ALTON - People run races for all sorts of reasons.
For most of them, running is a lifestyle; it's what they do for a living, fun and their health, and they enter every race they can. Other people might enter a race to prove to themselves and others that they can finish the race, even when they are blind. For those reasons and more, runners took part in Saturday's inaugural Alton Half-Marathon and 5k Run/Walk, despite cold and windy conditions (March 26, 2011).
Age Group 50-54
1. Susanne Davendonis (26th Overall) 1:56:49
2. Martha Nall (30th Overall) 1:58:11
From thetelegraph.com -- ALTON Newspaper - media
Monday, March 28, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Washington, D.C. Cherry Blossom anniversary (back to 1912)
from Garrison Keillor's Writer's Almanac (Minnesota Public Radio) daily program: On this day (March 27) in 1912, President Taft's wife and the wife of the ambassador from Japan planted the first of Washington D.C.'s cherry trees. The cuttings were scions from the most famous trees in Tokyo, the ones that grow along the banks of the Arakawa River. Workers took over, and thousands of cherry trees, all gifts from the Japanese government, were planted around the Tidal Basin. During the Second World War, Tokyo lost scores of cherry trees in the allied bombing raids; after the surrender, horticulturalists took cuttings from the trees in Washington and sent them back to Tokyo. Years later, some of the Washington trees died, and Tokyo sent cuttings back across the Pacific.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Today (March 26) - a Prairie Burn (rural Nature Preserve - Gardens)
This event is taking place -- morning of Saturday, 3/26/2011:
• Prairie burn — Saturday, 10 a.m. Each spring, half of Fernwood’s reconstructed tallgrass prairie is burned by local firefighters to encourage seed germination and new growth while suppressing unwanted non-native plants. This year’s burn is scheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m., weather permitting. Visitors are welcome to watch. Call ahead for schedule changes.
http://www.fernwoodbotanical.org/webdata/education/EducatPrograms.html#prairie
• Prairie burn — Saturday, 10 a.m. Each spring, half of Fernwood’s reconstructed tallgrass prairie is burned by local firefighters to encourage seed germination and new growth while suppressing unwanted non-native plants. This year’s burn is scheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m., weather permitting. Visitors are welcome to watch. Call ahead for schedule changes.
http://www.fernwoodbotanical.org/webdata/education/EducatPrograms.html#prairie
Gardening -- Thomas Jefferson seed packets/ Michelle Obama as First Gardener
You Can Garden Like Michelle Obama, With Special White House Seed Sampler Pack
http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2011/03/you-can-garden-like-michelle-obama-with.html
The temperature is in the low 20s today in Washington, DC, but First Lady Michelle Obama's White House Kitchen Garden was re-planted for Spring last week. And now, The Thomas Jefferson Foundation has made it very easy for home gardeners to follow Mrs. Obama's lead. For the second year, they're offering a Kitchen Garden Sampler White House Edition seed pack. Available for $18, it contains seeds for President Jefferson's favorite vegetables, which are being grown in Mrs. Obama's garden in a special bed in honor of the former Gardener in Chief.
Gleaned from Jefferson's lush and historically accurate garden at Monticello, his plantation home in Virginia, the Kitchen Garden Sampler White House Edition has seeds for Tennis-ball Lettuce, Prickly-seeded Spinach, Red Calico Lima Bean, Sesame, Globe Artichoke, and Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage.
During last week's Spring Planting of the 34 newly boxed beds, the Jefferson favorites installed in Mrs. Obama's 1,500 square foot Kitchen Garden included Tennis-ball, Brown Dutch, and Aleppo lettuces; broccoli and purple broccoli; artichokes; kale; and three kinds of cabbage--Savoy, red, and Early Jersey Wakefield.
http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2011/03/you-can-garden-like-michelle-obama-with.html
The temperature is in the low 20s today in Washington, DC, but First Lady Michelle Obama's White House Kitchen Garden was re-planted for Spring last week. And now, The Thomas Jefferson Foundation has made it very easy for home gardeners to follow Mrs. Obama's lead. For the second year, they're offering a Kitchen Garden Sampler White House Edition seed pack. Available for $18, it contains seeds for President Jefferson's favorite vegetables, which are being grown in Mrs. Obama's garden in a special bed in honor of the former Gardener in Chief.
Gleaned from Jefferson's lush and historically accurate garden at Monticello, his plantation home in Virginia, the Kitchen Garden Sampler White House Edition has seeds for Tennis-ball Lettuce, Prickly-seeded Spinach, Red Calico Lima Bean, Sesame, Globe Artichoke, and Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage.
During last week's Spring Planting of the 34 newly boxed beds, the Jefferson favorites installed in Mrs. Obama's 1,500 square foot Kitchen Garden included Tennis-ball, Brown Dutch, and Aleppo lettuces; broccoli and purple broccoli; artichokes; kale; and three kinds of cabbage--Savoy, red, and Early Jersey Wakefield.
"The Triangle Fire" -- author & book discussed/covered
Weekend of March 26, 2011 -- On The Media dot-org (NPR weekly media program-forum)
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory
In March of 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City caught fire on a late Saturday afternoon. Hundreds of workers were trapped on the upper floors, crammed onto a fire escape or piled out on the roof waiting for the horse drawn fire engines to arrive. All in all, one hundred and forty six people fell or jumped to their death or died in the fire. As we investigate charges of bias in public radio, we thought it might be useful to consider an earlier era when, according to David Von Drehle, author of "Triangle: The Fire That Changed America," politics and prejudice were an overt influence on the news.
http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2011/03/25/05
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory
In March of 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City caught fire on a late Saturday afternoon. Hundreds of workers were trapped on the upper floors, crammed onto a fire escape or piled out on the roof waiting for the horse drawn fire engines to arrive. All in all, one hundred and forty six people fell or jumped to their death or died in the fire. As we investigate charges of bias in public radio, we thought it might be useful to consider an earlier era when, according to David Von Drehle, author of "Triangle: The Fire That Changed America," politics and prejudice were an overt influence on the news.
http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2011/03/25/05
Today is the birthday of Robert Frost (b. 1874)!
from Writer's Almanac (Garrison Keillor)
Today (March 26) is the birthday of Robert Frost, born in San Francisco (1874). He cultivated the image of a rural New England poet with a pleasant disposition, but Frost's personal life was full of tragedy and he suffered from dark depressions.
He graduated from high school at the top of his class but dropped out of Dartmouth after a semester and tried to convince his high school co-valedictorian, Elinor White, to marry him immediately. She refused and insisted on finishing college first. They did marry after she graduated, and it was a union that would be filled with losses and feelings of alienation. Their first son died from cholera at age three; Frost blamed himself for not calling a doctor earlier and believed that God was punishing him for it. His health declined, and his wife became depressed. In 1907, they had a daughter who died three days after birth, and a few years later Elinor had a miscarriage. Within a couple years, his sister Jeanie died in a mental hospital, and his daughter Marjorie, of whom he was extremely fond, was hospitalized with tuberculosis. Marjorie died a slow death after getting married and giving birth, and a few years later, Frost's wife died from heart failure. His adult son, Carol, had become increasingly distraught, and Frost went to visit him and to talk him out of suicide. Thinking the crisis had passed, he returned home, and shortly afterward his son shot himself. He also had to commit his daughter Irma to a mental hospital.
His behavior became erratic at times and worried people. He asked the wife of a colleague to marry him and she refused, though did agree to work for him as a secretary and tour manager. President John F. Kennedy would later say of Frost that his 'sense of the human tragedy fortified him against self-deception and easy consolation' and that his poetry had a 'tide that lifts all spirits.' Even during periods of deep depression, he drew large crowds to his immensely popular poetry readings, which he preferred to call poetry 'sayings.'
He said: 'A poem begins with a lump in the throat; a homesickness or a love-sickness. It is a reaching out toward expression, an effort to find fulfillment. A complete poem is one where an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found the word.'
And, 'A poem begins in delight and ends in wisdom.'
And, 'Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.'
And, 'In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.'
Today (March 26) is the birthday of Robert Frost, born in San Francisco (1874). He cultivated the image of a rural New England poet with a pleasant disposition, but Frost's personal life was full of tragedy and he suffered from dark depressions.
He graduated from high school at the top of his class but dropped out of Dartmouth after a semester and tried to convince his high school co-valedictorian, Elinor White, to marry him immediately. She refused and insisted on finishing college first. They did marry after she graduated, and it was a union that would be filled with losses and feelings of alienation. Their first son died from cholera at age three; Frost blamed himself for not calling a doctor earlier and believed that God was punishing him for it. His health declined, and his wife became depressed. In 1907, they had a daughter who died three days after birth, and a few years later Elinor had a miscarriage. Within a couple years, his sister Jeanie died in a mental hospital, and his daughter Marjorie, of whom he was extremely fond, was hospitalized with tuberculosis. Marjorie died a slow death after getting married and giving birth, and a few years later, Frost's wife died from heart failure. His adult son, Carol, had become increasingly distraught, and Frost went to visit him and to talk him out of suicide. Thinking the crisis had passed, he returned home, and shortly afterward his son shot himself. He also had to commit his daughter Irma to a mental hospital.
His behavior became erratic at times and worried people. He asked the wife of a colleague to marry him and she refused, though did agree to work for him as a secretary and tour manager. President John F. Kennedy would later say of Frost that his 'sense of the human tragedy fortified him against self-deception and easy consolation' and that his poetry had a 'tide that lifts all spirits.' Even during periods of deep depression, he drew large crowds to his immensely popular poetry readings, which he preferred to call poetry 'sayings.'
He said: 'A poem begins with a lump in the throat; a homesickness or a love-sickness. It is a reaching out toward expression, an effort to find fulfillment. A complete poem is one where an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found the word.'
And, 'A poem begins in delight and ends in wisdom.'
And, 'Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.'
And, 'In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.'
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Spring begins -- two writers on outdoor gardening and being outside
from MARCH 20 entry for The Writer's Almanac (Garrison Keillor list serv):
Today is the first day of spring. The vernal equinox occurs today, the time when the earth's axis is not turned toward the sun (summer, for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere), or away from it (winter), but is aligned with the center of the sun. The word equinox comes from Latin: aequus means equal, level, or calm; nox means night, or darkness. The equinox, in spring or fall, is a time when the day and night are as close to equal as they ever are, and when the hours of night are exactly equal for people living equidistant from the equator either north or south.
Margaret Atwood wrote: 'Gardening is not a rational act. What matters is the immersion of the hands in the earth, that ancient ceremony of which the Pope kissing the tarmac is merely a pallid vestigial remnant. In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.'
Henry David Thoreau wrote: 'This phenomenon is more exhilarating to me than the luxuriance and fertility of vineyards. True, it is somewhat excrementitious in its character, and there is no end to the heaps of liver, lights, and bowels, as if the globe were turned wrong side outward; but this suggests at least that Nature has some bowels, and there again is mother of humanity. This is the frost coming out of the ground; this is Spring. It precedes the green and flowery spring, as mythology precedes regular poetry. I know of nothing more purgative of winter fumes and indigestions. It convinces me that Earth is still in her swaddling-clothes, and stretches forth baby fingers on every side. Fresh curls spring from the baldest brow. There is nothing inorganic. These foliaceous heaps lie along the bank like the slag of a furnace, showing that Nature is 'in full blast' within. The earth is not a mere fragment of dead history, stratum upon stratum like the leaves of a book, to be studied by geologists and antiquaries chiefly, but living poetry like the leaves of a tree.'
Today is the first day of spring. The vernal equinox occurs today, the time when the earth's axis is not turned toward the sun (summer, for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere), or away from it (winter), but is aligned with the center of the sun. The word equinox comes from Latin: aequus means equal, level, or calm; nox means night, or darkness. The equinox, in spring or fall, is a time when the day and night are as close to equal as they ever are, and when the hours of night are exactly equal for people living equidistant from the equator either north or south.
Margaret Atwood wrote: 'Gardening is not a rational act. What matters is the immersion of the hands in the earth, that ancient ceremony of which the Pope kissing the tarmac is merely a pallid vestigial remnant. In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.'
Henry David Thoreau wrote: 'This phenomenon is more exhilarating to me than the luxuriance and fertility of vineyards. True, it is somewhat excrementitious in its character, and there is no end to the heaps of liver, lights, and bowels, as if the globe were turned wrong side outward; but this suggests at least that Nature has some bowels, and there again is mother of humanity. This is the frost coming out of the ground; this is Spring. It precedes the green and flowery spring, as mythology precedes regular poetry. I know of nothing more purgative of winter fumes and indigestions. It convinces me that Earth is still in her swaddling-clothes, and stretches forth baby fingers on every side. Fresh curls spring from the baldest brow. There is nothing inorganic. These foliaceous heaps lie along the bank like the slag of a furnace, showing that Nature is 'in full blast' within. The earth is not a mere fragment of dead history, stratum upon stratum like the leaves of a book, to be studied by geologists and antiquaries chiefly, but living poetry like the leaves of a tree.'
Results of voting in Egypt (Sat. March 19) - reported 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time in USA
from NYTIMES dot-com breaking news alert
CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian voters overwhelmingly approved changes in the constitution, opening the way for parliamentary and presidential elections within months, according to final results from a landmark referendum announed Sunday. Opponents fear the swift timetable could boost the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood and members of the former ruling party.
The Brotherhood had campaigned heavily for a "yes" vote in the referendum. Critics say that since it and the former ruling party are the best organized political forces in the country, they stand to gain the most in an early election — which will bring in Egypt's first democratically elected government to replace the regime of ousted president Hosni Mubarak.
The results are likely to open a frenzied campaign season, with liberal pro-democracy forces scrambling to put together political parties to contest the upcoming races.
The parliamentary and presidential elections are key because the next legislature and government are to lead the process of wider change, including likely drawing up a new constitution. Many of those who led the wave of popular protests that ousted Mubarak on Feb. 11 want a radically new document that would break the total hold that the presidency held over government during Mubarak's rule. They worry that the Brotherhood or former ruling party could dominate the process.
In an interview with daily El-Shorouk, a top member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces said that the council will issue "a constitutional declaration" right after the announcement of the final vote to lay down next steps, with approval leading to a timetable for parliament and presidential elections.
Elections commission chief Ahmed Attiya said 41 percent of 45 million eligible voters cast ballots in Saturday's referendum. More than 14 million — 77.2 percent — voted in favor, with around 4 million — 22.8 percent — opposed.
Millions of Egyptians waited for hours Saturday to cast their first free ballots in half a century on the package of constitutional changes. The first test of Egypt's transition to democracy also offered ominous hints of widening sectarian division.
Many were drawn to the polls in a massive, last-minute effort by the Muslim Brotherhood.
Among those most fearful of the Brotherhood's rising power were Egypt's estimated 8 million Coptic Christians, whose leaders rallied the faithful to vote "no."
Reform campaigner Mohamed ElBaradei and a group of his supporters were pelted with rocks, bottles and cans outside a polling center at Cairo's Mokattam district in an attack he blamed on followers of the old regime.
The day was otherwise almost entirely peaceful.
Hundreds of Egyptians formed lines outside polling centers before they opened. They snaked along the streets in Cairo and other cities, with men and women standing in separate lines as is customary in the conservative and mainly Muslim nation.
Saturday's vote was by far the freest since the military seized power in a 1952 coup, toppling the monarchy and ending decades of a multiparty system that functioned while Britain was Egypt's colonial master. Only men with military backgrounds have ruled Egypt since.
While Mubarak's overthrow has left Egyptians euphoric about their newfound freedoms, many are also worried about the social tensions and instability that could spiral in the wake of the autocratic leader's departure.
Christian-Muslim clashes this month left at least 13 killed and more than 100 wounded in the worst sectarian clashes in years. On Jan. 1, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a church in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria, killing at least 22 worshippers and wounding scores. A few days later, a policeman shot dead an elderly Christian man on a train.
The Brotherhood, which has strongly campaigned for the adoption of the changes, advocates the installment of an Islamic government in Egypt. The ambivalence of its position on what role women and minority Christians play under their hoped-for Islamic government — like whether they could run for president or be judges — worry large segments of society.
The military, in a bid to get the vote out, has decreed that they would be allowed to cast ballots at any polling center in the country with their national ID cards the only required proof of identity. They were required to dip their index finger in ink after voting to prevent multiple balloting.
CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian voters overwhelmingly approved changes in the constitution, opening the way for parliamentary and presidential elections within months, according to final results from a landmark referendum announed Sunday. Opponents fear the swift timetable could boost the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood and members of the former ruling party.
The Brotherhood had campaigned heavily for a "yes" vote in the referendum. Critics say that since it and the former ruling party are the best organized political forces in the country, they stand to gain the most in an early election — which will bring in Egypt's first democratically elected government to replace the regime of ousted president Hosni Mubarak.
The results are likely to open a frenzied campaign season, with liberal pro-democracy forces scrambling to put together political parties to contest the upcoming races.
