The Oregon coastline boasts several unique attributes-one important one being that all beaches are publicly owned. If you are searching for a fun place to go for spring break, consider visiting Newport, which is located about 130 miles from Portland and is on the central coastline.
Click here to get inside information on where to go, what to see and some of the best places to grab a bite to eat in Newport, Oregon
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
New Oregon Gold Rush?
As the economy continues to weaken and Americans are feeling the pinch of a tighter economy, millions of people across the US are searching for new ways to make money. Gold prices are surging and are now at an all time high of $1,000 per ounce. It turns out that we only needed to dust off our old history books for an answer. Some are calling it the gold rush revisited.
In Jackson County, Oregon the 1850's were a boon to the local economy. Jacksonville was the largest city between Portland and Sacramento. In 1851 the first gold was discovered in what was called Jackson Creek. Now local gold panning companies are reporting that they are seeing an ever-growing increase in people looking for gold panning supplies and say that there is new interest in finding gold in Oregon. They are trying to keep up with a windfall of sales.
What else is happening? Click here to keep reading...
In Jackson County, Oregon the 1850's were a boon to the local economy. Jacksonville was the largest city between Portland and Sacramento. In 1851 the first gold was discovered in what was called Jackson Creek. Now local gold panning companies are reporting that they are seeing an ever-growing increase in people looking for gold panning supplies and say that there is new interest in finding gold in Oregon. They are trying to keep up with a windfall of sales.
What else is happening? Click here to keep reading...
Who's Dennis Miller & Which One of us has Amnesia?
Click here to read about Dennis Miller's new show...
Up until the late 1990's, I used to like Dennis Miller. I thought that his no-nonsense, free for all rants were funny and I even secretly thought he was sort of good looking. When he was a cast member of Saturday Night Live (1985-1991), his "Weekend Updates" were full of witty cross references to pop culture mixed in with equal disdain for both major US political parties. He was funny because he did not take sides. Nobody was safe from Dennis, so it was interesting to hear what he had been thinking about.
Now, I don't want to get off on a rant here, but I believe that one of his ex-fans must have come up with the name for his new game show on NBC, Amnesia. Why on earth would you go along with that name Dennis? I think you were hoping that we all had it and forgot that you had crossed over to the dark side in a move that reminded me of the loyalty between Siegfried & Roy, you embraced the Republican Empire. Remember that?
Up until the late 1990's, I used to like Dennis Miller. I thought that his no-nonsense, free for all rants were funny and I even secretly thought he was sort of good looking. When he was a cast member of Saturday Night Live (1985-1991), his "Weekend Updates" were full of witty cross references to pop culture mixed in with equal disdain for both major US political parties. He was funny because he did not take sides. Nobody was safe from Dennis, so it was interesting to hear what he had been thinking about.
Now, I don't want to get off on a rant here, but I believe that one of his ex-fans must have come up with the name for his new game show on NBC, Amnesia. Why on earth would you go along with that name Dennis? I think you were hoping that we all had it and forgot that you had crossed over to the dark side in a move that reminded me of the loyalty between Siegfried & Roy, you embraced the Republican Empire. Remember that?
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Talent Oregon Kids Poisoned by Wild Hemlock
Several children in Talent, Oregon recently discovered something the ancient Greeks knew. Hemlock is poisonous. A small group of elementary and middle school aged kids were playing at the Talent Middle School on Monday evening when a high school aged brother of one of the children said that the hemlock they found growing on the middle school campus was safe to eat. He called it "wild parsley" and several children followed his lead and ingested some of the plants. The children had been discussing whether or not it was possible to hallucinate or get a "high" from eating hemlock, but were unaware of the real danger involved.
What happened to them?
What happened to them?
Disgruntled Homeowners Trash Foreclosed Homes
In a new spin on the fairy tale "The Three Little Pigs", a Clackamas, Oregon, man is said to have left three live pigs in his home when it was just days away from going into foreclosure. Neighbors say that the man was distraught and angry and hoped that the animals would trash the home. Perhaps the mortgage company was the "Big Bad Wolf?"
