‎"Pass The Butter ... Please”

This is interesting. . . .

Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out what to do with this product to get their money back.  It was a white substance with no food appeal so they added the yellow coloring and sold it to people to use in place of butter. How do you like it? They have come out with some clever new flavorings.... 

DO YOU KNOW... The difference between margarine and butter? 

Read on to the end...gets very interesting!

Both have the same amount of calories.  Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams; compared to 5 grams for margarine.  Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study.  Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.  Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few and only because they are added!   Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavors of other foods.  Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years.

And now, for Margarine. . . . .

Very High in Trans fatty acids.  Triples risk of coronary heart disease.  Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol).  Increases the risk of cancers up to five times.  Lowers quality of breast milk.  Decreases immune response.  Decreases insulin response. 

And here's the most disturbing fact... HERE IS THE PART THAT IS VERY INTERESTING! 

Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC and shares 27 ingredients with PAINT.

These facts alone were enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structure of the substance). 

Open a tub of margarine and leave it open in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will notice a couple of things:

* no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something)

* it does not rot or smell differently because it has no nutritional value; nothing will grow on it. Even those teeny weenie micro-organisms will not a find a home to grow.

Why, because it is nearly plastic.  Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?

Share This With Your Friends..... (If you want to butter them up')! 

 Christmas Eve

with

Members

of

My Family

 Candlelight Vigil

in Honor of

Sandy Hook Tragedy

 Sara from "Over the Moon"

Bead Shop

Handing out Candles

 Cambridge, NY

This Special Tree

was Decorated

in Honor

of
Sandy Hook

Duchess on left side
of the
Gazebo
[Photo by Sara]

 BFP Annual Holiday

Gathering

on

Friday, Dec 21

GRAND BARGAIN OR FISCAL CLIFF
Video created by "Brooklyn for Peace" Arts & Culture committee tackling the issue of this hot topic, and what it means to many Americans.  Click this link  http://www.charitycaseworks.com/musics/Grand_Bargain.m4v  to see the Grand Bargain Video [2-3 minutes]; produced by Joel Chaffee from interviews conducted by Veronica Nunn.

To learn more about "Brooklyn for Peace", go to http://www.brooklynpeace.org

NOTE:  Take a moment to sign this petition ["Jobs Not War"] from Democracy In Action http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/302/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=11931&tag=JNW_BFP

 My Christmas theme

this year

is

Blue & Silver

Sheila and I

at

Bryant Park

on

December 14th

Enough with the Guns don't kill people; people kill people!  PEOPLE WITH GUNS KILL PEOPLE!  Here are 10 laws Congress could enact immediately:

Keep Kids Safe Act of 2011

Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act

Gun Show Loophole Closing Act of 2011

Fix Gun Checks Act of 2011

Preventing Gun Violence Act

Stop Gun Trafficking and Strengthen Law Enforcement Act of 2011

Guns-Free National Parks Act of 2012

Straw Purchaser Penalty Enhancement Act

Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act of 2012

Securing Citizens' Protection at Federal Events Act

Sitting in my LivingRoom

with my Buddy Boo

LATEST IN THE NEWS

 

Progressive NYC Recovery

http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/2777/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=6506

Senator Sanders:  Wall Street CEOs are the “Faces of Class Warfare”

Common Dreams Staff

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/11/30

Genetically Modified Seed Giant DuPont to Unleash Seed Police

Common Dreams Staff

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/11/30-7

8 Reasons Wall Street Greed Is the Cause, and the Solution, To Phony Fiscal Cliff Crisis

Les Leopold, AlterNet

http://www.alternet.org/economy/eight-reasons-wall-street-greed-cause-and-solution-phony-fiscal-cliff-crisis?akid=9741.9992.xcIeCt&rd=1&src=newsletter753280&t=5

How to Stop Psychopath CEOs From Looting and Destroying Their Own Companies

Mitchell Anderson, The Tyee

http://www.alternet.org/corporate-accountability-and-workplace/how-stop-psychopath-ceos-looting-and-destroying-their-own?akid=9741.9992.xcIeCt&rd=1&src=newsletter753280&t=9

No More Boardwalks in the City After Hurricane Sandy

http://awalkintheparknyc.blogspot.com/2012/12/no-more-boardwalks-in-city-after_1.html

5 Ways to Beat the Plutocrats

Sam Pizzigati, AlterNet

http://www.alternet.org/5-ways-beat-plutocrats?akid=9744.9992.AMsJpt&rd=1&src=newsletter753630&t=5

Don't Slave Your Life Away: Why America Should Embrace a 4-Day Work Week

Workers today are expected to be on call 24/7

Bill Ivey, AlterNet

http://www.alternet.org/books/dont-slave-your-life-away-why-america-should-embrace-4-day-work-week?akid=9744.9992.AMsJpt&rd=1&src=newsletter753630&t=3

5 Companies that Treat Their Customers Like Crap

Lauren Kelley, AlterNet

http://www.alternet.org/corporate-accountability-and-workplace/5-companies-treat-their-customers-crap?akid=9745.9992.UKHwI9&rd=1&src=newsletter754008&t=9

3 Things You Have to Know About the Bogus “Fiscal Cliff”

Larry Beinhart, AlterNet

http://www.alternet.org/economy/3-things-you-have-know-about-bogus-fiscal-cliff?akid=9745.9992.UKHwI9&rd=1&src=newsletter754008&t=11

 Holiday Gathering

with some Friends

on

Dec 2nd 

Some Members

of

NYC Friends of Tolkien

at

Anderson Cooper Live

to see Cast Members

of

THE HOBBIT

[Dec 4th] 

PERSONAL NEWS #214

Nov 1^st finds me back at the office after a nice vacation and dealing with Hurricane Sandy.  Took me 2 ½ hours during my commute in the morning to get to the office.  Whew!

Nov 2^nd, finds me back at the office once more, but at least a better commute in the morning with a ride into Manhattan.  Later on, after getting off the N train, I had to walk all the way home to northern Brooklyn.  That whole commute took 1.5 hours and it was cold with chilly winds.  Wasn’t feeling at all well upon arrival at home, and a wee bit ill.

Nov 3^rd, I did volunteer work [along with others] at the Greenpoint Reform Church to help with food prep and bagging.  Other volunteers took the bagged goodies to hurricane ravaged areas in Coney Island, Rockaway’s and Red Hook.  I also rented some Doctor Who DVDs too.

Nov 4^th, I attended my first yoga class in about 2 months, and worked with Fabrice, so as not to injure my foot.  Felt good to be back at yoga class and really missed it.

Nov 5^th & 6^th, there is still no G train service, so had to walk to/from the 7 train in Long Island City to get to work.

Nov 7^th, I worked from home due to the nasty Nor’easter whipping through the tri-state area.

Nov 8^th, as a board member with BFP, I attended our “open community” meeting this evening, which was informative and interesting.  We had a really nice turnout of 25+.

Nov 10^th, I had my first “private” session with Fabrice at the yoga center.  This is to help me get back into yoga after being away from class for 2 months, plus work around my lung/back/foot issues.  In the afternoon, I did volunteer work at the Greenpoint Reformed Church to make up bagged meals for Hurricane Sandy victims in NYC area.

Nov 11^th, I had a much needed acupuncture therapy appt with Dr Tan, who was away during October on a much deserved vacation.  Also, he has me back on the herbs.

Nov 12^th, I participated in a BFP A&C committee conference call that stemmed from comments / conversation at the recent “open community” meeting on Nov 8^th.

Nov 14^th, in the evening I participated with Shawn and Charlotte regarding the BFP fundraising drive, which takes place during the whole month of November.  We made phone calls from Charlotte’s home to members of BFP who’ve contributed in the past.  Many BFP board members help out with this effort every year, and this is my first time, as an official board member, in helping out the fundraising.

