Good Bloggin'

I started my graduate work in Philadelphia @ the University of Pennsylvania; later I lived w. my sister three blocks away from the Ben Franklin Parkway. Too bad Live 8 wasn't back then, I could have walked over.

My mother loves to poke around our yard without announcing her presence, she lives about four miles away and drives over unannounced. This morning, I heard her car idling on our driveway, when I came out I found her weeding and trying to unearth two "duende" (gnome) plant buds.

She pulled up a few weeds which she handed to me as I came back into the house. The weeds went in with the regular garbage, something that triggered this question: would adding live weeds to the kitchen garbage help decompose it faster? I think it would; regardless of any ecological benefit to adding weeds to the trash, I liked seeing green weeds poking out of my small, kitchen garbage can.

Princeton University Press celebrates the 100th anniversary of Charles Scribner's visionary gift to establish a "publishing house whose sole mission [would be] to publish books that sparked intellectual debate and exploration." Scribner, a member of Princeton's Class of 1875, would be pleased to see the results of his generosity now: a distinguished history of publishing luminaries such as Thomas Jefferson, Albert Einstein and, most recently, Robert Putman.

Medical word of today:

Function: noun: a condition marked by abnormal concentrations of lipids or lipoproteins in the blood

Where did I find dyslipidemia? here.

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), a nutritional nightmare, speaks volumes of companies trying to increase profits w. cheap ingredients. Ocean Spray, Minute Maid, a division of Coca-Cola, and Very Fine, owned by Kraft; have sweteened some of their products w. HFCS -- to me, a corporate shame and reason enough not to buy *any* of their products. Mass-market alternative: surprisingly, Mott's, I bought a box for my four year-old niece of apple juice, white grape & apple juice, and fruit punch, each without any HFCS and each, sampled by me, good. Too bad Mott's doesn't list juice ingredients on its website. Which store-bought juices do I drink? Lakewood, Tree of Life and Rainberry, which doesn't seem to have a presence online.

My husband took this photo w. his new digital cam, the "Painter's Pallet" plant belonged to his late grandmother.

Now I have to remove the "Hello" software Blogger used to require for images from my Dell. Evhead is the one who broke the news to me about Blogger's own image hosting.

This morning I had one of the best cereals I've ever had: Nature's Path Heritage Spelt & Quinoa O's. I served my bowl, added organic whole milk (which I miraculously found last night where normally the only kind on hand is reduced-fat), had one "crunchísimo" bite, left my bowl to take a phone call, came back & my O's were still crunchy.

Heads-Up: "So Natural" Soy Milk, a newcomer to my market's soy milk shelves, contains "artifical flavors". A Google search on "So Natural Soy Milk" pulls up a company in Australia which is not the one I saw, I have to double-check. If you are wondering which is my favorite soy milk brand, Westsoy Unsweetened Organic is it, a very difficult to find kind here in Puerto Rico.

Do you think the McDollars executive group could ever look this good? 

Yummy! "Nurturing People, Nature & Spirit"

Working @ my Dell, I hadn't had breakfast yet when I heard the postman call "Correo" (in Spanish, essentially there's mail for you) from my gate. My Nature's Path order from World Pantry had arrived, full of organic goodies for my four year-old niece and me. Later, what did I have fresh out of the box? A delicious, organic Apple Cinnamon toaster pastry (pictured), untoasted -- highly recommended for a filling, healthy breakfast or anytime snack!

Other goodies for my niece include: Organic Buttermilk Pancake (her favorite) Mix, Double Fudge Brownie Mix (to be backed for her "merienda" while @ summer camp), and blueberry and strawberry organic toaster pastries, both unfrosted & frosted.

For me: Heritage Spelt, Quinoa and Oat O's and the same as Flakes.

Now, if only I could find whole, organic milk here in Puerto Rico, the only health food store carrying organic milk has the reduced-fat variety.

