From The Hartford Courant
Now more than ever, we need a break — an occasional respite from our everyday lives. Yes, a "daycation" — a day spent away from the office or job site, and away from chores, just to relax and play. Once again this summer, we are taking one day a week to suggest a nearby escape. Enjoy!
Frankly, we never thought of Milford as much more than a small city and a stop along I-95. We certainly didn't think of it as a beach mecca.
But with a free day, we wanted to go beyond the usual Connecticut beach destinations — Hammonasset and Rocky Neck state parks. A colleague remembered going to the beach in Milford as a child.
We looked at the map and had our doubts. Halfway between New Haven and Bridgeport, Milford seems an unlikely spot for an attractive beach.
But from the moment we arrived at Silver Sands State Park, we were in for surprises. First of all, it was free. Yes, FREE. In a state where public beaches are scant and usually charge significant parking fees ($10 for a weekend day at Hammonasset and Rocky Neck), we almost couldn't believe we weren't greeted by a parking attendant at Silver Sands.
Instead, we found a lovely, long boardwalk crossing a reedy marsh teeming with birds. As we walked along the boardwalk, an impressively broad and long swath of beach opened before us. Work-a-day concerns fell away, as did our doubts about Milford. We expected the beach might have skyscrapers hovering nearby, but any signs of cities were too far off in the distance to notice. The beach was all sand, sky and Sound, with a bonus point of interest just offshore: Charles Island.
We had heard a bit about Charles Island — that at low tide, beachgoers can walk to it along what most call a sandbar but is actually a "tombolo": a spit that connects an island to shore. We had also read a bit about its history: that when the English settled Milford in 1639, it was called Milford Island but became known as Charles Island after Charles Deal bought it in 1657 and tried unsuccessfully to grow tobacco on it.
There is also speculation that Capt. William Kidd may have buried treasure on the island and cursed anyone who tried to dig it up. A Catholic religious retreat was opened on the island in the 1930s but closed. Its ruins remain.
All of this made the thought of exploring the island intriguing, but alas, it's closed to hikers this time of year because of nesting season for the herons and egrets. It will reopen in September.
(Should we return to hike the island, we also learned it is very important to pay attention to the tide schedule and set out an hour or two before dead-low tide. We were advised to start back from the island no later than dead-low tide and to bring a cellphone in case we somehow got stuck out there — as apparently happens a few times every year.)
With the day fairly chilly, we opted not to dive into the Sound but instead sat on the beach, absorbed the saltwater scene and watched some windsurfers.
Then, with hunger gnawing, we made our way into the center of Milford, where once again we were pleasantly surprised.
The town has a picturesque green and lots of shops and restaurants. We were directed down a hill to the harbor area, where Cancun Charlie's and a sign that says Panini Grill beckoned, along with an adorable ice-cream shop called Scooby Doo featuring original flavors such as Quicksand, which is vanilla ice cream with caramel swirl and Butterfinger pieces.
However, as we solicited ideas about where to eat, many directed us back up the hill to a restaurant called Rainbow Gardens on the green — apparently a favorite with women especially. I had crab and lobster salad, while my friend had a salad with chicken and fruit. They were delicious.
By this time, the weather was deteriorating, and we had one more outdoor stop we wanted to make: the Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center at Milford Point.
When we called for directions, the receptionist told us we'd probably get lost and to call back if we did. Indeed, it's a bit of a long and winding road to the center, and the sign at the end of its driveway was partly obscured by overgrown greenery. But we found it, and it was worth it.
Located on a barrier beach next to an 840-acre salt marsh at the mouth of the Housatonic River, the surrounding habitat abounds with a variety of birds, plants and animal life.
Inside the center, we could look out on an osprey's nest and watch the babies up close by way of a video camera trained on them.
As you look out in the marsh, you can refer to flip charts that help you identify such birds as a ruddy turnstone or a belted kingfisher or a laughing gull. A chart kept of bird sightings shows that swans, mallards and egrets were seen recently.
Back outside, we climbed a 70-foot tower that affords a commanding of view of the marsh and beach, as well as of Bridgeport, Stratford and Long Island. It's hard to believe that so much wildlife thrives so near urban centers.
