Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

We wish you a Merry Christmas!
We wish you a Merry Christmas!
We wish you a Merry Christmas!
And a Happy New Year!
:)))

Chocolate covered pineapple

Long time no blog :).   I have been sooooo.... very busy on the Vietnamese blogs that I almost forgot I still own this blog :).  Anyway, if you see anything you like on amthucchay.blogspot.com, please ask for the recipe, I will be very happy to do my best to translate for you. 

Chocolate covered pineapple is one of my favorites.  I finally learned how to make it looks smooth.  Here is the recipe, it is so easy.  I am sure you can do it without any problems. 

1/2 bag of Hershey chocolate chips

 

 

1 tablespoon vegetable shortening


1/4 pineapple, peepled, cored, sliced

1. Use a double boiler to melt the chocolate that has been mixed with shortening
2. Pat dry the pineapple slice with a paper towel
3. Dip the pineapple slice into the chocolate sauce
4. Use the toothpick to pick it up and lay it on the plate lined with plastic wrap
5. Repeat the dipping for all of the pineapple slices
6. If the sauce gets thicken because of the acid from the pineapple, it's time to chop up the pineapple and pour it in the chocolate sauce then pour the mixture into to a mold that has been lined with plastic wrap

 

 

Refigerate until the chocolate gets harden.
Then it's time to enjoy!

Have fun.

11 Table Manners That Still Matter

by Reader's Digest Magazine, on Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:36am PDT

If you think people don’t care about etiquette at the table as much as they used to, think again. One soup slurp or tooth pick is all it takes to turn some people off. So to stay on your toes, here is a quick—and necessary—table manners refresher course from Louise Fox of the Etiquette Ladies, Canada’s Etiquette Experts:

Watch: Top 10 Table Manners You Need to Know

If you are the recipient of a toast, keep your glass at arm’s length—never drink from it. Instead, simply nod your head and graciously say, “Thank you.”
Never take your cocktail to the dinner table.
Allow your food to cool on its own—never blow on anything.
If you wear lipstick, keep it off your plate and napkin by blotting it as soon as you apply it.
Your napkin is there for you to dab your mouth only. Do not use it to wipe off lipstick or (God forbid) blow your nose.
Keep your elbows off the table at all times.
Don’t put your purse, keys, sunglasses, or eyeglasses on the table.
Take food out of your mouth the way it went in. If a piece of steak fat went into your mouth with a fork, spit it out onto the fork.
Remove an olive pit with your thumb and index finger.
Taste everything on your plate before you add salt or pepper.
Leave your plate where it is when you are finished with your meal—don’t push it away from you.

You’ll find even more good-behavior tips at http://www.etiquetteladies.com/etiquette_ladies_home.php.

3 health reasons to cook with cast-iron

By Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D., Associate Nutrition Editor at EatingWell Magazine
 
Cast-iron skillets may seem like an old-fashioned choice in the kitchen. But this dependable cookware is a must in the modern kitchen. Cast-iron skillets conduct heat beautifully, go from stovetop to oven with no problem and last for decades. (In fact, my most highly prized piece of cookware is a canary-yellow, enamel-coated cast-iron paella pan from the 1960s that I scored at a stoop sale for $5.) As a registered dietitian and associate nutrition editor of EatingWell Magazine, I also know that there are some great health reasons to cook with cast iron.

1. You can cook with less oil when you use a cast-iron pan.
That lovely sheen on cast-iron cookware is the sign of a well-seasoned pan, which renders it virtually nonstick. The health bonus, of course, is that you won’t need to use gads of oil to brown crispy potatoes or sear chicken when cooking in cast-iron. To season your cast-iron skillet, cover the bottom of the pan with a thick layer of kosher salt and a half inch of cooking oil, then heat until the oil starts to smoke. Carefully pour the salt and oil into a bowl, then use a ball of paper towels to rub the inside of the pan until it is smooth. To clean cast iron, never use soap. Simply scrub your skillet with a stiff brush and hot water and dry it completely.

2. Cast iron is a chemical-free alternative to nonstick pans.
Another benefit to using cast-iron pans in place of nonstick pans is that you avoid the harmful chemicals that are found in nonstick pans. The repellent coating that keeps food from sticking to nonstick pots and pans contains PFCs (perfluorocarbons), a chemical that’s linked to liver damage, cancer, developmental problems and, according to one 2011 study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, early menopause. PFCs get released—and inhaled—from nonstick pans in the form of fumes when pans are heated on high heat. Likewise, we can ingest them when the surface of the pan gets scratched. Both regular and ceramic-coated cast-iron pans are great alternatives to nonstick pans for this reason.

