Karin's Adventures

Some of you may remember the hedge apple I put in a pot last November.
http://karin-sadventures.blogspirit.com/archive/2011/11/1...

By now there is obvious visible progress! Several sprouts are coming out of the dirt over the baseball-sized, odd looking fruit that I buried last year and watered all winter long.

Once they get bigger I will plant the individual seedlings in separate small pots and grow them further. Eventually I hope to be able to start an osage orange hedge from these.

Whenever we do something for the very first time there is this exciting mixture of anticipation and anxiety, no matter how much we tried to educate ourselves about the process and the expected outcome. Casting my first vote in a US primary elections as a citizen was no different in that respect.

Political campaigns in the US are more about personalities of individual candidates and not so much about factual party programs. It also seems that I have less choices available to vote for than in Germany. The biggest difference, in my opinion, is the fact that a person can become the President of the United States without earning a majority of people's votes. 

Organization of the election itself is different too. In the US you will not receive an invitation in the mail, telling you about an upcoming election and reminding you of your polling station's location. You will not receive any information about what to do in case you're not able to show up at your polling station. Elections in the US are always held on a Tuesday, not on a Sunday like in Germany. You don't use a pencil on paper to make your selections either, votes are cast on mobile computer terminals.

Just like most my previous "first times" this one wasn't all that exciting either. The lack of candidates whom I could wholeheartedly vote for forced me to make sure I voted against some that I really don't want to see in office. In the end the result may be the same either way, but at least I participated.

Last night I had a coupon in the mail. Nothing special, you may say, we get coupons in the mail every day. Sometimes for stuff that we'd never use, or didn't even know existed. Most coupons a worth $1 or $2, sometimes even $10, but my coupon is worth $100 - wow!

That's good, right?

Well, I don't think so. This coupon, in my opinion, sums up most of the things that are wrong with health care and the medical profession in the USA. The coupon is from my dentist, trying to get people to spend thousands of dollars on crowns, bridges, and veneers during the last week of April.

I am shocked! I admit, I have ignored this real chemical danger for too long!

But now that I discovered the truth, I urge you to educate yourself and take action to protect your and your family's health.

Dihydrogen monoxide, also called "hydroxyl acid":
is the major component of acid rain
contributes to the "greenhouse effect"
may cause severe burns
is fatal if inhaled
contributes to the erosion of our natural landscape
accelerates corrosion of many metals
may cause electrical failures and decreased effectiveness of automobile brakes
has been found in excised tumors of terminal cancer patients

Despite the danger, dihydrogen monoxide is often used:
as an industrial solvent and coolant
in nuclear power plants
in the production of styrofoam
as a fire retardant
in many forms of cruel animal research
in the distribution of pesticides. Even after washing, produce remains contaminated by this chemical
as an additive in certain "junk-foods" and other food products

Please visit this eye-opening website and join the movement to ban Dihydrogen Monoxide!
http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html

One of the reasons why I love my job is because it's not all about the job.
Our Creative Services Department organizes "surprise parties" about once a month during regular business hours.

If you are lucky, you may receive an invitation to participate in some fun, relaxing, entertaining activity other than your daily job. Last month I was invited to a "Pottery Painting Party". This awesome ice-cream bowl is my own artwork!