A dozen cups of sugar, a few bowls of sprinkles, multiple bars of butter, 16-dozen cookies, 6 dedicated Interns and a lot of fun later = $92 for SickKids Foundation! Although I was a bit concerned after the first 60 cookies disappeared in the first week, the team really pulled through with Anna’s tireless cookie cutting and the team’s dedication to finding Christmas bags, ribbons and red tissue. We want to thank everyone who bought a cookie and made it all worthwhile! We hope you enjoyed surprising your colleagues with a holiday treat and kept the spirit of giving alive throughout December!

If you would like to do more for this great foundation check out the website: http://www.sickkidsgetbettergifts.com/. On the website you can donate anything from a holiday meal for a family ($45.00) to a “Treasure Trove of Toys” ($75.00).

We wish you a very happy New Year and look forward to welcoming a fresh batch of Interns January 7, 2010!

Cheers to the upcoming year,

Danielle

This startling story hit the wires on Sunday, December 27th of this week. Oswaldo Juarez, 19, of Peru came to the United States to study English. He became ill with a cough that wouldn’t go away, and then began to experience “rattling” lungs. The strain, XXDR, has never before been seen in the United States. It is so rare that less than a dozen people were thought to have contracted it.

The cause is none other than overuse of antibiotics in our medical communities and in the food system. If this is not proof of our industrial food system killing us, I don’t know what is.

This information is not new to the media or health communities. Doctors and health officials have been releasing information for years about drug-resistant diseases all over the globe from Malaria to MRSA, and from step to staph. We are literally inundated with bacteria that are predicted to become stronger and more resistant as time goes on. This particular case of TB was discovered back in June of this year, but until now was apparently kept “quiet” due to its insidious nature.

Approximately 75 percent of antibiotics used are found in the meat or dairy products of animals we consume. The majority of the meat and dairy eaten in the United States originates from CAFOs – concentrated animal feeding operations where many animals are crammed together in the most unnatural and unhealthy conditions.

Just yesterday, MSNBC also released this story about drug-resistant bacteria found in meat from factory farms yesterday.Animals and birds are administered antibiotics (among other toxic substances) to combat pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella. E. coli and salmonella are common in the digestive tracts and on the hides and feathers of animals due to unsanitary conditions and the types of feed the animals consume. When livestock and poultry consume soy, corn, grains, silage, and other industrial feeds, virulent strains of bacteria are much more likely to develop as the digestive tracts of these animals is not intended to process these substances.

Arguments from pharmaceutical companies and farm groups say that antibiotic use keeps food costs down and animals healthy. But at what cost to the health industry, the environment, and the consumer?  Lobbyists from these groups and companies are well-known for repeatedly defeating proposed limits on antibiotic use in Congress. Drug-resistant infections have been responsible for killing approximately 65,000 people in 2009.

This problem is now coming to a head, but there is something we can do about it. Don’t buy meat and dairy products from conventional and industrial sources – buy your meat and dairy, and all your food local and from growers and producers who use sustainable methods! Talk to your farmers and food growers, and get to know their practices. Support your local economy and your environment and health will truly flourish!

Want more information about industrial meat and sustainable meat? Read the following articles:

Whole and healthy meat – does it really exist?

What do farms and antibiotic drugs have in common?

How well do you know your food? Find out!

Probiotics – the friendly bacteria that we need in our gut to keep bad bacteria away

My adventures in making yogurt – yogurt from sustainable milk contains friendly bacteria essential to health!

This guy has my dream job.

The patriotic populist darling going rogue, Sarah Palin, sometime down the road, will really be grilled about her belief in the biblical account of creation and the history thereafter recorded in the book of Genesis, so how should she respond?  Will she say that phase of her life is over, that she’s changed her belief about the history of the earth, or will she come out with “guns blazing,” fighting fire with fire, bringing misery on her questioners with quick and cogent responses of great scientific merit?  The following seven talking points will shut up any mocking about your belief in the history recorded in Genesis, where it’s a little known fact that all but the six days of creation were recorded by eyewitnesses (see article #13 at http://GenesisVeracity.com):

1)  The distant stars are not billions of years old, because of gravitational time dilation during the creation week, for if big bang theorists would rightly admit that an expanded universe (from its beginning point) necessitates its outer boundary, then according to Einstein’s theory of general relativity, the speed of light was greatly accelerated during the creation week, a “white hole,” the opposite of a black hole, so those stars are not billions of years old.

