tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41258648672326346162024-09-25T16:42:17.736-07:00For those to aim to misbehave.Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-28369848304424479902011-10-13T09:18:00.000-07:002011-10-13T09:18:46.351-07:00

The Federal Reserve (the Fed) takes a lot of crap for today's U.S. economy. Personally, I feel a lot of this blame is misplaced, due to a) having a convenient scapegoat to blame the financial crisis on and b) the ignorance on the part of the majority of Americans on what the Fed is actually capable of doing in response to recessions, depressions, and economic difficulties. The Fed is essentially

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-80040197089667713092011-10-04T22:10:00.000-07:002011-10-04T22:10:26.515-07:00

Woot woot! Valkyrie Falls.com Oh yay! So excited. Again, just for reminder's sake: this site will continue to be updated with new posts until the end of the year. Periodically, I'll post reminders on this site that it will eventually be left to languish in the realms of forgotten websites after the 1st, so hopefully no one suffers from VF withdrawal. Thanks again, all!

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-45429987410027181942011-10-03T07:36:00.000-07:002011-10-03T07:36:44.698-07:00

Calif. Governor Jerry Brown signs law prohibiting local governments from banning circumcision. This legislation was a reaction against the city of San Francisco which appeared to be poised to ban circumcision except when deemed medically necessary (SF Gate article with a few more details). Of course, parents with religious orders to circumcise their children were more than a little perturbed.

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-65400908320765528372011-10-02T06:14:00.000-07:002011-10-02T06:14:10.018-07:00

Obama tells gay activists that he is committed to equality (CNN). I didn't post or comment on the repeal of DADT on Tuesday this week, because while parts of the world celebrated as this U.S. soldier came out to his dad, other parts of the world mourned after a 14-year-old teen committed suicide last weekend. The teen had made a video that is part of the "It's Get Better" series, which features

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-28314990958198712352011-10-01T13:06:00.000-07:002011-10-01T13:06:49.495-07:00

Hey guys! We're moving. The site was supposed to go live today, but we all know how those things go. The move is in progress, and I'll will update you all as soon as it's completed so you can update your bookmarks. I apologize for any service issues there might be in the meantime; the situation for the next little bit is going to be very fluid, so thank you for your patience. Also, this site

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-38089782819894969482011-09-28T07:27:00.000-07:002011-09-28T07:32:13.054-07:00

Nice. Further evidence women don't need hospitals to do something they've evolved to be able to do. Nursing student in Brooklyn safely delivers baby in car. Baby born in car. Source: NY Post Woot woot! I've been waiting for an article like this, because there are few things I'm more passionate about than a woman's right to have a safe, natural, intervention-free childbirth. No, I'm not one of

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-46789897241640671742011-09-26T09:03:00.000-07:002011-09-26T09:03:32.147-07:00

Oh yeah. This is smart: High corn prices encourages farmers to skip crop rotation So, I'm a gardener. Not a commercial farmer. But I know that plants need nutrients. Certain plants take more of a certain kind of nutrient, and some plants (beans, for example) are really good at putting particular nutrient back in the soil. You can't do that if you're one trick pony. Like diets and genetics,

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-68900975094123578682011-09-24T06:51:00.001-07:002011-09-24T06:51:23.486-07:00

Yesterday, the fiance and I went to our local Western Bagel. I'm a huge fan of the Traditional (minus the capers, yuck!). As we enter the business, my partner holds the door open for a man who looks like he's a bit rushed. An employee offers to take the next customer in line, and my fiance and I (independently, at the same time) gesture with our arms and tell the guy to go in front of us. We

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-89976862868083111842011-09-22T05:55:00.000-07:002011-09-22T05:55:31.398-07:00

A new study shows around 73% of adults prefer to use their phones for texting rather than calling. I happen to one of those adults, for several reasons. Source: Wikipedia 1. Written conversations are clearer than verbal conversations. If you need to give me instructions, such as what you want from the local fast-food joint, please text it. I don't have to worry about forgetting that you

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-50522293641589540152011-09-19T08:40:00.000-07:002011-09-19T08:40:47.536-07:00

A recent blogger discusses the psychotic relationship the U.S. has with alcohol and marijuana. He accurately points out the disparity between campuses' zero tolerance policy on pot, while at the same time allowing or even encouraging the consumption of alcohol. His article includes examples from the University of Colorado campuses, who put their logo on products associated with alcohol

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-24279437676130715942011-09-17T09:47:00.000-07:002011-09-17T09:47:14.344-07:00

The inspiration for this post: Columnist Opens His Last Unemployment Check I've been listening for over three years now to the lame attacks and specious criticisms of those who are receiving some form of welfare, be it food stamps, unemployment, Social Security, disability, you name it. The perception is that these people are fakes, liars, and slackers who are only interested in gaming the

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-82262676037119824482011-09-16T07:38:00.000-07:002011-09-16T07:38:18.188-07:00

Yay! I'm so excited. Valkyrie Falls is moving to its own website! *does the happy dance* The new website will be www.valkyriefalls.com, and will go live October 1st. This website will stay up for a while, but won't be updated after the 1st. Thanks so much for the people who have made this possible (you know who you are, I won't embarrass you).

