Alasandra's Pumpkin Walnut Cake

1 package yellow cake mix
1/4 cup olive oil
4 eggs
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 can (15 oz) solid pack pumpkin (100% pumpkin)
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine the oil, eggs and cake mix beat well stir in pumpkin, condensed milk, vanilla and cinnamon until blended thoroughly. Pour in to a 13 in x 9 in baking pan. Sprinkle with walnuts. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes. 

Bishop's Statement, He Will Not Support Proposition #26

Bishop's Statement on Proposition #26

Below is an open letter from Bishop Gray III regarding his opposition to Proposition 26, a proposed amendment to The Constitution of the State of Mississippi, which will appear on the ballot of the November 8, 2011 General Election.

 

My dear friends, 

     My deep reservations about abortion and the death penalty grow out of my abiding belief in the sanctity of human life and the arbitrary nature of these actions. I am not, however, a pacifist in regards to war. I do believe that some very serious moral decisions are not simply choices between good and evil, but rather in the case of two evils, choices between the lesser of two evils. Such is the complexity of human moral decision-making in a fallen world. 

     I appreciate the intentions of those who have supported Proposition 26, what has been called the Personhood Amendment. I share their passion for the sanctity of human life. However, I am gravely concerned about the unintended consequences of this legislation. The moral nightmares of doctors no longer able to give preference to saving the life of the mother in such cases as an ectopic pregnancy and the uncertain impact on in-vitro fertilization are real. Thus, the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Medical Association has announced that it cannot support this legislation. 

     The legal nightmares arising from this legislation are also very real. The word “person” is used over 9,400 times in the Mississippi Annotated Code and the implications for mass confusion and decades of legal challenges over every use of the term are staggering.

     For their own reasons, Roman Catholic bishops in several states, including Mississippi, have said they could not support this particular legislation. 

     While I recognize the complexities of such moral decisions and the need for each of us to make our own informed and prayerful choices, you need to know that I share the aforementioned concerns about the unintended consequences of this legislation. Thus, I cannot support Proposition 26 on the November 8th ballot in Mississippi. 

Please feel free to share this letter with whomever you wish.

Faithfully, 

 The Rt. Rev. Duncan M. Gray III  

Take a bold stand for Women's Reproductive Health at the polls in November

WILLIAMS’s letter is riddled with misinformation. Ms. Williams states that miscarriage will not be considered a crime, while failing to mention a 15 year old girl was already charged in Mississippi with Depraved Heart Murder after miscarrying (December 2006). The Personhood Amendment would make it even more likely that prosecutors would go after women who have the misfortune to miscarry. 

Williams states that a woman who needed an abortion due to an ectopic pregnancy would be able to obtain one, but nowhere in the Mississippi State Constitution does it provide for the taking of one person’s life in order to save another person’s life. 26 merely defines a fertilized egg as a person; it does not write new laws for dealing with the new definition.  

Amendment 26 wouldn’t outlaw in vitro fertilization but the restrictions it would place on medical personnel make it highly unlikely that the procedure would be performed in Mississippi. 26 could also impact the use of birth control pills that make the lining of the uterus less receptive to the implantation of a fertilized egg and IUDs. 

Williams admits that victims of rape/incest would be forced to continue the pregnancy no matter the mental torture the woman might endure. She justifies this by saying there are millions of couples waiting to adopt, according to the Department of Health and Human Service as of 2009 there were 114,562 children in the United States available for adoption., 975 of them in Mississippi. Why haven't these children been adopted by one of the millions of couples Williams claims is waiting to adopt? 

Backers of Personhood USA are trying to paint the issue as an abortion debate, when it’s really about the reproductive health and freedom of women in Mississippi. Vote NO on 26.

LiveStrong Slide Show

Kizoa slideshow: LiveStrong 2011 B - Slideshow

Thanks for putting this together Chandra from A Cat's Perspective.

Livestrong

Whiskers ~ The Last Meow

Today Bloggers are taking part in Livestrong Day. A chance to show your support for those who are currently fighting cancer, celebrate with those who fought cancer and won and to remember those who lost their battle. 

Charybdis

Alasandra, The Cats & A Dog

Alasandra's Reading List ~ September

1. The Passage by Justin Cronin - very dark book, extremely well written and thought provoking, takes place in the future.  After his wife's death Doctor Jonas Lear seeks a way to prolong life. He travels to Bolivia in search of a mysteries "virus" that can cure terminal patients. The army tags along in hopes of using the "virus" as a weapon. Once the "virus" is secured it is taken to a secret army facility and experiments on death row inmates begin, when Dr. Lear insist that six year old Amy (no last name) be brought to the facility and infected with the "virus", Wolgast begins to question the orders he has been given. Then the unthinkable happens the subjects of the experiments escape, FBI Agent Brad Wolgast flees with Amy as the world he knew ends. (Decades later) Peter lives in one of the last human colonies, realizing the lights that keep the Virals at bay are failing Peter and his friends will set out with Amy to uncover the mysteries of her past and hopefully find a way to destroy the Virals. This is the first book in a trilogy and I am eagerly awaiting the next installment.
2. Mortalis by R. A. Salvatore - The rosy plague leads to great sickness and suffering throughout Corona. When Colleen contracts the plague Pony attempts to heal her with a soul stone but discovers it is no use. Looking for answers she spirit walks to the elves and Lady Dasslerond gives her a recipe to help alleviate the suffering but warns her it will not cure the plague, Colleen dies. De'Unnero (known as Brother Truth) uses the plague to cause trouble between the church and the people and leads a band of renegade monks (Brothers Repentant) throughout the countryside maiming and killing "sinners". Abbot Agronguerre and Prince Midalis make peace with the Alpinadorans lead by the ranger Andacanavar and Bruinhelde. Agronguerre later become Father Abbot of the Abellican Church. Brother Francis chooses to go out amongst the plague victims and minister to them. When Dainsey (Roger's wife) contracts the plague Roger takes her to Pony. Pony sees a vision of Avelyn's hand and makes a desperate journey with Dainsey to Mount Aida where Dainsey taste the blood from Avelyn's palm and is cured. Pony and Dainsey spread the word and pilgrims flock to Mount Aida for the cure. Pony accepts King Danube's offer to make her Baroness of Palmaris (Pony still doesn't know her child lives).
3. Frankenstein the dead town by Dean Koontz -  Deucalion is able to stop Victor once and for all and love flourishes in the most unlikely places. I enjoyed the series immensely and am sorry to see it come to an end.
4. Claiming the Highlander - Kinley MacGregor - Maggie convinces the women from the MacAllister and MacDouglas clans to go on strike until their clans make peace. Now the men of both clans want her head. To make matters worse the MacAllister's have taken their laird hostage and threaten to kill him if the women don't come out in four days. Determined to save his brother Braden MacAllister agrees to go with Maggie to the MacDouglas Laird and convince him to make peace. But along the way Braden succumbs to Maggie's charms now he not only has to keep them alive but win her heart. (Very humorous and entertaining book)
5. Ascendance by R. A. Salvatore - Jilseponie marries King Danube and a jealous Constance causes problems from day one. Afraid that Jilseponie will bear a child and usurp her sons position in the royal line she has birth control herbs secretly placed in Jilseponie's food. Aydrian "Nighthawk" the son of Elbryan and Jilseponie teams up with De'Unnero to wrest the crown of Honce the Bear from King Danube. When Constance dies Jilseponie is accused of murdering her, the trial provides Aydrian the chance to wrest the throne from King Danube with Duke Kalas help. Unable to kill her own son Jilseponie is sent into exile by Aydrian.
6. Kill Me If You Can by James Patterson - Starving artist Matthew Bannon finds a medical bag full of diamonds in Grand Central Terminal, now the Russian Mafia have hired hit men to kill him and retrieve the diamonds.  But Matthew is full of surprises and killing him won't be as easy as they think.
7. Implant by F. Paul Wilson - The Joint Committee on Medial Ethics and Practice Guidelines slanders Dr. Duncan Lathram leading to is daughters suicide and his careers demise. Now Dr. Lathram has a chance to get even with the men who destroyed his life and family and don't even remember his name. Will Dr. Gina Panzella be able to stop him?

Do you want Clean Air?

Apparently the TEA Party doesn't think having clean air to breath is all that important

TRAIN Act To Limit Clean Air Protection Passes The House