~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now for Phyllis...
Last week I gave you uses for your newspaper. This week I'm going to tell you some uses for coffee filters.
1. Makes a great strainer if you have a broken cork in your bottle of wine. Just hold a coffee filter over the bottle and pour it into a pitcher or carafe. The broken cork pieces will stay in the bottle.
2. Also makes a great popcorn bowl! Everyone can have their own little bowl for popcorn...just toss in the trash when you're done!
3. Keep dirt from draining out of your flower plants. When re-potting your plants, place a coffee filter in the bottom to prevent the dirt from coming out of the drainage hole.
4. Prevent scratches on your good china. Put a coffee filter between each plate and bowl.
5. In the summer, a coffee filter can help keep your kids (or gandkids) hands from getting sticky when eating Popsicles. Just slide the wooden stick of the Popsicle through a coffee filter to catch drips.
Know of any other uses for coffee filters? Send them in and we'll print them in a future issue.
http://us.mc1110.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Twofriendsnewsletter@gmail.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COOL PICK
Has your favorite TV show "Jumped the shark?" Find out at
http://www.jumptheshark.com/index.jspa
This is a great website for TV fans! "Jump the shark" is a catchphrase meaning that your show has hit its peak and its probably all downhill from there. The site got its name from the Happy Days episode where The Fonz literally jumped a shark while on water skis...still wearing his leather jacket!
At Jump the Shark you can check out the message boards for the shows you currently like, or ones that are just memories. Post your opinions...has a show Jumped the Shark or not...and why? Read the posts of others to find out what they think too. If you like to watch TV, then Jump the Shark just might be a site that you'll enjoy.
````````````````````````````````````
There is still time to make some really cool Christmas gifts or stocking stuffers. How about making a batch of chocolate spoons? All you need are ten spoons. You can get some mismatched ones at thrift shops, or even use STURDY plastic ones. (The smaller, cheaper ones aren't good for this.)
You'll also need
1 cup semisweet or dark chocolate
some crushed candycanes, coconut, or sprinkles
wax paper
plastic wrap
ribbon
Melt the chocolate in your microwave for about two minutes but be sure to stir every 30 seconds or so. Spread out a sheet of wax paper. Dip the clean,dry spoons into the chocolate one at a time, and then place on the wax paper. Let the spoons cool a bit, then give them another dip into the chocolate. Repeat this process a few more times until each spoon is a little thick. While they're still warm from the last dip, add the extras (crushed candy cane, etc.) Place spoons in the refrigerator to set. Once firm and completely cooled, wrap them in plastic wrap and tie with a ribbon. To make it even more "Christmasy" use red or green plastic wrap.
On average, these spoons only have 50 calories each so its a nearly guilt free indulgence! Enjoy!
*******************************
Last issue I shared a poem that I liked with you. Here's another one of my favorites. If you have a favorite poem you'd like to share, please send it to me at http://us.mc1110.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Twofriendsnewsletter@gmail.com
SEA FEVER by John Masefield
I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face and a grey dawn breaking.
I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide,
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied,
And all I ask is a windy day with white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume and the sea gulls crying.
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife,
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FYI;
Here's a great tip for people who are color blind or have vision problems. Ever been to a website or message board where you can't read the text because of the color? If you click on Ctrl and A, the text will be highlighted in white, making it much easier to read. To go back to color, simply click your mouse inside the text.
**********************************
Kill two birds with one stone! When you buy Brillo or SOS pads, cut them in half with scissors. Not only will you have smaller pads that actually last longer without rusting, but you'll also be sharpening your scissors!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Healthy Living
Pssst...got half an hour? You can burn a lot of calories in that time! So many people think that the word "exercise" means you have to get out and jog, hit the gym or do aerobics for an hour. But did you know that simple at home activities can burn lots of calories too?
The ESTIMATED calorie burns for the following activities depend on your weight, how fit you already are, and on the intensity with which each activity is performed with. Also, these estimates are for an average 150 lb woman.
1.If you walk briskly, you can burn up to 150 calories in a half an hour.
2. If you do your housework at a lively pace, you can burn up to 120 calories in a half hour.
3. If you have a green thumb, good for you! Gardening can burn up to 162 calories in half an hour!
4. If golfing on weekends is your thing, you can burn around 190 calories an hour...if you walk and carry your own clubs.
5. If you have a stationary bike, why not put it in front of the television and watch your favorite sitcom? In half an hour you can possibly burn 190 calories.
6. Need a nap? Go ahead and take one! You'll only burn around 22 calories per half hour...but at least you won't be eating!
When I started this column, I said I'd tell you how well I've been doing on my diet. After a SLOW start, I have finally gotten back on track and taken my own advice...and have lost 4.2 inches and 9 lbs. I have a long way to go...but slow and steady wins the race!
