Best Answer ... Really???

Once in a while I hang out over at Yahoo Answers to see if I can impart some of my fascinating knowledge on the rest of the world.  Really, I just like to see if there are a few questions I can answer, to help someone out.

I've done this a couple times a week for about a year now.

I usually read a bunch of stupid questions from people who are just there to get a rise out of the crowd, or are seeking some kind of weird attention.  Sometimes I find a question about which I actually have some expertise and can offer constructive tips and useful information.  Other times I utter an opinion.

In any case, people (I do not know these people) vote on the answers to some questions.

Well, today one of my answers was chosen as the "best" answer to a question.

I really wish I could be proud.  I would be proud if I had answered a question that had significance in the world, or even in the neighborhood.

What was the question?

Which is better - a pop tart or a toaster strudel?

 My answer?

It depends. If you need portability, like if you have to take it with you and eat it on the go, then pop tarts are definitely the right choice. If you want better flavor, texture, overall quality, then toaster strudels are the pastry of choice.

 Can't you just feel the intellect oozing from these sentences?

Of all the questions I've read and all the answers I've written, THIS is my best work.  Blimey!!  I'm going to bed.


... Later!

Just Let Me Get Up In The early Morn' ...

There's an old song that goes

Just let me get up in the early morn,
Just let me get up in the early morn,
Just let me get up in the early morn,
And I'll never sleep late anymore.

That's what has been happening to me.  Here I am at 5:45 on a Saturday morning, reading my Bible and going through my blog list and my prayer list.  I don't have to go to work, nor do I really have to be up this early. 

However, I am really beginning to love this time in the morning, when family is still asleep, to shower and dress, and start my day in quiet reflection, calling upon the Lord to help me focus.  I like to pray and read, and sit quietly and think. 

The day somehow becomes a whole lot easier.  It's becoming a habit.  A good habit.


... Later!

Breakfast Anyone?

This morning I was treated to a delicious breakfast.  It wasn't a breakfast I would have made for myself, nor was it a fancy, gourmet treat from some exclusive bake shoppe.

Rather, it was a piece of toast, broken in half and smeared with peanut butter.  Not exactly elegant, but made with love.

My 7 year old son decided to make breakfast for everyone, and doing the best he knew how, made what he knew how to make.

As he proudly presented his masterpiece to me, I raved about what a big boy he is becoming, and what a big responsibility it is to make breakfast for his family.   He radiated with pride and accomplishment.

Was it a breakfast I would have made for the family?  No, but it was the best breakfast I've had in a long, long time.


... Later!

My Little Brother

I try to keep work related topics out of my blog, but today I'm going to make an exception. 

I have a student who has consistently gone the extra mile for me.   I won't mention his name, but many of you know who he is.  He is now a senior, and he is an inspiration to his friends and classmates.  The younger students look up to him as an example.  He is strong in the Lord and he isn't afraid to say so. 

He doesn't hesitate to help whenever I need him.  He never asks what or why, he simply says, "yes, I'll be there." Also, he isn't afraid to call me up short when I deserve a kick in the rear end.  An exceptional kid.

Yesterday, knowing I was not at the top of my game, he just stepped in and began running the auditorium sound board, doing mic checks, making sure the talent show participants had everything they needed.  He just knew that I was stressed out, and he cancelled his day (with the permission of his teachers, of course) and stayed in the auditorium all day. 

He's sort of like the little brother I never had.  He's going to graduate in June, and I'm going to miss him something awful. 

I didn't want too much time to go by without mentioning this kid and what an inspiration he is to me. 

That's all I wanted to say.


... Later.

Pink Slime

"It ain't right, I tell ya.  They're putting that crap in our food and it just ain't right."

"Pink slime," as it has come to be known, is used to "stretch" ground beef to seemingly create more product, thereby making it more economical for consumers.  

Translation:  Its a filler that makes hamburger cheaper by the pound.

But, should we really be afraid of this stuff?  Let's examine the facts.

"Pink slime," also known as lean finely textured beef (LFTB) or boneless lean beef trimmings (BLBT),  is comprised of  finely ground beef scraps and connective tissue which are mechanically removed from the fat, processed (ground), heated, and treated with ammonia gas or citric acid to kill E. coli, salmonella, and other bacteria. 

In other words, it's beef. B-E-E-F, Beef.  Yes, it's treated with ammonia gas or citric acid (last I knew citric acid was a GOOD thing) to kill bacteria.  Bacteria that kill people.

Oh, and by the way, the "other" beef ... you know, the good stuff?  The beef that isn't made from scraps?  it also is treated to kill bacteria.  The industry prefers to use the term "intervention processes" when referring to the treatments used to kill bacteria on the non-scrap beef. 

Some interventions include nothing more than a hot water wash, while others are more thorough, such as acid washes (usually organically derived acids) and anti-microbial sprays.  Click here to read the entire report.  

I don't know about you, but I'm awfully glad the beef industry takes measures to kill E.coli before it reaches my dinner table.

As for the so-called "pink slime" ...

1. It is, and always has been BEEF.
2. It's treated to kill bacteria, just like all the other meat we consume.  Last I heard, that was a GOOD THING.
3. It is poor stewardship of our resources to discard perfectly salvageable scraps that we can otherwise use for the greater good. 

God gave us dominion over the animals so we would have food to eat.

Now ........ How would you like your hamburger cooked?

P.S.  Here's a little secret about the pink slime they use to make chicken nuggets.  It's really ....... CHICKEN!!!!!

...Later.