100 Most Influential Persons

Muhammad • Isaac Newton • Jesus Christ • Buddha • Confucius • St. Paul • Ts'ai Lun • Johann Gutenberg • Christopher Columbus • Albert Einstein • Louis Pasteur • Galileo Galilei • Aristotle • Euclid • Moses • Charles Darwin • Shih Huang Ti • Augustus Caesar • Nicolaus Copernicus • Antoine Laurent Lavoisier • Constantine the Great • James Watt • Michael Faraday • James Clerk Maxwell • Martin Luther • George Washington • Karl Marx • Orville and Wilbur Wright • Genghis Kahn • Adam Smith • Edward de Vere • John Dalton • Alexander the Great • Napoleon Bonaparte • Thomas Edison • Antony van Leeuwenhoek • William T.G. Morton • Guglielmo Marconi • Adolf Hitler • Plato • Oliver Cromwell • Alexander Graham Bell • Alexander Fleming • John Locke • Ludwig van Beethoven • Werner Heisenberg • Louis Daguerre • Simon Bolivar • Rene Descartes • Michelangelo • Pope Urban II • 'Umar ibn al-Khattab • Asoka • St. Augustine • William Harvey • Ernest Rutherford • John Calvin • Gregor Mendel • Max Planck • Joseph Lister • Nikolaus August Otto • Francisco Pizarro • Hernando Cortes • Thomas Jefferson • Queen Isabella I • Joseph Stalin • Julius Caesar • William the Conqueror • Sigmund Freud • Edward Jenner • Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen • Johann Sebastian Bach • Lao Tzu • Voltaire • Johannes Kepler • Enrico Fermi • Leonhard Euler • Jean-Jacques Rousseau • Nicoli Machiavelli • Thomas Malthus • John F. Kennedy • Gregory Pincus • Mani • Lenin • Sui Wen Ti • Vasco da Gama • Cyrus the Great • Peter the Great • Mao Zedong • Francis Bacon • Henry Ford • Mencius • Zoroaster • Queen Elizabeth I • Mikhail Gorbachev • Menes • Charlemagne • Homer • Justinian I • Mahavira •

I find it interesting that a majority of the persons listed pertain to a religion. Another obvious majority consists of persons involved with scientific and enlightened thinking. Unfortunately, these work fields are not of my suit (ah nuts). Whatever shall I do to avoid being totally forgotten when I'm dead and buried (or in Sonya's case, eatten)? I want suggestions!

Triple A: Athiests Are Awesome

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

nyctophobia- a pathological fear of the darkness

I am terrified of the dark. I still sleep with the closet light on and I can't sleep without a blanket covering me. I don't know why I am so terrified, and I'm not really sure what it is that I am terrified of. But bedtime is usually my worst enemy. It is a combination of my trouble falling asleep (due to certain medications) and my extreme paranoia when I am alone in the dark. Nyctophobia is an extreme and irrational anxiety response to darkness where one knows he is safe, like in his bedroom. A little fear of the dark is sensible, but when it gets to the point of being an extreme fear is when it becomes abnormal. I don't think I could be classified as a nyctophobiac because my fear is not that extreme. I would really like to learn more about this subject and I hope to do another post on this very soon.

Proof of Evolution

A picture's worth a thousand words.

Jane Eyre-enough said

Sonya is hoggin' my bloggin'

Therefore, I have to catch up to the typing machine that is she. I must type words of freedom, beauty, truth and love! Above all things I believe in love....but too bad cause Sonya already wrote a blog on that. I will express my individual style by writing about something entirely different.

How about childhood! Oh the wonders of childhood. When I was just a wee lassie I dreamed of unicorns and beautiful men riding them galloping down the halls of high school and grabbig high school me and sitting me down next to him and riding off into the wild blue yonder.....high school is very similar to that actually. Without the unicorns and men. What a bummer. Sonya was there though! I bet you wonder what sonya looked like when she was little. Here she is, that little bugger.

Isn't she perty? She wore that to school everyday insisting that she was a "flower child," or a woman of a different era. We just thought she was wacko. But nevertheless, there was something I liked about that hippie. Oh yeah, here's one of me.

