“Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.”
Mark Twain (1835–1910)
American writer
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Sausage-Cheese Balls
These little appetizers make a big hit with any crowd.
Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 45 min
Makes: About 8 1/2 dozen cheese balls
3 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1 pound bulk pork sausage
4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (16 ounces)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley or 1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes
Barbecue sauce or chili sauce, if desired
1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease bottom and sides of jelly roll pan, 15 1/2x10 1/2x2x1 inch.
2. Stir together all ingredients, using hands or spoon. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Place in pan.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brown. Immediately remove from pan. Serve warm with sauce for dipping.
Dry-Rubbed Baby-Back Ribs
Serves 4
Hands-On Time: 10m
Total Time: 45m
Ingredients
* 4 cloves garlic, chopped
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1 teaspoon chili powder
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* Kosher salt and black pepper
* 2 racks baby-back ribs (about 3 pounds)
Directions
1. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, brown sugar, chili powder, cayenne, 2 teaspoons salt, and ¾ teaspoon black pepper.
2. Rub the spice mixture on the ribs and let sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat grill to medium.
3. Grill the ribs, covered, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.
Ramen Coleslaw
Coleslaw is an awesome summer dish to serve at a backyard barbecue, family gathering or even supper-time with the family. The next time you have a craving to make an easy cole slaw recipe, why not try ramen coleslaw?
Serves: 4
Ingredients
* 1 bag (16-ounces) coleslaw salad mix (or 1 pound grated cabbage)
* 2 carrots, grated
* 2 ribs celery, chopped
* 1 small red or green bell pepper, finely chopped
* 3 green onions, chopped
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 1/3 cup vegetable oil
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1 package (3-ounces) ramen noodles
* 1/3 cup of sliced toasted almonds and sunflower seeds
* Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Combine coleslaw mix, carrots, celery, bell pepper, green onions and cilantro in a large bowl.
2. Mix oil, sugar, lemon juice and half of seasoning packet from ramen noodles in a small dish; pour over cabbage mixture and toss to combine.
3. At serving time, crumble ramen noodles and fold into salad along with almonds, sunflower seeds, salt and pepper.
4. Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Notes
This recipe can be made several hours ahead and refrigerated.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
* 1 bag (16-ounces) coleslaw salad mix (or 1 pound grated cabbage)
* 2 carrots, grated
* 2 ribs celery, chopped
* 1 small red or green bell pepper, finely chopped
* 3 green onions, chopped
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 1/3 cup vegetable oil
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1 package (3-ounces) ramen noodles
* 1/3 cup of sliced toasted almonds and sunflower seeds
* Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Combine coleslaw mix, carrots, celery, bell pepper, green onions and cilantro in a large bowl.
2. Mix oil, sugar, lemon juice and half of seasoning packet from ramen noodles in a small dish; pour over cabbage mixture and toss to combine.
3. At serving time, crumble ramen noodles and fold into salad along with almonds, sunflower seeds, salt and pepper.
4. Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Notes
This recipe can be made several hours ahead and refrigerated.
Website of the Day
Whether the issue is where to vacation with your immediate family or which resort is right for a gathering of the clan, check out FamilyVacationCritic.com. You’ll find destination recommendations, reviews of resorts and hotels, restaurant suggestions (for even the pickiest of eaters), plus great travel deals.
My new favorite thing
Memory-Aiding App
When you come across something you want to remember (like an epic slice of coconut cake from a new bakery), use the Breadcrumb Trail app to drop a “crumb” on the map for future reference, along with pertinent photos and notes.
To buy: $1, iTunes.
To Love, Honor & Obey
During the wedding rehearsal, the groom approached the pastor with an unusual offer.
"Look, I'll give you $100 if you'll change the wedding vows. When you get to me and the part where I'm to promise to 'love, honor and obey' and 'forsaking all others, be faithful to her forever,' I'd appreciate it if you'd just leave that part out."
He passed the minister a $100 bill and walked away satisfied.
It is now the day of the wedding, and the bride and groom have moved to that part of the ceremony where the vows are exchanged.
When it comes time for the groom's vows, the pastor looks the young man in the eye and says, "Will you promise to prostrate yourself before her, obey her every command and wish, serve her breakfast in bed every morning of your life and swear eternally before God and your lovely wife that you will not ever even look at another woman, as long as you both shall live?"
The groom gulped and looked around, and said in a tiny voice, "I do."
The groom leaned toward the pastor and hissed, "I thought we had a deal."
The pastor put the $100 bill into his hand and whispered back, "She made me a much better offer."
"Look, I'll give you $100 if you'll change the wedding vows. When you get to me and the part where I'm to promise to 'love, honor and obey' and 'forsaking all others, be faithful to her forever,' I'd appreciate it if you'd just leave that part out."
He passed the minister a $100 bill and walked away satisfied.
It is now the day of the wedding, and the bride and groom have moved to that part of the ceremony where the vows are exchanged.
When it comes time for the groom's vows, the pastor looks the young man in the eye and says, "Will you promise to prostrate yourself before her, obey her every command and wish, serve her breakfast in bed every morning of your life and swear eternally before God and your lovely wife that you will not ever even look at another woman, as long as you both shall live?"
The groom gulped and looked around, and said in a tiny voice, "I do."
The groom leaned toward the pastor and hissed, "I thought we had a deal."
The pastor put the $100 bill into his hand and whispered back, "She made me a much better offer."
African-American Woman Gets Degree from School that Denied Her 60 Years Ago
Mary Jean Price Walls wasn't admitted to a Missouri college 60 years ago simply because she was black. Now, the school is righting its wrong by giving her an honorary degree.
Read more
Read more
Friday, July 30, 2010
Superman Comic Saves Family From Foreclosure
In the nick of time, the Man of Steel saved a family's home ... for real. A couple facing foreclosure found the collateral they desperately needed with the discovery of an Action Comics #1 (aka, the Holy Grail of comic books) in their basement.
As any true fanboy knows, Action Comics #1 is the most significant comic of all time because it was Superman's debut. In fact, the issue birthed the entire genre of the superhero.
Read more
As any true fanboy knows, Action Comics #1 is the most significant comic of all time because it was Superman's debut. In fact, the issue birthed the entire genre of the superhero.
Read more
The Smog to Heart Connection
It is well known that certain concentrations of air pollution can adversely affect human respiratory condition. What is not as well-known is how air pollution can affect the heart. A new study presented at the American Heart Association's Basic Cardiovasular Sciences 2010 Scientific Session by researchers from Texas A&M links ground-level ozone (smog) to cell deaths in the heart.
Read more
Read more
Man Shows First Full-Face Transplant
A Spanish man who received the world’s first full-face transplant—it included jaw, nose, cheekbones, muscles, teeth, and eyelids—showed his new face for the first time on Monday. The 31-year-old man known as Oscar, who accidentally shot himself in the face five years ago, can eat soft foods, speak, and is expected to gain up to 90 percent of his facial functions. In fact, he had to shave a week after the operation due to beard growth. Earlier this month, French doctors performed a face transplant that included tear ducts.
Read more
Student Loan Interest Rates
Do you have student loans that you are diligently working to pay off?
If so, changes made July 1 to student loan rates could have a positive effect on your budget.
For Stafford and PLUS loans issued on or after July 1, 1998, and before July 1, 2006, the new interest rates for the period of July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011, are:
Stafford Loans in repayment status—2.4 percent, down from 2.48 percent
Stafford Loans in school, grace period or deferment status—1.87 percent, down from 1.88 percent PLUS Loans in repayment status—3.27 percent, down from 3.28 percent
For Stafford and PLUS Loans issued on or after July 1, 2006, the interest rates for loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011, are as follows:
Subsidized Stafford Loans—a fixed 4.5 percent rate, down from 5.6 percent
Unsubsidized Stafford Loans—a fixed 6.8 percent rate for the life of the loan
PLUS Loan—a fixed 7.9 percent rate for the life of the loan.
Remember, borrowers with variable rate federal student loans can lock in the current applicable rate on their loans by consolidating the loans (private loans can't be included in a federal consolidation loan). The interest rate on a federal consolidation loan is a fixed rate that is equal to the weighted average of the current applicable interest rates on the loans being consolidated, rounded to the nearest 1/8th of a point. Borrowers can only consolidate once. For more information, please see Student Loan Repayment Options and www.loanconsolidation.ed.gov.
Visit www.feedthepig.org for more money-saving tip
If so, changes made July 1 to student loan rates could have a positive effect on your budget.
For Stafford and PLUS loans issued on or after July 1, 1998, and before July 1, 2006, the new interest rates for the period of July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011, are:
Stafford Loans in repayment status—2.4 percent, down from 2.48 percent
Stafford Loans in school, grace period or deferment status—1.87 percent, down from 1.88 percent PLUS Loans in repayment status—3.27 percent, down from 3.28 percent
For Stafford and PLUS Loans issued on or after July 1, 2006, the interest rates for loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011, are as follows:
Subsidized Stafford Loans—a fixed 4.5 percent rate, down from 5.6 percent
Unsubsidized Stafford Loans—a fixed 6.8 percent rate for the life of the loan
PLUS Loan—a fixed 7.9 percent rate for the life of the loan.
Remember, borrowers with variable rate federal student loans can lock in the current applicable rate on their loans by consolidating the loans (private loans can't be included in a federal consolidation loan). The interest rate on a federal consolidation loan is a fixed rate that is equal to the weighted average of the current applicable interest rates on the loans being consolidated, rounded to the nearest 1/8th of a point. Borrowers can only consolidate once. For more information, please see Student Loan Repayment Options and www.loanconsolidation.ed.gov.
Visit www.feedthepig.org for more money-saving tip
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Today's Quote
Be like the jutting rock against which waves are constantly crashing, and all around it the frothing foam then settles back down. Say not "Oh, I am so unfortunate that this has happened to me." But rather "How fortunate I am that, even though this has happened to me, I continue uninjured, neither terrified by the present nor in fear of the future."
Marcus Emperor of Rome
Marcus Emperor of Rome
Another Blonde Joke
A blonde hurries into the emergency room late one night with the tip of her index finger shot off.
"How did this happen?" the emergency room doctor asked her.
"Well, I was trying to commit suicide," the blonde replied.
"What?" sputtered the doctor. "You tried to commit suicide by shooting your finger off?"
"No, Silly!" the blonde said. "First I put the gun to my chest, and I thought: I just paid $6,000.00 for these breast implants, I'm not shooting myself in the chest."
"So then?" asked the doctor.
"Then I put the gun in my mouth, and I thought: I just paid $3000.00 to get my teeth straightened, I'm not shooting myself in the mouth."
"So then?"
"Then I put the gun to my ear, and I thought: This is going to make a loud noise. So I put my finger in the other ear before I pulled the trigger."
"How did this happen?" the emergency room doctor asked her.
"Well, I was trying to commit suicide," the blonde replied.
"What?" sputtered the doctor. "You tried to commit suicide by shooting your finger off?"
"No, Silly!" the blonde said. "First I put the gun to my chest, and I thought: I just paid $6,000.00 for these breast implants, I'm not shooting myself in the chest."
"So then?" asked the doctor.
"Then I put the gun in my mouth, and I thought: I just paid $3000.00 to get my teeth straightened, I'm not shooting myself in the mouth."
"So then?"
"Then I put the gun to my ear, and I thought: This is going to make a loud noise. So I put my finger in the other ear before I pulled the trigger."
My new favorite thing
This is too cool. One lid for every bowl!Universal Silicone Lid
If you’ve ever flipped your you-know-what trying to find the right topper for that food-storage container, reach for Casabella’s airtight, dishwasher-safe sanity-saver instead. (It works on any type of material.)
To buy: $10, 800-841-4140.
Website of the Day
Just remembered a birthday? Send an instant gift via text message with giiv.com. Go to the site, and choose from gift cards, movie tickets, and more. Enter the recipient’s cell-phone number, and she’ll receive a code to redeem the gift at the store (brick-and-mortar or online). Why, how thoughtful of you!
100M Facebook Users’ Info Published
The personal details of 100 million Facebook users have been published in a single place by security consultant Ron Bowes, who says he wanted to draw attention to the social-networking site’s privacy problems. Bowes used code to scan users’ profiles for public info and collected it in a downloadable file. The list has already been downloaded by a thousand users on the site Pirate Bay, a massive file-sharing site. Facebook says the information in the list—every searchable users’ URL, name, and unique ID—is already public information, so no private data has been compromised. Privacy watchdogs say Facebook should have anticipated a trawl of this size and made default settings err on the side of more private.
Read more
Read more
Are our oceans dying?
Microscopic marine algae which form the basis of the ocean food chain are dying at a terrifying rate, scientists said today.
Phytoplankton, described as the 'fuel' on which marine ecosystems run, are experiencing declines of about 1 per cent of the average total a year.
According to the researchers from Dalhousie University in Canada the annual falls translate to a 40 per cent drop in phytoplankton since 1950.
The research into phytoplankton comes as a separate report today offered evidence that the world has been warming for the past 30 years.
Read more
Phytoplankton, described as the 'fuel' on which marine ecosystems run, are experiencing declines of about 1 per cent of the average total a year.
According to the researchers from Dalhousie University in Canada the annual falls translate to a 40 per cent drop in phytoplankton since 1950.
The research into phytoplankton comes as a separate report today offered evidence that the world has been warming for the past 30 years.
Read more
Apple Salad
This homemade apple salad is a family favorite and sure to be a pleaser at your next picnic or barbecue. With less than ten ingredients and six steps, this easy fruit salad recipe can also be a make ahead recipe.
Ingredients
* 3 celery ribs
* 2 Red Delicious apples
* 1 pear
* 1 Yellow Delicious apple
* 3/4 cup seedless grapes
* 1/2 cup pecans
* 1 lemon
* 1 orange
Instructions
1. Chop celery fine and put into a bowl.
2. Peel and chop apples and pears into small pieces, juice lemon and orange and pour over apples and pears to keep them from turning brown.
3. Stir to coat all fruit, allow to stand for 10 minutes and then drain, saving the juice.
4. While soaking, mince pecans and add chopped apples and pear to celery, grapes (or chopped dates) and half of the minced pecans.
5. Toss to mix ingredients and make a dressing by combining the other half of the pecans into blender along with the juice drained from the fruit and puree into a nut butter sauce.
6. Add to salad and mix to blend all flavors. Serve on a bed of leaf lettuce.
Ingredients
* 3 celery ribs
* 2 Red Delicious apples
* 1 pear
* 1 Yellow Delicious apple
* 3/4 cup seedless grapes
* 1/2 cup pecans
* 1 lemon
* 1 orange
Instructions
1. Chop celery fine and put into a bowl.
2. Peel and chop apples and pears into small pieces, juice lemon and orange and pour over apples and pears to keep them from turning brown.
3. Stir to coat all fruit, allow to stand for 10 minutes and then drain, saving the juice.
4. While soaking, mince pecans and add chopped apples and pear to celery, grapes (or chopped dates) and half of the minced pecans.
5. Toss to mix ingredients and make a dressing by combining the other half of the pecans into blender along with the juice drained from the fruit and puree into a nut butter sauce.
6. Add to salad and mix to blend all flavors. Serve on a bed of leaf lettuce.
Barbecue Beans
Try this great baked bean recipe for homemade baked beans. It is a great recipe for picnics and summertime parties. It can either be simmered in a sauce pan or baked in an oven for easy cooking and is also delicious with hamburgers and hot dogs.
Serves: 8
Cooking Time: 4 hr 30 min
Ingredients
* 1 can butter beans, drained and rinsed
* 1 can baked beans
* 1 can kidney beans
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 to 3 slices of bacon, cut in one-inch segments
* 1/4 cup ketchup
* 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
* 2 tablespoons molasses
* 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
* 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Instructions
1. Combine all ingredients in large sauce pan.
2. Simmer in sauce pan or bake on low for 3 or 4 hours.
3. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
4. Simmer another half hour or so.
Serves: 8
Cooking Time: 4 hr 30 min
Ingredients
* 1 can butter beans, drained and rinsed
* 1 can baked beans
* 1 can kidney beans
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 to 3 slices of bacon, cut in one-inch segments
* 1/4 cup ketchup
* 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
* 2 tablespoons molasses
* 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
* 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Instructions
1. Combine all ingredients in large sauce pan.
2. Simmer in sauce pan or bake on low for 3 or 4 hours.
3. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
4. Simmer another half hour or so.
Izzy perched in the window looking for things to bark at
She's a mess and is going to get her hair done Saturday!
Celery Egg Salad
Using onions, mayo and celery you can make a delicious and satisfying egg salad recipe. Try it out!
Serves: 3
Ingredients
* 1/4 cup mayonnaise
* 2 teaspoons lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 6 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
* 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
Instructions
1. Combine mayo, lemon juice, onion, and pepper.
2. Stir in eggs and celery.
3. Cover and chill.
Serves: 3
Ingredients
* 1/4 cup mayonnaise
* 2 teaspoons lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 6 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
* 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
Instructions
1. Combine mayo, lemon juice, onion, and pepper.
2. Stir in eggs and celery.
3. Cover and chill.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Today's Quote
Never consider anything to be beneficial to you, which could ever compel you to violate your faith in yourself, to abandon your modesty, to hate anybody, to be overly suspicious, cursing, disingenuous, or to lust after anything which must be hidden behind walls or veils.
Marcus Emperor of Rome
Marcus Emperor of Rome
Here's The Joke
A woman walked up to a little old man rocking in a chair on his porch. "I couldn't help noticing how happy you look," she said. "What's your secret for a long happy life?"
"I smoke three packs of cigarettes a day," he said. "I also drink a case of whiskey a week, eat fatty foods, and never exercise."
"That's amazing," said the woman, "how old are you?"
"Twenty-six," he said.
"I smoke three packs of cigarettes a day," he said. "I also drink a case of whiskey a week, eat fatty foods, and never exercise."
"That's amazing," said the woman, "how old are you?"
"Twenty-six," he said.
The Garden
From my garden - first harvest. Isn't it beautiful? Some basil, sage, cilantro, cucumber and banana peppers....a few cherry tomatoes. In a few days there will be tons of them! I see lots of salsa and pasta in my future.
Website of the Day
Ever look at a Wanted poster and wonder how an artist rendered it? Check out this Web site, which allows you the delightful (if sort of creepy) pleasure in digitally constructing your very own police sketch.
The Life You Can Save
by Alexander Green
Philosopher Peter Singer has a question for you.
As you are walking to work, you pass a small pond and see a toddler splashing along the shoreline. As you get closer, you notice that the child isn't playing. She is struggling frantically to keep from drowning. There are no other adults around. Would you jump in to save her, even if it meant you'd have to change your clothes and be late for work?
"Of course," you reply. "The life of a child is far more important than arriving at work on time."
But let's say you were wearing a pair of expensive shoes. Would you still jump in to save her, even if it meant ruining your shoes?
"What kind of question is that?" you ask. "Who wouldn't sacrifice a pair of expensive shoes to save the life of a child?"
Hold onto that sense of outrage for a minute. You're going to need it.
According to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), every year 9.7 million children under five die easily preventable deaths. That's over 1,100 every hour of every day.
Some of these children die because they don't have enough to eat, others from easily treatable conditions like malaria, measles or diarrhea. This is not only an immense tragedy but a moral stain on a world as rich as ours.
The World Bank reports that 1.4 billion men and women around the world currently live on less than $1.25 a day. A survey of over 60,000 of them in 73 countries found that extreme poverty like this means:
* You probably live in an unstable house, made of mud or thatch that is liable to collapse in severe weather.
* You lack adequate food, education, clothing, sanitation, and health care.
* You often eat one meal a day, sometimes having to choose between stilling your child's hunger or your own.
* You have no safe drinking water. (Or you may need to carry your water a long way and, even then, it may not be safe until you boil it.)
* If a family member becomes ill and you need money to see a doctor, you may have to borrow from a moneylender who charges usurious rates - and you may never be free of the debt.
* You have a pervading sense of powerlessness, misery and shame because you cannot provide adequately for your family.
In the West, we tend to think we're living a morally good life if we aren't doing anything to hurt anyone else. But what are we doing to alleviate the suffering of others?
It's not just a matter of ethics. It's a matter of conscience.
Giving to the poor is a tenet of every major faith. The Hebrew word for "charity," tzedakah, means "justice," suggesting that giving to the poor is not optional but an essential part of living a just life.
The Bible contains over three thousand references to alleviating poverty, making this a central moral issue for Christians. Jesus said it is how we act toward "the least of these brothers of mine" that will determine whether we inherit the kingdom of God.
Pastor Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life, visited South Africa a few years ago and came across a tiny church operating from a dilapidated tent and sheltering twenty-five children orphaned by AIDS. He said it was "like a knife through the heart: I realized they were doing more for the poor than my entire megachurch."
He later added, "I couldn't care less about politics, the culture wars. My only interest is to get people to care about Darfurs and Rwandas."
Americans are charitable people. Studies show that we give around 2.2 percent of our gross national income. That's significantly more than any other country, and about double the level of charitable giving in most other rich nations. Seventy percent of U.S. households made some form of gift to charity in 2007.
Most of us tend to give to our local communities - and that's good. But poverty is a different animal here. Ninety-seven percent of those classified as poor by the U.S. Census Bureau own a color TV. Three quarters own a car. Three quarters own a VCR or DVD player. Three quarters live in an air-conditioned home. Obesity is epidemic.
This is not the kind of poverty that kills 18 million people annually. Every day, over a billion men, women and children around the world are not having their most basic human needs met. Singer estimates that the cost of raising someone from extreme poverty to a self-sustaining existence is less than $200.
We all know the common objections to international aid. Some are concerned about what happens when a generally inept government gives money to a thoroughly corrupt one overseas. (Nobody wants his money to wind up in some kleptocrat's bank account.) In the past, a lot of official aid has been misconceived and misdirected. And I don't argue with those who claim that the long-term solution is trade, not aid.
But it is possible to reduce misery and suffering without involving a government agency - and without having to worry that your donation breeds dependency.
The non-profit Grameen Foundation, for example, is fighting world poverty with micro-credit. It makes millions of tiny loans to the world's poorest people (especially women), with a 97% repayment rate. The money allows them buy seeds, start a business, pay a doctor or cope with a family emergency. It helps lift them out of poverty and lead lives of respect, dignity and opportunity. For more information, click here.
Occasionally, I write about the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and its mission. Founded by Albert Einstein, the IRC serves refugees and communities victimized by oppression or violent conflict. When thousands run from natural disasters, war or repression, the IRC is there, providing food and water, shelter, healthcare and education.
Both Grameen and the IRC are highly efficient, top-rated charities. Donations are fully tax-deductible.
A couple of years ago, I wrote a column about the IRC and provided a link to its website. I have no idea how many readers chose to donate, but I was gratified that so many wrote to tell me they did.
A few weeks later, I received a letter from a wealthy gentleman who was in the middle of updating his estate plan. After investigating the IRC and its fine work, he arranged to make them the beneficiary of nearly half his estate. That news made my day.
Of course, I couldn't have told him about the IRC if my cousin Judith hadn't encouraged me to become a donor years ago. And she wouldn't have told me if her friend Mach hadn't gotten her involved. You never know the far-reaching effect your words may have, especially if they stir someone's conscience.
These are tough economic times, I know. But we all spend money every day on things that we would hardly miss if they were gone. In The Life You Can Save, Peter Singer writes, "Do you have a bottle of water of a can of soda beside you? If you are paying for something to drink when safe drinking water comes out of the tap, you have money to spend on things you don't really need. Around the world, a billion people struggle to live each day on less than you paid for that drink. You can help them."
Does it make sense to care about the drowning child in front of you but not about the dying child in a distant country? If we visited these people and saw their plight with our own eyes - as some of you have - I know our hearts would break and our wallets would open.
So this may be a good time to ask yourself: What ought I be doing to help?
If you feel impelled to give generously, I salute you. At the very least, you probably felt a bit of outrage at the idea that you wouldn't sacrifice a pair of expensive shoes to save someone's life.
Here's an opportunity: www.theirc.org.
Philosopher Peter Singer has a question for you.
As you are walking to work, you pass a small pond and see a toddler splashing along the shoreline. As you get closer, you notice that the child isn't playing. She is struggling frantically to keep from drowning. There are no other adults around. Would you jump in to save her, even if it meant you'd have to change your clothes and be late for work?
"Of course," you reply. "The life of a child is far more important than arriving at work on time."
But let's say you were wearing a pair of expensive shoes. Would you still jump in to save her, even if it meant ruining your shoes?
"What kind of question is that?" you ask. "Who wouldn't sacrifice a pair of expensive shoes to save the life of a child?"
Hold onto that sense of outrage for a minute. You're going to need it.
According to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), every year 9.7 million children under five die easily preventable deaths. That's over 1,100 every hour of every day.
Some of these children die because they don't have enough to eat, others from easily treatable conditions like malaria, measles or diarrhea. This is not only an immense tragedy but a moral stain on a world as rich as ours.
The World Bank reports that 1.4 billion men and women around the world currently live on less than $1.25 a day. A survey of over 60,000 of them in 73 countries found that extreme poverty like this means:
* You probably live in an unstable house, made of mud or thatch that is liable to collapse in severe weather.
* You lack adequate food, education, clothing, sanitation, and health care.