By now, it was raining, and time to start our return trip. As we were leaving, a staff member told us a bit about the special programs there which include post-nesting season September tours of Charles Island. She told us to check the website for information about dates.
As we got back on I-95 east, we realized we would think differently about Milford when we passed it on the highway. And we'll come back again — hopefully for a tour of Charles Island.
For more information about Silver Sands State Park, Google the name of the park, or go to www.ct.gov/dep and then go to "outdoor recreation" and then "state parks and forests."
For more information about the Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center at Milford Point, check www.ctaudubon.org/visit/milford.htm.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
From an e-mail;
"An older, tired-looking dog wandered into my yard; I could tell from his collar and well-fed belly that he had a home and was well taken care of.
He calmly came over to me, so I gave him a few pats on his head. He then followed me into my house, slowly walked down the hall, curled up in the corner and fell asleep.
An hour later, he went to the door, and I let him out.
The next day he was back, greeted me in my yard, walked inside and resumed his spot in the hall and again slept for about an hour. This continued off and on for several weeks.
Curious, I pinned a note to his collar: 'I would like to find out who the owner of this wonderful sweet dog is and ask if you are aware that almost every afternoon your dog comes to my house for a nap.'
The next day he arrived for his nap, with a different note pinned to his collar: 'He lives in a home with 6 children, 2 under the age of 3 - he's trying to catch up on his sleep. Can I come with him tomorrow?'"
"An older, tired-looking dog wandered into my yard; I could tell from his collar and well-fed belly that he had a home and was well taken care of.
He calmly came over to me, so I gave him a few pats on his head. He then followed me into my house, slowly walked down the hall, curled up in the corner and fell asleep.
An hour later, he went to the door, and I let him out.
The next day he was back, greeted me in my yard, walked inside and resumed his spot in the hall and again slept for about an hour. This continued off and on for several weeks.
Curious, I pinned a note to his collar: 'I would like to find out who the owner of this wonderful sweet dog is and ask if you are aware that almost every afternoon your dog comes to my house for a nap.'
The next day he arrived for his nap, with a different note pinned to his collar: 'He lives in a home with 6 children, 2 under the age of 3 - he's trying to catch up on his sleep. Can I come with him tomorrow?'"
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Where are all the heroes?
Check In A Classroom!
"Where are the heroes of today?" a radio talk show host thundered.
He blames society's shortcomings on education. Too many people are looking for heroes in all the wrong places. Movie stars and rock musicians, athletes, and models aren't heroes; they're celebrities. Heroes abound in public schools, a fact that doesn't make the news. There is no precedent for the level of violence, drugs, broken homes, child abuse, and crime in today's America. Education didn't create these problems, but deals with them every day.
You want heroes?
Consider Dave Sanders, the schoolteacher shot to death while trying to shield his students from two youths on a shooting rampage at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. Sanders gave his life, along with 12 students, and other less heralded heroes survived the Colorado blood bath.
You want heroes?
Jane Smith, a Fayetteville, NC teacher, was moved by the plight of one of her students, a boy dying for want of a kidney transplant. So this woman told the family of a 14 year old boy that she would give him one of her kidneys. And she did. When they subsequently appeared together hugging on the Today Show, even Katie Couric was near tears.
You want heroes?
Doris Dillon dreamed all her life of being a teacher. She not only made it, she was one of those wondrous teachers who could bring the best out of every single child. One of her fellow teachers in San Jose, Calif., said, "She could teach a rock to read."
Suddenly she was stricken with Lou Gehrig's Disease which is always fatal, usually within five years. She asked to stay on job ... and did. When her voice was affected she communicated by computer.
Did she go home? Absolutely not! She is running two elementary school libraries! When the disease was diagnosed, she wrote the staff and all the families that she had one last lesson to teach ... that dying is part of living. Her colleagues named her Teacher of the Year.
You want heroes?
