I have always had an inexplicable connection to dolphins.  And to this day, I cannot attend a dolphin show without sobbing hysterically - they put me in awe.  One day at SeaWorld and I'm a puddle of goo.  The following was a CNN.com newsstory this morning....there is also video (see link at bottom of entry).

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- A dolphin swam up to two distressed whales that appeared headed for death in a beach stranding in New Zealand and guided them to safety, witnesses said Wednesday.

The actions of the bottlenose dolphin -- named Moko by residents who said it spends much of its time swimming playfully with humans at the beach -- amazed would-be rescuers and an expert who said they were evidence of the species' friendly nature.

The two pygmy sperm whales, a mother and her calf, were found stranded on Mahia Beach, about 500 kilometers (300 miles) northeast of the capital of Wellington, on Monday morning, said Conservation Department worker Malcolm Smith.

Rescuers worked for more than one hour to get the whales back into the water, only to see them strand themselves four times on a sandbar slightly out to sea. It looked likely the whales would have to be euthanized to prevent them suffering a prolonged death, Smith said.

"They kept getting disorientated and stranding again," said Smith, who was among the rescuers. "They obviously couldn't find their way back past (the sandbar) to the sea."

Along came Moko, who approached the whales and led them 200 meters (yards) along the beach and through a channel out to the open sea.

"Moko just came flying through the water and pushed in between us and the whales," Juanita Symes, another rescuer, told The Associated Press. "She got them to head toward the hill, where the channel is. It was an amazing experience. The best day of my life."

Anton van Helden, a marine mammals expert at New Zealand's national museum, Te Papa Tongarewa, said the reports of Moko's rescue were "fantastic" but believable because the dolphins have "a great capacity for altruistic activities."

These included evidence of dolphins protecting people lost at sea, and their playfulness with other animals.

"We've seen bottlenose dolphins getting lifted up on the noses of humpback whales and getting flicked out of the water just for fun," van Helden said.

"But it's the first time I've heard of an inter-species refloating technique. I think that's wonderful," said van Helden, who was not involved in the rescue but spoke afterward to Smith.

Smith speculated that Moko responded after hearing the whales' distress calls.

"It was looking like it was going to be a bad outcome for the whales ... then Moko just came along and fixed it," he said. "They had arched their backs and were calling to one another, but as soon as the dolphin turned up they submerged into the water and followed her."

After the rescue, Moko returned to the beach and joined in games with local residents, he said.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/03/12/nz.whales.ap/index.html#cnnSTCVideo

Awesome.  Simply awesome.  Now if only some humans could find a similar capacity.

Disclaimer:  My apologies early on - my political voice will only get louder over the next months, as for the first time in my life I fully believe in a candidate's ability to change the face of American Politics and I am going to do my best to spread why I feel that way, using facts and straightforward thinking.  I may not be able to change minds, but if I get you thinking, then I've accomplished something big.

"Obama is the hope and future of the Democratic Party, not Hillary, and everyone knows it. He is the one bringing new energy and voters. He could be a Democratic Reagan, invigorating the party for 25 years. If the Clinton people knee-cap Obama, it would be like killing Santa Claus Christmas morning in front of the children. The children won't forget or forgive."   -  Republican Alex Castellanos

"(Is) this the same Hillary Clinton whose husband ran on the idea that hope was more powerful than fear? The wife of a president who had less foreign policy experience than Barack Obama when he was elected? And exactly which crisis is she referring to when she claims to have more experience? And while we're at it, where the hell are those tax returns? " - Seth Grahame-Smith

The question for two candidates running for President is, "What have you learned?" - Alec Baldwin, arguing that experience is relative.

"It will come as a surprise to many people that there are (unwritten) rules in politics.  One of those rules is this: Do not provide ammunition to the opposition party that can be used to destroy your party's nominee.  By saying that only she and John McCain are qualified to lead the country, particularly in times of crisis, Hillary Clinton has broken that rule, severely damaged the Democratic candidate who may well be the party's nominee, and, perhaps most ominously, revealed the unlimited lengths to which she will go to achieve power. She has essentially said that the Democratic party deserves to lose unless it nominates her."  -Gary Hart

"I think that the Clinton administration has fairly ruled that out by proclaiming that Senator McCain would be a better Commander in Chief than Obama. I think that either way is impossible," - Nancy Pelosi on whether a Clinton-Obama or Obama-Clinton ticket is possible.

