The Chick-fil-A Kerfluffle

Back in July, S. Truett Cathy, the founder of the Chick-fil-A restaurant chain, when asked by the reporter for a Baptist publication said:

"We are very much supportive of the family -- the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.

Of course, the New York Times and similar venues do not read the Baptist press (me neither, but then, I'm not really in the news business, right), but eventually, someone noticed that he had expressed exactly the same beliefs that Preznit Barack H. Obama held until his forced 

forced epiphany on May 9th, which had the appearance of a careful examination of the numbers and trends in polls on gay marriage: 

President Obama’s decision to endorse same-sex marriage undoubtedly entails some political risk, but recent polls suggest that public opinion is increasingly on his side.
According to surveys included in the PollingReport.com database, an average of 50 percent of American adults support same-sex marriage rights while 45 percent oppose it, based on an average of nine surveys conducted in the past year.
This is a reversal from earlier periods: support for same-sex marriage has been increasing, and opposition to it has been decreasing, at a relatively steady rate of perhaps two or three percentage points a year since 2004.

Convenient that he just happened to change his beliefs in synch with the majority.  However, by May 11, the beliefs that Obama espoused up until May 9 became anathema, something that no American could express and not be regarded as a hate filled bigot.

So now, the Christian CEO must be punished!  But how to do that?  I know! We'll have prominent democratic politicians threaten to withhold the permission for Chick-fil-A to build new restaurants! Rahm Immanuel, mayor of the worlds murder capital said that:

“Chick-fil-A values are not Chicago values,” the mayor said in a statement when asked about Moreno’s decision. “They disrespect our fellow neighbors and residents. This would be a bad investment, since it would be empty.”

when Alderman Moreno threatened to veto the siting of any new Chick-fil-A. First Amendment?  What's that? I'm sure democrats will be thrilled when Republicans are back in power deciding who gets to do business where, based on their religious statements.

Boston's mayor got into the fray, too:

"In recent days you said Chick-fil-A opposes same-sex marriage and said the generation that supports it has 'an arrogant attitude,'" Menino wrote in a letter dated July 20 and published online Wednesday. "Now—incredibly—your company says you are backing out of the same-sex marriage debate. I urge you to back out of your plans to locate in Boston."

Banned in Boston!  Has that ever been bad for business? 

Anyway, the progressive caucus went into full fury mode against Chick-fil-A.  A particularly fine example was this CFO for a small medical company who decided to take out his feelings about Chick-fil-A on some poor worker at the take out window and video his confrontation with her:



He then foolishly published his video on the internet; thought better of it, and took it down.  Of course, nothing ever really disappears in the matrix.

This act of kindess got him fired...

Vante regrets the unfortunate events that transpired yesterday in Tucson between our former CFO/Treasurer Adam Smith and an employee at Chick-fil-A. Effective immediately, Mr. Smith is no longer an employee of our company.

The actions of Mr. Smith do not reflect our corporate values in any manner. Vante is an equal opportunity company with a diverse workforce, which holds diverse opinions. We respect the right of our employees and all Americans to hold and express their personal opinions, however, we also expect our company officers to behave in a manner commensurate with their position and in a respectful fashion that conveys these values of civility with others.

We hope that the general population does not hold Mr. Smith's actions against Vante and its employees.

...and turned his victim into a secular saint:

Next, supporters of Chick-fil-A called for a day of appreciation for the troubled chain for yesterday, Aug. 2. It was wildly successful, with franchises around the nation reporting record sales:

Chick-fil-A announced Thursday morning that supporters who flocked to the restaurant for "Appreciation Day" propelled the company to a "record-setting day."

The statement confirmed anecdotal claims that the long lines seen at Chick-fil-A's across the country Wednesday fueled unprecedented sales. The turnout came after CEO Dan Cathy came under fire in some circles for his opposition to same-sex marriage.

Damn nation of bigots, holding Barack Obama's pre-May beliefs.  Something more must be done, and progressive wingnuts are just the ones to do it.  But what could they do that would be both legal, and sufficiently obnoxious to Chick-fil-A that it might hurt their business???

But... where's your partner?

Ooo, ooo, Mr. Kotter, I know, we'll get all the homosexuals we can to go Chick-fil-A the next day, and kiss and make out and gross out the stupid Americans who support Chick-fil-A!  That'll show 'em!  It was called "Kiss Day", or "Kiss-In", in honor of the 60's "Be Ins" I suppose.  Despite the promise of a spicy chicken sandwich, waffle fries, lemonade, and the prospect of getting to view hot lesbians kissing, it was less than successful:

The "kiss in" protest at Chick-fil-A generated some activism Friday -- but apparently far less than the huge show of support the chicken eatery received earlier this week.

As part of the event, gay marriage advocates were encouraging same-sex couples to go to one of the chicken restaurants and take a photo or video of themselves kissing.

Huge crowds turned out Wednesday in a show of support for company President Dan Cathy, who ignited a national debate by publicly expressing his opposition to same-sex marriage. Critics have also said the company supports causes harmful to gays and lesbians.