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-25306509988175661852011-09-15T08:35:00.001-07:002011-09-15T08:35:43.930-07:00

10 Myths About Atheists, Debunked? My definition of an atheist: someone who does not believe in any form of deity (god or goddess). Nothing more, nothing less. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misunderstanding, so myths and assumptions abound. I intend to explore and explain a bit about my own version of atheism so people aren't so bound by their preconceptions. There are no atheists in

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-20263252424994151612011-09-13T09:54:00.001-07:002011-09-13T09:54:36.143-07:00

Originally I was going to title this "Reasons For An Open Relationship", but the truth is, I want this advice to be applicable to more than just those who are looking up ways to negotiate bringing in a third (or fourth, or fifth) person into the bedroom. I honestly believe that there are traits that successful open relationships share that would also greatly benefit regular, two-person

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-31758649981668608622011-09-12T09:28:00.000-07:002011-09-12T09:28:36.730-07:00

These are the traits I want my next president to have: 1. Pro-choice Let me be clear here, because I'm not just talking about abortion. I'm talking about the freedom to choose contraception, abortion, but also the freedom to NOT choose those things. The next president should actively support a culture that allows a woman to become pregnant when she wishes, provides the healthcare necessary to

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-89458809700388155062011-09-10T12:03:00.000-07:002011-09-10T12:06:27.982-07:00

Bolivia is set to pass legislation that will confer the same rights as humans to Mother Nature. The law is called la Ley de Derechos de la Madre Tierra. I believe that not only will this legislation fail to produce its intended aim (greater conservation and respect for natural resources), but will actually produce a negative economic and environmental impact. The reason: unintended consequences.

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-71585380425776035692011-09-08T14:24:00.000-07:002011-09-08T14:30:55.096-07:00

In 1943, the United States Treasury Department sponsored this short animation by Walt Disney in an effort to make the idea of income tax withholdings. Previously, income tax withholdings were a hard sell to the U.S. public, due to the fact that the money was being taken out of citizens' paychecks before they even saw it, encouraging the earner to be blind to both their actual earnings (as opposed

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-78758187510941646122011-09-07T07:44:00.001-07:002011-09-07T07:44:41.599-07:00

Hey readers! Things have slowed down a bit over here. The school semester started, plus I have several other projects I'm working on, one of which will be announced probably in the next two weeks and directly affects this blog (I'm so excited, I hope you will be too!). I have a few blog posts planned, but they are requiring a bit more research than my usual fare, so be patient with me and I'll

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-28971321467973949542011-09-03T06:32:00.000-07:002011-09-03T06:32:20.476-07:00

An Orthodox rabbi has started a matchmaking services for gay men and women who are seeking to fulfill the Jewish requirement of having children: I applaud Rabbi Harel's efforts in bringing his Orthodox Jewish culture and modern-day concerns on homosexuality together. His matchmaking service is just another example of how cultures can and will adapt to those who express gender a little

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-70439811243712692602011-09-01T14:21:00.000-07:002011-09-01T14:21:20.534-07:00

Previous post: Media Finally Gets One Right Seriously, every member of Alphabet Soup (LGBTQRXYZ) needs to have a mom like this: Cher defends son Chaz against critics. Source: Yahoo! My favorite: "Mothers don't stop Getting angry with stupid bigots who (mess) with their children!" the 65-year-old singer wrote. Awesome. So full of win. WTG Cher for being probably the most famous parent of a

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-1081444770516598912011-08-31T19:25:00.000-07:002011-08-31T19:25:02.750-07:00

For the most part, I'm intending for this blog to be witty, informative, and insightful on a variety of subjects, most political, all practical in some fashion. However. . . Every once in a while, I need to stick my foot into pure, childlike silliness. This is such a time: Oh, the geek is strong with this one. I loved this drink as a kid, and I can't wait to try the recipe. If you have,

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-21606452157273303552011-08-31T04:21:00.000-07:002011-08-31T04:27:00.749-07:00

The article: Chaz Bono Competes on Dancing With The Stars If you're raising your eyebrows at me, don't worry. I'm not a Dancing With The Stars fan, or a fan of Cher, or anything else. But did you notice the consistent use of "he" throughout the article? Yeah, if you're the average straight person, chances are you didn't. If you're alternatively gendered/sexed, I'll bet you caught it. Source:

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-75045707606613067792011-08-28T14:55:00.000-07:002011-08-28T14:55:35.277-07:00

*facepalm* Mom stops kids' play because it's "disabelist" [sic] Source: Chairsstairlift.com The woman has great intentions, don't get me wrong. She wants to ensure that her kids are raised with an awareness and appreciation of difference. This is a noble goal. My concern is with the execution. Instead of telling kids that pretending to be paralyzed is bad, morph the game into a learning tool.

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-90949952725947773002011-08-28T07:06:00.000-07:002011-08-28T07:59:10.123-07:00

I started going to church five weeks ago. They brought in a guest speaker last week, Father Greg Boyle. Father Boyle founded Homeboy Bakery in 1992, a business committed "to creating an environment that provided training, work experience, and above all, the opportunity for rival gang members to work side by side." This developed into Homeboy Industries. Source: Homeboy Industries His stories

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125864867232634616.post-33361886542254015102011-08-26T04:01:00.000-07:002011-08-26T04:14:11.659-07:00

Oh man: Massachusetts has $460M surplus See, I'm not as crazy as you all might have thought I was. Increase social services, increase taxes, and voila, you have a state that is in the top-third of the country in terms of employment, and a surplus that the governor has asked the legislature to stow away into the state's Rainy Day fund, which would stand at $1 billion. California, are you

Becky Littlefieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297806280378336753noreply@blogger.com0