"With all due respect. I won twice as many states as Sen. Clinton. I've won more of the popular vote than Sen. Clinton. I have more delegates than Sen. Clinton. So, I don't know how somebody who's in second place is offering vice presidency to the person who's in first place," - Barack Obama

Here's the thing.  Without a college education, you simply cannot qualify for certain jobs.  Now, I've noticed a lot of college students who have answered this question definitively.  When I was in college, I switched majors at least four times.  From music, to  marine biology to telecommunications to finally accounting - and I'm sure there were a few more I've forgotten in between.  Even then, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do.  But more so than that - now that I am in the working world, you can be VERY assured that I am thankful I do have a college degree because while I currently am working in the field related to my major, I have had other jobs - and I can apply for and be qualified for - other jobs not in my field simply because I have that degree.  Here's my point:  There is a better chance I get hired as a retail store manager as someone with a college degree than someone who has climbed the ladder as a salesperson.  Is this fair? No, probably not.  But it's still fact.  If you haven't figured it out already, life isn't fair.  So figure out how to play the game and don't waste your time complaining.

A college degree MEANS more to employers, regardless of what you do.   Now, notice that I chose my words wisely above:  "Without a college education, you simply cannot qualify for certain jobs."  I did not say you are not perfectly capable of performing that job (even to a better degree than a college grad even) but again - it's that piece of paper that means more on a resume, even when it truly, doesn't mean you're any better than the next guy.  Some college grads drink and sleep (lol, and I mean SLEEP...like "zzzzzzzzz") their way through school and come out holding their diplomas high.  Others work their butts off and actually EARN it.   I know people who have far more book smarts than I do but never went farther than high school.

Get the piece of paper.  Regardless of if your career goals require it.  I changed my major 4 times.  Studies have proved that the average American changes their CAREER seven times in their lifetime......having that piece of paper gives you a lot more choices to bounce around in.  You have no idea what you're going to want to do in ten or twenty years - but you sure are going to be bummed when you realize you "could" have had that 'dream job', regardless of what it is, if only you had that piece of paper.
   

I just answered this Featured Question, you can answer it too!

I have watched in wonder (and recently, horror) as the democratic candidates have run their election campaigns.  And I have gone from solidly respecting a former first lady and US Senator to being truly frightened and disappointed in a person who unquestionably should have been able to show more poise, couth and sense in the most important race of her life.

This article was posted on Huffingtonpost.com this morning.  It echo's clearly how I feel.  I know some of my readers are Hillary fans.  I do not mean to offend - for once upon a time, I too was a Hillary fan.  But she's lost me for good.  Lost me so much that now, I have actually begun to study McCain and pick through his "good" points in the minute and unlikely event she becomes the Democratic Nominee. 

I share this opinion article simply because it is also how I feel at this point.  

 by Larry David

"On The Red Phone..."

Here's an idea for an Obama ad: a montage of Clinton's Sybillish personalities that have surfaced during the campaign with a solemn voiceover at the end saying, "Does anyone want this nut answering the phone?"

How is it that she became the one who's perceived as more equipped to answer that 3 a.m. call than the unflappable Obama? He, with the ice in his veins, who doesn't panic when he's losing or get too giddy when he's winning, who's as comfortable in his own skin as she's uncomfortable in hers. There have been times in this campaign when she seemed so unhinged that I worried she'd actually kill herself if she lost. Every day, she reminds me more and more of Adele H., who also had an obsession that drove her insane.

A few weeks ago, I started to feel sorry for her. Oh Christ, let her win already...Who cares...It's not worth it. There's not that much difference between them. She can have it. Anything to avoid watching her descend into madness. So I switched. I started rooting for her. It wasn't that hard. Compromise comes easy to me. I was on board.

And then I saw the ad.

I watched, transfixed, as she took the 3 a.m. call...and I was afraid...very afraid. Suddenly, I realized the last thing this country needs is that woman anywhere near a phone. I don't care if it's 3 a.m. or 10 p.m. or any other time. I don't want her talking to Putin, I don't want her talking to Kim Jong Il, I don't want her talking to my nephew. She needs a long rest. She needs to put on a sarong and some sun block and get away from things for a while, a nice beach somewhere -- somewhere far away, where there are...no phones.

+++++++++++++

Is it wrong that if her phone rings at 3am that I'd rather Bill reach over and grab it at this point?

The Dalai Lama.  A lifetime spent observing and learning, I cannot think of anyone else on this earth who would have a more positive influence on my life......

Plus, I might run into Richard Gere occasionally, and he's fantastic eye candy.....lol.....

   

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Who knew hay bales and humor went so well together?

I have just realized I HATE this phrase.

Since when can we "only pray"?

