5percentersnation

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Baby Doe

I read an article yesterday about a two-and-a-half-year-old's body found in a trash bag in Boston. After months of trying to identifying the body, police officials were finally able to identify the victim and her mother and mother's boyfriend - both of whom are suspects of this tragedy. As someone who does not have any children of my own, this tragedy solidifies my decision to not pro-create. The mother of this dead child had been investigated by child protective services prior to this tragedy. Her two older children were removed from her custody and subsequently adopted by family members and friends. I am not going to trash talk our failed system who did not monitor this mother's behavior more closely, especially since she was raising a toddler. Rather, I'd like to blame society - human beings - ourselves. We are all guilty. We are guilty because we don't vote on laws and for the people who make it their life's duties to get these types of laws on the docket to provide more assistance to protect children who are unable to protect themselves. We are guilty because we are so adamant about maintaining free will but forget that there are so many people who exercise it to abuse others and themselves. We are guilty because rather than showing empathy and compassion, we troll on one another on social media. While it was disgusting and saddening to read this story, I was equally appalled by readers' comments. Even during a time of tragedy such as this toddler's brutally abusive story, our society found a way to make it even uglier. I am not going to repeat it and dignify their comments. It is just heartbreaking to know that everyone has an opinion about everything - relevant or not.

[5percentersnation]

Success is more a function of consistent common sense than it is of genius.

An Wang

[5percentersnation]

Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.

Thomas Jefferson

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Day 50 of 50 Useless Facts

Former basketball superstar Michael Jordan is the most recognized face in the world, more than the pope himself.

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Day 49 of 50 Useless Facts

Tom Sawyer was the first novel written on a typewriter.

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Day 48 of 50 Useless Facts

The 57 on Heinz ketchup bottles represents the number of varieties of pickles the company once had.

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Day 47 of 50 Useless Facts

Studies have shown that children laugh an average of 300 times/day and adults 17 times/day, making the average child more optimistic, curious, and creative than the adult.

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Day 46 of 50 Useless Facts

Most Egyptians died by the time they were 30 about 300 years ago.

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Day 45 of 50 Useless Facts

Barbie’s measurements, if she were life-size, would be 39-29-33.

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Day 44 of 50 Useless Facts

It's against the law to doze off under a hair dryer in Florida/against the law to slap an old friend on the back in Georgia/against the law to Play hopscotch on a Sunday in Missouri.

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Day 43 of 50 Useless Facts

You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching TV.

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Day 42 of 50 Useless Facts

The pop you hear when you crack your knuckles is actually a bubble of gas burning.

[5percentersnation]

Day 41 of 50 Useless Facts

The average lead pencil will draw a line 35 miles long or write approximately 50,000 English words. More than 2 billion pencils are manufactured each year in the United States. If these were laid end to end they would circle the world nine times.

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Day 40 of 50 Useless Facts

A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continually from the bottom of the glass to the top.

[5percentersnation]

The secret of getting ahead is getting started.

Mark Twain

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To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.

Aristotle

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The future has many names. For the weak, it's unattainable for the fearful, it's unknown. For the bold, it's ideal.

Victor Hugo