Sweet Reunion Between a Man and the Gorilla He Raised as a Baby

Sweet Reunion Between a Man and the Gorilla He Raised as a Baby

                              Classic Tofu Quiche (ACD-friendly)


Here is another blog that I discovered that has a lot of wonderful healthy recipe's, especially for those watching their diets, and avoiding candida-contributing foods.

Good, healthy food!


Enjoy!

These muffins are a great way to start the day with both some fruit and some vegetables.  They’re sweet, but not overly so; and you won’t taste the spinach at all.  (Promise).

2 small apples, about 6-6 1/2 ounces (170-185 g) each, washed and cored (I used Granny Smith)

3  ounces (85 g) fresh or frozen spinach (include the stems)

1/4 cup (60 ml) natural smooth almond butter

2 Tbsp (30 ml) sunflower or other light tasting oil, preferably organic

2 tsp (10 ml) chia seeds, finely ground after measuring

2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract

1 tsp (5 ml) pure almond extract

1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) apple cider vinegar

1-1/3 cups (320 ml) unsweetened soy or almond milk, plus up to 2 Tbsp (30 ml) more, if necessary

1/2 cup (60 g) carob powder*

1/2 cup (75 g) brown rice flour

1/2 cup (60 g) millet flour

1/4 cup (30 g) arrowroot powder

2 tsp (10 ml) cinnamon

1 Tbsp (15 ml) baking powder

1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) baking soda

1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) xanthan gum, optional (muffins will be slightly crumbly without it)

1/4 tsp (1 ml) fine sea salt

Preheat oven to 350F (180C).  Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners, or spray with nonstick spray.

Coarsely chop one of the apples and place it in the bowl of a food processor.  Dice the other apple into very small pieces (about the size of blueberries) and place in a small bowl; set the second apple aside until later.

Add the spinach to the food processor, and process the mixture until almost smooth. Add the almond butter, oil, chia, vanilla, almond extract, vinegar and milk and process again until well blended.  Add the reserved diced apple to the processor and mix it in by hand until all the pieces are coated, but don’t process again. Set aside while you measure the dry ingredients, or at least 3 minutes.

In a large bowl, sift together the carob powder, brown rice flour, millet flour, arrowroot powder, cinnamon, baking powder, soda, xanthan gum and salt.  Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir until just blended.

Using a large ice cream scoop or 1/3 cup (80 ml) measuring cup, scoop the batter into the muffin cups and bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, rotating the pan about halfway through, until a tester inserted into a center muffin comes out clean.  Cool five minutes in the pan before removing to a cooling rack.  Cool completely before sampling; the spinach will be discernible in the warm muffins, but the taste disappears once they’re cool.  Store, wrapped in plastic, in the refrigerator up to 4 days.  May be frozen.

* you may use cocoa instead of carob, but cut back the quantity a bit (perhaps 2 Tbsp/30 ml) and add a bit more sweetener.

Last Year at this Time: Old Habits Die Hard: Mocha Cereal Cinnamon Muffins (non-ACD recipe)

Two Years Ago: Dolmades, Deconstructed (Mediterranean Rice Casserole)

© 2010 Diet, Dessert and Dogs

The Garden of Eatin’ Tostada

(Vegetarian)

Ingredients:
(Use only organic ingredients if possible)

1 white onion (thinly sliced)
1 orange bell pepper (thinly sliced)
1 red bell pepper (thinly sliced)
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 large sprig fresh cilantro (stemmed and chopped)
Homemade salsa (recipe below)
1 avocado, sliced avocado (sliced)
1 large ripe tomato (diced)
1 large yellow tomato (diced)
1 bunch chard (sliced)
½ cup red or green cabbage (finely shredded)
1 teff and millet tortilla shell
Celtic sea salt and pepper to taste
Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
(Pre-cut all veggies, and prepare salmon in advance)

In a wok, blanch onion, bell pepper in a small amount of extra virgin olive oil. Add garlic and chard, and turn off the heat, but keep on the burner, mixing thoroughly. Add salt and pepper and the cilantro. Leave this in the pan so it stays warm and set aside.

(Optional: If vegan, black beans work great instead)
1 med size piece of fresh salmon (wild caught preferred, and NOT farm raised)
2-3 tablespoons grape seed oil
½ cup low-fat coconut milk
½ cup spelt flour (for dusting)
1 lime (juice only)
Celtic sea salt and pepper to taste
Chili & Lime Spice blend (The Gourmet Collection)

Rinse the salmon, and cut it into 4 semi-narrow pieces, dusting them in a bowl with spelt flour. Take the grape seed oil and brown the salmon quickly, adding limejuice and coconut milk. Sprinkle fish with chili and lime spice blend, sea salt and pepper. When coconut has evaporated, remove from stove.

Heat up the teff and millet tortilla, and place on a dinner size plate. Heap the chard mixture, place the salmon, tomatoes and avocado’s on top. Put the homemade salsa all over the top and serve.

Homeade Salsa:
(Put in a blender)
2 tomatoes
1 Serrano pepper
1/2 Habanaro pepper (this is very hot)
1 lime (juice only)
Dash of Sea salt
Sprig of fresh cilantro
Blend and eat!

Bon Appetite!
(Serves 4)

Additional Information:

Teff is an intriguing grain, ancient, minute in size, and packed with nutrition, and can serve as a wheat alternative. Teff is believed to have originated in Ethiopia between 4000 and 1000 BC. Teff seeds were discovered in a pyramid thought to date back to 3359 BC.

Copyright2010©Iacovetti-Gleason

It's foggy, and a bit chilly here on the coast in California, so I thought I would make a wonderful veggie soup!  
 

