Video: Barbara Lewis - Baby I'm Yours (Shindig! 1965)
Labels: Favorite Oldies
posted by Jiru at
7:51 PM
August 23, 2012
August 21, 2012
Video: Yu Char Kway (Chinese Fried Bread)
Folk etymology (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youtiao)
The Cantonese name yàuhjagwái literally means "oil-fried devil" and, according to folklore, is an act of protest against Song Dynasty official Qin Hui, who is said to have orchestrated the plot to frame the general Yue Fei, an icon of patriotism in Chinese culture. It is said that the food, originally in the shape of two human-shaped pieces of dough but later evolved into two pieces joined in the middle, represents Qin Hui and his wife, both having a hand in collaborating with the enemy to bring about the great general's demise. Thus the youtiao is deep fried and eaten as if done to the traitorous couple. In keeping with the legend, youtiao are often made as two foot-long rolls of dough joined along the middle, with one roll representing the husband and the other the wife.
Labels: Singapore Food
posted by Jiru at
9:20 AM
Central Fish Market at Jurong Port Road
Source: http://blogtoexpress.blogspot.com/2012/04/ways-done-in-past-wholesale-fish-market.html
When I was in secondary school or junior college, my mother would wake up in the early morning and go to the Central Fish Market to buy freshly caught fish. It is one of my regrets that I did not get to visit that place. Allah SWT willing I hope to be able to go there when I return to Singapore.
posted by Jiru at
8:34 AM
Recipe: Kuih Kodok (Malaysian-style Fried Banana Fritters)
Several years ago, my dear friend Sr. Norsofina prepared this yummy snack for me and DD1 before she returned to Malaysia. My big thanks to her for inspiring me to learn to prepare this dish for my family.
Source: http://rasamalaysia.com/kuih-kodok-recipe-malaysian-fried-banana-fritters/2/
Ingredients:
3 big ripe bananas
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 egg
Some water
Oil for deep frying
Method:
Break the bananas (with hands) into small pieces and put them into a bowl. Add flour, egg, sugar, and some water. Use a big spoon and stir the ingredients so they are well blended.
Heat up a frying pan and add some cooking oil for deep frying. Once the oil is heated, scoop up a spoonful of batter into the frying pan. Try to “shape” the batter so it’s somewhat round. Deep fry until golden brown.
Source: http://rasamalaysia.com/kuih-kodok-recipe-malaysian-fried-banana-fritters/2/
Ingredients:
3 big ripe bananas
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 egg
Some water
Oil for deep frying
Method:
Break the bananas (with hands) into small pieces and put them into a bowl. Add flour, egg, sugar, and some water. Use a big spoon and stir the ingredients so they are well blended.
Heat up a frying pan and add some cooking oil for deep frying. Once the oil is heated, scoop up a spoonful of batter into the frying pan. Try to “shape” the batter so it’s somewhat round. Deep fry until golden brown.
Labels: cooking
posted by Jiru at
7:40 AM
August 18, 2012
Video: Steamed mandarin rolls / flower rolls ( Hanamaki ), 花卷
Labels: cooking
posted by Jiru at
4:37 PM
Video: Chinese steamed rice noodle rolls (Cheung Fun) Dim Sum, 教做蒸腸粉
Labels: cooking
posted by Jiru at
4:17 PM
August 17, 2012
Article: 5 Steps to an After School Game Club
5 Steps to an After School Game Club
by Ryan Sturm
Source: http://www.g4ed.com/index.php/resources-for-teachers/537-5-steps-to-a-game-club
Do you love games? Want to share your love of games? Do you like working with kids? Maybe you should consider starting an after-school board game club at your local elementary, middle or high school. Over the last three years I have run a board game club at my local elementary school and it has grown to be one of the most popular after-school activities in town. Kids sign up session after session and new recruits keep signing up to the point that the club often has a waiting list.
School-age kids and parents are dying for a high-quality structured social activity afterschool that is an alternative to sports. In addition there are so few people out there who are aware of the THOUSANDS of great games that have come out for kids and families over the last ten years. Starting a game club at a local school is a powerful way to not only spread and share a hobby that you love but also to develop much needed social skills and to positively affect your community.
If you think you might like to start your own club, I would like to share my suggestions for tips on starting such a club in the hopes to motivate you to take on this valuable endeavor. It will include some of the basics to get started, some suggestions for good games to use and some basic management tips. It’s all here in my five easy steps to starting your own after school board game club.
Step 1 - Contact your local recreation department.
Though you could run the club on your own, it will be much easier to get assistance in registration, securing facilities and promotion that is available to you at a very low cost from your local rec department. Discuss with them the possibility of starting such a club and details such as facilities it could be located at, registration costs and times. I suggest a reasonable amount to charge for the club is $5 per session or $20 for a four week session. Also keep your club size small, especially to start. Having ten to fifteen students is plenty to work with for your first session. Hopefully you can also work out the possibility of using a space within a school, such as the school library, to hold the club.Step 2 - Promote your club.
The best way to do this is to visit classrooms in the school the club will be located in (get prior permission from the school principal). If you know someone who works for the school or is involved in the school, contact them to make this connection. I will tell you from experience that the endless flyers given out in schools do not capture the attention of the kids; they usually just get shoved into a backpack. But walk into a class with a box full of cool looking games the kids have never seen before and they will rush to go sign up.Step 3 - Gather games to use for the club.
Using games from your personal collection is a way to start, but be aware that any game you use for the club will probably get banged up and it’s likely you may lose some pieces; it just comes with the territory. If you are committed to this endeavor you should plan on investing 100-200 dollars in games to be used solely for this club. You should be able to cover this with the first session’s registration fees and use the games for years to come.I recommend shopping at an online specialty game store for a wide selection of board games at discount prices. It is good to have some familiar “classic” games in the club but it is also important to introduce kids, and perhaps yourself, to what’s new in board games. Also consider asking local businesses, online game stores and game companies for donations for games to use for the club.
While shopping for games for your club, endlessly repeat this nine word motto in your brain; I am buying games for children, not for myself. It is critical to pick age-appropriate games for your club and err on the side of too simple rather than too complex, the students need to be able to play the games independently. Don’t let your own personal game biases decide the games you decide to get for the club.
My club is mainly made up of Fourth and Fifth graders. I have found that some of the most successful games that I have used fit into the following three categories;
- Party Games - Apples to Apples is the classic here but variations on it are popular as well. I recommend looking into the games Likewise, Last Word, The T-Shirt Game and Blurt. Also be sure to familiarize yourself with the new party game sensation, Werewolf.
- Adventure Games - Games that capture the imagination are always popular. Some games that fall into this category include Incan Gold, Forbidden Island, and if you can track down copies of the out of print games Dungeon, Heroquest, or Heroscape you will have simple but fun games kids will want to play again and again.
- Card Games – Card games have the advantage of being affordable and typically having simple rules. Some favorites in the group include; dexterity games Slamwich and Halli Galli, Zeus on the Loose, Sleeping Queens and Duck, Duck Bruce.
Step 4 – Establish and put into place two rules.
The two golden rules I use for my Board Game Club and discuss at the beginning and end of each session are;- Play the games in a way so that everyone has fun – This involves knowing and following the rules, Staying focused on the game, playing at an appropriate volume level, showing good sportsmanship and making consensus decisions on the games that are played.
- Treat the game materials with the utmost respect – This means only using the game pieces for playing the game, treating materials carefully, making sure all players clean up and all pieces are put away the way that they are found.
Step 5 – Facilitate each session so all club members have fun.
Your job will be to constantly teach new games and circulate to make sure game rules and game club rules are being followed. Here are some strategies I have used to facilitate getting games started with large groups:- Have games with multiple copies so that you can teach once and have all of the students “fishbowl” around watching one group play. Then all students can go play the game.
- Explain 3-4 games with simple rules at the beginning and have students rotate through.
- Use a “passport” system in which students earn “points” as they play different games with different players.
But I have to be very honest with you. Starting and running a club like this is a lot of work and takes a lot of energy. It is so much more than just sitting around playing games with kids. It is not for someone who wants to just play games or make a little extra money. Running a game club requires someone with a lot of enthusiasm and energy, for it is ninety nonstop minutes of teaching game after game and constantly moving from table to table checking in to help students play the games correctly and play games using good social habits.
But when you do get a chance to step away and take a breath and see the environment you have created, you will see a large group of kids all engaged and caught up in the magic that only games can create. When the students leave the club with big smiles on their faces talking with their friends about that amazing or hilarious game they just played and some of them turn to you and look you straight in the eye and say, “Thank You!” You will know that you have succeeded in sharing something special with those kids and that your love of games has been instilled in them.
You will know that all your efforts were well worth it.
Ryan Sturm is an elementary educator of ten years and a game aficionado. For the last several years Ryan has run an afterschool boardgame club at his elementary school. Ryan is passionate about finding positive ways to use board games in the classroom as well as ways to use his background as an educator in promoting the hobby of board games
Labels: teaching
posted by Jiru at
9:27 AM
After School Game Club
This school year, I am planning to sponsor an after school game club for DD1 and her classmates, Allah SWT willing.
Last school year, when I was the first grade assistant teacher, I observed that students were so focused on getting their classwork done during the school hours that they had no time to socialize in a positive way. I thought that having a game club would be a fun and positive way for students to interact with one another. This would also be an opportunity to introduce kids to classic board games that are both fun and educational.
Here is a list of board games that are suitable for middle schoolers:
Board Games for Middle school
Source: http://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/2137/middle-school-game-club
Apples to ApplesApples to Apples has won numerous awards including "Party Game of the Year" by Games magazine and "Mensa Select" by Mensa International. And for good reason: it involves quick thinking, humor, and strategy. For teens, the game teaches them to think about how different things can be compared to one another and how analogies are formed. One of our criticisms is that although the game states that it is designed for ages 12 and older, many of the subjects are clearly for older teens.
The Settlers of CatanThe Settlers of Catan from Mayfair Games is an award-winning strategy game where players collect resources and use them to build roads, settlements and cities on their way to victory. The board itself is variable, making each game a little different from the next. Each round of The Settlers of Catan is intended to keep three or four players ages 10 and above engaged for up to 90 minutes.
ChrononautsWhat would YOU do with a Time Machine? Would you stop the sinking of the Titanic? Prevent the assassination of JFK? Kill Hitler before WWII? These are just a few of the possibilities in Chrononauts, the award-winning card game of time travel. To win, you must change history at key points called Linchpins, so that history transforms into the Alternate Reality your character calls home. You can also win by collecting a specific set of Artifacts, such as a live dinosaur, the Mona Lisa, and an unpublished Shakespearean play. But be careful - if you create too many paradoxes, you could destroy the entire universe.
Carcassonne: Hunters and GatherersThis is a Klaus-Jurgen Wrede game in the Carcassonne line. It has new graphics, a new set of components, a theme set in the Stone Age, and new rules to match the theme. As in Carcassonne, players place tiles and put game figures on them, but with different strategies and results. Players have figures that can represent hunters, gatherers, or fishermen and place them in meadows, forests, or on rivers. They also have huts, which can be placed on rivers or lakes and are scored at the end of the game as are the hunters. Gatherers and fishermen are scored when forests or rivers are completed. There are special forest tiles that give the player who plays a tile completing a forest an extra tile laid of special tiles with special features. Players will like this game that features the tile-laying and token placements of Carcassonne with many new twists. The game is for 3-5 players ages 8 and up and takes about 60 minutes to play.
PitchCarPitchCar is at the same time a game of dexterity and a game of racecars. Superbly manufactured this wooden game -- made up of 16 portions of circuit: 10 curves and 6 straight lines -- lets you to construct ten different circuits over 12 feet long. Choose one of the 8 cars build your circuit and flick your finger to propel your racing car. Follow the best trajectories by using the guardrails but watch out because your opponents are gunning for you. Entertaining and family oriented PitchCar will enchant players of all ages.
ClansThe game is set in late pre-history, a time of transition -- when our distant ancestors, who had struggled and barely survived for ages in very small nomadic groups, began to feel their lives would be more secure and less arduous if they formed larger groups. This led to the formation of the first villages. Clans has easy rules, but is very challenging. the players try to distribute their huts so they score often and large numbers. But they must keep their color secret from their opponents... Players: 2-4 Ages: 10 and up Playing Time: 30 minutes
RoborallyA frenzied race filled with computer driven chaos! At the far end of the galaxy lies a fully automated grid-widget factory. As one of the factory's eight redundant super computers, you have a lot of responsibility and even more free time. When boredom creeps into your circuits, you and the other computers have a little fun at the factory's expense. Pulling defective robots out of the maintenance bay, you pit them against one another in a destructive race across the dangerously cluttered and ever-changing factory floor. One robot will wind up in the winner's circle the rest go on the scrap heap. The game is for 2 to 8 players. It takes about an hour to play.
Pirate's CoveShiver me timbers! Join pirates on a treacherous treasure island for a Pirate's life adventure. Players match keys to get compass, parrot, jolly roger and treasure chest cards - which help you in your treasure hunt for gold coins. The first pirate to reach the ship with six gold coins wins! For 2-4 players.
BohnanzaBohnanza, a card game from Rio Grande Games is about planting, trading and selling 11 different kinds of beans. Players try to collect and plant various types of beans to sell for gold. There are always new beans to plant and each player has limited growing space. To avoid planting unwanted beans, players trade amongst themselves in an effort to plant the bean of highest value and collect the most coins. Comes with 154 Bean Cards, 7 Third Bean Field Cards and a rule booklet. Imported from Germany. For 2 to 7 players.
Chess
Checkers
MancalaThe goal of each player is to collect the glass beads in his or her mancala (the big cups at each end of the game board). Begin your game by filling each cup (except mancalas) with 4 beads. A player then picks up beads from a cup and redistributes them, one at a time, into other cups around the board. A few simple rules govern which cups a player can drop a bead into and when a player's turn is over. Collect the most beads in your mancala to win the game! Then, fold the glass beads inside the game board and slip the board into a convenient storage box. Beads won't get lost! Oak-finish, hinged game board unfolds to 5-1/4x17-3/4. Includes 48 clear glass beads and instructions for basic game. For 2 players.
SequencePlay a card from your hand, place a chip on a corresponding space on the game board when you have five in a row, it's a Sequence. Learn to block your opponents - remove their chips. Watch out for the Jacks, they are wild. With a little strategy and luck, you'll be a winner. Contents: Folding Game Board, 2 Decks of Sequence Cards, 135 Playing Chips and Instructions. For 2 or more players, ages 7 and up.
A Game of ThronesKing Robert Baratheon is dead, and the seven kingdoms brace for war. House Lannister, whose daughter Cersei was Robert's queen, claims the throne for her young son Joffery. From the Dragonstone Isle, Stannis Baratheon knows that Robert was not the true father of Joffrey, and rightfully demands the throne for himself. One the Oron Isles, House Greyjoy is about to embark on a second rebellion, but this time with a much grander goal. In the north, House Stark gathers its strength to defend what is right, and in the south the wealthy House Tyrell harbors an old ambition to sit on the Iron Throne. As armies gather and ravens fly, a clash of kings is inevitable. Based on the best-selling novel series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, the A Game of Thrones board games by Fantasy Flight Games lets players take control of one of the great Houses of Westeros and embark on a epic struggle to claim the Iron Throne. Immerse yourself in a game of clever planning, careful allocation of power, diplomacy, and the exciting flavor of a Song of Ice and Fire. Along with the games board and rulebook, there are over 370 game pieces included.
