Daniel Jackson (Jack) Babcock

April 9, 1927 - April 23, 2007

Daniel Jackson (Jack) Babcock, 80, Orange City, died at home Mon., April 23, 2007. There will be no funeral service. Following cremation Mr. Babcock will be buried in a plot near his parents in High Prairie, Alberta, Canada. Jack was born April 9, 1927, in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, to William R. and Phoebe (Clynch) Babcock. When he was two, the family moved into the wilds of northern Alberta to build a log cabin home at North Salt Prairie, where he lived throughout his youth. He led a very interesting life, working on the Alaska Highway in 1943, assisting in building and sailing a tugboat and barges down the Laird and McKenzie rivers in Northwest Territories. He migrated to Ontario where he joined the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 793, and was flown all over Canada for various construction companies. On Nov. 25, 1988, Jack married his childhood sweetheart, Miriam Ruth DuBois, in Chatham, Ontario, and they moved to Orange City in 1993. He operated a dragline in Florida for eight winters, spending his summers building a small home in Michigan. He is survived by his loving wife, Miriam Babcock, Orange City; son, Robert Babcock, Calgary, Alberta; seven daughters, Christine Elizabeth Bird, London, Ontario, Bobby Bisson, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Tabatha Hamel, Marathon, Ontario, Alida Van Braeden, Edmonton, Alberta, Linda Denmark, Yellville, Ark., Wendy Hoffman, Farmington, N.M., and Juanita Gibney, Summerland, British Columbia; 24 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren. Memorial donations sugested to Florida Hospital Memorial Hospice Care, 875 Sterthaus Ave., Ormond Beach, FL 32174.
Published in the Daytona Beach News-Journal on 4/25/2007.

5 Reasons Why Olive Oil is the Ultimate Healthy Fat

Yahoo! Food
Posted Tue, Apr 10, 2007, 3:19 pm PDT
Whether in Rome or at home, do as the Romans do: Make olive oil a staple. If you already eat the Mediterranean way, you know that the oil not only tastes good but that it is good for you. It's an amazing source of antioxidants, capable of dousing inflammation, defending cells from menacing molecules, and more. Here's the latest on this superhero food.

IT CUTS YOUR CANCER RISK Olive oil's cancer-preventing powers are lab legends. Which substances get the credit? Polyphenols, for one -- these potent plant antioxidants protect against cancer-causing cell damage. But it also looks like the oil's monounsaturated fat has anti-cancer effects, which means olive oil packs quite a one-two punch! Some people-proof: Check the lower rates of breast, ovarian and prostate cancer among Southern Europeans -- whose diets flow with olive oil -- compared to their northern neighbors.

IT HELPS YOUR HEART There's virtually nothing better than the big "double O" when it comes to your heart. Olive oil ups good HDL cholesterol, lowers bad LDL, and reduces other harmful blood fats (triglycerides). And that's not all. It also reduces inflammation, another contributor to cardiovascular disease.

IT KEEPS YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE DOWN Speaking of your heart, how's your blood pressure? If it's not below 120/80, you need to get it there. And yes, olive oil plays a role. It can help enough to reduce the need for daily meds. Those potent polyphenols appear to dilate arteries, which brings blood pressure down. (Always choose extra-virgin olive oil, by the way -- its minimal processing preserves the maximum number of antioxidants and heat-sensitive vitamins.)

IT HELPS YOU LOSE WEIGHT "Great taste, less filling" -- that light beer slogan rings true for olive oil. While ounce for ounce, all oils have the same calories, olive oil has a fuller flavor so less is needed for tantalizing taste. Plus research shows that overweight people who eat a diet with some fat -- including olive oil -- are more likely to shed pounds than those who slash fat. Why? Oil's rich flavor makes it easier to stick with the program.

IT EASES YOUR ACHING HEAD If you're prone to headaches and wary of overdoing ibuprofen, try routinely dressing your salad or crisp-tender veggies in extra-virgin olive oil. It contains oleocanthal, a natural compound that, like ibuprofen, blocks pain-producing and inflammatory substances -- but without the risk of stomach upset. While daily oleocanthal doses aren't the painkiller's complete equal, they could lower your risk for heart disease, cancer, arthritis and possibly Alzheimer's. Quite a trade-off.

Yellow Ribbons, Tied with Love

From the Farmington Daily Times, 4-23-07. We did the downtown area, Main and Broadway.

Tied with love

Carla Stimac, 50, of Farmington, ties a yellow ribbon, displaying the words, 'til the troops come home,' around a tree on downtown Main Street on Sunday. Stimac and other members of Blue Star Mothers, adorned the trees with the bows in support of the men and women in the armed forces. Stimac's son, Sgt. Gary Groomer, is a combat medic serving in Afghanistan. Groomer has a wife and two sons in Farmington and will return home in June.(Lucas Ian Coshenet/The Daily Times)

More Photos

A celebration of spring

Farmington Daily Times - A celebration of spring:
By Cory Frolik The Daily Times
Article Launched: 04/22/2007 12:00:00 AM MDT"

Photo:Tyrin Begay, 10, from Kayenta, Ariz., sings while playing in a drum circle at the Apple Blossom Contest Powwow at McGee Park on Saturday (Lucas Ian Coshenet/The Daily Times)

"He spun, shook and did everything else that comprises grass dancing, the
type of traditional dance of which he is fond.
Though he didn't need to say
so, Lafferty, who is from Iron Lightning, S.D., explained his talent came from
years of diligence.
"I started when I was 9, and I'm 45 now," he said.
Lafferty has always viewed his dancing ability as a "gift from God."
"I love dancing because of where it came from — my ancestors and the Creator. ...
My mother also put my feet on this powwow trail," he said.
Lafferty wasn't the only talented dancer at the 28th installment of the powwow. Center stage at the McGee Park Memorial Coliseum was crowded with colorful outfits and bright apparel belonging to incredibly coordinated people.
Not far from where Lafferty stood to prepare for his dance routine was Shantaya Begay.
A small, thin girl from Kayenta, Ariz., Begay is only 12 years old but dances with the
practiced precision of someone much older. " More...

'Lost Canadian' finally recognized as citizen

"Last Updated: Friday, April 20, 2007 6:54 PM PT
CBC News "

Photo: Barbara Porteous was presented with a certificate of Canadian citizenship by a judge during a ceremony near her B.C. home.(CBC)

A B.C. woman who had lived most of her life in Canada, only to suddenly discover she was not a Canadian, was officially sworn in as a citizen on Friday.
Wearing red and white, Barbara Porteous was presented with a certificate of Canadian citizenship by a judge during a ceremony near her B.C. home.

"There are a lot more people out there. I'm only one," she said, referring to others sharing her predicament.
Born in the U.S. to a Canadian father, Porteous has lived in Osoyoos for the last 46 years and even worked as a returning officer for Elections Canada.
Last year, she learned her status as a Canadian ended decades ago because of an obscure provision in the Citizenship Act, a little-known law that applied between 1947 and 1977.
The law states that if you lived outside Canada on your 24th birthday and failed to sign the right form, you automatically lost your citizenship.

More... 'Lost Canadian' finally recognized as citizen:

n.b. I would like to mention here that this problem runs both directions. I was born in Canada to a US mother and was in NY by the time I was 6 months, attended kindergarten in NY and in Wyoming and periodically lived or visited in the US but lived most of my life in Canada.

I understood as a child/teen that my US citizenship would end when I was 18 if I was in Canada on my birthday -- and vice versa. I also understood that if I were to vote in either country I would have to renounce citizenship for the other.

I learned in 1999 that these were erroneous and when I talked to the US consul in Vancouver in 2000 he said I could easily move back to the US, establish proof of citizenship with my mothers birth certificate and my school records and get my SSN.

On my arrival in 2003 I discovered it was not that simple. I did get my drivers license and my SSN but was turned down on the passport. I was told I was not a citizen -- no other details. I applied for a certificate 'proof of citizenship' through CIS and after 18 months my application was finally approved.

In the US there is a law stating that Citizenship is lost if you were not physically in the US between the ages of 17 and 24. However, this can be corrected by taking the oath. I believe this is also affected by your year of birth and it did apply to me. Makes me wonder if it would have made any difference if it had been me that came down to Arizona with dad in 1970 instead of Juanita.

My struggle to get proof of US citizenship lasted from April 2003 to March 2006. I am not the only one facing this problem in the US. The good news is that once I cleared the hurdles and got us into the computers it has been easier for other family members.

Wendy

How to Build an Adobe Wall

Adobe is an age-old building material that's easy to make and extremely durable. Adobe structures account for some of the oldest extant buildings on the planet. Adobe buildings also offer significant advantages in hot, dry climates; they remain cooler during the day and warmer during the night, as adobe stores and releases heat very slowly."
More... How to Build an Adobe Wall - WikiHow:

James G. "Capn Jim" Hoffman

April 9, 1930-April 5, 2007 James G. "Capn Jim" Hoffman, 76, of Ames, died Thursday, April 5, at Story County Long Term Care in Nevada. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 10, at Stevens Memorial Chapel in Ames. Burial will follow in Ames Municipal Cemetery. Jim Hoffman was born April 9, 1930, in Ames, to Gordon and Freda (Johnson) Hoffman. He served in the United States Army with the occupation forces in Japan 1947 to 1948. He graduated from Ames High School in 1950. He married Lucy Erickson Sept. 23, 1950, at Bethesda Lutheran Church in Ames. He was employed at the Ames Lab until his recall into military service during the Korean Conflict 1950 to 1951.Jim was a member of the Ames Fire Department from 1951 until retirement in 1986. He also was employed by the Ames Daily Tribune for 25 years, Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo., for 12 years, and volunteered for Skaggs Hospital Auxiliary in Branson. He was a member of Arcadia Masonic Lodge No. 249, Abou Ben Adhem Shrine, Taneycomo Elks Lodge No. 2597, American Legion Post 37, VFW Post No. 5168 and the Loyal Order of the Grove Café. He is survived by his wife, Lucy Hoffman, of Ames; sons, James (Wendy) Hoffman Jr., of Farmington, N.M., and Robert (Cindy) Hoffman, of Ames; daughters, Sandy (Mike) Rolling, of Ames, and Jeanine Kyle, of Richmond, Va.; grandchildren, Alissa Neill, James (Pam) Hoffman and Marcus Kyle; three great-grandchildren, Nicholas, Joshua and James David; sister, JoAnn (Dan) DeVolder, of Alexandria, Minn.; and many relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, April 9, at Stevens Memorial Chapel. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Shrine Children's Hospital or Homeward Hospice. Published in the Ames Tribune from 4/6/2007 - 4/8/2007.
Notice • Guest Book • Flowers • Gift Shop • Charities

Nathan and Lilly

Good for you Nathan -- and I'll bet Charlie would appreciate you reading to him too.


The News Journal - www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com - Mansfield, OH: "Lilly helps kids build self esteem: Therapy dog paired with young readers at Mansfield library
By Angel N. Ross
News Journal

MANSFIELD -- With the help of Lilly, a Newfoundland therapy dog, Nathan Doup admitted there's a greater possibility he'll read aloud in class one day.
'She won't say anything back to me,' Nathan, 12, said.
Nathan's mother, Wendy Doup, said she's seen an improvement in his reading.
'He takes more risks on words he doesn't know,' she said. 'He even wants to read to my sister's dog.'
Nathan took part in a new program at the main branch of the Mansfield Richland County Public Library called Sit, Stay and Read.
The program started in January and has been a hit with area children, Children's Department Manager Diane Tobias said. The reading practice is geared toward children in grades 1 to 6 who want to improve their reading skills without the sometimes adverse effects of reading out loud in the classroom.
The children read aloud to Lilly in 15-minute intervals on Tuesdays.
'It has helped, it's not just a novelty' Tobias said. '(The children can) practice their reading skills out loud without judgment.'"

more on Lilly and reading program...:

How to Use English Punctuation Correctly - WikiHow

How to Use English Punctuation Correctly - WikiHow: "How to Use English Punctuation Correctly
Are you looking to write a great paper for one of your classes? Maybe you need to submit a polished, impeccable proposal to your boss? It can help to know proper punctuation usage. The following is a list of common English punctuation marks and their usage. "

More...: