I agree that school funding should not be on the backs of homeowners, through real estate taxes...and it is not fair to take the meager incomes of seniors to pay for school funding. My father will be 90 in May and is living on Social Security. Because his income is small, his real estate taxes are reduced dramatically. I think that's a wonderful program, and if it isn't nationwide, it should be. Education costs have skyrocketed and are spiraling out of control. The union is a major part of the problem, but that's an issue for the "Hot Topics" forum. I think it would be wise to abolish the Department of Education, and send its funding to the states. Education should be a state issue, IMO. In the olden days, education was a part of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. That department was replaced by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education. Whenever the government creates a new bureaucracy, it incurs tremendous new administrative costs. If necessary, oversight at the national level could be absorbed within the Department of Health and Human Services. A major source of funding for education should be lotteries. I remember when the Maryland Lottery started, they said proceeds would go to fund education. The lotteries are a huge source of revenue. Unfortunately, the politicians play games with the lottery money (if a state has revenue from lotteries, they reduce the funding for education so they can divert the funds to other projects). Just like the politicians took the Social Security and Civil Service retirement fund monies out of the "lockbox" and put them into the general treasury for their own spending spree. [The subliminal message here is to get rid of all 536 spendthrifts in Washington, D.C.] There is a push in Washington to raise the mandatory education age to 18. That's a wonderful thing in theory, but I can't imagine that it will work. It's hard enough for parents to keep their kids in school until age 16! I heard that only 43% of Washington, D.C. students graduate from high school. If members of congress can't keep their own kids (and those of their neighbors) in school, how are they going to enforce that in the rest of the country? Sorry, nanny, I didn't mean to hijack your post. I'll get off my soapbox now....

This is a recipe I found and MUST try, I love this type of bean but I am sure you could use another type of dry beans if you can not find these (but if you can find them they are wonderfully good beans). It just sounds like our kind of soup. The website is listed at the bottom if you care to go there. I always have chunks of ham in the freezer just for soup! Anasazi Bean and Cabbage Soup (Makes about 8 servings; recipe created by Kalyn.) 1 pound dried Anasazi Beans, soaked overnight in crockpot 1 cup diced celery 1 cup diced carrots 1 cup diced onion 2 cups very finely chopped cabbage 2 cups ham, cut into small dice ham rind if available (remove for the last few hours of cooking time) 8 cups water (you can also use partly ham stock if you have it) 2 T dried parsley 1-2 T garlic powder 2-3 tsp. onion powder 2-3 bay leaves fresh ground black pepper to taste ham flavored concentrate or ham bouillon (optional but good) balsamic vinegar for serving, optional I used a 4.5 quart crock pot to make the soup in these photos, and it was filled to the brim (including the ham rinds) so if you have a smaller size you will need to reduce the recipe. Soak beans overnight in cold water in the crockpot. The next morning, drain beans, discard soaking water, and put beans back in the crockpot with 8 cups water (or a combination of water and ham stock if you have it.) Cut up celery, carrots, onions, cabbage, and ham. Put all ingredients in crock pot (including ham rind if you're lucky enough to have some) with dried parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and bay leaves, and start to cook on high. (It may look like there isn't enough liquid, but in the crock pot foods give up liquid and you end up with more than you started with.) (I cook this soup on high for 10 hours or longer, until about half of the beans have disintegrated into the soup and the cabbage is mostly dissolved. My large crock pot is the original "slow-cooker" type, which may cook a bit less hot than some. If you have a newer model, you might want to cook on high 4-5 hours, then reduce to low.) After about 8 hours, remove ham rind if using, then taste for seasoning and ham bouillon or ham flavor concentrate if needed. (I like Goya Ham Flavor Concentrate or ham buillon from Penzeys. Use of this is optional, and will depend on how much flavor is in your ham. If you have really good ham you might not need it.) I often add more garlic powder and onion powder at this time too. Cook until beans are starting to break apart and the cabbage has mostly dissolved into the soup. Serve hot, with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar if desired. This soup freezes well. Stovetop Instructions: You could cook this on the stove if you don't have a crock pot or want it done sooner. For stovetop cooking, add all ingredients to heavy soup pot and simmer about 3 hours, or until beans are very well done and cabbage has disintegrated into the soup. I would increase the amount of water I started out with by several cups if I cooked it on the stove, since some of the liquid will evaporate. Check for seasoning after a few hours, and add more ham buillon, garlic powder, and onion powder as desired. This recipe from KalynsKitchen.com.

Fran, please don't be impressed with me . . . it was my late husband who went to Yale (undergraduate and graduate). I'm much less impressive! LOL His class generously pays the reunion fees, including accommodations, for the widows. The classmates feel that having the widows attend completes the class. It's a very nice gesture. I took advantage of it five years ago and had a wonderful time. Dartmouth is another excellent (and beautiful) school. I'm impressed with your DD!

China, I respect your instructions because of your background and I am a person who follows the rules. My instructions from the hospital Tuesday night where they washed the wound thoroughly with a saline solution twice. This was also done at Urgent care earlier. Report said.."It was very clean and dry. You may reinforce the steri strips as needed. This will take several weeks to heal completely. You may resume hiking and walking as long as the area is protected and dry. Tetanus was given. Begin Keflex for prevention of infection. ( so far I have taken 7. ) Motrin Tylenol for pain as needed." ( I have taken none) I have kept the wound completely dry and have not touched it. I take a bath backward in the tub with my leg encased in a plastic bag hanging over the side of the tub. My arm finally doesn't hurt and the leg aches. I can't tell if it's swollen because it's tightly wrapped by the nurse practitioner. I see my regular doc on Tuesday. There is no sign of any more oozing. Thanks so much for your input. I appreciate it.