Nightingale

Personally, I feel that without some indication of the person's wishes, that the decision maker should err on the side of life rather than death. However, the ultimate decision lies with her husband. By not having a written indication of her wishes, Teri Schiavo, by marrying her husband, indicated that he was to be the one to make this kind of decision if there was a point where she could not decide for herself. I think that the government needs to step back and let the poor man make it in peace.

I try to put either black or blue softclaws on my kitties, mainly so I can notice quickly when one needs to be replaced. The clear ones are harder to spot.

Well, from what I saw as a classroom teacher and a karate instructor, ADHD does exist... I had one or two students that, if they forgot their medication, it was very obvious, and it was very obvious they needed it. They were trying to pay attention and just could not do it. However, there were many more kids that were taking ADHD drugs, and honestly, in most of the cases, from talking to the parents, I could figure out why. The kids had absolutely no discipline at home, no consequences, and no rules. They'd never learned any kind of self discipline. I had several students in my karate class who acted ADHD before class, and after class, but during class they were just as focused as any other kid, because the instructors enforced rules and discipline and the kids had a very clear idea of what was expected of them and what would happen if they failed to meet those expectations.

The vet I take my cats to has the reputation for being the best vet in the area. He will not perform declawing operations and said that when he worked for another vet he was required to do it, and seeing the unnecessary pain the cats were in afterwards broke his heart, so he will not perform the surgery. When we got our first cat, he told my mom something to the effect of "there is no cat scratching problem that can't be solved with proper training, regular trimming of the nails, and if necessary, claw caps (softclaws or softpaws). There is no need to put the animal through an unnecessary and dangerous surgery that is of absolutely no benefit to the animal. Putting cats under anesthesia is touchy to begin with. Doing it unnecessarily is putting the animal at risk without a reason simply for the convenience of the owner." I'd never take my cats to a different vet, as this one is so good and has been taking care of my kitties since I was little, so both my kitties kept their claws. I have softclaws on them, and it costs about $5 a month and maybe ten to fifteen minutes of time per month per cat. They got used to the softpaws in about a day and we havent had a bit of trouble. My furniture is fine, I'm happy, cats are happy, and I didn't have to pay hundreds of dollars for kitty surgery.

I hope not at the same time

MINI cadburt cream eggs. The regular ones get sticky, but the mini ones are bite size.

Yes, you can get acrylic put on your nail. They just coat it over your real nail without using a nail tip to make the nail longer.

That'd set a pretty dangerous public policy... accuse someone of a crime, the people don't have enough evidence but go to trial anyway, and the person gets off, and then you get charged with perjury, whether you actually lied or not. It could lead to people not coming forward and not testifying.

he probably couldn't get the money back, because even if he sued the kid's family to recover it, they wouldn't be able to pay.

It's too short if she's going to wear that shirt. If she wears a shirt that covers a bit more, then the skirt is fine. Showing a lot of skin on either the top or bottom looks sexy...showing a lot of skin on both the top and bottom looks a little too trashy.

If she's 14, she probably didn't know her HIV status, since she'd have to have parental consent to get tested, as she's underage.

If you want to live someplace free of all potentially violent people, you'd have to live in the middle of nowhere.

cafepress.com

just freeze it. You can stick the whole gallon in the freezer, or, what I do is pour it into an ice cube tray and cover with saran wrap, so you don't have to defrost the whole thing, you can just pop out one serving and warm it up. I don't drink milk, but I use it for cooking and baking, but the milk tastes totally the same after it thaws, provided it's skim milk. from www.dairyland-ca.com/storing.htm Milk may be frozen for as long as 3 months provided the sealed container is frozen prior to the best before date. Skim and 2% milk freeze better than Homo milk (whole milk). Thaw frozen milk in the refrigerator. The milk will still have the same nutrients, but it may separate. If it does, shake well or beat with an electric mixer or rotary beater.

It makes me uncomfortable. I've checked the database and there are two who live in the apartment complex next door to mine. I've been a little more careful about locking doors and windows. It makes me nervous, but I won't deny these people the chance to live their life after they've served their time.

Nope. There's a difference between a possibliity and a certainty. I'm willing to accept the possibility. A certainty... no.

That description sounds close for the majority of people involved in opus dei. The link I posted above also describes life for the minority of members known as "numeraries" who live in opus housing...now that's scary stuff.

Speaking as someone who was raised Catholic... Opus Dei is a F-ED UP organization. Opus Dei members came onto my college campus (a Jesuit Catholic School) uninvited to try to recruit and our campus ministry department passed out fliers with all kinds of info urging students to stay away from this cult. Course, me, being curious, went out of my way to talk to the members and ferret out my own info. My conclusion: Josemaria Escriva (founder of opus dei) was a nutjob. Don't take my word for it, though. Go read his books. Here's a site with more accurate info on Opus Dei. http://www.odan.org It's really a very scary organization when you take a look at the inner workings of it. Most members only see the fellowship aspect, and opus dei is quite different when one gets further into the organization. When someone chooses to get further involved with the opus, they lose much of their personal freedom and give up their own rational thought to parrot Josemaria Escriva. They live in houses owned by the opus and are strongly encouraged to cut ties with any non-opus members, including immediate family. Members don't have the freedom to choose what books they read, their mail is opened and read by people "watching over" them. And yes, for those of you having read the Da Vinci Code, Opus Dei members really do use a cilice.