The parliamentary and presidential elections are key because the next legislature and government are to lead the process of wider change, including likely drawing up a new constitution. Many of those who led the wave of popular protests that ousted Mubarak on Feb. 11 want a radically new document that would break the total hold that the presidency held over government during Mubarak's rule. They worry that the Brotherhood or former ruling party could dominate the process.
In an interview with daily El-Shorouk, a top member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces said that the council will issue "a constitutional declaration" right after the announcement of the final vote to lay down next steps, with approval leading to a timetable for parliament and presidential elections.
Elections commission chief Ahmed Attiya said 41 percent of 45 million eligible voters cast ballots in Saturday's referendum. More than 14 million — 77.2 percent — voted in favor, with around 4 million — 22.8 percent — opposed.
Millions of Egyptians waited for hours Saturday to cast their first free ballots in half a century on the package of constitutional changes. The first test of Egypt's transition to democracy also offered ominous hints of widening sectarian division.
Many were drawn to the polls in a massive, last-minute effort by the Muslim Brotherhood.
Among those most fearful of the Brotherhood's rising power were Egypt's estimated 8 million Coptic Christians, whose leaders rallied the faithful to vote "no."
Reform campaigner Mohamed ElBaradei and a group of his supporters were pelted with rocks, bottles and cans outside a polling center at Cairo's Mokattam district in an attack he blamed on followers of the old regime.
The day was otherwise almost entirely peaceful.
Hundreds of Egyptians formed lines outside polling centers before they opened. They snaked along the streets in Cairo and other cities, with men and women standing in separate lines as is customary in the conservative and mainly Muslim nation.
Saturday's vote was by far the freest since the military seized power in a 1952 coup, toppling the monarchy and ending decades of a multiparty system that functioned while Britain was Egypt's colonial master. Only men with military backgrounds have ruled Egypt since.
While Mubarak's overthrow has left Egyptians euphoric about their newfound freedoms, many are also worried about the social tensions and instability that could spiral in the wake of the autocratic leader's departure.
Christian-Muslim clashes this month left at least 13 killed and more than 100 wounded in the worst sectarian clashes in years. On Jan. 1, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a church in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria, killing at least 22 worshippers and wounding scores. A few days later, a policeman shot dead an elderly Christian man on a train.
The Brotherhood, which has strongly campaigned for the adoption of the changes, advocates the installment of an Islamic government in Egypt. The ambivalence of its position on what role women and minority Christians play under their hoped-for Islamic government — like whether they could run for president or be judges — worry large segments of society.
The military, in a bid to get the vote out, has decreed that they would be allowed to cast ballots at any polling center in the country with their national ID cards the only required proof of identity. They were required to dip their index finger in ink after voting to prevent multiple balloting.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Giving to help in Japan -- not all groups are reputable and able to assist NOW (C.S. Monitor story)
from the Christian Science Monitor coverage:
Those seeking to assist the Japanese should "wait and see" which charities are most effective and donate only to those groups with experience in the region and a direct connection to relief efforts there, he says.
Here is a list of some reputable charities offering on-the-ground assistance in Japan:
CARE will be delivering relief items (such as toilet paper, water, and food) to victims in the areas hardest hit by the earthquake and tsunami. To support CARE, call 1-800-521-CARE or donate online at care.org.
International Medical Corps has sent an emergency response team that is currently offering health-care services in Japan. To donate, go to the Corps' website (internationalmedicalcorps.org) or call 1-800-481-4462.
The Japanese Red Cross will be clearing debris, assisting with nuclear decontamination, and feeding those in need. You can donate to these projects via the American Red Cross by giving online at redcross.org or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS. To give a $10 gift through your cell phone, text "RedCross" to 90999.
To find more organizations like these, refer to interaction.org, which offers an extensive list of humanitarian groups operating in Japan. If you'd like to know more about an aid organization, you can look it up online at Charity Navigator (charitynavigator.org). Also find a list of active charities at CSMonitor.com/japanhelp.
www.csmonitor.com/world/asia-pacific/
Those seeking to assist the Japanese should "wait and see" which charities are most effective and donate only to those groups with experience in the region and a direct connection to relief efforts there, he says.
Here is a list of some reputable charities offering on-the-ground assistance in Japan:
CARE will be delivering relief items (such as toilet paper, water, and food) to victims in the areas hardest hit by the earthquake and tsunami. To support CARE, call 1-800-521-CARE or donate online at care.org.
International Medical Corps has sent an emergency response team that is currently offering health-care services in Japan. To donate, go to the Corps' website (internationalmedicalcorps.org) or call 1-800-481-4462.
The Japanese Red Cross will be clearing debris, assisting with nuclear decontamination, and feeding those in need. You can donate to these projects via the American Red Cross by giving online at redcross.org or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS. To give a $10 gift through your cell phone, text "RedCross" to 90999.
To find more organizations like these, refer to interaction.org, which offers an extensive list of humanitarian groups operating in Japan. If you'd like to know more about an aid organization, you can look it up online at Charity Navigator (charitynavigator.org). Also find a list of active charities at CSMonitor.com/japanhelp.
www.csmonitor.com/world/asia-pacific/
What is a Perigee Moon? (weekend Full moon as visible from earth)
from www.cnn.com/
By Ed Payne, CNN
The full moon this weekend will look close enough to touch, but it will still be some 211,600 miles from Earth.
If the moon looks a little bit bigger and brighter this weekend, there's a reason for that. It is.
Saturday's full moon will be a super "perigee moon" -- the biggest in almost 20 years. This celestial event is far rarer than the famed blue moon, which happens once about every two-and-a-half years.
"The last full moon so big and close to Earth occurred in March of 1993," said Geoff Chester with the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington. "I'd say it's worth a look." Full moons look different because of the elliptical shape of the moon's orbit. When it's at perigee, the moon is about 31,000 miles (50,000 km) closer to Earth than when it's at the farthest point of its orbit, also known as apogee.
"Nearby perigee moons are about 14% bigger and 30% brighter than lesser moons that occur on the apogee side of the moon's orbit," the NASA website says.
This full moon will rise in the east at sunset and should look especially big at that time because of what's known as the "moon illusion."
"For reasons not fully understood by astronomers or psychologists, low-hanging moons look unnaturally large when they beam through trees, buildings and other foreground objects," according to NASA.
Even though it may look close enough to touch, Saturday's full moon will still be at a healthy distance -- some 211,600 miles (356,577 km) away.
As rare as it is, it may be worth a look. Miss it and you'll have to wait until 2029 to see it again.
By Ed Payne, CNN
The full moon this weekend will look close enough to touch, but it will still be some 211,600 miles from Earth.
If the moon looks a little bit bigger and brighter this weekend, there's a reason for that. It is.
Saturday's full moon will be a super "perigee moon" -- the biggest in almost 20 years. This celestial event is far rarer than the famed blue moon, which happens once about every two-and-a-half years.
"The last full moon so big and close to Earth occurred in March of 1993," said Geoff Chester with the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington. "I'd say it's worth a look." Full moons look different because of the elliptical shape of the moon's orbit. When it's at perigee, the moon is about 31,000 miles (50,000 km) closer to Earth than when it's at the farthest point of its orbit, also known as apogee.
"Nearby perigee moons are about 14% bigger and 30% brighter than lesser moons that occur on the apogee side of the moon's orbit," the NASA website says.
This full moon will rise in the east at sunset and should look especially big at that time because of what's known as the "moon illusion."
"For reasons not fully understood by astronomers or psychologists, low-hanging moons look unnaturally large when they beam through trees, buildings and other foreground objects," according to NASA.
Even though it may look close enough to touch, Saturday's full moon will still be at a healthy distance -- some 211,600 miles (356,577 km) away.
As rare as it is, it may be worth a look. Miss it and you'll have to wait until 2029 to see it again.
Egyptian people vote on Saturday -- Sunday results get announced (March 19-20, 2011)
from EDWARD CODY & RICHARD LEIBY correspondet story in WashingtonPost dot-com "World" section:
DATELINE =
CAIRO — Celebrating their first taste of genuine democracy, Egyptians in unprecedented numbers streamed into polling places Saturday to endorse or refuse the military’s proposed constitutional amendments and, more broadly, take the first step toward moving their revolution into the halls of government.
Voters standing in long lines, some waiting uncomplainingly up to three hours to cast their ballots, rejoiced in what they described as a feeling of participating in a real election for the first time. They applauded the promise of an end to the rigged parliamentary and presidential elections under toppled President Hosni Mubarak, which they derided as frauds that produced predetermined results divorced from the real will of the people.
“Before, we could all just sit at home,” explained Khalid Hassan, a 46-year-old window repairman voting in Cairo’s humble Abassiyah neighborhood. “We knew they would just say what they wanted about the results, and our vote had no meaning. I could say no, they would say yes. I could say yes, they would say no.”
Fatima Abdul Khuluf, an unemployed university graduate voting for the first time in the modest Rud al-Faraq quarter of Cairo, put it another way: “Now we have democracy,” she said. “I feel for the first time that I can make my voice heard.”
The turnout, described as unprecedented by State Information Service Director Ismail Khairat, suggested an eagerness by millions of Egyptians to carry forward the democratic uprising that began Jan. 25 in Tahrir, or Liberation, Square and led to Mubarak’s departure Feb. 11. Whatever the verdict on the proposed amendments, the vote propelled Egypt to the front of the line in a reform movement that has swept through Arab nations across the Middle East over the past three months.
“The turnout reflects the desire of a free and proud people to decide the future of their country,” Khairat exulted.
As many as 45 million Egyptians, a little more than half the population, were eligible to vote under relaxed qualifications. Anyone older than 18 with a national identity card could show up at any polling station to cast his ballot. Under a light police and military presence, Cairo voters lined up outside schools and social clubs — one line for women, another for men—and flashed crimson ink-stained fingers after getting their turn in the voting booths.
A major monitoring group, the Egyptian Association for Supporting Democratic Development, noted scattered violations of polling rules, saying in some places curtains were not provided, indelible ink was easily removed and judges were not stamping ballots to certify their authenticity. But there were no reports of the gross vote-rigging that was commonplace under Mubarak.
“I think 80 percent of it will be fair,” said Mervat Shenoda, a 50-year-old boutique and factory owner voting in Cairo’s upscale Zamalek district. “It’s difficult for us to go from not having any trust to having full trust.”
The referendum asked voters to approve or disapprove en bloc several changes that would limit the president to two four-year terms, curb executive powers, make it easier to form political parties and allow the legislature and voters to more easily end the emergency powers that have been in effect for 30 years, since the assassination of President Anwar Sadat.
The High Judicial Commission, assigned to supervise the referendum, said results probably would be ready for announcement by Sunday evening. If the amendments are approved, the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has suggested it would organize legislative elections in July and a presidential vote as early as September. If they’re rejected, the military will step in and outline its own transitional document.
www.washingtonpost.com/
DATELINE =
CAIRO — Celebrating their first taste of genuine democracy, Egyptians in unprecedented numbers streamed into polling places Saturday to endorse or refuse the military’s proposed constitutional amendments and, more broadly, take the first step toward moving their revolution into the halls of government.
Voters standing in long lines, some waiting uncomplainingly up to three hours to cast their ballots, rejoiced in what they described as a feeling of participating in a real election for the first time. They applauded the promise of an end to the rigged parliamentary and presidential elections under toppled President Hosni Mubarak, which they derided as frauds that produced predetermined results divorced from the real will of the people.
“Before, we could all just sit at home,” explained Khalid Hassan, a 46-year-old window repairman voting in Cairo’s humble Abassiyah neighborhood. “We knew they would just say what they wanted about the results, and our vote had no meaning. I could say no, they would say yes. I could say yes, they would say no.”
Fatima Abdul Khuluf, an unemployed university graduate voting for the first time in the modest Rud al-Faraq quarter of Cairo, put it another way: “Now we have democracy,” she said. “I feel for the first time that I can make my voice heard.”
The turnout, described as unprecedented by State Information Service Director Ismail Khairat, suggested an eagerness by millions of Egyptians to carry forward the democratic uprising that began Jan. 25 in Tahrir, or Liberation, Square and led to Mubarak’s departure Feb. 11. Whatever the verdict on the proposed amendments, the vote propelled Egypt to the front of the line in a reform movement that has swept through Arab nations across the Middle East over the past three months.
“The turnout reflects the desire of a free and proud people to decide the future of their country,” Khairat exulted.
As many as 45 million Egyptians, a little more than half the population, were eligible to vote under relaxed qualifications. Anyone older than 18 with a national identity card could show up at any polling station to cast his ballot. Under a light police and military presence, Cairo voters lined up outside schools and social clubs — one line for women, another for men—and flashed crimson ink-stained fingers after getting their turn in the voting booths.
A major monitoring group, the Egyptian Association for Supporting Democratic Development, noted scattered violations of polling rules, saying in some places curtains were not provided, indelible ink was easily removed and judges were not stamping ballots to certify their authenticity. But there were no reports of the gross vote-rigging that was commonplace under Mubarak.
“I think 80 percent of it will be fair,” said Mervat Shenoda, a 50-year-old boutique and factory owner voting in Cairo’s upscale Zamalek district. “It’s difficult for us to go from not having any trust to having full trust.”
The referendum asked voters to approve or disapprove en bloc several changes that would limit the president to two four-year terms, curb executive powers, make it easier to form political parties and allow the legislature and voters to more easily end the emergency powers that have been in effect for 30 years, since the assassination of President Anwar Sadat.
The High Judicial Commission, assigned to supervise the referendum, said results probably would be ready for announcement by Sunday evening. If the amendments are approved, the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has suggested it would organize legislative elections in July and a presidential vote as early as September. If they’re rejected, the military will step in and outline its own transitional document.
www.washingtonpost.com/
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue -- President Obama welcomes Irish leader / Taoiseach Enda Kenny
On Thursday March 17 when President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama host a White House reception to mark St. Patrick's Day, there will be a very special guest: The new Taoiseach of Ireland, Prime Minister Enda Kenny, will be visiting the President for the first time. Kenny, 59, was sworn into office on March 9, the first member of his party, Fine Gael, to be Taoiseach since 1982. He'll be accompanied to Washington by his wife, Fionnula.
The evening's entertainment will be special, too: The National Chamber Choir of Ireland will sing the premiere performance of composer Bill Whelan’s specially commissioned Gné na Gaeltachta. There will be a Shamrock Ceremony, as Kenny presents President Obama with a silver bowl of the lucky greens. But contrary to what you may have read elsewhere, there will not be homebrewed White House beer served during the festivities.
Kenny received a congratulatory call from the President last Friday, and though the White House had already invited Kenny for a St. Patrick's Day visit, President Obama personally repeated the invitation. During the call, Kenny told President Obama that he'd been in Denver in August of 2008, when the Democratic party anointed him as the presidential candidate, Kenny's spokesman said. The President responded by remarking on the large number of Irish staffers at the White House.
Kenny's Irish-American meet n' greets: Kenny and his wife will begin St. Patrick's Day with a breakfast hosted by Vice President Joe Biden--a proud Irish American himself--at his Naval Observatory residence. Kenny will spend lunch with House Speaker John Boehner, at his Friends of Ireland luncheon on Capitol Hill--and the President and Vice President will attend, too. After, Kenny will visit Sen. Patrick Leahy, the third most senior member of the US Senate and the pre-eminent Irish-American senator. Then it will be time for an Oval Office meeting with President Obama.
"The two leaders look forward to continuing their discussion on events in Libya and other international and domestic issues," the White House announced about the business end of St.Patrick's Day.
President Obama is about 1/8th Irish, and has roots in Moneygall in County Offaly, a tiny village west of Dublin. Mr. Obama's second great grandfather, Falmouth Kearney, emigrated to America in 1850; Irish geneologists have traced Mr. Obama's roots back to his sixth great grandfather, Joseph Kearney, born about 1698 in Ireland.
http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2011/03/on-st-patricks-day-president-obama.html
The evening's entertainment will be special, too: The National Chamber Choir of Ireland will sing the premiere performance of composer Bill Whelan’s specially commissioned Gné na Gaeltachta. There will be a Shamrock Ceremony, as Kenny presents President Obama with a silver bowl of the lucky greens. But contrary to what you may have read elsewhere, there will not be homebrewed White House beer served during the festivities.
Kenny received a congratulatory call from the President last Friday, and though the White House had already invited Kenny for a St. Patrick's Day visit, President Obama personally repeated the invitation. During the call, Kenny told President Obama that he'd been in Denver in August of 2008, when the Democratic party anointed him as the presidential candidate, Kenny's spokesman said. The President responded by remarking on the large number of Irish staffers at the White House.
Kenny's Irish-American meet n' greets: Kenny and his wife will begin St. Patrick's Day with a breakfast hosted by Vice President Joe Biden--a proud Irish American himself--at his Naval Observatory residence. Kenny will spend lunch with House Speaker John Boehner, at his Friends of Ireland luncheon on Capitol Hill--and the President and Vice President will attend, too. After, Kenny will visit Sen. Patrick Leahy, the third most senior member of the US Senate and the pre-eminent Irish-American senator. Then it will be time for an Oval Office meeting with President Obama.
