Alasandra's Reading List ~ October

1. Transcendence by R. A. Salvatore - Brynn and Juraviel set out for To-gai, when they fall into the clutches of the Doc'alfer. The Doc'alfer plant to give Brynn to the bog but a quick talking Juraviel manages to save her life. After being held captive for many days they are granted an audience with King Eltiraaz. He agrees to let them continue their journey and ask Cazzira to accompany them. Cazzira leads them to the Path of Starless Night where they stumble upon Agradeleous' lair. Brynn escapes and believing her companions dead sets out for To-gai. Brynn joins the To-gai resistance where she meets Pagonel (Jhesta Tu Monk). When the To-gai are overrun by the Behrenese Pagonel saves Brynn's life and takes her to the Walk of Clouds to recuperate. The Jhesta Tu's sworn enemies the Chezhou-Lei follow them there and attack. At the last moment Juraviel and Cazzira arrive with Agradeleous saving the day. With Agradeleous' help Brynn is able to reorganize the resistance against the Behrenese. Pagonel discovers that the Chezru Chieftain has been using a soul stone (strictly forbidden by his religion) and exposes him. The Chezru Chieftain is overthrown by the other Yatols and Brynn is able to make peace with the new Yatol leader.
2.  Neighbors by Jan T. Gross
3. Tailchaser's Song by Tad Williams -A very brave cat named Tailchaser sets out to find his girlfriend Hushpad after she disappears. He is followed by a kitten name Pouncequick and together they befriend an old tattered cat named Eatbugs. Attacked by strange creatures they flee and are separated from Eatbugs. Tailchaser and Pouncequick meet up with the First-walkers who befriend them and tell them how to find Firsthome. On their way to Firsthome a very sick Pouncequick and  an exhausted Tailchaser are rescued by Prince Fencewalker, and taken to Firsthome, where they meet Roofshadow ( a girl who has lost her family). Roofshadow, Pouncequick and Tailchaser set off to find out what is wrong and stumble upon Hearteaters lair. Eatbugs arrives and attempts to warn them of danger but they are Pouncequick, Eatbugs and Tailchaser are taken prisoner and Roofshadow is seriously injured. Eventually Tailchaser manages to summon Firefoot and all is put right, for his help Firefoot helps Tailchaser discover his hearts desire.
4. Crown of Thorns by Stephane Groueff
5. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
6. Now You See Her by James Patterson - As a college student on spring break in Key West Nina makes a serious mistake after catching her boyfriend and her best friend together. With both her parents dead she is easy prey for the good looking deputy who offers to "help" her out. Soon they are married and her life seems idyllic until her husband (Peter) and his partner are shot in a convince store hold up. Realizing Peter set the shooting up Nina flees for her life only to be abducted by the Jump Killer. Quick thinking on her part allows her to escape and she flees to New York where she gives birth to her daughter and starts a new life. Now an African American man is fixing to be executed as the Jump Killer, but Nina (the only victim of the Jump Killer to escape alive) knows he isn't the killer. Returning to Key West in order to exonerate an innocent man her life is once again in danger. Both Peter and the Jump Killer want her dead, will she be able to survive them a second time?

Alasandra's Seafood Sin

1 stick butter
1 package crabmeat
1 package lobster
1 pound shrimp (for gumbo)
1 pound crawfish
2 cans (8 oz) mushrooms steams and pieces, drained
1 can (12 oz) nacho cheese sauce (may substitute Alfredo sauce)
1 jar pimentos, drained
1 package (8 oz) shell noodles
1 tablespoon Creole Seasoning
pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon Parsley
1 Tablespoon Paprika
Bread Crumbs (plain)
Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Cook noodles according to package directions (drain after cooking).

Cook crabmeat, lobster, shrimp and  crawfish in butter until done. Add to cooked noodles and stir in mushrooms, cheese sauce, pimentos, Creole Seasoning, pepper, parsley and paprika. Pour into a 12 by 1 inch casserole dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

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