Most people who are pro-choice would love to see the end of abortion as well. I know I mentioned in a thread a while back about my friend who went to planned parenthood for pills... she asked if they do abortions, and the doctor said no (most planned parenthood clinics don't) but they will refer. She added that if my friend came back asking about an abortion that it means that the doctor didn't do her job by educating my friend about how not to get pregnant in the first place. This attitude is fairly typical in my experience. Even people who believe that women should have a choice about abortion aren't "pro-abortion". They are pro choice, meaning that a woman should have a choice to terminate or to give birth... her choice. However, the majority of pro-choice people support strong educational programs so abortions won't be necessary except in the rarest of circumstances.

I think so too. for people set on rocks, though, they make claddaghs with a precious stone, usually diamond or emerald, set in the heart. The emerald ones in white gold are really pretty.

I totally agree. It's the meaning of the ring that's important, not the ring itself. Two of my friends got their wedding/engagement ring set at wal-mart, had more money to spend on the wedding and honeymoon, and are quite happy. The rings are pretty and they both like them. Spending more money wouldn't have made sense, would've put them into debt, and probably caused stress, because owing a lot of money usually does. I think they've got the right perspective on things

I hadn't heard of an engagement ring for men, outside of the irish-american community (I specify irish american, because I have no idea if the same custom exists in ireland) Some of the ladies I've met through Irish dance have given their fiances a claddagh ring, and it seems to be a fairly common custom among people here who are very in touch with their irish roots. The claddagh, with the point of the heart outwards worn on the left hand symbolizes engagement, and with the point of the heart facing outwards towards the fingertip, and as a wedding ring, it is worn with the heart pointing inwards toward the wrist. I've heard of some couples getting a different ring as a wedding ring, and others just turning the claddagh over. There are four ways to wear a claddagh ring: 1--On the right hand, crown in heart out, the wearer is unattached 2--On the right hand, crown out heart in, the wearer is spoken for, though not engaged or married. 3--On the left hand, crown in heart out, the wearer is engaged but not married 4--On the left hand, heart in crown out, the wearer is married. Claddagh rings can also be given as friendship rings, or gifts from family. They're not just a "love" ring, but have a whole list of meanings. The claddagh is two hands holding a heart, with a crown on the heart. The hands are for friendship, the crown is for loyalty, and the heart is for love.

They're using the 8th Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. From the case opinion by Justice Kennedy: 2005 WL 464890 (U.S.Mo.) " The Eighth Amendment provides: "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted." The provision is applicable to the States through the Fourteenth Amendment...By protecting even those convicted of heinous crimes, the Eighth Amendment reaffirms the duty of the government to respect the dignity of all persons. The prohibition against "cruel and unusual punishments," like other expansive language in the Constitution, must be interpreted according to its text, by considering history, tradition, and precedent, and with due regard for its purpose and function in the constitutional design. To implement this framework we have established the propriety and affirmed the necessity of referring to "the evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a maturing society" to determine which punishments are so disproportionate as to be cruel and unusual A majority of States have rejected the imposition of the death penalty on juvenile offenders under 18, and we now hold this is required by the Eighth Amendment. Because the death penalty is the most severe punishment, the Eighth Amendment applies to it with special force. Capital punishment must be limited to those offenders who commit "a narrow category of the most serious crimes" and whose extreme culpability makes them "the most deserving of execution." This principle is implemented throughout the capital sentencing process. States must give narrow and precise definition to the aggravating factors that can result in a capital sentence. In any capital case a defendant has wide latitude to raise as a mitigating factor "any aspect of [his or her] character or record and any of the circumstances of the offense that the defendant proffers as a basis for a sentence less than death."

It is fascinating! I love reading about unusual development or diseases. I find stuff about fetus in fetu, conjoined twins and parasitic twins incredibly interesting too. Discovery Heath Channel airs documentaries on conjoined twins fairly often. The separation surgeries are amazing to watch, but I think it's even more amazing to see the twins who can't be separated, like Abigail and Brittany Hensel, and Lori and Reba Schappell. I couldn't imagine living life attached to another person, and the twins say they wouldn't want it any other way.

I was reading up on this stuff a while ago when I saw something on Discovery that interested me, so I went looking for more info. The story itself may or may not be real, but the birth defect cyclopia (also called synophthalmia) is real. It's a failure of the embryonic forebrain to divide properly, which also affects the division of the orbits of the eye and other facial structures. It's associated with trisomy 13 or a deficiency of a particular protein. It is 100% fatal. http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=15530 http://www.neurologyindia.com/article.asp?issn=0028-3886;year=2003;volume=51;issue=2;spage=279;epage=282;aulast=Arathi (includes links to photos) http://www.bdid.com/cyclopia.htm (includes links to photos) There's also the opposite birth defect, "Mermaid Syndrome" or sirenomelia, where the legs are fused, which is usually, but not 100% fatal because it usually involves renal system abnomalities too. Very rare cases will present without renal abnormalities and can survive. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/11/health/main673247.shtml