Did you know?

MACON WAS ONCE BURIED IN 16 INCHES OF SNOW

In February of 1973 the Piedmont region of Georgia was hit by one of the biggest snowstorms of all time.Macon was buried in 16.5” of snow and with little or no ability to move that amount of snow the city was paralyzed. The storm was blamed for 31 deaths and the blizzard of ‘73 has since became folklore to those Maconite’s who lived through it.   

All The World's A Stage

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

By: William Shakespeare

Baklava

A rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened and held together with syrup or honey. It is characteristic of the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire, but is also found in Central and Southwest Asia.

Peppermint

    Peppermint is a natural hybrid of water mint (Mentha aquatica ) and spearmint (Mentha spicata ) and was first cultivated in England in the late seventeenth century. The herb has been used as a remedy for indigestion since Ancient Egyptian times. In fact, dried peppermint leaves were found in Egyptian pyramids dating back to 1000 b.c. The ancient Greeks and Romans valued it as a stomach soother. During the eighteenth century, peppermint became popular in Western Europe as a folk remedy for nausea, vomiting, morning sickness , respiratory infections , and menstrual disorders. Peppermint was first listed in the London Pharmacopoeia in 1721. In modern times it appears in the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia as a remedy for intestinal colic, gas , colds, morning sickness, and menstruation pain.

     Peppermint (Mentha piperita ) is an aromatic perennial plant that grows to a height of about 3 ft (1 m). It has light purple flowers and green leaves with serrated edges. Peppermint belongs to the Lamiaceae family and grows throughout North America, Asia, and Europe. There are more than 25 species of true mint grown throughout the world. The plant is harvested when the oil content is highest. When ready for harvest, it is always collected in the morning, before noon sun reduces the leaf essential oil content. This generally takes place shortly before the plant blooms, which occurs in the summer (July through August) or during dry, sunny weather. The United States is responsible for producing 75% of the world's supply of peppermint.

Magnolia Flowers

   Magnolias are a striking variety of flower because the magnolia blossoms are so large. The flower is associated with nobility, perseverance, dignity and a love of nature. The magnolia tree is a symbol of magnificence because of its impressive height and enormous flowers. The magnolia tree was named after the French botanist Pierre Magnolia in the 1600s. The flowering tree has more than 80 varieties including a striking yellow blossom, the goldfinch, or the popular white blossom, Magnolia grandiflora. The scent of the flower varies depending on which variety is used. Each color leads to a different meaning. The white magnolia flowers stand for purity and perfection. The pink magnolia flowers symbolize youth and innocence together with joy. The green magnolias represent joy coupled with health and good fortune. The purple magnolias send out vibrations that support your wishes for alignment with your truth and physical wholeness (health).
   A "steel magnolia" is a popular phrase denoting the strength a Southern woman possesses. This phrase was popularized by the 1989 movie "Steel Magnolias" in which six Southern women endure various hardships but rise above them. The term refers to the delicate yet strong nature women have.
In art, specifically Chinese art, the magnolia is used as a symbol of feminine sweetness and beauty. In China, magnolia flowers are symbols of purity and nobility. In Japan, the magnolia is used as a medicinal and ornamental plant. The flower is called Hanakotoba in the Japanese system of flower symbolism. This means that the flower is sublime, natural and shows love for nature. Magnolias are associated with the life force and are often presented at births.

Mint

        Mint is as tasty as it is healthy. Its essential oil is widely used in manufactured products such as toothpaste, shower gel and medicines for its naturally antibacterial and cooling qualities. In cooking, mint sprigs can be added to cooking water or the chopped leaves incorporated into a dish to make the most of this herb’s aromatic, flavoursome and digestive abilities. Originally taken as a medicinal herb to treat stomach ache and chest pains, it is to this day the most called upon herb for soothing a great deal of ailments from indigestion to heartburn and the common cold to bad breath. That's not all; mint can also provide a cooling sensation to the skin helping to treat minor burns and skin irritations due to its anti-inflammatory properties and it can ease and unblock the breathing and respiratory passages as well as relieve headaches; cup of mint tea anyone?

       Known to have originated in Asia and the Mediterranean region, mint has been known for its many benefits throughout history. Greeks used to clean their banqueting tables with the herb and added it to their baths to stimulate their bodies, whilst Romans used it in sauces, as an aid to digestion and as a mouth freshener. Medieval monks drew on the herb for its culinary and medicinal properties. In many cultures, mint symbolised hospitality and was offered as a sign of welcome and friendship to guests. Mint derives its name from the ancient Greek mythical character Minthe. According to Greek myth, Minthe was a river nymph. Hades, the God of the Underworld, fell in love with Minthe and when Persephone, Hades's wife, found out, she turned Minthe into a plant, so that everyone would walk all over her and crush her. Unable to undo the spell, Hades gave Minthe a magnificent aroma so that he could smell her and be near her when people trod on her.

      Away from this mythical world, we know that mint gets its tell tale enticing aroma from menthol, an essential oil present in its leaves. Mint contains a number of vitamins and minerals which are vital to maintain good health. Rich in Vitamins A and C it also contains smaller amounts of Vitamin B2 and minerals including calcium, zinc, copper and magnesium. And even though mint is mostly consumed in small quantities, the vital nutrients obtained are still beneficial and shouldn’t be underestimated.

Dahlia

       The Dahlia has been in Europe for over two hundred years. It came from Mexico to the Botanical Gardens in Madrid towards the end of the eighteenth century and was named by Abbe Cavanille in honour of Andreas Dahl, Swedish scientist come environmentalist. The first double flowered cultivars were called Show and Fancy types. The Show were self-coloured, ball like flowers, while the Fancy ones were multi-coloured.  During the mid 1800's, these show and fancy flowers attained cult status with gardeners, and several thousand different cultivars were recorded.  Other forms followed, in 1829 the first Anenome flowered dahlia appeared and then in 1850 the first Pompon were raised in Germany, and was named after the bobble on a French Sailor's hat.  The origin of the Cactus & Decorative type belongs to the arrival of “Juarrezii” according to the written records it was imported as a piece of tuber from Mexico in 1872 to Holland.  M.Van de Berg of Uttrecht who had received this so-called species (Actually a cultivar) from Mexico and released stock of the cultivar in 1874.  Subsequently “Juarrezii”, named after a President of Mexico, was introduced into the UK by W.Cullingford who would become Vice President of the NDS and distributed by H.Cannell.  After 1880. Collerettes are the last form of dahlia to have been raised, they have their origin in France and are due to sporting of dahlias at Jardin Botanique de Lyon at the end of the 19th century. 

    The initial named species imported into Europe were Dahlia pinnata, Dahlia rosea and Dahlia coccinea.  The first dahlias grown outside of Madrid were single (open-centred) & Multi-ray open centre flowered, but it was not long before the horticultural growers of the day discovered the Dahlia was a natural hybrid and when grown from seed, it readily changed its form and colour, so that today we have a range of Dahlia types that offer something to please everyone. Today, there are cultivars in the form of the waterlily, the paeony, the orchid, the chrysanthemum and the anemone, to say nothing of the main formations like the decorative (flat, broad petals), the cactus and semi-cactus types (rolled, pointed petals) and the ball forms (globular flowers) that have as their smallest relative the popular Pompon Dahlias that beguile so many gardeners. There is every colour and colour combination to choose from, except the elusive blue (which we are still seeking) which is covered by the wide range of violet and mauve cultivars. Sizes range from the smallest types, called Topmix or Lilliput Dahlias to the giants that have blooms over a foot in diameter carried on powerful stems. Today's hybridisers are still seeking the true blue dahlia, as well as one with a scent, and one that is frost hardy. 

Gobi Desert

   Gobi Desert is only the fifth largest in the world and is the most expansive arid region on the Asian continent. The desert spans two countries, covering parts of northern and northwestern China and up into southern Mongolia. A rain shadow desert, Gobi suffers from having most of its rain blocked by the Himalyas. However, this doesn't mean the region receives zero precipitation. In fact, the Gobi gets about 7 inches of rainfall each year. Gobi is a cold desert, thanks to its northern location and height (roughly 1520 meters above sea level at the area's highest points). As a result, sometimes frost and even snow can be seen capping Gobi's dunes. Temperatures can fall as far minus-40 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter. Summer is no picnic, either, with the heat occasionally rising to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. The desert is also far less sandy than other deserts. Instead, the desert floor is mostly bare rock, due in most part to the high winds that whip across the plateau. Gobi may be the fifth largest desert on the planet, but the area actually contains five distinct ecological regions: The Eastern Gobi desert steppe, the Alashan Plateau semi-desert, The Gobi Lakes Valley desert steppe, the Dzungarian Basin semi-desert, and the Tian Shan range.
   The Eastern Gobi desert steppe covers the easternmost region, encompassing 281,800 square kilometers. This region spans the area from the Inner Mongolian Plateau in China northward into Mongolia itself. There are many salt ponds and low-lying areas in the Eastern Gobi, as well as the Yin Mountains. The Alashan Plateau semi-desert sits to the west-southwest of the Eastern Gobi desert steppe. Most of this plateau is made up of desert basins and low-lying mountain ranges, including the Gobi Altai range, the Helan Mountains, and the Qilian Mountains. The Gobi Lakes Valley desert steppe lies between the Khangai Mountains and the Gobi Altai range, north of the Alashan Plateau. The Dzungarian Basin semi-desert is situated between the Tian Shan range in the south and the Altai mountains to the north. The area extends from the southeastern corner of Mongolia into China, covering the northern part of Xinjiang province in China.
     The Tian Shan range acts as a border between the Dzungarian Basin and the Taklamakan Desert to the west. The Taklamakan is deemed separate from the Gobi because of its sandy basin surrounded by high mountain ranges. A lot of history has happened across Gobi's dunes, too. The desert is home to the first fossilized dinosaur egg ever found, as well as many other important fossil discoveries. It was part of the great Mongol Empire, the largest contiguous empire in history, during the 13th and 14th centuries. Gobi also contained a few important cities for traders to stop and rest while traveling the Silk Road from Europe to China. The Italian explorer Marco Polo encountered Gobi's fabled cities on his epic 24-year journey through Asia back to Venice, which he recounted in his book "The Travels of Marco Polo."
     The Gobi Desert continues to grow, and its rapid growth is alarming its neighbors. China is hardest hit, losing valuable grassland to the expanding desert. The Chinese government has announced plans to plant the Green Wall of China, a line of new forest intended to slow the desert's expansion. Even though its expansion threatens human habitation, the Gobi remains a distinctly beautiful area of the planet, with a rich history buried beneath its surface.

Amelia Island

    The island, located at the northeastern-most tip of the state, has been cast as an English plantation, international port, playground for the elite and the illicit, Civil War fortress, turn-of-the-century tourist mecca, the terminus of Florida’s first cross- state railroad and world headquarters for revolutionary shrimping. Crucial for shipping strongholds and global power plays, Amelia was prized as the deepest natural harbor in the South – Florida’s passageway to prosperity. One of America’s premier industrialists, Henry Flagler, provided the most pivotal point in the beguiling history of Amelia Island. His venture into Florida’s Southern frontier unintentionally suspended the island in a Victorian time capsule. Then considered Amelia’s misfortune, it is now known as its fortunate destiny to be an island locked in the charm and enchantment of the Victorian era. Christened for the royal daughter of England’s King George II, Amelia’s captivating beauty, climate and harbor have enticed a collection of characters from aristocrats and bluebloods to bootleggers and buccaneers.

      As early as 2,500 B.C. ancient Timucuan Indians praised the attributes of Amelia Island or “Nopoica.” The seeds of the island’s struggle were first planted in 1562 when Frenchman Jean Ribault stepped ashore on “Isle de Mai” (Island of May) and Europe began its coexistence with the Indians. Spanish rule followed with an intent to Christianize the natives of “Santa Maria” until Spain swapped Florida with England for Havana. British loyalists then diligently established plantations for the King and dubbed the island “Amelia.” Amelia, which now has a simple innocence, once simmered with depravity as smugglers and ruffians sought to seize the “prima donna” of Florida land. As the border town between Spanish Florida (regained in another land trade) and American territory, the island’s most colorful period began during Jefferson’s Embargo Act of 1807. With all U.S. ports closed to foreign shipping, the island’s Spanish harbor of Fernandina became the nation’s smuggling center for slaves, liquor and foreign luxuries. What is now known as Old Town attracted racketeers from all over the world. The bluff, now occupied by the mansion used in the movie Pippi Longstocking, was lined with bordellos. Eventually the “festering fleshpot” of Fernandina, survivor of three more flag usurpations, was forced to relinquish its illegal ways when it ceded to the United States in 1821. The present site of Fernandina Beach originated in the 1850s as visionary U.S, Senator David Yulee promised to make Fernandina Beach the spotlight of the Western world. He convinced the town to resettle a half-mile downriver to accommodate his dream – Florida’s first cross-state railroad. Yulee’s rail journeyed over swamps to connect with Cedar Key on the Gulf Today, an original 1899 railroad depot serves as the Visitor Center on the island.

     As the new railroad was paving the path for a golden era on Amelia, the Union army took control of a partially- finished fort on the island. The First New York Volunteer Engineers continued laying the brick, but by the war’s end no battles were fought and the massive structure was never completed. Now called Fort Clinch, located within Fort Clinch State Park, the “War of Aggression” is reenacted with uniformed, rifle-toting soldiers throughout the mess hall, infirmary, barracks and brig, the first weekend of each month. Park rangers are dressed in period costume throughout the year and answer questions as if the year was 1864.

      By 1875, thousands of Northerners voyaged to Fernandina on the Mallory Steamship Line from New York, creating the dawning of the Golden Age on Amelia. Hailed as “The Queen of Summer Resorts” by an 1896 edition of American Resorts magazine, the island’s breathtaking beaches and climate lured visitors to this new destination – Florida. Golden Age prosperity prompted the building boom of Fernandina Beach, attracting America’s entrepreneurial elite. It’s now preserved as the picturesque Centre Street, home of antique shops, boutiques and some of the area’s finest restaurants. The most colorful watering hole on Centre Street is Florida’s oldest tavern, The Palace Saloon (1878). Former haunt of the Vanderbilts, DuPonts and Carnegies, spirits are still served from its 40-foot mahogany bar graced by hand carved caryatids.

     The Silk Stocking District, a collection of grand, sherbet-hued Victorian mansions, arose along the side streets. Today, more than 50 blocks of the downtown with structures styled from Queen Anne and Chinese Chippendale to “Mississippi Steamboat” are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In the 1890s, Florida entrepreneur Henry Flagler christened a railroad which drew wealthy tourists far south of Amelia Island. As a result, mass modernization bypassed the island, a disguised blessing that allowed Amelia to remain an authentic Victorian seaport village. In the early 20th century, Amelia Island became the birthplace of the modern shrimping industry as innovators replaced row boats and cast nets with power-driven seines and otter trawls. Today laden shrimp trawlers return to the downtown docks with the brilliant sunset as a backdrop. Nearly 80 percent of Florida’s intake of sweet Atlantic white shrimp is harvested in Amelia’s waters and the Burbank Trawl Makers (locals call it the Net House) is still the world’s largest producer of handmade shrimp nets.  You can still tour this net company today, and – every year – you can join the locals the first weekend of May in celebrating our shrimping heritage in the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival.

Dusty Miller

Although the dusty miller flower blooms in mid-summer, the small yellow blooms are small and not considered showy. Foliage of the dusty miller plant, however, is long lasting and drought resistant. As with most silvery, furry plants, growing dusty miller helps the garden remain attractive through the heat of the summer. It will also tolerate frost. The dusty miller plant is often grown as an annual and discarded after the first season; however, it is an herbaceous perennial and may return in gardening zones 8 to 10. Growing dusty miller can handle the heat, but is best planted where afternoon shade is available during the hottest months of summer. The dusty miller plant is adaptable to many soil types, thriving in acidic clay to sandy loam soils. Soil must be well draining to avoid root rot. Water regularly right after planting and withhold water once roots have developed and the plant is growing. Dusty miller care may involve a midsummer trim if the plant becomes leggy. The dusty miller flower may be removed to keep the plant compact. This specimen can grow as tall as 1 foot, but often remains shorter. Leave a few flowers to bloom in late summer if you wish the plant to self seed.

Word of the Day

Adumbrate:
     give hint or indication of something; disclose partially or guardedly; overshadow; shade

In The Woods

I walked alone in depths of Autumn woods;
The ruthless winds had left the maple bare;
The fern was withered, and the sweetbrier's breath
No longer gave its fragrance to the air.
 The barberry strung its coral beads no more;
The thistle-down on gauzy wings had flown;
And myriad leaves, on which the Summer wrote
Her blushing farewell, at my feet were strown.
A loneliness pervaded every spot;
A gloom of which my musing soul partook;
All Nature mourns, I said; November wild
Hath torn the fairest pages from her book.
But suddenly a wild bird overhead
Poured forth a strain so strangely clear and sweet,
It seemed to bring me back the skies of May,
And wake the sleeping violets at my feet.
Then long I pondered o'er the poet's words,
"The loss of beauty is not always loss,"
Till like the voice of love they soothed my pain,
And gave me strength to bear again my cross.
O murmuring heart! thy pleasures may decay,
Thy faith grow cold, thy golden dreams take wing;
Still in the realm of faded youth and joy,
Heaven kindly leaves some bird of hope to sing.

By Albert Laighton 

Starfruit

A unique tropical fruit that is gaining popularity in the United States. This fruit acquired its name from the five pointed star shape** when cut across the middle  (occasionally 4 or 6 ribbed fruit may occur).  The 3 to 5 inch long fruit has a paper-thin thin, translucent, waxy, yellow-orange to green skin with tart crisp flesh.  Star fruit range in taste from pleasantly tart and sour to slightly sweet with a complicated flavor combination that includes plums, pineapples, and lemons. The flesh is juicy and crunchy, and may be eaten skin, seeds and all or used as a garnish, in salads and in relishes and preserves. When used in cooking, green fruit are frequently used for their sourness. The juicy flesh is mostly water and does not hold up well when heated.

Although it is not now found in the wild, the star fruit is originally native to Sri Lanka and the Moluccas, and has been cultivated in Southeast Asia and Malaysia for almost 1,000 years. It is known many other names including: ‘belimbing’ or ‘belimbing manis’ (Indonesia), ‘mafueng’ (Thailand), ‘kamrakh’ (Indian) Chinese starfruit, star apple and Five angled fruit.  Today they are also grown throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America, Florida and Hawaii because the fruit thrives on growing in a warm environment. 

Word of the Day

Misogynist:
   a person who hates, dislikes, mistrusts, or mistreats women.

Did you know?

September is national childhood cancer awareness month. Gold is the awareness month color. In the U.S., 15,780 children under the age of 21 are diagnosed with cancer every year; approximately 1/4 of them will not survive the disease. A diagnosis turns the lives of the entire family upside down. The objective of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is to put a spotlight on the types of cancer that largely affect children, survivorship issues, and - importantly - to help raise funds for research and family support.

Rose

Rose is one of the best known and most favorite plants in the world. There are 100 different species of roses. Majority of them are native to Asia, while others originate from Europe, North America and Africa. Roses can be found throughout the world due to commercial breeding. Cultivation of roses started 500 years BC and resulted in creation of 13 000 varieties of roses. Wild roses can survive in various habitats, except those associated with extremely cold winters. Certain species of wild roses are faced with uncertain future (listed as endangered) because of the habitat loss. Each color of the rose symbolizes certain value. Red rose is a symbol of love, yellow of friendship, orange of enthusiasm, white of purity and pink of joy. Rose oil is important ingredient in the perfume industry. Extraction of minimal amount of this oil requires huge amount of roses (one gram of oil is produced from two thousand roses).

Word of the Day

Pluviophile:
   A lover of rain;someone who finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days.

Amaryllis

  Amaryllis is a bulbous plant which originated in South America's tropical regions. Amaryllis is easy to be brought to bloom and is a great beginner plant if you are just getting into gardening. Amaryllis can be planted from October until late April and will flower from late December until the end of June. The larger bulbs will produce more flowers. Unplanted bulbs should be stored in a place that is kept between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Tall stemmed, with trumpet-like blooms, the amaryllis symbolizes radiant beauty. However, Greek mythology has it that the flower got its start from a shy shepherdess, who pierced her heart and created a crimson flower.

    The word "amaryllis" comes from the Greek word "amaryssein," which means "to sparkle," referring to the bloom. Today, the amaryllis symbolizes pride, determination and radiant beauty--the kind that emanates from an inner source and flowers outward. Amaryllis has tall, thick stems and large, colorful flowers. Bloom colors includes red, pink, white, cream, orange and striped and variegated shades of several other colors.

History of 9/11 Attack

     On September 11, 2001, at 8:45 a.m. on a clear Tuesday morning, an American Airlines Boeing 767 loaded with 20,000 gallons of jet fuel crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The impact left a gaping, burning hole near the 80th floor of the 110-story skyscraper, instantly killing hundreds of people and trapping hundreds more in higher floors. As the evacuation of the tower and its twin got underway, television cameras broadcasted live images of what initially appeared to be a freak accident. Then, 18 minutes after the first plane hit, a second Boeing 767–United Airlines Flight 175–appeared out of the sky, turned sharply toward the World Trade Center and sliced into the south tower near the 60th floor. The collision caused a massive explosion that showered burning debris over surrounding buildings and the streets below. America was under attack. The attackers were Islamic terrorists from Saudi Arabia and several other Arab nations. Reportedly financed by Saudi fugitive Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda terrorist organization, they were allegedly acting in retaliation for America’s support of Israel, its involvement in the Persian Gulf War and its continued military presence in the Middle East. Some of the terrorists had lived in the United States for more than a year and had taken flying lessons at American commercial flight schools. Others had slipped into the country in the months before September 11 and acted as the “muscle” in the operation.
     The 19 terrorists easily smuggled box-cutters and knives through security at three East Coast airports and boarded four flights bound for California, chosen because the planes were loaded with fuel for the long transcontinental journey. Soon after takeoff, the terrorists commandeered the four planes and took the controls, transforming ordinary commuter jets into guided missiles. As millions watched the events unfolding in New York, American Airlines Flight 77 circled over downtown Washington, D.C., and slammed into the west side of the Pentagon military headquarters at 9:45 a.m. Jet fuel from the Boeing 757 caused a devastating inferno that led to the structural collapse of a portion of the giant concrete building. All told, 125 military personnel and civilians were killed in the Pentagon, along with all 64 people aboard the airliner. Less than 15 minutes after the terrorists struck the nerve center of the U.S. military, the horror in New York took a catastrophic turn for the worse when the south tower of the World Trade Center collapsed in a massive cloud of dust and smoke. The structural steel of the skyscraper, built to withstand winds in excess of 200 miles per hour and a large conventional fire, could not withstand the tremendous heat generated by the burning jet fuel.
       At 10:30 a.m., the other Trade Center tower collapsed. Close to 3,000 people died in the World Trade Center and its vicinity, including a staggering 343 firefighters and paramedics, 23 New York City police officers and 37 Port Authority police officers who were struggling to complete an evacuation of the buildings and save the office workers trapped on higher floors. Only six people in the World Trade Center towers at the time of their collapse survived. Almost 10,000 others were treated for injuries, many severe. Meanwhile, a fourth California-bound plane–United Flight 93–was hijacked about 40 minutes after leaving Newark International Airport in New Jersey. Because the plane had been delayed in taking off, passengers on board learned of events in New York and Washington via cell phone and Airfone calls to the ground. Knowing that the aircraft was not returning to an airport as the hijackers claimed, a group of passengers and flight attendants planned an insurrection. One of the passengers, Thomas Burnett Jr., told his wife over the phone that “I know we’re all going to die.
    There’s three of us who are going to do something about it. I love you, honey.” Another passenger–Todd Beamer–was heard saying “Are you guys ready? Let’s roll” over an open line. Sandy Bradshaw, a flight attendant, called her husband and explained that she had slipped into a galley and was filling pitchers with boiling water. Her last words to him were “Everyone’s running to first class. I’ve got to go. Bye.” The passengers fought the four hijackers and are suspected to have attacked the cockpit with a fire extinguisher. The plane then flipped over and sped toward the ground at upwards of 500 miles per hour, crashing in a rural field in western Pennsylvania at 10:10 a.m. All 45 people aboard were killed. Its intended target is not known, but theories include the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland or one of several nuclear power plants along the eastern seaboard. At 7 p.m., President George W. Bush, who had spent the day being shuttled around the country because of security concerns, returned to the White House.
     At 9 p.m., he delivered a televised address from the Oval Office, declaring, “Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.” In a reference to the eventual U.S. military response he declared, “We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them." Operation Enduring Freedom, the American-led international effort to oust the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and destroy Osama bin Laden’s terrorist network based there, began on October 7. Within two months, U.S. forces had effectively removed the Taliban from operational power, but the war continued, as U.S. and coalition forces attempted to defeat a Taliban insurgency campaign based in neighboring Pakistan. Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the September 11th attacks, remained at large until May 2, 2011, when he was finally tracked down and killed by U.S. forces at a hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan. In June 2011, President Barack Obama announced the beginning of large-scale troop withdrawals from Afghanistan, with a final withdrawal of U.S. forces tentatively scheduled for 2014.

9/11 Attack

On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airliners and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Often referred to as 9/11, the attacks resulted in extensive death and destruction, triggering major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism and defining the presidency of George W. Bush. Over 3,000 people were killed during the attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., including more than 400 police officers and firefighters.

The History of Aunt Jemima

     In 1890, a former slave named Nancy Green was hired to be the spokesperson for Aunt Jemima brand food products. Nancy Green was born into slavery in 1834 in Montgomery County, Kentucky. In 1889 the creators of Aunt Jemima, Charles Rutt and Charles Underwood, sold the company to R.T Davis, who soon found Nancy Green in Chicago. The previous owners had already agreed upon her ‘look’ of a bandana and apron. Davis combined the Aunt Jemima look with a catchy tune from the Vaudeville circuit to make the Aunt Jemima brand. Green’s identity was first uncovered at the Worlds’ Columbian Exposition in 1893. There were so many people interested in the Aunt Jemima exhibit, police were called for crowd control. Green served pancakes to thousands of people. People loved her warm personality and friendly demeanor, not to mention her cooking. Green was given an award for showmanship at the exposition. As a result of her dedication, Aunt Jemima received 50,000 orders for pancake mix. Not only did flour sales soar, but Green received a lifetime contract to serve as spokesperson.  She was a living legend of the brand until she died in a car accident in September 1923.
     After Green’s passing, the owner of Aunt Jemima, R.T. Davis, experienced financial issues and the brand was sold to Quaker Oats two years later. As for the image of Aunt Jemima, Nancy Green was followed by Anna Robinson, who’s image was changed to a painted portrait on the packaging of the mix. Next was Chicago blues singer and actress Edith Wilson. She was the first Aunt Jemima to appear in television commercials. After Wilson there was Ethel Ernestine Harper, a former school teacher and actress. The fourth Aunt Jemima was Rosie Hall who was an advertising employee at Quaker Oats until she discovered their need for a new Aunt Jemima. After she died, Hall’s grave was declared a historical landmark. Next, there was Aylene Lewis. She made her first appearance of Aunt Jemima in 1955 at the Aunt Jemima restaurant at Disneyland. The last woman known to appear as Aunt Jemima publicly was Ann Short Harrington. Harrington would make television appearances as the brand spokesperson in the New York area.

Babe Ruth

The original version of the “Baby Ruth” candy bar was actually called the “Kandy Kake” and was coincidentally renamed to “Baby Ruth” directly after Babe Ruth had become a national celebrity. The Curtiss Candy Company also tried to get Babe Ruth to endorse their product after its launch, which he refused to do. Not only that, but the Curtiss Candy Company was headquartered very close to Wrigley Stadium and, in 1932, they setup a giant lit advertising sign near the spot where Babe Ruth’s supposed “called shot” landed, advertising Baby Ruth candy bars, fully visible from Wrigley Stadium. This sign remained there for four years.

Dandelion

Dandelions are a perennial plant that grows best in full sun with moist soil. Once the plant is established, though, it can handle shade and water deprivation. The plant bears bright yellow, round flowers, and leaves that have a tooth-like shape. The plant's name comes from the French phrase dent de lion, or lion's tooth.
The roots of the dandelion can extend as far as 15 feet into the ground, though they are usually 6 to 18 inches deep. Any broken parts of the plant excrete a milky white substance. The flowers grow all year, without pollination, and once they ripen completely they turn into seeds that can fly away and grow new plants. Dandelions have many culinary uses. All parts of the plant can be eaten, including as part of salads, cooked or sauteed, even fried. Dried dandelions are used to make tea, and the flowers can be turned into wines. Dandelion flowers can also be used in decor, and the plant has traditionally been used for medicinal purposes. The dandelion is the only flower that represents the 3 celestial bodies of the sun, moon and stars. The yellow flower resembles the sun, the puff ball resembles the moon and the dispersing seeds resemble the stars.

Bear Grass

   Bear Grass looks like a grass, but really belongs to the lily family. It is about 4.5 feet tall. Its olive-colored, grass-like leaves grow from the base of the plant and are tough and wiry. The outside leaves clasp around the stem. The leaves have toothed margins, and grow about 35 inches long, getting shorter as they near the flowers, looking very much like a fan.
   The flowers of bear grass grow on a stalk that can be 6 feet tall with many small flowers. Each flower is creamy white, and saucer shaped, and has a sweet aroma. The lowest flowers bloom first, creating a tight knot of buds at the top. The entire flower looks a little like fluffy, upside down ice cream cone. Bear grass tends to flower in 5 to 7 year cycles. After the fruit sets, the plant dies. It reproduces by seed, and by sending out offshoots from its rhizomes.
   Bear grass is found in open forests and meadows at sub alpine and low alpine elevations in the western United States. It is commonly found under alpine larch (Larix lyallii) and whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) stands on cold, rocky sites at upper timberlines.
   Bear grass is a fire-resistant species that is the first plant to grow after a fire. Beargrass, and many other native plants, need periodic burns to produce strong, new growth. After a fire beargrass sprouts from its rhizomes which lie just under the surface. Light fires of short duration are best. Intense fires which linger in the same place for a long time will kill the rhizomes under the ground, and prevent the beargrass from growing back.
   Native Americans in Oregon, Washington state, and British Columbia have traditionally made beautiful baskets with the stems and roots of beargrass. When the leaves are dried in the sun in preparation for making baskets, they turn a creamy white. Combined with other materials of different colors, beautiful designs were woven into the baskets. Hats and other practical objects were also made of beargrass.

Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds are the gift of the beautiful sunflower, a plant with rays of petals emanating from its bright yellow, seed-studded center. The sunflower's Latin scientific name, Helianthus annuus, reflects its solar appearance since helios is the Greek word for sun, and anthos is the Greek word for flower.

The sunflower produces grayish-green or black seeds encased in tear-dropped shaped gray or black shells that oftentimes feature black and white stripes. Since these seeds have a very high oil content, they are one of the main sources used to produce polyunsaturated oil. Shelled sunflower seeds have a mild nutty taste and firm, but tender texture.

Carmel, California

Years after the founding of Carmel Mission in 1771, the dream of Carmel as a village-by-the-sea was realized only slowly at the beginning of the 20th century. The natural beauty of the land and the sea had been there for centuries when the founders began to create this amazing community. They had a love for the outdoors, an appreciation for nature, and a great respect for the serene beauty of the land they were developing. They took extraordinary steps to protect, preserve and enhance what continues to make Carmel such a magical place.

When and how did Halloween got to America?

Halloween arrived in America in the mid-19th century with waves of Irish immigrants seeking to escape the potato famine. Customs, such as wearing a mask or costume to fool marauding spirits, begging for sweets and lighting special protective lanterns, turned into costumes, trick-or-treating and carved, candle-lit pumpkins.`

Islamorada, Florida

   First sighted by Spanish adventurers on May 15th 1513, the Florida Keys were named Los Martires (The Martyrs) - a name which was to prove prophetic over the next few centuries. A Spanish treasure fleet was wrecked on the reefs of Islamorada during a hurricane in 1733. Subsequently, a wrecking industry thrived in the area from the late 1700s to the 1870s during which period Key West became the wealthiest city in the United States. The "wreckers" were paid a proportion of the value of the goods they salvaged from vessels unlucky enough to be wrecked on the reefs. Rumors abound that in many cases luck had nothing to do with it. Indians destroyed a wreckers village at Indian Key (just off Islamadora) in 1840, and killed 6 people. This tiny island of 11 acres, the first seat of Dade County, consisted of about 40 houses, a general store, a bar, post-office and warehouse, and the Tropical Hotel with ballroom and, so they say, bowling alleys. Prior to the 1700s Indian Key had been a Spanish trading post.
   In the mid to late 1800s the first settlers arrived from the Bahamas. In the 1850s the Russell family, with their eight children, settled in Matecumbe on 160 acres. In the 1870s the Pinder family laid claim to a plot two miles south of the Russell's. They were followed by others, including the Parkers. The Pinders, after whom one of our houses is named, opened the first canning factory for that delicacy which would soon become reknowned worldwide - pineapples. The farmers also raised limes, melons and vegetables.
In those days, real estate prices weren't what they are now. Lignmvitae Key, named for the hardwood tree lignumvitae, was purchased in 1881 for the princely sum of $170.32 - it was acquired by the State of Florida in 1970.
    Henry M. Flagler began building a railroad to Key West in 1903. He filled swamps, bridged waterways, conquered jungles and then did it all again after destruction by hurricanes. Flagler rode his train to Key West in 1912. Prior to Flagler's remarkable achievment, all transportation to the Keys was by water. The railway brought daytrippers and fishing enthusiasts, and the locals adapted to the needs of these early adventurers. In 1928, the first road opened, and the Keys began to truly flourish. Much of the area is preserved in State Parks including Indian Key, Lignum Vitae Key and the San Pedro Underwater Park, one of the 1733 galleons.

Frank C. Mars

Frank C. Mars was born in Minnesota in 1884. He learned how to make candy from his mother as a young boy. She had used the candy making craft as a way to keep the polio-stricken Frank busy. Young Frank delighted in dipping his mother's homemade confections in chocolate as the final step in the process.

Snicker

In 1930, Frank C. Mars invented the Snickers bar by adding a chocolate coating to an already existing nougat, caramel and peanut snack. The treat was named the "Snickers Bar", in memory of one of the Mars family's favorite horses, which had passed away less than a month before the creation of the bar. Snickers, the horse, had been a winning race horse, raised on the family's Milky Way farm in Tennessee. It was Frank's wife, Ethyl, who had insisted on naming the candy bar after the horse. The original Snickers candy wrapper listed ingredients of white sugar, sweet milk chocolate, corn syrup, peanuts, milk condensed with sugar, coconut oil, malted milk, "whites of eggs" and salt. The first Snickers weighed in at 2 1/4 ounces. The original price of the Snickers bar, with all of its rich ingredients: one nickel.

Starbrust

   Opal Fruits was made by Peter Pfeffer (pe-fef-er) in 1961 when he entered a competition that won him $5000.00 which was a lot of cash back then, he called them Opal Fruits. The original flavors were Strawberry, Lemon, Orange, and Lime. He later shared it with the Mars Company who five years later shared it with the United Kingdom. A few years after the Mars Company shared the Opal Fruits with them the United Kingdom shared the Opal Fruits with the U.S who nicknamed them Starbursts. Starbursts were one of the most popular types of candy in the U.S. a few years later the U.S made new types of flavors: Kiwi Banana, Plum, Mango, Apple, Tropical Punch and Blue Raspberry. A few years back the Mars Company changed the lime starbursts with cherry starbursts. The Mars Company in honor of the new movie Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man’s Chest, they switched Kiwi Banana and Tropical Punch with Royal Berry Punch! In 2007 lime flavored starbursts was introduced again and in 2009 starbursts worldwide. 
    All the starbursts flavors today are the originals: Strawberry, Lemon, Lime, and Orange. All the ones after them: Plum, Mango, Apple, cherry and Blue Raspberry. The last made but not the least is Royal Blue Raspberry which replaced Kiwi Banana and Tropical Punch inspired by the new movie back then Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man’s Chest so those are all the flavors. Starbursts as you can imagine are mostly made of sugar in fact starbursts have over 40% is sugar! But starbursts have natural fruit too. There is over 15% of natural fruit juice in each starburst. Starbursts also have a good amount of Vitamin C. Starbursts have about 30% Vitamin C in them. That is about all there is in a starburst. - See more at: http://www.colonialschooltimes.com/non-fiction-project/2012/07/13/the-history-of-starbursts/#sthash.40DZu6mI.dpuf

United States invades Luzon in Philippines

   On January 9, Gen. Douglas MacArthur and the American 6th Army land on the Lingayen Gulf of Luzon, another step in the capture of the Philippine Islands from the Japanese. The Japanese controlled the Philippines from May 1942, when the defeat of American forces led to General MacArthur's departure and Gen. Jonathan Wainwright's capture. But in October 1944, more than 100,000 American soldiers landed on Leyte Island to launch one of one of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific war-and herald the beginning of the end for Japan.
    Newsreels captured the event as MacArthur waded ashore at Leyte on October 20, returning to the Philippines as he had famously promised he would after the original defeat of American forces there. What the newsreels didn't capture were the 67 days it took to subdue the island, with the loss of more than 55,000 Japanese soldiers during the two months of battle and approximately 25,000 more soldiers killed in smaller-scale engagements necessary to fully clear the area of enemy troops. The U.S. forces lost about 3,500.
  The sea battle of Leyte Gulf was the same story. The loss of ships and sailors was horrendous for both sides. That battle also saw the introduction of the Japanese kamikaze suicide bombers. More than 5,000 kamikaze pilots died in this gulf battle, taking down 34 ships. But the Japanese were not able to prevent the loss of their biggest and best warships, which meant the virtual end of the Japanese Imperial Fleet.
   These American victories on land and sea at Leyte opened the door for the landing of more than 60,000 American troops on Luzon on January 9. Once again, cameras recorded MacArthur walking ashore, this time to greet cheering Filipinos. Although the American troops met little opposition when they landed, they lost the light cruiser Columbia and the battleship Mississippi, to kamikazes, resulting in the deaths of 49 American crewmen.
    The initial ease of the American fighters' first week on land was explained when they discovered the intricate defensive network of caves and tunnels that the Japanese created on Luzon. The intention of the caves and tunnels was to draw the Americans inland, while allowing the Japanese to avoid the initial devastating bombardment of an invasion force. Once Americans reached them, the Japanese fought vigorously, convinced they were directing American strength away from the Japanese homeland. Despite their best efforts, the Japanese lost the battle for Luzon and eventually, the battle for control over all of the Philippines.

During WWII a man saved 8000 Jews by faking a typhus epidemic.

   Eugene Lazowski's generosity under the threat of execution is another reminder that not all human beings are terrible. Like many others, Eugene's actions during World War II helped save thousands of Jews that would have most certainly been executed in a concentration camp by the Nazi's. Eugene Lazowski was born and raised in a small town in Poland. When World War II came rolling around, Eugene, like many other brave young men around the world decided to enlist in the army.First, he was a second lieutenant on a Red Cross train, later becoming a medical doctor in the Polish resistance.

   Eugene Lazowski, with the help of his friend Dr Stanislaw Mateluwicz, created a fake Typhus disease and secretely spread it amongst all the civilians in the town.The fake Typhus epidemic wasn't lethal, but to the Nazi doctors, it appeared as if almost the entire population of the city had Typhus! As a result, the Nazi's quarantined the city and around 8,000 Jewish people avoided going to concentration camps as a result! Eugene Lazowski passed away in 2006.

Langston Hughes

   James Mercer Langston Hughes was born February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. His parents divorced when he was a young child, and his father moved to Mexico. He was raised by his grandmother until he was thirteen, when he moved to Lincoln, Illinois, to live with his mother and her husband, before the family eventually settled in Cleveland, Ohio. It was in Lincoln that Hughes began writing poetry. After graduating from high school, he spent a year in Mexico followed by a year at Columbia University in New York City. During this time, he held odd jobs such as assistant cook, launderer, and busboy. He also travelled to Africa and Europe working as a seaman. In November 1924, he moved to Washington, D. C. Hughes’s first book of poetry, The Weary Blues, (Knopf, 1926) was published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1926. He finished his college education at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania three years later. In 1930 his first novel, Not Without Laughter, (Knopf, 1930) won the Harmon gold medal for literature.
   Hughes, who claimed Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Carl Sandburg, and Walt Whitman as his primary influences, is particularly known for his insightful, colorful portrayals of black life in America from the twenties through the sixties. He wrote novels, short stories and plays, as well as poetry, and is also known for his engagement with the world of jazz and the influence it had on his writing, as in his book-length poem Montage of a Dream Deferred (Holt, 1951). His life and work were enormously important in shaping the artistic contributions of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. Unlike other notable black poets of the period—Claude McKay, Jean Toomer, and Countee Cullen—Hughes refused to differentiate between his personal experience and the common experience of black America. He wanted to tell the stories of his people in ways that reflected their actual culture, including both their suffering and their love of music, laughter, and language itself.
   The critic Donald B. Gibson noted in the introduction to Modern Black Poets: A Collection of Critical Essays (Prentice Hall, 1973) that Hughes “differed from most of his predecessors among black poets . . . in that he addressed his poetry to the people, specifically to black people. During the twenties when most American poets were turning inward, writing obscure and esoteric poetry to an ever decreasing audience of readers, Hughes was turning outward, using language and themes, attitudes and ideas familiar to anyone who had the ability simply to read . . . Until the time of his death, he spread his message humorously—though always seriously—to audiences throughout the country, having read his poetry to more people (possibly) than any other American poet.”
  Langston Hughes died of complications from prostate cancer in May 22, 1967, in New York City. In his memory, his residence at 20 East 127th Street in Harlem has been given landmark status by the New York City Preservation Commission, and East 127th Street has been renamed “Langston Hughes Place.” In addition to leaving us a large body of poetic work, Hughes wrote eleven plays and countless works of prose, including the well-known “Simple” books: Simple Speaks His Mind, (Simon & Schuster, 1950); Simple Stakes a Claim, (Rinehart, 1957); Simple Takes a Wife, (Simon & Schuster, 1953); and Simple’s Uncle Sam (Hill and Wang, 1965). He edited the anthologies The Poetry of the Negro and The Book of Negro Folklore, wrote an acclaimed autobiography, The Big Sea (Knopf, 1940), and cowrote the play Mule Bone (HarperCollins, 1991) with Zora Neale Hurston.

Shirley Chisholm

Shirley Chisholm was the first African American woman elected to the House of Representatives. She was elected in 1968 and represented the state of New York. She broke ground again four years later in 1972 when she was the first major party African-American candidate and the first female candidate for president of the United States.

Paul Laurence Dunbar

    Born on June 27, 1872, Paul Laurence Dunbar was one of the first African-American poets to gain national recognition. His parents Joshua and Matilda Murphy Dunbar were freed slaves from Kentucky. His parents separated shortly after his birth, but Dunbar would draw on their stories of plantation life throughout his writing career. By the age of fourteen, Dunbar had poems published in the Dayton Herald. While in high school he edited the Dayton Tattler, a short-lived black newspaper published by classmate Orville Wright.

     Despite being a fine student, Dunbar was financially unable to attend college and took a job as an elevator operator. In 1892, a former teacher invited him to read his poems at a meeting of the Western Association of Writers; his work impressed his audience to such a degree that the popular poet James Whitcomb Riley wrote him a letter of encouragement. In 1893, Dunbar self-published a collection called Oak and Ivy. To help pay the publishing costs, he sold the book for a dollar to people riding in his elevator.

    Later that year, Dunbar moved to Chicago, hoping to find work at the first World’s Fair. He befriended Frederick Douglass, who found him a job as a clerk, and also arranged for him to read a selection of his poems. Douglass said of Dunbar that he was “the most promising young colored man in America.” By 1895, Dunbar’s poems began appearing in major national newspapers and magazines, such as The New York Times. With the help of friends, he published the second collection, Majors and Minors (1895). The poems written in standard English were called “majors," and those in dialect were termed “minors.” Although the “major” poems outnumber those written in dialect, it was the dialect poems that brought Dunbar the most attention. The noted novelist and critic William Dean Howells gave a favorable review to the poems in Harper’s Weekly.

   This recognition helped Dunbar gain national and international acclaim, and in 1897 he embarked on a six-month reading tour of England. He also brought out a new collection, Lyrics of Lowly Life (1896). Upon returning to America, Dunbar received a clerkship at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, and shortly thereafter he married the writer Alice Ruth Moore. While living in Washington, Dunbar published a short story collection, Folks from Dixie, a novel entitled The Uncalled, and two more collections of poems, Lyrics of the Hearthside and Poems of Cabin and Field (1899). He also contributed lyrics to a number of musical reviews.

    In 1898, Dunbar’s health deteriorated; he believed the dust in the library contributed to his tuberculosis and left his job to dedicate himself full time to writing and giving readings. Over the next five years, he would produce three more novels and three short story collections. Dunbar separated from his wife in 1902, and shortly thereafter he suffered a nervous breakdown and a bout of pneumonia. Although ill and drinking too much in attempt to soothe his coughing, Dunbar continued to write poems. His collections from this time include Lyrics of Love and Laughter (1903), Howdy, Howdy, Howdy (1905), and Lyrics of Sunshine and Shadow (1905). These books confirmed his position as America’s premier black poet. Dunbar’s steadily deteriorating health caused him to return to his mother’s home in Dayton, Ohio, where died on February 9, 1906, at the age of thirty-three.

Galapagos Islands

  The islands, still uninhabited on a permanent basis by man and, hence, shrouded in mystery, soon came to be known as the Enchanted Islands because they disappeared into the fog at certain times of year and could not be seen by passing ships. In fact, some 17th-century Spaniards claimed that the Galapagos Islands were not islands at all, but mere shadows. But by the 18th century, British (and later, early American) whalers and sealers began to visit the islands regularly as part of an effort to set up an industry center in the Pacific Ocean.

  In the past century, the Galapagos Islands have been given the official name Archipelago de Colon ("Columbus's Archipelago"), in honor of Christopher Columbus, by the government of Ecuador. In 1934, the first legislation to protect the islands was enacted. The archipelago was later named a national park and is administered by the Ecuadorian National Park Service to this day. Since the 1964 establishment of the Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz, the Galapagos Islands have primarily become a site of increased scientific study and tourism. Today, scientific expeditions, like the Frontiers trip to the islands, are important sources of information on how to conserve the delicate Galapagos ecosystems -- and, ultimately, the whole planet -- into the next century.

Isle of Palms, South Carolina

    Originally named Hunting Island and then Long Island, it's thought to be at least 25,000 years old, and first inhabited by the indigenous Seewee Indians. The Seewees were said to have greeted the first English settlers to the area by swimming to the ships and carrying the travelers to shore. Whatever contributions the English made to the Seewees reportedly inspired some of them to try and reach England in their canoes-all lost at sea in storms.
   Legend has it that the only other occupants of the island were the pirates who buried their treasures for safekeeping in the deserted dunes and woods, although none has been found so far.
During the Revolutionary War a British Army contingent of 2,500 men attempted to raid a colonial encampment on adjacent Sullivan's Island. Many men drowned and the attack failed when the force attempted to cross the treacherous waters of the Breach Inlet between the two islands. The area was of significance again during the Civil War, as a point of departure for the CSS Hunley, the first submarine to sink an enemy vessel. After successfully sinking the USS Housatonic, the Hunley and her crew were lost at sea, probably as a result of the encounter with the Union ship. Amazingly, the wreck of the Hunley was recently discovered offshore of Sullivan's Island, and will soon be recovered for posterity.
   The island remained without permanent inhabitants until the late 19th century when the island became recognized by locals of the area as a refuge from the summer heat and tempo of Charleston. The island was purchased in 1899 by J.S. Lawrence, who renamed it the Isle of Palms. In 1906 a 50 room resort hotel was built to offer the first permanent accommodations. By 1912, James Sottile constructed a spacious beach pavilion and an amusement park with Ferris wheel. Accompanying transportation developments enabled residents of Charleston to catch a ferry to Mt. Pleasant, and from there catch a rail trolley car to Sullivan's Island and the Isle of Palms. Access became even easier in 1929 when the ferry across the Charleston harbor was replaced by the Grace Memorial Bridge. A bridge link to the islands was established in 1946, and at that time most of the Isle of Palms was purchased by developer J.C. Long of The Beach Company.
As he began development, J.C. Long provided low-cost housing to veterans returning from World War II. The Isle of Palms slowly developed into a residential bedroom community of greater Charleston while still maintaining its charm, natural beauty, and desirability as a summertime getaway destination.
    In the 1970's the rest of the world discovered the joys of the Isle of Palms, and real estate development blossomed. In 1975, the Sea Pines Co., one of the major developers of now renown Hilton Head Island, established a similar resort enterprise on 900 acres of land at the northeast end of the island. Originally named The Isle of Palms Beach and Racquet Club it was renamed The Wild Dunes Beach and Racquet Club in 1984 and today is simply called Wild Dunes. With nationally recognized golf courses and other resort amenities, Wild Dunes has become a major vacation locale on the South Carolina coast.
In spite of the changes wrought over the last 20 years, with its six miles of white, sandy beaches, the Isle of Palms remains as much a place of beautiful serenity for residents and visitors today, as it was for the Seewee Indians and the colonists who followed.

Brunswick, Georgia

The area’s first European settler, Mark Carr, arrived in 1738. Carr, a Scotsman, was a captain in General James Oglethorpe’s Marine Boat Company. Upon landing, he established his 1,000-acre tobacco plantation along the Turtle River. The Royal Province of Georgia purchased Carr’s fields in 1771 and laid out the town of Brunswick in the grid style following Oglethorpe’s Savannah Plan. The town was then named after the duchy of Brunswick - Lüneburg in Germany; the ancestral home of King George II of Great Britain. Brunswick was abandoned during the Civil War when citizens were ordered to evacuate. Our city, like many others in the South, suffered from post-war depression. After one of the nation’s largest lumber mills began operation on nearby St. Simons Island, economic prosperity returned. Rail lines were constructed from Brunswick to inland Georgia, and unlike many other southern cities during the Reconstruction period, Brunswick experienced an economic boom.

Roanoke Island, North Carolina

In 1584 an English fort and settlement with more than 100 men was established on the north end of the island, but it was abandoned the following year due to weather, lack of supplies and poor relations with the Native Americans. The colonists and natives didn’t get along despite the fact that the two local chiefs, Manteo and Wanchese, had been taken to England in hopes of forming good relations.

In 1587 another party of 110 English colonists, including women and children, set sail for the New World, reaching Roanoke Island in July of that year. On August 18, one of the colonists, Eleanor Dare, gave birth to the first English-speaking child in the New World, Virginia Dare. A week later, the baby’s grandfather, Capt. John White, was forced to return to England for badly needed supplies. Due to Spanish attacks on England, White was waylayed in England for three years, and when he returned to Roanoke Island in 1590 there was no sign of his granddaughter or the other colonists. Their houses were gone, and the only sign of human presence was the letters “CRO” and “CROATOAN” carved on two trees. This led some people to believe that the colonists had sought the help of the Croatoan Indians on Hatteras Island, but they were not there. The fate of the lost colonists is as much a mystery today as it was then, and their story has been retold in the outdoor drama The Lost Colony since 1937.

Roanoke Island was permanently settled in the mid-1600s, and many of the original family names — Etheridge, Baum, Daniels and others — are still very much alive on the island. In 1870 Dare County was formed, with the county seat and courthouse established on Roanoke Island at a site along Shallowbag Bay, now Manteo. The government center became known as Manteo in 1873 when the post office was established, but the town wasn’t incorporated until 1899. By then it had become a bustling center for business and trade as well.

Between 1984 and 1987, Roanoke Island and Manteo played a large part in America’s 400th anniversary celebration. Manteo’s downtown area was renovated and revitalized, and the centerpiece of the celebration, the Elizabeth II, a representative 16th-century sailing ship similar to what the colonists arrived in 400 years before, was constructed on a site at the Manteo waterfront. On July 13, 1984, Her Royal Highness the Princess Anne attended the dedication of the ship, which is now berthed in Shallowbag Bay at Roanoke Island Festival Park.

In 1999 the Town of Manteo celebrated its centennial birthday with many events, the publication of a coffee-table history book, Manteo, A Roanoke Island Town by Angel Ellis Khoury, and the establishment of a centennial clock on the corner of Queen Elizabeth and Sir Walter Raleigh streets downtown.

For a town that preserves its history and charm so well, Manteo has changed exponentially in the past couple of years. More shops, galleries and restaurants fill the downtown area than ever before, and Manteo has evolved into a destination for overnight stays and daytrips from the beaches. Some of the most popular Outer Banks attractions are found in Manteo and on Roanoke Island — the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse, Roanoke Island Festival Park and the Elizabeth II, the NC Aquarium, the Elizabethan Gardens and, of course, The Lost Colony outdoor drama.

Boats docked at the waterfront, sailing and kayak tours leaving the docks, tourists dining on a patio or sipping a latte as they poke in and out of shops, kids licking ice cream cones at the waterfront park, bicyclists leisurely pedaling along side streets, quaint inns, restored historic homes with flourishing gardens, crabbers tending to their daily operations — all this and more is seen on a daily basis in Manteo.

Yet the small-town flavor of the town has remained. City folk often find it unsettling, but here nearly everyone says hello as they pass you on the street and asks about your health and chats about the weather before they get down to any business, like taking your lunch order or selling you a stamp. Manteo residents are all on a first-name basis, and visitors get the feeling that if they stayed a couple of days, they’d all be on a first-name basis too.

