia's mother.
The day arrived when they were to make their speeches Jamie went first.
He had specific ideas about how to make our class a better place.  He ended by promising to do his very best.

Everyone applauded.  He sat down and Olivia came to the podium. Her speech was concise.  
She said, "If you will vote for me, I will give you ice cream."  She sat down.
The class went wild.  "Yes!  Yes!  We want ice cream." She surely could say more. She did not have to.
A discussion followed. How did she plan to pay for the ice cream?  She wasn't sure.  
Would her parents buy it or would the class pay for it?  She didn't know.
The class really didn't care. All they were thinking about was ice cream.
 Jamie was forgotten.
Olivia won by a landslide.
 Every time Barack Obama opened his mouth he offered ice cream and fifty-two percent of the people reacted like nine year olds.  They want ice cream.
The other forty-eight percent of us know we're going to have to feed the cow and clean up the mess.

-------------------------------------------End of mail-----------------------

The Farm Girl from WI in me can relate to this analogy.  Now we just have to wait and See will Congress let him provide Ice Cream and Care for the Cow ???  Or Will Congress and the Senate make sure He Fails. Will He have the Back bone to Stand alone against them a solitary voice of reasoned speech and compelling arguements? Or will he back down because it's after all a dirty job to muck up behind the Cow ?  I do Hope he isn't afraid to get his hands dirty like the bulk of the population of this Nation do every day. I do Hope he isn't afraid of back breaking labor and going to bed exausted only to wake up and have to do it all again . I do Hope he intends to work toward the goals as promised.  Nothing will happen overnight but by Gosh he has 4 years to show us he's made an effort and some head way. I'll give him 4 yrs of Honest effort and judge him accordingly with his results. 

However I won't be standing in line for more Ice Cream if he let's the Cow Die.

just my opinion.

pardon my typos it's 2 00 am LOL

Still Think The Public School System Is Doing A Good Job ???

How many of us could pass this test?

A better Question How many of our Teachers could pass this test?

Remember when our grandparents, great-grandparents, and such stated that they
only had an 8th grade education?
Well, check this out.
This is the eighth-grade final exam from 1895 in Salina , KS , USA .

It was
taken from the original document on file at the Smokey Valley Genealogical
Society and Library in Salina , KS , and reprinted by the Salina Journal.

8th GRADE FINAL EXAM

Grammar (Time, one hour)
1. Give nine rules for the use of Capital Letters.
2 . Name the Parts of Speech and define those that have no ?Modifications. 3.
Define Verse, Stanza and Paragraph.
4. What are the Principal Parts of a verb? Give Principal Parts of lie, lay and
run
5. Define Case, Illustrate each Case.
6. What is Punctuation? Give rules for principal marks of Punctuation.
7. Write a composition of about 150 words and show therein that you understand
the practical use of the rules of grammar.


Arithmetic (Time, 1.25 hours)
1. Name and define the Fundamental Rules of Arithmetic.
2. A wagon box is 2 ft deep, 10 feet long, and 3 ft. Wide. How many bushels of
wheat will it hold?
3. If a load of wheat weighs 3942 lbs., what is it worth at
50cts/bushel, deducting 1050lbs. For tare?
4. District No. 33 has a valuation of $35,000. What is the necessary levy to
carry on a school seven months at $50 per month, and have $104 for incidentals?
5. Find cost of 6720 lbs. Coal at $6.00 per ton.
6. Fi nd the interest of $512.60 for 8 months and 18 days at 7 percent.
7. What is the cost of 40 boards 12 inches wide and 16 ft. Long at $20 per
meter?
8 Find bank discount on $300 for 90 days (no grace) at 10 percent.
9. What is the cost of a square farm at $15 per acre, the distance
Around which is 640 rods?
10. Write a Bank Check, a Promissory Note, and a Receipt.

U. S. History (Time, 45 minutes)
1. Give the epochs into which U. S. History is divided.
2. Give an account of the discovery of??America by Columbus .
3. Relate the causes and results of the Revolutionary War.
4. Show the territorial growth of the United States .
5. Tell what you can of the history of Kansas .
6. Describe three of the most prominent battles of the Rebellion.
7. Who were the following: Morse, Whitney, Fulton , Bell , Lincoln , ?Penn, and
Howe?
8. Name events connected with the following dates: 1607, 1620, 1800, ?1849,
1865.

