Spectrum

Rape or Not Rape?: You Decide

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Tue, 1 Feb 2011 14:46:00 -0800

When is rape, not rape? I was completely appalled when I came across this story while reading today. Please read below...

Rape is Rape: Denounce Republicans' Extremist Anti-Choice Legislation

"House Republicans are proposing to drastically narrow the definition of rape that qualifies for health care coverage. H.R. 3 would redefine rape in these cases to only include "forcible rape," a definition that rules out a woman being drugged, children who are victims of statutory rape, and many date rape scenarios." Read more here from DCCC.

What's in YOUR Water?

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 14:25:00 -0800

Do you really know what's in that glass of water that you are drinking?
This informative article by Judy Sheldon gives us a look at just that:

We know water is essential to life, but do we truly know what we are drinking?

Water, while very similar, has important differences. It begins with the origin; be it lake, river, sea or subterranean, such as a well. Water can be considered hard or soft, depending on the minerals, calcium and magnesium salts found in it – Corrosion doctors.org

Dr. John R. Christopher in herballegacy.com defines water in ten categories:Hard water – This is water found in lakes, rivers, on the ground, from wells. This water contains high levels of calcium, iron, magnesium and inorganic minerals.Boiled water – Though boiling removes some germs from water...

[Read more from: What Kind of Water are We Drinking?]

Romania's Black Church in Brasov

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 10:42:00 -0800

by Lauren Axelrod

Around 1384, the German community of Brasov began construction on the Black Church, or Biserica Neagră , in Romania. Originally a Roman Catholic Cathedral, the church was converted to Lutheranism during the 16th century by Johannes Honter, a Transylvanian reformer during the Reformation.

Now the time has come in which the Lord will awaken a new people unto himself.
~Johannes Honter

The Black Church was devastated by a fire in 1689 when the Hapsburg Forces invaded during the Turkish War. The walls of the church became blackened by smoke damage, and thereafter the church was known as the Black Church of Romania.

The Origin of St. Valentine's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 06:35:00 -0800

The celebration of Valentine's Day owes its existence to an ancient pagan ritual. With the spread of Christianity, priests had numerous heathen practices to deal with among their constituents. One of these ancient rituals was the Feast of Lubercus which they changed to St. Valentine's Day changing the pagan practice of drawing girl's names with drawing Saints' names. Young people would draw the names from an urn or box and then were expected to emulate that Saint's life during the following year. Unfortunately, by the 14th century they had reverted back to drawing girl's names, in the 16th century they tried again to have saintly valentines but it failed.

Judgement Day, May 21st, 2011? Could it Be the Beginning of the End?

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Thu, 6 Jan 2011 00:13:00 -0800

The Mayan calendar "ends" in December of 2012. People all over the world are living in fear of the "End of Days". Could it be that the projected phenomenon is beginning earlier than expected?

Harold Camping, a retired civil engineer and now the independent Christian ministry leader of Family Radio Worldwide, has calculated May 21st as Judgement Day, based on his interpretation of the Bible.

It might be a good time to reaffirm your faith. A loosely connected Christian movement is spreading the word all over the world on bus stop benches, billboards, cars, etc.

Read more about it from Associated Press here:

End of Days in May? Christian group spreads word

10 Foods that are Perfect for the Brain!

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Tue, 4 Jan 2011 11:32:00 -0800

10 Foods that are Perfect for the Brain!
by papaleng

A compilation of 10 foods that maintain mental toughness and alertness and help improve your brain ability.

10 Foods that are Perfect for the Brain!
As the saying goes, “You are what you eat”, then read on to know what right foods to eat to attain a healthy brain. These 10 foods will help you maintain mental alertness and improve your brain capacity!

Save Money with These 5 Websites

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Mon, 3 Jan 2011 17:53:00 -0800

Five Websites That Help You Tighten Your Money
by BC Doan

Finding it hard to save money nowadays? Here are five websites to consider when you need to shop.

If you are tired of paying high prices for the things in life, these five websites below will provide a little relief to stretch your money further. They are similarly to secondhand shops, only you get to stay in the comfort of your home, and doing your shopping online with a click of your finger.

Beautiful Auckland, New Zealand: Travel on the Tide

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 13:28:00 -0800

SHOTOVER JET
best viewed in full screen mode

Auckland is one of the largest cities in New Zealand and a very prominent tourist hub, thanks to the number of things to see and do in and around the city. Whether you want an activity...

Read the full article here from Time Traveler's beautiful blog: Travel on the Tide ~

Copyright ©2010 Michele Cameron Drew. All rights reserved.

Blogging 101: Advertising Networks Driving Traffic To Your Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Thu, 2 Dec 2010 18:00:00 -0800

Blogging 101: Advertising Networks Driving Traffic To Your Blog
by Lauren Axelrod

I’m not speaking of ad networks like Chitika or Adsense, but sites providing a continuous stream of traffic based upon a widget you place throughout the network.

