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If you haven't registered to vote, please do so immediately. We need those Initiatives to pass!
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Here's a candy recipe you might enjoy making:
ROCKY ROAD
1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbsp. oleo or butter
2 cups dry-roasted peanuts
1 (10.5) oz. mini-marshmallows
In a heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt morsels with milk and oleo; remove from heat. In a large bowl, combine nuts and marshmallows; stir in chocolate mixture. Spread in wax paper-lined 13"x9" pan. Chill for 2 hours or until firm. Remove from pan; peel off wax paper; cut into squares. Store in loosely-covered container at room temperature.
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Some interesting information from Yahoo! News, 1/26/12:
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Almost half of American Indians and Alaska Natives identify with multiple races, representing a group that grew by 39 percent over a decade, according to U.S. Census data released Wednesday.
Of
the 5.2 million people counted as Natives in 2010, nearly 2.3 million
reported being Native in combination with one or more of six other race
categories, showcasing a growing diversity among Natives. Those who
added black, white or both as a personal identifier made up 84 percent
of the multi-racial group.
Tribal
officials and organizations look to Census data for funding, to plan
communities, to foster solidarity among tribes and for accountability
from federal agencies that have a trust responsibility with tribal
members.
The bump in the
multi-racial group from 1.6 million in 2000 to nearly 2.3 million in
2010 was higher than that of those who reported being solely of Native
descent.
"When information
comes out and is available for our tribes and tribal communities, we
have a lot of issues going back to identity," said Mellor Willie,
executive director of the National American Indian Housing Council. "Who is Indian?"
The
Census figures, released during a presentation at the National Museum
of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., also include people living
in the United States who consider themselves indigenous to Central and
South America. Tribal officials say it's the best snapshot of Native
people available, but the data is often supplemented with tribal
enrollment figures or other surveys and studies.
Amber
Ebarb, with the National Congress of American Indians' Policy Research
Center, said the data also is used to track trends among states and
regions, determine the mobility patterns of Natives and figure out how
best to deliver services to Natives or conduct outreach.
"It's
kind of a function of geography," she said. "There's this trend where
single-race American Indians live in tribal communities and multi-race
Natives live farther."
The
Blackfeet Nation in Montana had the highest proportion of people who
reported being part of more than one racial group or tribe at 74
percent. Among Alaska Native groups, the Tlingit-Haida had the highest
proportion of mixed-race Natives at 42 percent.
The number of
Natives identifying with at least one other race increased in all but
three states from 2000 to 2010, according to the Census.Some tribes were less diverse. Of the 34,000 people who identify as Yup'ik, an Alaska Native tribe, 29,000 said they were affiliated with no other race. The Navajo Nation, whose reservation stretches into New Mexico, Utah and Arizona, had the highest proportion of people who identified as Native and nothing else at 86 percent of its 332,000 population, Census officials said.
The Navajo
Nation comes in second in population behind the Cherokee's 819,000
population, 65 percent of whom identify with another race.
Census
Director Robert Groves said the bureau has projected that the overall
Native population will increase to 6.8 million in 2030 and about 8.6
million in 2050. Both multiracial Natives and Natives alone grew at a
rate higher from 2000 to 2010 than the U.S. population at large.
Among other findings:
—Seventy-eight
percent of Natives live off tribal reservations but many live in
counties close to reservations, particularly throughout the West,
including Oklahoma.
—The
majority of Natives live in 10 states: Arizona, California, Florida,
Michigan, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas and
Washington.
—The population of
multi-racial Natives jumped by more than 50 percent in 18 states, and by
more than 70 percent in North Carolina, Delaware and South Dakota.
You know the economy is in a slump when even the wages of sin are frozen!
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When somebody tells you, "This is the opportunity of a lifetime," ask if he/she is referring to your life or his/hers.
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A church in the heat of a big city was known for its exclusivity. A janitor took a fancy to the church and told the minister that he wished to join. The minister sought to evade the issue by suggesting to the man that he reflect more carefully on the matter and should pray for more guidance.
The following day, the janitor went back to the minister and said, "Well, I prayed last night, and God gave me an answer."
"And what was that?" asked the minister. "What did the Lord say?"
"He asked me which church I wanted to join," the janitor replied. "I told Him it was yours, and He said, "Oh no, you can't get into that church; I know you can't because I've been trying to get into it for the past 10 years."
