Being careful . . .

I saw an interesting show, last year, about letting our children use Facebook. A man with some facet of the FBI or whatever said that even if the child does not put down obvious information, a pervert CAN eventually make person-to-person contact with them. He reminded parents that these pedifiles and sex predators have all the time in the world to do this. It's their 'hobby' and they are 'good' at it. He proved it most graphically by doing just that (without the evil intent!) and just by following the information on this young girl's Facebook was able to actually know when to show up at her door when she was alone. He did it all from what he could garner from her seemingly simple Facebook postings. We forget that there is a list of 'friends' that can be used to find out more information. Mention of a school team can narrow down the search. Just every day chatter about when parents will be home, what time is the bus coming, etc. add another building block to a predator's information list.

Also, proud parents like to post pictures of their children and what they are doing. No one is safe so it is us to each of us to BE safe. Sad that such a useful tool of communication can be used for evil intent but being forewarned and careful can protest us.

Just throwing that out to get people thinking! It always seems so safe to post our life to the world from the security of our home computer. It isn't always the case.

Trying our recipes!

Going with another batch of mini cupcakes. This time, it is banana pecan cake with burnt butter cream frosting. The cake part has worked well. Waiting for them to cool so I can start inventing the frosting. Hoping they taste like my imagination is telling me they should.

Love the latest on the Wisconsin stuff. Doctors who give out medical exemptions to protestors don't sound like any doctor I'd like anything to do with for a real problem. Would a doctor who would cheat like that, be all that great in caring for an actual illness? You have to wonder about any profession that doesn't abide by the law yet likes to hide behind the law when it is convenient. Disgusting behavior for grownups!

Where is Justice?

Canada does not have the death penalty in their judicial system. They feel it is cruel and unusual punishment for a proven hardened criminal to lose his life. I won't argue one way or the other as it is the law. It's the moral path they want to follow.

Today, however, they are veering terribly off that righteous path. A family there has a child who is on life support and the doctors had determined the baby is in a vegetative state and want to pull the plug. The family would like to take the baby home to die peacefully in the midst of their family. The courts have stepped in and denied them this one comfort as they lose their little child. Not only has the court decided when to pull the life support, they have also said that as soon as the machines are turned off, they will administer a lethal injection to kill the baby.

I read recently that some of our states here in America had to revamp the lethal injection for carrying out the death penalty as it was painful for the criminal. What a world-wide travesty of justice that today an infant will not be given the chance/regard of a murderer or worse? Why is the court system so intent on inflicting so much pain on a family who has spent time watching the death of their baby come about? An innocent child is murdered while a murderer is coddled. Where is the justice in that? Where is the Christian attitude in that?

I'm thinking that every doctor, judge, nurse who participates in this awful event is going to have to eventually admit their wrong doing before God and hope that God grants them more mercy than they gave a tiny child.

My Picks of the day!

Everything you can imagine is real.
- Pablo Picasso

Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others.
- Groucho Marx

The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat.
- Lily Tomlin

Glad I homeschooled . . .

As I watch the protests in Wisconsin, I have to find myself doubly thankful that I found the blessing of homeschooling for my children. These teachers claim they are fighting for the children but while they prance around with posters, the children are not in school because the teachers are out prancing with their posters. It was also mentioned that since the protesting teachers basically forced many schools to close down, last week, the free breakfast and lunch programs didn't happen. I don't know that I totally agree with the food programs but they are there because the teachers and government think them necessary. Uh, then why don't they do their protesting and petitions from the classroom so school can go on as it should? Oh, and why is the federal government getting involved in a State matter. I guess the prevailing question is why don't these protestors understand simply math as it 'there is no money, you have to downsize'?

Baking today . . .

It's official . . . I'm in love with mini cupcakes! I saw a Food Network show about making these tiny cakes and it makes so much sense. Instead of bogging down with a regular cupcake while wishing you had tried the other flavor, you CAN have a bite-sized cupcake of several flavors and not add up to the size of a normal-sized cupcake treat. Add variety to your life and makes baking fun, too.

Although I only made intense vanilla 'baby' cakes with chocolate frosting, today, I can see spending an afternoon in the kitchen and getting the end result of three different offerings. It is also interesting how the taste of the cupcake if often what you really want vs. a bunch of cupcake. I'm thinking a fudge mini cupcake next time and, perhaps, a really choice spice one. Seems like it would be a nice combination along with the vanilla type I made today.

It also reminded me about my 'weird' cupcake phase of several months ago. I made cupcakes with bean, some with carrots, and yet another one with tomatoes. Yes, they sound odd but by using about a cup of either of the three instead of the egg, oil, and water called for on boxed mixes, you reduce the fat and add a lot of interesting flavor. I steamed the carrots, first, and then pureed them with orange zest and a touch of fresh juice with a very orange-intense frosting. The beans were garbonzo and I just pureed them with ginger, cinnamon, lemon zest. Tomato mixed in a cupcake batter calls for a touch of cocoa powder, cinnamon, and a good dose of vanilla extract.

I'm thinking the sudden baking creativity was sent directly by God as He knows Lent is around the corner and I will miss doing sweet creations for six weeks.

Arizona Law Explained!

http://www.youtube.com/embed/tsH8xvjTAlo

Best explanation I have heard to date!