I just wrote a long winded bitch session about how stupid I think Americans are when it comes to electing presidents. (And subsequently decided not to post it as I probably would have offended scores of people).  I started my last sentence with, "I can only pray that...." and then I stopped.

Why can I only pray?  That isn't true.  That is NEVER true.  Sure, for what it's worth, praying for things may indeed prove valuable.  However, since when is it the ONLY thing we can do?

You know what?  It's the EASIEST thing to do.  I'm going to lay it right out here and say "only pray"ing is a cop- out.  It's the easy way out.  It's the LAZY way.

My non-posted post was about how angry I am with America's ignorance.  We have more access to information than any other time in life and we have a way to verify most facts against fiction.  We have the ability to request information literally at our fingertips.  Yet, people still don't READ what they read. I just cannot deal with people not paying attention to the facts anymore.  Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I just cannot stomach opinions that aren't even based in fact.  And I was about to fall into the trap that PRAYING is my only option at this point.

"Praying" is never the only option.  If it's your thing, then it should be a supplemental act, not the last resort.

This election year has me beside myself at human stupidity.  I supposed I could shout from the mountains.  Try to go out and educate people myself.  Maybe I need to slap every American who I hear say Obama is a Muslim.  IDIOTS!!!  Maybe I need to give grown, college educated adults a refresher math lesson or history class.  Maybe I have to do it one person by one....and maybe I will only get one or two people to FINALLY start understanding, paying attention, LEARNING and making INFORMED decisions, rather than letting a shock jock on the radio or some other idiot throw gossip and opinion around while those listening take it at face value.

I beg of you, fellow Americans:  start QUESTIONING the things you hear.  Then, research them.  Don't count only on headlines or hearsay.  Find the FACTS and verify the sources of your facts are pure ones.   USE YOUR HEADS for once.  Stop just following the mob.  And stop judging people for their opinions.  Maybe they know something of value that might influence YOUR thoughts if you had the same factual information.

Praying MIGHT help.  But it's not the "only" option.  Get out there.  OFF YOUR ASS.  Don't sit on your couch with your hands clenched, concerned and waiting for the eventual result.  If it's important to you, and you worry then DO something.  YOU can change it.  YOU can still influence it.  And say a prayer if you like too.

And I am talking about ANYTHING.

To Person In Arizona who has left many footprints on my site the last two days - get yerself a xanga and say hello!!!  I'm very friendly and don't bite.  Unless you voted for Bush the second time around.  But I can forgive. 

*grin*!

Today is Daniel Craig's birthday, which prompted me, as a HUGE James Bond fan, to revisit the circular arguement:  who made the best BOND?

I personally cannot resolve this question.  Growing up, I fell in love with Roger Moore, probably because the first Bond movie I ever saw was Octopussy, and therefore, logically, he was my "first".  However, I quickly learned the merits of the media's quintesential bond, Sean Connery, who seems to win most polls on who wins this contest.  (I'm skipping over any actors who played Bond in less than 2 films simply because I choose to...) Then of course, after years of my worshiping Pierce Brosnan as Remmington Steele and my idea of the perfect man, he adds the superspy bad boy fantasy to my already pedistal like worship and accepts the roll of the greastest British Spy Ever. *swoon*.   THEN, to more of my already worked up libido, they really flip me for a loop and cast a blond Bond with a body every woman AND man can't stop looking at....

Roger Moore is still the most lovable James Bond....aloof and goofier than the rest, his Bond was softer, sweeter and more huggable....

Sean Connery?  Well, he is probably the truest Bond to Ian Flemings creation. He nailed the character based simply on it's literary equal.

Pierce Brosnan?  While Sean Connery's Bond was already oozing class, Pierce upped it a few extra notches and seemingly gave Bond credentials of high class, not just the persona.  Plus, I must admit a bit of bias because being able to see Bond in modern clothing and not horrific 60's fashion certainly helped my personal psyche envelope James even more....

Daniel Craig turned things upside down.  He made Bond human - he took a charater who almost seemed to have unbelievable comic book superhero abilities (and a Jedi Mind Trick effect on women..) and gave him believable weakness and showed that his "superpowers" had to be backed up by personal struggle and the willingness to never give up.  Craig's Bond doesn't make it look easy.  Craig's Bond makes it look like it fucking HURTS.....he brings Bond back to earth, so to speak.

All that being said?  I simply can't decide who I think is the best.  

SO!  In honour of a Bond Birthday today, I propose a poll and debate: 

Who was/is your favorite Bond?  Why?

Oh, and Happy Birthday, Mr. Craig.