read it here.

At least three viruses may cause humans to gain weight, a finding that could explain why obesity can affect many people in the same region over relatively short periods.

that means there could be a vaccine.

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as i was poking around for a past post, i came across some gems posted in october 2004. coincidental because many of them involved the election (because of the speech tonight) and a good philadelphia football team. the big game is sunday. unfortunately, i've heard more about jessica simpson's pizza ad than the game.

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again. this time it's a woman. wonder what happened?

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baby jessica, now 19, gets married.

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i'm drinking CIB.

update at 8:32: i couldn't control myself. it tasted so good. i indulged in a second cup. oh man. too much. too fast. on an empty stomach. it hurts.

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the 20th anniversary of the day Challenger lifted off and then blew apart 73 seconds later.

Remembering Challenger

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talk about supporting a football team. this is strange:

WASHINGTON, Pennsylvania - Just to make sure there's no confusion about which team they are supporting in the Super Bowl XL, the mayor and council voted unanimously to change this city's name.

Welcome to Steeler, Pennsylvania.

The name change for the city of about 15,000 people south of Pittsburgh will last through Feb. 5, the day of the football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks in Detroit.

"I know the folks in the state of Washington are rooting for the Seahawks, so we wanted to make sure everyone knows the city of Washington is fully in support of the Steelers," Mayor Kenneth J. Westcott told the Pittsburgh Tribune Review.

yippee, extra large superbowl!

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what in the world is this?

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i had been reading this blog, written "by" an inmate on death row, until it stopped being updated. it's back, with the news that a new death warrant has been issued.

Vernon was convicted of killing David Scott Piechowicz and Susan Kennedy. It was a heinous crime ... During the trial, the state put on an impressive case against Vernon and convinced the jury of his guilt. Vernon's state appointed attorney did not put on any witnesses. Vernon has always maintained his innocence in the crime.

Labels: crime and social justice

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my hillbilly name is Loretta Lynne Dallas.

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the WB network and UPN are merging into one. i'm not sure yet how this may affect me.

both networks have been struggling with ratings. funny that one of the competitors (ABC, owned by Disney) is also in the news as Disney is buying Pixar. i hope Pixar films will not suffer for it.

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it turns out, isn't. Live Science has the Top 20 Most Popular Science Myths. this list includes:

Lightning never strikes the same place twice.
A penny dropped from the top of a tall building could kill a pedestrian.
It takes seven years to digest gum.
A falling cat will always land on its feet.*

* dogs don't either. don't ask me how i know.

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[quiz] What Kind of Soul Are You?: You Are a Seeker Soul

You are on a quest for knowledge and life challenges.
You love to be curious and ask a ton of questions.
Since you know so much, you make for an interesting conversationalist.
Mentally alert, you can outwit almost anyone (and have fun doing it!).

Very introspective, you can be silently critical of others.
And your quiet nature makes it difficult for people to get to know you.
You see yourself as a philosopher, and you take everything philosophically.
Your main talent is expressing and communicating ideas.

[quiz] How Abnormal Are You?: You Are 32% Abnormal

You are at medium risk for being a psychopath. It is somewhat likely that you have no soul.
You are at medium risk for having a borderline personality. It is somewhat likely that you are a chaotic mess.
You are at low risk for having a narcissistic personality. It is unlikely that you are in love with your own reflection.
You are at low risk for having a social phobia. It is unlikely that you feel most comfortable in your mom's basement.
You are at low risk for obsessive compulsive disorder. It is unlikely that you are addicted to hand sanitizer.

Labels: quiz

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thanks to this guy*, i finally figured out, or was told, rather, who played velma in the scooby doo movies. turns out it was the girl that i like so much on ER. and i knew that i knew her when she popped on there from somewhere: freaks and geeks. a show i rarely watched, but i did remember her.

thank you, thank you, tom.

* although i never would have recognized her from that pic he has up.

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are U.S. military executions on the way?

Labels: crime and social justice

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Suspected Robber Leaves His Name, Address:

A man who held up banks by claiming he had a bomb in a bag was arrested after police found the bag actually contained books, including a phone book that had a mailing label with the man's full name and address.

After he allegedly hit a Sovereign Bank in Lawrence last week, police found a Lowell-area phone book in the bag the robber had left behind. They went to the address listed on the label and arrested Melendez, who also fit the bank tellers' description of the robber.

"It was so easy, so simple, it was hard to believe," Romero told The Eagle-Tribune.

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gmail finally installed a delete button instead of having to use the drop-down menu to delete messages. this is great, but i have found myself automatically going for the menu for the past 24 hours.

