What is Autism?

Autism is in a class of developmental disorders known as autism spectrum disorders. (ASDs) Other autism spectrum disorders are Rett syndrome,Aspergers syndrome, childhood disintegrateive disorder and pervasive developmental disorder. Autism is characterized by problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, impaired social interation and unusual repetitive or severly limited activities and interests. Three to six children out of 1,000 will have autism. Boys are four times more likely to have autism than girls. The number of children diagnosed with Autism has risen greatly over the past few decades. Some people think environmental factors, vaccines and or toxin buld up in the boyd contributes to the problem. New from pediatricians this week is to have your child screened for Autism twice between the ages of 18 - 24 months.

Merry Miller - The World's Worst Interviewer, BACK on "The View"!

Merry Miller will host “The View” this morning. Yes, THAT Merry Miller. If you remember, her satellite interview with Holly Hunter for ABC last summer ….. well, didn’t go so well.
“She became the laughingstock of the TV industry"

Merry Miller is from Mesquite, Texas and was raised by a single mom who overcame MANY obstacles to become an inspirational success story.

The Original Pledge of Allegiance

The original Pledge of Allegiance

"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands- one nation indivisible-with liberty and justice for all."

On September 8,1892, the Boston based "The Youth's Companion" magazine published a few words for students to repeat on Columbus Day that year. Written by Francis Bellamy,the circulation manager and native of Rome, New York, and reprinted on thousands of leaflets, was sent out to public schools across the country. On October 12, 1892, the quadricentennial of Columbus' arrival, more than 12 million children recited the Pledge of Allegiance, thus beginning a required school-day ritual.

Is It Illusion Or Reality?

As the main character in a fictional novel called Johnny Oops who is suffering under the delusion that I am real, I know a lot about the difference between illusion and reality. After all, I am the author of this piece.

Some of you may suffer under the illusion that you are real, but I am here to put forth the proposition that it is you that is suffering under an illusion. You are operating in a dream like state. You have deluded yourself into thinking that the space and time you occupy is real, but it really isn’t.

As Buddha would say according to my interpretation of Deepak Chopra’s statements in his new book called, BUDDHA, you have to awaken in order to be real and to find enlightenment.

How do you know that you are awake and not simply dreaming? How can you excite your senses to the point that you can redefine a new reality for yourself? These are not easy questions to answer. These are not easy problems to solve. It will take all your will and effort to awake to the new reality of life. Are you ready?

Are you ready to come out of the dreamlike state you use to pacify your existence? Are you ready to wake up to the harsh realities of life? Are you ready to fine-tune your senses? Can you see past your creature comforts, wants, and desires to achieve awareness of the realities of life?

Can you find it within you to question the true meaning of life? And if you do will you find contentment, acceptance, and enlightenment? Who amongst us really knows the answer? So many questions stand in our way to see past the self imposed illusions of our lives. So many doubts and fears keep us from confronting our own demons. Can we find the courage to begin again? Do we really want to, or would we rather keep dreaming in the illusion of reality rather than discovering the real thing – rather than discovering ourselves.

What is this deep dark secret that makes us cringe from what we know deep down in our hearts is real? Why do we insist on masking our feelings, and deluding our consciousness with a fear of awakening?

Is it the fact that we are mortal and cannot really control our own destinies? Is the truth of our weakness and humanity too difficult too contemplate?

Do we really want to spend the rest of our lives pretending to be real, when what we are is a self-created illusion? When will we find the courage to confront ourselves and wake up to the reality of the moment? Whose reality is it anyway? If not now, if not ours, when will this dream like illusion stop and reality take over?

Wake up; the silent cymbals of reality are banging incessantly in our heads. It is time to get real. It is time to wake up. It is time to take a deep breath and begin again. It is time to live life to the fullest.

