link posted at ABRAHAM LINCOLN online -- www.wasmarylincolncrazy.com/
In 1875, a Cook County, Illinois jury found Mary Lincoln, widow of martyred President Abraham Lincoln, insane. She was immediately taken to Bellevue Sanatorium in Batavia, Illinois. She spent four months at Bellevue before her release to her sister Elizabeth Edwards in Springfield. In 1876, another jury restored her status as a sane person.
Before her first hearing, Mary Lincoln had been experiencing problems with her mental health, but the rushed hearing with a limited defense implied a prejudiced judgment against her. Scholars today continue to debate whether Mary Lincoln truly was insane or whether she was railroaded by a thoughtless son.
In 2012, Mary Lincoln will receive two fair hearings—one in Chicago and one in Springfield—on the status of her mental health in a modern court setting with expert testimony for and against her. The audience, acting as judge, will decide her sanity based on the evidence in the trial. MCLE offered at the retrials in Chicago on September 24, 2012 and in Springfield on October 1, 2012.
When: September 24, 2012, from 5:30 pm to approximately 7:30 pm, Murphy Auditorium, 50 East Erie St., Chicago
October 1, 2012, from 6:00 pm to approximately 8:00 pm, Union Theater, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, Springfield
Who:
Cost: $35 per person.
http://www.wasmarylincolncrazy.com/retrial.html
Monday, July 30, 2012
Urgent Plea for Blood Donors - July 2012
from AMERICAN RED CROSS dot-org website (July 30, 2012):
Blood donations through the American Red Cross are down in the first five months of 2012 compared to the same period last year. And, there is only about half the amount of readily available blood in the Red Cross inventory at this time. Donations of blood types O positive, O negative, A negative and B negative are urgently needed.
Right now hospital deliveries of these blood types are outpacing donations. These blood types are most in demand because they can be potentially transfused to Rh positive and negative patients. It’s the blood on the shelves that helps save patient lives.
Serving patients at more than 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers throughout the country, the Red Cross’ mission is to ensure a safe and adequate blood supply through voluntary donations. To fulfill this, the Red Cross needs the generous support of eligible blood donors now.
Blood donations through the American Red Cross are down in the first five months of 2012 compared to the same period last year. And, there is only about half the amount of readily available blood in the Red Cross inventory at this time. Donations of blood types O positive, O negative, A negative and B negative are urgently needed.
Right now hospital deliveries of these blood types are outpacing donations. These blood types are most in demand because they can be potentially transfused to Rh positive and negative patients. It’s the blood on the shelves that helps save patient lives.
Serving patients at more than 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers throughout the country, the Red Cross’ mission is to ensure a safe and adequate blood supply through voluntary donations. To fulfill this, the Red Cross needs the generous support of eligible blood donors now.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Athletic Event (Grand Valley State, Grand Rapids, MI): Recipients & Living Donors - TRANSPLANT GAMES 2012
from GVSU dot-edu (www.gvsu.edu/ )
Transplant Games of America
Grand Rapids, Michigan
July 28-31, 2012
The Transplant Games of America is a multi-sport festival event for athletes who have undergone life-saving transplant surgeries and living donors. Competition is open to anyone who has received a solid organ transplant or bone marrow donation. More than just an athletic event, the Transplant Games of America highlights the critical importance of organ and tissue donation, while celebrating the lives of organ donors and recipients.
Tisha B'av -- this year July 28 -- how is it observed?
from RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY:
Tisha B’Av is a fast day that solemnizes the destruction of the first and second temples in Jerusalem, which occurred on the same day roughly 650 years apart. This day is often recognized as the day of mourning, not just for the loss of the temples, but for other tragic events in Jewish history.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/multifaith-calendar/
July 28 (Begins at Sunset)
Tisha B’Av (Judaism)Tisha B’Av is a fast day that solemnizes the destruction of the first and second temples in Jerusalem, which occurred on the same day roughly 650 years apart. This day is often recognized as the day of mourning, not just for the loss of the temples, but for other tragic events in Jewish history.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/multifaith-calendar/
On July 27, 1974 -- Senate Judiciary begins Impeachment of Richard M. Nixon
from History Channel feature: "On This Day In History"
On July 27 in 1974, the House Judiciary Committee recommends that America's 37th president, Richard Milhouse Nixon, be impeached and removed from office. The impeachment proceedings resulted from a series of political scandals involving the Nixon administration that came to be collectively known as Watergate.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history
On July 27 in 1974, the House Judiciary Committee recommends that America's 37th president, Richard Milhouse Nixon, be impeached and removed from office. The impeachment proceedings resulted from a series of political scandals involving the Nixon administration that came to be collectively known as Watergate.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Flags to fly at half-mast : July 20 victims of Theatre Shooting (Aurora, CO)
HONORING THE VICTIMS OF THE TRAGEDY IN AURORA, COLORADO
- - - - - - -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of July, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/07/20/presidential-proclamation-honoring-victims-tragedy-aurora-colorado
Monday, July 23, 2012
Friday a day of prayerful reflection (July 20, 2012)
from Obama Food-o-rama -- Blog at Google: http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/
July 20, 2012
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
ON THE SHOOTINGS IN AURORA, COLORADO
Harborside Event Center
Fort Myers, Florida
10:44 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Well, let me, first of all, say how grateful I am for all of you being here, and how much we appreciate everything that you've done. I know that there are a lot of people here who have been so engaged in the campaign, have sacrificed so much, people who've been involved back since 2007. (Applause.) And so I want all of you to know how appreciative I am.
