Beautiful America

I got this in an email and thought it was cool and wanted to pass it along (especially to you, Dad, I think you'll really dig this).

Video of the 50 states ~ it's awesome!
When you click on the link below, the outline of the United States will appear and frame all of the pictures slowly, in a slide type presentations. Put your speakers on in a low tone, to go along with the mood that is created.
http://oldbluewebdesigns.com/mybeautifulamerica.htm

Sadness that Michigan only gets one slide, but it is still beautiful, isn't it?

Crack

Commission votes to allow retroactive easing of crack cocaine sentences

The U.S. Sentencing Commission voted unanimously today to allow some 19,500 federal prison inmates, most of them black, to seek reductions in their crack cocaine sentences.

The commission, which sets guidelines for federal prison sentences, decided to make retroactive its recent easing of recommended sentences for crack offenses.

Roughly 3,800 inmates could be eligible for release from prison within a year after the March 3 effective date of Tuesday's decision. Federal judges will have the final say whether to reduce sentences.

The commissioners said the delay would give judges and prison officials time to deal with public safety and other issues.

Neither the court's decision nor the commission's guidelines affect the minimum sentences, which only Congress can alter.

In previous years, the sentencing commission reduced penalties for crimes involving marijuana, LSD and OxyContin, which are primarily committed by whites, and made those decisions retroactive.

Read the rest of the article here.

Hill Street Cafe

Ryan and I found a new favorite restaurant. Ryan has been a vegetarian now for about a month or two and when he first decided to take the step, he was looking for vegetarian and organic restaurants around where he and I live so that we could try them out. One of them was the Hill Street Cafe. It is located up in Oceanside, CA (which is now right down the street from where he is living). The first time we went there was when Ryan's parents were in town for Thanksgiving. It was tasty, but we went for breakfast and I normally can't eat a lot for breakfast so I didn't get to fill up on the scrumptious goodness. We went back this past Sunday for lunch after church and we both decided that it is in our top 3 for favorites. It is a little Victorian house that has been made over into this little cafe. They glassed in the front porch, so you can sit out there and not be bothered by the wind or weather (if there is any, hehe). Upstairs they have a little surf shop that Ryan just had to go in and buy some gear from. :) The restaurant itself serves organic when at all possible, they compost any of their food extras and coffee grounds, they support local farmers and growers, and their food is YUMMY! If you are ever around Oceanside, you should definitely check it out (and hey, why not invite Ryan and I along, hehe). Check out some of the reviews for the cafe here.

2 Weeks!

TWO WEEKS TILL CHRISTMAS!! WHOO HOO!!! That means that in less than 2 weeks I will be back in Michigan (the cold, wet Michigan) with mi familia!! YAY!! When I am back in Michigan, we will be going to a Pistons game, going to see the Lights at the Toledo Zoo, and chillaxin' with everybody!! GET PUMPED!!

Stud

What a stud of a boyfriend I have, huh? I'm so lucky :)

Snow

So this weekend San Diego had our first snow fall (ok, not San Diego proper, but San Diego county :) ). On the way to church Sunday morning Ryan and I saw the snow covered mountain tops. In the church parking lot I took a photo (of course with some of the palm trees in the fore-ground). I know, I know, the snow wasn't in our backyards, but we could at least see it (and boy, did this make Ryan awfully happy :) ). Enjoy the picture of the snow in the distance :).

Pearl Harbor Day

Today is Pearl Harbor Day. Here is a little information about that day in history, back in 1941.

The attack on Pearl Harbor was a pre-emptive military strike on the United States Pacific Fleet base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii by the Empire of Japan's Imperial Japanese Navy, on the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941 that made the United States enter World War II. Two aerial attack waves, totalling 350 aircraft, were launched from six aircraft carriers with the intent to destroy the United States Pacific Fleet.

The attack wrecked two U.S. Navy battleships, one minelayer, and two destroyers beyond repair, and destroyed 188 aircraft; personnel losses were 2,333 killed and 1,139 wounded. Damaged warships included three cruisers, a destroyer, and six battleships (one deliberately grounded, later refloated and repaired; two sunk at their berths, later raised, repaired, and restored to Fleet service late in the war). Vital fuel storage, shipyards, and submarine facilities were not hit. Japanese losses were minimal, at 29 aircraft and five midget submarines, with 65 servicemen killed or wounded.

Learn more about this historic day here.