Thursday, September 19, 2013

Chicago Murder Capital of the US 2012



Chicago is named "Murder Capital of the US for 2012" over NYC and I'm not surprised. The Federal Bureau of Investigation released this report early this week. The report was based on 500 homicides in major metropolitan areas in 2012, New York only having 419 homicides thus Chicago crimes being the bloodiest in the United States.


The US Census Bureau tally up the population in Chicago at 2.7 million versus New York 8 plus million people. But that doesn't mean anything because we have a higher crime rate and our population is less than NY. I know this year has gotten worse so I think we will make this list again for 2013. I used to live on the west side of Chicago and it was terrible, on the corner there was drugs, prostitution and gang activity, on the other corner a young was shot dead. I live in the west suburbs and a lot of gang activity, and drugs moved to where I live now.


I thought I was away from all the madness the city had inherited but it somehow traveled to the burbs as well. Chicago was once a beautiful city but with all the high unemployment rates, tax increases, more people that can't find jobs, stress and desperate;  unfortunately the crime is going to be higher. I would love to stay here in Illinois the rest of my life but I can't live in a state that is rated the "Murder Capital of US". New York was successful at lowering their homicide rate down and under control, why can't Chicago do the same?


Sources:
Info: http://rt.com/usa/chicago-nyc-homicides-murder-032/
Image: http://www.aviewoncities.com/gallery/showpicture.htm?key=kveus9752
Image: http://chicago.bridgesinternational.com/
Image: http://www.atlasls.com/

Monday, September 16, 2013

Simple Sugars Lavender Body Scrub Review


I've been wanting to try this product for quite some time now and not because this was on Shark Tank but I did some research on this company, Simple Sugars. I found this product at a stationary store by my house. They had a good selection of body scrubs to choose from. I wanted to try the Rose Body Scrub but they didn't have any left so I decided to buy the Lavender Body Scrub. I'm glad I decided to get the lavender one because it smelled so wonderful and relaxing.

This product left my skin feeling soft and supple, like silk. As soon as I applied the scrub the sugar dissolves into an oil base. I have dry skin and this scrub left my skin moisturized and it had a nice shine to it too. The product comes in a little box with a spoon. When you get the product you'll have to stir it first because the oil seeps to the top. I would highly suggest getting their body scrubs, when I run out of the lavender body scrub I'm going to get more and try different varieties scrubs.


Source:
Image: http://simplesugars.myshopify.com/

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Pinkberry Cherry Review


Pinkberry came out with a brand new seasonal flavor for the summer. I'm a little late posting this because I got besides myself for the past few months. Anyway, this flavor has bits of real cherries and it doesn't come with a selected topping. I must say, this is one of my favorite flavors beside the chocolate hazelnut. At first I thought it would be too bitter like some of their past flavors but it has a balance of tart and sweetness but light and refreshing that I just LOVE. If you love cherries I would definitely give this flavor a try.


Source:
Image: http://www.latinofitclub.com/pinkberry-un-yogurt-con-estilo/

Pinkberry Butter Pecan Review


Pinkberry came out with a brand new seasonal flavor 2 weeks ago, it's a Butter Pecan frozen yogurt flavor. It comes with candied pecans on the side. I tried the sample yesterday because I've been wanting to try it since it came out. It was a little too sweet for me, it does have that creamy, maple and nutty flavor but it was too sweet; my sample came out almost soft-served like. I'll probably won't get a cup of it because it was a little too sweet for my taste.


Source:
Image: http://www.latinofitclub.com/pinkberry-un-yogurt-con-estilo/

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Dunkin Donuts Apple Cider Review


I was going through the drive-thru the other day and saw that Dunkin Donuts was selling apple cider, hot or iced for a limited time only. I thought I'll give it a try since I haven't have apple cider in a long time and wanted to try dunkin's version. I ordered it iced because it was at least 94 degrees hot today. It's not that bad at all, it has a strong apple flavor taste to it, it reminded me of a certain version of apple juice in the grocery store, I also tasted a little orange flavor, that's probably where the tangy or tart flavor comes from.

I wish they had the apple cider donuts to dunk but they had the pumpkin donuts instead. I haven't had the apple cider hot and probably won't be ordering it again. It's an acquired taste for me, some people may find the apple cider really good but for me it was a little too tart for me.