2)  The radioisotope dates of rocks are predicated on unknowable presuppositions, presuming to know the initial chemical state of the rock when it formed, that the rate of radioactive decay has not changed through time, and that the rock has not been altered by chemical processes.  Did you know that the Mount St. Helen’s eruption of 1980 was dated two millions years by radioisotope dating, and they call that good science?

3)  Noah’s Flood did not cover the mountain ranges of our present world because those mountains rose at the close of the flood, when the water slid off the thickening and isostatically and tectonically risen continents into the ocean basins which were deepening at the close of the flood, a real flood, global in nature, so attested by over six hundred ancient tribal legends, handed down by the progeny of the eight on the Ark.  Ever heard of Manu and the seven rishis?

4)  Then how did Noah fit to save all those millions of “species” of animals on the Ark?  Well actually, he didn’t, however, he did fit about twenty thousand biblical kinds (syngameons) of animals onboard which naturally selected upon release to become the millions of “species” in the world today, rendering meaningles the term species (way to go Darwin).

5)  And believe this too, only a warmer ocean could have caused the dense cloudcover for the Ice Age.  Think about it, how do you get all that moisture into the atmosphere but by much greater evaporation off the ocean?  According to hydrology 101, that is the only mechanism to have caused the Ice Age, so guess what caused the ocean to have been warmer for all that cloudcover? 

6)  Submerged megalithic bronze age ruins discovered at hundreds of locations around the world, such as the underwater ruins of Yarmuta, Atlit Yam, Heraklion, and Yonaguni, prove that the Ice Age ended much later than we are being told, which is why mainstream scientists avoid the discussion of these submerged ruins like the plague.  We should be studying these enigmatic ruins in our public schools, for the sake of intellectual honesty, right?

7)  The intelligent design of the universe is very evident in the method which enabled the ancients to measure the earth by its wobble rate, 72 years/degree (not virgins), this methodology actually the forerunner of our modern nautical mile mapping system, the geometry of which is explained in article #2 at http://IceAgeCivilizations.com, proof the the ancient cubit and foot units of length were subdivisions of the radius length of the earth, only because God made the earth’s wobble rate just so, benevolently, so the ancients could sail all over the world.

One of the most difficult things for me during the Christmas holidays is not spending Christmas with my father, who passed away in 2005.  For some reason, this year was particuarily difficult, so I made a lot of projects that had photos of my father in them. 

This project is a 12 x 12 scrap page that I made for the purpose of having if framed and placed on the wall in my home office near my computer.  In doing this, I feel his presence in the room and in my home.  

Unfortunately, he was an only child, and it wasn’t until he passed away that I realized how much more I want to learn from him.  For example, there are so many photos of him with nothing written on the back of the photo and I don’t know who they are. 

As you experience milestones, holidays and memories of family members, make sure you have the stories that go with the photos.  It is to late after the person passes away.

Happy 2010 and Happy Storybooking,

Cindy

Thank You For My Mother

Can you believe that 2009 is almost over?  Where did the time go?   There are so many stories that have come out of 2009.  My layoff, my pursuit to start a home based business, my kids getting another year older, and my trips to Delaware and then back to North Carolina.  The photos I have taken all tell their stories but without the words that go with them, no one else can share that story with me. 

This card was made to my mom when I wanted to thank her for her Christmas gift to me.  It is a photo of 20 some years ago but the laughter tells it all.  I love this photo and wanted to share it with my mom as a memory of the two of us in our lives.  

So what are your stories?  Let 2010 be the year you put your photos with a story and share it with others. 

Happy New Year and Happy Storybooking,

Cindy

Sometimes you should be relaxing for a little while.