* You often eat one meal a day, sometimes having to choose between stilling your child's hunger or your own.
* You have no safe drinking water. (Or you may need to carry your water a long way and, even then, it may not be safe until you boil it.)
* If a family member becomes ill and you need money to see a doctor, you may have to borrow from a moneylender who charges usurious rates - and you may never be free of the debt.
* You have a pervading sense of powerlessness, misery and shame because you cannot provide adequately for your family.
In the West, we tend to think we're living a morally good life if we aren't doing anything to hurt anyone else. But what are we doing to alleviate the suffering of others?
It's not just a matter of ethics. It's a matter of conscience.
Giving to the poor is a tenet of every major faith. The Hebrew word for "charity," tzedakah, means "justice," suggesting that giving to the poor is not optional but an essential part of living a just life.
The Bible contains over three thousand references to alleviating poverty, making this a central moral issue for Christians. Jesus said it is how we act toward "the least of these brothers of mine" that will determine whether we inherit the kingdom of God.
Pastor Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life, visited South Africa a few years ago and came across a tiny church operating from a dilapidated tent and sheltering twenty-five children orphaned by AIDS. He said it was "like a knife through the heart: I realized they were doing more for the poor than my entire megachurch."
He later added, "I couldn't care less about politics, the culture wars. My only interest is to get people to care about Darfurs and Rwandas."
Americans are charitable people. Studies show that we give around 2.2 percent of our gross national income. That's significantly more than any other country, and about double the level of charitable giving in most other rich nations. Seventy percent of U.S. households made some form of gift to charity in 2007.
Most of us tend to give to our local communities - and that's good. But poverty is a different animal here. Ninety-seven percent of those classified as poor by the U.S. Census Bureau own a color TV. Three quarters own a car. Three quarters own a VCR or DVD player. Three quarters live in an air-conditioned home. Obesity is epidemic.
This is not the kind of poverty that kills 18 million people annually. Every day, over a billion men, women and children around the world are not having their most basic human needs met. Singer estimates that the cost of raising someone from extreme poverty to a self-sustaining existence is less than $200.
We all know the common objections to international aid. Some are concerned about what happens when a generally inept government gives money to a thoroughly corrupt one overseas. (Nobody wants his money to wind up in some kleptocrat's bank account.) In the past, a lot of official aid has been misconceived and misdirected. And I don't argue with those who claim that the long-term solution is trade, not aid.
But it is possible to reduce misery and suffering without involving a government agency - and without having to worry that your donation breeds dependency.
The non-profit Grameen Foundation, for example, is fighting world poverty with micro-credit. It makes millions of tiny loans to the world's poorest people (especially women), with a 97% repayment rate. The money allows them buy seeds, start a business, pay a doctor or cope with a family emergency. It helps lift them out of poverty and lead lives of respect, dignity and opportunity. For more information, click here.
Occasionally, I write about the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and its mission. Founded by Albert Einstein, the IRC serves refugees and communities victimized by oppression or violent conflict. When thousands run from natural disasters, war or repression, the IRC is there, providing food and water, shelter, healthcare and education.
Both Grameen and the IRC are highly efficient, top-rated charities. Donations are fully tax-deductible.
A couple of years ago, I wrote a column about the IRC and provided a link to its website. I have no idea how many readers chose to donate, but I was gratified that so many wrote to tell me they did.
A few weeks later, I received a letter from a wealthy gentleman who was in the middle of updating his estate plan. After investigating the IRC and its fine work, he arranged to make them the beneficiary of nearly half his estate. That news made my day.
Of course, I couldn't have told him about the IRC if my cousin Judith hadn't encouraged me to become a donor years ago. And she wouldn't have told me if her friend Mach hadn't gotten her involved. You never know the far-reaching effect your words may have, especially if they stir someone's conscience.
These are tough economic times, I know. But we all spend money every day on things that we would hardly miss if they were gone. In The Life You Can Save, Peter Singer writes, "Do you have a bottle of water of a can of soda beside you? If you are paying for something to drink when safe drinking water comes out of the tap, you have money to spend on things you don't really need. Around the world, a billion people struggle to live each day on less than you paid for that drink. You can help them."
Does it make sense to care about the drowning child in front of you but not about the dying child in a distant country? If we visited these people and saw their plight with our own eyes - as some of you have - I know our hearts would break and our wallets would open.
So this may be a good time to ask yourself: What ought I be doing to help?
If you feel impelled to give generously, I salute you. At the very least, you probably felt a bit of outrage at the idea that you wouldn't sacrifice a pair of expensive shoes to save someone's life.
Here's an opportunity: www.theirc.org.
"Fried" Chicken
You can't rush good cooking, and this fried chicken recipe is no exception. With a bit of prep work and a bit of time in your slow cooker, this chicken will be juicy and tender and ready for dinner. Yum!
Serves: 4
Cooking Time: 4 hr
Ingredients
* 1 2-1/2 to 3 pound fryer chicken, cut into serving pieces
* 1 cup flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1 teaspoon leaf sage or oregano
* butter or vegetable oil
Instructions
1. Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry.
2. Combine flour with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and sage or oregano.
3. Toss chicken pieces with flour mixture to coat.
4. In skillet, heat butter or oil to 1/4-inch depth and cook chicken over medium-high heat until brown.
5. Place browned chicken in slow cooker, adding wings first; do not add any liquid.
6. Cover and cook on low setting for 4 to 8 hours
Fried Green Tomatoes
Serves 4
Hands-On Time: 25m
Total Time: 25m
Ingredients
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 3 eggs, beaten
* 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
* 1 pound green tomatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick
* 1/2 cup canola oil
* kosher salt
Directions
1. Place the flour, eggs, and cornmeal in 3 separate shallow bowls. Dip the tomatoes first in the flour, then in the eggs (letting any excess drip off), and finally in the cornmeal, pressing gently to help it adhere.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook the tomatoes until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate. Season with ½ teaspoon salt before serving.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Bring it On
By William Rivers Pitt
It is tempting to begin a sentence about today's Republican Party with the words, 'Just when you thought they couldn't get any dumber,' but then you realize you're talking about a group that actively thwarts benefits for the unemployed while pimping tax cuts for rich people, a group that champions a political base which by and large doesn't believe dinosaurs existed because they're not in the Bible but can't stand the thought of stem cell research making people whole again, who attack the ideas and policies of the majority with vehemence but absolutely refuse to offer any of their own, and you come to the realization that you can't begin a sentence with those words, because there really is no bottom to this particular barrel."
Read more
It is tempting to begin a sentence about today's Republican Party with the words, 'Just when you thought they couldn't get any dumber,' but then you realize you're talking about a group that actively thwarts benefits for the unemployed while pimping tax cuts for rich people, a group that champions a political base which by and large doesn't believe dinosaurs existed because they're not in the Bible but can't stand the thought of stem cell research making people whole again, who attack the ideas and policies of the majority with vehemence but absolutely refuse to offer any of their own, and you come to the realization that you can't begin a sentence with those words, because there really is no bottom to this particular barrel."
Read more
Car shoppers will soon be able to get a new car paid for, financed and insured using only an iPhone
On Aug. 4, car shoppers will be able to get a new car paid, financed and insured using only an iPhone. Already, members of USAA — the insurance company for military servicepeople, veterans or their family — can research new cars and get price quotes from up to three area car dealers, using either the website or iPhone application. Now, just about everything but driving the car off the lot can be taken care of without ever walking into the dealership.
The USAA online and iPhone car-buying services are run by Zag.com, a company that specializes in creating car-shopping interfaces for various companies and organizations.
But experts, even those at USAA, caution that car shoppers should be wary of completely bypassing the dealership.
Read more
The USAA online and iPhone car-buying services are run by Zag.com, a company that specializes in creating car-shopping interfaces for various companies and organizations.
But experts, even those at USAA, caution that car shoppers should be wary of completely bypassing the dealership.
Read more
Speedy Morris
Speedy Morris was the basketball coach at LaSalle and they
were having a pretty good season. One morning, he was
shaving and the phone rang. His wife answered it and called
out to him that Sports Illustrated wanted to talk to him.
Coach Morris was excited that his team was apparently about
to receive national recognition in this famous sports
magazine. As a matter of fact, he was so excited that he
cut himself with his razor.
Covered with blood and shaving lather and running downstairs
to the phone, he tripped and fell down the stairs. Finally,
bleeding and bruised, he made it to the phone and breath-
lessly said, "Hello"?
The voice on the other end asked, "Is this Speedy Morris"?
"Yes, yes!" he replied excitedly.