Bob House, a teacher in Gay, Georgia, tried out for Who Wants to be a Millionaire. After he won the million
dollars, a network film crew wanted to follow up to see how it had impacted his life. New cars? Big new house? Instead, they found both Bob House and his wife still teaching. They explained that it was what they had always wanted to do with their lives and that would not change. The community was both stunned and gratified.
You want heroes?
Last year the average school teacher spent $468 of their own money for student necessities ... workbooks, pencils ....... supplies kids had to have but could not afford. That's a lot of money from the pockets of the most poorly paid teachers in the industrial world.
Schools don't teach values? The critics are dead wrong.
Public education provides more Sunday School teachers than any other profession. The average teacher works more hours in nine months than the average 40-hour employee does in a year.
You want heroes?
For millions of kids, the hug they get from a teacher is the only hug they will get that day because the nation is living through the worst parenting in history.
An Argyle, Texas kindergarten teacher hugs her little 5 and 6 year-olds so much that both the boys and the girls run up and hug her when they see her in the hall, at the football games, or in the malls years later.
A Michigan principal moved me to tears with the story of her attempt to rescue a badly abused little boy who doted on a stuffed animal on her desk ... one that said "I love you!" He said he'd never been told that at home. This is a constant in today's society ... two million unwanted, unloved, abused children in the public schools, the only institution that takes them all in.
You want heroes?
Visit any special education class and watch the miracle of personal interaction, a job so difficult that fellow teachers are awed by the dedication they witness.
There is a sentence from an unnamed source which says: "We have been so eager to give our children what we didn't have
that we have neglected to give them what we did have."
What is it that our kids really need? What do they really want?
Math, science, history and social studies are important, but children need love, confidence, encouragement, someone to talk to, someone to listen, standards to live by. Teachers provide upright examples, the faith and assurance of responsible people.
You want heroes?
Then go down to your local school and see our real live heroes the ones changing lives for the better each and every day!
Now, pass this on to someone you know who's a teacher, or to someone who should thank a teacher today. I'd like to see this sent to all those who cut down the importance of teachers. They have no idea who a public school teacher is or what they do
"I am a product of the public school system, and the system in general had no impact on me. The TEACHERS, however, taught me far more than "reading, writing, and 'rithmatic." I learned how to interact with others, both more and less advantaged than I, compassion, courage, (who else remembers standing in Mr. Murphy's 7th grade class, praying to get the answer right so we didn't have to stand on the colored tile?----- I unfortunately got some wrong but learned to have composure in an awkward situation!) I learned focus, and tenacity, humor, and thinking outside the box (Mr. Shiffrin, your "open/closed game taught me to observe body language!) Many and varied other lessons were learned in the system I graduated from. I got my love of reading partly from my mother and partly form the wonderful teachers I had at Fort Trumbull School. Mrs. Uberti, I thank you for introducing me to "A Wrinkle In Time" and "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." They opened doors to a type of novel that I devour to this day!
Thank you, every single teacher! Even on those days when you feel you are not connecting with your students, you are making a humongous difference! Keep on with your amazing work!"
"Where are the heroes of today?" a radio talk show host thundered.
He blames society's shortcomings on education. Too many people are looking for heroes in all the wrong places. Movie stars and rock musicians, athletes, and models aren't heroes; they're celebrities. Heroes abound in public schools, a fact that doesn't make the news. There is no precedent for the level of violence, drugs, broken homes, child abuse, and crime in today's America. Education didn't create these problems, but deals with them every day.
You want heroes?
Consider Dave Sanders, the schoolteacher shot to death while trying to shield his students from two youths on a shooting rampage at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. Sanders gave his life, along with 12 students, and other less heralded heroes survived the Colorado blood bath.
You want heroes?
Jane Smith, a Fayetteville, NC teacher, was moved by the plight of one of her students, a boy dying for want of a kidney transplant. So this woman told the family of a 14 year old boy that she would give him one of her kidneys. And she did. When they subsequently appeared together hugging on the Today Show, even Katie Couric was near tears.
You want heroes?
Doris Dillon dreamed all her life of being a teacher. She not only made it, she was one of those wondrous teachers who could bring the best out of every single child. One of her fellow teachers in San Jose, Calif., said, "She could teach a rock to read."