I know everybody is very different and here’s some non ccie related music.

Yep… I know I’ve got still a lot of things to configure, but now it was a 10 min break and enjoy the music…..

Have you ever been to the store and noticed the phrase “glycemic index” on packages or signs? Glycemic Index (GI) refers to the ability of the food to raise glycemic levels in your blood. When you digest food, your liver and pancreas have a big job.  And that job is to properly break down the food you are eating so your body can use it to function and grow.

How does the glycemic index relate to nutrition? The higher the glycemic index, the harder those organs have to work to process the food. If your pancreas has to produce larger amounts of insulin to process the food you are eating, it can cause a spike in your blood sugar that is unhealthy. When it comes back down, you will start to feel the effects. Effects can include fatigue, inability to focus, hunger, irritability, headaches, heart palpitations, and many others. Over time, eating these types of foods contribute to weight gain, health problems, and degenerative disease.

Those who rely on the glycemic index to decide about healthy food choices might say that although white bread would cause a spike in blood sugar, eating a protein with it would balance it out. The biggest problem with this thought is that using the glycemic index may cause people to believe that as long as they eat some protein with their processed white bread, it is okay to eat it. The truth is, the white bread is still unhealthy to consume on many levels.

One example of a processed, high glycemic food might be a loaf of bread. If you have ever looked at the nutritional information on the wrapper of an average loaf of bread, you can easily see that grams of carbohydrates can range anywhere from 25 to 40 grams per serving.

The nutrition label to the left shows information for a loaf of Filone bread – a type of white Italian bread. This bread contains a whopping 33 grams per serving. It is also made with processed, white flour that has not been sprouted, soaked, or fermented.

By contrast, (see label shown on the  lower right) a loaf of sprouted grain bread such as Ezekiel (or another type of sprouted grain bread such as the kind you would make at home), contains less carbohydrates – approximately 15 to 20 grams per serving.

Carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars by the body, transported in the blood, and then moved into the cells with the help of insulin. Carbohydrates give us energy to do the things we do every day. But if we have an unnaturally balanced amount of excess carbohydrates (such as those contained in processed breads), they can cause problems such as being stored in the body as fat which causes weight gain.

Natural, whole foods contain the right balance of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Processed, refined foods do not. If you are eating real, whole foods, there is no need to count calories, fat grams, or worry about the glycemic load in your food.

The glycemic index was created to provide people with yet one more way to justify eating unhealthy foods. If you rely on this scale for eating foods,  it is likely you will end up eating more processed foods – although you may be under the mistaken impression that you are making healthy choices. The only way to make healthy choices and keep blood sugars level is to eat foods that are the least processed and refined. Remember that even though a food may show a low glycemic index ranking, it may still be processed and unnatural.

Foods ranking low on the glycemic index take a longer period of time to digest. This gives the body a slow, steady stream of energy and provides a feeling of fullness and satisfaction for an extended period of time.  It prevents overeating, and promotes healthy cholesterol levels which lowers your risk of degenerative disease.

Many foods higher in glycemic load contain enough carbohydrates to spike your blood sugar unnaturally high. It takes much less time for your body to digest these foods, so it causes a rapid rise and fall in blood sugar and insulin levels.  This leads to frequent hunger, a a feeling of dissatisfaction, and the release of more stress hormones in the body. It’s those frequent irregularities in blood sugar that contribute to weight gain, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and so much more.

So when you see labels on food or signs in the store referring to “glycemic index”, remember that many foods with a higher glycemic index are more often than not produced unnaturally – in other words, they are processed or refined – and can create the unnatural high spike in your blood sugar that can cause health problems later on down the road.

 
PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Graham Briar
Company: realtorplus.co.uk
International Mobile: +66(89)9711038
UK Phone: 01733 235401
UK Address: 108 Bushfield Court, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, PE2 5RJ
URL: http://www.realtorplus.co.uk
Email: mailto:pressdept@realtorplus.co.uk

Date:  30th December 2009

Realtorplus.co.uk – Creating a successful property social network … How difficult can it be?
Not so difficult if you have a whole army of people and a large marketing budget.  But what if it is just one guy with a budget that couldn’t feed a church mouse? 

