Thursday, September 16, 2010
myspace is a waste of my space
I am going to attempt to port my old myspace blog here, even if I have to copy and paste it. This and backing up photos are my goals, so I have no reason to keep the site. Those of you who read this, are prolly reading it on facebook as I port my blog there. If you have a google or blogger account, feel free to add or follow me. After I move my old blog over, I plan to actually write more...we'll see...
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Plus-Size Wars - NYTimes.com
Plus-Size Wars - NYTimes.com
Earlier this year, the editors of V, a magazine so recherché it can make Vogue seem like Redbook, published an issue featuring large models in expensive body-baring clothes. In one photograph, a woman in a strapless bathing suit, cut to reveal three rolls of flesh, grabs at her platform stilettos. In another, Tara Lynn, a size 16 model, is clad in nothing but a pair of Dior sandals.
Earlier this year, the editors of V, a magazine so recherché it can make Vogue seem like Redbook, published an issue featuring large models in expensive body-baring clothes. In one photograph, a woman in a strapless bathing suit, cut to reveal three rolls of flesh, grabs at her platform stilettos. In another, Tara Lynn, a size 16 model, is clad in nothing but a pair of Dior sandals.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Thanks a bunch, unsolicited email
I received this email (below) from someone in regards of a class action suit concerning classmates.com
Doesn't this seem like a lot to go through, for a $2 coupon, that I don't want, especially since facebook is free?
I have found and have been found by pretty much all but a few friends I cared about in school.
I doubt I will retain a lawyer, go to WA, and deal with court; thanks a bunch, unsolicited email. You remind me of the constant spam (as this is the 2nd request of the day) I get from classmates.
I unsubscribed from both the email and the site, since after joining it a few years ago, I never touched it. Yet, they feel it's appropriate to flood me with messages. I had to block them.
Sorry, social networking has made you obsolete classmates, it's not me, it's you. Please let me go and stop contacting my mom. All you are doing is embarrassing yourself.
The email below:
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
In re Classmates.com Consolidated Litigation, Case No. 09-cv-0045-RAJ
NOTICE OF PROPOSED CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT
TO: ALL MEMBERS OF THE SETTLEMENT CLASS, AS DEFINED IN THIS NOTICE
A SETTLEMENT HAS BEEN PROPOSED THAT WILL AFFECT YOUR RIGHTS IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE SETTLEMENT CLASS OR SETTLEMENT SUBCLASS DESCRIBED BELOW. PURSUANT TO THIS SETTLEMENT, IN ADDITION TO THE INJUNCTIVE RELIEF BEING OFFERED, YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO SUBMIT A CLAIM FORM TO RECEIVE BENEFITS UNDER THE SETTLEMENT.
PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY AND IN ITS ENTIRETY.
1. WHY DID I GET THIS SETTLEMENT NOTICE?
The purpose of this Notice is to inform you that a proposed settlement (the "Settlement") has been reached in the consolidated class action lawsuit entitled In re Classmates.com Consolidated Litigation, United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Case No. 09-cv-0045-RAJ (the "Litigation"). This Notice explains the Litigation, the Settlement, your legal rights, the injunctive relief being offered through the Settlement, what additional benefits are available, who is eligible for them, and how to get benefits if you are eligible.
2. WHAT IS THIS LAWSUIT ABOUT?
In this Litigation, Plaintiffs assert class action claims against Classmates Online, Inc., Classmates Media Corporation, and United Online, Inc. ("Defendants"). Complaints filed in the action allege, among other things, that Defendants sent email messages to subscribers of w ww.classmates.com that were in violation of the law and engaged in conduct that had the potential to violate w ww.classmates.com users? privacy rights. Defendants have denied and continue to deny Plaintiffs? allegations and maintain that Defendants have not engaged in any wrongful conduct. Defendants also contend that the Litigation is not suitable for class action treatment. Defendants have nevertheless concluded that it is in their best interests that this Litigation be resolved subject to and on the terms and conditions set forth in the Settlement Agreement.
This Settlement is the result of arm?s-length negotiations between Plaintiffs in the Litigation, individually and on behalf of the Settlement Class and Settlement Subclass, and Defendants. Both sides agree that, in light of the risks and expenses associated with continued litigation, this Settlement is fair and appropriate under the circumstances. Plaintiffs further believe that this Settlement is in the best interests of the Settlement Class and Settlement Subclass. Please be advised that the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington has not ruled on the merits of Plaintiffs? claims or Defendants? defenses and, therefore, you should not make any assumptions about the strengths or weaknesses of the claims or defenses in the Litigation.
3. WHO IS COVERED BY THE SETTLEMENT?
For settlement purposes, the parties have stipulated to the certification of a Settlement Class and a Settlement Subclass, as defined below.
"Settlement Class"
All Persons, excluding Settlement Subclass members, residing in the United States who were registered with or subscribed to w ww.classmates.com at any time between October 30, 2004 and April 19, 2010.
"Settlement Subclass"
All Persons residing in the United States who registered with or subscribed to w ww.classmates.com between January 1, 2007 and April 19, 2010, and who paid for a Gold Membership subscription to w ww.classmates.com (and did not previously receive a refund of such payment) as a result of:
Upgrading to a Gold Membership through the process on Classmates.com of seeking to see who visited their Guestbook; or
Upgrading to a Gold Membership after clicking on a link to Classmates.com in a Guestbook email, or Connections email that included a Guestbook subject line, and upgrading to a Gold Membership within the same session activated by clicking on that link or within the same day of clicking on that link; or
Upgrading to a Gold Membership within the same day of receiving a Guestbook email or Connections email that included a Guestbook subject line.
You are receiving this Notice because you have been identified from Defendants? records as a potential Settlement Class member. According to Defendants? records, you do not appear to be a Settlement Subclass member. There is no overlap between the membership of the Settlement Class and the Settlement Subclass. If you have any questions regarding your claim, please contact the Settlement Administrator at the address listed in Section 5 below.
4. AS A SETTLEMENT CLASS MEMBER, WHAT AM I ENTITLED TO?
In addition to injunctive relief, as a Settlement Class member, if you do not exclude yourself from the Settlement and if you timely submit a Valid Claim Form, you are entitled to receive a credit of $2.00 off of the purchase or renewal of a w ww.classmates.com Gold Membership. Under the Settlement Agreement, Settlement Subclass members are entitled to receive either a cash payment of $3.00 or a credit of $2.00 off of the purchase or renewal of a w ww.classmates.com Gold Membership.
In addition to its cash and credit components, the Settlement also provides, on a non-opt out basis, for Defendants to provide injunctive relief to all Settlement Class and Settlement Subclass members. A description of the injunctive relief that Defendants are providing is set forth at the following website: www.cmemailsettlement.com.
5. HOW CAN I GET THE CREDIT THAT I AM ENTITLED TO?
To receive a credit of $2.00 off of the purchase or renewal of a w ww.classmates.com Gold Membership as a Settlement Class member, you must fit the description of a Settlement Class member and timely send a Valid Claim Form to the Settlement Administrator. To download a copy of the Settlement Class Claim Form, click this link, or go to https://cert.gardencitygroup.com/clm/fs/claim and input the following Claim number and Control number:
Claim # 60788499
Control # 0676994466
Please read the Settlement Class Claim Form?s instructions carefully, fill it out in its entirety, sign it under penalty of perjury, and either electronically submit your Settlement Class Claim Form not later than August 17, 2010 11:59:59 p.m. PDT or mail your Settlement Class Claim Form via First Class U.S. Mail, postmarked not later than August 17, 2010 to:
In re Classmates.com Consolidated Litigation
c/o The Garden City Group, Inc.
P.O. Box 9481
Dublin, OH 43017-4581
claimforms@cmemailsettlement.com
If you misplace the Settlement Class Claim Form or you are not able to access it through the above link, please contact the Settlement Administrator at the address shown above immediately to obtain a copy of the Settlement Class Claim Form.
If you timely submit a Settlement Class Claim Form, are a valid member of the Settlement Class, and the form is deemed to be a Valid Claim Form, you will receive an email from the Settlement Administrator after the Settlement is finally approved by the Court and any appeals have been exhausted. That email will contain a code, which will expire if not redeemed within forty-five (45) calendar days of its receipt, and instructions for utilizing the $2.00 credit. If you are a current Gold member whose membership is not set to expire within the next forty-five (45) days, you can still take advantage of the $2.00 credit by redeeming it within the forty-five (45) day window. Redeeming the credit will cause an additional membership period to be added to the end of your current membership term.
6. WHEN WOULD I BE ABLE TO USE THE CREDIT?
The Court will hold a hearing on October 27, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. PDT at the United States District Court, Western District of Washington, before the Honorable Richard A. Jones, Courtroom 13128, 700 Stewart Street, Seattle, Washington 98101, to decide whether to order final approval of the Settlement and entry of judgment dismissing the litigation. If the Court approves the Settlement, and you have followed the Claim Form procedures outlined in Section 5, and after any appeals have been exhausted, you will receive the email referenced above from the Settlement Administrator.
7. WHAT AM I GIVING UP TO RECEIVE THE CREDIT OR STAY IN THE CLASS?
Unless you exclude yourself, you will remain a member of the Settlement Class. Being a member of the Settlement Class means that you cannot sue, continue to sue, or be part of any other lawsuit against Defendants about the legal issues in this case. It also means that all of the Court?s orders in this case will apply to you and legally bind you.
8. HOW DO I OPT OUT OF THE SETTLEMENT?
If you do not want to receive a credit from this Settlement and want to maintain the right to pursue your own claim against Defendants, then you must take steps to opt out. This is called "excluding yourself" from, or is sometimes referred to as "opting out" of, the Settlement Class.
To exclude yourself from the Settlement Class, you must submit a written Request for Exclusion. Such request must include your full legal name, mailing address, email address, your signature (or in the case of a person who is deceased or incapacitated, the signature of that person?s legally authorized representative), and substantially the following statement, "I want to opt out of the class certified in the In re Classmates.com Consolidated Litigation." You must either electronically submit your exclusion request not later than August 17, 2010 11:59:59 p.m. PDT or mail your exclusion request via First Class U.S. Mail, postmarked not later than August 17, 2010, to:
In re Classmates.com Consolidated Litigation
c/o The Garden City Group, Inc.
P.O. Box 9481
Dublin, OH 43017-4581
http://www.cmemailsettlement.com/exclusion.php
Failure to comply with any of these requirements may invalidate your attempt to exclude yourself. If you ask to be excluded, you will not be entitled to a $2.00 credit, and you cannot object to that aspect of the Settlement.
The injunctive relief being offered by the Settlement will be provided to all Settlement Class and Settlement Subclass members, whether or not they choose to exclude themselves.
9. IF I DON?T EXCLUDE MYSELF, CAN I SUE DEFENDANTS FOR THE SAME THING LATER?
No. You must exclude yourself from the lawsuit in order to maintain the right to sue Defendants for the claims released through this Settlement. If you have a pending lawsuit against Defendants, speak to your lawyer in that case immediately.
10. IF I EXCLUDE MYSELF, CAN I GET PAYMENT OR CREDIT FROM THIS SETTLEMENT?
No. If you exclude yourself from this Settlement, you are also excluding yourself from obtaining the credit offered by the Settlement, and any Claim Form you submit will not be valid.
11. DO I HAVE A LAWYER IN THIS CASE?
The Court has authorized the following lawyers to represent you and other Settlement Class and Settlement Subclass members:
KELLER ROHRBACK L.L.P
Mark A. Griffin
Amy Williams-Derry
1201 Third Avenue, Suite 3200
Seattle, Washington 98101
KABATECK BROWN KELLNER L.L.P.
Richard L. Kellner
644 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, California 90017
These lawyers are called "Class Counsel." You will not be charged for these lawyers? fees. If you want to be represented by your own lawyer, you may hire one at your own expense.
12. HOW WILL CLASS COUNSEL BE PAID?
Class Counsel will ask the Court for attorneys? fees and costs to be paid in conjunction with this Settlement. Defendants have agreed not to oppose Class Counsel?s request to the Court for attorneys? fees up to $1.3 million, plus costs. Costs may include participation awards of up to $2,500 for each of the two Lead Plaintiffs. Fees and costs that are awarded by the Court will be paid by Defendants separately and will not affect your entitlement to benefits under this Settlement. You will not be obligated to pay any attorneys? fees or costs as a Settlement Class member, nor will any award of attorneys? fees, costs, or participation awards by the Court reduce the amount of Settlement benefit available to Settlement Class or Settlement Subclass members.
13. CAN I TELL THE COURT THAT I DON?T LIKE THE SETTLEMENT?
If you are a Settlement Class member, and you do not request exclusion from the Settlement Class, you may object to the Settlement if you like. The Court will consider your views. To object, you must file with the Court a written notice of intent to object. The written notice of intent to object must contain a caption that includes In re Classmates.com Consolidated Litigation, Case No. 09-cv-0045-RAJ. The written notice of intent to object must also include your name, address, telephone number, your signature, and must state whether you intend to appear at the Final Approval Hearing. If you are represented by counsel, your written notice of intent to object must also include the name, address, bar number and telephone number of your counsel, and state whether your counsel intends to appear at the Final Approval Hearing. If you are represented by counsel and your counsel intends to speak at the Final Approval Hearing, the written notice of intent to object must also contain: (a) a detailed statement of the specific legal and factual basis for each and every objection; and (b) a detailed description of any and all evidence you may offer at the Final Approval Hearing, including copies of any and all exhibits that you may introduce.
You must file your written notice of intent to object with the Clerk of the Court not later than August 17, 2010. You must also mail the objection to Class Counsel and to Defense Counsel by First Class U.S. Mail, so that it is received not later than August 17, 2010. The addresses for the Court, Class Counsel, and Defense Counsel are below.
THE COURT
The Honorable Richard A. Jones
U.S. Courthouse
700 Stewart Street, Suite 13128
Seattle, WA 98101 CLASS COUNSEL
KELLER ROHRBACK L.L.P.
