The public is being kept in the dark about what is happening in the US and world; they have been kept from finding out just how big this ‘mutation’ issue is becoming. Please pass this site on to as many family and friends as you can and post links to it on as many sites as you can. We will continue to update as new information becomes available.

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H1N1 (D225G) mutation now confirmed in China – Chinese watch for H5N1/H1N1 hybrid – YouTube

H1N1 is now a full blown ‘mutated’ pandemic in many countries – “fills lungs with blood”

Plague of ‘Black Lung’ Is Sweeping Through Europe

Iowa’s Announcement of Appearance of Virulent Swine Flu Virus Spells Trouble Ahead

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Probable Swine Flu In Congo – 3 Dead, Hundreds Sick

One Million Iranians Test Postive For Swine Flu

England Swine Flu Deaths Reach Highest Level

WHO Studying Swine Flu Mutations – (And Has Been For Weeks)

Man dies in Sweden from the “swine flu” – now 9 ‘official’ deaths

132 Flu Patients Hit with Brain Disorders Since July

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Vaccine-Induced Disease Epidemic Outbreaks

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Peer reviewed study in Virology Journal shows why H1N1 was most likely released from a lab – YouTube

From Where Did the 2009 Swine Flu Emerge?

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Military To Work With FEMA During Swine Flu Pandemic

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Foods That Can Help to Prevent Swine Flu

10 Things You’re Not To Know About H1N1 Vax

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Reported flu stats by country

(courtesy of Flu News Network)

China
•  8 cases of swine flu mutation (Link)
•  Chinese expert warns of H1N1 and H5N1 pandemic mutation (Link)
•  Detected H1N1 mutations ‘not dangerous’ (Link)

Canada
•  Helen Branswell – GSK says still no answer on whether H1N1 vaccine batch triggers more reaction (Link)

Japan
•  Japan to send experts to Canada over flu vaccine reactions (Link)

Latvia
•  Baltic states swine flu death toll rises (Link)

Saudi Arabia
•  Swine flu fears for hajj pilgrims (Link)

Slovakia
•  Ill Man with A(H1N1) Flu Virus Dies in Prievidza Hospital (Link)

South Korea
•  South Korea Unlikely to Buy Problematic H1N1 Vaccine from GSK (Link)
•  22 new deaths recorded last week, total now 104 (Link)

Taiwan
•  Confirmation of death of 4 yr old girl from H1N1 (Link)

United Kingdom
•  Scotland has 3 more deaths, 43 total now (Link)

United States
•  US: CDC says that the rates of ‘invasive pneumonia’ tripled in Oct vs 5 yr averages in Denver metro (log in required) (Link)
•  Decoding the turkey’s genetic gobbledygook (Link)
•  FL: New mom in coma w/ H1N1, newborn survived 5 days (Link)
•  IL: 2000 hospitalizations from H1N1 and 389 new hospitalized (Link)
•  IN: 33 of 35 deaths from flu so far are confirmed H1N1 (Link)
•  MN: Minnesota news reports seem inconsistent now (Link)
•  MN: Six Duluth deaths associated with H1N1 (Link)
•  NM: Two Deaths In Eastern New Mexico Linked To H1N1 (Link)
•  OR: only 17 more hospitalizations since yesterday, no new deaths (Link)
•  OR: Oregon Hospitalizations up 22 in four days and 4 new deaths (Link)
•  PA: (7) New Deaths on PA DOH Website for 11.25.09 (Link)
•  TX: 2 more deaths confirmed in El Paso (Link)
•  UT: Utah confirmed another death and 72 more hospitalizations last week (Link)

General
•  WHO: Possible Tamiflu resistance (translated) (Link)
•  Biological H1N1 Vaccines: Too Little, Too Late (Link)
•  Drug-resistant swine flu probed (Link)
•  The Hajj: A perfect storm for swine flu? (Link)

Early in the week the 3^rd ranked team in the nation, the Texas Longhorns, conquered the CBE classic with wins over the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Pittsburg Panthers but as they keep winning, we already face the question: How good are the Longhorns?

Because of the schedule Texas won’t battle a ranked team before December the 19^th when they play North Carolina on Cowboys Stadium. They will maintain the #3 spot this week and can be even higher next one because the Spartans will face the Tar Heels on the ACC/Big Ten challenge and who knows what will happen there. What’s safe to say is that both teams ahead of them ran through big opponents. Michigan State beat Gonzaga and Kansas beat Memphis on ESPN’s marathon day.

On the CBE Classic, Texas just out talented Iowa and Pitt.

From the game against Iowa we conclude that the Hawkeyes will see better days on the horizon and that Texas haven’t been tested yet. Because of the way the Hawkeyes are built, they caused the Longhorns some problem. Because of the ball rotation, Texas help defended in the first half. They fixed that in the locker room and all of a sudden, the Hawkeyes couldn’t score because none of their Guards could beat Pittman and Damion James who finished with 3 blocks each. Except for junk time, Iowa was only 8 deep and as time progressed they warned out.

From the game against Pitt we conclude that the Longhorns do have a deep team. With Varez Ward leaving early on the game, J’Covan Brown was more than capable to do the job and they’ll need him more than ever now that Ward is most likely done for the season. Led by Damion James in both points and minutes, Texas ran over Pitt on the second half and never looked back. The Panthers are still trying to figure out a way to replace DeJuan Blair, so we can consider them a team in transition.

In these first four games of the season we have been able to see that the Longhorns can easily be a Final Four team. Their defense is amazing, Jordan Hamilton is a very nice shooter and Pittman’s game is evolving however without watching them play against top 25 competition, it’s tough to see their problems. Expectations around this team are high but we don’t know how they are going to behave when they face the Gonzagas, Xaviers, Villanovas, Daytons or Butlers of the world and until that date maybe they shouldn’t be number 3 in the nation.

Check More At: MVN

Top 5 II: http://basketballoutsider.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/top-5-ii/

Questa sarà ricordata come la corsa delle “prime volte”. Ebbene, mettiamo sul tavolo i vari elementi: prima corsa del campionato Indycar, attesissimo campionato targato rLeague; prima apparizione ufficiale di Elio Poggi nei suoi nuovi colori Breval, prima vittoria in Indycar e prima vittoria su ovale! Se non vi basta questo…

Di seguito potete leggere il report di una gara che oltre a bellissimi duelli ha offerto intense emozioni.

