Cotton DOESN'T Weigh More Than Fat

Lately, I've been checking my weight nearly every day. (I'm not trying to lose weight per se, but I am trying to keep it below 145 pounds.) A rule that I had been taught a long time ago is not to wear shoes when stepping on a scale as it adds it makes the scale think you weigh more than you should. (Strangely enough, on a weight loss show on VH1 called Money Hungry, the participants have on sneakers when stepping on the scale, and on the most recent season of Celebrity Fit Club: Boot Camp, the participants had on combat boots. Someone had made a comment in reference to the former that the participants shouldn't have on any footwear in the weigh-in portion of the show as it adds to the weight readings.)

So, as a rule, when I weigh myself at home, I don't wear shoes. I won't even take any chances with any of my pairs of ballet flat slippers however lightweight they are. I do all of my weigh-ins barefooted or sock-footed.

For quite some time, I've wondered if wearing socks affected scale readings. I decided to find out. If wearing socks did, in fact, affect the scale readings, then I'd make sure to always be barefoot when weighing myself. First, I stepped onto the scale in a pair of regular white cotton socks (along with a top and jeans I was wearing at the time). The scale said 137.5. Then, I took my socks off and weighed myself barefoot. Once again, the scale said 137.5.

In closing, while wearing shoes will add to number on the scale, socks will not. Thus, it won't matter whether I'm wearing them on the scale or not.

Don't Do Drugs If You Plan On Going To Japan

I've just now saw an article online about Paris Hilton being banned from Japan due to her recent drug conviction. Up until today, I didn't know that Japan had a law denying entry for anyone convicted of a drug charge. (I've heard of Hilton's drug conviction for quite some time, but I would've thought that given the contoversy surrounding her DUI conviction in 2007 that she would have learned to stay out of trouble. But it's her life, not mine.) She hasn't been the only one who has had that problem, and the law is nothing new. The article mentioned the scenarios of Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, to name a few.

I don't know where I stand on Japan's law that one who is convicted of a drug offense can't come in. I'm not sure if I ever will since 1) I don't do drugs and 2) I have yet to have any cause to go to Japan. I will say this though: I've been taught in school to not do drugs because of all sorts of things that could happen. Well here's a new reason not to do drugs: there's no telling when you may have business calling you to Japan, and they don't want drug users in their country. (And even if going to Japan is NOT in your future, you don't need to be doing drugs anyway, okay?)

Splashing Acid On Herself For Attention? Who Does That?

Today, I saw an article about an acid attack "victim" who, as it turns out, did it herself. The story can be found here. At first she said that a black woman splashed acid in her face, and then later, she admitted to doing it to herself. When various people thought the former was the case, she gained a lot of sympathy, and donations were made towards her recovery  So now, whatever money was donated for her recovery will be returned, not to meniton she's "faces charges for filing a false police report. (A mention of a planned appearance on Oprah that ended up not happening can be found here.

I have no clue why she did what she did. Is she mentally ill? Is she a con artist? Who knows?

All I know I wouldn't do anything like that to get attention. First off, I wouldn't pour acid on myself. Second, I wouldn't rip people off like that. It wasn't how I was raised. (Now that the truth is out, the money donated towards her recovery is going to be returned. Nonetheless, she still has to undergo recover but will have to figure out an honest means to get whatever money is needed for that.) Third, if I wanted fame or attention from people not already in my life (which may have been the motive), there are ways to do it that don't involve hurting yourself and saying that someone else did it to you.

I don't know what will happen if she's convicted of the false police report charge.  What do you think should happen? Should she do jail time, pay a fine, or do community service? Do you also think maybe she needs to be committed somewhere? I'd like to know what you all think about this.

(P.S. To those of you who may have tried to comment: my settings were such that it said that it appeared that only "registered users" could comment. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused, and it has been changed so that anyone, even those who wish to remain anonymous can comment.)

Another US-Centric Post: Where Were You On 9/11?

As those of you in the US are probably aware, today is the ninth anniversary of 9/11, when planes were hijacked, and the World Trade Center and Twin Towers were destroyed.  You may be asked where you were on 9/11. Here is what I was up to on that day:

I was a junior in high school at the time. I had a test in the first class I had that day--chemistry. Shortly after said test did I find out that stuff was going on. At some point in that class, the TV was on one of the channels covering the incident. Someone at some point joked, "It's the end of the world. Party at my place."

The next class I had that day was Intro. to Shakespeare where I had a vocabulary quiz. After that, the the news was on in that class.  The issue also came up for a short while in a Spanish class that I had that day as well. (I had one other class that day, but I don't recall right off what it was.)

On the way home after school (rode the bus), I saw a lot of gas stations with long lines of cars at the pumps. When I finally got home, I asked my stepdad if he needed to go get gas, but he said that he and Mom took car of that during their lunch hours. Also, my sister came over for a bit. (She had to wait a long time to get gas and had to settle for Premium as it was all that was left.) She said that her then boyfriend (now ex-husband) had a picture of himself at the Twin Towers and said that nobody could take a picture like that anymore.