Suddenly she was stricken with Lou Gehrig's Disease which is always fatal, usually within five years. She asked to stay on job ... and did. When her voice was affected she communicated by computer.
Did she go home? Absolutely not! She is running two elementary school libraries! When the disease was diagnosed, she wrote the staff and all the families that she had one last lesson to teach ... that dying is part of living. Her colleagues named her Teacher of the Year.
You want heroes?
Bob House, a teacher in Gay, Georgia, tried out for Who Wants to be a Millionaire. After he won the million
dollars, a network film crew wanted to follow up to see how it had impacted his life. New cars? Big new house? Instead, they found both Bob House and his wife still teaching. They explained that it was what they had always wanted to do with their lives and that would not change. The community was both stunned and gratified.
You want heroes?
Last year the average school teacher spent $468 of their own money for student necessities ... workbooks, pencils ....... supplies kids had to have but could not afford. That's a lot of money from the pockets of the most poorly paid teachers in the industrial world.
Schools don't teach values? The critics are dead wrong.
Public education provides more Sunday School teachers than any other profession. The average teacher works more hours in nine months than the average 40-hour employee does in a year.
You want heroes?
For millions of kids, the hug they get from a teacher is the only hug they will get that day because the nation is living through the worst parenting in history.
An Argyle, Texas kindergarten teacher hugs her little 5 and 6 year-olds so much that both the boys and the girls run up and hug her when they see her in the hall, at the football games, or in the malls years later.
A Michigan principal moved me to tears with the story of her attempt to rescue a badly abused little boy who doted on a stuffed animal on her desk ... one that said "I love you!" He said he'd never been told that at home. This is a constant in today's society ... two million unwanted, unloved, abused children in the public schools, the only institution that takes them all in.
You want heroes?
Visit any special education class and watch the miracle of personal interaction, a job so difficult that fellow teachers are awed by the dedication they witness.
There is a sentence from an unnamed source which says: "We have been so eager to give our children what we didn't have
that we have neglected to give them what we did have."
What is it that our kids really need? What do they really want?
Math, science, history and social studies are important, but children need love, confidence, encouragement, someone to talk to, someone to listen, standards to live by. Teachers provide upright examples, the faith and assurance of responsible people.
You want heroes?
Then go down to your local school and see our real live heroes the ones changing lives for the better each and every day!
Now, pass this on to someone you know who's a teacher, or to someone who should thank a teacher today. I'd like to see this sent to all those who cut down the importance of teachers. They have no idea who a public school teacher is or what they do
"I am a product of the public school system, and the system in general had no impact on me. The TEACHERS, however, taught me far more than "reading, writing, and 'rithmatic." I learned how to interact with others, both more and less advantaged than I, compassion, courage, (who else remembers standing in Mr. Murphy's 7th grade class, praying to get the answer right so we didn't have to stand on the colored tile?----- I unfortunately got some wrong but learned to have composure in an awkward situation!) I learned focus, and tenacity, humor, and thinking outside the box (Mr. Shiffrin, your "open/closed game taught me to observe body language!) Many and varied other lessons were learned in the system I graduated from. I got my love of reading partly from my mother and partly form the wonderful teachers I had at Fort Trumbull School. Mrs. Uberti, I thank you for introducing me to "A Wrinkle In Time" and "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." They opened doors to a type of novel that I devour to this day!
Thank you, every single teacher! Even on those days when you feel you are not connecting with your students, you are making a humongous difference! Keep on with your amazing work!"
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Gregorian monks' chanting produces prize-winning cheese!
This is great!!!!!! Who would have ever thought to sing to their cheese?!!!
The positive effects of chanting on humans are pretty much well-known, but cheese is the latest candidate to reap benefits from the spiritual hymns.
Playing an album of chanting recorded by Gregorian monks, has made an Austrian school for dairy farmers to produce their prize-winning cheese.
"Cheese matures with the help of micro-organisms which I am sure also feel vibes. The music is very simple and I think that is what helps," The Mirror quoted head teacher Erich Kerngast, as saying.
