I want to apologize for getting on here so late and to attempt to make up for that, I have a podcast that I wish to share with you. So it's not "mine" or anything but a friend introduced it to me, and it has since become a source of inspiration and free entertainment.  Head to iTunes and search "IndieFeed."  There are several different IndieFeed Podcasts including Hip Hop, Indie Pop, Blues, etc.  But the one that I subscribe to is "Performance Poetry."  This stuff is lyrical, it is is brilliant, it is deep, it is true, it is hilarious, it is heartbreaking and most of all it is mindblowing. Even if you don't consider yourself a poet or interested in poetry, I strongly urge you to step out of the box and listen to a few.  They will change your life.  No joke.  I can recommend some of my favourites if you're interested.

And yes, it is EXPLICIT so be aware, there is no skimping on F-bombs or thematic material.  But this is one of the few instances where I think the language is completely necessary and appropriate...well not appropriate...but you know what I mean.

Anyway, check it out.

I think we had a really great meeting yesterday. I want to thank everyone who was there for being so open and willing to discuss their feelings on some touchy issues. I think that that is a big part of what we are about, and it's very brave. It's also something that not many people do very often.

In doing research for Behind Bullies, I found a group called Bullying Prevention is Crime Prevention and they say that kids who are bullied are 5 times more likely to suffer from depression. Bullied boys are 4 times as likely to be suicidal and bullied girls are 8 times as likely to be suicidal. The Centers for Disease Control say suicide numbers have tripled since 1960 and that around 2,000 kids in the USA commit suicide each year. Suicide caused by bullying is so common they are now calling it Bullycide. A study done by the US Secret Service and the Dept of Education in 2002 that said interviews with 41 school shooters in 37 incidents showed that more than 2/3 of the shooters had been bullied and that their attacks were planned to get revenge. Yet, a study done by the National Mental Health and Education Center found that of teachers 25% see nothing wrong with bullying or putdowns and that these teachers intervened in less than 4% of the bullying incidents they witnessed.

Why are people satisfied shaking their heads and yapping about how awful it is? Why aren't people working to stop this?

Check out the article in today's Star Tribune at http://www.startribune.com/484/story/1359584.html (Or, read it below)

3 Wisconsin teens plead no contest in bomb plot

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Three teens accused of helping to plan a Columbine-like attack on a high school pleaded no contest today in separate plea agreements.
William Cornell, 18, pleaded no contest to conspiracy to commit homicide, possession of explosives for unlawful purposes and possession of a short-barreled shotgun.
Shawn Sturtz, 18, pleaded no contest to conspiracy to commit homicide, while Bradley Netwal, 19, pleaded no contest to conspiracy to damage property with explosives.
The three were accused of making bombs and collecting guns to carry out the attack at the northeastern Wisconsin school. They were arrested last fall after a fourth teen, who was not charged, told an associate principal at East High School about the plot.
Prosecutors say the three teens wanted revenge for bullying and other problems they had at school. Cornell and Sturtz had long been fascinated by the April 1999 Columbine massacre in Littleton, Colo., in which two students armed with guns, knives and bombs killed 12 classmates and a teacher before killing themselves, police said.
Each had charges dropped against them as part of plea deals. Brown County District Attorney John Zakowski dropped a charge of conspiracy to damage property with explosives against Cornell; a charge of conspiracy to commit homicide against Netwal and a charge of conspiracy to damage property with explosives against Sturtz.
He recommended eight years in prison and 12 years of supervision for Cornell, two years in prison and three years of supervision for Netwal and four and a half years in prison and five and a half years of supervision for Sturtz. Sentencing dates were set for October.
The three teens began planning the assault on their school two to three years before they were arrested, prosecutors said. Netwal, a 2006 graduate, and Cornell told detectives they made jellied gasoline for a fire bomb.
Police said they found nine rifles and shotguns, a handgun, about 20 "crudely made" explosive devices, camouflage clothing, gas masks, two-way radios and hundreds of rounds of ammunition at Cornell's house. At Sturtz's home, they found knives and ammunition.
The plot included setting off bombs by school toilets and throwing jars of burning homemade napalm at doors so students couldn't get out and more people would be hurt, Sturtz told investigators. Netwal told police he went along with the plan because he didn't want his friends to think he was a coward.

My uncle Keith drove over the bridge 15 minutes or so before it collapsed. My aunt Stephanie worked late and missed it otherwise she would have been on it. A family friend was there about 5 minutes after it happened. Most of you live closer to this tragedy than I do. Are all of you and your families and friends okay?