On May 5, 1862 Mexican General Ignacion Zaragoze poured his heart out and secured a Mexican victory over the French. And what better way to celebrate the general's accomplishment (and satisfy your rumbling stomach) than with some authentic Mexican quesadillas? So grab a tortilla, cheese, salsa and vegetables and hit the stovetop to create a dish filled with the sweet taste of victory!
April 22 - The average life expectancy for many American women is decreasing. This is the first time that there has been a significant decline since the influenza epidemic in 1918. The most dramatic drop is in southern Virginia, where the life expectancy is five years less than it was in 1983. According to the report, the decline is due to an increase in deaths from lung cancer, diabetes, emphysema and kidney failure, many of which can be attributed to smoking cigarettes.
April 16 - The Supreme Court ruled that lethal injections as a method of execution are constitutional. This decision will allow resuming the executions of the prisoners on death row in 34 states. A temporary ban was placed on executions while the case was being heard. Virginia will remove the ban on capital punishment immediately, according to Governor Timothy Kaine. The justices agreed that the injections did not violate the Eighth Amendment, which bans cruel and unusual punishment, in a 7 - 2 vote.
April 3 - The U.S. economy may be experiencing a recession, according to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. Fed officials are predicting a shrink in the economy during the first half of the year but then for the economy to strengthen in the second half of the year and to be strong by 2009. This announcement reflects a change in attitude by economic officials who two weeks earlier had said that there was a limited amount of economic activity but did not acknowledge the possibility of a recession.
March 8 - Hearing damage is the primary reported disability of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). The VA predicts that about 70,000 of the 1.3 million soldiers who have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan receive disability payments for tinnitus, a ringing in the ears, and over 58,000 more receive money for other hearing problem. The United States Army has announced plans to strengthen the efforts to protect soldiers from hearing loss.
With Halloween long over, Purim offers another chance to dress up, eat sweets and celebrate. The Jewish holiday, celebrated this year on March 21, honors Queen Esther, who stood up to the evil Haman when he made plans to annihilate the Jewish people. Similar to the largely celebrated Halloween, kids dress up as the main characters of the story and act out modern interpretations, including making loud noises to block out Haman's name. To add to the festivities, triangular Hamantaschens, resembling Haman's hat, are eaten. These easy desserts can be made in any flavor of filling, to satisfy even the pickiest taste buds.
March 4 - Senator John McCain won the Republican nomination in the 2008 presidential race by getting more than the 1,191 convention delegates. Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee was the last Republican challenger to concede. Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are neck and neck as each tries to secure the Democratic nomination.
Feb. 20 - A complete lunar eclipse occurred, an event that will not happen again until 2010. Near the moon, Saturn and the star Regulus were visible.
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate John McCain swept the Potomac Primary, winning by large margins in the Feb. 12 Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. elections, according to The New York Times. Voters also selected candidates in Congressional, circuit court, school board and convention delegate races.
Whether trying to impress a special someone or enjoying the holiday with friends, a delicious dessert can only improve the celebration. Simple to make but nice to look at, this cake will have everyone impressed. The cake can be homemade by the daring or made from a mix by the less culinary talented. Chocolate or vanilla, the cake is so scrumptious and full of love that it is sure to earn the chef many hugs and kisses!
Feb. 7 - Sixty-two people in connection with the Gambino family, one of the largest organized crimes groups in the United States, were indicted and 54 are in custody. The charges range from murder to extortion and theft of union pension funds. The arrests came after many years of investigations that have connected some of the alleged criminals to murders and other crimes from as early as the 1970s. Arrests were simultaneously made in Italy in conjunction with this case.
Jan. 22 - The Department of Homeland Security plans to require identification at the Canadian and Mexican borders starting on Jan. 31. A driver's license or a declaration of citizenship will no longer be sufficient for passing between Canada and the United States. This goes against a bill passed by Congress after Sept. 11 that says extra identification cannot be required. The bill is supposed to go into effect in June 2009.
