2387 It's not the TV; it's the snacks

Why is an article about watching TV in a chronic disease journal, I wondered. So I took a peek. It was about obesity. Watching TV makes us fat. But I think you have to be eating while you watch it.

"More than 2 hours of television viewing per day was associated with a high mean body mass index and overweight or obesity in both men and women. Other characteristics associated with watching more than 2 hours of television per day were being 50 years of age or older, having a high school education or less, living in a household with income below 131% of the federal poverty level, and not being employed. Adults who watched more than 2 hours of television per day had high intakes of energy and macronutrients and were more likely to be overweight. They also obtained more energy from snacks and supper. A higher percentage of adults with health conditions watched more than 2 hours of television per day compared with adults without health conditions." Preventing Chronic Disease, April 2006

I don't snack while I watch TV in the living room because I don't want spots on the furniture or carpet. Now snacking while I blog. . .

2386 Apologies are in order

To my family and friends who are church musicians [and you know who you are], I want to apologize for sitting in the pew all these years and being clueless about how hard you work every week to help us praise the Lord. The choir sang at three services this morning (jokes were being made about pitching tents); we sang Christ is Risen (Paul Sjolund), Wondrous Love (Alice Parker and Robert Shaw) and Hallelujah chorus (Handel) at the Sunrise service (practice at 6:30 a.m.); then at 8:30 Christ is Risen, When he comes again (Lari Goss), and Hallelujah (practice at 8 a.m.); and at 11:00 Christ is Risen, When he comes again, and Hallelujah. However, Allan Willis, our organist played Carillon de Westminster (Vierne) and Toccata from Symphony V (Widor) multiple times, the offertory 3 times, Finale Jubilante (Willan), plus all the hymns you sing on Easter for three services plus all the special music for the two communion services, plus playing with us when we sang and the brass ensemble. And Michael Martin, our choir director, did all those three services plus he played the piano at a fourth service at 9:45 directing the small group ensemble that sings for the contemporary service. This followed the services we sang on Maundy Thursday evening, Heavy (Nagy) and Remember Me (Sterling), and Good Friday evening, when we performed The Cross said it all (Goss), The Lamb (Tavenor), and O Love Divine (Helvey). And of course, there were preludes, hymns and offertories for those services, too.

I think I'm singing a little better than two months ago, but I'm still not contributing much except showing up. I'm practicing at home on the Midi that my son loaned me. I've got some squeaks and squawks that aren't going away. It's probably not a good plan to lay out for 50 years. I'll give it a little more time, but I'll never regret what I've learned about church musicians the past few months.

church musicians
church choir
Easter music
UALC Columbus, OH

2385 The Gay Book Burners at Ohio State University

Tammy Bruce writes about the strange case of a librarian who submitted a list of titles for consideration, and it made a gay guy feel "unsafe" (Christian books), so he sued for sexual harassment. The left is losing it. Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom to read are in the deep freeze. What do you bet American Library Association won't come to this librarian's defense. Too busy distributing anti-Bush buttons.

See also Sister TolJah

Volokh Conspiracy

2384 Chris White now in Afghanistan

Here's his last entry from Ft. Bragg. Good photos too.

2383 A walk in the park

To get my 30 minute walk in this morning, I took along two items that needed to be returned to the library, then parked about 1/2 mile from the library, which is located in the park. So I was listening to the radio and when I tired of the garden guy making me feel guilty (cucumber peels will drive away ants I learned), I switched over to Dennis Prager. Actually, I didn't know he was available locally, but I've occasionally heard him via a California AM station on the internet.

"THE DENNIS PRAGER SHOW is different from every other radio talk show in America. First, Dennis talks about everything in life. Everything—from international relations to family issues to religion to sex. Second, Dennis is not only very smart, he is very funny. Third, he brings a moral perspective to every topic. Fourth, he is relentlessly interesting. That is why, after 20 years on Los Angeles radio, he is the most respected broadcaster in Southern California. He is now taking that reputation to a growing audience nationwide. The Los Angeles Times has described Prager as an “amazingly gifted man and moralist whose mission in life has been crystallized: to get people obsessed with what’s right and wrong.” That’s what he does everyday, for three terrific hours." Salem Communications

Prager, a Jew, said (this is a paraphrase) that although the right occasionally thinks unclearly, the left always does. The left sees morality in terms of rich and poor, and strength and weakness. If you are rich, you are bad. If you are strong, you are bad. Therefore, everything about the USA is bad. Israel is bad because it is richer and stronger than Palestine. The left hated Reagan more than Brezhnev. That's morality from the left (keep in mind I'm paraphrasing because I didn't have a pencil and paper with me).

