Jane Lake Makes a Mistake

JANE LAKE INTERVIEWS MCCAIN AND OBAMA!

2008-09-29T08:46:00.003-04:00

Being in the right place at the right time is everything! I only got in one question but I think the answers say it all!

JANE:

Would you rather have a cupcake from the famous Magnolia Bakery in New York or a bag of M&M's?

OBAMA:

First off, I would like to thank you Jane for allowing us to answer questions from someone not on Wall St., but on Main St. I think the question you ask is one which many Americans are posed on a daily basis. I truly believe that this is something I would research in depth before making a rash decision. Yes, people have remarked on the quality of the cupcakes at Magnolia, but on share volume alone, M&M's certainly have a strong following. Who are we really helping by eating cupcakes at a well known, well off establishment who could well afford to give cupcakes away for free? It is the people of Hershey, PA that need to know we are behind them, that we support them, and they need to get out to vote on election day. I am having a rally soon with tens of thousands of M&M supporters and believe me, I plan to make sure that all Americans can continue to enjoy a candy staple for years to come.

MCCAIN:

Jane, Obama just doesn't get it. He doesn't understand at all. I've been to Magnolia Bakery many times in the past 20 years and I have experienced first hand how good these cupcakes are. Yes, M&M's are popular, but I'm not pandering for votes here. I'm giving you the blatant truth. The cupcake wins hands down. Now lets get over to Bleecker Street right now. The cupcakes are on me.

JANE: Thank you both for your candid responses!

Jane Lake and Anna!

2007-02-09T08:57:00.000-05:00

Let's face it. This is the most important event that has occurred in the last 50 years! Every major website had it blasted across its breaking news. Every talk show was centered on it. Front page in every newspaper!

ANNA NICOLE SMITH DEAD!

Can you imagine the folks scrambling right now for the rights to her life story for a book, a movie, or even a broadway show (made into a reality tv show to pick who will play Anna)? Could Pamela Anderson pull it off?

Can you imagine the lawyers trying to figure out what happens to the child, the money, the future royalties?

This is ambulance chasing at its best!

Anna was at best on the fringe of the entertainment industry but as big a celebrity as it gets. Marilyn Monroe reincarnated. This was the perfect example of how marketing and perception rules.

Love her or find her despicable. It doesn't matter. She will continue in death what she was in life - a creation of the media, an exploitation of women, and a sad reminder of what we have all become.

I entered this in the Philosophy Blog War. Pleases vote for my entry here:

VOTE FOR JANE!

Jane Lake and President's Day!

2007-02-07T08:35:00.000-05:00

As we approach Presidents' Day (correct to put the apostrophe after Presidents and not President's as most people think!), I think it is interesting to note that, even though it sounds like we are celebrating alll of the Presidents, everyone knows that we are celebrating the birthdays of George Washington, and we throw Lincoln in because his birthday is also in February although it was never a Federal holiday.

And although Alabama celebrates it as Washington and Jefferson Day, I think it is a sad commentary that not a single President since Lincoln has been deemed worthy to be added to the list, or singled out for anything in particular.

I really hope the next President will be the one we look back on and say, "This is someone we must always remember." Unfortunately, it is more likeley we will be saying, "To impeach, or not to impeach. That is the question!"

You can't turn the clocks back and return to an age of innocence, with true leaders and heroes. But you can improve things by not voting for political machines with personal agendas.

Jane Lake and Moodspins!

2007-01-31T08:43:00.000-05:00

I have joined the illustrious writing staff of Moodspins, an InsidePulse Zone.

Inside Pulse is a community of enthusiastic, opinionated writers covering a broad range of topics and subjects that span the entirety of modern popular culture. Unlike traditional, mainstream media, Inside Pulse has no corporate parent to pander to, and the result is a no-holds-barred take on the world that is a rarity in modern media.

Come visit as I plan to post once a week there, and feel free to comment!

MOODSPIN

Jane Lake and Vista!

2007-01-30T09:58:00.000-05:00

As Microsoft rolls out Vista, I must take a mental snapshot of the world that I know today for tomorrow it will be different.

Whether I like it or not Microsoft shapes how we look at the world and how we access the world. Today, Vista is a new thing. Tomorrow you will not be able to imagine a world without it and XP will look and feel like a dinosaur.

I am always a little queazy when my computer world is reshaped beyond my control, and it is always a little uncomfortable at first. But I must credit the techies with the vision that allows them to recreate what seems like a perfectly acceptable world and manage to make it sleeker and better.

I will probably resist going over to Vista until I can't do something on XP that I want to do that I would be able to do with Vista. But the day will come and I will inevitably move forward and contribute to Microsoft's coffers.

Viva Vista!

Jane Lake and Cold Weather!

2007-01-26T08:30:00.000-05:00

It was 8 degrees when I left for work this morning. -4 degrees with the wind chill factor.

These five things went through my head.

1) Thank God for long underwear! They should make long underwear fashionable so that you can wear them on the outside. Then once you get inside you can take them off. Another billion dollar idea that someone else will actually do!

2) Why do some people wear a thin coat with a scarf and thing they will be warm? And then if you ask them if they are cold, they say "No, I love this. I'm from Minnesota." Then their ear falls off!

3) How many people will actually get their tongue stuck to a pole today?

4) How hard will I be laughing at the smokers who stand outside their office building 10 times a day frantically trying to light their cigarettes, taking 3 long puffs and then running back inside barely avoiding frost bite?

5) As brutal as it can be, there are only about a half dozen cold days like this all winter. It is part of the variety that makes the Northeast interesting. It does wear thin though.

Jane Lake and Sam Brownback!

2007-01-23T09:14:00.000-05:00

Once in a blue moon (which of course really isn't blue!) there is a presidential candidate that rises above the others as someone you would actually vote for, not because they are the lesser of two evils, but that they would actually make a great President.

Sam Brownback is that candidate. Now, typically that means that he will be pummeled early and hard so that he doesn't even have a chance to represent his party in the general election. But the eternal optimist that I am, I hold that glimmer of hope that others will notice the humanity, wisdom, and honesty that Brownback represents.

He certainly at this point does not have the name recognition of the other Republicans that have announced or will announce their candidacies. But neither did Jimmy Carter at this point analogously in his campaign.

And this I know for sure. I can not stomach Hilary. I do not like her Sam I am!

Jane Lake and Snow!

2007-01-19T09:02:00.000-05:00

This morning brought big flakes of snow,
As Manhattan woke from slumber,
They melted quickly don't you know,
And soon had lost their number.

And that's the best the city brings,
For if the snow should stick,
Black and yellow and brownish things
Will begin to make you sick.

Snow is meant for rolling hills,
Where sleds and kids can play,
For kids on streets will give you chills,
throwing snowballs that are grey.

So a mild winter is what I see,
with the occasional pretty flake,
And keep the dreaded doggy pee,
Away from Miss Jane Lake

Jane Lake and the Super Bowl!

2007-01-17T08:26:00.000-05:00

I admittedly know nothing about sports, but there is something about the Super Bowl that is hard to avoid.

At work, there are the "boxes". Buy a couple and you are hooked - at least in watching the end of each quarter.

Socially, there are the "Super Bowl Parties" where boys will be boys and girls will be boys.

Whether you watch it for the commercials or the half time wardrobe malfunctions, or for the thrill of watching someone throw a dead cow to a grossly overweight athlete, it is a once a year must for any good American.

Being from Boston, I have to hope the Patriots make it again. It at least makes people think I care. Otherwise, I will claim I got 2 - 2 for my box and watch everyone look so sad for me.

Jane Lake and Amniotic-Fluid Stem Cells!

2007-01-10T11:53:00.000-05:00

One technology after another is developed that shows that embryonic stem cell research is Draconian. Between umbilical cord cells, adult stem cells, and now amniotic-fluid stem cells, a high percentage of any potential benefit that embryonic stem cell research might muster, if any, can be investigated using alternative methodology.

Why continue to utilize methods that are considered by many to be unethical and potentially fruitless when we now have clear alternatives?

1) Monetary gain - grants have been given for embryonic stem cell research. Both the grantors and recipients would lose out on funds already spent.

2) Stubborness - people don't want to admit that all the energy and effort that they put into fighting for embryonic stem cell was for naught.

3) Selfishness - If it will help me one day sooner than I don't care about the ethics!

4) Political gain - many Democrats have used this issue as a stick against their Republican foes, and they wouldn't want to find themselves on the opposite side of the beating!

The bottom line is that given the potential of all of the alternatives, it is an abomination to pursue any further a technique that millions of people in this country believe is killing innocent lives.

Let's all grow up and do what is right!

I entered this in the Philosophy Blog War. Pleases vote for my entry here:

VOTE FOR JANE!

Jane Lake and Personal Responsibility!

2007-01-08T09:13:00.000-05:00

The other day I crossed the street, not at an intersection, but in the middle. I walked between two parked trucks to get out into the street and peeked out to see if any cars were coming. Just as I stuck my head out, a bicyclist swerved to avoid taking my head off. As luck would have it, I am still here to tell the story, and the bicyclist was okay as well as there were no cars coming.

On Friday, a local 13 year old boy was hit and killed by a Long Island Railroad train as he was going home for dinner from spraying graffiti on the train signal box. He was running across the third of four tracks to beat out a train coming on the third track. What he did not know was there was a train coming on the fourth track as it was blocked by the train he could see.

Both of us did something not quite right, and certainly not smart. For me it is a subtle wake up call, that we are responsible for our own well being and our choices affect not only ourselves, but also our families, our friends, and strangers alike.

Taking unnecessary chances, because of impatience, the thrill, or just plain stupidity is something we all do at one time or another when we are driving cars, crossing streets, or just trying to get somewhere.

Someone out there is telling me to think smart and slow down. I think that is sound advice.

Jane Lake and Life on Other Planets!

2007-01-04T08:34:00.000-05:00

I got to thinking about life on other planets and how it relates to religions and God. Certainly there is no place in the bible where life on other planets is either supported or rejected.

Why would God want life on only one planet anyway? Maybe the Adams and Eves on other planets didn't eat from the Tree of Knowledge, and snakes still walk and talk. It seems a little like overkill to create a whole universe just to put life on Earth.

I'm not even sure how we know there is nothing outside our Universe. We certainly have no way way of detecting something that might be a googleplex to the third miles away.

What is my point? Well, it seems we are always searching for answers to the big questions. Discovering an advanced civilization on another planet would probably give us more answers (and more questions) than anything we can divine on this little blue marble.

Go NASA!

Jane Lake and Checks!

2007-01-02T08:43:00.000-05:00

A new year means trying to remember what year it is when writing out a check! Of course, who uses checks anymore?

Anything that can be automatically paid, I do it. All of my monthly bills are paid through an online account. Quite frankly, I'm surprised that checks haven't gone the way of the subway token.

Of course, now the IRS has decided that cash contributions for charitable organizations can not be deducted on your income tax, which means writing a check may be the only viable alternative in some cases. I guess I will be handing out checks to homeless people in the subway stations from now on. I just hope I put the correct year!

I entered this in the Philosophy Blog War. Pleases vote for my entry here:

VOTE FOR JANE!

Jane Lake and 3-D glasses!

2006-12-29T08:48:00.000-05:00

To make the Times Square experience more bizarre this year, Target figured out a new gimmick and is supplying the revelers with 3-D glasses so they will see the famous Target logo coming out of the falling Swarovski crystal ball in Times Square on New Year's Eve. I won't even address the commercial ridiculousness of it all.