This is just one example of something that real estate agents say is becoming increasingly common as the lists of foreclosed homes grow and more Americans feel the flush of desperation. Bargain Network report that foreclosures in Oregon are up 23%, which makes Oregon in the top five states with the most foreclosures.
Find out what is happening here...
This is just one example of something that real estate agents say is becoming increasingly common as the lists of foreclosed homes grow and more Americans feel the flush of desperation. Bargain Network report that foreclosures in Oregon are up 23%, which makes Oregon in the top five states with the most foreclosures.
Find out what is happening here...
Friday, March 14, 2008
In Memory of Bennett Tanner, Ashland Oregon Homeless Man
It's fitting that on the last day of the Unite For Peace Conference in Ashland, a group of people gathered on a small hill facing US Forest Service land towards the back of Lithia Park to pay respects for a local homeless man, Bennett Tanner. It is presumed that Bennett was the victim of a fire that burned up a homeless camp in the watershed sometime in December 2007. A hiker found burned remains in mid February. We are still waiting for the results of a toxicology report.
Being homeless and dying in a fire means that there aren't a lot of physical trappings that remain of Bennett's life, but the circle of people who stood on that hillside this afternoon, reflected a lifetime of teaching. Bennett's gentle manner and sweet nature taught us all about what it means to live a peaceful life. One by one, friends told stories about Bennett and shared what they would remember most about him. In almost every reflection, the words "peaceful, gentle, sweet", were repeated. Friends played music, laughed at some funny tales that revealed how smart he was and paid our respect to a comedienne who left an imprint in our community. We listened to part of a radio show that featured one of Bennett's comedy routines. He called himself a "professional optimist".
Read more about Bennett here...
Being homeless and dying in a fire means that there aren't a lot of physical trappings that remain of Bennett's life, but the circle of people who stood on that hillside this afternoon, reflected a lifetime of teaching. Bennett's gentle manner and sweet nature taught us all about what it means to live a peaceful life. One by one, friends told stories about Bennett and shared what they would remember most about him. In almost every reflection, the words "peaceful, gentle, sweet", were repeated. Friends played music, laughed at some funny tales that revealed how smart he was and paid our respect to a comedienne who left an imprint in our community. We listened to part of a radio show that featured one of Bennett's comedy routines. He called himself a "professional optimist".
Read more about Bennett here...
Walgreens Oil Of Olay: A Consumer Loss
When I discovered a Walgreen's was moving into to our community, I was so excited! I had heard many good things about the company over the years and I looked forward to using their sales to find some great deals. I knew they offered monthly rebates, which is a big plus for someone like me who looks for such things. Over the years, I had heard some moans and groans about how they were often out of merchandise even when sales began, but I didn't think much about that. We were getting a Walgreen's and I could not wait!
So I pay attention to online "savings" groups and when I heard about an upcoming Walgreen's Olay of Olay soap deal, I gathered my coupons and was ready to shop as soon as the store opened on Sunday morning. In fact, I was the second person in the store. The first was an old man who I was relieved to see, headed to the vitamin aisle. No competition for me at all!
And then something happened...
So I pay attention to online "savings" groups and when I heard about an upcoming Walgreen's Olay of Olay soap deal, I gathered my coupons and was ready to shop as soon as the store opened on Sunday morning. In fact, I was the second person in the store. The first was an old man who I was relieved to see, headed to the vitamin aisle. No competition for me at all!
And then something happened...
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Raising Kids Without Spending Lots of Money
Living in an affluent community, I often have the opportunity to see how some fairly wealthy kids are raised and compare that to the opposite of the spectrum with kids who are living below the federal poverty line. It is always interesting to compare and contrast the lives of these children.
While money certainly buys healthier food and access to safer housing, neither an overabundance, or lack of it, does not directly impact the bond that is a family. Strong families are built on a foundation of love with a whole lot of time and attention thrown in for good measure, which is something money cannot buy. Which is why I am always fascinated to read reports on how much it costs to raise a child. Using Babycenter.com's drop down menu, I was able to calculate that our youngest daughter is apt to cost us more than $212,000.
That is an astonishing number and one that I would argue is high. I can offer some valuable ideas on how to cut some corners and "parent on the cheap".