Well, I used to be left of center; I was a humanist and a Democrat. But even when I was an evangelical Christian I was still voting and registering as a Democrat until 2001. Not all Democrats deny the role of personal responsibility--you can find a lot of them in AA and Al-Anon, and those folks know that it wasn't poverty or injustice that caused their elbows to bend so that their brains fell out.

Even in my most liberal days, I never believed that abortion was anything other than the destruction of a human being no matter what party supported it and never will. I've always disagreed with the "Palestinians just want their homeland back" argument that many mainline Christians support. At least during the last 30 years I've thought the UN and the National Council of Churches were sops for money of well meaning people. I've always thought it was our responsibility as Christians to take care of the earth, and thank you, if it had been up to the Republicans to get the job done, I wouldn't own a home on Lake Erie which is now clean enough to enjoy. For many years I was a pacifist, but that was my religious upbringing (Anabaptist), not politics. Most pacifists have lost their spiritual core as near as I can tell. They don't advocate peace in their personal lives, which is where it needs to start.

I part company with many evangelicals who may also be politically on the right in that I see nothing scriptural in denying ordination to and keeping women out of the pulpit, although it is practical and essential if you want a growing church. I don't believe in the death penalty and I don't think machine guns and uzzies are what the founding fathers had in mind. Nor do I think gun registration for law abiding citizens will reduce the crime rate at all, so there are other motives.

That said, if Prager is correct that the left thinks of morality in terms of rich and poor and strong and weak, then I agree, they cannot possibly think clearly about moral issues. I'm sure he's had much more to say on this topic, but it is something to think about, isn't it? While walking in the park.

2382 Dance with the one who brought you

is a charming idiom meaning you may have to do some payback from time to time to keep a job, a friend, an appointment to a board, an account, or your reputation. It's about a type of loyalty with your fingers crossed behind your back (or his back).

I have a hobby blog called In the Beginning which is about premier[e] or first issues of magazines, journals and serials. Today I was looking through my newest purchase which is Lily; beautiful living through faith, Spring 2006 (I can't find a link to this title). It is published by Meredith Inc., the publishing giant whose best known title is Better Homes and Gardens. I haven't finished looking through it, but the first issue is lovely. Knowing Meredith, we can look forward to a huge increase in advertising content, which for BHG must be about 70%.

My gripe is simple: Ellie Kay writes a column on finances, and the question she is responding to is about how to save money on food. According to the question, this family of four spends $700 a month on food. So how does Ellie Kay respond? She claims her family saved more than $8,000 last year on food and household goods by using, 1) manufacturers' coupons, 2) double coupons, 3) store coupons, 4) loss leaders, 5) price comps, 6) sales and clearances, and 7) comparison shopping.

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. She's dancing with the guy who brung her. The advertisers. Food companies are not in business to give away their products, but she knows that most American shoppers believe they are. She knows that food companies are heavy advertisers in Meredith's publications. I'll give her #4 and #6, but #5 and #7 just take too much time. Either she's misplaced a digit, or she has a huge family of 24 children, because $8,000 is more than I spend on food in a year. All coupons are just advertising and they either introduce a new product or cover up a price increase. The time it takes to organize and combine them could be more effectively used by just popping that potato (twenty cents a pound) into the microwave, rather than "saving" twenty-five cents on a prepackaged or frozen item that figures out at about $5.00/lb.

She's wrong for these 10 reasons and maybe more. To reduce your food bill without coupons:

1) contribute your own labor where ever possible. It's probably faster to prepare fresh broccoli and carrots than to use the frozen. If you used prepackaged greens for salads (wash very carefully) you can mix with those that are fresh.

2) Shop the walls (or where ever the produce and dairy and meat are displayed). I often buy marked down meat if it isn't past the due date. You have to be really careful about reduced fruits and vegetables, but for applesauce or pie, there's no problem with a soft apple.

3) Don't buy in huge quantity sizes, especially if you are overweight. Large sizes often are not cheaper per ounce, they'll go stale or past the due date, and you'll be tempted to "just clean up this last bit." I've never seen a cupboard or pantry of an overweight woman that wasn't loaded with "giant economy" sizes.

