FOOD NETWORK FINALE BLUNDER* Spoiler alert

As an avid devotee of the Food Network and particularly of the Next Food Network Star show, imagine my shock and surprise when I am told the Finale winner is revealed three days early on their website.

In an effort to provide damage control, they have erased many blog entries and comments regarding the early reveal and viewings of the exit interviews of the non-winners.

Sadly, for those that supported the NFNS winner, the win feels tainted and more like a handout than a true victory.

It would be classy if the Food Network would actually admit their mistake and apologize for the error. Considering their sudden 'changing of the rules' last week, this will most likely be a longshot.

Winning 10 piece RR cookware from Foodnetwork.com

Won the 10 piece orange Rachael Ray cookware set from Foodnetwork.com. On a whim, I submitted a very quickly written poem about the sad state of my cookware.

WINNER of Rachael Ray's 10-pc Porcelain Enamel Orange Cookware
Post in the comments below why you would benefit most from a new set of cookware:
"Making a Family Meal
Can be quite an ordeal
One pan, one pot
Is all that I've got
And a lid?
Who am I trying to kid?
I can't get water to steam
This hand-me-down set
Arrgh! I want to scream!
A wedding set
We did not get
My cookware is a mess
Can I use this pot-
When it is handle less?
The Rachael Ray set
Orange or blue eclectic
Would work on my stove
An ordinary electric
No flat top for me
I'm a little behind
Winning this set
Would really be fine!"
By Diane Back to "Family Meal at Food Network" video

My current events

working from home

organizing my house

preparing for school to restart in September

losing some character defects (impatience)

watching NFNS and rooting for Aaron McCargo

getting fit should be on the agenda soon...

Been busy...!

Wow it has been a long time since I have posted. Life seems a bit different now than what it was in 2005. Update to come.

Can someone buy the ACLU a clue?

ACLU appeals state decision barring abortion for 13-year-old. The American Civil Liberties Union, in their web page on "Reproductive Freedom", states:

"Our mission is to ensure that every person can make informed, meaningful decisions about reproduction free from intrusion by the government. Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, we aim to protect access to the full spectrum of reproductive health care, from sexuality education and family planning services, to prenatal care and childbearing assistance, to abortion counseling and services."

It seems the abortion counseling and services trumps the prenatal care and childbearing assistance.


The state's social services agency(DCF) went to court to block a 13-year-old girl who is pregnant and living in a state shelter from having an abortion, and the girl wants to challenge the judge's decision. The ACLU filed an emergency appeal on Wednesday asking a judge to overturn the ruling that would essentially force the girl to become a mother, said Howard Simon, the organization's executive director for Florida.

"No DCF regulation or state law can override a constitutional right as recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court," Simon said. "But putting aside the legalisms, forcing a 13-year-old to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term against her wishes not only is illegal and unconstitutional, it's cruel."

Blatantly misstating the facts, Mr. Simon is forgetting that state law prohibits the department from consenting to an abortion for a minor in any instance. It causes me to wonder if she had any type of counseling on the matter at all, since it seems she has been a ward of the state for some time.

The ACLU's mission is decidely less of an effort.. for helping a person to make an informed, meaningful decision, than it is about maintaining a culture of death. Informed would be to provide the pregnant CHILD with emotional support and information regarding adoption and providing true facts regarding the cruelty that would be inflicted on the baby she is carrying if the abortion would be carried out.

Ending the pregnancy should be less about the mother's "right to reproductive freedom" or convenience than it is about making a choice that ENDS another human being's right to life.

Can we stop pretending that a 'fetus' is not a HUMAN BEING?

Habemus Papam!

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany, close friend of the late John Paul II, has been named the new Pope. The Cardinal, age 78, chose the name Benedict XVI.


Viva il papa!

When Life loses value

A developmentally disabled student at Mifflin High School was allegedly sexually assaulted by four students who videotaped the attack. Four of the school’s top administrators were suspended pending investigation for failing to notify the police or the child’s parents. Read more here and here.

This story is disturbing on many levels. Apparently several students took part in the attack, while many more possibly have watched. The attack happened in early March, and has received little MSM attention, until recently, with the notable exception of talk radio host, Glenn Beck. Administrators failed the disabled girl in not notifying emergency personnel or police IMMEDIATELY, or even a parent. Instead of having criminal charges filed, or being fired, most of the school administrators are being transferred. Will they do 'better' at another school?

How can we have people that are so unwilling to help others in need? How can we raise our children to look the other way when someone needs help, or worse, participating in a brutal attack? How can the media not be OUTRAGED over this? The culture of death is creeping into all facets of our lives and infecting even our children.

All life, all people, should be protected, no matter their circumstances. When life loses value, nothing can exist.

Too many patients? Don't like your relatives? Euthanize 'em!

Now, it is being old and having glaucoma and a heart condition that qualifies for removal of nutrition and hydration. Cardiology groups everywhere with a too heavy patient load are breathing sighs of relief as now they can cut back their hours by just not allowing their patients to be fed. Get your court orders here!


Mae Magouirk…not comatose…not vegetative…not terminal

Why is Hospice LaGrange, Ga. withholding nourishment?(LaGrange, Georgia)

Mae Magouirk is being withheld nourishment and fluids and the provisions of her Living Will are not being honored at the Hospice-LaGrange, (1510 Vernon Street, LaGrange “Troup County” Georgia, 706-845-3905) a subsidiary of the LaGrange Hospital in LaGrange Georgia.

Her family is desperately seeking to save her life before she dies of malnourishment and dehydration.

Mae Magouirk IS NOT comatose and she IS NOT vegetative.

She is not terminal!Despite these facts the Hospice and Beth Gaddy (706-882-9124), a school teacher at LaGrange’s Calloway Middle School and granddaughter of Mae Magouirk have been denying her proactive nourishment or fluids (via a nose administered feeding tube or fluids via an IV) since March 28 without prior legal consent; against the wishes of her Living Will and against the wishes of Mae Magouirk’s closest living next of kin.

Mae Magouirk’s next of kin are: Mr. A. B. McLeod (Her Brother 256-236-1331) and Mrs. Lonnie Ruth Mullinax (Her sister 205-408-7598) both of nearby Anniston, Alabama.Under Georgia law, unless a medical durable power of attorney is in place, your closest living next of kin are stipulated to make all medical decisions. When Mae Magouirk’s closest living next of kin lodged a complaint with Hospice LaGrange’s in-house attorney Carol Todd (706-882-1411) last Thursday, March 31, Ms. Todd checked Mae Magouirk’s case file and upon examination of both documents discovered that Beth Gaddy DID NOT have the durable medical power of attorney for Mae Magouirk and upon closer examination of Mae Magouirk’s Living Will ascertained that fluids and nourishment were ONLY TO BE WITHHELD if she was either comatose or vegetative.

SHE IS IN NEITHER STATE!!!Nor is Mae Magouirk terminally ill. Her local LaGrange, Ga. cardiologist, Dr. James Brennan (706-812-4308) and Dr. Raed Aqel, (205-934-9999) a highly acclaimed interventional cardiologist at the nationally renowned University of Alabama-Birmingham Medical Center have determined that Mae Magouirk’s aortic dissection is contained and not presently life threatening.Two weeks ago, Mae Magouirk’s aorta had a dissection and she was hospitalized in the LaGrange Hospital in LaGrange, Ga. Her aortic problem was at first determined to be severe and she was admitted in the intensive care Unit. Her granddaughter, Beth Gaddy, a teacher at the Calloway Middle School in LaGrange, stated that she held Mae Magouirk’s medical power of attorney and thus invoked said powers against the wishes of Mae Magouirk’s closest living next of kin by having her moved to Hospice-LaGrange. While at Hospice-LaGrange, Beth Gaddy stated that her wishes were for no nourishment for Mae Magouirk via a feeding tube or fluids via an IV.

Before hospitalization Mae was lucid and never had been diagnosed with dementia as was testified to in Probate Court on Monday, April 4, by a local MD.