The first question posed is ‘Why a Property Social Network?’ Graham Briar provided the answer; “Social Networking is without doubt a huge benefit to society. It allows people, around the world, to interact on a multitude of interests.  Realtorplus.co.uk focuses on a dedicated subject allowing site visitors the ability to target their specific information needs.”

For any Social Network it has to be a useful tool to the public, so what can you do with Realtorplus.co.uk? 

Primarily the site delivers information in the form of Property Guides and Articles.  These are compiled from a number of sources including site visitors.  Guides and articles range from Buying Property in Albania to How to Concrete a Driveway, covering a wide variety of property related subjects.  Graham said; “We are constantly looking for guides and articles that will help grow our information available.  We also allow publishers to market their goods and services within the articles, providing it is content relevant.”

Like most property websites realtorplus.co.uk offers a Property Listing Service.  In the true spirit of Social Networking this is completely free to both Homeowners and Commercial entities, such as estate agents and developers.

Since going live, some six weeks ago, there have already been a number of developments, including the Property Toolbar, allowing site visitors to download and keep track of what’s new through the RSS, Twitter and WordPress feeds. Other enhancements including a Mortgage Calculator and Currency Converter are also freely available.

Graham said; “I am continually looking at new ways to improve the web site and the services and information it provides. In the short time of live operation we have had a lot of feedback from site visitors and I am pleased to say most is very positive and encouraging.”

“It’s a great web site with lots of very useful information and services.  Anyone needing property information, using realtorplus.co.uk will certainly find this network service invaluable.”  Di Tolland, SurvivalBooks.net – December 2009.

www.realtorplus.co.uk
realtorplus.co.uk – The Property Social Network

###

The Guinness Book of Records holds the record for being the book most often stolen from public libraries.

The phrase “rule of thumb” is derived from a 1400’s old English law which stated that you couldn’t beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb.

By raising your legs slowly and lying on your back, you cannot sink into quicksand.

It is impossible to lick your elbow.

Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.

If one places a tiny amount of liquor on a scorpion, it will instantly go mad and sting itself to death. (Who was the sadist who discovered this?)

The dot over the letter “i” is called a tittle.

Charlie Chaplin once won third prize in a Charlie Chaplin look-alike contest.

Your stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every two weeks or it will digest itself.

Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history:

Spades – King David
Hearts – Charlemagne
Clubs – Alexander, the Great
Diamonds – Julius Caesar

A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top.

A female ferret will die if it goes into heat and cannot find a mate.

Bats always turn left when exiting a cave!

During the chariot scene in “Ben Hur,” a small red car can be seen in the distance (and Heston’s wearing a watch).

The number of possible ways of playing the first four moves per side in a game of chess is 318,979,564,000.

There are no words in the dictionary that rhyme with orange, purple and silver.

The very first bomb dropped by the Allies on Berlin in World War II killed the only elephant in the Berlin Zoo.

Weatherman Willard Scott was the first Ronald McDonald.

The first CD pressed in the US was Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA.”

The original name for butterfly was flutterby.

The first product Motorola started to develop was a record player for automobiles. At that time, the most known player on the market was Victrola, so they called themselves Motorola.

Roses may be red, but violets are indeed violet.

A rat can last longer without water than a camel.

Celery has negative calories. It takes more calories to eat a piece of celery than the celery has in it to begin with.

The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV were Fred and Wilma Flintstone.

Men can read smaller print then women can; women can hear better.

The State with the highest percentage of people who walk to work: Alaska

Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter “A”?
A. One thousand

Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers all have in common?
A. All invented by women.

Q. What is the only food that doesn’t spoil?
A. Honey

In Shakespeare’s time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase … “goodnight, sleep tight”.