And please remember to check with you doctor before you go on any diet or exercise program.
********************************
Here's a site just ffor fun!
http://www.dumbwarnings.com/
You're sure to get a chuckle out of at least a few of these!
_________________________
Have you lost or misplaced instruction sheets to toys or appliances? Go to
http://www.instructionsheets.com/
They might have the instructions you're looking for.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One more fun site, just for cat lovers...
http://www.lolcats.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm sure you've all seen the commercials for Aqua Globes, so I thought I'd tell you what I think of them. I got mine last summer at Walgreens.
Aqua Globes claim to automatically water your plants for 2 weeks.My experience with them is that they do live up to that claim...but it can be a pain to re-fill them when they run dry. The tube where the water goes in is very narrow, making it a slow process to fill them up. Still, I'd say this is a product worth having if you have a lot of plants.
We would love to hear YOUR opinions on products too, good or bad. So send them in!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Something useful...a serving conversion calculator
http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/nutrition_serving_calculator.asp
------------------------------------
ANNOUNCING...a weekly contest!
Each week we'll have a "spot the typographical errors" contest! No prize, other than a mention in the newsletter, but if you spot a typo (or two, or more) in the newsletter, please email me and tell me about it at http://us.mc1110.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Twofriendsnewsletter@gmail.com
Each week we'll leave in at least one typo for you to find.
Whoever spots the typo(s) and emails me first will be mentioned as WINNER OF THE WEEK in the following issue of the newsletter.
__________________
Now for Toni...
Deep undercover
German police in Bochum used a mail-order catalog to help solve the case of a serial burglar in the North Rhine-Westphalia town. Police suspected the burglar who had been nabbing laptops around town had a hideout and stash in a local forest. So officers purchased a pair of tree costumes for about $130 each out of a catalog and waited for delivery. Once the costumes arrived, two cops donned the outfits and made way for the area of the forest identified by a tipster. The two officers reportedly waited for eight hours--looking either like a small Christmas tree while standing or a heap of moss while seated--before the burglar returned to his lair. After a brief struggle in their costumes, police arrested a 39-year-old Romanian man who allegedly traveled to Germany to commit the burglaries.
________________________
Daffy Duck needs some help with his parachute. Bet you can't play just one game. http://www.bassfiles.net/parachute.swf
________________________
This week it's Georgia...
The late John F. Kennedy, Jr. and his future wife stopped in Kingsland on the way to their marriage on Cumberland Island.
Georgia was named for King George II of England.
Stone Mountain near Atlanta is one of the largest single masses of exposed granite in the world.
Georgia is the nations number one producer of the three Ps--peanuts, pecans, and peaches.
Known as the sweetest onion in the world, the Vidalia onion can only be grown in the fields around Vidalia and Glennville
Georgia is the largest state east of the Mississippi River.
Georgia is often called the Empire State of the South and is also known as the Peach State and Cracker State.
In 1828 Auraria, near the city of Dahlongea, was the site of the first Gold Rush in America.
Coca-Cola was invented in May 1886 by Dr. John S. Pemberton in Atlanta, Georgia. The name "Coca-Cola" was suggested by Dr. Pemberton's bookkeeper, Frank Robinson. He penned the name Coca-Cola in the flowing script that is famous today. Coca-Cola was first sold at a soda fountain in Jacob's Pharmacy in Atlanta by Willis Venable.
Providence Canyon State Park, near Lumpkin, is known as the Little Grand Canyon of Georgia.
Marshall Forest in Rome is the only natural forest within a city limits in the United States.
The popular theme park - Six Flags Over Georgia, was actually named for six flags that flew over Georgia. England, Spain, Liberty, Georgia, Confederate States of America, and the United States.
The locomotive engine popularly known as The General is housed in the Big Shanty Museum in Kennesaw. It was stolen in the Andrews Railroad Raid in 1862 and later depicted in The Great Locomotive Chase, a popular movie.
The name of the famous south Georgia swamp, the Okefenokee, is derived from an Indian word meaning the trembling earth.
Brasstown Bald Mountain is the highest point in Georgia. It has an elevation of 4,784 feet.
Plains is the home of Jimmy Carter, the 39th President.
The figures of Stonewall Jackson, Jefferson Davis, and Robert E. Lee make up the world's largest sculpture. It is located on the face of Stone Mountain. Additionally Robert E. Lee's horse, Traveler, is also carved at the same place.
Savannah was the landing site for General James Edward Oglethorpe, founder of Georgia.
Wesleyan College in Macon was the first college in the world chartered to grant degrees to women.
Ocmulgee National Monument in Macon is the largest archeological development east of the Mississippi River.
__________________________
Here's a good pancake recipe that was my Grandma Brown's. It can be doubled easily. I mix mine with a whisk because I hate getting the mixer out. I use 1/2 cup white flour and 1/2 cup wheat.
2 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 cup milk
________________________
~Marie's Laughter~
The Old Man and the Sea
A seaman meets a pirate in a bar, and they take turns to tell their adventures on the seas. The seaman notes that the pirate has a peg leg, hook, and an eye patch. Curious, the seaman asks "So, how did you end up with the peg-leg?" The pirate replies "I was swept overboard into a school of sharks. Just as my men were pulling me out, a shark bit my leg off". "Wow!" said the seaman. "What about the hook"? "Well...", replied the pirate, "We were boarding an enemy ship and were battling the other sailors with swords. One of the enemy cut my hand clean off." "Incredible!" remarked the seaman. "How did you get the eye patch"? "A seagull dropping fell into my eye", replied the pirate. "You lost your eye to a seagull dropping?" the sailor asked. "Well..." said the pirate, "That was my first day with the hook."
___________________________________________
Jeanne has a newsletter and she has asked me to post the information about it here. So I gladly submit:
Handicapped Friends Pen Pal Club Newsletter is strictly a snail mail newsletter only. We are a confidential, registered non-profit club geared for the disabled & anyone else interested in writing to them. We publish a quarterly newsletter, with members summaries, articles, etc. A sample issue is $3.00 & a LSASE (with $.59 postage on it). Cost of membership is: $16 for 6 months or $28 for 1 year. Because you're a member of Two Friends Newsletter, you qualify for a sample for only $2.00 & a LSASE (with $.59 postage on it). We hope you'll want to join us & make many new friends thru our club. Thanks for taking the time to read this.
HANDICAPPED FRIENDS PEN PAL CLUB
C/O JEANNE POWERS, DIRECTOR
P.O. BOX 623 DEPT. TFN
COTTAGE GROVE, OR 97424-0027
E-MAIL: CGHCFRIENDS@AOL.COM
WEBSITE: http://www.freewebs.com/cghcfriends/index.htm
_________________________
Decorate a gingerbread cookie...
http://www.theoworlds.com/christmas/
__________________________
Texas Sheet Cake
2 sticks butter
4 Tbs. cocoa 1 cup water 2 cups flour
2 cups sugar1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
3/4 of 8 oz. cream cheese; softened
1 tsp. baking soda
Combine butter, cocoa and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add to flour, sugar and salt. Mix in eggs, cream cheese and soda. Pour into greased 9.5 X 13 pan and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350*. Remove from oven and frost immediately(you need to have the frosting ready as soon as the cake comes out).
Texas Sheet Cake Frosting
1 stick butter 4 Tbs. cocoa
6 Tbs. milk
remaining 1/4 of cream cheese
1 lb confectioners sugarvanilla
Combine butter, cocoa and milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add sugar, vanilla and cream cheese. Mix well and pour on cake. Allow to completely cool before cutting.
_____________________
This is a longer-than-usual word origin, but I thought it was a good read...
OK is the most successful of all Americanisms. It has invaded hundreds of other languages and been adopted by them as a word. Despite the term’s success, however, for years no one was really sure where the word came from. The origin of OK became the Holy Grail of etymology. Finally, in 1963 the Galahad of our story, Dr. Allen Walker Read of Columbia University uncovered the origin.
Read solved the mystery in a series of articles in American Speech in 1963-64. The term began as a facetious misspelling for all correct (oll korrect) in Boston newspapers in the spring of 1839. OK was the result of two editorial fads common in newspapers of the era.
One of these fads was the use playful abbreviations. Beginning in 1838, Boston papers began using a variety of abbreviations. These include:
O.F.M. = Our First Men
G.T.D.H.D = Give The Devil His Due
N.G. = No Go
S.P. = Small Potatoes
The second fad was to adopt the voice of an uneducated bumpkin, representing this by deliberately misspelling words. Frequently these two fads were combined and the following misspelled abbreviations appeared in papers in 1838:
O.W. = Oll Wright (all right)
K.G. = Know Go (no go)
K.Y. = Know Yuse (no use)
K.K.N. = Kommit Know Nuisance (commit no nuisance)
It was in this tradition that the first recorded use of OK appeared on 23 March 1839 by the Boston Morning Post:
He of the Journal...would have the “contribution box,” et ceteras, o.k.—all correct—and cause the corks to fly, like sparks, upward.
Three days later, on 26 March, the paper used the term again:
Had the pleasure of taking these “interesting strangers” by the hand, and wishing them a speedy passage to the Commercial Emporium, They were o.k.
And the following month, on 10 April, it published:
It is hardly necessary to say to those who know Mr. Hughes, that his establishment will be found to be “A. No. One"—that is, O.K.—all correct.