Sea Land, Georgia

Sea Island is an unincorporated area of Glynn County, Georgia, and is part of the Golden Isles of Georgia, including Jekyll Island, St. Simons Island, and Little St. Simons Island. The seaside island is located along the Atlantic Coast near Historic Brunswick, and is a well-visited resort island. Sea Island Acquisitions, LLC owns the island, operating two resorts, limiting most public access. The island sits about 60 miles north of Jacksonville, FL and about sixty miles south of Savannah, GA. The surrounding marshland, through which visitors are able to drive, was immortalized in 'The Marshes of Glynn' by Sidney Lanier in 1878.^[1]

Sea Island houses two well-visited resorts, the "Sea Island Beach Club" and "The Cloister", each operated by Sea Island Acquisitions. Both are located across the street from one another, connected by a roundabout in the middle of Sea Island Dr., Sea Island's main connecting road. The Beach Club lies by the ocean-side, providing visitors who sit on the beach with accommodations and access to pool areas. The resort contains restaurants, a game room, an ice cream shop, a bar, and two pools. The Cloister (commonly referred to plurally as either "Cloisters" or "the Cloisters") sits south-west on the island along the Black Banks River and functions as the main hotel of the resort island, containing restaurants, several hotel rooms, a spa, tennis and squash courts, an exercise facility, and a pool. Sea Island Acquisitions also owns property on St. Simon's Island, including a shooting school, and two other golf courses.

Enoki

The cultivated variety of these crisply delicate mushrooms comes in clumps of long, spaghetti like stems topped with tiny, snowy white caps. (In contrast, the wild form has orangy-brown, very shiny caps.) Enoki mushrooms have an appealingly crunchy texture and mild—almost fruity—taste, unlike the bosky flavor of most mushrooms. They're available fresh year-round (depending on the region) in Asian markets and many supermarkets. They can also be purchased canned. Choose fresh mushrooms that are firm and white. Refrigerate, wrapped in paper towel then a plastic bag, up to 5 days. Before using, they should be cut away from the mass at the base of the stems. Enoki are particularly good raw in salads. They may also be used to garnish soups or other hot dishes. If used as part of a cooked dish, they should be added at the last minute, as heat tends to make them tough. These tiny mushrooms provide a good source of vitamin D, as well as small amounts of the B-complex vitamins. The enoki is also called snow puff mushroom, golden mushroom and velvet stem.

Though of the Day

Life just is. You have to flow with it.
Give yourself to the moment.
Let it happen. 

-- Jerry Brown

Quote for the Day

Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.

Though for the day

Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.

Og Mandino

Daisy Bates

Daisy Bates was an American civil rights activist, publisher and writer who played a leading role in the Little Rock integration crisis in 1957. Before that, Bates and her husband started their own newspaper in 1941 called the Arkansas State Press. The paper became a voice for civil rights even before the nationally recognized movement. Bates worked tirelessly until her death in 1999. After moving to Washington, D.C. in the 1960s, she served on the Democratic National Committee and also served in the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson, working her magic on anti-poverty programs. In her home state of Arkansas, it has been established that the third Monday in February is ‘George Washington’s Birthday and Daisy Gatson Bates Day,” an official state holiday.

Betta Fish

      The betta was first discovered in Southeast Asia.  Making its home in rice paddies, drainage ditches and the warm flood plains of the region, the betta became accustomed to frequent storm flooding and devastating droughts.  The cyclic, drastic changes in its environment helped the fish to adapt - becoming a true labyrinth fish.  A labyrinth fish has the unique ability to breathe oxygen directly from the air and also take in oxygen from its gills.  As a result, bettas and other labyrinth fish can survive for short periods of time out of water and if needed, can inhale the air around them (provided they stay moist.)  This also explains why a betta can sustain itself in stagnant, oxygen-deficient water.  Although bettas can tolerate small spaces and poor water quality, they do best in small aquariums (at least two gallons) with regular water changes.  The preferred water temperature for a betta is 76-82 degrees F.

Stone Fish

The most poisonous fish in the world is the stone fish. Its sting can cause shock, paralysis, and even death if not treated within a few hours. It is a  mottled brown-greenish in color (which gives them Stone Fish camouflage) with many venomous spines along its back. It lives primarily above the tropic of Capricorn, but it main habitat is on coral reefs, near and about rocks, or can be found dormant in the mud or sand. It feeds on small fish and shrimps. The sting causes excruciating pain and a great deal of swelling rapidly develops causing death to tissues. The severity of the symptoms depends on the depth of penetration and the number of spines penetrated. The symptoms of the venom are muscle weakness, temporary paralysis and shock, which may result in death if not treated.

 Do not attempt to restrict the movement of the injected toxin.

Bathing or immersing the stung area in hot water may be effective in reducing the pain.  transport the patient to the nearest medical center. Hospitalization for intravenous narcotic analgesia, local anesthetic infiltration or regional block may be required.Definitive management consists of administration of stone fish antivenin. Indications for antivenin include severe pain,  systemic symptoms or signs of  (weakness, paralysis) and injection of a large amount of venom.

Did you know?

• The Ancient Greeks and Chinese used an optical device called the ‘camera obscura’ to project an image of the surroundings on to a screen. This invention played an important role in the development of cameras and photography.
• Although designs existed earlier, it wasn't until the 1800s that practical cameras were developed.
• The ‘Kodak’ camera was developed by George Eastman and went on sale in 1888, pioneering the use of photographic film. It was simple box camera with a single shutter speed and fixed focus lens.
• Around the year 1913, a German optical engineer named Oskar Barnack made a prototype compact camera that used 35 mm film. Named ‘Lecia’, it was put into production in 1925 after further developments.
• Reflex cameras became popular in the 1920s and 1930s.
• Single lens reflex cameras (SLR) use a mirror and prism system to allow photographers to accurately see the image that will be captured. This system uses one optical light path whereas previous cameras had two, one through the lens to the film and the other to the viewfinder.
• Polaroid cameras hit the market in 1948, allowing photographers to produce images instantly. A special chemical process was used to used to produce prints from the negatives in under a minute.
• The popularity of instant cameras took off in 1965 with the introduction of the Polaroid Model 20 Swinger, one of the top selling cameras of all time.
• Despite the technology being around in 1949, disposable cameras didn't really catch on until the 1990s when Kodak models became popular. They are cheap alternatives designed to be used once, perfect for one off events such as birthdays and vacations.
• The first successful imaging technology using a digital sensor was made in 1969 by Willard S. Boyle and George E. Smith. In 2009, they were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their contributions which paved the way for digital photography.
• The first commercial DSLR (digital single lens reflex) was launched by Kodak in 1991.
• Photos on digital cameras are typically compressed using the JPEG standard and stored on memory cards.
• The popularity of digital cameras exploded in the 2000s as technology improved and the costs of production decreased.
• Modern digital cameras produce detailed photos made up of a huge number of pixels.
• The technology behind cameras is improving all the time with additions such as touch screens and electronic viewfinders.

Ring Pop

Ring Pop were invented by Frank Richards in 1979 as an alternative to thumb sucking, because Frank Richards' daughter was prone to thumb sucking. It is a brand of fruit flavored lollipops manufactured by Topps. They are in the form of a wearable plastic ring with a large hard candy "jewel" and come in an assortment of flavors. The flavors are berry blast, watermelon, blue raspberry, raspberry lemonade and strawberry.

Did you know?

• In 1912, toy surprises were first put into every Cracker Jack box, since then over 17 billion toys have been put into boxes (1986 estimate).
• "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," written in 1908 by Norworth and Von Tilzer contains a reference to "Cracker Jack" in the lyrics.
• The boy on the Cracker Jack box image (left) is Sailor Jack and his dog is called Bingo.
• The Sailor Jack character, and his dog Bingo, were introduced as registered trademark logos in 1919 and in use as early as 1918. They were modeled on F. W. Rueckheim’s grandson, Robert, and his dog.
• The Cracker Jack Company was sold to Borden in 1964.
• In 1997, the current manufacturers Frito-Lay purchased Cracker Jack from Borden.