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Excess verbiage

Because verbiage is by definition an excess of words, the phrases excess verbiage and excessive verbiage are redundant.  Notice this example from a writing guide at George Mason University, and also the examples provided. All too wordy and pretentious.

Excess verbiage
Effective writing requires elimination of excess verbiage. The value of concise writing is stated in quotes below from some noted authors.
‘The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.’ Hans Hoffman
‘Often I think writing is sheer paring away of oneself leaving always something thinner, barer, more meager.’ F. Scott Fitzgerald
‘I believe more in the scissors that I do in the pencil.’ Truman Capote
One technique for eliminating excess verbiage is to scrutinize a wordy passage, underline those phrases that contain hard information, and then rewrite the passage using only the underlined portions.

Oh CRAP—made a mistake in the website

I got a chuckle out of this—a library guide with a easy acronym CRAAP, spelled CRAP in the heading.  However, in browsing the video I thought the instructions read like a translation. “The CRAAP test is an method . . .,” “Are there citations and sources for information present?”  “. . .is the site domain make sense.” Nouns were randomly capitalized.   There are other videos in this series.  I’m afraid to look. Except I did.  The video on the “information cycle” almost made me hyperventilate. It seems to be the “news” cycle, not information cycle.

Kitchen conversions—we learned in elementary school

Math refresher.

I don’t see any kitchen conversions in this Basic Match Refresher, but it does look useful without all the kiddy stuff you see on some math sites.

Coconut sugar—have you ever used it?

This is from the web page—not exactly unbiased.  But I’ve never tried it.  I have seen this sugar substitute in recipes.  Might try some.

http://www.essentiallivingfoods.com/superfoods/ingredients/sweeteners/coconut-sugar-organic.html?gclid=CKuFiJjK1bwCFUhgMgodAV8AKA

Good idea, except I kill any plant that enters the house

I guess I’ll just change the furnace filter more often, or buy  one of those super duper air cleaners my friend Bob Barr swears by, Oreck, and continue buying plastic plants.

Father of Justine Pelletier tells his story on Glenn Beck—it’s frightening

But this story is from ABC News, just in case you don’t trust Glenn.

“One day Justina Pelletier was a seemingly healthy teenager performing jumps and spirals at a skating show and six weeks later, on Feb. 10, 2013, she was in the emergency room at Children's Hospital in Boston after a severe bout with the flu, refusing to eat and barely able to walk.

Her parents, Lou and Linda Pelletier of West Hartford, Conn., say their daughter was diagnosed and being treated at Tufts Medical Center for mitochondrial disease, a rare genetic disorder with physical symptoms that can affect every part of the body. Justina's sister Jessica, 25, is also being treated for the disease.

But three days later, a team of doctors at Boston Children's said her symptoms were psychosomatic, according to the family. The hospital then filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, as required by law, because they suspected the parents of child abuse for subjecting their daughter to invasive medical treatments and denying her mental health therapy.”

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/advocates-fight-teen-justin-pelletier-held-state-pysch/story?id=22312907

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/02/04/the-latest-from-the-parents-of-teen-held-by-hospital-against-their-will-doesnt-look-good-its-scary/

Exercising without stressing your knees and hips

Sometimes my bursitis aches; other times I don’t feel anything. Bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa, and can happen just about anywhere you have a joint.  Advil will knock out the pain, but it is not recommended for those of us who take blood thinners, nor is turmeric. I keep a Thermapac in the freezer and sometimes sit on it.  This comes from Healthbeat, Harvard Medical School.

The following activities are gentle on knees and hips. You can combine these exercises to create a routine lasting 30 minutes or longer:

• Floor exercises (abdominal curls, crunches, push-ups, or leg lifts)
• Resistance training with hand weights
• Gentle yoga
• Swimming
• Exercise ball routines, including stretches, abdominal curls, or leg lifts

Water exercise offers particular benefits because:

• The water supports your weight, reducing stress on your joints.
• You can try out exercises before doing them on solid ground.
• An 85° F pool is comfortable for exercise and soothes joints.
• You can increase range of motion and endurance without strenuous effort or joint pain.

Michael Landon, Jr., Christian production company

I was watching Home and Family on the Hallmark channel while riding my exercycle and Lori Loughlin was the guest and she mentioned Michael Landon, Jr. and his production company (Christian) so I Googled it and found this: "Landon is currently working on several films. Gown of Spanish Lace, a story inspired by a Janette Oke novel which is in development at MPower, Deep in the Heart, based on a true story of unimaginable forgiveness, and Rise, which he is developing with author, Kelly Monroe Kullberg (Finding God at Harvard). . " Kelly Monroe Kullberg is a member of our church. Serendipity is such fun on the internet.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/februaryweb-only/michaellandonjr.html

Christianity Today: How have your father's failures (affair when Michael Jr. was 15 and left the family) on that front affected you as a husband and a dad?

Landon: I think the main thing is remembering the pain I went through. Otherwise I think people would be divorcing left and right. I am extremely protective of my marriage, and I create boundaries for myself with other women that won't allow any of that side to ever happen. We're going on 18 years of marriage, and I've been faithful to my wife. I see my three children and know that the last thing I'd ever want to do to them is be unfaithful to my wife, not only for her sake, but for their sake, for my sake and for my testimony. I refuse to ruin my testimony. So it's a combination of all those things—honoring God and wanting to run the rest of this race as best as I possibly can.

His mother’s manicurist led him and his mother to Christ. after the devastation of his parents’ divorce.

As a result of Arab Spring, less religious freedom

“At the onset of the Arab Spring in late 2010 and early 2011, many world leaders, including U.S. President Barack Obama, expressed hope that the political uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa would lead to greater freedoms for the people of the region, including fewer restrictions on religious beliefs and practices. But a new study by the Pew Research Center finds that the region’s already high overall level of restrictions on religion – whether resulting from government policies or from social hostilities – continued to increase in 2011.”

http://www.pewforum.org/2013/06/20/arab-spring-restrictions-on-religion-findings/#_ftn3

Brain development in children

“The list of chemicals that can affect brain development in children has grown. In a study out today in The Lancet Neurology, researchers outline new chemicals that may be contributing to what they dub the “global, silent pandemic of neurodevelopmental toxicity.” In 2006, the team had released a list of five neurotoxins that may contribute to everything from cognitive deficits to attention problems. Now that list is expanded, based on new research that has since accumulated on chemicals linked to developmental disorders in children. Today, they outline six more.” Forbes

Summary in The Lancet Neurology.  “Neurodevelopmental disabilities, including autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, and other cognitive impairments, affect millions of children worldwide, and some diagnoses seem to be increasing in frequency. Industrial chemicals that injure the developing brain are among the known causes for this rise in prevalence. In 2006, we did a systematic review and identified five industrial chemicals as developmental neurotoxicants:

• lead,
• methylmercury,
• polychlorinated biphenyls,
• arsenic,
• and toluene.

Since 2006, epidemiological studies have documented six additional developmental neurotoxicants—

• manganese,
• fluoride,
• chlorpyrifos,
• dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane,
• tetrachloroethylene,
• and the polybrominated diphenyl ethers.

We postulate that even more neurotoxicants remain undiscovered. To control the pandemic of developmental neurotoxicity, we propose a global prevention strategy. Untested chemicals should not be presumed to be safe to brain development, and chemicals in existing use and all new chemicals must therefore be tested for developmental neurotoxicity. To coordinate these efforts and to accelerate translation of science into prevention, we propose the urgent formation of a new international clearinghouse.”

Some tidbits about science

The survey, "Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Understanding," conducted in 2012, involved more than 2,220 Americans and was conducted by the National Science Foundation for the Science and Engineering Indicators report that is presented to the federal government.

“According to a new survey that focuses on public awareness and perceptions of science, research and scientists, only 74 percent of Americans that participated knew that the Earth orbits the sun. The survey also revealed a strong appreciation for the work of scientists while Americans continue to struggle to answer basic science questions.”

Actually, I’m surprised that 74% knew.  Aren’t you?

About 30% Americans say that “dealing with global
warming” should be a priority for the president and
Congress. In recent years, dealing with climate issues
has been near the bottom of Americans’ list of
potential priorities.”

So guess what our President and Secretary of State are doing?

“. . . between 2000 and 2008, scientists represented just 1% of characters on prime-time network shows. Of these scientists, 7 out of 10 were men and almost 9 of 10 were white. 8% of the characters were medical.”

I’m thinking they aren’t counting the pathologists and archeologists in the the crime shows.

I’m not surprised that the Internet is increasingly becoming a source of information for scientific information.

Jordan Davis

Why do the killings of young black men only matter for media attention when they are killed by a white or Hispanic?

“The national tally of black males 14 and older murdered in America from 1976 through 2005, according to U.S. Bureau of Justice statistics: 214,661. 

From 1980 through 2008, 93 percent of black victims were killed by blacks.

Translation: For every Trayvon Martin [or Jordan Davis] killed by someone not black, nine other blacks were murdered by someone black.”  John W. Fountain

The Davis killing sounds like a terrible crime, a waste. I grieve for his parents and friends. And if Michael Dunn had been a middle age black man we would have never have heard of this trial.

 

Success

You didn't have to be big and tall or even loud

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/02/06/baby-10-days-blick/5256437/

Zion Isaiah Blick only lived for 10 days but his memory is living on across the nation.

When Josh and Robbyn Blick learned that their son would be born with a fatal genetic abnormality, they decided to document their few, precious days together on Instagram and Vimeo. Now, the world has fallen in love with baby Zion.

Flourless Chocolate Soufflé

This is a wonderful and easy way to make a soufflé (says Tweetspeak author). She prefers to use 4 or 5 ounce individual ramekins.

Servings 8
Cook Time  12 minutes

Ingredients

• 7 ounces  semi-sweet chocolate
• 1/4 cup strong brewed coffee
• 4 TBSP unsalted butter, softened
• 4  egg yolks
• 8  egg whites
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup sugar

Instructions

1. Butter and sugar the ramekins, and set them on a jelly-roll pan.
2. Combine the chocolate with the coffee in a heat-proof bowl. Place bowl over a pan of hot water and allow the chocolate to melt, stirring occasionally. Stir smooth, then remove from the heat, and stir in the butter. Cool to room temperature.
3. Stir in the egg yolks.
4. Use an electric mixer to whip egg whites with salt until they hold a very light peak. Add sugar gradually, and continue to beat until whites form soft peaks.
5. Stir a quarter of the whites into the chocolate base. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the remaining whites.
6. Pour batter in buttered and sugared molds, filling molds to the top. Bake for approximately 12 to 15 minutes, or until the soufflés are well-risen and baked all the way through, except for the very center, which should remain soft and liquid. (Check one of the soufflés by taking the point of a spoon and using it to lift the top off on one side -- it will fall right back into place.)
7. Serve immediately. Pass chocolate sauce or whipped cream, if you wish.

Follow-up on Thursday Thirteen—Black History

One of the Thursday Thirteen I wrote this week was the percentage of European heritage among American blacks.  The assumption I’d had (or read) was that the owner/master was the ancestor of mixed race African Americans.  Apparently not.  There’s an interesting photo archive available on the internet providing a photo genealogy, and a number of the families were descended from a black man and white woman, the man being a free black or a freed slave and a white servant. In that case, I’m assuming the children of the marriage or relationship were free born blacks (over 13% of the African American population by 1830).

“The Gowen family descend from Michael Gowen a "negro" servant who was free in Virginia in 1657.”

The Becketts are descendants of a  “Virginia slave named Peter Beckett who married a white servant woman named Sarah Dawson in 1680.”

“The Maclin family were free African American members of Bruton Parish, James City County in the 1740s and owned land in Wake County in the eighteenth century.”

“The Okey family was free in Delaware about 1680 and owned land in Granville County in the eighteenth century.”

“There were also Granville County marriages between Pettifords and Durhams in 1813 and 1822. The Durhams were free in Delaware about 1690.”  There is a photo of  Narcissa Pettiford Rattley, a white woman (1829-1914) and her black husband, Jesse Rattley whose children married Durhams.

“The Leviner family descends from Jean Lovina, a Norfolk County slave, whose master, Major John Nichols, freed her children, John and Sarah, and left them 350 acres of land in Norfolk County, Virginia in 1697.”

Alfred Burdine “was probably related to David Burdine who was a "free colored" head of a Pendleton District, South Carolina household with one slave in 1820.” (i.e., he was a free black who owned a slave)

“The Banks family descends from Elizabeth Banks, a white servant, who had a child by a slave in York County, Virginia in 1683, and the Hammond family descends from Margaret Hammond, a white servant, who had a child by slave in Northampton County, Virginia in 1689.”

“The Dungey family descends from Frances Dungey, a servant woman who had mixed-race children in Brunswick County, Virginia, in the 1720s.”

It’s a fascinating photo record.  Take a look.

The Pompey family descend from John and Ann Pompey who were free in Brunswick County, Virginia in the 1730s. Photo from c. 1900.

Love at first sight

Does love at first sight exist? (Question at Fox and Friends this morning) My husband told me on our first date he was going to marry me. Not exactly first sight, since we had met a few weeks before, but close. I just thought he was being silly. But married people are healthier and financially more secure, even if their eye sight and heart aren't linked. Single men have mortality rates that are 250% higher than married men. Single women have mortality rates that are 50% higher than married women. Based on life expectancies, nine of ten married men and women alive at age 48 are alive at 65, while only six of ten single men and eight of ten single women make it to 65. And of course, children raised by married parents have only an 8% chance of growing up in poverty, so that statistic transfers to parents. Also, and I know you've been waiting for this, married couples have more sex than unmarried couples living together. Living together before marriage decreases the chances of a strong, healthy marriage and increases the chance of divorce.

 

The case for marriage

Love is

Valentinus (St. Valentine) was condemned to be beaten with clubs, then beheaded, February 14, 269 A.D. His crime? He was conducting weddings and marriages in secret in defiance of the emperor's decree. He was declared a saint in 496. Feb. 14 was chosen for his execution because it was a festival day for a Roman goddess. According to tradition, Valentine sent love letters to his parishioners from prison.

Thursday thirteen -- Black history month

       

Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating black history.

1.  In 1934, Joel Augustus Rogers, a highly regarded journalist in the black press, published a little book of 51 pages titled 100 Amazing Facts About the Negro With Complete Proof: A Short Cut to the World History of the Negro.  Some of my 13 facts come from this source, further researched and written up by Prof. Louis Gates, and some from Wikipedia. http://libguides.lib.msu.edu/content.php?pid=63292&sid=3467995

                    

2.  10.7 million Africans survived the passage from Africa directly to the Americas, but only about 388,000 landed in what is now the United States.  The rest went to the Caribbean and South America, particularly Brazil. The death rate was very high in those countries, and there were fewer women so the birth rate was low compared to the U.S.

3.  Africans arrived in North America more than a century before both the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock and the Jamestown settlement. Juan Garrido was born in West Africa around 1480, lived in Portugal and Spain, and he joined the earliest conquistadors to the New World. He was a free man. He came seeking wealth and fortune and lived his final days in Mexico.