Orthography (Time, one hour)
1. What is meant by the following: Alphabet, phonetic, orthography, ?etymology,
syllabication?
2. What are elementary sounds? How classified?
3. What are the following, and give examples of each: Trigraph, sub vocals,
diphthong, cognate letters, linguals?
4. Give four substitutes for caret 'u'.
5. Give two rules for spelling words with final 'e.' Name two
Exceptions under each rule.
6. Give two uses of silent letters in spelling. Illustrate each.
7. Define the following prefixes and use in connection with a word: ?bi, dis,
mis, pre, semi, post, non, inter, mono, sup
8. Mark diacritically and divide into syllables the following, and name the
sign that indicates the sound: card, ball, mercy, sir, odd, cell, rise, blood,
fare, last.
9. Use the following correctly in sentences: cite, site, sight, fane,
Fain, feign, vane, vain, vein, raze, raise, rays.
10. Write 10 words frequently mispronounced and indicate pronunciation by use
of diacritical marks and by syllabication.

Geography (Time, one hour)
1. What is climate? Upon what does climate depend?
2. How do you account for the extremes of climate in Kansas ?
3. Of what use are rivers? Of what use is the ocean?
4. Describe the mountains of North America .
5. Name and describe the following: Monrovia , Odessa , Denver ,
Manitoba , Hecla , Yukon , St. Helena , Juan Fernandez, Aspinwall &Orinoco.
6. Name and locate the principal trade centers of the U.S.
7. Name all the republics of Europe and give the capital of each.
8. Why is the Atlantic Coast colder than the Pacific in the same latitude?
9. Describe the process by which the water of the ocean returns to the sources
of rivers.
10. Describe the movements of the earth. Give the inclination of the earth.

Also notice that the exam took five hours to complete.
Gives the saying "she/he only had an 8th grade education" a whole new
meaning, doesn't it?
What happened to us  ??

It is kind of humbling, isn't it ?

I'll be doing some research to see what other state's test's were like and I'm now wondering what exactly are my tax dollars teaching my kid ?

 How about you ?

London Times Obituary of the late Mr. Common Sense

Interesting and  sadly rather true. 
  
'Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: Knowing when to come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn't always fair; and maybe it was my  fault. 
  
Common  Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you  can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge). 
  
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy  charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from  school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an  unruly student, only worsened his condition. 
  
Common  Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. 
  
It  declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an Aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. 
  
Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home  and the burglar could sue you for assault. 
  
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and  was promptly awarded a huge settlement. 
  
Common  Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived  by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To  Blame, and I'm A Victim. 
  
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If  you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do  nothing.

An e mail that makes you think

From a friend on My Space

WE CAN!

But will we?

 In our current economic situation, every little thing we buy or do not buy truly affects our welfare and our fellow Americans..... so after reading this email ... I think this lady is on the right track.

 "Hi friends,
 This may seem like a funny email but I was so surprised by what I
 discovered I had to share it with you. When I think of the job
 situation in this country, I can't help but think this helps in some
 small way. I don't know how many households there are in the U.S. but
 if these were the only things we bought think of the impact....
 (She wrote:)
 This past weekend I was at Kroger. I needed 60 W light bulbs and
 Bounce dryer sheets. I was in the light bulb aisle and right next to
 the GE brand I normally buy was an off brand labeled "Everyday Value."
 I picked up both types of bulbs and compared the stats - they were the
 same except for the price. The GE bulbs were more money than the
 Everyday Value brand but the thing that surprised me the most was the
 fact that GE was made in MEXICO and the Everyday Value brand was made
 in - get ready for this - the USA .
 So throw out the myth that you cannot find products you use every day
 that are made right here - from a company in Cleveland OH !
 So on to another aisle - Bounce Dryer Sheets....yep you guessed it
 Bounce was more money and made in Canada, the Everyday Value brand was
 less money and MADE IN THE USA! I did laundry yesterday and the dryer
 sheets performed just like the Bounce Free I have been using for years
 and at almost half the price!
 So my challenge to you is to start reading the labels when you shop
 for everyday things and see what you can find that is made in the USA
 - the job you save may be your own or your neighbors!
 If you accept the challenge, pass this on to others in your address
 book so we can all start buying American, one light bulb at a time!
 Besides, you might save a little green in the process.
 Stop buying from China ..........
 We should have awakened a decade ago......
 lets get with the program.... help our fellow Americans keep their
 jobs ... and create more jobs here in the U.S.A.

