Black Gold

On a day to day basis - how removed do you feel from the world around you? Do we carry on oblivious of our actions and what impact we have for future generations to come?

All over the media, we have been bombarded with stories about pipelines, oil and gas, the tarsands, and international trade and foreign investment.How much, with whom? and if it's even something we should consider?

 Emotions run high with these issues and sometimes people transfer and target their anger to other fantasy targets. People get so worked up in a frenzy they start believing in their own alternate reality.

I am an avid environmentalist at heart and believe in conservation biology I am also a realist and perhaps a bit of an idealist. I also believe in science and technology.

We use petroleum products everyday and we couldn't live without them unless we go back to living in a cave. Yet, there is so much fear and fear mongering going on that some people just follow along and drink the koolaid. Get informed - search for the grain of truth in other opinions and be open minded.  

There are mixed feelings all along the path of the proposed Keystone pipeline. Ken Ilgunas is walking the path of the pipeline from Alberta to Texas and his adventures are shared on his blog, Pipe Dreams. http://www.kenilgunas.com/

Strive for justice and peace....
  

Here is a partial list of products made from Petroleum (144 of 6000 items), what could you live without:

One 42 gallon (159.6 litres) barrel of oil creates 19.4 gallons of gasoline. The rest (over half) is used to make things like:

Solvents	Diesel fuel	Motor Oil	Bearing Grease
Ink	Floor Wax	Ballpoint Pens	Football Cleats
Upholstery	Sweaters	Boats	Insecticides
Bicycle Tires	Sports Car Bodies	Nail Polish	Fishing lures
Dresses	Tires	Golf Bags	Perfumes
Cassettes	Dishwasher parts	Tool Boxes	Shoe Polish
Motorcycle Helmet	Caulking	Petroleum Jelly	Transparent Tape
CD Player	Faucet Washers	Antiseptics	Clothesline
Curtains	Food Preservatives	Basketballs	Soap
Vitamin Capsules	Antihistamines	Purses	Shoes
Dashboards	Cortisone	Deodorant	Footballs
Putty	Dyes	Panty Hose	Refrigerant
Percolators	Life Jackets	Rubbing Alcohol	Linings
Skis	TV Cabinets	Shag Rugs	Electrician's Tape
Tool Racks	Car Battery Cases	Epoxy	Paint
Mops	Slacks	Insect Repellent	Oil Filters
Umbrellas	Yarn	Fertilizers	Hair Coloring
Roofing	Toilet Seats	Fishing Rods	Lipstick
Denture Adhesive	Linoleum	Ice Cube Trays	Synthetic Rubber
Speakers	Plastic Wood	Electric Blankets	Glycerin
Tennis Rackets	Rubber Cement	Fishing Boots	Dice
Nylon Rope	Candles	Trash Bags	House Paint
Water Pipes	Hand Lotion	Roller Skates	Surf Boards
Shampoo	Wheels	Paint Rollers	Shower Curtains
Guitar Strings	Luggage	Aspirin	Safety Glasses
Antifreeze	Football Helmets	Awnings	Eyeglasses
Clothes	Toothbrushes	Ice Chests	Footballs
Combs	CD's & DVD's	Paint Brushes	Detergents
Vaporizers	Balloons	Sun Glasses	Tents
Heart Valves	Crayons	Parachutes	Telephones
Enamel	Pillows	Dishes	Cameras
Anesthetics	Artificial Turf	Artificial limbs	Bandages
Dentures	Model Cars	Folding Doors	Hair Curlers
Cold cream	Movie film	Soft Contact lenses	Drinking Cups
Fan Belts	Car Enamel	Shaving Cream	Ammonia
Refrigerators	Golf Balls	Toothpaste	Gasoline

Galileo's Secret Messages

Inquisitive learner, explorer, adventurer, scientist and definitely a self defined certified geek. A friend of mine asked me recently, do you every read fiction? Just for fun? Mmmm...I guess I do sometimes but more often I tend to gravitate to learning something new.

Galileo was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution during the 1600's. He built a telescope and started making observations. He made many discoveries in the world of physics and astronomy.

Galileo sent two coded messages to German astronomer Johannes Kepler in the 17^th century to tell him about the discoveries he made with his new telescope. However, he encoded the messages in an anagram (in Latin) to Kepler who tried to decipher the messages -

'smaismrmilmepoetaleumibunenugttauiras.'

Kepler believed Mars had two moons, and tried to decipher Galileo's secret message until he finally rearranged it to say 'Salve umbisteneum geminatum Martia proles' ('Hail, twin companionship, children of Mars'), thus confirming his own prediction. 

In fact, his Italian colleague had written nothing of the kind. Galileo's secret message was 'Altissimum planetam tergeminum observavi' ('I have observed the most distant planet to have a triple form'), which related to his mistaking the rings around Saturn for moons.

Messages that we send between two people can be misfired and misinterpreted in so many ways. Emails, texting, body language, words, talking, ESP, mind mending....

