Monthly Archives: May 2012

May 12, 2012 – 222 Days Until Baktun 12

Survivalist Tip: Peas have always been treated like Chihuahuas of the vegetable world: nothing more than little runts.  But, although they don’t make as much noise, peas are among the most nutritious and versatile of all vegetables, which is why you should include them in your food supply.  Pease have high concentrations of sugar and starch, but even higher levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents.  They also feature an element called coumestral, which research has suggested can fight some cancers.  Other research has shown they fight diabetes, despite their high natural sugar content.  Green peas are also low fat and have sizeable concentrations of Vitamin E.

Peas are also good for the environment and not just because they won’t give you gas.  Agricultural research has shown that, with the help of bacteria in the soil, pea crops can take nitrogen gas from the air and convert it to more usable nitrogen in the soil without the need for added fertilizer.  Pea plants have a shallow root system, which helps prevent soil erosion and once the peas have been picked, the plant remainders tend to break down relatively easily for soil replenishment.  This may not seem like an ideal survivalist food, but in the chaotic aftermath of the apocalypse, just give peas a chance.

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May 12 Notable Birthdays

If today is your birthday, “Happy Birthday!”

 

Baseball Hall of Famer Yogi (Lawrence Peter) Berra is 87.

 

Composer – songwriter Burt Bacharach (Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head, Promises, Promises; What the World Needs Now, Walk on By, Close to You, I Say a Little Prayer, Do You Know the Way to San Jose; with wife, Carol Bayer Sager: Arthur’s Theme) is 84.

 

Abstract artist – sculptor – painter Frank Stella (Empress of India, Guadalupe Island) is 76.

Actress Susan Hampshire (The Forsythe Saga, The First Churchills, Vanity Fair, The Story of David) is 75.

 

Actress Millie Perkins (Wall Street, Ensign Pulver) is 74.

 

Actress Lindsay Crouse (The Juror, The Arrival, Desperate Hours, Places in the Heart, The Verdict, All the President’s Men) is 64.

 

Singer – songwriter Steve Winwood (Blind Faith; Traffic; Spencer Davis Group; solo artist) is 64.

 

Actor Bruce Boxleitner (Scarecrow and Mrs. King, The Babe) is 62.

 

Singer Billy Squier ((Everybody Wants You, Lonely is the Night, The Stroke)) is 62.

 

Actress Kim Greist (Homeward Bound series, Throw Momma from the Train, Brazil, Chicago Hope) is 54.

 

Actor Emilio Estevez (The Breakfast Club, Repo Man, Young Guns, Stakeout) is 50.

 

Actor Stephen Baldwin (Fled, The Usual Suspects, Under the Hula Moon, Threesome) is 46.

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On May 12…

1812 – Poet and artist Edward Lear was born in Highgate, England.

 

1820 – Health activist and nurse Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Italy.

 

1828 – Writer and artist Dante Rossetti was born in London.

 

1831 – The first indicted bank robber in the U.S., Edward Smith, was sentenced to five years hard labor on the rock pile at Sing Sing Prison.

1847 – Mormon pioneer William Clayton invented the odometer.

1900 – Captain Mildred McAfee, 1st Director of the U.S. Navy WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service; Distinguished Service Medal, 1945, was born in Parkville, MO.

 

1903 – While visiting San Francisco, President Theodore Roosevelt became the first U.S. president to be photographed using moving picture film.

 

1907 – Actress Katharine Hepburn was born in Hartford, CT.

 

1914 – Journalist and TV anchorman Howard K. Smith was born in Ferriday, LA.

 

1932 – The body of Charles Lindbergh’s baby was found in a wooded area near the family home in Hopewell, NJ.

1937 – Prince George VI was crowned king of England after his older brother, King Edward VIII, abdicated the throne to marry an American divorcee.

 

1950 – The American Bowling Congress abolished its White males-only membership restriction after 34 years.

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Cartoon of the Day

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Picture of the Day

Seen in South Florida

A millionaire Mormon who’s spent his life destroying companies and a poor Cuban who washed up on a Miami boat ramp!  Only in America can they find common ground!

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Quote of the Day

“He never declared how big and how much money should be spent on the military etc, whether Government should provide welfare etc.  Since Jesus did not say out of his own mouth we cannot beat our wives then it must be okay to beat them?  Of course not.  An argument from silence is very poor and unhelpful.”

– The Archdiocese of Washington’s Monsignor Charles Pope, slamming President Obama for mentioning scripture in his endorsement of same-sex marriage.

As I’ve said so often before, goddamn queers!  They just want all sorts of rights!

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Carolyn Herron – One Person Who Made a Difference for Me

I’m kind of sad right and not just because of the gloomy weather here in Northeast Texas and the fact that allergies have ambushed me again.  I just found out that a former teacher of mine, Carolyn Herron, died May 2.  I had Caroline as an English literature and German language instructor at Brookhaven Community College in Farmers Branch, Texas, in the early 1980’s.  I opted out of attending a major university and chose to begin my higher education at Brookhaven.  It still remains one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.  And, in part, I’m thankful because I met Carolyn Herron.  She was kind of quirky, but very delightful and charming.  She had a unique way of teaching that set her apart from anyone I’ve ever met in my academic career, from kindergarten to college.  She was truly different – and that was a good thing.  I never realized her academic credentials were so impressive.  She had graduated valedictorian from Highland Park High School in Dallas and went on to earn degrees in German from Southern Methodist University, also in Dallas.  I recall her talking about time she spent in what was then West Germany where she was a Fulbright scholar.  She was quite a character and really one of only a handful of instructors or teachers I remember vividly and fondly.  Some teachers do that to you.  They have that kind of impact.  It’s their approach to teaching, which they see as a calling instead of a job, and how they relate to their students.  Carolyn was 72 and passed away after a battle with cancer.  I’m glad she’s no longer suffering, but I’m still heartbroken.  It’s really odd, though.  I had been thinking about her recently.  Now, I know why.  Wherever you are, Carolyn, thank you for all you’ve done and rest in peace.

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Why Be a Writer?

This is a great opinion piece on the “Indies Unlimited” site from writer and fellow blogger J.D. Mader who asks quite simply, “What’s a writer for?”  It’s certainly a query I’ve made to myself.  Why am I doing this?  What purpose does this serve?  I could drop dead in the middle of this great story, and the world will not stop rotating.  So, why go through all that trouble of writing, editing and researching?  Well, I do it mainly for the love of it.  I’ve always loved to write; to create stories and characters, or in many cases, reconfigure what’s happened to me and the people I’ve met.  Of course, I change the names to protect myself.  But, for all of us creative types, we always find ourselves asking what purpose does it all serve.

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Posters for Acrobat Shows, 1892 – 1903

The circus has always been a popular amusement distraction.  Its various forms have entertained generations of people for decades.  In Europe and North America, the modern circus took shape towards the end of the 19th century.  Railroad expansions and later developments of motor vehicles allowed circus troops to travel long distances and delight huge crowds.  Circuses have had to reinvent themselves in recent years with the advent of the Internet and concerns about animal abuses.  But, in their prime, posters such as these, courtesy of the Performing Arts Poster Collection, Library of Congress, attracted the masses.

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May 11, 2012 – 223 Days Until Baktun 12

Survivalist Tip: Spinach is something you should have in your food supply.  It is one of the most popular vegetables and one of the most versatile, as it can be prepared in a number of ways.  It is also one of the most nutrient-dense of all foods; low in calories and extremely high in vitamins and minerals.  Like all leafy green vegetables, spinach is an excellent source of Vitamins A, B2, B6, C and K, as well as magnesium, potassium and calcium.  All of these elements work to combat free radicals in your body.  And, with plenty of radicals running all over the place after the apocalypse, you don’t need to worry about inside of you.  Some studies have shown that even moderate consumption of spinach slows age-related decline in brain functions.  Spinach also has anti-inflammatory properties that can ease the aggravation of arthritis, asthma, migraines and osteoporosis.  There’s no proof it helps ease the aggravation of dealing with bratty kids, but the migraine relief might be close.  As I’ve mentioned several times before, struggling to survive in the barren wasteland following the upheaval will require you to be in top mental and physical shape; thus, spinach is one food to help you stay sharp.  Otherwise, you won’t be able to enjoy all that chocolate you’ve stored.

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