Source:
Image: https://www.dunkindonuts.com/content/dunkindonuts/en/menu/beverages/icedbeverages/apple-cider.html

Friday, September 6, 2013

When Is Texting Too Much?


When is texting too much? I ask that question because I notice that some of my friends constantly like to text me instead of just calling and having a general conversation. Sure texting has it's purposes like; when you are at work and can't talk on the phone, at a mechanic's shop, waiting in line somewhere etc. but to text me where to meet to hang out, asking for detail directions or want to know my entire life; that's more like a phone call type of conversation not text messaging. I feel like some people can't have a interpersonal conversation on the phone or in person anymore.

Now people send break up text, proposal text, ask out on a date text. Personally I think technology is taking away that interpersonal connection that we used to have. I'm more of a in-person type of person rather than the text messaging all the time. If not in person then phone conversation is fine too, I can hear the person's emotion through their voice.

I think texting is too much if you are only communicating through text messaging and I mean the only means of communicating. If you can't pick up the phone once in a while and speak to someone then you may have a problem. Remember, we didn't have text messaging in the '90s or early 2000s so people actually spoke to each other face-to-face or on the telephone to communicate. We need to have that interpersonal connection back again.



Source:
Image: http://cultech.library.cornell.edu/blog/

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Graphic of the Day


This is something I put together for a friend not too long ago. The image of the Hyena is from the internet, I apply some filters, the flare tool, some shapes and used some different backgrounds to bring the photo together. I used Adobe Photoshop and mostly Illustrator.



Source:
Image: http://forum.goregrish.com/threads/hyena-attack.27738/

Most Corrupt States

I was watching the news this morning and they had a list of "Most Corrupt States" and I was a little shock that Illinois made 16th on the list. I've live Illinois all of my life and I believe it should have been at least number 1 or 2 on the list. With all the high crimes that are committed everyday, crooked politicians, crook cops, tax hikes for unknown reasons; we should have been close to number 1. Sure some people can disagree with me on this because of numerous reasons but I've lived here all my life and seen and heard terrible things that took place in Illinois so it's my strongest opinion and a lot of Illinois residents will agree with me.

So this list consist of a number of convictions per population within the 50 states listed and came to a conclusion that Louisiana was ranked number 1 for the most corrupted state. Again I still think Illinois should have been ranked number 1 but that's just my opinion. My question is why just base it off of convictions per population? why not count everything else as a whole like crime, politics etc.? maybe I'm not seeing the bigger picture.




Source:
http://voices.suntimes.com/early-and-often/illinois-is-slacking-now-merely-16th-most-corrupt-state/

Monday, September 2, 2013

Trust, Honest and Truth

I wrote a similar post about this topic a while back and it still hold truth til this day. But could being too honest be harmful then good? sometimes I ask myself that only because I've been honest my whole life, sometimes it's really good and refreshing to others then sometimes they can't handle my too honest approach. In the past, I've been too honest about a situation or situations that had happened in my life but it ended up biting me in the butt because certain people that I thought I could trust would throw it in my face.

There were other times that I was too honest and most people love it. All in all, I expect others that I know to be honest with me even if it may hurt. But lately I've come across some people that are not honest or truthful at all and I have a problem with that. When you are not being truthful or honest, to me that comes off deceitful and I can't trust what comes out of your mouth as truthful. They want to feed you these lies so it'll make me feel better and also shut me up but little do they know it'll make it worse because I can't trust you now.

It takes me a while to trust someone because I've been lied to, cheated on and gotten stab in the back by people I cared about. So with that being said, I have a hard time trusting people. They say, "Trust is earned" I believe it 110%. A good friend of mine recently told me, "You have to guard your heart" meaning you have to guard it from people that would try to stomp on it without a care. I have a lot of heart to give and maybe that's my problem, it keeps getting stepped on by the wrong people that don't deserve my heart. "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it" - Proverbs 4:23. I believe this scripture from the bible because it holds true to everything.

Even though sometimes my honesty can hurt people, I'm still going to be completely honest no matter what because honesty is the BEST policy and I'm not going to change a good trait. Later in life more people would eventually prefer the trust, honest and truth.


 
Source:
Bible - New International Version