Puerto RicoEach player utilizes different roles -mayor, captain, settler, trader, prospector, craftsman, or builder to score the most victory points with their colony. Players can act on every turn of the game, allowing them to choose between shipping goods for points or building an impressive city. Players must manage their colonists, erect a variety of buildings, build up their plantation, and sell or ship goods. With dozens of options, Puerto Rico is a streamlined game that can be played in about an hour and handles up to five players.
EvoCreated by Philippe Keyaerts, Evo is a game of conquest in a hostile environment. To win, you will have to acquire gene that will allow you dinosaurs to improve (survive enemy attacks, face various climates or even lay more eggs, for example) in fast-paced auctions. But be careful: don't spend too many mutation points in the auctions, because the winner of the game will be the player with the most of them at the end!
Tongiaki300 AD: The Polynesians embarked on daring sailing trips and explored thousands of Pacific Islands. Driven by overpopulation and a desire for adventure, they set forth into the unknown on simple catamarans called Tongiakis.
YinshThe players each start with 5 rings on the board. Every time a ring is moved, it leaves a marker behind. Markers are white on one side and black on the other. When markers are jumped over by a ring, they must be flipped, so their color is constantly changing. The players must try to form a row of 5 markers with their own color face up. If a player succeeds in doing so, he removes one of his rings as an indication that he has formed such a row. The first player to remove 3 of his rings wins the game. In other words, each row you make brings you closer to victory -- but also makes you weaker, because you have one less ring to play with.
Castle RiskEach player starts out with one castle on the game board. Your objective is to capture all your opponents' castles, so that you are the last player remaining in the game. This Risk variant is played on a map of Europe and introduces cards such as the Spy, General, Marshall, Diplomat and Admiral. Besides recruitment cards, your reinforcements are a function of occupied territory and captured enemy castles. Created by Philippe Keyaerts, Evo is a game of conquest in a hostile environment. To win, you will have to acquire gene that will allow you dinosaurs to improve (survive enemy attacks, face various climates or even lay more eggs, for example) in fast-paced auctions. But be careful: don't spend too many mutation points in the auctions, because the winner of the game will be the player with the most of them at the end!
Tongiaki300 AD: The Polynesians embarked on daring sailing trips and explored thousands of Pacific Islands. Driven by overpopulation and a desire for adventure, they set forth into the unknown on simple catamarans called Tongiakis.
YinshThe players each start with 5 rings on the board. Every time a ring is moved, it leaves a marker behind. Markers are white on one side and black on the other. When markers are jumped over by a ring, they must be flipped, so their color is constantly changing. The players must try to form a row of 5 markers with their own color face up. If a player succeeds in doing so, he removes one of his rings as an indication that he has formed such a row. The first player to remove 3 of his rings wins the game. In other words, each row you make brings you closer to victory -- but also makes you weaker, because you have one less ring to play with.
Castle RiskEach player starts out with one castle on the game board. Your objective is to capture all your opponents' castles, so that you are the last player remaining in the game. This Risk variant is played on a map of Europe and introduces cards such as the Spy, General, Marshall, Diplomat and Admiral. Besides recruitment cards, your reinforcements are a function of occupied territory and captured enemy castles.
Last school year, when I was the first grade assistant teacher, I observed that students were so focused on getting their classwork done during the school hours that they had no time to socialize in a positive way. I thought that having a game club would be a fun and positive way for students to interact with one another. This would also be an opportunity to introduce kids to classic board games that are both fun and educational.
Here is a list of board games that are suitable for middle schoolers:
Board Games for Middle school
Source: http://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/2137/middle-school-game-club
Apples to ApplesApples to Apples has won numerous awards including "Party Game of the Year" by Games magazine and "Mensa Select" by Mensa International. And for good reason: it involves quick thinking, humor, and strategy. For teens, the game teaches them to think about how different things can be compared to one another and how analogies are formed. One of our criticisms is that although the game states that it is designed for ages 12 and older, many of the subjects are clearly for older teens.
The Settlers of CatanThe Settlers of Catan from Mayfair Games is an award-winning strategy game where players collect resources and use them to build roads, settlements and cities on their way to victory. The board itself is variable, making each game a little different from the next. Each round of The Settlers of Catan is intended to keep three or four players ages 10 and above engaged for up to 90 minutes.
ChrononautsWhat would YOU do with a Time Machine? Would you stop the sinking of the Titanic? Prevent the assassination of JFK? Kill Hitler before WWII? These are just a few of the possibilities in Chrononauts, the award-winning card game of time travel. To win, you must change history at key points called Linchpins, so that history transforms into the Alternate Reality your character calls home. You can also win by collecting a specific set of Artifacts, such as a live dinosaur, the Mona Lisa, and an unpublished Shakespearean play. But be careful - if you create too many paradoxes, you could destroy the entire universe.
Carcassonne: Hunters and GatherersThis is a Klaus-Jurgen Wrede game in the Carcassonne line. It has new graphics, a new set of components, a theme set in the Stone Age, and new rules to match the theme. As in Carcassonne, players place tiles and put game figures on them, but with different strategies and results. Players have figures that can represent hunters, gatherers, or fishermen and place them in meadows, forests, or on rivers. They also have huts, which can be placed on rivers or lakes and are scored at the end of the game as are the hunters. Gatherers and fishermen are scored when forests or rivers are completed. There are special forest tiles that give the player who plays a tile completing a forest an extra tile laid of special tiles with special features. Players will like this game that features the tile-laying and token placements of Carcassonne with many new twists. The game is for 3-5 players ages 8 and up and takes about 60 minutes to play.
PitchCarPitchCar is at the same time a game of dexterity and a game of racecars. Superbly manufactured this wooden game -- made up of 16 portions of circuit: 10 curves and 6 straight lines -- lets you to construct ten different circuits over 12 feet long. Choose one of the 8 cars build your circuit and flick your finger to propel your racing car. Follow the best trajectories by using the guardrails but watch out because your opponents are gunning for you. Entertaining and family oriented PitchCar will enchant players of all ages.
ClansThe game is set in late pre-history, a time of transition -- when our distant ancestors, who had struggled and barely survived for ages in very small nomadic groups, began to feel their lives would be more secure and less arduous if they formed larger groups. This led to the formation of the first villages. Clans has easy rules, but is very challenging. the players try to distribute their huts so they score often and large numbers. But they must keep their color secret from their opponents... Players: 2-4 Ages: 10 and up Playing Time: 30 minutes
RoborallyA frenzied race filled with computer driven chaos! At the far end of the galaxy lies a fully automated grid-widget factory. As one of the factory's eight redundant super computers, you have a lot of responsibility and even more free time. When boredom creeps into your circuits, you and the other computers have a little fun at the factory's expense. Pulling defective robots out of the maintenance bay, you pit them against one another in a destructive race across the dangerously cluttered and ever-changing factory floor. One robot will wind up in the winner's circle the rest go on the scrap heap. The game is for 2 to 8 players. It takes about an hour to play.
Pirate's CoveShiver me timbers! Join pirates on a treacherous treasure island for a Pirate's life adventure. Players match keys to get compass, parrot, jolly roger and treasure chest cards - which help you in your treasure hunt for gold coins. The first pirate to reach the ship with six gold coins wins! For 2-4 players.
