09/22/11 - NNHS Newsletter - World Maritime Day

- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, 03 Feb 2011
(b. 13 June 1944)

From http://www.civilwarinteractive.com/This%20Day/thisday0922.htm - INCLUDING:

Sunday, Sept. 22, 1861
FREMONT FACES FEDERAL FURY FOR FAILURES

John Charles Fremont was not having a happy career as military administrator of St. Louis. First he had declared martial law, then followed this heavy-handed maneuver with a mini-Emancipation Proclamation for the state of Missouri. This had brought down the wrath of Frank Blair Jr., not to mention the Lincoln Administration, upon his head. Over the last week the dispute had escalated until Fremont had had Blair arrested. What Fremont was supposed to have done last week was fight Sterling Price’s Confederate force, and rescue the Federals holed up in Lexington. The news of their surrender to Price reached St. Louis today, and even Fremont’s supporters (both of them) were disgusted.

Monday, Sept. 22, 1862
PRELIMINARY PROCLAMATION PROUDLY PRONOUNCED

Abraham Lincoln today issued to his Cabinet the preliminary version of the Emancipation Proclamation. In detail the move accomplished nothing: it stated that “persons held as slaves” in any state “in rebellion against the United States” should be freed. Since by definition United States laws and directives did not obtain in these areas, the Proclamation freed no slaves at all. In any case it was not even scheduled to take effect until Jan. 1, 1863. The major significance of the Proclamation was seen as giving moral justification to the War which up till now had been simply to restore the Union to its previous membership. It also was expected to fend off any European thoughts of recognizing the Confederacy as a separate nation.

Tuesday, Sept. 22, 1863
TRICKY TEASER TACTIC TURNS TORPID

While the cleanup continued after the clash at Chickamauga, we turn our attention today to a lesser-known nautical incident. It seems a few days ago Acting Master David Nicols of the Confederate States Navy set out on his small cutter Teaser from Mobile, Ala, and sailed to South West Pass on the Mississippi River. There, Nichols and his 19 crewmen worked their way through the marshlands to a Federal coal depot, where rested the recently refueled and restocked USS Leviathan, a tugboat. Nichols simply stole the boat and headed back to Mobile. Awe at his creativity did not prevent the depot supervisors from giving the alarm, and 40 miles offshore the USS De Soto intercepted the vessels, repossessing one and capturing the other. Nichols and his crew were likewise taken into custody.

Thursday, Sept. 22, 1864
FEDERALS FORCE FIERCE FISHER FIGHTING

The battle in the Shenandoah Valley continued today. Early’s Confederates held a rise known as Fisher’s Hill, with Phil Sheridan facing him there and down a creek called Tumbling Run from the heights of Strasburg. The two battled for most of the day until late afternoon when Sheridan’s trap was sprung. He had sent a corps last night under George Crook around the Confederate left, and at this moment Crook’s men attacked, taking the entrenchments on the flank and rear. Alexander “Sandie” Pendleton, who had fought so well for Stonewall Jackson in this valley, was mortally wounded in the fighting. Early’s men fled four miles further south before rallying. Numbering 12,000 a week ago the battles of Winchester and today at Fisher’s Hill had cut this number almost in half.

   SPLENDID! Thank you, Sister Baby Girl - OOPS! - I mean, Sister Harty!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq8wbXAR4ZQ

   AMEN! Thanks, Billy!

A minister passing through his church
In the middle of the day,
Decided to pause by the altar
And see who had come to pray.

Just then the back door opened,
A man came down the aisle,
The minister frowned as he saw
The man hadn't shaved in a while.

His shirt was kinda shabby
And his coat was worn and frayed,
The man knelt, he bowed his head,
Then rose and walked away.

In the days that followed,
Each noon time came this chap,
Each time he knelt just for a moment,
A lunch pail in his lap.

Well, the minister's suspicions grew,
With robbery a main fear,
He decided to stop the man and ask him,
'What are you doing here?'

The old man said, he worked down the road.
Lunch was half an hour.
Lunchtime was his prayer time,
For finding strength and power.

'I stay only moments, see,
Because the factory is so far away;
As I kneel here talking to the Lord,
This is kinda what I say:

'I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD,
HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP
AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.
DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY,
BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
SO, JESUS, THIS IS MIKE
CHECKING IN TODAY.' 