When you think about the national debt we have in the US, is it possible we are borrowing our very own money? I think, YES.

I am guessing people think they are too busy to worry about this and consider this in our decisions for purchases this while shopping here in the USA ...........
I am guessing if we all DON'T worry about RIGHT NOW and make the time to compare, we might end up with plenty more to worry about and nothing we can do about it.

While shopping, we all look at the color, the size, the flavor, the price, the features we want but not to far in to... where the money from that purchase is actually going to go and who it will benefit.

Obviously, our previous purchases have not had a positive impact for the economy.
and we know we spend money...right?

It is simple...Try to buy everything you need MADE IN THE USA
as your first choice! And if you still need it, then buy it anyway.
Obviously we may not always find a made in USA product, which is a perfect testament to how far out of control this has become and the result, our poor economy.

Just committing to this will help us improve!

Let's not think about it, Just do it, commit to it, and all of us do Our part to protect Our Country!


By forwarding this to my fellow
Americans I am pledging to you,
I AM COMMITTED to making the USA a healthier country!

A Beginning

Nothing Fancy today. 

Just a Quick Hello.

Take a moment to reflect on something Pleasent.

Somedays This will be a place I vent frusterations.

You Have been Warned ! ROLF

I'd like to believe this will help me learn a bit about myself,as well as others.

Discover a connection to the World at large.

Hopefully a Place to Celebrate differences as well as the Similarities between us all.

Having said this I also will acknowledge the human factor of Failing Miserably and somedays I will most definately do just that. So this is an on going excercise in bravery. This is my Last Stand. This is where I will face the darkest parts of my mind and heart as well as show the light. I'm Not always as open minded as I'd like to be. In somethings I'm just plain stubborn and Ridgid. I'll face that Here. All in the name of Growth. I must have one place that I may speak my mind no matter how dark or how unpopular it may be at that moment. I must keep my mind actively engaged in Learning. I must do better.  I am NOT Afraid of Change. I am NOT Afraid of being Different. I am NOT Afraid to be unpopular if necessary. I am NOT Afraid to be Sappy ! Silly ! Emotional ! Patriotic ! Rebellious ! Sympathetic ! Empathetic ! Angry ! Happy ! Joyful ! Mindful ! 

I am afraid of Dogma in ALL it's Varieties !

I am Afraid that if someone doesn't Stand and Speak then someday no one will be allowed to at all.

I Hope I'm Contagious I Hope someone some where will be infected by the Deep Driving NEED to Be Heard To Express themselves in a way that promotes an opportunity for continued and lasting (and hopefully civil) discourse. 

I hereby make this agreement with you.

I will try to see your side of an issue IF you try to see mine. 

I will also agree to dissagree with you when I can not make that leap by faith or by the blessing of an educated mind. 

My Desire for Change and greater understanding is somewhat tempered by my age as well as colored by my prior life experiances. These things may somewhat hinder my Ultimate Goal of achieveing greater good through understanding of differances as well as shared Commonalities. However Well Begun is Half Done and if I fail maybe some one else Won't.

Give Peace a Chance   

Give Freedom a Chance

Just another opinionated American

Ms Dawn Ours

Redgranite, WI 54970

Because Freedom isn't Free...

Dedicated to All Those Who have paid the Ultimate Price in in this Life So I and my Child(ren) and all those who come after may live Free.

I may Not always Agree with my Government.  

However, I will Always Support and Defend Those who Walk the Wall on my behalf.  I Love you All , Past Present, Future US Military Service Men and Women ! Come Home Safe ! You are Appreciated ! 

My Grandfathers Served in the US Army  WWII

My Uncle Served in Vietnam as a Marine So did His Wife !

My Cousin's Served or are currently Serving in all Branches:  Navy, Air Force, Army, Marine, and National Guard.

May Which ever GOD you Believe in Bless You All and Protect you Always !