Tornado in OK

 A giant tornado, a mile wide or more, killed at least 91 people, 20 of them children, as it tore across parts of Oklahoma City and its suburbs Monday afternoon, flattening homes, flinging cars through the air and crushing at least two schools.  Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore was reduced to a pile of twisted metal and broken walls. Rescue workers were able to pull several children from the rubble, but on Monday dozens of students were still trapped. At Briarwood Elementary School in Oklahoma City, on the border with Moore, cars were thrown into the heap and the roof was torn off.

Please send your prayers to Oklahoma and for the families affected by this killer storm.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/21/us/tornado-oklahoma.html?_r=0

The few, the proud, the umbrella holders.

At a joint conference with the turkish prime minister, our president felt tiny droplets of rain so he called in THE MARINES to help.  "Why don't we get a couple of Marines," he said. "They're gonna look good next to us. Just 'cuz I've got a change of suits, but I don't know about our prime minister. There we go. [Gestures to press.] You guys, I'm sorry about."  The twitter slammin started shortly after.

How could our president feel that this was necessary?  He should be ashamed of himself.  Maybe it wasn't a purposeful slam, but in the end this is incredibly tacky.  Hold your own umbrella Mr. President or have someone that didn't go through Hell for our country hold it for you but marines? Seriously?

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/umbrella-toting-marines-protect-obama-turkish-pm-raindrops-184417144.html

Miracle in Bengladesh

A woman buried in the wreckage of a collapsed garment factory building for 17 days was rescued this Friday.  She survived in a Muslim prayer room in the basement of the eight-story Rana Plaza building.  Crews have been focused on recovering bodies, not rescuing survivors. More than 2,500 people were rescued in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. However, no survivors had been found in the wreckage since April 28th. When she was finally exposed by heavy equipment, she waved a pipe to attract attention. The women, Reshma, was given water, oxygen, and saline while they were trying to get her out.  She was promptly rushed to a military hospital.  This miracle had many religious implications also given that she was found in a Muslim prayer room on the Islamic holy day.

This really is a true miracle and I am hoping for her true recovery.  I am curious though if there was water that she could get to because it was not mentioned.

http://news.yahoo.com/bangladesh-workers-survivor-factory-rubble-104205204.html

Parenting Style and Depression

It has been seen that "Tiger Moms" are actually doing more harm than good.  "In her controversial memoir, 'Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother,' Yale law professor Amy Chua defended her draconian parenting methods, explaining how being a controlling "Chinese-style" parent drives Asian-American children to succeed in ways that permissive "Western-style" parenting does not. But a recently released decade-long study of 444 Chinese-American families shows that the effect tiger parents have on their kids is almost exactly the opposite." Compared with suppportive parenting methods, "tiger parenting" seemed to lead to lower GPA's, less commitment to family, symptoms of depression, and a greater sense of alienation. 

It makes sense that this method of parenting would not be the best way to raise a child.  Putting a little pressure on kids to succeed is one thing but as soon as there is too much, bad consequences will ensue. Kim Wong Ketner even stated "The typical tiger mom attitude, she says, is actually a lot like bullying -- and has similar devastating effects."

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1319159493936285220#editor/target=post;postID=6728932236752309423

The Cicadas are coming!

After 17 years, they're finally coming back.  "Colossal numbers of cicadas, unhurriedly growing underground since 1996, are about to emerge along much of the U.S. East Coast to begin passionately singing and mating as their remarkable life cycle restarts."  They are aparently supposed to swarm this spring from Georgia to New York.  Scientists say that the theory behind this incredibly spread out life cycle is to have so many cicadas hatch at once that the predators cannot kill them all no matter how hard they try. 

I love cicadas.  I cannot wait to hear them and watch them this summer.  It's always fun to watch a cicada molt.

http://news.yahoo.com/theyre-back-17-cicadas-swarm-georgia-york-141835694.html

Horrifying Runny Nose

Joe Nagy of Phoenix, Arizona suffered with a chronic runny nose for a year and a half and believed it to be just allergies.  It wasn't!! When Nagy finally went in to get his runny nose checked, they found that he was actually leaking brain fluid from a hole in the membrane surrounding the brain.  Right when he was ready to go in for surgery, he got meningitis! Finally, when everything cleared up, he went in for surgery and is fine and well but what a scare!

