Our Conestoga, mid-winter, beat the blahs trip

We had a great time on our bus tour of Columbus today. The Columbus Historical Society offers this tour and can make special arrangements for your group.

"Travel through Downtown with its historical centerpiece, the Ohio Statehouse, and the new Columbus Commons; the Short North Arts District; German Village, the Arena District; Olde Towne East; the Discovery District; Franklin Park and much more. Listen to stories of national significance, international intrigue and local history and lore." http://columbushistory.org/bus-tour-2015

We had a great guide and I learned a lot I didn't know. For instance, in the 19th century, the finest homes and mansions were usually built on the east side of town (there are wonderful old houses on Columbus’ east side).  That’s so the sun was behind them when traveling to or from work.  We had lunch at the Governor's mansion, a delicious box lunch from Panera’s,  with a talk about its 70 year history and residents and visitors. President Reagan had been there (when running for president), as well as John F. Kennedy, and many other candidates seeking support from Ohioans.  Many interesting pieces are not original to the home, but came from the Mansfield Penitentiary storage facility where they’d been stored for decades because about 100 years ago it had a training school in woodworking.   One of the first ladies loved tag sales and one item she got for $500 is estimated to be worth about $15,000. Then it was back on the bus and off to Capital University to see a photography show about the Kennedys by Stanley Tretick, "Capturing Camelot" which will be available until March 25.

In the show about the Kennedys we saw at Capital University there was one photograph that noted the Nixon-Kennedy televised debate in 1960 and how Kennedy looked so tan (it was b & w TV) and Nixon who was recovering from surgery was so pale. What looked like a tan was Addison's Disease and Kennedy actually was abnormally bronze colored, and not a very healthy man, with other health problems. And it possibly won him the election, because it was neck and neck until that debate and Nixon looked so bad.

Not all supplements are good for you

Pay attention to your supplement suppliers. They are not regulated, and could be harmful. DNA testing of the product showed ". . . five out of six products tested did not contain the herb on their label, and that many contained cheap filler, like powdered rice, beans and houseplants, not listed. Some products even showed powered legumes, a plants class that includes peanuts and soybeans, which could harm people with allergies. " Good to know those retailers are removing them.

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-to-avoid-buying-fake-herbal-supplements.html

A.G. Eric Schneiderman has sent “cease & desist” letters to four major retailers – GNC, Target, Walmart and Walgreens – ordering them to stop selling certain popular products, including Echinacea, Ginseng, St. John’s Wort, and others until they could “provide detailed information relating to the production, processing and testing of herbal supplements sold at their stores, as well as set forth a thorough explanation of quality control measures in place,” a statement said.

The role of nutrition in Alzheimer’s Disease

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3393525/

It’s coded so I can’t copy the highlights, but the manuscript is available online.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4147716/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23696698

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20381316

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3385589/

http://www.biostat.jhsph.edu/courses/bio621/misc/Chocolate%20consumption%20cognitive%20function%20and%20nobel%20laurates%20(NEJM).pdf

Correlation isn't causation, but consuming chocolate closely correlates with the number of Nobel laureates in each country in this study. "Chocolate Consumption, Cognitive Function, and Nobel Laureates" NEJM occasional notes, October 10, 2012. http://www.biostat.jhsph.edu/courses/bio621/misc/Chocolate%20consumption%20cognitive%20function%20and%20nobel%20laurates%20(NEJM).pdf

Five shades of Grey—a Pastor’s viewpoint

“Rick McDaniel, senior pastor of Richmond Community Church, 11801 Nuckols Road, Glen Allen, Virginia 23059, says that while human sexuality is certainly a normal phenomenon, we need to understand it through the lens of God’s morality. McDaniel says Fifty Shades of Grey, with its explicitly erotic scenes that feature bondage, dominance and sadism, is dangerous, destructive and against the teachings of God’s promise of marriage. So he is planning a sermon series titled 5 Shades of Grey, in which he will tackle the five topics of adultery, divorce, cohabitation, pornography and gay marriage.”

Banks forced to fund left wing groups that helped create the mortgage problem

Don't know why this is on the news today, because it was a story last fall--banks forced to give money to the very left wing activist (like ACORN) groups that helped create the crash in mortgage values. Shouldn't that money have gone to the homeowners who believed their lies? http://www.wsj.com/…/bank-of-america-reaches-17-billion-set…

http://news.yahoo.com/doj-money-bank-america-settlement-liberal-activist-groups-212007619.html

“La Raza, Operation Hope, National Community Reinvestment Coalition, and Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America have all intimidated banks to give loans to minorities, even if they can’t afford to pay them back.”

Rana mushroom ravioli

This is not a paid product placement, just wanted to mention a product I tried and liked. I've never made ravioli, and not sure I've even ordered it in a restaurant, but this was very good. All natural, stays fresh in the bag. Cooks in 3 minutes in boiling water. http://www.giovannirana.com/products/mushroom-ravioli/

Last night I served it plain, from the pot, and it was excellent.  Today I served it with some tomato based sauce.