Awwwwww I'm adorable. So as I was saying, the two of us were suddenly inseperable. I don't really know why, because like you saw, she was a freak. But I had enough popularity for the both of us, obviously. I mean, did you see my outfit? Kids dug that. Anyway, we also had another member to our outrageous clan that fit in right with us. Mary Elizabeth was her name, and she looked a little different as well.

Ah yes, Mary Elizabeth is a stunning girl. Just look at those lips! Thats her and her renaissance hubby...I just can't remember his name. So you've got a hippie, a thing (1), and someone stuck in a romance novel in our lovely little family. Who could have a better childhood?

5 Reasons to Not Hate the French

1. The French people, as a nation, had the balls to point out to its very close friends (and the most powerful country in the world), the United States of America, that the President of United States and his administration were acting like greedy assholes. Just because France didn't want to help us steal Iraq's oil, doesn't mean that they're anti-American

2. French Kisses... Need I say more?

3. They gave us the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of our solidarity and friendship

4. In the Second World War the French deaths were 1.35% of it's population, compared with 0.32% for the United States. France has given over pieces of it's land to honor fallen American soldiers

5. Most french people watch American Movies and TV shows, eat at McDonalds, and generally like America. Some french people don't really care.

Please don't let Bill O'Reilly brainwash you into boycotting the french. Much of my family lives in France and just because they hate the current administration (who doesn't?) doesn't mean they hate America.

Theory vs. Hypothesis

Many people do not understand the difference between a hypothesis and a theory. Nothing pisses me off more than hearing "Evolution is just a theory!" The word "theory" in regular speech is not to be confused with the scientific term. A theory in science is a hypothesis that has been tested over and over with strong evidence suggesting it's correct but none to prove it incorrect. A hypothesis, however, is an educated guess that you test by doing experiments. Gravity, for example, is still technically a theory, but no one seems to be arguing about the legitimacy of that. I guess it's because no one ever wrote a book saying that God doesn't want us to believe in gravity.

“If we are going to teach creation science as an alternative to evolution, then we should also teach the stork theory as an alternative to biological reproduction.”

-Judith Hayes

Love and Marriage

Mary asked me to write a post about love. I would first like to express my opinions on marriage. I think that marriage is a right, not a privilege. However, when asked the question "Why is divorce so expensive?" a wise man replied "Because it's worth it."

I would now like to take the opportunity to quote one of my favorite people.

"All love shifts and changes. I don't know if you can be wholeheartedly in love all the time."
-Julie Andrews

I once read an article in either Time Magazine or National Geographic Magazine that you can only be in love for a maximum of five years. It basically states that humans are not meant to be monogamous. I agree 100%. In order for a marriage to be successful it hast to be built on more than lust. Sex is fantastic and everything, but what do you have once the flames have died down? Not very much.

I don't think that this article gives anyone the excuse to run around two-timing. Love isn't supposed to be easy. If a long-term relationship is what you really want, you have to work at it. It's not something that will just happen all on it's own. In the end, it's more than just love that makes a succesful marriage, it's perseverance.

My Favorite First Ladies

I saw a little clip of Michelle Obama on The View (yes, I am a closeted watcher) and I was surprised to find that I actually really like her. She has always been portrayed as a bitch in the news, but from what I saw she is the exact opposite. Mrs. Obama is intelligent, charismatic, and gorgeous; a far stretch from how she is depicted in the media. But then again, any strong woman is always a bitch. Has anyone else noticed the similarities between Michelle Obama and Jackie O.? Our (hopefully!) future first lady has certainly won my approval!

Fox News

I don't watch Fox News, so any tid-bit that I see I find on the internet. I suppose this intro to a story could have been misinterpreted. I don't care if they're a conservative news station. People with opinions other than my own don't bother me at all. The thing that bothers me the most about Fox News is how they outright lie.

Offensive

This offensive button was being sold at the Texas republican state convention. Why does the color of Obama's skin even matter? People seem to forget that he is half white. We're all humans so what the hell is the difference? In a dozen words, the republican party was able to show their true colors.

But I always say... you know you have a strong presidential nominee when the only way people can criticize him is by calling him a secret Muslim. Half of my family is Muslim, so I take offense to the negative connotation of that statement.

Religion

I was looking over Margaux's list of controversial topics and I saw a lot of things I wanted to talk about, but I only have time to talk about one. I decided to talk about religion. I don't remember if it was on the list... but this is the thing I want to talk about.

Let me start out with one of my favorite quotes: "A religious war is like two kids fighting over who has the better imaginary friend."

I don't mind religion... I guess you could say I'm indifferent. What does bother me is when people get up their own asses with religion. Religion is important to some people and that can be a good thing. But there are two problems that I have with religion. First of all, why does someone need a book to tell them what is right and what is wrong? I know I'm not perfect, but I usually do the right thing and I don't need the threat of burning in an eternal lake of fire. But, then again, that's just me. The second thing that really bugs me is that people tend pick at their holy book and find itty bitty passages that don't really mean anything. These are storybooks that teach lessons. A fable in a manner of speaking. It has a lesson, but shouldn't be the laws to live by. The point of most of these books is to promote peace and love. Would Jesus approve of wars over religions? I don't think so. Oh well, that's my two cents anyway. I'm not done with this topic yet, but I'm getting tired. I'll post the rest tomorrow.

Oh, and one more thing... keep your religion out of my school and my government, and I'll keep intelligence out of your religion.

"When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad. That's my religion."
-Abraham Lincoln

"When we blindly adopt a religion, a political system, a literary dogma, we become automatons. We cease to grow."
-Anais Nin

Update:

I happen to be an active member of Peter Griffin's Church of the Fonz. So I will not comment either way for fear of a bias.

SEXUAL EDUCATION

...Or sex ed as they like to call it, is something that is completely ignored in my school. This "abstinence-only" education is simply denying the students the information they need to go into the real world. Sure many adults feel that if you teach a student how to unroll a condom on a banana that many more teens will feel prepared to have sex, but if you deny the students this right to learning, aren't they that much more likely to practice unsafe sex thereby risking pregnancy? It is entirely understandable that the faculty at school would preach abstinence until marriage and that can still occur, but the fact is that in today's world, pre-marital sex is much MUCH more likely, and students should know how to practice this safely if they choose to do so.

Various Controversial Issues

I was excited to find this many issues that Sonya and I can eventually cover in our blog! Here's a few I stole from some website that I would eventually love to lecture about....Abortion, Adoption, Alcohol, Animal Experimentation, Animal Rights, Bioethics, Capital Punishment, Censorship, Child Abuse, Cloning, Crime Victims, Domestic Violence, DUI, Drug Legalization, Eating Disorders, Endangered Species, Environment, Gambling, Gangs (HAH), Global Warming, Gun Control, Hate Crimes, Health Care, Homelessness, Homosexuality, Human Rights, Immigration, Internet Privacy, Media Violence, Medical Ethics, Mental Health, Middle East, National Security, Nuclear Weapons, Nutrition, Population, Pornography, Poverty, Prayer in Public Schools, Prisons, Racism, Rape, School Violence, Sexual Education, Sexual Harrassment, Smoking, Stem Cells, Steroids, Suicide, Teen Pregnancy, Terrorism, Welfare, Women's Rights, Women in the Military, Workplace Violence.
Thats SO MANY ISSUES! Doesn't it make you think, "Wow, our world has a lot of issues but better yet, a lot of opinions?" There are thousands of different opinions on each of those topics. For now I can only pick one though or I'll be here all night. Maybe when Sonya reads this she'll pick one too. Let's go with.....Sex Ed! There's a fun one. I'll start a new blog for that.

Gay Marriage

Del Martin, 87, and Phyllis Lyon, 84, were among the first gay couple granted a marriage on Monday. It was a landmark decision made by California and let's hope it spreads to the rest of the country like wildfire.

Congratulations to all who will marry, it's taken long enough!

click here to see the clip.