"The two leaders look forward to continuing their discussion on events in Libya and other international and domestic issues," the White House announced about the business end of St.Patrick's Day.
President Obama is about 1/8th Irish, and has roots in Moneygall in County Offaly, a tiny village west of Dublin. Mr. Obama's second great grandfather, Falmouth Kearney, emigrated to America in 1850; Irish geneologists have traced Mr. Obama's roots back to his sixth great grandfather, Joseph Kearney, born about 1698 in Ireland.
http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2011/03/on-st-patricks-day-president-obama.html
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Alice Cooper, Tom Waits, Darlene Love, Dr. John, & Neil Diamond: R & R Hall of Fame
from MTV dot-com news of March 15, 2011:
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame takes it on the chin an awful lot, mostly because of outrage over who gets in versus who doesn't and the stunning lack of representation from women and minorities. But when the dust clears, they do put on an awfully interesting induction show, which went down on Monday night (March 14) at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. The show brought together inductees like Tom Waits, Darlene Love, Dr. John and Neil Diamond for a celebration of their work and influence. But the big moment of the night belonged to Alice Cooper (who was inducted into the Hall) and Rob Zombie (who helped induct him). Zombie talked about Cooper's influence not just on himself but on the greater rock world. "He invented the rock show," Zombie said. "Before Alice Cooper, there was no rock show." Later, the two shared the stage for an all-star spook jam on Cooper's "School's Out."
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame takes it on the chin an awful lot, mostly because of outrage over who gets in versus who doesn't and the stunning lack of representation from women and minorities. But when the dust clears, they do put on an awfully interesting induction show, which went down on Monday night (March 14) at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. The show brought together inductees like Tom Waits, Darlene Love, Dr. John and Neil Diamond for a celebration of their work and influence. But the big moment of the night belonged to Alice Cooper (who was inducted into the Hall) and Rob Zombie (who helped induct him). Zombie talked about Cooper's influence not just on himself but on the greater rock world. "He invented the rock show," Zombie said. "Before Alice Cooper, there was no rock show." Later, the two shared the stage for an all-star spook jam on Cooper's "School's Out."
The Ides of March -- what does that mean?
helpful definition and historical context (The Writer's Almanac, courtesy of Garrison Keillor) :
Today is the ides of March. The term 'ides' refers to an event in a lunar calendar; the 'ides' marked a full moon and noted the 15th of the month in March, May, July, and October, and the 13th in the other eight months. But when the lunar calendar became different than the monthly calendar, and the full moon was no longer always on the 13th or the 15th, the phrase went out of use.
Two thousand and fifty-five years ago on this day, in 44 B.C., the Roman emperor Julius Caesar was stabbed to death by senators who called themselves the Liberatores (Liberators) and claimed they were preserving the integrity of the Roman system. In modern usage, it was Shakespeare who popularized the phrase 'the ides of March' in his play Julius Caesar. Caesar is in front of a crowd of people, and he says, 'Who is it in the press that calls on me? / I hear a tongue shriller than all the music / Cry 'Caesar!' Speak; Caesar is turn'd to hear.' And a soothsayer replies, 'Beware the ides of March.'
Today is the ides of March. The term 'ides' refers to an event in a lunar calendar; the 'ides' marked a full moon and noted the 15th of the month in March, May, July, and October, and the 13th in the other eight months. But when the lunar calendar became different than the monthly calendar, and the full moon was no longer always on the 13th or the 15th, the phrase went out of use.
Two thousand and fifty-five years ago on this day, in 44 B.C., the Roman emperor Julius Caesar was stabbed to death by senators who called themselves the Liberatores (Liberators) and claimed they were preserving the integrity of the Roman system. In modern usage, it was Shakespeare who popularized the phrase 'the ides of March' in his play Julius Caesar. Caesar is in front of a crowd of people, and he says, 'Who is it in the press that calls on me? / I hear a tongue shriller than all the music / Cry 'Caesar!' Speak; Caesar is turn'd to hear.' And a soothsayer replies, 'Beware the ides of March.'
Monday, March 14, 2011
St. Patrick's Breastplate -- prayer - poem
from website < a bit o blarney dot-com >
"St Patrick's Breastplate"
This prayer is also sometimes called "The Deer's Cry" or "The Lorica".
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through the confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with his baptism,
Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength of his descent for the Judgment Day.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.
I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me:
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of demons,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.
I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.
"St Patrick's Breastplate"
This prayer is also sometimes called "The Deer's Cry" or "The Lorica".
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through the confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with his baptism,
Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength of his descent for the Judgment Day.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.
I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me:
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of demons,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.
I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
President Obama's comments about tragedy in Japan (Press Conference)
from BLOGGER posting at Obama Food-o-rama:
During a midday news conference on Friday March 11, President Obama spoke about the US response to the devastating magnitude 8.9 earthquake that struck Japan over night.
"I'm heartbroken by this tragedy," President Obama said, adding that his childhood in Hawaii had made him very familiar with Japanese culture. He pledged any kind of assistance that Japan might need.
The President visited Japan in November of 2010, recreating a boyhood visit with his mother to the Great Buddha of Kamakura at Kotoku-in Temple.
President Obama was notified about the quake at 4:00 AM ET, according to the White House. Shortly after 6:00 AM, he issued a statement expressing his and the First Lady's condolences to the people of Japan, and promising US aid. At 9:20 AM, the President met with senior advisors for an Oval Office briefing, after tsunami waves had already struck his boyhood home of Hawaii.
During a midday news conference on Friday March 11, President Obama spoke about the US response to the devastating magnitude 8.9 earthquake that struck Japan over night.
"I'm heartbroken by this tragedy," President Obama said, adding that his childhood in Hawaii had made him very familiar with Japanese culture. He pledged any kind of assistance that Japan might need.
The President visited Japan in November of 2010, recreating a boyhood visit with his mother to the Great Buddha of Kamakura at Kotoku-in Temple.
President Obama was notified about the quake at 4:00 AM ET, according to the White House. Shortly after 6:00 AM, he issued a statement expressing his and the First Lady's condolences to the people of Japan, and promising US aid. At 9:20 AM, the President met with senior advisors for an Oval Office briefing, after tsunami waves had already struck his boyhood home of Hawaii.
"The Hill of Howth" (from Irish Miscellany - Penguin Press anthology)
Collected and edited/translated by Kenneth Hurlstone Jackson
"Delightful to be on the Hill of Howth, very sweet to be above its white sea; the perfect fertile hill, home of ships, the vine-grown pleasant warlike peak.
The peak where Finn and the Fianna used to be, the peak where were drinking-horns and cups, the peak where bold O' Duinn brought Grainne one day in stress of pursuit.
The peak bright-knolled beyond all hills, with its hill-top round and green and rugged; the hill full of swordsmen, full of wild garlic and trees, the many-coloured peak, full of beasts, wooded.
The peak that is loveliest throughout the land of Ireland, the bright peak above the sea of Gulls, it is a hard step for me to leave it, lovely Hill of delightful Howth." -- Irish; unknown author (14th century).
"Delightful to be on the Hill of Howth, very sweet to be above its white sea; the perfect fertile hill, home of ships, the vine-grown pleasant warlike peak.
The peak where Finn and the Fianna used to be, the peak where were drinking-horns and cups, the peak where bold O' Duinn brought Grainne one day in stress of pursuit.
The peak bright-knolled beyond all hills, with its hill-top round and green and rugged; the hill full of swordsmen, full of wild garlic and trees, the many-coloured peak, full of beasts, wooded.
The peak that is loveliest throughout the land of Ireland, the bright peak above the sea of Gulls, it is a hard step for me to leave it, lovely Hill of delightful Howth." -- Irish; unknown author (14th century).
Friday, March 11, 2011
America expresses its concern about March 11 Earthquake & Tsuanmi
from www.whitehouse.gov/
Statement By The President On The Earthquake In Japan And The Resulting Tsunami Warning Throughout The Pacific
"Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to the people of Japan, particularly those who have lost loved ones in the earthquake and tsunamis. The United States stands ready to help the Japanese people in this time of great trial. The friendship and alliance between our two nations is unshakeable, and only strengthens our resolve to stand with the people of Japan as they overcome this tragedy. We will continue to closely monitor tsunamis around Japan and the Pacific going forward and we are asking all our citizens in the affected region to listen to their state and local officials as I have instructed FEMA to be ready to assist Hawaii and the rest of the US states and territories that could be affected."