If we knew how wrong we could be misunderstood - we would simplify our communication and KISS (keep it simple stupid)!

"Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler." -Albert Einstein

In the Quietest Moments

When life really slows down and in times of perfect stillness, I can put my hand on my heart and feel the pulse of pure gratitude - beating, constantly and continuously.

Gratitude, thankfulness, gratefulness, or appreciation is a feeling, from the heart or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive.

Sometimes when life is stressful and we are in reactive or survival mode- it is difficult to be grateful for what we have in our life. We take for granted those that mean the most to us and forget to give thanks. I am ever so grateful for everything that I have in my life.

My family, my friends and those that I am fortunate enough to come across in day to day interactions. For all of this I am truly grateful and blessed.

I had the pleasure to see a group of friends during this Thanksgiving weekend whom I would place in a unique and special class of friends/friendships.

Certainty in an Uncertain World

We live in a world of uncertainty. Yet, we continue to find ways to understand and make sense of our environment. We look to organize, categorize, patterns and logical solutions.

An 'expert' is born every second to tell us what we need to do with our health, finances and relationships. We look to others to give us some insight into these mysterious and seemingly mind boggling life skills.

The weatherman doesn't always get it right. The financial consultant is fishing in the dark and those folks who describe themselves having an expertise in a certain field may or may not be any more knowledgeable than yourself. Oh, so many questions, and so many more.

Is everything just a risk? Do we have any control over our lives and choices? Can we really make a difference in our world? Faith and trust- that we will do know....that is our certainty in this uncertain world.

Andrew's Festival Fry

Deep Fried Mars Bars

Festival City is alive and well! There are so many events back to back, that sometimes it's hard to keep up with what's happenin'!

I was very fortunate and felt privilege to have attended a very special private Fry Feast this weekend.

It started off with a couple of guys and a turkey fryer about 8 years ago. Today, the three amigos are still doing their annual event but the diversity and creativity of food has blossomed!

It's a MAGICAL journey for the discerning palate!

Deep Fried Ice Cream rolled in Corn Flakes

Fryers all set up. Everything prepped and ready to go. It's a time sensitive orchestrated dance in the cooking arena.

We were treated to a range of delicious mouthwatering treasures.....deep fried turkey, super moist and tender...cheese, zucchini, chicken wings....and then deep fried Mars bars and deep fried Ice Cream...WOW...I was in heaven!

A Green Egg BBQ's was set up for the featured star... A Bacon Fish (Bacon wrapped around Italian sausage shaped like a fish).

I never would have thought I would say this since....usually I'm not a big fan of fried foods but this was really good!

A splash to wash it all down!

Yummy yummers...Chips Chips and more chips..yam, ripple and regular!

Bacon Fish wrapped with layers of bacon...Everything is better with Bacon!

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

“Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!” 

My nephew graduated and it was fan-tabulous weekend! He has been a part of my life and I have always made time to be a part of his. Fearfactor camp, skateboard camp, movie marathons and eating dirt and worms....it was all part of the experience. Now he's driving around in his own car and still playing in a band! 

I bought this book when he was probably 8 or 10 and have been waiting for this day to come around for me to be able to give it to him!

Graduation...not the end but only the beginning of another adventure.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...”
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!

 

Icicles and Popsicles

Today I received my mold for classic popsicles that I had ordered from Amazon! So EXCITED Yay! I had tonsillitis earlier this year and found myself devouring popsicles by the box full. Now I'm making my own, healthier versions with yoghurt and fresh berries, fruit juice and home made fudgesicles. YUMMY!


I'm inspired by People's Popsicles from NYC (http://www.peoplespops.com/peoples_pops.html)
but also from creating in my own experimentation lab kitchen.

Home Made Fudgsicles

Adapted from Alton Brown Good Eats 

8 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate 

1 1/2 cup heavy cream 

1 cup milk 

2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa 

2 tsp.vanilla

1. Placed the chopped chocolate into a medium glass mixing bowl. Set aside.
2. Combine heavy cream, milk and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until cocoa is dissolved and mixture comes to a simmer. Remove from the heat and pour over the chopped chocolate. Let it stand for 2 to 3 minutes and whisk gently until all chocolate is melted. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
3. Divide the mixture evenly among the molds and place in the freezer. Freeze for at least 4 hours or until solid. They can be held in the freezer for up to 1 week in an airtight container.

Here are a couple more recipes I made:

Yummy Watermelon Pops

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups cubed seeded watermelon 1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup white sugar 1/2 cup fresh raspberries

Directions:

1.	Place the watermelon, lemon juice, sugar, and raspberries into a blender, and blend on High speed until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture into ice pop molds, and insert sticks or handles. Freeze until firm, several hours or overnight.