The scene on Friday was much quieter at locations across the Southland.

However, in Lala Land, aka Hollywood, California, police had to be called to the local Chick-fil-A because media were pestering the staff, and preventing them from observing the homosexual protest.

I just happened to have to need to leave work today to buy something in Edgewater MD, where a Chick-fil-A does business on Route 2. I arrived around 2:00 PM, and feeling peckish, stopped for a second lunch (and well, maybe a glimpse of hot lesbians groping).  The place was a zoo.  The two lines for the drive through was backed up into the street, the parking lot was nearly full, and the inside of the restaurant was a mob scene, despite the 10 staffers behind the counter preparing and serving food at a furious clip.

Curiously, though, not one sign of hot lesbians sex, or even male homosexuals trying gross out the customers.  Just a lot of people ordering lots of chicken.

I took my spicy chicken sandwich, waffle fries and lemonade and went back to my office.

News You Can Use

5 Best Crab Houses in the Chesapeake Region 

I've only been to two of them.

Pomme De Terre

Dug these up today. Can't wait to get cooking some of them.

I also had to spend considerable time sweeping up a mass of fallen leaves. It's just like Autumn come very early. What is wrong with this weather?


Tomorrow (Sunday) I'm up early-ish and taking LL up to the Tower of London to see the Crown Jewels. I'm under strict instructions not to go trying on any of the crowns LOL.

Girl, 5, who can't eat chocolate because it would poison her hoping double organ transplant

Lola (pictured with mother Natalie, left) can't cope with a variety of foods including chocolate. Her older sister Nicole (who she is pictured with, right) had the same issue until she had a double organ transplant

The parents of a little girl who can't eat chocolate are hoping a double organ transplant will change her life.

Lola Raine suffers from a rare kidney and liver disease which means just a sliver of the sweet stuff would cause her potassium levels to rise, poisoning her body and leaving her in a critical condition.

Her sister Nicole, aged ten, was born with the same illness and is now healthy and well after a kidney and liver transplant. Now Lola is in line for the same operation.

Mother-of-five Natalie, of Old Hill, West Midlands, said: 'Because Lola's kidneys cannot remove waste properly, things like potassium would build up in the blood and damage the body.

'It means she can't eat a variety of food, including chocolate, cereals, and crisps.

'She's basically on a diet of sausages and toast until she has her transplant as that's the safest food for her to eat.

'Nicole was the same when it came to chocolate but she could have cereals and crisps because her condition wasn't as bad as Lola's.

'I have to be really careful what I bring into the house because if Lola sees those things she wants them.'

Full-time mother Natalie, 35, and her husband Tim, 46, who works for British Gas, discovered Nicole had Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease - ARPKD - two weeks after she was born.

They were told she would need a combined liver and kidney transplant at Birmingham Children's Hospital - the only place in the UK able to carry out such transplants.

Finally, three years ago, Nicole underwent the operation which changed her life. The couple were told there was a one-in-four chance they would have other children who suffered from the condition.

When Taylor, aged eight, and six-year-old Molly were born they were given the all clear. But when Natalie fell pregnant with her fourth child Lola, she instantly knew something wasn't right. And soon into the pregnancy it was picked up that she too was suffering from ARPKD.

Natalie added: 'This time we were more prepared for Lola's illness. We had learned so much from Nicole's experiences, we knew what to expect. As a result, Lola spent a lot less time in hospital than Nicole.'

Lola is now on the waiting list for a kidney and liver transplant while being closely monitored at ARPKD causes cysts to appear in the tubes that produce and transport urine (kidney) and bile (liver). This leads to scarring, and eventually the healthy tissue of the affected organs will be destroyed and can lead to kidney and liver failure.

Only a child who receives two mutated copies of the PKHD1 gene - one from each parent - will get the disease.

Natalie, whose fifth child Lacey, aged two, was born healthy, added: 'It can be very isolating and scary when your child is first diagnosed. It was helpful to get information from doctors, which is why information days are so important.'

News by Dailymail


Read current news at http://bbc-cnn-worldnews.blogspot.com

Low Carb Diet as Epilepsy Treatment

‘Miracle Diet’ Prevents Seizures; Scientists May Know Why

While neurologists have known that a high-fat and very low-carb diet, known as a ketogenic diet, reduces seizures in epileptic patients who are resistant to medical therapy, the “why” to it all has always been a mystery.

But today, some scientists say they may have found the answer. Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School said seizures might be linked to a protein that changes metabolism in the brain, which is why patients respond so well to the ketogenic diet...

The ketogenic diet mimics aspects of starvation by forcing the body to burn fats instead of carbohydrates. The diet produces ketones in the body, organic compounds that form when the body uses fat, instead of glucose, as a source of energy. An elevated level of ketone bodies in the blood reduces the frequency of epileptic seizures.

The study, published in the journal Neuron and conducted in genetically-altered mice, found that the effect of the ketogenic diet on epilepsy can be mimicked using a much more specific and non-dietary approach by manipulating a particular protein in mice, said Gary Yellen, a professor of neurobiology at Harvard Medical School and co-author of the study.

But then, the diet is relatively easy.  Why make a drug that simulates the diet?

More (bad) diet news; Why exercise doesn't actually help most of us lose weight:

At least four clinical trials have demonstrated that exercise tends to suppress resting metabolic rate. In all four studies overweight participants who engaged in 300-600 calories worth of daily exercise experienced a significant drop in resting metabolism. According to Drs. Jeff Volek and Stephen Phinney, “Although genetically lean people as a group may respond differently, when overweight humans do more than one hour of endurance exercise daily, resting metabolism on average declines between 5% and 15%.”

There you are; work harder, lay around harder.  That's not to say that exercise doesn't have other benefits, but simply exercising more may not cause the excess lbs to drop off.

And more work on the low carb diet: Not all calories are equal

On the very low-carbohydrate diet, Dr. Ludwig’s subjects expended 300 more calories a day than they did on the low-fat diet and 150 calories more than on the low-glycemic-index diet. As Dr. Ludwig explained, when the subjects were eating low-fat diets, they’d have to add an hour of moderate-intensity physical activity each day to expend as much energy as they would effortlessly on the very-low-carb diet. And this while consuming the same amount of calories. If the physical activity made them hungrier — a likely assumption — maintaining weight on the low-fat, high-carb diet would be even harder. Why does this speak to the very cause of obesity? One way to think about this is to consider weight-reduced subjects as “pre-obese.” They’re almost assuredly going to get fatter, and so they can be research stand-ins — perhaps the best we have — for those of us who are merely predisposed to get fat but haven’t done so yet and might take a few years or decades longer to do it.

 So there you have it; instead of exercising, have a steak, and skip the fries...

After Dinner

Readers of this blog may recall one of my favourite films is Ridley Scott's Alien. Absolutely love it and despite pretty much knowing it inside out, I still find it exciting and somewhat scary.

You can imagine my delight at the thought of a trip to the cinema this week to see Prometheus, Scott's (possibly maybe) prequel. Definitely set in the same universe and playing by the same rules or as I think Scott put it, it shares the same DNA. A good film- certainly superior to Alien 3- with big spectacle set pieces to please. Not as scary as perhaps I would have liked but there you go.

Regardless of whether Prometheus fits into the Alien canon, there was I noted quite a big plot hole that got over looked. Just taking the film as a stand alone, a pretty big plot device had been used and then contradicted later on. I won't spoil things here, see if you can work it out.

Oh and while I think of it, I had real difficulties with the main character being named after a well known After Dinner Mint brand. Would have thought fellow Brit Scott would have known LOL...

Has anyone noticed today is meant to be the longest day (at least in the northern hemisphere)? It's more or less rained all day (see previous post re- summer weather) with temperatures likely to have struggled to get to the low 20's grrr. Of course now all we can look forward to is the nights gradually drawing in as we head towards Christmas. Cheerful soul aren't I?

By the way has anyone else been enjoying the excellent sitcom 2 Broke Girl$? See what they did there with the title LOL? Nothing ground breaking and a bit obvious at times but quite fun.  

Good News for Health Nuts

A summary of recent research into the effect of life style on health:

High-fat diets are good for you.

Low-carbohydrate diets that require patients to fill up on fats won't lead to harder arteries, researchers say -- at least not in the short-term.

Those who lost 10 pounds after curbing their carb intake had no differences in arterial stiffness than those on a more traditional, low-fat diet, Dr. Kerry Stewart of Johns Hopkins and colleagues reported at the American College of Sports Medicine meeting in Denver.

High-fat diets help you lose weight.
 

The Atkins diet may have proved itself after all: A low-carb diet and a Mediterranean-style regimen helped people lose more weight than a traditional low-fat diet in one of the longest and largest studies to compare the dueling weight-loss techniques.

A bigger surprise: The low-carb diet improved cholesterol more than the other two. Some critics had predicted the opposite.

Steak and lard and bacon are good eats.

Few experts now deny that the low-fat message is radically oversimplified. If nothing else, it effectively ignores the fact that unsaturated fats, like olive oil, are relatively good for you: they tend to elevate your good cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (H.D.L.), and lower your bad cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (L.D.L.), at least in comparison to the effect of carbohydrates. While higher L.D.L. raises your heart-disease risk, higher H.D.L. reduces it...

But it gets even weirder than that. Foods considered more or less deadly under the low-fat dogma turn out to be comparatively benign if you actually look at their fat content. More than two-thirds of the fat in a porterhouse steak, for instance, will definitively improve your cholesterol profile (at least in comparison with the baked potato next to it); it's true that the remainder will raise your L.D.L., the bad stuff, but it will also boost your H.D.L. The same is true for lard. If you work out the numbers, you come to the surreal conclusion that you can eat lard straight from the can and conceivably reduce your risk of heart disease.

Low salt diets increase the risk of death.