Mark. A. Griffin
Amy Williams-Derry
1201 Third Avenue, Suite 3200
Seattle, WA 98101
KABATECK BROWN KELLNER L.L.P.
Richard L. Kellner
644 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017 DEFENSE COUNSEL
DLA PIPER LLP (US)
Stellman Keehnel
Russ Wuehler
701 Fifth Avenue, Suite 7000
Seattle, WA 98104
14. WHAT?S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OBJECTING AND EXCLUDING MYSELF?
Objecting is simply telling the Court that you don?t like something about the Settlement. You can object only if you stay in the Settlement Class or Settlement Subclass. Excluding yourself is telling the Court that you do not want to be part of the Settlement Class or Settlement Subclass. If you exclude yourself, you have no basis to object to the cash or credit being offered by the Settlement, because that portion of the relief will no longer affect you.
15. WHEN AND WHERE WILL THE COURT DECIDE WHETHER TO APPROVE THE SETTLEMENT?
The Court will hold a hearing to decide whether to approve the Settlement and Class Counsel?s request for an award of attorneys? fees and costs. You may attend, and you may ask to speak, but there is no requirement that you do so.
The Court will hold a Final Approval Hearing on October 27, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. PDT at the United States District Court, Western District of Washington, before the Honorable Richard A. Jones, Courtroom 13128, 700 Stewart Street, Seattle, Washington 98101.
At that hearing, the Court will consider whether the Settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate to the Settlement Class and Settlement Subclass, as well as Class Counsel?s request for an award of attorneys? fees and costs. The Court will consider any objections made according to the procedures described above. You cannot speak at the hearing if you exclude yourself from the Settlement. After the hearing, the Court will decide whether to approve the Settlement and how much to award Class Counsel in attorneys? fees and expenses. It is not known how long those decisions will take.
16. DO I HAVE TO ATTEND THE HEARING?
No. Class Counsel will answer questions that the Court may have. However, you are welcome to attend at your own expense. If you send an objection, you don?t have to come to the Final Approval Hearing to talk about it. As long as you mailed your written objection on time, the Court will consider it. You may also pay your own lawyer to attend, but it is not necessary.
17. WHAT HAPPENS IF I DO NOTHING AT ALL?
If you do nothing, you will not get a credit benefit from this Settlement. Furthermore, unless you exclude yourself, you won?t be able to start a lawsuit, continue with a lawsuit, or be part of any other lawsuit against Defendants involving the claims released through this Lawsuit.
18. ARE THERE MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE SETTLEMENT?
Yes. This Notice is only intended to summarize the Settlement. If you would like more information concerning the Litigation or this Settlement, you should inspect the complete settlement documents, papers and pleadings filed in the Litigation. You may also learn more about this Settlement by contacting the Settlement Administrator at the address set forth in Section 5 above. Additionally, information about this Settlement is available at the following website: www.cmemailsettlement.com.
PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE COURT, THE CLERK, CLASSMATES ONLINE, INC.,
CLASSMATES MEDIA CORPORATION, OR UNITED ONLINE, INC.
Please do not reply to this message. We are unable to respond to inquiries sent in reply to this email. For more information, please visit the official Settlement Website at www.cmemailsettlement.com.
The United States District Court for the Western District of Washington has ordered this email notice be sent. If you wish to UNSUBSCRIBE from future email messages please reply to: Unsubscribe@cmemailsettlement.com from the email address to which this notice was sent.
Doesn't this seem like a lot to go through, for a $2 coupon, that I don't want, especially since facebook is free?
I have found and have been found by pretty much all but a few friends I cared about in school.
I doubt I will retain a lawyer, go to WA, and deal with court; thanks a bunch, unsolicited email. You remind me of the constant spam (as this is the 2nd request of the day) I get from classmates.
I unsubscribed from both the email and the site, since after joining it a few years ago, I never touched it. Yet, they feel it's appropriate to flood me with messages. I had to block them.
Sorry, social networking has made you obsolete classmates, it's not me, it's you. Please let me go and stop contacting my mom. All you are doing is embarrassing yourself.
The email below:
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
In re Classmates.com Consolidated Litigation, Case No. 09-cv-0045-RAJ
NOTICE OF PROPOSED CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT
TO: ALL MEMBERS OF THE SETTLEMENT CLASS, AS DEFINED IN THIS NOTICE
A SETTLEMENT HAS BEEN PROPOSED THAT WILL AFFECT YOUR RIGHTS IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE SETTLEMENT CLASS OR SETTLEMENT SUBCLASS DESCRIBED BELOW. PURSUANT TO THIS SETTLEMENT, IN ADDITION TO THE INJUNCTIVE RELIEF BEING OFFERED, YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO SUBMIT A CLAIM FORM TO RECEIVE BENEFITS UNDER THE SETTLEMENT.
PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY AND IN ITS ENTIRETY.
1. WHY DID I GET THIS SETTLEMENT NOTICE?
The purpose of this Notice is to inform you that a proposed settlement (the "Settlement") has been reached in the consolidated class action lawsuit entitled In re Classmates.com Consolidated Litigation, United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Case No. 09-cv-0045-RAJ (the "Litigation"). This Notice explains the Litigation, the Settlement, your legal rights, the injunctive relief being offered through the Settlement, what additional benefits are available, who is eligible for them, and how to get benefits if you are eligible.
2. WHAT IS THIS LAWSUIT ABOUT?
In this Litigation, Plaintiffs assert class action claims against Classmates Online, Inc., Classmates Media Corporation, and United Online, Inc. ("Defendants"). Complaints filed in the action allege, among other things, that Defendants sent email messages to subscribers of w ww.classmates.com that were in violation of the law and engaged in conduct that had the potential to violate w ww.classmates.com users? privacy rights. Defendants have denied and continue to deny Plaintiffs? allegations and maintain that Defendants have not engaged in any wrongful conduct. Defendants also contend that the Litigation is not suitable for class action treatment. Defendants have nevertheless concluded that it is in their best interests that this Litigation be resolved subject to and on the terms and conditions set forth in the Settlement Agreement.
This Settlement is the result of arm?s-length negotiations between Plaintiffs in the Litigation, individually and on behalf of the Settlement Class and Settlement Subclass, and Defendants. Both sides agree that, in light of the risks and expenses associated with continued litigation, this Settlement is fair and appropriate under the circumstances. Plaintiffs further believe that this Settlement is in the best interests of the Settlement Class and Settlement Subclass. Please be advised that the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington has not ruled on the merits of Plaintiffs? claims or Defendants? defenses and, therefore, you should not make any assumptions about the strengths or weaknesses of the claims or defenses in the Litigation.
3. WHO IS COVERED BY THE SETTLEMENT?
For settlement purposes, the parties have stipulated to the certification of a Settlement Class and a Settlement Subclass, as defined below.
"Settlement Class"
All Persons, excluding Settlement Subclass members, residing in the United States who were registered with or subscribed to w ww.classmates.com at any time between October 30, 2004 and April 19, 2010.