3. Cooking with cast iron fortifies your food with iron.
While cast iron doesn’t leach chemicals, it can leach some iron into your food...and that’s a good thing. Iron deficiency is fairly common worldwide, especially among women. In fact, 10% of American women are iron-deficient. Cooking food, especially something acidic like tomato sauce in a cast-iron skillet can increase iron content, by as much as 20 times.

Yao Ming, Branson join to fight shark fin trade

Recently retired Chinese NBA star Yao Ming and British tycoon Richard Branson made an appeal in Shanghai against eating shark fins, which are a staple of high-class Chinese banquets. (AP)

Virgin Group head Richard Branson (L) and former NBA player Yao Ming attend a news conference organised by Wildaid, a wildlife conservation group, to promote shark conservation in Shanghai September 21, 2011.

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/yao-ming-branson-join-to-fight-shark-fin-trade-1316678581-slideshow/#crsl=%252Fphotos%252Fyao-ming-branson-join-to-fight-shark-fin-trade-1316678581-slideshow%252Fvirgin-group-head-branson-former-nba-player-yao-photo-041232578.html

5 Foods That Can Trigger a Stroke

By Melanie Haiken, Caring.com
Tue, Sep 06, 2011

Few things feel more terrifying and random than a stroke, which can strike without warning. And fear of stroke -- when a blood vessel in or leading to the brain bursts or is blocked by a blood clot, starving brain cells of oxygen and nutrients -- is well founded. After all, stroke is the number-three killer in the U.S., affecting more than 700,000 people each year. Here are five foods that cause the damage that leads to stroke.

1. Crackers, chips, and store-bought pastries and baked goods
Muffins, doughnuts, chips, crackers, and many other baked goods are high in trans fats, which are hydrogenated oils popular with commercial bakeries because they stay solid at room temperature, so the products don't require refrigeration. Also listed on labels as "partially hydrogenated" or hydrogenated oils, trans fats are found in all kinds of snack foods, frozen foods, and baked goods, including salad dressings, microwave popcorn, stuffing mixes, frozen tater tots and French fries, cake mixes, and whipped toppings. They're also what makes margarine stay in a solid cube. The worst offenders are fried fast foods such as onion rings, French fries, and fried chicken.

Why it's bad

For years scientists have known trans fats are dangerous artery-blockers, upping the concentrations of lipids and bad cholesterol in the blood and lowering good cholesterol. Now we can add stroke to the list of dangers. This year researchers at the University of North Carolina found that women who ate 7 grams of trans fat each day -- about the amount in two doughnuts or half a serving of French fries -- had 30 percent more strokes (the ischemic type, caused by blocked blood flow to the brain) than women who ate just 1 gram a day. Another recent study, also in women, found that trans fats promoted inflammation and higher levels of C-reactive protein, which have been linked to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

What to do

Aim to limit trans fats to no more than 1 or 2 grams a day -- and preferably none. Avoid fast-food French fries and other fried menu items and study packaged food labels closely. Even better, bake your own cookies, cakes, and other snacks. When you can't, search out "health-food" alternative snacks, such as Terra brand potato chips and traditional whole grain crackers such as those made by Finn, Wasa, AkMak, Ryvita, and Lavasch.
2. Smoked and processed meats
Whether your weakness is pastrami, sausage, hot dogs, bacon, or a smoked turkey sandwich, the word from the experts is: Watch out.

Why it's bad

Smoked and processed meats are nasty contributors to stroke risk in two ways: The preserving processes leave them packed with sodium, but even worse are the preservatives used to keep processed meats from going bad. Sodium nitrate and nitrite have been shown by researchers to directly damage blood vessels, causing arteries to harden and narrow. And of course damaged, overly narrow blood vessels are exactly what you don't want if you fear stroke.
Many studies have linked processed meats to coronary artery disease (CAD); one meta-analysis in the journal Circulation calculated a 42-percent increase in coronary heart disease for those who eat one serving of processed meat a day. Stroke is not the only concern for salami fans; cancer journals have reported numerous studies in the past few years showing that consumption of cured and smoked meats is linked with increased risk of diabetes and higher incidences of numerous types of cancer, including leukemia.

What to do

If a smoked turkey or ham sandwich is your lunch of choice, try to vary your diet, switching to tuna, peanut butter, or other choices several days a week. Or cook turkey and chicken yourself and slice it thin for sandwiches.
How to Tell if Someone Is Having a Stroke
3. Diet soda
Although replacing sugary drinks with diet soda seems like a smart solution for keeping weight down -- a heart-healthy goal -- it turns out diet soda is likely a major bad guy when it comes to stroke.

Why it's bad

People who drink a diet soda a day may up their stroke risk by 48 percent. A Columbia University study presented at the American Stroke Association's 2011 International Stroke Conference followed 2,500 people ages 40 and older and found that daily diet soda drinkers had 60 percent more strokes, heart attacks, and coronary artery disease than those who didn't drink diet soda. Researchers don't know exactly how diet soda ups stroke risk -- and are following up with further studies -- but nutritionists are cautioning anyone concerned about stroke to cut out diet soda pop.

What to do

Substitute more water for soda in your daily diet. It's the healthiest thirst-quencher by far, researchers say. If you don't like water, try lemonade, iced tea, or juice.
4. Red meat
This winter, when the respected journal Stroke published a study showing that women who consumed a large portion of red meat each day had a 42-percent higher incidence of stroke, it got nutrition experts talking. The information that red meat, with its high saturated fat content, isn't healthy for those looking to prevent heart disease and stroke wasn't exactly news. But the percentage increase (almost 50 percent!) was both startling and solid; the researchers arrived at their finding after following 35,000 Swedish women for ten years.

Why it's bad

Researchers have long known that the saturated fat in red meat raises the risk of stroke and heart disease by gradually clogging arteries with a buildup of protein plaques. Now it turns out that hemoglobin, the ingredient that gives red meat its high iron content, may pose a specific danger when it comes to stroke. Researchers are investigating whether blood becomes thicker and more viscous as a result of the consumption of so-called heme iron, specifically upping the chance of strokes.

What to do

Aim to substitute more poultry -- particularly white meat -- and fish, which are low in heme iron, for red meat. Also, choose the heart-healthiest sources of protein whenever you can, especially beans, legumes, nuts, tofu, and nonfat dairy.

5. Canned soup and prepared foods
Whether it's canned soup, canned spaghetti, or healthy-sounding frozen dinners, prepared foods and mixes rely on sodium to increase flavor and make processed foods taste fresher. Canned soup is cited by nutritionists as the worst offender; one can of canned chicken noodle soup contains more than 1,100 mg of sodium, while many other varieties, from clam chowder to simple tomato, have between 450 and 800 mg per serving. Compare that to the American Heart and Stroke Association's recommendation of less than1,500 mg of sodium daily and you'll see the problem. In fact, a nutritionist-led campaign, the National Salt Reduction Initiative, calls on food companies to reduce the salt content in canned soup and other products by 20 percent in the next two years.

Why it's bad

Salt, or sodium as it's called on food labels, directly affects stroke risk. In one recent study, people who consumed more than 4,000 mg of sodium daily had more than double the risk of stroke compared to those who ate 2,000 mg or less. Yet the Centers for Disease Control estimate that most Americans eat close to 3,500 mg of sodium per day. Studies show that sodium raises blood pressure, the primary causative factor for stroke. And be warned: Sodium wears many tricky disguises, which allow it to hide in all sorts of foods that we don't necessarily think of as salty. Some common, safe-sounding ingredients that really mean salt:

• Baking soda
  
• Baking powder
  
• MSG (monosodium glutamate)
  
• Disodium phosphate
  
• Sodium alginate
  

What to do

Make your own homemade soups and entrees, then freeze individual serving-sized portions. Buy low-sodium varieties, but read labels carefully, since not all products marked "low sodium" live up to that promise.

How much protein do you really need?

By Sarah B. Weir and Lori Bongiorno
Posted Mon Aug 8, 2011 2:04pm PDT More from Green Picks blog

Guess how much protein is in a juicy, 8-ounce cheeseburger washed down with a milkshake? This single meal contains two to three times as much as most people need per day.

It’s no great surprise that Americans chow down on a lot of protein. We love beef and consume about 67 pounds per capita annually (that’s four times the international average). The popularity of low-carb regimes such as Atkins has also made meat the go-to food for dieters.

In fact, the average person eats about double the amount of protein that their body requires, according to the results of 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

How to fulfill your daily protein requirement
The human body uses protein to repair damaged cells and to build new ones. Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition at NYU and author of What to Eat, estimates that the average adult man needs about 65 grams of protein a day and the average adult female needs about 55 grams. Some sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization say you can maintain a healthy diet with even less.

What does this actually mean in terms of food choices? The National Institutes of Health explains that most people can meet their daily protein requirement by eating two to three small servings of a protein-rich food a day.

