TLCs (Scattered) Thoughts

Name:
Location: Gilbert, AZ

I am a writer, a photographer, and a Dork Chop FO-tog. I can be found on FB at www.facebook.com/TheRovingDorkChopFoTog and also on Flickr at www.flickr.com/therovingdorkchopfo-tog Mostly I capture what I see from my perspective.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

#Gilbert #AZ parents upset over #taxcredit changes proposed in #Senate. Are Intl. field trips a neccessity?

Should tax credit donations to schools be used to fund international student travel over, say, pencils and paper?!? Sheesh!



When teachers no longer spend their own money on pencils and paper for their students, THEN let's discuss international travel!

Amplify’d from www.examiner.com

Upset AZ parents miss point - upset over field trips?

A recent artilce published in the Arizona Republic featured the viewpoint of Gilbert, AZ parents who are upset because student field trips may be curtailed. 

Might they miss the point of the tax credit donation program? 

These parents are upset at the prospect of Senate Bill 1263, which was introduced by state Sen. Rich Crandall, R-Mesa, would limit the amount of tax-credit donations that could be used for school trips to $800 per student for domestic trips and $1,600 for international trips.  

Another Gilbert parent who was involved in marching band and various other music programs when she was in high school, agrees that while music is important and deserving of funding, to express that traveling expenses are more important than truly basic education needs seems very short sighted.

Read more at www.examiner.com
 

#UCLA study accidenally discovers #hairgrowth treatment. #science #GilbertNews #xmnr

Kind of twisted... but here is a simple formula



In the UCLA lab, add scientists and mice. Mix well. To the mice, add chronic stress. Set them aside. Shortly, you should have stressed, nervous and balding mice. Then, add medicine to block stress, and set mice aside for three months. After three months, take out the mice and enjoy your newly furry mice, and enjoy!



Funny, but I can't help but wonder...what would make a mouse chronically nervous?

Amplify’d from www.examiner.com

Accidentally grown hair? Science study leads to hair growth treatment in mice

 What does science gain when mixing nervous, stressed mice in California with curious scientists?  This combination may have accidentally discovered a new solution for hair growth thanks to a study at UCLA.

One Gilbert mother wonders if this treatment would work for cosmetic types of treatments.  Her daughter has undergone several hair follicle transplants after a scalp injury that left a large scar.  The family sought treatment from the leading hair transplant doctor in Los Angeles, Dr. William Rassman at the New Hair Institute.  The surgery was covered by insurance, and the results have been excellent, but the treatment was not without discomfort, travel, time and expense.  It would be great if this treatment were also tried in mice that had unfortunate mishaps, to see if their little hair follicles could be encoraged to regrow.

Read more at www.examiner.com
 

Monday, February 14, 2011

#Environment Study by #NIH on #Parkinson's Disease and link to #pesticide

Amplify’d from www.examiner.com

Disease, pesticide link: NIH study on Parkinson's Disease

Some of us have suspected all along...pesticide is not good for you.  When dealing with pests in our homes, some people prefer to "squish" rather than "spray".  Some prefer to escort the creature away politely, while many others practice prevention. 

For the Agricultural industry, using chemicals is standard accepted proceedure, and has been the subject of an ongoing NIH study on the link between Parkinson's Disease and pesticide. 

Read more at www.examiner.com
 

Friday, February 11, 2011

Yes they did!! Egyptian protesters successful in their peaceful revolution

Egyptian youth protesters have, by all news reports coming out of Egypt, been successful in their demands for a peaceful and meaningful revolution.

The protesters, as they have been called, are mostly young Egyptians who want democracy. They want stability in a government that includes them rather than dictates to them. They want that magical word...change.

Right now in Egypt, Egyptian President Mubarak has made an official statement of resignation handing over power to military forces.

The scene of the protest in Tahir Square has been compared to New York Times Square at New Years Eve. Euphoric celebration, along with concerns over the prospect of a military occupation that could install a new dictatorship.