The Band Booster potluck that was scheduled that day almost got cancelled. It went on, but I think the mentality was "Let's get to the point as quickly as possible so that we can all go home to watch the news."

It's funny what one can remember on a day like that. I even remember what I was wearing that day (khaki pants with hose underneath, a denim shirt, a multi-colored scarf, brown sandals, and a sparkly ponytail holder with which I had the top layer of my hair pulled back). So I ask you, where were you, and what do you remember about that day?

The Quran Burning's Been Called Off

I had mentioned in my last post that a church in Florida was planning on burning the Islamic Quran. Now, it turns out that said burning has been cancelled. This was after someone on the Muslim side had promised that the building of the mosque wouud not take near Ground Zero.  I just hope both parties hold true to their word.

A Church In Florida Is Going To Do What?

This coming Saturday will mark the ninth anniversary of what has become known in the U.S. as 9/11, when the World Trade Center and Twin Towers blew up and planes were hijacked.

As it turns out that the plans of a church in Florida on that day consist of burning the Quran. Here is one of the various articles discussing this.

My religious background consists of Christianity via a combination of the American Baptist and Disciples of Christ perspectives. I doubt I will ever convert to Islam. Yet, I cannot envision myself taking part of the burning of the Quran.

First off, I have to wonder how the preacher would react if Muslims or any other "non-Christian group" were to announce plans to burn the Bible? Given my aforementioned religious background, I know I wouldn't like it. I also have a feeling that various churches would be up in arms if that happened. (The article I linked to said that "Muslims consider the Quran the word of God and insist it be treated with utmost respect." Do Christians not have the same sentiments about the Bible?)

Second, I don't really condone book burning (unless the book is in particularly bad shape and can't be salvaged or if say, it's a really cold day and you need the fuel for the fire). As a bibliophile, I believe books, regardless of their nature (religious or otherwise), should either be read or left alone. But that's just my opinion.

Third, when it comes down to it, a book is, in and of itself, is basically a bunch of pieces of paper written on and bound together and will pretty much have as much influence on you as you will let it. The reason I bring this up is that, according to Mitch Stacy, the author of the aforementioned article, says that "The [Quran] according to [the preacher], is evil because it espouses anything other than biblical truth and incites radical, violent behavior among Muslims." If such reasons were the grounds for destroying a book, then there are a lot of books in the world that would need to be destroyed. I've read books where people swear, smoke, and do other things that are often consider sinful to the Christian faith. Just because I read said books (whether it has been on my own or what used to be the case, for class) and they happen to contain uses of the F-word, smoking, premarital sex, pratices associated with non-Christian religions doesn't mean I'm necessarily going to be inspired to do those things.

And one more thing, I know that the First Amendement protects this church's right to burn the Quran, but just because a person has a right to do something doesn't mean others have to like it.

Having said all of this, now that you know where I stand on this issue, I'd like to know your thoughts. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some things to take care of around the house, and then I'm going to sit down and get in my daily Bible reading.

That "No Large Bills" Policies That Some Businesses Have

I've been in various stores with a policy that they would not accept any bills larger than $20. That was no big deal to me as I seldom, if ever, had any cause to carry around a large bill, such as a $50. (I usually deposited those in the bank.)

I've operated the register in both of the paid jobs I've ever held (a retail one and one at the Burger King that was in my current hometown at one time) as well as my current volunteer spot at one of the thrift stores in town. Sometimes, when a customer pays for whatever they bought/ordered, the difference between the cash they give and the actual cost of the purchase is big enough to cost the cashier a lot of the change in the drawer.

At the place I volunteer at, not only do large bills pose a problem as far as change is concerned, but the $20 bills do as well, if the overall cost comes nowhere near that. A couple of times, either I or somebody else had to go to a nearby bank to exchange any bills $20 or higher for "smaller" change, if we were lucky enough not to be the only person on duty. (I remember back when I was working the aforementioned retail job that one of my then co-workers said that sometimes she's had to "buy" change from someone and/or turn people away because of lack of change on her end.)

Hmm. I guess the next time I'm out shopping, I should have bills on hand that aren't much higher than what my total for xyz is if I can help it (which I can't always, I'm afraid, but it's worth thinking about).  After all, I'd hate to deprive the person on the other end of the register of too much of what's in the drawer.

What's Moderate Mouse Up To This Time?

For a while, I had thought of starting a blog for things that can't always be covered by my other blogs. The focus on this blog will be for my thoughts on a news story (to which I will likely post links), pop culture, religion, animals, or even just plain life in general. I may even come up with topics as I go that have yet to occur to me now.  Posts from my other blogs may or may not appear here at some point.

I hope you enjoy whatever posts may come. By the way, feel free to leave a comment of your own.