Water > Oil

10 REASONS TO SIGN THE PETITION TO STOP THE DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE (DAPL)

If you haven't already done so, please consider signing the petition to halt the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). Here's why: 

1. Water is greater than oil. Without water, we die.
2. The land the pipeline cuts through was granted to the Sioux People in 1851 via the Fort Laramie Treaty. This is their land.
3. The U.S. Government has failed to make good on that treaty, and claims the Sioux People are trespassing. Let's say the land doesn't belong to them (though it does). One leak from the pipeline could destroy their only water source. 
4. Think that will never happen? It just did.
5. Think the government wouldn't approve anything that could potentially harm its citizens? Remember Flint, MI (where, by the way, residents still don't have clean water).
6. Police departments from around the country have been dispatched to "defend" the pipeline. Many have refused to go. And U.S. military veterans have announced they will be joining the protestors in the coming days. In sum: This isn't a battle between police and civilians; it's a battle between right and wrong.
7. The abuse must stop. On November 20, tear gas, water cannons (in freezing temperatures), concussion grenades and rubber bullets were used for hours against peaceful water protectors. Hundreds were injured, some severely. (Tear gas, by the way, has been classified as a chemical weapon and banned from international conflict - and police departments around the world - since 1993). 
8. Time is running out. The day after Thanksgiving - the most ironic of days - the Army Corps of Engineers used this senseless act of violence as an excuse to issue a statement telling the Sioux People to vacate their camp by December 5 for their own safety. Those who refuse to leave will be held liable for any injury inflicted upon them. In other words: we've given you a taste of what we can do; leave your own land, or we will hurt you.
9. There have been two petitions. If you signed the first one - which successfully prompted President Obama to temporarily halt the pipeline - that doesn't mean you've signed this one (whose purpose is to permanently stop construction). If you aren't sure which petition you signed, check this one out to see.
10. The cliché is true: Those who fail to remember the past are doomed to repeat it. 

Still aren't comfortable signing the petition? Want more information before you do? Here's some history on the pipeline. Check it out, digest it, and determine which side of history you will be on: those defending clean water, those defending the pipeline, or those who do nothing. 

No Matter Who Wins, We Lose

Never in my lifetime has this country been so terrifying, so ugly, so very obtuse. No matter who wins November 8, we all lose.

One candidate because he’s a dangerous megalomaniac who built his campaign on a foundation of hate and refuses to comply with election results.

The other because she’s lost in the shadow of a pseudo-scandal that most people fail to comprehend (and frankly don’t even bother to try).

If he wins, we have failed as a nation. Because it means we're uglier than he is, and there will be no turning back.

If she wins, his opponent has already laid the foundation for civil unrest. His followers have quite literally threatened the election with their muskets.

And make no mistake: they have much more sophisticated guns than that.

I feel sad. Disgusted. Battered. Torn. This should be a time to excite, not a time to incite, but what started with Trump encouraging his supporters to punch protesters has turned into an all-out call to arms.

To say we’re entering into dangerous territory is to deny the obvious: that it has been dangerous for months, and grown increasingly so as more and more once-rational people turned a blind eye to serious indiscretions as they pieced together a weak case for voting for Trump.

"He doesn't mean what he says," they say. "You're taking it out of context," they say (even when faced with the context in its entirety). And to that I say: he has shown us, repeatedly, the kind of man he is. Which is to say: not a kind man at all. 

He was a known misogynist and racist well before this election even began. And yet you rallied behind him.

He threatened to have his opponent killed. Then imprisoned. And then admitted he might not accept election results unless he wins. He flip-flopped. He contradicted himself.

He has threatened to restrict freedom of the press – and accused the media of outright lies – despite all audio and videotape evidence to the contrary. And his numbers rose.

This thrice-married man with very public infidelities was caught on camera ADMITTING to being a sexual predator – and yet when women stepped forward to say, “Yes, it’s true, he did that to me,” it was as if you’d already forgotten how he lewdly bragged about grabbing women without their permission.

He’s promised to make America great again, but has yet to tell us what that means. What era will we return to? The one before women could vote? The one where black people had to sit in the back of the bus? Or will we roll back the clock to the 90s, an era without war but with ample financial stability – and our first President Clinton?

Because Trump has very publicly praised Bill Clinton’s presidency. There’s video evidence to prove it. Don’t believe me? Click that previous link. Still won’t believe me? Then you’re why we’re in this mess.

This is very dangerous territory, indeed. But it’s been that way for a while. We just feel it now more so than ever, with the election a few days away as we face the very real prospect of a very surreal future.

Is Hillary my first choice? No. Does Hillary have skeletons? Yep. Does she have some people donating to the Clinton Foundation that give me pause? Yes. But the same could be said tenfold for Trump and his foundation. But one key difference people keep forgetting: the Clinton Foundation has actually done some good in the world. Trump used his foundation to buy portraits of himself.

That’s telling. And if you don’t understand why – if you don’t understand just how dangerous it is to grant power to an egomaniac who has repeatedly demonstrated a quick temper but slow wit – then you haven’t read your history books. 

