How to Domestically Experience Another Country's Culture - Host an Exchange Student

Nothing compares to actually getting on a plane and traveling to a foreign country to experience the culture. However, in between your international travels there are ways that you can continue to learn about other countries without even leaving your neighborhood. I have had the privilege of volunteering with a group call Education First that helps match foreign students with host families. Below is some information about the organization and how you can get involved:

What is EF Foundation for Foreign Study?

EF Foundation is a non-profit high school exchange organization that works with

30 different countries to bring students to the United States, as well as send

American students abroad. Our students come with their own spending money,

are fully-insured, and spend a semester or an academic year. The students live

with non-paid host families while they attend local American high schools.

What are the responsibilities of a host family?

Host families must provide room and board and a loving home environment for

the student. One or both host parents must be at least 25 years of age or older.

Our students don't have to have their own bedroom, but if they do share a room it

must be with a child of the same gender who is at least 12 years old. EF

Foundation places students in all types of families and communities - single

parent, empty-nesters, big cities and rural areas. We just ask that the student is

treated as a family member, rather than a guest in your home. Families who can

provide room, board, and a loving home for a student will qualify to host!

How old are the students? What nationalities are they? How are they

chosen for your program?

Our students are between the ages of 15 and 18. They attend your local high

school and fully participate in regular classes and extra-curricular activities as an

American student would. Our students come from all over the world - from South

America to Scandinavia, and as far away as Asia and Australia. We have EF

offices in each country from which we bring students.

Our students are thoroughly screened by our foreign offices prior to acceptance

onto the program. They must pass an interview in English and complete a

lengthy application including recommendations, a timed essay, academic

transcript, and short-answer questions related to their family life at home. Our

foreign offices also judge students based on academic motivation, maturity and

realistic program expectations.

Can we choose which student we would like to host?

Yes! You will have a local coordinator called an IEC (International Exchange

Coordinator) who will help match a student to your requests. If you're searching

for a particular nationality, hobby, or age for your student, your IEC will work with

the Recruitment and Placement Manager in the Boston office to find student

applications fitting your requests. You then will have the opportunity to read

through several applications to find which student best matches your family.

Are host families paid?

No. All of our host families are volunteers. They agree to host because they are

passionate about student exchange and they want to bring a different culture to

their home and community. However, host families are eligible for a $50.00 per

month tax deduction per student.

Do we have support if there is a problem?

Your local coordinator is there to support you and help you to work through any

potential problems. Our coordinators are experienced in counseling host families

and exchange students, and know how to handle problem situations. If your local

coordinator is unavailable and you or your student needs advice or support, the

Regional Coordinator is also available to help and counsel on a local level. The

Boston office is your final support option if your local support network is

unavailable. During regular working hours, you are always able to reach our

Boston staff at 1-800-44-SHARE. If there is an emergency situation that occurs

after working hours and you need immediate assistance, there is always a

Boston staff member on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help deal with the emergency.

If you are interested in hosting an exchange student or would like more information, Contact me today!
video e-brochure:
http://www.vimeo.com/1154826

How to Domestically Experience Another Country's Culture - Host and Exchange Student http://ping.fm/EkPZQ

http://xkcd.com/616/

MOMENT OF TRUTH: "It's all fun and games till someone loses an eye. Then the game
becomes 'Find the Eye.'"

Vote Austin Most Dog Friendly City http://ping.fm/D3ezH

Vote Austin Most Dog-Friendly City!

Beneful, just launched www.WagWorld.com, a Web site for all dog lovers to tag dog-friendly places on a map. Between now and September 20, whichever cities have the most tagged spots will be announced as America’s top 10 most dog-friendly cities. If you have a minute to check out the site, tag a few spots and possibly share it with other dog lovers you know to help put Austin on the map!

For Similar Stories visit and/or subscribe to Sake's Dog Blog http://saketini.blogspot.com/

Check out my baby brother on the Genghis Grill commercial http://ping.fm/29lkq

http://ping.fm/wAZLJ

http://ping.fm/zgPIf

http://ping.fm/At8ei

looking forward to happy hour and then volleyball tonight

the avg person spends 19 minutes a day on facebook - do you use more or less?

