Because Random is just what I do best, I offer you some fun tidbits and buzz-worthy notables!

Playgrounds for the Elderly? Yes, please! And can we get lots of those in the US, too?

Article here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100210/ap_on_he_me/eu_britain_over60s_playground

After watching a recent episode of “The Simpsons” where Lisa buys a Wii for the senior facility where Grampa lives and all of the old folks actually get movin’ and have a blast (until a  nurse “acidentally” put it in the dishwasher because the residents became too active and demanding), I thought more senior centers and senior care facilities should have a Wii. But a playground? RAD!!!

Save Money! Seriously, y’all know I am a bargain huntress and general penny-pincher, but this article offers some tips I had long forgotten about (hey, when things become 2nd nature you forget they exist!):

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/life/6-secrets-to-stop-wasting-cash-now-576798/

Buy Generics! Use Internet Coupons! Increase your deductible on your Insurance! Stop buying Bottled Water! All things I have done and have seen the savings, personally! Check it out and hey, if you see something cool, let me know!!!

M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Last Airbender”: the buzz is building on this one! I’m a long time fan of the Oscar nominated director and after seeing a trailer I knew I had to see this film based on the popular kids animated series “Avatar.” An effects and action driven adventure that is certainly a step in a different direction for Shyamalan, but definitely one I am very excited to be seeing.

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/movie-talk-last-airbender-other-avatar.html#videocontainer

When you’re down, is blue really the color you associate with you mood?

http://www.aolhealth.com/condition-center/depression/color-defines-mood?icid=main|main|dl3|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolhealth.com%2Fcondition-center%2Fdepression%2Fcolor-defines-mood

Most found that gray was their preferred shade when down in the dumps. What mood are you in? (see link above)

Is your Toyota being recalled? Well, you may get more than just repairs when you bring in your vehicle…you may even get a Manicure?Sweet!

http://www.stylelist.com/2010/02/09/free-mani-with-your-toyota-brake-change-believe-it/?icid=main|main|dl3|link6|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stylelist.com%2F2010%2F02%2F09%2Ffree-mani-with-your-toyota-brake-change-believe-it%2F

Leave the the Energy drinks alone and check out some new Relaxation bevvies:

http://www.aolhealth.com/condition-center/sleep-disorders/anti-energy-drinks?icid=main|main|dl5|link5|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolhealth.com%2Fcondition-center%2Fsleep-disorders%2Fanti-energy-drinks

With ingredients such as melatonin and chamomile, it sounds like it would be worth a try when you need to catch some Z’s!

Plus size model search is on for Re/Dress (Brooklyn, NY). Those under a size 18 need not apply (Woot!):

http://www.lemondrop.com/2010/02/09/boutique-launches-plus-sized-model-search-starting-at-size-18/?icid=main|main|dl5|link6|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lemondrop.com%2F2010%2F02%2F09%2Fboutique-launches-plus-sized-model-search-starting-at-size-18%2F

Sick of that nasty moldy loofah? Try “Fuzzy Soap!”

http://shopping.aol.com/articles/2010/02/09/Felted-Soap/?ncid=AOLCOMMshopDYNLsec0001&icid=main|main|dl6|link6|http%3A%2F%2Fshopping.aol.com%2Farticles%2F2010%2F02%2F09%2FFelted-Soap%2F%3Fncid%3DAOLCOMMshopDYNLsec0001

It sounds rad, unless you have an allergy to wool like me. Oh well…they look cool!