Il primo round dell’Indycar League si tiene a Iowa, un ovale corto molto tecnico e frenetico, una dura prova tecnica per tutti i piloti.

Elio Poggi fa subito capire le sue intenzioni sull’evento, segnando una netta pole position.

La gara parte con Poggi al comando, ma  giro dopo giro si capisce quale sarà l’ago della bilancia per capire chi potrà ambire alla vittoria: il consumo delle gomme.

Il pilota Breval, forte di una notevole velocità, soffre però di alcuni problemi sotto questo punto di vista, e si ritrova costretto a pittare più volte rispetto agli avversari. Grazie però all’acume tattico e alla strategia box, riesce a sfruttare occasioni come le safety car, e a riprendersi il comando allungando sugli avversari.

A 50 giri la situazione vede Poggi in testa con ancora un ultimo pit da fare, mentre Pissenati e Frascatani inseguono a pochi secondi ma senza doversi fermare per ulteriori pit. La situazione non è delle più rosee ma Poggi sfrutta l’ennesima safety car per riportarsi in scia al duo a meno di 30 giri dal termine.

Negli ultimi giri il pilota Breval compie un capolavoro passando dapprima Frascatani, portandosi in scia del leader Pissenati e negli ultimi 5 giri a tentare un attacco che riesce all’ultimo giro grazie proprio ad un errore del leader, che lascia un varco aperto dove il pilota belga non esita a infilarsi e a tagliare per primo sotto la bandiera a scacchi.

Una grande vittoria questa per come è arrivata e per la competitività dimostrata da subito, una grande soddisfazione per il team che ha già fatto intendere le sue ambizioni per il proseguio della stagione.

La classifica vede ora Poggi in testa con 90 punti su Pissenati e Frascatani, i primi diretti inseguitori.

Tutti i risultati QUI

Elio Poggi (pilota Breval Racing): “La pista era un ovale corto ed era un po piu tecnica rispetto ai vari speedway perche bisognava mollare leggermente il gas nelle curve, forse è propio per quello che mi sono trovato subito bene riuscendo anche a fare un ottima pole. Essendo la mia prima vittoria su un ovale, la prima con le Indycar e sopratutto la prima con il mio nuovo team, non ci poteva essere migliore inizio!
Ero cosi contento che dopo il traguardo ho deciso di festeggiare in modo un pò “bizzarro”!
Ora la prossima corsa è Laguna Seca, una pista del tutto diversa e per niente facile dove non sono mai andato molto bene, ma prima di domenica non ero mai andato bene su ovale quindi chissà…”

130 Miles from Iowa, USA – Big Earl’s clubs in Iowa are putting a new spin on Thanksgiving stuffing, with a new twist on the big, beautiful woman scene and Tony Batman and Schevelle will be your master and mistress of ceremonies for the big event.

Friday, November 27 and Saturday, November 28, 2009, there will be no fluff as plus-size dancers take to the stage at Big Earl’s locations in Des Moines and Davenport, competing for the chance to win a $1000 prize.

Batman is looking forward to the event, “Friday we will hold the contest for the Des Moines ladies, then we move to Davenport for the second contest. This is going to be a huge event and Schevelle and I are happy to be invited. I stole this gig from my buddy, Ron Jeremy and I think he’s going to envy me the experience of a lifetime this presents. . . Kidding Ron!

“Seriously though, this is a great opportunity for girls that have wanted to dance, but didn’t think they could fit into the showgirl mold to start building experience and a following. Schevelle and I will be giving the entrants our full support during these two contests and I think Big Earl’s has a great idea in opening up to the BBW girls and their fans.”

This dynamic duo isn’t going to let the opportunity to spread good will end with the contests, and plan something more. “Tony and I are going to spend our day on Thanksgiving volunteering at a shelter, dishing up meals for people that otherwise wouldn’t have a Thanksgiving of their own,” said Schevelle.

Batman agrees, “Yes, we are doing some good works for our holiday weekend. Schevelle and I are scheduled for interviews with WGGO Classic Rock with Clutch, Kiss 107.5 and Lazer 103.3, where we will not only talk about the contests and our travels on the show circuit, but also about voluntarism. We are very happy that we have gotten so much coverage for our time here. In Iowa, three radio stations interviewing us is pretty much a media blitz!”

Big Earl’s Goldmine is located at 4745 NW 2nd Avenue in Des Moines. Phone 515-237-9902. Big Earl’s Amsterdam is at 643 East 59th in Davenport, Iowa. Phone 563-468-4653.

Read more of Batman and Schevelle’s travel logs at www.tonybatman.com.

Ohai Interwebz.  Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.

First and foremost, I accidentally gave myself a shot last night.  I KNOW!  SO COOL, right?!

Here’s how it went down.  I got my Follistim Pen all loaded up, sanitized, needle loaded up and alcohol-swabbed the spot I had selected.  I have this pretty major problem of forgetting which side I shot up the day before, but Joey is always on top of things.  He came skidding into the bathroom just as I swabbed off my right side and stopped me.  ”You did that one yesterday,” he said.  ”Other side.”

“Serious?” I asked.

“Serious.”

“Can’t I just do this side anyways since it’s already clean?”

“No.  Other side.”  Don’t mess with  Joey, Internet.  Don’t do it.

So I sighed and cleaned off a spot just to the left and a little below my poor bellybutton and held the Follistim pen at the 45 degree angle that we discovered is much less painful.

“Are you doing it yourself?” Joey asked me.

“No,” I said.  ”I’m just seeing how it would look if I were going to try it.” But as I said this, I accidentally jostled my right arm and felt a tiny twinge.

“Well…you just did,” Joey said.

“OH MY GOSH!” I squeaked.  The arm twitch had caused me to accidentally shoot myself, and I was somehow past the painful part of the process.

WEIRD.

I stared down at my hand and realized the way I was holding the pen made it next to impossible to actually depress the thingy that shoots the medicine into my person.  I tried to adjust my grip on the pen, but it was really awkward.  I pushed it in the rest of the way, and it didn’t hurt at all!, and awkwardly pushed the “button” (I don’t have a clue what that thing is called, I am such a bad druggie).  I was careful to leave it in for the prescribed 5 seconds and then, out it came.

