Archive for ‘Uncategorized’

Tap to watch (your seafood)!

Posted by , March 11th, 2010

Yes, I am a total iPhone junkie (not newsworthy I know) and I am constantly updating my library of apps to make my life easier.   So, I wanted to share with all of you one of my favorites.  This app from the Monterey Bay Aquarium I find particularly useful.  Something I love equally as much as my iPhone is seafood.  LOVE IT!

When you consume as much seafood as I do, it’s helpful to have sustainable choices right at your fingertips.  This app let’s you sort through all different types of seafood marked best choice, good alternative or avoid.  It has both a seafood guide and a sushi guide and it even uses your iPhone’s GPS to determine the right guide for your location.

Growing up in Monterey with our famous aquarium and the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary within walking distance, I’ve been aware of the need to preserve and protect our oceans and ecosystems from a young age.   Thanks to these folks our job just got a little easier.  Click here to download the app.

(note: the app is available for iPhone, iTouch and other web enabled devices, or you can view a list on their website)

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SHRUBBERY n: A New Word You Need To Know

Posted by , March 10th, 2010

“SHRUBBERY n: “Green” Products that are purchased in order to acquire emblems of ones environmental superiority rather than out of a desire to make legitimately eco – sensitive choices”. I’m so mad at this one, it would be nice to dream that a crazy fast and luxurious car could actually be green, but I’m afraid the $100,000 Mercedes Benz  S400 Hybrid was created to curb rich guy guilt, with the hybrid badge on the side of the car. So lets get down to the details, its the first production car to use an all purpose lithium-ion battery pack and the 0.9 – amp – hour, 120-volt pack which is small enough to fit in the engine bay.

This provides enough juice to a small electric motor ( 20hp and 118 pound – feet of torque) to assist the V-6 engines 275 hp and 258 pound feet torque. The S400 can’t move on electric power alone, but the hybrid power train lets the motor shut down the gas engine when slowing or stopping, improving in city mileage. This is a super bad ass car despite its hybridization, it’s athleticism is comparable to the V-8 and V-12 siblings . So, green washing by Mercedes —  yes! There is  no doubt, the Tesla Sudan still holds the crown for “Green Rock Star” looking sports and luxury car. Thoughts?

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Oogy wawa!

Posted by , March 5th, 2010

This may sound like a toddler’s description of dirty water, but in fact Oogy wawa is a Zulu toast, a rough equivalent to “Cheers”!  You see, this year I plan to do a lot of celebrating and thought to myself, I’d love to dazzle and amaze my fellow imbibers with some little known toasts from around the world.  Instead of boring my companions with “Bottoms up” or “To your health” (or even worse “Here’s mud in your eye”) I’ll try something new.  With a little research I have some new fav’s including Oogy wawa (Zulu), Joy (Bengali) and Proost (Dutch) to share with my friends.

As we all know, toasting is nothing new and will no doubt continue to evolve, so why not add to our modern day ritual of clinking glasses (hmm, why do we do that again?). No better time than when we enjoy our favorite glass of still or bubbly to share our traditions and favorites. What are yours?

To those from all over the globe who, like me, raise a glass from time to time –  À votre santé!

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Wine Fountain Of Youth – Benefits Are Not Without Caution

Posted by , March 2nd, 2010

Like the majority of Americans (and everyone else in the western world), I’m not exempt from societal pressures to stay young and attractive forever. So like most, when I hit the shampoo isle in the supermarket (on the way to get to my Pantene), I am bombarded with all the creams and serums to keep my appearance “tight” and looking “youthful”. Everything is a topical miracle aka The Key To The Fountain Of Youth. Usually from the Pantene, I then head over to the wine isle (Yes, I have a super market routine) to check out what’s new and what I feel like drinking for that night.  Recently as I raced  through Albertsons, for some reason I started to think about the health benefits of wine.  It’s not readily available information in the United States. So on my flight between LA and NYC yesterday (using gogo wireless internet in the air – I love technology!),

I decided to do a little research and what I found, made my taste buds dance and sing! The majority of the information boasted more internal health than external anti aging benefits, but hey I don’t mind living a long healthy life. So the results, lets start with a little background. Wine is the oldest remedy and prophylactic still in use. During Prohibition for at least 25 years in the United States, an entire generation of medical professional had their texts purged and censored with any mention of alcohol or wine for any application other than external use (could explain the lack of information readily available today in the US?). This generation became educators of the next, and perpetuated medical ignorance to the benefits of wine.

I found a Harvard study that examined the factors that influence aging, as reported in the May 8, 2003, issue of the journal Nature, it suggested that resveratrol extends the life span of yeast cells by 80%. Preliminary results of tests are said to be encouraging; study co-author David Sinclair told Reuters News Agency that “Not many people know about it yet, but those who do have almost invariably changed their drinking habits, that is, they drink more red wine(I suggest New Zealand Pinot Noir)”.

I also read that wine might even preserve cognitive function in the elderly. Several European studies highlighted the prophylactic effects of regular light to moderate alcohol consumption and may include the prevention or postponement of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other forms of dementia. Could wine be the Fountain of Youth? I hope so!

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“Why Green Business is Like Teen Sex”.

Posted by , February 20th, 2010

Why Green business is Like Teen Sex(Click here for Article)

I read this article during the week and felt disappointed, annoyed yet energized to do my part, even though it is small.

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