Wanna Play South Park?

Whether you're a fan or not, you know someone who is. South Park is a hit -- because of the outrageous story lines, and maybe because of the recognizable characters. If you think you are like one, now is your chance to verify that. Garry's Blog shows us how. He says:

I'm not sure about the accuracy and proofing of this quiz, but I'm Stan Marsh. Out of all the South Park characters, it could have been worse.

The quiz was short and hilarious and worth taking just for the laughs.

Well, I took the quiz, and here's the result.

What South Park Character Are You? (pics)
Kyle Broflovski You're the smart kid in your class. You find yourself to be normal and a relatively nice person. Nobody picks on you, and you dont pick on anyone.
Take The Quiz Now!	Quizzes by myYearbook.com

technorati tags: vickisblog, southpark, kylebroflovski, southparkquiz,

Tulips

Enjoy the tulips in your life.

May 13 is Tulip Day.

The tulip is the national flower of The Netherlands. It is difficult to think of Holland without picturing tulips; or to think of Tulips without also thinking of Holland. However, the tulip actually originated in the Middle East.

May is a good month for tulips. Tulip e-cards are appropriate any day to make someone feel special.

The picture is an example of Garry's photography.

International Nurses Day

The Lady with the Lamp

Florence Nightingale
May 12, 1850 - August 13, 1910

Florence became a nurse despite her parents' objections. Nursing was not considered a suitable profession.

During the Crimea War, she introduced female nurses, then returned to England where she opened a nursing school and sent her graduates around the world where they started schools of their own in the Nightingale tradition. Florence Nightingale was the 'Lady in Chief' pioneering nursing.

Today, the final day of National Nurse's Week, is International Nurse's Day. Nurses are critical to our health care system, and will continue to be as we hopefully enhance the system. My niece is a nurse, and I am so proud of her.

Recognize a Military Family

It was 1984 when President Reagan designated National Military Spouse Day. Then Secretary of Defense Casper Weinberger scheduled it the Friday before Mother's Day every year. President Bush continues the honor.

Military Spouses Day is a day to recognize and honor the real backbone of the military..... the spouses of our soldiers. This day recognizes the contributions made by military spouses to the spirit and well being of soldiers and military communities. Where would military moral be without their spouses behind them?

Military spouses in my family are my mother and sister-in-law. And while we're at it, my children's paternal grandmother, step-mother, and aunt. Just out of the goodness of your heart, remember the parents and children and siblings and neighbors and friends, too. This day is especially for military spouses, but they don't mind sharing good feelings.

Be sure to visit my favorite online military spouse.

technorati tags: nationalmilitaryspouseday, presidentreagan

Wildflower Week

This, the second week of May, has been designated National Wildflower Week.

In 1987, Charles Spencer, Chairman of the National Ecology Commission, started and dedicated this observance to his mentor, naturalist Edward Piela. Here is a narrative as Charles Spenser visits the Edward F. Piela Woodland Wildflower Garden.

In 2003, Wildflower Week was turned over to Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas.

Grandchildren in a field of bluebonnets, Texas State Flower.
Many Texas children have similar photos.

To observe this week, look at Garry's Flickr pictures of flowers. These are not wildflowers, necessarily, but flowers in our house, in a nearby nursery, or in the neighborhood.

Or take a field trip in your area. If you find some flowers, but don't know what they are, visit Wildflowers -- A Closer Look for pictures, help identifying them.

technorati tags: nationalwildflowerweek, LadyBirdJohnsonWildflowerCenter, flowerpictures,

Happy Birthday, David

I would like to put a cake on your table now. Enjoy your special day and have many more! I hope your birthday wishes come true.

I love you, Birthday Boy.

UNESCO's World Press Freedom Day 2007

The free press is the mother of all our liberties and of our progress under liberty. Adlai Stevenson

UNESCO's World Press Freedom Day 2007

The topics this 10th anniversary year are press freedom, safety of journalists, and impunity.

Highlighting the safety very important in view of the fact that last year saw a "war on journalism". One of the big news stories last year was Bob Woodruff's brush with death as the first American anchor wounded in war time. Of course Iraq had the highest number of casualties, but journalists were killed in 23 other countries, too, including some with no discernible war zones like the Philippines and Mexico.

Freedom of the press is not a worldwide guarantee. Here is a map showing which countries have a free press, which are partly free, and which countries do not allow press freedom.

technorati tags: vickisblog, UNESCO, worldpressfreedomday, bobwoodruff, adlaistevenson

Mayday, Mayday

I remember hearing about the maypole when I was a kid, and how children held onto ribbons and danced around the maypole. I imagined colored ribbons wound around the white pole. But I never really saw one.

May Day is a very popular day around the world, celebrating the season, history, politics, labor, paganism, and religion. Is there any other category? I'm sure somewhere in the world there is a tradition for anything I have missed. Look here for some holiday information as well as pictures, greetings, crafts and customs.

How can we celebrate this May Day? So many choices --

• Host a fertility festival like those in India
• Feast and build bonfires to welcome summer
• Greet the day with a lei like they do in Hawaii
• Grab a birch tree and make your own maypole
• Organize a strike in support of labor
• Commemorate the Haymarket Riots with other anarchists
• Dance the Morris
  
• Think of Law and Loyalty and President Eisenhower's attempt to offset the communist celebrations
• Feast for Joseph the Worker to honor Pope Pius XII
• Be quiet and unpaganlike for the Puritans
• Call "mayday, mayday" over a walkie talkie and prepare for jailtime for causing a disturbance and making a false report
• Decorate your house with flowers and "bring in the May"
• Crown a May Queen
  

Most sound fun to me! Have a Good May Day.

technorati tags: vickisblog, mayday, maypole, celebratespring, maydaycards