It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride’s father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the “honeymoon”.

~~~~AND FINALLY~~~~~~~~~~~~

At least 75% of people who read this will try to lick their elbow.

Do NOT repost if you disagree with the ‘facts’ on this page. They came submitted to me by email and are all in good fun!

Today I was out with a group of friends who had been promised a wee look at winter skills and perhaps a gully…

Our efforts at trail breaking were rewarded with us having the whole of the west end of Beinn Alligin to ourselves.

To see what a beautiful day we had click here.

If you would like to learn some winter skills for walking in our mountains please check out the winter skills page on the nineonesix website and arrange a booking.

hi all,

i think i fixed the problem that people were having with posting… please email me if you still can not post to the blog (and not just comments)!!

i have also re-posted micki and jess’s entries so that they weren’t just comments.

hope you all enjoy what’s left of 2009!

The Racine family of would-be race drivers have accepted an invitation to join the San Diego based race team of MR. to contest the 24 hours LeMons race at Sears Point raceway on March 6th and 7th of 2010.

Nasty. Brutish. Not Short Enough.

The crowd. The spectacle. The pall of blue smoke and roasted clutch discs. In all motorsport, no event captures the universal human need to whale on old crapcans and hoover down greasy barbecue like the 24 Hours of LeMons.

Each LeMons race is for cars purchased, fixed up, and track-prepped for a total of 500 dollars or less. But before reaching the grid, you’ll have to survive trials like the Personal-Injury-Lawyer Anti-Slalom, the Marxist-Valet Parking Challenge, and the Wide Open Throttle Rodthrowapalooza. Twelve hours into the race, the car voted People’s Choice is called in and awarded a cash prize; simultaneously, the car voted People’s Curse is called in and summarily destroyed. At the end of 24 hours, a gala awards ceremony plies the survivors with trophies, plaques, and four-figure purses in canvas bags full of nickels. What’s not to like?

“ If an individual is suffering from Celiac Disease, they will not be able to properly digest gluton and absorb the necessary nutrients. Along with diverting the nutrient, Celiac Disease, will force the immune system to attack the body’s small intestines. In this event, individuals can develop osteoporosis, iron deficiency anemia, and raise the risk of lymphoma.”

To read the rest of this article and others like it, visit www.disease.com

This is a fairly new site with information on many different diseases.

Back in June we took Reese & Austin’s engagement photos. See blog: http://murrayphotography.wordpress.com/2009/06/26/reese-austin-engagment-pictures/ Recently we received their save the date, it is a magnet, and is a very fun and unique idea. (The image is scanned sorry for the less than perfect image quality) We can’t wait for your wedding in June!

Alison

Things To Do In Rio de Janeiro…
Known as a city of distinction and contrast, Rio de Janeiro is brimming with captivating colonial buildings and contemporary skyscrapers, beautiful stretches of Brazil beaches and abounding concrete jungles and a fascinating diversity of culture and ethnicity. The many things to do in Rio offer a diversion that keeps visitors around for far longer then anticipated, feeding a desire to experience the best of the country.

Ipanema Beach
Whether it’s the beach that made the song famous, or the other way around, Ipanema Beach is at the top of all Rio de Janeiro attractions. The world renowned shores offer plenty of things to do in Rio and is number one for Brazil tours in the area. Ipanema features a taste of the diversity of Brazil along with hip boutiques, luxurious Brazil hotels and a host of great dining options.

Quinta da Boa Vista
A zoo, museum complex and historical site all wrapped up in one, Quinta da Boa Vista provides many interesting things to do in Rio de Janeiro. The landscaped grounds are striking and located where the imperial palace once was.

Tijuca National Park
Tijuca National Park is one of the Rio de Janeiro attractions that encompasses serene natural beauty, numerous locations full of history, rare tropical trees, a small chapel and a striking waterfall. Hiking around the park is one of the best things to do in Rio for outdoor enthusiasts and reveals much of the true beauty of Brazil.

Christ the Redeemer
This revered statue of Jesus stands almost 40 meters high at the summit of Corcovado Mountain. The scenes of Rio from high above are some of the most breathtaking of all. Visiting the effigy is one of the most popular things to do in Rio de Janeiro. With its position high above the city, it’s one of the most highly recognized Rio de Janeiro attractions of all.

Sugar Loaf Mountain
Another of the famous Rio de Janeiro attractions, Sugar Loaf Mountain offers one of the best vantage points in the city aside from Corcovado. Visitors board a cable car that rises to the summit of the 400-foot mountain made of granite, showcasing the beauty of the city below.

Copacabana
Copacabana has drawn thousands of tourists over the years and is said to be the most famous beach in the world. Things to do in Rio at Copacabana range from lazy days by the beach to water sports to dining to simply people watching. Though overexposed in many ways, Copacabana still retains the charm and allure it has always had and remains one of best Rio de Janeiro attractions for those who love Brazil beaches.

Kindly contact us at info@uniglobalexotic.com for our Guaranteed Departures to Brazil and beyond , for minimum 2 participants with local English speaking guide throughout…

Council slammed for ‘mothering’ tourism industry

JENNA DAROCZY

28 Dec, 2009 04:09 PM

REDLAND City Council’s decision to continue managing tourism in-house has been slammed as “absolute nonsense” by the chairman of the taskforce set up by the council to investigate the best way forward for the industry.

The committee recommended that Redlands Tourism merge with the council’s current tourism services under a new, independent organisation with external tourism experts who would actively seek their own funding to become less financially reliant on the council and end the current system of fractured funding and duplication of websites, brochures and phone numbers.

Chief Executive Officer of Story Bridge Adventure Climb and local resident, Paul Lewin, chaired the advisory committee and said the model it proposed had received unanimous support across the community.

“We consulted with the [Redland] Chamber of Commerce and all its member businesses, everyone from banks and retailers to car rentals as well as Brisbane Marketing and Tourism Queensland and we had 100 per cent backing for the design,” Mr Lewin said.

“So to have a handful of councillors vote against it with no knowledge of tourism is total nonsense, and I note that no councillors proposed an alternate model, which means the taskforce is dissolved, the report is shelved and there is nowhere constructive to go forward from here.”

via Council slammed for ‘mothering’ tourism industry – Local News – News – General – Bayside Bulletin / The Redland Times.

How Where You Live Affects Your Diabetes Risk

By Rosemary Black
Reviewed by QualityHealth’s Medical Advisory Board
If you live in one of the Southern or Appalachian states, you better be extra vigilant about your health. Diabetes prevalence is higher in these places than in any other part of the country, according to Medical News Today.

“This concentration of cardiovascular risks and diabetes points to the need for lifestyle and health care interventions in these states,” said the Harvard School of Public Health’s Goodarz Danae. Danaei worked with researchers to combine the data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The research appeared in BioMed Central’s open access journal Population Health Metrics.

Diabetes is more prevalent in the south because there’s a higher rate of obesity, says endocrinologist Dr. Priscilla Hollander of the Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. “And certainly with type 2 diabetes, obesity tends to bring it out,” she explains. “Dietary patterns in the south are not as healthy as they could be and I’m sure this plays some role in weight challenges.”

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Check out the after Christmas sale from Express.com!

Express Driving Cap Glenn Plaid

Driving Cap Glenn Plaid

Was $29.50, now $19.99 and take an additional 20% off!

Express Fitted Military Shirt White Stripe

Fitted Military Shirt

Was $59.50, now $29.99, and take an additional 20% off!

Express St. Michael Graphic Tee

St. Michael Graphic Tee

Was $39.50, now $14.99 and take an additional 20% off!

Express Cotton Crew-Neck Sweater

Cotton Crew-Neck Sweater

Was $39.50, now $19.99 and take an additional 20% off!

Express Velvet Fedora Hat

Velvet Fedora Hat

Was $39.50, now $19.99 and take an additional 20% off!

Check more of their fantastic sales at Express.com!

Hey all, I have been hearing quite a bit about the 3/50 project. Please check out their website. http://www.the350project.net/home.html The notion is to spend at least $50 at local businesses on a monthly basis. This keeps money that we spend in our communities here. The businesses I support that I can think of right away are Organics to You, the Pine Needle, Bartini, Pro Photo Supply and The English Department.

Alison