It’s National Toasted Marshmallow Day! With summer almost over, tonight is the perfect time to host a campfire for some old fashioned marshmallow toasting, or use your barbeque grill.
The history of marshmallows dates all the way back to ancient Egypt. Pharaohs used to eat the sweet extract that comes from squeezing mallow plants. It wasn't until the 19th century that marshmallows evolved to become the delicious treats we know and love today.
Eat them plain, toasted and squished between graham crackers or in smores!
Gooey and sugary, marshmallows are great ways to end the summer. On this day, grab a stick and a bag of marshmallows and head outside to toast some marshmallows. Gather family and friends to exchange memories and a few laughs. After all, summer won't be here much longer!
Happy Birthday to my Dad today. I miss him and think about him often. I was a "daddy's girl" growing up. If he were still alive, he would be 115 years old, and wise. He taught me a lot.
He was an engineer and member of the Cleveland Engineering Society. I worked for naval contractors for several years, doing drafting on ship drawings. I'm sure I got my knack for it from him. Later in life, he was a salesman for a company he owned with a partner. I learned to run an old fashioned switchboard by working in his office as a teenager.
While I was growing up, he had his favorite green leather chair in our living room where he always sat. Now it's in my living room, and I sit in it. It's a good reminder that he is always with me. I love you dad.
I read this tonight and it was so good I wanted to share:
Republicans fear that the government has too much control over corporations. Democrats fear that corporations have too much control over our government.
Democrats believe it benefits all of us to help the weakest and the poorest among us. Republicans believe it benefits all of us to help the wealthiest and most powerful among us.
Republicans believe large corporations will always do what is best for the American people if the government stays out of the way. Democrats believe large corporations would disembowel you and sell your organs to the highest bidder if the government didn’t stop them.
Democrats believe everyone is entitled to health care regardless of their ability to pay. Republicans believe everyone is entitled to jack squat if they can’t pay for health care.
Democrats believe too much of our money goes to crooked corporate executives who take government subsidies and pay themselves $80 million salaries. Republicans believe too much of our money goes to teachers who make $30,000 a year.
Democrats believe anything that helps the American people during a recession or a time of crisis is the true essence of patriotism. Republicans believe anything that helps the American people during a recession or a time of crisis is the true essence of communism.
Democrats believe that we need to set high standards for clean air and drinking water. Republicans believe that standards for clean air and water are burdensome over-regulation.
Democrats believe the President and Congress need to work together to create jobs during a weak economy. Republicans believe that Congress should do nothing to create jobs and then blame the President.
Democrats believe that corporate polluters should be made to pay for the cleanup of their pollution. Republicans believe that making corporations clean up their pollution is burdensome over-regulation.
Democrats believe our health care system exists solely for the purpose of making people healthy. Republicans believe our health care system exists solely for the purpose of making a healthy profit.
Democrats believe Congress should be of the people, by the people and for the people. Republicans believe corporations are the people.
Democrats believe that corporations have too much influence over Congress due to their lobbyists and huge campaign contributions. Republicans believe the middle class has too much influence over Congress due to their voting and paying taxes.
Democrats believe we need to protect victims of corporate negligence by allowing Americans to file lawsuits against corporations. Republicans believe we need to protect large corporations from lawsuits by Americans who’ve been victimized by them.
Democrats believe that the rich should be taxed more than the poor and middle class. Republicans believe that the rich should be allowed to keep all their wealth, except for the millions in campaign contributions they give to politicians.
Democrats believe that too much money in politics produces corruption and destroys the American way of life. Republicans believe that money and corruption in politics are the American way of life.
So many Americans are either living in low-income housing, dealing with a foreclosure issue, living in homeless shelters, or on the streets. Others are struggling to keep up in the home they've lived in for years, and are just trying to keep their head above the poverty level.
But then - poor poor Mitt. Romney (presidential candidate) says his $12 million dollar mansion in California is no longer ADEQUATE. Since his 3,009 square foot house is too small for him, he wants to replace it with a 11,062 square foot house. In the beachfront home, he says he can hear the waves at night.