Hi, I am Arthur Levine, the author of the novel Johnny Oops. To read more about Johnny and his delusion that he is writing these articles, when in fact it is me, please
access: http://johnnyoops.blogspot.com

2010 world cup

FIFA announced yesterday that the World Cup rotation policy, from continent to continent (introduced in the year 2000), would end from 2018; to avoid situations like the single candidature of Brazil (for 2014).

"The World Cup 2018 is open to all national associations of the continents that have not organised the two last World Cup. It means, then, for 2018 Africa can not be and South America can not also," announced Sepp Blatter, to the largest media gathering for a FIFA announcement.

The 2018 World Cup is therefore open for Europe, Asia and CONCACAF. It would also be open to Oceania but it has not been identified where in Oceania the World Cup could be held.

Besides England (where Sepp Blatter had just met the Prime Minister of 'Great Britain'), there are other European candidates: a combined bid from Netherlands and Belgium (as in the Euro 2000 European Championships).

Interest has also been shown from China, Australia, Mexico and the USA.

We have not yet played the 2010 World Cup, not yet attributed the 2014 World Cup (coming today) and yet there are already six candidates showing an interest for the 2018 World Cup; and there could be more.

It was also announced that the Kuwait Football Federation had been suspended, with immediate effect, for not applying and implementing decisions taken twice by the AFC and FIFA Executive Committee.

Receiving questions from the gathered journalists in the auditorium, Sepp Blatter naturally had to answer them on the 2018 end of rotation decision first.

Paul Kelson of The Guardian:
"What measures would be introduced to insure a fair and clean clean fight for the 2018 bids, and that the Committee members would fight fair?"

Sepp Blatter:
Trying to be fair and transparent, the Chairman of the FIFA Ethics Committee would overlook the bid process, not only from the side of the FIFA Executive but also to have a look at the bidders. Because 'when there is some arrangements in life, even in a marriage, two are always involved'.

There was then concern from a Sao Paolo journalist that FIFA might establish a system (a little bit like - but not comparing it to - the Olympic Committee) where there would hardly be a chance for perhaps a poorer country to host a World Cup when you have (for example) China, United States and England in the same bid?

Removing his headphones and scratching the back of his head, Sepp Blatter said he understood the question but not the comparison with The Olympic Games; where only big cities can bid, and only big cities can obtain, The Olympic Games.

Having insured (in the first part of the rotation) that at least Africa can have the World Cup once and that South America would have the World Cup, the market would now be open but without bidders from the past two continents.

But to organise a World Cup with 32 teams a smaller country would have difficulties to deliver all the guarantees necessary for the organisation of such an event.

However, FIFA do have other competitions available for smaller countries - New Zealand and Chile for the Women's World Cup; U17, U20; Indoor Football; Beach Soccer - a lot of possibilities for smaller countries to organise FIFA competitions.

In answer to Martin Ziegler, of the Press Association, about the timescale of bidding for the 2018 World Cup, Sepp Blatter tried some mental arithmatic (and stumbled).

The FIFA president said that they should finally decide (who the winning candidate is) in 2011 (using the current seven-year plan, up from six) and need at least two years to make the necessary approaches to candidates.

So that would be 2010 (correction, 2009). Add a year for the candidates; then, on the spot, Sepp Blatter finally put a provisional schedule 'on the desk' of 'next year' (2008); or rather, 'tomorrow' - for candidates to start their bidding process.

With a chuckle, the FIFA President motioned to his left and said that maybe the General Secretary would change it later.

David Bond, of The Daily Telegraph wondered if, with the more competitive bidding process for a World Cup than ever before, perhaps a mini-bidding competition (to whittle down the numbers) so that only 'say four or five countries' could bid in the final round had been discussed.

Such a scenario had not been discussed nor had, as had been questioned in the room (Sepp motioned his finger around), "if in one Confederation their can only be one bidder?"

The FIFA President clarified that bidders are not Confederations but National Associations and that all National Associations have the right to bid.

But if there would be ten or eleven bids, then obviously there would have to be a pre selection; 'otherwise it would not be possible'. Like they do it in The Olympics (in this case).

Guitar Hero 3 Playlist

Hey guys if you are like me you are awaiting the new Guitar Hero 3, and if you ask me this one is looking awesome. Now this is the current list of tracks but there should be some updates. O and an added bonus, if it says "made famous by" then the song is redone but if it says "by" then the song is the actual recording.So here is the current song list for the new game:

· Slash's Original Boss Battle Recording

· Welcome to The Jungle (by Guns N' Roses)

· Paint It Black (by The Rolling Stones)

· Cherub Rock (by Smashing Pumpkins)

· Sabotage (by Beastie Boys)

· The Metal (by Tenacious D)

· My Name is Jonas (by Weezer)

· Knights of Cydonia (by Muse)

· Even Flow (by Pearl Jam)

· Lay Down (by Priestess)

· Cult of Personality (by Living Colour)

· Rock and Roll All Nite (as made famous by Kiss)

· School's Out (as made famous by Alice Cooper)

· Rock You Like a Hurricane (as made famous by Scorpions)

· Slow Ride (as made famous by Foghat)

· Barracuda (as made famous by Heart)

· Miss Murder (by AFI)

· Through Fire and Flames (by Dragonforce)

· Number of the Beast (by Iron Maiden)

· Suck My Kiss (by Red Hot Chili Peppers)

· Reptillia (by The Strokes)

· La Grange (as made famous by ZZ Top)

· 3's and 7's (by Queens of the Stone Age)

· Raining Blood (by Slayer)

· Paranoid (as made famous by Black Sabbath)

· Cities on Flame (as made famous by Blue Oyster Cult)

· Mississippi Queen (as made famous by Mountain)



http://kotaku.com/gaming/xi/even-more-new-guitar-hero-iii-tracks-285353.php

Rick Jacobs's Bigfoot Pictures

In September Rick Jacobs, a Pennsylvania hunter set a stationary camera with a trigger in the woods. The camera trap was baited with a strong deer attractant and a mineral lick block.

The series of images he captured has spurred debate in the scientific community.

There are basically two sides.

Zoo keepers believe the images to be those of a primate bending over and sniffing the ground. This unclassified primate could be a Bigfoot or Sasquatch.

Game keepers believe the images to be those of a bear with mange..... Fish and Wildlife folks say that rangers catch skinny bears with mange in traps that look like that...

The Bigfoot folks are asking them to provide pictures of these bears so that they can do some analytical comparisons.

The images are copyrighted and therefore cannot be posted here, but the link takes you to the site that is researching them and has some really interesting info....

Click on the images to enlarge them and come back and tell us what you think.

Are they pictures of the elusive Big Foot...Sasquatch of legends....

Or is this a skinny bear having a really bad hair day?


http://www.bfro.net/avevid/jacobs/jacobs_photos.asp

Red sox Parade-2007 Boston Red sox Parade

Red sox Parade-2007 Boston Red sox Parade. It was a sweeping victory for red Sox . Fans celeberated Red Sox win. read the reports

http://bostonist.com/2007/10/29/red_sox_celebra.php
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/sports/14446852/detail.html
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2007/10/29/a_sweeping_victory

Watch "The Office" Episodes Online for Free - The funniest TV show on the air

Watch episodes of the funniest tv show on the air, The Office, for free online. This is a great show. Now you can find some episodes on the web.

Follow the link below to the site that will take you to free episodes of The Office, starring Steve Carrell.

http://www.sidereel.com/The_Office

Watch 3000 tv channels and 60 movie channels on your computer here

http://tvontheweb.blogspot.com/2007/04/watch-office-for-free-online.html

Two Girls One Cup Video

Two Girls One Cup Video

So there is this gross video out on the internet where two girls lick poop from a cup. I hear it is very hard to watch the whole thing. So I challenge people to do it. Feel free to post how far you got through the video without squinting or anything. Two Girls and One Cup can be found on the youtube video search.

http://internetbuzzer.blogspot.com/2007/10/two-girls-one-cup-video.html