Fresh Fruit and Yogurt Ice Pops

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and sliced bananas, mixed 2 cups plain or vanilla yogurt

1/4 cup white sugar 8 small paper cups 8 popsicle sticks

Directions:

1.	Place the mixed blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, sliced bananas, yogurt, and sugar into a blender. Cover, and blend until fruit is chunky or smooth, as desired.
2.	Fill paper cups 3/4 full with fruit mixture. Cover the top of each cup with a strip of aluminum foil. Poke a popsicle stick through the center of the foil on each cup.
3.	Place the cups in the freezer for at least 5 hours. To serve, remove foil and peel off the paper cup.

Food trucks abound us! I would like to make these for a living! Sort of a traveling Dickie Dee truck! .....or would I eat all the profits? Welcome Summer!

The unexamined life

Question Everything!

Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books.
Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.
Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it."

--Buddha




Remember the Socratic paradoxes?

• No one desires evil.
• No one errs or does wrong willingly or knowingly.
• Virtue - all virtue - is knowledge.
• Virtue is sufficient for happiness.
• The phrase "Socratic paradox" can also refer to a self-referential paradox, originating in Socrates' phrase, "I know that I know nothing". Socrates believed that the first step towards wisdom is knowing that ultimately you are ignorant; if you want to be a philosopher, remember that you know nothing.

The unexamined life is not worth living
Lately,  I've found myself re-examining stuff. In a quest for knowledge and learning I'm reverting to Socrates and his line of understanding the world around him. Gosh, I know so little! It's new roles and new challenges and also wondering about what my accomplishments I've made in life.

On a lighter note, I always laughed at oxymorons...and thought these were interesting:

1. virtual reality
2. original copy
3. old news
4. act naturally
5. pretty ugly
6. living dead
7. jumbo shrimp
8. rolling stop
9. constant variable
10. exact estimate
11. paid volunteers
12. civil war
13. sound of silence
14. clever fool
15. only choice

http://people.howstuffworks.com/15-oxymorons.htm

Older Geniuses

I love this picture of Einstein because it reminds me of my 90+ yr old Grandmother who we used to ask to stick out her tongue too!

Einstein: "A person who has not made his great contribution to science before the age of 30 will never do so." Gosh, when I read this I thought my best days were behind me. Einstein had discovered that matter was transmutable to energy with his famous equation E = mc2 which helped lay the foundations of quantum theory by that age as evidence for his claim.

However, recent researchers have decided that peak age has shifted considerably with 48 being prime time for physicists.

I took physics in high school and first year in college but have never been overtly physics minded. How about creative geniuses?

Here is a test for you to check out your level of creativity:

Do you …

• HAVE THE COURAGE to try new things and risk failure now and then? Every big breakthrough starts as a harebrained idea.

• USE INTUITION as well as logic to make decisions and produce ideas? You can’t always rely on logic. You have to listen to your gut, too. It follows its own logic.

• LIKE TO PLAY, laugh, and have fun? In many ways, these are the ultimate creative acts.

• SHARE YOUR FEELINGS and express your thoughts? People who are in touch with themselves tend to be in touch with others.

• FIND ORDER IN CHAOS and look for hidden meaning? Creative people see patterns in what to others appears to be irrelevant information.

• GET MOTIVATED BY A TASK rather than by external rewards? If you’re just in it for the money, you’re not going to be a fountain of new ideas.

• FIND SOLUTIONS to challenging problems? If you always have a ready answer, you’ve stopped thinking and creating.

• CHALLENGE ASSUMPTIONS and ask hard questions? Creative people are persistent skeptics, taking what others believe with a grain of salt.

• MAKE CONNECTIONS between old ideas to produce new insights? Sometimes the best solutions are simply two old ideas jammed together.

• PUSH THE ENVELOPE in order to expand the boundaries of what is possible? Instead of dividing the world into the possible and impossible, it’s better to merely divide it into the tried and the untried.

• TEST NEW IDEAS and enjoy competing with others? Creative people don’t mind losing, but they love winning and proving themselves.

These are not the only traits creative people share. But they’re some of the most important.
http://www.procopytips.com/creative-genius

Here's an interesting way to do math:

There's still hope for us yet!!

Dragon Tales

Today is the beginning of the lunar new year celebration for billions of Asians around the world and others who harness an Asian spirit!

The Year of the Dragon is roaring in! This is to be a extraordinary auspicious year! (or for some an auspicuous year). The Dragon is said to have the ability to fly in the heavens and swim in the seas. The dragon is the most favourable and revered sign in the 12-year Chinese zodiac — a symbol of royalty, fortune and power that is also used in other cultures that mark the Lunar New Year.

You can read more here:http://www.chinesezodiac.com/dragon.php


Migration of Asians travel home for the holidays is just like the salmon returning home to spawn!  To new beginnings! Kung Hei Fat Choy 恭喜發財 for all! May all of you and your family have good health 身體健康, good wealth 財源廣進, and all your wishes come true 心想事成 for coming New Year!

 May your year be like the Dragon, powerful strong and invincible!