100 DAYS OF NO

The Thomas Kidlets: Let's thank the smokers!

The Thomas Kidlets: Let's thank the smokers!: "Let's thank the smokers!



I never thought I'd say this...but I would like to thank all the smokers out there. I cannot stop you from smoking, nor will I try, even though you are just plain dumb for doing it...instead, I would like to thank you. Here is why.

Today I had a visit from a nurse from Welcome Home Baby, a newborn home visiting program for first time parents. Dr.'s in San Diego County refer first time parents to this program. However, if your Dr. doesn't you can call them yourselves and have them come and visit you. They offer services for parent's with children ages 0-5. So, the nurse did an assessment on Madi, weighed her (she was down 3 oz. last Friday and is now back to her birth weight!) and watched us nurse. (She was very impressed with Madi's latching and nursing skills at only 8 days old.) She gave me a box full of information from feeding guides to books on what to do before you freak out if your child is sick, a growth chart, a few books for Madi to read, and TONS of information on programs offered in San Diego county; like phone numbers to call for any reason in the book, support groups for moms...everything.

Why thank the smokers? Well, in 1998 an additional tax was added to every tobacco product. The revenue generated from the tax funds programs and activities that promote early childhood development. So, thanks to you smokers out there, you just gave me a free visit from a registered nurse as well as $75 worth of products. THANKS!!"

Irish-American Heritage Month (March) and St. Patrick’s Day (March 17): 2009

Irish-American Heritage Month (March) and St. Patrick’s Day (March 17): 2009

Originally a religious holiday to honor St. Patrick, who introduced Christianity to Ireland in the fifth century, St. Patrick’s Day has evolved into a celebration for all things Irish. The world’s first St. Patrick’s Day parade occurred on March 17, 1762, in New York City, featuring Irish soldiers serving in the English military. President Truman attended the parade in 1948. Congress proclaimed March as Irish-American Heritage Month in 1995, and the president issues a proclamation each year.

Population Distribution

36.5 million
Number of U.S. residents who claimed Irish ancestry in 2007. This number was more than eight times the population of Ireland itself (more than 4 million). Irish was the nation’s second most frequently reported ancestry, trailing only German.
Sources: 2007 American Community Survey and Ireland Central Statistical Office
<http://www.cso.ie/px/pxeirestat/database/eirestat/Population%20Estimates/Population%20Estimates.asp>
<http://factfinder.census.gov>

24%
Percent of Massachusetts residents who were of Irish ancestry in 2007. This compares with a rate of 12 percent for the nation as a whole.
Source: 2007 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov>

Irish-Americans Today

32%
Percentage of people of Irish ancestry, 25 or older, who had a bachelor’s degree or more education. In addition, 92 percent of Irish-Americans in this age group had at least a high school diploma. For the nation as a whole, the corresponding rates were 28 percent and 85 percent.
Source: 2007 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov>

$56,966
Median income for households headed by an Irish-American, higher than the $50,740 for all households. In addition, 8 percent of people of Irish ancestry were in poverty, lower than the rate of 13 percent for all Americans.
Source: 2007 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov>

39%
Percentage of employed civilian Irish-Americans 16 or older who worked in management, professional and related occupations. Additionally, 27 percent worked in sales and office occupations; 15 percent in service occupations; 10 percent in production, transportation and material moving occupations; and 9 percent in construction, extraction, maintenance and repair occupations.
Source: 2007 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov>

72%
Percentage of householders of Irish ancestry who owned the home in which they live, with the remainder renting. For the nation as a whole, the homeownership rate was 67 percent.
Source: 2007 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov>

Trade With the “Old Sod”

$26.2 billion
The value of U.S. imports from Ireland for January to October 2008. Meanwhile, the United States exported $7.4 billion worth of goods to Ireland.
Source: Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>

Places to Spend the Day

4
Number of places in the United States named Shamrock, the floral emblem of Ireland. Mount Gay-Shamrock, W.Va., and Shamrock, Texas, were the most populous, with 2,623 and 1,830 residents, respectively. Shamrock Lakes, Ind., had 154 residents and Shamrock, Okla., 123. (Statistic for Mount Gay-Shamrock is from Census 2000; the other statistics are 2007 estimates.)
Sources: American FactFinder <http://factfinder.census.gov> and
population estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012242.html>

9
Number of places in the United States that share the name of Ireland’s capital, Dublin. Since Census 2000, Dublin, Calif., has surpassed Dublin, Ohio, as the most populous of these places (43,960 compared with 37,954, respectively, as of July 1, 2007).

If you’re still not into the spirit of St. Paddy’s Day, then you might consider paying a visit to Emerald Isle, N.C., with 3,651 residents. Other appropriate places in which to spend the day: the township of Irishtown, Ill., several places or townships named “Clover” (in South Carolina, Illinois, Minnesota and Pennsylvania) and the township of Cloverleaf, Minn.
Sources: American FactFinder <http://factfinder.census.gov> and
population estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012242.html>

The Celebration

41.5 billion and 2.6 billion
U.S. beef and cabbage production, respectively, in pounds, in 2007. Corned beef and cabbage is a traditional St. Patrick’s Day dish. The corned beef that celebrants dine on may very well have originated in Texas, which produced 6.8 billion pounds worth of beef, while the cabbage most likely came from California, which produced 581 million pounds, or New York, which produced 580 million pounds.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://www.nass.usda.gov/index.asp>

$40 million
Value of potted florist chrysanthemum sales at wholesale in 2007 for operations with $100,000 or more sales. Lime green chrysanthemums are often requested for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://www.nass.usda.gov/index.asp

Arnoldbucks: IOUs for Californians

Dick Cheney In A Wheelchair On Inauguration Day 1-20-09

Dick Cheney Declares Obama Officially Elected

Becky

SAN DIEGO MUSEUM of ART | Culture & Cocktails

This is the the thing that is like a scene out of Sex and The City.

SAN DIEGO MUSEUM of ART | Culture & Cocktails

SDMA THIS WEEK CONCERTS Art of Élan Old Masters LECTURES Docent Gallery Tours Spanish Missions Evening Encounters Asian Art Lectures Contemporary Art Lectures ECC Lectures NCC Lectures LAAC Lectures Kimono Illustrated Talks SPECIAL EVENTS Culture & Cocktails Family Festivals Teen Art Café Contemporary Art Fridays Kimono: Tours, Talks, and Textiles Family Days CONTACT THE MUSEUM	The DJ spins, exotic beverages flow, artworks dazzle, and museum visitors glow at SDMA's popular sundown series, Culture & Cocktails. Bring a friend, meet someone new, and experience art in a whole new way. November 20, Thursday 6:00–9:00 p.m. Free for members / $10 nonmembers Marvel in the beauty and colors of nature reflected in the stunning kimono featured in Kimono as Art: The Landscapes of Itchiku Kubota. Enhance your viewing experience of this unique exhibition with DJ'd music, live entertainment, and a creative cocktail. Get priority entry privileges by purchasing tickets in advance at www.ticketmaster.com (all Ticketmaster surcharges are waived). For event information, email culture@sdmart.org.

A Night To Remember: Barack Obama Elected 44th US President

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