Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Teaching Students to Feel Guilty about Financial Success

Teaching Students to Feel Guilty about Financial Success

Brainwashing is all about mindset.  Trends.  Trending.  Indoctrination.  It takes bright, clever, liberal brains to craft a society that is based on destroying American dreams, American ingenuity, American values.

Friday, December 28, 2012

Hamburg resident Dr. Evan Calkins writes family history | Scene |News Classifieds Events

Age 82, Young at Heart, Dr. Calkins pens his family history! Three cheers for the Doctor! Hurrah, Hurrah, Hurrah.

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Thursday, December 27, 2012

2012 Featured Collections - Ancestry.com

2012 Featured Collections - Ancestry.com

Does anyone know how long Ancestry will keep its door open on the free access to these collections?  

Fold3 - Historical military records

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I will begin the new year with no subscription to either "fold3" or ancestry.com. I don't have a subscription to company that archives and makes available the historical newspapers.

This next year, I will still have plenty to do, plenty of resources to check out. For example, I've hardly begun to skim the surface of www.findagrave.com or www.familysearch.org. I have access to Heritage Quest through the local library. There is Rootsweb, the "free arm" of Ancestry, and also www.usgenweb, where many volunteers have posted information.

When I'm not looking at the Internet at free resources, I can always tidy my "papers". I can scan photos and original documents, as well as notes and maps. I will aim to collaborate with family, get closer kin to take part of the load, and make memories with grandchildren.

All of the subscription services will still be available down the road, should I decide I can't live without them. I marvel at the giant companies that have managed to gather and make accessible, wonderful historic records and genealogy databases. I just choose do something else for now, for my own private reasons. And there is a ton I can do, for free! Maybe I'll even re-learn how to write a letter or a query.

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Monday, December 10, 2012

Lawmakers urge VA to keep better records - Air Force News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Air Force Times

Lawmakers urge VA to keep better records


By Patricia Kime - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Dec 6, 2012 13:27:02 EST

Lawmakers are pressing for digitization of military records, and better file sharing among agencies responsible for them, following media reports of missing or inaccurate unit records and the temporary disappearance of 250 files from the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis.

In November, media investigators at Pro Publica and the Seattle Times found that the Veterans Benefits Administration denied some claims because service members’ units had lost or inaccurately catalogued their field records, making it impossible to prove they had deployed or suffered a service-related medical condition.

And on July 3, a person walking in the woods behind the records repository in St. Louis found a dumped cache of 250 military records. A follow-on investigation found they’d been unloaded by a temporary employee who was supposed to have filed them.

Rep. Jon Runyan, R-N.J., said Tuesday that problems must be addressed by all three agencies that handle troop records, including the Defense Department, Veterans Affairs Department and the National Archives, to ensure the records are “initiated, maintained and transferred as efficiently as possible.”

“Often, a single record or notation can be the difference in whether a veteran’s disability claim is granted or denied. This is why we must work together to ensure that no records are lost, overlooked or otherwise unable to be associated with an individual disability claim,” said Runyan, chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee’s disability assistance and memorial affairs panel.

Several initiatives are underway to digitize records and ensure accuracy. DoD and VA are piloting a $4 billion integrated electronic health records system to ease the transfer of information between the departments; VA is rolling out the Veterans Benefits Management System, a paperless claims processing system; and NRPC maintains an electronic system that the tracks records and automates work assignments.

Veterans’ advocacy groups pressed Congress during a Dec. 4 hearing on the matter to encourage creation of a Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record that would include an individual’s complete personnel and medical information starting from recruitment.

They also urged Congress to press the military to reconstruct lost unit records and lower the standard of proof for veterans to provide information related to claims when records are lost.

According to Vietnam Veterans of American, among 3,956 claims appeals of veterans represented by VVA between 2001 and 2003, 954 involved missing service records.

“There should be no way that the VBA should be able to deny their claims based on lack of military records,” said Michael Viterna, president of the National Organization of Veterans’ Advocates.