Statement By The President On The Earthquake In Japan And The Resulting Tsunami Warning Throughout The Pacific
"Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to the people of Japan, particularly those who have lost loved ones in the earthquake and tsunamis. The United States stands ready to help the Japanese people in this time of great trial. The friendship and alliance between our two nations is unshakeable, and only strengthens our resolve to stand with the people of Japan as they overcome this tragedy. We will continue to closely monitor tsunamis around Japan and the Pacific going forward and we are asking all our citizens in the affected region to listen to their state and local officials as I have instructed FEMA to be ready to assist Hawaii and the rest of the US states and territories that could be affected."
Today is Johnny Appleseed Day! (March 11th)
text supplied by Garrison Keillor (The Writer's Almanac list serv from Minnesota Public Radio):
Today is Johnny Appleseed Day. On this day, many communities honor the legendary wanderer who planted apple trees on the American frontier in the early 1800s. Johnny Appleseed was a real person. His name was John Chapman. After his death, writers embroidered his deeds until he became a folk hero.
John Chapman was born in 1774 in Leominster, Massachusetts. Historians know little about his childhood. They do know that he learned about apple growing as a young man, while working for a neighbor who owned an apple orchard.
Around 1797, Chapman moved west. He gathered sacks full of apple seeds from cider mills in settled areas. Then he headed for the frontier, keeping just ahead of westbound pioneers. He begged, borrowed, bought, or rented land near creeks and rivers, then planted seeds there. He tended the seedlings until settlers arrived. Then he sold his seedlings or orchards and moved on. He kept this up for nearly 50 years. He started orchards in western New York and Pennsylvania as well as Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois.
Chapman spread not only apples, but also the teachings of a small Christian sect called the New Church. He opposed violence of all kinds. He got along well with Native Americans. He was a vegetarian. He lived frugally. He was extremely thin, went barefoot most of the time, and wore only discarded clothing.
Historians aren't sure exactly when Chapman died. It happened sometime in March 1845 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His obituary in the March 22, 1845, Fort Wayne Sentinel reads in part: 'The deceased was well-known throughout this region by his eccentricity, and strange garb. He is supposed to have considerable property, yet denied himself [...] the common necessities of life [...] He submitted to every privation with cheerfulness [...] believing that in so doing he was securing snug quarters hereafter.'
Today is Johnny Appleseed Day. On this day, many communities honor the legendary wanderer who planted apple trees on the American frontier in the early 1800s. Johnny Appleseed was a real person. His name was John Chapman. After his death, writers embroidered his deeds until he became a folk hero.
John Chapman was born in 1774 in Leominster, Massachusetts. Historians know little about his childhood. They do know that he learned about apple growing as a young man, while working for a neighbor who owned an apple orchard.
Around 1797, Chapman moved west. He gathered sacks full of apple seeds from cider mills in settled areas. Then he headed for the frontier, keeping just ahead of westbound pioneers. He begged, borrowed, bought, or rented land near creeks and rivers, then planted seeds there. He tended the seedlings until settlers arrived. Then he sold his seedlings or orchards and moved on. He kept this up for nearly 50 years. He started orchards in western New York and Pennsylvania as well as Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois.
Chapman spread not only apples, but also the teachings of a small Christian sect called the New Church. He opposed violence of all kinds. He got along well with Native Americans. He was a vegetarian. He lived frugally. He was extremely thin, went barefoot most of the time, and wore only discarded clothing.
Historians aren't sure exactly when Chapman died. It happened sometime in March 1845 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His obituary in the March 22, 1845, Fort Wayne Sentinel reads in part: 'The deceased was well-known throughout this region by his eccentricity, and strange garb. He is supposed to have considerable property, yet denied himself [...] the common necessities of life [...] He submitted to every privation with cheerfulness [...] believing that in so doing he was securing snug quarters hereafter.'
Monday, March 7, 2011
World's largest restaurant chain? and the winner of 2011 is . . .
according to figures released in a Wall Street Journal article =
It's official: the Subway sandwich chain has surpassed McDonald's Corp. (NYSE: MCD - News) as the world's largest restaurant chain, in terms of units.
At the end of last year, Subway had 33,749 restaurants worldwide, compared to McDonald's 32,737. The burger giant disclosed its year-end store count in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing late last month.
The race for global dominance is an important one for an industry that's mostly saturated in the U.S. High unemployment and economic uncertainty have battered the restaurant industry in the U.S., and chains are increasingly looking overseas for growth, particularly in Asia.
It's official: the Subway sandwich chain has surpassed McDonald's Corp. (NYSE: MCD - News) as the world's largest restaurant chain, in terms of units.
At the end of last year, Subway had 33,749 restaurants worldwide, compared to McDonald's 32,737. The burger giant disclosed its year-end store count in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing late last month.
The race for global dominance is an important one for an industry that's mostly saturated in the U.S. High unemployment and economic uncertainty have battered the restaurant industry in the U.S., and chains are increasingly looking overseas for growth, particularly in Asia.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Should athletes have routine ECG -- tragedy involving enlarged cardiomyopathy (Thursday night)?
from Grand Rapids Press article (posted at MLive dot-com)
A 16-year-old star basketball player's sudden cardiac death brings home in a painful way an ongoing debate among medical professionals: Should all young athletes undergo electrocardiograms as part of their sports physicals?
The death of Wes Leonard, a star athlete who collapsed minutes after leading the Fennville basketball team to victory, was caused by dilated cardiomyopathy -- an enlarged heart -- that triggered an abnormal heartbeat, an autopsy showed. A Detroit-area cardiologist who provides free cardiac screenings to athletes says an ECG would likely have helped detect Leonard's heart condition.
"That story is chilling," said Dr. David Haines, the director of the heart rhythm center at Beaumont Hospital.
Although no one can say for certain, Haines believes an ECG would probably have revealed some irregularity. A follow-up echocardiogram -- an ultrasound test that shows a picture of the heart -- would have revealed Leonard's heart condition.
"The ECG is not very precise in that diagnosis, but it would have been very unusual for a person to have cardiomyopathy and have a totally normal ECG," Haines said.
Sudden cardiac death in athletes is extremely rare. Studies estimate it occurs in one in every 200,000 athletes. A 2009 report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association found the rate of sudden cardiac deaths in young athletes was similar to that of deaths from lightning.
But when it occurs, it is shocking and heartbreaking because it strikes young, active, people who seem to be the picture of health.
The American Academy of Cardiology does not support routine ECGs for young athletes, in part, because it is considered an expensive way to detect a very small number of problems, said Dr. Ronald Grifka, chief of cardiology at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. Also, not all heart conditions would be detected by the tests, and a number of minor problems would turn up that would bar many athletes from sports.
In Leonard's case, Dr. David Start, who performed the autopsy, questioned whether an ECG would have revealed his heart abnormality. ECGs are often given in a resting state, and Leonard's arrhythmia may only have been present during activity, he said.
"Sometimes the tests can detect a cardiac enlargement, but other times they don't," Start said.
However, ECGs are recommended for young athletes by the European Society of Cardiology and have been used routinely in Italy for 30 years. They reduced the number of sudden cardiac deaths by 89 percent, according to a 2006 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
A 16-year-old star basketball player's sudden cardiac death brings home in a painful way an ongoing debate among medical professionals: Should all young athletes undergo electrocardiograms as part of their sports physicals?
The death of Wes Leonard, a star athlete who collapsed minutes after leading the Fennville basketball team to victory, was caused by dilated cardiomyopathy -- an enlarged heart -- that triggered an abnormal heartbeat, an autopsy showed. A Detroit-area cardiologist who provides free cardiac screenings to athletes says an ECG would likely have helped detect Leonard's heart condition.
"That story is chilling," said Dr. David Haines, the director of the heart rhythm center at Beaumont Hospital.
Although no one can say for certain, Haines believes an ECG would probably have revealed some irregularity. A follow-up echocardiogram -- an ultrasound test that shows a picture of the heart -- would have revealed Leonard's heart condition.
"The ECG is not very precise in that diagnosis, but it would have been very unusual for a person to have cardiomyopathy and have a totally normal ECG," Haines said.
Sudden cardiac death in athletes is extremely rare. Studies estimate it occurs in one in every 200,000 athletes. A 2009 report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association found the rate of sudden cardiac deaths in young athletes was similar to that of deaths from lightning.
But when it occurs, it is shocking and heartbreaking because it strikes young, active, people who seem to be the picture of health.
The American Academy of Cardiology does not support routine ECGs for young athletes, in part, because it is considered an expensive way to detect a very small number of problems, said Dr. Ronald Grifka, chief of cardiology at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. Also, not all heart conditions would be detected by the tests, and a number of minor problems would turn up that would bar many athletes from sports.