    

4.  Perhaps you’ve noticed that most African Americans are lighter skinned than Nigerians or Haitians. Our president himself had a mother from Kansas and a father from Kenya and has no family heritage to American blacks at all. Based on the companies that do DNA studies, exactly how mixed race are Black Americans? (Louis Gates article)

* According to Ancestry.com, the average African American is 65 percent sub-Saharan African, 29 percent European and 2 percent Native American.
* According to 23andme.com, the average African American is 75 percent sub-Saharan African, 22 percent European and only 0.6 percent Native American.
* According to Family Tree DNA.com, the average African American is 72.95 percent sub-Saharan African, 22.83 percent European and 1.7 percent Native American.
* According to National Geographic's Genographic Project, the average African American is 80 percent sub-Saharan African, 19 percent European and 1 percent Native American.
* According to AfricanDNA, the average African American is 79 percent sub-Saharan African, 19 percent European and 2 percent Native American.

5.  Obviously,  Elizabeth Warren isn’t the only American, black or white, to claim native American ancestry where there is none. (I do a lot of genealogy, and everyone’s family tree whether Irish, black or English, seems to have a Cherokee grandmother). Many American blacks claim native American ancestry, but the DNA studies show it is very small.

6.  First African American woman multi-millionaire was not Oprah, but Madam C.J. Walker, born Sarah Breedlove in 1867 (Walker was the name of her 3rd husband), who made a fortune in hair products for black women.

7.  Yes, free American black citizens owned slaves in the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1830, the year most carefully studied by Carter G. Woodson, about 13.7 percent (319,599) of the black population was free. Of these, 3,776 free Negroes owned 12,907 slaves, out of a total of 2,009,043 slaves owned in the entire United States. (Louis Gates article) The percentage of free black slave owners as the total number of free black heads of families was quite high in several states, namely 43 percent in South Carolina, 40 percent in Louisiana, 26 percent in Mississippi, 25 percent in Alabama and 20 percent in Georgia, higher than for white heads of households.
http://www.theroot.com/articles/history/2013/03/black_slave_owners_did_they_exist.2.html

8.  As of 2013, there have been 1,949 members of the United States Senate, but only nine have been African American. The first two in the 19th century were Republicans (Hiram Revels, Blanche Bruce) as was one in the 20th (Edward Brooke, III, longest, 12 years), and one in the 21st (Tim Scott). Of the 5 Democrats, 3 were elected and 2 appointed.

                        

9. Most famous African American political and media leaders of national fame whose names I would recognize have been Republicans--Martin Luther King, Jr., James Weldon Johnson, Edward Brooke, Colin Powell, Condoleeza Rice, Thomas Sowell, Shelby Steele, Clarence Thomas, Booker T. Washington, Walter E. Williams, Sojourner Truth, Jackie Robinson, and Eldridge Cleaver, to name a few. Frederick Douglass was the first African American to have his name on a national party nomination (Republican) in 1888.

10. Most gun laws in the United States were originally designed to prohibit blacks from owning guns, first as slaves before emancipation and then in special state codes after the 14th amendment.  http://www.old-yankee.com/rkba/racial_laws.html

11.  Although Abraham Lincoln is called the great emancipator, his Emancipation Proclamation didn’t really free the slaves. Rather, it “freed” any slave in the Confederate states who could manage to flee her or his owner and make their way to Union lines. It didn’t free slaves who lived in the North. The 13th amendment abolished slavery. The body guard of Lincoln named his baby daughter Emancipation Proclamation Coggeshall.  She’s buried in Green Lawn Cemetery, Columbus, Ohio.

12. The first people of European ancestry to settle in Chicago and Manhattan were  mixed race free black men from what is now Dominican Republic.  One with a French father and Haitian Mother (Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable) in Chicago in 1779, and one with a Portuguese father and African mother, Juan Rodriguez in 1613 on Manhattan Island.

                             

13. The Swiss resort town of St. Moritz is named for the first black saint, Maurice, born in Thebes in Upper Egypt. Maurice was martyred in what is today Switzerland for refusing to massacre Christians for the Roman Empire.