And I know many of you came here today for a campaign event. I was looking forward to having a fun conversation with you about some really important matters that we face as a country and the differences between myself and my opponent in this election. But this morning, we woke up to news of a tragedy that reminds us of all the ways that we are united as one American family.
By now, many of you know, many of you have heard that a few miles outside of Denver in a town call Aurora, at least 12 people were killed when a gunman opened fire in a movie theater, and dozens more are being treated for injuries at a local hospital. Some of the victims are being treated at a children’s hospital.
We’re still gathering all the facts about what happened in Aurora, but what we do know is that the police have one suspect in custody. And the federal government stands ready to do whatever is necessary to bring whoever is responsible for this heinous crime to justice. (Applause.) And we will take every step possible to ensure the safety of all of our people.
We're going to stand by our neighbors in Colorado during this extraordinarily difficult time. And I had a chance to speak with the Mayor of Aurora as well as the Governor of Colorado to express, not just on behalf of Michelle and myself, but the entire American family, how heartbroken we are.
Now, even as we learn how this happened and who's responsible, we may never understand what leads anybody to terrorize their fellow human beings like this. Such violence, such evil is senseless. It's beyond reason. But while we will never know fully what causes somebody to take the life of another, we do know what makes life worth living. The people we lost in Aurora loved and they were loved. They were mothers and fathers; they were husbands and wives; sisters and brothers; sons and daughters, friends and neighbors. They had hopes for the future and they had dreams that were not yet fulfilled.
And if there’s anything to take away from this tragedy it’s the reminder that life is very fragile. Our time here is limited and it is precious. And what matters at the end of the day is not the small things, it’s not the trivial things, which so often consume us and our daily lives. Ultimately, it’s how we choose to treat one another and how we love one another. (Applause.)
It’s what we do on a daily basis to give our lives meaning and to give our lives purpose. That’s what matters. At the end of the day, what we’ll remember will be those we loved and what we did for others. That’s why we’re here.
I’m sure that many of you who are parents here had the same reaction that I did when I heard this news. My daughters go to the movies. What if Malia and Sasha had been at the theater, as so many of our kids do every day? Michelle and I will be fortunate enough to hug our girls a little tighter tonight, and I’m sure you will do the same with your children. But for those parents who may not be so lucky, we have to embrace them and let them know we will be there for them as a nation.
So, again, I am so grateful that all of you are here. I am so moved by your support. But there are going to be other days for politics. This, I think, is a day for prayer and reflection.
So what I’d ask everybody to do, I’d like us to pause in a moment of silence for the victims of this terrible tragedy, for the people who knew them and loved them, for those who are still struggling to recover, and for all the victims of less publicized acts of violence that plague our communities every single day. So if everybody can just take a moment.
(Moment of silence.)
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, everybody. I hope all of you will keep the people of Aurora in your hearts and minds today. May the Lord bring them comfort and healing in hard days to come.
I am grateful to all of you, and I hope that as a consequence of today’s events, as you leave here, you spend a little time thinking about the incredible blessings that God has given us.
July 20, 2012
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
ON THE SHOOTINGS IN AURORA, COLORADO
Harborside Event Center
Fort Myers, Florida
10:44 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Well, let me, first of all, say how grateful I am for all of you being here, and how much we appreciate everything that you've done. I know that there are a lot of people here who have been so engaged in the campaign, have sacrificed so much, people who've been involved back since 2007. (Applause.) And so I want all of you to know how appreciative I am.
And I know many of you came here today for a campaign event. I was looking forward to having a fun conversation with you about some really important matters that we face as a country and the differences between myself and my opponent in this election. But this morning, we woke up to news of a tragedy that reminds us of all the ways that we are united as one American family.
By now, many of you know, many of you have heard that a few miles outside of Denver in a town call Aurora, at least 12 people were killed when a gunman opened fire in a movie theater, and dozens more are being treated for injuries at a local hospital. Some of the victims are being treated at a children’s hospital.
We’re still gathering all the facts about what happened in Aurora, but what we do know is that the police have one suspect in custody. And the federal government stands ready to do whatever is necessary to bring whoever is responsible for this heinous crime to justice. (Applause.) And we will take every step possible to ensure the safety of all of our people.
We're going to stand by our neighbors in Colorado during this extraordinarily difficult time. And I had a chance to speak with the Mayor of Aurora as well as the Governor of Colorado to express, not just on behalf of Michelle and myself, but the entire American family, how heartbroken we are.
Now, even as we learn how this happened and who's responsible, we may never understand what leads anybody to terrorize their fellow human beings like this. Such violence, such evil is senseless. It's beyond reason. But while we will never know fully what causes somebody to take the life of another, we do know what makes life worth living. The people we lost in Aurora loved and they were loved. They were mothers and fathers; they were husbands and wives; sisters and brothers; sons and daughters, friends and neighbors. They had hopes for the future and they had dreams that were not yet fulfilled.
And if there’s anything to take away from this tragedy it’s the reminder that life is very fragile. Our time here is limited and it is precious. And what matters at the end of the day is not the small things, it’s not the trivial things, which so often consume us and our daily lives. Ultimately, it’s how we choose to treat one another and how we love one another. (Applause.)
It’s what we do on a daily basis to give our lives meaning and to give our lives purpose. That’s what matters. At the end of the day, what we’ll remember will be those we loved and what we did for others. That’s why we’re here.
I’m sure that many of you who are parents here had the same reaction that I did when I heard this news. My daughters go to the movies. What if Malia and Sasha had been at the theater, as so many of our kids do every day? Michelle and I will be fortunate enough to hug our girls a little tighter tonight, and I’m sure you will do the same with your children. But for those parents who may not be so lucky, we have to embrace them and let them know we will be there for them as a nation.
So, again, I am so grateful that all of you are here. I am so moved by your support. But there are going to be other days for politics. This, I think, is a day for prayer and reflection.
So what I’d ask everybody to do, I’d like us to pause in a moment of silence for the victims of this terrible tragedy, for the people who knew them and loved them, for those who are still struggling to recover, and for all the victims of less publicized acts of violence that plague our communities every single day. So if everybody can just take a moment.
(Moment of silence.)
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, everybody. I hope all of you will keep the people of Aurora in your hearts and minds today. May the Lord bring them comfort and healing in hard days to come.
I am grateful to all of you, and I hope that as a consequence of today’s events, as you leave here, you spend a little time thinking about the incredible blessings that God has given us.
Emma Lazarus (poet responsible for "The New Colossus" engraved inscription) -- her birthday
from Writer's Almanac (American Public Media - Garrison Keillor, Minnesota Public Radio):
July 22 is the birthday of American poet Emma Lazarus, born in New York City (1849). She came from a wealthy Jewish family, and her father paid to have her first collection of poems published when she was 17. Her early work impressed Ralph Waldo Emerson, and they corresponded for many years. In the 1880s, she was horrified to hear of violent anti-Semitic attacks in Russia and Germany, and her work took on a new Zionist focus. She became concerned with the plight of the poor and the refugee, and organized relief efforts for immigrant Jewish families. The Statue of Liberty committee approached her in 1883 and asked her to write a poem that they could auction off to raise money for the monument. She responded with "The New Colossus." The statue was erected in 1886, but she was in Europe. She sailed back to New York the following year, but she was too ill with Hodgkin's lymphoma to go on deck to see it as the boat passed, and she died without ever seeing the statue she'd help raise. "The New Colossus" includes the famous lines, "Give me your tired, your poor, / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."
July 22 is the birthday of American poet Emma Lazarus, born in New York City (1849). She came from a wealthy Jewish family, and her father paid to have her first collection of poems published when she was 17. Her early work impressed Ralph Waldo Emerson, and they corresponded for many years. In the 1880s, she was horrified to hear of violent anti-Semitic attacks in Russia and Germany, and her work took on a new Zionist focus. She became concerned with the plight of the poor and the refugee, and organized relief efforts for immigrant Jewish families. The Statue of Liberty committee approached her in 1883 and asked her to write a poem that they could auction off to raise money for the monument. She responded with "The New Colossus." The statue was erected in 1886, but she was in Europe. She sailed back to New York the following year, but she was too ill with Hodgkin's lymphoma to go on deck to see it as the boat passed, and she died without ever seeing the statue she'd help raise. "The New Colossus" includes the famous lines, "Give me your tired, your poor, / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Opening Ceremony (NBC Tape and Live transmission) - Friday July 27: 7:30 - 11:59 p.m. Eastern
XXX Summer Olympic Games - Opening Ceremony from London, England. Parade of nations (to include women athletes from certain Arab nations for first time) and lighting of the Olympic Cauldron.
NBC affiliates -- United States Television.
NBC affiliates -- United States Television.
Friday, July 20, 2012
White House Statement on Ramadan (First Night) - July 20, 2012 - Pres. Obama
from WHITE HOUSE dot-gov Statements & Press Releases/Proclamations
This year, Ramadan holds special meaning for those citizens in the Middle East and North Africa who are courageously achieving democracy and self-determination and for those who are still struggling to achieve their universal rights. The United States continues to stand with those who seek the chance to decide their own destiny, to live free from fear and violence, and to practice their faith freely. Here in the United States, Ramadan reminds us that Islam is part of the fabric of our Nation, and that—from public service to business, from healthcare and science to the arts—Muslim Americans help strengthen our country and enrich our lives.
Even as Ramadan holds profound meaning for the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims, it is also a reminder to people of all faiths of our common humanity and the commitment to justice, equality, and compassion shared by all great faiths. In that spirit, I wish Muslims across America and around the world a blessed month, and I look forward to again hosting an iftar dinner here at the White House. Ramadan Kareem.
Statement by the President on the Occasion of Ramadan
On behalf of the American people, Michelle and I extend our warmest wishes to Muslim Americans and Muslims around the world at the start of Ramadan. For Muslims, Ramadan is a time of fasting, prayer, and reflection; a time of joy and celebration. It’s a time to cherish family, friends, and neighbors, and to help those in need.
This year, Ramadan holds special meaning for those citizens in the Middle East and North Africa who are courageously achieving democracy and self-determination and for those who are still struggling to achieve their universal rights. The United States continues to stand with those who seek the chance to decide their own destiny, to live free from fear and violence, and to practice their faith freely. Here in the United States, Ramadan reminds us that Islam is part of the fabric of our Nation, and that—from public service to business, from healthcare and science to the arts—Muslim Americans help strengthen our country and enrich our lives.
Even as Ramadan holds profound meaning for the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims, it is also a reminder to people of all faiths of our common humanity and the commitment to justice, equality, and compassion shared by all great faiths. In that spirit, I wish Muslims across America and around the world a blessed month, and I look forward to again hosting an iftar dinner here at the White House. Ramadan Kareem.