Many feel the depressing crunch of winter blues when cold weather doesn't give way to snow. But the icy conditions and chill can be subdued with the right food. Eggnog, spiced cider and peppermint hot chocolate are all simple drinks that will warm taste buds and send a hopeful message to the rest of the body that winter break will eventually arrive.
Chehalis, WA Dec. 6- Flooding is a major concern in the Pacific Northwest following a strong storm that ravaged the area with powerful winds and drenching rain. At least seven people have died, hundreds were forced to evacuate, 300 were rescued by helicopter and miles of the major highway were left under water as a result of the storm. The damage is expected to be in the billions, according to Washington Governor Chris Gregoire. Gregoire was looking for FEMA to examine the damage and to deliver supplies and for the president to make an emergency declaration.
The death yesterday of Washington Redskins' safety Sean Taylor was undeniably a tragedy. Taylor was a mere 24 years old and left behind a young fiancée and an infant daughter. But the response to his murder has provoked in the community calls into question society's tendency to mourn the death of a public figure while ignoring the everyday passings of ordinary people.
Nov. 20- The FBI disclosed the statistics of domestic hate crimes for 2007. Over 9,000 offenses were reported because of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and disabilities. The number is an eight percent increase from the year before.
Oct. 31- Approximately 1.8 million veterans are currently uninsured according to private research. About one of every eight veterans under the age of 65 is uninsured. This high rate is attributed to high incomes, which make veterans unable to qualify for free health care from the Department of Veteran Affairs.
Atlanta, GA Oct. 24- Civil rights leaders including Martin Luther King III and Al Sharpton called for an economic boycott for Nov. 2. The boycott is intended to protest the Justice Departments lax response to hate crimes, according to King.
Pull on your chaps and grab your lasso; it's time for cowboy cookies! The name makes no sense but the great flavor of these cookies makes it irrelevant. Cowboy cookies are just oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with a cooler name. These easy to make cookies are perfect for an afternoon snack, a bake sale or the ideal end to a delicious meal.
Oct. 10- The Democrats have put legislation requiring the withdrawal of troops on hold in favor of war-related bills that are also supported by the Republicans. The Democrats do not have enough support to pass such a controversial bill right now. The party is concerned with passing legislation in order to have some things to show for their first year of being in the majority.
Washington, D.C. Sept. 19- The Senate rejected a bill that would allow longer home leaves for U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. The proposal, which needed 60 votes for passage, only received 56. A similar bill also failed in June.
Sept. 4 – Long lines due to processing are causing delays at the Canadian and Mexican borders. Lines are nearly as long as they were directly after Sept. 11, 2001. The hold up is due to new regulations that require U.S. citizens to show a driver's license, a passport or other photo ID. Previously citizens just had to declare their citizenship and declare goods before crossing the border.
As the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, fast approaches, it is important to find delicious dishes to start the year off right. Tradition often dictates the recipes that appear on the holiday dinner table. Sweet foods like noodle kugel are used to symbolize a sweet new year and apple cake's round shape represents the year circling to a close but never ending. Try these easy recipes to ring in the year 5768.
Aug. 19 - Medicare announced it will no longer pay for hospital-caused illnesses, including falls, infections and objects left in patients during surgery. Medicare will add another three conditions to the list in the next year.
*SPOILER ALERT* For the past 735 days, diehard Harry Potter fans have been left in the dark, wondering who will die, who will prevail and who will come together to fight in the final Harry Potter book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," which comes out July 21. Since the sixth book was released, numerous websites, books and articles have been created to predict how this popular series will end. So, two muggles have put their heads together to speculate on seven of the questions left unanswered by the first six books.
MAY 7, BLAZER FIELD— Blair softball clinched their division-leading 13th victory of the season last night against the Magruder Colonels 5-0. The Blazers' potent bats took a while to warm up, but once they came alive, the Blazers coasted to a solid win. The Blazers will look to carry the momentum from this victory with them into their first round playoff game against county foe Richard Montgomery.