Ranking subcommittee member Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., said managers and the employees who handle military records must take their responsibilities seriously.

“Veterans and their families should not be burdened with the responsibility of recreating lost files, providing multiple copies of records that once were in DoD or VA’s possession,” McNerney said.

Runyan promised follow-on hearings to address the problems associated with lost and inaccurate unit records and closer scrutiny of record-keeping in general, which he considers vital to clearing VA’s disability claims backlog.

In a Wednesday email to Military Times, National Archives Chief Operating Officer Jay Bosanko said the administration is investigating the displacement of the records in St. Louis and the Justice Department is also looking into the matter.

He added that the records were recovered and affected veterans are being notified.

“The National Archives carries the responsibility for collecting and preserving the service records of America’s military members. This responsibility is serious. … It is also very great, with hundreds of millions of documents in our care. No one takes that responsibility more seriously than the archivist, David S. Ferriero, himself a Navy veteran,” Bosanko wrote.

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With military cuts in the works, lawmakers may be disappointed that their concerns may get way-laid. However, it seems a worthy goal and I'm all for it. In the cited case, a temp worker obviously didn't want to work. What's wrong with that picture?

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Saturday, December 08, 2012

Vintage Minolta Camera

Vintage Minolta Camera  

Hope someone who sees this ad will want this camera or forward it to someone who wants it!  It is an antique but still takes good pictures (35mm film).

Friday, December 07, 2012

Mormons and Gays

Media_httpwwwmormonsa_mmiqf

I hope this website helps me and others to understand that we should strive to love each other as we are loved by our Heavenly Father. We are each unique and challenged in this life by various circumstances. Standing together and believing in the worth of souls will help us get through hard times.

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Tell John Boehner To Stop Purging Fiscal Conservatives! - FreedomWorks

Tell John Boehner To Stop Purging Fiscal Conservatives! - FreedomWorks

I will be calling his office tomorrow morning; you can be sure!  I didn't think he would ever give in to the pressure of the President or some other person or group.

Wednesday, December 05, 2012

A Brief History of Florida - Education - Florida Facts - Florida Division of Historical Resources

A Brief History of Florida - Education - Florida Facts - Florida Division of Historical Resources

The rich tapestry of Florida's history is a great story to share with your family.  

Welcome - Viva Florida 500

What is Viva Florida 500

Viva Florida 500 commemorates Florida's rich heritage and diverse cultural history through 2013, a significant milestone unlike any other in the history of the United States. As 2013 nears, this website reflects the plans, activities and events that will mark Florida's 500th anniversary, a statewide and year-long event. Learn More.

What's New

  • Expedition Florida 500: An adventure more than 500 years in the making

    The 500th anniversary of Juan Ponce de León's landing on Florida's east coast has inspired the rediscovery of Florida's unique ecosystems, waterways and coastlines. Learn more about Expedition Florida 500.

  • The Viva Florida 500 time capsule is coming to a library near you

    To encourage activities in every community in each of Florida's 67 counties, the Department has provided a Viva Florida 500 Time Capsule to every county library in the state. Learn More about the Viva Florida 500 time capsule

A Message from Governor Rick Scott

View Video Transcript
View the Governor's Proclamation

--->

I'm just learning about this celebration. Perhaps you or your organization will want to support it and participate in the plans and activities.

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Easiest Online Backup Service - Backblaze

Media_httpwwwbackblaz_gpayi

Storage. With so much to lose if our files are compromised, we have to be concerned about backing up our files. This is one tool that seems fairly inexpensive. I suggest using two or three different tools for the purpose. This could be just one way to save your genealogy files. Consider researching other ways as well and make a commitment to protect your research.

Posted via email from Margaret's posterous

WorldCat for genealogy [OCLC]

Media_httpwwwoclcorgw_gvpho

The terminology a lot of us continue to use is "BOOKS", alas the age of technology is changing us everyday. We seek a lot of information from online sources, now. Digitized databases and resources abound. Fortunately, World Cat is not just about books. It's about all kinds of documents and all about research that we genealogists still need to do. I'm excited to use such an intensive tool. Tell us what you found at World Cat!