Alzheimer's is now identifiable years before its first symptoms appear, according to scientists who believe low hippocampus activity is, with 85% probability, the first "predictor" of the disease among healthy study subjects. A healthy brain lifestyle is recommended to maintain optimal hippocampus functioning -- now is the perfect time for me to to recommend my own "brain food" favorites: organic nuts, calcium-rich vegetables such as broccoli and extra-virgin olive oil.

Now is also a good time for me to make this point: the brains of people tonsillectomized in early childhood are different from those of their tonsils-intact same age/gender counterparts -- a healthy brain lifestyle for people tonsillectomized in early childhood should be more zealous than for others.

My friend, the original Diva Latina, is celebrating Father's Day on her website with a beautiful picture of her husband holding their young daughter and snippets of two versions of the traditional "Mi Viejo" (my Old Man) song.

¡Feliz Día de los Padres al esposo de la Diva Latina, mi hermano, mi cuñado, Cindy Lu's jefito y todos!

Matthew Lesko has made himself a fortune by enticing gullible, needy readers to buy his "Free Money" series of books. Spread the word to all your friends, family and anyone who you think could be victimized: Lesko is a fraud, and his books are worthless.

Bill Edwards, Executive Director of the Association for Enterprise Opportunity ("AEO") has written about his horrid experience w. victims Lesko's books in response to a message from Jonah Gensler, USA Director for Trickle Up -- here's an excerpt:

Since I have been working at AEO from 1999 on we have been receiving
a stream of both written unsolicited funding requests as well as a very large
number of telephone inquiries [bearing the same trademark structure and format]. We believe that nearly all of these inquiries can be attributed to Matthew Lesko and his publications such as "Government Grants, Grant Money, Free Government Grants and Free Government Money" (which can be purchased for $69.95 plus shipping and handling). One of his other publications is "Free Money for Entrepreneurs" (on sale for $39.95 plusS&H). The calls and letters are very difficult for AEO to handle; I have personally handled hundreds of calls from eager entrepreneurs over these past six years and it is very sad and disturbing to me when individuals realize they have been the victims of misinformation and have wasted their money by purchasing these publications. Red text derived from the message Jonah Gensler wrote.

Perfect for summer refreshment while being socially responsible, this Mango Peach Instant Iced Tea Mix is made by the Women's Bean Project where "for 16 years our Project has helped women break the cycle of poverty and unemployment." I wish I had a tall glass of it now.

"mESH"'s circle series includes this larger than life, detailed, striped and flowered, mass-produced cookie. Marks from the neighboring cookie visible on chocolate stripes.

Over 80 perfect circle subjects make up a stunning presentation by "mESH". This is one of my favorites, circles within others.

The environmentally-minded will love this "Can-o-Worms" -- I mean, those not already hooked by it! Note that the maximum temperature for the compost-forming red worms to survive is 85º, make plans to keep your can cool if the weather gets too hot.

To my delight, all composting cynics should blink when they hear about the "Can-o-Worms" way of gathering worm droppings to enrich soil!

Business Week borrows heavily, it seems, from Xian's "Power of Many" in its cover story "Power of Us"

Here's an excerpt for Xian to maybe send his attorney to protect his copyright:

"Everywhere, people are getting together and, using the Internet,
disrupting whatever activities they're involved in." [quote by Pierre M. Omidyar, Founder & Chairman fo Ebay] ... Behold the power of us. It's the force behind the collective clamor of Weblogs that felled CBS (VIA ) anchorman Dan Rather and rocked the media establishment. Global crowds of open-source Linux programmers are giving even mighty Microsoft Corp. (MSFT ) fits. Virtual
supercomputers, stitched together from millions of volunteers' PCs, are helping
predict global climate change, analyze genetic diseases, and find new planets
and stars. One investment-management firm, Marketocracy Inc., even runs a sort
of stock market rotisserie league for 70,000 virtual traders. It skims the cream
of the best-performing portfolios to buy and sell real stocks for its $60
million mutual fund.

Although tech companies may be leading the way, their efforts are shaking
up other industries, including entertainment, publishing, and advertising.
Hollywood is under full-scale assault by 100 million people sharing songs and
movies online via programs such as Kazaa and BitTorrent. The situation is the
same with ad-supported media: Google Inc.'s (GOOG ) ace search engine
essentially polls the collective judgments of millions of Web page creators to
determine the most relevant search results. In the process, it has created a
multibillion-dollar market for supertargeted ads that's drawing money from
magazine display ads and newspaper classifieds. [Dim grey text and red emphasis mine.]

Overweight "women have DNA nine years older than" their "slim" counterparts according to British researchers, who have discovered that both smoking and being overweight damage DNA by shortening the telomeres that protect chromosomes.

I wish the issue of people who have the genetic code to be significantly overweight had been addressed, could obese people be born with shorter telomeres than people who do not have an obesity gene?

My college buddy, Christian Crumlish, has tagged me to play in a meme that I should disqualify myself from because... ah, secret! Instead, I'm going to play anyway!

1. Total number of books owned: A handful, I'm known for my disdain for book-buying. Stingy, yes!

2. Last book bought: Morgan Spurlock's "Dont Eat This Book" which my husband bought, he's the big book buyer in our family. Bought with my own money? Christian's "Power of Many"

3. Last book read: Uh, phone book? :-) Seriously now, my mind is pulling up reading a children's book to my niece, but I can't recall the title. Not Dr. Seuss, it sure was not, what a sad knot in my throat.

4. Five books that mean a lot to me:

My senior year thesis @ Princeton: "The New Republic on Latin America in the Inter-War Years, 1919-1939"

"DotCom Divas" by Elizabeth Carlassare. Beth's sister, Cathy, was my first year roommate @ Princeton, we have been friends ever since. Cathy gave me the book, which means a lot to me because it was the first written by someone that close to me.

Could I mention "Power of Many" by Christian Crumlish again? I will, I love Xian's work, his writing is always witty, earnest in an aloof way and a window into his genius.

Don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes: my tattered, hand-me-down paperback lies somewhere in my mother's house, but I remember thinking when I first read it that I'd never make it through and calling Dr. Cliff Notes, but then I DID make it! The riveting story triggered my absorption in it. A Quijote I knew I carried inside after I finished.

Any books about the JFK or Jackie O., both remind me of my late grandmother who adored JFK and thus had some interest in his wife. Tied w. Elizabeth Kubler Ross' "On Death and Dying" which I devoured when my father was terminally ill with lung cancer.

5. Tag five people to continue the meme:

The Unchosen One, Heidi Allen, Daniel Scally, Gaby de Wilde and Becky López

My husband picked up "Beyond the Sea" by Kevin Spacey this afternoon, feeling a need for passive recreation. He knows I seldom like movies, but when he heard the swing sound of Frank Sinatra from the movie he immediately ran to get me. Not surprisingly given my love for Sinatra, I enjoyed the movie, with only one downside: why did Spacey fall into an act reminiscent of Russell Crowe's in "A Beautiful Mind"? Spacey's singing and dancing stood out by themselves and the psycho-drama side of the script robbed a chunk of "Beyond the Sea" magic.

"Mighty Bites" cereal is Kashi's answer to the Kellogg's ubiquitous low-nutrition cereal for children. Is anyone interested in trying this recipe to make a healthier variant of crispy rice treats? Too bad I haven't tried it yet.

