When I saw that there was a listing of the world's healthiest countries, I was curious to see which ones they were. However, when I found out I was a little bit disturbed to say the least. I was relieved to find that I was not the only one feeling this way. But still. They say they ranked every country based on Forbes' access to drinking water and sanitation, infant mortality rates, etc. Oh, and by looking further, I also found the world's most overweight countries.

Anyway, on to why it irritates me. They named 15 of the so called healthiest countries. They are:
1. Iceland
2. Sweden
3. Finland
4. Germany
5. Switzerland
6. Australia
7. Denmark
8. Canada
9. Austria
10. Netherlands
11. United States
12. Israel
13. Czech Republic
14. Spain
15. France

Most obese or overweight countries and here as it was not done by forbes, you get 20
1. Nauru
2. Federated States of Micronesia
3. Cook Islands
4. Tonga
5. Niue
6. Samoa
7. Palau
8. Kuwait
9. United States
10. Kiribati
11. Dominica
12. Barbados
13. Argentina
14. Egypt
15. Malta
16. Greece
17. New Zealand
18. United Arab Emirates
19. Mexico
20. Trinidad and Tobago

I realize these polls were conducted by two different associations. But at the same point in time, doesn't it seem contradictory that the United States would make both lists? And also, while I wouldn't expect to see Asians in the groupings of overweight countries, it seems that when Forbes conducted their so called research, they only studied the Western half of the world. Maybe they should have stated that when they created the listing. I mean yes, I would love to say Korea should be #1, but I know it's not entirely true with all factors included. But if you look at the life expectancy in countries like Korea, you look at the social health programs they have in countries like Japan, and you look at the prevalence of greater education in general, which includes doctors and others. If you just look at the general eating habits and weight trends among other things, certain Asian countries should be on that list! But if you notice, it's rather convenient where all the countries lie. I mean, they claim the czech republic is up there and there are no really Asian countries included. I'm not asking them to say that Vietnam is it or anything, just to actually give an unbiased evaluation that includes the real facts!

I Do Not Forgive You, But I Will Forget

I want you to know that while I do not forgive you, because forgiving would imply that what you did was somehow acceptable, somehow okay, somehow not as hurtful as it is. I will forget you. I will forget about you entirely. I do not forgive you for forgetting me, I do not forgive you for letting me get lost in your world that was taken up entirely by other things, all of which were apparently more important. I don't forgive you for telling me that I can't be trusted because I said one thing I wasn't supposed to when I was 5. I don't forgive you for assuming that I will mess up every major deal because I didn't look into things with a phone bill when I was 18. I don't forgive you for assuming I was too stupid to get into a state college. I don't forgive you for forcing me to stay in the same high school when I asked you not once, but repeatedly, to transfer me out, because there was a high suicide rate, I had no friends going there, and I knew everything that was coming. I do not forgive you for conveniently forgetting about all the things that happened to me because you were unwilling to budge. I do not forgive you for never admitting when you were wrong. I do not forgive you for always seeing everybody else as better than me and more of a priority than me, and I do not forgive you for letting me fall between the cracks every time and choosing anybody else, even somebody you didn't even know when there was a choice. I do not forgive you for always taking the other side. I do not forgive you for fucking up my life and then taking no blame assuming it must have been anyone but you. But I will forget you. I will walk away, and I will never think about you ever again, I will never give you credit, I will never again blame you because you will not be a part of my life ever again, because otherwise, I don't think I can stand it and I don't think I will make it out alive.

A $4000 Tip

Now I really wish I had served Johnny Depp back when I was a waitress. I worked at a cheap Chinese restaurant granted. But I gave every customer the same great quality of service, catering to each customer's needs, whether I knew they were going to give me a good tip or thought that they were the type to say how great you were and then leave you shit for tips. But Depp left some lucky waiter a $4,000 tip! I mean I'm sure it meant nothing to him, he just felt the inclination to drop it that day. But holy crap! I guess he went in at 11:30 and they didn't leave till 2:30. The tip was $4400, so 20% would be $880, still a sizable tip, but standard for any amount, 20%. But wow, $4000! Honestly, that would be a good celebrity experience. I just hope for the waiter he wasn't a jerk before he gave that tip.

Johnny Depp

I'll be honest. I loved it when Johnny Depp decided to play in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In fact, I've loved a great number of his roles for varying reasons. And now he is playing a part in Alice In Wonderland. He is the Mad Hatter. He has played some crazy roles to be sure, and this is one of them. In the picture they have now shown, I definitely don't necessarily recognize him. But I am thrilled and I will definitely be one of the first out to see that movie! Still, my favorite movie of his remains Blow.

ADD and just not paying attention

I understand that certain disorders like ADD are frustrating for the individual suffering from them. Not with ADD in particular, but in general I understand from experience. But sometimes, it's a matter of sucking it up and doing something about it, and it honestly annoys me when people make no effort at all to do that.
My roommate is the particular one that annoys me right now. I mean she's nice and all. But she says she suffers from ADD. I've known people with ADD. when it's real light, they learn to actively discipline themselves and may never know they actually have it. When it's in the middle, they generally know, but again take extra steps to discipline themselves. When it's really severe, there are medications. Every time I talk to her, I have to repeat myself at least 5 times, and I'm actually not exaggerating is the sad part. And even after repeating myself at least 5 times, usually more, she still doesn't have it. And half the time, she starts saying what what I don't get it after the first 2 words. So that tells me that it's not ADD, she just doesn't listen. She does this to everyone yes, but it's annoying. And while I have extra patience for this kind of complication, I honestly don't think she has it, I think she just doesn't take the time to listen and pay attention.
Frankly, if it is that bad, you deal with it and take something and go to therapy or something to learn more about greater habits. But she refuses to take medication. So realistically, I have reason to be annoyed. It's one thing if you are trying to help yourself and it's taking time. Oh, and then she's literally going bankrupt and she says well there's nothing more I can do. But she works only part time, and then she's always out buying coffee at starbucks, buying her friends things, etc. So it's like yes, there is something you can do. I've tried to explain to her the concept of writing everything down, and it just doesn't stick.
And the other day, I specifically stopped her, told her to listen, because I was a little bit irked that for the umpteenth time, she called me to say well you want to go to coffee later, and then she never called back. She said oh well it was last minute and then I knew you wouldn't get there on time and then we'd be leaving. So I said well is there a reason that you couldn't text me when somebody texts you? And then she went into how she was so busy and she couldn't. It takes 2 seconds to text and say we're going. But she got into a rant about well I will just invite you next time. That was when I told her to stop and listen, because it's not about going to coffee. I was simply asking that she not call and ask me in advance, because every time it seems that she forgets later when it's time to actually go, so instead call me when they are actually going or if she forgets then it makes no difference. But she was so stuck in the idea that even after I told her to specifically listen, which you would think would suggest that somebody should listen for 2 seconds and actually concentrate if they have a hard time and actually try to process it, she literally did not process a single word of it. So I am a little bit annoyed right now.

Drawing A Line Between Your Spouse And Your Work

They say that your spouse cannot testify against you, that's obvious. But if you are in any given field and happen to disclose certain types of sensitive information to your spouse, it could still land you in the hot pot. In particular, one Sandra Fernandez married a defense lawyer. she worked in the Brooklyn District Attorney's office as a prosecutor, and on several occasions over a few months, she went in and requested confidential criminal history checks on various people she claimed to be investigating for assault. But she was actually requesting those for her then boyfriend, the defense attorney who is now her husband. she essentially illegally accessed these files, and he effectively used them to win quite a few of his cases. She was of course busted, disbarred, and underwent 5 years probation. Ah the stupid things we do for love.

If you were in the same company, sharing sensitive information while your spouse was not supposed to know that particular detail, you could easily be fired. if you are a therapist sharing details of your clients' sessions with your spouse, they could sue you. Actually, I've known some therapists who obviously did, their spouses made it obvious and even in some ways disclosed those stories they had only told their therapist, and as far as I'm concerned, they should have been sued and lost their licenses among various other things. In those cases, some of the spouses were house moms or dads, and in most cases their career choice had no connection, but they obviously didn't know how to keep their mouths shut. it's one thing to tell your spouse details with no names or indications of who it is about. it's quite another to bluntly disclose confidential information to your spouse or anyone else, whether they happen to have a big mouth or not.

Still in terms of related careers, it sometimes surprises me the people that come together. For example Mary Matlin Republican and James Carville Democrat, both highly influential in their worlds. But apparently, they fell in love, and Matalin has pointed out the true point of "Just because he thinks wrongly doesn't mean he's not smart." Now it would be great if they could agree that the other might be right, but that's better than most could do or would do.

The Asian Eye Test

Now I hope I got the image up right. But just incase I didn't, and there's a fair chance of that, the link where I found this is http://cakalusa.xanga.com/704930498/item/

But anyway, hopefully it's up there. But when I first saw this sucker, I saw a title, so yes, I did have my angry assumption moment being an Asian myself of what are they talking about the "Asian Eye Test" and pull back your eyes like an Asian if you can't see it. Stupid right? Not so stupid. I didn't see it at first. I just thought it was weird. But I thought I'd give this "Asian eye test" a try. You would think that I would have seen it with my eyes as it is. But apparently, they're too big or something. Mine are on the bigger side, but still. Anyway, I only had to do a little bit of pulling, like putting my fingers at each end and applying a bit of pressure little bit of pulling. It actually works that way. So I guess I'm entertained.

Arrested Overseas

North Korea. they have let people in very rarely, and when they did, they very tightly controlled what they saw, what they did, etc. There were some reporters that snuck into those groups, and there was a big stink. Anyway, there have been quite a few horrible things going on in North Korea, and nobody does anything about it, because it's not affecting them, so what do they care how many human rights violations there are or how crazy he is or anything. Obama is sounding like he is going to stop placating North Korea's fits. But who knows if he'll actually do anything.

Anyway, there were two reporters, Laura Ling and Euna Lee who somehow got into North Korea. I don't remember how, I don't remember why. But they were arrested, and they were sentenced to 12 years in hard labor camps for illegal entry and hostility toward north Korea. that's realy the charges. Now Laura Ling is the sister of Lisa Ling, who I remember from way back in the day, Channel 1 in high school and junior high. She went in with a group let in very exclusively, and they got out. But the horror of those camps is so bad, it's only in your worst nightmares that most imagine it, and yet we do nothing. They are talking about dispatching Lisa Ling to try to save them. But I mean really, most Americans think it doesn't affect them. But those are Americans over there, being trapped in a work camp, and they are not the only ones undergoing crap like that. But maybe it's just the fact that they're Korean, that they're Asian, that they have Asian names, that they're not white that makes most people not care.

Headphones while driving

Stupid drivers piss me off. People who talk on their cell phones piss me off. Practically nobody can do it with a cell phone, a lot of people can't do it with a hands free device, and some people just can't drive either way. That's life right? But the other day, I saw this 80 some odd year old man driving along with these huge silver bose headphones covering both ears! Are you kidding me? I mean if you're 80 some oddish and you can drive, good for you, great for you. But even if you're 20 or 40 and you are a great driver on a normal basis, there is no reason for you to be wearing headphones. with those big headphones, it blocks your view when you turn around to check your blindspot, it makes you oblivious to many sounds around you, and honestly speaking, whatever you're listening to on those headphones could be played on your radio or something else that does not require headphones! The fact that he kept going up and down in speed between 65 and 75 and swerving to either side of the lane only made it worse. But honestly, when some cop told me it was illegal to wear headphones while driving, I thought he was joking, not because why would they make it illegal, but more why would they need to make it illegal. it's common sense, and there's no reason to wear them at all, especially when you're the only one in the car! I mean kids wear headphones now, because some cars have DVD players, and they sit in the backseat, watch movies, and you don't have to listen to their movie blasting on the radio. Instead, you get your music or peace and quiet and they shut up and watch their video or movie. But again, no reason for you to be wearing headphones ever when you are driving!

Return The Favor

I'll be honest. Israel has done nothing for us. this sounds harsh, but it's true. America saves their butt every step of the way, and they do squat to repay the united states. Instead, they go out and act like bullies. Granted, the other side isn't always right, certainly not. But it doesn't excuse the crap they do, it doesn't even start. They're like a little chihuahua barking up a storm, because there's a rottweiler behind them that they know will attack virtually on command.