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Saturday, December 01, 2012

Happy Birthday Gatherings are a Positive Experience

I had a great time, tonight, helping my son celebrate his birthday.  He hadn't had the best week of his life, or of this day, but bravely, he chose to share with us this family tradition where we all (as many as are available) get together.  I think my mom and dad had given us kids the example to follow.  The only mistake they made was in letting me lead the way in planning the occasion!

I remember one time, my mother said I could invite some classmates to my tenth or eleventh birthday party.  I invited the whole seventh grade!  Seriously.  I don't think my parents knew that I had done this.  Just before the party, my mother had to go to the hospital--right now, I couldn't tell you what the situation was.  Anyway, a neighbor offered to help my dad go ahead with the party.

Wow!  Did she have a surprise!  People just kept arriving.  My dad was giving horse rides--no Thunder or maybe it was Stormy--was a full grown horse.  The kids, my friends, most of whom I had known from first grade, were loving it.  We didn't think about liability those days.  Or at least, if my dad thought of it, he never shared with me.  I'm pretty sure that our neighbor never forgot that day, as she tried to replenish the food table! 

But tonight was different.  My grandchildren (the three that live here in the area) were in good spirits.  My son, Kevin, participated and my Birthday son's wish was to eat at a pizza parlour in Destin, (Graffitti), which was fine with all.  After all, you only turn 49, once!  Richard, the birthday boy, will always be young at heart.  These days, I don't think any of us look at age quite the way my parents did, possibly.  The older generation is living longer and healthier.  It's hard for me to believe that just 17 years ago, when I turned fifty, I was sure I could care less.  Surprise, surprise!  A dark cloud of depression met me on the day of my birthday.  I couldn't shake it; my body knew and my brain knew that I was about to head over the hill.

Whatever happens in life, it is good to know that you have family who care about you.  Every birthday is good if you still have some family or friends to share it.  And if you don't, then you just have to invite folks who need a laugh at your expense! 

Torineats
This is Richard's son.  He's seventeen now, but this picture is a couple of years old, I believe. 

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Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Links to Other Winter Activities

This is mostly for little kids or kids in the younger grades. However, if you're a grandma with company coming or a busy mom, you might want to plan ahead by acquiring green and red craft paper, glue sticks, glitter glue, and the odds and ends that some of the activities might require. Good luck and have fun!

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Monday, November 12, 2012

The ILGenWeb Project


USGW Logo

spacerILGW Logo

Links to the counties will be available soon.

The ILGenWeb Project's is located at:
http://illinoisgenweb.org

ILGenWeb Announcements Calendar

Please use the calendar to announce reunions, genealogical & historical meetings, etc.

Brief History of the State

bark canoe

The first Europeans to explore what is now Illinois were Frenchmen Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet, who reached the area in 1673. The area was controlled by the French until 1763, and was then controlled by the British. In 1778 it came under the control of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Territory of Illinois was created by an act of Congress in 1809. On December 3, 1818, Illinois became the 21st state admitted to the union.

For more in-depth history of the state, be sure to visit the The Illinois History Project.

Available Counties

The following counties are available for adoption:
Bureau, Edwards, Ford, Gallatin, Hardin, Henry, Jackson, Massac, McDonough, McHenry, Mercer, Morgan, Putnam, Rock Island, Saline, Stark, Tazewell, Vermilion, Wabash and Whiteside. If you are interested in adopting one of the above counties, please visit the adoptions page for more information.


Last Update:  Wednesday, 24-Oct-2012 22:16:48 EDT

This is a wonderful example of an USGenWeb page. I just discovered that one of my former students in the Center for Lifelong Learning is the State Coordinator for Illinois! I love how non-fussy and easy to use it is.

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Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Stardock: Fences 2.0 is now available!

