Black Friday 2007
Black Friday Shopping Tips
Before you head out to the mall or shop online for that perfect present, take a few moments to read these tips to help you have a less stressful holiday season.
– Decide in advance exactly what you want and what you can afford.
– Read sale ads carefully. Some may say “quantities limited,” “no rain checks,” or “not available at all stores.”
– Don’t buy on impulse or under pressure. This includes donating to charity. Do your research.
– Get a written copy of guarantees and warranties.
– Get the seller’s refund, return and cancellation policies.
You’ll find more helpful buying tips at:
http://www.consumeraction.gov/caw_general_beforeubuy.shtml
If you decide to brave the crowds and hit those Black Friday sales, don’t forget to:
– Eat a healthy breakfast. You’ll need energy to stay focused.
– Be courteous to others, despite the fact that others will be tired, cranky, and competitive, and clerks will be exhausted.
– Have a sense of adventure and challenge. Much of the difference between a stressful experience and an exciting one is your attitude.
Where to find the deals:
http://www.dealtaker.com/blackfriday.html
Tags: budget, cheap, shoestring
Posted in on a shoestring | Comment (0)
No matching posts here
Vegetarian Thanksgiving
Misc links for a vegetarian Thanksgiving.
Vegan Holiday Dinner Recipes
Bryanna’s Vegan Holiday Menu
Gentle Thanksgiving
Vegetarian Thanksgiving (Vegan Friendly!)
Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menu
Vegetarian Entrees for the Holidays
191 Vegan & Thanksgiving recipes
A Vegetarian Thanksgiving with Tofu and Seitan
Tasty Tofu Roast
Ingredients:
6 lbs. firm tofu
Stuffing:
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1 Tbs. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. sage
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 cups cubed whole wheat bread
2 cups cubed corn bread
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans (optional)
Basting Liquid:
1/2 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
Directions:
One hour before cooking, mash the tofu and drain it well.
To make the stuffing, sauté the onion and celery in the sesame oil; mix the seasonings into the cubed bread; combine everything, adding enough vegetable broth to moisten; add nuts if desired.
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Press the tofu with your hands to form a hollow center, fill with the stuffing mixture, and press down; flip the tofu onto an oiled baking sheet.
Baste the tofu with 3/4 of the sesame oil and soy sauce mixture, cover with foil, and bake for 1 hour; remove foil, baste again with the remaining basting mixture, return to the hot oven, and bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until golden.
Transfer to a serving platter and serve with gravy.
For this and other Thanksgiving recipes, visit www.GentleThanksgiving.org
Tags: food, recipes, thanksgiving, vegetarian
Posted in food & recipes, holidays | Comment (0)
No matching posts here
Mac & Cheese
Mac & Cheese
I liked macaroni and cheese when I was a kid. It usually came out of a box. I’ve tasted many kinds - from the name brand blue box (usually the most expensive) to the old no name brand box that was white with red stripes (dirt cheap). It comes as no surprise that my kid likes mac and cheese too. While we are trying to eat healthier, we’ve tasted many brands new to us. One of our favorite brands is Annie’s. It has been difficult to eat healthy and stay within budget. On a recent trip to Big Logs, we found D.W. Whole Wheat Pasta & Alfredo! Who knew Big Lots had healthy items? That was our lunch today. We’ve found it filling and yummy. My kid likes Annies because it has different cheeses (other than orange cheese). Annie’s also has organic mac and cheese. And to beaf up your mac & cheese, pun intended, Annie’s has some great looking recipes.
Tags: big lots, food, mac & cheese
Posted in food & recipes, on a shoestring | Comment (0)
No matching posts here
Space Food Sticks
Space Food Sticks
http://www.hungrybrowser.com/phaedrus/m101101.htm#4
http://www.spacefoodsticks.com/spacefood/index.html
http://www.oldtimecandy.com/space-food-sticks.htm
http://www.retrofuture.com/spacefood.html
Tags: astronomy, food, retro, space
Posted in food & recipes | Comment (0)
No matching posts here
NEA & B-75
B-75. Home Schooling
The National Education Association believes that home schooling programs based on parental choice cannot provide the student with a comprehensive education experience. When home schooling occurs, students enrolled must meet all state curricular requirements, including the taking and passing of assessments to ensure adequate academic progress. Home schooling should be limited to the children of the immediate family, with all expenses being borne by the parents/guardians. Instruction should be by persons who are licensed by the appropriate state education licensure agency, and a curriculum approved by the state department of education should be used.
The Association also believes that home-schooled students should not participate in any extracurricular activities in the public schools.
The Association further believes that local public school systems should have the authority to determine grade placement and/or credits earned toward graduation for students entering or re-entering the public school setting from a home school setting. (1988, 2006)
Ok - I do not agree with the NEA’s resolution. I do not believe that Union has my child’s best interests at heart. I also believe my child should be allowed to participate in any extracurricular activities in the public schools since I Pay Taxes to those public schools. I think that taking and passing assessments are overrated - look at how many people graduate public school yet still cannot read nor write. Guess what? All our homeschool expenses Are paid by me. Again, I also pay public school tax.
Other reading: NEA’s mission statement
A well written petition: Homeschoolers against NEA philosophy
Tags: homeschooling, opinion, politics
Posted in homeschooling | Comment (0)
No matching posts here
Professionals
Titled: Home Schools Run By Well-Meaning Amateurs
Subtitled: Schools With Good Teachers Are Best-Suited to Shape Young Minds
By Dave Arnold (Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is head custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois.)
Quote from Mr Arnold’s article: There’s nothing like having the right person with the right experience, skills and tools to accomplish a specific task. Certain jobs are best left to the pros, such as, formal education. … So, why would some parents assume they know enough about every academic subject to home-school their children? You would think that they might leave this — the shaping of their children’s minds, careers, and futures — to trained professionals…”
Everyone has their own opinion - he to his and me to mine. Here’s my thoughts after reading his article. Why would a janitor assume he knows enough about homeschooling by glancing at a few websites, with an obviously closed mind, write about trained professionals shaping my child’s mind, career & future? Parents shape their child’s mind, career & future - not teachers. Teachers instruct children. Some teachers might have an impact on children which might lead them to certain areas whether knowingly or unknowingly. (Obviously I’m not speaking of higher education.) Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictonary defines teacher as “one that teaches; especially : one whose occupation is to instruct.” It also defines custodian as “one that guards and protects or maintains; especially : one entrusted with guarding and keeping property or records or with custody or guardianship of prisoners or inmates.” So maybe there is a connection: Institutionalized schooling and inmates (also known as public school children).
I Googled head custodian and the first link says : “Head Custodian. Duties. 1. Dust, sweep, mop, and buff floors as necessary. 2. Using appropriate protection against contact with body fluids, clean vomit and …” (which comes from a website’s Job Description of Head Custodian cape.k12.mo.us
I AM the right person to choose my child’s form of education. I choose to homeschool my child. I am also not a head custodian but I can also dust, sweep, mop and clean vomit too.
Tags: homeschooling, opinion
Posted in homeschooling | Comment (0)
No matching posts here