The minister feeling foolish,
Told Mike, that was fine.
He told the man he was welcome
To come and pray just anytime

Time to go, Mike smiled, said 'Thanks.'
He hurried to the door.
The minister knelt at the altar,
He'd never done it before.

His cold heart melted, warmed with love,
And met with Jesus there.
As the tears flowed, in his heart,
He repeated old Mike's prayer:

'I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD,
HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP
AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.
I DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY,
BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY..
SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME
CHECKING IN TODAY.'

Past noon one day, the minister noticed
That old Mike hadn't come.
As more days passed without Mike,
He began to worry some.

At the factory, he asked about him,
Learning he was ill.
The hospital staff was worried,
But he'd given them a thrill.

The week that Mike was with them,
Brought changes in the ward.
His smiles, a joy contagious.
Changed people, were his reward.

The head nurse couldn't understand
Why Mike was so glad,
When no flowers, calls or cards came,
Not a visitor he had.

The minister stayed by his bed,
He voiced the nurse's concern:
No friends came to show they cared.
He had nowhere to turn.

Looking surprised, old Mike spoke
Up and with a winsome smile;
'The nurse is wrong, she couldn't know,
That He's in here all the while

Everyday at noon He's here,
A dear friend of mine, you see,
He sits right down, takes my hand,
Leans over and says to me:

'I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, MIKE,
HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP,
AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN.
ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY,
I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY,
AND SO MIKE, THIS IS JESUS
CHECKING IN TODAY.'

If this blesses you, pass it on. Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart. May God hold you in the palm of His hand and HIS Angels watch over you.

   Thank you, Norris Sweetie!

-Craig Ferguson

***

"According to the 'Wall Street Journal', researchers at Harvard have found an enzyme in the brain that regulates obesity. They said if it wasn't for our brains, we would all be thin. That's why supermodels are so skinny."

-Jay Leno

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A woman in my office recently divorced after years of marriage, had signed up for a refresher CPR course.

"Is it hard to learn?" someone asked.

"Not at all," my co-worker replied. "Basically you're asked to breathe life into a dummy. I don't expect to have any problem. I did that for 12 years."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ponder Worthy

Hmm, I still don't do oceans due to this, but don't think it's my greatest fear.

Fears

If you want to learn more about a person, ask them what scares them the most. What was the scariest movie they saw or what book gives them the shivers? You probably find that what a person saw as a child affects them still today. Some people I know will not go swimming in the ocean because they saw Jaws the Movie when they were children. Knowing another’s fear will give you a better insight into that person.

By Eyelen Piderit

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Random Facts

17 billion barrels of oil are used to produce bottled water each year, which is enough to fuel 1 million cars for an entire year.

40% of all bottled water is taken from the municipal sources. After being bottled, the water inside is required to meet far less government standards than your running tap.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Parent Job Description

POSITION:

Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma, Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an often chaotic environment.

Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.

Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities!

Travel expenses not reimbursed.

Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The rest of your life.

Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5.

Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.

Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.

Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers.

Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects.

Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.

Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next.

Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.

Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.

Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product.

Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT AND PROMOTION:

None.

Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:

None required unfortunately.

On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION:

Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses.

A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent.

When you die, you give them whatever is left.

The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS:

While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered, this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love, and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

Forward this on to all the parents you know in appreciation for everything they do on a daily basis, letting them know they are appreciated for the fabulous job they do... or forward with love to anyone thinking of applying for the job.

** AND A FOOTNOTE "THERE IS NO RETIREMENT" -- EVER!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Understanding The Tragedy

My mom was murdered in 1987. After flying to FL from CT twice to handle the legalities, packing up the contents of her home, etc. I kept asking myself WHY God would allow a Christian woman, a mother of seven, to be murdered?

My faith was sorely tested. I even questioned whether or not she was a Christian for such a thing to happen to her as I believed the many Bible verses that promised God would protect us from harm, from all evil.

Three or four months after the murder I was praying one day and after praying I received a "revelation" of sorts.

The thought came into my head, "Why would your mother be any different, or better, than my prophets?"

I sat quite still for a few moments considering this thought and realized that YES, even God's SON was murdered, and his prophets, but that did not mean they weren't beloved and were not God's children!