Then the voice continued, "Mr. Morris, for just seventy-five
cents an issue, we can give you a one-year subscription to
Sports Illustrated."
were having a pretty good season. One morning, he was
shaving and the phone rang. His wife answered it and called
out to him that Sports Illustrated wanted to talk to him.
Coach Morris was excited that his team was apparently about
to receive national recognition in this famous sports
magazine. As a matter of fact, he was so excited that he
cut himself with his razor.
Covered with blood and shaving lather and running downstairs
to the phone, he tripped and fell down the stairs. Finally,
bleeding and bruised, he made it to the phone and breath-
lessly said, "Hello"?
The voice on the other end asked, "Is this Speedy Morris"?
"Yes, yes!" he replied excitedly.
Then the voice continued, "Mr. Morris, for just seventy-five
cents an issue, we can give you a one-year subscription to
Sports Illustrated."
Pasta With Marinated Tomatoes and Mozzarella
Serves 4
Hands-On Time: 15m
Total Time: 25m
Ingredients
* 1 1/2 pounds beefsteak tomatoes, diced
* 1/2 small sweet onion, roughly chopped
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 8 ounces bocconcini (small balls of fresh mozzarella), quartered, or fresh mozzarella, cubed
* kosher salt and pepper
* 1 pound dried fettuccine
* 1/2 cup fresh basil, torn
Directions
1. In a large bowl, gently combine the tomatoes, onion, oil, bocconcini, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside and let marinate at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Add the drained pasta and basil to the marinated tomatoes and toss to combine. Divide among individual bowls.
7-Up Salad
Ingredients
* 6 oz.s package lemon jello
* 2 cups hot water
* 2 cups 7-Up (or Sprite)
* 2 cups crushed pineapple in juice, juice reserved
* 3 s bananas, diced
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 2 s T. flour
* 1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice
* 2 s T. butter
* 1 egg, beaten
* 1 cup whipping cream
Instructions
1. Dissolve jello in hot water, then add 7-Up. Chill until partly set. Add crushed pineapple and diced bananas; chill until firm.
2. Mix sugar and flour. Add reserved pineapple juice, butter and egg. Cook until thick over medium heat, stirring constantly. The egg in this makes it very easy to scorch. When thickened, allow to cool. Whip the cream and fold into the cooked mixture. Spread on top of firmly set jello.
* 6 oz.s package lemon jello
* 2 cups hot water
* 2 cups 7-Up (or Sprite)
* 2 cups crushed pineapple in juice, juice reserved
* 3 s bananas, diced
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 2 s T. flour
* 1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice
* 2 s T. butter
* 1 egg, beaten
* 1 cup whipping cream
Instructions
1. Dissolve jello in hot water, then add 7-Up. Chill until partly set. Add crushed pineapple and diced bananas; chill until firm.
2. Mix sugar and flour. Add reserved pineapple juice, butter and egg. Cook until thick over medium heat, stirring constantly. The egg in this makes it very easy to scorch. When thickened, allow to cool. Whip the cream and fold into the cooked mixture. Spread on top of firmly set jello.
Action Item
From my friend Joe at Round Circle blog (which is a nice blog that you should read BTW):
This coming week, the House of Representatives is expected to vote on $33 billion for war. A majority of Americans opposes this, but a sizable minority of Americans supports it. No one who supports it can be aware of any of the following six facts.
1. For many months, probably years, at least the second largest and probably the largest source of revenue for the Taliban has been U.S. taxpayers. We are giving the Taliban our money instead of investing it in useful things at home or abroad. "WARLORD, INC.: Extortion and Corruption Along the U.S. Supply Chain in Afghanistan," is a report from the Majority Staff of the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs in the U.S. House of Representatives. The report documents payoffs to the Taliban for safe passage of U.S. goods, payoffs very likely greater than the Taliban's profits from opium, its other big money maker. And this is neither new nor unknown to top U.S. officials. But it must be unknown to Americans supporting the war. You can't support a war where you're funding both sides unless you want both sides to lose. We lock people away for giving a pair of socks to the enemy, while our own government serves as chief financial sponsor.
2. Our top consumer of oil is the U.S. military. We don't just fight wars in areas of the globe that are coincidentally rich in oil, but fighting those wars is the single biggest way in which we burn oil. We pollute the air in the process of poisoning the earth with all variety of weaponry. According to the 2007 CIA World Fact Book, when oil consumption is broken down per capita, the U.S. military ranks fourth in the world, behind just three actual nations. There's no way to care about the environment while allowing the money that could create renewable energy to be spent instead on an operation whose destructiveness is rivaled only by BP. We could have 20 green energy jobs at $50 K each for what it costs to send one soldier to Afghanistan. We're fighting wars for the fuel to fight wars, even though the process is eating up the funds we could use to try to survive its side-effects.
3. Over half of every U.S. tax dollar is spent on wars, the military, and payments on debt for past wars and military spending. Here's a pie chart that breaks it down for you. If you're concerned about government spending, you can't just be concerned with the minority of it that is carefully funded with taxes and off-setting cuts elsewhere. You have to also consider the single biggest item, the one that takes up a majority of the budget, large chunks of which are routinely funded off the books, borrowed from China, and passed with so-called "emergency supplemental" bills of the sort now before the House of Representatives, the sole purpose of which is to keep the money outside the budget. Numerous economic studies have shown that investing in the military, even at home, does less for the economy than tax cuts, which do less for the economy than investing in education, energy, infrastructure, and other areas. Its wars or jobs, we can't have both. The labor movement has mostly (with some good exceptions) been silent on war spending, in part because jobs spending has been packaged into the same bill. Now it's not. Now the House is confronted with a bill that spends on war the money that is needed for jobs, for housing, for schools, for green energy, for retirement. Will advocates of these raise their voices this week?
4. A leading, and probably the leading, cause of death in the U.S. military is suicide. U.S. troops are killing themselves in record numbers. One central reason for this is likely that these troops have no idea what it is they are risking their lives, and taking others' lives, for. Can we expect them to know, when top officials in Washington don't? When the President's special representative to Afghanistan testified in the Senate recently, senators from both parties asked him repeatedly what the goal was, what success would look like, for what purpose the war went on. Richard Holbrooke had no answers. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) told the Los Angeles Times: "A lot of folks on both sides of the aisle think this effort is adrift. A lot of folks you'd consider the strongest hawks in the country are scratching their heads in concern." Corker complained that after listening for 90 minutes to Holbrooke he had "no earthly idea what our objectives are on the civilian front. So far, this has been an incredible waste of time."
5. The $33 billion about to be voted on cannot possibly be needed to continue the war in Afghanistan, because it is exclusively to be used for escalating that war. The President was publicly pressured by his generals several months ago to begin an escalation, but Congress has yet to fund it. To the extent that it has been begun unfunded, it can be undone. CNN reports: "Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned senators in June that military operations will need to be reduced for the rest of the year unless Congress approves additional funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan." This is nonsense. If this escalation funding were blocked, the war would remain at the level it was at before. And that's if the Pentagon respects the authority of the Congress. The other alternative, openly indicated by Gates, is that the Pentagon will fund the escalation out of its standard budget. Congressman Alan Grayson has a bill called "The War Is Making You Poor Act" which would require that wars be funded out of the military budget, which would eliminate federal taxes on the first $35,000 anyone earned and reduce the national debt. How horrible would that be?
6. War would be the greatest evil on earth even if it were free. Watch this new video of a man whose father was shot and killed while sleeping in bed. More of our tax dollars at work. How many of these stories of what our military does can we write off? Our drones kill both civilians and "insurgents," as do our night raids and check points. Or, maybe not the check points. General Stanley McChrystal said that of the amazing number of people we've killed at check points, none of them have been any threat. And the damage lasts in the places we destroy. Look at this new report on the damage done to the children of Fallujah. This is not because U.S. soldiers aren't brave or their parents didn't raise them well. It's because these wars don't involve pairs of armies on battlefields. We're occupying countries where the enemies look like everyone except us.
Well, maybe our representatives know all of this and still fund wars because people who fund them tell them to. But what can we do about it? We vote whenever there's an election, or at least some of us do. Isn't that our role? What does this have to do with elections? It should have everything to do with them. When we call our congress members this week we should not just ask them to vote No on war money, we should demand it, and we should let them know that we will work to unelect them, even replacing them with someone worse (since you can't get much worse), if they vote for this money. And we should spend August rewarding and punishing accordingly. Here are 88 candidates for Congress this year who have committed to not voting a dime for these wars. They are from every party and political inclination. They should be supported.