Scrap Soup

(If possible, use all organic ingredients)
3 large carrots
1/2 large fennel bulb chopped
4 stalks of asparagus
1 large yellow onion
1 large ripe tomato
6 cups of distilled water
2 tblsp organic extra virgin olive oil
4 tsps. of instant vegetable broth (yeast free)
Dash of cayenne pepper
Celtic Sea salt to taste
2 tsp. Herbs de Provence

Directions: Shred or dice carrots, dice fennel, asparagus, tomato and the onion. Bring water to boil, adding vegetable broth & onion. Once boiling turn off and leave set in pot. Add your shredded carrots, fennel, tomato, and asparagus and leave set in pot until vegetables are tender.

(The idea is to NOT cook this very long so you get the full nutritional value from the vegetables.)

Once the soup mix has cooled put in blender and mix all ingredients.
Serve warm.  IT'S DELICIOUS!!!

P.S.  Dice up some ripe avocado and put it on the top!!!  Magnifique!

Bon Appetite!

How To Avoid Writer's Bulge

One of the down-sides of writing is the fact that you are sitting at your desk for hours on end, and often times, the only exercise you get is leaning over to grab something you’ve printed out, or tapping your right and/or left hand while waiting for inspiration to come.  Of course there are the usual potty breaks, tea or coffee time moments, and meal times, but apart from that–you are tied down like a pilot in a cockpit for hours on end.

Everyone who is in this profession, or at least ruled by the passion to write knows precisely what I am talking about.  It’s that sedentary lifestyle that is unavoidable.  Sitting at your desk all day can make your ass as wide as Texas, so the trick is to get out of the saddle as frequently as possible.

It’s not surprising that the medical community is becoming increasingly concerned about what sitting for extended periods of time does to the body.  Prolonged sitting promotes a lack of whole-body muscle movement, which the researchers claim is the true definition of sedentary behavior. Research indicates that the body starts to slow down in as little as 30 minutes and that sitting for long periods, decreases our metabolism, shuts off our fat burning enzymes (OH NO), and can even lead to clogged arteries and heart disease.  In fact, some researches say that sitting on your butt all day can be as bad for your health as smoking!

So, if you didn’t have motivation to get your butt moving, now you do! There of course is light at the end of this tunnel.  Just getting up every hour and stretching, or moving across the floor will take you out of the danger zone.  That doesn’t mean you have to pirouette across the floor like Mikhail Baryshnikov!  Au contrair…

Here are three sure-fire moves to keep your blood flowing and your butt cheeks from bulging. You can do them anytime, anywhere including right near your desk or while you’re on the phone. Okay, let’s go!

Good Mornings
Even though you are still dragging from a night of creative insomnia, you need to start upright, feet shoulder-width distance apart, hands behind your head. Keeping your core engaged, hinge at the waist keeping your back flat. 15-20 reps (no, you cannot sit down yet!)

BREATHE!

Hip Extensions
That's right, we're still standing.  Perhaps you should turn away from your desk, and avoid looking at the hours upon hours of work you still have to accomplish, knowing time is of the essence. Stand, with both hips facing forward. Resist the urge to turn. Put one hand on a wall or chair for balance. Put your brain in your butt cheek as you lift right leg back – heel first. Extend as far as you can without turning your hips. Repeat with left leg. 15-20 reps (no, it's not time for a coffee break yet).


COMMON BREATHE!

Plie Squats
This is where it would be helpful to have Baryshnikov's flexibility... you shouldn't have quit ballet classes, back in the day.  So, start with your feet wider than shoulder-width distance apart and turn your toes out (oops!  Try not to topple over).  Keeping your weight in your heels and your knees turned out, squat down and then up. That's right, down and up. Repeat, and turn it up a notch by lifting your butt cheeks us as you squat. 15-20 reps (are you sweating yet?).

YOU REALLY HAVE TO BREATHE, OR YOU'LL TURN BLUE!

While sitting in your saddle, try to take exercise breaks every hour. I realize this can be a real challenge for your creative flow, but unless you want to risk having an ass the size of Texas, and/or slowing down your metabolism to a glacier pace, these suggestions are a helpful way to avoid writer’s bulge!

( I used to fit at my desk, but not any longer.  Thank God I have a laptop!)

PLEASE STOP KILLING US!  

I have wondered about the American diet for many years now, even though I have not always adhered to what I believed in my heart was the best way to eat for optimum health.  The consequences of choice are often times "AWAKENING!"  So, how is it that America, which has some of the so-called finest medical technology in the world is one of the top-ranked countries for obesity (children and adult), diabetes, cancer, and heart disease; to name a few?  Worse still, why aren't our medical professionals addressing not just the symptoms but taking radical stands to not only treat but cure and prevent this unhealthy continuum?  I don't even want to get into the consumer-driven corporations who continue to feed this country addictive chemicals, which are nothing short of slow killing poison!  Then there is there are the federal agencies that work together to maintain a "standard" for so-called optimum health (NOT).  It's a vicious circle, and instead of this nation becoming healthier, we are being lulled into a delusion of well-being.  That's right, we are over-fed and under-nourished!  If films like, "Super-Size Me," and "Fast Food Nation" didn't shine the light on some of the wide-spread deception in America, then perhaps Dr. Robert Young's interview on CNN will shed some light:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z24Jy7YnzA4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn-oobKdTE4&feature=related

Bottom line, the American diet is a guarantee for sickness, and since traditional medicine is not properly addressing things like acid/alkaline and the importance of pH balance in the body, and basically treating symptoms, it might be time to revamp our thinking. 

Read More:

Symptoms & Diseases Confused

In this very revealing and thought-provoking presentation, Dr. Young helps us to to take a clear-eyed look at how illogical current medical thinking is about diagnosis of symptoms, naming diseases, and then prescribing drug treatments. If you want to know the real CAUSE of some common dis-ease conditions, read on!