I believe that God comforted me with that thought, that revelation, and my faith was restored and strengthened. Since that time, one of my favorite verses is "Matthew 10:28 - and fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul."

She WAS protected since it was only her body that was killed and her soul was returned to God.

There were many so-called 'coincidences' that occurred around that time and I now feel those were 'signs' that God was involved in all that happened, that it was His plan which I'll understand more when I get to heaven.

After coming home from the funeral I received a phone call that her killer was found by police in a hotel room and committed suicide with the same gun he killer her with. He died on the day she was buried. Also, that same date was his birthday.

While reading a diary my mom wrote, I discovered that HER mom was buried on the same date in January, and just two years ago, one of her sisters passed away on that same date. One or two occurrences COULD be co-incidence, but five or six?

Even though I don't understand what it means, to me it's now a 'sign' that God is involved in every instance of our lives, not a coincidence.

~A MountainWings Original by Carol Boileau, Moosup, CT~

   Thank you so much, Shari! That last story reminded me of an experience of my own. It was Sunday, August 30, 1981 - my thirty-fourth birthday.  I was 14-1/2 weeks pregnant with a little girl - and I miscarried. I wanted that baby - I loved that baby - and as cheerful as I tried to appear to others, all I could think was, "Why did this have to happen?"

   In trying to comfort me, people tended to say things like, "Well, aren't you glad it happened now instead of later?"

   Well, no, not really; the result was still the same.  I endured a full labor, was placed on the maternity ward of the hospital, heard the sweet newborn cries of other babies, saw them being carried down the hall to their mothers, and my aching arms were empty.  Yes, I know I had five adorable little boys at home (ages ten to two), but that was not germane to the issue.  I wanted that baby!

   Then a dear friend sent me a Thinking of You card to which she had added this scripture from 1 Peter 4:12-13:

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

   And then I understood.

5 Foods That Can Trigger a Stroke

Few things feel more terrifying and random than a stroke, which can strike without warning. And fear of stroke -- when a blood vessel in or leading to the brain bursts or is blocked by a blood clot, starving brain cells of oxygen and nutrients -- is well founded. After all, stroke is the number-three killer in the U.S., affecting more than 700,000 people each year. Here are five foods that cause the damage that leads to stroke.

1. Crackers, chips, and store-bought pastries and baked goods

Muffins, doughnuts, chips, crackers, and many other baked goods are high in trans fats, which are hydrogenated oils popular with commercial bakeries because they stay solid at room temperature, so the products don't require refrigeration. Also listed on labels as "partially hydrogenated" or hydrogenated oils, trans fats are found in all kinds of snack foods, frozen foods, and baked goods, including salad dressings, microwave popcorn, stuffing mixes, frozen tater tots and French fries, cake mixes, and whipped toppings. They're also what makes margarine stay in a solid cube. The worst offenders are fried fast foods such as onion rings, French fries, and fried chicken.

Why it's bad

For years scientists have known trans fats are dangerous artery-blockers, upping the concentrations of lipids and bad cholesterol in the blood and lowering good cholesterol. Now we can add stroke to the list of dangers. This year researchers at the University of North Carolina found that women who ate 7 grams of trans fat each day -- about the amount in two doughnuts or half a serving of French fries -- had 30 percent more strokes (the ischemic type, caused by blocked blood flow to the brain) than women who ate just 1 gram a day. Another recent study, also in women, found that trans fats promoted inflammation and higher levels of C-reactive protein, which have been linked to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

What to do

Aim to limit trans fats to no more than 1 or 2 grams a day -- and preferably none. Avoid fast-food French fries and other fried menu items and study packaged food labels closely. Even better, bake your own cookies, cakes, and other snacks. When you can't, search out "health-food" alternative snacks, such as Terra brand potato chips and traditional whole grain crackers such as those made by Finn, Wasa, AkMak, Ryvita, and Lavasch.

2. Smoked and processed meats

Whether your weakness is pastrami, sausage, hot dogs, bacon, or a smoked turkey sandwich, the word from the experts is: Watch out.

Why it's bad

Smoked and processed meats are nasty contributors to stroke risk in two ways: The preserving processes leave them packed with sodium, but even worse are the preservatives used to keep processed meats from going bad. Sodium nitrate and nitrite have been shown by researchers to directly damage blood vessels, causing arteries to harden and narrow. And of course damaged, overly narrow blood vessels are exactly what you don't want if you fear stroke.