4) Prepared snacks are extremely expensive per ounce and are loaded with all the calories, salt and fat your family doesn't need--switch to homemade or popcorn, or sliced fresh fruits and vegetables. But if you must have them, try the dollar brands or some of Trader Joe's which cost about half and actually taste better. If you want to cut the coupon habit and calories, just stop buying high salt, high sugar snacks. Roust your kids from the computer and teach them to spread some peanut butter on a cracker. It's cheaper. Don't take the kids shopping if you can help it, and definitely don't keep them quiet or entertained in the store or car by handing them a snack.

5) Learn which house brands are good at about half the price and don't require any coupons for "savings." Do you really care if a peach is a bit ragged or the beans aren't uniform size?

6) Loss leaders are just that--they are sold at a loss to bring you into the store. But don't waste gas at $2.80/gal driving from store to store to find them. Where I shop, milk and orange juice are almost always loss leaders, but I shop there because they don't have a loyalty card program, which also raises prices.

7) Look carefully at what you buy in the name of "food." If you also buy a lot of Health and Beauty and cleaning products (in Ohio we call them taxables since food isn't taxed), at least recognize that you don't eat them. Perhaps a trip to a different type of store would be worthwhile. Because I shop at Meijer's I also buy most household taxables there.

8) Read the labels. Refuse to buy water and fake, plastic food. If you look at anything "low fat" or "low calorie," water may be the first or second ingredient, and you'll pay more. Buy the regular, and add water at home. I add a little milk to creamy salad dressing when the bottle is low, and never notice a taste change. Don't buy fake cheese (cheese food?--yuk) or low calorie cheese. Such a waste of flavor and money. This fake food is heavily promoted with coupons.

9) Don't be suckered with brand differentiation or repackaging coupons. Have you ever tried to buy a plain old Ritz cracker? Ridiculous. Sort through 12 kinds of Ritz to find what you want.

10) I do buy prepared and frozen food, and I've found Trader Joe's to have the best and most reasonably priced in these categories. I can buy things that would be too expensive or wasteful to buy for just 2 people, or would lose nutritional value before we could use it up. But I never use a coupon unless the manufacturer has attached it to the package, and I already had intended to buy it.

coupons
Meredith Corporation
Ellie Kay
Lily

2381 Praying about the public library

Can't say I've ever done that. Here's someone who does. Now why didn't I think of that?

2380 Cruciate ligament injury and repair in dogs

The Wall Street Journal ran an article this week on the possible $6,000 vet bill you might have down the road for knee surgery for your dog. Yup. Even that "free" pup you got from the neighbors which you now love, that sleeps with you and which you treat like a member of the family. Dogs have five times the number of knee procedures as humans--about 1.2 million a year, and it isn't because they have more legs. It only affects two of their legs. And if you get one repaired, whamo, the other one will most likely go. Also, it requires a lot of rest and inactivity for the healing time, so good luck Bucko, on keeping that small horse size dog in the laundry room quiet and happy while you're at work.

I tried doing a literature review of this topic because all the major core veterinary journals are indexed in Medline, which is available free in PubMed. However, one of the things I've learned since leaving the library profession is that most of these databases have been so tweaked, that whatever you knew last year, but especially five years ago, means nothing today and you might as well stick with Google. Google will give you not only the leads to scholarly articles, but to the various veterinary clinics that will put the surgery and recovery text into understandable English. But add the word "veterinary" into your search strategy to avoid getting the research on humans that might be done on dogs.

Call me just a cranky ol' cat owner, but here's my guess why this injury probably is on the increase:

Some dogs are being bred to be way too large--given a natural selection without human interference, most breeds wouldn't be anywhere near the huge sizes you see today. Probably about 12-14" at the shoulder. This body mass is very hard on legs and joints and internal organs. They also don't live as long as smaller breeds.

People are overfeeding and underexercising their pets, but especially the large dogs. Those extra pounds affect their knees just like they do the owner who is huffing and puffing along side him in the park.

I want to holler at dog owners in the park who are jogging with their dogs making them run on concrete sidewalks. Would it be so bad to jog in the grass? Have someone else run him in front of you and take a hard look at the gait I'm seeing as you go past me.