A new study found that low-salt diets increase the risk of death from heart attacks and strokes and do not prevent high blood pressure,...

The investigators found that the less salt people ate, the more likely they were to die of heart disease — 50 people in the lowest third of salt consumption (2.5 grams of sodium per day) died during the study as compared with 24 in the medium group (3.9 grams of sodium per day) and 10 in the highest salt consumption group (6.0 grams of sodium per day). And while those eating the most salt had, on average, a slight increase in systolic blood pressure — a 1.71-millimeter increase in pressure for each 2.5-gram increase in sodium per day — they were no more likely to develop hypertension.

Diet soda makes you fat.

For one study, researchers at the center followed 474 diet soda drinkers, 65 to 74 years of age, for almost 10 years. They found that diet soda drinkers' waists grew 70 percent more than non-drinkers. Specifically, drinking two or more diet sodas a day busted belt sizes five times more than people who avoided the stuff entirely...

"Artificial sweeteners could have the effect of triggering appetite but unlike regular sugars they don't deliver something that will squelch the appetite," Sharon Fowler, obesity researcher at UT Health Science Center at San Diego and a co-author on both of these studies, told the Daily Mail. She also said sweeteners could inhibit brain cells that make you feel full.

Salt helps your body get rid of bad cholesterol.

Danish researchers report in the American Journal of Hypertension that reducing sodium consumption led to a 1% drop in blood pressure in people who had normal pressure readings, and a 3.5% drop in those with hypertension. But other changes may offset those benefits: people who cut dietary salt also saw a 2.5% increase in cholesterol levels and a 7% boost in triglycerides. Like high blood pressure, elevated levels of cholesterol and triglycerides are risk factors for heart disease. Excessive triglycerides can also contribute to diabetes.

 And now, exercise may increase heart risk.

By analyzing data from six rigorous exercise studies involving 1,687 people, the group found that about 10 percent actually got worse on at least one of the measures related to heart disease: blood pressure and levels of insulin, HDL cholesterol or triglycerides. About 7 percent got worse on at least two measures. And the researchers say they do not know why.

The problem with studies of exercise and health, researchers point out, is that while they often measure things like blood pressure or insulin levels, they do not follow people long enough to see if improvements translate into fewer heart attacks or longer lives. Instead, researchers infer that such changes lead to better outcomes — something that may or may not be true.

Some critics have noted that there is no indication that those who had what Dr. Bouchard is calling an adverse response to exercise actually had more heart attacks or other bad health outcomes. But Dr. Bouchard said if people wanted to use changes in risk factors to infer that those who exercise are healthier, they could not then turn around and say there is no evidence of harm when the risk factor changes go in the wrong direction.

There you go, eat right, live well; die anyway. Tomorrow's menu, bacon wrapped fillet (heavily salted) chased by a double margarita, with salt.

Embellished from a post by rdbrewer at Aces.

Long To Rain* Over Us

Wouldn't you know it- public holiday in the UK and it's chilly and raining! What happened to all the glorious weather we were enjoying last weekend? I'm seriously thinking about having to put the central heating back on for a bit.

Loving all the repackaged items currently in the shops, just in time for the Jubilee and Olympics.












* "God save our gracious Queen
Long live our noble Queen
God save the Queen
Send her victorious
Happy and glorious
Long to reign over us
God save the Queen"

I guess you might conclude I'm a bit of a Royalist at heart...

How Big?

Think we got a bit carried away while strawberry picking this weekend.

"You won't get that one in the car, son."

At Last

Temperatures in my little part of England finally exceeded 25 degrees Celsius (around 77 degrees Fahrenheit)- yea! It was a bit of a shock leaving the nice air conditioned office at 3.30 I can tell you. I'm now working in the middle of the office so no outside windows. Wasn't too much of a struggle to stop at ASDA on my home to pick up two litres of Cornish Ice Cream mmm.

Looks like summer might actually be on it's way (about time) although we do have a double public holiday for Her Majesty's Jubilee coming up, so you can bet cool weather and rain can't be far off LOL!

Ma'am

What better way to celebrate the Queen's reign than with the original and best yeast extract product in the world?

Weak willed fool that I am, I couldn't say no in the supermarket. Suppose I could put it down to being patriotic, I guess.

Good News, Food to Still be Plentiful in 18 years!

Obesity could affect 42% of Americans by 2030

The new projection, released here Monday, warns that 42% of Americans may end up obese by 2030, and 11% could be severely obese, adding billions of dollars to health care costs.

"If nothing is done (about obesity), it's going to hinder efforts for health care cost containment," says Justin Trogdon, a research economist with RTI International, a non-profit research organization in North Carolina's Research Triangle Park.

"The obesity problem is likely to get much worse without a major public health intervention," says Eric Finkelstein, a health economist with Duke University Global Health Institute and lead researcher on the new study.

I guess the modellers have predicted that the bad effects of global warming climate change will not have kicked in by then, and killed all the crops.

And of course, this calls for the government to put us all on a diet.