There are several options out there, but only a few requiring a bit of your time and sometimes a minimum investment. You have to pick advertising networks which never compromise the quality of your site and only allow higher quality sites to join. I’ve used just about every one out there and I have narrowed it down to the top three sites providing you with a steady stream of traffic.
Are you wondering what makes me an ex...

Pittock Mansion: Portrait of an American Castle

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 19:15:00 -0800

Pittock Mansion: Portrait of an American Castle
by Michele Cameron Drew

In 1914, Edward Foulkes designed an incredible castle on forty-six acres and nearly one thousand feet above the Portland, Oregon skyline. Henry and Georgiana Burton Pittock completed Pittock Mansion with an immense sweeping view of mountains, city, beautiful architecture, art and antiques which captured the eyes of tourists and Portland residents alike.

Tigers May Become Extinct in The Wild by 2022

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 03:59:00 -0800

Tigers May Become Extinct in The Wild by 2022
by Mark Gordon Brown

A warning has been issued to the world in regards to one of the most iconic animals on the earth, the Tiger.

Tigers are the largest of the big cats, however their population numbers are not so impressive. Only a century ago over 100,000 Tigers stalked the forests of Asia, today there are less than 3,200, and already three subspecies are extinct...

Johannes Brahms: The Classical Romantic

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:35:00 -0800

Johannes Brahms: The Classical Romantic
by eddiego65

German composer and pianist Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was one of the foremost figures in the Romantic music scene in 19th century Vienna, where he spent much of his professional life.

During his lifetime, Brahms’ fame and influence were so extensive that he is at times grouped with Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven as one of the Three Bs. Although Brahms was a rather conservative and academic composer, his music was of superb quality and intense emotional depth.

Joan of Arc's Homeland: Domremy and Vaucouleurs

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 21:59:00 -0800

Joan of Arc’s Homeland: Domremy and Vaucouleurs
by Francois Hagnere

Around Nancy in Lorraine, let us discover the homeland of Joan of Arc where her heroic epos began.

Domrémy was a border town in the Middle-Ages, surrounded by ramparts. As it became a “Royal Town” in 1365, it was governed in the name of the King of France by the Lord Robert de Baudricourt. This is when Joan of Arc, a young peasant aged 16, came and talked to this governor on May 13, 1428 and stated she was the only person capable of delivering France from the British. Baudricourt just laughed and ordered the young girl be taken back to her father “with a good slap in her face”. However, Joan of Arc proclaiming her mission, gained the people little by little, to...

Hammond Castle: One of America’s Great Haunted Mysteries

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 07:50:00 -0800

Hammond Castle: One of America’s Great Haunted Mysteries
by Michele Cameron Drew

Imagine being a ten-year old little girl and being surprised with an amazing visit to a "castle in the clouds". Hammond Castle was all that a medieval castle had to offer and far more. My sense of adventure was intrigued as I learned about the place…

Thirty-something years ago, my dear mother packed us all into the car for road trips and we would head off to these exotic never-never lands that she liked to escape to on occasion. Little did I know at about ten years old that this trip would change the face of life as I knew it. We headed up route 128 from Boston, seemingly for parts unknown and landed somewhere in the middle of the woods in Gloucester, MA.

I was bored out of my mind an hour into the trip and began my protest from the rear seat. I was abruptly told that no back-seat drivers were allowed, when suddenly we came over a hill and down into a wooded area and then I saw it. Looming high above the great Atlantic was a giant stone building. The entrance was formidable with two stone towers that seemed to end at the sky!

Top Three Heavy Metal Bands and Lyrics

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 11:49:00 -0800

Top Three Heavy Metal Bands and Lyrics
by Chris Stonecipher

Here are three of my favorite heavy metal rock bands and some killer tunes! You Tube music and lyrics for Metallica’s One, Kiss’ Lick It Up and Guns N’ Roses Paradise City are included in this article.

I love all types of music, but I am a heavy metal rock music lover by heart. I love late 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990s heavy metal rock and roll. Here are 3 of my favorite heavy metal...

Read more from: Top Three Heavy Metal Bands and Lyrics

Enlightenment: The Role of Women in Society

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Sun, 7 Nov 2010 19:48:00 -0800

Enlightenment: The Role of Women in Society
by Lauren Axelrod

As Humanism was evolving during the Middle Ages, so were the women of the elite. In the past, women were expected to assume their roles as mothers, daughters, and wives. During the 14th and 15th centuries, however, a secular movement was allowing some of the privileged women to learn reading and philosophy of the Christian texts. Women like Margaret Cavendish, Maria Merian, and Maria Winkelmann were over shadowed by their husbands, however this didn’t stop them from being noticed and even scorned for being independent thinkers.

Last Year's Writing Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Sun, 7 Nov 2010 19:16:00 -0800

I know that I owe you all an explanation in regard to last year's writing contest. To be honest I was going through some major issues in my home life and was not able to do a whole lot about getting online and getting things done, so I kind of put my writing life on the back burner.

Creative Writing 101: The Benefits of Developing Your Poetic Skills

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Sun, 7 Nov 2010 18:43:00 -0800

Creative Writing 101: The Benefit of Developing Your Poetic Skills
by Michele Cameron Drew

Poetry is an artform. It is designed to stretch the mind’s eye, touch the heart and entrench the senses… This article by Michele Cameron Drew was inspired by the recently published "Making Your Poetry Better" by Stephanie Moore and by lazy poets everywhere.

This desire to inspire
Haunts me everyday
Often as of late
To share a better way…

David Carradine: the Legend is Gone

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Fri, 5 Jun 2009 10:17:00 -0700

by the stickman

Actor David Carradine has been found dead in a hotel room in Bangkok, Thailand. Although at this writing it is unconfirmed, reports have stated that the actor committed suicide by hanging himself.

Eldest son of veteran actor John Carradine, David Carradine is probably best know for his role in the 1970s TV series “Kung Fu.” One of five sons, four of which including himself had became actors. The four sons that pursued acting were David, Robert, Keith and Bruce Carradine...

[Read more...]

Fear Of Dancing And The Dance Floor

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Sat, 30 May 2009 19:50:00 -0700

I have many a crazy friend. Some would say that I was the craziest of them all. It does not matter. Some of them I know through dancing, some of them I don't. You want to know something crazy? Whether they're my friends that dance for a living or my friends who can't dance at all, they both have a fear of dancing. It seems that this crazy fear is something a lot of people have in common.

Another Tie for Father's Day?: My Top 5 Favorite, Unusual Choices

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Wed, 27 May 2009 03:02:00 -0700

So, your dad says he's tired of ties. He doesn't even wear a tie, ever. I have been looking around on the net for some rather unique gifts today and I came across a few that I might even get for my dad. I decided to put a few of my favorites together tonight for you:

image source

Wacky Blogging Weekend - Page Rank and Authority

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Sun, 24 May 2009 12:49:00 -0700

Well, I am feeling a bit like the court jester today.

Yes! Spectrum has moved to its own domain(please update your links!). This weekend, the plan was work in the house: wash and patch walls in two rooms and get the materials to build a wall in another that we are converting into a bedroom. I was also going to begin packing my bedroom as I am moving into the master in a couple of weeks. Of course that isn't how it went...
I had planned to purchase the domains this weekend and sometime after the changes in the house, have the new blog finished and ready to move to its domain as well as Spectrum. Oops...

Writing Contest and Reorganization

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Fri, 22 May 2009 11:36:00 -0700

The Spectrum Writing Contest is now underway with entries beginning to trickle in here and there from all over the globe. This is Spectrum's first contest and I am hoping that it will go well, because if it does, I plan on continuing them, while gradually incorporating bigger and better prizes into the contest. I can't wait for the chance to start digging into some of these entries and see what you all have to offer.

source

Spectrum really is a blog for writers and my mission is and has been to bring some great writers and their work into the limelight. It has been a great run and I hope that it will continue to grow and be enjoyed by the masses.

I must apologize to all of my readers for my lack of attention lately. As some of you know, I have had my share(and then some) of housemate issues over the past few months and have been working very hard to overcome some incredible challenges.

You see, after three different changes in financial arrangements, my current housemate has not been able to carry his share of the financial burden and it has been getting passed on to me. I have also had to rearrange my entire house twice and am in the process again. Thinking "out of the box" has become an obsession for me in recent months(pun definitely intended).

My housemate has finally come to the realization that he cannot afford to remain and has given notice to quit at the end of June. I am relieved but also dread the interview process and learning to live with new people.

The past couple and next few weeks have/will be bringing on new challenges as once again we make some major shifts in our physical living situation and take on new housemates. Although I am excited, optimistic and looking forward to the changes, I am weary and overextended and fearing that it will be awhile before things calm down. With my disabilities and being in the state of perpetual moving for about nine months, all this reorganization has my body aching and tired and I will be looking forward to having a little time to relax and write.

Once I have completed this transformation over the next few months, I think that I will be making some changes here in the blogosphere, with the possibility of a new facelift for Spectrum and Digital Artisan and some new and interesting sponsors as well.

Thanks so much to those of you have stood by and kept this blog and my others afloat when I have been somewhat absent. I want you to know that I plan on continuing the Spectrum and have many more changes planned in the coming months.

I hope that you will continue to visit and enjoy reading the works of so many wonderful writers!

—M

PS... Spectrum has moved to its own domain and needs you to update your links so we can regain our page rank. Our new address is http://www.spectrumwriters.com!

Writing Contest Update

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:44:00 -0700

Due to my recent schedule changes I am moving the deadline for entries in our writing contest to May 31st 2009 and the winner announcement to June 30th.

If you haven't heard about the contest, please see the original post here. Hurry, the deadline is approaching!

-M

Mother's Day Traditions

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Cameron Drew) — Thu, 7 May 2009 15:49:00 -0700

As I'm sure most of you know, Sunday May 10th is Mother's Day this year. Although the group consists of mainly women much older than myself, my daughter and I go to a traditional ladies' luncheon at church every year where they also run several contests as part of the festivities.