By July of that year, the term spread south to New York, and quickly gained wide acceptance after appearing in the Evening Tattler on 27 July:
These “wise men from the East”...are right...to play at bowls with us as long as we are willing to set ourselves up, like skittles, to be knocked down for their amusement and emolument. OK! all correct!
In following months, the term spread to newspapers in other cities. October saw its appearance in New Orleans and in November 1839 it hit the Philadelphia papers.
It is commonly thought that the origin of OK is rooted in the 1840 presidential election. In that year New York Democrats formed an organization called the OK Club to promote the election of Martin Van Buren to the presidency. The name of the club stood for Old Kinderhook, a nickname of Van Buren’s who was from Kinderhook, New York. Since the term was in use prior to the formation of the OK Club, it seems likely that the name of the club was due at least in part to the phrase, not vice versa. So it seems that the activities of the OK Club contributed to the popularity of OK, allowing it to survive when the other such abbreviations faded away, but it is not the source of the term.
There have been numerous incorrect suggestions as to the origin over the years. Some of the more popular suggestions as to the origin are as follows. These can all be dismissed because of lack of evidence or because OK predates the events that supposedly led to creation:
It stands for oll korrect, a misspelling of all correct, but attributed to Andrew Jackson. This one comes close to the mark, but still misses it. There is a record of the 1790 sale of a slave that was notorized by Jackson and the clerk recorded the sale as what appears to be, “O.K.” But this is simply a case of bad penmanship on the part of the clerk and it really is “O.R.,” for “order recorded,” a common abbreviation in ledgers of the era.
It comes from any one of a number of languages, most often the Choctaw word okeh. This explanation often involves Andrew Jackson again, but this time adopting it from the Indian language not because he was orthographically-challenged. A later president, Woodrow Wilson, favored this explanation, but he was wrong. As far as this explanation goes, it was not suggested until 1885 and no evidence exists that this, or any foreign word, is in fact the origin. Other languages suggested include:
From the Greek olla kalla, meaning all right or satisfactory
From the Scots och, aye
From the Finnish oikea
From Ewe, a West African language
It is an abbreviation for Oberst Kommandant, or Colonel-in-Command, used by Von Steuben or Schliessen during the Revolutionary War. No record of either man, or anyone until 1839, using OK exists.
It comes from the French Aux Cayes, a port in Haiti famed for its rum.
It stood for Orrin Kendall crackers supplied to the Union Army during the Civil War. Unfortunately for Orrin’s immortality, OK was in use twenty years before the Civil War.
It stood for Obadiah Kelly, a railroad shipping clerk akin to Kilroy who initialed bills of lading.
And,
That it was an 1860s telegraph term for Open Key.
The variant A-OK first appeared during NASA’s Mercury program of the 1960s. It may be a combination of A-One with OK. Tom Wolfe in The Right Stuff, however, claims that it was originally used by Shorty Powers, the “Voice of Mercury Control,” in radio transmissions because the A sound cut through static better than the O.
____________________________
Consumer reviews for healthy eating, organic food and green products.
http://www.zeer.com/
__________________________________
Here are three sites that will help you with online searches:
http://www.pipl.com/ Submit a name, city and state for a free Web search that claims to look in places other basic search engines don't. Good for finding online profiles and Web pages.
http://www.wink.com/ Enter a name for a one-stop search of sites like Facebook, Linkedin and MySpace for that person's profile. Or start your own page to make it easier for others to find you. Good for searching for people in other social newworks.
http://www.zabasearch.com/ Search for people by name to locate street addresses listed in public records. Good for finding general contact information.
__________________________
I would like to get to know more about our group. I thought it would be fun to pose a few questions and then put the answers in a future issue. What I plan to do is, let's say that to the question "In what state do you live?" I will compile the answers I receive and I'll post it like "We have 3 people from Florida, 2 from Kansas, 1 from Kentucky" for example. This way we can find out about us as a group, yet keep our privacy.
Also remember if you ever want to send in a bio about yourself, feel free. But this way we can at least get a general feel for each other now.
I know that this is really a busy time of the year for everyone so I'm giving you two weeks to respond. I will post the answers in the 12.30 issue and I would like your responses by 12.28. It would help me out so much if you'd put POLL in the subject line. =)
1. In what state or country do you live?
2. Are you younger or older than 45?
3. Do you work outside the home?
4. What is your number one favorite thing to do in your spare time?
5. What is your 2009 New Year's Resolution?
6. How many children do you have?
7. I'm taking you out to lunch; where do you want to eat?
8. After lunch let's go shopping; what's your favorite store?
9. Would you rather watch a movie at the theater or at home on DVD?
10. The best place you've ever been on vacation?
_____________________________
Q: If you're afraid of Santa Claus,what condition do you have?
A: Claustrophobia
___________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment