EBAY - OY VEH!

 Marion Pellicano Ambrose

I recently decided to have a “Roaring 20’s Casino Night”. I’m in the planning stage so I started looking for places to get a roulette wheel, blackjack table, craps table and slot machines. I figured it wouldn’t be too expensive to rent these few things. WRONG!  The lowest quote I got was around $400! OK, time to check out ebay!

I had no real experience bidding for things on ebay.  I’ve purchased things with the “buy now” feature, but never bid. My husband does it all the time for car parts for his ’29 Model A, so I figured I’d give it a try. I looked up “Casino Night” and found really cheap themed paper goods – yay! Then I started looking for slot machines. OMG! There are about a million of them ranging from 4 inches to 4 feet. The ones that looked good to me were around $600-$1000. No way Jose! Finally I found some that were 18 inches and listed for only $6! I bid right away and poof: “YOU HAVE BEEN OUTBID.” No way! My bid hardly hit the waves and I was outbid already?  So I increased my bid and poof: “YOU HAVE BEEN OUTBID.”  Now it’s personal so I up my bid again. Finally, I’m winning! But now my $6 is up to $23. How did that happen?

At the bottom of the screen all sorts of things start coming up and I see an amazing Civil War Era Ball Gown for $22. I’ve been looking at them since my Women’s Club is talking about dressing in Era costume for our next parade. They usually run $200 –over $1000 for a nice gown. This one is beautiful, right out of Gone With The Wind! Again I go through the bidding war with someone named 399*.   (Obviously 399* is the same size as I am and wants this dress just as badly.) Right now I’m up to $90 for the bid and am winning with 11 hours left!  But I’ve learned that some people are sneaky and wait until 30 seconds before the bidding ends and click in a quick bid. I lost a Mickey Mouse Pocket watch that way.

Speaking of pocket watches, in 7 hours I find out if I won a set of 4 Disney Park Pocket watches! Yes, I bid on them too! And a 5 hoop Civil War Era petticoat (in case I win the dress) and a flapper costume (for the Roaring 20’s party) Oh, and I found 2 more slot machines!  Did I mention the Jim Shore Wicked Witch/Evil Queen statue?  (Thank God I was outbid for that one!)

By the time I stopped to look at what I’d done, I’d bid on 16 items ranging from $2 - $120! Here’s the problem – I DON’T HAVE ANY EXTRA MONEY!  My husband is going to kill me if I win all these bids! Of course, family members will get some awesome Christmas Gifts, but we won’t be eating for the next several months!

My point?  Ebay is addictive! I can’t help bidding on some of these amazing items that start out at such ridiculously low prices. If I do get these items, I’ve gotten unbelievable deals and saved hundreds, but of course if I hadn’t bid I wouldn’t be spending anything at all! As I said, “Oy veh!”

TROPICAL STORM HARVEY

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

Tropical Storm Harvey is just north of the coast of Honduras, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

The center of Tropical Storm Harvey is expected to move across the coast of Belize on this afternoon or evening. Some additional strengthening is forecast as Harvey approaches Belize.

Meanwhile, in the Atlantic Ocean, showers and thunderstorms have become better organized in association with a large tropical wave about 625 miles east of the Lesser Antilles.

Environmental conditions are expected to be conducive for a tropical depression to form over the next couple of days. This system has a high chance, 60 percent, of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours as it moves west at 20 mph.

Farther east, a large but disorganized low pressure system is centered about 100 miles southeast of the Cape Verde Islands. Although upper-level winds are favorable for some development, this system is expected to encounter a more stable environment with drier air by Sunday. This system has a medium chance, 40 percent, of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours as it moves to the west-northwest at 10 to 15 mph.

 The National Weather Service recommends that the public keep an eye on the progress of this wave.

Accuweather report: http://hurricane.accuweather.com/hurricane/index.asp

WITH GREAT POWER.....

Whatever life holds in store for me, I will never forget these words: "With great power comes great responsibility."

Peter Parker was talking about his newly found super powers as Spiderman when he said these words, but when I hear them I think of the power we all now have through our postings on social media such as Facebook and Twitter.

I’ve read too many posts that twist facts or even state falsehoods as if they were facts. Unfortunately , many people believe whatever they see in print and are purposely misled by such tactics. It’s certainly common practice in political posts, as noted in a You Tube video called “.Alternate Reality”

The system has gone mad, everyday newspapers and TV carry more and more stories of brazen politicians and executives who have no fear and act as though they are above the law. Even when their own words [at times on tape] confirm their scheming, they continue to treat the public like we're stupid.

