Tag Archives: president

Schools Using Obama Inauguration as Teaching Tool

At noon tomorrow hundreds of thousands of children living on the East Coast will put down their books and lunch trays and gather in front of massive television screens to watch history unfold. Florida Governor Charlie Crist wrote a letter last week to state Education Commissioner Eric Smith asking him to encourage schools to take a break from studies on Tuesday, when Barack Obama takes the oath of office. The Republican governor’s letter read in part: “While the inauguration of any American President and the peaceful transition of our national leadership are admired around the globe, next week’s event symbolizes … Continue reading →

Thanksgiving Menu: Then and Now

Leave it to domestic diva Martha Stewart to school her own cooking guest about the dishes served up at the very first Thanksgiving dinner… on national TV. Did you see Stewart doling out her on-air corrections last week? Whereas I felt bad for the visiting chef, I did learn a lot about what was really on that first Thanksgiving menu. Did you know that the Thanksgiving holiday as we know it is only about 150 years old? Back in 1863, following a stalwart campaign by Sarah Josepha Hale (a writer best known for penning “Mary Had a Little Lamb”), then … Continue reading →

Obama Does a Number on Oprah’s Popularity

And not in a good way. At least according to political science researchers at Fordham University. Staffers at the college have spent months polling Americans in the wake of Oprah Winfrey’s unprecedented pledge to support presidential candidate Barack Obama in “every and all ways possible.” According to poll results, the talk show queen’s endorsement of Obama has damaged her popularity. Researches claim 65% of Americans looked upon Winfrey favorably three months after her announcement but that figure dropped to 51% four months later. The latest poll figures, compiled last month, revealed that Winfrey has lost her status as America’s favorite … Continue reading →

Relief Society Presidents: Mary Ellen Smoot

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Born on August 19, 1933 in Ogden, Utah, Mary Ellen Wood was the fifth of six daughters in her home. She was sealed to her husband, Stanley Smoot, in the Salt Lake Temple in 1952. Within the first eight years of their marriage, they had given birth to six of their seven children. Mary Ellen served as a ward Relief Society president, on the editorial board of The Friend magazine, and as a member of the Church Correlation Writing Committee. She also served in the Ohio Columbus and then the newly-created Ohio Akron missions with her husband while he was … Continue reading →

Relief Society Presidents: Emmeline Wells

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When she was called to serve as the fifth president for the Relief Society at the age of 82, she was the oldest woman to serve in that position. She had personally known all four of the previous Relief Society presidents, and was the last president with a personal knowledge of the Prophet Joseph Smith. From leading the women’s suffrage movement to editing the second women’s magazine in the nation, her life was devoted to women. Born in Massachusetts on leap year day – February 29, 1828 – Emmeline later attributed her vigor to the fact that she only aged … Continue reading →

Relief Society Presidents: Emma Hale Smith

The first and probably most well known of all of the Relief Society presidents was the wife of the Prophet, Emma Smith. Over the years, Emma has probably received more than her fair share of criticism for her decision not to journey west with the Saints following the martyrdom of her husband. However, I would speculate that few women have had to endure the trials that this “elect lady” bore in her lifetime, most of which began when she married her beloved Joseph. Born near Harmony, Pennsylvania on July 10, 1804, Emma Smith was the seventh of nine children. She … Continue reading →

In the News: Bush Tells Parents to Get Their Kids Outside

Last week, President Bush warned that childhood obesity is a problem for both American families and for the country as a whole. The President was meeting with a group of business leaders in order to encourage the idea of advertising that would promote and encourage healthy food and exercise. “One way for this nation to cope with the issue of obesity is to get people outside – whether it be through sports or hiking or conservation.” President G.W. Bush The President’s also signed a proclamation declaring February as the American Heart Month. The First Lady offered her own thoughts on … Continue reading →

Was Gerald Ford the Frugal President?

As the nation remembers past president Gerald Ford, we say goodbye and commemorate his life. Today is his funeral at the National Cathedral. Americans everywhere are watching this event and saying goodbye. Ford was the first president I could really recall from my childhood. Gerald Ford was the 38th president of our country and a republican. He is mostly known for some pretty important facts of the time. One, he was the only president in history who was not elected by ballot. Two, he assumed his presidency after the Watergate scandal, an event that could have threatened the very perception … Continue reading →

Oprah For President?

If you are a fan of Oprah Winfrey then you’ve likely heard the reoccurring rumors that the talk-show icon is considering making a run for the White House. These rumors surface every few months and are immediately shot down by Winfrey who maintains she is simply not interested in the job. But, now things have changed a bit. According to Winfrey’s lawyers a man named Patrick Crowe has taken the “Oprah for President” campaign too far. For those of you who may have only recently heard about the campaign, Crowe has been unofficially rallying for the first lady of daytime … Continue reading →

Are You Who You Want To Be?

Recently, as I was researching information for this Blog, I came upon a headline that caught my attention. It read: “Michelle Bachelet, President and Single Mom.” At first I thought, how interesting, she must have become the president of a company or a local social club or some other small type of organization. I decided to read the full article and was very pleasantly surprised when I found out that Michelle Bachelet, President and single mother is the recently elected President of Chile! According to Wikpedia.com, Dr. Bachelet is, “Her country’s first female elected president and the first woman who … Continue reading →