Throughout the demonstrations in Egypt, US support has not been felt by the people of Egypt at the level many protesters felt was appropriate, which has induced an anti American attitude. At this very moment, however, none of that matters.

Jubilation on the streets of Egypt is the overwhelming news coming out of Egypt. The protesters are reveling in their accomplishments, enjoying their success. They seem to be aware of what they are facing, and the work ahead - but the news for right now is celebrating the moment...and what a moment it is.

They are an example to the world in how to stage a peaceful revolution.



Wednesday, February 9, 2011

#Green #Valentines Day gift ideas. #environment #xmnr

Personally, not a fan of gifts given because of a Hallmark mandate. I'd rather have a spontaneous, unexpected, no special occasion, random act of kindness. But for those of you who must...here are a few "green" Valentine's Day solutions. ;)

Amplify’d from www.examiner.com

Celebrate Valentine's Day - green earth friendly gift suggestions

Valentine’s Day is a day filled with cards, sweets, flowers and gifts after weeks of suffering through frequent commercials about going to see a man named Jared, and the spelling of the work "kiss". 

Like many holidays, its celebration can create unintentional environmental side effects, such as the consumption of natural resources and the generation of solid waste. But that doesn’t have to be the case.  There are many earth friendly "green" gifts that can be given this Valentine's day

Before one adopts these "greener" solutions, they may want to "feel out" the potential Valentine to ensure that this Valentine's Day won't be the last day of the relationship, and that the seedling tree won't become an airborn object aimed at the head of the earth conscience, thoughtful green giver. 

Read more at www.examiner.com
 

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Man killed by rooster at cockfight. Who wants to argue Karma was at work here?!?






From CBS.com- 



DELANO (AP) — A California man attending a cockfight has died after being stabbed in the leg by a bird that had a knife attached to its own limb.



The Kern County coroner says 35-year-old Jose Luis Ochoa was declared dead at a hospital about two hours after he suffered the injury in neighboring Tulare County on Jan. 30.



An autopsy concluded Ochoa died of an accidental “sharp force injury” to his right calf.



Sheriff’s spokesman Ray Pruitt says it’s unclear if a delay in seeking medical attention contributed to Ochoa’s death. Tulare officials are investigating, and no arrests were made at the cockfight.



Cockfighting is a sport, illegal in the United States, in which specially bred roosters are put into a ring and encouraged to fight until one is incapacitated or killed.



To plagiarize some more would be to steal a comment from the CBS.com site:  "Stupid is as stupid does" .



Heh heh... 

Http://www.TLCsThoughts.com

iPhone app limitation - can't stop smokers without extreme measures #xmnr #gilbertnews

SHOCK!! An app that doesn't work as described!! What an unheard of scandal...

Amplify’d from www.examiner.com

Smokers - iphone 'stop smoking' app ineffective unless used in alternate ways

Can smokers get help from their iphone?  Not unless they use the iphone to beat themselves about the face when the urge to smoke strikes.  According to app reviewers and experts in preventative health, the apps "don't meet accepted standards". 

A study published online and in the March issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found that the 47 “apps” reviewed rarely helped users get assistance through counseling, hotlines or anti-smoking medications. About half of the apps supported hypnosis, which has questionable effectiveness.

Tracy Lynn Cook is a writer in Gilbert, Arizona.  To read more, please visit her blog at www.TLCsThoughts.com, or browse by topic:

Read more at www.examiner.com
 

Info about treating birthmarks in #pediatric patients

We went down this route with my son Jacob, who has a port-wine birthmark on his arm. He wanted treatment when kids teased him because his arms "didn't match". Kids are soooo mean!!

Amplify’d from www.examiner.com

Dermatologists share information about childhood treatments for birthmarks

When children are born, the first thing parents do is check them over from head to toe.  During this head to toe inspection is when some birthmarks are first discovered. 

Vascular birthmarks, which occur in nearly 10 percent of all infants at birth or within the first few weeks of life, can cause concern for parents particularly if they are large or in a cosmetically important area.

The decision to treat a birthmark is one that parents should make with a dermatologist, who can determine the type of birthmark, whether or not it poses any potential risks in the future, and when childhood treatments for birthmarks is appropriate.

Tracy Lynn Cook is a writer in Gilbert, Arizona.  To read more, please visit her blog at www.TLCsThoughts.com, or browse by topic:

Read more at www.examiner.com
 

Thursday, February 3, 2011

SHMILY

My friend Randy Hooker used to send out a newsletter with real estate information about my neighborhood. I looked forward to this newsletter not because we were in the market, but because there was always a great story tucked into the newsletter on the last page. I saved the newsletter until I had a free quiet moment to enjoy the story. THIS story has stayed with me for years... Enjoy~

SHMILY

Written by Laura Jeanne Allen

My Grandfather and Grandmother were married for over half a century, and played their own special game from the time they had met each other. The goal of their game was to write the word "shmily" in a surprise place for the other to find. They took turns leaving "shmily" around the house, and as soon as one of them discovered it, it was their turn to hide it once more.

They dragged "shmily" with their fingers through the sugar and flour containers to await whoever was preparing the next meal. They smeared it in the dew on the windows overlooking the patio where they always had warm, homemade pudding with blue food coloring.

"Shmily" was written in the steam left on the mirror after a hot shower, where it would reappear bath after bath. At one point, my Grandmother even unrolled an entire roll of toilet paper to leave "shmily" on the very last sheet.

There was no end to the places "shmily" would pop up. Little notes with "shmily" scribbled hurriedly were found on dashboards and car seats, or taped to steering wheels. The notes were stuffed inside shoes and left under pillows.

"Shmily" was written in the dust upon the mantel and traced in the ashes of the fireplace. This mysterious word was as much a part of their house as the furniture.

It took me a long time before I was able to fully appreciate my grandparents' game. Skepticism had kept some of them from believing in true love-one that is pure and enduring. However, I never doubted my grandparents' relationship. They had love down pat. It was more than their flirtatious little games; it was a way of life. Their relationship was based on a devotion and passionate affection which not everyone is lucky to experience.

Grandma and Grandpa held hands every chance they could. They stole kisses as they bumped into each other in their tiny kitchen. They finished each other's sentences and shared the daily crossword puzzle and word jumble.

My Grandmother whispered to one of her friends about how cute my Grandfather was, how handsome and old he had grown to be. She claimed that she really knew "how to pick 'em."

Before every meal they bowed their heads and gave thanks, marveling at their blessings: a wonderful family, good fortune, and each other.

But there was a dark cloud in the couples' life: my Grandmother had breast cancer. The disease had first appeared ten years earlier. As always, my Grandfather was with her every step of the way.

He comforted her in their yellow room, painted that way so that she could always be surrounded by sunshine, even when she was too sick to go outside.

Now the cancer was again attacking her body. With the help of a cane and my Grandfather's steady hand, they went to church every morning. But my Grandmother grew steadily weaker until, finally, she could not leave the house anymore. For a while, my Grandfather would go to church alone, praying to God to watch over my Grandmother.

Then one day, what everyone dreaded finally happened. My Grandmother was gone.

"Shmily." It was scrawled in yellow on the pink ribbons of my Grandmother's funeral bouquet. As the crowd thinned and the last mourners turned to leave, my aunts, uncles, cousins and other family members came forward and gathered around Grandma one last time.

My Grandfather stepped up to my Grandmother's casket and, taking a shaky breath, he began to sing to her.

Through his tears and grief, the song came, a deep and throaty lullaby.

Shaking with my own sorrow, I will never forget that moment. I knew that, although I couldn't begin to fathom the depth of their love, I had been privileged to witness its unmatched beauty.

S-h-m-i-l-y:
See How Much I Love You.

(Posted by Petey, the iPad)