Examples of a single serving of protein include:

1 egg
2 tablespoons of peanut butter
2-3 ounces of red meat, poultry, or fish (about the size of a deck of cards)
½ cup of cooked dried beans such as black beans or chickpeas
Whole grains, seeds, and some vegetables also contain protein, so consuming enough is not difficult even if you don’t eat meat. Vegetarians and vegans can easily get what they need by balancing complimentary proteins such as corn and beans or rice and tofu. Nutritionists used to recommend combining foods at the same meal, but research now shows that is unnecessary.

Are there drawbacks to eating more protein?
Eating large amounts of red and processed meats is associated with higher rates of heart disease and cancer, and most nutritionists such as Marion Nestle recommend cutting back on meat, especially on fatty cuts.

However, it’s less well known that your protein choices can have a substantial impact on the environment. Meat and dairy production requires tremendous amounts of fuel, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers, and generates greenhouse gases. The Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) recently published Meat Eater’s Guide points out that if you ate once less burger a week it would be the environmentally-positive equivalent of taking your car off the road for 320 miles.

Meat is also expensive. Not all proteins are created equal -- neither at the doctor’s office, nor the cash register. Here’s a comparison of three typical proteins:

Porterhouse steak
Serving size: 4 ounces
Protein: 22 grams
EWG carbon footprint rating: 2 nd worst out of 20 analyzed
Cost: 4 dollars
Fat: 22 grams
Saturated fat: 9 grams

Farm-raised salmon
Serving size: 4 ounces
Protein: 22 grams
EWG carbon footprint rating: 5th worst
Cost: 3 dollars
Fat: 10 grams
Saturated fat: 2 grams

Lentils
Serving size: 1 cup
Protein: 17.9 grams
EWG carbon footprint rating: best
Cost: 20 cents
Fat: zero
Saturated fat: zero

Many people find meat to be a delicious and satisfying component of their diet that they don’t want to sacrifice. But if you want to save money, eat a nutritionally sound diet, and are concerned about the impact meat and dairy production has on the planet, consider reducing your consumption.

What is friendship?

I have searched for the meaning of friendship for a long time, today I happened to find one that I like.  Love to share it with you so we can remind each other to value one another.

Friendship is not how long we have been together.

Not how much you have given or received.

Not how many times we have helped each other.

It's only how we value one another!

http://bbinbean.blogspot.com

FW: Never leave your nuts alone :)

START YOUR DAY WITH A BIT OF HUMOR

A doctor at an insane asylum decided to take his patients to a baseball game.  For weeks in advance, he coached his patients to respond to his commands. When the day of the game arrived, everything went quite well.

As the National Anthem started, the doctor yelled, "Up Nuts", And the patients complied by standing up.

After the anthem,  He yelled, "Down Nuts",  And they all sat back down in their seats.

After a home run was hit,  the doctor yelled, "Cheer Nuts",  They all broke out into applause and cheered.

When the umpire made a particularly bad call against the star of the home team, The Doctor yelled, "Booooo Nuts" and they all started booing and cat calling.

Comfortable with their response,  the doctor decided to go get a beer and hot dog, leaving his assistant in charge. When he returned,  there was a riot in progress. Finding his tizzied assistant,  the doctor asked, "What in the world happened?"

The assistant replied,  "Well everything was going just fine  until this guy walked by and yelled, "PEANUTS" ! ! !

His Holiness Emphasizes Importance of Inner Peace at Public Talk Near US Capitol

 
http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/705-his-holiness-emphasizes-importance-of-inner-peace-at-public-talk-near-us-capitol

Washington DC, USA, 9 July 2011 - On July 9 His Holiness first went to the Kalachakra teaching venue to continue his preparation rituals.  Thereafter, he went to the West Lawn of the Capitol to give a public talk on peace.

Prior to His Holiness’ arrival, monks of Namgyal Monastery recited prayers of blessings. Thereafter, Bhuchung Tsering welcomed the people on behalf of the Capital Area Tibetan Association and also thanked the concerned offices of the United States Congress for enabling this event to take place. Artists of the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA), who had come from India, performed a special dance next.

Thereafter, actress and TV personality Whoopi Goldberg went on the stage to make introductory remarks. She exclaimed her happiness to be at a place that was celebratory, adding that it is nice to come out and celebrate the idea of peace.

Ms. Goldberg then introduced singer Skylar Grey who performed the solo version of her song, "Coming Home." Next the video message by Archbishop Desmond Tutu for His Holiness’ 76th birthday was played on the screen.

As Ms. Goldberg introduced His Holiness and he was received on the stage by The Gyalwa Karmapa, Mr. Penpa Tsering, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament, and Dr. Lobsang Sangay, the Kalon Tripa-elect of the Central Tibetan Administration.

In his talk His Holiness dwelt on the importance of creating inner peace saying he felt very happy to share these ideas with the public. He said that irrespective of whether one was a believer or nonbeliever, everybody wants a happy and a successful life. He added that these goals depend on inner peace.  His Holiness said that if there were too much suspicion, fear, distrust, anger, etc., at the mental level, life would not be a successful and a happy one. But he said there was the opportunity and ability to create inner peace, through secular way, not necessarily based on religious belief.

He talked about his two commitments of promotion of human values and the promotion of religious harmony.  He said at the level of a human being we were all the same, mentally, emotionally, and physically.  Everybody had a desire to have a happy life and a successful life, he said adding that from our birth everybody had the right to have a happy life, he said.

The problem is that we sometimes neglect our inner values, he said.

Talking about his commitment to promote religious harmony, His Holiness said that according to his “little experience” all religious traditions have the potential to bring about inner peace.  He added that close cooperation among religions is essential.


His Holiness said in life there would always be problems. He said problems were mainly of two kinds: at the sensorial or physical and at the mental level.  Despite difficulties we have the ability to create peace of mind, he said.  He referred to his own experience saying that at the age of 16 he had lost his individual freedom (a reference to his having to assume political responsibilities of Tibet at that young age) and at the age of 24 he had lost his country (after China’s takeover of Tibet in 1959). In all these times, His Holiness did not lose his inner mental calmness.  He talked about scientists who contend that too much anger; constant fear, etc. were eating the immune system.  He also referred to another scientist who told a conference in New York that those individuals who constantly think of “I’ or “we” had a greater risk of heart attack. He also said that scientists say that those individuals who have a compassionate mind and think of others enjoy better health.

His Holiness said that we had the ability to create peace of mind and to do that self-confidence and inner strength were needed. He said that people needs to realize that individual happiness was dependent on the happiness of others.

He said that thinking of compassion or forgiveness as being only for those who are religious was a mistake.  Saying that being religious was an individual choice he added that one could be happy without being religious.  He said that it was also a mistake to assume that being compassionate was only of benefit to others. He said the primary beneficiary of being compassionate is oneself.

Underscoring the importance of strong inner values, His Holiness drew attention to inner beauty being superior to external beauty.  Here he added that even marital relationship tend to be happier and lasting when they are based on appreciation of inner beauty than mere external beauty.

In the practice of compassion, it was important to think of reality and look at things objectively, His Holiness said. Referring to the eighth century Buddhist master Shantideva’s advice that if there is a solution to a problem, there is no need to worry, but if there is no solution then there is no use worrying, His Holiness said this is very realistic.

In the course of his talk, His Holiness pointed to the Capitol building in the front, and talked about the Tibetan people’s admiration of the United States since his childhood.  He pointed out the positive development of promotion of liberty, equality and rule of law as well as human values like democracy, liberty and freedom that exist in the United States.

Following his talk, Ms. Goldberg came back on the stage to moderate the question and answer session. She posed three questions selected from that submitted online. The first one dealt with a query by a 14 year old on how he should approach the issue of promoting peace.  His Holiness talked about the responsibility of the younger generation in bringing about a more peaceful world. He said his generation belonged to the 20th century while the younger generation, to which the 14 year old belongs, belongs to the 21st century. He said they should pay equal attention to their brain development as well as to developing warm heartedness.

Here His Holiness referred to the historical development in the United States.  He said Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery while Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. achieved civil rights. Today, His Holiness said, the United States had a black President. He said these are achievements.

The second question dealt with advice on the proper learning environment.  His Holiness said that it was important to promote secular ethics and nonviolence. He said that people need to realize that the power of truth and the power of compassion are much more effective than the power of gun.

The third question asked whether he hoped to return to Tibet after 52 years in exile.

His Holiness responded positively saying that China was changing. He said the voice of freedom, democracy, rule of law are increasing in China drawing attention to the fact that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao himself has called for political reforms.

"So things will certainly change," he added.

As Ms. Goldberg was ending the session, a person got up from among the audience wanting to ask a question, which His Holiness took. The individual wanted to know what should be done if those in authority were not paying heed.  His Holiness said that people could continue to use avenues available to them to voice their opinions.  He said in particular people should think more carefully in times of election.  He said despite drawbacks a democratic system was the best system and talked about his own relinquishing of authority “voluntarily and happily” in this regard.