“Victory!  I DID IT!!” I yelled, throwing my arms into the air, one of which was still holding the exposed-needled Follistim pen. Fortunately I didn’t nick Joey with it; can you even imagine what would happen to him?  He doesn’t even have ovaries.

“Nice job,” Joey congratulated me as I twisted apart the needle from the pen and disposed of it in my sharps container.  ”But this is terrible, now I don’t get to be part of the process anymore!”

“Well, you can still give me some shots,” I assured him.  ”Don’t worry.”

Joey suddenly laughed and said, “You know, if I’m the one giving you the shots, it’s like I’m more involved in the process than I would be the, um, Other Way.”  I laughed too.

The state of marriage during infertility treatments: spouses fighting over who gets to give the injections.  What is this world coming to?

Following my victorious shot-giving session, we stayed up an hour past our bedtime and web-cammed with my family as we did a really, really early version of Christmas/Birthday.  Sister and Pops have birthdays that each wind up on Thanksgiving day every few years.  Sister’s was Monday and Pops’ is TODAY (Happy birthday to Pops!), so they shared a birthday dinner last night.  We didn’t start presents until 10:00 because The Kid was taking for-ever to get to Iowa from Ohio, where he goes to college.

After all the presents were opened and the table was so covered in wrapping paper it was starting to block the webcam, we finally got to bed at midnight.

MIDNIGHT.

And this morning when Joey and I woke up, we realized I had used all the eggs in the house yesterday (6 to be exact) to make the pecan pie last night, so our plans for a brunch were kind of squelched.  That is, until we decided to go get some eggs.  But we were not self-starters at all this morning, not at ALL, and we sat on the floor playing with Henry and drinking our Ghirardelli Chocolate Peppermint coffee (and none of you will report me to Dr. Babyplease or you’re fired from reading this blog; yes, I have that power.)

We were also listening to the new John Mayer album, which totally rocks me.  So there we were, staring blankly off into space with really messy hair, lounge pants, coffee mugs and sitting on the floor.  The absolute picture of marital bliss.  Then Friends, Lovers or Nothin’ came on;  it has that sweet power chord piano line and fancy guitar business, so Joey and I spontaneously began playing air guitar (Joey) and air piano (me).  We were serious about it, too, with emotive head-banging and everything.

I am a way better air piano player than Joey is at air guitar, but 12 years of real piano lessons will give that added benefit. Then we realized how ridiculous we were and we laughed until my Follistimulated ovaries hurt and I had to cry “Uncle!”

It’s going to be a good day, Internet.

I’ve got Joey and my air piano skillz.

After asking people on Twitter and Facebook yesterday to advise me on keeping a daily newspaper subscription, this morning I discovered at least one advantage of getting my news online.

I came across this article about our efforts to improve safety on county roads.

The advantage of reading it online?

Sometimes I forget how many ignorant and potentially dangerous people are hiding under rocks out there. Then the mostly anonymous, uninformed and often venomous commenters expose their contempt  and sometimes hatred for others, and I remember to be more careful.

You don’t get that immediate feedback in a daily newspaper.

Concerns about how tax money is spent certainly are legitimate, but inexpensive signage telling people to be careful isn’t asking much. We will have signs.

Wide shoulders might be a good idea in some places, and it’s responsible and smart for the supervisors to be looking into that concept. (It isn’t just cyclists who benefit from wider shoulders and better-built roads.)

It’s clear we have a long way to go to educate people about sharing the road. Some will never get it, so be careful out there.

Later, I’ll share some of what I heard about renewing my subscription to the daily paper. I don’t have to make a decision for a few days yet.

Pedal on.

It’s that time of year again where we give thanks… thanks to the people we love, thanks for all of the nice things we have in life, and thanks to the ones who guided our lives in the right direction. (I remember in the fourth grade Tim Earle and I were fighting on the playground during recess — probably over who got to be quaterback next or something like that…  Our teacher, Mrs. Stanton, had witnessed this and when we came back inside — she made us both stand up in from of the whole class and hug each other.  Sounds weird to be thankful for a teacher who used public humiliation as a deterrent, but I went to school with Tim for 12 years and I don’t think me or Tim ever got into another fight with anyone ever again after that.  Thanks Mrs. Stanton.). Come to think of it, there are so many things that we could be thankful for.  Some are universal things that everyone generally understands, but some personal thoughts of thanks are ones that mean something unique that perhaps only you can understand.

Here’s what the people at Runde’s are thankful for today:

Here at Runde’s, we want to wish you and the ones you love a great Thanksgiving. In preparation for the holiday to come I’ve put together a mini Thanksgiving survival guide for our readers:

Conflicting interests: Having multiple cooks in the kitchen could mean one of two things; 1. You will have a feast you will never forget with food beyond sight, or 2. There will be a conflict of interest between the cooks and you will reap the potentially devastating outcome.  Let’s try to maintain a culinary sense of peace in the kitchen this year!

Solution: To protect your assets (food) participate in the kitchen and make sure everyone is having a good time and getting along. A harmony of thought will lead to a delightful meal.  (Easier said than done sometimes, eh?)

The day breaker: Eating too much at the biggest feast of the year (for many) may lead you to waste some of your day. Most people have experienced it, it’s probably the most common symptom of Thanksgiving-itis:  drowsiness.  Turkey has a natural chemical called tryptophan (it’s one of my sister’s favorite words — she just has the mention it every Thanksgiving.)  which is an amino acid that causes drowsiness. Mix this with overeating and under-activity and you got the perfect excuse to hit the couch for a couple hours.

Solution: Avoid this by prepping your stomach with some light food before gobbling down the turkey - the tryptophan’s sleepy symptom doesn’t work well on a stomach that isn’t empty.  And, seriously, put down the 3rd helping of smashed potatoes and gravy, geesh. Doing these simple steps should have you active for the rest of the day while everyone else takes a nap under the watchful eye of Mother Earth.  And if you’re still not sure what exactly a giblet is — then join the club!