Taking a sedentary dog, cooped up in an apartment or kitchen for 14 hours, out for a chase or run in the park where he'll be twisting and turning and jumping for Frisbees, looks like a recipe for knee disaster to me. At least do a slow warm up. You'll both benefit.

cruciate ligament injury
dogs

2379 Three foodie events

Several weeks ago, someone who reads this blog suggested that I buy Trader Joe's frozen brown rice when I mentioned I couldn't cook a decent rice dish. I tried it; I loved it. Then over at Gekko's blog I saw an item that people who eat beans weigh less than people who don't. Then Tuesday at Meijer's I saw a product I'd never noticed before--canned purple hull peas--which I purchased after reading the nutrition content (high in fiber and protein).

After checking the internet, I learned that purple hull peas are really not peas, but beans. They are one of the versatile cowpea family and are also called black eyed peas, or pink eyed-purple hull peas. I think I can see why the label might say purple hull rather than pink-eye, since that is the name of a disease. They are more common in the south and may have come to this country from Africa with the slave ships and probably originated in India. They have their own promotion board and festival.

I opened the can, heated a small portion, and had some for lunch one day. I liked the flavor and texture better than any beans or peas. Then I decided to add them to the brown rice, which I'd been fixing in the microwave (3 minutes) and then refrigerating and using about 1/3 of a package mixed with fresh broccoli and a little butter for lunch. I've never cared much for red beans and rice, partly (my southern friends say) because you just can't get a decent canned red bean up north. I really don't care for the texture of kidney beans, pinto beans, red beans, navy beans, butter beans, etc. But purple hull peas. Now there's a bean a northerner can enjoy!

Ham and fresh purple hull peas

2378 An unfortunate expression

If I were going to reflect on the death of a man named Coffin, I probably wouldn't used this idiom:

"The Rev. William Sloane Coffin, Jr., who died yesterday at 81, "was no ordinary man and he leaves no ordinary hole," said the general secretary of the National Council of Churches USA."

Yikes! Usually, you can only ridicule the NCC for their usual lefty policies.

However, being me, and not afraid to speak ill of the dead if they were dead wrong about something, I'll just add that although Coffin was a "Vietnam peace activist" and war protester and the model for a character in Doonesbury he contributed to the death of over two million of our Vietnamese allies when we turned tail an ran out on them in the 1970s, aided by your friendly peace and justice activists (whose grandchildren in spirit are helping to organize our illegal labor terrorists). If he trusted Jesus and not publicity for his salvation, he will be forgiven because his debt has been paid, but we'll all be judged. He may have to face some folks in heaven who will give him a perspective he wouldn't listen to on earth. Or maybe one of the perks of heaven is he'll have perfect understanding.

Perhaps I just not getting it, but I do wonder why he didn't learn from this experience when he was a WWII soldier and knew first hand how trustworthy the Communists were:

"His most affecting encounter with what he considered scalding injustice came at the end of the war, when he was asked to help repatriate about 2,000 Russian prisoners. They had fought with the Germans against their home country and were being shipped back to the Soviet Union to face prison and, most likely, death. Coffin knew it but never spoke up in their defense and did not warn them.

For the rest of his life he regretted his decision and swore to himself that he would never do that again. "It made it easier for me to commit civil disobedience in 1967, in opposition to the war in Vietnam," he later told the Chicago Tribune." Indianapolis Star

Sloane-Coffin
war protesters
Vietnam War
National Council of Churches

2377 Local gas prices

There's a 30 cent spread in my zip code. Here's a web site that will tell you what gas sells for in yours. Thanks to Mickey for the info.

Thursday Thirteen

Exercise was another Thursday 13 topic I mentioned 2 weeks ago, so I think I can get 7 exercises and 6 excuses. First of all, my promise to myself is to get 30 minutes of exercise a day so that when we go to Helsinki and St. Petersburg this summer (3 months from now) I'll be in good shape to walk. I'll try to sneak work this in to my regular routine. It goes without saying that one of the exericses will be pushing myself away from the table and by-passing the free snacks at Panera's. Because eating less and moving more ALWAYS works. If you don't believe me, try it with your dog or cat.

1. Take the stairs every chance I get. This means instead of loading up my arms or stacking things on the bottom step for the next trip up (or down), I'll make as many trips as possible when I do the laundry. No more sheets, pillowcases and towels in one load. I'll make three trips.

2. Park as far away from the store, restaurant or coffee shop as possible (if the weather is good) and carry an umbrella (because it will be different when I return to the car).

3. Do some stretching while dressing, even if I don't want to look in the mirror. Stretch before checking the e-mail or blogging. Stretch before going upstairs. (Do you see a pattern?)

4. Do 5 sit ups for each blog entry I published yesterday to compensate for all that sedentary effort. So far today I owe myself 10 situps for Wednesday.

5. Walk at the park (a 3 minute drive) instead of outside our home, so I can't come inside after 8 minutes. Stomach in, shoulders back, long strides. Look sharp! Hup. Hup.

6. When I deliver the mail on Thursdays (for the church), walk around the parking lot of both locations for 5 minutes.

7. Watch a few minutes each day of a cable TV exercise program (or a DVD).

Then, the excuses I'll be using are:

8. Later. I'm in the middle of something.

9. I'm sleepy. Maybe after my nap.

10. My leg(s) (feet) (hip) hurt(s).

11. It's raining, (too hot) (too windy) (too cold).

12. The batteries are low (in my Walkman).

13. I hate these shoes (jeans) (sweats).


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exercise routines

2375 Marriages in the news today

These days with gay marriages and heterosexual serial marriages and over-blended families, it seems a bit hypercritical and hypocritical to condemn wayward Mormons for polygamy (USAToday). Fifty wives may seem strange to us now, but 40 or 50 years ago--or even 10--you would have had difficulty convincing the general public that you weren’t smoking something if you’d suggested we’d be considered homophobic if we objected to gay marriage or adoption. Or that we’d be watching on national TV (Dr. Phil) a counselor advising two lesbians about their child rearing practices when one was pregnant by the other’s husband.

And then there's the advice letter in the WSJ that begins: “We are a dual-earner couple with a blended family of three children from previous marriages. All attend an after-school program.”

In this case, the husband is siding with his ex-wife who doesn’t want the children left at home alone, as his current wife prefers since one of HER children doesn’t like the program.

Don’t you believe it that things will improve for a step-family. Stats show you need to wait until your children are grown and out of the house to remarry. After you have children, it's not about you anymore. Don't get mad at me; I'm just the bearer of bad news.

2374 Another tradition disappears

For Monday Memories I wrote about coloring Easter eggs as a tradition we personally no longer observe because we have no grandchildren with whom to share it--but we at least have a good reason. The snap shot in today’s USAToday of “Kids favorite Easter traditions” says that the favorites are

46% receiving an Easter basket
39% going on a Easter egg hunt
8% getting dressed up
6% Easter brunch
1% going to see the Easter bunny

No one mentioned coloring eggs, or visiting with relatives or attending a sunrise church service, or any church service for that matter. Maybe the poll taker didn't mention those possibilities? Hope that was the reason.

Word games

Jerry Freewalt wants us to stop calling illegals--well, illegals. He says the word implies lawless rebels breaking up our nation. Yes, exactly. You've nailed it. I suggest we keep calling illegals what they are and use the word immigrants for those who have come legally. Freewalt is a reader of the Columbus Dispatch, and I think I know a member of which party.

2372 Did "they" shut her up?

The Annoyed Librarian had some good stuff going, but seems to have been found out. Seemed to get a bit snarky about folks who tried to protect children in public libraries. She hasn't posted for awhile. Maybe she got married? Or got a few more cats?

There once was a frightful contrarian
Whose bottom was too big for marryin'
So she gave up on that
And bought fourteen cats
And became the Annoyed Librarian.

2371 Decade of nightmares or his years of lost dreams?

Philip Jenkins' Decade of Nightmares which redefines the 1960s to be 1964-1973 (death of JFK to resignation of Nixon) and the 1980s as the Carter-Reagan presidencies is an interesting study on how everything is the fault (or credit) of the conservatives, even the successes in the pop culture, politics and media that only look liberal. Whoever called this author a Christian neo-con must have been looking at a few books back, or else he's had a huge conversion going the other direction on the Road to Damascus. Chapter 6 is the wildest paen of praise to Jimmy Carter that I've ever read. It's so full of shoulda, coulda, woulda and crediting him with establishing the ground work for everything good that Reagan accomplished, that I had to pinch myself to make sure I'd lived through those years and had voted for Jimmy Carter twice and President Reagan never.

