How to Overcome Comforting Yourself with Comfort Foods
June 28, 2010
Comfort Foods (Tim Hawk, NJ.com)
Comfort foods have become a way of life these days. It’s not hard to understand why we need comfort foods. Our lives are full of stress. The crashing economy has scared most intelligent people silly. The thought that what we formerly believed was enough money to live on has now become barely adequate is enough to send anyone running to the ice cream carton or the macaroni and cheese bowl or the potato chip bag.
We seek comfort when we are stressed. We learned as babies that milk was comfort. When we were sick as children, we were comforted by chicken soup or ice cream or whatever Mom’s favorite cookie recipe was. We continued as teens to comfort our growing insecurity about our popularity with cheeseburgers, soft drinks and doughnuts. We entered college and survived on pizzas to overcome exam jitters. [Read more]
Scientists Announce Discovery of 3.6 Million-Year-Old Relative of ‘Lucy’
June 22, 2010
Early Hominid Skeleton Confirms Human-Like Walking is Ancient
Cleveland, OH — Meet “Lucy’s” great-grandfather. Scientists from The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Kent State University, Case Western Reserve University, Addis Ababa University and Berkeley Geochronology Center were part of an international team that discovered and analyzed a 3.6 million-year-old partial skeleton found in Ethiopia. The early hominid is 400,000 years older than the famous “Lucy” skeleton. Research on this new specimen indicates that advanced human-like, upright walking occurred much earlier than previously thought. The discovery and results from this initial analysis will be published this week in the online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. [Read more]
Tennessee Man Wins 15th Annual AARP National Spelling Bee for ‘Word Nerds’ Age 50+
June 21, 2010
Most Competitive Bee in Its 15 Year History
Cheyenne, WY — After more than 9 and a half hours of spelling today (Saturday), Scott Firebaugh, age 56, of Knoxville, TN, correctly spelled “keratomileusis” to win the 15th Annual AARP National Spelling Bee for spellers age 50+. The runner-up, Robert Moy, age 53, from New York, NY, missed “myoinositol” after 68 difficult rounds of spelling. Third place went to the 2005 AARP National Spelling Bee champion, David Riddle, 57, of Pacific Grove, CA.
The AARP National Spelling Bee began with a 100-word written spelling test which narrowed the field of 48 competitors from all over the country down to the top 16. These finalists advanced to the oral spelling finals where spellers were allowed to miss three words before being knocked out of the contest. [Read more]
Leading Pet Health Insurer Reveals 2010′s Top 10 Most Unusual Pet Names
June 16, 2010
Move Over Fido and Felix, Make Room for Dog Vader and Chairman Meow
Brea, CA — Shakespeare once famously asked “What’s in a name?” When it comes to pet names, the answer is puns, pop culture references, and a little bit of poop. For the third year running, Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI), the nation’s oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance, is saluting those four-legged friends with names of a truly unforgettable nature.
VPI employees selected 50 unusual dog and cat names from the company’s database of more than 485,000 insured pets and narrowed them down by voting for the 10 most unusual names for each species. Following are the 10 Most Unusual Dog and Cat Names for 2010: [Read more]
Fun Ways for Kids to Learn during Summer Vacation
June 14, 2010
According to research by Harris Cooper of Duke University, the average student loses at least a month’s worth of learning over the summer. Math skills are supposed to take a greater hit than other subjects. What can you do to help your child avoid the slippery slope?
First, make every day a learning experience. If appropriate, have your child take classes in summer school or go to vacation Bible school. In addition, everyday activities can teach many things to children. [Read more]
Grants available from the Tennessee Arts Commission
June 14, 2010
Guidelines and Applications For Fiscal Year 2011 Ongoing Grants Available Online
Nashville, TN — The Tennessee Arts Commission has announced availability of grants in the ongoing grant categories. Grant categories include Touring Arts, Professional Development Support, Technical Assistance, Special Opportunities, Arts Education Mini-Grants, and Arts Education Teacher Incentive. Applications and guidelines are now available online (www.arts.state.tn.us). The grants will be available for Fiscal Year 2011, which begins July 1st, 2010 and ends on June 30th, 2011. Deadline for each grant is 30 days prior to the event. [Read more]
Holy Grail of Military Aviation comes home 68 Years After Take-Off
June 13, 2010
Fallen B-17E Bomber ‘Swamp Ghost’ unveiled at ceremony honoring America’s war heroes.
Long Beach, CA — It’s a sacrifice Americans said they would never forget. And today, more than 68 years since a group of young U.S. servicemen in a B-17E Flying Fortress crash-landed in a primitive New Guinea swamp, a group of the air crew’s surviving relatives and supporters will welcome home the fallen aircraft to honor the heroes of World War II.
A formation flyover by a vintage P-51 Mustang and P-40 Warhawk above the Long Beach Harbor will launch a ceremony to unveil the recovered bomber, nicknamed Swamp Ghost and known by historians as the Holy Grail of military aviation.
Swamp Ghost emerged from beneath water and tall grass in the primitive New Guinea Swamp where it slept for 64 years. (Aero Archaeology)
VanDam wins 17th BASS Victory at Kentucky Lake Bassmaster Elite Series Event
June 13, 2010
Paris, TN – Kevin VanDam has set the bar so high that when the Kalamazoo, MI, veteran goes a few tournaments without a victory, bass fishing fans are left to ponder if he has lost the magic. But VanDam is undoubtedly on top of his game and Saturday, he laid waste to rumors of a struggle, extending his Kentucky Lake domination at the Tennessee Triumph with a four-day total of 92 pounds, 5 ounces.
A triumphant Kevin VanDam after winning the Tennesee Triumph Bass tournament
VanDam Keeps Things Interesting; Holds Lead at Kentucky Lake Bassmaster Elite Series Event
June 12, 2010
Paris, TN – Just when it seemed Kevin VanDam had a virtual stranglehold on the Tennessee Triumph, the five-time Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year uncharacteristically loosened his grip heading into the final day of competition. Despite weighing 21 pounds, 11 ounces, Friday, the Kalamazoo, MI, veteran lost nearly half of his 6-pound advantage as Kelly Jordon smashed 24 pounds, 0 ounces, to close the gap.
Kentucky Lake guru VanDam – he has posted a second-, third and first-place finish in the past three BASS events here – amassed a three-day total of 70-13 (Jordon has 67-2) but has seen his weight decline each of three competition days. Much of that can be attributed to the tremendous boat pressure VanDam is coping with and the bad news for KVD is that the impending weekend should only bring increased traffic.
Day 3 Leader Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, MI. 70lb13oz. (BASS Communications/Seigo Saito)
Five Authors Whose Books You Don’t Want to Miss
June 11, 2010
Summer typically provides at least a few more hours for reading, whether it’s during vacation or just because you have more daylight hours for relaxing. Here are some authors I consider worth reading:
1. Karen von Blixen-Finecke (Isak Dinesen). “I had a farm in Africa” in the romantic OUT OF AFRICA (first published in 1937) is one of the most memorable first lines in any book I’ve ever read. These six simple words somehow create an atmosphere of intrigue that extends throughout the book. If you have seen the movie and enjoyed it, you will love the book. [Read more]