Media_httpwwwstardock_ymgbf

You may be wondering, "What is this"?!! I stumbled across the free version of this program a few years ago and used it for a while. The idea of organizing and simplifying the Desktop provides a sense of being able to exercise a little control on an ever expanding number of icons and options.

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Saturday, October 27, 2012

Vintage Minolta Camera

Check out this website I found at okaloosa.craigslist.org

De-cluttering cleans out corners and makes money. Sometimes.

Posted via email from Margaret's posterous

Friday, October 19, 2012

Turkish book on Darwin sparks outrage

A series of books for primary schoolchildren, describing Charles Darwin as a Jew with a big nose who kept the company of monkeys and other historical figures in anti-Semitic terms, has caused outrage in Turkey amid fears of rising religious intolerance.

A teachers’ union is taking legal action over the distribution of the books last week to about 1,000 schoolchildren in the Maltepe district of Istanbul. The local education authority, which approved the books and ultimately answers to the central government, has denied knowledge of their content.

But the incident has already made waves far beyond Maltepe. It follows previous attacks in Turkey on the theory of evolution; last year, an internet filter briefly restricted access to evolutionist websites.

It also comes in the wake of wide-ranging education reforms pushed through this year by the country’s Islamist-rooted government, which have increased the number of religious schools in Turkey and introduced optional lessons on the Prophet Mohammed in ordinary state schools.

Such changes are hailed by the government as increasing freedom of choice in a country that for decades excluded the religiously conservative majority. Opponents say the secular educational system is being threatened.

“The education system is becoming reactionary; imams are now teaching religion in schools,” said Mehmet Aydogan, an official in the union asking for the books to be impounded. “These books are discrediting worldwide accepted artists and scientists and forcing students to think unscientifically.”

The European Commission and other bodies have long complained that the traditional Turkish education textbooks are deeply flawed, painting minorities as untrustworthy and treacherous.

But the books in Maltepe, intended as potted biographies, go further. A book on Albert Einstein describes the physicist as “filthy and slovenly”. Immediately after saying that he ate soap, it adds: “The sad part is during that time the Gestapo was putting Jews into ovens and making them into soap.”

The book on Darwin says the proponent of natural selection “had two problems: first he was a Jew; second, he hated his prominent forehead, big nose and misshapen teeth.” It adds that he threw nuts to monkeys at the zoo rather than go to school. Darwin was not Jewish.

Speaking to Turkey’s Radikal newspaper, Faik Kaptan, Maltepe’s director of education, said he had not read the books, adding: “It is not possible to check all the books distributed in the district.”

But Yaman Akdeniz, a professor of law at Istanbul’s Bilgi university, said that the attack on Darwin came in the context of a more general assault on evolution, which many Turks associate with atheism. Mr Akdeniz represented Richard Dawkins, the British scientist, in a case that successfully reversed a two-year ban on Mr Dawkins’ website. “Evolution is the second most sensitive issue after sexually explicit material,” he said.

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  1. Report Sanborl | October 20 1:50am | Permalink
    The Islamization creep.

  2. Report User9179560 | October 20 1:44am | Permalink
    After teaching Evolution for years I have come to realize that no matter how much evidence one brings to the classroom people will believe what their social group instructs, regardless. Knowing that the "belief" system doesn't need to include evolution promotes those peoples needs to discredit it. They in turn fit in and rock no boats at home. Life is good. In the largest scheme of things whether evolution exists or not really doesn't matter to anyone except the scientist who needs to understand its implications, and of course us teachers who are supposed to teach our children correct scientific theory.

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1939 doesn't seem so far removed, after all. I'm not personally concerned whether Turkish schools teach evolution or not, but to portray Judaism as an enemy or a disease, in the guise of Charles Darwin, really bothers me. Sowing seeds of hate is insupportable.

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Thursday, October 18, 2012

Smolenyakpgs1-2.pdf (application/pdf Object)

I had the pleasure of attending one of Megan's seminars. You'll come away with an enhanced understanding of Family History and DNA!

Posted via email from Margaret's posterous