Why do you blog?
Submitted by Syafira.

Long time ago, in 2003, I started blogging because I frequently e-mailed with quite a lot of people and was about to go on a trip to the other side of the globe. It seemed, setting up a blog would be a more time-effcient and less pushy way of keeping people up to date than mailing them would be. Yet, there, I dwelled from cybercafe to internetbar and spent more on those than during previous trips. But still. It was the start of something...

What is your favorite vacation destination to visit?

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..it has to be so much worse if you're not in the comfortable position from where you can simply observe and shake your head in amazement.
Today, I got referred to a blog posting, mentioning Ahmedinejad uses the Farsi equivalent of 'we can' in his campaign for the presidential election.
Yes, this does go beyond being inspired by someone else's catchphrase... it's near plagiarim, but it's just a phrase.

The conclusion of the blog posting, however, is highly amausing. "I guess this is nothing new.  Leftists and Islamists have shared similar Anti-American for years."

Makes me wonder... in what way is "We can" anti-America? The Americas are home to roughly 900 million inhabitants, of which one third lives in the United States of America. Practically each and every one of them descends from people who came to the new world from overseas, be it Europe, Asia or Africa, in search of a new, more prosperous, future. Out of despair? I'd say, because they could. "We can" is the core the New World revolves around.
Not anti-American at all.
Yes, maybe it's harsh to realize that the world as described in the Old Testament now is ruled by religious fanatics. The Paradise Adam and Eve once lived in and Babel are, most likely, situated in Iraq, the old Persia lies where Iran is situated now, and all around the Middle East, we find traces of places and events described in biblical scriptures, nowadays inhibited by people with diffent ideologies than the ones they had thousands of years ago.
Wherever you go, people, civilians, are the same, and hev the same needs, but politicials who represent them can, indeed, be quite scary. Ahmedinejad serves as an example of that, as does the Taleban or, say, the Union of Islamic Courts in Somalia.
Yet, something I do find funny is that the Sharia, the age old law, urging people to stone commiters of adultery (even if they're victim of rape) to death, and limit the rights of gays and women, are basically nothing more but a translations of the laws described in Leviticus and Deutronomium. I'm so tempted to say reconstructionists have everything in common with mujahideen, despite the fact they refuse to see it.
For me, this underlines the importance of a separation of church and state. Wherever men-made laws and religious doctrine collide, please let compassion prevail. Don't put signs of the Ten Commendments anywhere near Court.
Do the world a favor, be kind and compassionate.

Today is "No Housework Day." Tell us: What's your least favorite chore around the house?

What's the first thing you would change to fix the economy?
Submitted by Chicago Shadow.

For the time being, I don't believe there's a quick fix. The whole practice of privatizing profits, but socializing losses is in my opinion, like curing a shortage by borring more, not the way to go. It's like putting a band aid on a wound, gushing out pus. Letting the wound heal without curing the inflammation underneath will allow it to grow bigger again, but is that the desired 'fix'?

Yet, this moment in history could be the right time to focus on some overdue maintenance, like fixing potholed roads, worn bridges, the electric and digital infrastructure. It needs to be done (or; should've been done ages ago) anyway, and it keeps people off the street.

Just for the record. Yes, I'm affected too. I've seen parts of my assets, intended for my retirement and to pay off my mortgage, vaporize in the past year. Yet, I still have a roof over my head and food on the table, so I refuse to pity myself or lose sleep over it, and advice everyone to follow my example.

Share a song that gets you through the day.

Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom

The United States, in a reversal of Bush administration policy, has decided to sign on to a U.N. declaration that calls for the decriminalization of homosexuality, the State Department said on Wednesday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE52H5CK20090318

Sylvana Knaap wrote about some tool, able to analyze people by how and what they write.. and of this here, it claims...

The analysis indicates that the author of http://krizzz.vox.com is of the type:

ISTP - The Mechanics

The independent and problem-solving type. They are especially attuned to the demands of the moment are masters of responding to challenges that arise spontaneously. They generally prefer to think things out for themselves and often avoid inter-personal conflicts.

The Mechanics enjoy working together with other independent and highly skilled people and often like seek fun and action both in their work and personal life. They enjoy adventure and risk such as in driving race cars or working as policemen and firefighters.

Interesting video. Yet, I hasten to express that the views as expressed by Geert Wilders does not, I repeat, does not, reflext the opinion of everyone, nor a majority, living in this tiny country below sea level.