While I would've loved to write about effective and ineffective advertisements, I believe that my attention this week should be focused on the wonderful weather we have here in our beloved state of North Dakota.
As we all know, there are massive amounts of water and snow accumulation around the state but especially in the Western half. Fargo and the surrounding smaller communities are in the most trouble but all up and down the Red River Valley and the Sheyenne River communities are in grave danger.
The crest of flood waters in Fargo is expected to be between 39 and 41 feet by Friday night. Most of the damns are being built to a height of 42 feet. Even at the height, there are worries about the strength and stability of the barriers.
President Obama has declared North Dakota a federal disaster area. This means that the federal government will cover 75% of the state and local government costs that will go towards fighting the flooding throughout the state. National Guard units around the state have been activated and called to Fargo and other communities to pitch in with filling sandbags and building the dikes and dams to keep the flood waters at bay.
Oxbow is evacuating people because they have been unable to keep up with surging flow of the river. Ice chunks have built up in the rivers as well causing back up and making it an inevitable that there be major flooding once those chunks give way and everything that is building behind them is released.
I have been helping sandbag in Valley City for the past two days. With the number of sandbags and helpers needed in our reasonably small community, it is unimaginable to think about the numbers in Fargo/Moorhead and also all of the other communities in North Dakota. Every town in the western portion of the state is being sandbagged and preparing for the water that is surely going to ravage each location...whether protected or not.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Relay for Life
Relay for Life is a cause and event that is very near and dear to my heart. I lost my grandma to cancer when I was in 5th grade and Stephen just recently lost his grandpa to cancer as well. Cancer runs in my family so I feel very strongly about cancer research, treatment, cures, and prevention. It could save a friend, family member, or even me.
There are over 200 different types of cancer. You can develop one or more type(s) of cancer in ANY organ or part of your body. Despite the numerous different types, cancers can be broadly grouped into types depending on the tissues they develop from/in. Here are the groups:
Carcinomas, the most common types of cancer, arise from the cells that cover external and internal body surfaces. Lung, breast, and colon are the most frequent cancers of this type.
Sarcomas are cancers arising from cells found in the supporting tissues of the body such as bone, cartilage, fat, connective tissue and muscle.
Lymphomas are cancers that arise in the lymph nodes and tissues of the body's immune system.
Leukaemias are cancers of the immature blood cells that grow in the bone marrow and tend to accumulate in large numbers in the bloodstream.
Adenomas are tumours that come from glandular tissue like the thyroid, the pituitary gland the adrenal gland. They are often benign.
There are often prefixs to those tissue groups that describe the exact type of cell the cancer origionates from. Some of the prefixs include:
Adeno- = gland
Chondro- = cartilage
Erythro- = red blood cell
Haemangio- = blood vessels
Hepato- = liver
Lipo- = fat
Lympho- = white blood cell
Melano- = pigment cell
Myelo- = bone marrow
Myo- = muscle
Osteo- = bone
My favorite fundraiser is Relay for Life. The country is divided into 13 different regions and each region has their base offices. Those offices decide where and when events are going to be held and they provide information and supplies and they are always available to aid with problems or questions. I have participated in five Relay for Life events throughout my lifetime and have loved every second of the fundraising, preperation, and the event in itself.
There are over 200 different types of cancer. You can develop one or more type(s) of cancer in ANY organ or part of your body. Despite the numerous different types, cancers can be broadly grouped into types depending on the tissues they develop from/in. Here are the groups:
Carcinomas, the most common types of cancer, arise from the cells that cover external and internal body surfaces. Lung, breast, and colon are the most frequent cancers of this type.
Sarcomas are cancers arising from cells found in the supporting tissues of the body such as bone, cartilage, fat, connective tissue and muscle.
Lymphomas are cancers that arise in the lymph nodes and tissues of the body's immune system.
Leukaemias are cancers of the immature blood cells that grow in the bone marrow and tend to accumulate in large numbers in the bloodstream.
Adenomas are tumours that come from glandular tissue like the thyroid, the pituitary gland the adrenal gland. They are often benign.
There are often prefixs to those tissue groups that describe the exact type of cell the cancer origionates from. Some of the prefixs include:
Adeno- = gland
Chondro- = cartilage
Erythro- = red blood cell
Haemangio- = blood vessels
Hepato- = liver
Lipo- = fat
Lympho- = white blood cell
Melano- = pigment cell
Myelo- = bone marrow
Myo- = muscle
Osteo- = bone
My favorite fundraiser is Relay for Life. The country is divided into 13 different regions and each region has their base offices. Those offices decide where and when events are going to be held and they provide information and supplies and they are always available to aid with problems or questions. I have participated in five Relay for Life events throughout my lifetime and have loved every second of the fundraising, preperation, and the event in itself.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
"America's FIRST African American President: Barack Obama!!!"
Our nation, for the first time in history, voted 365 to 173 to elect Barack Obama our 2009-2013 president. He is the first African American President of The United States of America. The entire nation sat on the edge of their seats waiting to see if Barack Obama would beat out John McCain and if our nation would "finally" (for lack of a more substantial word) see an African American citizen elected into the historic position of our past leaders. Once Obama passed the 270 mark, you could feel the release of accumulated breaths. The happiness, and anger, were tangible. America had chosen, and what Obama brought to the table, pleased more than it upset. I am personally psyched beyond belief that Barack Obama is our new president. Some of you are not, which I respect. For as Voltaire said it best, "I disagree with what you are saying, but I will fight to the death for your right to say it." I believe in every word of what Voltaire said. Some of you are strongly against President Obama, and that is your choice, but what he said, and is saying, is true and he has passion, drive, and charisma and, in my opinion, the Republicans have lost those key elements and are in lust for the power and money that come with being on top. It's always about a power and wealth struggle when it should be about the American people. I believe President Obama is going to fight to bring our nation back to where we belong: looking out for one another and not worrying about who has control of the power and money but what good they're doing with it.
The presidents first 50 days have been under intense pressure and pressing crowds of this nations citizens waiting on the edge of their seats and hanging by threads to see what his next move will be and in which direction he is leading this country.
President Obama's stimulus plan for our failing economy is seen as ingenious by some and idiotic by others. Me, I'm on the fence. The reasoning and ideas behind it are patriotic and noble, but the idea of putting money we don't have into an economy suffering from the money we already lack, just seems to me that it would add up to more money we don't have. The stimulus is designed to take us out of debt while the way I understand it, it increases the national debt to other countries but depletes it within our nation...or, something along those lines. So far, our president has been fantastic and I am so excited to be involved in this journey through history with a man that I think is going to fix America and get our beloved country back to where we can be proud to call her ours.
The presidents first 50 days have been under intense pressure and pressing crowds of this nations citizens waiting on the edge of their seats and hanging by threads to see what his next move will be and in which direction he is leading this country.
President Obama's stimulus plan for our failing economy is seen as ingenious by some and idiotic by others. Me, I'm on the fence. The reasoning and ideas behind it are patriotic and noble, but the idea of putting money we don't have into an economy suffering from the money we already lack, just seems to me that it would add up to more money we don't have. The stimulus is designed to take us out of debt while the way I understand it, it increases the national debt to other countries but depletes it within our nation...or, something along those lines. So far, our president has been fantastic and I am so excited to be involved in this journey through history with a man that I think is going to fix America and get our beloved country back to where we can be proud to call her ours.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
What is a film without the set?!...Nothing But Dialog...'Yippee'
If you were once as naive as me, you would've thought that all movies were filmed "on-location." (Which in the movie business, is where it is a natural, actual, place rather than a constructed background in a studio stage.) Sadly, this is NOT the case. It is far too expensive, especially with the world's economy crumbling how it is. Also, it is incredibly difficult to get filming rights for "on-location" shooting (filming). You need permits, and to pay "fees", and sign contracts, make promises, and adhere to strict codes. Each location varying DRASTICALLY from the next. I do believe however, that when movies are shot in a natural location that if appears more real and makes the film more beautiful and realistic to the viewers.
Every movie in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy was filmed partially in the Caribbean. In the 2 and 3 films, (Dead Man's Chest and At World's End) were filmed partly on Dominica. This gorgeous Caribbean island is not only one of the least disturbed island in the eastern section of those rippling blue waters, but it was actually home to many a real-life pirates famous treasures. The Spanish treasure fleets declared the northwest shore, now Portsmouth, as their stopping and stashing point on the way into the Caribbean from Europe in 1535.Because of it's forests, hot springs and fresh water, it was a great place to recuperate and find hiding places for their goods. After recovering and stashing the treasure, the fleets would split up. Half of the ships sailed to Panama and Cartaghena and the other to Mexico.
The crescent shaped bay in which the first film, The Curse of The Black Pearl, "on-location shooting" took place was St. Vincent. They chose St. Vincent because of the crescent shaped bay and that it was the only one without an over-zealous fancy hotel/resort for the upwardly mobile. They made-over a few of the buildings in the bay area, constructed more and added and extended piers. They brought in 3 ships, 2 of which they constructed over steel barges and one which they remodled to the codes of the time period. 99% of all the props were constructed in Long Beach and then flew into St. Lucia then shipped everything over. There were 400 crew members brought in and several hundred members of St. Vincent's population was hired as well. They bought for the filming time, almost every hotel room on the island. The cave of the "Cursed Treasue of Cortez's cursed Aztec gold coins" were the infamous Captain Barbossa's crew stored their loot, took over 5 months to build with over 100 craftsman. It was construced partially of foam and the rest from wood and plaster. It was based partially off of the Disney World theme park ride for it's appearance and contents. They filled a majority of the cave with water which made it difficult to shoot but they didn't have one giltch when it came to that aspect.
Every movie in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy was filmed partially in the Caribbean. In the 2 and 3 films, (Dead Man's Chest and At World's End) were filmed partly on Dominica. This gorgeous Caribbean island is not only one of the least disturbed island in the eastern section of those rippling blue waters, but it was actually home to many a real-life pirates famous treasures. The Spanish treasure fleets declared the northwest shore, now Portsmouth, as their stopping and stashing point on the way into the Caribbean from Europe in 1535.Because of it's forests, hot springs and fresh water, it was a great place to recuperate and find hiding places for their goods. After recovering and stashing the treasure, the fleets would split up. Half of the ships sailed to Panama and Cartaghena and the other to Mexico.
The crescent shaped bay in which the first film, The Curse of The Black Pearl, "on-location shooting" took place was St. Vincent. They chose St. Vincent because of the crescent shaped bay and that it was the only one without an over-zealous fancy hotel/resort for the upwardly mobile. They made-over a few of the buildings in the bay area, constructed more and added and extended piers. They brought in 3 ships, 2 of which they constructed over steel barges and one which they remodled to the codes of the time period. 99% of all the props were constructed in Long Beach and then flew into St. Lucia then shipped everything over. There were 400 crew members brought in and several hundred members of St. Vincent's population was hired as well. They bought for the filming time, almost every hotel room on the island. The cave of the "Cursed Treasue of Cortez's cursed Aztec gold coins" were the infamous Captain Barbossa's crew stored their loot, took over 5 months to build with over 100 craftsman. It was construced partially of foam and the rest from wood and plaster. It was based partially off of the Disney World theme park ride for it's appearance and contents. They filled a majority of the cave with water which made it difficult to shoot but they didn't have one giltch when it came to that aspect.
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