Yummy, Healthy Drinks

I am rediscovering friutie beverages this season. My favorite right now is anything with raspberries in it. I've tried:

Vanilla ice crean with fruit frapped in it,
Milk with bananas and raspberries frappe,
Water with ice chipped and berries frapped,
Banana Shakes
Milk with watermelon and bananas frapped.

To all these drinks I add some brown sugar. Honey would be nice too.


Happy Holidays to all!

More Adventures In Pipe Smoking

Well, it's been a couple of days since we built our first pipe made from a corn cob and a bamboo shoot. The pipes first uses were very satisfactory. The only problem we encountered was that three puffs was the maximum amount of smoking we could muster.

We did learn a little bit about proper packing of tobacco into the opening of the corn cob: a little bit but not too much. One long time pipe smoker told us that he leaves a bit of tobacco at the bottom of the pipe and cleans out the top soot. Our pipe must be too small for such wisdom.

After a few days, the bamboo began to look funny. Really, I think it was shrinking. The corn cob began to harden, too. But, it did so with no effect upon the tobacco in it. It was decided, that we should somehow cure the corn cob and the bamboo before assemblage.

We are considering these two problems. We believe the bamboo stem needs the most alteration. It passes, though, as an alternative to paper bound tobacco smoking.

Pipe Smoking: The Beginning

Last night, our home began the ages old tradition of pipe smoking. Our pipe of preference right now is a corn cob pipe with a sacrificed bamboo shoot as the

handle.

Soon, we will be back country Iowa folks goin around smoking corn cob pipes. But, there are a few methods we must learn, such as the amount of packing and the way to light a pipe properly. There are nuances that will help us since the happiness of a pipe smoker is one important aspect of pipe smoking along with other things we will find out about.

So here goes!

Ann Klein

11.18.09

People Before Profit Fundraiser - Heffernan's Bar Wexford

In aid of The Wexford Community Development Project.

Rory Stafford, Chris Gonnella (Fire Horses)
Various Guest Artists

23 November 2003 @ 9.30pm

Rabbit Ears Signal Tweek Now Available

I'd like to get one of these specialty rabbits.

I would try and see if this kind of rabbit ears works better

with the new digital age for TV.

National public sector strike likely to go ahead

From the Irish Times

Here we go, hre we go, here we go!

Clear Plan Staging. Strong Action Needed For Foster Care "Transitioning Out"

There is an interesting program on the scene regarding youth, who are now 18 years and permitted to leave foster care. These youth now are being chosen to participate in programs to help them get a hand-up into adult society.

For a long time, many professionals in the field, as well as foster care teens themselves, have realized the hard fought struggle there is when no one is there on the other side of state supported children and youth. One might ask, "Where will these kids live?" or "How do they develop their own community of support?" It's a serious problem if you happen to be a teenager out on your own after the state has cut you free.

One cannot easily walk over to a cozy neighborhood, plunk down money for rent with only a reference from a social worker saying, "We are no longer responsible." Sure, some foster kids have a relative to turn to. Some have been able to work and save a little money. But, a sizable share of foster care youth have few things going for them: no place to stay, no continual supply of food, no friends to hangout with, no transportation nor money for the bus, no clothing to put into drawers and on hangers, no soccer ball to kick around the alley or park, no TV, no phone. They have, literally, only the clothes on their backs, a few dollars given by the state and the smile as their social worker shakes hands, then, turns to walk to her nearly new car to complete paperwork.

There is a seemingly sudden interest in foster care youth. This is a good thing; a good start. There is a national govenors' task force trying to find workable solutions. I'm not buying the program they advocate in its entirty. Portions, though, are worth approach, such as higher education. There really is no 12 step solution. There is no step-by-step approach out there to address the many nuances of moving into adult society, such as: location of the teen, stereotyping of foster children, attitudes and perceptions by the youth being tossed around the system followed by being tossed onto the street.

Survival and overwhelming fear for the average foster care kid is what he or she definitely carries daily. Below is a report written in order to share with us, what California is doing in order to assist the adult, who has just left foster care. I do like the effort and the money being set aside for these kinds of programs. I do not yet see effect. We could do a lot better for children whose only hope is listed on a piece of paper. But, we must consider, that a good share of the population of youth leaving foster care will see a new program, as more hoops to jump through. More uncertainty. Less real truth. That's inescapable under any method of assisting children given survival by the state.

Ann Klein

Reference to, National Govenors Association

A Song for Halloween by Fire Horses

The Ballad of King Boz

Words, Music and images by Alan, Rory,Yogi

Thanks to Blue Moose, Mary, Ady, St. Senan's, the Cornmarket Project and Dermot F for support.
Copyright Fire Horses (A.Butler, R.Stafford) October 2009

Lisbon Treaty - People Before Profit