AUSTIN HABITAT & HYP NEED YOUR HELP SECURING IN-KIND CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS OR LABOR. . . .

. . .AND OF COURSE, CASH SPONSORS ARE ALWAYS NICE...A LITTLE BIT GOES A LONG WAY

Austin Habitat for Humanity’s HYP group (Habitat Young Professionals) has raised approximately $40,000 of a $60,000 goal to build the 2009 HYP House (the 2^nd HYP House in the history of Habitat for Humanity-the 1^st was also an Austin HYP venture completed last fall). In partnership with sponsor TruWest Credit Union, this house will be an extra-special milestone, as it will also be Austin Habitat’s first-ever LEED-H certified green home. The build will begin in late summer 2009. Austin Habitat is inviting community partners to contribute to the balance needed to reach the build’s goal of $60,000. We are so close… and you can help us to get there! Contributions of cash are welcome, but we are also extending an invitation to members of Austin’s celebrated construction industry to participate as partners in the project. All In-Kind partners will be acknowledged as a sponsor of this milestone home for Austin Habitat, regularly acknowledged as a national leader in the construction and design of sustainable, green, affordable homes. Opportunities to participate in HYP House builds included.

Cash sponsors are fantastic, but equally valued are In-Kind donations of materials and/or labor for which are greatest needs are as follows:

- Foundation (materials and labor)

- Electrical (materials and labor)

- Plumbing (materials and labor)

- HVAC (materials and labor)

- Insulation (materials)

- Drywall (materials)

- Driveway/sidewalk (materials)

So say you want to help… but you don’t have lots of cash… and you don’t have access to construction materials. All you really need is the desire to help HYP Change Lives. We have created a brief fundraising guide [attached!] designed to give an office, an organization, a church group or just a group of friends some simple ways to raise money for Austin Habitat and HYP. The little bits add up… $20 per person in a 60-person office will pay for the insulation in the HYP House.

IN SUMMARY, HERE ARE THREE WAYS TO HELP CHANGE LIVES

1. GIVE gift a cash gift here - every little bit helps. Choose "HYP Build 2009" in the drop down menu

2. MOTIVATE get your office or organization to help sponsor the house through one of the simple attached fundraising suggestions

3. CONNECT put us in touch with your In-Kind materials or labor contacts (home builders, contractors, retail establishments, etc)

Please contact Brooke Rogers or Julie Smith with Austin Habitat – jasmith@ahfh.org / 512.472.8788 x 417 with questions or interest.

Thank you.

Brooke Rogers

2009 HYP Chair

512.695.6926

AustinHYP@gmail.com

Excited to go to Mozarts with my cousin, Aliexcited to go to Mozarts withmy cousin, Ali

Register for a free webinar on how to use social media to make more money in your businesses http://ping.fm/sAbpT

weird: http://ping.fm/7v7FQ

Excited to listen to some Jazz at the elephant Room

MOMENT OF TRUTH: "Providing health care to the uninsured is a job killer, while not providing health care is merely a people killer."

Describes Me to a "B"

BITCHOLOGY

When I stand up for
myself and my beliefs,
they call me a
bitch.

When I stand up for
those I love,
they call me a
bitch.

When I speak my mind, think my own thoughts
or do things my own way, they call me a
bitch.

Being a bitch
means I won't
compromise what's
in my heart.
It means I live my life MY way.
It means I won't allow anyone to step on me.

When I refuse to
tolerate injustice and
speak against it, I am
defined as a
bitch.

The same thing happens when I take time for
myself instead of being everyone's maid, or when I act a little selfish.

It means I have the courage and strength to allow myself to be who I truly am and won't become anyone else's idea of what they think I 'should' be.

I am outspoken, opinionated and determined. I want what I want and there is nothing wrong with that!
So try to stomp on me, just try to douse my inner flame, try to squash every ounce of beauty I hold within me.
You won't succeed.

And if that makes me a bitch ,so be it.
I embrace the title and am proud to bear it.

B - Babe
I - In
T - Total
C - Control of
H - Herself

B = Beautiful
I = Intelligent
T = Talented
C = Charming
H = Hell of a Woman

B = Beautiful
I = Individual
T = That
C = Can
H = Handle 'anything'

http://ping.fm/9Yh33

Ready for the weekend . . . and it's only Monday morning

If you're interested in learning about Social Media, here's a free way to get some good info: http://ping.fm/Q3j4c

happy to learn how to redirect visitors to a new site, if you want the easiest way, check this site out: http://ping.fm/d3r1X now enough of the dorky stuff and on to dinner with friends before the weekend is done!

just a lazy Sunday

Putting Wines to Test . . . More expensive isn't always better

the issue of the taste of cheaper wines. Can a cheap wine taste as good as an expensive one? Some inexpensive wines were taste-tested against some that cost three times as much, proving that it is possible to make savvy money-saving selections at the wine store.

Spec's President John Rydman has tasted the most expensive wines in the world, but he says it is possible to find wine that's as good, or better, for just a few dollars per bottle.

"A lot of these people are drinking the label," he said, "and we're more about the juice than we are about the label."

His advice? Look for lesser known wines from the same region as their pricier counterparts.

A Chateau Margaux Bordeaux sells for $270 per bottle, but the wine from its neighboring vineyard is $30.

"It's the same grapes, the same soil," Rydman said.

Another stunner were some Italian Pinot Grigios that were almost identical -- the Santa Margherita is $19 while the Monte Campo is about $7, $12 less.

"If you want to buy the label, it's there," Rydman said. "If you want to buy the flavor, you buy Monte Campo."

A Ruffino Chianti costs $21, but for just $6, even self-proclaimed wine snobs love a wine by Levata.

Overall, it really does pay to ask an expert. There are some wines that are practically identical to another, but they can be cheaper because they're bottled in a different Italian town.

"Most people would never know the difference," Rydman said.

In a blind taste test conducted at Whole Foods, a $6 "365" Brand Merlot was compared to a $15 Keltie Brook. Also, a $5 Harthill Farm Chardonnay was compared to a $15 La Crema.

"They're both very similar in their taste," Whole Foods wine expert Cody Lincicone said.

All three taste-tasters chose the $6 Merlot over the $15 one.

"I preferred the cheaper of the red?" taste-tester Gerda Gomez said. "I'm surprised!"

Taste-tester Anna Gray was of a similar sentiment.

"Wow, I was tricked!" she said.

Two out of the three taste-testers chose the $5 Harthill Farm over the $15 La Crema.

"It's amazing," taste-tester Melodi Weinberg said. "I like it so much better."

Taste-tester Gomez, who picked the expensive wine, said the two were similar.

"If I knew the price," she said, "I'd go with the cheaper one because it was close!"

excited to see Music Man tonight at zilker

couldn't be interested in the BBQ at the dos equis party last night and now I'm jonesin' for a BBQ sandwhich like no other, any suggestions for a good one that doesn't require me leaving the bubble?

On my way to a castle

is excited to see Jen and David, it's been too long!

TICAS Inc. -- A Chance for Real Loan Forgiveness

TICAS Inc. -- A Chance for Real Loan Forgiveness

Shared via AddThis

RT @jonray RSVP list for The Fader party at Speakeasy is irrelevant. They are all out of wristbands. Total crap. 1st come 1st serve. No thanks.

RSVP for the next Fader Party this Friday! http://ping.fm/iXI3X

Jonesin' for a e-cigarette

is craving caldo de cana and doesn't know where to find some, it's such a tease when you see that sugar cane in the grocery store, what do people use it for other than that? how do you cook with it?

"..but the thing is, after a while, you just wanna be with the one that makes you laugh." -satc

Had fun celebrating the fact that the Brits won the silver metal against a bunch of slave-owning, aristocratic, white males who didn't want to pay their taxes

Sake's Dog Blog: From Austin Lofty Dog

Sake's Dog Blog: From Austin Lofty Dog

Posted using ShareThis

iPhone miraculously started working again, I'm back on the grid & it feels so good!

Funny

has had the wonderful experience of having her iphone flooded days before the 4th of July weekend. If you need to reach me CALL me at 512.542.4527 DO NOT TEXT ME this phone doesn't get text messages :(

Most Dangerous Chocolate Cake Recipe

THE 5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE CAKE FOR ONE PERSON (or two)......HOW NEAT

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well..
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT ! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).
And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?
Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

thinks it's funny that Charla found Holly, Jay, Sarah, Lara and me on the Front page Bottom Right A List of Austin 360, check us out! Austin360.com

Following Kaka´s presentation live in realmadrid.com http://tr.im/qlfi

a day full of Spain & Brasil soccer, snow cones & late afternoon pool time

Watching CNN's Special on MJ :"Man in the Mirror"

@ Faersmarket

Aexcited foexcited fora night on the town with my partner in crime Holly Wood!

Remembering Michael Jackson

Charles Schultz Philosoph

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read straight through, and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do? The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one: 1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school. 2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time. 3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile. 4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special. 5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson:

The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.

RIP Farrah Fawcett :(

New Web Search Tool Shows What Pesticides are on Your Food

The Pesticide Action Network has launched a new online searchable database designed to make the public problem of pesticide exposure visible and more understandable. Whether you want to find out what's in your apple juice, milk, peanut butter, or bottled water, this innovative tool links pesticide food residue data with the toxicology for each chemical, making this information easily searchable for the first time.

http://www.whatsonmyfood.org/

Hook 'em Horns!

love veggie samiches from Thudercloud

The last two days I have seen the quote "git 'er done" on T-shirts and bumper stickers, why don't you just get a shirt or sticker that says "I'm not only white trash I'm also obnoxious"

loves her new gladiators! I can't believe I waited this long to get them

Cute

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1778554

Butter or Margarine?

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.
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 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.
Triple 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 fold..
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..

This fact alone was 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).

You can try this yourself:

Purchase a tub of margarine and leave it in your garage or shaded area; Within a couple of days you will note 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 microorganisms 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')!

Chinese Proverb:
'When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others.
Pass the BUTTER PLEASE..

RT @CNN Spain win again to extend unbeaten streak: Spain have drawn level with Brazil by going 35 matches unbeaten, afte.. http://bit.ly/PbYry

I've never heard of a napa valley hurricane

Excited to go get snow cones with Dad and John G, might just have to bring Sake along too, pups like snow cones

is excited that she got the word that sand volleyball will be starting up again next week! woohoo!

Is excited for the 3 day weekend, I hope this day goes by fast!

RT @thefader: never not having parties. AUSTIN! Free mojitos and Prince Klassen! on a TUESDAY. Get it in! http://ping.fm/UEF7w

RT @KXAN_News: More good news for Austin's economy. Austin ranked No. 3 in the U.S. in a list of strong metro economies: http://ow.ly/eFcZ

Santigold after party @ beauty bar ... Is it a Monday? Because it feels luke the weekend still

@Santigold with my besties

Loved the hangover

On my way with Holly to molly's True Blood Party, can't wait ....Sookie's Mine!

On my way to Madhatters!

Movie night

is watching Spirited Away, this movie is so trippy

Is ready to cash in her good karma chips

After flip cup everyone looks good

is craving East Side Pies!

Oh I love the rainy night

DogFriendly.com Announces Its 2009 List of the Top 10 Dog-friendly Cities to Visit in the United States

DogFriendly.com Announces Its 2009 List of the Top 10 Dog-friendly Cities to Visit in the United States

Great pet-friendly lodging, attractions, parks, beaches, shopping and dining. Visit one of these cities with your dog for a top-notch vacation. POLLOCK PINES, Calif., May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- DogFriendly.com (http://www.dogfriendly.com) announced its 2009 list of the Top 10 dog-friendly destination cities in the United States. DogFriendly.com compiles this list for people who want to take their dogs with them on vacation. The rankings take into account the quality of dog-friendly accommodations, transportation, beaches, parks, attractions, stores, dining and things to do with your dog. 1. San Francisco - Luxurious hotels. Plenty of pet-friendly patio dining. Many off-leash beaches and areas. Ride the cable car, walk the Golden Gate. 2. Austin - Dine in outdoor cafes. Visit the Zilker Botanical Gardens. See the Congress Street Bats. Many off-leash parks. 3. Boston - Tour Boston harbor by boat. Walk the Freedom Trail and explore many National Historical Sites. Your leashed dog is welcome on the subway. 4. Northern Virginia - Enjoy a yappy hour or dine in dog-friendly Alexandria. Take the Canine Cruise. Visit outdoor monuments and nearby Washington. 5. Portland (OR)- Enjoy off-leash areas and the famous Rose Gardens. Visit the Saturday Outdoor Market. Have a drink at the Lucky Lab. 6. Charleston (SC) - Take a ghost tour or walking tour. See the grounds of the Magnolia and Boone Hall Plantations. Visit the beach. 7. Chicago - Visit Navy Pier. Ride the Canine Cruise. See Buckingham Fountain, take a walk in Oak Park. Many dog-friendly patio restaurants. 8. San Diego - Visit fabulous dog beaches. Shop at dog-friendly Otay Ranch with its dog park. Dine outdoors and hike many parks. 9. New York - Stay in a fine hotel. Take a walking tour of lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge. Shop at Time Warner Center. See the Balto Statue and Central Park. 10. Ann Arbor (MI) - Visit Nichols Arboretum, rent a dog-friendly canoe. Visit nearby gardens and farms. Visit many local parks. Honorable Mentions: Dallas, Madison/Wisconsin Dells, Minneapolis, Salt Lake, Seattle For more details visit http://www.dogfriendly.com/top10. DogFriendly.com, founded in 1998 to provide dog travel information, offers a free website and publishes paperback books. Press Contact: Len Kain DogFriendly.com, Inc. 1-877-475-2275 email@dogfriendly.com http://www.dogfriendly.com This release was issued through The Xpress Press News Service, merging e-mail and satellite distribution technologies to reach business analysts and media outlets worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.XpressPress.com

Build the HYP

I've been an active volunteer and supporter of Habitat for Humanity for a long time. Since participating on a on a build in 1999 in Mexico. I recently have become heavily engaged in supporting Austin Habitat for Humanity, including volunteering, fundraising, and committee/board service.

I have also been actively engaged with Habitat Young Professionals ("HYP"), which is a diverse, dynamic group of young professionals (20-something to 40s-ish...no real age restrictions) that are like minded in their support of Austin Habitat and affordable housing. The concept behind Austin-HYP is catching on nationwide as other Habitat affiliates have started similar groups modeled after Austin.

HYP's annual party is this Saturday, May 9th. I wanted to be sure to invite you to come eat, drink, dance & support Habitat's mission of providing affordable housing to deserving, hard-working folks in the community. The event is at the One World Theater (from 8pm-Midnight) and its really fun -- it's much more of a big party than traditional non-profit gala. Endless amounts of great food from many of Austin's best restaurants (Moonshine, La Taverna, etc.), lots of bottomless drink options, DJ and Austin-hip people. Virtually everything related to the event is donated so 95%+ of your ticket price goes to building a HYP sponsored house this Fall.

Ticket prices will go up on Friday so get your tix online early this week: www.buildthehyp.com. Feel free to invite friends and co-workers that may want to attend and feel free to call or email me if you want more info on the event or would otherwise like to get involved with Austin Habitat.

thought this might be informative

http://doihaveswineflu.org/

Remember when Cartoons were reserved for Saturday Mornings?

http://www.retrojunk.com/details_articles/4576/

Another Good Idea that I Should Have Thought Up First . . .

http://www.jonesbigasstruckrentalandstorage.com/jonesgoodassbbqandfootmassage.html

Great New Blog - Liquid Austin

http://www.austin360.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/bws/index.html

Update from John Hopkins

Bottled water in your car
is

very dangerous!





On the Ellen show, Sheryl Crow said this is
what caused her breast cancer. It has been
identified as the m ost common cause of the high
levels of dioxin in breast cancer tissue.



Sheryl Crow's oncologist told her: women

should not drink bottled water that has been left in a car.

The heat reacts with the chemicals in the plastic
of the

bottle which releases dioxin into the water. Dioxin is

a toxin increasingly found in breast cancer tissue.

So please be careful and do not drink bottled water that has

been left in a car. Pass this on to all the wom en in your life.






This information is the kind we need
to know that just might save us! Use a stainless
steel canteen or a glass bottle

instead of plastic!



LET EVERYONE WHO HAS A WIFE / GIRLFRIEND /

DAUGHTER KNOW PLEASE!



This information is also being
circulated at Walter Reed

Army Medical Center



No plastic containers in microwave.



No water bottles in
freezer



No plastic wrap in
microwave.



A dioxin chemical causes cancer,
especially breast cancer.



Dioxins are highly poisonous to the
cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic

bottles with water in
them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently,Edward

Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was
on a TV program to explain this health hazard.



He talked about dioxins and
how bad they are for us.



He said that we should
not be heating our food in the microwave using

plastic containers ..... This especially
applies to foods that contain fat...



He said that the combination of fat,
high heat and plastic releases dioxin

into the food and ultimately into the
cells of the body...

Instead, he
recommends using glass,
such as Corning Ware, Pyrex

or ceramic containers

for heating food.... You get the same results, only without
the dioxin.

So such things as TV dinners, instant
ramen and soups, etc.,

should be rem oved from the container
and heated in something else..



Paper isn't bad but you don't know
what is in the paper...



It's just safer to
use tempered glass, Corning
Ware, etc.

He reminded us that a while ago
some of the fast food

restaurants moved away from the foam containers to

paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons...



Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as
Saran wrap,

is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in
the microwave.

As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to
actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip
into the food.





Cover food with a paper towel instead.

This is an article that
should be sent To anyone important inYour life!

Traveling for the Young, Fabulous and Broke - Getting Started

So as much as you love Thursday $1 drink night, you find yourself wanting to get out and explore the world. How do you turn that day dream in statistics class, into a reality that puts you on the beaches of Greece reenacting your favorite scenes from Moma Mia? Whether you're planning on going for a week or planning on going for a year, with intentions of meeting that sexy Spanish Bull fighter and never returning. The key word is PLAN. The plan is an absolute must. The easiest way to begin, is to ask yourself the following questions and tackle them one step at a time.

The Where - Where do you want to go?
The Who -Who do you want to go with?
The When - When do you want to go?
The Why - Why do you want to go?
The What - What do you want to accomplish from this trip?
The How - How are you going to make this happen?

THE WHERE?
Most people already have an idea of where they want to go, but if you don't -- have no fear! It's nothing a basic google search can't solve and pretty soon you're discovering exactly what that destination just might be! Once you have an idea of where you want to go, you may want to go to the bookstore and check out some of the guidebooks that are specifically written about what part of the world you wanting to travel. However, I wouldn't buy anything just yet, you can gain plenty of knowledge from just skimming. Plus, unless you're loaded, these guidebooks can add up quickly (the average guide book costs about $25). If you just absolutly can't leave the bookstore empty-handed, I have found the Eyewitness Books excellent and the best place to start for a number of reasons:

1) there are lots pictures, so you can actually see where you want to go.
2) they brake it down for you as to what is a "must see."
3) In about 15 minutes, you can already start speaking intelligently about where you want to go;
4) You can instantly start impressing people with your knowledge of that part of the world -- whether it's convincing the parents to hand over cash to fund your adventure or convincing the lovely lady at the end of the bar to go home with you and your "free spirit."
5) the book also looks pretty awesome on your coffee table or in your bathroom library and is always a good conversation starter, both before and after you return from your trip. Unless you run away with that bullfighter, and at that point, selling the book online, is always a viable option.

SXSW Highlights

Got this list from my friends Holly and Deb and then added to it, feel free to add to it by commenting below:
Highlights old and new.. In no particular order:

King Khan & The Shrines (Canada/Berlin) http://www.myspace.com/thekingkhanbbqshow

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (New York, USA) http://www.myspace.com/thepainsofbeingpureatheart

Janelle Monae (Atlanta, USA) http://www.myspace.com/janellemonae

Snake & Jet's Amazing Bullit Band (Denmark) http://www.myspace.com/snakeandjet

Micachu (London, UK) http://www.myspace.com/micayomusic

Chairlift (New York, USA) http://www.myspace.com/chairlift

The Bird and the Bee (LA, USA) http://www.myspace.com/thebirdandthebee

Post War Years (London, UK) http://www.myspace.com/thempostwaryears

Rye Rye (Baltimore, USA) http://www.myspace.com/tharealryerye

Drink Up Buttercup (Philadelphia, USA) http://www.myspace.com/drinkupbuttercupband

