| Locked. |
[Jan. 1st, 2012|01:15 am] |
Now Locked.
Comment to be added. You know the drill.
Photo posts will be made public.
[maria] |
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| The Splinter, The Woods |
[Jun. 25th, 2009|01:12 am] |
Saw The Splinter, The Woods perform tonight. Man, that is some good stuff. Cute boys. ♥
Dylan sang so hard that he puked. Mid-show. Then continued singing in true rock star fashion.
Oh man. In love. Marry me.
Haha.
You can't even tell that Mark, the brown-haired one, is cute. He is. He just has a problem with controlling that hair.
That was fun. I should probably go to sleep. I have to finish writing an article on Dr. Capper for class tomorrow. I hate summer school.
LJ-cuts are lame.
[maria] |
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| My Grandma's Murderer Died |
[Mar. 4th, 2009|09:50 am] |
MARTINEZ — A Concord man who served 19 years on death row at San Quentin for the rape and murder of a neighbor — only to have the conviction overturned and another trial ordered — died Monday in custody at County Jail in Martinez.
Michael Wayne Jennings had been hospitalized for a terminal illness since Jan. 12, Contra Costa Sheriff's Office spokesman Jimmy Lee said.
Jennings, 58, was convicted in 1984 of the rape and slaying of 63-year-old Violet Newman, a Concord neighbor, two years earlier.
Jennings grew up next door to Newman and her family. On Aug. 7, 1982, she was raped and her house robbed. She was found with her throat slit and more than a dozen stab wounds.
Police arrested the then-32-year-old Jennings soon after.
He was convicted and sentenced to death, but immediately appealed the ruling.
In 2002, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out both the sentence and conviction on the grounds that Jennings' attorney did not use his client's drug abuse and mental problems as a defense. The 9th Circuit ruled that Jennings' defense attorney should have investigated a mental health defense instead of basing his case on his client's claims that he was at a party in another town.
The defense fell apart mid-trial when attorneys on both sides discovered that a phone call made by Jennings did not provide an alibi.
Jennings was transferred back to County Jail while proceedings began for a new court case. That trial never happened because of Jennings' illness, Lee said. He was taken to the Contra Costa Regional Medical Center on Jan. 12 and died about 4 p.m. Monday, Lee said.
Lee said he could not comment about the nature of Jennings' terminal illness because of federal privacy laws.
He died from Hepatitis C.
I realize I gave up the internet, but this article was too important not to journal. Thank you Angela for telling me the news. I spread the word to the rest of my family and a lot of them are feeling relief now.
[maria] |
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| India |
[Feb. 16th, 2009|10:04 pm] |
If all goes as planned, I am going to India this May. Yes, THIS MAY. I've decided to postpone California if it means I can do the "Religions of India" study abroad program. I am going to speak with the study abroad office in the International Building tomorrow morning. I need to make sure I can get a student loan in time.
[maria]
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| Jai Ho! |
[Feb. 16th, 2009|12:26 am] |
I love this. Putting a Bollywood style dance at the end credits of any movie instantly makes it a winner! I really hope Slumdog Millionaire more or less takes home all the Oscars. Milk deserves a few too. As far as I am concerned... that is it! So amazing! Go see this movie, please.
Oh. & my Valentine's Day sucked. It consisted of 4 things:
1. Getting really drunk the night before & sleeping almost the entire day.
2. Cleaning up piss from an overflowed toilet @ The Grand.
3. Seeing him with his new girlfriend.
4. Grabbing a beer with Chop @ The Keg.
[maria] |
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| Maybe I would have been something you'd be good at... |
[Feb. 11th, 2009|02:21 pm] |
I'm still not used to my skinny face/neck when I look in the mirror or see recent pictures of me. It sort of trips me out... blows my mind. I was so used to looking at fathead Maria for so long. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining!
Also, I made some mac 'n' cheese today... which was a bad idea. I broke down and wanted some cheese really badly. So, I made it & put butter in it & ate it all & threw at least half of it up! My body already has adjusted to the vegan life and cannot deal with dairy.
Oh, & here is a fathead Maria picture from this summer just for reference:
[maria] |
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| There are many things that I would like to say to you, but I don't know how... |
[Feb. 3rd, 2009|10:12 pm] |
Le sigh.
I am a pathetic creature.
Timing is everything.
I've never been good at timing.
My internal clock is all off.
I want to be a better person.
I want to be a nice person.
I've learned my lesson.
Karma, hit me back with the goods.
Life has become so monotonous...
School. Work. Work. Sleep. Repeat.
I need a breath of fresh air.
Could you give it to me?
[maria] |
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| Instinct |
[Jan. 25th, 2009|03:03 am] |
Yeah, so I ended up getting that phone with all the annoying "romance movie" commercials. The Instinct.
But this commercial was totally better:
It is a really amazing phone, by the way. In order to get it I had to separate from my parents' family plan and get my own. That was a little scary. I hate making commitments & I'm scared to grow up. Oh well. My phone is awesome.