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Did you ever wonder why there are no dead penguins on the ice in Antarctica? Where do they go?
Wonder no more!!!
It is a known fact that the penguin is a very ritualistic bird which lives an extremely ordered and complex life. The penguin is very committed to its family and will mate for life, as well as maintain a form of compassionate contact with its offspring throughout its life.
If a penguin is found dead on the ice surface, other members of the family and social circle have been known to dig holes in the ice, using their vestigial wings and beaks until the hole is deep enough for the dead bird to be rolled into, and buried.
The male penguins then gather in a circle around the fresh grave and sing:
"Freeze a jolly good fellow."
"Freeze a jolly good fellow."
Then they kick him in the ice hole.
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Some info regarding peanut butter:
Peanut butter is delicious in cookies and on sandwiches, but its uses go beyond the kitchen. The tasty mixture of roasted nuts can do everything from removing grime to preserving garden tools. Discover the most unexpected uses for PB now!
Remove Sticky Labels
Everyone has bought a glass or dish with a stubborn sticky price tag on it. You can soap and scrub it for ages and still leave gummy residue behind. Instead of scrubbing until you scratch the surface of the glass, put a glob of peanut butter on the label. Let it sit for a few minutes, to let the oils sink in, and wipe it--and the label--away.
Get Gum Out of Hair
Accidentally getting gum stuck in your hair is almost a childhood rite of passage. Instead of cutting off a chunk of your kid's mane, grab the jar of peanut butter. Spread a spoonful of PB on the hair stuck to the gum and rub for a while. Eventually the gum should slide out of the hair with ease.
Catch a Mouse
The old adage that mice love cheese isn't entirely accurate. If you need to bait a trap for an unwelcome rodent in your house, use a bit of peanut butter instead of cheese. Not only are mice attracted to the delicious taste, they won't be able to quickly snatch it from the trap and run away, like clever mice can with a hunk of cheese.
Lubricate Your Mower
The oily nature of peanut butter makes it great for moisturizing and lubricating. If your old lawn mower blades are getting a little rusty and creaky, smear them with peanut butter. They'll be turning like new in no time. Another outdoor use: Cover garden tools in PB in the winter to keep them from rusting during the off-season.
Cleaning Leather Furniture
Leather sofas can get dull and dirty with daily use. Instead of buying expensive leather cleaner, just rub a little peanut butter into the leather with a soft cloth and buff away the reside. Voilà, a clean couch!
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Here are 5 pain alleviators but be sure to discuss with your doctor:
1. Ginger Remedies Nausea and Aches
Ginger, a natural anti-inflammatory, has been used for thousands of years by the Chinese to cure pain. Ginger helps relieve nausea, arthritis, headaches, menstrual cramps, and muscle soreness; and in these colder days, ginger can help spice up your circulation, too!
A perfect compliment to vegetables, marinades, and sweets, ginger is also delicious in tea. To make fresh ginger tea, you can cut up the root into 1/4" slices, boil for 10 minutes, then strain the water and voilà—tea. In a pinch, you can use ginger tea bags, available in health food stores.
You can also reap relief from pain by applying a ginger compress to the affected area. Grate the root, wrap the ginger in cheesecloth, place it in hot water for 30 seconds, then let it cool and place on the affected area for 20 minutes.
2. Valerian Root Relaxes Pain
Sometimes called "nature's tranquilizer," valerian has been used for centuries to regulate the nervous system and relieve insomnia, tension, irritability, stress, and anxiety. Valerian is also a natural pain reliever that reduces the sensitivity of nerves. Try a cup of valerian tea the next time you’re in need of pain relief!
3. Tame Pain with Turmeric
Turmeric, the spice that gives curry its distinctive flavor and coloring, also has plenty of pain relief benefits. New research suggests that turmeric possesses anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties and it also helps improve circulation and prevent blood clotting. Turmeric has been used in traditional medicines for easing the pain of sprains, bruises, and joint inflammation, as well as for treating skin and digestive issues. The healing power of turmeric comes from its active ingredient—curcumin, which lowers the levels of two enzymes in the body that cause inflammation.
Don’t worry, I’m not going to ask you to eat turmeric by the spoonful! Just stock your kitchen with the powdered spice and add a little to your cooking in place of salt and pepper. Turmeric is also sometimes sold in supplement form.
