Monday, November 30, 2009

Almanacs “The Almanac - Nov. 30 - Post Chronicle” plus 4 more

Almanacs “The Almanac - Nov. 30 - Post Chronicle” plus 4 more

The Almanac - Nov. 30 - Post Chronicle

Posted: 30 Nov 2009 04:24 AM PST

Today is Monday, Nov. 30, the 334th day of 2009 with 31 to follow.

The moon is waxing. The morning stars are Venus, Mars, Saturn and Mercury. The evening stars are Neptune, Jupiter and Uranus.

Those born on this date are under the sign of Sagittarius. They include Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio in 1508; Irish satirist Jonathan Swift in 1667; novelist Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens) in 1835; British statesman Winston Churchill in 1874; actor Efrem Zimbalist Jr. in 1918 (age 91); Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to Congress, in 1924; actor Richard Crenna in 1926; actor Robert Guillaume in 1927 (age 82); producer/TV music show host Dick Clark in 1929 (age 80); Watergate figure G. Gordon Liddy in 1930 (age 79); 1960s radical Abbie Hoffman in 1936; filmmaker Ridley Scott in 1937 (age 72); playwright David Mamet in 1947 (age 62); singer/actor Mandy Patinkin in 1952 (age 57); rock singer Billy Idol in 1955 (age 54); and actor Ben Stiller in 1965 (age 44).

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On this date in history:

In 1731, a series of earthquakes struck China. More than 100,000 people died.

In 1782, preliminary peace articles formally ending the American Revolutionary War were signed in Paris.

In 1913, Charles Chaplin made his screen debut in Mack Sennett's short film "Making a Living."

In 1939, the Russo-Finnish War started after the Soviet Union failed to obtain territorial concessions from Finland.

In 1975, Israel pulled its forces out of a 93-mile-long corridor along the Gulf of Suez as part of an interim peace agreement with Egypt.

In 1988, the Soviet Union stopped jamming broadcasts of Radio Free Europe for the first time in 30 years.

In 1989, rebels launched a fifth major coup attempt against Philippine President Corazon Aquino.

Also in 1989, Czechoslovakia announced an end to travel restrictions and said it planned to dismantle some of the fortifications along the Austrian border.

In 1990, the three Baltic republics -- Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia -- had an historic joint parliamentary session to consider a common course.

In 1997, the government of Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus of the Czech Republic resigned after Klaus's Civic Democratic Party was accused of accepting contributions from foreign sources.

In 2003, the World Health Organization unveiled a historic plan to treat 3 million impoverished AIDS sufferers by the end of 2005.

In 2004, flash floods and landslides killed more than 300 people in the storm-swept Philippines.

Also in 2004, the International Committee of the Red Cross charged that the U.S. military intentionally abused prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

And, Tom Ridge, the United States' first Homeland Security secretary, announced his resignation.

In 2005, the world's first partial-face transplant was conducted in France where a woman was given a new nose, lips and chin following a brutal dog bite.

In 2006, the international committee of the Red Cross said civilians were dying in the Iraq war at an average of more than 100 a day.

In 2007, an AtlasJet Airlines plane traveling from the Turkish capital of Istanbul, to Isparta, Turkey, crashed near the Isparta airport, killing all 56 people on board.

Also in 2007, police arrested a man who claimed to have a bomb and took several people hostage at the presidential campaign office of Hillary Clinton in Rochester, N.H. No one was injured in the almost six-hour ordeal.

In 2008, the owners of a Ukrainian arms ship hijacked off Somalia more than two months previously agreed to pirates' $20 million ransom demands, an official says.

Also in 2008, India's home minister resigned in the wake of the Mumbai terrorist attacks, saying he took "moral responsibility" for the wave of coordinated assaults that killed at least 173 people.

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A thought for the day: Irish satirist Jonathan Swift wrote: "I never saw, heard, nor read that the clergy were beloved in any nation where Christianity was the religion of the country. Nothing can render them popular but some degree of persecution." (c) UPI

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Harsh Winter May Leave Drivers in the Cold - Yahoo Finance

Posted: 30 Nov 2009 04:16 AM PST

DALLAS, Nov. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Three-quarters of the nation will endure more days of cold weather this winter than in recent years and significant snowfall is predicted in every zone, according to the 2010 Farmers' Almanac. With harsh weather on the way, 58-year-old Interstate Batteries provides expert advice on ways to protect car batteries from the cold.

A vehicle's battery will lose 35 percent of its efficiency when the temperature dips below freezing and more than 50 percent of its power when the temperature falls below zero. Interstate Batteries recommends the following tips to ensure your battery is ready for inclement weather:

Check It: The cold weather can dramatically reduce a battery's available starting power, so have your car's starting and charging system tested every three months.

Charge It: Use a battery charger to maintain charge levels and keep the battery in good condition. A fully charged battery will not freeze until -76 degrees F; however, a fully discharged battery could start to freeze at just below 32 degrees F (0 degrees C).

Maintain It: Inspect your battery cables, posts, and fasteners. Make sure your cables are in good shape and are secured firmly to the battery, and promptly address issues before they leave you stranded.

"As the weather continues to steadily drop, a battery's efficiency will decrease and produce less current making it difficult to start your engine," said Gale Kimbrough, Interstate Batteries Technical Services Manager. The colder temperatures also affect the engine's need for additional power during starting. The starting power required at freezing could be 150% of that compared to 80F (26.7C) and approximately 250% at 0 degrees F (-18C). "At Interstate Batteries, we provide essential maintenance tips that will ensure your battery will last during holiday season travels."

Interstate Batteries will kick off its winter battery creative campaign this month with new TV commercials designed to reach an increasingly younger target demo. Videos can be found on YouTube and Interstate Batteries' Web site under winterizing batteries.

The trusted Interstate Batteries brand promises outrageous dependability and advises drivers to perform these tasks a month prior to road trips to eliminate any problems.

About Interstate Batteries

Founded in 1952 and based in Dallas, Texas, Interstate Batteries is comprised of a privately held group of companies who sell, market and distribute all types of batteries and related products. Its member companies operate retail All Battery Center stores, provide franchising opportunity and support, and distribution through a state-of-the-art distribution center in Des Moines, Iowa. Interstate Batteries also provides products and services for motive and critical power needs through PowerCare Service and Solutions, Inc. Interstate Batteries is "#1 in Batteries," best known for its system of nearly 300 distributors who service more than 200,000 locations selling automotive, marine/RV, commercial and other types of SLI products throughout the United States, Canada and select international locations.

Since Interstate's beginnings, recycling batteries has been a key part of the services the company offers. Last year alone, Interstate returned more than a billion pounds of lead-acid batteries to government-regulated smelters across the United States for recycling. Interstate Batteries also offers batteries and information online at www.InterstateBatteries.com.

   Media Contacts: Lauren Jones-McClain or Michelle Huff (214) 379-7000 lauren@spmcommunications.com michelle@spmcommunicaitons.com

This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.

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Pocono Monday: Kids in poverty, chopped-up Lexus and yes, more ... - Pocono Record

Posted: 30 Nov 2009 05:35 AM PST

With the declining economy, one thing is soaring and that's the number of children in poverty. Monroe is leading every other county in the state with the increase in numbers. Since 2001, the percentage of local students who are at or near poverty soared 76 percent, more than five times the rate in the state overall. We have a breakdown by districts.

Another budget crunch. Two Stroud Area Regional Police officers are expected to be cut from their jobs. One of them has a baby on the way and the community is rallying to help.


Fire companies are trying to raise money by selling Christmas trees. Both Stroud and Jackson Township are selling selling Douglas fir and Fraser fir Christmas trees that give several options in size and shape. If you're going to buy a tree anyway, why not help the fire company?

After all, if you wanted to buy the items from the days of Christmas it would cost you a bundle.


Here's a Lexus that used to be worth $85,000. Now it's all chopped up.


Anthony Pellegrino wanted a new TV on Black Friday. So police say he tried walking out of the store with one. He didn't have a receipt and he was tipsy on top of it, police say.


In other police news, we have a would-be bank robber who showed up six minutes after the bank was closed. Talk about poor planning.


Refusing to leave a tip isn't nice, but it's certainly not a crime. Our editorial.

Hey, the Eagles beat the Redskins, but the Steelers lost in OT. What a difference a year makes.

Tiger Woods says the car accident was his fault, but he refuses to say where he was going at 2:25 a.m.

Yes, we're still talking about roadwork. It's going to happen until the snow flies and here's what the Farmer's Almanac and our native meterologist have to say about that.


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Simpler weather warnings to get test - State Journal-Register

Posted: 30 Nov 2009 04:31 AM PST

LINCOLN — The National Weather Service plans to get to the point with its winter-weather warnings this year.

The central Illinois forecasting office at Lincoln is taking part in a national experiment offering simpler, more straightforward winter advisories similar to the format already used for spring and summer storms.

"Instead of lumping everything into two or three paragraphs and making people pick out what they need, this will make it easier to read and for people to pull the information that they want. It pushes bullet points," said Chris Miller, warning coordination meteorologist for the weather-service office in Lincoln.

Miller said testing of the new format will begin Dec. 8 and continue through next spring in the western two-thirds of the country. The format could go nationwide for the winter of 2010-2011.

The news media are among the most frequent users, but Miller said schools, businesses, emergency service agencies and law enforcement also rely on the advisories.

"In central Illinois, we tend to get a lot of mixed precipitation, and the last few years have borne that out with ice mixed with sleet and snow," said Miller.

David Butt, director of the Sangamon County Office of Emergency Management, said simpler is better when it comes to weather warnings.

"When we are talking about spring storms, the news for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms really has two levels of notification. Watch, means be on alert, and warning, it's happening," said Butt.

"The public, which has tuned into the more simple spring storm warnings, often doesn't know what to make of the more complex winter warnings," said Butt. "Making it more user-friendly … I believe we will all benefit from that."

It doesn't appear the new advisory format will be needed anytime soon as one of the mildest Novembers on record winds down.

"In much of central Illinois, we're running five to seven degrees above average," said Miller.

The new format

The National Weather Service will test a new winter-storm warning format from Dec. 8 to May 29, 2010, including in central Illinois. Public comments also will be accepted at: http://www.weather.gov/survey/nws-survey.php?code=wswnpw.

Examples

Old: "Low pressure from south Texas into central Tennessee will deepen as it tracks northeast across the upper Ohio River Valley overnight. This will continue to bring snow, and periods of sleet and freezing rains across southeast Illinois…and snow over parts of central and east-central Illinois tonight. The heaviest snow will occur south of I-70…where storm total amounts of 4 to 10 inches will be common by late tonight. Snow accumulations will steadily decrease further northward…with 3 to locally 6 inches expected as far north as a Taylorville to Decatur to Danville line."

New: "Snow…with periods of sleet and freezing rain…can be expected in southeast Illinois through tonight. The heaviest snow is expected to be south of I-70. Snow accumulations will steadily decrease farther to the north. The snow is being caused by an area of low pressure, which is forecast to strengthen as it tracks across the Ohio River Valley tonight."

What kind of winter is ahead?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts above average temperatures and average precipitation in most of the Midwest for the winter of 2009-2010, including central Illinois. The Farmers' Almanac forecast is for bitter cold and dry in the upper Great Lakes, and cold and snowy in the rest of the Midwest.

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Volunteers enable arts to reach community - Morning Sun

Posted: 30 Nov 2009 02:43 AM PST

By NEDRA FISHER
Art Reach

The "Holiday Art Collection" just gets better and better! Looking in our gallery window is a great experience, but since new "one of a kind" items are arriving at Art Reach on Broadway every day, it's better to go in. In fact, to see everything it's really best to return to the shop as often as possible. Recently gourds, soaps, and pillows made with recycled materials arrived from Cindy Eby. Children's furniture and toys painted by Julie Ellis are there for your little ones, and there is a wonderful collection of felted, knitted, and crocheted hats, purses, and scarves that have arrived on time for the holidays. We have a terrific selection of Christmas cards, the best I've seen! Art Reach also has new soaps made especially for our shop. Barbara Taylor, a local ceramicist, has designed unique dishes to go with the soap (a perfect gift for your student's teacher).

Dickens Weekend is almost here! It's a great family experience thanks to the city and the many participants who work hard to bring this event about. Let's all hope for good weather. During the Santa's Workshop at the Art Reach Center on Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m., we will be creating penguin doorknob hangers. This is a free event. CMU communications students of Dr. Nancy Birkel Rothfuss generously donated the funds to pay for this workstation. Art Reach on Broadway will provide refreshments and holiday music played by Mark Cox and Erin Timmons.

Well-known (and well-loved) local jazz singer, Lois Hartzler, is the featured artist for our "Lets do Lunch" program at noon on Wednesday in the Denison Recital Hall. Lois will chronicle the lives of famous jazz singers Billy Holiday, Nina Simone, and Dianne Reeves through songs and little-known information about their lives and careers. This program is free and open to the public. Just bring your lunch and plan to enjoy the music and history of these great singers. Art Reach provides cookies and water.

On Monday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. at Art Reach in the Denison Recital Hall, the Wellspring Literary Series will feature Christine Rhein. Her collection of poems, "Wild Flight," won the 2008 Walt McDonald First Book Prize from Texas Tech University Press. Rhein's work has appeared in The Gettysburg Review, The Southern Review, and Michigan Quarterly Review, where she was awarded the 2006 Lawrence Goldstein Poetry Prize. Her poems have also been selected for the Best New Poets of 2007 anthology, the Poetry Daily website, and Garrison Keilor's The Writers Almanac. Also presenting his poetry is Matthew Cicci, who is currently seeking his M.A. in Creative Fiction at CMU. Andrew Strodtman has played the violoncello for 16 years and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music Education at CMU. His music will set the mood for this memorable evening.

A "Day with the Artists" is a special event that Art Reach sponsors for both students and their teachers. It helps children learn about different forms of art as well as how they are created. The artists that help each year donate an entire day to work with the students and even use their own supplies. On Nov. 6, there were two "Days". At Rosebush Elementary Nancy Cantrell organized a wonderful group of artists who helped the students discover how to make stained glass from Moonyeen Albrecht; decorate a cake from Stephanie Sims from Meijer (who donated enough supplies for her to create a beautiful cake for each classroom); enjoy a clarinet quartet performance by Kristin Pagels, Lane Dunlap, Jen Fischer, and James Romel from CMU; create fiber art by Meghan Bourland; create amazing pottery on a wheel with Ryan Taylor; dance with Kristen Bennett from Vision Dance Studio; paint with acrylics by Gordon Szczubeleck; make jewelry with Hailey Jarman and Emma Galliher, MPHS; tell a story with Roger Gilbert; painting and pencil drawing with Emily Paik and Cameryn Clark, MPHS; and create altered books with Katie McAllister, MPHS. Several MPHS students helped the artists throughout the day. The teachers provided a fantastic potluck lunch for everyone.

Pat Knapp organized a great "Day" at Nikkari Elementary in St. Louis. There the students learned dance from Jillian of DuHadway Dance Dimensions, Alma; color from Holly Ross (SLHS); drawing from Susan Pack; pastels from Amy Mendoza; Origami from Jesse Latoski and Glen Rose (SLHS); Luthier and stringed instruments from David Leonard; face painting and clown art from Pat Daniels; sidewalk art from Katie Brady (SLHS); and watercolor from Jacob Guajardo (SLHS). Hilda Oakes showed the historic art of spinning. Emma Urban from Urban Dreams Farm brought four of her friendly alpacas and a carding machine that prepares the alpaca fiber for use in spinning or felting. Each child used the machine to card a small amount of the fiber and a sample to take home. SLHS students Travis Barton, Amber Bigelow, Ashley Byers, Brooke Hipolite, Taylor Lanentola, Danielle Morris, Brittany Navaro, Cody Post, Brittani Risley, Crystal Wood, and Kelsey Wood helped the artists throughout the day. If you see any of these wonderful people, be sure to thank them for their generous gift to the schools.

You can never say "Thank You" enough for an act of kindness and generosity, but during this season, it seems especially important to remember those who have helped and supported Art Reach through the 28 years we have served this community.

I just told you about the Day with the Artists. There would be no "Days" without volunteers. This fall the Art Reach Picture Program is celebrating its 25 anniversary. It currently reaches 9.000 students in 30 schools, but there would be no ARPP without the hundreds of school coordinators and docents who have helped with the program throughout those years.

Our gift shop is a service to both the community and the Michigan artists who show their work there. The people who help you when you visit are all volunteers.

Our recent auction raised funds that will allow us to continue our programs and maintain the Center and Gallery, but there could not have been an auction without those who sponsored the event and over 150 donations by local artists and businesses who contributed artwork, services, trips, gift certificates, jewelry, books, food, furniture, and more. Those who attended the auction were a great help, too.

If you are a member of Art Reach, your support has also made our programs possible. Art Reach staff members, Kathy Hill, Lynn Lipe, Diane Ward, and Kim Bigard give 150 percent every day. I wish there was room to list the name of every person who deserves to be thanked, but please know that we appreciate your help and your trust. Thank you, and a Merry Christmas, Joyful Holidays, and a healthy, happy New Year.

Call 989-773-3689 or check out our Web site at www.artreachcenter.org for information.

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