To take Jenkins point of view seriously, all the liberals should be ashamed that they haven't made a bit of progress since 1973--all these inroads women have made in sports or establishing abortion clinics, or blacks in business and academe, or gays in marriage and shifting huge federal investments to AIDS--pffft--give the conservatives all the credit (sarcasm alert here, for those of you who only read every third line). Reducing welfare and crime during Clinton's years? Gun control? Environmental red tape? Running religion out out of the schools? All because of conservatives and their crazy paranoia forcing their hand. If I were to accept Jenkins' thesis, I'd have to believe that nothing good came out of those years of Democratic control of our government because it was all just reactionary bungling caused by the Republicans who undid all those wonderful plans laid in the wonderful 1960s (which was really 1964-1973).

I pay a lot of attention to words. In context and out of context. Here's some phrases Jenkins uses for the right: archaic ideas, conspiracy interpretations, messy, disaster, growing mythology, diabolical claims, darkening vision, desperate measures, targeted regimes, allowed them to boast, powerful motives, distortion. And now the left: strong fight, social reform, a shift gone wrong, unjust power relations, the goal, curious, oddity, sexual frankness, social mainstream, overconfidence, political victories, engines of social change.

Pop culture buffs are going to think he doesn't give enough space or credit to films, TV, books, etc., but it was way more than enough for me. I'd seen a few of the films he mentions like Rocky and The way we were, but really, your mileage will vary depending on how much you let Hollywood influence you. I am a bit surprised that his book has had so little attention. Possibly he's not strident enough or too scholarly (it's well written and referenced) for today's political climate? Maybe no one cares?

Decade of Nightmares
Philip Jenkins
The Sixties
The Seventies
Reagan presidency
Republicans
popular culture

2370 Gas Prices in Ohio

If I've heard one report today on gas prices, I've heard five. But I was also printing out my blog--I'm a bit behind, so I was doing October. Lookee here. October 14, 2005. The reasons we filled up that night in Oregon, was that prices had dropped considerably, and we thought we'd better grab it before they went back up. Right now it's about $2.65 here in Columbus.

"We filled up Wednesday evening in Oregon, Il at $2.79/gal and by the time we got to Columbus, it was $2.59. Also we got 27 mpg in my mini-van due to the better roads we have now. One of the Chicago radio stations was telling us to get better gas mileage by reducing our speed to 55 mph, but the limit for cars in Illinois and Indiana interstates is 70 (65 in Ohio), and I really doubt that we'd do better than 27. I don't know what you're driving, but I'm pretty sure a 1965 sedan got about 10-12 mpg."

gasoline prices

2369 Photos of illegals demonstrating for rights they don't have and don't deserve

Bridges to nowhere. Gender politics. Pork Barrel Polkas. Deranged fringe elements of both parties. Killing the unborn legally with impunity. Really, I thought I'd seen every disaster our Congress could move out of committee, but this immigration thing takes the cake, doesn't it? And it's not immigration. That's what you do when it is legal.

Today I asked the Pakistani clerk at the grocery store and the Ghanian clerk at the department store, both of whom are here legally, have become citizens, and have relatives back home waiting on quotas, what they thought of this. "United States of Mexico" said the one; the other just rolled her eyes.

I am first and most mad at our do nothing Congress who can think no further than the next election. And then the President. What idiots. How can we fight insurgents in Iraq when we can't even keep out 11,000,000 "labor insurgents" in our own country? What must our brave service men and women be thinking? Particularly those who have shortened their residency requirements to become citizens by joining up to defend and protect us. Now they're being asked to defend a group large enough to be a 51st state who are illegal aliens?

Secondly, I'm angry at the American businesses who would employ these people because they are cheap and will work without benefits. It's like prostitution. It doesn't exist if only one group participates.

Third, I'm angry at the socialist/communist/progressive coalition who is gleefully rubbing their hands together, organizing "spontaneous" demonstrations and illegally registering these people to vote so they can tie up our next election in law suits. I heard them recruiting on a local call in radio show Saturday. The guy was so excited I thought he'd wet himself.

Fourth, I'm disappointed that the Democrats don't even see that #3 is stealing their party right out from under them.

Fifth, I'm furious at the Republicans because in a tight situation when leadership is called for they can only dither, wring their hands, wimp out, wet a finger and see if the wind is blowing their way.

Sixth, the border states' governments can't be absolved of responsibility. These millions of illegals didn't show up last year, or even the last decade. On a local radio show I heard a man who formerly worked in Arizona say illegals were given one-way bus tickets to northern states, which might explain why all our Ohio construction firms, landscape crews and restaurant kitchens speak only Spanish. So why a ticket north? It's too expensive (involving the INS, housing them, retaining them, food and medical care, to keep them in the border states until they can be returned to Mexico).