Well, thank you article for making me a hypochondirac about runny noses.  I will definitely be half way freaking out about a runny nose for like the next year.

http://news.yahoo.com/video/man-runny-nose-turns-leaking-211027041.html

Team disqualified for act of faith

A 4x100 team in Texas was banned from the state championships because one of the runners pointed to the Heaven's after their race.  “He put his hand by his ear and pointed to the heavens,” said his father. “It was a reaction. You’re brought up your whole life that God gives you good things, you’re blessed.”  It is not as if this is an uncommon thing to do either, you see it all the time in sports.  It was such a small and personal act that it really doesn't make sense to have these extreme consequences.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/highschool-prep-rally/texas-teen-points-heavens-gets-4-100-relay-181303156.html

Side Effects of Dehydration

Did you know that up to 75% of the body is made up of water? Many people don't recognize when they are dehydrated.  Yet, it can have some bad side effects such as headaches, fatigue, weight gain, and wrinkles. 

Body weight	Daily fluid requirements (approximate)
10 pounds	15 ounces
20 pounds	30 ounces
30 pounds	40 ounces
40 pounds	45 ounces
50 pounds	50 ounces
75 pounds	55 ounces
100 pounds	50 ounces
150 pounds	65 ounces
200 pounds	70 ounces

Do you drink enough? Most people find that they do not.

Most people know that they do not drink enough, but still do not for a plethora of reasons.  With the facts above, though, hopefully seeing the consequences will change your water intake.

http://www.medicinenet.com/dehydration/article.htm

Sweetest Dad Ever

When David Herron's 17-year-old daughter couldn't find the prom dress of her dreams, he did what any resourceful dad would do: He sat down and made her one from scratch. Tell me this is not the coolest thing you have ever heard.  They looked online and so Mariah's dad decided that he would go get fabric from the store and hopefully get someone to make the dress for her.  He barely knew how to sew but in 6 weeks he had made a strapless, black satin gown made from Snow White Camouflage fabric with a white underlayer and covered with black tulle. The top of the dress is lined with a thin black ruffle and a black satin bow is fastened to the back of the dress. The waist is lined with shotgun shells. The best part is, at the end, Mariah even asked her dad to make her future wedding dress.

http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/military-dad-makes-daughter-s-prom-dress--it-s-camo-191228290.html

Boston Victim Wants to Dance Again

Heather Abbott, told reporters Thursday she's "overwhelmed" by the outpouring of support she's received after having her leg amputated below the knee. There are more than 200 woulded from the Boston bombing but 14 had to get some sort of amputation.  She has said that she is incredibly grateful for the support.  She is also excited to meet her rescuer who pulled her out of the bar and helped her into an amulance.  She is staying strong saying that"it's so hard for me to focus on anything negative, I try not to dwell on it. ... This is the situation I'm faced with. It's not going to change."

The strength of some people is absolutely astonishing.  I wish her a bright future and I hope that she will be able to dance and run again.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/boston-bombing-survivor-heather-abbott-amputation-best-case-191724457.html#more-44320

Lightning Strikes Rainbow

Nolan Nitschke, 27, captured an incredibly rare photo in Yosemite National Park.  He was able to take a photo of a lightning strike going through a rainbow.  This is an absolutely incredible weather phenomenon and our only hopes is that he will be able to do the same thing in the future.  The Californian photographer also captured this image of the sun reflecting on a fast-moving river which is absolutely gorgeous and I definitely recommend seeing for yourself.

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/rare-sighting-captured-at-yosemite-slideshow/#crsl=%252Flightbox%252Frare-sighting-captured-at-yosemite-slideshow%252Fyosemite-photo-1127663950.html

Chernobyl Still a Ghost Town

27 years after the horrific nuclear disaster, guards still are posted 30 kilometers outside of Chernobyl. There is a new power plant in construction right now in Chernobyl that is The New Safe Confinement (NSC).  Even after all this time everything is still barren.  Once a town of 50,000 the people of the city were given just a few hours to evactuate as radiation poured into the streets.

It really is a horrible thought that even after all this time it is still unsafe for people to be near Chernobyl.  It is a scary thought too knowing the capabilities of nuclear war also and that this could be the fate of the world if nuclear war ever broke out.

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/chernobyl-today-slideshow/#crsl=%252Flightbox%252Fchernobyl-today-slideshow%252Fan-abandoned-middle-school-part-of-the-contaminated-photo-20110319-000000-842.html

6 year old punished for parents wrongs

When a six year old named Brooke Loeffler was late to San Antonio area school because of her parents, it was the student who took the fall.  The parents have a new baby and the schedule was suffering but that is no reaosn to give a 6 year old two lunch detentions.  her father hopes to see the policy change in teh future to punish the parents, not the children. 

