Jaymee & Alex's Story

These are the Tataryn children. They look like any other children, right?

Here is their story.

By Miranda Tataryn - their mom.

My name is Miranda Tataryn my husbands name is Mike and our children's names are Alex and Jaymee. Alex is 6 and has Severe global development delay with profound communication impairment with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy with hyper-kinetic movement... disorder and Jaymee is 2 and has Severe global development delay with profound communication impairment with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy with hyper-kinetic movement disorder and severe orthopedic deformities. Alex and Jaymee are both severely disabled. My husband and I were perfectly healthy at both pregnancies but still something went wrong. All the doctors and specialists still to this day don't know what went wrong. We are still taking every effort to find out what went wrong but everything takes so much time.My husband works so hard to take care of us but equipment for disabled persons is so expensive , it makes it that much harder. We live in a trailer and it was a good starter home but now it is becoming very hard to take care of our children's needs. The trailer just isn't working. Alex has a walker and other equipment that he needs on a daily basis but cannot use because of lack of space. The same goes for Jaymee. We can apply for a grant for home renovations to put in lift systems to aid in bathing, ramps and structural support but in the long run we still wont be able to give our children all the freedom and enjoyment out of life, where are now is just to small. In order to get into a forever home that will make our kids lives better (and save our body's from lifting the kids and their equipment, so our body's will last so we can care for them for the rest of our lives) we need a down payment of $55,000 and can not come up with the money on our own.So please, we are looking for donations any little bit will help us meet our goal even $5 or $10 donations help. We will be accepting cheques and if you would like to mail them i can give you our mailing address and you can also email money transfer to paperwings_84@hotmail.com also if you have any questions you can email me at the same email address. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts and more ♥

Please vistit The Tataryn's page. They will have a paypal donation button soon. In the meantime you can still email donations to paperwings_84@hotmail.com

Mass Suicide Cover up in Iraq?

Photo From Lose The War

Sixteen US troops from the a unit of the Airborne Division have committed suicide inside a military base in Iraq, security sources say. Iraqi security sources have revealed that 21 US troops had committed suicide inside a former Iraqi air force base 27 days ago, Fars News Agency reported on Monday. According to the sources, the 21 troops were treated in a hospital but only five soldiers have survived and they are in a critical condition. Security officials said they used potent narcotics to kill themselves. The troops' motivations for suicide are not known but according to Iraqi sources the servicemen belonged to a unit of the US Airborne Division that was behind the massacre of several Iraqi families-- mostly women and children-- in northern Baghdad, said Ali al-Baghdadi an Iraqi security official. The suicides took place in the soldiers' dormitory after the dinner time. "The bodies of the US troops became misshapen such a way that they looked like 5000-year mummies," said a witness. According to Iraqi officials' estimates, some 600 US troops, including senior officers, have committed suicide in Iraq since the invasion of the country in 2003. Half of the suicide attempts have been successful.

Source Press TV

Also Phantoms & Monsters

Soldier suicide rate hits record high

Colonel Elspeth Ritchie discussed efforts to understand suicide among US soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan yesterday. (J. Scott Applewhite/associated press)

115 dead in '07; Army says toll climbing in '08

By Pauline Jelinek
Associated Press / May 30, 2008

WASHINGTON - Army soldiers committed suicide in 2007 at the highest rate on record, and the toll is climbing ever higher this year as long war deployments stretch on.
more stories like this
At least 115 soldiers killed themselves last year, up from 102 the previous year, the Army said yesterday.
Nearly a third of them died at the battlefront, 32 in Iraq and four in Afghanistan. But 26 percent had never been deployed to either conflict.
"We see a lot of things that are going on in the war which do contribute - mainly the longtime and multiple deployments away from home, exposure to really terrifying and horrifying things, the easy availability of loaded weapons, and a force that's very, very busy right now," said Colonel Elspeth Ritchie, psychiatric consultant to the Army surgeon general.
"And so all of those together we think are part of what may contribute, especially if somebody's having difficulties already," she said at a Pentagon news conference.
Some common factors among those who took their own lives were troubled relationships, work problems, and legal or financial difficulties, officials said.
More US troops also died overall in hostilities in 2007 than in any of the previous years in Iraq and Afghanistan. Violence increased in Afghanistan with a Taliban resurgence, and the rate of deaths of US personnel increased in Iraq even as violence there declined in the second half of the year.
Increasing the strain on the force last year was the extension of deployments from 12 months to 15 months, a practice ending this year.
The 115 confirmed suicides among active-duty soldiers and National Guard and Reserve troops who had been activated amounted to a rate of 18.8 per 100,000 troops - the highest since the Army began keeping records in 1980.
Two other deaths are suspected suicides but are still under investigation.
So far this year, the trend is comparable to last year, said Lieutenant Colonel Thomas E. Languirand, head of command policies and programs.
As of Monday, there had been 38 confirmed suicides in 2008 and 12 more deaths that are suspected suicides under investigation, he said.
The suicide rate continues to rise despite a host of efforts the Army has made to improve the mental health of a force under unprecedented stress from the longer-than-expected war in Iraq and the long and repeated tours of duty it has prompted.
The efforts include more training and education programs for troops and their families. Officials also have hired more mental health workers, increased screening to measure the psychological health of soldiers, and worked to reduce any stigma that keeps them from going for treatment when they have symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, or other emotional problems.
"More than any time in history, our soldiers and their commanders are armed with information about combat and its impact on psychological health," said Brigadier General Rhonda L. Cornum, assistant surgeon general for force protection.
"We still believe there is more to be done, and we are committed to maximizing prevention" and treating those who need help, she said.
Suicides have been rising nearly each year of the five-year-old war in Iraq and the nearly seven years of war in Afghanistan. The 115 deaths last year and 102 in 2006 followed 85 in 2005 and 67 in 2004. The rate of 18.8 per 100,000 last year compared with a rate of 17.5 in 2006 and 9.8 in 2002 - the first full year after the start of the war in Afghanistan.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the overall suicide rate in the United States was about 11 per 100,000 in 2004, the latest year for which the agency has figures. The Army said that when civilian rates are adjusted to cover the same age and gender mix that exists in the Army, the civilian rate is more like 19.5 per 100,000.
The Army, which is the largest force serving in both wars, is the only service to release annual figures on suicides it gathers every year by polling troops at the war fronts on mental health issues.

Source Boston.com

Building Your Dream Mansion

I received this in an email forward and thought it was worth posting. Love it!

Ghost Of Alberta

These pictures were not from the story below.

This white moose may not be an endangered species, but it is sure pretty. If I were a hunter, which I am NOT, I wouldn't shoot it. I found this forum when trying to look up info on these beautiful creatures and found this question being asked..... Hey all.... wandering what kind of response other hunters would get from pic's like these. Those are all wild moose about 20 miles from my home. They're not albino. People are saying they should be captured and protected ... i'm thinking along the same lines...

This moose just reminds me of one of our kermodi spirit bears that were found shot here in northern British Columbia last year.

The Snow Lady

My daughter had fun making this snow lady during her time off at a camp she worked at in Alberta.

IMPORTANT: HEALTH WARNING!!

DO NOT SWALLOW CHEWING-GUM !!

Ghostly Legs at Arson Fire

This story was taken from Coast To Coast With George Noory.

Last spring, in the AM hours of April 22, 2007, my mate Ben and I were returning from a night out. About a quarter mile from home we found our route blocked by multiple fire engines and yellow tape. Billowing smoke and fire filled the sky. We feared it was a friend's business or an apartment building on fire. Since I had my camera, we parked and walked to a spot across the street. It was a popular pizza restaurant. Fortunately no one was injured, but the business was a total loss, and several young people lost their jobs. The other day I was viewing my photos from that night and saw something in one that I hadn't noticed before. There were five distinct phantom shoe-clad legs with not even a hint of a body above! The shoes seem oddly positioned, but they are not blurred. I took the pictures with an Olympus Camedia D-560 with flash from a fixed position. I have tried to duplicate the picture using the same settings and lighting- but I could not even come close. I am reminded of the 'Leg' picture from the Willard Library ghostcam. Here are the stats on the photo; Exposure time 1.3 seconds, ISO speed 50, Exposure compensation (minus) -1 second, Flash- yes, Quality- HQ 2288 x 1712. Distance from subject- 20 ft. There were multiple light sources- street lights, headlights and breaking dawn. I am an experienced photographer of 40+ years. There were few people at the scene due to the late hour, excepting two news teams, but only fire personnel were permitted behind the tape where the picture was taken. I have checked the 15 + pictures and video I took and cannot see anyone wearing this type of shoe, including two fire marshals. All the firemen had reflective tape near their ankles. We joked that we'd somehow caught the image of the fleeing arsonists' guilty footsteps. There was an attempted arson across the street two nights later. These crimes remain unsolved, so far as I know. --Patti Rizzo momatomic7@hotmail.com The first picture is the original photo. The second is a cropped enlargement of the 'legs'.

Free Hugs Banned?

Squirrel Vs. Steller's Jay

We have a squirrel that has taken over our sundeck as its own territory

Baby Kaleb

This family is asking for your prayers to bring their baby boy back to them. This is also a very strong message to people about the effects of shaking a baby!

UPDATE:

Your prayer's have been much appreciated by baby Kaleb's family I am certain and you can see Kaleb's progress reports from his mommy at her myspace. Kaleb's Mommy to see Kristy's latest Blog entries. Kaleb seems to be doing very well! :)

Pullmans Doll

Our dog Pullman

This is my youngest son Ryan sitting with a 10 year old lab named Pullman that we got from the animal shelter. This dog is so gentle and still full of energy. He loves to chase sticks and jump into the lake or any body of water he comes across. He proved to me that if you want to get a dog, it doesn't have to be a puppy. There must be so many dogs and other animals that need homes like he did. He is well behaved, house broken and very loving.

Steller's Jay

I have steller's jay's visiting me everyday waiting for some peanuts, corn and sunflower seeds that I feed the squirrel. The dogs are so used to them, that they rarely bark or chase them, unless they are raiding the dog dish. If you don't bring them food, they will sit there and squawk until you do.