Rhetoric is Rabid to the Max: Drudge "Report" blames Obama for 2004 Food Stamp Policy (Bush 43 USDA Secretary Ann Veneman)
from Obama Food-o-rama (Posted July 19, 2012) -- a Google Blogger popular site on W W Web:
Drudge Report ran this headline [ "US Partners with Mexico to Boost Food Stamp Rolls" ] for much of Thursday, reiterating the GOP election-year meme of President Obama as 'The Food Stamp President.' But the story the headline links to explains that the policy was created in 2004.
"USDA has an agreement with Mexico to promote American food assistance programs, including food stamps, among Mexican Americans, Mexican nationals and migrant communities in America," wrote The Daily Caller. "The partnership...was signed by former USDA Secretary Ann M. Veneman and Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs Luis Ernesto Derbez Bautista in 2004."
http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2012/07/sometimes-you-can-blame-your-predecessor.html#more
Drudge Report ran this headline [ "US Partners with Mexico to Boost Food Stamp Rolls" ] for much of Thursday, reiterating the GOP election-year meme of President Obama as 'The Food Stamp President.' But the story the headline links to explains that the policy was created in 2004.
"USDA has an agreement with Mexico to promote American food assistance programs, including food stamps, among Mexican Americans, Mexican nationals and migrant communities in America," wrote The Daily Caller. "The partnership...was signed by former USDA Secretary Ann M. Veneman and Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs Luis Ernesto Derbez Bautista in 2004."
http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2012/07/sometimes-you-can-blame-your-predecessor.html#more
79th Birthday for novelist Cormac McCarthy (details of THE_COUNSELOR)
the birthday "news" from American Public Media's daily show The Writer's Almanac (Minnesota Public Radio, Garrison Keillor):
July 20 is the 79th birthday of novelist Cormac McCarthy (1933). He was born Charles McCarthy Jr. in Providence, Rhode Island. He's best known as the author of the "Border Trilogy" -- All the Pretty Horses (1992), The Crossing (1994), and Cities of the Plain (1998). Richard Woodward, of the New York Review of Books, called him, "A man's novelist whose apocalyptic vision rarely focuses on women, McCarthy doesn't write about sex, love or domestic issues."
His novel The Road (2006) was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
Earlier this year he announced that he had written a screenplay, called The Counselor. Not too much is known about the project, but it's been described as "[McCarthy's 2005 novel] No Country for Old Men on steroids." Ridley Scott is set to direct the film.
July 20 is the 79th birthday of novelist Cormac McCarthy (1933). He was born Charles McCarthy Jr. in Providence, Rhode Island. He's best known as the author of the "Border Trilogy" -- All the Pretty Horses (1992), The Crossing (1994), and Cities of the Plain (1998). Richard Woodward, of the New York Review of Books, called him, "A man's novelist whose apocalyptic vision rarely focuses on women, McCarthy doesn't write about sex, love or domestic issues."
His novel The Road (2006) was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
Earlier this year he announced that he had written a screenplay, called The Counselor. Not too much is known about the project, but it's been described as "[McCarthy's 2005 novel] No Country for Old Men on steroids." Ridley Scott is set to direct the film.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Completed on this date 58 years ago - LOTR by Tolkien
from American Public Media (Writer's Almanac: read daily by Garrison Keillor, Minn. Public Radio):
J.R.R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring was first published on July 19, 1954. It was the first volume of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and it was the sequel to The Hobbit (1937). Hobbits are small, humanlike creatures with hairy feet and large -- though simple -- appetites, who generally like to stay close to home. Tolkien once wrote: "I am in fact a hobbit in all but size. I like gardens, trees, and unmechanized farmlands. I smoke a pipe [and] like good, plain food." The Hobbit is a story of one Bilbo Baggins who goes on an adventure through Middle Earth and comes home with a magic ring. Tolkien had written it for his own amusement and didn't expect it to sell well, but it did, and Tolkien's publisher asked for a sequel.
He spent the next 17 years working on The Lord of the Rings. He was well into his first draft by the time World War II broke out in 1939. He hadn't set out to write an allegory, but once the war began, he started to draw parallels between the war and the events in his novel. He made elaborate charts to keep track of the events of the story.
Finally, in the fall of 1949, he finished. He typed the final copy himself, a typewriter on his lap, tapping it out with two fingers. It turned out to be more than a half million words long, and the publisher agreed to bring it out in three volumes. The first came out on this day in 1954. Today more than 30 million copies have been sold around the world.
J.R.R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring was first published on July 19, 1954. It was the first volume of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and it was the sequel to The Hobbit (1937). Hobbits are small, humanlike creatures with hairy feet and large -- though simple -- appetites, who generally like to stay close to home. Tolkien once wrote: "I am in fact a hobbit in all but size. I like gardens, trees, and unmechanized farmlands. I smoke a pipe [and] like good, plain food." The Hobbit is a story of one Bilbo Baggins who goes on an adventure through Middle Earth and comes home with a magic ring. Tolkien had written it for his own amusement and didn't expect it to sell well, but it did, and Tolkien's publisher asked for a sequel.
He spent the next 17 years working on The Lord of the Rings. He was well into his first draft by the time World War II broke out in 1939. He hadn't set out to write an allegory, but once the war began, he started to draw parallels between the war and the events in his novel. He made elaborate charts to keep track of the events of the story.
Finally, in the fall of 1949, he finished. He typed the final copy himself, a typewriter on his lap, tapping it out with two fingers. It turned out to be more than a half million words long, and the publisher agreed to bring it out in three volumes. The first came out on this day in 1954. Today more than 30 million copies have been sold around the world.