Keep reading to discover how...
While money certainly buys healthier food and access to safer housing, neither an overabundance, or lack of it, does not directly impact the bond that is a family. Strong families are built on a foundation of love with a whole lot of time and attention thrown in for good measure, which is something money cannot buy. Which is why I am always fascinated to read reports on how much it costs to raise a child. Using Babycenter.com's drop down menu, I was able to calculate that our youngest daughter is apt to cost us more than $212,000.
That is an astonishing number and one that I would argue is high. I can offer some valuable ideas on how to cut some corners and "parent on the cheap".
Keep reading to discover how...
India's Latest Outsourcing: Surrogacy
Some call it surrogacy, or reproductive tourism. In what might be one of the oddest forms of outsourcing, families are choosing to travel overseas to find surrogates in order to complete their dreams of procreation.
A brief look at Surrogacy in the United States
The roots of commercial surrogacy in the United States began in the late 1970's when a Michigan lawyer began the first surrogacy agency and set out to change the laws to make surrogacy legal. Although surrogacy in the US is legal in all but a handful of states, laws vary from state to state. According to surromomsonline.com, the average surrogacy fee given to a surrogate is $10,000-18,000 and that does not include what is paid for as "expenses" (medical, travel, mileage, lost wages, childcare and housekeeping). Infertile couples typically pay anywhere from $60,000-100,000 for a US surrogacy through an agency.
Click here to read more about surrogacy and how some people are going to India to concieve babies...
A brief look at Surrogacy in the United States
The roots of commercial surrogacy in the United States began in the late 1970's when a Michigan lawyer began the first surrogacy agency and set out to change the laws to make surrogacy legal. Although surrogacy in the US is legal in all but a handful of states, laws vary from state to state. According to surromomsonline.com, the average surrogacy fee given to a surrogate is $10,000-18,000 and that does not include what is paid for as "expenses" (medical, travel, mileage, lost wages, childcare and housekeeping). Infertile couples typically pay anywhere from $60,000-100,000 for a US surrogacy through an agency.
Click here to read more about surrogacy and how some people are going to India to concieve babies...
Surviving the Flu-- A Guide to See You Through!
As I sat down to write something today, I realized that it was already noon and I was in the middle of my fourth load of laundry. It has been "one of those weeks" around here as one-by-one, most of my family succumbed to the flu.
Our bout with the flu began six days ago and started with our two-year-old daughter, who began vomiting late Friday night. I will spare you most of the details, but need to add that this was not dainty-it was violent. As she was throwing up, I was keeping track. After number 13, I stopped counting. As the hours dragged on, I tried to offer small drinks of water, a Popsicle, even nursing since she isn't fully weaned yet. Unfortunately nothing stayed down. She couldn't sleep for more than a few minutes at a time, so we sat on the couch together and watched cartoons. Sometime around six am Saturday morning, we both fell asleep and managed to sleep for a few hours before she woke me up and let me know that she was still feeling awful. This went on until Sunday morning when she seemed to be feeling a bit better. By Sunday afternoon, her eight-year-old sister was going through the same thing. The next day my husband began showing symptoms and the two year old relapsed. We are all sort of low on sleep around here, but I now consider myself pretty much an expert on how to minimize flu symptoms and can offer some suggestions on how you can help your family feel better if the flu strikes.
Click here to read more about how to survive the flu...
Our bout with the flu began six days ago and started with our two-year-old daughter, who began vomiting late Friday night. I will spare you most of the details, but need to add that this was not dainty-it was violent. As she was throwing up, I was keeping track. After number 13, I stopped counting. As the hours dragged on, I tried to offer small drinks of water, a Popsicle, even nursing since she isn't fully weaned yet. Unfortunately nothing stayed down. She couldn't sleep for more than a few minutes at a time, so we sat on the couch together and watched cartoons. Sometime around six am Saturday morning, we both fell asleep and managed to sleep for a few hours before she woke me up and let me know that she was still feeling awful. This went on until Sunday morning when she seemed to be feeling a bit better. By Sunday afternoon, her eight-year-old sister was going through the same thing. The next day my husband began showing symptoms and the two year old relapsed. We are all sort of low on sleep around here, but I now consider myself pretty much an expert on how to minimize flu symptoms and can offer some suggestions on how you can help your family feel better if the flu strikes.
Click here to read more about how to survive the flu...
Real Estate Repo Tour: Broken Dreams at a Bargain
Bill Dwyer, a Medford Oregon realtor wants to show you the latest foreclosed homes in the Rogue Valley. In California, they are calling them "Repo Tours", but Bill chose a softer name, "The Tour of Hot Deals". On specified weekends he fills up a tour bus with prospective buyers or "repo tourists", feeds them lunch and shows them several homes with loans that are priced below market value. The tour lasts several hours.
He says there is no pressure. "We want everybody to kick back and have a good time."
It is becoming a growing trend as the real estate market has plummeted. On one hand foreclosures and the downward drag on real estate prices is bringing affordability back into the housing market, but the other side of that coin are the people losing their homes due to job losses, and a repressed economy.
Wondering what other people think of this? Click here to read more!
He says there is no pressure. "We want everybody to kick back and have a good time."
It is becoming a growing trend as the real estate market has plummeted. On one hand foreclosures and the downward drag on real estate prices is bringing affordability back into the housing market, but the other side of that coin are the people losing their homes due to job losses, and a repressed economy.
Wondering what other people think of this? Click here to read more!
Food Review; Green Giant Frozen Veggie Bites Corn
When I saw Green Giant Veggie Bites in the supermarket, I was drawn to them largely because (1) they were on sale and (2) each package in the freezer case had a "peel off" coupon to save $1 when you buy one package. There are few things in life more appetizing to me than cheap vegetables, so I grabbed one and added it to my grocery cart. I have to admit being sort of intrigued by them, they were little bite sized pieces of "vegetables" with a baked coating that slightly resembled tatar tots. I had never noticed them before and figured they must be a new product.
I like to try new products and think that as a parent, one of my jobs is to offer new things to eat, although my family often balks at these attempts.
Click here and find out what we thought of them!
I like to try new products and think that as a parent, one of my jobs is to offer new things to eat, although my family often balks at these attempts.
Click here and find out what we thought of them!
Two Adjacent Oregon Cammunities Handle Homelessness Differently
Central Point Oregon's "Homeless Sweep" and Ashland's Forum on Homelessness Held Same Week
During the Week of February 17, 2008, two adjacent Oregon cities handled the problem of homelessness in contrasting ways.
On February 19, 2008, Central Point Oregon police teamed up with Jackson County Sheriffs Department to begin their annual "Homeless Sweep". Local law enforcement agencies got a head start this year; normally they wait until March or April to rouse the homeless off public lands.
Click here to read about what happened next and see how Ashland Oregon confronted homelessness that same week!
Art Review: Izis Isreal Bidermanas Merry Go Round Photography
In the 1950's photography was just beginning to gain notice in the art world. Izis (Israel Bidermanas), was a respected Lithuanian photographer who worked for Paris Match for several decades. In 1947 when his photo Jardin des Tuilleries (Merry Go Round), was taken, Izis captured some of the essence of Paris in the mid twentieth century.
Want to see a photo of one of Izis's incredible pictures? Follow this link to see it and to read more:
Want to see a photo of one of Izis's incredible pictures? Follow this link to see it and to read more:
Monday, March 3, 2008
Is Gortons Frozen Fish Safe After a Food Recall?
On Friday February 29, 2008, Gorton's Frozen Fish (gortons.com) issued a product recall that involved 11.4 oz packages of 6 Crispy Battered Fish Fillets, as they may contain foreign material. This is one of a slew of product recalls consumers have been dealing with this year. When I heard about this latest recall, it felt personal. We have several packages of Gorton's fish in our freezer and have eaten several packages in the last few weeks. I am particularly concerned because most of my family is just getting over a terrible strain of the flu and have weakened immune systems. The recall does not include products that were shipped to my state, but still. As a mom, I worry. Is Gorton's frozen fish safe?
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/634545/is_gortons_frozen_fish_safe_after_a.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/634545/is_gortons_frozen_fish_safe_after_a.html
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