Nov 15^th, I had my second “private” session with Fabrice at the yoga center.

Nov 16^th-18^th, I visited with friends down in the DC / VA area for the weekend.  I got to visit Leesburg, Alexandria and a delightful tour of George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate.

Nov 19^th, I had an acupuncture therapy appt with Dr Tan after work.

Nov 20^th, I participated in the monthly BFP A&C committee meeting with Joel, Veronica and Charlotte.  It was a terrific, productive meeting with many action items.

Nov 22^nd, I volunteered with Project Find to assist homebound seniors with hot turkey dinners and bags of goodies.  I worked with Diane and Joan, plus ran into Kevin from previous years and we chatted abit.  He’s still working on “Nurse Jackie” cable TV series and lost weight.  Then I did some volunteering in my hood for Hurricane Sandy survivors.  Overall it was a blessed day.

Nov 23^rd – 25^th, I visited my parents in upstate NY, helped out around the house and took them out to brunch.  Also did some shopping, hair salon and photography.

Nov 26^th, I had acupuncture therapy appt with Dr Tan after work.

Nov 29^th, in the evening I participated with Shawn and Charlotte regarding the BFP fundraising drive, which takes place during the whole month of November.

Nov 30^th, through work I volunteered with other EA’s at an E&Y Alumni event at the Crowne Plaza hotel from 6:30am to 1pm.  This meant that I could, and did, leave the office at 3:30pm.

So What The Heck Is That 'Fiscal Cliff' Thing All About, Anyway?

By MoveOn.org

If you’re following the media story, you might believe the GOP’s claims that the world’s about to end. But it’s all a bunch of political posturing so that they can get what their 1% donors want out of the deal.

That’s why we have to spread the truth, so our friends and family don’t fall for their shenanigans. We’ve put together a 5-point guide on what this fiscal showdown is really all about. Check it out and then share it on Facebook, Twitter, or email!

5-Point Guide To The Fiscal Showdown

1. The “Fiscal Cliff” Is A Myth. As Paul Krugman put it, “The looming prospect of spending cuts and tax increases isn’t a fiscal crisis. It is, instead, a political crisis brought on by the G.O.P.’s attempt to take the economy hostage.” Republicans are manufacturing this crisis to pressure Democrats to extend the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy and accept painful cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

2. The Bush Tax Cuts Finally End December 31. If Congress does nothing, the ax will fall on all the Bush tax cuts on New Year’s Eve. Then, on January 1, the public pressure on John Boehner and House Republicans to extend the middle-class tax cuts (already passed by the Senate and waiting to be signed by President Obama) will become irresistible. So the middle-class tax cut will eventually get renewed, and we’ll have $823 billion more revenue from the top 2% to do great things with.

3. The Sequester. The sequester is another political creation, forced on Democrats by Republicans in exchange for lifting the debt ceiling last year to avoid crashing our economy. It’s a set of cuts (50% to a bloated military budget and 50% to important domestic programs) designed to make both Republicans and Democrats hate it so much that they’d never let it happen. And the cuts can be reversed weeks or months into 2013 without causing damage.

4. The Big Three. Nothing happens to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits on January 1—unless Republicans force painful cuts to beneficiaries in exchange for tax increases on the wealthy, which are going to happen anyway if Congress does NOTHING. So, there’s literally no reason benefits cuts should be part of the discussion right now.

5. We Should Be Talking About Jobs. The real crisis Americans want Congress to fix is getting people back to work. And with just a fraction of that $823 billion from the wealthiest 2%, we could create jobs for more than 20,000 veterans and pay for the 300,000 teachers and 52,000 first responders, which our communities so desperately need. That’s not to mention jobs from investing in clean energy and our national infrastructure.

Please share this with your friends and family—and talk about it at the dinner table next week. The first step to winning this showdown is making sure we’re all armed with the facts.