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[and i've only had three cars]

1988 nissan sentra hatchback, blue

1994 chevy cavalier, blue

2002 kia spectra, blue

Labels: three things

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may not be the correct word, but this sucks. volunteer firefighters were out attending to a house fire in Bloxom when their station burned down.

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this is awesome.

i very much want to find
a bunch of books to do this.

who needs a kitchen table anyway?


[via lifehacker]

Labels: books

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what was this 4 year old doing up at one in the morning?:

Father accidentally shoots, injures 4-year-old son in Suffolk

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Virginia Delegate David Englin speaks his mind on gay rights and the marriage amendment.

I understand that on the issue of marriage, I’m in the minority, perhaps even in my own caucus. I also sleep very well at night knowing that at some point in the future of this great Commonwealth, those of us of my opinion will be judged to have been on the right side of history...

...So if this amendment doesn’t help protect my marriage, and doesn’t help protect my family, and if it doesn’t even change the status of same-sex marriage and civil unions and domestic partnership contracts, then what exactly does this amendment do? I submit to my fair-minded colleagues that this amendment sends a message. And that message is, if you are gay, or lesbian, or even a man and a woman living together and committed to each other who are not married, you are not welcome in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

you can read all of the speech here.

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i came across this: Gillian Anderson Once Again Assures Us X Files 2 Will Be Made

David and I and (creator) Chris Carter are determined to do it. But due to certain rights issues, it's become a bit messy. I think the intention is that we will and we hope to - and that, hopefully, by the time we actually do, whenever that is, people will still give a damn.

i hope they do. i wonder if the rights issues she is referring to has anything to do with the latest news that Chris Carter has sued Fox.

btw- did you see that pic of gillian anderson in the first link?

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Clinton Slams Bush:

Sen. Hillary Clinton on Monday blasted the Bush administration as "one of the worst" in U.S. history and compared the Republican-controlled House of Representatives to a plantation where dissenting voices are squelched.

"I predict to you that this administration will go down in history as one of the worst that has ever governed our country."

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Moon rocks stolen in Virginia Beach.

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i announced that my main site, jessicasuniverse, was soon to be coming to an end. the most popular page, and i have no idea why, is the disney myths. perhaps i will put it up here. we'll see. i do feel a bit bad since the site gets about 150 visitors a day and 1,000 visitors a week. i know it's not much, but that's people each day who desire something i have.

oh.

updated to add screen shots:

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i was reading this story about ants being the first non-human animal to exhibit teaching behavior. but what struck me is that the washington post said 'pooh-poohed.'

...No sooner was the paper published, of course, than another educator (this one at Harvard) pooh-poohed it...

i think that is funny.

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an 8th grade student is brain dead after being shot by police. police shot him because he had a gun. and now we hear that the police knew the gun was fake.

the question is did they really know, for sure, that the gun was merely a toy pellet gun? or did they do the right thing since no one knew, for sure, the gun was fake. a gun pointed in my face is still scary, even if someone tells me it is fake.

it has also been reported that the boy was suicidal and looking for a way to kill himself. regardless of his 'asking for it,' he did not deserve to die. it's a sad situation.

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75 cents to change a diaper at walmart.

ludicrous.

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[quiz] What Kind of Coffee Are You?: You are a Black Coffee

At your best, you are: low maintenance, friendly, and adaptable
At your worst, you are: cheap and angsty
You drink coffee when: you can get your hands on it
Your caffeine addiction level: high

[quiz] What Donut Are You?: You Are a Boston Creme Donut

You have a tough exterior. No one wants to mess with you.
But on the inside,you're a total pushover and completely soft.
You're a traditionalist, and you don't change easily.
You're likely to eat the same doughnut every morning, and pout if it's sold out.

i don't like black coffee or boston creme donuts.

Labels: quiz

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it seems, anyway, for the death penalty. the Death Penalty Information Center points out that in 2005:

The number of death sentences handed down is estimated to be 96 -- down 60 percent since the late 1990s and the fewest number of sentences in one year since executions were allowed to resume in 1976.

The majority of states with the death penalty did not carry out a single execution.

New York refused to reinstate the death penalty and New Jersey took an important step toward, in effect, abolishing it.

Texas became the 37th out of 38 death penalty states to adopt the sentencing option of life without parole.

The U.S. Supreme Court abolished the juvenile death penalty, in effect commuting the sentences of 71 people to life without parole or, in some cases, very lengthy prison terms of at least 35 years.

