The Global Diet Poll

More people around the world now die from obesity than from starvation. - The World Health Organization

"Home grown." Having your own flock has its benefits. You get the freshest eggs possible, confidence in knowing exactly what you are eating, and satisfaction in knowing that by re-using the egg cartons you are doing your part in helping to save the planet.

 In October 2009, the Reader's Digest commissioned a poll addressing how people from around the world felt about the obesity epidemic. Here are the results:

1. The country most aware of the dangers of obesity. - Finland

2. The country that feels the most pressure to be thin. - Brazil

3. The country where wives most want their husbands to lose weight. - United States

4. The county where husbands most want their wives to lose weight. - India

5. The country where you are loved just the way you are. - Hungary

6. The country that swallows the most diet pills. - China

7. The country most likely to ignore their doctor. - Switzerland

8. The country still trying to puff-off (smoke) the pounds. - Russia

9. The country most likely to blame a lack of willpower. - Philippines

10. The country most likely to blame the parents. - Russia

11. The country most likely to blame Americans. - France

12. The country with the highest weight loss IQ. - Mexico

13. The country where pounds are most likely to get in the way of a promotion. - India

14. The country where overweight women struggle most. - United States

15. The countries where being fat interfere's most with your sex life. - Australia and Mexico


Although obesity is a global problem, most cultures also have ingenious tips to help shed the pounds. And some are just plain common sense.

1. Thailand - Add hot peppers to your diet. They not only raise your metabolism, but they also slow down your eating.

2. United Kingdom - Say no to supersizing and ration your food. No one really needs to eat a half pound of burger at one sitting.

3. Brazil - Include sides of rice and beans; they're lower in fat and higher in fiber.

4. Indonesia - Occasional fasting may help break patterns of mindless eating. Or try cutting your intake by half.

5. Poland - Eat at home more often. People who don't cook at home tend to eat less healthy and are more obese.

6. Germany - Don't skip breakfast and eat fruit and whole-grain cereals.

7. Netherlands - Pedal to work instead of taking the car. Biking is fun and you'll be amazed at how many calories you can burn.

8. Switzerland - Eat a bowl of muesli's fiber for breakfast or a light evening dish. Muesli is a porrige or cereal made with oats, fruit, and nuts. It was created by a Swiss physician by the same name to provide nourishment to his patients. It is slow to digest which also helps to keep you feeling full longer.

9. Russia - Eat what you grow. Your diet will be more nutritious and there's not much you can grow that will make you fat.

10. Malaysia - Add the spice turmeric to your stir fry. It is thought to suppress the growth of fattty tissue and increases fat-burning.

11. Finland - Take up Nordic walking. It's a simple way to increase the intensity of your regular walking routine.

12. Sip more tea...especially rooibos. It's naturally sweet so it doesn't require sugar and will help keep you hydrated. You may just be dehydrated instead of actually being hungry.

13. Hungary - Eat pickles. The vinegar from the pickling process may help keep you thin. The acetic acid  may have health benefits.

14. India - Engage in stress relief tactics. Yoga helps keep you fit both mentally and physically.

15. Japan - Take a cat nap. Evidence suggests that lack of sleep raises the risk of weight gain.

16. Mexico - Eating less at night helps you eat a bigger breakfast...the most important meal of the day. It also facilitates weight control.

17. Netherlands - Eat fish! Fish contain Omega 3 which reduces the making of cortisol; Cortisol increases the amount of fat around your mid section.

18. France - Talk at the table. Conversation slows down your eating and gives you time to realize you are full.

19. United States - Uh Oh! There were no suggestions. Why am I not surprised?

My Blue Cloud Birman

Legend say's that Sinh, a yellow eyed cat with long silky fur, became the first Birman cat when he placed his paws upon his master at the exact moment of his death. Then a miraculous transformation occurred...


This is Jolie... my sacred cat of Burma.

ABOUT JOLIE:

Jolie was born on October 31, 2005 to a Birman breeder in Frankfurt, Germany. Her mother's name was Flame' and her father came from a long line of champions. She is considered a blue point and her registered name is Jolie of Blue Clouds. I happily adopted her at the price of 550 Euros...which, at the time, equalled about $700.00 U.S. dollars.

She is loyal, playful, loving, affectionate, gorgeous, a great companion, and regal all in one. She is very petite and I love those little characteristic things about her such as the perfect placement of her front paws, one directly infront of the other, when she walks. Words can not express how much I love and appreciate the bond between us.

One day, I noticed that something was terribly wrong. We found that she had swallowed a sewing needle and thread and that the sewing needle had punctured her intestines in several places and then passed through her organs, embedding itself in her fatty tissue. She had exploratory surgery to try to fix the damage that had been done.

It is nothing short of a miracle that she survived. I believe in my heart that she lived for me and the bond we share. I visited her everyday of her hospital stay and I saw her willing herself to live. She may be small, but she is strong where it counts.

Now, almost two years later, she is doing very well. She continues to be my little snuggle bunny, and make me laugh. She keeps me company while daddy is away in Korea, and I love the way she gazes straight into my eyes as if she is somehow speaking to my soul. She's my little princess.

THE LEGEND:

"Originally, the guardians of the Temple of LaoTsun were yellow-eyed white cats with long hair. The golden goddess of the temple, Tsun-Kyan-Kse, had deep blue eyes. The head priest, Mun-Ha, had as his companion a beautiful cat named Sinh. One day the temple was attacked and Mun-Ha was killed. At the moment of his death, Sinh placed his feet on his master and faced the goddess. The cat’s fur turned white, his eyes turned as blue as the eyes of the goddess, and his face, legs and tail became the color of earth. However, his paws, where they touched the priest, remained white as a symbol of purity. All the other cats in the temple became similarly colored. Seven days later, Sinh died, taking the soul of Mun-Ha to paradise.”

THE HISTORY:

The modern history of the Birman is almost as shrouded in mystery as its legendary origin. What is known for certain is that, probably around 1919, a pair of Birman cats were shipped from Burma to France. The male cat did not survive the voyage, but the female, Sita, did. Happily, and to our benefit, she was pregnant. A breeding program was later developed to ensure the longevity of the breed.

CREDITS:

Photo and biography from Susan Provan.
Legend and history from www.catpert.com/birman.

NOTE:

The Birman, also known as the "Sacred Cat of Burma," should not be confused with the Burmese; they are two entirely separate breeds, both having their own wonderful qualities.

Congressional Budget Office Say's Soldier's Overpaid?

Disclaimer: I did not write this... I only wish I had. This letter was written by a concerned soldier who rightfully questions the "thinking" of some of our government officials and her fellow anti-military friends.
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CINDY WILLIAMS was appointed by Obama as an Assistant Director for

NATIONAL SECURITY in the Congressional Budget Office.....

This is an Airman's response to Cindy Williams' editorial piece in the
Washington Times about MILITARY PAY, it should be printed in all
newspapers across America.

Ms. Cindy William wrote a piece for the Washington Times denouncing
the pay raise(s) coming service members' way this year citing that she
stated a 13% wage increase was more than they deserve.

A young airman from Hill AFB responds to her article below. He ought to
get a bonus for this.

"Ms Williams:

I just had the pleasure of reading your column, "Our GI's earn enough" and I am a bit confused. Frankly, I'm wondering where this vaunted overpayment is going, because as far as I can tell, it disappears every month between DFAS (The Defense Finance and Accounting Service) and my bank account. Checking my latest earnings statement I see that I make $1,117.80 before taxes per month. After taxes, I take home $874.20. When I run that through the calculator, I come up with an annual salary of $13,413.60 before taxes, and $10,490.40 after.

I work in the Air Force Network Control Center where I am part of the team responsible for a 5,000 host computer network. I am involved with infrastructure segments, specifically with Cisco Systems equipment. A quick check under jobs for "Network Technicians" in the Washington, D.C. area reveals a position in my career field, requiring three years experience in my job. Amazingly, this job does NOT pay $13,413.60 a year. No, this job is being offered at $70,000 to $80,000 per annum....... .... I'm sure you can draw the obvious conclusions.

Given the tenor of your column, I would assume that you NEVER had the pleasure of serving your country in her armed forces.

Before you take it upon yourself to once more castigate congressional and DOD leadership for attempting to get the families in the military's lowest pay brackets off of WIC and food stamps, I suggest that you join a group of deploying soldiers headed for AFGHANISTAN; I leave the choice of service branch up to you. Whatever choice you make though, opt for the SIX month rotation: it will guarantee you the longest possible time away from your family and friends, thus giving you full "deployment experience."

As your group prepares to board the plane, make sure to note the spouses and children who are saying good-bye to their loved ones. Also take care to note that several families are still unsure of how they'll be able to make ends meet while the primary breadwinner is gone. Obviously they've been squandering the "vast" piles of cash the government has been giving them.

Try to deploy over a major holiday; Christmas and Thanksgiving are perennial favorites. And when you're actually over there, sitting in a foxhole, shivering against the cold desert night, and the flight sergeant tells you that there aren't enough people on shift to relieve you for chow, remember this: trade whatever MRE's (meal-ready- to-eat) you manage to get for the tuna noodle casserole or
cheese tortellini, and add Tabasco to everything. This gives some flavor.

Talk to your loved ones as often as you are permitted; it won't be nearly long enough or often enough, but take what you can get and be thankful for it. You may have picked up on the fact that I disagree with most of the points you present in your open piece.

But, tomorrow from KABUL, I will defend to the death your right to say it.

You see, I am an American fighting man, a guarantor of your First Amendment right and every other right you cherish...On a daily basis, my brother and sister soldiers worldwide ensure that you and people like you can thumb your collective noses at us, all on a salary that is nothing short of pitiful and under conditions that would make most people cringe. We hemorrhage our best and brightest into the private sector because we can't offer the stability and pay of civilian companies.

And you, Ms. Williams, have the gall to say that we make more than we deserve?

A1C Michael Bragg, Hill AFB AFNCC
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Great letter Airman Bragg !!!

History Mystery: Did Booth Get Away With Murder?

"Believing he was on his deathbed in a little town called Granbury, TX., John St. Helen confessed to being Lincoln's lone assassin."

Contrary to the history books is a story about a man who may have gotten away with murdering the 16th President of the United States. His name? Johns St. Helen? David George? Or were these names really aliases used by a John Wilkes Booth still on the run?

Traditional history would have us believe that Booth was hunted down and fatally wounded at a farm in northern Virginia 12 days after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theater. White House officials initially confirmed that Booth's body was thrown into the Potomac River.

What fuels the conspiracy theorists fire is the fact that in reality the body of the man apprehended that day was actually allowed burial in a Washington D.C. cemetery and later conveyed to Greenmont Cemetery in Baltimore under supervision of the Booth family.

Not only was that a curious mistake, but how did Booth, with an obvious injury sustained while jumping from the Presidents' private box to the stage below, elude his hunters without some kind of outside help? And why would Booth's body be thrown into the Potomic in the first place instead of having a routine burial? So no one could say it wasn't him? Something seems fishy.

Anyway...the story pick's up with a man living in Glen Rose, TX. named John St. Helen. It is said that St. Helen had many similarities to the notorious Booth including a taste for liquor,  an obvious limp, and a student-like passion for quoting Shakespeare. He feared the law, and immediately left town after being confronted by a U.S. Marshal; he took only what he could carry with him.

In the 1870's St. Helen showed up in Granbury, TX. where he was the proprieter of a saloon. Every April 14th, the anniversary of Lincoln's assassination, he "abused the bottle" profusely.

After he become seriously ill and beleiving he was on his death bed, St. Helen supposedly confessed to several people that he was infact John Wilkes Booth. He even told them where to find the gun, which was eventually located and wrapped in a newspaper clipping about the assassination. St. Helen fully recovered, however, and once again made tracks.

The picture get's blurry from here on out, but it is relatively beleived that St. Helen taught at two different school's for a few years after leaving Granbury.

In 1903, another figure comes forward by the name of David George. He lived in a room at a hotel in Enid, Oklahoma...which is a present day furniture store. Mr. George is documented to have admitted his previous use of the name John St. Helen and that his true identity was John Wilkes Booth. Mr. George soon after committed suicide and that room above the furniture store remains relatively untouched to this day.

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Interesting side note: A group of paranormal investigators calling themselves "Ghost Lab" insist that they caught an EVP (electromagnic voice phenominon) in Mr. George's room stating "I am John Wilkes Booth."

I'm not saying I beleive any of this, but it is certainly intriguing.

THANKS TO ALL VETERANS - November 2009

I am taking a moment to recognize the veteran's, past and present, who have fought for the United States of America. We remain the best country in the world all because of you!

A special dedication to my husband serving overseas. I love you Matthew!

MEDICAL INQUIRY: Sneezing is Healthy

"A human sneeze has the same force as a fire hose."

What is the purpose of a sneeze? It is the mechanism our bodies use to clear out foreign bodies (fb's) or contaminants from our lungs and nasal passages. You sneeze when your body say's that's enough junk!

A sneeze has enough force to send the fb's 100 feet per second. That's a lot of force! Imagine what you could do to your body if you try and suppress it. Serious injuries have been documented ranging from nosebleeds, to burst eardrums, to forcing air under the skin, to even having a stroke.

Sick people should know that holding back a sneeze could force pathogenic particless deeper into their lungs or sinus cavities causing serious infection.

So...the evidence is clear. Don't hold back! But by all means, try to cover your nose so as not to spread those potentially harmful germs toothers.

Halloween 2009: Black Cats and My Mischevious Tiger

"In ancient England, a black cat in the home was considered a form of protection for fishermen while they were at sea."

I figured I would write something for Halloween so I perused my "Old Wives' Tales" book and found an entry about black cats...only this time they supposedly bring "good" luck. I have had many black cats in the past and I loved them dearly. Today, however, I have one particular kitty who is a bit naughty and is always trying to get into mischief. The look on his face say's it all. Run for it...it's El Tigre' !

Okay...on with the story...

A black cat means different things to people in different parts of the world. The United Kingdom and Japan consider the black cat to bring of good fortune, while the United States and Italy believe the opposite to be true and would rather avoid them altogether.

The black cat's bad rap originates from the 16th and17th century idea that they associated with witches...in which case thousands were executed along with their owners.

The color black by itself is controversial. In the US, we think of movie villains wearing black and the good guy wearing white. In other countries, it symbolizes fertility and protection, and is supposed to ensure a happy marriage....which is why some newly weds are given a black cat as a wedding present.

Because cat's bodies react to many hereditary diseases the same way as human bodies do, they are popular subjects in medical laboratories. Although I am not fond of the idea of purposely harming another living creature, finding a cure for a sick child somehow makes it less of an abomination. I suppose you could call it the lesser of two evils. In this case it boils down to good luck for humans and bad luck for the kitties.

These are only a few of the superstitions about cat's out there, black or otherwise. My opinion? I think that people are going to beleive what they want to believe even though there is no real evidence to support a belief either way.

If you would like to share your opinion on the subject, I would love to hear from you. Send me a comment.