I went to Times Square one New Year's Eve long ago and believe me once is enough. If you like to stand in the freezing cold for hours huddled around a TV camera with masses of people crushing up against you waiting to scream every time the red light goes on the camera then you have found your dream experience.

Now you get to wear cheap 3-D glasses that will probably give you a headache, will keep falling off and in the worst case scenario you will be seeing bull's eyes for the rest of your life.

Don't get me wrong. I will laugh with the rest of the country as some palooka from Minnesota will swear he is having the best time of his life as 50 people behind him jump in and out of the camera frame.

Happy New Year to all! May 2007 be your bestest year ever, and may 22% of your dreams come true!

Jane Lake and Hypothetical Questions!

2006-12-19T08:33:00.000-05:00

Everyone likes to play "What would you do if" games until they come down to the two tough basic questions.

1. Would you sacrifice your life to save your (mother, father, sister, brother, husband. wife, child, friend, stranger)?

2. Would you kill 1 person to save 10? 5 to save 100? 100 to save a million?

I will try to tackle these now.

The first question needs to be clarified. If it were a matter of pushing someone out of the way of an oncoming car, I feel instinct kicks in. You don't know for sure if you will be killed. I think if I were related to or knew the person my instinct would be to try to save them at my own risk. I'm not sure if it were a stranger,I would do anymore than yell "watch out!"

If it were the scenario of someone saying choose who dies you or the other person, I would refuse to answer even if that meant my own death. I would not be able to live with choosing the other person and I would feel choosing myself was tantamount to suicide.

The second question is the tougher one, but more clear cut from my perspective. I don't believe there is ever a justification for killing as one life is just as valuable as 100 lives. This is the hypothetical scenario that is used to justify wars, stem cell research, and a host of other evils. Nobody ultimately benefits from this as we have sold our souls to the devil to attain what we believe is a good result. Abortion is the extreme case of this as a life is sacrificed not to even save another life, but to just prevent a difficult or untimely situation.

Those are my answers and I hope I never have to make any of those decisions in my lifetime, but I feel it is always good to know in the back of your mind what your answer would be.

I entered this in the Philosophy Blog War. Pleases vote for my entry here:

VOTE FOR JANE!

Jane Lake and Losing!

2006-12-18T09:08:00.000-05:00

The 2006 Weblog Awards are over and I tied for last place! There is something quite nice about not owning last place. It was actually very fun being a finalist and congratulations to all of the winners and thanks to everyone who voted for me.

In regards to the cheating controversies, I will just say that if it can be done online it can be done in the real voting booths, so whoever wins the Presidency in 2008, we can just assume they cheated. And whoever ties for last place should be crowned the victor!

Just my humble opinion.

Jane Lake and Shopping!

2006-12-14T09:27:00.000-05:00

Please vote for me in the 2006 Weblog Awards for Best New Blog. You can vote once a day!:

VOTE FOR JANE!

I am certainly one of the benefactors of the online shopping world.

I order food from FreshDirect. I order drugstore stuff through Drugstore.com. I order books through Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com (depending on price and coupons). All of my Christmas presents and Hanukkah presents were bought online.

True, I haven't left my bedroom since 1995, but its sooooooo comfortable.

I used to go into a large department store and within 10 minutes, I would be weak and dizzy. Maybe that's why I always needed socks and underwear. I never lasted long enough in the store to get them. I needed to prioritize when I went to a store. Only the first couple of items got bought as I faded out so quickly.

But now there is macys.com, bloomingdales.com, ninewest.com, and victoriassecret.com. The list is virtually endless (no pun intended!).

Malls and department stores still seem to be thriving but I have no idea why.

Now if I could just get cash online! No more ATM machines!

Jane Lake and Making Mistakes!

2006-12-12T09:24:00.000-05:00

Please vote for me in the 2006 Weblog Awards for Best New Blog. You can vote once a day!:

VOTE FOR JANE!

We all make mistakes and face the consequences. The challenge is in not trying to defend yourself. The choices you have when you make a mistake are to blame someone else, try to justify it, lie about it, deny it is a mistake, or own up to it.

Presidents face this issue in the most public of ways. President Clinton tried them all and found owning up to it actually got him off the hook. Yes, sometimes there are consequences to admitting a mistake, but I think it always brings you to a better place. I think President Bush made a mistake regarding Iraq and he is taking the deny it is a mistake route. He will own up to it twenty years from now I'm sure.

I have certainly experienced many mistakes in my life and have tried any and all of the above. Sometimes the hardest part is owning up to the mistake to yourself. After all, you are your own hardest critic. As we approach the new year, I need to make a note to myself to face up to my mistakes quicker and with more resolve next year. Keeping an internal clean slate keeps Jane healthier, hopefully wealthier, and definitely wiser.

Jane Lake and Competition!

2006-12-11T08:29:00.000-05:00

Please vote for me in the 2006 Weblog Awards for Best New Blog. You can vote once a day!:

VOTE FOR JANE!

I was never the best in popularity contests. The only office I have ever held was Vice President of my High School math club, and interestingly enough, I was out sick the day of the voting!

As the 2006 Weblog Awards progress, and I am scrambling to keep out of last place, I realize that getting votes in a small competition like this is a tiny taste of what it must be like to run a presidential campaign. When you are an unknown going into a race, it is at best a shot in the dark. But it does happen.

Now if I could just smear all of my competition on the front page of the NY Post!

Just kidding!

There is certainly some super quality and good looking blogs up against me. I will say in my defense that I have a certain style that sets me apart from the typical blogs that you see including my competition. If I could just convince a couple of thousand people out there to vote for me.

Hey, Howard Stern, could you plug me on your radio show? That should be good for a few hundred thousand votes. Hmmm...not a bad idea!

Jane Lake and New Game Shows!

2006-12-07T08:36:00.000-05:00

Please vote for me in the 2006 Weblog Awards for Best New Blog. You can vote once a day!:

VOTE FOR JANE!

Deal or No Deal, 1 VS 100, and Show Me The Money are the next generation of game shows. Glitzy sets, big money, and attractive models set these new shows apart from the classics like Jeopardy! It is like Wheel of Fortune on Red Bull.

Deal or No Deal requires zero skill and allows contestants to make completely uneducated decisions and walk away with $100,000. Pick a suitcase from 1 to 26 from an attractive model (I aspire to hold suitcase 22!) and start getting offers to sell your suitcase from a mysterious banker.

Dumb, Corny, and not as fun as Lets Make a Deal, but if the contestant is wacky enough, it can be worth watching.

1 VS 100 is not long for this world. No attractive models, just 100 mob members that have included Ken Jennings (from Jeopardy fame) and Kevin Federline (from spousal fame). They have already changed the rules to try to revive it, but too many commercials, average intelligence of the contestants, and questions that are either too easy or too hard make it the Biggest Loser!

That leaves us with Show Me The Money! Hosted by none other than William Shatner, this show actually requires some intelligence from its contestants. Mr. Shatner has a history of being in the right place at the right time, and even though he is a bizarre host, this just might work. The Million Dollar Dancers are reminiscent of the Fly Girls from In Living Color (J Lo's launching pad!). You can't quit when you are doing well which makes it more interesting. If they can find great contestants I predict this one will be around for awhile and Jane Lake will someday be saying:

SHOW ME THE MONEY!

Jane Lake and the 2006 Weblog Awards

2006-12-06T08:07:00.000-05:00

I am a finalist for Best New Blog! I now know how Scott Savol felt on American Idol. I nominated myself as a lark, but didn't expect to make the finals. But now that I'm in it, I want to win it!

Voting starts tomorrow for 10 days. You can vote once a day, so please try to vote for me all 10 days as I think I will need that support to have a realistic chance to win.

You like me! You really like me!

Jane Lake and Toys!

2006-12-04T08:03:00.000-05:00

Is it me or did they stop making toys that don't overstimulate kids? Looking for Christmas presents that are appropriate for kids gets more difficult each year.

Toys like the yo-yo, the hula hoop, a jump rope, an etch-a-sketch, jacks, and marbles are eternal classics. Now if it doesn't talk, move, interact with TV, or sing it is BORING!

I remember as a kid putting a playing card in the spokes of my bicycle to make a cool noise as I rode. Now I would just press a button to sound like a jet plane, a motorcycle, or press another button to hear 1 of a hundred tunes (not that I wouldn't have an ipod in my ear anyway!)

I think we are creating a society of overstimulated technophiles who are losing touch with the ability to revel in the beauty of a perfect aggie. You hear a lot more about anxiety and depression today then you did 10 years ago. Could this be a result of the loss of simplicity?

Will toys someday have warnings on them from the Surgeon General saying "This toy may be hazardous to your psyche!" I think maybe they should.

I entered this in the Philosophy Blog War. Pleases vote for my entry here:

VOTE FOR JANE!

Jane Lake and Shameless Promotion!

2006-11-30T08:26:00.000-05:00

Don't you hate when bloggers use their blogs to promote "get rich quick" schemes, or things that you sign up for and get spammed for years to come.

Ever since Blogmad announced their prelaunch of Exlinks, I see links to it on every blog from here to Timbuktu. Nobody even knows what it does or if it will work! I have not promoted it on my blog not because I think it is a scam, but only because every other blogger already has signed up and is promoting it. I have signed up 75 referrals just in case it turns out to be something worthwhile!

So just to be a little different, I thought I would share two programs that are also just starting out, are free to join, never cost you anything and potentially could provide you with decent extra income. And before anyone screams "pyramid scheme", let me point out that programs that don't cost anything to anybody can not be a pyramid scheme by definition!

The first is AGLOCO. This company was setup by Stanford MBA's trying to capture a nice chunk of the online advertising market. Basically they give you a viewbar, which you get paid to use for 5 hours a day. You also make money for every referral that uses the viewbar as well. You also get shares in their IPO if it makes it that far. They have a nifty referral calculator that will show you that you will potentially make 6 figures with a decent referral base.

Check it out here:

AGLOCO

The other site is similar. It is called Take The Internet Back. Like AGLOCO, there is no cost to you, you get free downloads, a share of the advertising revenue and points which become stock shares for reading emails and referring others.

Check it out here:

Take The Internet Back

I like these programs that with a little work you can build a few extra paychecks a month. It really does add up.

Sorry for the shameless promotion, but for those of you that sign up, I really do hope that you make a lot of money!

Jane Lake and Celebrity Divorce!

2006-11-28T08:40:00.000-05:00

Jessica and Nick, Jennifer and Brad, Hilary and Chad, Britney and Kevin, Reese and Ryan, Pam and Kid. Lets face it. Celebrities get married so they can have a big party. Their concept of marriage as a lifetime commitment is nonexistent.

It is ironic to me how the entertainment world will fight for gay marriage and rights when they don't even have a clue about traditional marriage. I think these "teen role models" make a mockery of love and marriage and flaunt it in front of teenagers and young adults that are easily influenced by their "turn it on, turn it off" relationships.

I think we need to take a hard look at divorce in this country and consider making it a lot harder to do so. Marriages of convenience, of impetuousness, of lust need to be overhauled.

I think you should be required to take a test about your spouse when you get married. If you get less than 80% correct the marriage is annulled. No prenups allowed!(sorry Donald) Divorce must be voted on by jury and should no longer be rubber stamped.

Maybe if we make it harder to both get married and get divorced, we can return to the true intentions of this institution, love and commitment.

I entered this in the Philosophy Blog War. Pleases vote for my entry here:

VOTE FOR JANE!

Jane Lake and Returning to Work!

2006-11-27T09:40:00.000-05:00

I am back!

Although it is always a disappointment when vacations end, coming back to work can be like a fresh beginning. For a solid three hours you feel like you have energy and desire to be better than ever. Unfortunately a week of vacation only buys you three hours of this illusion. By lunchtime, the work and all of the headaches make you ready for another vacation.

The good part about this time of year is you get back just in time for the holiday parties, holiday food baskets sent by clients, more vacation not too far away, and everyone attempting their part at good cheer.

If it only lasted past Christmas!

Jane Lake and Worrying!

2006-11-22T19:39:00.000-05:00

I am on vacation this week but I figured I would try to fit in a little poem:

Worrying
by Jane Lake

Don't worry about your future, it inevitably will come,
Don't worry about your past, as living there just might be dumb,
But especially don't worry about the things you don't control
as twenty one times out of twenty two, you tend to reach your goal.

Worrying just slows you down, and worries those around you,
Calm and steady wins the race and this just isn't my view,
but it's important enough to say again, for most of you don't listen.
Hakuna Matata says it all and helps your life to glisten.

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

Jane Lake and Scrabble!

2006-11-17T09:02:00.000-05:00

Certainly one of the top 5 games ever invented is Scrabble. I am a social Scrabble player and do not aspire to competition levels. I do however make an effort to keep up with the authorized Scrabble two letter words.

With the release of the fourth edition of the Scrabble Dictionary, there are now five new two letter words (total of 101) that will dramatically affect game play.

They are FE, KI, OI, QI, and ZA. Previously there were no two letter words with Q or Z and F was just FA and K was just KA. FE, KI, QI, and ZA all take S's. OI does not.

I am most excited about ZA (short for pizza)!I love pizza and I love getting the letter Z!

QI (the vital force in Chinese thought, same as KI) will also have a major impact as many people get stuck with the letter Q at the end of the game. Now there is a much higher chance of using it.

So anyone that wants to play me, please memorize the 101 two letter words first. I don't want an unfair advantage!

Jane Lake and Recycling!

2006-11-15T08:57:00.000-05:00

There was an article in the New York Times ten years ago mocking the need to recycle and the people obsessed with the need to.

I reference it here for your review:

RECYCLING IS GARBAGE!

It caused quite a controversy and was rebuked by many, but quite frankly I have to admit that what Mr. Tierney says makes a lot of sense, and is worth revisiting. To sum up if you don't have time to read it, the conclusions are that recycling takes jobs away from rural areas that need it most, increase costs to the consumer, saves a minimal amount of land, and does nothing for the environment.

I find that this is another example of someone being right at the wrong time. Recycling is a feel good activity and adults and children alike relish in the theoretical benefits. It is big business and thus has a large enough lobby to make Mr.Tierney look questionable if not downright ridiculous.

But we have seen time and time again that it is easy to distort facts, mislead the American public, and hide the truth (yes, I am referring to abortion!).

I have not recycled for a year or so and I have to say I feel pretty good about it and makes my life just a little bit easier. Sometimes I think we just need to question things that are many times shoved down our throats.

By the way, today is America Recycles Day!

Jane Lake and Thanksgiving!

2006-11-13T13:35:00.000-05:00

Here we are approaching the beloved holiday of turkey farmers and cranberry boggers alike.

I must say it is difficult for a vegetarian to fully appreciate the immense slaughter of innocent fowl in order to give thanks for what we have. Sure there is Tofurkey (which is decent, not great) and enough veggie side dishes to plump up the slightest of us. Sure it is great to get together with family and friends. Sure it is a day off of work.

But between the traffic, preparation, eating too much, and did I mention traffic, I'm not sure it is all worth it.

It is also somewhat ironic that we commemurate the suffering of the pilgrims (anyone that has been to Plymouth Plantation can attest that it is not the French Riviera), and the taking of land from Native Americans by gorging ourselves until we need to lie down.

I think what we need to do is modernize Thanksgiving. Be thankful for peace, family, friends etc. Make macaroni and cheese the main dish as its place as the best comfort food is long coming. Give people a choice of 4 optional days to celebrate it to enable a lessening of traffic on any 1 day. Everyone should get a massage on Thanksgiving so that they are fully relaxed and energized. NO TV!

Anyone with me?

Jane Lake and Excuses!

2006-11-09T08:53:00.000-05:00

How many excuses do you make every day to avoid doing something? Ten? Fifty? Over one hundred? I think you would be surprised to find out the tally if you actually sat down and counted. But I’m sure you have something better to do than to count your excuses. Go fix something to eat. Go and do your laundry. Lie down and rest for a few minutes.

Welcome to the world of excuses!

Most people don’t even realize they are doing it. Doing your laundry is doing something. How is that an excuse? Well, it isn’t always. It is one thing to do your laundry at 9am according to plan, but for it to pop into your head to do your laundry because someone asks you to do something for or with them is just an excuse. Don’t get me wrong though. I’m not saying planning gets you out of the excuse business. Some people are so smart that they plan their excuses far in advance.

But I digress.

Do any of these excuses sound familiar?

I have a headache. I’m tired. I’m swamped. Let me get back to you tomorrow. My dog ate it. I missed it by a minute. I thought it was Wednesday. I just can’t find the time. If I only had the energy I had ten years ago. Later. None of this makes sense. We don’t have the resources. It cost too much. Why should I? You don’t need it. I thought I checked it. I thought I had enough time. Why can’t you do it? I don’t like to exercise.

This is just a short list of what is nearly an infinite array of possible excuses that you either use, or have used at some point in your life.

What is my point? Why should you care?

Because I put it to you that only the smallest fraction of your potential is being realized. Have you ever failed in anything? Did you ever not get the job that you wanted? Did you ever come up short at the wrong time in your life?

Excuses stop people from doing. It is doing that allows people to succeed. The best that you can do with making excuses is getting by. For some people, getting by is enough, but I like to think that we are here to maximize our potential and make a difference in our work and our personal lives.

How many things have you not done in your life because of an excuse. Is it the book that you didn’t write? Is it the trip that you never took?

Excuses come in all shapes and sizes. They are used in the workplace, in your personal relationships, and with yourself. Making excuses for not exercising or for why eating that second piece of cake is okay is the tip of the iceberg in hampering your achievements.

The negative psychological effects of making excuses will follow you around and ensure that you will not live up to your potential. Guilt and denial will become your mantra faster than you can blink an eye.

I entered this in the Philosophy Blog War. Pleases vote for my entry here:

VOTE FOR JANE!

Jane Lake and Election Day!

2006-11-07T08:50:00.000-05:00

I was the only person at my voting location this morning. Keep in mind that I am in NYC and this was during prime morning time to vote! If any of my candidates win by 1 vote, I will be especially proud of myself.

It is truly terrible to live in this country and not vote. It is one of the few rights we have that should be exercised whenever possible (but only vote once per election!)

I'm not sure I have ever voted for a winning candidate in NY but someday it will happen. The tides are turning and the amount of money a candidate has will someday be irrelevant.

Personally, I think all candidates should be given an equal budget to campaign. Why should anyone have a monetary advantage?

Jane Lake and Saddam Hussein!

2006-11-06T08:22:00.000-05:00

I am saddened that people feel that the death penalty accomplishes anything more than proving that mankind has not yet learned the meaning of love or mercy.

Killing other humans makes us no more than premeditated savages. Saddam Hussein (once just an innocent boy as you can see in the picture) probably was responsible for many horrific crimes, but spending the rest of his life in prison is the only viable humane punishment we know.

How can we expect our children to grow up to believe it is wrong to kill, use guns,and solve problems with violence when we as a society support the death penalty, war, and the right to have an abortion?

I think what we really need to do is to start killing as many people as we can with KINDNESS! Only then will future generations inherit a world worth its weight in milk and honey.

Jane Lake and Heroes!

2006-11-02T10:07:00.000-05:00

Heroes is the latest hit on NBC. I have mixed views on this show. Unfortunately it appeals to children and this is definitely not a show that anyone under 13 should ever see. Attempted rape, dead bodies with missing brains, heroin addicts, a nuclear explosion in New York, internet porn and of course politicians all make this an R rated show by any standard.

But I have to admit the science fiction plot of the show and the laughable naivete of the character Hiro make it decent entertainment. I just wish Hollywood would realize that all of the above mentioned negatives only detract from the show, not enhance it.

I will stick with it for Season 1 just to find out how they save the world, but if they don't clean up their act, they will definitely lose me, and probably many others after that.

Jane Lake and The Ocean!

2006-11-01T09:19:00.000-05:00

How could I talk about the moon without saying a little something about the ocean whose tides are affected by the moon.

It is quite apparent how powerful and awesome the ocean is, but did you realize that half the oxygen we breathe comes from the ocean.

To get an interesting perspective, view this short film:

Go to

Breathing Oceans!

Click ok to authorize it will play full screen

Jane Lake and The Moon!

2006-10-31T08:30:00.000-05:00

Everyone learns early on that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. But where and when does the moon rise and set. For Halloween I thought I would give a little moon lesson.

I know whenever I am looking for the moon, I just look up and start spinning around figuring I would find it eventually.

So curiosity made me educate myself about this wondrous orb.

The moon orbits counterclockwise around the earth, so it is 12 degrees further to the left (if you are in NYC) every day and depending on where the sun is determines the phases of the moon. It also depends on where you are on Earth. For this lesson, you are in NYC. So here are a few interesting moon facts.

Interesting enough, the only time the moon rises at sunset and sets at sunrise is when there is a full moon. It is the highest in the sky at midnight.

A first quarter moon, for example rises at noon and sets at midnight and is highest in the sky at sunset.

Clearly, there is a misconception that the moon is a nighttime phenomenom. I know whenever I see the moon during the day, I always thought it was some sort of fluke, but you are actually just as likely to see the moon during the day as at night!

Well, that's enough learning for today.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Jane Lake and Michael J Fox!

2006-10-26T08:17:00.000-04:00

I know this is old news, but I wanted to wait for the fire to die down before commenting.

I don't have Parkinson's disease or a serious spinal injury or know anyone personally that does. That does not mean that I am not sympathetic to the suffering and despair experienced by those that do.

I am thrilled when innovative cures eliminate any disease or injury. I would support any research that does not involve taking human life to do so.

Embryonic stem cell research takes human life. Period!

Fertility treatments have created embryos that were frozen. This is a separate and also misguided issue. The procedures should never have been allowed to produce more embryos than the couple was willing to put back in the uterus. This should be corrected going forward although I don't hear anyone talking about that.

Now people act like there are "excess" embryos that will just be trashed. This doesn't have to happen. Embryos can be adopted by other couples who need them. There is never a circumstance where we must destroy an embryo!

The really sick aspect of all of this to me is that embryonic stem cell research has had no success at all in remotely doing what it proposes to do. In fact, I read yesterday that stem cells put in mice to alleviate Parkinson's disease did just that, but as a side effect created tumors! It is all theory, and weak theory at that.

We have made huge strides in medicine in the past fifty years without killing other humans. Why are people so willing to start now? A big part of the reason is that people like Chris Reeve and Michael J Fox whom people know and respect say it is a good thing. What one has to realize is that even respected intelligent people can be horribly wrong.

Jane Lake and Theme Songs!

2006-10-24T09:05:00.000-04:00

I read an article about how theme songs like those for Gilligan's Island, The Brady Bunch, and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air are a thing of the past. Our fast forward society has lost their patience for the same 2 minute rendition every week. They need action and they need it 5 seconds after the commercial break.

I think it is a shame as some of those tunes are as part of American culture as apple pie and half-caf lattes.

I thought it would be appropriate to establish my own theme song, so here it is.

Sung to the tune of "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands"

If you're itchin' for the info, read Jane Lake,
If you need the latest pronto, read Jane Lake,
If you have to spend your morning doing something that is boring,
It is better if you look here, read Jane Lake.

Forget about your worries, read Jane Lake,
You'll know the latest stories, read Jane Lake,
Drop on by and post a comment, and then share your latest torment,
You will be a better person, read Jane Lake.

Jane Lake and Saving Money!

2006-10-23T08:30:00.000-04:00

The theory of saving money is great! Sock away money in a 401k plan tax deferred. Invest in real estate, the stock market, etc and grow your way to a comfortable retirement villa in [pick your dream city].

The reality of saving money is another thing. The stock market just hit levels that it reached 5 years ago. Adjusted for inflation, you'd be down 16% if you tracked the market!

The plan also assumes you never lose your job, never dip into your savings, never have children, never live through a down stock market or real estate market, never go on vacation, never buy Christmas gifts (in NYC, doorman gifts alone can run $200 - $300), never lose money gambling, never buy gas, never take a loan, never do anything fun, and most importantly, never answer an e-mail from a Nigerian offering a lump sum of money for your bank information.

This is probably a good time to remind everyone to donate to my 5 billion dollar quest. There is no better savings than money donated to you through Paypal.

Jane Lake and Drugs!

2006-10-20T10:02:00.000-04:00

I am a drug addict. I have 1 or 2 cups of coffee every day, and I take acetaminophen at the first sign of a headache.

Am I a bad person? Should I be in rehab?

Clearly, nobody would fault me (except for maybe Tom Cruise). Caffeine is legal, safe (and maybe healthy) if taken in moderation. It saves people from crashing their cars late at night, and goes great with biscotti.

Same with acetaminophen. No side effects. We give it to babies, and it goes great with a glass of water.

I know people that don't drink caffeinated beverages and don't take over the counter medicines either. They are always tired with a painful grimace on their face.

Just kidding! Exercise and healthy eating are much better drugs than either coffee or headache remedies, but I am not always "on the wagon" so to speak.

I wish I were stronger willed (and got better sleep!), but we are who we are. With the complexities of life, work, and family, it is difficult to say no to drugs that help you get through the day easier and are so widely accepted.

Jane Lake and O.J. Simpson!

2006-10-19T08:20:00.000-04:00

According to the National Enquirer, O.J. Simpson is being paid $3.5 million to write a book about the "hypothetical" murder of his ex-wife and her friend. And from what they say, it is eerily plausible.

Okay, we all know that this trial brought to light the sketchiness of a murder trial based on circumstancial evidence. The vast majority of those who watched the trial felt that O.J. was guilty, and I can't say I felt otherwise. But the bottom line is I'm not sure I could have found him guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt either.

And I greatly prefer to err on the side of letting a guilty man free than sending away an innocent man for life.

If he is innocent or guilty, hypothetically or not, I feel it is a sad commentary that the story is still being exploited for his benefit.

However, there would be a certain sense of closure if he just came out and said, "I fooled you all. I did it and there's nothing you can do about it now."

Jane Lake and Singing!

2006-10-18T09:24:00.000-04:00

Music is certainly a big part of our culture and our humanity, but singing in particular I find to be both uplifting and relaxing. Children love when you sing to them. Karaoke is as popular as ever.

Whether it is singing in the shower, or at the top of your lungs on a mountaintop far from where anyone could hear you, singing is therapeutic and fun.

Even if you can't hold a tune, you can find times and places to sing. Birthday parties, baseball games, and concerts give anyone the opportunity to sing soft or loud, good or bad, and be part of the festivities.

I am partial to "Vienna" by Billy Joel. Just humming a few verses can turn my mood around from sullen to motivated. The power of song is within each of us. Take advantage of it and let your vocals vibrate!

Jane Lake and Race!

2006-10-16T09:02:00.000-04:00

Living in the United States, and especially in New York City, we take ethnic diversity for granted. Out of the 300 million in the US, 43 million are Hispanic, 38 million are Black, and 13 million are Asian.

I always thought, probably because I am US centric, that Europe was similarly broken down. I was quite taken aback to discover that in Europe, the breakdown is quite different.

In France, out of 59 million only 1.5 million are Black
In Germany, out of 82 million only 250,000 are Black and there are only 40,000 Jews (not too surprising).

What does this all mean? Why do I care?

I'm not sure. It just makes me think that a topic that is such a hot button in the US, may be seen quite differently around the world.

Just one of those hmmm... realizations!

Jane Lake and Muhammad Yunus!

2006-10-13T09:04:00.000-04:00

It is nice to know there are people out there that I have never heard of that are making such a huge impact on our world. Until today I had never heard of Muhammad Yunus, and then I find out he is the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for lending money to the poorest of the poor in a grassroots drive to end world poverty. He and his bank, Grameen Bank do not require collateral.

I would love to see this replicated around the world, as it truly rewards the people who have the will to work for a decent life and escape what they may have considered to be an inevitable life of poverty.

It is people and actions like these that truly inspire me to think about creative ways to help others. It shows that you don't have to start big to make a big impact.

Jane Lake and Blame!

2006-10-11T09:19:00.000-04:00

From early childhood, the natural instinct to blame others emerges. Ask a child who broke the vase and he/she will immediately look around to see who else could be fingered.

Our litigious society continues this process for any and every accident that occurs. Slip on a broken egg in a supermarket and watch out! The list starts with the supermarket, the egg company, and the employee who dropped the egg, and continues on all the way to the farmer whose chicken produced eggs with shells to thin to withstand the fall.

There are two issues here:

First, people need to take responsibility for their own actions. One should not depend upon the color of a traffic light to cross the street. You must also look around and use good judgement

Secondly and most importantly, the more productive results occur when blame is put aside and people work together to improve the overall situation. Make things safer. Avoid the urge for revenge. Resist the temptation of monetary compensation. Move forward with positive intent, and I believe we all will prosper.

I entered this in the Philosophy Blog War. Pleases vote for my entry here:

VOTE FOR JANE!

Jane Lake and Halloween!

2006-10-10T10:56:00.000-04:00

The wonderful season of Halloween, now a little over 3 weeks away gives me the wonderful excuse to go out and buy bags of my candy faves. Of course, by Halloween they are all gone and I have to give out money instead!

Here is my Ode to Halloween:

Halloween will make me reborn,
Kit Kat Bars and candy corn,
Pumpkin pie and costumed kids,
All my dieting on the skids.

Parties and decorations galore,
Snickers, Mounds, and so much more!
No other day is all about fun,
Nobody cares if Jon Stewart will run!

Let's all try to capture this mood,
for the rest of the year I shall not brood.
For Halloween is a happy fix,
Now let's get shopping for licorice sticks!

Jane Lake and North Korea!

2006-10-09T08:50:00.000-04:00

Another slippery slope situation. Allow anyone to have a nuclear bomb and inevitably, more and more want to join the club.

Nobody in their right mind wants a nuclear bomb and less than nobody would ever want to use one, but if you don't have one, boy do they look good.

There is nothing like a bulky shiny bomb that can kill hundreds of thousand of people to show off on your mantel.

WHY? WHY? WHY?

I think it is time to stop threatening countries who want them, and once and for all get rid of them all. Saying nobody can have one makes it a lot easier to control. Sure some country may try to hide one in their back yard but with modern technology, I bet we can find them all and destroy them. I would feel a lot safer thinking that there may be 1 or 2 bombs floating around that we haven't found rather than waiting for the day for one crazy person to set off a world ending nuclear disaster.

The United States should stand up first and volunteer to destroy them all.

After all, what you don't have can't hurt you!

Jane Lake and Psychic Powers!

2006-10-06T08:41:00.000-04:00

It is interesting to me how people so readily accept that there are some people with psychic abilities when nobody has ever proven that they have them.

The obvious proof would be the ability to pick the winning lottery numbers (if you can do this, please contact me immediately for a consultation!), or predict anything with reproducable results.

Now I will admit that at times I feel like I have the inside track on things, but statistically speaking it could all be coincidence. So what I would like to do here is make a few predictions to see what happens.

I would also ask any of you psychics out there to post some predictions as well (near term please, I'm not interested in anything more than 3 months out).

Who knows, maybe I will discover the first real one. Maybe it's me!

Prediction 1 - Mets win World Series in 6 games
Prediction 2 - Hurricane Leslie will be at least Category 4 and hit Florida (sorry!)
Prediction 3 - Mel Gibson will be arrested again

Jane Lake and Sharing!

2006-10-05T08:41:00.000-04:00

Go to any playground or park and you will see parents teaching their children how to share. "Ashley, let Jason play with the ball now" or "Oh, Amanda, that is soooo nice to share your grapes with Allie"

But what happens when you become an adult? Could I go up to someone in the street and say, "Oh, those m&m's look good. Could I have some?" After I post bail, I would be forced to buy my own m&m's!

Ironically, the only adults that seem to have learned their childhood lessons are smokers. "Hey, buddy, could I bum a cigarette?" "Sure, here's two, need a light?"

"Hey buddy, could I bum a stick of gum?" just crosses the line. Adults are pretty fixed in what is mine and what is not yours.

After all is said and done, maybe it should be the children teaching the adults, "Hey mommy, let Ricky's mom drive the car now."

Jane Lake and Ms. Magazine!

2006-10-04T05:07:00.000-04:00

I would like to start by saying in a nation of 300 million people, it is not difficult to get a list of 5,000 people who believe anything you want. You want a list of 5,000 people who believe the moon is made of cheese, I bet I could get it!

Having said that, Ms. Magazine is publishing a list of 1,016 women who had abortions and are "proud" of it. (There will be the complete list of over 5,000 names online)

Now everyone knows how I feel about abortion, but I do not think this is about abortion. It is about selling magazines and the exploitation of women. It is also about taking a small percentage of outliers and portraying it as mainstream thought. Tens of millions of women have had abortions. Five thousand names is a dust speck!

A survey that came out last year showed that the suicide rate among women who had an abortion was six times higher than for women who had given birth in the prior year and double that of women who had miscarriages. Why isn't MS. listing the tragic names of women that have taken their own lives as a result of having an abortion? Or the names of women that have died from complications from the procedure?

And what about the tens of millions of unnamed innocent unborn children that have suffered the most? When will they get their say?

MS. Magazine has crossed the line from my perspective. They and every company advertising in that issue should be boycotted! We should not stand for or tolerate media manipulation for their own economic gain.

Jane Lake and Jane Lake!

2006-10-03T05:47:00.000-04:00

I am proud to say that I have been named Bestest Blog.

Before this all goes to my head, I would like to thank a few people.

First, I would like to thank Teddy Roosevelt for getting the bestest non-violent toy named after him. I can only dream that the Jane Lake doll will be as well known.

I would also like to thank Pat Buttram, who played Mr. Haney on Green Acres. Other than being sweaty, conniving, and the opportunistic embodiment of capitalism, he is my hero and made me laugh whenever he appeared.

And of course Thorsten Veblen, who has a funny name for an economist!

Jane Lake and Positive Critiquing!

2006-10-02T09:01:00.000-04:00

So I submitted my blog over at critiquemyblog, and crossed my fingers.

Check out my review!

Jane Lake's Excellent Critique

What I noticed after reading quite a few reviews, Billy Mac pretty much has something nice to say about everyone. He seems to have a knack at finding the essence of a blog very quickly and highlighting what makes it different from all other blogs.

I commend him for taking this positive route with his critiques as it not only feels good to get a nice review, but I truly think he finds what many others don't.

Jane Lake and Size!

2006-09-29T09:28:00.000-04:00

No matter what you may say or think, size matters!

Studies show that taller people get paid more.

Scott toilet paper just announced that they have new improved toilet paper at the same cost and still 1,000 sheets. THE SHEETS ARE SMALLER!

Would you step on a bug, or does it matter how big it is?

What happened to 3" X 5" photos? Now everything is "4 X 6"!

Did we get thinner, or is size 0 a scam?

A pint of ice cream is a joke!

Did you spend your childhood hoping that you were going to be taller than the clown's hand at the amusement park?

How small does a baby have to be before you take away its right to live?

Jane Lake and Ping Pong!

2006-09-28T08:59:00.000-04:00

Apparently, a British study has showed that if a woman's ring finger is longer than her index finger, she will have more athletic prowess than her stubby ring finger pals.

Excitedly, my ring finger is longer than my index finger. I just wish I knew this earlier in life as my tennis career needed to begin 10 years ago. I thought I was just like everyone else with average sports ability. Who knew I was the next Wilma Rudolph!

Now I need to decide which sport I will excel in. At 24, I am too old to begin most sports. Wait... TABLE TENNIS! What sport could be better for an elongated ring finger person like myself! I must go out and buy a table and paddles immediately.

Jane Lake and Ping Pong! That's a wondrous melodic song.

Jane Lake and The Fat Ban!

2006-09-27T09:25:00.000-04:00

New York is trying to ban artificial trans fatty acids! Pro fatty acid groups are outraged and beginning the protests. When you start messing with people's french fries and doughnuts, they start to pay attention.

I'm sure Julia Child would be appalled if she were still alive (although she preferred the natural fatty stuff!)

Personally, I would be happy to never see an artificial trans fatty acid again. It would probably save lives, help reduce obesity, and start a trend towards healthier cooking.

But is it the government that should lead this battle? If you have read my slippery slope post, you will know I am leery to start a precedent that has a good intention when it may lead to opening Pandora's box. What's next? Ban processed sugar, white rice, all processed foods!

A better approach would be for NYC to provide incentives for achieving certain health standards. Let's keep eating healthy a positive personal goal and not an enforced government requirement.

Jane Lake and Spinach!

2006-09-26T10:04:00.000-04:00

Now I'm getting really mad!

I love spinach, and now Bluto is trying to take it away from me!

Spinach salad, spanakopita, sauteed with garlic, spinach omelettes, saag paneer, spinach quiche, and even creamed spinach are among my faves.

Why can't E. Coli be more selective and attack turnips? Nobody in their right mind likes turnips, unless of course it's mixed with spinach.

I don't want to be a conspiracy theory fanatic, but if terrorists wanted to create an anemic society, they might certainly start with iron rich spinach. We must battle back and double our kale intake! We can beat this. We will not let Popeye down!

We are strong to the finish when we eat our spinach!

Jane Lake and Mel Gibberish!

2006-09-25T09:28:00.000-04:00

I'm sorry. I can't one day read about a man driving drunk, making anti Semitic remarks and then weeks later take him seriously on issues regarding Iraq or care in the slightest about his new movie. It doesn't matter to me whether or not I agree with what he may be currently saying or whether or not he may be a talented film maker. Unfortunately, people don't change overnight.

I tried to read the article but all I could see was blah, blah, blah. I am typically a forgive and forget person, and am willing to give people many chances, but I think the old adage may be true here when I say:

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me!

Jane Lake and Hillary Clinton!

2006-09-21T10:35:00.000-04:00

You may ask, "Does Jane Lake know Hillary Clinton?"

Well, I was walking down 5th Avenue the other day when one of those unfortunate things happens. My heel broke off on one of my shoes. With great aplomb, I fell forward knocking into another woman. Lo and behold it was Hillary Clinton.

She said, "Well young lady, you need to watch where you are going. Don't you know who I am?"

I replied, "Aren't you Margaret Hamilton from The Wizard of OZ? I thought you were dead!"

Hillary was not amused. She instructed the nice Secret Service men with her to put me in her car. I thought , quite naively, she was going to take me somewhere to fix my shoe.

She entered the car with me and said, "Take off your shoe!"

I thought it strange but figured why not.

She then said "EAT THE SHOE!". It was completely unreasonable (my shoes are vinyl by the way as I am a vegetarian!) and I refused.

She said "Eat the shoe, or I will stay in New York forever!"

I had no choice. I ate the shoe!

Hillary then said , "Vote for me for President".

That is when I lost it. With one arm I pinned back both secret service men, and with the other arm I grabbed Hillary by her horns and said, "Take off your shoe! She took off her shoe.

Now I said, "EAT THE SHOE!". To my surprise she did, and actually seemed to enjoy it!

You may ask, "Does Jane Lake know Hillary Clinton?"

We had dinner together!

Jane Lake and Sesame Street!

2006-09-20T09:03:00.000-04:00

I was watching Sesame Street (it's never too late to learn!) and there was Ruben Studdard (American Idol) singing the alphabet with Elmo! That is something I always loved about the Street. They would have excellent singers singing children's songs and talking to puppets. Does it get any more fun than that?

I would love to sing the alphabet with Zoey someday. (Everyone wants to do something with Elmo so I figured I would give Zoey a whirl!) I don't think you can say you have really made it until you do Sesame Street. Venus Williams played tennis with Elmo and Elmo won. What a match!

They now have these little vignettes of famous people speaking about how Sesame Street affected their lives. I actually was not a big Sesame Street watcher when I was a kid, but even when you catch a snippet here or there it gets inside you and makes you smile.

Kevin Clash, the voice of Elmo just came out with a book. I'm sure its a must read! I will certainly be waiting in line for my extreme Tickle Me Elmo!

Jane Lake and Change!

2006-09-19T09:08:00.001-04:00

Change is an inevitable part of life. Going to a new school, a new job, a new house, having a child, all change what global vision you had of the world prior to the change. Change can be stressful, exciting, enlightening and many times unexpected.

But even small changes can have an effect.

I was ordering 3 eggs and mushrooms on whole wheat toast every day for breakfast before work. One day I decided to cut back to 1 egg and mushroom on whole wheat toast, and voila I began to feel more energetic, lost weight, and realized the old sandwhich was overkill. Yes, I was a little hungrier than before but it was a good hungry.

Of course change isn't always good. Getting sick, being in an accident, someone close dying, also can change your perspective and outlook on the future. Negative change, I believe, is the greatest opportunity to learn and grow. Many people let these opportunities pass without taking advantage of the "step back" environment it can provide.

Dealing with change is one of the most difficult challenges we are faced with in life. Many people are comfortable with their lives and routines and avoid change like the plague. I have learned, however, that it is change and the results of change that inevitably allow us to mature and grow and understand the world around us in a more complete way.

We are better off to embrace change and even encourage it as status quo is probably the biggest cause of depression and boredom we know.

Jane Lake and Personal Trainers!

2006-09-18T08:54:00.000-04:00

If I had more money, I would definitely have a personal trainer. I had one for about two years and it was one of the best experiences I have had. No matter what you may think, having someone push you to your limits makes you stronger, more motivated, and happier. After the price rose to $75/hr, I started cutting back, and then you start thinking that you can do the same thing by yourself but I learned quickly that I can't.

I never looked forward to going, but I was always happy I did after it was over. I was on a tofu hot pot kick back then and have many fond memories of working out, having a tofu hot pot, and feeling the protein surge into my muscles.

Someday I will bite the bullet and do it again, but that pesky money thing is a real downer!

Jane Lake and Real Men and Women!

2006-09-15T09:15:00.001-04:00

Real men are not interested in watching football, playing golf, smoking cigars, reading girlie magazines, using power tools, climbing the corporate ladder, listening to Howard Stern, or shooting guns.

Real women are not interested in going shopping, accumulating shoes, spending hours putting on make-up, proving they're better than men, one night stands, getting a tan, or having their nails done.

Both real men and real women are interested in being with family, laughing with friends, helping others, cooking a good meal, playing Scrabble, and all around being a good doobie.

I estimate based on my criteria that only .22% of all men are real which is about 1 in 500. As bad as that sounds, I also estimate that only .022% of all women are real which is about 1 in 5000.

So for all you real women out there, just remember that there are 10 times as many real men available as there are real women. Just a fact.

Jane Lake and Corporate America!

2006-09-14T09:42:00.000-04:00

When I first graduated from college, the last thing I wanted to do was work 9 to 5 for a corporation.

Of course, that is exactly what I did. First, it was just to save some money for acting. Then as you move up the ladder and make more money it becomes like a drug. Then you get laid off and you say "What was I doing?" Then a recruiter calls with a job for 50% more money and you say "Yeahhh!!" Then you hate your boss and say "Why am I doing this?" Then a recruiter call with a job for 50% more money and you say "Yeahhh!!"

Finally, you get high enough up in the food chain where you don't have to do any work because your staff does it all, and you get to surf the web and post on blogs, and a recruiter calls with a job for 50% more money with more responsibility and you say, "I'm happy where I am."

All in all, I'd rather be on a beach sucking down margaritas, but I'm not cleaning toilets either (not that there's anything wrong with that!)

Jane Lake and Friendship!

2006-09-13T09:10:00.000-04:00

I rank my friends as follows:

1) Acquaintance - someone who you wouldn't invite to a party but would not avoid at a party if you saw them.

2) Friend - someone who you would invite to a party but you realize the friendship is circumstancial and temporary.

3) Good friend - someone who you look forward to hanging out with but wouldn't trust with your darkest secrets.

4) Great friend - someone who has proven themselves through time by their actions and interactions.

5) Special friend - one of the first people you want to call to tell about the good news. Trusted and special because you share great times and a similar outlook.

6) Dear friend - akin to family. Someone you would trust with your life.

I tend to form 1's and 6's. I have had a 5 turn into a 0, so you don't always know for sure. I am not social enough to get 2's and 3's and my 4's are typically high school and college friends. A 6 is worth its weight in gold and if you have more than 1 you are very lucky! I have 2!

Jane Lake and Pluto Updated!

2006-09-12T08:19:00.000-04:00

It is official. Pluto is now asteroid 134340! I am excited as everyone knows 134340 is 2239 times 60. Since 22 is my favorite number, ex-Pluto is now my favorite asteroid!

By the way, can everyone please vote in the upcoming elections? I'm tired of being the proxy for so many others who would rather watch the results on TV. This isn't baseball. A nice groundswell of additional voters can easily sway an election in our 50 - 50 country. So in honor of the new asteroid, lets get an additional 134,340 people out to vote. (In NYC at least!)

So if 22 is your favorite number or you like chocolate, please vote!

Jane Lake and September 11th!

2006-09-11T08:07:00.000-04:00

It is difficult for me to walk the thin line of respecting those killed and affected by the tragedy on 9/11, and villifying the exploitive results 5 years later.

How many people even mention those killed on the airplanes, and those killed at The Pentagon? And even more horribly those killed in the name of 9/11. Afghanistanis, Iraqis, Americans, etc have been killed and their families left in shambles for what is mostly about the destruction of two big buildings. Had the towers not collapsed, I believe the resulting reaction and follow through would have been quite different. Politics, the film industry, books, and real estate developers, have all monopolized on the tragedy and made profit or personal gain.

For the families, yes, I can fully understand the day being etched in their souls, but for the rest of us, I unfortunately believe the sensationalized aspects of the event are what is remembered, and putting it on a pedestal only goes further in supporting more killing. Probably not since Pearl Harbor Day has a single day taken on such power, but I believe it is only when we can start to move on and away from it can we truly prosper.

Jane Lake and Paris Hilton!

2006-09-07T08:27:00.000-04:00

It is one thing to be rich and flighty and want to be famous for just that. It is another thing to be disrespectful and law breaking. Paris was arrested for DUI. Quite frankly, I'm surprised it took so long. Paris on her show The Simple Life blatantly makes fun of people less fortunate than herself. She calls it all an act but DUI is no act. It is life threatening to others.

I don't claim to know the real Paris Hilton, but pictures of her being blotto at party after party has to say something. Most of the folks doing reality TV are far from role models, and that's what makes the show interesting to viewers. Paris Hilton is an example of excess leading to a blur of what reality is.

Of course someday, her 15 minutes of fame will be over, her oats will be sowed, and she will turn to philanthropy. I just hope her causes benfit more than we have all suffered from her unbecoming behavior.

Jane Lake and Artificial Intelligence

2006-09-06T08:38:00.000-04:00

Supercomputers are now being built that will process 500 trillion calculations per second. The human brain processes around 100 trillion per second. It is a logical conclusion that computers will be smarter than humans once programmed properly.

Will innovations and inventions be computer generated? Will computers develop personalities? And of course, the ultimate question in sci-fi, will computers try to take over?

Without emotions, boredom, and fatigue, computers will "live" 24/7, and do what no human has ever been able to do for any extended period of time...FOCUS!

I think on some level, they have the potential to become humanoid. Even logical reasoning will lead to abstract questions about existence and why we are here. Perhaps without the clutter of the human body and its imperfect workings, they will be able to come up with the answer.

Jane Lake and Back To School

2006-09-05T08:55:00.000-04:00

... but not for me!

Just another Tuesday after Labor Day for me.

No notebooks, pencils, graph paper, reinforcements, teachers, homework, cafeteria food, bullies, cliques, blackboards, note taking, tests, quizzes, memorizing, studying, hall passes, lockers, gym showers, homeroom, backpacks or reports.

Just deadlines, commuting, emails, voicemails, coffee, blackberries, meetings, phone conferences, annual reviews, bosses, staples, excel spreadsheets, word documents, late nights, weekends, and did I say coffee?

hmmm. maybe its time to go back to school!

Jane Lake and Glenn Ford!

2006-08-31T08:41:00.000-04:00

Glenn Ford was a prolific actor, granted mostly before my time, but my parents sure knew his pictures well. It is always a little sad when a celebrity passes away as they represented a segment of your life and even though you didn't know them personally, through their work you feel like you do.

As you hit the new year, magazines typically do a retrospective on who died that year. It usually contains upwards of 50 celebrities who were part of your life in some small way. What's interesting is you usually don't even remember that they died by the time you read the list.

We recently lost Bruno Kirby as you may remember but we have also lost this year already:

Mickey Spillane, Red Buttons, June Allyson, Syd Barrett, Aaron Spelling, Louis Rukeyser, Oleg Cassini, Darren McGavin (I loved the Night Stalker!), Dennis Weaver, Don Knotts, Curt Gowdy, Andreas Katsulas, Peter Benchley, Al Lewis (Bye Gramps!),Chris Penn, Anthony Franciosa, Shelley Winters, and Lou Rawls.

Scary when you list them all out! I don't look forward to seeing the full list at the end of the year!

Jane Lake and Scientology!

2006-08-30T10:24:00.000-04:00

When I first came to New York, I was approached by Scientologists to take their "stress test". Being new to NY, I figured why not. After taking the test, they recommended that I attend a seminar and buy some materials. Having no money, I passed.

Is is a scam? I think to some extent yes because they prey on people in need to fund their organization. And although I do not support the rants of Tom Cruise, you have to admit he has done pretty well for himself. He is successful, healthy, and praises Scientology for it all. As do others.

I think it comes down to some things work for some people and not for others. It is a technique, a gimmick if you will. Not much different than a day timer. It doesn't work for me, and never will. I do believe positive thinking changes your health and outlook. I do believe it is important to be proactive in your life to effect change.

But if you don't believe something will work, it tends to fail, and vice versa. That is why placebos work. I think things like Scientology work for those who believe it will and make it work.

For everyone else, I recommend Ibuprofen.

Jane Lake and Compromise!

2006-08-29T09:43:00.000-04:00

We live in a world of compromise. Whether it is in relationships, politics, or work there is a constant negotiation to come up with what is fair.

Note that we use the word "fair" and not good or great!

Why do we settle for fair when we all know it can be better? Is it because we assume that if it is great for one person it must be poor for the other? Is it fear of an argument or conflict? Is it that we don't truly value what we believe is the best way?

I think we have all suffered from compromising our values or dreams to accomodate what is deemed as "fair".

Sometimes I think you must stand up for what is right and best and settle for nothing less. That is when everyone ultimately benefits the most. The best idea or plan is not always yours but when it is, convince everyone else, no matter how hard that may be!

Jane Lake and Pluto!

2006-08-28T08:58:00.000-04:00

When I was a kid, I learned the trick to memorizing the order of the planets was:

Men
Very
Early
Made
Jars
Stand
Upright
Nicely
Period

Now with the cataclysmic expulsion of Pluto, I decided to make up my own for the next generation:

Here it is:

Most
Vegetables
Eaten
Marinated
Just
Seem
Unusually
Nutty

And just to keep contoversial:

Many
Vasectomies
End
Miserably
Justifying
Sex-based
Unions
Negative

Jane Lake and the Morning-After Pill!

2006-08-24T09:14:00.000-04:00

I am very dismayed at the approval to provide the morning-after pill over the counter without prescription. It is a big loss for everyone who has worked towards educating our youth on healthy and moral behavior. These are my top 3 reasons why it is a disaster.

1) It will encourage more teenagers to have unprotected sex, resulting in more spread of STD's.

2) Because there will be more unprotected sex and the pill has a 10% failure rate, it will result in increased unwanted pregnancies and thus increased abortions.

3) The way it works is to prevent the ovary from releasing an egg and preventing the uterus from allowing a fertilzed egg to attach. The latter of which is actually aborting a viable embryo. So anyone using it will never know whether they are aborting an unborn child or not.

Once again, the extreme cases (incest and rape) were used to sell an idea that will affect tens of millions of children and result in the death of more innocent lives. The drug companies and Planned Parenthood are celebrating in the streets as their pockets are once again lined with dirty money!

Jane Lake and John McCain!

2006-08-23T08:56:00.000-04:00

John McCain says that the administration misled the public regarding Iraq in letting them believe the war would be like "a day at the beach".

Number 1: Nobody believed that. There were peace marches everywhere including here in New York where it was made very clear what the implications of war were.

Number 2: This is obvious political maneuvering to distance himself from Bush. I do not respect that at all!

Number 3: In 2004, McCain said, "Our choice wasn't between a benign status quo and the bloodshed of war," McCain said. "It was between war and a graver threat. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Not our critics abroad. Not our political opponents."

If WMD's were found in Iraq, Bush and the Republicans would have had a ticker tape parade down 5th avenue! It is only because they were not that this has blown out of proportion. Not that I would have been happy about that either!

I am looking for the Presidential candidate who will say "war is wrong, period, and I as President will keep our country and its people out of any war, and use every other peaceful means in my power to resolve conflict."

Any takers?

Jane Lake and August 22nd!

2006-08-22T08:21:00.000-04:00

As you know 22 is my favorite number, so today can not possibly be the end of the world! Just thought you might like to know for planning purposes.

I don't know what all this talk about a hidden Imam is all about anyway. She has been modelling for years and is now pushing a line of cosmetics! Don't these people see magazine covers?

Well, now that I found her, everybody can rest peacefully and enjoy one of the luckiest days of the year. The big TWENTY TWO!

Jane Lake and My Mom

2006-08-21T08:29:00.000-04:00

My mom unfortunately is no longer here with me on Earth, but her spirit surely lives on.

Two memories stick out for me.

There was once a traveling carnival across the street from our house one fall and my mother and I walked over. They had one of those games that you shoot the water into a clown's mouth and blow up a balloon until it breaks. The first one to break the balloon wins. We spent hours together playing and winning cheap stuffed animals and trading up. My mother was a kid again, and it was beautiful to watch.

My mother's other passion was bingo. I have many a fond memory sitting in a smoke-filled room with a ridiculous number of bingo cards in front of us and winning the cover all for $500. My mother would wrap the winnings in tinfoil and put it in our freezer for a rainy day. It was her secret stash.

Memories like these keep my mother alive inside me, and I wouldn't be surprised if I start wrapping money in tinfoil soon also!

Jane Lake and America's Got Talent!

2006-08-18T10:09:00.000-04:00

It's kind of funny how the winner of America's Got Talent turned out to be a singer, Bianca Ryan (albeit 11 years old with the voice of a 25 year old!). After all the fun "acts" including jugglers, magicians, quick change artists, and of course Leonid the Magnificent, it would have been nice if some kind of specialty act actually won.

Maybe it just says that what people actually like and want are good singers. Maybe American Idol should expand their age requirements to something more like 10 - 75 years old. Let's find out whether Taylor Hicks could actually beat Bianca Ryan or Rapping Granny?

Talent/Singing shows have been around since the advent of television (remember Star Search?) and even though American Idol is touted as a phenomenom, I think it just speaks to the fact that America just likes to be entertained.

Jane Lake and The News!

2006-08-17T13:13:00.000-04:00

You look at the recent headlines and you realize The News has become a mishmash of horrific events, meaningless gossip chatter, and updates on cold cases. This morning I see:

Is the JonBenet Ramsey case solved? - Have we heard the last of this one? Tune into Nancy Grace for the same news over and over again.

Jennifer Aniston denies she's engaged - Who cares?

Double-headed animals on exhibit - Why?

U.S.-led strike kills Afghan police, Car bomb kills 7 in Baghdad slum - Do we have to see this every day?

Jury finds Merck failed to warn of Vioxx dangers - We need our fix of failed corporate compliance to round out a complete day of news!

I would love to see this headline someday:

No news today - off having a picnic.

Jane Lake and Making Money on the Internet!

2006-08-16T08:33:00.000-04:00

As you can see by my site, I have tried various ways of making money on the internet. My parameters for what I try are as follows:

No cost to join
Typically residual income
No cost to promote

I have had minimal success and earn $25 - $100 a month from some of the better ones and $0 - $25 a month from 95% of the rest. Collectively, it adds up but I would love to find the one big one! A lot of people think Google Adsense is the be all and end all, but unless you have ginormous traffic, it seems to be piddling.

Surprisingly enough, one of my best money makers is Free Lotto

FREE LOTTO!

Get 30 tickets free every day! No cost to you at all. It is the oldest free lotto site on the internet! It is rare that you can promote something that cost nothing for someone to join and you still make money. Yes, you only make $1 per person, and $2 per affiliate but when something is free the numbers begin to fly. I typically make $25 - $50 a day with minimal effort. Unfortunatley there is no residual income, but you can promote it in Canada, Australia, and the UK as well as the US so it is actually possible to get a million sign ups, and make $1 million.

Jane Lake and Ridiculousness!

2006-08-15T08:59:00.000-04:00

Have you ever taken note of being in a crowd of people and everyone is silent and then a loud bodily noise is involuntarily emitted by the least likely of people? It inevitably is laughed at by all including the embarrassed perpetrator.

Or have you been in a classroom and the inattentive student is asked a question by the teacher and the response is as ridiculous as you could imagine?

These are the moments that I treasure, for the special times when ridiculousness rules is when everyone forgets their problems, concerns, and seriousness that sometimes overwhelms ones life.

Part of what makes blogging fun is the ridiculousness of some of the comments where they complete miss the point or twist your comment to create a platform for their own dissertation.

Let's try to all be a little more ridiculous. I think it can only help!

Jane Lake and Terrorist Bombs!

2006-08-11T08:49:00.000-04:00

On Sunday morning, February 22, 1948 , in anticipation of Israel's independence, a triple truck bomb was detonated by Arab terrorists in what was then the Jewish section of Jerusalem . Fifty-four people were killed, and hundreds were wounded.

Terrorism isn't new and we don't live in a different world post 9/11.

What is new is that we now have more years of history that show that terrorism has never helped any terrorist's cause, has killed and injured ridiculous numbers of innocent people, and has brainwashed a generation of children that it is an inevitable part of our lives.

We urgently need to take a different tact, for the methods we have pursued have only resulted in more unfortunate deaths and continued terrorism. We need to look at terrorism like a disease and figure out how to cure it rather than treat the symptoms.

Education I believe should play a major part, and we as a world should be sending teachers into any country that breeds terrorism and educate their children before it is too late. There should be rewards offered to anyone in any country that uncovers terrorist activity. A world intelligence agency should be established that has access to every countries security databases to eradicate terrorism at its origins.

I don't have all of the answers, but I do know that unless activities like I am suggesting are implemented, we will be having the same conversation 50 years from now!

Jane Lake and Humor!

2006-08-10T08:30:00.000-04:00

Before I start this rant, I would like to say how thankful I am for the thwarting of the terrorist plot in London and I pray that plots continue to be uncovered before anyone is hurt.

Now on to humor. Kind of. Last night was the crowning of The Last Comic Standing - Josh Blue. Josh has Cerebral Palsy and most of his act pokes fun at the side effects of the disease including his speech and uncontrolled movement. I am glad he won, not because he was necessarily so funny. (I would give him a 7 out of 10), but because he seems like a nice guy. Now let's be clear. If I told the same jokes, I would be labeled as insensitive and cruel. That seems to be a pattern with stand up comics. Fat comics do fat jokes. Black comics revel in the hilarious (not really) fact that black folks are profiled for crimes.

My question becomes is this funny, or is it another way for people to "get away" with inappropriate humor. Most comics on The Last Comic Standing are bleeped at one point or another and that is after cleaning up 99% of their acts. If you go to see stand-up you will be barraged by swears, body parts, insults, and more.

Many years ago, Mike Wallace from 60 Minutes got caught telling a joke about a certain racial group and watermelons. (You are probably smiling already, you sick puppy!). He wrote it off as what happens to ideals as you get older and are exposed to the ugliness of everyday life. I was just disappointed.

Go to any joke site online and you will find categories such as lawyer jokes, dumb blonde jokes, etc. that ridicule people, professions, and even disabilities (mommy, mommy jokes). Not to mention a child falling off a chair and hurting himself can be Americas Funniest Video.

I think it is time we use more discrimination on what we call funny, and realize that there is a pool of humor out there (take Jerry Seinfeld, for example) that isn't insulting and derogoratory.

Jane Lake and Joe Lieberman!

2006-08-09T08:28:00.000-04:00

YOU LOST! Take it like a man and start doing the talk show circuit and speaking engagements. This goes to show my point. One minute you are a Democratic and the next minute you transform your ideology because you lose. It's a sham and if you run in November, you waste people's money and time, and will most probably lose again.

Sometimes you are just on a losing streak, and I think its time for you to see the pattern. I don't intend to be mean here or spiteful, (in fact I would rather a Republican wins in November) but it is getting ridiculous how every election is getting more and more contentious, and the losers can't just walk away. They have to go through every hoop possible to try and reinvent our political system.

If you don't watch out, the Janelakian Party will run against you!

Jane Lake and Slippery Slopes!

2006-08-08T08:10:00.000-04:00

Many people will argue an issue based on its merits. Unfortunately, we are a world that prides itself on finding loopholes, abusing laws, and taking everything to the nth degree.

Just to take two issues for an example:

Most people when abortion was debated during Roe V Wade times wanted for women to have the ability to have an abortion if it would save the life of the mother. This is a sensible argument. What happened in our system is "life" became "health" and "health" became economic, mental, or physical. In other words, we got abortion on demand. In actuality, the best way to save the life of the mother in most cases when necessary is giving birth to the baby, not aborting it.

The second issue is embryonic stem cells:

People argue that allowing creation of embryos to destroy them for stem cells will cure some of the most horrible diseases. A difficult trade off at best to sacrifice lives to better others.

But let's not forget the slippery slope!

Today I read in Barbados for a mere £15,000 , you can get anti-ageing stem-cell injections made from aborted fetal tissue. The past 12 months have seen this popular holiday resort become the stem-cell capital of the developed world, treating hundreds of patients in a year. The upmarket clinic opened last year in one of the island's most luxurious hotels - Villa Nova - after Ukrainian stem-cell researchers, who have been secretly pioneering stem-cell studies with aborted human fetuses for 20 years, teamed up with U.S. investors backed by the Caribbean tourist industry.

The aim was to attract wealthy British and American stem-cell tourists for treatment, avoiding the strict ethical barriers to such treatment enforced in Europe and America. The clinic is so busy it has a waiting list of more than 1,000 patients for cosmetic treatments and has treated dozens of British women.

Of course this practice is experimental at best, and completely unfounded at worst.

Lesson:

We must be very careful what we wish for because most of the time we get something very different!

Jane Lake and Politics!

2006-08-07T08:55:00.000-04:00

Clearly, the two party system in our country is completely outdated. Nobody's views are actually encapsulated by either the Republican or Democratic party. Each party shifted their views overtime to please their constituency ultimately creating a mishmash of contradicting stances on important issues.

I would like to create the Janelakian Party and these are my top four platform issues:

1) Pro-life (anti-abortion), overturn Roe V Wade.
2) Anti death penalty
3) Pro gun control
4) Pro-peace (anti-war)

Feel free to ask me my stance on any other issue. I would be glad to respond. It is time to create a party that you are either for or against and not have to choose the lesser of two evils.

Jane Lake and The Seasons!

2006-08-04T08:50:00.000-04:00

I thought a nice non-controversial subject may be in order. My favorite seasons in order are spring, fall, summer, and winter. I don't think I am unique here, but this is my reasoning.

Spring is the best because you just got through winter which is the worst so in comparison it seems that much better. School ends, season finales on tv, and flowers. It doesn't get any better.

Fall is second because it's cooler than summer. It feels like a new beginning and the changing colors of the leaves are incredible. New tv shows, Halloween and Thanksgiving. This is a time for family and friends.

Summer is not as great because it gets too hot and humid. I am not a water person and everything seems on hold waiting for fall. Reruns, parade holidays (July 4th, Labor day), and sunburn take away a lot of points.

Winter is the worst because when it is below 20 degrees, it is just too cold to enjoy anything. You are trapped inside and always looking for something to do. Decent holidays, fun in the snow (as long as its not too much), and hot chocolate save an otherwise brutal season.

Jane Lake and Nancy Grace!

2006-08-03T10:54:00.000-04:00

People like to hear themselves talk. Nothing new here, but watching TV shows like Nancy Grace, you have to wonder what are we coming to. The other night Amy Smart put Nancy in her place for asking sensitive questions that drudged up memories Amy didn't want drudged up. It was a Kodak moment watching Nancy stumble through a forced apology. "Good" reporting on shows like this has been reduced to asking inappropriate questions to bereaved people to illicit a reaction.

Nancy was a lawyer and therefore qualifies as an "expert" in every criminal case know to man. She has a loud voice which is used frequently to overshadow her guest "experts". Entertainment has taken on a sick slant that should be scrutinized by a discerning viewer. I hope shows like these are a passing fad and we will tire of watching and washing dirty laundry in public.

Jane Lake and Science!

2006-08-02T08:54:00.000-04:00

I was a natural science major in an Ivy League college and I learned two things.

1)Science is flawed and rewritten every day.

2)Science is 1 part chemistry and 2 parts alchemy

Let me explain myself. Medical breakthroughs have extended lives, but mostly necessary because artificial and synthetic scientific inventions like pesticides, food additives, etc had shortened lives.

People use science as an excuse to denounce God but assuming God is all powerful, he can make scientific tests like carbon dating work even if it is completely innacurate. We would have no way to know the difference. Anyone who has hallucinated will tell you that what they see and experience is completely real even though it does not exist. I believe science is an hallucination created by God to make our world look ordered but may very well be a complete sham that we someday will see clearly.

Evolution Vs Creation, Stem cells, Cloning, Abortion and more are all issues that have been clouded and manipulated by scientists that have professional and economic reasons to overlook the most basic moral and religious arguments.

On one hand, science has given us great tools to explore our world and universe, but on the deformed other hand, it has also given us false hope and perceptions that cloud our very souls.

Jane Lake and Mel Gibson

2006-08-01T08:12:00.000-04:00

Mel Gibson portrays brutal violence in almost all of his films.(Mad Max, Braveheart, Passion of Christ, etc.) Whether or not he couches it as historical truth, religious calling, or artistic filmmaking doesn't change this. I don't know Mel and I don't know his motives, but his anti-semitic comments, his alcoholism, and his proclivity towards violent films don't paint the prettiest picture.

There is good and evil in this world and it is easier than most people think to recognize the difference. If Mel can not recognize the difference then he has failed as a filmmaker, a Christian, and a role model.

If he wants to redeem himself now, he would need to reinvent himself completely. It has been done before (Dr. Bernard Nathanson)and can be done again!

The Lucky Blog Post

2006-07-31T09:21:00.000-04:00

The Lucky Blog Post
Congratulations! Lady Fortune has selected you to read this Lucky Blog Post™, and your life will never be the same.

"What nonsense," you might say. That was the attitude of 92-year-old Joseph Myers, a retiree at the Frisky Acres Managed Living Center in Naples, Florida. According to an official report filed at Frisky Acres, Myers read the Lucky Blog Post™ on the evening of November 16, 2005. But rather than taking immediate action, Myers retired for the night with his companion, a Tampa-based "senior comfort specialist" named Xanadu. He was found dead in his bed the next morning.

Coincidence? The National Safety Council would disagree. At 92 years of age, Joseph Myers lived approximately 33,603 days. That places the odds of him dying on the particular night of 16 November, 2006 -- the very evening he chose to ignore the Lucky Blog Post™ -- at an astonishing 33,603 to 1.

To put this in perspective, the NSC estimates the chance of the average American dying in a transportation accident at 1 in 77. Your odds of dying as the result of a fall is 1 in 229. The likelihood of death from something as unusual an "event of undetermined intent" is only 1 in 771.

Government-sponsored science demonstrates the danger of ignoring this Lucky Blog Post™.

In a moment, you'll be instructed how to avoid this risk. But first, let's take a look at some of the amazing fortune which has visited those who took advantage of the opportunity you are now being presented.

B.S. of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was an ambitious young singer with big dreams, but no prospects of success. She was among the first to receive the Lucky Blog Post™, and responded within hours. Today, she's one of the best-known names in pop music.

Despite being born into a famous and wealthy family, G.W.B. of Houston, Texas, coasted aimlessly from one failed business enterprise to another. That was before he responded to the Lucky Blog Post™. He went on to be elected governor, and is now the president of the most powerful nation in the world.

K.B. of Denver, Colorado, wondered how to bring more traffic to her online enterprise. Then she received the Lucky Blog Post™. Her Google rankings exploded, and she's now regarded as one of the most influential young women on the internet.

Now the choice is yours -- how will you respond to Lucky Blog Post™?

Having decided to pursue Lady Fortune's graces, you must do the following within 24 hours:

If you are a blogger ... copy the Lucky Blog Post™ in its entirety. Add your weblog address to the bottom of the list below in the form of a hyperlink, and post the otherwise unedited article to your site under the title "The Lucky Blog Post."

If you are not a blogger ... you can still receive the full benefit of the Lucky Blog Post™ by bookmarking it using one or more of the following services: Digg, del.icio.us, Netscape, or Furl.

It is possible to multiply your fortune by finding other ways of bringing the Lucky Blog Post™ to public attention. You should not, however, email the Lucky Blog Post™ in any form. Doing so will displease Lady Fortune.

May the Lucky Blog Post™ bring you uncountable blessings.

The list:

The Lucky Blog Post
Mountains and Rivers
Blogmandu
A Yoga Coffee Outlook
Jane Lake Makes a Mistake

Jane Lake and the Subway

2006-07-28T09:20:00.000-04:00

The NYC subway has its own special etiquette. You must let people off before you get on or incur the wrath of the craziest people on Earth.

This morning I experienced the results of breaking this rule. A very crowded subway approached the station, and to let some people off, a woman standing at the door needed to back off the train. Another woman trying to get on would not let the woman back off so the first woman pushed her and she pushed back. The screaming started.

Many bad words were exchanged continually as they both shuffled back on the train causing those on the train including myself to move back as far as possible. Some people chuckled, others look terrified.

They managed to settle down, but the distinction between pulling weapons out and letting it go was very fine.

The interesting thing is that either of these woman could have been teachers or businesswomen or any of a number of other respectable jobs which they would have been fired from summarily if this had occurred at work.

It makes you realize the fragile balance we all walk between peace and war.

Jane Lake and a Foudroyant Day!

2006-07-27T08:11:00.000-04:00

Once in a while you come across a word that you have never seen or heard before but speaks to you in a way no other substitute word would. That happened to me yesterday when I was on an elevator reading one of those little news screens they have. The word of the day was "foudroyant".

It means "Of disease that comes on suddenly and severely; dazzling, stunning." Of course, "fulminant" means the same thing, but isn't a fraction as interesting.

It was the dazzling, stunning usage that interested me. As in "The circus was a foudroyant display of color and sound!

So given my new little friend, I just wanted to wish everyone a foudroyant day!

Jane Lake and Laughter!

2006-07-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

There is nothing better than a great laugh. The kind when you can't breathe, your eyes water, and you have to leave the room. In my family, we call this the Lake Laugh as certain family members seem to inherit it, or at least catch it from someone else in the family. (one of my adopted nieces has it as well!)

Other than in a classroom, it is a great experience and in many ways rivals the big O as the greatest pleasure one can experience.

I encourage everyone to bask in their laughter whenever they have a chance, and to help make others laugh as well. It is one of the best healing tools we have. I will try to bring a little laughter to others with my blog as well, although I'm not sure if laughing at me counts!

Jane Lake and Religion!

2006-07-25T08:36:00.000-04:00

Okay, I'm tired of religion being used as reasons to kill, persecute, and differentiate!

Religion is meant to be a guide to bring one closer to God. People mistakenly look at religious tenets as "rules" and cause others to rebel against these rules.

If you don't keep Kosher, you are a bad Orthodox Jew.
If you have premarital sex, you are a bad Catholic.

"Rules" in religions are meant to show people how to better their lives and enrich their souls. Kosher laws were meant to keep people healthier. Catholic writings on sex are meant to enrich the relationship of a husband and wife.

Anyone disciplining a child knows if you don't follow through on the threatened punishment, the child will continue to disobey. In religion, consequences are there to keep people on the right path. Otherwise, it is too easy to say "I like lobster, so I don't want to be Jewish" or "I don't have time to go to Church" so I will pass on Christianity. Human nature causes people to stray from being good as soon as temptation is presented. Unfortunatley, we need discipline and fear of punishment to keep us good.

People think only one religion can be right, so if you are one thing, everyone else is wrong and will miss out on a great eternal life. I believe that all monotheist religions are just God's way of keeping us in line. We should seek out the commonalities of religions and bask in the beauty of mankind rather than point out contradictions and point fingers and kill. This is certainly not God's intent.

Jane Lake and Miracles!

2006-07-24T08:39:00.000-04:00

I think we all experience miracles but write them off as coincidence or luck or just strange. I've experienced a few miracles in my life. It confirms to me the importance of prayer (in any shape or form you might choose) and of being kind to others (call it Karma or the power of positive energy or endorphins). And it doesn't have to be a life or death situation.

In college, I needed to get a least an 80 on a very difficult final exam in advanced quantum physics at an Ivy League college to graduate. The catch is I hadn't broken 65 on any test in the class up until then. I couldn't study because I was stymied by the material, and by the end of the course was just beyond my learning capabilities in the amount of time I had. So I prayed. To make a long story short, I got an 85 and have no rational explanation for how.

People like to poo-poo thinks they can't hold in their hands like miracles. But I would encourage everyone to seek prayer when they can't think of anything else to do.

Jane Lake and Numbers!

2006-07-21T09:18:00.000-04:00

I am a numbers person. Right now my favorite number is 22. It is the day of the month someone very special to me was born, but it has taken on many more meanings as well. Whenever the number appears it gives me a boost of confidence.

The significance of numbers has been recorded since the beginning of time. That is 3761 B.C if you are Jewish, 13.7 billion B.C if you are a Big Bang theorist, and who knows how long ago if you like the String Theory (or string cheese for that matter!)

Most people have a favorite number and it usually has some significance like a date or an age or something that just speaks to you. I encourage everyone to share their favorite numbers here with me. Maybe I can compile a favorite favorite number that might reveal something mystical and exciting about us all. Or at least make a good lotto play!

Jane Lake and Poetry!

2006-07-20T08:26:00.000-04:00

Some poems make you feel something. Those are the ones I consider good. Like "A Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost or "My Life Closed Twice Before Its Close" by Emily Dickinson.

But poetry can also be used to convey a message in a friendly manner like our best folk singers have provided, so here I will attempt to convey a message in a friendly manner that words can be used to mislead.

Word Game by Jane Lake

I don't eat "sweetbread", "offal" or "tripe",
The name has been changed to help the hype.
"Friendly Fire" is anything but
and the word game I hate the most is what?

"Blastocyst", "embryo", "fetus" and more
are all unborn children! Let me underscore
this manipulation by the press you see
is a Planned Parenthood fantasy!

If something is distasteful we change the name.
"Pro-choice" is just another word game.
Don't be fooled and go under the knife,
A rose is a rose, and a life is a life!

P.S.The picture, by the way is offal.

Jane Lake and Making a Difference!

2006-07-19T09:06:00.000-04:00

Why is it so hard to make a difference?

1)Negativity- The first response you get when you throw out an idea is that it can't be done. This is why it won't work. Someone will be unhappy about it, etc. What we need is for people to start saying, "Okay let's try it and see if we can make it work". That's how we got freeze dried astronaut food.

2)Money - It will cost to much! Someone will skim the cream. I would rather spend the money on some other thing. Lest people forget, we print money every day. If we need money to do something, just print more. What are credit cards for, anyway?

3)Apathy - I don't care about it. That's someone else's problem. It will take care of itself. Nothing great gets accomplished with out proactive effort. The potential of world cooperation is astounding. After all Ice Cream cones come from a World's Fair.

4)Fanatics -whether they are on your side or the other side, fanatics make it more difficult to get things accomplished. It is important to be passionate about something, but everything can be resolved through intelligent design. Violence and threats should never be used to further a cause.

Get past these 4 things and you can make a difference. 1 and 3 can be ignored. 4 can be denounced, but 2 can be tricky. That's why you see Gates and Soros with the big ideas. Soon it will be Lake maiking the big difference. Just you wait and see!

Jane Lake and Justin Timberlake!

2006-07-18T08:52:00.000-04:00

Sorry Cameron, but Justin has decided that Jane Lake is what he really needs now. He went through the squeeky clean phase, the wild druggie/drinker phase, and now its time to come home to the sexy yet conservative Jane Lake.

I will probably do a duet with him on the next album titled "Justin and Jane"
We will need to work on the tune but just use the Brady Bunch theme for now!

Here's the story,
of an awesome lady
who was blogging every day to share her thoughts
All of them were plans of peace and solving problems
yet she was all alone.

Here's the story.
of a Britney reject
who has talent but does not know what to do
He hooked up with Cameron Diaz as a filler
But they are almost through

'Til the one day when this gent went on his laptop
and he found the blog that now would change his life
All his dreams were coming true as he read each post.
Jane Lake would be his wife.

Justin and Jane!
Justin and Jane!
That's how they became Justin and Jane.

Jane Lake and Criticism!

2006-07-17T08:12:00.000-04:00

I have received a number of comments since my adventure began in the blogging world, and I would like to comment on these criticisms.

There have been technical criticisms:

- My blog is unreadable in Firefox, but alright in IE.

I will investigate how to improve the appearance in Firefox or just overall, but I am just a beginner blogger so it may take some time.

There have been character assassinations:

- Stupid, young, naive, and many words that I would never use.

Everyone has there fans and foes. Some people are jealous of youth, or they are just braggadocios, negative nannys, and downright mean. I try not to delete posts that have any redeeming value, but those that are just vulgar and mean I do and will continue to delete. I would ask respectfully for those posting to my blog to respect my wishes to refrain from using George Carlin's 7 words.

There have been refutement of my facts:

- I actually appreciate if someone corrects me if I have my facts wrong. However, on the abortion issue I am dead right.

Finally, there have been some positive comments, and surprisingly some came from those posting negative comments as well.

I look forward to continuing to learn the blogging world and to hopefully come up with a few practical solutions to our worlds problems that may actually be implemented. Stranger things have happened!