Funny Video: I Just Want a Pizza!

From Denny: This girl, Justine, is so funny! She cold calls a bunch of stores asking to order a pizza. Most of them don't catch on to her snarky ways but one guy finally did and the exchange and how she gets out of it is hilarious! He really nailed her and his comments are unbelievable. Of course, her close-up facial expressions steal the show, enjoy!



comedy, funny videos, hilarious, IJustine.com

Video: Bobby Flay's Fancy Food Finds

From Denny: I don't know how I missed this cool video discussing the latest food trends like, drumroll, pahleez! chocolate tortilla chips, yum! Chef Bobbly Flay, reporting on what he discovered at the Fancy Food Show, gives you some great ideas on how to pair or use as an ingredient many of these new trendy tasty snack chips.

"TV host and chef Bobby Flay showed off some of the great new foods featured during New York City's Fancy Food Show."


Watch CBS Videos Online

Bobby Flay, Fancy Food Show, New York City, food trends, chocolate

Bloggers Unite: Global Human Rights Abuses

Update: Federal Agents Investigate Burger Kings Treatment of Foreign Students - An excerpt: "RIVERTON, Wyo. – Federal agents from the Department of Immigrations are expected to arrive in Riverton today to investigate a possible indentured service case involving foreign students. Five university students working in the states through an exchange program said they were fired from the local Burger King and evicted from squalid living quarters provided by the company after they complained about the conditions.

They described the 15x15-foot house as a boiler room prison, because the windows wouldn’t open, bunkbeds with air mattresses were the beds, a hot-plate on a counter sufficed for a kitchen stove and the toilet and shower stall were unsanitary due to corrosion.

Riverton police, who executed the eviction notice over the weekend, were appalled at the conditions found and reported the situation to immigrations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Local Burger King management has refused comment and corporate officials in Florida say they were unaware of the situation. The students were matched with the local Burger King through the work/travel programs of Worldwide International Student Exchange (WISE) and Aspire Worldwide. They paid $3,500 to $5,000 each to participate, and were told adequate housing would be provided at an affordable fee.

They said rent for the house was $1,800 a month, paid to Burger King District Manager Peggy Handran. Her phone number listed on the work agreement is no longer in service.

The university students are all men, ages 18-21, coming from Turkey, Mongolia, Azerbaijan and the Ukraine. They have found temporary sanctuary with a neighbor, Donna Michel."

Click on the title link for the rest of the story.

From Denny: This is a post I ran over at The Social Poets Friday evening for the Bloggers Unite Human Rights Day post on 17 July 2009. Bloggers everywhere are all blogging on the same day about human rights.

***

Humanity is at a crossroads in our world history where we must make a profound decision. It’s time to live better.

Currently, human rights abuses are no longer exclusive to certain regions of the globe. There is a sharp increase in human rights abuses worldwide for decades now and situations are increasing in violence yearly.

Stories abound globally of the most heinous crimes to humanity. Nothing good is accomplished by mankind trying to annihilate mankind. Just what is going on in the world? Here are just a few areas:

• Hamas and Taliban Islamic terrorists and other terrorist groups worldwide are on a bloodthirsty killing spree with bombings of civilians, women and children in many places in the world.



Photo by azrainman @ flickr

• Rogue unstable governments, covertly cozy with terrorist groups, working feverishly to acquire the nuclear bomb so they can kill off their neighbors they don’t like because they are another religion, a different economic or another kind of social system – or just plain won’t give them what they want.

• Genocide in Africa because people of different tribes can’t work out their differences like civilized people.



• Jailing journalists - trying to report the truth - as political temper tantrums to get their own way: North Korea and Iran.

• Tortured prisoners worldwide with the most notable recent heinous acts perpetrated during the Bush years on terrorist suspects never given trials, mainly because there was no real hard evidence.



• Under Taliban Islamic law and culture women are still regarded as subhuman and not deserving of first class treatment like men.

• Here in the United States, during the Bush years, women were raped, often savage gang rapes, at our military universities yet went unreported.

• Then there are battered women worldwide from Islamic to Christian countries whose husbands will not stop pummeling them.



We, the majority, are allowing the few to terrorize us, our neighbors and our loved ones. We must mobilize to stop it. How? Education for starters.
In the end, in order for humanity to not come to an end, we must consider a working alternative to what exists today in the way of abuses. It is a basic human right to be loved. Loved, you say? Yes, loved. We all have the right to be loved.

Love comes in many forms. We have the human right to certain expectations of basic decency and civility. We have the human right to healthy drinking water and sanitation and affordable housing. We have the human right to expect our political leaders that are guardians of our country to be honest and get serious about addressing pressing social and economic issues.



Photo by alicepopkorn @ flickr

Human rights abuses worldwide, in our own countries, in our homes will continue until the average person stands up and says "No!" to it all. Human rights abuses will continue until we all get serious about connecting up to create a tsunami force to push humanity along until we all do better, choose better and, in the end, start living better. Now that’s Love in action! We all have the human right to be loved. Let’s give Love.

A few places you can go for education and plug in to help:

Bloggers Unite where you can help by blogging

Youth Movement For Human Rights - worldwide

Human Rights Watch

Amnesty International, dedicated to bringing world attention to human rights abuse


North Korea, United States, denny lyon, Human rights, Nuclear weapon, Africa, Amnesty International, Human Rights and Liberties, Sharia, The Social Poets

Video: Bobbly Flay's Fancy Foods

From Denny: I don't know how I missed this cool video discussing the latest food trends like, drumroll, pahleez! chocolate tortilla chips, yum! Chef Bobbly Flay, reporting on what he discovered at the Fancy Food Show, gives you some great ideas on how to pair or use as an ingredient many of these new trendy tasty snack chips.

"TV host and chef Bobby Flay showed off some of the great new foods featured during New York City's Fancy Food Show."


Watch CBS Videos Online

Bobby Flay, Fancy Food Show, New York City, food trends, chocolate

Recipes: Interesting Recipes with Figs!

Photo of Mediterranean Fig and Radicchio Salad @ 2theadvocate.com


From Denny: Usually, figs are not my biggest interest but I have to admit that they way they use them in recipes in Louisiana have peaked my interest considerably. The South does have a way with food!

These recipes were featured in our local newspaper's food section this week and they all looked so good I thought I'd park them all here today.

Figs are a great source of fiber, those all important must-have antioxidants, build and maintain strong bones calcium, iron to keep you from feeling tired, potassium and magnesium!

Check out what the first-century Roman writer and naturalist Pliny the Elder wrote that “figs are restorative, they increase the strength of young people, preserve the elderly in better health and make them look younger with fewer wrinkles.” Sign me up on that program! Who said I was lukewarm on figs? You must be mistaken... :) I wonder if eating figs for your health will become a raging trend like Twitter? Hmmmm... time will tell about this "super" fruit!

The food writers over at 2theadvocate.com advise about figs: "When you buy fresh figs, treat them carefully because they are very perishable. The fig skin is fragile and scars easily. If the skin on some figs is scarred from coming in contact with the tree’s leaves while the fruit is growing, don’t worry. Such marks don’t affect the flavor or nutritional value of the fig.

Fresh figs should be kept refrigerated until ready to eat. Dry figs (unrinsed) will keep in the refrigerator uncovered for five to seven days, but no longer.

If you are freezing the figs, they can be rinsed, patted dry and frozen in a plastic freezer bag for up to six months.

Some people prefer to peel figs before eating. Others, say, “Why bother?”

Whichever style suits the palate, now is the time to turn over a new leaf — a fig leaf, naturally — and try figs fresh, out of hand, or preserved and find out if Pliny the Elder was right."

If you are lucky enough to know someone with a fig tree or can get your hands on a lot of this short season fruit, then by all means, can up some of the crop to enjoy all year long!

Johnny Wilbert’s Fig Preserves

From: John W. “Johnny” Wilbert Jr. of Plaquemine
Yield: about 7 half-pints

Ingredients:

2 quarts fresh figs

1 quart raw sugar or light brown sugar if raw sugar is unavailable

1 lemon, sliced thin

Directions:

1. Wash figs gently. Cut stems, leaving ø inch of stem on each fig to prevent breaking up.

2. Place figs, sugar and lemon slices in a 4-quart casserole dish. Cover with lid.

3. Microwave on full power for 55 minutes, stirring gently after the first 20 minutes, the second 20 minutes and then 10 minutes later. Stir again after the final 5 minutes of cooking.

4. Cool until you can handle the figs. These can be ladled into prepared canning jars immediately or frozen to process later.

5. To preserve, wash canning jars in the dishwasher. Then boil jars in a large pot for 15 minutes. Wash the jar lids and rings and bring to a boil in another large pot of water.

6. Once canning jars are sterilized, fill the jars with the cooked figs and juice to within 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch from the top of each jar. With a clean paper towel, wash the top and rim of each jar to remove any figs or fig syrup that could prevent the jar from sealing. Place a lid and ring on each jar.

7. Put the filled, capped jars in a large kettle and completely cover with water. Boil jars for another 15 minutes to process.

8. Remove from water and place on paper towel-covered counter. Cool. Lids will make a pinging sound as they seal. Check seals to make sure they are tight before storing jars in a cool, dry place.

Now here are two salad recipes to enjoy! Remember: fruits and veggies like tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuces all work to cool your liver - and when you cool your liver in this heat you end up cooling down your body. Tastes good AND you feel better in 100 degree heat! Though these recipes don't call for it I often add these coolers to beat the heat when making salads.

Fig and Spinach Salad

From: Tommy Simmons, food writer and food section editor @ 2theadvocate.com
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup Steen’s cane vinegar

1 Tablespoon Zatarain’s Creole mustard

2 teaspoon light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 bag fresh spinach leaves, stems removed

4 ounces crumbled feta or blue cheese, depending on taste preference

1/2 cup toasted and chopped pecans

8 to 10 fresh figs, rinsed, dried and sliced, plus 2 sliced figs for garnish

Mint sprigs for garnish, if desired

Directions:

1. In a jar, combine olive oil, cane vinegar, Creole mustard, brown sugar and salt. Shake well to mix.

2. In large salad bowl, toss spinach leaves, crumbled cheese, pecans and sliced figs. Drizzle with enough dressing to coat and toss gently.

3. Garnish with additional figs and a few mint leaves, if desired.

Testing note: I’ve also thrown in five or six sliced green grapes on occasion.

Mediterranean Fig & Radicchio Salad


From: Royal Rose Radicchio Web site, http://www.radicchio.com
Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar (or cane vinegar)

2 teaspoons honey

1/3 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 head radicchio, torn

1 head frisée, torn

6 to 8 fresh figs, cut in halves

1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped

1/4 loaf crusty French bread, torn into pieces

1 roll creamy goat cheese, such as Montrachet

Directions:

1. In small bowl, whisk together vinegar, honey and oil. Season with salt and pepper.

2. In large bowl, toss radicchio and frisée, then arrange on individual plates.

3. Top with figs, olives, torn bread pieces and bits of goat cheese.

4. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

Testing note: If you can’t find individual heads of radicchio and frisée in the produce department, substitute a lettuce mix that contains radicchio and frisée.



figs, Fruits and Vegetables, Twitter, Pliny the Elder, salads, canning