Swimsuit Season

Okay, now is the time that everyone is getting ready for summer. This is possibly my least favorite time of the year fashion-wise. I'm not talking about trends or styles... I'm talking about the people who wear them. I have to wonder... do people look at themselves before they leave the house? Let me start with this obsession with bikinis. Out of the hundreds of thousands of people who wear them, about 2% look good. Why do women feel the need to wear the least amount of clothes that are legally possible? If people got over what the models and celebrities wear and focused on what looks good, my eyes would be a lot better off. If half the people who wear bathing suits spent a considerable amount of time picking them out, there'd be a hell of a lot less love handles and pooches. And it's not just curvy women I'm talking about, most skinny women don't look that great in bikinis either. On to miniskirts. First of all, just because you came from the beach doesn't mean you don't have to button your skirt. It looks trashy. Second, don't buy clothes for the size. No one can see the size on the inside of your jeans and, quite frankly, no one cares. If you're obsessed with wearing a size 4 jeans, but you're really a size 6... buy a size six. You'll save the rest of us from some major muffin top. The main point I'm trying to make is that you'll always look and feel better if you buy clothes that are right for your body. Don't be ashamed of your body, because all women are beautiful. Play up your best features and you will absolutely look fabulous.

-Sonya

"It's beauty that captures your attention; but personality that captures your heart"

john jacob jingleheimer schmitt?

Well....we all know that John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmitt is a well known song about a man who has my name too. The thing most people don't know is that JJJS has, in fact, a deep dark past so unreal that whenever we go out, the people always shout.

John Jacob Jingleheimer wasn't always this mans name. In fact, at birth, JJJS was Tom Jones. A boring, average, run of the mill name had good old John Jacob, and this was not going to suffice. At the ripe age of eight Tom packed his little rucksack, tied it to a stick like they do in the movies, and left for the big city.
The city was noisy and frightened Tom. He swirled and whirled through traffic and nearly got hit by a runaway horse and buggy. Tom thought he would start his life someplace less intense, and a place where he was less likely to get run over. He retired to the town of Papaya, a fruity little town where little people bred their little children. This was the perfect place for Tom Jones. Or so he thought.
Tom was welcomed by the Papaya children, and was garnished with flowers and jewels when he arrived. All day Tom and the children of Papaya would play and dance around the maypole and eat scrumptious berries at mealtimes. Tom, a child of eight, loved the children and they loved him too. Unfortunately as time went on, Tom grew up, and the children seemed to stay the same. Tom grew a full beard and moustache, and a round little potbelly from eating so many berries. The children saw Tom as a creep more than a friend at this point, and proceeded to lock him up in the berry cellar.
Tom Jones cried and cried that the children no longer wanted to play with him, when he wanted to play with them ever so much. Tom concocted a plan. Sporting a broad rimmed hat and hooded robe, Tom invented himself a new identity that would surely get the kids attention. But his name! No one remembered an old man named Tom Jones! So he took an exacto knife and carved the letters JJJS into his forehead. John for little Johhny from up the lane, Jacob for Jake with the golden hair, Jingleheimer, because it sounded sweet and intimidating, and Schmitt, his mothers first name before her sex change. This would be perfect.
That night, JJJS sporting his new robe and hat, broke out of the berry cellar that held him and went to surprise the children. He couldn't wait for them to notice him. He found them doing the ceremonial dance of the Papaya around the campfire. While the music played, he hid in a bush. When the music stopped and silence spread, John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmitt leapt from his hiding place and wrapped both his arms around Jacob, the golden haired wonder. When the little kids noticed his robe, hat, and bloody markings on his ghastly, hairy old man face. They screamed JOHN JACOB JINGLEHEIMER SCHMITT! The children of Papaya ran over the hills never to return again. Jacob was unfortunately forced to live with JJJS for a breif period of time until he too escaped. John Jacob was so upset he had made the little boys name his name too, so no one would ever forget him.
Once the new little golden haired John Jacob escaped back to his family of Papaya children, he sang the song until tears flooded in his little eyes and his lungs gave in "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmitt! His name is my name too! Whenever we go out, the people always shout, John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmitt! DA DA DA DA...da...da....daaaaa"

First Entry

This blog is intended as a joint blog for Margaux and Sonya. Will we use it? Perhaps. But only time will tell.

-Sonya

"Si le viol, le poison, le poignard, l'incendie,

N'ont pas encore brode de leurs paisants dessins

Le canevas banal de nos piteux destins,

C'est que notre ame, helas! n'est pas assez hardie."