Tuesday, January 17, 2012
How Social Media is Playing a Part in World Politics
A fourth assassination attempt has resulted in the death of a third nuclear scientist in Iran in the past two years. Iran says it will hold "the U.S., Britain and the Zionist regime accountable for their actions."
In response,
"Brig. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces, said on his Facebook page Wednesday: "I have no idea who targeted the Iranian scientist but I certainly don't shed a tear."
http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/15/world/meast/iran-nuclear-scientist-killed/index.html?iref=obinsite
In response,
"Brig. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces, said on his Facebook page Wednesday: "I have no idea who targeted the Iranian scientist but I certainly don't shed a tear."
http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/15/world/meast/iran-nuclear-scientist-killed/index.html?iref=obinsite
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Thots and Things
My little brain has been busy the past few days so I was thinking I should jot down a few items before I forget!
JAMMIES
I LOVE "Jammie Time" evening. Sometimes it hits me early in the evening, and sometime later, but when it's Jammie Time, it's time to get into something way more comfortable! I especially LOVE "Jammie Days"... when I don't have to work, or have any other plans, and I can stay home all day in my jammies. I don't usually just sit around and read and eat bon-bons... I'm getting dishes done, picking things up and getting them to where they ought to be, and running loads of laundry, all the while catching up on some favorite TV shows. But the fact that I don't have to get dressed is delightfully wonderful! :)
IOWA CAUCUS
I don't understand how Iowa can choose a presidential candidate. Look how many of them dropped out! Had they had the caucus in Oregon, perhaps the outcome would have been way different but now, our say doesn't matter really. Who decided Iowa represents the whole country's opinion?
Results for Iowa Republican Caucus (U.S. Presidential Primary)
Jan 03, 2012 (>99% of precincts reporting)
Mitt Romney 30,015 24.6%
Rick Santorum 30,007 24.5%
Ron Paul 26,219 21.4%
Newt Gingrich 16,251 13.3%
Rick Perry 12,604 10.3%
Michele Bachmann 6,073 5%
Jon Huntsman 745 0.6%
No Preference 135 0.1%
Other 206 0.2%
In the caucus, Santorum and Paul were 2 and 3, but in the New Hampshire Primary on January 10th, Paul and Huntsman were 2 and 3! So has Iowa and New Hampshire already chosen the Repulican candidate?
Results for New Hampshire Republican Primary (U.S. Presidential Primary)
Jan 10, 2012 (100% of precincts reporting)
Mitt Romney 97,532 39.3%
Ron Paul 56,848 22.9%
Jon Huntsman 41,945 16.9%
Newt Gingrich 23,411 9.4%
Rick Santorum 23,362 9.4%
Rick Perry 1,766 0.7%
Michele Bachmann 349 0.1%
Other 3,272 1.3%
And when is the Oregon Primary?
THANKFUL
Lord Jesus, I am so thankful to be able to come home at the end of a workday, chilled by this non-winter but COLD type of weather, and have a snug little house where I can crank of the heat! Thank You that you have provided the means by which I can work, and earn money, to keep this little home :)
HTML
Well, school has started and it's looking pretty good. My main teacher has altered a few things, and maybe not so much is required during the week, but I am sure this makes the other assignments all the more important. I feel confident about a good quarter :)
I LOVE "Jammie Time" evening. Sometimes it hits me early in the evening, and sometime later, but when it's Jammie Time, it's time to get into something way more comfortable! I especially LOVE "Jammie Days"... when I don't have to work, or have any other plans, and I can stay home all day in my jammies. I don't usually just sit around and read and eat bon-bons... I'm getting dishes done, picking things up and getting them to where they ought to be, and running loads of laundry, all the while catching up on some favorite TV shows. But the fact that I don't have to get dressed is delightfully wonderful! :)
I don't understand how Iowa can choose a presidential candidate. Look how many of them dropped out! Had they had the caucus in Oregon, perhaps the outcome would have been way different but now, our say doesn't matter really. Who decided Iowa represents the whole country's opinion?
Results for Iowa Republican Caucus (U.S. Presidential Primary)
Jan 03, 2012 (>99% of precincts reporting)
Mitt Romney 30,015 24.6%
Rick Santorum 30,007 24.5%
Ron Paul 26,219 21.4%
Newt Gingrich 16,251 13.3%
Rick Perry 12,604 10.3%
Michele Bachmann 6,073 5%
Jon Huntsman 745 0.6%
No Preference 135 0.1%
Other 206 0.2%
In the caucus, Santorum and Paul were 2 and 3, but in the New Hampshire Primary on January 10th, Paul and Huntsman were 2 and 3! So has Iowa and New Hampshire already chosen the Repulican candidate?
Results for New Hampshire Republican Primary (U.S. Presidential Primary)
Jan 10, 2012 (100% of precincts reporting)
Mitt Romney 97,532 39.3%
Ron Paul 56,848 22.9%
Jon Huntsman 41,945 16.9%
Newt Gingrich 23,411 9.4%
Rick Santorum 23,362 9.4%
Rick Perry 1,766 0.7%
Michele Bachmann 349 0.1%
Other 3,272 1.3%
And when is the Oregon Primary?
Lord Jesus, I am so thankful to be able to come home at the end of a workday, chilled by this non-winter but COLD type of weather, and have a snug little house where I can crank of the heat! Thank You that you have provided the means by which I can work, and earn money, to keep this little home :)
Well, school has started and it's looking pretty good. My main teacher has altered a few things, and maybe not so much is required during the week, but I am sure this makes the other assignments all the more important. I feel confident about a good quarter :)
Friday, December 30, 2011
The Year in Review - 2011
The last six months have been so stressful for me, that I can't really even remember the first six! But it's been some kind of year!
I don't believe I was anywhere special for New Year's 2011. I think I recorded the Times Square Ball Drop and didn't stay up much longer than that. I had two classes in Winter Quarter, started this blog as an assignment, and got A's in both. I Skyped with my youngest son while he was on a Rotary Youth Exchange to Sweden. The big earthquake hit Japan on March 11th and created a tsunami that crossed the Pacific Ocean. We all watched the scramble to contain the nuclear power plant at Fukashima. Had a fun Spring Break with my oldest son on a trip to the Oregon coast, and at home, we discovered Cinnamon had mammary cancer.
Spring Quarter I took 11 credits, was only working three days a week at the Forest Service and Saturdays with the post office, and was dealing with Cinnamon's surgery, so it's no wonder I don't remember much else. I ended with three A's, but not before Cinnamon passed after having a good romp for 2 1/2 months after her surgery, and a month of quiet. It was very difficult for my son. There was too much snow in the mountains still to bury her up in the forest, and we decided she would rather be close to us, so we had her cremated and gave her a place of honor on a shelf on the living room wall. Not 24 hours after my last final test, looking forward to a fun, carefree summer, I was left a message from a police officer, and have had that hanging over my head ever since. My youngest returned from Sweden to a newly decorated room, and a shopping spree for new clothes.
Started Fall Quarter with two computer classes, making preparations for a vacation to Hawaii with my best friend, and a phone call from a police officer. My van threw a rod and 9 days later my Taurus blew a water pump and croaked. A good friend in town offered me a Ford Tempo to borrow which I eventually decided to buy and paid off. High school football season was great and the team went into the state finals but lost the second round. I went back to working full time hours though still a temporary at the Forest Service because of my boss' pregnancy and a co-worker's sickness. Then I had a fabulous 9 days in Maui with Carol and we covered that island from head to toe! Cannot wait to get back there again! A week later the boys made a 4 layer cake for my birthday, and just as I was posting in FaceBook about a wonderful day, my youngest and his friend came in the front door, soaking wet in 31* weather and told me they had rolled my car! We spent the night talking about "what if" and thanking God they were OK, but the car was totalled. Fell behind with my classes but ended with an A and a B-. I wanted an incomplete, but my teacher said, "Take the B and move on." Had the boys' friend kinda moved in with us when he lost his job and couldn't afford to keep his place heated. Early December we watched the last lunar eclipse until 2014, went to Crater Lake to snowshoe on a Ranger Tour, and celebrated Christmas Eve and Morning on the 21st so the boys could head up to their dad's on the 24th.
Lots of world events happened this year also: Osama bin Laden was finally found and killed, several Middle Eastern countries had uprisings by the people against their governments, Italy and Greece had economic crises which impacted the whole world, Gadahfi was killed in the streets of Libya, and the weather around the country went crazy! Killer tornadoes in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Joplin, Missouri; hundreds of homes destroyed in wildfires in Texas; Hurricane Irene flooded the East Coast; and for us here in Lake County... no snow to speak of at all so far this winter, although it does happen to be dark, gloomy, and raining at this very moment.
So it's been quite the year. It's gone quickly. And here we are, on the brink of 2012! What will it hold for me? Will it be the catastrophic year as predicted?
Making plans to pick up my youngest from the train station on New Year's Eve, while the oldest is staying in Washington to work with his dad at a refinery. School starts again for me on the 9th, and I'll be taking 7, possibly 8 credits.
Life continues to carry on, and we put one foot in front of the other no matter what the circumstance or emotion, knowing that Jesus is walking with us each step of the way! And AMEN, AMEN! to that!!
Sue :)
always, "Look forward, anxiously"
I don't believe I was anywhere special for New Year's 2011. I think I recorded the Times Square Ball Drop and didn't stay up much longer than that. I had two classes in Winter Quarter, started this blog as an assignment, and got A's in both. I Skyped with my youngest son while he was on a Rotary Youth Exchange to Sweden. The big earthquake hit Japan on March 11th and created a tsunami that crossed the Pacific Ocean. We all watched the scramble to contain the nuclear power plant at Fukashima. Had a fun Spring Break with my oldest son on a trip to the Oregon coast, and at home, we discovered Cinnamon had mammary cancer.
Spring Quarter I took 11 credits, was only working three days a week at the Forest Service and Saturdays with the post office, and was dealing with Cinnamon's surgery, so it's no wonder I don't remember much else. I ended with three A's, but not before Cinnamon passed after having a good romp for 2 1/2 months after her surgery, and a month of quiet. It was very difficult for my son. There was too much snow in the mountains still to bury her up in the forest, and we decided she would rather be close to us, so we had her cremated and gave her a place of honor on a shelf on the living room wall. Not 24 hours after my last final test, looking forward to a fun, carefree summer, I was left a message from a police officer, and have had that hanging over my head ever since. My youngest returned from Sweden to a newly decorated room, and a shopping spree for new clothes.
Started Fall Quarter with two computer classes, making preparations for a vacation to Hawaii with my best friend, and a phone call from a police officer. My van threw a rod and 9 days later my Taurus blew a water pump and croaked. A good friend in town offered me a Ford Tempo to borrow which I eventually decided to buy and paid off. High school football season was great and the team went into the state finals but lost the second round. I went back to working full time hours though still a temporary at the Forest Service because of my boss' pregnancy and a co-worker's sickness. Then I had a fabulous 9 days in Maui with Carol and we covered that island from head to toe! Cannot wait to get back there again! A week later the boys made a 4 layer cake for my birthday, and just as I was posting in FaceBook about a wonderful day, my youngest and his friend came in the front door, soaking wet in 31* weather and told me they had rolled my car! We spent the night talking about "what if" and thanking God they were OK, but the car was totalled. Fell behind with my classes but ended with an A and a B-. I wanted an incomplete, but my teacher said, "Take the B and move on." Had the boys' friend kinda moved in with us when he lost his job and couldn't afford to keep his place heated. Early December we watched the last lunar eclipse until 2014, went to Crater Lake to snowshoe on a Ranger Tour, and celebrated Christmas Eve and Morning on the 21st so the boys could head up to their dad's on the 24th.
Lots of world events happened this year also: Osama bin Laden was finally found and killed, several Middle Eastern countries had uprisings by the people against their governments, Italy and Greece had economic crises which impacted the whole world, Gadahfi was killed in the streets of Libya, and the weather around the country went crazy! Killer tornadoes in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Joplin, Missouri; hundreds of homes destroyed in wildfires in Texas; Hurricane Irene flooded the East Coast; and for us here in Lake County... no snow to speak of at all so far this winter, although it does happen to be dark, gloomy, and raining at this very moment.
So it's been quite the year. It's gone quickly. And here we are, on the brink of 2012! What will it hold for me? Will it be the catastrophic year as predicted?
Making plans to pick up my youngest from the train station on New Year's Eve, while the oldest is staying in Washington to work with his dad at a refinery. School starts again for me on the 9th, and I'll be taking 7, possibly 8 credits.
Life continues to carry on, and we put one foot in front of the other no matter what the circumstance or emotion, knowing that Jesus is walking with us each step of the way! And AMEN, AMEN! to that!!
Sue :)
Take on the Day
I love these Florida Orange Juice commercials!!
Dad:
and Mom:
Wouldn't it be great if you knew ahead of time what the day was going to hold and you had your orange juice and were ready for it? If you could keep this type of good attitude, it would be terrific.
Or would it? I really am not so sure. Is it better to be surprised?
Dad:
and Mom:
Wouldn't it be great if you knew ahead of time what the day was going to hold and you had your orange juice and were ready for it? If you could keep this type of good attitude, it would be terrific.
Or would it? I really am not so sure. Is it better to be surprised?
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Best Ever
It was the best ever "Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning All in One Night" ever, last night!! Ben had the ham in the oven when I arrived home after work to start the salad. Gabe ran to the store for the last few ingredients I had forgotten earlier, and we waited for Jon to arrive after his work.
We enjoyed the salad - recipe to follow - and since it was "Christmas Eve" everyone got to open one present - and I let them open the Dot-to-dot books I had ordered for all of us. They thot they were cool.
While the sides were cooking in the oven, I read the Christmas story from the Bible while the boys unwrapped the pieces of our Nativity set (minus Jesus - he hadn't got borned-eded yet!) Then it was time to top the green beans with the french-fried onions, and the yams with the marshmallows - and guess what!? no marshmallows! So Gabe and Jon ran to the store.
I took this time to tidy up a few loose ends for Christmas morning. Ben was on the internet. The boys returned, we topped the sides, the marshmallows overflowed, and dinner was served:
Ham
Green Bean Casserole
Yams with Brown Sugar and Marshmallows
Black Olives
King's Hawaiian Rolls with Butter
It was wonderful and we all ate our fill. The ham was not salty and had a hint of the apple juice we had steamed it in. The marshmallows were gooey, and who doesn't love black olives?
After cleaing off the table, the boys took a little drive while I prepared for "Christmas morning." I put tinsel on our Christmas tree which has always represented the magic of Christmas, placed Baby Jesus in the stable scene, put the stockings under the tree and texted the boys that they could return.
We should have been in our jammies to make the scene complete, but we weren't... ah well. We ooo-d and ahhhh-d over the Baby, the boys enjoyed their candy-filled stockings, and Ben played Santa, digging under the tree for presents for each of us to open. Everyone got really cool stuff: Gabe got car seat covers, rainbow suspenders, an argyle sweater vest and a magic wallet. Ben got a hunter green chamois shirt, a magic wallet and a fuzzy Crater Lake blankie. Jon got a penguin mug with hot chocolate, car seat covers, an ice scraper, and a fuzzy blankie from his Grandma. I got socks, gloves, two winter hats, a scarf, a fuzzy steering wheel cover, an ice scraper, candy, and the best... a Nutcraker on a rocking horse!! for my collection :)
It was a long evening, but so enjoyable. I hope everyone I know and love has an equally wonderful "Christmas Eve" and "Christmas Morning."
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS !!
Our new tradition:
Salad Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup tarragon white wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon poppy seed (if you have them)
Combine all dressing ingredients in jar and shake, or a bowl and whisk. Refrigerate.
Almonds
1 tablespoon Land O Lakes® Butter
1/2 cup slivered almonds
3 tablespoons sugar
Melt butter in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until sizzling; add almonds and 2 tablespoons sugar. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until sugar melts and nuts are golden brown (4 to 5 minutes). Remove from heat; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Quickly spread onto waxed paper-lined baking sheet; cool completely.