"Settlement Subclass"
All Persons residing in the United States who registered with or subscribed to w ww.classmates.com between January 1, 2007 and April 19, 2010, and who paid for a Gold Membership subscription to w ww.classmates.com (and did not previously receive a refund of such payment) as a result of:
Upgrading to a Gold Membership through the process on Classmates.com of seeking to see who visited their Guestbook; or
Upgrading to a Gold Membership after clicking on a link to Classmates.com in a Guestbook email, or Connections email that included a Guestbook subject line, and upgrading to a Gold Membership within the same session activated by clicking on that link or within the same day of clicking on that link; or
Upgrading to a Gold Membership within the same day of receiving a Guestbook email or Connections email that included a Guestbook subject line.
You are receiving this Notice because you have been identified from Defendants? records as a potential Settlement Class member. According to Defendants? records, you do not appear to be a Settlement Subclass member. There is no overlap between the membership of the Settlement Class and the Settlement Subclass. If you have any questions regarding your claim, please contact the Settlement Administrator at the address listed in Section 5 below.
4. AS A SETTLEMENT CLASS MEMBER, WHAT AM I ENTITLED TO?
In addition to injunctive relief, as a Settlement Class member, if you do not exclude yourself from the Settlement and if you timely submit a Valid Claim Form, you are entitled to receive a credit of $2.00 off of the purchase or renewal of a w ww.classmates.com Gold Membership. Under the Settlement Agreement, Settlement Subclass members are entitled to receive either a cash payment of $3.00 or a credit of $2.00 off of the purchase or renewal of a w ww.classmates.com Gold Membership.
In addition to its cash and credit components, the Settlement also provides, on a non-opt out basis, for Defendants to provide injunctive relief to all Settlement Class and Settlement Subclass members. A description of the injunctive relief that Defendants are providing is set forth at the following website: www.cmemailsettlement.com.
5. HOW CAN I GET THE CREDIT THAT I AM ENTITLED TO?
To receive a credit of $2.00 off of the purchase or renewal of a w ww.classmates.com Gold Membership as a Settlement Class member, you must fit the description of a Settlement Class member and timely send a Valid Claim Form to the Settlement Administrator. To download a copy of the Settlement Class Claim Form, click this link, or go to https://cert.gardencitygroup.com/clm/fs/claim and input the following Claim number and Control number:
Claim # 60788499
Control # 0676994466
Please read the Settlement Class Claim Form?s instructions carefully, fill it out in its entirety, sign it under penalty of perjury, and either electronically submit your Settlement Class Claim Form not later than August 17, 2010 11:59:59 p.m. PDT or mail your Settlement Class Claim Form via First Class U.S. Mail, postmarked not later than August 17, 2010 to:
In re Classmates.com Consolidated Litigation
c/o The Garden City Group, Inc.
P.O. Box 9481
Dublin, OH 43017-4581
claimforms@cmemailsettlement.com
If you misplace the Settlement Class Claim Form or you are not able to access it through the above link, please contact the Settlement Administrator at the address shown above immediately to obtain a copy of the Settlement Class Claim Form.
If you timely submit a Settlement Class Claim Form, are a valid member of the Settlement Class, and the form is deemed to be a Valid Claim Form, you will receive an email from the Settlement Administrator after the Settlement is finally approved by the Court and any appeals have been exhausted. That email will contain a code, which will expire if not redeemed within forty-five (45) calendar days of its receipt, and instructions for utilizing the $2.00 credit. If you are a current Gold member whose membership is not set to expire within the next forty-five (45) days, you can still take advantage of the $2.00 credit by redeeming it within the forty-five (45) day window. Redeeming the credit will cause an additional membership period to be added to the end of your current membership term.
6. WHEN WOULD I BE ABLE TO USE THE CREDIT?
The Court will hold a hearing on October 27, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. PDT at the United States District Court, Western District of Washington, before the Honorable Richard A. Jones, Courtroom 13128, 700 Stewart Street, Seattle, Washington 98101, to decide whether to order final approval of the Settlement and entry of judgment dismissing the litigation. If the Court approves the Settlement, and you have followed the Claim Form procedures outlined in Section 5, and after any appeals have been exhausted, you will receive the email referenced above from the Settlement Administrator.
7. WHAT AM I GIVING UP TO RECEIVE THE CREDIT OR STAY IN THE CLASS?
Unless you exclude yourself, you will remain a member of the Settlement Class. Being a member of the Settlement Class means that you cannot sue, continue to sue, or be part of any other lawsuit against Defendants about the legal issues in this case. It also means that all of the Court?s orders in this case will apply to you and legally bind you.
8. HOW DO I OPT OUT OF THE SETTLEMENT?
If you do not want to receive a credit from this Settlement and want to maintain the right to pursue your own claim against Defendants, then you must take steps to opt out. This is called "excluding yourself" from, or is sometimes referred to as "opting out" of, the Settlement Class.
To exclude yourself from the Settlement Class, you must submit a written Request for Exclusion. Such request must include your full legal name, mailing address, email address, your signature (or in the case of a person who is deceased or incapacitated, the signature of that person?s legally authorized representative), and substantially the following statement, "I want to opt out of the class certified in the In re Classmates.com Consolidated Litigation." You must either electronically submit your exclusion request not later than August 17, 2010 11:59:59 p.m. PDT or mail your exclusion request via First Class U.S. Mail, postmarked not later than August 17, 2010, to:
In re Classmates.com Consolidated Litigation
c/o The Garden City Group, Inc.
P.O. Box 9481
Dublin, OH 43017-4581
http://www.cmemailsettlement.com/exclusion.php
Failure to comply with any of these requirements may invalidate your attempt to exclude yourself. If you ask to be excluded, you will not be entitled to a $2.00 credit, and you cannot object to that aspect of the Settlement.
The injunctive relief being offered by the Settlement will be provided to all Settlement Class and Settlement Subclass members, whether or not they choose to exclude themselves.
9. IF I DON?T EXCLUDE MYSELF, CAN I SUE DEFENDANTS FOR THE SAME THING LATER?
No. You must exclude yourself from the lawsuit in order to maintain the right to sue Defendants for the claims released through this Settlement. If you have a pending lawsuit against Defendants, speak to your lawyer in that case immediately.
10. IF I EXCLUDE MYSELF, CAN I GET PAYMENT OR CREDIT FROM THIS SETTLEMENT?
No. If you exclude yourself from this Settlement, you are also excluding yourself from obtaining the credit offered by the Settlement, and any Claim Form you submit will not be valid.
11. DO I HAVE A LAWYER IN THIS CASE?
The Court has authorized the following lawyers to represent you and other Settlement Class and Settlement Subclass members:
KELLER ROHRBACK L.L.P
Mark A. Griffin
Amy Williams-Derry
1201 Third Avenue, Suite 3200
Seattle, Washington 98101
KABATECK BROWN KELLNER L.L.P.
Richard L. Kellner
644 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, California 90017
These lawyers are called "Class Counsel." You will not be charged for these lawyers? fees. If you want to be represented by your own lawyer, you may hire one at your own expense.