It seems the government also wants in on the social media propaganda bandwagon. According to radio celebrity Alex Jones, the Defense Department unveiled its Social Media in Strategic Communication (SMISC) program. It’s an attempt to get better at both detecting and conducting propaganda campaigns on social media.This is more than just checking the trending topics on Twitter. The Defense Department wants to deeply grok social media dynamics. So SMISC will be aimed at discovering and tracking the “formation, development and spread of ideas and concepts (memes)” on social media. http://www.prisonplanet.com/pentagon-wants-a-social-media-propaganda-machine.html

  DRL takes our responsibility seriously, using social media to educate, inform, inspire and enlighten as well as give our readers the opportunity to voice their own opinions, whether they agree with ours or not. We also use this forum to encourage positive action, as in The Generosity Game Meme http://delayedreactionlounge.blogspot.com/2011/06/generosity-game-meme.html ) or Meet Pongo and Join DRL’s Team to Help Him and The Center For Great Apes (http://delayedreactionlounge.blogspot.com/2011/06/meet-pongo-and-join-drls-team-to-help.html)

Barbara’s Soul Food attempts to lighten the soul and encourage our readers to “keep the promises you make to yourself”                                                                ( http://delayedreactionlounge.blogspot.com/2011/07/soul-food_24.html) 
and Patty’s Sticky Sweet (http://delayedreactionlounge.blogspot.com/2011/07/sticky-sweet_24.html)  just makes you feel good! Tony has shared his stories with us to help us understand issues that we might not have considered, such as For Me It’s My Little Girl (http://delayedreactionlounge.blogspot.com/2011/03/tony-walker-almost-everyone-has.html). Dawn gives us a wake up call as to what’s happening to our daughters’ childhoods with In Vogue 

I’m proud to be a writer for Delayed Reaction Lounge. It’s a place where every effort is made to present truthful, enlightening information as well as entertaining, funny, even spooky reading as well! I hope you enjoy reading as much as we all enjoy writing for you.

Let us know how you feel. What are your favorite features? Is there something you would like to read about that we haven’t covered yet? If there’s something you really like, let us know and we’ll keep it coming. If there’s something you think needs to be said, tell us and we’ll try to say it for you! The Lounge is for everyone and everyone is welcome! Thanks for stopping in!

HAPPY NATIONAL PARKS WEEK!

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

This week is National Parks Week. We celebrate the gifts of nature in their full grandeur all over the 50 United States. It’s important to preserve these monuments to our past and hope for our future. Check out Our Amazing Planet’s choices for 8 must see National Parks. I think ANY National Park that you can possibly visit is a MUST SEE! Enjoy!

                       Sandstone Arches - Arches National Park, Utah

            Moonbow at Yosemite Falls - Yosemite National Park, California

Old Faithful Geyser - Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Grand Canyon - Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Crater Lake - Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

Rainbow Bridge National Monument, Utah

Glaciers - Glacier National Park, Montana

Redwood Trees - Redwood National Park, California

All photos courtesy of National Parks Service.

Here is a sample of some of the National Parks in several states. To find the parks in your state go to:

http://www.nps.gov/hfc/cfm/carto.cfm

National Parks in Florida

11 park sites were found in Florida.

• Big Cypress National Preserve
• Biscayne National Park
• Canaveral National Seashore
• Castillo de San Marcos NM
• De Soto National Memorial
• Dry Tortugas National Park
• Everglades National Park
• Fort Caroline National Memorial
• Fort Matanzas NM
• Gulf Islands National Seashore
• Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve

National Parks in Maine

4 park sites were found in Maine.

• Acadia National Park
• Appalachian National Scenic Trail
• Roosevelt Campobello International Park (no map available)
• Saint Croix Island International Historic Site

National Parks in New York

26 park sites were found in New York.

• African Burial Ground
• Appalachian National Scenic Trail
• Castle Clinton NM (no map available)
• Eleanor Roosevelt NHS (no map available)
• Ellis Island
• Erie Canal
• Federal Hall National Memorial (no map available)
• Fire Island National Seashore
• Fort Stanwix NM
• Gateway National Rec Area
• General Grant National Memorial (no map available)
• Governors Island NM (no map available)
• Hamilton Grange National Memorial (no map available)
• Home of Franklin D Roosevelt NHS
• Manhattan Sites (no map available)
• Martin Van Buren NHS
• North Country National Scenic Trail (no map available)
• Sagamore Hill NHS
• Saint Paul's Church NHS (no map available)
• Saratoga NHP
• Statue of Liberty NM
• Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace NHS
• Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural NHS (no map available)
• Upper Delaware Scenic and Rec River
• Vanderbilt Mansion NHS
• Women's Rights NHP

National Parks in California

27 park sites were found in California.

• Cabrillo NM
• California National Historic Trail
• Channel Islands National Park
• Death Valley National Park
• Devils Postpile NM
• Eugene O'Neill NHS (no map available)
• Fort Point NHS
• Golden Gate National Rec Area
• John Muir NHS
• Joshua Tree National Park
• Lassen Volcanic National Park
• Lava Beds NM
• Manzanar NHS
• Mojave National Preserve
• Muir Woods NM
• Pinnacles NM
• Point Reyes National Seashore
• Pony Express National Historic Trail
• Port Chicago
• Presidio of San Francisco
• Redwood National and State Parks
• Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front NHP (no map available)
• San Francisco Maritime NHP
• Santa Monica Mountains National Rec Area
• Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
• Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Rec Area
• Yosemite National Park

National Parks in Illinois

6 park sites were found in Illinois.