Seventh, our schools aren't doing such a hot job if these people don't know their history or ours and think our border states were once are part of Mexico. (Spain maybe, but never just a blip in time, Mexico.)

Eighth, I think it stinks that there are a lot of Americans who want a permanent underclass of maids to clean toilets and Pedros to pick tomatoes so they can vote Democratic in hopes of getting perks.

Ninth, the Mexican government and Mexico's wealthy, light-skinned, European power class can be blamed for not wanting to create wealth for their own darker skinned, mixed race poor. This mess could be resolved on the other side of the border through a few political improvements (maybe we could send them a Kennedy/Pelosi dog and pony show?)

Tenth, schools and businesses that have given their students and employees a pass to participate should be ashamed and don't deserve their position of responsibilty. The school administrators should be put on leave or fired; the businesses should be boycotted. They are stealing the American dream right out from under the very people they think they are helping.

illegal aliens
immigration
Mexico
politics as usual

Monday Memories

Did I ever tell you about our Easter egg tradition?
It's dead. This year I bought phony Easter eggs. Well, as phony as imitation colored eggs delivered by a rabbit could be. Turquoise, white, brown, pink and all plastic. I've arranged them in a little painted wooden wheelbarrow made by someone in China who was probably wondering what strange American custom required such a small garden implement. I didn't notice until I took them out of the package--a cute little fake wooden crate with make believe straw--that they had plastic strings so I could hang them on a bush or tree. Bunnies and eggs are pagan symbols that the Christian church absorbed years ago from some Germanic tribes who wanted to keep their own traditions of the Spring equinox. Easter bushes and trees, however, I'm sure were the invention of an American entrepreneur. But the little bunnies and eggs are sort of cute and a sure sign of Spring even if they have no spiritual meaning.



These days I have no one for whom to make an Easter basket. And even when my son's step-daughter was a part of our family, I can't remember if she ever colored eggs at our house. We probably just put candy and presents in a basket. Counting us, the poor little girl had eleven grandparents, so we really weren't needed for her holiday traditions, but she made ours more fun.

When my husband and I were children we always colored eggs for Easter on Saturday. In the kitchen. With lots of newspapers on the table. The dye came in little tablets sealed in cellophane in a cardboard package that cost about 39 cents. The package included cut-outs for ears and collars, little transfers for faces or scenes to put on a colored egg, and a wax white crayon for designing our own scheme. Our mothers would boil the eggs gently so there wouldn't be cracks. Then they poured hot water in a coffee cup with some vinegar and dropped in the tablets and gave us teaspoons so we could ease the hard cooked egg into the cup while stirring gently. At least that was the plan. We were soon moving the eggs from cup to cup, maybe getting a lovely purple going from blue to red, or violet going red to blue, or ending up with a hopeless dull gray from too many trips to and dips in a different cup. There was also a small wire loop to dip the egg half in one color and half in another. We'd apply the little transfers when the egg was dry so we'd have bunnies, or chickens with eyes, noses, or beaks. Then we'd add hats or collars.

At my home, we never got candy or chocolate that I can remember, but my husband's relatives did give the children jelly beans and chocolates. Early Sunday morning, our mothers would hide the eggs in the house and we'd search for them before going to church (often with new shoes or hat or gloves because people dressed up in the old days to worship God and left their faded jeans and torn t-shirts in the basement or garage). I'm not sure we even had baskets to gather the eggs (my husband did, he says), but the eggs could be found under couch cushions or in the drawers with the table linen, or inside the piano bench.

When my children were little, we had a very similar routine of coloring eggs and hiding them. One year we couldn't find one until weeks later when it started to smell--it was hidden in the bathroom under the plumber's helper. As they got older, I think we added some foil wrapped candy and bought baskets with pink and green fake grass. In 1973 we hid the eggs outside because my sister's family was visiting so we had 4 additional children coloring eggs. Another year when they were about 5 or 6 we took them to the "community egg roll." Ours is an affluent, suburban community, so our family was horrified to see hundreds of children swarming and screaming and beating on each other like they were starving in a mad scramble to grab the most foil covered candy eggs. My son came back to me crying because one little boy had snatched away from him the only egg he was able to find. We never went to another egg hunt and continued with our own little homegrown celebration that we had learned from our mothers back in the 40s.

Easter egg hunt 1973 in the apple blossoms

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