Clipmarks | bignosemousie's clips

Unchain your dogs

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 23:38:23 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: Lots of information at the source. Photos that will break your heart.

Unchain your dog, please.

Clip Source: www.unchainyourdog.org

What is meant by "chaining" or "tethering" dogs?

These terms refer to the practice of fastening a dog to a stationary object or stake, usually in the owner's backyard, as a means of keeping the animal under control. These terms do not refer to the periods when an animal is walked on a leash.

Why is tethering dogs inhumane?

Dogs are naturally social beings who thrive on interaction with human beings and other animals. In the wild, dogs and wolves live, eat, sleep, and hunt with a family of other canines. Dogs are genetically determined to live in a group.

A chained animal is caught in a vicious cycle; frustrated by long periods of boredom and social isolation, he becomes a neurotic shell of his former self—further deterring human interaction and kindness. In the end, the helpless dog can only suffer the frustration of watching the world go by in isolation—a cruel fate for what is by nature a highly social animal.

Tags: animals need love and protection

Cupcake pop ideas

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:12:59 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: From Bakerella. These are such cute ideas! I have to say that the original recipe for cake balls (red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting) is so delicious. I have made cake balls several times now and next time I will have to try these cake pops and/or cupcake bites (no stick).

The blue cake is an amazing color.

Clip Source: bakerella.blogspot.com

help kids go back to school

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:40:27 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: These cupcake pops are cute!

Clip Source: howaboutorange.blogspot.com

Ms. Bakerella emailed me about an opportunity to help kids living in poverty get ready for school. Nickelodeon is taking back-to-school suggestions for parents on their website at giveback.parentsconnect.com. For every back-to-school tip or recipe you give, they'll make a donation to Feed the Children’s Kid's School Basics Program. You can leave tips on their site through September 25th. And if you leave a tip, be sure to say so in the comments on this post at Bakerella, because you could win a Nickelodeon prize pack.

Tags: charity, tips

Piecing your life together

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:37:02 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: by Mary White, a Texas quilter

Clip Source: annamariahorner.blogspot.com

You can't always change things. Sometimes you don't have no control over the way things go. Hail ruins the crops, fire burns you out. And then you're just given so much to work with in a life and you have to do the best you can with what you got. That's what piecing is. The materials is passed on to you or is all you can afford to buy....that's just what's given to you. Your fate. But the way you put them together is your business."

Tags: make every piece count

Big Russ & Me

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 20:47:28 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: I just started reading this and I really like it so far.

Anyone else read it? What are your thoughts?

Clip Source: www.bigrussandme.com

Tags: tim russert, books, reading

The girl in the window

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:04:21 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: This story is upsetting. If you can stomach it, be sure to watch the video and listen to the audio that accompanies this story.

Clip Source: www.tampabay.com

Just before noon on July 13, 2005, a Plant City police car pulled up outside that shattered window. Two officers went into the house — and one stumbled back out.

"Unbelievable," she told Holste. "The worst I've ever seen."

"It sounded like you were walking on eggshells. You couldn't take a step without crunching German cockroaches," the detective said. "They were in the lights, in the furniture. Even inside the freezer. The freezer!"

He turned the handle on a door, which opened into a space the size of a walk-in closet. He squinted in the dark.

At his feet, something stirred.

Her name, her mother had said, was Danielle. She was almost 7 years old.

She couldn't tell anyone what had happened, what was wrong, what hurt.

Danielle's was "the most outrageous case of neglect I've ever seen."

Tags: neglect, hope

Called to help the poor

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:58:44 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: Do you hear God's message about caring for the poor in your church? I can't say I hear it very often.

Clip Source: www.shaungroves.com

Last night at my gig I said something about how we’re saved to bring the kingdom to earth, to fix what’s broken, and part of that is caring for the poor. I pointed out that 80% of American pastors say they’ve never spoken about the poor, though there are more verses in the bible concerning the poor than there are concerning heaven and hell - and there’s no shortage of talk about those two places.

Ezekiel tells us it’s the Spirit of God who moves us to obey God’s commands and so anyone with the Spirit in them is not immovably opposed to the will of God or the words written down under the guidance of the Spirit. The task for the person speaking about the poor (pastor, blogger or whatever) is to frame the discussion spiritually, not politically or in purely humanitarian or financial terms - to illustrate persuasively that caring for the poor is deeply inseparably Christian.

Mini caramel apples

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:06:40 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: Cute! This would be fun to make with kids.

Clip Source: www.flickr.com

1) Wash and peel a large, fairly tart apple.

Using a melon baller, extract balls of apple. A large apple will yield about 6 balls

Place in a bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice.

3) Carefully spear each ball of apple through the ROUND end. Keep the flat end on the bottom, so they stand upright. Using a paper towel, blot off the excess lemon juice. This is important- if the apple has too much juice left on it, the caramel won't stick.

4) Dip the apple in the caramel, using a twirling motion to coat it evenly.

5) Transfer the apple to the nuts and roll, using a gentler twirling motion.

6) Stand the apples upright in the cups and let them chill in the fridge to solidify. Cute and addictive!

Tags: recipe, caramel apple, children

Zebra Cake recipe and technique

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:45:28 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: Put 3 tbsp of vanilla batter into the center of the pan and let it spread slightly on its own. Put 3 tbsp of chocolate batter in the center of the vanilla. It will push out the other batter and, as it sits for a moment, will also spread itself. Alternating spoonfuls of the two batters, repeat the technique until all the batter has been used up.
Bake for 38-42 minutes, until the cake is light gold and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then turn out the cake and remove the parchment paper. Reinvert on to a wire rack and let cool before slicing.