Personally, I don't think we should be particular friends with Israel. We shouldn't be enemies by any means. But we shouldn't go rushing in to save them every time they get in a fight or pick a fight wtih the Palestinians or anyone else for that matter. If someone else attacks them, well we should give them the attention we give everybody else, like North Koreans for example. they're having some pretty serious problems to say the least. So if Israel is in trouble, maybe we should give them the same courtesy we issue the innocent North Korean citizens, or maybe, just maybe if they pick their own fights, we should let them fight it out for themselves.

But realistically speaking, that's not going to happen. So at the very least, Obama can start asking them to return the favors, as much as they can anyway.

The Wrong Day For Cabelas And Sudden Rain Storms

Apparently I picked the wrong day to go to Cabelas. I was going to get a Father's day gift, because I'm stupid and couldn't remember if Father's day was this Sunday or next Sunday. So I go in to get a simple gift card, which you only have to go strait to the register for. He likes various things, but with fishing and hunting, we know nothing about it. so we always get the wrong thing, and I'm only spending about $50, not enough to get a really great gun or anything. But I walk in, and there are lines every which way. they have cashiers at every station including those for customer service taking customers, and there are huge lines everywhere. I literally waited and I timed it for 20 minutes in one line, and it was the shorter line of the many just to get a stupid gift card. and to add insult to injury, it's not till next sunday.

either way, it wasn't way hot, and my dog who was going to socialization class, spent that time waiting in his kennel in the car, and I rolled with windows down. Luckily, it didn't rain while I was in there. after socialization class, it suddenly started pouring, and I had gone to work. I had to drive the 15 minute drive back home, which obviously took longer than normal, with rain pouring down, wind blowing me over to the side, and water rushing up, even at one point hitting my car in a huge wave that made a huge bump against my car. There were no other cars near me, or else I would've thought that they had hit me. And then I had to run out to find all the dogs and get them into the garage. The two bigger dogs came right in. But after yelling for a while, I had to run out and find my little daschund, cowering out there in his dogloo, because he was rightly afraid of all the rain. Once he saw me, he was ready to make the run. But I don't think he could hear me with all the rain and his dogloo is on the other side of the house, so he couldn't see me.

World Of Warcraft Nerds

I don't know how this happens. But apparently the guys I work with have decided that they love their computers at work so much that they have to get together for a LAN party or whatever they call it and yell, scream, and play World of Warcraft. I am here late working granted, and maybe nobody should be working this late. but at the same time, really? I mean what would they do if they had to use separate places to play? They've said they would have to get microphones like they did on South Park. But there is a line between occasional gamer and full on nerd!

Fmylife.com

I am in love with fmylife.com and whoever created it. it cracks me up and makes my life seem a little better in those down times. My favorites lately, there was one saying something like we bought my brother a hamster, because he doesn't have friends and we thought it would teach him about compassion and socialization. I walked into his room to find the hamster hanging from the ceiling, turns out there's a reason my brother has no friends. I knew that sociopaths start from an early age, but that's just flat out disturbing. But nonetheless, it's one of those gawking horror reactions that I have to share it with everybody.

Then there's the guy who apparently was counting on money to pay off his student loans because he helped his mom to write her will. but she added in her own note later and the proprietor read it to the whole family. Apparently, mom was the only one who knew, but she basically put in there and this person gets nothing because he's gay. That's definitely a way to come out of the closet.

and of course there's the guy that saw a homeless guy on the bench and thought it would be funny to throw a rock at him. who does that? I don't care who he is, leave the guy alone, if for nothing else because you don't know how any given person might react, but hopefully because you actually have compassion for other people. This particular homeless person proceeded to chase him for 6 blocks with a brandished knife. Like I said, you can't predict their reaction and while compassion is great, the punishment is obviously more effective in some cases. But this is why I love fmylife.com

James Von Brunn, the Holocaust museum shooter

They focus on the fact that James Von Brunn is now in critical condition, that he pulled into a handicap spot in front of the Holocaust museum in DC with a gun, ready to die. They focus on the fact that he had spoken out saying that Obama was somewhat of a Manchurian candidate and talking about all the things the Muslims were supposedly going to do to innocent people, killing various people and so on and so forth. they talked to his ex wife who basically said that his hate consumed him and it was his whole life, which was why she divorced him. he spent time in jail in 1983 for some pretty violent charges, and he is now 88 years old. He has been well known throughout his life however for his racist beliefs.

But it seems that many outlets have completely forgot about the man who died. Apparently he was black. they seem to have forgotten entirely about all the children that were in the museum. and as for the handicap spot, if he were going to kill people, why would he park far away, even if he didn't have a pass? the way i figure it, he was on a suicide mission. why are we glorifying it by even covering it in the first place? I know, hypocritical here. But you get my point. this guy wanted attention and was going on a suicide mission and instead of paying attention to the victims, to the tragedy, we focus all of our energies on him.

Oprah's Health Claims

It's amazing. Oprah is great, don't get me wrong. But sometimes, she gives some bad advice. She gives some unfounded health advice, as does CNN among others. For one thing, she recommended hoodia. Every study on hoodia has failed to prove that it works as an appetite suppressant, in essence telling you that it doesn't work and doesn't suppress appetite.
In addition, though the top 10 superfoods are great, I don't know that they have all the benefits that are claimed. I mean a lot of companies obviously blow it out of wack, and they claim various benefits such as treating cancer. Oprah never said that as far as I'm aware. But at the same point in time, to say that acai is the #1 superfood or otherwise some of the things that have been said on Oprah is irresponsible in many ways.

And with Suzanne Somers saying that she takes around 60 vitamins per day and rubs progesterone on her arms, that's risky too. There are some experts that are suggesting it could be potentially harmful rather than helpful. In short, though I love Oprah, I don't think that things she features as health supplements should always be considered seriously, especially when the science not only does not back it up, but even contradicts it.

The Sickness Of Me

It's sad really. I know I'm cursed. I know there is something about me that people don't see unless I let them in, and then I don't even know what it is that they see. I just know the reaction that happens every time. Sometimes it takes a day, sometimes it takes years, it just depends. But they always see it, and the reaction is always the same. In a way, I really should just save myself the pain of it all. I mean if it were people I didn't care about seeing it from the beginning, I would get used to it and just accept it. But when it's the people you finally let in, that makes a lot harder.

And while I want to avoid it in my own ways, when I get to that point with someone, there's a part of me that wants to protect them from it. I mean just the way they feel, it's like they're not just betrayed, they're completely crushed. and then I never know exactly why, because they can't stand to even look at me. It's so instantaneous. One day we're fine, we're great, and the next when they do look at me, the pain in their eyes is horrible, and they can't stand to look at me 9 times out of 10. And whether you should hate them for it or not, it seems like you just feel this love for them still that keeps you being the fool. I don't understand it. But it led me to break up with a guy I care about, because I don't want him to go through that. He was in such pain over something that was still big, but smaller, and he would go through so much more. I can't stand the idea of him being in that much pain........and that is the sickness of me.

Sotomayor rules in favor in man's sexual harassment suit

Apparently, there was a cop who sued in New York, because after he got hurt, he was transferred to a desk job. that's not why he sued. He was later transferred back out into the field, where his supervisor proceeded to call him not a "real man", a "manly man", and actively told him to "toughen up." he was forced to do heavy lifting despite his injury and disability, and he is apparently a small, nonmuscular man. this cop has stated that this behavior injured him again and he was forced out of his job. apparently it isn't illegal to discriminate against somebody because they are gay. so in his first court date, it was dismissed, because the judge decided that all of these statements were based on the fact that he was gay. I wouldn't call it that to say the least! it was basically a suit saying that he had been treated badly and verbally harassed for not fitting the standard of the general sex. Apparently Sotomayor agreed with him, as i do. the fact that he was harassed on a daily basis with commments of that nature and forced to perform work that he actively was told not to do by doctors among others due to a previous injury, which also happened to be sustained on the job. That is discrimination and that is something he should sue over. So while one other judge was worried about ruling in his favor, something about it expanding the laws against discrimination, how can you not rule in his favor realistically?

OCD And Addiction

It's contradictory really. Most people know one or the other. They don't know both. But I know about how drugs feel and how OCD feels. I've suffered from OCD for something like 20 years now, maybe 19 years to be technical, but close enough. And I had my days as a kid where I wasn't too bright in that area, or maybe I was just an angry and belligerant teenager. I really couldn't say which. Anyway, the strange thing is, they're not the same to me at all. You would think that OCD would demonstrate a tendency toward addictive habits and behaviors that don't always make sense, but are repeated anyway out of some strange need. But not really. I always thought so before I hit drugs and before I really thought about it. But though I know that everybody says this, and most people are full of crap when they say it, I've never really been addicted to drugs or anything like that in my life. Yes, I am severely OCD. but it doesn't translate into addictive behaviors for me. And to be honest, I am one of the few people that can say I was never addicted. I had fun with it yes. Sometimes I did more, sometimes less, and I can't say during those lesser times, even at the beginning, that I ever missed it. it was fun, it was nice, my friends and I had a great time. But I never needed it. And when I decided I was done, I was done. I just stopped one day. I never suffered a physical reaction to the sudden stop, which I guess is really unusual, I had no mental desire for it, nothing. I would assume the lack of physical response is more unusual. But either way, whatever the normality, that's how it went for me. My OCD is an entirely different beast. So I can't really say that they're the same thing at all. In fact, I can positively say they're not.

It could've been family

This is sad. I somehow ended up related to pretty much everybody in a small town made up of about 1000 people total. Their last high school graduating class was 50 people. But anyway, they are all what you might call rednecks, and I'm honestly not sure how I somehow ended up related to them, actually Iknow it's adoption. Anyway, I heard about this guy the other day down in Arkansas. He decided that in this tough economy, he would steal power. So what does he do? He takes his jumper cables, a metal ladder, and props it up against the power line. He climbs up there, puts the jumper cables on there to steal power, and ends up getting electrocuted and falling 30 feet to break his back. And though at first I thought only in the South, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that could have actually been one of my relatives. They don't live in the South, just a small town in the southern area of the state. But from renaming a dog Damnit because they were mad at it to going "bunny thumping" for their main source of entertainment to more serious things, it really could have been any of my 1000 or so relatives in that town.

Abortion Doctor Killed

They recently had a man shoot an abortion clinic doctor in his church. There were protests surrounding the clinic, and I'm sure that there's a chance that some of his fellow worshippers were in those crowds or at least disagreed with his career. But the fact that some man felt the need to shoot him in his church. And than an active anti abortionist actually came out and said that he got what he deserved and he was glad this man had been shot and killed.

It's one of those things that you may not agree with what someone does in their lives. I don't agree with the things that a lot of people do, and I find some of them to be quite disturbing to say the least. But that doesn't mean you go out and kill them. I mean even if it's a serial killers, if you know what they're doing, where they are, you don't go after them. You call the police and let them handle it. And what he was doing is not illegal. It's a debatable subject, but not illegal. I think it's tragic that he was killed at all, let alone where he thought he was safe in his church in front of other congregation members. And I definitely don't think it's right to glorify his death in any way. It should also be noted that many of his patients willingly came forward to defend his name and testify to the fact that in their time of crisis, he was there, he listened to their stories, he considered all the facts, and he helped many in situations where they felt there was no other way. He was described as compassionate among other things, and frankly, I don't think he was wrong.

Religious Freedom In School Settings

At Eastern Michigan University, they have now expelled a student from their counseling, which I assume means their psychology or social work program because she apparently thinks homosexuality is an abnormal and unacceptable behavior that can be counseled out of somebody. There is now controversy surrounding it, because people believe it's religious freedom.

To some degree, it is religious freedom. But at the same point, in any medical field, there is some degree of agreeance to do no harm. I know plenty of practicing therapists who do not themselves religiously condone homosexuality or think it to be something that people should do. But at the same point in time, they do not follow the mindset that you can counsel it out of somebody. They take not a different, but a certain mindset in work accordingly.

They do this, because every major study has found that when you try to convince somebody not to be gay using therapy, it has an extremely negative and harmful effect. People actually incur psychological damage from these processes, whether they are willing participants in the therapy or it is mandated by family or other authorities. So that violates the very basic code of ethics in any medical field of any kind.

In short, while it is not okay to violate a person's religious rights by terminating them for what they believe, there is a line. In certain fields of work, there are certain rules and certain definitions. For example, if you have a history of committing violent acts against others, any medical school worth its salt is at least going to think twice about taking you on as a student and might expel you if you lie about it to get in. Likewise, if you are going to practice in a way that is contrary to studied and verified facts, which would in fact due harm to the people you are supposed to be helping, than there is no school that should be taking you into that particular program or for that matter keeping you in that particular program. This is a simple fact of life. So no, I don't think this is a violation of her religious freedom.