Stay tuned for next month’s Christmas blog entry where we’ll try to explain what those little green things in a fruit cake are…

In the beginning of November, I attended my semi annual Professional Photographers of Iowa Convention in Des Moines. As always, it was  a great learning experience for me. I learned a lot of valuable information while I was there! I also had some of my work on display for judging.

I recieved first place for men on the image of Dailey Johnson(pictured above).

I recieved third place on individual child of Addisyn Marvin(pictured above).

I received third place on group of Cody and Kylie’s Engagement session(pictured above).

I received Honorable Mention for Renae and Chad’s wedding (pictured above).

It was a lot of fun to catch up with old friends and make new ones!

On early Saturday mornings, I go with my brothers to check traps we have already set all along Lizard Creek, in the tall brown grass and weeds, near the muddy river banks. My brothers skin and walk to town to sell what we catch. They get a good price for our animal skins from a dealer named Doug, who sells them for more money, to a glove company of which we don’t even know the name. My brothers feel I have a second sense and luckiness which they cannot match, but I am too shy and don’t like to talk, so I never go with them into town to sell what we catch. This makes for a great partnership. When they come home from selling to Doug, we split the money three ways. My brothers usually use their cut of money to go into town to party, dance and chase girls. I am saving my money for a new pair of running shoes.

 One Saturday morning near sunrise, I was walking up a hill with two freshly skinned beaver pelts slung from either wrist, tied with strips of butcher string. People tell me, I am a pretty girl, with eyes as sharp as ice picks, my lips curl and my figure is round and plush, but still at the edge of slim, I’m small, but fit. Boys are always chasing after me, so my older brothers are constantly on guard against any possible violators. Keeping them away from me is something my Dad has taught them to do. Anyway, I pretty much feel I can have my pick of boys, but that doesn’t matter to me because I have already found the one for me, it is Hughe. He is the only one for me.

I am thinking of him as I walk. Thinking of how witty he is and of his thick square hands, strong and firm as they wrap around my hand, and we’ve been holding hands for years, since we were only ten years old. That’s when we first found each other and we have been inseparably since that first encounter at the play ground swings back in the fifth grade. I know he is mine. I can’t wait for his call later tonight. We always talk for hours on the telephone on Saturday evenings when we are not together. I think of his big, dark eyes and of his warm soft kisses, then I have to stop right in my tracks, at the sensation that shivers through me from the top of my head down to my toes. I feel fuzzy and lost in my thoughts.

 While I am standing there, stopped halfway up the hill, lost on the narrow path, a drift in the charms of Hughe, I never see Jack Martin running down the same path. I didn’t even hear him coming toward me until it was way too late. He heads toward me like a wild horse making a break for it, and rams into me like a football tackler in the NFL. He yells,

 “Move aside, Indian squaw!”

 So, I reply, “Better slow down, ugly white boy!”

 He tries to get up from where we collide and land on the ground, but out of reflex, I wrap both my arms around him, holding on to him so that his body is laying long ways on top of my own. His weight surprises me, because he is a slender, muscular, but narrowed backed boy. I decide to hold him more firmly by tangling my legs with his. I have seen him wear his P.E. shorts and because I am a strong distance runner, I already know my legs are stronger than his chicken legs, so he is stuck on top of me for a long time once my legs are wrapped and holding his legs.

 What is he doing out here near our traps? I see a cluster of animal skins tied to his wrist, too. Did he take them from our traps? He is the oldest son of a family of known thieves, so I was not exactly wrong to suspect him of stealing from our traps. Stealing our animal skins just fits what I know of that blood line, so I guessed he was running off with our profits. Who knows? I just didn’t want my two, older brothers to think I was not able enough to stop anyone from stealing from our business, mostly, being I am a bit younger and a girl, I felt extra motivated to protect and defend our animal skins, so there was no way I was going to let a skinny, white boy steal from us while I was in charge of collecting from our traps! And so, I set my mind and all my might not to let go of Jack Martin, no matter how strong a fight he gave me. Not that holding him was an easy task.

 “Let me go, you damn Indian,” he hissed. His big white teeth, looking set and strong. “You smell like a skunk.”

 He is just a thin white boy from a family everyone knew was bad, loaded with criminal poison. He tries shaking his arm free, but he can’t, then he tries shaking his legs free, but can’t. I have to laugh because I am in so much control of his body, when he shakes it, I am only getting a better grip on him. The beaver skins tied to my wrists, are flopped across his shoulders, in opposite directions so that I am able to grip them, better pinning him onto me. I am planted under him as solid as tree roots. He can’t move. I hang on while he tries, struggling unsuccessfully. I am just teasing him, playing with him as he struggles to get free of me. Then he head slams me.

 “Skinny boy,” I wince, “don’t start it!”

 Then I tuck my head into his body so it spears his neck and chest. I feel a bit ashamed of my retaliation, so I  relaxed my grip on him a bit. He pulls up from me for a moment, just taking aim, he tries to head slam me again, but I am able to move my head, tucking it into his chest just in time for him to miss hitting me, again. His blue eyes glaze over, like a stunned bird, hurt but still fighting for life.

 “Lay there, you ugly bitch,” he says.

 I say nothing to him, just hold him, pinned on top of the full length of me.

 “I want our skins, skinny white boy, dirty Martin!” I scream into his face.

 He stares into my eyes, angry and quiet, his mouth clenched tightly.

 “Just give me those skins,” I say, “ and I’ll let you go. I’m taking them back to my brothers.”

 I get a cold chill as he burns down on top of me with such fierceness, that I feel sure he hasn’t understood what a little thing it is I am asking of him. His eyes are tight and crazy wild.

 In a reasonable voice, I say to him, “You shouldn’t have taken them. Drop them and I’ll let you up. You can just go, when you have dropped them.”

 “Lemme go!” he grunts.

 “No,” I say.

 He lays still on top of me, then goes stiller. I keep him pinned on top of me. Something happens. He pushes his hips inside mine. My hips lock to either side of his hips and I am holding him in a light vise.

He stiffens like he is surprised that I have softened my hold on him. He lowers his chest closer, touching, softly pressing into my breasts. Then I am caught and give into him. He is moving gracefully, on top of me, warm and gentle as he kisses me. When I look into his face, I know he will be smiling, because he has won at the contest I started on the side of this hill. When I finally opened my eyes, looking into his face, he is smiling and he says,

 “I’ve kissed better.”