Monday, July 16, 2012
"Folk Songs of Great Lakes Region" - Courhouse Square program - Lee Murdock, singer
The History Center at Courthouse Square, Berrien Springs, Michigan offers this summer program -- free of charge -- thanks to program sponsorship by Ber. Springs / Eau Claire Rotary Club and Indiana Michigan Power. -- 6:30 p.m. on Thursday July 19, 2012 at the Courthouse History Center.
Lee Murdock has uncovered a boundless body of music and stories in the Great Lakes. There is an amazing timelessness in this music. Great Lakes songs are made of hard word, hard living, ships that go down and ships that come in.
The music is grounded in the work song tradition, from the rugged days of lumberjacks and wooden sailing schooners. Murdock comes alongside with ballads of contemporary commerce and revelry in the grand folk style. Lee's fans have discovered a sweetwater treasure in his songs about the Great Lakes, finding drama and inspiration in the lives of sailors and fishermen, lighthouse keepers, ghosts, shipwrecks, outlaws, and everyday heroes.
http://leemurdock.com/index.htm
Lee Murdock has uncovered a boundless body of music and stories in the Great Lakes. There is an amazing timelessness in this music. Great Lakes songs are made of hard word, hard living, ships that go down and ships that come in.
The music is grounded in the work song tradition, from the rugged days of lumberjacks and wooden sailing schooners. Murdock comes alongside with ballads of contemporary commerce and revelry in the grand folk style. Lee's fans have discovered a sweetwater treasure in his songs about the Great Lakes, finding drama and inspiration in the lives of sailors and fishermen, lighthouse keepers, ghosts, shipwrecks, outlaws, and everyday heroes.
http://leemurdock.com/index.htm
Trivia Bowl -- Olympics theme -- benefits Local Food Pantry (July 28, 1 p.m.) at Library
A trivia contest for all ages that covers themes of the Olympics will be held at the Niles District Library, Niles, Michigan 49120 (telephone 269 - 683 - 8545) on Saturday July 28, 2012.
The midsummer event for all benefits the St. Mary's (R. Catholic parish and school) Food Bank. Admission to the Bowl which is held in the Library Community Room (basement) is one non-perishable food item.
The trivia categories are the Olympic Games (past and present), mythology, sports, literature, history, film. Bring a team or join an open table! There will be prizes as well as a light snack.
See further details at www.nileslibrary.com/ or telephone the library and Extension 112.
The midsummer event for all benefits the St. Mary's (R. Catholic parish and school) Food Bank. Admission to the Bowl which is held in the Library Community Room (basement) is one non-perishable food item.
The trivia categories are the Olympic Games (past and present), mythology, sports, literature, history, film. Bring a team or join an open table! There will be prizes as well as a light snack.
See further details at www.nileslibrary.com/ or telephone the library and Extension 112.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
50th Anniversary of "Silent Spring" (Vickers Theatre, Three Oaks) - July 17, 7 p.m.
SPONSORS: League of Women Voters of Berrien & Cass Counties, Michigan will present a program honoring Rachel Carson and her book Silent Spring -- "Rachel Carson: Her Legacy, our responsibility" -- speaker is Dr. Nancy Tuchman, Biologist, Loyola University, Chicago, Illinois. Projects include wetland diversity in the Great Lakes and the Galien River, Michigan and harvesting invasive species for renewable energy production. There is a 30-minute excerpt of the Documentary "A Sense of Wonder" The Meetings is open to the public at no charge. Further details at Http://www.lwvbcc.org/
General Joshua and Mrs. Fanny Chamberlain (Civil War GETTYSBURG Hero of Little Round Top) - Berrien History Program July 12
SPONSORS: The History Center of Courthouse Square, Berrien Springs, Michigan (www.berrienhistory.org/ )
On July 12, 2012 Thursday 6:30 p.m. Free of charge program -- (Berrien Springs / Eau Claire Rotary Club and Indiana Michigan Power AEP)
"Congregationalists, Love, and the Civil War: General Joshua & Mrs. Fanny Chamberlain in 19th Century America" Re-enactor actors Ted and Faye Chamberlain portray the hero of Little Round Top at Gettysburg 1862 and his wife Fanny. The dynamic couple will share their stories and experiences of life during the 19th Century.
On July 12, 2012 Thursday 6:30 p.m. Free of charge program -- (Berrien Springs / Eau Claire Rotary Club and Indiana Michigan Power AEP)
"Congregationalists, Love, and the Civil War: General Joshua & Mrs. Fanny Chamberlain in 19th Century America" Re-enactor actors Ted and Faye Chamberlain portray the hero of Little Round Top at Gettysburg 1862 and his wife Fanny. The dynamic couple will share their stories and experiences of life during the 19th Century.
Birthday of Henry David Thoreau (b. 1817) -- Walden, Life in the Woods
from Writer's Almanac entry on this noted American author (Minnesota Public Radio : American Public Media)
July 12 is the birthday of Henry David Thoreau, born David Henry Thoreau in Concord, Massachusetts (1817). He went to Harvard, but he didn't like it very much, nor did he enjoy his later job as a schoolteacher. He seemed destined for a career in his father's pencil factory, and in fact, he came up with a better way to bind graphite and clay, which saved his father money.
But in 1844, Thoreau's friend Ralph Waldo Emerson bought land on the shore of Walden Pond, a 61-acre pond, surrounded by woods, and Thoreau decided to build a cabin there. It was only two miles from the village of Concord, and he had frequent visitors. During the two years he lived there,
Thoreau kept a journal that he later published as Walden, or Life in the Woods (1854). In the conclusion to Walden, Thoreau wrote, "I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."
July 12 is the birthday of Henry David Thoreau, born David Henry Thoreau in Concord, Massachusetts (1817). He went to Harvard, but he didn't like it very much, nor did he enjoy his later job as a schoolteacher. He seemed destined for a career in his father's pencil factory, and in fact, he came up with a better way to bind graphite and clay, which saved his father money.
But in 1844, Thoreau's friend Ralph Waldo Emerson bought land on the shore of Walden Pond, a 61-acre pond, surrounded by woods, and Thoreau decided to build a cabin there. It was only two miles from the village of Concord, and he had frequent visitors. During the two years he lived there,
Thoreau kept a journal that he later published as Walden, or Life in the Woods (1854). In the conclusion to Walden, Thoreau wrote, "I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Spider-Man day is July 7, 2012 (Hall of Heroes Super Hero Museum, Elkhart, IN)
Press Release from "In the Bend" -- www.southbendtribune.com/
In celebration of Spider-Man's 50th anniversary and the newly presented film The Amazing Spider-Man, the Hall of Heroes Super Hero Museum, 58002 County Road 105, Elkhard, Indiana will host "Spider-Man Day" from Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday July 7, 2012.
Guests will have the opportunity to meet Spider-Man and some evil villains. Fifty years of Spider-Man comics and toys will be on display, including the rare first appearance comic book. That valuable original is on display in only two museums worldwide.
Special guest Jimm Showman, super robot artist, will offer a selection of Spider-Man and villain robots on display and for sale. Admission to the N. Indiana event is $2.50
Further information, please telephone (574) - 293-0755
In celebration of Spider-Man's 50th anniversary and the newly presented film The Amazing Spider-Man, the Hall of Heroes Super Hero Museum, 58002 County Road 105, Elkhard, Indiana will host "Spider-Man Day" from Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday July 7, 2012.
Guests will have the opportunity to meet Spider-Man and some evil villains. Fifty years of Spider-Man comics and toys will be on display, including the rare first appearance comic book. That valuable original is on display in only two museums worldwide.
Special guest Jimm Showman, super robot artist, will offer a selection of Spider-Man and villain robots on display and for sale. Admission to the N. Indiana event is $2.50
Further information, please telephone (574) - 293-0755
Friday, July 6, 2012
TV Critic Lisa de Moraes answer FACE THE NATION question -- Friday July 6 posting
from Washington Post dot-com TV Critic Chat discussion -- 1 p.m. Friday July 6, 2012:
Q: Is Bob Schieffer about to be replaced in August by Norah O'Donnell (Face the Nation)?
This White House chief News specialist was spot-on in her interview with John Boehner last Sunday July 1 -- can I start a rumor here that she will replace Bob Schieffer (who was born in 1937 -- he was 75 on Feb. 25)?
- July 06, 2012 11:35 AM
Answer:
Lisa de Moraes :
You can if you want, but evidence would seem to say otherwise...
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Young Company (Shakespeare at ND) - July 21st event at Three Oaks, Michigan (Acorn Theatre)
As announced at Acorn Theatre website
The Shakespeare at Notre Dame program celebrates the power and imagination, the excitement and challenge of Shakespeare’s works—both on the page and on the stage.
With a local focus and international reach, we are advancing ways to explore his enduring importance through interdisciplinary exploration of "Shakespeare in performance."
Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival presents: Beyond the Stage - Revenge is Sweet. The subject of revenge is addressed in both of Shakespeare’s great plays (HAMLET & A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S EVE ) presented by Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival this year.
The Shakespeare at Notre Dame program celebrates the power and imagination, the excitement and challenge of Shakespeare’s works—both on the page and on the stage.
With a local focus and international reach, we are advancing ways to explore his enduring importance through interdisciplinary exploration of "Shakespeare in performance."
NOTRE DAME SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL
Description:
Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival presents: Beyond the Stage - Revenge is Sweet. The subject of revenge is addressed in both of Shakespeare’s great plays (HAMLET & A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S EVE ) presented by Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival this year.Coping with Heat Stress and Exhaustion -- Emergency Department and Red Cross (Berrien County, Michigan)
The Berrien County Office of Emergency Management and the Berrien Chapter of the American Red Cross would like to urge everyone to take precautions this summer to make sure they keep cool and safe.
While the hot days this summer can be fun at the beach or pool, excessive heat can cause health problems, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Very hot days, with temperatures in the upper 80's and above, can cause body temperature to rise, possibly resulting in muscle cramps, dizziness and even death. Heat illness can occur when your body cannot cool down, which is why it is so important to understand how to protect yourself and your family in extreme temperatures.
The body normally cools down by sweating. During extremely hot weather, when sweating isn’t enough to cool the body, you can become overheated to the point of becoming ill. Heat illness can cause you to become very sick, and could even cause death.
While anyone can be affected by heat illness, certain groups are more vulnerable, including young children, elderly adults, people who are overweight, people with medical conditions (diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems, lung problems or mental illness), people who take certain medications for high blood pressure, and people who work in hot conditions.
The best way to avoid heat illness is to stay cool and hydrated. If you do not have air conditioning in your home, find a public place to go for a few hours such as a mall or library. If you must stay home, take a cool shower or bath, and cover windows with curtains or shades to keep the sunlight from coming in. When going in the sun, wear light, loose-fitting clothing and use sunscreen. In any circumstances, make sure to drink enough water to stay hydrated. In extreme heat, avoid drinks that contain alcohol or lots of sugar, as they will not hydrate your body. Most importantly, never leave children (or pets) in a parked car! Check up on elderly or otherwise vulnerable family and neighbors during hot days to make sure they are not suffering from heat illness.
The National Weather Service issues heat advisories and warnings when the heat index is expected to rise to a dangerous level. The heat index combines high temperatures and humidity to let you know how hot it feels outside. A heat advisory is when the heat index is expected to be at least 100° for three hours or more. A heat warning is when the heat index is expected to be at least 105° for three hours or more. The two main types of heat illness include heat exhaustion and the more serious heat stroke.
Heat Exhaustion is characterized by heavy sweating, cramps, tiredness, weakness, headache, cool and moist skin, fast and weak pulse, fast breathing, nausea, and fainting. If someone may be suffering from heat exhaustion, get the person out of the sun, lay them down and loosen their clothing. Apply cool, wet cloths. Give sips of a cool, non-alcoholic drink. Get medical help right away for infants, the elderly or if the person has an existing medical condition. You should also get medical help right away if the symptoms worsen or last longer than an hour. Heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke!
Heat Stroke is a more serious condition in which skin that feels hot and dry but not sweaty. A person suffering from heat stroke will have a high body temperature (above 103°), a rapid, strong pulse, and a throbbing headache. Heat stroke also causes dizziness, nausea, confusion, and unconsciousness. If you suspect someone may be having a heat stroke, call 911 and get medical help right away! Heat stroke can cause death. Move the person into a shady area and put them in a tub of cool water, shower them with a garden hose, or use any other method to cool them rapidly. Do not give the person alcohol to drink.
With the health dangers involved, please take a moment to follow the following heat wave safety tips:
Prepare: Listen to local weather forecasts and stay aware of upcoming temperature changes.
Discuss heat safety precautions with members of your household. Have a plan for wherever you spend time—home, work and school—and prepare for the possibility of power outages.
Check the contents of your emergency preparedness kit in case a power outage occurs.
Slow down. Strenuous activities should be reduced, eliminated or rescheduled to the coolest time of the day. Individuals at risk should stay in the coolest available place, not necessarily indoors.
Dress for summer. Lightweight, light-colored clothing reflects heat and sunlight, and helps your body maintain normal temperatures.
Put less fuel on your inner fires. Foods (like proteins) that increase metabolic heat production also increase water loss.
Drink plenty of water or other non-alcohol fluids. Your body needs water to keep cool. Drink plenty of fluids even if you don’t feel thirsty. Persons who
(1) have epilepsy or heart, kidney, or liver disease,
(2) are on fluid restrictive diets or
(3) have a problem with fluid retention
should consult a physician before increasing their consumption of fluids.
Do not drink alcoholic beverages.
Do not take salt tablets unless specified by a physician. Persons on salt restrictive diets should consult a physician before increasing their salt intake.
Spend more time in air conditioned places. Air conditioning in homes and other buildings markedly reduces danger from the heat. If you cannot afford an air conditioner, spending some time each day (during hot weather) in an air conditioned environment affords some protection.
Don’t get too much sun. Sunburn makes the job of heat dissipation that much more difficult.
Avoid “sweet” drinks. High sugar content will also dehydrate a person.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Will Michigan have a "Voter I.D. Law"? Gov. Snyder vetoes such a measure at July 2012
from FREE PRESS (Detroit major newspaper: www.freep.com/ )
posted online Tuesday July 3, 2012 --
Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed significant portions of a Republican-crafted elections package this morning, a move likely to please critics who viewed the package as a means of voter suppression and infuriating GOP backers who viewed it as common sense reform.
posted online Tuesday July 3, 2012 --
Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed significant portions of a Republican-crafted elections package this morning, a move likely to please critics who viewed the package as a means of voter suppression and infuriating GOP backers who viewed it as common sense reform.
Among the bills vetoed was one requiring photo ID for first voter registration or to obtain an absentee ballot, a requirement that African-American activists claimed was an attempt to deter voting by the urban poor.
Snyder said in a statement that “he appreciates the issue of ensuring voters are eligible and U.S. citizens, however this legislation could create voter confusion among absentee voters.”
Snyder did sign other election measures aimed at removing the names of dead or departed voters from the registration rolls, and several others aimed at providing better ballot security and more transparency for start-up political parties.
A spokesman for House Speaker Jase Bolger, R-Marshall, released a statement after the vetoes were announced saying the speaker disagreed with Snyder’s decision.
"Speaker Bolger appreciates Gov. Snyder signing many election reforms today, but is deeply disappointed in the vetoes of other very reasonable reforms designed to protect the integrity of one of the most sacred rights in the United States,” said spokesman Ari Adler.
“The Speaker believes strongly that only U.S. citizens should be voting in U.S. elections. Having a simple checkbox on the registration also may protect non-citizens from placing themselves at legal risk by voting when they are not yet eligible.”
In a telephone interview, Adler said House backers of the legislation were aware the administration had concerns, but had thought they had been addressed before the package won final legislative approval. “This is fantastic news. We want to make sure voting is accessible for all Michigan residents,” said Jessica Tramontana, spokeswoman for Progress Michigan, a left-leaning advocacy organization. “To put unnecessary obstacles in the path to voting is ridiculous. So we applaud the governor’s veto.”
Snyder appeared at a meeting of the Council of Baptist Pastors in Detroit last week, where he heard concerns about the legislation and pleas to kill the three bills that he ended up vetoing.
On this date in History -- 1776 and 1804 -- American Landmark Document & American novelist / storyteller
July 4, 2012 is Independence Day. On this day in 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence, and the United States officially broke from the rule of England. The document was approved and signed on July 2, and was formally adopted on July 4. John Adams always felt that the Second of July was America's true birthday, and he refused to appear at Fourth of July celebrations for the rest of his life in protest.
Today is the birthday of Nathaniel Hawthorne, born Nathaniel Hathorne in Salem, Massachusetts (1804). He married Sophia Peabody in 1842, and soon after their wedding, Hawthorne wrote to his sister, "We are as happy as people can be, without making themselves ridiculous, and might be even happier; but, as a matter of taste, we choose to stop short at this point."
When he lost his job at the Salem Custom House, Sophia surprised him with money she'd put away out of her household allowance just so he could write a book. And he did: The Scarlet Letter (1850), about Hester Prynne, a young Puritan woman who bears a child out of wedlock and must wear a red letter "A" for adultery as her punishment.
[these historical and literary notes are part of AMERICAN PUBLIC MEDIA: sent daily by Garrison Keillor, Minnesota Public Radio ]
Today is the birthday of Nathaniel Hawthorne, born Nathaniel Hathorne in Salem, Massachusetts (1804). He married Sophia Peabody in 1842, and soon after their wedding, Hawthorne wrote to his sister, "We are as happy as people can be, without making themselves ridiculous, and might be even happier; but, as a matter of taste, we choose to stop short at this point."
When he lost his job at the Salem Custom House, Sophia surprised him with money she'd put away out of her household allowance just so he could write a book. And he did: The Scarlet Letter (1850), about Hester Prynne, a young Puritan woman who bears a child out of wedlock and must wear a red letter "A" for adultery as her punishment.
[these historical and literary notes are part of AMERICAN PUBLIC MEDIA: sent daily by Garrison Keillor, Minnesota Public Radio ]
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Synagogue (1901 founded by "Sons of Israel" of South Bend, IN) restored for Minor League BB gift shop (WNDU story)
from 6 p.m. coverage (July 3, 2012) -- www.wndu.com/
A special building received a ceremony Monday July 2, 2012 as the first synagogue was lit up by the chandelier that was used more than 100 years ago.
Mayor Pete Buttigieg along with other community and religious leaders of all faiths gathered for the historic lighting ceremony.
The 111-year-old building, now called the "Hawks Nest," for the South Bend Silver Hawks, was restored and is now the team's gift store.
They wanted to bring the building back to its glory, so they spent $40,000 to restore the chandelier that lit up the synagogue for many years.
But this time instead of being lit by candles, it's lit with electricity which makes it stand out.
David Piser, a member of “Sons of Israel” said he is very happy that Mr. Berlin (?) decided to keep and renovate the chandelier. "I’ve seen that chandelier for years, but I've never seen it that beautiful. Never."
The last service held in this building was back in the early 1990's.
WNDU is the NBC Affiliate for Northern Indiana.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Excessive Heat Warning (Tuesday July 3 - Saturday July 7) Southwest Michigan counties - Heat Wave
from WSBT weather announcement / blog posting
Berrien; Branch; Cass; Hillsdale; St. Joseph
Berrien; Branch; Cass; Hillsdale; St. Joseph
Excessive Heat Warning issued Monday, July 02 at 4:01 p.m. EDT until July 07 at 8:00 p.m. EDT by NWS
ANOTHER HEAT WAVE TO IMPACT THE AREA THIS WEEK... .A HOT AIRMASS OVER THE PLAINS TODAY WILL SHIFT SLOWLY EASTWARD THIS WEEK. HIGH TEMPERATURES ACROSS OUR AREA WILL BE IN THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 90S WITH LOWS IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 70S TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THE HEAT INDEX WILL PEAK AROUND 100 DEGREES EACH AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS PERIOD.
A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA OVER THE WEEKEND...BRINGING COOLER TEMPERATURES BY SUNDAY. EXPOSURE TO THE HEAT HAS A CUMULATIVE EFFECT...THE LONGER THE HEAT PERSISTS...THE GREATER THE DANGER. THE ELDERLY AND YOUNG CHILDREN ARE ESPECIALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE EFFECTS OF THE HEAT. ALSO SOME PEOPLE IN NORTHEAST INDIANA AND NORTHWEST OHIO REMAIN WITHOUT POWER DUE TO RECENT SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...WITH ESTIMATES THAT POWER WILL REMAIN OUT FOR PORTIONS OF THIS AREA UNTIL THIS WEEKEND. PEOPLE WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING IN THEIR HOME SHOULD TRY TO SPEND AT LEAST A PORTION OF EACH DAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENT. ...
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IN EFFECT FROM Noon EDT / TUESDAY TO 8 p.m./ SATURDAY
Sunday, July 1, 2012
July 1 is Canada Day -- also being observed on Monday the 2nd
information at "GoCanada" from the about dot-com website:
Canada Day 2012 is Sunday, July 1st. However, because the holiday falls on a Sunday this year, the stat holiday (the day that employees get a day off with pay) is Monday, July 2, 2012.
Celebrations such as fireworks or parades will still be held on the Canada Day Sunday.
Canada Day 2012 is Sunday, July 1st. However, because the holiday falls on a Sunday this year, the stat holiday (the day that employees get a day off with pay) is Monday, July 2, 2012.
Celebrations such as fireworks or parades will still be held on the Canada Day Sunday.
Canada Day Overview
Canada Day is celebrated on July 1st across the country. July 1st marks the anniversary of the formation of the union of the British North America provinces in a federation under the name of Canada - that's the technical explanation, but Canada Day also means fireworks and the year's biggest national party. The Canada Day holiday is akin to the U.S. July 4th celebration but on a more Canadian scale.
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