For the rest of us, the future is unsettling. Because no matter who wins, we all lose.

Trump has already made sure of that.

Father-To-Be Catalogs Descent Into Dad Bod

Sure, expectant dads often experience sympathy pains when their significant other has a little one on the way, but did you know dads also tend to pack on the pounds during those 40 precious weeks?

Dad-to-be Oliver Digglesworth has been cataloging his weight gain, and he's ready to share his new physique with the world.

"It's unfortunate how much dad shaming goes on today," said Oliver. "It's completely normal to pack on a few pounds when you're expecting, and I'm not afraid to show it. I mean, what better day than February 14? So many people owe their existence to this Hallmark occasion."

When asked if he expects his weight to bounce back after the birth of his child, Oliver was skeptical.

"If nothing else," he said, "This is just the beginning."

Top 10 Ways To Keep The Romance Alive This Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is almost here. If you're struggling to find a way to show that special someone just how much you care, remember: sometimes the best gift doesn't come wrapped in a bow. Follow these tips to really make them swoon.

1. Four words: two toilets, one bathroom.
2. Have a baby! Nothing else brings two people closer together before it pushes them really, really far apart.
3. Show them how responsible you are by keeping a box of Plan B in your medicine cabinet.
4. Lots and lots of perfume; if the pheromones don't get them to notice you, the allergen-induced asthma attack surely will.
5. Forget those cliché greeting cards – make your boo a coupon book promising a nice massage or even an evening without dishes. Don’t have the time or the construction paper? Pick up some coupons from Walgreens, cut them out, and staple them together. They’ll appreciate the romantic gift, and you’ll appreciate the savings.
6. Never forget the ABCs of being a good little wifey: Always Be Cooking.
7. Turn alone time into cell phone time; there's nothing s/he has to say that can't wait until after you've finished that game of Candy Crush.
8. Variety is the spice of life, so always keep your genitals well-seasoned with paprika and oregano. 
9. Never underestimate the power of those three little words: it's not contagious.
10. Everyone gets roses – gross! Instead of doing the same ol’ flower year after year, abide by this popular adage: men are from mars, and women love a Venus fly trap. Nothing says “I love you” quite like a carnivorous plant, and your home will finally be pest free!

10 Life Hacks To Save The Planet – And Your Budget

Whether you admire them up close or from afar, leaving 100% natural love notes in unexpected places will let your s.o. know how much you care about them – and the planet.

1. Why pay for a skywriter and waste precious fossil fuels, when everything you need to surprise your boo is in your laundry room? Save lint from your dryer and use it to spell out meaningful messages for your significant other. Don't have a bae? Spend your lonely nights knitting that lint into a sweater. Goodness knows you'll need something to keep you warm on those cold winter nights.

2. When it comes to bathroom savings, you've heard the expression "if it's yellow, stay mellow; if it's brown, send it down"? What a wasteful maxim! Try this one instead: “one flush a week yields the savings you seek!"

3. It actually takes more energy to turn your television off and on twice, than it does to keep it on all day long. So go ahead – Netflix and chill your life away.

4. Is your refrigerator running? If it is, you better go catch it – and then unplug it. These massive appliances are huge energy wasters. Unplug it today, and save tomorrow. 

5. Think those small animals powering electronics on The Flintstones are the stuff of Hanna-Barbera science fiction? Think again! With the help of God’s creatures, lighting up your home is as simple at 1, 2, 3! 

   1. Head to your nearest pet store, purchase thousands of hamsters, cages, cedar chips, water bottles, food and hamster wheels.

   2. Stop by the hardware store on your way home, and stock up on tiny helmets and electrodes.

   3. Watch episodes of Beakman's World for helpful "how-to" tutorials.

   4. Set up your home system, and let science do the rest! 

6. Don't throw out expired foods! Donate them to your local shelter, and write off the expense. Everybody wins! 

7. Stop spitting money – and precious resources – down the drain. The next time you brush your teeth, save your spittle in a bottle. You'll save a "mint" when you use it as a minty-fresh mouthwash later. 

8. Turn your love of online shopping into a discounted trip overseas – no passport required! Simply save your Amazon boxes over the course of a year, and then tape them altogether to form one giant box. Poke a few air holes, step inside, and ask a friend to add a stamp and drop you off at your nearest post office. You'll be in Costa Rica in 2-14 weeks for just the cost of a single Forever stamp!

9. If your pantry is overloaded with an excess of grocery bags, and you're stressing about how to afford that carrier for your new baby, fret no more. Any bag with handles makes a great carrying case for kids six and under! Paper or plastic? You be the judge! 

10. Stop throwing your cat litter out with the rest of the garbage. If you live in a climate that has a cold season, save your used litter throughout the year – and use it on icy surfaces in the winter. Not only will it add some much needed traction, but the clumps will help cushion you in the event of a fall. 

11. Whether you have a child in diapers or know someone who does, don't let those old newspapers go to waste. Bird owners use them to line their cages for a reason. This super absorbent material might be a little rough on baby's bottom, but it'll be gentle on your budget.