There are a number of products—check product on the web site.

Washington Post Marcus Opinion piece—the right is being too hard on Obama’s remarks to Christians

I’ve never heard of the writer, Ruth Marcus—works for Washington Post. “The right’s crusade against Obama” she called her column.  Her theology and grasp of history is almost as bad as the man she is defending. Maybe she’s fooled by his “yes, but…” style of speeches, but I’m not. Two can play that game.  Democrats say they are no longer that racist group that joined the KKK or supported Jim Crow, which was in my lifetime, but Obama had to reach back a thousand years.

This commenter, bingham60, nailed it:

Did Obama actually mean: “People Committed Terrible Deeds In The Name Of Democrats”

Lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other party, remember that from its founding, people committed terrible deeds in the name of the Democratic Party. In our own party, slavery and Jim Crow all too often were justified in the Democratic platform and even today support the cradle-to-grave welfare state ensuring democrats of generations of dependent poverty stricken democrat voters doomed to a life of poverty, misery and slavery to a gluttonous democrat government.

Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest, possibly the first grand dragon of the Ku Klux Klan, spoke at the 1868 Democratic National Convention. Most Klansmen were Democrats. The party refused to condemn the Klan as late as its 1924 convention, a gathering wags called “the Klanbake.”

Woodrow Wilson, a progressive Democrat, was a white supremacist who re-segregated the federal workforce. Segregationists were part of the New Deal coalition and were running mates even to liberal Democratic presidential candidates into the 1950s. In 1956, 99 of the 101 politicians who signed the racist “Southern Manifesto” were Democrats.

The major civil rights legislation of the 1950s and 1960s were all filibustered by democrats and supported by a much lower percentage of Democratic members of Congress than Republicans. This included J. William Fulbright, who was a mentor to Bill Clinton, Al Gore Sr., who was father of the future vice president, and Robert Byrd, an ex-Klansmen who was the Senate Democratic floor leader until 1989 and an elected Democrat until his death in 2010. And then both Obama and Clinton and provided eulogies at his funeral.

George Wallace, Bull Connor and Lester Maddox were all Democrats… By now you get the point.

This shouldn’t be tit for tat, but really, the President was insulting.  It’s like a school kid saying, “well, he did it first,” and even that wasn’t accurate.  The Crusades were in response to hundreds of years of Muslim warfare, oppression and slave taking. The Crusades are over; jihad isn’t.

Six ways to prepare to age well

Well, when I saw that heading, I said, “Too late.”  But these are good reminders published in Health Beat, Harvard Medical School.

1. Adapt your home. Stairs, baths, and kitchens can present hazards for older people. Even if you don't need to make changes now, do an annual safety review so you can make necessary updates if your needs change. [When we remodeled out bathrooms we put in taller base cabinets and “comfort height toilets. Some recent changes in the kitchen, although not sure those will make any difference.]

2. Prevent falls. Falls are a big deal for older people - they often result in fractures that can lead to disability, further health problems, or even death. Safety precautions are important, but so are exercises that can improve balance and strength. [I’m nagging my husband a lot about the ladder and yard work.  We have hired a service for our lake house. We’re both in exercise classes and balance and strength are part of the routine.]

3. Consider your housing options. You might consider investigating naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs). These neighborhoods and housing complexes aren't developed specifically to serve seniors - and, in fact, tend to host a mix of ages - but because they have plenty of coordinated care and support available, they are senior-friendly. [We’ve been living in a NORC since 2002 and love it. We wanted a one floor plan, but have 3, and so far it hasn’t been a problem.  The grounds are gorgeous, and the neighbors the best.]

4. Think ahead about how to get the help you may need. Meal preparation, transportation, home repair, housecleaning, and help with financial tasks such as paying bills might be hired out if you can afford it, or shared among friends and family. Elder services offered in your community might be another option. [I have some friends in their 90s, and am watching carefully. Elder services seem to be quite good in our area. The kitchen repainting was done by professionals this winter.]

5. Plan for emergencies. Who would you call in an emergency? Is there someone who can check in on you regularly? What would you do if you fell and couldn't reach the phone? Keep emergency numbers near each phone or on speed dial. Carry a cellphone (preferably with large buttons and a bright screen), or consider investing in some type of personal alarm system. [We recently got new phones; bigger numbers, but I still like phones with a little heft.  These feel like they’d break if dropped, and the sound quality isn’t that great. We aren’t in the habit of carry cell phones.]

6. Write advance care directives. Advance care directives, such as a living will, durable power of attorney for health care, or health care proxy, allow you to explain the type of medical care you want if you're too sick, confused, or injured to voice your wishes. Every adult should have these documents. [We’ve got the funeral/burial stuff purchased, and wills, and power of attorney, but best of all, our children live close buy.  A family is the best safety net.]

This cartoonist got it wrong

Seems a bit over the top even for a political cartoon. I don't know a single person who denies that the climate has changed over the last 10,000 years or so, especially here in Ohio where the state was covered by a glacier until a few thousand years ago. Not too terribly long ago the science proved we were in another ice age.

I've never heard a Creationist suggest that science be stopped--they love being proven right time after time. The anti-vaxxers don't deny science in general, they just have believed stuff they see on the internet--originally published in a prestigious medical journal by scientists.

This cartoon diminishes the pain and suffering that militant, radical Muslims have inflicted on Yazidis, Christians, Afghanis and Iraqis. They've chopped off heads of children, crucified people, kidnapped girls to be slaves, and massacred other Muslims. Show me something even close by people who think science is sometimes/often way off track.

Then allow me to show you the retractions in science journals that are in every issue.

Bryant Gumbel vs. the NRA

Who has killed more Americans--Planned Parenthood which both the President and Democrats support or the NRA? Democrats put abortion in the political presidential platform and call it women's health. Or wait, let's leave out the NRA and just say murder/suicide by guns, most illegally owned. And let's not say all aborted babies, let's reduce that to just aborted black babies. How about that Bryant? 38% of the abortions are for black women.

Annual deaths in the U.S. by: Guns - 31,000+ (19K suicide, 12K homicide or accident) Abortion - 1,200,000+ but that's only counting medical and surgical, not chemical.

The Crusades vs. Jihad

Both are “holy wars,” but the jihad continues.  Wake up.

If you’ve been napping or you are only watching MSNBC, the President compared killing by Christians during the Crusades a thousand years ago with killing by ISIS at the Prayer Breakfast (organized by Christians) on Thursday. Then for good measure he threw in the Inquisition (which was an effort by the Spanish crown aka big government), slavery in the U.S., and Jim Crow (all by implication caused and carried out by Christians). History alert: world wide slavery, both cross Atlantic in the 17-18th centuries and today were supported and financed by Arabs and Muslims; Jim Crow was primarily a Democrat effort to hold back newly won rights given by Republicans, and free blacks in the U.S. during pre-Civil War days owned slaves at a higher rate than did white citizens.  Our dear leader has given the jihadis more ammunition. They too talk about the Crusades today, and ignore that they were in response for Muslim warriors forcibly converting millions of Christians, destroying their countries, and taking them as slaves to Africa. Every dot on the above map represents a successful battle by Islamists spreading their hate, fear and religion.  It began in northern Africa, moved to the islands of the Mediterranean, took over Spain (where their civilization was called Moor), into France, Italy, southern Russia, etc. Our President not only leads from behind, but he is waaaaaay behind.

I remember this book from second grade, Miss Flora, Forreston Elementary School

“Horton Hatches the Egg is a children's book written and illustrated by Theodor Geisel under the pen name Dr. Seuss and published in 1940 by Random House. The book tells the story of Horton the Elephant, who is tricked into sitting on a bird's egg while its mother, Mayzie, takes a permanent vacation to Palm Beach. Horton endures a number of hardships but persists, often stating, "I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful, one hundred per cent!" Ultimately, the egg hatches, revealing an elephant-bird, a creature with a blend of Mayzie's and Horton's features.”

I’ve never forgotten it, and think it influenced me to be an adoptive mom.

Although I read Dr. Seuss books to my children (they seemed to love Green Eggs and Ham, the fourth best-selling English-language children's book of all time), I don’t recall reading any others when I was a child.

Speaking of measles

The President’s gaffs at the National Prayer Breakfast

Lots of buzz about what the President said at the National Prayer breakfast yesterday. This guy really needs to be quiet about religion. First he decides to compare ISIS terrorism with the Christians who killed during the Crusades, without mentioning it was a reaction to the Muslims taking over Christian countries for a few centuries and forcing conversions on the threat of death. Then he throws in the inquisition and U.S. slavery and Jim Crow.

None of those comparisons make the Muslims look very good if that's the standard, Mr. President. Arabs began the cross-Atlantic slave trade by selling Africans to the European slavers, and today's slave trade is still heavily Muslim based. Free blacks in the U.S. owned slaves at a higher rate than whites in the South in the early 1800s. And Jim Crow of the 20th century was a gift from Democrats--not Christians or Muslims. Really, he needs someone on his staff who knows a little history.

If I were going to talk about violence among Christians, I'd suggest the death of Tyndale. He smuggled English Bibles into England so people could read the Bible in their own language. His English was more influential even than Shakespeare's for our modern language. He was strangled and burned at the stake for his effort. I'm not sure if Henry VIII was Catholic or Anglican at the time, but someone thought Tyndale needed to die. He was a threat to the power structure.