BohnanzaBohnanza, a card game from Rio Grande Games is about planting, trading and selling 11 different kinds of beans. Players try to collect and plant various types of beans to sell for gold. There are always new beans to plant and each player has limited growing space. To avoid planting unwanted beans, players trade amongst themselves in an effort to plant the bean of highest value and collect the most coins. Comes with 154 Bean Cards, 7 Third Bean Field Cards and a rule booklet. Imported from Germany. For 2 to 7 players.
Chess
Checkers
MancalaThe goal of each player is to collect the glass beads in his or her mancala (the big cups at each end of the game board). Begin your game by filling each cup (except mancalas) with 4 beads. A player then picks up beads from a cup and redistributes them, one at a time, into other cups around the board. A few simple rules govern which cups a player can drop a bead into and when a player's turn is over. Collect the most beads in your mancala to win the game! Then, fold the glass beads inside the game board and slip the board into a convenient storage box. Beads won't get lost! Oak-finish, hinged game board unfolds to 5-1/4x17-3/4. Includes 48 clear glass beads and instructions for basic game. For 2 players.
SequencePlay a card from your hand, place a chip on a corresponding space on the game board when you have five in a row, it's a Sequence. Learn to block your opponents - remove their chips. Watch out for the Jacks, they are wild. With a little strategy and luck, you'll be a winner. Contents: Folding Game Board, 2 Decks of Sequence Cards, 135 Playing Chips and Instructions. For 2 or more players, ages 7 and up.
A Game of ThronesKing Robert Baratheon is dead, and the seven kingdoms brace for war. House Lannister, whose daughter Cersei was Robert's queen, claims the throne for her young son Joffery. From the Dragonstone Isle, Stannis Baratheon knows that Robert was not the true father of Joffrey, and rightfully demands the throne for himself. One the Oron Isles, House Greyjoy is about to embark on a second rebellion, but this time with a much grander goal. In the north, House Stark gathers its strength to defend what is right, and in the south the wealthy House Tyrell harbors an old ambition to sit on the Iron Throne. As armies gather and ravens fly, a clash of kings is inevitable. Based on the best-selling novel series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, the A Game of Thrones board games by Fantasy Flight Games lets players take control of one of the great Houses of Westeros and embark on a epic struggle to claim the Iron Throne. Immerse yourself in a game of clever planning, careful allocation of power, diplomacy, and the exciting flavor of a Song of Ice and Fire. Along with the games board and rulebook, there are over 370 game pieces included.
Puerto RicoEach player utilizes different roles -mayor, captain, settler, trader, prospector, craftsman, or builder to score the most victory points with their colony. Players can act on every turn of the game, allowing them to choose between shipping goods for points or building an impressive city. Players must manage their colonists, erect a variety of buildings, build up their plantation, and sell or ship goods. With dozens of options, Puerto Rico is a streamlined game that can be played in about an hour and handles up to five players.
EvoCreated by Philippe Keyaerts, Evo is a game of conquest in a hostile environment. To win, you will have to acquire gene that will allow you dinosaurs to improve (survive enemy attacks, face various climates or even lay more eggs, for example) in fast-paced auctions. But be careful: don't spend too many mutation points in the auctions, because the winner of the game will be the player with the most of them at the end!
Tongiaki300 AD: The Polynesians embarked on daring sailing trips and explored thousands of Pacific Islands. Driven by overpopulation and a desire for adventure, they set forth into the unknown on simple catamarans called Tongiakis.
YinshThe players each start with 5 rings on the board. Every time a ring is moved, it leaves a marker behind. Markers are white on one side and black on the other. When markers are jumped over by a ring, they must be flipped, so their color is constantly changing. The players must try to form a row of 5 markers with their own color face up. If a player succeeds in doing so, he removes one of his rings as an indication that he has formed such a row. The first player to remove 3 of his rings wins the game. In other words, each row you make brings you closer to victory -- but also makes you weaker, because you have one less ring to play with.
Castle RiskEach player starts out with one castle on the game board. Your objective is to capture all your opponents' castles, so that you are the last player remaining in the game. This Risk variant is played on a map of Europe and introduces cards such as the Spy, General, Marshall, Diplomat and Admiral. Besides recruitment cards, your reinforcements are a function of occupied territory and captured enemy castles. Created by Philippe Keyaerts, Evo is a game of conquest in a hostile environment. To win, you will have to acquire gene that will allow you dinosaurs to improve (survive enemy attacks, face various climates or even lay more eggs, for example) in fast-paced auctions. But be careful: don't spend too many mutation points in the auctions, because the winner of the game will be the player with the most of them at the end!
Tongiaki300 AD: The Polynesians embarked on daring sailing trips and explored thousands of Pacific Islands. Driven by overpopulation and a desire for adventure, they set forth into the unknown on simple catamarans called Tongiakis.
YinshThe players each start with 5 rings on the board. Every time a ring is moved, it leaves a marker behind. Markers are white on one side and black on the other. When markers are jumped over by a ring, they must be flipped, so their color is constantly changing. The players must try to form a row of 5 markers with their own color face up. If a player succeeds in doing so, he removes one of his rings as an indication that he has formed such a row. The first player to remove 3 of his rings wins the game. In other words, each row you make brings you closer to victory -- but also makes you weaker, because you have one less ring to play with.
Castle RiskEach player starts out with one castle on the game board. Your objective is to capture all your opponents' castles, so that you are the last player remaining in the game. This Risk variant is played on a map of Europe and introduces cards such as the Spy, General, Marshall, Diplomat and Admiral. Besides recruitment cards, your reinforcements are a function of occupied territory and captured enemy castles.
Labels: teaching
posted by Jiru at
8:48 AM
August 16, 2012
August 11, 2012
August 10, 2012
August 07, 2012
August 04, 2012
Recipe: Traditional Moroccan Harira (Tomato, Lentil and Chickpea Soup)
Recipe taken from here.
The recipe below will serve 6 to 8 people, and follows the pressure cooker method. To adapt cooking times for traditional simmering in a stockpot, read the Tips at the bottom of the page.
Cover tightly, and heat over high heat until pressure is achieved. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and release the pressure.
Set aside (but don’t add yet), either the rice or vermicelli.
Cover the pot and heat the soup over high heat until pressure is achieved. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking.
If adding rice: Cook the soup on pressure for 30 minutes. Release the pressure, and add the rice. Cover, and cook with pressure for an additional 15 minutes.
If adding vermicelli: Cook the soup on pressure for 45 minutes. Release the pressure, and add the vermicelli. Simmer the soup, uncovered, for five to ten minutes or until the vermicelli is plump and cooked.
Once the rice (or vermicelli) has cooked, taste the soup for seasoning. Add salt or pepper if desired.
Bring the soup to a full simmer. Slowly — and in a thin stream — pour in the flour mixture. Stir constantly and keep the soup simmering so the flour doesn’t stick to the bottom.
You will notice the soup beginning to thicken when you've used approximately half the flour mixture. How thick to make harira is your own preference. I like to thicken the broth so that it achieves a cream-like consistency.
Simmer the thickened soup, stirring occasionally, for five to ten minutes to cook off the taste of the flour. Remove the soup from the heat.
Serves 6 to 8.
The recipe below will serve 6 to 8 people, and follows the pressure cooker method. To adapt cooking times for traditional simmering in a stockpot, read the Tips at the bottom of the page.
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- ½ lb. uncooked meat (lamb, beef or chicken), chopped into 1/2” pieces
- several soup bones (optional)
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 bunch cilantro (coriander), finely chopped to yield about 1/4 cup
- 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped to yield about 1/4 cup
- 1 or 2 celery stalks with leaves, finely chopped
- 1 large onion, grated
- 1 handful of dry chick peas, soaked and then peeled
- 1 tablespoon smen (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric or ¼ teaspoon yellow colorant
- 6 large tomatoes (about 2 lb. or 1 kg), peeled, seeded and pureed
- 2 to 3 tbsp dry lentils, picked over and washed
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste, mixed evenly into 1 or 2 cups of water
- 2 to 3 tablespoons uncooked rice OR uncooked broken vermicelli
- 1 cup flour
Preparation:
Step 1 - Ahead of Time
Make sure you have all the ingredients. Do the following before you begin cooking the soup.- Soak and skin the chickpeas. (You might want to soak them the night before you cook.)