Sherwood snapped Blair softball's seven-game winning streak, edging the Blazers 2-0 on senior night. The game was much anticipated as Sherwood was Blair's only regular season loss last year. According to Coach Louis Hoelman, Blair (11-2) and Sherwood (13-1) have been the top softball teams in the county for the past three years, and each has won two division titles. Despite the game's final score, Blair's defense kept them in the game through seven innings.
The Visual Arts Center (VAC) annual art show at Albert Einstein High School opened displaying the work of many Blazers. The show opened Wednesday continues today from 6 to 9 p.m.
"We thought it was a real bullet," junior Ben Simon says. "Luckily it wasn't." While in the sixth grade, Simon was hit by a bb pellet in the stomach, making the looming threat of bb gun injuries closer than ever before.
Blair's softball team started the game with intensity, immediately jumping to an 8-0 lead over the previously undefeated Wootton Patriots. Despite a lack of focus on defense and an inability to adjust to a new, much slower pitcher Blair was able to end the game with the mercy rule after six innings by being up by over 10 runs.
Blair is one of only a few high schools in the county that has yet to implement the Online Achievement and Reporting System (OARS). In the 2007-2008 school year, MCPS will require the use of this program in all secondary schools.
The JV boys' basketball team fell to the Colonels 46-44 in their fifth straight loss dropping their record to 3-5. The close game was filled with fast-paced passing, strong defense and a struggle for the lead. The lead changed many times throughout the game, finally landing in the Colonels' favor.
Sometimes even the best meal can be ruined by a few unappealing side dishes; fruit cake is a serial meal spoiler. Luckily, SCO has taken the time to compile some side dishes that will have everyone asking for more this winter.
Thanksgiving is like a marathon. Holiday revelers must endure tons of delicious food and the eccentric relatives that seem to appear ever holiday without fail. Then there is the main event, Thanksgiving dinner. After hours of slaving over a hot oven, or watching oversized cartoon characters float over Manhattan, the participants gather around a sagging dining room table and dive headfirst into the seemingly endless dishes of turkey, stuffing, casseroles and desserts. Soon enough dinner is over, the in-laws are passed out in the living room and only one question remains: What to do with the leftovers? Lucky for you, Silver Chips Online has some great suggestions to save those delicious dishes from their imminent fate of becoming mold-encrusted monstrosities.
Traditions can be fun; trick-or-treating on Halloween, turkey on Thanksgiving and fireworks on the Fourth of July, but sometimes these activities can become monotonous. If you are craving an adrenaline-filled Halloween night, try going to the local haunted places.
Think pizza and you'll probably think of a delicious Italian pie, dripping with tomato sauce and cheese. But think again — this pizza has a tropical twist. The fruit pizza is a refreshing dessert that is simple to make and a delight to stare at. Fruit pizza can be made with any type of fruit and your guests will surely be impressed by its eyecatching display.
SGA announced today the winners of the Sept. 28 election for the 2010 class council.
The SGA announced today that this year's homecoming theme will be board games. This year's homecoming dance will be held on Saturday, Oct. 14, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m, and the annual fall spirit week will take place from Monday, Oct. 9, to Friday, Oct. 13.
The back-to-school barbeque scheduled for today has been postponed until Friday, Sept. 8, because of inclement weather. The rescheduled event will take place from 2:15 to 5:30 p.m. on either the softball field or in the SAC.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) announced its new plans to monitor the economy and corporate report card at its 97th annual convention in Washington, DC, on July 17.
Add the second tortilla and finish cooking.
First lay out the tortillas, pepper, cheese and salsa.
Sprinkle peppers on top of the cheese.
Place the cheese on top of the salsa.
Spread salsa on top of the first tortilla.
These traditional Jewish pastries are perfect for any Purim celebration.
These traditional Jewish pastries are perfect for celebrating Purim
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The delicious mixture of chocolate and oatmeal makes the ridiculous name of these cookies irrelevant.
Sweet noodle kugel is a traditional dish for the Jewish New Year because it symbolizes a sweet year ahead.
Apple cake's circular shape symbolizes that a year never truly comes to an end.