Following his talk, cellist Michael Fitzpatrick played a number, “Invocation for World Peace.”

His Holiness then returned to the Verizon Center where he began preliminary teachings in the afternoon. After an extensive explanation of the foundation of Buddhism His Holiness started his commentary on the Stages of Meditation by Acharya Kamalashila.

On July 10, His Holiness will address a conference on Democratic China and the Future of Tibet and continue with his preliminary teachings thereafter.

Homegrown mangoes from Florida!

Mom and sisters send me mangoes every year.  This is a special kind of mangoes (can't be found in the store), sweet like sugar, wonderful aroma, flat seed... too good to be true!

Thank you Mom and sisters for thinking of me. 

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Mangoes are sweet :)
And so are you!

Homemade rice noodles - the quick way

I have been making my own rice noodles since it's fun, it's quick, and it's easy.  I hope you can do it too :)

• 1 cup tapioca flour
• 1 cup rice flour
• 2 cups water

1.  In a big bowl, mix flour with water.
2.  Add about 1 cup of water to a 9-inch frying pan, bring to a boil.
3.  Pour about 1 laddle full of flour mixture to an 8-inch baking pan
4.  Put the baking pan in the frying pan, cover with a lid, steam for about 2 minutes.

5. Remove the noodle sheet from the pan to a cutting board.

6. Cool the noodle sheet, brush with oil so it won't be sticky, cut with a knife or a pair of scissors.
7. Add noodles to your favorite broth.
8..Can be used for pan-fried noodles.

Enjoy!

“The Moment of Peace” is on Saturday, June 18th 2011 at 8:00pm (in your local time-zone)

by Dean ‘Jagaro’ Crabb, themomentofpeace.com / The Buddhist Channel, April

One hour, one million people, united in silence

Sydney, Australia — “The Moment of Peace” is based on a simple idea : That a single person being mindful and silent can create peace for all humanity. That single person is you!
Turn off the TV and radio, put down your arguments, differences and weapons and just sit and be mindfully silent and present with each other and life for just an hour. Through doing this, we begin a process of transformation and healing both internally, externally and with those around us.

How to Participate
Mindful Silence is a simple action that anyone and everyone can do. This world movement each year is a symbolic gesture to show as individuals we can make a difference to create a better world. It starts with your ability to just stop, be silent and mindful of life, as it is, for an hour. That is all!

Participating in the “The Moment of Peace” is completely free.
You can choose to meditate or pray during this time based on your own beliefs or religion, or you can just simply sit in silence and enjoy life.

Mindful Silence in Action
Through this act of Mindful Silence, we allow our struggles to gradually quieten down and we let go our differences. In time, our problems cease to exist in this silence – this is real peace.
Eventually we come to see that we are all united in this living experience and that we all have the same quest for peace and happiness. In the silence of being present with life, we gain a greater clarity about our meaning in life and what real peace is.
When done regularly, Mindful Silence has long-lasting benefits for yourself and those around you.

A Unified Message
Participating in the “The Moment of Peace” sends a unified, worldwide message, not only to our leaders, but also to the rest of humanity:
1. That change on a larger scale starts through change in ourselves.
2. There are more constructive and effective ways than war and violence to bring peace.
3. That people from all religious, spiritual, geographic and cultural backgrounds can actually unite harmoniously under a single, common embracing premise for the betterment of humanity.
4. It is necessary that we teach and experientially show our children how to better manage the human experience – emotions, thoughts and psyche – to live well, be happy and create peace.
5. That we can bring peace within ourselves and in our communities by taking time to be mindful and silent regularly.
6. That Mindful Silence is a necessary daily life skill for our happiness and peace.

Help Spread the Word!
The goal is to get 1 million people participating in the “The Moment of Peace” in 2011. Help spread the message about the simplicity of Mindful Silence as a necessary life skill and a means to achieving real peace. Share this with a friend and be a part of “The Moment of Peace” in 2011.

If you intend to participate, be sure to register your interest by voting above. Let’s get 1 million people!
Register for “The Moment of Peace”
http://www.themomentofpeace.com/2011/04/register.html

VEGETARIAN SUSHI!!!! :D

To make Vegetarian Sushi you need :
Seaweed
Rice
You could put any toppings you want, I put tofu, Vegetarian Ham and pickles.

First, lay your seaweed sheet on a flat surface. Take a scoop of rice on lay it on the seaweed. Press the rice with a rice spoon, or you can use a meat hammer. Next, after you press the rice down to a flat layer covering the whole sheet of seaweed, take your toppings and lay them at one end of the seaweed and take the other toppings and lay them in the same place as the first topping. When you are finished putting the toppings (remember not to put a lot), it's time to roll the sushi. Take the end where you put the toppings and roll it. Compress the roll making sure there isn't any space. Because if there is, then when you cut the roll, it's not pretty.... it's lopsided and ugly. When you're done rolling it, it's time to cut!!! >:)

Remember to cut it delicately, or it would break, and as I said it isn't pretty... After that, it's done!

Earth Day deals 2011

By Lori Bongiorno

Posted Tue Apr 19, 2011 9:49am PDT

To celebrate Earth Day, many businesses are offering consumers free stuff, good deals, and chances to win valuable prizes. Here is just a sampling of what's available. Check the websites and Facebook pages of your favorite companies to find additional promotions.

• At participating Starbucks, you can bring in a reusable mug on April 22 to get free brewed coffee or tea.
• Origins is offering a trade-in program on Earth Day. Receive a free full-size face cleanser when you bring one of your empty skin-care bottles (from any brand) to an Origins retail store or department-store counter for recycling. Choose from A Perfect World Antioxidant Cleanser With White Tea or Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash.
• Evos is giving away free organic milkshakes on Earth Day. The healthy fast-food chain has locations in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.
• At the Disney Store, you can trade in five disposable plastic bags for recycling and receive a free reusable shopping bag on April 22.
• Lowe's is giving away one million trees on April 23.
• Kmart is offering discounts on everything from air conditioners to TVs on April 22.
• Drugstore.com is giving up to 60% off on green and natural products through April 22.
• All 394 U.S. national parks have free admission now through Sunday, April 24.
• Travelocity has green hotels on sale for up to 40% off. You can also enter to win two round-trip Virgin America tickets and a couple of nights at an eco-friendly hotel.
• The Yoga Journal offers a free digital download of the May issue.
• The Sierra Club's Earth Day contest gives a chance to win a trip for two to Vieques Island in the Caribbean -- you just add a green pledge to the map.
• On Target's website, you can enter the Refresh Your Nest sweepstakes through the end of the month. The grand prize is a home makeover that's valued at up to $50,000. You can also win a trip to Napa Valley, a Nikon camera, products from Burt's Bees or Tom's of Maine, and more.
• Search for more Earth Day discounts, freebies, and deals. Have you heard of other great offers this week? If so, please share them in the comments below.
  Abby Speight also contribued to this article. 

Staph seen in nearly half of U.S. meat

CNN.com April 15th, 2011

10:00 AM ET

Staph seen in nearly half of U.S. meat

Almost half of the meat and poultry sold at U.S. supermarkets and grocery stores contains a type of bacteria that is potentially harmful to humans, a new study estimates.

Researchers tested 136 packages of chicken, turkey, pork, and ground beef purchased at 26 grocery stores in five cities around the country, and found that 47 percent contained Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), a common cause of infection in people.

What's more, roughly half of the contaminated samples contained strains of the bacteria that were resistant to at least three antibiotics, such as penicillin and tetracycline. Some strains were resistant to a half dozen or more.

Dog, Cat & Mouse - From one animal loving friend to another...

Background Story: This is a video of a homeless man in Santa Barbara and his pets. They work State Street every week for donations. The animals are pretty well fed and are mellow. They are a  family. The man who owns them rigged a harness up for his cat so she wouldn't have to walk so much (like the dog and himself). At some juncture the rat came along, and as no one wanted to eat anyone else, the rat started riding with the cat and, often, on the cat! The dog, will stand all day and let you talk to him and admire him for a few chin scratches. The Mayor of Santa Barbara filmed this clip and sent it out as a holiday card A good example for all of us. http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=D85yrIgA4Nk&feature=player_embedded

FW: Why Do I Like Retirement !!! :)

       

   
  Question:   How many days in a week?   

      Answer:   6 Saturdays, 1 Sunday  

         

      Question:   When is a retiree's bedtime?   

      Answer:   Three hours after he falls asleep on the couch.  

         

         

      Question:   How many retirees to change a light bulb?   

      Answer:   Only one, but it might take all day.  

         

      Question:   What's the biggest gripe of retirees?   

      Answer:   There is not enough time to get everything done.  

         

         

      Question:   Why don't retirees mind being called Seniors?   

      Answer:   The term comes with a 10% discount.  

         

      Question:   Among retirees what is considered formal attire?   

      Answer:   Tied shoes.  

       

         

      Question:   Why do retirees count pennies?   

