Rachel

thedailywhat:

Marketing Campaign of the Day: A fully funded $14,800 Kickstarter has resulted in an extensive D.C. ad campaign defending Pfc. Bradley Manning, who is charged with “aiding the enemy” for leaking the largest dump of classified information in U.S. history to WikiLeaks. If convicted, Manning faces life in prison, an outcome the series of subway ads — which hail him as a whistleblower — seeks to avoid.

The ads, by nonprofit ad firm EpicStep and the Bradley Manning Support Network, are directed at government workers in the capital:

The military has done its best to limit public exposure to Bradley Manning’s case by holding the trial at Ft. Meade, a relatively difficult location for the public to attend, and they have not released transcripts of the pretrial hearing, thereby limiting media exposure and making it difficult for laymen to follow the proceedings. Let’s bring the case back to Washington! … These ads will force government workers to remember WikiLeaks and Bradley Manning, remind them that the public is behind Bradley, and explain that what Bradley is accused of doing is a public good.

Manning’s next hearing is June 6.

[shortformblog]

Reblog this and get the word out!

(Source: thedailywhat)

Relaxing on Mother’s Day.

I was woken up by my daughter at 5:45am with breakfast in bed. It consisted of half cooked turkey bacon, Cheetos, sliced pears and bananas covered in chocolate syrup.

Ari thought today was a school day so she set her alarm for 5:10am to make sure she woke up before me. I skipped breakfast and we went back to bed until 10. I can’t imagine why it didn’t seem appetizing but I just couldn’t stomach eating it. Thankfully Ari had no trouble “sharing” it with me.

Later on, we went for a mile long walk down the driveway and back, picking flowers, while Millie and our ducks followed. We spent some time working on this 1000 piece puzzle which doesn’t appear to have all of the side pieces and pieces that don’t match fit perfectly together so I don’t think we will be completing this one.

It was a really nice day. Now we are crashed out on the couch. Snuggle city.

thedailywhat:

Marriage Proposal of the Day: In what is believed to be the first proposal of marriage between two gay men — and war vets — on a U.S. military base, Navy vet Cory Huston asked Marine Avarice Guerrero to marry him Tuesday at Camp Pendleton in San Diego. Here’s the story:

Under a bright Southern California sky at Camp Pendleton’s Camp Del Mar near Oceanside, California, a full two hours before his boyfriend’s return from the badlands of Afghanistan, Cory Huston waited nervously. Huston, who was discharged under the former Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy, chain smoked as he rehearsed the simple proposal he would deliver when Guerrero would arrive.

Finally, luggage in tow, Guerrero emerged with a smile on his face. Upon seeing Huston, Guerrero dropped his bags; aimed a kiss toward Huston’s lips; and opened his arms to his boyfriends waiting embrace. The time and distance of 10 months’ separation evaporated in a public show of affection that less than a year ago would have been cause for court martial. After a few minutes of emotional holding and kissing, Huston went anxiously down on one knee; looked up at Guerrero, who was dressed from head to toe in military fatigues; and produced an engagement ring and the time-honored phrase, “Will you marry me?”

Huston’s mild tremble, a result of hours and days of anticipation about this day, was quickly quieted by the one word every hopeful fiancé wants to hear: “Yes.”

[hypervocal]

Another step in the right direction towards legalizing being gay. It’s about time!

(Source: thedailywhat)

thedailywhat:

Alcoholism Treatment of the Day: In one small step for the pharmaceutical industry, but one giant step for alcohol dependents everywhere, the French have approved a pill that treats alcoholism. Baclofen — which goes by Kemstro, Lioresal, and Gablofen — isn’t quite definitively efficient in all cases of alcoholism, but it has provided “clinical benefits in some patients,” so France is forging ahead. In a study of 132 heavy drinkers, the drug — originally developed to treat epilepsy — succeeded in making 80 percent either become abstinent or moderate drinkers. The best any other anti-alcoholism drug has ever managed is fewer than 25 percent.

Side effects include fatigue, drowsiness, insomnia, dizziness, and digestive troubles. Also the financial burden of a round-trip flight to France.

[gizmodo]

I’ve been taking Baclofen for a while to treat spasticity caused by my MS. Its essentially being used as a sleep medication. Baclofen basically acts like a milder version of ambien as I can’t take ambien because of the risks of mixing it with other medications that would be lethal. I take it before bed time because it makes me fall asleep.

The only way I could see this working is if it makes alcoholics fall asleep instead of drinking. “Go to bed, instead of drinking!” Sounds good to me! Baclofen currently costs $8.54 for 60 pills a month without insurance. I really hope this doesn’t cause the price to sky rocket because it’s the only affordable medication that I take. Everything else is thousands of dollars a month.

(Source: thedailywhat)

My zebu, Elsa Luna (her friends call her Miss Ellie Moon) had her calf on April 17th. Ellie had originally lost her first calf last year. It was born alive but unfortunately didn’t get out of the sack in time so it passed away. This new young bull is happy and healthy. Ellie is 34” at the shoulders and was bred to a 31 1/2” bull so this little guy should be tiny!

I wish I could figure out why I constantly wake up because my neck is hot and sweaty.

(Ignore the horrid looking wrist tattoo work, it has had a few laser removal sessions!)