Mighty Bites™ No-Bake Peanut Butter & Jam Squares
Makes 24 servings.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup No Sugar Added Real Fruit Jam (Your Favorite Flavor)
1/4 cup Evaporated Cane Juice Crystals or Raw Cane Sugar
1 Tablespoon Water
1/2 cup Natural Crunchy Peanut or Almond Butter
4 cups Kashi® Mighty Bites Cereal (either Honey Crunch or Cinnamon)
1/2 cup Peanuts or Almonds, Chopped
Optional Decorations: Chopped Nuts, Mini Chocolate Chips, Fruit Jam, Raisins, Dried Cranberries

Directions:

In a large, microwave-safe glass bowl add jam, evaporated cane juice crystals and water. Mix together well, cover and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Remove plate and stir the mixture until smooth. Cover and microwave for another 30 seconds. Carefully remove the hot bowl from microwave (use hot pads). Stir peanut butter into hot jam mixture until completely combined. In a separate, large mixing bowl add the Mighty Bites cereal. Pour the peanut butter and jam mixture over the cereal and stir until the cereal is coated and the mixture sticks together. Spray a 13 x 9 inch size cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and pour the coated cereal mixture into the pan. Press down firmly into the bottom of the pan, spreading to the corners. Sprinkle the entire top evenly with the chopped peanuts and press them firmly into the cereal mixture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes then cut into 24 squares.

For an extra special fun treat, you can cut these bars into fun shapes using cookie cutters and decorate each of the shapes your own way.

Decoration Ideas: Sprinkle with extra chopped peanuts, mini chocolate chips, chopped dried fruit (such as raisins or dried cranberries) or top with a little bit of fruit jam or sliced fresh bananas for an extra special dessert or snack.

Nutrition Facts: Serving Size 1 square (30g), Calories 100, Calories from Fat 35, Total Fat 4g, Saturated Fat 0.5g, Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 50mg, Potassium 45mg, Total Carbohydrate 12g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 6g, Protein 3g, Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 6%, Calcium 2%, Iron 8%, Vitamin D 0%, Vitamin E 4%, Vitamin K 0%, Thiamin 6%, Riboflavin 4%, Niacin 10%, Vitamin B6 6%, Folate (Total) 8%, Vitamin B12 4%, Phosphorus 2%, Magnesium 6%, Zinc 4%.

Blogging to support Missing Lymph, I have encountered many young people, Cindy Lu, Daniel, The Unchosen One are the ones I know by name. To them and to all you I'd like to tell about a sleep study conducted at Brown University. The researchers say young people (13 to 22 years old) need ten hours of sleep and people between ages 16 and 29 are most likely to fall asleep while driving.

I do not want any of you to fall asleep behind the wheel, please plan in advance your trip, making contingency plans like staying @ a friend's house, or having an alert parent, relative or trusted person drive you.

My husband's parents and grandparents, a photograph that has held up to the test of tropical time!

Tonight, my husband treated me to a nice dinner he fixed himself, one only glitch: the whole wheat bread he bought had High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), which he didn't notice. I'm feeling a bit sick from that HFCS, a nervous system overstimulant for me.

A Y! 360 blogger, Raghupathy S., recommended (for a nice blogroll which last time I checked was under contruction) this blog: the Complimenting Commenter, where the idea is to give compliments to others as an act of kindness. Very nice!

P.S. Many thanks to the sharp-eyed "The Unchosen One" of Ars Politica for finding a typo in the original posting!

Violently Ambivalent writes about her dislike of where she lives, except:

"...mornings like today -- sitting on my porch steps in the sunshine,
eating a piece of cake for breakfast and watching the cat roll in the grass --
go a long way toward changing my mind."

Which reminds me, I haven't had a piece of cake in what seems like forever.

My elderly uncle was hospitalized w. kidney failure, my husband and I went tonight to see him but wound up in the wrong hospital by assuming he had gone in to the same one in which he had been before. Lesson re-learned: ask before you assume. Did we get to visit with my uncle by going to the right hospital after discovering our mistake? Sadly, no, visiting hours were over @ the right place by the time we drove from one town to the next in heavy Saturday evening traffic.

My mother graduated from Mount Saint Vincent College in 1955 with a B.S. in Biology. Her fiftieth reunion is this weekend, June 3 to 5, she told me she was planning to attend, but with my elderly uncle she cares for sick, I don't know if her trip is still on. I must ask.

To begin June on a fresh note, an excerpt from "Just Like That" by Maya Stein: