97% Adult

Just completed the Epstein-Dumas Test of Adultness (EDTA). My result is that I am 97% adult! :P

I recommend people of all ages take this test and see what their outcome is! More info below:

Your Total "Adultness" Competency Score is 97%

The closer you are to 100 percent, the better. You needn't have mastered all of the separate skill areas in order to be considered an adult, but if your scores are low in one or more areas, people might question your adultness or consider you immature. Your scores in each of the 14 different skill areas are as follows:

Love: 89%
Adults are supposed to know the difference between sex and love. They're supposed to have experienced love, or at least to have some idea about what it means to experience love. They're supposed to know the difference between parental and romantic love, and to know that there are many different ways of expressing love.

Sex: 100%
In theory, adults know a great deal about contraception, homosexuality, how to please a partner, and how to make babies. They're supposed to know that condoms often fail, for example, and that masturbation is common among both males and females (somewhat less so among females).

Leadership: 100%
Adults are supposed to know about leaders and, to some extent, to be able to act as leaders—as leaders of other adults, of children, or at least of pets. They're supposed to know that leaders must sometimes make tough decisions, that leaders are in some sense servants of their followers, and that leaders almost always must report to other leaders higher up a chain of command. Adults are also supposed to be somewhat brave—at least in defending their loved ones or in killing harmless insects—and they're supposed to be able to defend their rights.

Problem Solving: 89%
Adults are supposed to be able to solve a wide variety of problems—financial, work-related, plumbing-related, and personal—and they're supposed to know where to go for help when they need it. They're also supposed to know the difference between right and wrong and to be cognizant of the consequences of their actions. They're supposed to be able to think independently and even to be aware of their own faulty beliefs.

Physical Abilities: 100%
Adults, or at least healthy adults, are supposed to be physically self-sufficient. We make allowances when people are sick or injured. The infirmities of old age are handled variously: when elderly people become weak, incontinent, or otherwise impaired, we often revert to treating them like children, even though, in some sense, we still recognize the elderly as “adults.” In general, adults are supposed to be physically strong, to have intact senses, to be able to climb stairs without assistance, and so on. We expect far less of children.

Verbal and Math Skills: 100%
Adults in our society are supposed to have mastered the proverbial Three R's (reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic), and they're supposed to know basic things like the days of the week, the number of days of the year, the number of days in February (even in leap years), the number of hours in a day, and so on.

Interpersonal Skills: 100%
Adults are supposed to know how to converse with, show respect for, forgive, apologize to, get along with, and assist other people. With children, we give basic reminders like “Remember to share,” but adults are supposed to have mastered such lessons in basic civility. Adults are also supposed to be honest in their dealings with other people, and they're supposed to have the good sense to follow the instructions of police officers—in other words to recognize that people play different roles in society.

Handling Responsibility: 100%
Adults are supposed to be able to accept blame for their wrongdoing. They're supposed to be able to make commitments and then honor them. When they begin tasks worthy of completion, they're supposed to persist in completing them.

Managing High-Risk Behaviors: 100%
We try to keep children away from cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, guns, and cars, because, presumably, they'll damage themselves or others if they have access to such things. Adults, on the other hand, are supposed to be ready to handle risky items and activities responsibly. Among other things, they're supposed to know that driving under the influence of alcohol is extremely dangerous, that the heavier one is the more alcohol one can tolerate without ill effect, that mixing alcohol with certain drugs can be fatal, that smoking can ruin one's health, that the safe use of guns involves considerable skill, that improper use of prescription medication is dangerous, and so on.

Managing Work and Money: 100%
Adults are supposed to be able to get and keep jobs. They're supposed to know that it's important to be on time, that “a job worth doing is worth doing well,” that we're supposed to persevere when the going gets tough, and that it's important to prioritize and complete the most important tasks first. Adults are supposed to know how to spend money wisely, how to save, how to invest for the future, how to plan for emergencies, how to manage debts, how to write checks, and how to balance a checkbook.

Education: 89%
Adults are supposed to have obtained at least a basic education, and they're supposed to appreciate the value of education. They're also supposed to know basic education laws—for example, that young people are required to attend school until at least age sixteen or so (depending on one's state of residency).

Personal Care: 89%
Adults, unlike children, are supposed to practice basic hygiene, to comb their hair, to wear clean clothes, and so on. They're also supposed to eat three nutritionally-balanced meals a day, to avoid between-meal snacks, to brush and floss their teeth, to get a good night's sleep, to maintain a healthful weight, and to avoid too much salt or sugar or fat in their diets. They're also supposed to be able to recognize a variety of medical and psychological problems—signs of cancer, asthma, sleep apnea, depression, bipolar disorder, and so on—and to know when and where to get help if they or their loved ones need it.

Self Management: 100%
Adults are supposed to be able to manage their own behavior—to use an alarm clock to make sure they awaken on time, to keep an appointment book to make sure they know why they set their alarm clock, to keep a list of things to do so they know what they're supposed to pick up on the way back from the appointment, and so on. They're also supposed to know basic techniques of “self-control”—counting to ten, for example, as a way of preventing their anger from getting out of hand.

Citizenship: 100%
Finally, adults are supposed to know some basic things about government and about how to be good citizens. They're supposed to register to vote and to participate in elections, to pay taxes, to serve on juries, and so on, and they're supposed to know most basic laws and to obey them.

Netbooks

I just heard on MPR's Futuretense that netbook sales have slowed. The current thoughts are that netbooks are not fast enough for the average consumer and are merely popular in "geekdom." Perhaps I am a geek having just bought my first netbook last Friday to assist in my online summer classes.

My friend Dave recommended I get the EEE PC with a solid state hard drive, which I did. It's only 16GB, but has an SD card slot also for addition memory. No CD or DVD drive, but I have an external CD-RW at home. I also have an external 750GB drive for music and backup storage. A netbook makes better sense than an all-in-one laptop. But it also complements my long-term ability to stay ahead of the curve. Briefly what I have purchased as an e-consumer

1997: My sibling had been given a laptop, but did not know how to maintain it. Therefore I did, and signed up for Juno e-mail and eventually unlimited dialup internet through Pressenter.

1998: Bought a first model E-machine. These were the first desktop PCs sold for less than $500. I also started downloading MP3s and converting some of my music collection

1999: Signed up for free internet through Netzero. Slower than PRessenter, but free.

2000: While living in Saint Cloud, the cable company dropped off equipment to hook up my cable internet, but never installed it. I installed it myself and called the ISP for specific info to do so. Rather complicated to do at the time with Windows 98, but after doing so never received a bill for my broadband while living there. Not sure why, but I never signed any contracts. Still returned their equipment. ( I still found it odd how I could access other people's computers on that service, but it was before firewalls were prevalent

2001: Bough a portable MP3-CD player. Worked out nicely in my car. You can fit between 6-12 hours on one CD, how can you beat driving to Chicago and never hearing the same tune twice?

2004: Started blogging, though still an unpaid amateur. :D

2007: Bought the first Apple that included Intel Duo processors. Started listening to podcasts religiously.

2008: Converted my DVDs to MP4 H.264 format.

2009: First generation netbook. I think these will only get more powerful in the coming years. I doubt I will need to ever buy a laptop that has equivalent power to a desktop. Cannot wait for Apple and/or Google to come out with their own versions. Rumor is they are at least a year or two away from developing one.

So, I am not way ahead of the curve or anything. Just tend to spend a lot of time evaluating what exists out there and seeing if it fits my life at the moment. For instance, I have never owned an Ipod, nor ever plan to. I didn't buy a cell phone until this year, because I am way too busy to NOT have one. But if I ever quit being so active, why would I need one?

My camera was stolen when I left it on a #16 bus going to an election party. I have yet to buy one, but might if I find a good sale later this month. ONLY because I might be taking a lot more photos this summer than typical. Then again, I could save more money by NOT buying one and just borrowing one. Hmm...

Either way, I think more people should become conscious of what electronics they really find useful to their lives and not just collect a bunch of gadgets. Gadget lovers tend to have collections of dust-gathering gadgets that are always being added to. Why make such a mess? For fun? I will have no part of that, though already have a lot of leftover stuff that have been left with me! Anyone need

Appeal process at Mystic Lake

For those who may be fired at Mystic Lake or Little Six, this is the form you are asked to sign to appeal. I went through this process, but unless you know a tribal member personally, you really have no recourse. Or you need a lot of money for a lawyer, which you may not have if you are denied unemployment and have no other source of income. :P

I turned this in with my appeal. I was informed via voice mail that I was denied. The caller almost said she was from Little Earth. Funny how they are only a few blocks away from me and are community-oriented while Mystic Lake is corporate-oriented. Worlds away not just physically but ideologically.

Media Parrots

Am I the only one irritated by these people? I know they are well meaning, but they are those who always bring up the news headlines but have nothing to actually say about it. Well, they do have something to say: exactly what the pundits and analysts say. Usually word for word, or summarized even further.

So, silly me, I think perhaps the media parrot might want to actually talk about the subject at hand. But usually they reserve their opinion for the next time they hear something about it from CNN or other broadcast media. Are they walking sheep or what? Honestly, they have no opinion, and usually when they do it is quite simplistic.

And yet, these are the same people who can easily be swayed to your way of thinking - merely by explaining your perspective. But as soon as the media tells them an opposing opinion, they will go with that. It is sad that we have those in our society who do not think for themselves. Are they the "sheeple" of America?

Fortunately there are those who do think. But only those who are the loudest make any impact on media parrots. I could give paragraphs of examples regarding times when I stated something and media parrots would dismiss what I had to say. Then they changed their mind when "reality" came in line - AKA the media agreed with my assessment.

Before Barack Obama even announced his candidacy, I had told many that if he were to run he would win. The media parrots refused to listen, giving me simple reasons like "he's black" or "Hillary will win no matter what." Very simple, until you actually hear the guy speak.

Of course, he would stand no chance at all if the Democrats were fearful of winning this year. Instead the 2006 election landslide has energized their enthusiasm, giving them a sense of hope they thought unthinkable until then. Had they not won so much ground then, Obama would not have a prayer today. But the Democrats believe they will win and don't focus on an "electable" candidate as much as one who more represents the values they would prefer to convey.

Though I have identified numerous amounts of media parrots and those with varying degrees of character agreement with them, I have yet to find a cure. There probably isn't one. Media parrots need to awaken and change themselves by choice. I cannot fathom living like a lemming on autopilot indefinitely, so choose to foster dissent at every opportunity.

SMS Messages Worldwide

Well, since everyone knows I have friends worldwide, how do I send them text messages? This could also be considered a feat because I don't have a cell phone. (how un-21st Century of me!) I do this through a service I found searching online: ipipi.com

Basically you can send messages through a monthly service ( like a cell-phone's ) or pre-pay. I prefer pre-paying because I send them more intermittently. And the price per message is the same if I send them to Jah in Thailand, Phanice in Kenya, or Carie in Minnesota!

I have included the prices to the left, but you can also check out their subscription fees at their site. They start at $15 a month, but I still prefer the pre-pay method.

You can have incoming replies sent to your e-mail or saved on their server. So, it's quite convenient if you have friends in far-away places!

Unless anyone knows of better services out there ( and you have to tell me about them) - I think ipipi is the best value.