- Pick through the lentils and wash them.
- Peel, seed and puree the tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Or, stew the tomatoes and pass them through a food mill to remove the seeds and skin.
- Pick the parsley and cilantro leaves from their stems. Small pieces of stem are OK, but discard long, thick pieces with no leaves. Wash the herbs, drain well, and finely chop them by hand or with a food processor.
Step 2 - Brown the Meat
Put the meat, soup bones and oil into a 6-qt. or larger pressure cooker. Over medium heat, cook the meat for a few minutes, stirring to brown all sides.Step 3 - Make the Stock
Add the cilantro, parsley, celery, onion, chick peas, tomatoes, smen and spices. Stir in 3 cups of water.Cover tightly, and heat over high heat until pressure is achieved. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and release the pressure.
Step 4 – Make the Soup
Add the lentils, tomato paste mixture, and 2 quarts (or about 2 liters) of water to the stock.Set aside (but don’t add yet), either the rice or vermicelli.
Cover the pot and heat the soup over high heat until pressure is achieved. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking.
If adding rice: Cook the soup on pressure for 30 minutes. Release the pressure, and add the rice. Cover, and cook with pressure for an additional 15 minutes.
If adding vermicelli: Cook the soup on pressure for 45 minutes. Release the pressure, and add the vermicelli. Simmer the soup, uncovered, for five to ten minutes or until the vermicelli is plump and cooked.
Step 5 – Thicken the Soup
While the soup is cooking, mix together the 1 cup of flour with 2 cups of water. Set the mixture aside, and stir or whisk it occasionally. The flour will eventually blend with the water. If the mixture is not smooth when you're ready to use it, pass it through a sieve to remove balls.Once the rice (or vermicelli) has cooked, taste the soup for seasoning. Add salt or pepper if desired.
Bring the soup to a full simmer. Slowly — and in a thin stream — pour in the flour mixture. Stir constantly and keep the soup simmering so the flour doesn’t stick to the bottom.
You will notice the soup beginning to thicken when you've used approximately half the flour mixture. How thick to make harira is your own preference. I like to thicken the broth so that it achieves a cream-like consistency.
Simmer the thickened soup, stirring occasionally, for five to ten minutes to cook off the taste of the flour. Remove the soup from the heat.
Serves 6 to 8.
Tips for Making Harira
- If the meat had a lot of fat, expect to see some foaming as you simmer the thickened soup. Skim off the foam and discard it.
- As harira cools in the pot, it’s common for a skin to form. Simply stir to blend the skin back into the soup.
- A small wedge of lemon may be served as a garnish; its juice may be squeezed into the bowl of harira.
- When reheating harira, don’t bring it to a boil. Heat over medium heat and stir frequently to avoid lentils sticking to the bottom.
- Preparation Shortcut: Chop your cilantro, parsley and celery together in a food processor or blender. Add the peeled and seeded tomatoes, and blend until well-pureed. Add the onion and process until the onion is reduced to small pieces. Proceed with making the stock.
- Thickening with Egg: In place of flour and water, two or three beaten eggs may be used to thicken harira. (If desired, beat the eggs with 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice.) Add the eggs in a thin stream to the simmering soup, stirring constantly. You will see some cooked strands of eggs in the soup as it thickens.
- Prep and Freeze: If you plan to cook harira frequently, it’s helpful to prep large amounts of key ingredients in advance. Soak and peel chickpeas; drain well before freezing. Chop an ample supply of parsley, cilantro and celery; measure the mixed herbs by soup bowlfuls and freeze. Peel, seed and stew tomatoes; puree and freeze in 1 kg (about 2 lb.) batches.
Traditional Stockpot Method
If you don’t have a pressure cooker, use a 6- or 8-qt. stockpot and adjust the cooking time as follows:- In Step 2, cover the pot and simmer for one hour.
- In Steps 3 and 4, partially cover the pot and simmer for double the suggested pressure cooking times.
- Proceed with thickening the soup according to the recipe, or try the egg thickening method in the Tips above.
Labels: cooking
posted by Jiru at
6:55 PM
Article: Lentil
Read the entire article here.
2Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108. May, 1990.
Lentil is a pulse (grain legume) crop. In North America much of the acreage is in eastern Washington, northern Idaho, and western Canada where drier growing season conditions prevail. It has been grown in that area since the 1930s as a rotation crop with wheat. Most of the lentil production in the United States and Canada is exported, but domestic consumption is increasing.
Lentils which fail to meet food grade standards (graded #3 or below) can be used as livestock feed because of their high protein content and lack of digestive inhibitors.
Lentil can be used as a green manure crop and one particular Canadian variety, Indianhead, provides a large amount of fixed nitrogen (estimated to be 20 lb/acre).
Flowering begins on the lowest branches, gradually moving up the plant and continuing until harvest. Each flower produces a short pod containing one or two lens-shaped seeds. Flowers can be white, lilac or pale blue in color and are self-pollinated. At maturity plants tend to lodge because of their weak stems.
Lentil produced in North America has larger seeds than that from India and the Near East. The seeds (2 to 7 mm in diameter) come in colors of tan, brown, or black, and some varieties produce purple or black mottled seeds. Lentil seed number varies from 15,600 to 100,000 seeds/lb.
Lentil
E.S. Oplinger1, L.L. Hardman2, A.R. Kaminski1, K.A. Kelling1, and J.D. Doll1
1Departments of Agronomy and Soil Science, College of Agricultural
and Life Sciences and Cooperative Extension Service, University of
Wisconsin-Madison, WI 53706. 2Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108. May, 1990.
I. History:
Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) may have been one of the first agricultural crops grown more than 8,500 years ago. Production of this cool season annual crop spread from the Near East to the Mediterranean area, Asia, Europe and finally the Western Hemisphere. It may have been introduced to the United States in the early 1900s. The crop has received little research attention to improve its yield and quality. It grows well in limited rainfall areas of the world.Lentil is a pulse (grain legume) crop. In North America much of the acreage is in eastern Washington, northern Idaho, and western Canada where drier growing season conditions prevail. It has been grown in that area since the 1930s as a rotation crop with wheat. Most of the lentil production in the United States and Canada is exported, but domestic consumption is increasing.
II. Uses:
Lentil is a protein/calorie crop. Protein content ranges from 22 to 35%, but the nutritional value is low because lentil is deficient in the amino acids methionine and cystine. Lentil is an excellent supplement to cereal grain diets because of its good protein/carbohydrate content. It is used in soups, stews, casseroles and salad dishes. Sometimes they are difficult to cook because of the hard seed coat that results from excessively dry production conditions.Lentils which fail to meet food grade standards (graded #3 or below) can be used as livestock feed because of their high protein content and lack of digestive inhibitors.
Lentil can be used as a green manure crop and one particular Canadian variety, Indianhead, provides a large amount of fixed nitrogen (estimated to be 20 lb/acre).
III. Growth Habits:
Lentil plants are slender, semi-erect annuals with compound leaves (4 to 7 pairs of leaflets) with a tendril at the tips. Plants normally range from 12 to 20 in. tall, the taller plants resulting from cool growing season temperatures, good moisture and good fertility. Plants can have single stems or many branches depending upon the population in the field.Flowering begins on the lowest branches, gradually moving up the plant and continuing until harvest. Each flower produces a short pod containing one or two lens-shaped seeds. Flowers can be white, lilac or pale blue in color and are self-pollinated. At maturity plants tend to lodge because of their weak stems.
Lentil produced in North America has larger seeds than that from India and the Near East. The seeds (2 to 7 mm in diameter) come in colors of tan, brown, or black, and some varieties produce purple or black mottled seeds. Lentil seed number varies from 15,600 to 100,000 seeds/lb.
Labels: personal
posted by Jiru at
6:49 PM
Article: Lentils Nutrition Facts
Since the first day of the fasting month, I have been preparing lentil and chickpea soup for husband and I to eat in the early morning and when we break fast. This yummy and nutritious soup was first introduced to us when we were invited to my dear Moroccan friend's house for dinner several years ago. This soup is so satisfying that we do not need to eat rice at all and DD1 loves it too!
For husband's health sake and it cost so little to feed the whole family with this ingredient, I intend to prepare this soup for the whole family regularly Allah SWT willing.
Read entire article here.
For husband's health sake and it cost so little to feed the whole family with this ingredient, I intend to prepare this soup for the whole family regularly Allah SWT willing.
Read entire article here.
Health Benefits of Masoor dal (Lentils)
-
Lentils are extremely rich in
soluble fiber, which forms a gel-like substance in the digestive
tract, thereby helping in removing bile from the body. It further
helps in eliminating and reducing blood cholesterol levels.
-
The higher fiber content of
lentils helps in increasing the size of stool; hence, speeding the
journey of waste products through the gut. In short, lentils are
useful for alleviating constipation. The fiber content also reduces
the risk and the symptoms of diverticulosis, a condition in which
small pouches form in the colon wall.
-
The soluble fiber in lentils
has the property of trapping carbohydrates. It slows down the
digestion and absorption process, hence preventing major changes in
blood sugar level throughout the day. This helps diabetic
patients.
-
The insoluble fiber in lentils
leads to the feeling of early satiation; hence, people eat less and
gain fewer pounds. Besides, insoluble fiber is indigestible, which
passes through the body adding just a few calories.
-
Lentils are rich in flavones, a
class of antioxidants with antioxidant properties. Studies have
proved that regular consumption of lentils can reduce the risk of
breast cancer.
-
Lentils prove to be significant
for a healthy heart as they prevent heart coronary problems. Fiber
in the lentils reduces blood cholesterol levels and plaque forming
on the walls of the arteries, thereby eliminating the risk of
stroke or other cardiovascular diseases.
-
Apart from providing low
burning complex carbohydrates, lentils increase energy levels by
replenishing iron stores. This is particularly very important for
menstruating women, who are at a higher risk of iron deficiency.
-
Besides fiber which contributes
to the health of the cardiovascular system, lentils contain folic
acid and magnesium, significant for reducing the level of
homocysteine, a compound known to be dangerous for the heart and
artery walls. Also, lentils promote better blood flow and passage
of oxygen and nutrients to the organs.
-
Rich in the antioxidant,
molybdenum, lentils assist the body in breaking down harmful
substances hence reducing allergy symptoms. This antioxidant is
also essential for preventing impotency, particularly in older men,
and avoiding anemia.
-
Researches indicate that the
vitamin E found in lentils helps prevent the risk of Parkinson’s
disease, though the exact connection is not yet determined.
Labels: health
posted by Jiru at
6:47 PM
Recipe: Sweet Sambal Tumis
Necessity of the mother of invention cooking. Since husband and I love spicy food and I don't have confidence in those bottles of imported chili paste sold in Asian stores, I've been cooking up batches of this yummy condiment for a while. With my mini food processor and my shallot peeling and slicing skill practices supervised by my mother during my teens, I am saving money by making my own sambal tumis.
Recipe taken from here.
Sweet Sambal Tumis
(recipe source: by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover)
100g dried chilies
100g fresh red chilies
10g bird’s eye chilies
250g shallots (I use Rose shallots, bawang Rose)
1 big onion
10g ginger
15g galangal (blue ginger)
30g garlic
15g belacan (shrimp paste)
3/4 cup cooking oil (suggest change to 1 cup)
40g tamarind pulp , add 1/4cup water to become assam water, discard the seeds
50g sugar or palm sugar (gula Melaka)
1tsp salt
Method
1. Use a scissor to discard dried chili’s head and cut into 2-3pcs and boil in hot water for 5mins. Drain and discard the chili seeds if you want less spicy.
2. Toast belacan in a frying pan, chopping and break it up till powdery and aromatic.
3. Blend dried chili, fresh chili, shallots, big onion, ginger, galangal and toasted belacan with 1/4cup of water till smooth paste.
4. Pour chili paste into a big wok, stir fry for 5-10mins over medium low heat until slightly dried paste (By not adding oil at this time as to avoid oil spill)
5. Now add in cooking oil, continue stirring (tumis) over low heat for 30-40mins. The chili paste will turn darker, light and oil separated after long stirring.
6. Add in assam water, salt and sugar, continue stirring (tumis) for 5-10mins.
7. Leave to cool before storing in the fridge or freeze in small containers for later use.
Recipe taken from here.
Sweet Sambal Tumis
(recipe source: by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover)
100g dried chilies
100g fresh red chilies
10g bird’s eye chilies
250g shallots (I use Rose shallots, bawang Rose)
1 big onion
10g ginger
15g galangal (blue ginger)
30g garlic
15g belacan (shrimp paste)
3/4 cup cooking oil (suggest change to 1 cup)
40g tamarind pulp , add 1/4cup water to become assam water, discard the seeds
50g sugar or palm sugar (gula Melaka)
1tsp salt
Method
1. Use a scissor to discard dried chili’s head and cut into 2-3pcs and boil in hot water for 5mins. Drain and discard the chili seeds if you want less spicy.
2. Toast belacan in a frying pan, chopping and break it up till powdery and aromatic.
3. Blend dried chili, fresh chili, shallots, big onion, ginger, galangal and toasted belacan with 1/4cup of water till smooth paste.
4. Pour chili paste into a big wok, stir fry for 5-10mins over medium low heat until slightly dried paste (By not adding oil at this time as to avoid oil spill)
5. Now add in cooking oil, continue stirring (tumis) over low heat for 30-40mins. The chili paste will turn darker, light and oil separated after long stirring.
6. Add in assam water, salt and sugar, continue stirring (tumis) for 5-10mins.
7. Leave to cool before storing in the fridge or freeze in small containers for later use.
Labels: cooking
posted by Jiru at
6:26 PM
为什么很多人头和脸都爱出油
Bunch of thanks to my dear sister who sent this article's link to me!