Looking for a cheap way to have fun with your fave feline?Just dig out yoru recyclables and check out this article for tips to no-dough fun!

http://www.pawnation.com/2010/02/09/fun-for-your-feline-easy-and-cheap-diy-cat-gyms/?icid=main|main|dl8|link5|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pawnation.com%2F2010%2F02%2F09%2Ffun-for-your-feline-easy-and-cheap-diy-cat-gyms%2F

Did I leave something out, darlings? Let me know what it is you’re looking for! I will do my best to provide! =0)

*smooches*

Because the way he has been straight shootin’ lately has got me semi-impressed! While I didn’t actually watch his state of the union address, I did see a lot of clips and was happy to see some serious talk to congress, the senate and the supreme court justices. And then to see the clips of his luncheon talk with the GOP? Excellent!!! We need more of this…like every day! I was quite sick of his seeming waffling on the health care stuff among other things. I still wish he would have just said, “Here’s my health care reform!” signed it and told everyone else to fuck off! Because what is on the table now is awful and weak. I don’t know that it will help anyone at this point. If you missed that GOP talk, please check it out on the Daily Show (because I have such little time to get this stuff else where) and relish in the beautiful thruths being told to blatently ignorant republicans. It starts at the 2:08 mark and I think it ends a little after the 8:00 minute mark. It is fab! (And I would love to hear your thoughts after you watch, please comment.)

I am just shocked and disgusted. Does anyone really need me to explain why this is wrong? 

Another foul ball from WF.

Whole Foods to give greater employee discounts to workers with lower BMI, cholesterol
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2010/01/26/2010-01-26_whole_foods_to_give_greater_employee_discounts_to_workers_with_lower_bmi_cholest.html#ixzz0dvepkFM1

Or at least that’s what I would call it! After reading this article (in the latest issue of Rolling Stone – with U2 on the cover):

Wall Street’s Naked Swindle

A scheme to sell fake stocks helped kill Bear Sterns and Lehman Brothers — exposing the counterfeit nature of our entire economy.                   By Matt Taibbi   (Sorry, they used to have links to full articles)

I have become enraged. I hope that you do read it and I hope that you get mad, too! Because no one is stopping these people. No one is even looking for them! It’s ridiculous and wrong and makes my stomach ache! I had the same reaction to Taibbi’s health care article, too. Yet again, nothing’s happening to fix these things. Oh sure it appears that Washington’s doing stuff, but it’s also all a lie!

With those articles and Michael Moore’s latest film “Capitalism: A Love Story” I have made the decision to switch all of my financial accounts to a Credit Union. I don’t know that any impact will be aparent, but it’s something I feel compelled to do. Why have we given so much power, over the entire world economy, to a bunch of greedy losers with some sort of inferiority complex for so long? It’s just plain stupid, but they’re great salesmen without consciences and so we were easily taken. I don’t know that switching to a Credit Union is the ultimate answer either. Certainly if everyone did that the Credfit Unions would have to somehow change to accomodate us all and then become too powerful as well. So what is the solution? I don’t know, but not changing doesn’t seem smart either.

We’ve sat idly by for far too long while these giant corporations (banks) play with our money and turn a simple IOU into fancy derivatives and counterfeit stocks and sell them over and over and over and…and now look at us as a nation! We’re fucked! And our beloved President hired a huge chunk of the people who CAUSED THE FUCKING CRASH!!! WTF?!

My faith in Obama, Gone! My hopes for a more liberal government? Yeah, right! My prospects as a small business owner? Unknown! Obama is good at one thing: Public Speaking! That’s it! That and apparently hiring corrupt dipshits, but I digress. How many people have been laid off as a result of the market crash last year? How many have lost their homes?

How many have been destroyed at the hands of these monsters? Far too many to ever count, that’s for sure. Because so many have slipped into the cracks or found some other way to survive. How many kids will grow up with constant anxiety over where their next meal is coming from or afraid of getting sick because they have no health insurance. This is no wayt to be! We’re not just hurting this generation, but the next several.

With this new health care reform bill, am I screwed as a small business owner? What happened to Obama’s promises? DC got to him…and by that I mean Wall Street! They’re so enmeshed it’s hard to tell them apart lately. And wait! Didn’t Obama want to get rid of Lobbyists? No? Hm…I could have sworn. Oh well.

Greed is an ugly and destructive thing. I hope it never finds a comfortable place to live within you. No amount of money is worth the destruction or collapse of our society. To be proserous in this world you don’t have to sell out to the money mongerers! Fight back!