The 'Chant Music of Paradise' has already topped the UK charts and holds the same position for these Austrian cheese-makers, who repeatedly play it to the two-and-a-half tonnes of cheese while it matures in the cellars of the school.
"We put in a Dolby Surround hi-fi system worth �1,600 and have been playing the Gregorian chant over and over again," said Mr Kerngast.
The school has won a (cheese) string of prizes for its Grottenhofer Auslese cheese, ever since it began playing the monks' chants to the long-suffering produce. (ANI)
The positive effects of chanting on humans are pretty much well-known, but cheese is the latest candidate to reap benefits from the spiritual hymns.
Playing an album of chanting recorded by Gregorian monks, has made an Austrian school for dairy farmers to produce their prize-winning cheese.
"Cheese matures with the help of micro-organisms which I am sure also feel vibes. The music is very simple and I think that is what helps," The Mirror quoted head teacher Erich Kerngast, as saying.
The 'Chant Music of Paradise' has already topped the UK charts and holds the same position for these Austrian cheese-makers, who repeatedly play it to the two-and-a-half tonnes of cheese while it matures in the cellars of the school.
"We put in a Dolby Surround hi-fi system worth �1,600 and have been playing the Gregorian chant over and over again," said Mr Kerngast.
The school has won a (cheese) string of prizes for its Grottenhofer Auslese cheese, ever since it began playing the monks' chants to the long-suffering produce. (ANI)
Thursday, June 19, 2008
What Happened to The Yankee Clipper?
I was walking along Milford Harbor the other day, and much to my dismay, I came across The Yankee Clipper- the formerly beautiful sloop I helped care for as a sea scout. She is in terrible repair, although still floating, so her hull must be intact.
What happened?
What happened?
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Tomb of The Unknown Soldier
Jeopardy Question
On Jeopardy the other night, the final question was... How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns ---- All three missed it --
This is really an awesome sight to watch if you've never had the chance,
Very fascinating.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
1. How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns and why?
21 steps. It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute, which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary.
2. How long does he hesitate after his about face to begin his return walk and why?
21 seconds for the same reason as answer number 1
3. Why are his gloves wet?
His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.
4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time and if not, why not?
He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.
5. How often are the guards changed?
Guards are changed every thiry minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.
6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to?
For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5' 10' and 6' 2' tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30'. Other requirements of the Guard:
They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform {fighting} or the tomb in any way. After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin.
The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt.
There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for duty is in front of a full-length mirror.
The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone, nor watch TV. All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington
National Cemetery ..
A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred. Among the notables are: President Taft, Joe E. Lewis {the boxer} and Medal of Honor winner Audie Murphy, {the most decorated soldier of WWII} of Hollywood fame.
Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.
ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington, , DC , our US Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipat ion of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the
hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer, 'No way, Sir!' Soaked to the skin,
marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be
afforded to a serviceperson.
The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.
God Bless and keep them.
Get in Tip Top "Military" Shape!
Click Here!
On Jeopardy the other night, the final question was... How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns ---- All three missed it --
This is really an awesome sight to watch if you've never had the chance,
Very fascinating.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
1. How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns and why?
21 steps. It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute, which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary.
2. How long does he hesitate after his about face to begin his return walk and why?
21 seconds for the same reason as answer number 1
3. Why are his gloves wet?
His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.
4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time and if not, why not?
He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.
5. How often are the guards changed?
Guards are changed every thiry minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.
6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to?
For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5' 10' and 6' 2' tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30'. Other requirements of the Guard:
They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform {fighting} or the tomb in any way. After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin.
The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt.
There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for duty is in front of a full-length mirror.
The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone, nor watch TV. All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington
National Cemetery ..
A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred. Among the notables are: President Taft, Joe E. Lewis {the boxer} and Medal of Honor winner Audie Murphy, {the most decorated soldier of WWII} of Hollywood fame.
Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.
ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington, , DC , our US Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipat ion of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the
hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer, 'No way, Sir!' Soaked to the skin,
marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be
afforded to a serviceperson.
The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.
God Bless and keep them.
Get in Tip Top "Military" Shape!
Click Here!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Amazing and Inspirational
Meet Molly!
Meet Molly. She's a gray speckled pony who was abandoned by her owners when Katrina hit southern Louisiana , USA . She spent weeks on her own before finally being rescued and taken to a farm where abandoned animals were stockpiled. While there, she was attacked by a pit bull terrier, and almost died. Her gnawed right front leg became infected and her vet went to LSU for help. But LSU was overwhelmed, and this pony was a welfare case. You know how that goes. But after surgeon Rustin Moore met Molly, he changed his mind. He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on different sides so she didn't seem to get sores, and how she allowed people to handle her. She protected her injured leg. She constantly shifted her weight, and didn't overload her good leg. She was a smart pony with a serious survival ethic. Moore agreed to remove her leg below the knee and a temporary artificial limb was built. Molly walked out of the clinic and her story really begins there. "This was the right horse and the right owner," Moore insists. "Molly happened to be a one-in-a-million patient. She's tough as nails, but sweet, and she was willing to cope with pain. She made it obvious she understood (that) she was in trouble." The other important factor, according to Moore , is having a truly committed and compliant owner who is dedicated to providing the daily care required over the lifetime of the horse. Molly's story turns into a parable for life in post-Katrina Louisiana . The little pony gained weight, her mane felt a comb . A human prosthesis designer built her a leg. "{The prosthetic has given Molly a whole new life," Allison Barca DVM, Molly's regular vet, reports. "And she asks for it! She will put her little limb out, and come to you and let you know that she wants you to put it on. Sometimes she wants you to take it off too." And sometimes, Molly gets away from Barca. "It can be pretty bad when you can't catch a three-legged horse," she laughs. Most important of all, Molly has a job now. Kay, the rescue farm owner, started taking Molly to shelters, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers. Anywhere she thought that people needed hope. Wherever Molly went, she showed people her pluck. She inspired people. And she had a good time doing it. "It's obvious to me that Molly had a bigger role to play in life," Moore said, "She survived the hurricane, she survived a horrible injury, and now she is giving hope to others." "She's not back to normal," Barca concluded, "but she's going to be better. To me, she could be a symbol for New Orleans itself." |
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Happy Fathers' Day!
I wish a very very happy Fathers' Day to every father, dad, daddy, pop, papa, pa, vater, padre, athair, etc!
The celebration of Father's Day was inspired by the success of Mother's Day (which was observed nationally for the first time in 1914). Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, was listening to a Mother's Day sermon in church in 1909 and decided that fathers deserved a similar day of recognition. Her father, a Civil War veteran, raised Sonora and her five siblings after their mother died in childbirth. She circulated a petition suggesting the third Sunday in June (the month in which her father was born) and urging people to wear a rose on that day in honor of their fathers. The first Father's Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910. It was not until 1966, under President Lyndon B. Johnson, that it was proclaimed a national holiday and observance of this on the third Sunday in June was made a law in 1972.
The word father first appeared in Old English spelled as fæder (c. 825), having derived from assumed Germanic fadar. It has cognates (relatives) in many other languages: Dutch vader and German Vater, as well as forms in Old Norse, Swedish, Danish, Gothic, etc., Latin and Greek pater, Old Irish athir, and Sanskrit pitar; all of these words share an Indo-European root. The use of the word father as a verb did not occur until 1483. Common synonyms for father are dad and daddy (c. 1500), papa (c. 1681), pa (c. 1811), pop (c. 1838), poppa (c. 1897), and pops (c. 1928). (You only need to capitalize father or its synonyms when you are referring to your own father.)
excerpt from Dictionary.comSaturday, June 14, 2008
Keep Bud America's Beer!
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For decades, St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch Cos Inc has pushed its Budweiser and Bud Light brands to mainstream
The company uses red, white and blue as its colors; it employs soldiers, Clydesdale horses, and stock cars in its advertising. One past slogan announced: "American owned. Brewed here. Born here." A current ad declares that its beer is a "Great American Lager."