其实这些多是没有找到脸上出油的根源是什么，这里我们大家分析一下，其实原因不外乎有两点，第一，体内有湿；第二，血脂偏高。记住了这两点，你就知道如何解决了。还是那句话，症现于四肢五官，病存于五脏六腑。想要解决脸上出油的问题，绝对不能头痛医头，脚痛医脚。一定要辩证施治，才会有效果。
第一，先来谈谈关于湿的问题。我曾经在如何理解中医中提到的"湿"?一文中有过详细的论述，没有看过此文有朋友，请先阅读此文，以便帮助您理解。
我曾经把“湿”比喻成“桑拿天”，或者是“雾霾”天气。这种天，就是空气中的水处于漂浮状态，不上不下，让人感觉很难受。形成这种天的原因有三，一是缺风，二是缺太阳，三是缺冷空气。如果有风，风一吹，雾就散了；如果有太阳，太阳一照，雾也蒸腾了；如果来了冷空气，水遇冷就凝结成雨了。所以，桑拿天，是一种特殊的天气，使空气中的水处于一种悬浮的状态，上也上不去，下也下不来。那人体是怎么样的呢？取像比类，是中医最常用的方法。
脸上爱出油的人，大多是那种阳虚体质的人，体形偏胖，过食肥甘厚腻的食物，过度使用空调。由于阳虚，所以身体里阳气不足，无法将湿变成汗水排出，而是仅仅凝结在皮肤上。我说这点大家可能没有体会。大家一定爬过山，刚开始出的汗，一定是粘汗，以后通过喝水，再出的汗，就像水一样的汗，才是正常的汗。粘汗排出的就是体内肌肤表层下的湿。
那位问了，为什么这运动一出汗，就可以排湿呢？因为中医讲，动则生阳。一运动，人体的阳气就被调动起来了，阳气一足，湿就被蒸发了。就像大自然中一样，太阳一出，雾霾天就散了。
那么，脸上爱出油的，为何大多集中在中青年人这个年龄段上呢？其实，道理和我写的脚气那篇文章的道理是一样的。就是这部分人，身体刚好能把湿排出来，但又 排不尽，所以就挂在脸上。老年人体内也有湿，但因阳气衰了，所以这个湿很难排出来，就会造成体内的各个关节痛，会产生其他的病，包括癌症等。而小孩子，阳 气足，相对来说湿少一些（个别有肥胖孩子除外），所以，也不大会出现这种情况，因此只有中青年人会有脸上爱出油的情况，其实，出的这种油，绝大部分是体内 的湿。
■现代人为何血脂偏高
第二，我们来谈谈血脂高的问题。我们去医院做体检，只要告诉医生，要查血脂，一般最后会出现两个参数，一个是总胆固醇，一个是甘油三脂。如果这两个都高，那基本上可以认定为血脂高了。但是这两个数值还是有不同的意义的，下面先来解释一下：
①总胆固醇（chol）：是指血液中所有脂蛋白所含胆固醇之总和。单位：mmol/L，成人参考值：2.82－5.69.
增多：见于高脂血症、动脉粥样硬化、糖尿病、肾病综合征、甲状腺功能减退、胆总管阻塞、高血压（部分），以及摄入维生素A、维生素D、口服避孕药等药物。
减少：见于低脂蛋白血症、贫血、败血症、甲状腺功能亢进、肝病、严重感染、营养不良、肺结核和晚期癌症，以及摄入对氨基水杨酸、卡那霉素、肝素、维生素C等药物。
人体的总胆固醇含量＝低密度脂蛋白胆固醇＋高密度脂蛋白胆固醇＋甘油三酯＋血浆脂蛋白 (a)
下面我们分别进行解释。
②(LDL):如果血液循环中低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（“坏”胆固醇）水平过高，它可能慢慢阻塞 向心脏和大脑输送血液的动脉血管内壁。低密度脂蛋白胆固醇还可能与其它物质一起形成脂斑。这种坚硬厚实的沉积物可能使动脉血管变窄，柔韧性降低，称为动脉 粥样硬化。如果形成血栓并阻塞变窄的动脉血管，可能引起心脏病发作或中风。
③(HDL):大约有 1/4 - 1/3 的血胆固醇以高密度脂蛋白的形式转运。由于高密度脂蛋白较高似乎能防止心脏病发作，因此高密度脂蛋白胆固醇又被称为“好”胆固醇。高密度脂蛋白胆固醇水平 过低（低于 40mg/dL）则心脏病发生危险性增加。医学专家认为高密度脂蛋白在体内循环时，可将胆固醇从动脉内运回肝脏。有的专家认为高密度脂蛋白可以清除动脉血 管脂斑内过多的胆固醇，从而减缓胆固醇在血管内沉积速度。
④甘油三酯：是体内产生的一种脂肪。甘油三酯升高可能是由 于超重/肥胖、体能活动不足、吸烟、酗酒以及高碳水化合物饮食（占总热量的 60% 以上）引起的。高甘油三酯患者通常出现低密度脂蛋白（“坏”）升高以及高密度脂蛋白（“好”）降低，总胆固醇水平升高。许多心脏病或糖尿病患者也存在甘油 三酯水平升高的问题。
⑤血浆脂蛋白 (a) 胆固醇： 是低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（“坏”胆固醇）的一种遗传变异。血浆脂蛋白 (a) 升高是动脉壁内脂类沉积前期一种重要的危险因素。目前对血浆脂蛋白 (a) 尚不十分了解，但是它可能与动脉壁内物质相互作用，与动脉壁内脂类沉积有关。
胆固醇不溶于血液，它必须以脂蛋白为载体在细胞间运输。因此，当我们看到化验单，如果总胆固醇高，同时甘油三酯也高，那么基本上可以肯定说了，这个人是高 血脂了。但是，如果仅仅是总胆固醇高，而甘油三酯不高，那么我们就要细分了。这里我们主要看两大因类，即低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL)和高密度脂蛋白胆固 醇(HDL)。低密度脂蛋白 (LDL) 也称为“坏”胆固醇，数值越低越好；高密度脂蛋白 (HDL) 也称为“好”胆固醇，数值越高越好。因此，即使总胆固醇高，同时高密度脂蛋白也高，而低密度脂蛋白低，那么不应该算真正的血脂高。
现代人，除了体内的寒湿大以外，就是血脂普遍偏高。其实，血脂高，和我们的饮食有很大的关系。就是我们过食了垃圾食品。有关什么是垃圾食品，大家可以看本人的书《有什么别有病》WHO公布的十大类垃圾食品名单。
■如何解决脸出油问题
前面，我们谈了，体内的寒湿、血脂高，是造成我们脸上、头上出油的根本原因，那么如何解决这个问题呢？其实很简单，在我以前的文章中，都有过详细的解决方案，在这里，为方便网友阅读，再详尽的汇总以下七点：
1、打通经络。有关打通经络的问题，几乎我在每篇文章中都有提及，因此，如果您还没有看过我写的文章，只要在本站查阅如何打通经络就行了。
在中医里，最难解决的问题就是湿，因此，打通经络，是除湿的重中之重。现在很多大胖子，体内湿很重，啥办法都不好使，只有通过按摩、刮痧、拔罐才能有效解决。
2、杜绝垃圾食品。这个问题已经说了很多了。
3、泡脚。这是去寒湿的最好方法。一定要泡到出汗，什么时候看舌苔不再白腻了，就基本可以了。
4、运动。有效的有氧运动，是去湿的好方法。
5、调整饮食。要多吃粗粮，尤其是窝头。
6、喝汁。这是降血脂的最有效的方法。大家可以参看这两篇文章：如何绿色安全有效降低血脂、纯天然疗法2个月拿下脂肪肝。
7、有条件的朋友，可服用一些保健食品，像安利纽崔莱、如新等。当然，这需要在营养师的指导下服用。
以上七点，是我们大家的一点意见。当然，需要根据每个人的体质进行加减。可能有些朋友问了，一个脸上爱出油的问题，你居然写了这么一大篇，是不是有点扯的 远了。我告诉大家，中医治病，与其说是治病，不如说是调理阴阳，既然是调理，那么走的就是中庸之道，就是中和之道。热者寒之，寒者热之。
记住，症现于四肢五官，病存于五脏六腑。一个脸上出油的问题，绝对不是靠抹点化妆品，勤洗脸能够解决的。如果我们不抓住问题的根本，那脸上的油是永远出不完的。
来源：http://www.byb.cn/doc_756.aspx
Read entire article here.
Labels: health
posted by Jiru at
9:27 AM
Article: Arsenic in Our Chicken?
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
Published: April 4, 2012
New York Times
Let’s hope you’re not reading this column while munching on a chicken sandwich.
That’s because my topic today is a pair of new scientific studies suggesting that poultry on factory farms are routinely fed caffeine, active ingredients of Tylenol and Benadryl, banned antibiotics and even arsenic.