Clip Source: bakingbites.com

4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk (low fat is fine)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp almond extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9-inch round cake pan with a circle of parchment paper and lightly grease the bottom and sides of the pan.
In a large bowl, mix together eggs and sugar until mixture is light and creamy and the sugar has mostly been dissolved. Stir in milk, vegetable oil, vanilla and almond extracts.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Pour into wet ingredients and whisk to combine. Measure out just over two cups of vanilla batter and place it back in the medium bowl. Sift cocoa powder over the bowl and whisk until fully incorporated.

Tags: cake, baking, recipe, dessert

"I am the change!"

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 20:30:11 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: Heartwarming.

Clip Source: www.freetheslaves.net

Each year Leslie's 8th graders at Saint Joseph's School in Crescent Springs, Kentucky have a service project. She shared the story of child slaves with her class. They adopted the issue for their service project.

At the time it took $560 for our partner on the ground to rescue, rehabilitate, and reunite the children with their parents. The 50 eighth graders set a high goal -- they wanted to rescue and rehabilitate 40 kids a half a world away.

These 8th graders wanted to raise $22,400. Josh, one of the students, summed it up for everyone, "Everybody wants to save a life. We kind of feel like we'll be saving 40 lives if we can raise enough money to rescue the kids."

They raised over $28,500 in just six weeks! That means children are free today who would still be enslaved if these kids had not heard their story. And acted! For the rest of their lives they will know that they were able to change a life. They will know, 'I am the change!'

Tags: slavery, freedom, hope, change, youth

Bacon storage by the slice

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:50:29 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie

Clip Source: www.eatingwellanywhere.com

I use waxed paper instead of plastic wrap. I like to think it breaks down quicker in the landfill. Start with one slice, placed about a bacon-width in from one edge of the paper. You can use full slices just as well. Fold the paper over the bacon. Place another slice next to the first slice. Fold the paper-encased bacon on top of the other slice. Repeat. Fold the ends in and toss several rolls in a plastic bag or airtight container. Freeze. To use, don’t thaw; just unroll the waxed paper and pop off as many frozen bacon strips as you need.

Tags: bacon

There are more slaves today...

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 01:04:29 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: ...than at any other time in history.

Twice as many slaves as when Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Our Congress just apologized for historical slavery in America, but what about the people in slavery today?

I urge you to go to the website www.callandresponse.com and find out ways to respond, ways to act.

Here is an opportunity to create hope and change.

It isn't called Awarenessism, it's called Activism. Let's act.

Clip Source: brodyharper.com

CALL+RESPONSE is a first of its kind feature documentary film that reveals the world’s 27 million dirtiest secrets: there are more slaves today than ever before in human history. CALL+RESPONSE goes deep undercover where slavery is thriving from the child brothels of Cambodia to the slave brick kilns of rural India to reveal that in 2007, Slave Traders made more money than Google, Nike and Starbucks combined.

Clip Source: www.youtube.com

[Video]

Tags: slavery, children, activism, charity, hope

Circus slavery

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 19:39:38 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie

Clip Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Running away to the circus is a cliché of childhood freedom. But for hundreds of Nepalese children sold into a life of slavery and abuse in Indian circuses by their parents life under the big top is a nightmare. For the sad young clowns and limping acrobats beatings and sexual abuse are routine.

They have grim tales of life in the circus. They were fed rotten vegetables and shared grain with the horses. One girl said she had been there for eight years. During an 18-hour day the children would be beaten for making mistakes in rehearsals or during the three daily performances.

Indian circuses favour Nepalese children for their pale skin and exotic looks. Younger children are particularly prized because of their flexibility in contortion acts with titles such as "boneless". Other acts include "star kiss", in which a child is whirled around the circus tent by a rope which she grips with her teeth. Accidents are common.

Tags: slavery, freedom

Freedom Award Winner: James Kofi Annan

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:40:32 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: James Kofi Annan was awarded the Frederick Douglass Purpose Award, underwritten by the John Templeton Foundation.

Clip Source: www.freetheslaves.net

At age six, James Kofi Annan was sold into slavery. He worked in Ghana’s fishing villages 17 hours a day. Food and shelter were scant. Abuse was constant. Seven years later, James escaped back home to his parents.

Somehow he believed that if he could only learn English, his life would get better. He befriended kindergartners so he could use their schoolbooks to learn to read.

For the last 13 years, he has worked to end modern-day slavery.

In 2003, he started Challenging Heights to empower children through education. Every day, vulnerable children turn to Challenging Heights for homework help, sports and the arts. In some villages James has created innovative peer programs with children and adults approaching kids and parents to get local children in school and away from sweet-talking traffickers. James regularly funded Challenging Heights with more than half of his bank salary.

Tags: slavery, freedom, award

Freedom Award Winner: Friends of Orphans

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:27:38 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: Friends of Orphans, founded by Ricky Richards, received the Harriet Tubman Community and Reintegration Award. The Freedom Awards are underwritten by the John Templeton Foundation.

Clip Source: www.freetheslaves.net

Anywar Ricky Richards calls himself a child born of trouble. He has survived his share. Ricky and his brother were just 2 of 25,000 Ugandan children abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army and forced into slavery as child soldiers. The 22 year old war is all that most of these children have ever known. The boys are forced to kill or be killed. Most of the girls are sex slaves. All of the children see and do what no child should ever experience.

He returned to the war zone. He turned his freedom into a lifeline for other child slaves. In 1999, Ricky and his friends started Friends of Orphans (FRO), an organization dedicated to empower and reintegrate former child soldiers into a society torn apart by atrocities the children were forced to commit.

Ricky believes FRO is successful at rehabilitating these children because so many of the staff were child soldiers.

Tags: slavery, freedom, award