 I know that isn’t true because it is most likely his first kiss, ever. His voice is shaking, so I know I still scare him. I let go of him, scramble to grab the skins he had dropped in the dirt, and run as fast and as far from him as I can get. Still, he sort of stayed with me for a long time after our Saturday morning kiss. That’s probably why I never told my brothers about the time I caught Jack Martin stealing from our traps.

The pie is in the oven, and after three and one half exhausting hours of toil in the kitchen, I’m ready for the final push tomorrow. So I thought I’d stop and tell you all about the importance of doing this puppy up right.

For you see, there are basics to this holiday that need to be adhered to if one wishes to claim that one has “cooked” a Thanksgiving extravaganza. Fail here, and you are a lightweight at best, and a total fraud at worst. But then, your family may be willing to accept that from you.

First, lets attend to the menu. Now, for sure, menus vary across the land, north south, east and west. We don’t know what to think of those weird places Alaska and Hawaii, I don’t know if they even know about Thanksgiving yet.

That said, there are certain requirements. Turkey is essential. As is mashed taters and gravy. Dressing is required, squash or sweet potatoes and of course cranberry sauce. There are two possible pies that must be made, pumpkin and/or mince. Beyond that, the sky is the limit. Feel free to add anything that is considered “traditional” in your family.

Just for starters, for years, Thanksgiving wasn’t well, itself without green peas. Don’t ask me why, but it wasn’t. Now I would consider it a failure should I not have caramelized pearl onions on the menu. (I said I was eclectic way back at the beginning of this blog so don’t be surprised.) You no doubt have your own “essential” such as green bean casserole, or jello salad.

This is a particularly forgiving (HA,HA) holiday. Dressing can be made in myriad forms. In the South they use cornbread, in the North, white bread. In the gulf region oysters are common. I do a weird one that is sorta Italian, having mozzarella cheese, pine nuts, and Italian sausage in it. It is to die for. People do all sorts of things with sweet potatoes or squash. They are baked as is, roasted in rings, pureed, nutted, marshmallowed, just about anything goes. So you see, you have plenty of room to improvise and to stand out in your family.

Now to the cooking. This is what separates the boys from the girls, the amateurs from the pros as it were. Now if you are the type that hates to cook, and has been unable to secure any invitation anywhere for you and your band of badly tempered and behaved kiddos; if your hubby refuses to get out of his sweats even for company, well then maybe you have to attempt the meal on your own. There are means of “cooking” and I do use that term loosely, without much effort. Read fake meal.

First you start with a turkey breast rather than the whole bird. Follow the freakin’ directions and be prepared for a boring piece of dry meat. And of course, the kids should not expect to fight over the leg since there won’t be one. Now, potatoes. Opt for the boxed fake mashed ones that you pour into boiling water and you get this icky paste called “potatoes.” Or, I hear tell they have “partially” cooked potatoes though I have no idea what they are good for. A can of “turkey gravy” will be necessary, since turkey breast give off nothing you can create a gravy from. Read chalky,clawing, gummy, and barely edible.

Surprise,they also have sweet potatoes in a can, if the thought of baking a damn sweet potato is too much for ya. Cover it up with the usual mini marshmallows and it will visually pass inspection. Of course we all know that rolls come in a can that you bang against the corner of the kitchen counter. And the dough boy is cute.

Cranberry sauce comes in a can, either in jellied form or whole berry. If you are trying to fool guests (good luck with that), then opt for the whole berry. And the pie? Oh that’s easy. Either Mrs. Smith, who undoubtedly had a Mr. Smith with no taste buds, or let Walmart make it for you. You know you feel comfortable with that right? Tell yourself that it tastes the same. Some Readi Whip or Cool Whip to top it off.

You should get that puppy on the table in less than one hour by my figuring. Not bad, but as I said, even taking the food out of its “store” containers won’t do much to convince anyone that you made it. Course some people have a very loose definition of what constitutes “cooking.” If applying random heat to anything is cooking, then, I guess you qualify.

The rest of us laugh at such efforts of course, and look with sadness at children deprived of real Thanksgiving fare. Since the whole high point of the day is food, it really is unforgivable to cheat don’t you think? But then I suppose there are people who find the day only a prelude to getting off to sleep in the shopping center parking lot from 3:00 am onward until you can place your life at risk when they open the doors at 6:00 am.

I certainly hope that these past days have given you some idea of how this holiday is celebrated properly. I hope you enjoy yours if you live in the US or even if you don’t but would like to share the experience from Bangladesh or the Russian Steppes. I don’t know if you can get the ingredients easily or not, but hey, I’ll give credit for effort.

Happy THANKSGIVING!!!!

A Minnesota fan’s hat with an Axe pin. For more about the Axe click here

Which Linn County roads should get Share the Road signs?

I’m helping HBA member Lisa Paulos come up with recommendations for this project.

Just add a comment. Thanks!

A big weekend ahead in college football, going into the last regular week of Division 1 football. Yes there’s more football but it’s the championship week, with the SEC, BIG 12, and ACC but the rest of the nation will be sitting back waiting for there bowl bids to come. Of course some teams are just looking what next year will bring (Notre Dame, lol)

As Lion fans sit back this weekend not knowing what to do without a game to watch, here are some games we should be interested in watching.

Penn State (10-2, 6-2) should root for … (Content from Adam Rittenberg http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten)

• Oklahoma to beat Oklahoma State. A Cowboys loss means the at-large berth comes down to Penn State or Iowa, and the Nittany Lions are ahead in all the human polls (but not the BCS standings).
• Boise State and TCU to lose. See above.
• Illinois to beat Cincinnati. This would help Penn State in two ways. The Lions pounded Illinois in October, so any Illini win helps Penn State. And a Cincinnati loss takes the Bearcats out of the BCS at-large mix. They would have to beat Pitt on Dec. 5 to reach the big bowls.
• Temple to beat Ohio. Penn State’s victory against Temple looks better by the week, and the Lions want the Owls to keep winning. If Temple goes 10-2 with no losses since it visited Beaver Stadium, Penn State can point to the Owls as a very solid victory.
• Arizona State to beat Arizona. Iowa’s best nonconference win came against Arizona, but the victory has lost some luster the last two weeks. A third consecutive Wildcats loss hurts Iowa and helps Penn State.