“We were kind of floored,” said Keeve E. Nachman, a co-author of both studies and a scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Center for a Livable Future. “It’s unbelievable what we found.”
He said that the researchers had intended to test only for antibiotics. But assays for other chemicals and pharmaceuticals didn’t cost extra, so researchers asked for those results as well.
“We haven’t found anything that is an immediate health concern,” Nachman added. “But it makes me question how comfortable we are feeding a number of these things to animals that we’re eating. It bewilders me.”
Likewise, I grew up on a farm, and thought I knew what to expect in my food. But Benadryl? Arsenic? These studies don’t mean that you should dump the contents of your refrigerator, but they do raise serious questions about the food we eat and how we should shop.
It turns out that arsenic has routinely been fed to poultry (and sometimes hogs) because it reduces infections and makes flesh an appetizing shade of pink. There’s no evidence that such low levels of arsenic harm either chickens or the people eating them, but still...
Big Ag doesn’t advertise the chemicals it stuffs into animals, so the scientists conducting these studies figured out a clever way to detect them. Bird feathers, like human fingernails, accumulate chemicals and drugs that an animal is exposed to. So scientists from Johns Hopkins University and Arizona State University examined feather meal — a poultry byproduct made of feathers.
One study, just published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, Environmental Science & Technology, found that feather meal routinely contained a banned class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones. These antibiotics (such as Cipro), are illegal in poultry production because they can breed antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” that harm humans. Already, antibiotic-resistant infections kill more Americans annually than AIDS, according to the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
The same study also found that one-third of feather-meal samples contained an antihistamine that is the active ingredient of Benadryl. The great majority of feather meal contained acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol. And feather-meal samples from China contained an antidepressant that is the active ingredient in Prozac.
Poultry-growing literature has recommended Benadryl to reduce anxiety among chickens, apparently because stressed chickens have tougher meat and grow more slowly. Tylenol and Prozac presumably serve the same purpose.
Researchers found that most feather-meal samples contained caffeine. It turns out that chickens are sometimes fed coffee pulp and green tea powder to keep them awake so that they can spend more time eating. (Is that why they need the Benadryl, to calm them down?)
Read entire article here.
Published: April 4, 2012
New York Times
Let’s hope you’re not reading this column while munching on a chicken sandwich.
That’s because my topic today is a pair of new scientific studies suggesting that poultry on factory farms are routinely fed caffeine, active ingredients of Tylenol and Benadryl, banned antibiotics and even arsenic.
“We were kind of floored,” said Keeve E. Nachman, a co-author of both studies and a scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Center for a Livable Future. “It’s unbelievable what we found.”
He said that the researchers had intended to test only for antibiotics. But assays for other chemicals and pharmaceuticals didn’t cost extra, so researchers asked for those results as well.
“We haven’t found anything that is an immediate health concern,” Nachman added. “But it makes me question how comfortable we are feeding a number of these things to animals that we’re eating. It bewilders me.”
Likewise, I grew up on a farm, and thought I knew what to expect in my food. But Benadryl? Arsenic? These studies don’t mean that you should dump the contents of your refrigerator, but they do raise serious questions about the food we eat and how we should shop.
It turns out that arsenic has routinely been fed to poultry (and sometimes hogs) because it reduces infections and makes flesh an appetizing shade of pink. There’s no evidence that such low levels of arsenic harm either chickens or the people eating them, but still...
Big Ag doesn’t advertise the chemicals it stuffs into animals, so the scientists conducting these studies figured out a clever way to detect them. Bird feathers, like human fingernails, accumulate chemicals and drugs that an animal is exposed to. So scientists from Johns Hopkins University and Arizona State University examined feather meal — a poultry byproduct made of feathers.
One study, just published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, Environmental Science & Technology, found that feather meal routinely contained a banned class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones. These antibiotics (such as Cipro), are illegal in poultry production because they can breed antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” that harm humans. Already, antibiotic-resistant infections kill more Americans annually than AIDS, according to the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
The same study also found that one-third of feather-meal samples contained an antihistamine that is the active ingredient of Benadryl. The great majority of feather meal contained acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol. And feather-meal samples from China contained an antidepressant that is the active ingredient in Prozac.
Poultry-growing literature has recommended Benadryl to reduce anxiety among chickens, apparently because stressed chickens have tougher meat and grow more slowly. Tylenol and Prozac presumably serve the same purpose.
Researchers found that most feather-meal samples contained caffeine. It turns out that chickens are sometimes fed coffee pulp and green tea powder to keep them awake so that they can spend more time eating. (Is that why they need the Benadryl, to calm them down?)
Read entire article here.
Labels: health
posted by Jiru at
7:08 AM
Article: Growing up with chickens: 5 things city kids learn by keeping a backyard flock
All kids who visited our backyard chickens love to hang out around the chickens and look out for the rare opportunity to find a freshly laid egg in the chicken coop or compost bin. This article reinforces my belief to raise backyard chickens for the benefit of the next generation. Allah SWT willing I will continue to keep live chickens as long as possible.
'I would love to raise my kids on a farm. For a lot of reasons, that’s not going to happen. Like the majority of Americans I’m tethered to the city. But that doesn’t mean my children (9, 7, and 5 years old) can’t learn some of the lessons that farm kids take for granted.
Enter chickens.
Turns out a small flock of hens in the backyard can go a long way towards exposing children to things most city dwellers only get to read about in books. The concepts of natural cycles, environmental stewardship, biology, and our place in nature are no longer abstractions for my kids. Thanks to a small coop and a few chickens, these types of things have become concrete realities.
In particular, their feathered teachers have taught them five key lessons:
1. Where their food really comes from
2. Natural cycles
3. Our dependence on the countryside
4. How to treat each other
5. Life and death
'
Read the whole article here.
'I would love to raise my kids on a farm. For a lot of reasons, that’s not going to happen. Like the majority of Americans I’m tethered to the city. But that doesn’t mean my children (9, 7, and 5 years old) can’t learn some of the lessons that farm kids take for granted.
Enter chickens.
Turns out a small flock of hens in the backyard can go a long way towards exposing children to things most city dwellers only get to read about in books. The concepts of natural cycles, environmental stewardship, biology, and our place in nature are no longer abstractions for my kids. Thanks to a small coop and a few chickens, these types of things have become concrete realities.
In particular, their feathered teachers have taught them five key lessons:
1. Where their food really comes from
2. Natural cycles
3. Our dependence on the countryside
4. How to treat each other
5. Life and death
'
Read the whole article here.
Labels: personal
posted by Jiru at
6:33 AM
August 03, 2012
Article: Behind the Scenes with Aldi Supermarket
I am becoming an Aldi fan after getting hooked on the amazing low prices.
'This past week I got the unique opportunity to step behind the scenes and find out more about Aldi Supermarket and the products that they offer their customer. As a longtime fan of the grocery retailer, I could not wait to see how this company operated and, frankly, how in the world they can offer food for such a low price.'
Read the whole article here.
'This past week I got the unique opportunity to step behind the scenes and find out more about Aldi Supermarket and the products that they offer their customer. As a longtime fan of the grocery retailer, I could not wait to see how this company operated and, frankly, how in the world they can offer food for such a low price.'
Read the whole article here.
Labels: personal
posted by Jiru at
6:21 PM
August 02, 2012
A rooster is not required for egg production...
"Human women ovulate regardless of whether a male is around or not, and
so does a hen. Remember, roosters are only required if you want your
hen’s eggs to be fertile!"
- blog.mypetchicken.com
- blog.mypetchicken.com
Labels: chicken farm
posted by Jiru at
2:13 PM