What Kind Of Brain Do You Have?

Which way is she spinning, clockwise or counter-clockwise?


Once you perceive her going one direction, it's hard to switch, but possible. Then, once you see that--it can be just as hard to switch back! Pretty amazing, since it looks like she suddenly changes directions!

If clockwise, then you use more of the right side of your brain. If counter-clockwise, more of the left side.

The majority of people see the dancer turning counter-clockwise. This test is originally from Perth Now:


LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses logic
detail oriented
facts rule
words and language
present and past
math and science
can comprehend
knowing
acknowledges
order/pattern perception
knows object name
reality based
forms strategies
practical
safe

RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses feeling
"big picture" oriented
imagination rules
symbols and images
present and future
philosophy & religion
can "get it" (i.e. meaning)
believes
appreciates
spatial perception
knows object function
fantasy based
presents possibilities
impetuous
risk taking

Harry The Cat

My son's cat is perched in a tree beside a bird. I think he was quite suprised when the bird landed so close to him. The bird is fine and flew away after teasing Harry the cat for a while.

Baby Moose 12 Hours Old

A lady in Alaska writes: In my 33 years in Alaska I have never seen a new born baby moose. This one was not even a half a mile from our house. The mother picked a small quiet neighbor and had her baby in the front yard at 5:30 am. Allen and I were out bike riding when we came upon the pair. The lady across the street from this house told us she saw it being born. We saw them at 5:30 pm. So the little one was 12 hours old. What an awesome place we live in to see such a site.

Where I Live

View From My Window

This picture was taken on hwy 16 near where I live. I took this picture because it shows the devastation that is taking place to our beautiful forests in British Columbia. You can see that the trees are turning red from the mountain pine beetle that has taken over. This is not just a problem in BC. They are eating their way into other provinces. We need colder temperatures that we are not getting because of global warming. I have entered this picture in the fuelmyblog "view from my window" contest.

Take a look at the widget I designed for the "Design A Widget" Contest. It is at the very bottom of this blog. My sneaky way of getting you to stay a while and visit.

Killers In Our Forest

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Amazon.com

Horses

This Photo Was Shown on 2005 Portia Geach Memorial Award






















It is named Eugenie Lee "Horse Racing."

Horse racing is an equestrian sport which has been practiced over the centuries; the chariot races of Roman times are an early example, as is the contest of the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology. It is often inextricably associated with gambling. The common nickname for horse racing is The Sport of Kings.
Betting
At many horse races, there is a gambling station, where gamblers can stake money on a horse. (Gambling on horses is prohibited at some tracks; the nationally renowened Colonial Cup Steeplechase in Camden, South Carolina, is known as one of the races which betting is illegal, because of a 1951 law in the state where betting on horse racing is illegal.) Where gambling is allowed, most tracks offer Parimutuel betting where gamblers' money is pooled and shared proportionally among the winners once a deduction is made from the pool. In some countries, such as UK, Ireland and Australia, an alternative and more popular facility is provided by Bookmakers who effectively make a market in odds. This allows the gambler to lock in odds on a horse at a particular time.




Types of bets
The three most common ways to bet money are: bet to win, bet to place, and bet to show. Bet to win means that you stake money on the horse, and if it comes in first place, the bet is a winner. In bet to place, you are betting on your horse to finish either first or second and 'show' is first, second or third. Since it is much easier to select a horse to finish first, second or third than it is to select a horse just for first, the 'show' payoffs will be much lower on average than win payoffs. Betting 'show' is really playing it safe while win betting is a bit more risky, yet the rewards are better.
In Europe, betting to show is less commonplace since the number of "payout places" varies depending on the size of the field that takes part in the race. For example, in a race with seven or less runners in the UK, only the first two finishers would be considered winning bets with most bookmakers. Three places are paid for eight or more runners, whilst 16 runners or more will see the first four places being classed as "placed". Betting to place takes on a different meaning in Europe for this reason. In the US a place bet would only pay out if the horse in question finished first or second, whilst in the UK, a place bet would be deemed a winner based on the aforementioned criteria.
The term "Each Way" bet is used across the globe, but again has a different meaning depending on your location. An each way (or E/W) bet sees your total bet being split in two, with half being placed on the win, and half on the place. US bettors would only see a payout for a first or second place finish with this type of bet, whilst European and British bettors (or "punters") would receive a payout if the horse either wins, or is placed based on the place criteria as stated above. Most UK bookmakers cut the odds considerably for an each bet, offering the full odds if the horse wins but only a third, a quarter or a fifth of the odds if only the place section of the bet is successful. more...

Dogs

Hercules was recently awarded the honorable distinction of Worlds Biggest Dog by Guinness World Records. Hercules is an English Mastiff and has a 38 inch neck and weighs 282 pounds. With "paws the size of softballs" (reports the Boston Herald), the three-year-old monster is far larger and heavier than his breed's standard 200lb. limit. Hercules owner Mr. Flynn says that Hercules weight is natural and not induced by a bizarre diet: "I fed him normal food and he just grew".... and grew. and grew and grew.