Beach House (Baltimore, USA) http://www.myspace.com/beachhousemusic

Casiokids (Norway) http://www.myspace.com/casiokids

Hockey (Portland, USA) http://www.myspace.com/hockey

Yelle (France) http://www.myspace.com/iloveyelle

Easy All Stars (New York, USA) http://www.myspace.com/easystar

N.A.S.A (California, USA) http://www.myspace.com/nasa

Natalie Portman's Shaved Head (Seattle, USA) http://www.myspace.com/natalieportmansshavedhead

Black Lips (Atlanta, USA) http://www.myspace.com/theblacklips

Max Tundra (London, UK) http://www.myspace.com/maxtundra

Late of the Pier (Nottingham, UK) http://www.myspace.com/lateofthepier

Box Elders (Nebraska, USA) http://www.myspace.com/boxelders

The Strange Boys (Austin USA) http://www.myspace.com/thestrangeboys

Blitzen Trapper (Portland, USA) http://www.myspace.com/blitzentrapper

Bishop Allen (New York, USA) http://www.myspace.com/bishopallen

Au Revoir Simone (New York, USA) http://www.myspace.com/aurevoirsimone

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour (Denmark) http://www.myspace.com/theasteroidsgalaxytour

Flosstradamus (Chicago, USA) http://www.myspace.com/flosstradamus

PRIMAL SCREAM
ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN
Gomez
The Proclaimers
M. Ward
Razorlight
Aqualung
Nacional
Maserati
Explosions in the Sky

Pictures From Lofty Dog Fashound Show

http://saketini.blogspot.com/2009/03/pictures-from-lofty-dog-fashound-show.html

Stuff White People Like #123

Television is one of the keys to a white person’s heart. A proper reference to Arrested Development or the lending of a Wire Season on DVD are considered two of the easiest and most cost effective ways of getting a white person to like you. But with both of those shows off the air, their utility is being quickly depleted. Thankfully, there is Mad Men.

Mad Men is a TV show on cable with low ratings, multiple awards, critical praise, and full seasons available on DVD. It’s no surprise white people love it. And while you could apply the previously mentioned techniques to gain white friendship, Mad Men has an entirely new world of possibilities.

The show is set in 1960 and features meticulous art direction that strives to make the show as historically accurate as possible. This veracity makes the show especially vulnerable to one of white people’s favorite activities on earth: finding mistakes. And as is always the case with white people, the harder someone strives for accuracy, the happier a white person is to prove them wrong.

“Oh yeah, it’s a great show don’t get me wrong. But you think at least one person would have know than those IBM Selectric type writers didn’t come out until 1961. I mean, it’s so obvious.”

But it is not recommended that you start searching for mistakes on the show. Doing so would require a massive amount of time spent on the internet. Also, if you point out errors that other white people missed they might be intimidated by you.

Instead, the best way to use Mad Men is to suggest or host a themed party.

When you say the words “we should have a Mad Men party,” white people will immediately latch onto the idea and begin planning. By the end of the day, they will have picked proper attire and emailed you a drink and hors d’oeuvre menu. In the days and weeks leading up to the party white people will be thinking of clever ways to make it more authentic.

Remember parties are fun, historically accurate themed parties are legendary.

During the actual event you should constantly mention how much people used to smoke and drink back then. A few white people will lament the days when they could smoke anywhere, then another white person will say something about cancer and it will get awkward. At this point you should try to steer the conversation back to cocktails and how good everyone looks.

The party should essentially run itself, however, you can severely curtail the amount of fun by saying: “I’m glad this isn’t really 1960 or else I’d be serving all of you.”

White people often find truth to be very depressing at theme parties.

Back on the Radar

I fell off the Radar for the last month, because of two things:
Brasil trip for three weeks followed by 10 days during SXSW, for whatever reason, Ping.fm no longer can remotely post my updates to blogger or myspace so I have to manually come into blogger and post. But I am back now, and will probably post some links to my photos so you can at least see what I've been up to. In the meantime, look forward to seeing more "@ work" entries as well as events here in Austin. Although honestly, today is only day two of a week long SXSW recovery, so just remember patience is a virtue.