Many studies have linked processed meats to coronary artery disease (CAD); one meta-analysis in the journal Circulation calculated a 42-percent increase in coronary heart disease for those who eat one serving of processed meat a day. Stroke is not the only concern for salami fans; cancer journals have reported numerous studies in the past few years showing that consumption of cured and smoked meats is linked with increased risk of diabetes and higher incidences of numerous types of cancer, including leukemia.

What to do

If a smoked turkey or ham sandwich is your lunch of choice, try to vary your diet, switching to tuna, peanut butter, or other choices several days a week. Or cook turkey and chicken yourself and slice it thin for sandwiches.

3. Diet soda

Although replacing sugary drinks with diet soda seems like a smart solution for keeping weight down -- a heart-healthy goal -- it turns out diet soda is likely a major bad guy when it comes to stroke.

Why it's bad

People who drink a diet soda a day may up their stroke risk by 48 percent. A Columbia University study presented at the American Stroke Association's 2011 International Stroke Conference followed 2,500 people ages 40 and older and found that daily diet soda drinkers had 60 percent more strokes, heart attacks, and coronary artery disease than those who didn't drink diet soda. Researchers don't know exactly how diet soda ups stroke risk -- and are following up with further studies -- but nutritionists are cautioning anyone concerned about stroke to cut out diet soda pop.

What to do

Substitute more water for soda in your daily diet. It's the healthiest thirst-quencher by far, researchers say. If you don't like water, try lemonade, iced tea, or juice.

4. Red meat

This winter, when the respected journal Stroke published a study showing that women who consumed a large portion of red meat each day had a 42-percent higher incidence of stroke, it got nutrition experts talking. The information that red meat, with its high saturated fat content, isn't healthy for those looking to prevent heart disease and stroke wasn't exactly news. But the percentage increase (almost 50 percent!) was both startling and solid; the researchers arrived at their finding after following 35,000 Swedish women for ten years.

Why it's bad

Researchers have long known that the saturated fat in red meat raises the risk of stroke and heart disease by gradually clogging arteries with a buildup of protein plaques. Now it turns out that hemoglobin, the ingredient that gives red meat its high iron content, may pose a specific danger when it comes to stroke. Researchers are investigating whether blood becomes thicker and more viscous as a result of the consumption of so-called heme iron, specifically upping the chance of strokes.

What to do

Aim to substitute more poultry -- particularly white meat -- and fish, which are low in heme iron, for red meat. Also, choose the heart-healthiest sources of protein whenever you can, especially beans, legumes, nuts, tofu, and nonfat dairy.

5. Canned soup and prepared foods

Whether it's canned soup, canned spaghetti, or healthy-sounding frozen dinners, prepared foods and mixes rely on sodium to increase flavor and make processed foods taste fresher. Canned soup is cited by nutritionists as the worst offender; one can of canned chicken noodle soup contains more than 1,100 mg of sodium, while many other varieties, from clam chowder to simple tomato, have between 450 and 800 mg per serving. Compare that to the American Heart and Stroke Association's recommendation of less than1,500 mg of sodium daily and you'll see the problem. In fact, a nutritionist-led campaign, the National Salt Reduction Initiative, calls on food companies to reduce the salt content in canned soup and other products by 20 percent in the next two years.

Why it's bad

Salt, or sodium as it's called on food labels, directly affects stroke risk. In one recent study, people who consumed more than 4,000 mg of sodium daily had more than double the risk of stroke compared to those who ate 2,000 mg or less. Yet the Centers for Disease Control estimate that most Americans eat close to 3,500 mg of sodium per day. Studies show that sodium raises blood pressure, the primary causative factor for stroke. And be warned: Sodium wears many tricky disguises, which allow it to hide in all sorts of foods that we don't necessarily think of as salty. Some common, safe-sounding ingredients that really mean salt:

• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• MSG (monosodium glutamate)
• Disodium phosphate
• Sodium alginate

What to do

Make your own homemade soups and entrees, then freeze individual serving-sized portions. Buy low-sodium varieties, but read labels carefully, since not all products marked "low sodium" live up to that promise.