Salad
2 (10-ounce) packages European salad blend or your favorite salad blend
1 medium (1 cup) yellow bell pepper, cut into small bite-size pieces
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained well
4 ounces (1/2 cup) crumbled feta cheese
Just before serving, toss together all salad ingredients and dressing in 5 to 6-quart bowl. Portion into bowls and top with caramelized almonds. Serve immediately.
Way yum! Hope you enjoy! :)
We enjoyed the salad - recipe to follow - and since it was "Christmas Eve" everyone got to open one present - and I let them open the Dot-to-dot books I had ordered for all of us. They thot they were cool.
While the sides were cooking in the oven, I read the Christmas story from the Bible while the boys unwrapped the pieces of our Nativity set (minus Jesus - he hadn't got borned-eded yet!) Then it was time to top the green beans with the french-fried onions, and the yams with the marshmallows - and guess what!? no marshmallows! So Gabe and Jon ran to the store.
I took this time to tidy up a few loose ends for Christmas morning. Ben was on the internet. The boys returned, we topped the sides, the marshmallows overflowed, and dinner was served:
Green Bean Casserole
Yams with Brown Sugar and Marshmallows
Black Olives
King's Hawaiian Rolls with Butter
It was wonderful and we all ate our fill. The ham was not salty and had a hint of the apple juice we had steamed it in. The marshmallows were gooey, and who doesn't love black olives?
After cleaing off the table, the boys took a little drive while I prepared for "Christmas morning." I put tinsel on our Christmas tree which has always represented the magic of Christmas, placed Baby Jesus in the stable scene, put the stockings under the tree and texted the boys that they could return.
We should have been in our jammies to make the scene complete, but we weren't... ah well. We ooo-d and ahhhh-d over the Baby, the boys enjoyed their candy-filled stockings, and Ben played Santa, digging under the tree for presents for each of us to open. Everyone got really cool stuff: Gabe got car seat covers, rainbow suspenders, an argyle sweater vest and a magic wallet. Ben got a hunter green chamois shirt, a magic wallet and a fuzzy Crater Lake blankie. Jon got a penguin mug with hot chocolate, car seat covers, an ice scraper, and a fuzzy blankie from his Grandma. I got socks, gloves, two winter hats, a scarf, a fuzzy steering wheel cover, an ice scraper, candy, and the best... a Nutcraker on a rocking horse!! for my collection :)
It was a long evening, but so enjoyable. I hope everyone I know and love has an equally wonderful "Christmas Eve" and "Christmas Morning."
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS !!
Our new tradition:
Christmas Salad
Salad Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup tarragon white wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon poppy seed (if you have them)
Combine all dressing ingredients in jar and shake, or a bowl and whisk. Refrigerate.
Almonds
1 tablespoon Land O Lakes® Butter
1/2 cup slivered almonds
3 tablespoons sugar
Melt butter in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until sizzling; add almonds and 2 tablespoons sugar. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until sugar melts and nuts are golden brown (4 to 5 minutes). Remove from heat; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Quickly spread onto waxed paper-lined baking sheet; cool completely.
Salad
2 (10-ounce) packages European salad blend or your favorite salad blend
1 medium (1 cup) yellow bell pepper, cut into small bite-size pieces
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained well
4 ounces (1/2 cup) crumbled feta cheese
Just before serving, toss together all salad ingredients and dressing in 5 to 6-quart bowl. Portion into bowls and top with caramelized almonds. Serve immediately.
Way yum! Hope you enjoy! :)
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Snowshoes
Last week I took my boys and one of their friends to a snowshoe tour of Crater Lake in Oregon.
It was free, and the Ranger talks along the route were very informative: the development of snowshoes, how winter helped create Crater Lake, the big and little plants in the park, and the big and little animals in the park.
The weather was way better than I had expected from the reports and we stayed warm and comfortable :) It was a wonderful adventure!
It was free, and the Ranger talks along the route were very informative: the development of snowshoes, how winter helped create Crater Lake, the big and little plants in the park, and the big and little animals in the park.
The weather was way better than I had expected from the reports and we stayed warm and comfortable :) It was a wonderful adventure!
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