Romney's primary home is a townhouse outside of Boston. Then he has a $10 million dollar vacation home on the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee in Wolfeboro, N.H. He sold his Belmont, Mass. home for $3.5 million two years ago, and sold his Utah ski lodge for $5.25 million. Romney is said to be worth $250 million.
The super-rich do like to live large! I don't think he can really relate to those at the poverty level. He doesn't understand what it's like to live in a 1,000 square foot house on Social Security and/or food stamps like so many seniors do. Come down and live with us for a while Mitt, you might learn what life is really all about.
I am an analyzer. I have also learned that history repeats itself, sometimes.
Out of 44 presidents in our country, 8 were born in Virginia, 7 were born in Ohio, 4 were born in Massachusetts, 4 were born in New York, 2 were born in North Carolina, 2 were born in Texas, 2 were born in Vermont, and one each were born in: Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, South Carolina, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
19 of 44 presidents (43%) were elected (from) after residing in a different state from where they were born.
The top eight Republican candidates are as follows (since Pawlenty quit): (1) Michele Bachmann, a law school graduate who never took the bar exam and was never licensed to practice law, congresswoman born in Iowa; (2) Herman Cain, a pizza businessman born in Georgia; (3) John Huntsman, a businessman born in California and a former governor; (4) Ron Paul, congressman, a physician born in Pennsylvania; (5) Mitt Romney, an investment banker/lawyer born in Michigan and a former governor; (6) Rick Santorum, a lawyer and senator born in Pennsylvania; (7) Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House, college professor born in Pennsylvania; and (8) Rick Perry, the newest entrant in the race, born in Texas, graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.S. in Animal Science in 1972, after military service in the Air Force, he returned to Texas to become a cotton farmer. Perry started his political life as a Democrat like his father, but in 1989 changed his party to a Republican. He is a former Methodist, but now professes to be an Evangelical Christian.
My analysis of this says there are one lawyer, two businessmen, one congresswoman, one banker/lawyer, one farmer, one professor, and one doctor in the mix. There has never been a doctor in the White House, so history says Ron Paul is not a favorite. I don't believe the country will elect a woman at this time, because so many men in politics are putting women down and trying to take over their (uterus) freedom of choice.
That leaves six choices: a farmer/governor (Perry), a pizza businessman (Cain), a banker/lawyer/former governor (Romney), a lawyer/senator (Santorum), a professor/Speaker (Gingrich), and a businessman/former governor (Huntsman). By process of elimination, Cain does not have enough support finishing 5th in Iowa; and Gingrich lacks support and is deeply in debt finishing 8th in Iowa.
The remaining four candidates finishing in Iowa, 4th Santorum, 6th Perry, 7th Romney, and 9th Huntsman. Analyzing these four, and having nothing against any religion, Romney is a Mormon with polygamy in his ancestry, and Huntsman is a Mormon; the 2011 Pew Poll found that 3 out of four voters would not vote for a Mormon, because of their radical religious beliefs. Romney, being a front-runner, still has a lot of political baggage to overcome to get full public support.
Perry (Texas) and Santorum (Pennsylvania) are the two candidates left to follow, and the other early primaries in New Hampshire and South Carolina will surely eliminate one or two of the eight total viable candidates. Note: We have had 2 other presidents from Texas, and one from Pennsylvania; history repeating.
Since Perry also has a lot of political baggage to overcome in his run for the White House, I truly believe that Michele Bachmann will have to eat her words about a "one-term president."
Our current president is Democrat Barack H. Obama, born in Hawaii, a Harvard graduate, and first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. After college, he moved to Chicago to become a community organizer after many steel plants closed. He also taught constitutional law in Chicago.
Obama, a United Church of Christ member, made political strides in the Illinois Senate by passing health reform for children, cutting taxes for working families of Illinois, passed lobbying reform, and put federal spending online.
Currently, he wants to invest in the country's infrastructure to repair our roads, bridges, and transportation systems to put people back to work; he wants to streamline and reform the patent process for entrepreneurs; he wants to extend the payroll tax cuts, and pass more trade agreements to sell our goods overseas.
Obama inherited an economy deep in debt, ravaged by wars, and high unemployment. In three years, he has scaled many hurdles and passed the Affordable Care Act to allow 50 million uninsured Americans the ability to get health care and improve their lives. His list of accomplishments are so long that it would take multiple blogs to explain them all. Instead, go to this link and see the list of 244 accomplishments within the first 20 months in office; there were more added to the list in the last year.
Obama's main obstacle is from the racist, radical Republicans (obstructionists) who have stalled multiple bills in Congress, and fought every idea, just to bring down the MAN, and destroy the COUNTRY. The Republicans brought the country to the brink of default in order to discredit the MAN and show their true hatred for our COUNTRY. That is not how democracy is suppose to work.
Continuing from yesterday:
Republican Ronald W. Reagan was the 40th president, born in Illinois, a conservative, of the Disciples of Christ Church, his aims were to stimulate economic growth, curb inflation, increase employment, cut taxes and government spending. His strengthening of defense forces led to a large national deficit, increasing defense spending by 35%. He overhauled the income tax code, eliminating deductions and exempting low income families; and he has a record of peace and prosperity for the nation.
Another Republican president from Massachusetts followed, George H. W. Bush, an Episcopalian, Yale graduate, Navy veteran, who wanted a 'kinder gentler nation'. His career was in Texas oil prior to coming into office in a changing world (ie, end of the Cold War, fall of Communism, fall of the Berlin Wall). He garnered high deficit spending, during a faltering economy, there was rising violence in the country, and he promoted Desert Storm on Iraq.
Democrat William J. Clinton, a Baptist, Yale graduate, born in Arkansas was the 42nd president. During the eight years of his administration, America enjoyed more peace and economic well-being than any time in history. His term included the lowest unemployment and lowest inflation in 30 years. He reduced the welfare rolls, his time had the highest homeownership, and he focused on ending racial discrimination. Clinton upgraded the educational system, restricted handgun sales, and strengthened environmental rules. During the Clinton administration, it was the first time in 12 years that the White House and the Congressional majority were from the same party. Clinton was the second president to be impeached by the House, but he was cleared by the Senate, and enjoyed very popular approval ratings, and was popular in foreign relations.
The next president was Republican George W. Bush, a Methodist, born in Connecticut, a Yale graduate with a degree in history, moved to Texas with his family in the early years and became a pilot in the Texas Air National Guard. He received a Masters from Harvard Business School and went into a career in the energy business. He believed in conservative philosophy and bipartisan governing as the Governor of Texas. During his term, he raised the standard of education with No Child Left Behind, modernized Medicare with a prescription drug benefit, and implemented free trade agreements. He passed improvements for air quality, made ocean resources for environmental protection available, doubled support for veterans, and expanded the NATO alliance. After 9/11, he led the reorganization of the federal government by reforming the intelligence community, formed the Department of Homeland Security, and initiated the Iraq war, based on false intelligence information, that lasted for many years and cost the country billions, raising our national debt by trillions.
Bush2 wanted to save us from tyranny, but put us into two wars that bankrupted this country. It sounds like we (the people) are searching for something – due to radical shifts in power every two to four years. We are losing our values, have too much materialistic indulgence, and our government has become wicked and corrupt.
We look to billionaires to save us (to create jobs) when all they do is go for personal objects for happiness and fulfillment (fancy cars, mansions, jewelry). We have a “crisis of values” in this country. All humans are equal in life, of infinite value, and matter more than material objects. The suggestion to “invest in people” is the correct idea, because people are the nation's best asset. One good deed can change a small part of the world.
Trivia fact: did you know that most presidents were lawyers? (27 out of 44)
Of the 10 presidents I have seen since high school, five were Republican, five were Democrats. I will review five now and five in my next blog item.
When I was in high school, Democrat John F. Kennedy was president. Kennedy was born in Massachusetts, of Irish descent, a Harvard graduate, a Navy veteran, and the first Roman Catholic president. He took strong action on equal rights for all Americans and his economic programs launched sustained expansion of growth.
I remember where I was on the day the news broke of Kennedy's assassination in Dallas. I have since visited Dealy Plaza to see some history for myself.
Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson was then sworn in as president. Johnson, born in Texas, of the Disciples of Christ Church, had compassion for the poverty of others, a Navy veteran, promoted aid to education, and an attack on disease. He fought against poverty and the removal of obstacles to the right to vote. In 1965, his administration passed the Medicare Amendment to the Social Security Act.
After Johnson was Republican Richard M. Nixon. Nixon, a Quaker, born in California, faced a divided nation and set his goal of reconciliation. A Navy veteran, he ended the military draft, ended the Viet Nam war, and had a broad environmental program. Watergate was his downfall, which led to the resignation of Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, and congressional approval of Gerald R. Ford as VP. Nixon was the first president ever to resign in office.
Republican Gerald R. Ford, born in Nebraska, raised in Michigan, an Episcopalian, was dealt a hand of inflation, depressed economy, and energy shortages. He was a Yale graduate and Navy veteran. During severe inflation, he tried to stimulate the economy and was vigorous in foreign affairs.
Democrat James E. “Jimmy” Carter, a Southern Baptist, Navy veteran, born in Georgia, took office during the era of rising energy costs and growing inflation. He advocated for ecology and the removal of racial barriers. Carter decreased the national debt and eight million jobs were created during his term. He created the Department of Education, bolstered the social security system, and expanded the national park system.
Kosher is generally defined as (1) pure (in food), (2) proper, genuine, authentic, or legitimate.
As a senior citizen and in my opinion, we do not have a Kosher Congress in Washington right now. We have almost total gridlock in our national legislative body, strangling debt, and America is fast going into a sinkhole.
A lot has changed since my high school days. I have been doing some serious thinking about it, in order to determine what the future might be. See if you can think along similar lines of thought, ideology, and history during my next few blogs.
As I see the general status of the country, Americans have become consumed by material and monetary greed, the Tea Party (which is not a “Kosher” political party) is destroying America and its values, and the 'party of the rich' want grandma to pay for their greed and debt.
I've watched the movie Ten Commandments many times and remember when Moses said, “I have set before you life and death, you must choose life.”
In November 2011 and in November 2012, we as a people must again choose life (of our country) instead of death due to radical extremes. I admit as a recent high school graduate and moving on to college days, I was not “engaged” in politics, because at that age life was moving along at a different pace and youth had a different focus. Now we must all “engage” in some political focus in order to help our family survive the future.
Follow my next few blog items to see the specific path and history as I see and have seen it. Stay tuned.
Our government is paralyzed and will continue to be stalled until we remedy certain items that put our lawmakers in a position of not governing.
1. The Super-Majority requirement in the U.S. Senate.
Real or threatened filibusters have created the need for 60 out of 100 senators to reach an agreement. If just one senator doesn't like something, the entire Senate is stalled, now without the need to actually stand on the floor and debate the issue. Any Senator using the filibuster rule, which only used to be used for extreme or unusual issues, should be required to stand and speak on the floor for hours and hours on end until he drops the block and the item can be voted on. The filibuster has been way overused in the past three years like never before in history.
2. Extreme politics in the U.S. House.
Democracy is based on compromise, however, House members have been unwilling to compromise on any level, making governing an impossibility and the public outraged. There are many pieces of legislation stalled because Republicans refuse to negotiate.
3. Excessive political polarization in the country.
The parties don't trust each other and have radical differences in views making policy decisions almost impossible. Then the extreme radicals of the Tea Party take everyone hostage to kill the country as a whole.
4. Partisan redistricting in American elections.
State legislators are creating redistricting to favor their party taking extremism to the limit, instead of fair electoral accountability.
5. Low voter turnout encourages political leaders to play to their base.
It was reported that about 40 percent of those eligible vote in congressional elections, and 60 percent vote in presidential elections. We need to urge more people to exercise their constitutional right to vote.
More people need to vote; replace the radicals with rational people; change the Senate rule to majority-rules; and revamp the filibuster rules. We need to encourage more non-partisan compromise and the will of the PEOPLE needs to be heard – not the will of the RICH, the CORPORATIONS, or the SPECIAL INTERESTS that fill the pockets of legislators who only care about their own bottom line, NOT the people who put them in office.
Did you know that there are several other declared candidates for president in 2012? Have you heard a lot about these candidates?
1. Gary Johnson – Lutheran, Pro-Choice (for the woman), who wants controlled immigration, construction business owner, and former governor of New Mexico, former Libertarian Republican, who wants to legalize marijuana.
2. Thad McCotter – Catholic, attorney, state representative from Michigan, and lead guitarist of New Flying Squirrels.
3. Buddy Romer – Methodist, businessman, and former governor of Louisiana, former Democrat, now Republican. It was noted in a news item that no one wants him in the Iowa debate. He has used Comedy Central as his media outlet.
4. Fred Karger – Jewish, openly gay man, former Republican who is running as in Independent. He believes in government staying out of women's reproductive rights because it's a private affair. He also believes in giving citizenship to deserving immigrants.
5. Jimmy McMillan – from “The Rents Too Damn High Party” who is now being evicted from his New York apartment.
And, last, but not least, is Newt Gingrich. What can you say about Newt? His campaign is deeply in debt, his staff all quit on him, a professor, a Lutheran to Southern Baptist to Catholic, who wants all illegals to go home, wants to convert Social Security to an IRA system, cut all welfare, and would send all unwed mothers to group homes. The media found that he was a “twitter faker” since the majority of his followers were not real people. His main focus has been selling his books and videos through the use of a campaign.
Then there is the religious radical governor of Texas, Rick Perry, who has been trying to rumor the field by pushing the limit of the separation of church and state; a Methodist, farmer/rancher, formerly in the Air Force. One media outlet stated that he was too happy being the “President of Texas” to really jump in the real presidential race.
As I said before:
My main point is – if the middle class is to be sustained, and the seniors, poor, disabled and veterans are to be protected, there is ONLY ONE CHOICE – a second term for Barack Obama. Tax loopholes for the rich need to be stopped, taxes on the rich need to be raised, and the Tea Party (obstructionists) need to be voted OUT. NOW! - Not after we lose all our union rights, worker's rights, voting rights, health care options, and the wealthy continue to BUY judges and politicians. VOTE TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND OUR COUNTRY FROM DESTRUCTION.
Do not despair my fellow citizens, the loud, nut-growing, Hawaiian resident, and former television star ROSEANNE BARR announced on the Jay Leno Show recently that she is now running for president. Look out for falling NUTS!
The pernicious GOP has recently reeked havoc on our great country. They have shown themselves to be very anti-immigration and anti-compromise. The rating agency Standard & Poors reportedly blamed the GOP and their non-compromising standoff and obstructionism in the debt ceiling debate for the recent ratings downgrade.
The next election is, so far, like high school – no perfect prom date yet. The 2012 presidential candidates are so varied, it's no wonder people are still waiting for Prince Charming. Like the 'Satan Sandwich' of the Debt Ceiling Debacle, the declarators are like a 'Dagwood Sandwich' – full of it! I'll show you what I mean.
1. Michele Bachmann – a Teabagger, former attorney, Evangelical Lutheran Synod, anti-abortionist, who signed a Marriage Pledge denouncing gays and equality for LGBT's, rejects Muslim laws, and told Rick Perry to “stay in Texas.” (Perry is a threat to her campaign.) She has recently verbally attacked Cain.
2. Herman Cain – the 'pizza' businessman, Baptist, anti-abortionist, anti-Muslim, anti-gay rights, man who says Social Security is unsustainable.
3. Jon Huntsman – former governor of Utah, Mormon, businessman, whose campaign manager and others have resigned, leaving his staff in turmoil.
4. Ron Paul – former (second try candidate) physician from Texas, served in the Air Force, professed Protestant (formerly Lutheran to Episcopal to Baptist), anti-abortionist, House of Representatives member who says he is a Libertarian leaning Republican, and has been lashing out at Romney.
5. Tim Pawlenty – former governor of Minnesota, who has lashed out at Bachmann, reformed health care in Minnesota, attorney, Evangelical Christian (formerly Catholic to Lutheran to Baptist), anti-abortionist, anti-gay rights, who wants to repeal the Affordable Health Care Act, wants means testing for Social Security, and says no handouts for the poor, instead teach them skills, and wants the Bush tax cuts to be permanent for all, including the wealthy. He also said he wants to close all borders and deport immigrants.
6. Mitt Romney – Mormon, investment banker, would repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell, anti-gay rights, raise the Social Security eligibility age, no handouts for the poor, likes universal health care but not government run, tells all illegals to 'go home' and ban driver's licenses, but agrees to college education for children born of illegal immigrants who are U.S. citizens, anti-abortionist, liberal turned conservative Harvard man, former governor of Massachusetts who reformed state health care laws to cover all in his state. He wants all Bush tax cuts to be permanent.
7. Rick Santorum – Roman Catholic, attorney, who says foreign workers damage this nation, dislikes early childhood education, former senator from Pennsylvania.
Now that I have covered the main candidates, did you know there were several other declared candidates that do not get talked about? You say I forgot one...stay tuned for tomorrow.
My main point is – if the middle class is to be sustained, and the seniors, poor, disabled and veterans are to be protected, there is ONLY ONE CHOICE – a second term for Barack Obama. Tax loopholes for the rich need to be stopped, taxes on the rich need to be raised, and the Tea Party (obstructionists) need to be voted OUT. NOW! - Not after we lose all our union rights, worker's rights, voting rights, health care options, and the wealthy continue to BUY judges and politicians. VOTE TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND OUR COUNTRY FROM DESTRUCTION.
HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY TO LUCILLE BALL. When I was growing up, I watched the popular I Love Lucy show. It was funny, made fun of everyday life, and yet mirrored life as it was then. The show ran from 1951 to 1957, then the Emmy winning show ran specials from 1957 to 1960.
The zany redheaded housewife tried so hard to just be a part of her husband's life and work. Her career and accolades put her at the top of her game of comedy entertainment. Reruns can still be seen on television today. Lucy was one FUNNY LADY whose career in films and television will live on for generations.
This afternoon I went to a picnic in a remote area of Fayette County with a group of friends and saw my first Inukshuk. I had never heard of it before so I did some Internet research when I got home.
Inukshuks have been around for thousands of years. They are a stacking of rocks in a certain way and were used as land markers and for survival. They were built of rocks and marked a fishing site, or hunting site, which would provide food for the survival of the tribes.
The log cabin, where the picnic was held, was built in the early 1950's and has remained in the owner's family since its inception. It is a rustic old cabin with four bedrooms, one bathroom, a living room, dining room, and kitchen. A large fireplace in the center of the room would heat both sides of the living area. An old record player and many old-timer records were on display, as well as an old piano. It was a beautiful display of the quiet, olden-days type of living. I noticed in one bedroom there was an old antique radio (no television).
I found the area quiet, peaceful, full of green grass and trees, and a perfect weekend get-away for the busy person who wants to get away from the modern life. It even had a very old refrigerator in the kitchen; the kind with the revolving shelves.
The owner told us that she built her Inukshuk based on the new traditional meaning or translation, to mean 'someone was here' so others would know it was her cabin.
It was a wonderful late afternoon of learning and experiencing life in the old days where no modern conveniences were the sign of those times.
Marie, an Italian/American blonde lady motorist, was about two hours from San Diego when she was flagged down by a man whose truck had broken down. The man walked up to the car and asked, "Are you going to San Diego?"
"Sure," answered Marie, "do you need a lift?" "Not for me. I'll be spending the next three hours fixing my truck. My problem is I've got two chimpanzees in the back which have to be taken to the San Diego Zoo. They're a bit stressed already so I don't want to keep them on the road all day. Could you possibly take them to the zoo for me? I'll give you $100 for your trouble."
"I'd be happy to," said Marie. So the two chimpanzees were ushered into the back seat of the blonde's car and carefully strapped into their seat belts, and off they went.
Five hours later, the truck driver was driving through the heart of San Diego when suddenly he was horrified! There was the blonde walking down the street, holding hands with the two chimps, much to the amusement of a big crowd. With a screech of brakes he pulled off the road and ran over to the blond. "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded, "I gave you $100 to take these chimpanzees to the zoo."
"Yes, I know you did," said Marie, "but we had money left over so now we're going to Sea World."