Labels: crime and social justice

thoughts - by jessica at 3:36 PM | |

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[quiz] What 2007 Car Should You Drive?: You Should Drive a Saturn Sky

       

You're sleek and smooth, and you need a car to match your hot persona.
Besides, sometimes you want your top up - and sometimes you want it down.

Labels: quiz

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happy Friday the 13th.

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Use at your own risk. Keep away from fire or flame. The author makes no claim as to the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information on this website. Caution, coffee is served hot. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Subject to change without notice. Do not write below this line. One size fits all. For recreational use only. Allow four to six weeks for delivery. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Accessories sold separately. Not recommended for children. If rash, irritation, redness, or swelling develops, discontinue use. Driver does not carry cash. Warning: May contain nuts. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Any rebroadcast, reproduction, or other use of the pictures and accounts of this broadcast without the express written consent of the National Football League is prohibited. Beware of dog. Must be at least 18 years of age before entering. All material is copyrighted and the property of their authors, unless explicitly noted otherwise. Batteries not included. Penalty for private use. Subject to approval. Use only as directed.

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i've noticed that the people who are pro-life are also pro-death penalty. this doesn't make sense to me. if you are against abortion because life is special and important then why isn't life important when it comes to the death penalty? the argument is that capital punishment is a justified punishment for the heinous act of murder. because murder is so awful. because life is so important. nope, not making sense.

Labels: crime and social justice

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- when people use 'to' instead of 'too.'

- the spelling of 'donut.' it's not right!

- wearing black with navy blue. when will they learn?

Labels: three things

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remember how when you were a kid, you used to mix all the sodas together in one and call it a suicide?

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accoring to this, the Holy Bible is the most stolen book from bookstores. i find this amusing since God says we are not to steal.

Labels: books

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i don't follow college football at all, but after last weekend, everyone had heard about Marcus Vick. And yesterday Virginia Tech kicked him off the team due to, not only last weekend's behavior, but a history of problems.

"It's not a big deal. I'll just move on to the next level, baby" he said when spotted at a Virginia Beach restaurant.

it sucks that instead of being punished at all, he will now enter the NFL draft and play pro. He should play wherever TO is playing. talk about the downfall of a team.

update: see! here he is pulling guns on people.

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these are too cute.
and they are fridge magnets.

[via.]

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by the way i was flabbergasted when people at work had no idea what sysco was.

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before he goes. the latest: Gov. Warner Orders DNA Test for Executed Man

Labels: crime and social justice

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the world tribune says so.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the most powerful Israeli leader in 50 years, has died, Middle East Newsline reported. He was 77 ... Sharon was declared dead by physicians at Jerusalem's Hadassah Hospital before 1 p.m. Israeli time [6 a.m. EST].

other sources say that they is either in surgery, just back from surgery, or still in a coma.

maybe we should ask the news source that reported the mining incident? they seem to know exactly what is going on.

update at 3:40 pm: i'm assuming the tribune was wrong and he is still kicking.

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19-year-old James R. Boughton, from Chesapeake, was charged yesterday with the murder of one Mormon missionary and the malicious wounding of another.

this is a local story so it's been all over the place here. in case you missed it, it is believed that these two missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints may have been shot because they witnessed a crime, not because they were Mormon.

Labels: crime and social justice

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carnation instant breakfast.

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will someone please tell me why the world cares so much about this girl? she's always in the news for something. this week it is drugs and bulimia. why can't i just read my paris hilton news without her alwys showing up?

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that's the google logo today. a bit of research [okay, one click] indicates that it is Louis Braille's birthday.

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when i last saw the news at 11 last night, one of the 13 trapped coal miners were found, and he was dead. then sometime through the course of the night, it was reported that 12 were found alive. i wake up to the fact that the media was wrong and indeed 12 are dead.

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yesterday i read john saul's Perfect Nightmare. it was fantastic, as i expected. but get this: the main characters are named kara, lindsay, shannon, ellen and patrick. and i know, closely, someone with each of those names. is that strange?

Labels: books

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forever the newsmaker, marion barry was robbed in his own home by two 'youths' who helped him bring in his groceries.

hey, he has already been a drug user, criminal offender, and mayor. crime victim was bound to be next.

Labels: crime and social justice

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this [third post of 2006] is the 620th post of this blog.

in case you wanted to know.

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what is this zango? where did it come from? and why is it haunting me?

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for the new year:

Celebrate:: party
Resolve:: strong
I need to:: pee
Call:: me
Token:: for the bus
Brand:: name
Comparison:: shopping
Far away:: from home
Artful:: creative
Fantastic:: voyage

Labels: free association

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