• Chicago Portage NHS (no map available)
• Illinois and Michigan Canal Natl Heritage Corridor (no map available)
• Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
• Lincoln Home NHS (no map available)
• Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail
• Trail of Tears National Historic Trail (no map available

National Parks in Texas

13 park sites were found in Texas.

• Alibates Flint Quarries NM
• Amistad National Rec Area
• Big Bend National Park
• Big Thicket National Preserve
• Chamizal National Memorial
• Fort Davis NHS
• Guadalupe Mountains National Park
• Lake Meredith National Rec Area
• Lyndon B Johnson NHP
• Padre Island National Seashore
• Palo Alto Battlefield NHS
• Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River (no map available)
• San Antonio Missions NHP

National Parks in Tennessee

12 park sites were found in Tennessee.

• Andrew Johnson NHS
• Appalachian National Scenic Trail
• Big South Fork National River and Rec Area
• Fort Donelson National Battlefield
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail
• Natchez Trace Parkway
• Obed Wild and Scenic River
• Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail (no map available)
• Shiloh National Military Park
• Stones River National Battlefield
• Trail of Tears National Historic Trail (no map available)

http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/national-park-park-amazing-structures-1394/

Toddler Killed by Python : Justice for Shaianna

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

A few months ago I wrote a story for Paranormal Pub called “The Pet Python”. http://delayedreactionlounge.blogspot.com/2011/05/pet-python.html

Never in a million years would I have believed I’d see the same title as a news headline with an innocent, toddler for a victim!

Officials remove the 8 foot python that killed a two year old

Tragically, 2-year-old Shaianna Hare was strangled Wednesday by her family's 8-foot-long pet Burmese python. Shaianna was already dead when paramedics arrived at about 10 a.m. according to Lt. Bobby Caruthers of the Sumter County Sheriff's Office.

Charles Jason Darnell, 32, the snake's owner and boyfriend of the child’s mother, said he discovered the snake missing from its terrarium and ran to the toddler’s room, where he found the snake wrapped around her. Darnell said he stabbed the snake several times until he was able to pry the child away while someone else called 911.

"The baby's dead!" the sobbing caller from the house screamed to a 911 dispatcher in a recording. "Our stupid snake got out in the middle of the night and strangled the baby." "She got out of the cage last night and got into the baby's crib and strangled her to death," the caller said.

Authorities removed the snake from the home Wednesday afternoon. Once outside, the snake was placed in a bag and placed inside a dog crate. The snake was still alive.

"It's a tragedy," Sumter County Sheriff Lt. Bobby Caruthers said outside the home. Authorities said it's "a definite possibility" that the python may have been trying to ingest the girl. Blood was found on the mattress and teeth marks were found on her head.

Darnell did not have a permit for the snake, which would be a second-degree misdemeanor, according to Joy Hill, a spokeswoman with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The snake was said to be malnourished, weighing only 13 and a half pounds, when a full grown python should weigh 140. Officials believe the snake had not been fed in over a month. 

The Humane Society of the United States said including Wednesday’s death, at least 12 people have been killed in the U.S. by pet pythons since 1980, including five children.

On Thursday, a Florida jury found Jaren Hare and Charles "Jason" Darnell guilty in the python strangling death of Hare's 2-year-old daughter, Shaianna. The couple was found guilty of all charges, including third-degree murder, manslaughter and child neglect. Hare and Darnell could be sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Pythons are not native to Florida, but some residents keep them as pets, especially Burmese pythons, which can grow to more than 15 feet and weigh more than 150 pounds.  When the snakes become too large, some owners release them into the Everglades and other wild areas, Florida officials say. One killed an alligator and then burst when it tried to eat it.

"It's becoming more and more of a problem, perhaps no fault of the animal, more a fault of the human," said Jorge Pino, a state wildlife commission spokesman. "People purchase these animals when they're small. When they grow, they either can't control them or release them."

The fast-growing population of snakes has been invading southern Florida's ecosystem since 1992, when scientists speculate a bevy of Burmese pythons was released into the wild after Hurricane Andrew shattered many pet shop terrariums. Scientists don't have an accurate estimate of how many pythons are in Florida, but estimates range from thousands to hundreds of thousands.



Shaianna



Caylee



So here’s what we want to know:

*Do you believe the jury was correct in throwing the book at these parents and finding them guilty of murder, manslaughter and child neglect?

*Do you think the perceived lack of justice in the Casey Anthony case had anything to do with this jury’s decision?

*If you disagree with this jury’s verdict, what would your verdict have been?