Mae Magouirk is being starved to death! Upon learning from Hospice-LaGrange that Mae Magouirk was being denied nourishment and fluids and upon being told by Carol Todd (Hospice LaGrange’s in-house legal consul) that Beth Gaddy DID NOT HAVE THE PROPER LEGAL AUTHORITY to deny said nourishment AND that the denial of nourishment went against Mae Magouirk’s Living Will, Mae’s family (Mullinax/McLeod) ordered the immediate beginning of such nourishment/fluids for Mae to Hospice via Carol Todd. First Contact with Hospice on Thursday, March 31. Carol Todd told Mrs. Lonnie Ruth Mullinax (Mae Magouirk’s sister) and Kenneth Mullinax (Mae Magouirk’s nephew) via phone on Thursday, March 31 that Georgia Law stipulated that Mrs. Mullinax and her brother A. B. McLeod (Mae Magouirk’s brother) were entitled to make any and all decisions for Mae Magouirk. Mrs. Mullinax immediately told Carol Todd to insert fluids via an IV and insert a feeding tube, via her nose. Carol Todd had the IV fluids started that evening but told the family that they would have to come to Hospice LaGrange to sign papers to have the feeding tube inserted and because of such, she believed that Mae Magouirk would no longer be a candidate for Hospice LaGrange. She was then told that Mae Magouirk’s family concurred and the ONLY REASON Mae was at Hospice was because the LaGrange Hospital had failed to exercise due diligence in closely examining the power of attorney which Beth Gaddy said she had, as well as executing the provisions of Mae’s Living Will to her preordained stipulations. Gaddy only had a financial power of attorney and did not have a medical power of attorney and Mae Magouirk’s Living Will provided that a feeding tube and fluids SHOULD ONLY BE DISCONTINUED IF Mae was comatose or in a vegetative state.

She was and is in neither state. Attempt to rescue Mae on Friday denied by Probate Judge Donald Boyd On Friday, April 1, when A. B. McLeod (brother) and Kenneth Mullinax (nephew) showed up to meet with Carol Todd and to arrange emergency air transport of Mae Magouirk to the University of Alabama-Birmingham Medical Center (One of the top cardiovascular centers in the USA) Hospice LaGrange stalled them while Beth Gaddy went before Troup County Georgia (LaGrange, Ga.) Probate Judge Donald W. Boyd (who DOES NOT hold a law degree) who granted Beth Gaddy emergency guardianship of Mae Magouirk, giving Beth Gaddy full and absolute authority. Thus, they COULD NOT MOVE HER FOR PROACTIVE MEDICAL CARE Friday because Beth Gaddy had Hospice stop them and then she had Mae’s IV fluid tube pulled out.

Beth Gaddy has repeatedly told Mr. McLeod, Mrs. Mullinax and Kenneth Mullinax that she feels they all should let Mae not eat and thus cause her to die because, and we quote Beth Gaddy: “Grandmamma is old and I think it is time she went home to Jesus.
She has glaucoma, and now this heart problem and who would want to live with disabilities like these?”

As stipulated under Georgia Law, a hearing for an Emergency Guardianship, must be held within 3 days of its request and Mae Magouirk’s hearing was held on this past Monday, April 4, before Troup County Georgia Probate Judge Donald Boyd who favors granting Beth Gaddy permanent guardianship and thus will seal Mae Magouirk’s fate of allowing Beth Gaddy to starve her to death against the wishes of her Living Will and in full knowledge that Mae Magouirk is not terminal, not in a coma and is not in a vegetative state and that medical care at UAB Medical Center is awaiting her.

Schiavo revisited! Mae’s present state and vital signs: Mae’s blood pressure is good, averaging 140/82 with a pulse rate of 88. However, since admission to Hospice she has not been lucid but who would be since nourishment and fluids have been denied since March 28, 2005. Also adding to her confusion is that she is off her regular medicines and is on a dose of Ativan and Morphine. Without food or water her electrolytes and body chemistry is not within its proper parameters. If her condition is not given major public attention soon, she will die, not by divine cause but by the omission of assistance by man. WE MUST GET Mae moved to UAB Medical ASAP

Resources:Probate Judge Donald Boyd (706) 883-1690)…
Court CASE NUMBER: Estate 138-05

Attorney for saving Mae’s life: Jack Kirby, Kirby & Roberts, (706) 884-2992***