This is unexceptable.  She is a kindergartener.  Though, it does say the policy is effective.  Tardies have gone down 90% after implementation of this punishment.

Explosion in Texas

A  fertilizer plant exploded Wednesday, April 17, 2013, in West, Texas near Waco. The massive explosion injured dozens of people and killed an unknown number of others, leaving the factory a smoldering ruin and leveling buildings for blocks in every direction. The oxplosion was so large it blew apartment buildings apart and even measured a 2.1 on the richter scale.

This catastrophe along with the bombings in Boston are a horrible blow for this country.  Hopefully things will smooth out soon.

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/deadly-texas-plant-explosion-slideshow/ and
http://inhabitat.com/enormous-fertilizer-plant-explosion-in-texas-registered-2-1-on-richter-scale-many-feared-dead/

Fireball Bridge

A new bridge has been unveiled in Vietman that looks like a dragon and shoots fire out of its mouth. 

The 1,864-foot-long bridge is designed with steel arches that make up the body of the dragon, which is modeled after a dragon from the Ly Dynasty. Da Nang is the City where this insanely amazing highway dragon has been built. 

This is pretty sweet and we need to do this in America because a dragon highway is just awesome.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/giant-steel-dragon-bridge-vietnam-breathes-fire-215025906.html

18 going on 80?!?

Doctors say that 18 year old Georgi Readman is extremely malnourished and has the health of an 80 year old.  Why? might you ask. Well, Georgi has consumed ONLY Ramen Noodles for the past 13 years of her life, apparently hating fruits and vegetables.  One physician even states that "a diet of instant noodles has likely wreaked incredible amounts of havoc on her organs. The body—especially one that's still developing—needs protein, minerals, and nutrients to grow; that's just basic common sense. Without it, this girl has probably suffered stunted growth and IQ, osteoporosis, heart and kidney damage, and high blood pressure. Her lifespan has likely been shortened as well." 

Kids would try to live off of candy and chocolate milk if parents let them, but that's only if parents let them.  Parents are responsible for what their children eat during adolescence to avoid these dangerous eating patterns.  These parents are unknowingly killng their child by letting her eat what she wants.

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/teen-s-strange-ramen-addiction--165713286.html

How many US citizens shouldn't have that right??

A study done by newsweek showed that 38 percent of the 1000 US citizens that they tested failed the citizenship test! This is appalling.  The test is for the most part rudimentary government, history, civics, and rights.  Yet, 29 % of the people in this study couldn't name the vice president, 44 % couldn't define the Bill of Rights, and 6 % couldn't even find Independence Day on the calendar.  This is just absolutely pitiful and sad when it comes down to it. 

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/national/study-many-americans-cant-pass-citizenship-test

Florida Sink Holes

New Florida sink holes in same Seffner town that swallowed a man's bedroom month.  The new one was 8 feet across and 10 feet deep.  The house was evacuated as a precaution.  Since the state has a bedrock of limestone, many areas are in danger of having these adngerous sink holes.  Limestone is relatively weak which is not what you want to hear when you are building the foundation of a house.  Only in two states, Florida and Tennessee, where sink holes are common does insurance cover for sink hole damage. This is a scary phenomenon and I believe that there should be more testing on the bedrock if people are to be safe.  It can be optional but havingt that option could help save lives.  Maybe a ground penetrating radar type thing to see where the weaknesses are?

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2013/0325/New-Florida-sinkhole-in-same-Florida-town

Battle in the Senate

Dianne Feinstein locks horns with Ted Cruz on the senate floor regarding gun control.  When asked about the second ammendment, she avoided the question completely and belittled Cruz.  This women has said before that if she could, she would ban all guns outright.  Therefore, this administration has led to the biggest NRA membership increase in years.

I think she should keep talking, the more radical she is the more people might see how nuts it is to do what she proposes.

North Korea Threatens War

Today, Monday, March 11th North Korea nullified the 60 year old armistice.  On top of this, they have also threatened to launch a nuclear strike on the US.  Part of what North Korea wants is an actual treaty, rather than the armistice that has been in place for so long and also the removal of the 28,500 American troops that are stationed in South Korea right now.  All ties have not been cut yet though, there are still 2 lines of communication between North and South, bringing South Korean workers to Kaesong.  Finacially, North Korea will suffer without these South Korean workers so one analyst says that "If North Korea really intends to start a war with South Korea, it could have taken South Koreans at Kaesong hostage."

Even with all these threats though, we shouldn't worry too much.  "The ministry has warned that the North's government would 'evaporate from the face of the Earth' if it ever used a nuclear weapon. The White House also said the U.S. is fully capable of defending itself against a North Korean ballistic attack."  While recent nuclear tests from North Korea may be bringing them a step closer to being able to hit the US mainland, analysts say that Pyongyang is still years away from getting the smaller, lighter nuclear warheads to have a formidable nuclear missile program.

Textbooks Flawed

Textbooks used in some parts of Louisiana are under fire for the "facts" that they are spewing. 

Many young people turned to drugs and immoral lifestyles; these youth became known as hippies. They went without bathing, wore dirty, ragged, unconventional clothing, and deliberately broke all codes of politeness or manners. Rock music played an important part in the hippie movement and had great influence over the hippies. Many of the rock musicians they followed belonged to Eastern religious cults or practiced Satan worship.

Textbooks are supposed to be able to taken as facts so we are teaching children that whole groups of people can be blanketed under impolite, immoral, satan worshipping druggies.  Other such "facts" have been found to be written in this book and taught in these schools as well.  Tolerance is obviously not being taught at all anymore.

Scary Sea Levels

"About 20 percent of the ice in glaciers, on islands such as Ellesmere or Devon off northern Canada, could vanish by the end of the 21st century in a melt that would add 3.5 cm (1.4 inch) to global sea levels, they said."  Canadian glaciers are going, and scientists say that it is irreversible.  Now all we can do is plan how low lying cities and areas will cope with the rising sea levels.  The dark tundra that will be exposed from melting ice caps will then further the melting.  This is scary for cities such as Bangladesh, Shanghai, and even New York.  We have to start planning for this melt off now before it's too late.

Stolen ID Fail

Brianna Priddy, an Applebees waitress had her ID stolen and a few weeks later she found it being used to buy a margarita... from her! Priddy kept calm though and said "Sure, I'll be right back with your margarita," and went and called the police. 
Some peoples stupidity is truly amazing.  I do not understand why for one this person would use this ID to buy a margarita (the suspect is 26), or better yet use in in the area that they stole it! obviously they have a pretty good chance of that ID being recognized! Dumb criminals.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/applebees-waitress-stolen-id-drivers-license-154712609.html

Cure for Color Blindness

1 out of every 10 men in the in The United States has some form of color blindness but a scientist named Mark Changizi and his partner Tim Barber from 2AI Labs in Boston created a pair of glasses that may provide a remedy for a certain type of color blindness involving reds and greens.  Although not necessarily intended to "fix" color blindness, it just amplifies certain colors but that is all that some people need.  This will help so many people witht heir lives for just simply picking out a shirt to recognizing dangerous warnings.

Sneaker Scandal?

Sketchers has recently made a commercial about their new shoes and in the commercial said "Get spoiled with Daddy's Money, ultra-cool shoes that will put you in the spotlight..."  This is telling young girls that they can use their looks to manipulate people, including their own fathers.  It's absolutely sexist too, males are not the only breadwinners nowadays.  We need to motivate kids to earn their keep, and be independent, not mooch off of other people.

http://gma.yahoo.com/skechers-under-fire-for-daddys-money-sneakers-172544318.html

Americans Still Drinking Too Much

It is shown in studies that 18% of men and 11% of women on any given day are drinking over what the government classifies as "too much" alcohol: 2 drinks for men, and 1 for women.   Most Americans do not drink at all on every given day.  64% of men and 79% of women did not drink at all on the previous day in the survey but the percentage of heavy drinkers is still a problem. Drinking more than 4 drinks like some of these people do will lead to alcohol related problems. Among the men, those in their 30's drank the most, and for women in their 50's and 60's and this information shows that it is not just a problem amoung our college aged citizens but is an issue that needs adressing in all stages of life.

http://news.yahoo.com/study-says-too-many-americans-still-drink-too-000116086.html

Rudeness contagious

According to studies, 1 in 4 people at the office are rude because their boss is rude.  Abusive bosses make their employees get worked up and anxious leading to the same behavior towards others.  Therefore, it seems that it should be a zero tolerance policy towards jerks at the office.  It just gets everyone in a reallly nasty mood and that cannot be good for anything.

http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/advisor/studies--being-a-jerk-is-contagious-190516322.html

Killer Coca Cola?

In 2010 anew Zealnd woman of 31 was killed by an over dose of the pop that so many love.  Granted, Natasha Harrison drank about 2.6 gallons of coke every day.  That's 2.2 pounds of sugar per day. It is not healthy to even drink that much water in a day, let alone a caffeinated beverage.  The article says that she skipped meals and smoked heavily which could not have helped her situation.  A toxicologist notes that drinking that much coke with only a little food would have starved Harrison of needed nutrients and said that anything in a large enough dose will be toxic.

Given that there were warning signs, and how crazy that even sounds I cannot fathom why someone didn't stop her or seek help for her situation.  "Close friends said she would "get the shakes" and other withdrawal symptoms. Her heart would race, her liver was swollen, and her rotting teeth had to be removed," and that didn't tip anyone off?!

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/moms-death-linked-coke-coroners-report-164723213--abc-news-health.html

Vitamins and Minerals a Bad Thing?

Recent studies have shown that maybe not all supplements are a good thing. 
"For the study, published February 13 in the British Medical Journal, a team from Uppsala University in Sweden analyzed self-reported data from 61,443 women over the course of 19 years. During that time, nearly 12,000 women died, the majority from cardiovascular disease."
The highest death rate was among the women who were taking more than 1400mg per day. They were 2 times more likely to die than a women taking 600-999mg per day.

This is shocking news. I never would have thought that calcium was a bad thing, even in excess but apparently in all things too much is not good.

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/can-too-much-calcium-kill-you--could-be--say-the-latest-findings--215556903.html

Top 10 Mistakes People Make in Job Interiews

Along with the big ones, like not making eye contact for example, other mistakes you may not have even thought about could cost you a job.  Slight things such as over explaining why you lost your last job for example are turn offs.  Overall it seems you have the best chance when you show up prepared and in a good mood, you're on your way to success.

 I found the information from this source very informative and will most certainly use the techniques given when I need to go in for a job interview.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/10-top-mistakes-people-make-in-job-interviews-190143044.html

KRISPY KREME meets OREOS!!!

Krispy Kreme is set to roll out new doughnut made with Oreos.  Frankly just the thought of this is making me extremely hungry. "From Feb. 19 through April 21, Krispy Kreme will feature its new "Cookies and Kreme Doughnut," filled with Oreo-flavored cream filling and Oreo cookie pieces. The doughnut be topped with dark chocolate icing and Oreo cookie pieces". Sadly our Krispy Kreme has closed down but somehow I will find a Krispy Kreme and I will in fact eat one of these masterpieces before they are gone.

http://www.qsrweb.com/article/207923/Krispy-Kreme-to-roll-out-doughnuts-made-with-Oreos

Do you match your barrel horse?

Recently there was an article about personality clashes with horse and rider. A jittery, nervous rider shouldn't be paired with a generally nervous horse and a calm rider shouldn't be paired with a laid back horse.  The logic makes sense, and it is very interesting when looking at myself.  My horse will run if you put the reins forward and click once and will run as fast as she possibly can and I am one who will always get shaky and have a complete adrenalin rush when we compete.  It makes sense how the two of us together will sometimes just have a crazy run.  In the same day, we have won barrels at a Michigan regional equestrian meet and then turned around and ended up jumping over one of the fences in flags.  A high strung team makes for killer times, but it could end badly on occasion.

http://www.freebarrelracingtips.com/do-you-match-your-barrel-horse

Alleyway problems for barrel racers

Trouble in the alleyways or by the gates of arenas are problems for many racers. Ty Mitchell explains how to keep the trouble at a minimum. Horses can read your nerves, being calm is the best option when it comes to alleyway jitters. Personally I have found that keeping my nerves under control is a far to inconsistent method so I back Red in. My mare also doesn't buck or rear though so utilizing this method doesn't jeopardize my safety. Any other methods people use?

http://www.freebarrelracingtips.com/alleyway-problems-with-ty-mitchell-from-the-josey-ranch

About Me

Hi, my name is MacKenzie.  I love riding my horse, Red.  I'm on our high school equestrian team and ride all western disciplines but, my favorites are the speed events like barrels.  Anything that catches my eye could end up on this blog.