Obama is just way too eager to deflect any pressure on the world Muslim community to stop the behavior of the ones he claims are not real Muslims. His behavior seems to be having the opposite effect--he seems to be enabling it.

http://dailycaller.com/2015/02/05/obama-uses-prayer-breakfast-to-call-for-curbs-on-islam-criticism/

http://www.worldmag.com/2015/02/christ_islam_contrasted_at_dc_prayer_breakfast

http://www.frontpagemag.com/2015/dgreenfield/obama-defends-islam-attacks-christianity-at-prayer-breakfast/

True followers

Franklin Graham: "Today at the National Prayer Breakfast, the President implied that what ISIS is doing is equivalent to what happened over 1000 years ago during the Crusades and the Inquisition. Mr. President--Many people in history have used the name of Jesus Christ to accomplish evil things for their own desires. But Jesus taught peace, love and forgiveness. He came to give His life for the sins of mankind, not to take life. Mohammad on the contrary was a warrior and killed many innocent people. True followers of Christ emulate Christ—true followers of Mohammed emulate Mohammed."

Billionaire Sandlers support left wing causes

“Herb and Marion Sandler made billions of dollars in the mortgage business they sold, and many observers across the political spectrum have noted the harmful role they played in the housing meltdown. Yet their philanthropic efforts, tilted heavily to the far left, have helped them maintain respectability even among those who criticize non-leftist financiers. Mrs. Sandler died in 2012, but her husband soldiers on with their billion-dollar family foundation, supporting the kind of Saul Alinsky-type community organizers who were so helpful when the Sandlers wanted pressure put on business rivals.” Foundation Watch, Feb. 5, 2015
http://capitalresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/FW0215.pdf

Is the immigration law broken or not followed?

Instead of claiming the immigration system is broken, let's tell the truth. No one, not the federal government, not employers, not non-profit do-gooders, and not illegals follow the law. I don't know how to check this, but Michael Medved says the biggest violators are not those who come over the southern border, but those who come on student and work visas and then over-stay. "Meanwhile, some conservatives still decry a tidal wave of illegal immigration from Mexico, even though all arrivals from that country, legal and illegal, made-up just 13 percent of all immigrants between 2010 and 2013. Immigrants from Asia outnumbered Mexicans by 3-and-a-half to one, and continue to represent the bulk of new arrivals." (Michael Medved)

BTW, Michael Medved who is a conservative talk show host on politics and popular culture  from Seattle is on locally at 3 p.m. on 98.9 FM, but has had surgery for throat cancer, and right now is healing and has substitute hosts.  Praying for your recovery.

“I was diagnosed in the middle of December with stage three throat cancer. I began medical treatment immediately at one of the finest cancer centers in the country and my prognosis for full recovery is very good; in the great majority of cases, this is a highly curable form of cancer. In fact, given my fierce desire to keep doing the show I managed to broadcast every day while completing more than half of my daily radiation and weekly chemotherapy treatments. I would go to the hospital first thing in the morning then make my way down to our Seattle studios to do the live show. The doctors warned me that this would become increasingly difficult.” Link

The marriage gap is hurting children

The gap isn't gender, it isn't income, it isn't education. It's marriage, and that determines education and income. Young people from less-privileged homes are more likely to graduate from college and earn more if raised by two married parents--44% more likely to graduate from college if their parents are married. The bump in income is the greatest for children of those families that are intact, but didn't attend college. The association between intact families and income is not significant for children of college-educated parents.

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/10/marriage-makes-our-children-richer-heres-why/280930/

Ours is an indoor cat, but this is just too cute

Our kitty is indoor only. She remembers her homeless days and is happy to stay inside. Now she's too old to dig in the garbage disposal which she did for many years while learning to trust a twice a day feeding. But this is just cute.

King of Jordan has the balls, the rest of the leaders including our President have deflated

ISIS has about 40,000 blood thirsty killers in its "military," and has taken over large swaths of Iraq after we pulled out. Why is it that all the surrounding countries wishing death to Israel can't pull on their big boy pants and wipe them out? Even Kurdish women have armed themselves and are sharing guns to be snipers to kill ISIS thugs. Our president has no strategy.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/02/05/jordan-hangs-2-al-qaeda-prisoners-after-isis-video-shows-jordanian-pilot-burned/

King Abdullah, who was in Washington for a diplomatic mission when the video depicting the horrific death of Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh hit the Internet, returned to Amman early Wednesday, after the dawn hanging of Sajida al-Rishawi, who was convicted for taking part in a 2005 triple hotel bombing that killed 60 in Amman, and Ziad al-Karbouly, an Iraqi who served as an aide to Al Qaeda in Iraq founder Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The executions had been announced hours after the video of the death of Al-Kaseasbeh, who officiials now believe was killed as early as Jan. 3.