4. Herbal oil brings relief
Tonic oil, which consists of oils of camphor, peppermint, eucalyptus, fennel, and wintergreen, can be applied to your forehead and massaged gently in a circular motion for relief from headaches. Apply tonic oil to any body part for relief from minor aches and pains.
Bonus tip: If you don’t have a lot of essential oils hanging around, you can find traditional blends of tonic oil, like this tonic oil that is in a pure sesame oil base.
5. White willow bark for joint pain
This anti-inflammatory is traditionally used to relieve painful inflammation in the joints. The pain-relieving properties of white willow bark come from its content of salicin, the same compound found in aspirin. While the actions of white willow bark may be slower-acting than over-the-counter aspirin, the results last longer. A major advantage of using willow bark over its pharmaceutical cousin, aspirin, is that it does not cause gastric upset and erode the stomach lining. White willow bark has also been found useful in reducing the intensity of migraine attacks. One warning: people allergic to aspirin should not use willow bark. Talk to your physician to be on the safe side.
Take a Whole Body Approach
While these herbs and supplements can alleviate pain, I always recommend looking at your health from every perspective. In other words, treat your whole body, not just the painful symptom. How? With dietary therapy, supportive physical exercises—especially tai chi, which is gentle on the joints—acupuncture, and stress release techniques.
You can find out about many more natural healing herbs in Secrets of Longevity: Hundreds of Ways to Live to Be 100, which is now available on Kindle. In addition, The Natural Health Dictionary makes a great companion to your quest for longevity. It is a comprehensive guide that answers all your questions about natural remedies, healing herbs, longevity foods, vitamins, and supplements.
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THE DEAF WIFE PROBLEM
Bob feared his wife Carol wasn't hearing as well as she used to and he thought she might need a hearing aid. Not quite sure how to approach her, he called the family Doctor to discuss the problem. The Doctor told him there is a simple informal test the husband could perform to give the Doctor a better idea about her hearing loss. 'Here's what you do,' said the Doctor, 'stand about 40 feet away from her, and in a normal conversational speaking tone see if she hears you. If not, go to 30 feet, then 20 feet, and so on until you get a response.'
That evening, the wife is in the kitchen cooking dinner, and he was in the den. He says to himself, 'I'm about 40 feet away, let's see what happens.’ Then in a normal tone, he asks, 'Honey, what's for dinner?' No response.So the husband moves closer to the kitchen, about 30 feet from his wife and repeats, 'Carol, what's for dinner?' Still no response.Next he moves into the dining room where he is about 20 feet from his Wife and asks, 'Honey, what's for dinner?'Again he gets no response.So, he walks up to the kitchen door, about 10 feet away. 'Honey, what's for dinner?' Again there is no response.So he walks right up behind her. 'Carol, what's for dinner?'
I just love this ..............
THE HAIRCUT
A teen-age boy had just passed his driving test and inquired of his father as to when they could discuss the use of the car.
His father said he'd make a deal with his son. "You bring your grades up from a "C" to a "B" average, study your Bible a little, and get your hair cut. Then we'll talk about the car."
The boy thought about that for a moment, decided he'd settle for the offer, and they agreed on it.
After about six weeks, his father said, "Son, you've brought your grades up, and I've observed that you have been studying your Bible but I'm disappointed you haven't had your hair cut."
The boy said, "You know, Dad, I've been thinking about that. I've noticed in my studies of the Bible that Samson had long hair, John the Baptist had long hair, Moses had long hair, and there's even evidence that Jesus had long hair."
(You're going to love Dad's reply!)
"Did you also notice they all walked everywhere they went?"
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THIS IS YOUR CAPTAIN SPEAKING
Shortly after a British Airways flight had reached its cruising altitude, the Captain announced: 'Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Captain. Welcome to Flight 293, non-stop from London Heathrow to Oslo. The weather ahead is good, so we should have a smooth, uneventful flight. So sit back, relax and... OH, MY GOD !'
Silence followed!
Some moments later the Captain came back on the PA; 'Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sorry if I scared you. While I was talking to you, a flight attendant accidentally spilled a cup of hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!'
Ole, sitting in the plane yelled out: "Vat da Hell! Now, you should see da back of mine!"
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HOME-MADE TACO SEASONING4 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
2 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cornstarch
Use 3 tbsp of taco seasoning per pound of drained and cooked ground beef with 1/2 cup of water. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
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