"Disease or should we say Dis-ease names like cancer,
diabetes and osteoporosis are misleading and misinform
patients about dis-ease prevention.

There is a curious tendency in conventional medicine
to name a set of symptoms a disease. I was recently
at a compounding pharmacy having my bone mineral
density measured to update my health stats. I
spotted a poster touting a new drug for osteoporosis.
It was written by a drug company and it said
exactly this: 'Osteoporosis is a disease that causes
weak and fragile bones.' Then, the poster went on to
say that you need a particular drug to counteract this 'disease.'

Yet the language is all backwards. Osteoporosis isn't
a disease that causes weak bones, osteoporosis is
the name given to a diagnosis of weak bones. In other
words, the weak bones are the result of excess acidity,
and then the diagnosis of osteoporosis followed.

The drug poster makes it sound like osteoporosis
strikes first, and then you get weak bones. The
cause and effect is all backwards. And that's
how drug companies want people to think about
diseases and symptoms: first you 'get' the dis-ease,
and then you are 'diagnosed' just in time to take
a new drug for the rest of your life.

But it's all an illuision. There is no such
disease as osteoporosis. It's just a made-up name
given to a pattern of symptoms that indicates
you are over-acid which causes your bones to
become fragile.

As another example, when a person follows an
unhealthy lifestyle that results in a symptom
such as high blood pressure, that symptom is
actually being assumed to be a disease all by
itself and it will be given a disease name.
What disease? The dis-ease is, of course,
'hypertension' or 'high blood pressure.'
Doctors throw this phrase around as if it
were an actual dis-ease and not merely
descriptive of patient physiology.

This may all seem silly, right? But there's
actually a very important point to all this.

When we look at symptoms and give them disease
names, we automatically distort the selection
of available treatments for such a dis-ease.
If the dis-ease is, by itself, hypercholesterolemia
or high cholesterol, then the cure for the dis-ease
must be nothing other than lowering the high
cholesterol. And that's how we end up with all
these pharmaceuticals treating high cholesterol
in order to 'prevent' this dis-ease and lower
the levels of LDL cholesterol in the human patient.

By lowering only the cholesterol, the doctor can
rest assured that he is, in fact, treating this
'disease,' since the definition of this 'disease'
is hypercholesterolemia or high cholesterol and
nothing else.

But there is a fatal flaw in this approach to
disease treatment: the symptom is not the cause
of the dis-ease. There is another cause, and
this deeper cause is routinely ignored by
conventional medicine, doctors, drug companies,
and even patients.

Let's take a closer look at hypertension or
high blood pressure. What actually causes high
blood pressure? Many doctors would say high
blood pressure is caused by a specific, measurable
interaction between circulating chemicals in the
human body. Thus, the ill-behaved chemical
compounds are the cause of the high blood pressure,
and therefore the solution is to regulate these
chemicals. That's exactly what pharmaceuticals
do -- they attempt to manipulate the chemicals
in the body to adjust the symptoms of high blood
pressure. Thus, they only treat the symptoms,
not the root cause.

Or take a look at high cholesterol. The conventional
medicine approach says that high cholesterol is
caused by a chemical imbalance in the liver, which
is the organ that produces cholesterol. Thus the
treatment for high cholesterol is a prescription
drug that inhibits the liver's production of
cholesterol (statin drugs). Upon taking these
drugs, the high cholesterol (the 'disease')
is regulated, but what was causing the liver to
overproduce cholesterol in the first place?
That causative factor remains ignored.

The root cause of high cholesterol, as it turns
out, is primarily an over acidic lifestyle and
diet. A person lives an acidic life or who eats
foods that are acidic will inevitably cause the
body to go into preservation mode and produce more
cholesterol to neutralize the excess acid thus
showing the symptoms of this so-called dis-ease
of high cholesterol. Its simple cause and effect.
Eat the wrong foods and don't exercise, and you'll
produce too much acid which will cause the body to
release cholesterol from the liver to bind up
that acid which can be detected and diagnosed by
conventional medical procedures. You see it is
not the cholesterol that is bad it is the acid
producing food we eat and the lack of exercise
that is bad. Reduce the acid producing foods
like beef, chicken, pork, dairy, coffee, tea,
soda pops, etc., and start exercising every day
and you will reduce the protective cholesterol
that is saving your life from acids that are
not being elimnated from an acidic lifestyle
and diet.

Yet the root cause of all this is actually poor
lifestyle and food choice, not some bizarre
behavior by the liver. If the disease were to
be accurately named, then, it would be called
Acidic Lifestyle and Food Choice Dis-Ease, or
simply ALFCD.

ALFCD would be a far more accurate name that
would make sense to people. If it's an acidic
lifestyle and foods choice dis-ease, then it
seems that the obvious solution to the dis-ease
would be to choose a lifestyle and foods that
aren't so acidic. Of course that may be a bit
of simplification since you have to distinguish
between healthy alkaline lifestyles and foods
and unhealthy acidic lifestyle and foods. But
at least the name ALFCD gives clients or patients
a better idea of what's actually going on rather
than naming the dis-ease after a symptom, such
as high cholesterol. You see, the symptom is not
the dis-ease, but conventional medicine insists
on calling the symptom the dis-ease because that
way it can treat the symptom and claim success
without actually addressing the underlying cause,
which remains a mystery to modern medicine.

But let's move on to some other dis-eases so you
get a clearer picture of how this actually works.
Another dis-ease that's caused by poor lifestyle
and acidic food choice is diabetes. Type 2
diabetes is the natural physiological and metabolic
result of a person consuming refined carbohydrates
and added sugars in large quantities, undigested
proteins from beef, chicken, and pork without
engaging in regular physical exercise that would
compensate for such dietary practices.