If this war funding can be blocked for another week it will be blocked until mid-September and perhaps for good. If we can get closer to doing that than we have before, we will have something to build on. Just holding a straightforward vote in which war opponents vote No and war supporters vote Yes, no matter how close or far we are from winning, will identify who needs to keep their job and who doesn't. If most of the Yes votes are Republican, we will be able to confront the President with the opposition of his own party. We're moving toward peace.
Get resources from http://defundwar.org
FCNL has a toll-free number to call your representative: 1-888-493-5443. Use it
This coming week, the House of Representatives is expected to vote on $33 billion for war. A majority of Americans opposes this, but a sizable minority of Americans supports it. No one who supports it can be aware of any of the following six facts.
1. For many months, probably years, at least the second largest and probably the largest source of revenue for the Taliban has been U.S. taxpayers. We are giving the Taliban our money instead of investing it in useful things at home or abroad. "WARLORD, INC.: Extortion and Corruption Along the U.S. Supply Chain in Afghanistan," is a report from the Majority Staff of the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs in the U.S. House of Representatives. The report documents payoffs to the Taliban for safe passage of U.S. goods, payoffs very likely greater than the Taliban's profits from opium, its other big money maker. And this is neither new nor unknown to top U.S. officials. But it must be unknown to Americans supporting the war. You can't support a war where you're funding both sides unless you want both sides to lose. We lock people away for giving a pair of socks to the enemy, while our own government serves as chief financial sponsor.
2. Our top consumer of oil is the U.S. military. We don't just fight wars in areas of the globe that are coincidentally rich in oil, but fighting those wars is the single biggest way in which we burn oil. We pollute the air in the process of poisoning the earth with all variety of weaponry. According to the 2007 CIA World Fact Book, when oil consumption is broken down per capita, the U.S. military ranks fourth in the world, behind just three actual nations. There's no way to care about the environment while allowing the money that could create renewable energy to be spent instead on an operation whose destructiveness is rivaled only by BP. We could have 20 green energy jobs at $50 K each for what it costs to send one soldier to Afghanistan. We're fighting wars for the fuel to fight wars, even though the process is eating up the funds we could use to try to survive its side-effects.
3. Over half of every U.S. tax dollar is spent on wars, the military, and payments on debt for past wars and military spending. Here's a pie chart that breaks it down for you. If you're concerned about government spending, you can't just be concerned with the minority of it that is carefully funded with taxes and off-setting cuts elsewhere. You have to also consider the single biggest item, the one that takes up a majority of the budget, large chunks of which are routinely funded off the books, borrowed from China, and passed with so-called "emergency supplemental" bills of the sort now before the House of Representatives, the sole purpose of which is to keep the money outside the budget. Numerous economic studies have shown that investing in the military, even at home, does less for the economy than tax cuts, which do less for the economy than investing in education, energy, infrastructure, and other areas. Its wars or jobs, we can't have both. The labor movement has mostly (with some good exceptions) been silent on war spending, in part because jobs spending has been packaged into the same bill. Now it's not. Now the House is confronted with a bill that spends on war the money that is needed for jobs, for housing, for schools, for green energy, for retirement. Will advocates of these raise their voices this week?
4. A leading, and probably the leading, cause of death in the U.S. military is suicide. U.S. troops are killing themselves in record numbers. One central reason for this is likely that these troops have no idea what it is they are risking their lives, and taking others' lives, for. Can we expect them to know, when top officials in Washington don't? When the President's special representative to Afghanistan testified in the Senate recently, senators from both parties asked him repeatedly what the goal was, what success would look like, for what purpose the war went on. Richard Holbrooke had no answers. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) told the Los Angeles Times: "A lot of folks on both sides of the aisle think this effort is adrift. A lot of folks you'd consider the strongest hawks in the country are scratching their heads in concern." Corker complained that after listening for 90 minutes to Holbrooke he had "no earthly idea what our objectives are on the civilian front. So far, this has been an incredible waste of time."
5. The $33 billion about to be voted on cannot possibly be needed to continue the war in Afghanistan, because it is exclusively to be used for escalating that war. The President was publicly pressured by his generals several months ago to begin an escalation, but Congress has yet to fund it. To the extent that it has been begun unfunded, it can be undone. CNN reports: "Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned senators in June that military operations will need to be reduced for the rest of the year unless Congress approves additional funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan." This is nonsense. If this escalation funding were blocked, the war would remain at the level it was at before. And that's if the Pentagon respects the authority of the Congress. The other alternative, openly indicated by Gates, is that the Pentagon will fund the escalation out of its standard budget. Congressman Alan Grayson has a bill called "The War Is Making You Poor Act" which would require that wars be funded out of the military budget, which would eliminate federal taxes on the first $35,000 anyone earned and reduce the national debt. How horrible would that be?
6. War would be the greatest evil on earth even if it were free. Watch this new video of a man whose father was shot and killed while sleeping in bed. More of our tax dollars at work. How many of these stories of what our military does can we write off? Our drones kill both civilians and "insurgents," as do our night raids and check points. Or, maybe not the check points. General Stanley McChrystal said that of the amazing number of people we've killed at check points, none of them have been any threat. And the damage lasts in the places we destroy. Look at this new report on the damage done to the children of Fallujah. This is not because U.S. soldiers aren't brave or their parents didn't raise them well. It's because these wars don't involve pairs of armies on battlefields. We're occupying countries where the enemies look like everyone except us.
Well, maybe our representatives know all of this and still fund wars because people who fund them tell them to. But what can we do about it? We vote whenever there's an election, or at least some of us do. Isn't that our role? What does this have to do with elections? It should have everything to do with them. When we call our congress members this week we should not just ask them to vote No on war money, we should demand it, and we should let them know that we will work to unelect them, even replacing them with someone worse (since you can't get much worse), if they vote for this money. And we should spend August rewarding and punishing accordingly. Here are 88 candidates for Congress this year who have committed to not voting a dime for these wars. They are from every party and political inclination. They should be supported.
If this war funding can be blocked for another week it will be blocked until mid-September and perhaps for good. If we can get closer to doing that than we have before, we will have something to build on. Just holding a straightforward vote in which war opponents vote No and war supporters vote Yes, no matter how close or far we are from winning, will identify who needs to keep their job and who doesn't. If most of the Yes votes are Republican, we will be able to confront the President with the opposition of his own party. We're moving toward peace.
Get resources from http://defundwar.org
FCNL has a toll-free number to call your representative: 1-888-493-5443. Use it
Monday, July 26, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Today's Quote
"Laughter is to life what shock absorbers are to automobiles. It won't take the potholes out of the road, but it sure makes the ride smoother."
Barbara Johnson
Writer
Barbara Johnson
Writer
Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian Cancer Whispers - so listen carefully . . .
Watch for Pelvic or abdominal pain or discomfort;
vague but persistent gastrointestinal upsets such as gas, nausea,
and indigestion frequency and/or urgency of urination in the absence
of an infection; unexplained weight gain or weight loss
pelvic and/or abdominal swelling, bloating and/or feeling of
fullness; ongoing unusual fatigue; unexplained changes in bowel habits.
If symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks, ask your doctor for a combination
pelvic/rectal exam, CA-125 blood test, and trans-vaginal ultrasound.
A pap test WILL NOT detect ovarian cancer.
Watch for Pelvic or abdominal pain or discomfort;
vague but persistent gastrointestinal upsets such as gas, nausea,
and indigestion frequency and/or urgency of urination in the absence
of an infection; unexplained weight gain or weight loss
pelvic and/or abdominal swelling, bloating and/or feeling of
fullness; ongoing unusual fatigue; unexplained changes in bowel habits.
If symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks, ask your doctor for a combination
pelvic/rectal exam, CA-125 blood test, and trans-vaginal ultrasound.
A pap test WILL NOT detect ovarian cancer.
Joe
Joe, a college student, was taking a course in ornithology, the study of birds. The night before the biggest test of the semester, Joe spent all night studying. He had the textbook nearly memorized. He knew his class notes backward and forward. Joe was ready.
The morning of the test, Joe entered the auditorium and took a seat in the front row. On the table in the front was a row of ten stuffed birds. Each bird had a sack covering its body, and only the legs were showing. When class started, the professor announced that the students were to identify each bird by looking at its legs and give its common name, species, habitat, mating habits, etc.
Joe looked at each of the birds' legs. They all looked the same to him. He started to get angry. He had stayed up all night studying for this test and now he had to identify birds by their LEGS? The more he thought about the situation, the angrier he got.
Finally he reached his boiling point. He stood up, marched up to the professor's desk, crumpled up his exam paper and threw it on the desk. "What a ridiculous test!" he told the prof. "How could anyone tell the difference between these birds by looking at their legs? This exam is the biggest rip-off I've ever seen!"
With that, Joe turned and stormed toward the exit. The professor was a bit shocked, and it took him a moment to regain his composure. Then, just as Joe was about to walk out the door, the prof shouted out, "Wait a minute, young man, what's your name?"
Joe turned around, pulled up his pant legs and hollered, "You tell me, prof! You tell me!"
The morning of the test, Joe entered the auditorium and took a seat in the front row. On the table in the front was a row of ten stuffed birds. Each bird had a sack covering its body, and only the legs were showing. When class started, the professor announced that the students were to identify each bird by looking at its legs and give its common name, species, habitat, mating habits, etc.
Joe looked at each of the birds' legs. They all looked the same to him. He started to get angry. He had stayed up all night studying for this test and now he had to identify birds by their LEGS? The more he thought about the situation, the angrier he got.
Finally he reached his boiling point. He stood up, marched up to the professor's desk, crumpled up his exam paper and threw it on the desk. "What a ridiculous test!" he told the prof. "How could anyone tell the difference between these birds by looking at their legs? This exam is the biggest rip-off I've ever seen!"
With that, Joe turned and stormed toward the exit. The professor was a bit shocked, and it took him a moment to regain his composure. Then, just as Joe was about to walk out the door, the prof shouted out, "Wait a minute, young man, what's your name?"
Joe turned around, pulled up his pant legs and hollered, "You tell me, prof! You tell me!"
1910
Here are some statistics for the Year 1910:
The average life expectancy was 47 years.
Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
There were only 8,000 cars and only 44 miles of paved roads.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower
The average wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour.
The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year .
A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year,year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME.
Ninety percent of all doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION! Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which ere condemned in the press AND the government as 'substandard. '
Sugar cost four cents a pound.
Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used
Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from dntering into their country for any reason.
Five leading causes of death were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke
The American flag had 45 stars.
The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!!!!
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea hadn't been invented yet.
There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write.
Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists said, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind,regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health."
Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.
There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A.!
The average life expectancy was 47 years.
Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
There were only 8,000 cars and only 44 miles of paved roads.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower
The average wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour.
The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year .
A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year,year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME.
Ninety percent of all doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION! Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which ere condemned in the press AND the government as 'substandard. '
Sugar cost four cents a pound.
Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used
Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from dntering into their country for any reason.
Five leading causes of death were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke
The American flag had 45 stars.
The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!!!!
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea hadn't been invented yet.
There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write.
Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists said, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind,regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health."
Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.
There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A.!
Start Your Transformation
Unhappy with your life and not sure where to start? Think of Madisyn Taylor's course, based on her book DailyOM: Learning to Live, as your life's instruction manual. For nine weeks, she'll guide you as you explore who you are and how you want to change your life.
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Crazy Slow Cooker Pork Chops
I found that the only crazy thing about these pork chops is that they weren't prepared in the oven! Make salty, fragrant pork chops using this slow cooker pork chops recipe. Tastes just like oven-made!Serves: 4
Ingredients
* 4 loin chops, lean
* 2 medium onions, sliced
* 1 teaspoon butter
* salt and pepper, to taste
* spices of choice, to taste
Instructions
1. Stand chops in slow cooker, thin side down. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and spices.
2. Cover with the onion slices, which have been separated into rings. Place butter on top. and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours, or until chops are tender and onions are done. The result is moist, tender chops with a deep brown color as if broiled in the oven.
Cheesecake Cupcakes with Blueberries
Get your blueberry fix with this yummy cheesecake.
Cooking Time: 40 min
Ingredients
* 12 sugar cookies
* 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
* 1 cup sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
* 3 tablespoons flour
* 1 cup blueberries
Instructions
1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Line 12 muffin cups with foil liners.
3. Place a cookie in bottom of each liner; trim cookies to fit if necessary.
4. Beat together cream cheese and sugar on medium speed in large bowl, until smooth.
5. Add eggs, beating just until blended.
6. Beat in sour cream, vanilla, and lemon rind.
7. On low speed, beat in flour. Stir in blueberries.
8. Spoon batter into cups, dividing equally.
9. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until cakes are set.
10. Cool cakes in pan on rack for 20 minutes.
11. Remove cakes to a rack to cool.
12. Refrigerate.
Cooking Time: 40 min
Ingredients
* 12 sugar cookies
* 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
* 1 cup sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
* 3 tablespoons flour
* 1 cup blueberries
Instructions
1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Line 12 muffin cups with foil liners.
3. Place a cookie in bottom of each liner; trim cookies to fit if necessary.
4. Beat together cream cheese and sugar on medium speed in large bowl, until smooth.
5. Add eggs, beating just until blended.
6. Beat in sour cream, vanilla, and lemon rind.
7. On low speed, beat in flour. Stir in blueberries.
8. Spoon batter into cups, dividing equally.
9. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until cakes are set.
10. Cool cakes in pan on rack for 20 minutes.
11. Remove cakes to a rack to cool.
12. Refrigerate.
Website of the Day
Follow the herd mentality and save money at jasmere.com. The website features a discounted product each day from a lesser-known but high-quality vendor; the more people who commit to buying the product, the greater the discount. (Your credit card is not charged until the sale is over, so you’re always guaranteed the best price.)
Grilled Potato and Onion Salad
Serves 4
Hands-On Time: 20m
Total Time: 20m
Ingredients
* 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces
* 1 red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rings
* 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
* 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* kosher salt and pepper
Directions
1. Heat grill to medium. Toss the potatoes, onion, and 2 tablespoons of the oil in a bowl. Arrange in a single layer on the grill and cook, turning frequently, until tender and slightly charred, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Add the parsley, vinegar, the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the potatoes and onion and toss to coat. Serve warm or at room temperature.
20 Pet Peeves about Supermarket Shopping
Don't you just want to wring the neck of the person ahead of you at the supermarket who doesn't have their cash or credit card already out of their wallet, ready to pay the bill as soon as it is totaled? Here are some other annoying things about grocery shopping.
Last Female Rhino Killed in African Park
Earlier in July, Elle Macpherson said she eats powdered rhinoceros horn as a beauty treatment. We hope someone shows her this story: The last female rhinoceros in South Africa’s Krugersdorp National Park bled to death last week after poachers sawed off her horn. Wildlife officials in South Africa say poaching in the country is at an all-time high: Already 136 rhinos have died this year, after 129 died in all of 2009. Officials say the rise in poaching is due to increased demand from China, where the horns are popular as medicinal ingredients. They are also used to make daggers in the Middle East.
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Poor Cities Struggle with AIDS
More than 1.1 million people in the U.S. are infected with HIV, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study, which was presented at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna on Monday, also showed that poverty is the most important factor linked to HIV infection among inner-city heterosexuals. "In this country, HIV clearly strikes the economically disadvantaged in a devastating way," said CDC HIV/AIDS expert Kevin Fenton. The U.N. Joint Program on HIV/AIDS, also known as UNAIDS, defines epidemic as a prevalence in the general population of more than 1 percent. In poor American urban areas, 2.1 percent of heterosexuals are infected with AIDS, with approximately 56,000 new infections every year. These numbers do not include gay or bisexual people, sex workers, or IV drug users.
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Saturday, July 24, 2010
Saving Money at the Grocery Store
Shopping for groceries is an expense everyone has to account for on their weekly or monthly budget, especially if you have taken Benjamin's advice and cut back on eating out. But there are some ways you can save money on your groceries and still purchase everything you need.
Store Circular: Read the circular from your grocery store, and other stores in your area, to plan what is on sale that you could use to make lunch or dinner this week. If there is a bargain to be had, remember to think about how much space you have to store it, whether it is a 12-pack of paper towels or a few pounds of apples.
Coupons: Do you have any coupons you can use? Clipping coupons is a great habit to start—and not just from your grocery store's weekly circular, but in the mail and online. There are many sites that offer coupons. Do a little research to find sites that work for your needs and offer products you use.
Shopping List: Make a shopping list before you go to the store, and include quantities for each item. If you need yogurt or oranges, how many do you need? Planning ahead is great, but not if your food will spoil before you use it.
Generic and Store-Brands: When you are at the store, remember to look for generic and store-brand items. They are usually less expensive for the same or similar quality product. If you are absolutely married to a specific brand for one item you need, how about generic products for other items?
Always remember to go to the store after you have eaten—you aren't going to be nearly as tempted by things that aren't on your list if you aren't hungry.
Visit www.feedthepig.org for more money-saving tips.
Store Circular: Read the circular from your grocery store, and other stores in your area, to plan what is on sale that you could use to make lunch or dinner this week. If there is a bargain to be had, remember to think about how much space you have to store it, whether it is a 12-pack of paper towels or a few pounds of apples.
Coupons: Do you have any coupons you can use? Clipping coupons is a great habit to start—and not just from your grocery store's weekly circular, but in the mail and online. There are many sites that offer coupons. Do a little research to find sites that work for your needs and offer products you use.
Shopping List: Make a shopping list before you go to the store, and include quantities for each item. If you need yogurt or oranges, how many do you need? Planning ahead is great, but not if your food will spoil before you use it.
Generic and Store-Brands: When you are at the store, remember to look for generic and store-brand items. They are usually less expensive for the same or similar quality product. If you are absolutely married to a specific brand for one item you need, how about generic products for other items?
Always remember to go to the store after you have eaten—you aren't going to be nearly as tempted by things that aren't on your list if you aren't hungry.
Visit www.feedthepig.org for more money-saving tips.
Will all legal abortions be covered by federally subsidized health insurance policies in state "high-risk pools"?
No. The Department of Health and Human Services says the only abortions covered will be those in cases of rape, incest or when the mother’s life is endangered.
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Celebrate National Tequila Day with THIS....
Surly Temple: Mix 1 3/4 ounces anejo tequila, 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 1/2 ounces grenadine and 4 ounces club soda with lots of ice in a cocktail shaker. Stir gently 15 seconds. Fill a Collins glass with ice. Press 2 thin lemon slices into the glass. Strain the drink into the glass. Add tall straws.
Summer Fruit Pie
Serves 8
Hands-On Time: 30m
Total Time: 5hr 00m
Ingredients
* 2 1/2 cups flour, plus more for the work surface
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening (such as Crisco), chilled
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
* 1 large egg
* 1 tablespoon white vinegar
* 6 ripe peaches, each cut into 8 wedges
* 1 pint strawberries, halved
* 1/4 cup instant tapioca
* 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Directions
1. In a food processor, combine the flour, salt, shortening, and ½ cup of the butter until the mixture forms pea-size crumbs. Break the egg into a measuring cup and beat lightly; add the vinegar and enough cold water to measure ½ cup. Slowly add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, pulsing until a soft dough forms.
2. Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk into a 14-inch circle. Place in a 2-inch-deep 9-inch pie plate.
4. In a medium bowl, gently toss the peaches, strawberries, tapioca, lemon juice, and ½ cup of the sugar. Spoon the fruit mixture into the pie plate and dot with the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter; refrigerate.
5. Roll out the second disk of dough into a 14-inch circle. Drape it over the pie and trim the edge to a ½-inch overhang. Fold under, pressing to seal. Crimp the edge, if desired. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
6. Heat oven to 425° F. Lightly brush the top crust with cold water and sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Cut several slashes into the top crust. Bake until golden, 18 to 22 minutes. Reduce heat to 375° F and continue to bake until the juices bubble, 30 to 40 minutes more.
7. Transfer to a rack and cool for 2 hours before serving.
Get Free Burgers on Your Birthday
Some restaurants offer freebies on your birthday. Here are three that will give you a free burger.
Best Places to Live 2010
Okay, everybody... pack up your bags, we're moving to Eden Prairie. That's Money magazine's top pick for a family friendly city with low unemployment. Not your cup of tea? Try one of the other 99 top cities.
Obama's done a lot, but gets little credit for it; why?
Step by step, President Barack Obama is building a record of major legislation that's sure to make a mark on history. The most sweeping financial regulation since the Great Depression. A vast expansion of health care, which Democrats had wanted for more than six decades. An $862 billion stimulus package that locked in long-sought Democratic priorities.
Yet his job-approval rating remains low. Why doesn't he get any credit?
Yet his job-approval rating remains low. Why doesn't he get any credit?
The Retirement Nightmare: Half of Americans Have Less Than $2,000 Banked for Their Golden Years
With declining earnings and a culture of borrow-and-consume, America's workers face a future of uncertainty and little money to pay for their retirement.
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Facebook: What Happens to Dead Users?
With 500 million members, Facebook sees users die on a regular basis, especially with its crowd growing older—6.5 million people over the age of 65 signed up in May alone. But unlike other milestones of life, like birthdays and weddings, the world’s largest social networking site has had a hard time finding an automatic, yet delicate way to deal with death. When users die, their profiles often stay up for long stretches of time. “It’s a very sensitive topic,” said a company spokeswoman, “and, of course, seeing deceased friends pop up can be painful.” Given the site’s size, “and people passing away every day, we’re never going to be perfect at catching it,” she added. Facebook’s handling has changed over time. It used to immediately erase profiles of the dead, but now it is working on options to turn those pages into tributes. Though the option is not well publicized, profiles can now be “memorialized”—some personal information is deleted, but friends can still post messages.
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Cleaner wins acclaim after handing in $50,000 cash
In my mind the bigger story is how one forgets they have fifty grand laying around a hotel room!
A Pakistani hotel employee has won acclaim after handing in over $50,000 in cash that had been left behind by a guest.
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A Pakistani hotel employee has won acclaim after handing in over $50,000 in cash that had been left behind by a guest.
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The Miracle of Dick Cheney
He’s had five heart attacks, and could soon seek a transplant. The extraordinary history of Dick’s ticker—and how government health care keeps him alive.
10 of the Con Artists' Favorite Ways to Scam the Elderly
The older we get, the more attractive we become, to fraudsters. Preying on those breakdowns that come with age, from hearing loss to loneliness, criminals tailor special scams.
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Friday, July 23, 2010
Today's Quote
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
―Victor Frankl
―Victor Frankl
Where's God?
Two brothers were always getting into trouble in their neighborhood. The people in the neighborhood started complaining to the parents about the boys. So the boys parents decided to have their priest talk to the boys. The priest asks to speak to the boys alone, requesting to see the youngest first. The young boy comes in and sits at a large table across the room from the priest. The priest looks at the boy, points at him and, trying to emphasize that God is in everyone, asks, "Where is God?" The boy looks around the room and back at the priest and says nothing. Again, the priest points at the boy and in a louder voice asks, "Where is God?" The boy says nothing. The priest walks around the table, pointing inches from the boy’s face and asks again, "Where is God?" The boy jumps out of his chair and runs out the door. The boy runs right home, grabs his older brother and says to him, "We are in BIG trouble!" His brother replies, "We haven't done anything!" The younger brother replies, "God's missing, and they think we did it!"
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Today's Quote
Let us not pray to be sheltered from dangers but to be fearless when facing them.
- Rabindranath Tagore
- Rabindranath Tagore
List of possible carcinogens includes a compound used in flat-panel TVs
The American Cancer Society and three federal agencies named 19 chemicals and shift work on Thursday as potential causes of cancer that deserve more investigation.
The group published a report with the backing of international experts who said the 20 potential causes they identified had fairly good evidence that they may be a danger and deserved more follow-up.
Most are familiar names, such as chloroform, formaldehyde and polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs, but the list includes indium phosphide, a relatively new compound used in making flat-screen televisions.
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The group published a report with the backing of international experts who said the 20 potential causes they identified had fairly good evidence that they may be a danger and deserved more follow-up.
Most are familiar names, such as chloroform, formaldehyde and polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs, but the list includes indium phosphide, a relatively new compound used in making flat-screen televisions.
Read more
Water as Human Right Threatens to Split World Body
A long outstanding proposal to recognise the right to water as a basic universal human right is threatening to split the world's rich and poor nations.
Opposition to the proposal is coming mostly from Western nations, says Maude Barlow, a global water advocate and a founder of the Canada-based Blue Planet Project.
"Canada is the worst. But Australia, the United States and Great Britain are also holding up the process," she said.
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Opposition to the proposal is coming mostly from Western nations, says Maude Barlow, a global water advocate and a founder of the Canada-based Blue Planet Project.
"Canada is the worst. But Australia, the United States and Great Britain are also holding up the process," she said.
Read more
Here's The Joke
Cannibals capture three men. The men are told that they will be skinned and eaten and then their skin will be used to make canoes. Then they are each given a final request. The first man asks to be killed as quickly and painlessly as possible. His request is granted, and they poison him. The second man asks for paper and a pen so that he can write a farewell letter to his family. This request is granted, and after he writes his letter, they kill him saving his skin for their canoes. Now it is the third man's turn. He asks for a fork. The cannibals are confused, but it is his final request, so they give him a fork. As soon as he has the fork he begins stabbing himself all over and shouts, "To hell with your canoes!"
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