You Tubing Tuesday - Not so much love but perhaps better described as...

Love is great but lust (on occasion) can be so much fun...  

Being Canadian, how can one not think of making love in a canoe...

Aerosmith knows that there is some fun to have when going down...

This group knows all about having a Poison tongue...

Media Monday - Food Stamps

Last week a disturbing report was released stating that 45.8 million are now receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps) benefits.  To receive assistance from the program a single American has to have a demonstrated income of $14,088 per year.  If they qualify, they receive benefits of up to $133 per month.  A family of four must have an income of less than $28,668 and may receive benefits of up to $290 per month.

In order to put the severity of the issue in context, if who received the benefit represented a country, it would be the 27th largest nation in the world.  There are 11 states in which one in five are receiving benefits (figure 1).  While some contend that number in increasing because of fraud, the Department of Agriculture based on a study of electronic purchase tracking stated that 96% of revenues have been spent as per program guidelines.

Figure 1 - Percentage of Americans on 'Food Stamps' By State

Perhaps the most telling argument was written by Bill Schiller in the Toronto Star.  In his article he notes the following,

In the first minutes of each month, food stamp purchases at 24-hour Wal-Marts across the country surge as Food Stamp Nation drives through the dark to purchase sorely needed food.

“Our sales for those first few hours on the first day of the month are substantially and significantly higher,” Wal-Mart CEO William S. Simon told a Goldman Sachs conference 18 months ago. “If you really think about it, the only reason somebody goes out in the middle of the night and buys baby formula is that they need it — and they’ve been waiting for it.”

No matter what your political affiliation, when a nation as wealthy as the USA  has 15% of its population is on a social assistance program due to poverty, perhaps there needs to be a reexamination of the system.

Sundays in my City - v12 - Flashback Edition

Last summer, I went back to one of the first parks I ever worked at: Kew Gardens in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Hard to believe I started my teaching career doing play school groups three mornings a week in the park.  I had no idea at the time that I would become an educator but this is where I learnt some of the most valuable skills in becoming a teacher. 

At the park there was a hut and the tradition was that everyone who worked there signed the walls/roof.

Yep, that says 1989 - 1994...

Once again, thanks to the Unknown Mami for hosting Sunday in My City.  Now click on the button below to continue your tour.

Saturday Soliloquy

Ummmm, need proof genetics are real?

Friday Fragments - v14

Welcome to another edition of Friday Fragments.  Once again thanks to Mrs. 4444's for hosting such a wonderful hop.  On to the frags:

1. I wrote earlier this week about the problems occurring in Syria.  Apparently we have no problem intervening in Libya but can not protect children who are being tortured in Syria.  Oh wait, Syria has little oil?  Okay, I get it now;
2. Got to take a great group from Clemson this week on a walking tour of downtown Charleston.  Thanks to my good friend Dr. Bill Norman for setting that up;
3. Welcome to my in-laws who are visiting this week.  I hope they enjoy the visit and their grandchildren.  I know that they will get in their exercise while they are here;
4. This week has been insanely busy and every time I turn around what I had planned has melted into capriciousness; and
5. I got my hair cut (well shaved off is a better descriptor) this week.  

Here are the before pictures:

Here are some after shots:

Heather dislikes it immensely.  Though not so much she didn't agree to go on a kid-less overnight excursion next week.  So now you get to chime in, hair? or no hair?

After you do that, go and visit other frags by clicking the button below...

Tourism & Technology Thursday - Kayak

One of my favorite travel sites is kayak.com.  The site allows me to search several online travel agencies at once.  It makes my online travel shopping much easier than going from site and site and constantly having to jump windows to comparison shop. In particular, their App is absolutely fabulous and is great for booking on the go.
So the next time you are looking for that hotel night, check out Kayak.

Wordless Wednesday - What is this?

See if you can identify what this is...

Here is a clue - Fore!

Here is the answer!