The name 'diabetes' is meaningless to the average
person. The disease should be called Excessive Acid
Dis-Ease, or EAD. If it were called Excessive Acid
Dis-ease, the solution to it would be rather apparent;
simply eat less sugar, eliminate all animal proteins,
eggs, dairy, drink fewer soft drinks, exercise and so
on. But of course that would be far too simple for
the medical community, so the dis-ease must be given
a complex name such as diabetes that puts its
solution out of reach of the average patient.

Another dis-ease that is named after its symptom
is cancer. In fact, to this day, most doctors and
many patients still believe that cancer is a physical
thing: a tumor. In reality, a tumor is the solution
of cancer, not its cause. A tumor is simply a
physical manifestation of bound up acidic cells
so they do not spoil other healthy cells. The
tumor is the solution to cells damaged by acids
not the problem. The truth is cancer is not a
cell but an acidic liquid. When a person 'has
cancer,' what they really have is cancerous tissues
or latent tissue acidosis. They are absorbing
their own acidic urine. It would be a far better
named for the dis-ease: Cancerous Tisssue Dis-Ease(CTD)
or Latent Tissue Acidosis or LTA.

If cancer were actually called Latent Tissue Acidosis,
it would seem ridiculous to try to cure cancer by
cutting out tumors through surgery and by destroying
the immune system with chemotherapy. And yet these
are precisely the most popular treatments for cancer
offered by conventional medicine. These treatments
do absolutely nothing to support the patient's
immune system and prevent the build up of acids
in the tissues. That's exactly why most people who
undergo chemotherapy or the removal of tumors through
surgical procedures end up with yet more cancer a few
months or a few years later. It's also another reason
why survival rates of cancer have barely budged over
the last twenty years. (In other words, conventional
medicine's treatments for cancer simply don't work.)
The main reason is current medical science wrongly
perceives cancer as a cell when in reality cancer
is an acidic liquid, like lactic acid.

This whole situation stems from the fact that the
dis-ease is misnamed. It isn't cancer, it isn't a
tumor and it certainly isn't a dis-ease caused by
having too strong of an immune system that needs
to be destroyed through chemotherapy. It is simply
latent tissue acidosis. And if it were called
latent tissue acidosis dis-ease or urine in the
tissues dis-ease, the effective treatment for
cancer would be apparent.

The kidneys are responsible for eliminating acids
out of the blood and recycling alkalinity back into
the blood. When we have an over-acidic lifestyle
and diet this puts stress on the kidneys which
can cause them to breakdown. The result is kidney
dis-ease caused by circulatory acids. If acids
are not eliminated out of the blood they will
then be thrown out into the tissues leading to
latent tissue acidosis and eventual cancerous
tissue. Medical science uses dialysis to purify
the blood from acidity and prevent latent tissue
acidosis. If one will stop their acidic lifestyle
and diet and begin to alkalize the blood and
tissues this will support the kidneys and
prevent kidney disease and the need for
dialysis.

There are many other dis-eases that are given
misleading names by western medicine. But if you
look around the world and take a look at how
dis-eases are named elsewhere, you will find
many countries have dis-ease names that actually
make sense.

For example, in Chinese medicine, Alzheimer's
dis-ease is given a name that means, when
translated, 'feeble mind disease.' In Chinese
medicine, the name of the dis-ease more accurately
describes the actual cause of the dis-ease which
is caused by acids or urine on the brain, whereas
in western medicine, the name of the dis-ease
seems to be intended to obscure the root cause
of the dis-ease, thereby making all dis-eases
sound far more complex and mysterious than they
really are.

This is one way in which doctors and practitioners
of western medicine keep medical treatments out
of the reach of the average citizen. Because,
by God, they sure don't want people thinking for
themselves about the causes of dis-ease!

By creating a whole new vocabulary for medical
conditions, they can speak their own secret
language and make sure that people who aren't
schooled in medicine don't understand what
they're saying. That's a shame, because the
treatments and cures for virtually all chronic
dis-eases are actually quite simple and can be
described in plain language, such as making
different alkaline food choices, getting more
natural sunlight, drinking more alkaline water,
engaging in regular physical exercise, avoiding
specific acidic foods, supplementing our diet
with green foods and green drinks and alkalizing
nutritional supplements and so on.

See, western medicine prefers to describe
dis-eases in terms of chemistry. When you're
depressed, you aren't suffering from a lack of
natural sunlight; you are suffering from a 'brain
chemistry imbalance' that can only be regulated,
they claim, by ingesting toxic chemicals to alter
your brain chemistry. When your bones are brittle,
it's not acidic brittle bones dis-ease; it's
called osteoporosis, something that sounds very
technical and complicated. And to treat it, western
doctors and physicians will give you prescriptions
for expensive drugs that somehow claim to make
your bones less brittle. But in fact, the real
treatment for this can be described in plain
language once again: regular physical exercise,
vitamin D supplementation, mineral supplements
that include calcium and strontium, natural sunlight,
and avoidance of acidic foods such as soft drinks,
white flour and added sugars.

In fact, virtually every dis-ease that's prominent
in modern society -- diabetes, cancer, heart
disease, osteoporosis, clinical depression,
irritable bowel syndrome and so on -- can be
easily described in plain language without
using complex terms at all. These dis-eases
are simply misnamed. And I believe that they
are intentionally misnamed to put the jargon
out of reach of everyday citizens. As a result,
there's a great deal of arrogance in the language
of western medicine, and this arrogance furthers
the language of separation. Separation never
results in healing. In order to effect healing,
we must bring together the language of healers
and patients using plain language that real people
understand and that real people can act upon.

We need to start describing dis-eases in terms
of their root causes, not in terms of their arcane,
biochemical actions. When someone suffers from
seasonal affective disorder or clinical depression,
for example, let's call it what it is: Sunlight
Deficiency Disorder. To treat it, the person simply
needs to get more sunlight. This isn't rocket science,
it's not complex, and it doesn't require a
prescription.

If someone is suffering from osteoporosis, let's
get realistic about the words we use to describe
the condition: it's really Acidic Bones Dis-ease.
And it should be treated with things that will
enhance bone density, such as nutrition, physical
exercise and avoidance of acidic foods and drinks
that strip away bone mass from the human body to
neutralize the excess acids in the blood and
tissues.

All of this information, of course, is rather
shocking to old-school doctors and practitioners
of western medicine, and the bigger their egos
are, the more they hate the idea of naming dis-eases
in plain language that patients can actually
comprehend. That's because if the simple truths
about dis-eases and their causes were known,
health would be more readily available to everyday
people, and that would lessen the importance of
physicians and medical researchers.

There's a great deal of ego invested in the medical
community, and they sure don't want to make sound
health attainable to the average person without
their expert advice. Many Doctors want to serve
as the translators of 'truth' and will balk at
any attempts to educate the public to either practice
medicine on their own.

But in reality, health (and a connection with
spirit) is attainable by every single person.
Health is easy, it is straightforward, it is direct
and, for the most part, it is available free of
charge. A personal connection with our Creator is
the same if we ask humbly in prayer for a
relationship with Him, and guidance.

Don't believe the names of dis-eases given to you
by your doctor. Those names are designed to obscure,
not to inform. They are designed to separate you
from self-healing, not to put you in touch with your
own inner healer. And thus, they are nothing more
than bad medicine masquerading as modern medical
practice."

by Robert O. Young D.Sc., Ph.D., NMD
http://articlesofhealth.blogspot.com/
http://www.phmiracleliving.com/t-about.aspx
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1PlgKZOohw&feature=related

 COME AND GET IT!


http://www.avclub.com/articles/kfcs-double-down-sandwich,32804/

Well, it seems the Colonel has done it again!  Oh yeah, Kentucky's singin' a new kind of bluegrass tune!  The "Double-Down-Sandwich, which is in the "trial" stage, is a guaranteed cholesterol joy ride, with clogged arteries on the side. Might need an artery roto rooter after this unhealthy calorie blast, and yeah, it will probably JUST TAKE ONE!

"Taste: Like grief, the Double Down is experienced in stages. First comes the deceptive sense of relief that the Double Down isn’t as terrible as it initially appears. As I devoured my first bite, I embarked on a Proustian reverie that ushered me back to all the happy moments I’ve shared at various KFCs. Have I mentioned that I f#$*#@(%&# love KFC’s white-meat chicken?"

Perhaps this gentleman should learn the meaning of, "Love it and leave it."  While this might appeal to "some" taste buds the reality of what this sandwich will do to a body is staggering!  What's even more staggering is that these kinds of foods continue to be passed as "food" by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  While they seem to be concerned about Salmonella and Campylobacter contamination, it is befuddling to realize that they are not overly concerned about healthy foods. 

MUSIC: A DEEP-SEATED PART OF MY EXISTENCE Monday, May 10, 2010

Okay, I admit it... Music has always been a deep-seated part of my existence. I suppose being raised by an opera conductor father, and a mother who was a violinist/music professor, etc. played a part in my relationship to melody. In truth, I cannot understand anyone who doesn't love music at some level. I have known a few who were not overly impressed. In fact, my ex mother-in-law did not like any music of any kind. She said it made her nervous. Odd.

Shakespeare said:

The man that hath no music within himself
nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,
is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils;
the notions of his spirit are as dull as night
and his affections dark as Erebus:
let no such man be trusted.

...and Saint-Saëns said:

There is nothing more difficult than talking about music.

...and finally, Hunter S. Thompson said:

The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side.

Well, thankfully, I am not in the music business, although my son is, and he can testify to the above Thompson quote.

At any rate, I am having a moment, somewhere between Mozart and Diana Krall...I am lost in the rapture of melody!

GUCAMOLE MOMENTS Sunday, April 11, 2010

My daughter and I have been having guacamole moments lately, and today we decided to make a dip of sorts. Here was the outcome:

2 ripe avocado's
2 large, ripe tomato's
1/2 red onion
1 Serrano pepper
1 Habanero pepper (BE CAREFUL WITH THIS, IT'S HOT)
1 sprig of fresh cilantro
3-4 cloves of fresh garlic
1 lime squeezed
Salt to taste

Throw all of the above into a bullet blender and in seconds, voila!

We had a cup of black beans, fresh cut-up veggies (radishes, carrots, broccoli) and some organic blue corn tortilla chips.

Indeed, the response was perfect... Our tongues curled, eyes watered, and our faces got hot!

TRY IT, YOU'LL LIKE IT, AND IT'S SO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD FOR YOU!

ENJOY!

Check out these wonderful link I found about PEPPERS!!!

http://www.sheknows.com/articles/805359/types-of-hot-peppers
http://www.backyardgardener.com/veg/greenpeppers.html

My relationship with cheesecake goes a long way back.  I can’t put my finger on the exact moment I fell madly in love with cheesecake, but I was probably about knee-high to a grasshopper.  The interesting thing about cheesecake is most people either love it or hate it, but admittedly, cheesecake has always had a rather polarizing affect on me.

Few desserts are more indulgent than a deliciously rich cheesecake. It’s the last thing you’d expect to find in a cookbook committed to healthy eating.  It isn’t everyday that you can bite into a mouth-watering piece of cheesecake and walk away feeling nourished and not guilty for eating something so unhealthy.  Generally, the aftermath is not so pleasant.  You know the deal… You can feel the beginning of a sugar headache erupting, followed by unbelievable sluggishness demanding the sudden need for a nap no matter what the hour. 

Today I had the privilege of experiencing a “Rockin’ Raspberry Cheesecake from Earth Café—the place where “food lives.”  Privilege is probably an understatement, and not just because this cheesecake made my salivary glands burst with savor, but because Earth Café’s cheesecakes are not just “any” cheesecake.  They are an invitation for indulgence, but have no side affects!  These cheesecakes are 100% healthy, gluten-free, and made from the finest ingredients!  It is so refreshing to enjoy a delectable dainty while nourishing your body! 

Try them, you’re body will say, “Thank you!”

https://earthcafetogo.com/

Central California Coast Travel Clubs: Planning A Trip Wisely

Central California Coast Travel Clubs: Planning A Trip Wisely

Cheesecake: A love affair

My relationship with cheesecake goes a long way back. I can’t put my finger on the exact moment I fell madly in love with cheesecake, but I was probably about knee-high to a grasshopper. The interesting thing about cheesecake is most people either love it or hate it, but admittedly, cheesecake has always had a rather polarizing affect on me.

Few desserts are more indulgent than a deliciously rich cheesecake. It’s the last thing you’d expect to find in a cookbook committed to healthy eating. It isn’t everyday that you can bite into a mouth-watering piece of cheesecake and walk away feeling nourished and not guilty for eating something so unhealthy. Generally, the aftermath is not so pleasant. You know the deal… You can feel the beginning of a sugar headache erupting, followed by unbelievable sluggishness demanding the sudden need for a nap no matter what the hour.

Recently, I had the privilege of experiencing a “Rockin’ Raspberry Cheesecake” from Orange County's Earth Café—the place where “food lives.” Privilege is probably an understatement, and not just because this cheesecake made my salivary glands burst with savor, but because Earth Café’s cheesecakes are not just “any” cheesecake. They are an invitation for indulgence, but without the side affects! These cheesecakes are 100% healthy, vegan, gluten-free, and made from the finest ingredients! It is so refreshing to enjoy a delectable dainty while nourishing your body!

Try them, you’re body will say, “Thank you!”

https://earthcafetogo.com/

If you have nothing to hide, this seems safe enough, but perhaps if you have any hidden agenda’s or secrets that you “only” share with your Facebook friends, you might want to re-think your buddy list.

This new quest that the FEDS are on to fight for justice and the American way, to expose the snake in the grass, or stop criminals from gathering personal information from the “good guys” who have been enjoying social networking as we tweet from face to face, and stay linked-in with one another has been discovered as a result of a document that surfaced in a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit. The document revealed that federal agents are utilizing social network sites in order to keep tabs on suspects activities as they, “exchange messages with suspects, identify a target’s friends or relatives and browse private information such as postings, personal photographs and video clips.”

While this is excellent for keeping track of those using social networking for devious purposes, is it somewhat invading our privacy?

A former U.S. cybersecurity prosecutor, Marc Zwillinger, said investigators should be able to go undercover in the online world the same way they do in the real world, even if such conduct is barred by a company’s rules. But there have to be limits, he said.  In the face-to-face world, agents can’t impersonate a suspect’s spouse, child, parent or best friend. But online, behind the guise of a social-networking account, they can.

Zwillinger added, “Investigators should be able to go undercover in the online world the same way they do in the real world, even if such conduct is barred by a company’s rules. But there have to be limits. This new situation presents a need for careful oversight so that law enforcement does not use social networking to intrude on some of our most personal relationships,” said Zwillinger, whose firm does legal work for Yahoo and MySpace.”

Read More:

When Tweets Can Make You a Jailbird

The new Alice in Wonderland... a feast for the eyes?

The truth is... It's all about ENTERTAINMENT!!! It's certainly not a particularly strong script, but having the acting genius of Johnny Depp helps to make up what is lacking in the writing. Viewing Alice (now 13 years older), I kept having to remind myself that the film is just an EXTENSION of Lewis Carroll's novel. Tim Burton turned Carroll's wonderful Alice into a fantasy epic, using amazing special effects. Certainly an entertainment for the senses, and an appeal to those who delight in the far out. What an adventure! Alice in a new kind of la-la land wonderment! It is certain that Disney Studio's are pleased with the $116.3 million dollar opening weekend. I guess it could be worse!

Writing for friends: A recipe for disaster

It always seems safe enough…You know, when a friend or family member approaches you to do them a favor? How hard can it be to write for someone you know and love? It’s not like you are going in business together.

However…

It is a recipe for a dilemma that might be hazardous to your health. It’s not so much the doing a favor for a friend or family member, it is actually accepting a business proposition from them.

Here is a hypothetical situation: Joe is a great writer, and even though his area of expertise is primarily in journalism, his buddy Frank has a start-up marketing company, and he needs help with ads, press releases, and various advertorial-driven copy. As you probably know, it is hard for any of us freelance writers to turn down a paying writing gig, so Joe tentatively accepts the offer. I mean–how hard can this be, right? As a news journalist, Joe is used to doing a good amount of research, so what he doesn’t know, he will research and find out.

For the first couple of times things work out okay, until suddenly the wind shifts. Keep in mind, Frank and Joe are still good friends, so naturally the normal business boundaries set between a freelance writer and an employer do not exist. The territory is simply too familiar. Just when things seem to be working out well, Frank frantically emails Joe with a rush job. Normally Joe would charge extra for anything rushed, but Frank is his buddy and there are no established rules of business etiquette between them. Joe feels obligated and pressured, yet he willingly agrees.

As with any rush job, the pressure is on. Regardless of who you are writing for when there is pressure to get something done, it changes things a bit. It is during this time that those feelings hidden underneath the surface, begin to rise to the top. It is never a good idea to work when you are frustrated, especially because writing requires so much concentration. At any rate–you are under the gun, wishing you had never said yes, but this is for Frank, so you suck it up and do your best to accommodate him.

Somewhere between the rush and completion is another problem lurking in the corner. While Frank promised to pay you for this rush job, he neglected to mention to you that he cannot pay you until he gets paid. In fact, weeks go by and you hear nothing back from Frank. Even though you have seen your copy in the next issue of “whatever,” you have not in-so-much as seen a dime!

You politely shoot an email to Frank, just to make certain that the check went out, but instead of getting an immediate response (something you are normally used to because you are close friends), you never hear back at all. Once you are over the shock of being treated so disrespectfully, you put in a call to Frank’s mobile phone. After-all, it is the fastest way to access him, and because he’s your buddy, he “always” answers the phone. Not this time. Frank does not take your call. You write it off, saying to yourself: ”Oh, he’s probably in a business meeting and will get back to me shortly.” After waiting 3 or 4 days for Frank to respond, you decide to call again. When the call immediately goes to his voicemail, this time you feel a tinge of bubbling irritation rise up in your insides.

Four weeks later, you send him a rather stern email reiterating your commitment to friendship, but stating your astonishment for his lack of professionalism, while reminding him that you rushed to do this for him because he is a friend. Finally, you get an email back. ”Hey buddy, sorry about the lag. I’m waiting on the company who hired me to send me a check. We’re all hurtin’ here, and I will let you know as soon as it comes in.”

Now that bubbly sensation moves to a potential gasket being blown, as you rant about Frank and his clueless lack of professionalism. No amount of Alka-Seltzer Plus is going to make this go away. In fact, you are so irritated that you begin to discuss this with a stranger at your niece’s wedding when this person flippantly refers to your freelance writing career as an easy way to make money from home. You have had one too many cocktails, and that bubbling irritation begins to erupt!

Six weeks later, you get your insignificantly small check, with a little note of thanks stroking you with a dozen accolades, and the promise that you will be mentioned on his new-to-be-developed business website. ”It’s all about you buddy! You’re the shinning star, cause don’t you know I couldn’t have done it without you?”

Now, your friendship is in serious turmoil because you’ve lost total respect for Frank. In addition, you most assuredly will never do anything else for him again—or at least that is your profession. Hopefully you have learned your lesson and come to the realization, that friendship and business should not ever be mixed.

So, here are some suggestions when you are tempted to work for a family member or friend:

Resist every impulse.
Working for a family member or friend will not guarantee career satisfaction or advancement.
This is not just a dilemma, but it is a recipe for disaster.
Ask yourself, “How much do I value this relationship,?” Because it might be compromised.
Remember Joe and Frank? They don’t even get together for Monday night football anymore.

Travel writing: making money while on vacation?

It is certain that writing is not an easy field, and with the current economic slump, challenges in this field are being emphasized even more. However, I don’t want to discuss the economy. There is enough chatter about that already.

It’s 1:25 a.m., and I feel like discussing magazine writing. Now there’s a broad topic! The possibilities are endless, right?

Sitting on your perch (favorite office-type chair), you ponder the possibilities. Perhaps you are a travel enthusiast, and you cannot imagine doing anything finer. This might really work well, especially with all the frequent flyer mile incentives that many of the airlines offer.

When researching your options, Hawaii is always a good idea. You log onto cheaptickets.com, find a great rate, locate a package deal… three nights, four days, and you are as good as gone! Think of it… a vacation while earning (potential) money! This is going to be golden!

The flight over is fantastic. There is very little turbulence and you are eager introduce yourself as a “travel writer” to anyone who asks. Admittedly, it does sound grand, and every time you utter the words, “travel writer,” the oo’s and ahh’s are hard to contain. You will get comments like, “Oh, that sounds fabulous! A vacation while you work,” or, “I wish I could write. I am so bad with words,” or, “I am so envious…I always wanted to be a writer.” You feel a deep sense of pride well up as you grin and happily agree.

After the airport madness, you finally make your way to the hotel with the taxi cab driver from hell, and just when you are ready to scream, you pull up to this amazing seaside resort. Oh yeah, this resort far surpasses your wildest fantasies, and the view balcony is nothing short of stunning. What a career! Most people only dream about having a job like this.

Of course, before you left you did your homework, and researched the places you would go, and the things you would cover on this trip. I mean–it is so important to know your market, and to have a solid story that you can pitch to an editor. Equally important, you must know your magazines voice. For example, it’s doubtful that Sports Fishing Magazine is going to be interested in the history of poi, nor is Good Housekeeping going to get excited about an article written about the rain forests in Kauai.

None of those topics appeal to you anyway, so you have decided to try your luck with restaurant reviews. Given the fact you are a food enthusiast, and truly enjoy gourmet cooking, this might prove to be quite rewarding!

There is a world famous chef who runs the restaurant in the resort you are staying at, so you have scored! Your article will be just what this guy needs to promote his newest creations. Of course, your disappointment runs deep when you get to this tropical resort only to discover that the National Association of Restaurants is having a week-long convention, and interviewing the head chef or even a bus boy during this busy week will not even be remotely possible.

Game play #2 has to kick in…

You probably want to stay clear of a obscure topics or a story that is simply not relative. For example, it’s doubtful that you are going to find a magazine back in the mainland that will print a story on Hawaiian antiques at the Waioli Mission House of Kauai. Remember too that while you are doing a story on Hawaii, Hidden Europe, a magazine exploring the cultures and customs of Europe is not going to find your local island discoveries remotely interesting. In short, don’t waste your time.

Now, given the fact you are giddily exuberant about your travel discoveries, keep in mind that a magazine that usually publishes articles between 1,500 and 2,000 words is not going to share your thrill as you submit a 4,000-word manuscript!

The reality is that if you are going to pursue travel writing, you need to do a lot of research, do all of your homework before embarking on this potentially exciting career, and find your niche. After all, if you have never held a fishing rod in your life, writing a story like, “North Shores Best-kept Secret: Ahi, the Yellowfin Jackpot,” will not be very convincing. Even if you are traveling, it is always the best idea to write about something you are familiar with. If you were a floral designer in a former career life, you might want to consider doing an article on Hawaiian wedding spots. When you write about something you have expertise in, then it becomes easy to look for new angles for your story.

When researching, you may want to utilize these resources: Travel Industry Association of America (www.tia.org), Travelwriters.com, or the World Chamber of Commerce Directory (www.chamberofcommerce.ccom).

… and look at it this way, if all else fails, you have at least enjoyed reveling in paradise while sipping coconut juice on a white sandy beach, listening to palm trees sway and ocean waves break against coral reefs, while racking up your credit card.

Pet Friendly Carmel-by-the-Sea: Why Vacationing in Carmel-by-the-Sea is a Good Idea

Pet Friendly Carmel-by-the-Sea: Why Vacationing in Carmel-by-the-Sea is a Good Idea

Central California Coast Travel Clubs: Planning Your Trip Wisely

Central California Coast Travel Clubs: Planning Your Trip Wisely

Portsmouth New Hampshire: Simply a Good Idea: Enjoy New England's Historical Sites In Portsmouth

Portsmouth New Hampshire: Simply a Good Idea: Enjoy New England's Historical Sites In Portsmouth

Do you believe it is right for an employer/company to run a credit check on a potential employee? Interestingly, I just finished writing an article for a newspaper, and address this issue in the article. Some companies are actually insisting that prospective employees fill out a credit check form, so the company can run a credit check on them. If their score comes back bad, then these people will not even make it to the interview process, and they will not be considered for the job.

Part of the really unfair thing about this, is that most people who have gotten their credit messed up, have not deliberately done this. Usually there are a myriad of factors that create this kind of mess. It is NOT ALWAYS about a person being financially irresponsible, and for a person to have to disclose personal information like this seems very discriminatory.

I have a friend who's credit and life got completely ruined because his wife suffered with a 4 year cancer battle that eventually took her life. The medical bills alone were off the charts. He lost everything; to include his business. My is an engineer, who once had a wonderful career. If a company runs a credit check on him, he will never be hired. I don't believe a company should be empowered to that degree.

http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=2&aid=178700

States Consider Ban on Pre-Employment Credit Checks

Posted by Al Tompkins at 12:01 AM on Mar. 2, 2010

There is a national movement underway that would stop potential employers from prying into your financial past. Currently, 16 states are considering a ban on pre-employment credit checks.

Many states are questioning whether it's reasonable for a potential employer to run a credit check before hiring someone. Should an employer, for instance, trust someone who is chronically short on money to handle a cash drawer? Or should the employer disregard the person's credit score altogether?

The Associated Press reported on the difficulties that people with bad credit scores face when applying for jobs. The story explained why employers want this information:

"Sixty percent of employers recently surveyed by the Society for Human Resources Management said they run credit checks on at least some job applicants, compared with 42 percent in a somewhat similar survey in 2006.

"Employers say such checks give them valuable information about an applicant's honesty and sense of responsibility. But lawmakers in at least 16 states from South Carolina to Oregon have proposed outlawing most checks, saying the practice traps people in debt because their past financial problems prevent them from finding work."

MSN Money reported on the issue last year, saying that "applicants for Transportation Security Administration airport screener jobs are rejected if they have more than $5,000 in overdue debt."

It is not just past-due or bad debt that could cost searchers an opportunity. High credit card balances could sink their chances too. MSN Money said employers may actually have a duty to investigate an applicant's credit background:

" 'There's a perceived correlation between a high debt load and the possibility of embezzlement, theft or malfeasance,' said employment attorney Manesh K. Rath, a partner at Keller and Heckman in Washington, D.C., who advises companies about their hiring practices. 'This is a widely held belief in the employer community.'

"But what's also driving the push to check credit is fear of lawsuits, Rath said, especially in businesses where employees have access to customers' money or possessions, including the banking, property management, hotel and home health care industries.

"If a visiting health care worker steals something from a client's home, for example, that client isn't likely to sue the offender in civil court. The client might instead sue the employer, which is perceived as having deeper pockets and responsibility for hiring the thief."

Msnbc.com reported that critics say there's not much research correlating good job performance with bad credit:

" 'There is no science, there is no evidence that supports the idea that an applicant's credit history is reflective of a person's propensity to steal or their suitability for employment generally,' said Adam Klein, an employment lawyer at Outten & Golden in New York.'These are basically unrelated concepts. ... It would be like asking for hat size or if you can sing on pitch.'

"In some cases, a job candidate with bad credit could even turn out to be a better worker, critics like Leonard argue.

" 'The simple case is somebody who has lost a job and suffered damage to their credit score,' he said. 'They're going to be a more motivated and inspired employee than somebody who hasn't because they need the income more.'

"Under current law, employers can access any job applicant's credit history, with some restrictions. The reports made available to employers don't include the applicant's age or credit score, for example. Job candidates have to be notified of the credit check and give their permission to access their credit data. And if you're turned down for a job explicitly because of bad credit, the employer has to give you a copy of the report."