I love this news story.  It shows that parents aren’t necessarily defined by biology.

GERMAN ZOO: GAY PENGUIN PAIR RAISING CHICK — BERLIN — A German zoo says a pair of gay male penguins are raising a chick from an egg abandoned by its parents.

Bremerhaven zoo veterinarian Joachim Schoene says the egg was placed in the male penguins’ nest after its parents rejected it in late April. The males incubated it for some 30 days before it hatched and have continued to care for it. The chick’s gender is not yet known.

Schoene said the male birds, named Z and Vielpunkt, are one of three same-sex pairs among the zoo’s 20 Humboldt penguins that have attempted to mate.

Homosexual behavior has been documented in many animal species.

The zoo said in a statement on its Web site Thursday that “sex and coupling in our world don’t always have something to do with reproduction.”

(And as a post script, I was surfing one of the German news sites, which I often do to get my international news, I found the original video-in German about the penguins, so if you are interested in seeing the love that these male penguins have for each other, please be sure to watch this video.)

We’re finally getting bins to put our recycling in, and I’m SOOOOO excited!  We’ve had to use our own small buckets to put the recycling out every other week in.  I recycle as much as is allowed and most times I have at least 2 big buckets full of plastic, paper and cans to be recycled.  Now we’ll have a push cart with a lid for our trash (same as we do now) and a push cart with a different color lid to throw all our recyclables in.  We were forwarded this really neat video about how they actually recycle things.  I want to share this, because I think it’s important that we ALL recycle as much as possible.   http://www.tbovideo.com/wmavon.htm

Today’s been a hot bed of news for this nation.  Our President has nominated federal appeals judge Sonia Sotomayor to become the nation’s first Hispanic Supreme Court justice.  This is sooooo cool.  Finally to have the possibility of two women again serving on the nation’s highest court (getting us closer to having women fill high positions.)  And the fact that she’s Hispanic is also really cool.  Her background of coming from poverty in Harlem to a federal appeals judge is what we’re taught is the American Dream.  Hopefully her nomination will fly through without many problems.  (And hopefully she’ll turn out to be a much more empathetic justice than some of the ones we have now!)

Given the reading habits of some, I had to laugh at the following news story.

“TOKYO — In a country where ghosts are traditionally believed to hide in the loo, a Japanese company is advertising a new literary experience — a horror story printed on toilet paper.

Each roll carries several copies of a new nine-chapter novella written by Koji Suzuki, the Japanese author of the horror story “Ring,” which has been made into movies in both Japan and Hollywood.

“Drop,” set in a public restroom, takes up about three feet (90 centimeters) of a roll and can be read in just a few minutes, according to the manufacturer, Hayashi Paper.

The company promotes the toilet paper, which will sell for 210 yen ($2.20) a roll, as “a horror experience in the toilet.”

Toilets in Japan were traditionally tucked away in a dark corner of the house due to religious beliefs. Parents would tease children that a hairy hand might pull them down into the dark pool below.”

Hysterical.  This is the best idea I’ve heard in ages.  Just think about how we could get our kids to read the classics. 

 ” “The Complete Works of Jane Austen” sold on one ply in a multi-pack at your local Walmart.”  I love it.

As Memorial Day approaches, I’d like to thank all those service people, past and present for serving this nation!  Memorial Day is about putting politics aside and honoring all those who put their life on the line every day and in so many different ways.  Thank you!

At five minutes and six seconds after 4 AM on the 8th of JULY this year, the time and date will be 04:05:06 07/08/09. This will never happen again !!!

(unless you use the European way of using the calendar, then it will happen again on August 7th- 07th day of the 08th month!)

I did my resolutions after midnight and realized that I only had one resolution, which was to

1) Read C.S. Lewis

I would like to add the following resolutions:

2) Be a part of my cousins’ lives more.  Be it via e-mail, IM, phone calls, visits, whatever.  The kids are getting bigger and I absolutely loved spending time with them.

3) Work on worrying less about things that I have absolutely no control over.  Worrying gets me nowhere.  I could spend my time on so much more positive things.

4) Be more present in regards to practicing my faith.  I live my life as a woman of faith, but sometimes, I don’t spend my time with the community of believers.  I miss going to church and worshipping with others.

While ringing in the New Year, I asked many of my friends what kinds of resolutions they were making for the upcoming year.  One friend is going to try and be more fiscally responsible, another to study the works of German philosophers.  Another, simply wants to read better.  So I pulled up my resolutions from last year to see how I did

2007 NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS  1)  I am going to organize my house by taking big bags and simply throwing out all the junk that I’ve accumulated over the years.  Take stuff to the Salvation Army that can be reused and recycle paper and plastics.  Great in theory and if I could ever get this system going, I would have a much cleaner and more organized home.  Ultimately not accomplished.

2) Continue faithfully on the diet that I’m on.  (This is a big one, because I didn’t do so well in 2007.)  After being diagnosed with pneumonia three days into the new year, and being put on strong medications over the year, I’m just happy to be eating healthy.

3) Go to the gym as often as I am able.  Happyto report that I am successful with this.  I joined the local YMCA and began to lap swim.  Score 1 for KMH.

4) Keep a positive attitude.  (Some days this is easier said than done.)  Again, this is a success.  Even with all of the health problems, I think I have generally been a kinder, gentler, and much more happy person!

5) Keep working towards (and praying for) peace and justice in the world.  Something that will continue into the future.

SO WHAT ARE MY RESOLUTIONS FOR 2008

This year I’m going to challenge myself a little bit.

1) I am going to read 3 books by C.S. Lewis

“The Screwtape Letters”:  In this humorous and perceptive exchange between two devils, C. S. Lewis delves into moral questions about good vs. evil, temptation, repentance, and grace. Through this wonderful tale, the reader emerges with a better understanding of what it means to live a faithful life.

“Mere Christianity”:  A forceful and accessible discussion of Christian belief that has become one of the most popular introductions to Christianity and one of the most popular of Lewis’s books. Uncovers common ground upon which all Christians can stand together.

“The Problem of Pain”:  Why must humanity suffer? In this elegant and thoughtful work, C. S. Lewis questions the pain and suffering that occur everyday and how this contrasts with the notion of a God that is both omnipotent and good. An answer to this critical theological problem is found within these pages.