UPDATE:  A timely rant by Ace; Read the whole thing

Americans are too fat. They ought not be fat.

But it is far more important that they be free than they be thin.

Happy Easter

Have a peaceful day.

Go easy on the buns and chocolate eggs LOL.

BST

Last night our clocks went forward an hour, into British Summer Time, bringing with it lighter evenings and the first outing of my short trousers and flip-flops (or thongs as the Aussies would say).

So I spent a good few hours today doing a few chores about the garden, having a bit of a tidy up before planting my first crop of seed potatoes, which should be ready towards early July. I had quite a bit of success last year and a whole lot of fun, finger's crossed for this year. In addition I've sown 5 varieties of Chilli Pepper, which are now in pots on my kitchen window sill waiting to germinate.

Judging by the weather we've had this past week, it looks like we may have a cracking summer in the UK. The flip side of that of course is that due to the lack of rain through winter, we have already been told hose pipe bans will be in place from early April. Oh joy.

Speaking of water, I got home from work on Tuesday to the sound of running water. Seems something nasty has happened to my toilet, which means that until the plumber comes on Wednesday I have to make do with using a bucket to flush. I'm just pleased this happened now, if it was going to happen at all, rather than when GFDU was here. I can just imagine the conversation: " Welcome to England. By they way we're so backward here, we have to use this to flush with." LOL.

Followers to this blog might also like to know I have uploaded images of three more pots to Webshots. You'll need to navigate your way to about page 15 for the latest stuff.

And finally the Royals continue their push for promotion.

24 March Reading 3 - 1 Blackpool

Here's how the top part of the Championship looks at present:

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	Diff	Pts
1	Southampton	39	23	9	7	72	35	37	78
2	Reading	39	22	7	10	56	34	22	73
3	West Ham	38	19	12	7	59	38	21	69
4	Brighton	39	17	11	11	48	40	8	62
5	Middlesbrough	38	16	13	9	45	42	3	61
6	Birmingham	38	16	12	10	60	41	19	60
7	Blackpool	39	16	12	11	66	56	10	60
8	Cardiff	39	15	15	9	57	50	7	60
9	Hull	38	16	10	12	38	32	6	58
10	Leeds	39	16	9	14	59	57	2	57

The Day I Ate A Lot

First I have buttered toast and coffee with milk & sugar (tons) for breakfast.

Then as I go to a work meeting I have another coffee with milk & sugar (tons), this time iced and huge. Tastes like sugary coffee water, but I drink it all anyway.

On my way to a class I meet a friend and stop for a treat- a hazelnut caramel chocolate cream puff the size of my hand that tastes like John Hamm, and another cup of coffee with milk & sugar (tons).

My class, by the way, involved a great deal of physical activity. So at least there's that. 

After class I stop for avocado sushi and water- I gulp down about 1.5 bottles. 

Off to another meeting, this time a creative one. I get another treat- cheesecake, and coffee with... well, at this point you get it. The cheesecake is also awesome, but not as awesome as John Hamm, so I only eat 3/4's of it. That makes me feel better.

I walk 6 blocks instead of taking the subway. So at least there's that.

Then I go home and my parents have arrived and my mom has made Brazilian cheese breads. (By made I mean she opened a bag of frozen ones, placed them on a baking sheet, and stuck them in the oven.) I eat 5. Plus four crackers with hummus. I think about having another cup of coffee, but when I try to think of how many I've already had today, I can't remember, and that's a good time to stop drinking coffee. I drink water instead. And pee. I always pee a lot.

We go to dinner and my body is screaming for something healthy. So I order steamed vegetables. I might as well have eaten a warmed up iphone, such was the lack of deliciousness in this meal after a day of bursting-with-flavor carbs and sweets. But my body thanked me. I drank a ginger ale, which I always think is okay because it's made with ginger. But it's really not.

I got home. And there were Brazilian chocolate truffles filled with marshmallow fluff. I only ate one. Then I drank two cups of water.

I brushed my teeth. No way am I eating anything else today! 

Then I blogged about it, and I got hungry again. So now I'm eating another cheese bread...

And I may very well eat two... I mean, wouldn't you?

Just Like Summer..?

Did you see the weather in England today? It was 15 degrees Celsius in my back garden this afternoon and when I went out briefly to run some errands, I actually saw a man walking down the road with his shirt off. In March. I kid not.

Just for the record the warmest place in the UK today was in Nottinghamshire, where 19 degrees Celsius (around 62 degrees F) was noted. It's not even officially Spring yet.

(And yes I have today taken the precaution of retrieving the short trousers out of storage.) 

I've also been been catching up on recent episodes of Top Gear. Try to find the one with the jet pack Rocket Man racing at 120mph (193kph) against a Seat rally car around the Welsh hillsides. Just mad but totally riveting. It's also the one with Matt Smith. Quite a nifty driver.

And finally yesterday Reading FC pulled off a win against visiting Leicester. The Royals are now on equal points with second placed West Ham but thanks to goal difference remain in third.

10 March Reading 3 - 1 Leicester

One more thing: you can't beat home-made banana and raisin bread pudding. Mmmm. 

Honour

Today I got to be an "Aussie for the day" in honour of Australia Day and my guest from Down Under.

So like a good Aussie I listened to a CD of Australian music (great), consumed home-made ANZAC biscuits (yummy) and drank Bundaberg Ginger Beer (need I say more?). The only downside being that at a maximum temperature of around 6.5 degrees Celsius, the weather wasn't exactly typically Australian.

Someone even thought it a good idea to fly the Aussie flag from the roof of my car all the way down to Southampton and Portsmouth today...

Strewth!

7 Foods that cause body odour

Spices

Blamed on everything from genes, to cheap perfume, even occupation, or the type of food you ate, body odour can be crowned as the single biggest turning off factor in social interactions.

Some experts might blame it on the excessive use of deodorants and some might blame it on the biological composition of your body, but many unanimously agree that some specific types of food items can lead to body odour. Zoom in on our list of top 7 foods that cause body odour and consume them in moderation if you are a regular victim of this disorder.

Spicy food
A spice overload can lead to excessive sulfur in your food intake, which will be eliminated through skin's pores and breath. Ensure that you eat well-balanced meals that aren't too heavy on garlic, onions or piping hot curries.

Red meat
Red meat requires maximum digestion effort for your body to process. Over-eating will lead to issues liker perspiration and unwanted sweat. While vegetarians might not have such issues with their limited food intake, fenugreek and other strong flavoured plants cause similar results.

Alcohol
Chocolate, soda, tea, coffee, alcohol - consuming any of these in excess causes body odour as when you drink them atleast 10% of it will be left unprocessed causing perspiration. Excessive alcohol, in particular, may cause body odour.

Junk foods
Excessive consumption of junk foods with next to no exercise routine, will lead to accumulation of fatty cells inside your body which is the chief reason behind sweating and BO. They lead to unwanted breath and body odour as the food takes longer than their healthier counterparts to get digested. Foods high in hydrogenated oil, sugar, flour, salt and so on are not good when consumed in excess.

Low carbs
A diet which does not contain carbs can lead to a greater release of sweat in the body and also excess of protein foods. This process leads to a release of chemical called ketones in your bloodstream which lead to unwanted smell.

Dairy products
Again, dairy products are rich in protein and high consumption of these food items will take longer for your stomach to digest them. Excess consumption of dairy products can lead to release of hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan in the body which can easily trigger off a foul smell.

Tobacco
We all know it. When the smoke of cigarettes mingles with other sweat glands in the body it'll lead to a release of a distinctive smell which leads to a specific 'smoker' smell that lingers on everything from clothing to hair.

News by TheTimesofIndia

Read current news at http://bbc-cnn-worldnews.blogspot.com

8 of the World’s Healthiest Spices & Herbs You Should Be Eating

Pepper

By Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D., Associate Nutrition Editor at EatingWell Magazine

As a registered dietitian and associate nutrition editor at EatingWell Magazine, I know that herbs and spices do more than simply add flavor to food. They let you cut down on some less-healthy ingredients, such as salt, added sugars and saturated fat, and some have inherent health benefits, many of which Joyce Hendley reported on for EatingWell Magazine.

Modern science is beginning to uncover the ultimate power of spices and herbs, as weapons against illnesses from cancer to Alzheimer's disease. "We're now starting to see a scientific basis for why people have been using spices medicinally for thousands of years," says Bharat Aggarwal, Ph.D., professor at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and author of Healing Spices (Sterling, 2011).

Aggarwal notes that in his native India, where spices tend to be used by the handful, incidence of diet-related diseases like heart disease and cancer have long been low. But when Indians move away and adopt more Westernized eating patterns, their rates of those diseases rise. While researchers usually blame the meatier, fattier nature of Western diets, Aggarwal and other experts believe that herbs and spices-or more precisely, the lack of them-are also an important piece of the dietary puzzle. "When Indians eat more Westernized foods, they're getting much fewer spices than their traditional diet contains," he explains. "They lose the protection those spices are conveying."

While science has yet to show that any spice cures disease, there's compelling evidence that several may help manage some chronic conditions (though it's always smart to talk with your doctor). What's not to love? Here we've gathered eight of the healthiest spices and herbs enjoyed around the world.

Chile Peppers
May help: Boost metabolism.
Chile peppers add a much-appreciated heat to chilly-weather dishes, and they can also give a boost to your metabolism. Thank capsaicin, the compound that gives fresh chiles, and spices including cayenne and chipotle, their kick. Studies show that capsaicin can increase the body's metabolic rate (causing one to burn more calories) and may stimulate brain chemicals that help us feel less hungry. In fact, one study found that people ate 16 percent fewer calories at a meal if they'd sipped a hot-pepper-spiked tomato juice (vs. plain tomato juice) half an hour earlier. Recent research found that capsinoids, similar but gentler chemicals found in milder chile hybrids, have the same effects-so even tamer sweet paprika packs a healthy punch. Capsaicin may also lower risk of ulcers by boosting the ability of stomach cells to resist infection by ulcer-causing bacteria and help the heart by keeping "bad" LDL cholesterol from turning into a more lethal, artery-clogging form.
Don't Miss: Foods That Blast Belly Fat

Ginger
May help: Soothe an upset stomach, fight arthritis pain.
Ginger has a well-deserved reputation for relieving an unsettled stomach. Studies show ginger extracts can help reduce nausea caused by morning sickness or following surgery or chemotherapy, though it's less effective for motion sickness. But ginger is also packed with inflammation-fighting compounds, such as gingerols, which some experts believe may hold promise in fighting some cancers and may reduce the aches of osteoarthritis and soothe sore muscles. In a recent study, people who took ginger capsules daily for 11 days reported 25 percent less muscle pain when they performed exercises designed to strain their muscles (compared with a similar group taking placebo capsules). Another study found that ginger-extract injections helped relieve osteoarthritis pain of the knee.
Must-Read: 5 Foods That Fight Pain Naturally

Cinnamon
May help: Stabilize blood sugar.
A few studies suggest that adding cinnamon to food-up to a teaspoon a day, usually given in capsule form-might help people with type 2 diabetes better control their blood sugar, by lowering post-meal blood-sugar spikes. Other studies suggest the effects are limited at best.

Turmeric
May help: Quell inflammation, inhibit tumors.
Turmeric, the goldenrod-colored spice, is used in India to help wounds heal (it's applied as a paste); it's also made into a tea to relieve colds and respiratory problems. Modern medicine confirms some solid-gold health benefits as well; most are associated with curcumin, a compound in turmeric that has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Curcumin has been shown to help relieve pain of arthritis, injuries and dental procedures; it's also being studied for its potential in managing heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. Researcher Bharat Aggarwal is bullish on curcumin's potential as a cancer treatment, particularly in colon, prostate and breast cancers; preliminary studies have found that curcumin can inhibit tumor cell growth and suppress enzymes that activate carcinogens.

Saffron
May help: Lift your mood.
Saffron has long been used in traditional Persian medicine as a mood lifter, usually steeped into a medicinal tea or used to prepare rice. Research from Iran's Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital at Tehran University of Medical Sciences has found that saffron may help to relieve symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and depression. In one study, 75% of women with PMS who were given saffron capsules daily reported that their PMS symptoms (such as mood swings and depression) declined by at least half, compared with only 8 percent of women who didn't take saffron.
Must-Read: 4 Foods to Boost Your Mood

Parsley
May help: Inhibit breast cancer-cell growth.
University of Missouri scientists found that this herb can actually inhibit breast cancer-cell growth, reported Holly Pevzner in the September/October 2011 issue of EatingWell Magazine. In the study, animals that were given apigenin, a compound abundant in parsley (and in celery), boosted their resistance to developing cancerous tumors. Experts recommend adding a couple pinches of minced fresh parsley to your dishes daily.

Sage
May help: Preserve memory, soothe sore throats.
Herbalists recommend sipping sage tea for upset stomachs and sore throats, a remedy supported by one study that found spraying sore throats with a sage solution gave effective pain relief. And preliminary research suggests the herb may improve some symptoms of early Alzheimer's disease by preventing a key enzyme from destroying acetylcholine, a brain chemical involved in memory and learning. In another study, college students who took sage extracts in capsule form performed significantly better on memory tests, and their moods improved.

Rosemary

May help: Enhance mental focus, fight foodborne bacteria.
One recent study found that people performed better on memory and alertness tests when mists of aromatic rosemary oil were piped into their study cubicles. Rosemary is often used in marinades for meats and poultry, and there's scientific wisdom behind that tradition: rosmarinic acid and other antioxidant compounds in the herb fight bacteria and prevent meat from spoiling, and may even make cooked meats healthier. In March 2010, Kansas State University researchers reported that adding rosemary extracts to ground beef helped prevent the formation of heterocyclic amines (HCAs)-cancer-causing compounds produced when meats are grilled, broiled or fried.

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Chef Lala's First Thanksgiving

Making a traditional Thanksgiving meal from scratch had been on my mind for a few years, ever since I really fell in love with cooking. Born and raised in Brazil, I didn't really celebrate Thanksgiving, so I don't smell stuffing and cranberry sauce and go, "Oh that takes me back to the time my mother lost the carving knife in the turkey and Uncle Maurice dropped sweet potatoes on the baby's head..." But, I did grow up with a very tight, supportive, and loving family, and celebrating holidays has been a huge part of my upbringing. Having lived in the U.S. for eight and a half years, I have experienced Thanksgiving in many different ways, but never taken part in the planning, cooking, and hosting of it.

This year, I wanted to take it on. My parents would be in town, my brother and I live together, and I was ready. Even though my kitchen is tiny (tiny!) and my apartment was upside down because of recent problems we've had in the building, I was determined to make a delicious meal.

I planned it for a month. I read hundreds of recipes, watched videos on turkey mastering, drafted a budget and a grocery list, practiced certain dishes (like the stuffing, sweet potatoes- which were a disaster the first time- and cranberry sauce), figured out a way to do the recipes with the materials I had in my kitchen, and created a daily plan for the week-of. Here's how it went down:

Saturday, November 19th: Cleaned out my refrigerator and all the pots and pans I'd need. (approx. 1 hour.) Made my grocery list, complete with researched prices. (timeless.)

Trader Joe's 9:00am

Sunday, November 20th through Tuesday, November 22nd: Got my groceries! I went to Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and the Union Square Farmer's Market. Spent a total of $85.00 for the whole shabang, not including wine. I even went to TJ's at 9:00am, to avoid the madness. I had a plan, kids. (many hours.)

Bobby Flay's recipe

Monday, November 21st: Made my cranberry-blackberry sauce. (approx. 1 hour.)

Tuesday, November 22nd: Made my butternut squash and apple stuffing. (approx. 1 hour and 45 minutes.) Made a brine for my Turkey parts, dunked it in there, stuck it in the fridge. (I actually didn't do a whole turkey, but separated the parts, breast from legs and wings. I didn't have the space or equipment for a whole turkey, but maybe next year.... approx. 20 minutes.)

stuffing is actually my favorite part

Wednesday, November 23rd: Made my maple bourbon sweet potato souffle with candied pecans. (approx. 1 hour and 45 minutes.) Took my turkey out of brine, buttered it up, placed it on a bed of vegetables. (approx. 1 hour.) Assembled my pear and apple crisp. (approx. 1 hour.) Macerated berries to top the crisp with. (approx. 10 minutes.)

Thursday, November 24th: Got my turkey roasting! (3 hours.) Made my green bean casserole with homemade mushroom soup and fried onions. (approx. 3 hours.) Made my mashed potatoes with sour cream, chives, garlic, and cream. (approx. 1 hour.) Set the table. (I kept it simple. approx. 10 minutes.) Made hot apple cider and rum cocktails (approx. 15 minutes). Got a little crazy in the last two hours, having to warm everything up and make the gravy after the turkey had roasted (approx. 15 minutes), placed my crisp in the oven (approx. 1 hour) and the ice-cream in the fridge, so it would get ready while we ate, and VOILA! Thanksgiving was on the table.

carving my turkey breast. also in the picture: my brother, and my parents' wine glasses

Luckily, it was just for my parents and my brother, so I didn't have to get my hair done or dress up, because I don't think I would've been able to- but my food was delicious. Everything turned out perfectly, everyone was super happy, and we had leftovers for the next three days, including a delicious left-over harvest soup I made on day 3 and a blueberry-blackberry-cranberry jam. 

What I would do differently in the future:
- Make the gravy separately, just serve the turkey over its bed of veggies, and avoid all the straining and reducing that make a mess in the kitchen in the last 15 minutes.
- Make the green bean casserole and mashed potatoes ahead of time too. I thought that because they both have cream in them, I couldn't do them the day before, but as leftovers, they tasted even better the next day, and actually lasted for three days in the fridge, so I'd just go ahead and do those ahead of time too. Get as much out of the way before the day! That way, I could've showered and gotten dressed up for the actual meal.
- I think I could attempt a whole turkey next time. I could use a bucket to brine it and keep it outside on my balcony. But, I must say, everyone was a fan of the separate parts, no carving, and no unused meat.
- Have someone else in charge of taking pictures! Very important in the era of social media. =) 

What worked really well: 

pear and apple crisp with vanilla ice cream

- Making a grocery list, drafting a budget, and researching prices. Made a huge difference. People have told me they spend up to $400 on their thanksgiving meals, and I was determined to do it for under $100. Trader Joe's and the Farmer's Market were key in this part. Two tips: don't buy anything pre-chopped, it costs twice as much, and if you want organic, get it from the Farmer's Market, otherwise, go for conventional at the grocery store.
- A crisp is the perfect dessert, it's easy, can be assembled ahead of time, and heats up while you're eating your meal.
- Easy appetizers. I just served some of the candied pecans that were going to be in my sweet potato souffle, and some of the extra green beans sauteed in olive oil.
- Hot apple cider and rum cocktails were a hit. And super easy. Just dice some apples and pears, put it in a pot with store-bought apple cider (or make your own ahead of time) and a cinnamon stick, warm it up, and serve it in mugs with a shot of rum, some of the fruit, cinnamon and nutmeg sprinkled on top.
- Using my sink and dishwasher and fruit basket to store food while I waited for other things to warm up. Having aluminum foil pre-cut in large rectangles.
- Let someone else think of the wine.
- Simple table. The food is beautiful, there's no need to decorate.

And that's it, my friends. I made my first Thanksgiving, all on my own, all from from scratch, in my tiny kitchen, and it was a success. It took five days, but it was a lot of fun, and I was very proud of it. I think I can say that all my husbands will be very lucky men.