12. HOW WILL CLASS COUNSEL BE PAID?
Class Counsel will ask the Court for attorneys? fees and costs to be paid in conjunction with this Settlement. Defendants have agreed not to oppose Class Counsel?s request to the Court for attorneys? fees up to $1.3 million, plus costs. Costs may include participation awards of up to $2,500 for each of the two Lead Plaintiffs. Fees and costs that are awarded by the Court will be paid by Defendants separately and will not affect your entitlement to benefits under this Settlement. You will not be obligated to pay any attorneys? fees or costs as a Settlement Class member, nor will any award of attorneys? fees, costs, or participation awards by the Court reduce the amount of Settlement benefit available to Settlement Class or Settlement Subclass members.
13. CAN I TELL THE COURT THAT I DON?T LIKE THE SETTLEMENT?
If you are a Settlement Class member, and you do not request exclusion from the Settlement Class, you may object to the Settlement if you like. The Court will consider your views. To object, you must file with the Court a written notice of intent to object. The written notice of intent to object must contain a caption that includes In re Classmates.com Consolidated Litigation, Case No. 09-cv-0045-RAJ. The written notice of intent to object must also include your name, address, telephone number, your signature, and must state whether you intend to appear at the Final Approval Hearing. If you are represented by counsel, your written notice of intent to object must also include the name, address, bar number and telephone number of your counsel, and state whether your counsel intends to appear at the Final Approval Hearing. If you are represented by counsel and your counsel intends to speak at the Final Approval Hearing, the written notice of intent to object must also contain: (a) a detailed statement of the specific legal and factual basis for each and every objection; and (b) a detailed description of any and all evidence you may offer at the Final Approval Hearing, including copies of any and all exhibits that you may introduce.
You must file your written notice of intent to object with the Clerk of the Court not later than August 17, 2010. You must also mail the objection to Class Counsel and to Defense Counsel by First Class U.S. Mail, so that it is received not later than August 17, 2010. The addresses for the Court, Class Counsel, and Defense Counsel are below.
THE COURT
The Honorable Richard A. Jones
U.S. Courthouse
700 Stewart Street, Suite 13128
Seattle, WA 98101 CLASS COUNSEL
KELLER ROHRBACK L.L.P.
Mark. A. Griffin
Amy Williams-Derry
1201 Third Avenue, Suite 3200
Seattle, WA 98101
KABATECK BROWN KELLNER L.L.P.
Richard L. Kellner
644 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017 DEFENSE COUNSEL
DLA PIPER LLP (US)
Stellman Keehnel
Russ Wuehler
701 Fifth Avenue, Suite 7000
Seattle, WA 98104
14. WHAT?S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OBJECTING AND EXCLUDING MYSELF?
Objecting is simply telling the Court that you don?t like something about the Settlement. You can object only if you stay in the Settlement Class or Settlement Subclass. Excluding yourself is telling the Court that you do not want to be part of the Settlement Class or Settlement Subclass. If you exclude yourself, you have no basis to object to the cash or credit being offered by the Settlement, because that portion of the relief will no longer affect you.
15. WHEN AND WHERE WILL THE COURT DECIDE WHETHER TO APPROVE THE SETTLEMENT?
The Court will hold a hearing to decide whether to approve the Settlement and Class Counsel?s request for an award of attorneys? fees and costs. You may attend, and you may ask to speak, but there is no requirement that you do so.
The Court will hold a Final Approval Hearing on October 27, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. PDT at the United States District Court, Western District of Washington, before the Honorable Richard A. Jones, Courtroom 13128, 700 Stewart Street, Seattle, Washington 98101.
At that hearing, the Court will consider whether the Settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate to the Settlement Class and Settlement Subclass, as well as Class Counsel?s request for an award of attorneys? fees and costs. The Court will consider any objections made according to the procedures described above. You cannot speak at the hearing if you exclude yourself from the Settlement. After the hearing, the Court will decide whether to approve the Settlement and how much to award Class Counsel in attorneys? fees and expenses. It is not known how long those decisions will take.
16. DO I HAVE TO ATTEND THE HEARING?
No. Class Counsel will answer questions that the Court may have. However, you are welcome to attend at your own expense. If you send an objection, you don?t have to come to the Final Approval Hearing to talk about it. As long as you mailed your written objection on time, the Court will consider it. You may also pay your own lawyer to attend, but it is not necessary.
17. WHAT HAPPENS IF I DO NOTHING AT ALL?
If you do nothing, you will not get a credit benefit from this Settlement. Furthermore, unless you exclude yourself, you won?t be able to start a lawsuit, continue with a lawsuit, or be part of any other lawsuit against Defendants involving the claims released through this Lawsuit.
18. ARE THERE MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE SETTLEMENT?
Yes. This Notice is only intended to summarize the Settlement. If you would like more information concerning the Litigation or this Settlement, you should inspect the complete settlement documents, papers and pleadings filed in the Litigation. You may also learn more about this Settlement by contacting the Settlement Administrator at the address set forth in Section 5 above. Additionally, information about this Settlement is available at the following website: www.cmemailsettlement.com.
PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE COURT, THE CLERK, CLASSMATES ONLINE, INC.,
CLASSMATES MEDIA CORPORATION, OR UNITED ONLINE, INC.
Please do not reply to this message. We are unable to respond to inquiries sent in reply to this email. For more information, please visit the official Settlement Website at www.cmemailsettlement.com.
The United States District Court for the Western District of Washington has ordered this email notice be sent. If you wish to UNSUBSCRIBE from future email messages please reply to: Unsubscribe@cmemailsettlement.com from the email address to which this notice was sent.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
I Fight Like A Girl
I refound this when I was checking my bookmarks for something else. Hope you like it, like i did.
I Fight Like A Girl
I fight like a girl who refuses to be a victim.
I fight like a girl who is tired of being
IGNORED and HUMORED and BEATEN and RAPED.
I fight like a girl who's sick
of not being taken seriously.
I fight like a girl who's been pushed too far.
I fight like a girl who OFFERS and
DEMANDS RESPECT.
I fight like a girl who has a lifetime of
ANGER and STRENGTH and PRIDE
pent up in her girly body.
I fight like a girl who doesn't believe in
FEAR and SUBMISSION.
I fight like a girl who knows that
THIS BODY and THIS MIND are mine.
I fight like a girl who knows that
YOU ONLY HAVE AS MUCH POWER
AS I GRANT YOU.
I fight like a girl who will never allow you
to take more than I offer.
I fight like a girl who FIGHTS BACK.
So next time you think you can distract
yourself
from your insecurities by victimizing a girl,
THINK AGAIN.
She may be ME and
I FIGHT LIKE A GIRL.
I Fight Like A Girl
I fight like a girl who refuses to be a victim.
I fight like a girl who is tired of being
IGNORED and HUMORED and BEATEN and RAPED.
I fight like a girl who's sick
of not being taken seriously.
I fight like a girl who's been pushed too far.
I fight like a girl who OFFERS and
DEMANDS RESPECT.
I fight like a girl who has a lifetime of
ANGER and STRENGTH and PRIDE
pent up in her girly body.
I fight like a girl who doesn't believe in
FEAR and SUBMISSION.
I fight like a girl who knows that
THIS BODY and THIS MIND are mine.
I fight like a girl who knows that
YOU ONLY HAVE AS MUCH POWER
AS I GRANT YOU.
I fight like a girl who will never allow you
to take more than I offer.
I fight like a girl who FIGHTS BACK.
So next time you think you can distract
yourself
from your insecurities by victimizing a girl,
THINK AGAIN.
She may be ME and
I FIGHT LIKE A GIRL.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
And I didn't even get the photo offered...
Some random slut-bot spammed this to me since I obvs don't troll craiglist for nsa same-sex sex. Maybe I'll save my penis enlarging and cheap pharmaceutical moneys I was saving to give to that Nigerian prince, whose lawyer keeps begging me to help for a million dollar reward, and take her out, since she seems to need more info about me...but she felt comfortable to send a pic? Well it wasn't attached. This one is almost as funny as the one who wanted to offer me a job in amateur porn. I hadn't been on craigslist for months and I never look on the sex themed pages. Just giveaways and jobs. I think this one is either a spam-bot attached to an ad I may have responded to or (even funnier yet) from a lady I responded to who needed a "personal assistant". I don't want to personally assist with what she wants and I never even got the photo offered.
RE:Craigslist Hope to see you soon
...
Sat, February 6, 2010 7:12:57 AM
From:
Cindy Vanlieu
...
Add to Contacts
To: noreasonwhy79@yahoo.com
Hi! Sorry it took so long to reply. I posted my ad on craigslist and got tons of replies. Well after screening through them I think I liked yours the most! Seems like we are looking for the sames things and most importantly we live in the same town! Well anyways I just wanted to emphasize I'm not really looking for any commitments or emotional attachments. Just sex with a decent person. Here's a pic. I hope you like it. I don't really want to give out too much personal information until I get to know you. Tell me a little bit more about yourself..
RE:Craigslist Hope to see you soon
...
Sat, February 6, 2010 7:12:57 AM
From:
Cindy Vanlieu
...
Add to Contacts
To: noreasonwhy79@yahoo.com
Hi! Sorry it took so long to reply. I posted my ad on craigslist and got tons of replies. Well after screening through them I think I liked yours the most! Seems like we are looking for the sames things and most importantly we live in the same town! Well anyways I just wanted to emphasize I'm not really looking for any commitments or emotional attachments. Just sex with a decent person. Here's a pic. I hope you like it. I don't really want to give out too much personal information until I get to know you. Tell me a little bit more about yourself..
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Cleaning out my emails
Cleaning out my saved folders. I'll share anything worth sharing as I go.
Broccoli Casserole
A woman goes to her boyfriend's parents' house for Christmas dinner.
This is to be her first time meeting the family and she is very nervous.
They all sit down and begin eating a fine meal.
The woman is beginning to feel a little discomfort, thanks to her nervousness and the broccoli casserole. The gas pains are almost making her eyes water. Left with no other choice, she decides to relieve herself a bit and lets out a dainty fart.
It wasn't loud, but everyone at the table heard the poof.
Before she even had a chance to be embarrassed, her boyfriend's father looked over at the dog that had been snoozing under the woman's chair, and said in a rather stern voice, 'Skippy!'.
The woman thought, 'This is great!' and a big smile came across her face.
A couple of minutes later, she was beginning to feel the pain again.
This time, she didn't even hesitate. She let a much louder and longer rrrrrip.
The father again looked at the dog and yelled, 'Skippy!'
Once again the woman smiled and thought 'Yes!' A few minutes later the woman had to let another rip. This time she didn't even think about it.
She let a fart rip that rivaled a train whistle blowing.
Once again, the father looked at the dog with disgust and yelled, 'Skippy, get away from her, before she shits on you!'
**********************************************************************************
A little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it was 'too crowded.'
'I can't go to Sunday School,' she sobbed to the pastor as he walked by.
Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the reason and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for h er in the Sunday school class. The child was so happy that they found room for her, and she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus.
Some two years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor tenement buildings. Her parents called for the kindhearted pastor who had befriended their daughter to handle the final arrangements.
As her poor little body was being moved, a worn and crumpled red purse was found which seemed to have been rummaged from some trash dump.
Inside was found 57 cents and a note, scribbled in childish handwriting, which read: 'This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday School.'
For two years she had saved for this offering of love.
When the pastor tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying this note and the cracked, red pocketbook to the pulpit, he told the story of her unselfish love and devotion.
He challenged his deacons to get busy and raise enough money for the larger building.
But the story does not end there....
A newspaper learned of the story and published It. It was read by a wealthy realtor who offered the m a parcel of land worth many thousands.
When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered to sell it to the little church for 57 cents.
Church members made large donations. Checks came from far and wide.
Within five years the little girl's gift had increased to $250,000.00--a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the century). Her unselfish love had paid large dividends.
When you are in the city of Philadelphia , look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300. And be sure to visit Temple University, where thousands of students are educated.
Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of beautiful children, built so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside during Sunday school time.
In one of the rooms of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made such remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr. Russell H. Conwell, author of the book, 'Acres of Diamonds'.
This is a true story, which goes to show WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH 57 CENTS.
**********************************************************************************
We have the standard 8 foot wooden fence in the backyard, and a few months ago, I heard about burglaries increasing dramatically in the entire city.
To make sure this never happened to me, I got an electric fence and ran a single wire along the top of the fence. Actually, I got the biggest cattle charger Tractor Supply had, made for 26 miles of fence.
I then used an 8 ft. long ground rod, driven 7.5 feet into the ground. The ground rod is the key, with the more you have in the ground, the better the fence works.
One day I'm mowing the back yard with my big wheel push mower. The hot wire is broken and laying out in the yard. I knew for a fact that I unplugged the charger. I pushed the mower around the wire and reached down to grab it, to throw it out of the way. It seems as though I hadn't remembered to unplug it after all.
Now I'm standing there, I've got the running lawn mower in my right hand and the 1.7 gigavolt fence wire in the other hand. Keep in mind the charger is about the size of a marine battery and has a picture of an upside down cow on fire on the cover.
Time stood still. The first thing I notice is my balls trying to climb up the front side of my body. My ears curled downwards and I could feel the lawn mower ignition firing in the backside of my brain. Every time that Briggs & Stratton rolled over, I could feel the spark in my head. I was literally at one with the engine. It seems as though the fence charger and the POS lawn mower were fighting over which would control my electrical impulses.
Science says one cannot crap, pee, and get a nut at the same time. I beg to differ. Not only did I do all three at once, but my bowels emptied 3 different times in less than half of a second. It was a Matrix kind of bowel movement, where time is creeping along and you're all leaned back and BAM! BAM! BAM! you just crap your pants 3 times. It seemed like there were minutes in between but in reality it was so close together it was like exhaust pulses from a big block Chevy turning 8 grand.
At this point I'm about 30 minutes (maybe 2 seconds) into holding onto the fence wire. My hand is wrapped around the wire palm down so I cant let go. I grew up on a farm so I know all about electric fences... but Dad always had those crappy chargers made by International or whoever that were like 9 volts and just kinda tickled. This I could not let go of. The 8 foot long ground rod is now accepting signals from me through the permadamp Ark-La-Tex river bottom soil. At this point I'm thinking I'm going to have to just man up and take it, until the lawn mower runs out of gas.
'Damn!,' I think, as I remember I just filled the tank! Now the lawn mower is starting to run rough. It has settled into a loping run pattern as if it had some kind of big lawn mower race cam in it. Covered in poop, pee, jizz, and with my balls on my chest I think 'Oh God please die... pleeeeze die'. But nooooo, it settles into the rough lumpy cam idle nicely and remains there, like a big bore roller cam EFI motor waiting for the go command from its owner's right foot.
So here I am in the middle of July, 104 degrees, 80% humidity, standing in my own backyard, begging God to kill me. God did not take me that day... he left me there covered in my own fluids to writhe in the misery my own stupidity had created.
I honestly don't know how I got loose from the wire... I woke up laying on the ground hours later. The lawn mower was beside me, out of gas. It was later on in the day and I was sunburned. There were two large dead grass spots where I had been standing, and then another long skinny dead spot were the wire had layed while I was on the ground still holding on to it.
I assume I finally had a seizure and in the resulting thrashing had somehow let go of the wire. Upon waking from my electrically induced sleep I realized a few things.
1- Three of my teeth seem to have melted.
2- I now have cramps in the bottoms of my feet and in my right butt cheek (not the left, just the right).
3- Poop, pee, and semen when all mixed together, really do not smell as bad as you might first think.
4- My left eye will not open.
5- My right eye will not close.
6- The lawn mower runs like a son-of-a-bitch now. Seriously! I think our little session cleared out some carbon fouling or something, because it has been better than new ever since.
7- My balls are still smaller than average yet they are almost a foot long.
8- I can turn on the TV in the game room by farting while thinking of the number 4 (still don't understand this?)
That day changed my life. I now have a new found respect for things. I appreciate the little things more, and now I always triple check to make sure the fence is unplugged before I mow.
The good news is that if a burglar does try to come over the fence, I can clearly visualize what my security system will do to him, and THAT gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling all over, which also reminds me to triple check before I mow.
**********************************************************************************
A Message for all women
THIS IS MOVING. HOW QUICKLY WE FORGET.....IF ....WE EVER KNEW......
WHY WOMEN SHOULD VOTE
This is the story of our Grandmothers and Great-grandmothers; they lived only 90 years ago.
Remember, it was not until 1920
that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote.
The women were innocent and defenseless, but they were jailed
nonetheless for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking
for the vote.
(Lucy Burns)
And by the end of the night, they were barely alive.
Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing
went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of
'obstructing sidewalk traffic.'
They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above
her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping
for air.
(Dora Lewis)
They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her
head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate,
Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack.
Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging,
beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.
Thus unfolded the 'Night of Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917,
when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his
guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because
they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right
to vote.
For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their
food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms.
(Alice Paul)
When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/prisoners.pdf
So, refresh my memory. Some women won't vote this year because-
-why, exactly? We have carpool duties? We have to get to work?
Our vote doesn't matter? It's raining?
Last week, I went to a sparsely attended screening of HBO's new
movie 'Iron Jawed Angels.' It is a graphic depiction of the battle
these women waged so that I could pull the curtain at the polling
booth and have my say. I am ashamed to say I needed the reminder.
All these years later, voter registration is still my passion. But the
actual act of voting had become less personal for me, more rote.
Frankly, voting often felt more like an obligation than a privilege.
Sometimes it was inconvenient.
My friend Wendy, who is my age and studied women's history,
saw the HBO movie, too. When she stopped by my desk to talk
about it, she looked angry. She was--with herself. 'One thought
kept coming back to me as I watched that movie,' she said.
'What would those women think of the way I use, or don't use,
my right to vote? All of us take it for granted now, not just
younger women, but those of us who did seek to learn.' The
right to vote, she said, had become valuable to her 'all over again.'
HBO released the movie on video and DVD . I wish all history,
social studies and government teachers would include the movie in
their curriculum I want it shown on Bunco night, too, and anywhere
else women gather. I realize this isn't our usual idea of socializing,
but we are not voting in the numbers that we should be, and I think
a little shock therapy is in order.
It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy.
The doctor admonished the men: 'Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.'
Please, if you are so inclined, pass this on to all the women you know.
We need to get out and vote and use this right that was fought so
hard for by these very courageous women. Whether you vote democratic, republican or independent party - remember to vote.
History is being made.
Read more:
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/tactics.html
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/brftime3.html
Broccoli Casserole
A woman goes to her boyfriend's parents' house for Christmas dinner.
This is to be her first time meeting the family and she is very nervous.
They all sit down and begin eating a fine meal.
The woman is beginning to feel a little discomfort, thanks to her nervousness and the broccoli casserole. The gas pains are almost making her eyes water. Left with no other choice, she decides to relieve herself a bit and lets out a dainty fart.
It wasn't loud, but everyone at the table heard the poof.
Before she even had a chance to be embarrassed, her boyfriend's father looked over at the dog that had been snoozing under the woman's chair, and said in a rather stern voice, 'Skippy!'.
The woman thought, 'This is great!' and a big smile came across her face.
A couple of minutes later, she was beginning to feel the pain again.
This time, she didn't even hesitate. She let a much louder and longer rrrrrip.
The father again looked at the dog and yelled, 'Skippy!'
Once again the woman smiled and thought 'Yes!' A few minutes later the woman had to let another rip. This time she didn't even think about it.
She let a fart rip that rivaled a train whistle blowing.
Once again, the father looked at the dog with disgust and yelled, 'Skippy, get away from her, before she shits on you!'
**********************************************************************************
A little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it was 'too crowded.'
'I can't go to Sunday School,' she sobbed to the pastor as he walked by.
Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the reason and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for h er in the Sunday school class. The child was so happy that they found room for her, and she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus.
Some two years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor tenement buildings. Her parents called for the kindhearted pastor who had befriended their daughter to handle the final arrangements.
As her poor little body was being moved, a worn and crumpled red purse was found which seemed to have been rummaged from some trash dump.
Inside was found 57 cents and a note, scribbled in childish handwriting, which read: 'This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday School.'
For two years she had saved for this offering of love.
When the pastor tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying this note and the cracked, red pocketbook to the pulpit, he told the story of her unselfish love and devotion.
He challenged his deacons to get busy and raise enough money for the larger building.
But the story does not end there....
A newspaper learned of the story and published It. It was read by a wealthy realtor who offered the m a parcel of land worth many thousands.
When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered to sell it to the little church for 57 cents.
Church members made large donations. Checks came from far and wide.
Within five years the little girl's gift had increased to $250,000.00--a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the century). Her unselfish love had paid large dividends.
When you are in the city of Philadelphia , look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300. And be sure to visit Temple University, where thousands of students are educated.
Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of beautiful children, built so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside during Sunday school time.
In one of the rooms of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made such remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr. Russell H. Conwell, author of the book, 'Acres of Diamonds'.
This is a true story, which goes to show WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH 57 CENTS.
**********************************************************************************
We have the standard 8 foot wooden fence in the backyard, and a few months ago, I heard about burglaries increasing dramatically in the entire city.
To make sure this never happened to me, I got an electric fence and ran a single wire along the top of the fence. Actually, I got the biggest cattle charger Tractor Supply had, made for 26 miles of fence.
I then used an 8 ft. long ground rod, driven 7.5 feet into the ground. The ground rod is the key, with the more you have in the ground, the better the fence works.
One day I'm mowing the back yard with my big wheel push mower. The hot wire is broken and laying out in the yard. I knew for a fact that I unplugged the charger. I pushed the mower around the wire and reached down to grab it, to throw it out of the way. It seems as though I hadn't remembered to unplug it after all.
Now I'm standing there, I've got the running lawn mower in my right hand and the 1.7 gigavolt fence wire in the other hand. Keep in mind the charger is about the size of a marine battery and has a picture of an upside down cow on fire on the cover.
Time stood still. The first thing I notice is my balls trying to climb up the front side of my body. My ears curled downwards and I could feel the lawn mower ignition firing in the backside of my brain. Every time that Briggs & Stratton rolled over, I could feel the spark in my head. I was literally at one with the engine. It seems as though the fence charger and the POS lawn mower were fighting over which would control my electrical impulses.
Science says one cannot crap, pee, and get a nut at the same time. I beg to differ. Not only did I do all three at once, but my bowels emptied 3 different times in less than half of a second. It was a Matrix kind of bowel movement, where time is creeping along and you're all leaned back and BAM! BAM! BAM! you just crap your pants 3 times. It seemed like there were minutes in between but in reality it was so close together it was like exhaust pulses from a big block Chevy turning 8 grand.
At this point I'm about 30 minutes (maybe 2 seconds) into holding onto the fence wire. My hand is wrapped around the wire palm down so I cant let go. I grew up on a farm so I know all about electric fences... but Dad always had those crappy chargers made by International or whoever that were like 9 volts and just kinda tickled. This I could not let go of. The 8 foot long ground rod is now accepting signals from me through the permadamp Ark-La-Tex river bottom soil. At this point I'm thinking I'm going to have to just man up and take it, until the lawn mower runs out of gas.
'Damn!,' I think, as I remember I just filled the tank! Now the lawn mower is starting to run rough. It has settled into a loping run pattern as if it had some kind of big lawn mower race cam in it. Covered in poop, pee, jizz, and with my balls on my chest I think 'Oh God please die... pleeeeze die'. But nooooo, it settles into the rough lumpy cam idle nicely and remains there, like a big bore roller cam EFI motor waiting for the go command from its owner's right foot.
So here I am in the middle of July, 104 degrees, 80% humidity, standing in my own backyard, begging God to kill me. God did not take me that day... he left me there covered in my own fluids to writhe in the misery my own stupidity had created.
I honestly don't know how I got loose from the wire... I woke up laying on the ground hours later. The lawn mower was beside me, out of gas. It was later on in the day and I was sunburned. There were two large dead grass spots where I had been standing, and then another long skinny dead spot were the wire had layed while I was on the ground still holding on to it.
I assume I finally had a seizure and in the resulting thrashing had somehow let go of the wire. Upon waking from my electrically induced sleep I realized a few things.
1- Three of my teeth seem to have melted.
2- I now have cramps in the bottoms of my feet and in my right butt cheek (not the left, just the right).
3- Poop, pee, and semen when all mixed together, really do not smell as bad as you might first think.
4- My left eye will not open.
5- My right eye will not close.
6- The lawn mower runs like a son-of-a-bitch now. Seriously! I think our little session cleared out some carbon fouling or something, because it has been better than new ever since.
7- My balls are still smaller than average yet they are almost a foot long.
8- I can turn on the TV in the game room by farting while thinking of the number 4 (still don't understand this?)
That day changed my life. I now have a new found respect for things. I appreciate the little things more, and now I always triple check to make sure the fence is unplugged before I mow.
The good news is that if a burglar does try to come over the fence, I can clearly visualize what my security system will do to him, and THAT gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling all over, which also reminds me to triple check before I mow.
**********************************************************************************
A Message for all women
THIS IS MOVING. HOW QUICKLY WE FORGET.....IF ....WE EVER KNEW......
WHY WOMEN SHOULD VOTE
This is the story of our Grandmothers and Great-grandmothers; they lived only 90 years ago.
Remember, it was not until 1920
that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote.
The women were innocent and defenseless, but they were jailed
nonetheless for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking
for the vote.
(Lucy Burns)
And by the end of the night, they were barely alive.
Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing
went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of
'obstructing sidewalk traffic.'
They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above
her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping
for air.
(Dora Lewis)
They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her
head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate,
Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack.
Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging,
beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.
Thus unfolded the 'Night of Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917,
when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his
guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because
they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right
to vote.
For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their
food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms.
(Alice Paul)
When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/prisoners.pdf
So, refresh my memory. Some women won't vote this year because-
-why, exactly? We have carpool duties? We have to get to work?
Our vote doesn't matter? It's raining?
Last week, I went to a sparsely attended screening of HBO's new
movie 'Iron Jawed Angels.' It is a graphic depiction of the battle
these women waged so that I could pull the curtain at the polling
booth and have my say. I am ashamed to say I needed the reminder.
All these years later, voter registration is still my passion. But the
actual act of voting had become less personal for me, more rote.
Frankly, voting often felt more like an obligation than a privilege.
Sometimes it was inconvenient.
My friend Wendy, who is my age and studied women's history,
saw the HBO movie, too. When she stopped by my desk to talk
about it, she looked angry. She was--with herself. 'One thought
kept coming back to me as I watched that movie,' she said.
'What would those women think of the way I use, or don't use,
my right to vote? All of us take it for granted now, not just
younger women, but those of us who did seek to learn.' The
right to vote, she said, had become valuable to her 'all over again.'
HBO released the movie on video and DVD . I wish all history,
social studies and government teachers would include the movie in
their curriculum I want it shown on Bunco night, too, and anywhere
else women gather. I realize this isn't our usual idea of socializing,
but we are not voting in the numbers that we should be, and I think
a little shock therapy is in order.
It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy.
The doctor admonished the men: 'Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.'
Please, if you are so inclined, pass this on to all the women you know.
We need to get out and vote and use this right that was fought so
hard for by these very courageous women. Whether you vote democratic, republican or independent party - remember to vote.
History is being made.
Read more:
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/tactics.html
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/brftime3.html
the most dangerous cake recipe in the world
my sister sent this to me like a year ago. i was emptying out my old saved emails and came ac cross it.
MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
1 Coffee Mug
4 tablespoons flour(that's plain flour, not
self-rising)
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional) Small splash of vanilla
Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well
Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The
cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to share!)
And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we
are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or
night!
MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
1 Coffee Mug
4 tablespoons flour(that's plain flour, not
self-rising)
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional) Small splash of vanilla
Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well
Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The
cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to share!)
And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we
are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or
night!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
