The State of the Union is . . .

My favorite blogger did some research on the State of the Union speech that I thought I would pass along.

One thing I keep hearing about this week is whether or not President Obama will say, “The state of our Union is strong.” And that got me to thinking, how often has that phrase been said either at a State of the Union address or an Address of the President to the Joint Session of Congress (you know, that first speech the president gives at the beginning of his term that’s just like the State of the Union but it’s not since he’s new to the job and doesn’t really have anything to report).

So I decided to look over all of these speeches (minus special addresses like the one right after 9/11 and the conclusion of Desert Storm) since 1986, the beginning of Reagan’s second term. I could have went back further, but hey, I’m a one man research crew.

Click on the image above to read his findings.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

NH teacher, 100, gets degree a day before dying

It was Harriet Richardson Ames' dream to earn her bachelor's degree in education. She finally reached that milestone, nearly three weeks after achieving another: her 100th birthday.

On Saturday, the day after receiving her diploma at her bedside, the retired schoolteacher died, pleased that she had accomplished her goal, her daughter said. Ames had been in hospice care.

"She had what I call a 'bucket list,' and that was the last thing on it," Marjorie Carpenter said Tuesday.

Click the image to read the full article.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Multi-Faith Q & A

What happens when you put a Muslim Imam, a Jewish Rabbi, and an Evangelical Pastor on a stage? There is no punchline as this event really happened. Live questions were taken from the audience which was composed of followers of all three faiths. Rabbi Jeremy Schneider, Imam Sheik, and Pastor Bob Roberts answered these questions revealing distinctions in core beliefs about God but a common respect for one another despite those differences.

Click the link above to watch the video.

(The actual sermon that came prior to the Q&A can be seen by clicking this link.)

It Happened in Italy: Goodness in a Time of Evil

I am a WWII history buff and I had never heard that there were concentration camps in Italy.

In 2005, the United Nations designated January 27 as an annual day of commemoration for the victims of the Nazi regime. They chose the 27th because on this day in 1945, the Soviet army liberated Auschwitz. Most know the grim tales of what happened in Nazi death camps only too well—six million Jews killed, the gas chambers, the crematoriums, forced labor.

But while the horrors of concentration camps in Nazi Germany may be familiar, what happened to Jews in concentration camps at the same time in Mussolini’s Italy is not.

Click the image above to read the blog post.

Big Picture: At work, part II

Although the global economic downturn no longer appears to be heading off a cliff, signs of stability or recovery are still sporadic and tenuous. As news stories look for signs of of the direction of economic indicators, photographs fill the wires of people working from all over. Once more, I've collected some of these disparate photos over the past couple of months, composing another global portrait we humans at work around the world. (45 photos total)

Click the image to see the full collection.

40 Gut-Busting Restaurant Challenges for Free Food

In the ancient battle of Man vs. Food, e-sportbooks and restaurants are betting on the man. For example, BetED.com recently posted odds for the epic "Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest," held every 4th of July.

Of course, Nathan's isn't the only place to find gourmands gorging themselves for fame, glory and free food. Amateur gluttons and the restaurants that serve them are found across the country. We researched 40 gut-busting restaurant challenges for those seeking free food and entertainment. A couple words of advice: Don't fill up on bread and remember foods dunked in liquids slide down easier.

And if you scope out any ringers, let us know so we can call our bookie

Thanks To FrugalInFortWorth

Time Lapse Video: Salvaging US Airways Flight 1549

A little more than a year after one of the most impressive landings in the history of aviation, N106US, formerly known as Flight 1549, will be on the auction block. Word on the street is that there are some very interested buyers out there with some very creative plans for this Airbus A320. David Martin, who lives just above the site of the water landing, spent 72 hours filming time lapse video of the recovery effort to remove the submerged aircraft from the Hudson River. The result is more than a little bit impressive. Also, word to the wise, check the carfax history on this plane before making any bids, I hear that it might have some water damage.

Posted on Kontain.com - [Flight 1549] from David Martin on Vimeo.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Big Picture: At Work

When the economy makes big news, many photographs of people at work come across the wires, usually to help illustrate a particular story or event. By collecting these disparate photos over the past few months, I found that a global portrait emerged of we humans producing things. People assembling, generating, and building items small and large, mundane and expensive, trivial and important. I hope you enjoy this look into some people's work lives around the world. (45 photos total)

Click the image to see the full collection.