Sikh Woman Balpreet Kaur Turns Cyber Bullying Incident into Inspiration

After someone snapped a photo of her and posted it on online, Balpreet Kaur was ridiculed for following the tenants of her Sikh faith. But instead of hiding or lashing out, she politely posted a reply—and turned a bullying situation into a inspiring example of tolerance, support, and inspiration.

The photo was taken apparently without Kaur's knowledge while she was waiting in line at the Ohio State University Library. In the photo, Kaur's hair is hidden by a large, black turban. She's wearing a T-shirt and yoga pants, glasses, and is looking down at her cell phone; her sparse facial hair is clearly visible. A Reddit user posted it to the "Funny" forum with the quip, "I'm not sure what to conclude from this."

Comments started pouring in, making fun of her appearance, asking if she was transgendered, and taking her to task for not plucking, waxing, or shaving.

Related: Lessons from "The World's Ugliest Woman': Stop Staring and Start Learning

After a friend told her about the thread, Kaur decided to respond to the taunts herself—and take the opportunity to educate people at the same time.

"Hey, guys. This is Balpreet Kaur, the girl from the picture," she wrote. "I'm not embarrassed or even humiliated by the attention [negative and positive] that this picture is getting, because it's who I am."
As a baptized Sikh woman, Kaur—who is from Ohio—said that she is forbidden from altering her body, as it is considered a sacred gift from God.

"The overarching principal is this body is a tool for service," she explained. "We have to maintain and take care of it while cherishing its original form." That means that going to the hospital and taking medicine is fine, because one should be healthy in order to be of service to others. But cutting one's hair or removing one's facial hair is forbidden, even if societal norms dictate otherwise.

"My hair doesn't stop me from being normal or doing service so its not a hindrance," she said in a later post. "I've been to the doctor regarding this and it's just a side effect of my hormone levels during my teenage years. The hormones have returned to normal, but the hair is still there. That's fine :) I don't regret anything, nor do I view it as an unfortunate thing."

Sikhism was founded in the Punjab region of India in the 15th century; there are approximately 30 million Sikhs in the world. Followers believe in the equality of all human beings and in a single, infinitely powerful, omnipresent, genderless God. Instead of heaven or hell, the religion promotes salvation through a spiritual union with God; ego, anger, greed, attachment, and lust are considered the Five Evils. Sikhs do not believe in recruiting converts, though they welcome those who wish to join their faith. Once baptized or formally initiated into the faith, they vow to wear five religious symbols at all times, one of which is leaving their body hair uncut.

"Yes, I'm a baptized Sikh woman with facial hair. Yes, I realize that my gender is often confused and I look different than most women," wrote Kaur, who is the president of the Ohio State University's Sikh Student Association. "My attitude and thoughts and actions have more value in them than my body… by not focusing on the physical beauty, I have time to cultivate those inner virtues and hopefully, focus my life on creating change and progress for this world in any way I can."

Her words quickly inspired readers on Reddit and elsewhere to reevaluate their reactions. A cross-post on the Facebook page for Kaurista garnered more than 6,750 likes and more than 850 comments.
"I know that I don't have the courage to live that purely," Shannon Dolce commented on Facebook. "I am inspired to live MORE true to how my creator sees me, though."

"I think we can agree that even the non-religious can benefit from taking a page from your book -- thank you," wrote a Redditor named "anothertimearound".

"You are awesome. If your faith has made you this well-adjusted and positive and secure in your own skin, and focused on the things in life that truly matter, then I am glad that there are Sikhs in this world." Reddit reader "Anna Mosity" wrote. "The world could use more people like you."

A few days later, the Reddit user who posted the picture started a new thread to apologize to Kaur.

"I felt the need to apologize to the Sikhs, Balpreet, and anyone else I offended when I posted that picture," the Redditor wrote. "Put simply it was stupid. Making fun of people is funny to some but incredibly degrading to the people you're making fun of. It was an incredibly rude, judgmental, and ignorant thing to post."

"I've read more about the Sikh faith and it was actually really interesting. It makes a whole lot of sense to work on having a legacy and not worrying about what you look like. I made that post for stupid internet points and I was ignorant." he continued. "Balpreet, I'm sorry for being a closed minded individual. You are a much better person than I am. Sikhs, I'm sorry for insulting your culture and way of life. Balpreet's faith in what she believes is astounding."

Kaur says that she's happy to spend time explaining her religion and her appearance to people. "I do not think explaining myself and the way I am is a waste of energy because storytelling in itself is a way to fight the apathy in this world," she explained in a follow-up post on Thursday. "By simple interactions like this, we can better understand each other and make this world more open and loving even if it is just one person or many."

http://shine.yahoo.com/women-who-shine/sikh-woman-balpreet-kaur-turns-cyber-bullying-incident-203500244.html

Freshly ground sea salt and pepper – Andrew

I taught my 7 year old nephew how to make salt and pepper and how to make this post. It seemed easy for us, but it meant a lot to him.

Ingredients
1 portion of peppercorns
1 portion of sea salt

Methods
In a small plate
Grind the salt and pepper
Mix well
Served with your favorite food
Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Balsamic Vinaigrette – Jennifer

My 9 year old niece made this dish and this post with my help. We really enjoyed cooking and posting together. :)

Ingredients
2 portions of Balsamic Vinegar   
1 portion of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 dashes of salt
3 dashes of pepper

Methods
In a small bowl
Measure Olive Oil, pour in the bowl
Measure Balsamic Vinegar, pour in the bowl
Sprinkle salt and pepper
Mix well
Served with bread or pretzel

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
^-^

Top-Ten List of Funny Quotations about Friends and Friendship

First Top-Ten List

Nothing but heaven itself is better than a friend who is really a friend.

— Plautus

Only your real friends will tell you when your face is dirty.

— Sicilian Proverb

It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

On the road between homes of friends, grass does not grow.

— Norwegian proverb

If I don't have friends, then I ain't nothing.

— Billie Holiday

Friendship is like money, easier made than kept.

— Samuel Butler 

To be rich in friends — is to be poor in nothing.

— Anon

A mere friend will agree with you, but a real friend will argue.

— Russian Proverb

Make new friends but cherish the old ones.

— H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

A loyal best friend is someone who sticks up for you even when you're not there.

— Anon

Second Top-Ten List

Two people are never such good friends as when they are share a mutual dislike of a third person.

- Unknown Wise Person

Having friends you like who are like you is a form of narcissism.

- Laurence J. Peters

Heaven must be an awfully dull place if your best friends end up elsewhere.

- Author Unknown

Everyone should have at least two friends - one to talk to and one to talk about.

- Unknown Wise Person

A true friend is somebody who you call at 3 a.m. and say "I'm in a prison in Mexico" and he replies "No worries, I'll be there in seconds."

- Unknown Wise Person

If you really want your friends to remember you, give them something cheap.

- Unknown Wise Person

A good friend is someone who you will help you move, a really good friend will help you move a dead body.

- Unknown Wise Person

A lifelong friend is someone you haven't borrowed money from yet.

- Unknown Wise Person

Laughing at our friends, we avenge the disappointment they have caused.

- Mason Cooley

A fool and his money are my best friends.

- Unknown Wise Person

http://www.the-friendship-cafe.com/Funny-Friendship-Quotes.html

Veggie Barbecue stick

This is a quick and very easy way to barbecue indoor or outdoor.

Ingredients:

• 3 vegetarian hotdogs, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 carrot, sliced about 1/2 inch thick
• 1/4 pound (125 grams) oyster mushrooms, cut into small pieces
• 2 teaspoons of Chinese barbecue sauce (Char Siu Sauce, available at Asian supermarket)

• 2 teaspoons maple syrup (or sugar)
• 3 barbecue sticks

Methods:

1. Mix sauce with sugar

2. Marinate sauce with hotdogs, carrots and mushrooms

3. Stick hotdogs, mushrooms and carrot on the stick, toast

4. Liquid from the stick will release to the tray, transfer it to a bowl

5. Brush the liquid to the surface of each stick

6. Keep toasting until sauce gets thicken

Have fun cooking!

Vegetarian Thai hot pot soup

Make 2 servings

2 cups vegetable both
3 thin slices galangal root
2 stalks lemongrass, cut in 2-inch pieces
4 or 5 Kaffir lime leaves
2 tbls soy sauce
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp fresh hot pepper
5 shiitake mushrooms, quartered
2 ounces crimini mushrooms, quartered
2 ounces tofu, sliced
1/4 cup diced (1/2-inch) red and green bell peppers
5 or 6 fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon minced cilantro

1. In a saucepot, combine the both, galangal, lemongrass, lime leaves, soy sauce, lime juice, sugar and chile pepper; bring to a boil.
2. Add the shiitake mushrooms and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add the crimini mushrooms and bell peppers and tofu.
4. Bring to boil, remove the pot from the stove, transfer to the hot pot, add the basil and cilantro.

Sugar can make you dumb, US scientists warn

Eating too much sugar can eat away at your brainpower, according to US scientists who published a study Tuesday showing how a steady diet of high-fructose corn syrup sapped lab rats' memories. Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) fed two groups of rats a solution containing high-fructose corn syrup -- a common ingredient in processed foods -- as drinking water for six weeks. One group of rats was supplemented with brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids in the form of flaxseed oil and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), while the other group was not. Before the sugar drinks began, the rats were enrolled in a five-day training session in a complicated maze. After six weeks on the sweet solution, the rats were then placed back in the maze to see how they fared. "The DHA-deprived animals were slower, and their brains showed a decline in synaptic activity," said Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, a professor of neurosurgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "Their brain cells had trouble signaling each other, disrupting the rats' ability to think clearly and recall the route they'd learned six weeks earlier." A closer look at the rat brains revealed that those who were not fed DHA supplements had also developed signs of resistance to insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar and regulates brain function. "Because insulin can penetrate the blood-brain barrier, the hormone may signal neurons to trigger reactions that disrupt learning and cause memory loss," Gomez-Pinilla said. In other words, eating too much fructose could interfere with insulin's ability to regulate how cells use and store sugar, which is necessary for processing thoughts and emotions. "Insulin is important in the body for controlling blood sugar, but it may play a different role in the brain, where insulin appears to disturb memory and learning," Gomez-Pinilla said. "Our study shows that a high-fructose diet harms the brain as well as the body. This is something new." High-fructose corn syrup is commonly found in soda, condiments, applesauce, baby food and other processed snacks. The average American consumes more than 40 pounds (18 kilograms) of high-fructose corn syrup per year, according to the US Department of Agriculture. While the study did not say what the equivalent might be for a human to consume as much high-fructose corn syrup as the rats did, researchers said it provides some evidence that metabolic syndrome can affect the mind as well as the body. "Our findings illustrate that what you eat affects how you think," said Gomez-Pinilla. "Eating a high-fructose diet over the long term alters your brain's ability to learn and remember information. But adding omega-3 fatty acids to your meals can help minimize the damage." The study appeared in the Journal of Physiology.