So my last question to our fans is where do you believe we’ll end up? Will we be picked over an Iowa. Will there even be a BCS spot for us to occupy? I guess we can only crack open a drink this weekend and watch because it’s out of our hands now.

Thanksgiving is the forgotten holiday. Through no fault of its own, the day devoted to taking inventory of our countless blessings remains forever sandwiched between Halloween and Christmas, the nation’s most popular retail extravaganzas. Thanksgiving doesn’t feature costumed children trading jokes for candy. The day has just one parade and no decorated trees, hidden eggs or bowl games. And have you ever heard someone sing a Thanksgiving carol?

Like it or not, we don’t spend a lot of time being appreciative. Instead, we desire what we think we deserve, grouse about the things we have that could be better and worry about situations that, quite often, never materialize. We quibble about trivial matters, like what football teams will play in Pasadena and who created the Internet, and minimize the truly significant things in life… including life itself.

E.P. Powell, author and professor, once said, “Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men. But be careful that you do not take the day and leave out the gratitude.”

Indeed, we have so much for which to be grateful.

This Thanksgiving, let’s pause and remember the nearly 2.4 million men and women who are serving our country on active duty and in the reserves. This includes nearly 120,000 troops currently stationed in Iraq and more than 60,000 in Afghanistan. Let’s praise them for their selfless sacrifice, pray for their safety and families and salute them for their noble service and dedication. (To send your note of gratitude to our service men and women, log on to www.amillionthanks.com or www.letssaythanks.com).

This Thanksgiving, we pause and reflect on the blessing of family. “The only rock I know that stays steady,” says American businessman Lee Iacocca, “the only institution I know that works is the family.” Sure, few are perfect and too often we take family for granted. Yet as friends come and go, family remains constant. That’s a good thing especially in a world where many relationships are fleeting and change is constant and unrelenting.

Finally, this Thanksgiving, we pause and give thanks for the availability of wholesome food. As we prepare to gather around the dinner table this holiday, more than 1 billion people worldwide are undernourished due to a combination of severe food shortages and the global financial crisis. In addition, the plentiful food we’re blessed to enjoy is very affordable thanks to the dedication of farm families who live and work in Iowa and throughout the country. This year, U.S. families will pay 4 percent less for Thanksgiving dinner. A nationwide survey conducted by shoppers on behalf of the American Farm Bureau finds that a hearty meal for 10 including turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie and all the trimmings will cost an average of $42.91 compared to $44.61 last year. That’s less than $4.30 per person, or about half the price of a movie ticket.

Remembering Thanksgiving isn’t easy these days. The pace of life is exceedingly quick and there are many things vying for our attention (including those can’t-miss pre-Christmas sales starting at 4 a.m. Friday, Nov. 27). Yet it’s worth our time to pause and reflect on our many blessings, not the least of which are freedom, family and abundant and affordable food. May we never take them for granted.

Written by Aaron Putze
Aaron is the Executive Director-Public Relations Officer for the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers.

Farmers and ranchers provide food and habitat for seventy five percent of the nation’s wildlife.  On average, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, about $6 million in U.S. agricultural products – oilseeds, cotton, grains, meats, vegetables, snack foods, etc., are consigned for shipment for export to foreign markets.  Less than two percent of the total U.S. population, only 4.6 million people live on farms, but  22 million American workers produce, process, sell and trade the nation’s food and fiber.  For all of this, I THANK YOU farmers for the food on my table and for the rest of the world.

A growing sector on Twitter is giving thanks to farmers too.  Many folks have on their avatar  ”THANK A FARMER” (if you don’t know what an avatar is…it’s the icon picture or symbol for the person’s identity).  Additionally, 17 states have declared November 20 as “Thank A Farmer” Day.  Guess who isn’t on the list yet?  IOWA.  Hello??  We are in the center of agriculture, so I hope our legislators jump on the wagon, heck, why not?  The 17 states that do recognize it are: AZ, CO, GA, IL, KS, KY, MO, NM, NC, ND, OK, PA, SD, TX, WA, WI, WY.

My Facebook friend Rhonda Renee Ross is spreading her passion and word  through social media networks to “Thank A Farmer” Day.  Rhonda is an advocate of farmers and nationally known entertainer.  She performed everyday at the Iowa State Fair and shared fun facts about agriculture.

We all have many blessings to be thankful for.  Thanks to the agricultural industry this Thanksgiving.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Thank-A-Farmer/98955691109

This presentation was given at the MidAIR 2009 conference in Kansas City. An earlier post highlighted a poster associated with this project. This presentation highlights the methodology and reasoning behind the methodology. I’ve posted scripts and other materials to the project’s webpage.

For much of my life, Siberia was this cold, distant land where the Soviet Union sent its dissidents to work in gulags. And I presume Russians, if they thought of Iowa at all, thought of our state as a flat place where we grow lots of corn (Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev visited the Roswell Garst farm in Coon Rapids, Iowa, in 1959.)

While both stereotypes are based in truth (Iowa isn’t really flat, but it is compared to Siberia’s mountains), I know from years living in and around Iowa that the stereotype is shallow and incomplete. I’m sure my stereotype of Siberia is similarly shallow and incomplete. I’m looking forward to learning more about Siberia on a trip that starts Sunday.

In September, I went to the University of Kentucky for an ethics seminar that included some visiting journalists from the Press Development Institute-Siberia. I spent an interesting afternoon and evening with the group, speaking through an interpreter, though at least a couple of them were fluent in English.

When we parted, Victor Yukechev, director of the institute, said, “Next time, Siberia.” I smiled and said I would love to visit Siberia. I have said similar things to many visiting foreign journalists, but I still haven’t visited Uganda, Croatia, Colombia, South Africa or Cambodia. I didn’t expect that I would be visiting Siberia. But Victor did.

In early October, I received an email with an invitation from Victor to lead workshops next Wednesday and Thursday in Barnaul, Siberia, 12 time zones away. On Friday, Dec. 4, I will be a guest speaker at a conference celebrating the 20th anniversary of the independent press in Siberia.