[maria] |
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| Movies! Movies Galore! |
[Jan. 22nd, 2009|02:05 pm] |
I don't think there have ever been so many movies at the movie theater at once that I actually WANT to see.
bold = need to see
crossed out = saw
? = undecided if I should see
Bedtime Stories
Bride Wars
Defiance
Frost/Nixon
Gran Torino
Inkheart
Last Chance Harvey - ?
Marley & Me - ?
My Bloody Valentine
Paul Blart
Revolutionary Road
Benjamin Button
Dark Knight
Unborn
Twilight
Underworld
Valkyrie
Yes Man
a. Yes, we have Dark Knight back.
b. I'm probably going to see Gran Torino & Defiance sometime next week on my own time.
c. I think P-fizz & I are going to try to see both (or at least one of) Revolutionary Road & Frost/Nixon this weekend if our schedules match up at all.
d. I am going to see Underworld with my father next week.
e. If I think Revolutionary Road is something my mom will like, I will end up seeing it again with her.
f. I am seeing My Bloody Valentine for a third time today with Evon & Sonny. I'll end up seeing it a fourth time with Greg, & possibly a fifth time with my brother.
g. I'll probably watch Paul Blart & Ink Heart on nights I get off work early enough to do so & I am already conveniently there.
e. I am not going to get to see Valkyrie in theaters cause we're down to one showing and it is inconvenient.
f. I watched Twilight for the 8th time yesterday with Evon (her 3rd time) & we are going to see it again next week just cause they still have it around.
g. Did I mention that I think I've gotten to the point where I love my job?
[maria] |
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| Vampire Hair! |
[Dec. 23rd, 2008|08:01 pm] |
Adrienne cut my hair like Alice Cullen from Twilight today. Yeah, I am pretty excited, my damn self!
We got rid of like half the black that I am trying to grow out & I am pretty sure this is my favorite cut I have ever had. I'm in love. YES!
[maria] |
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| Beautiful Men |
[Nov. 25th, 2008|07:34 am] |
I find these to be four of the most beautiful (not just hot) men creatures on the planet:
Robert Pattinson
Cillian Murphy
Stuart Townsend
& of course, Jonathan Rhys Meyers
What do they all have in common?
All from the U.K.
Yeah... I'm considering a move.
(& only posting this ridiculous blog cause I'm procrastinating doing homework)
[maria] |
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| President Barack Obama |
[Nov. 5th, 2008|06:36 pm] |
I just cried listening to Obama's victory speech. I told my mom it was amazing that my first election that I voted in was such a historical one! Our first [half] black president! My mom and I got all teary-eyed because I said that this was Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream being fulfilled and if he had not been assassinated he would still be alive to see his dream become a reality. It is a beautiful thing, and today I feel really good about Obama being our 44th president.
On another note, I do not feel good about some of the ridiculous things I heard ignorant black people say today. I heard things like, "Paint The White House black!" I also overheard two girls talking and one of them said to the other, "I believe it is God's will! God came down and said 'Barack! Get your people!'" I wanted to scream, "I'm his people too! He's half white!" A bunch of white kids got in fights with black kids and my brother's school today as well. Great. Did they miss Obama's message? This is about change! This is about unity! Not black power. He himself is two races united. Blacks, whites, latinos, and asians put him in the White House, not black people alone! I wish these people could just comprehend the beauty of the situation instead of constantly taking us back. How can we go forward with that kind of attitude!?
And on an only slightly related note, today Penny's eight-year-old daughter, Olivia, said something really great today that made me smile. Olivia was followed home by a little boy and when he left Olivia was beaming. She said, "he likes me." It was cute and Penny's sister, Joanna (who is nothing like Penny), blurted out, "the black boy!?" Olivia looked at her and said in a really know-it-all attitude, "No, he's brown!" When I later told Penny, she said, "Oh yeah, we don't say 'black' in this house." Penny then pointed to something black and said, "I've never seen someone that color in my life. And for that matter, I've never seen a white person either!" Oh Penny! I love her and her children.
[maria] |
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| Doggie Death Camp - Animal Shelter Rant #2 |
[Jul. 6th, 2008|10:17 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  infuriated | ] |
Just when I thought that I couldn't possibly be more disgusted by the animal shelter than I already am, I was proved wrong. Today I found out quite a few more things from an anonymous source that does/did work at the animal shelter. It sounded like scenes from the holocaust. Nothing "humane" about it.
I found out that the first day this person worked at the shelter 50-75 animals were put down, and that is more or less a daily number. She said that they will put down every cat in the "cat room" if one of them gets a cough or virus. She said that they will put down "ugly puppies" and adult dogs even when they are perfectly healthy before even giving them a chance to be adopted. They also lie to people up at the front desk. My source told me that even though they told me that the dog I brought in should still be there for at least the rest of this week, the unfortunate truth is that she was probably already put down... even though she had only been there 2 working days and displayed serious signs of having an owner. She also told me something that lead me to believe that if they received Gloria (my cat that ran away a month ago) they put her down as well. We filled out a lost pet form and she had a collar, but apparently that doesn't always matter. Gloria was fat, old, and had asthma. If she did make it to the shelter, she didn't make it out. They put on these happy faces and act as if they are trying to help animals, but the people that work there are cruel sadistic assholes. They don't give a damn about animals or the sanctity of life in general. They should be doing EVERYTHING in their power to get as many of these animals placed in homes as they can, but most of them are lazy and the death shots are the easiest way to solve a problem.
The poor girl told me all the reasons that this had to be done and truly believed them. She even told me not to feel bad because the animals are treated really well before they are killed. She had been brainwashed to recite the same damn speech any one of them will give you. She honestly believed it, and this is what scares me about human kind. It is this inability to see the obvious that made people follow Hitler and honestly believe that what was done in death camps to the Jews was okay. That may be a more extreme level, but it is the same general mentality and situation.
I have found something to fight for. Furry little lives.
Please GOD let my doggie be there tomorrow. I will give her so much more than that piece of shit shelter could.
[maria] |
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| 70% of Animals @ Shelters Are Euthanized! |
[Jul. 1st, 2008|12:13 pm] |
Last night I found a beautiful yellow lab mix female dog around 1 year old. I was worried about her wondering around Petal/Hattiesburg and getting hit by a car, so I put her in my car and took her home. She was a very sweet girl that loved human company and would wine when left alone. She also appeared to be housebroken and sat on command. This lead me to think that she has had human interaction before and has a possible owner. She was, however, not wearing a collar.
So, I took her home and decided to keep her overnight before bringing her to the Southern Pines Animal Shelter. This morning I brought her there and was horrified by what I learned.
I decided before ever brining this dog that I would adopt her if her family didn't come to get her and there was a chance she might be put down. I do not in any way shape or form believe in euthanasia. Not even to put a suffering animal out of its misery. I believe nature should take its course and every living thing deserves its right to live. I figured it would be a simple favor to asked to be notified before they ever kill this sweet dog. Wrong! As I was filling out the paperwork and asking about it and the woman told me "No, I just don't have the time to call everyone that wants to be called." I was in shock and horrified. Isn't the shelter supposed to help animals find homes? Not kill them instead of calling a home that wants them? I could not help my tone, and enraged I said, "What!? It is better for a little animal to die than for you to call a person that wants it!?" She then gave me this little speech about how she could call me if that dog was the only dog brought in today, but since she'd be about one of thirty and everyone wants to be called to adopt the animal they bring in if no one else wants it, she couldn't. It would be more of a hassle. I realize she was trying to give me a reasonable answer from her point of view, but what she said only made my anger worse. She had just told me that a good number of the animals brought in and put down could have had homes instead of death sentences if she or whoever else is working just called the person that wanted them. This would not fly with me.
I then proceeded to ask about how long she thought the dog I had would have before being euthanized. She told me the text book answer that she had been taught to recite time and time again. She told me that it varied from case to case and that the dog could be there 4 hours, 4 days, 4 weeks, or 4 months depending on various things. She wasn't even giving me a chance to save this dog. She seemed to be doing nothing to help me or this dog at all. Why work at an animal shelter if that cold towards living beings? I just stood there about ready to cry when the man I had given the dog to returned. He had a little bit more couth and informed me that that particular dog had at least 5-7 business days before being put down since she did appear to be a pet. In fact, I don't believe I could even adopt her cause she would be on hold during that period. He was at least kinder, but I still felt ill. I ended up saying that I would call next Monday and see if she was still there and if they had any more information on how long they would be keeping her, and then possibly adopt her. I was determined not to let this dog die. Apparently I was the only one that cared at all.
Do not get me wrong. I appreciate all that the shelter does. I have adopted a dog and 2 cats from the shelter myself. It is just that there is a dark side under all those seemingly good intentions. A very scary dark side.
Upon arriving home I read the fine print to the form I had signed. It stated that only 30% of animals brought in to shelters are given homes each year and the other 70% are euthanized. I was terrified. The numbers seem unreal. I just don't feel shelters are doing their job.
If I call in Monday and find out that that dog has been put down, it will not be the last time you hear from me! I will write letters and articles and scream and shout and go in there and raise hell. Why? Cause it would not be my irresponsibility that killed that dog. It would be theirs. For now I can only hope for the best. Perhaps that puppy's owner will come and get her or she'll find another nice home in the meantime. If not, I will find myself with one other canine companion, but it would be worth it after finding out all that I know.
Please adopt animals from shelters instead of buying purebreds! And please try to find stray animals homes before bringing them to those furry death camps!
Oh, & while on the subject of euthanasia: Church of Euthanasia
[maria] |
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| Auron's 6th Birthday |
[Jun. 30th, 2008|11:52 am] |
( Have your cake & eat it too! )
I don't know why, but photobucket resized some of my images automatically & also the images look much more washed out and light and out of focus on photobucket than they do on my flickr or in all reality. But you get the gist of it.
[maria] |
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plan_to_love_me's journal