The branding may not be so easy to maintain if Anheuser-Busch is taken over by Belgium's InBev NV, which has made a roughly $46 billion bid for its U.S. rival.
"They would most certainly not abandon their position, but certainly they are going to have a tough time," said Kevin Swanepoel, a veteran ad executive and currently president of The One Club, a nonprofit group that awards advertising achievements.
Already websites have cropped up calling for the public to apply pressure to keep the company out of InBev's hands. One, www.saveAB.com, declares, "Anheuser-Busch is an American original ... Now, our city, our state, our nation and our workers are being threatened with the loss of A-B to foreign investors."
'GUYS MAKE BEER'
Among the notable ads from Anheuser-Busch in recent years is the Super Bowl spot that ran after Sept. 11, 2001, that showed its famous Clydesdale horses bowing in tribute to the victims of the attack.
"I was sitting around a room when that advertisement ran with a bunch of rednecks ... guys who love football ... and they were sitting there with tears running down their faces because their beer understood how they felt," said Ted Parrack, chief strategic officer of Colangelo, a Connecticut-based marketing agency.
"That's gone if that becomes an international company."
Last year, Anheuser-Busch was among the 50 largest advertisers in the
Anheuser-Busch's advertising, which often wins industry awards, typically swings between spots for Budweiser that pull at heartstrings and those for Bud Light that go for laughs. One current Bud Light campaign is built entirely around the word "dude," used repeatedly in a variety of ways.
"There's no real reason for InBev to take away from the tradition Anheuser-Busch has built," said Austin Wilson, publisher of Draft magazine. "The Anheuser-Busch brand is just so strong in this country. I'd be surprised if it was even possible to detract from that brand."
But its ads can also ruffle feathers, and the brewer would shoulder some of the blame if its marketing runs into trouble following a takeover, executives said.
They are quick to point out the company took several shots at rival Miller when it was purchased by a foreign company, South African Breweries, creating SABMiller Plc.
One Club's Swanepoel, who is South African but has been living in the United States for the past decade, recalls the bad taste those ads left with him.
"I was really angry when they started this ad war," he said. "I remember I absolutely boycotted Budweiser. When people brought it over, I made them leave it outside."
Now, Colangelo's Parrack says the "backlash will be huge" if Anheuser-Busch is taken over by a foreign-based company.
"How do Americans think about beer? Guys make beer. Corporations don't make beer. Something called InBev makes Budweiser? And there's nobody named Busch around? What?
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Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Nobody ever WANTS to go into a nursing home! (True, but……….)
Nobody ever WANTS to go into a nursing home! (True, but……….)
There are many myths about nursing homes that may have been true in the past, but are now very untrue- read on to learn that your preconceived notions may be wrong!
#1) The biggest myth of all! “The nursing home is the end of the line- you only go there to die”
WOW! I am astonished at how often I hear this! Almost every nursing home has a significant focus on helping a person recover from illness or injury and transition to a lesser level of care. That means, if you go to a nursing home, nobody just gives up on you. It is frequently just a stepping stone, rather than a “last stop”. Discharge planning is done on a regular basis for everyone, even if they were admitted for “long-term care!” I bet you didn’t know that! The nursing home has a responsibility to assess whether a person still needs that level of care, and if he or she doesn’t, to make arrangements for discharge to an alternative setting. This could mean home with or without additional services, to an assisted living facility, rest or group home, senior housing, or to a family member’s home. Many states are enacting legislation to provide more home services for these nursing home residents who have improved to the point they no longer require nursing (or skilled) care.
ALSO…………… many nursing homes provide “short-term rehabilitation” or “subacute care” specifically designed to assist those who have had illness, injury, or surgery obtain the physical, occupational, and speech therapy, as well as nursing care, they require after a hospital stay. The focus from Day 1 is to get these residents back on their feet and help them transition back home. In most cases, Medicare and private insurances cover these services as long as certain criteria are met.
Please feel free to call me if you have any questions about myth #1 or nursing homes in general, and stay tuned for myth #2!
Shaileen (203)927-0702
Monday, June 9, 2008
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