      Answer:   They are the only ones who have the time.     

       

       

         

      Question:   What is the common term for someone who enjoys work and refuses to retire?    

      Answer:   NUTS!    

         

         

      Question:   Why are retirees so slow to clean out the basement, attic or garage?  

      Answer:   They know that as soon as they do, one of their adult kids will want to store stuff there. 

         

      Question:   What do retirees call a long lunch?   

      Answer:     Normal  .  

         

         

      Question:    What is the best way to describe retirement?   

      Answer:   The never ending Coffee Break.  

         

         

      Question:   What's the biggest advantage of going back to school as a retiree?   

      Answer:   If you cut classes, no one calls your parents.  

         

      Question:   Why does a retiree often say he doesn't miss work, but misses the people he used to work with?   

      Answer:   He is too polite to tell the whole truth.   

         

      And, my very favorite....  

      QUESTION:   What do you do all week?   

      Answer:   Monday through Friday, NOTHING..... Saturday & Sunday, I rest.  

      SERENITY

      Just before the funeral services, the undertaker came up to the very elderly widow and asked, 

      'How old was your husband?' '98,' she replied... 

      'Two years older than me'  

      'So you're 96,' the undertaker commented..  

      She responded, 'Hardly worth going home, is it?

       

       

      Reporters interviewing a 104-year-old woman: 

      'And what do you think is the best thing 

      about being 104?' the reporter asked..  

      She simply replied, 'No peer pressure.'

       

       

      The nice thing about being senile is 

      you can hide your own Easter eggs

      and have fun finding them.

       

       

      I've sure gotten old! 

      I've had two bypass surgeries, a hip replacement, 

      new knees, fought prostate cancer and diabetes. 

      I'm half blind, 

      can't hear anything quieter than a jet engine, 

      take 40 different medications that 

      make me dizzy, winded, and subject to blackouts. 

      Have bouts with dementia. 

      Have poor circulation; 

      hardly feel my hands and feet anymore. 

      Can't remember if I'm 85 or 92. 

      Have lost all my friends. But, thank God, 

      I still have my driver's license.

       

       

      I feel like my body has gotten totally out of shape, 

      so I got my doctor's permission to 

      join a fitness club and start exercising. 

      I decided to take an aerobics class for seniors. 

      I bent, twisted, gyrated, jumped up and down, and perspired for an hour. But, 

      by the time I got my leotards on, 

      the class was over.

       

       

      An elderly woman decided to prepare her will and 

      told her preacher she had two final requests. 

      First, she wanted to be cremated, and second, 

      she wanted her ashes scattered over Wal-Mart .  

      ' Wal-Mart ?' the preacher exclaimed. 

      'Why Wal-Mart?'  

      'Then I'll be sure my daughters visit me twice a week'

       

       

      My memory's not as sharp as it used to be. 

      Also, my memory's not as sharp as it used to be.

       

       

      Know how to prevent sagging? 

      Just eat till the wrinkles fill out.

       

       

      It's scary when you start making the same noises 

      as your coffee maker.

      These days about half the stuff 

      in my shopping cart says, 

      'For fast relief.'

       

       

      THE SENILITY PRAYER :  

      Grant me the senility to forget the people 

      I never liked anyway, 

      the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and 

      the eyesight to tell the difference.

       

       

     

      Now, I think you're supposed to share this with 5 or 6, maybe 10 others. Oh heck, give it to a bunch of your friends if you can remember who they are! 

       

      Always Remember This:    

      You don't stop laughing because you grow old,  

      You grow old because you stop laughing

Chocolate covered strawberries, pineapple

The strawberries turned out to be fine, but I had trouble with the pineapple.  The juice of the pineapple slices thickened the chocolate sauce that made it very hard to dip and therefore, the pineapple didn't look so attractive :).  Maybe this is why not too many people make chocolate covered pineapple.  The next time I will pour the sauce over the pineapple slices, instead of dipping them.  Despite the problem, the chocolate pineapple slices still taste better.

• 4 strawberries, washed with salt water, dry with paper towel.
• 1 bar (4oz) of Hershey chocolate baking bar
• 6 slices of pineapple

1. Break chocolate into pieces, put chocolate in the metal bowl, put the bowl a pot with a little bit of water (or a double boiler), boil the water in pot, the chocolate will melt into liquid.
2. Turn the heat to low, dip in 1 strawberry at a time, place it on a plate lined with wax paper or plastic wrap.
3. Refrigerate for 3 hours so the chocolate will be hardened.

Have fun making these delicious treats :)
Namo A Mi Two Fwo.