In Leonard's case, Dr. David Start, who performed the autopsy, questioned whether an ECG would have revealed his heart abnormality. ECGs are often given in a resting state, and Leonard's arrhythmia may only have been present during activity, he said.
"Sometimes the tests can detect a cardiac enlargement, but other times they don't," Start said.
However, ECGs are recommended for young athletes by the European Society of Cardiology and have been used routinely in Italy for 30 years. They reduced the number of sudden cardiac deaths by 89 percent, according to a 2006 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Song Lyric (Gospel - Soul): Stefano Langone choice on "Wild Card" stage
Not a second
Or another minute
Not an hour
Or another day
But at this moment with my arms outstretched
I need you to make a way
As you’ve done so many times before
Through a window or an open door
I stretch my hands to you
Come rescue me
I need you…
Right away
I need you now
I need you now
I need you now
I need you now
Not another second
Or another minute
Not another hour of another day
But Lord I need you right away
If I never needed you before
To show up and restore
All of the faith that I let slip
While I was yet searching the world for more
The true best friend I have indeed
You’re my best friend I know indeed
I stretch my hands to thee
Come rescue me
I need you right away
The agony of being alone
The fear of doing things on my own
The test and trials that come to make me strong
The feelings of guilt, hurt, shame, and defeat
The way the trials that beat upon me
But to know Lord that in you I’ve got victory
I need you now, Lord, I need you now (Oh, wo, wo)
I need you right now, right now, right now
I need you now
Oh not another second
Not another minute, Lord
Can’t wait another day (oh…)
Oh Lord, please make a way
Oh Lord, Oh Lord, Mmmmm, Yeah
http://www.anysonglyrics.com/lyrics/s/smokie-norful/i-need-you-now.htm
Or another minute
Not an hour
Or another day
But at this moment with my arms outstretched
I need you to make a way
As you’ve done so many times before
Through a window or an open door
I stretch my hands to you
Come rescue me
I need you…
Right away
I need you now
I need you now
I need you now
I need you now
Not another second
Or another minute
Not another hour of another day
But Lord I need you right away
If I never needed you before
To show up and restore
All of the faith that I let slip
While I was yet searching the world for more
The true best friend I have indeed
You’re my best friend I know indeed
I stretch my hands to thee
Come rescue me
I need you right away
The agony of being alone
The fear of doing things on my own
The test and trials that come to make me strong
The feelings of guilt, hurt, shame, and defeat
The way the trials that beat upon me
But to know Lord that in you I’ve got victory
I need you now, Lord, I need you now (Oh, wo, wo)
I need you right now, right now, right now
I need you now
Oh not another second
Not another minute, Lord
Can’t wait another day (oh…)
Oh Lord, please make a way
Oh Lord, Oh Lord, Mmmmm, Yeah
http://www.anysonglyrics.com/lyrics/s/smokie-norful/i-need-you-now.htm
10 a.m. Saturday March 5: Lincoln's First Inaugural Celebration/Re-enactment
sponsored by Lincoln History buffs/civic promoters:
The Lincoln Group of D.C., co-sponsored by the Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation, the Lincoln Forum, the Willard Intercontinental Hotel, and the Lincolnarchives Digital Project are proud to present a day full of events to celebrate the inauguration of the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.
10:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Free and open to the public
The day's events begin at the Capitol Hill Visitor Center. Sponsored by Congressman Jesse Jackson, and the above named sponsors, the program will begin with Sam Waterston, known for his portrayal of Lincoln in Gore Vidal's Lincoln, and Law and Order, reading the First Inaugural Address.
A reenactment of the swearing in ceremony will take place with Michael Krebs as Lincoln. Following the ceremony at Capitol Hill, an inaugural banquet will take place at the Willard Hotel.
Willard Hotel Event 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Menu
Adaptation of Abraham Lincoln’s Inaugural Luncheon
Mock Turtle Soup
Crème Fraiche
Crispy Carrots
Boeuf en Salaison
Cabbage Farce
Noisette Potatoes
Blackberry Pie, Crème Anglaise & Berry Coulis
http://www.lincolngroup.org/mar2011.html
The Lincoln Group of D.C., co-sponsored by the Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation, the Lincoln Forum, the Willard Intercontinental Hotel, and the Lincolnarchives Digital Project are proud to present a day full of events to celebrate the inauguration of the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.
10:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Free and open to the public
The day's events begin at the Capitol Hill Visitor Center. Sponsored by Congressman Jesse Jackson, and the above named sponsors, the program will begin with Sam Waterston, known for his portrayal of Lincoln in Gore Vidal's Lincoln, and Law and Order, reading the First Inaugural Address.
A reenactment of the swearing in ceremony will take place with Michael Krebs as Lincoln. Following the ceremony at Capitol Hill, an inaugural banquet will take place at the Willard Hotel.
Willard Hotel Event 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Menu
Adaptation of Abraham Lincoln’s Inaugural Luncheon
Mock Turtle Soup
Crème Fraiche
Crispy Carrots
Boeuf en Salaison
Cabbage Farce
Noisette Potatoes
Blackberry Pie, Crème Anglaise & Berry Coulis
http://www.lincolngroup.org/mar2011.html
Friday, March 4, 2011
High School Player (Fennville - Berrien Cty. Michigan) dies after shooting winning lay-up (March 2011)
from M Live dot-com -- coverage Friday March 4, 2011
Fennville basketball player Wes Leonard died from a heart attack due to dilated cardiomyopathy, according to an autopsy performed today by Dr. David Start.
Start, the Ottawa County medical examiner, said in a statement the condition is also referred to as an enlarged heart, which becomes weakened and can not pump blood efficiently. The decreased heart function can affect the lungs, liver, and other body systems.
Start was not immediately available for comment on the autopsy.
The condition can occur at any age, but is generally most common in adult men. Symptoms usually develop over time, but can develop suddenly and have fatal results as in Leonard's case.
The 16-year-old died Thursday night after securing his school's undefeated regular season with a game-winning layup with 30 seconds remaining.
www.mlive.com/
Fennville basketball player Wes Leonard died from a heart attack due to dilated cardiomyopathy, according to an autopsy performed today by Dr. David Start.
Start, the Ottawa County medical examiner, said in a statement the condition is also referred to as an enlarged heart, which becomes weakened and can not pump blood efficiently. The decreased heart function can affect the lungs, liver, and other body systems.
Start was not immediately available for comment on the autopsy.
The condition can occur at any age, but is generally most common in adult men. Symptoms usually develop over time, but can develop suddenly and have fatal results as in Leonard's case.
The 16-year-old died Thursday night after securing his school's undefeated regular season with a game-winning layup with 30 seconds remaining.
www.mlive.com/
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Cruise to Ephesus (Niles study opportunity) - Bible Study led by David Lawrence
as announced at www.firstpresofniles.org/
. . .visit the ancient city of Ephesus this March. You are invited to come along. We will travel to this city mentioned in Revelation and the recipient of Paul's letter from the parlor. We will voyage to Ephesus every Thursday night for six weeks from 6 to 7 and begin on March 3rd, 2011. Our exploration of the letter to the Ephesians will be done in a low-pressure, conversational style led by Rev. David Lawrence. The cost for this trip is a Bible, an opinion, and a willingness to share both of those.
. . .visit the ancient city of Ephesus this March. You are invited to come along. We will travel to this city mentioned in Revelation and the recipient of Paul's letter from the parlor. We will voyage to Ephesus every Thursday night for six weeks from 6 to 7 and begin on March 3rd, 2011. Our exploration of the letter to the Ephesians will be done in a low-pressure, conversational style led by Rev. David Lawrence. The cost for this trip is a Bible, an opinion, and a willingness to share both of those.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Result of "Snyder v. Phelps" (Supreme Court Ruling 8 - 1): First Amendment case
posted on www.scotusblog.com/
By a wide majority today (March 2, 2011), the Supreme Court recognized a First Amendment right to protest peacefully near funerals on matters of public importance. That right, the Court concluded, precludes state law tort claims, such as claims for intentional infliction of emotional distress. The decision is a resounding affirmation of the right to engage peacefully in speech, even terribly hurtful speech, on matters of public import.
The Court concluded that the protests in this case met the public interest standard. “The ‘content’ of Westboro’s signs plainly relates to broad issues of interest to society at large, rather than matters of ‘purely private concern.’ The placards read ‘God Hates the USA/Thank God for 9/11,’ ‘America is Doomed,’ ‘Don’t Pray for the USA,’ … While those messages may fall short of refined social or political commentary, the issues they highlight—the political and moral conduct of the United States and its citizens, the fate of our Nation, homosexuality in the military, and scandals involving the Catholic Clergy—are matters of public import.”
The fact that the protesters appear at a funeral and refer to a particular individual – such as the service member for whom the funeral is being held – does not convert the protest into a discussion of a private matter unprotected by the First Amendment.
The Court clearly felt considerable sympathy for the slain soldier’s family, but concluded that the First Amendment interests at stake were overriding. “The record makes clear that the applicable legal term—‘emotional distress’—fails to capture fully the anguish Westboro’s choice added to Mr. Snyder’s already incalculable grief. But Westboro conducted its picketing peacefully on matters of public concern at a public space adjacent to a public street.” The Court continued: “Westboro believes that America is morally flawed; many Americans might feel the same about Westboro. Westboro’s funeral picketing is certainly hurtful and its contribution to public discourse may be negligible. … Speech is powerful. It can stir people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow, and—as it did here—inflict great pain. On the facts before us, we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker. As a Nation we have chosen a different course—to protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate.”
The Court left undecided two important issues that it concluded were not squarely presented. First, recognized that the government may regulate the “time, place, and manner” of speech and that the State of Maryland (where this protest was held) subsequently enacted a statute governing the circumstances in which funeral protests may be held. The Court did not decide the constitutionality of that statute or other similar federal and state laws. The Court may have been motivated to grant review in the case and still affirm in order to issue an opinion that, unlike the arguable implications of the court of appeals’ decision, did not call such statutes into question.
Second, the Court acknowledged that the plaintiffs had also brought suit on the basis of statements made by the defendants on a website. But it concluded that the issue had been waived by not preserving it in the petition for certiorari and only briefly mentioning it in the merits briefing. The Court was therefore able to limit its decision strictly to the context of funeral protests.
By a wide majority today (March 2, 2011), the Supreme Court recognized a First Amendment right to protest peacefully near funerals on matters of public importance. That right, the Court concluded, precludes state law tort claims, such as claims for intentional infliction of emotional distress. The decision is a resounding affirmation of the right to engage peacefully in speech, even terribly hurtful speech, on matters of public import.
The Court concluded that the protests in this case met the public interest standard. “The ‘content’ of Westboro’s signs plainly relates to broad issues of interest to society at large, rather than matters of ‘purely private concern.’ The placards read ‘God Hates the USA/Thank God for 9/11,’ ‘America is Doomed,’ ‘Don’t Pray for the USA,’ … While those messages may fall short of refined social or political commentary, the issues they highlight—the political and moral conduct of the United States and its citizens, the fate of our Nation, homosexuality in the military, and scandals involving the Catholic Clergy—are matters of public import.”
The fact that the protesters appear at a funeral and refer to a particular individual – such as the service member for whom the funeral is being held – does not convert the protest into a discussion of a private matter unprotected by the First Amendment.
The Court clearly felt considerable sympathy for the slain soldier’s family, but concluded that the First Amendment interests at stake were overriding. “The record makes clear that the applicable legal term—‘emotional distress’—fails to capture fully the anguish Westboro’s choice added to Mr. Snyder’s already incalculable grief. But Westboro conducted its picketing peacefully on matters of public concern at a public space adjacent to a public street.” The Court continued: “Westboro believes that America is morally flawed; many Americans might feel the same about Westboro. Westboro’s funeral picketing is certainly hurtful and its contribution to public discourse may be negligible. … Speech is powerful. It can stir people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow, and—as it did here—inflict great pain. On the facts before us, we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker. As a Nation we have chosen a different course—to protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate.”
The Court left undecided two important issues that it concluded were not squarely presented. First, recognized that the government may regulate the “time, place, and manner” of speech and that the State of Maryland (where this protest was held) subsequently enacted a statute governing the circumstances in which funeral protests may be held. The Court did not decide the constitutionality of that statute or other similar federal and state laws. The Court may have been motivated to grant review in the case and still affirm in order to issue an opinion that, unlike the arguable implications of the court of appeals’ decision, did not call such statutes into question.
Second, the Court acknowledged that the plaintiffs had also brought suit on the basis of statements made by the defendants on a website. But it concluded that the issue had been waived by not preserving it in the petition for certiorari and only briefly mentioning it in the merits briefing. The Court was therefore able to limit its decision strictly to the context of funeral protests.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Two "stars" of Christian Pop Music genre: Amy Grant & Michael W. Smith (March 1 concert)
Noticed on Calendar of March events -- (Morris Theatre is S. Bend, Indiana)
Two of Christian music's most recognized and beloved artists, AMY GRANT and MICHAEL W. SMITH, reunite for the first time in more than two decades for a landmark concert tour coming to The Morris.
Combined, the two have won nine Grammy Awards and sold more than 47 million albums. They first toured together in 1982 when GRANT's "Age to Age" album was exploding up the Christian music charts, thanks to hits like "El Shaddai" and "Sing Your Praise To The Lord." SMITH performed as GRANT's keyboard player and opening act, supporting his debut release, "Project," which generated instant classics like "Great Is The Lord" and "Friends." They toured together on and off the rest of that decade, and have continued to collaborate musically over the years.
Both artists will perform music from their vast catalog of fan favorites along with selections from their current chart-topping albums:GRANT's "Somewhere Down The Road" (March 2010), and SMITH's brand new project, "Wonder" (Sept. 2010).
http://morriscenter.ticketforce.com/ordertickets.asp?p=981&backurl=default.asp
Two of Christian music's most recognized and beloved artists, AMY GRANT and MICHAEL W. SMITH, reunite for the first time in more than two decades for a landmark concert tour coming to The Morris.
Combined, the two have won nine Grammy Awards and sold more than 47 million albums. They first toured together in 1982 when GRANT's "Age to Age" album was exploding up the Christian music charts, thanks to hits like "El Shaddai" and "Sing Your Praise To The Lord." SMITH performed as GRANT's keyboard player and opening act, supporting his debut release, "Project," which generated instant classics like "Great Is The Lord" and "Friends." They toured together on and off the rest of that decade, and have continued to collaborate musically over the years.
Both artists will perform music from their vast catalog of fan favorites along with selections from their current chart-topping albums:GRANT's "Somewhere Down The Road" (March 2010), and SMITH's brand new project, "Wonder" (Sept. 2010).
http://morriscenter.ticketforce.com/ordertickets.asp?p=981&backurl=default.asp
Oscars telecast: what are the answers to two nagging questions: Screenplay status (adapted vs. original)
from www.chicagotribune.com/ column posted by Writer Steve Johnson (Monday afternoon 2/28/11):
Q: Why was "Toy Story 3" in best adapted screenplay? And why was "The King's Speech" in best original screenplay despite director Tom Hooper suggesting on the broadcast it had been a play in England before the film was made?
A: Sequel screenplays are considered adaptations of the original; sorry, "Transformers: Dark of the Moon." With "Speech," David Seidler wrote the story first as a screenplay, then a play to find the essence of his story, then a screenplay again.
Q: Was cinematography winner Wally Pfister ("Inception") trying to make a point during his acceptance speech by thanking his "union crew"?
A: He was. Backstage, Pfister said the union-related clashes "going on in Wisconsin is kind of madness right now. … I've been a union member for 30 years, and what the union has given to me is security." It was the evening's second-most political moment, after best documentary winner Bruce Ferguson ("Inside Job") pointing out that no financial execs have gone to jail despite what he characterized as the "massive fraud" that caused the economic meltdown.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/sc-ent-0228-oscar-folo-20110228,0,785257.column
Q: Why was "Toy Story 3" in best adapted screenplay? And why was "The King's Speech" in best original screenplay despite director Tom Hooper suggesting on the broadcast it had been a play in England before the film was made?
A: Sequel screenplays are considered adaptations of the original; sorry, "Transformers: Dark of the Moon." With "Speech," David Seidler wrote the story first as a screenplay, then a play to find the essence of his story, then a screenplay again.
Q: Was cinematography winner Wally Pfister ("Inception") trying to make a point during his acceptance speech by thanking his "union crew"?
A: He was. Backstage, Pfister said the union-related clashes "going on in Wisconsin is kind of madness right now. … I've been a union member for 30 years, and what the union has given to me is security." It was the evening's second-most political moment, after best documentary winner Bruce Ferguson ("Inside Job") pointing out that no financial execs have gone to jail despite what he characterized as the "massive fraud" that caused the economic meltdown.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/sc-ent-0228-oscar-folo-20110228,0,785257.column
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