Even in Siberia, journalists are trying to make the transition from a print past to a digital future and hoping to develop a healthy business model along the way. I will be explaining my Complete Community Connection vision for such a business model.

As time and wireless connections allow, I will blog during and after the trip. My wife, Mimi, will be blogging as well, at Rubyeyedfox. Of course, I will see only one city in a region that’s 90 times the area of Iowa (and 12 times the population). Barnaul is about the population of Omaha, relatively near the borders of Mongolia, Kazakhstan and China. The temperature there is 27 degrees Fahrenheit as I write this, not a bad day for an Iowa winter, just 16 degrees colder than Cedar Rapids. Last week, Barnaul temperatures dropped below zero, so we will be dressing warmly.

We’ll fly to Barnaul by way of Chicago, Amsterdam and Moscow. After five days in Barnaul, we will spend two days each in St. Petersburg and Moscow before returning home Dec. 11.

Along the way, I’ll add some depth to my caricature view of Siberia. And I hope to help my Siberian friends learn more about Iowa.

OK, I’m getting in to this Iowa adventure. We went into town and stopped at the square, which is kind of charming and quaint and small town in a good way. I really wanted to go to Winga’s, the most quintessential American diner that I have ever stepped foot in, but it CLOSED. It had been a family business for two generations, and they finally closed it a few years ago. Giant sad face!

Instead, we grabbed some coffee at Docici’s, a newish coffee shop on the adjacent block. We dined in rather than to go, and were given real ceramic mugs. We served ourselves at the well-stocked coffee station and sat down with a cranberry scone, which was surprisingly light and quite delicious. The shop also stocks local artists’ products such as pottery, jewelry, and wooden pens, and a tempting array of chocolates. It was a delightfully serene place to spend a few minutes on a grey day. They also have Wi-Fi and open mic nights. Seems like there’s some life in this town yet.

We then had lunch with Grandma and her sister-in-law, Agnes, who happens to be 99 years old. My jaw about hit the floor. I have never met anyone that old. I have not really spent a lot of time with very old people or very young people. I’m not exactly sure what to talk about … But we had a very interesting conversation about all the changes that Agnes has seen in her lifetime, including electricity, cars, the Great Depression, two World Wars, and computers.

Washington has been abandoned by its two main economic supports: a button factory and a calendar factory. It’s unclear how they will survive now that the calendar factory has been sold, but there is still construction happening, to the dismay of Grandma and many residents. Apparently there is a new prison and will be a new school, despite “no” votes by the citizenry. Hm.

The best part of the conversation was when my husband asked if she thought all this change was positive. She said that she is a person who still has hope for the future. To hear that from someone who has seen what she has seen gives me hope that I might still be optimistic about the world if I am lucky enough to have seen so many big changes in my lifetime. It puts things in perspective. On the other hand, she also said she would not want to go back to the way things were when she was a girl, “to the good old days, if that’s what you want to call them. We didn’t know any better, but that was hard.” No nostalgia there. Oh, Agnes, you’re my hero.

Des Moines already has BSL, and because it’s not working very well, the city council considered making the breed-specific ordinance even more strict. These plans have now been tabled (put on hold indefinitely).

Previous alerts for Des Moines: http://stopbsl.com/?s=des+moines

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20091124/NEWS/911240357/1001/NEWS/D.M.-tables-plan-to-change-vicious-dog-rules

D.M. tables plan to change vicious dog rules

By JASON PULLIAM • jpulliam@dmreg.com • November 24, 2009

A proposal to increase fees to license so-called vicious dogs has been tabled by the Des Moines City Council.

Council members called for more public input and time to study whether the fees and other proposed changes to the city’s vicious dog ordinance would have worthwhile results.

“The responsible dog owner will comply with all of this,” Councilwoman Christine Hensley said. “It’s the nonresponsible dog owner. How do we deal with them?”

City officials in recent months have debated whether to change a 22-year-old ordinance that classifies pit bulls as vicious by breed, in addition to animals that are declared vicious because of behavior. A string of recent incidents involving pit bulls prompted city leaders to scrutinize whether regulations should be changed.

City officials have called for a mix of tougher license fees, insurance requirements and owner training to improve Des Moines’ vicious-dog ordinance and reduce the number of attacks.

Skeptics contend the measures under consideration will do little to prevent attacks and will punish responsible owners.

“You’re not giving credit to responsible owners,” said Cindy Holliday, director of the volunteer citizens group All Dogs All People Together for Des Moines, or ADAPT4DSM.

Holliday and others want breed-specific language that labels pit bulls as vicious removed from the city code.

City officials had considered a pit bull ban, but “we weren’t sure we would be successful if we went that way,” said Assistant City Manager Randy Wetmore.

Under the pending proposal, vicious-dog license fees would be increased to $35 from $15 for spayed and neutered dogs and $55 for dogs that are not altered.

Other requirements under consideration include:

- Requiring owners of vicious dogs to show proof that the animals are microchipped at the time they are licensed.

- Banning owners of vicious dogs that are found running at large three or more times in a three-year period from owning any vicious dog for five years.

- Requiring training for vicious-dog owners if their dogs are not properly leashed or confined.

Skeptics say city officials need to focus on making sure that dogs declared vicious because they were involved in an attack are properly confined.

“Certain breeds that we have listed in our breed-specific ordinance guarantee that the dogs we’re worried about will never be socialized, or trained, vaccinated or (receive) proper veterinary care because people are hiding them,” said Dana Fedman, a licensed dog trainer who has called upon city leaders to reconsider breed-specific language.

My friend Bindu recently posted a question on her blog: “If your life were mixed tape, what songs would be on it?”  I thought the question was a good one, and I’ve decided to bring you my own mixed tape.  I’ll preface by saying that musically, it’s all over the map (but, I tend to be that way so it makes sense).

1. You Got It (The Right Stuff) – New Kids on the Block
   I think I was seven years old when I discovered NKOTB, and why my mom let me listen to them I’ll never know.  But, I do know that I was absolutely in love with Joey McIntyre and just sure that I was going to marry him.  So, instead of You Got It, I should probably have one of Joey’s high-pitched crooners up here, such as Please Don’t Go Girl.  And to add more weight as to why NKOTB is on this list, I saw them twice in concert in 2008 – once while standing in the rain at the Today Show and then when they came through DC on their tour. (Yes, I am crazy!)
2. Walkin’ After Midnight – Patsy Cline
   My list just wouldn’t be complete without this song.  As a child, whenever my cousin Rachelle and I would ride in my grandma’s car, Pasty Cline’s Greatest Hits album would have to be playing.  For some reason, as little girls, Rachelle and I loved listening to this.  We each had a favorite song.  My grandma loved Crazy, Rachelle would sing out to Back in Baby’s Arms, and I would belt out Walkin’ After Midnight.  A couple years ago I ended up buying this album on iTunes so I could recreate some childhood memories!
3. More Than a Feeling – Boston / Iron Man – Black Sabbath / Kryptonite – 3 Doors Down
   Yes, I know there are three songs here, but they sort of go together.  My junior year of high school, I met one of my good friends, Tiffany.  She was definitely different than the rest of the girls at Stanton High School, and after awhile we became attached at the hip.  Tiffany infused a little classic rock into my life.  We used to cruise back and forth to Omaha in her HUGE 1984 Buick listening to More than a Feeling and Kryptonite with the windows rolled down, wind blowing in our hair.  And how does Iron Man fit in?  Well, we figured out the melody line on our saxaphones much to our band director’s (and probably everyone else’s) annoyance!
4. Iowa State Fight Song
   This is kind of lame, but I really couldn’t think of any other song that represented my college years.  While I may have had grand ideas on where I wanted to go to college, I’m so glad that I chose ISU.  First off, it was just big enough for me to get lost in the crowd (something that never happens in a small town), and secondly, it was a life changing experience that helped shape who I am today.  I discovered Jesus in college, made lifelong friends and solidified my life goals and pursuits.  So, this one’s cheesy, but just go with it.
5. My Stupid Mouth – John Mayer
   This song is on here for two reasons.  One: Just like Mayer in this song, I have a tendency to stick my foot in my mouth, say things I don’t really mean, or just completely mess up what I say.  This is why I went to print journalism rather than broadcast.  It would be horrible!  Two:  I discovered John Mayer in college, and this song quickly became my favorite.  I probably traumatized my friend Amy because everytime she got in my car this cd would be playing.  Oddly, enough, six years later, John Mayer is still the cd in my car.  Some things never change.
6. Breakaway – Kelly Clarkson
   The first time I ever really listened to this song, I was immediately struck that it was all about me!  Here’s a sample of the lyrics: “Grew up in a small town / And when the rain would fall down / I’d just stare out my window / Dreaming of what could be . . . And I’ll make a wish / Take a chance / Make a change / And breakaway.”  As I moved away from Iowa on my own, first to Dallas and then on to DC, I felt that I made my own changes in life and did my own “breakaway.”
7. O Praise Him – David Crowder Band
   Not long after I started attending Frontline at McLean Bible Church, David Crowder Band put this song out.  I absolutely love this band; they are probably my favorite Christian group.  And this song to me is what it’s all about, to just praise God and the joyous noise we will be giving up to God in heaven.  I sometimes joke that I want David Crowder Band to have their own stage in heaven, because I’m going to be camped out right by them for eternity!
8. Say It Right – Nelly Furtado
   This song isn’t so much about what Nelly is singing about, but more about where I was when I first discovered this song.  I associate it with my mission trip to Romania, even though I heard the song in Budapest.  We were on the tail end of the trip, our last night to be exact, and had to leave for the airport at 4 in the morning.  So most of us decided that we would stay awake the entire night so we’d sleep on the long flight back to DC.  Well, if this was your last night in Europe and you were going to be awake anyway, you might as well explore the city at night, right?  A group of us ended up walking around the city the entire night.  We made a pit stop at what we thought was a jazz cafe on the isalnd in the middle of the Danube River.  Turns out it was a raving night club, and this song happened to be playing when we stopped and it just stuck with me.  I’d probably rank this night up there as one of the most memorable times in my life!
9. Glory Revealed – Candi Pearson-Shelton
   This song really spoke to me while I was in Burma.  One morning I was outside doing my quiet time.  Really, I was skimming through the book of Isaiah, when I came to chapter 40.  Verses 3-5 struck me as what we were doing in Burma:  A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” Our main objective was prayer walking on that trip, essentially preparing the way for the Lord.  Well, I soon realized that the CD our leaders had made for us had this song on it that is based on Isaiah 40.  It was really fitting, and everytime I listen to it, I’m brought back to our time in the mountains of Burma, where we literally forged our own path for God.
10. Home – Michael Buble
    This song is for all the times I’ve wanted to just pack my bags and jump on the next flight to Iowa.  For as much as I love living in DC and wouldn’t trade it for the world, when I’m home in Iowa, my stress melts away and I can just relax.  I probably sleep most of the time I’m home.  While getting my master’s at Georgetown, I made plans to go home at the end of every semester.  I went home more often in those two years than I ever had before.
11. Perfectly Lonely – John Mayer
    Yes, of course John Mayer is on here twice.  If I didn’t know that certain people would give me flack over it, I’m pretty sure all the songs could be John Mayer songs.  Well, this on is off his new album that came out last week.  And for those who know me well, you’d know the lyrics of this song sort of describe the self-imposed state of my heart right now.  But don’t think it’s too depressing, the song ends on a hopeful note, which is where I’m headed as well!

So, I’m going to continue Bindu’s question – if you had a mixed tape of your life, what would be on it?  And to answer Bindu’s other question – no I don’t have a theme to mine.  I told you it would be random!

Democrat Holds Seat in Cedar Rapids Special Election

Though it was incredibly hard to find, results have finally come in for the Special Election in the 33rd House district in Iowa.

Democrat Kirsten Running-Marquardt - 1508 (78%)
Republican Joshua Thurston – 420 (22%)

Turnout was a terrible 9.5%. Republicans actually thought this race would be much closer, but the turnout contributed to the easy victory for the Democrats.

This means that the Democratic Party controls the Iowa State House 56-44.

Full results here (pdf)