Update 2 yr old missing in Orlando

The news did a report a few minutes ago that a new concrete pad had been put down recently at the house where Casey was staying - they determined it was around the time the Caylee went missing.  It did not say if they were digging it up but I would assume that they are already in the process of doing so.

This whole story has continued to draw interest because there can be no closure until the little girl’s body is found.  It also continues to haunt millions of us who look at that sweet child’s face wondering how this mother could hurt such a beautiful child.  No matter what a person is going through, there are always options available and killing should never be one of them.

It brings tears to my eyes every time I hear or read an update.  I wish I could hold this little girl in my arms and protect her from the evil that befell her.  Again I find myself wishing that there was some tell tall signs of evilness so that we could identify them and keep the innocent safe.

Deforestation of Brazil

According to May figures, deforestation in the Amazon of Brazil has seen a slight decrease over the month of April.  The government places the slow down on the boom of other agribusiness such as soybeans, beef and sugar.  Brazil desires to position itself as an agriculture powerhouse capable of solving not only the food crisis but the energy crisis as well through the production of different crops.  So much so that he has made no qualms about the crops being more important to the government then the deforestation of the Amazon.

However, the point here is that the deforestation did decrease in May.  So what are the figures, you may ask?  In May, roughly 420 miles of the forest disappeared due to logging…for perspective, that is slightly smaller then the city of Los Angeles.  That is only slightly less then  in April which saw roughly 433 miles deforested.

I find this rate of deforestation extremely alarming.  The Amazon happens to be the world’s most diverse biospere with 1 in 10 known species can be found in this tract.  That is 1 in 10 known species of plants, animals and reptiles.

Wikipedia reports that: The region is home to about 2.5 million insect species, tens of thousands of plants, and some 2000 birds and mammals. To date, at least 40,000 plant species, 3,000 fish, 1,294 birds, 427 mammals, 428 amphibians, and 378 reptiles have been scientifically classified in the region. Scientists have described between 96,660 and 128,843 invertebrate species in Brazil alone.

Between 1991 and 2000, the total area of forest lost in the Amazon rose from 415,000 to 587,000 km², an area more than six times the size of Portugal, with most of the lost forest becoming pasture for cattle. In February, 2008, the Brazilian government announced that the rate at which the Amazon rainforest is being cut down has increased significantly over the past few months. During the last five months of 2007, more than 3,200 sq. kilometers (an area equivalent to the size of the state of Rhode Island) was deforested during a time when deforestation would normally drop.

People, I could go on for quite awhile about how important the rainforest’s around the world are and how, once again, we are hell bent on destroying our environment but if you are reading my blog it means you have access to the information for yourself.  It is just so disheartening to me how we abuse our environment and our Mother Earth.

2 Year Old Missing in Florida

Cadaver dogs have begun a search for the body of a 2 year old girl in Orlando Florida who has been missing for more then a month.

The girl’s 22 year old mother was arrested on charges of child neglect and criminal obstruction because she told investigators she dropped the child off at a babysitter last month but hadn’t seen her since.  The woman did not contact police until this week and then only because relatives were becoming concerned that they hadn’t seen the child in awhile.

While the authorities hope the child is still alive, they are not overly optimistic.  They fear the child was murdered by the mother who then came up with this fantastic story after family started severely questioning her about the child’s whereabouts.

I get really tired of this topic - I wish that God restricted child birth to mother’s he knows will be worthy of the honor.  That may be harsh but it would put an end to child abuse, child endangerment and murders.

Second Four

The second four have started out with a bang - just what I wasn’t hoping for.  First there was an alarm at one of our facilities, then a vehicle accident with injuries, and trying to scramble to get all the paperwork finished for the evening shift.

The night shift guys are much more patient and more laid back - most of them are veterans though whereas the evening shift has newer people.  We just hired three new officers so don’t know what shift they’ll get going on.  One of the new officer’s is one of our dispatchers so here we are short again.  That really is going to stink once students come back full time and football starts.

Hopefully the rain will keep it quieter then last night - the guards are pretty much finding buildings to wait out the rain so they shouldn’t be calling in every five minutes.

Assisted Colonization

Well, we knew it would all come down to this eventually. Afterall, we humans are the smartest of all God’s creatures and thus, colonizing the animal world in our own way should be how it was meant to be right?

Not only should we colonize the creatures how we see fit, we should also decide in an animal kingdom triage sort of way, what species we should let become extinct in favor of keeping other species around in this world of shortening animal habitats. Doesn’t that seem normal to everyone?

Scientists have advised that the species of Sky Island in Arizona is basically “toast” because they don’t know where they would move them so might as well let them go extinct. Who needs them anyway?

“When deciding which species to save and which to watch die, Root said one key is uniqueness. That’s why she said she’d save the odd-looking Tuatara of New Zealand, a lizard-like creature with almost no living relatives, over the common sparrow.”

“The risk of extinction has to be balanced by the potential hazard to the community where a species is relocated as well as the time and cost of making the move, Parmesan says.”

“Ultimately, the decision about whether to actively assist the movement of a species into new territories will rest on ethical and aesthetic grounds as much as on hard science,” she said in a statement.

“Passively assisting coral reef migration may be acceptable, but transplanting polar bears to Antarctica, where they would likely drive native penguins to extinction, would not be acceptable,” she said.

“Conservation has never been an exact science, but preserving biodiversity in the face of climate change is likely to require a fundamental rethinking of what it means to preserve biodiversity,” Parmesan said.

Wow, doesn’t it just make you proud to be a human? And, by the way, whose to say penguins are more unique then the polar bears? I think that is subjective and totally unfair. Let’s relocate the penguins to Alaska or Canada - let the bears have the Antarctica.

Somewhere I’m sure someone has a nice little chart with nice little diagrams of how every thing would benefit if we took over nature. Let’s make the world one big zoo. Does it irk anyone else as much as it does me??

I understand that some species are endanger of becoming extinct but is moving species around a good idea? Shouldn’t we let Mother Nature handle, well, Mother Nature? Have we done much good when we have “accidentally” relocated things in the past? Fire ants spring to mind - they came over from Africa or some such place - now look at how they’ve become an epidemic in the south.

Pretty soon I won’t have to watch the Sci-Fi channel to get my “b” movie horror fix - the reality of what we’ve done to our world will far out due what they can come up with on TV.

Bonkers

This is the set

I must admit I think I’ve gone over the edge mentally. That deep, dark abyss is waiting to lay claim to my mind - it’s only a matter of time before the men in white come with that straight jacket to escort me to a padded cell. I really can’t explain what happened - I think my brain just snapped.

Why do I think so? Because I just spent almost four hours looking at dishes…again. This must be the fifth or sixth time I have spent an extensive amount of time looking at them and I really have no idea why.

Dishes have never been a big deal with me. If I can eat off them then that is a big plus. However, since renting an apartment, suddenly picking out the “perfect” dishes has become an obsession. Seriously, I can’t seem to stop myself from pouring over the dishes offered by Walmart, Target, Kohls, and Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Each time I come back to the same set of dishes - confident that they are the ones I want. So why can’t I just let it go??? I don’t know.

It seems to be very important to me that I have a matching set of creamer, sugar bowl, salt/pepper shaker, serving bowls, serving platters, baking dishes, and glasses. WHY??? What is this obsession and WHY do I have it? I’ve never had this before in my life! It certainly perturbs me.

Even now, I feel this need to start looking at them again. The set I have picked out numerous times does not come with a matching anything. I don’t know why as it is a newly released set from Corelle - you’d think it would come with that stuff. So I have had to surf the net trying to find something that would work with the set - look good and be functional. {sigh}

My wrists hurt from all the typing I’ve done on the keyboard just searching for those perfect matches. I don’t even want to venture a guess at what is wrong with my brain. I know it has something to do with the move and not being settled into my own place yet - but why dishes???

Why not shower curtains, bookcases, bed sheets, towels, pictures for the wall…or a countless other things I have to think about buying?? Like the bedroom I’ve decided to do in butterflies - why aren’t I obsessing about that? The living room I thought I would do in woodland animals so you’d think I’d be looking at things to decorate that way.

But no, I’m stuck on dishes for the kitchen. I have looked at so many different salt/pepper shakers, tea sets, platters, and oh, don’t forget the butter dish!!! It makes me want to just buy the one I want so I can stop thinking about it but I don’t because I don’t want to spend any money until I find out what moving in is going to cost me.

Blustery Day

Today has been the perfect day.  It isn’t too hot and there is a very nice, blustery wind blowing.  Ok, some would say the wind is blowing too hard but I think it is perfectly fine.  I even hung a few clothes out to dry.  I wanted to hang them all out but couldn’t see anymore clothes pins so only hung out what I could.

My sister ended up having to work late which isn’t fair to her at all.  I think if work called me in today I would have to tell them I have been drinking so they’d have to find someone else.  I never thought of using that as an excuse before but someone at work told me it was a good one.  No job can require you to come in if you have been drinking.

The sun feels warm out there and one would think the wind would be enough to keep the bugs from flying around but guess not.  I had one fly in my mouth but, luckily, I was exhaling so he flew right back out.

FRIDAY!

Really am glad it is finally Friday and I have time off work.  NOT that I have anything to do because I don’t.  I won’t have any money until Tuesday so won’t be doing anything until then.  Then I’m suppose to go up to Carolyn’s house for the day - I am kind of looking forward to that.  I plan to leave early so I can get there early and then leave early Wednesday so I can get home.  I’m going to find someplace to move to on Thursday at the latest.  Actually I hope to have a place rented on Monday and move into it on Thursday.  Hmmm…maybe I should skip going to Carolyn’s until the weekend.  :-(  Probably shouldn’t go at all money wise.

I don’t know people, it seems like nothing changes and I’m so ready for things to get better.  I’ve been trying to figure out what the right thing to do about my condo and how I’m going to be able to afford a place up here if I don’t sell it down there.  I can’t support two places, I just don’t make enough.  My brother-in-law said my condo is like a retirement thing - hang on to it until it becomes too valuable to keep.  I wish I could keep it but I don’t know.  Guess God has to figure it out and let me know.

My sister came across a mobile home for sale in West Branch that sounds like something I could live in but, of course, I don’t think I can come up with the money to buy it so oh well.  Really, damn.  Life is so unpredictable so who knows what will happen - I can’t really get enthused about anything.  I know, everyone thinks it is depression but it is more that nothing seems to be going right and I’d rather just not think about it.

So many things seem unfair - I’m so tired of it all.  I will find a place to live and I will get settled in - it just will take a bit.  There is a condo that I can afford in the paper.  It is in the complex a lady I use to work with lived in so I’ve seen the inside and it is a nice condo.  However, it is in a rotten neighborhood and that worries me.  The place use to be so prestigious before the city built a rent-assisted apartment complex next door.  Now the place is stuck between two assisted housing places were crime rate is high so it’s reputation has suffered.  If I was sure the place would be secure, I wouldn’t hesitate to rent a condo there.  I might anyway if they allow me to have my dog.  What the heck, right? I lived in a bad neighborhood in Florida and managed just fine.

If one keeps their safety constantly in their mind, they can remain safe.  Plus I work mostly nights so wouldn’t get back home till 3am or even 7am the next day so chances of running into trouble is pretty slim. I don’t think I’d have much trouble talking myself into the condo if they accepted pets.  They don’t say if they do or don’t in their ad.  Hope so.  It would be within biking and walking distance to work plus on the busline.  Course, how safe is my car there? Might have to park it elsewhere…like in my parking spot for work. 

One good thing about the condo is that it is cheap enough that I wouldn’t struggle so much in keeping my condo for awhile longer.  That would be very good…I’d like to go down for a visit there after Christmas maybe.

Hump Day Is OVER!

I’m so glad that this day is done with work because I want this week to be over with.  I just don’t know - I’m not so sure the one trainee is going to make it.  She seems slow and I wondered today if she maybe had a mental breakdown recently.  Either that or she is on some serious anti-depression medicine that makes her seem out of it and loopy.  She reminds me of someone who has tried to commit suicide by overdose but didn’t succeed.  The brain takes awhile to recooperate and, with each attempt, recovers less and less.  She is just not really there in the present.

But oh well, not my problem.  I will be going on vacation and that is what I am looking forward to. 

One Down, Four to Go

Today was a disaster.  I can only hope that it was so crazy because it was a Monday and that tomorrow will be a lot quieter.  Doubtful but one can hope.

I think I feel a migraine coming on.  My eyeballs hurt due to an enormous pressure building behind them.  Light hurts my eyes and I have a headache that doesn’t seem intimidated by Tylenol…spells migraine to me.  I’m hoping it will just go away on it’s own.

I’m trying to keep my head down and just make it through this week because then I have a week off.  Hopefully I will then go to evenings/nights.  I’m still hoping to change jobs in the near future but will have to see.  Need to update my application.

Saturday I start my week of vacation.  Even though Wyoming is canceled, I still plan on taking it so that I can get moved in to an apartment and what not.  I know I’ve said all this before.

I really have nothing more to share right now as it is my bedtime.  Part of keeping my head down is not spending time thinking about anything much - kind of burying my head in the sand that filters through the hourglass of time hoping I’ll poke my head out soon and it will be Saturday.  My sister says the weeks go by so fast but I disagree…today drug by so painfully that pulling all my teeth out seemed more appealing then spending one more moment in dispatch.  I hope tomorrow is better - doubt having a toothless grin would improve my looks any.