Category Archives: Real Estate

STRATEGIC INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE EXPOSED

banner james carlini - Carlini's CornerBy James Carlini

A pragmatic, visionary perspective —–

Infrastructure is critical to a nation’s success in the global marketplace today.  As the Platform for Commerce, it needs to be resilient and reliable because all businesses are built upon it.

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN ASIA?

Right now, countries in Asia are forming a new consortium called the AIIB.  AIIB stands for Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and it is headed up by China, but it is also being funded by several European countries including Great Britain, Germany, France and Italy.  So far, the United States has taken a pass on it and we can debate if that is a good strategic move or not.

There are many Asian member countries already signed up as members.  According to Wikipedia: China, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Laos, Myanmar, Mongolia, Nepal, Oman, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.  This does not include the list of European countries like Luxembourg, Spain, and others along with the “Big 4” of Europe: Great Britain, Germany, France, and Italy. Other interesting members include Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar.

The United States is reluctant to join because they are afraid the banking regulations will not be as high a standard as other established institutions like the IMF (International Monetary Fund) but you have to think, if all these other countries are joining in, we should at least get in the mix just to monitor what is going on.

You would think this is a good thing and we should be in on this.  We aren’t.  We need to understand the ramifications of this type of consortium and where it is really headed. We need to understand what priorities other countries have for their new infrastructure projects and look internally into ours to see if we are ahead of others, about the same, or lagging behind in launching and finishing critical infrastructure projects.

This is where you can leapfrog other countries when you build out infrastructure that they currently do not have. South Korea is a good example. They were considered a third world country 30-35 years ago.  Today, they are very competitive and part of the reason is that their infrastructure is first-class.

 SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

A friend of mine who has been a long-time executive in several multi-national companies looked at it from a different angle and made this observation:

The AIIB is part of a 25 year strategy by China that culminates in the Yuan replacing the dollar as the primary global currency.  The Chinese are brilliant.

This formation of AIIB is a prelude to the IMF and Global Bank becoming second rate capital sources for developing countries.

By 2020, the US greenback will join the same level of stature as the Euro and English Pound. 

If he is correct, we should NOT be taking a wait-and-see attitude. We should be taking action. If the AIIB replaces the IMF as the primary global lender in years to come, that changes the total global landscape as to who has the key financial power.  The dollar isn’t the “go-to currency” when it comes to international projects and related trade.

We also need to invest in our infrastructure and not lay back and say,”ours is already built”.  Many new technologies and approaches are critical in every layer of the Platform for Commerce.  We cannot utilize antiquated structures and concepts if we are to compete in global markets.

This is a critical area to keep aware of.  Those who watch “Dancing with the Stars” should be more aware of this new endeavor  and be more concerned with the marriage of all these countries in a new financial fund than concerned about the next marriage of a Kardashian.

CARLINI-ISM : “In our infrastructure, we cannot depend on 19th and 20th century solutions to solve 21st century global challenges.”

Location location location james Carlini

His visionary book, LOCATION LOCATION CONNECTIVITY is available at AMAZON:

http://www.amazon.com/LOCATION-CONNECTIVITY-JAMES-CARLINI/dp/0990646041/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1427540979&sr=1-1&keywords=location+location+connectivity

and BARNES & NOBLE online:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/location-location-connectivity-james-carlini/1120585793?ean=9780990646044

He will be speaking at several upcoming conferences across the country later this year including the Windy City Summit (a major conference on Treasury and Cash Management) at Chicago’s Navy Pier on May 20th-22nd.

Follow daily Carlini-isms at www.TWITTER.com/JAMESCARLINI

Copyright 2015 – James Carlini – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

 

 

SAN FRANCISCO: LIABLE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE NEGLIGENCE?

banner james carlini - Carlini's CornerBy James Carlini

This article is an excerpt from James Carlini’s upcoming book, Location Location Connectivity:

Smartphones are becoming a ubiquitous tool to solve everyday problems from where to buy gas to where to look for a parking space in urban areas. You would think that applications (apps) like this would be a positive impact on society. You would think local governments, which on a whole, are not that efficient or effective, would welcome something to alleviate real economic development and infrastructure shortcomings, like parking.

As Smartphone technology becomes more dominant in various parts of our lives, some municipal governments, which cannot accept or understand change want to fight innovation in order to keep traditional bottlenecks and problems alive and well. Why?

In San Francisco, they are currently embattled with a parking app that provides insight to where there are available parking spaces for those coming into the city. This application cuts into the wasted energy costs of automobiles, not to mention the real problem of Continue reading

TRUMP TOWER IN CHICAGO: STICKS AND STONES WILL BREAK MY BONES

banner james carlini - Carlini's CornerBy James Carlini

It looks like Donald Trump is the “go-to” guy when the Chicago Media wants to create a controversy to cover up other more important city issues.

The whole controversy of Trump putting his name on his building is so petty and such a waste of precious media time it scares me to think what are the real stories journalists are not putting the spotlight on?

Donald Trump went through complex channels to get the name approved and no one had an issue then.  He also “contributed” to the Alderman’s campaign fund as well as to Rahm Emanuel’s campaign fund, so why wasn’t that reported as well when they complain about the name on the building? Continue reading

Hostgator 50% Off Sale Memorial Day Weekend

logo hostgatorHostgator is having a 50% Off sale for their hosting product which is well known as one of the best and fastest hosting solutions for WordPress.org.

If you are looking to move from WordPress.com to WordPress.org anytime soon then this is the time to buy a 3 year hosing plan at 50% off.

Here is my buddies affiliate link

http://secure.hostgator.com/~affiliat/cgi-bin/affiliates/clickthru.cgi?id=bobschecter

This is will help you and him. Bob is one of my best friends and tech mentors. If you just want to skip this link and go to Hostgator.com then you can do that also. There is also a toll free number you can call 866-964-2867 and I found that Edson at ext 817637 was quite helpful. Ordering off the site is easy so you do not need to call in, but if you need to speak to someone then the toll free is great support.

Also there are some addons. I cannot help you here. I did get the backup feature, but left out the rest. It is up to you. Can’t help you here. If you are selling on your site and want to take credit card information then you probably want the security addon as it gives pci certification. If you use Paypal or other vendor you may not need this feature.

Why am I sending this out? I wanted to move for some time as WordPress.org is so much more powerful, but you need to know when to get the best bang for your buck and the 50% off does not come around too often.

For those moving to WP.org what is the downside? There is a lot more maintenance to deal with, but I believe the power and usability make up for that if you are willing.

Walt Disney World Resort Presents Artist David E. Doss

A Cancer Vaccine Soon? Engineered Measles Virus Therapy produced Remission of Disseminated Cancer

Extremely interesting. Watchers of Grey’s Anatomy may remember them using HIV virus to deliver a cure for a child with immune issues.

NEW TECH BUILDING BLOCK : GRAPHENE

banner james carlini - Carlini's CornerBy James Carlini

Graphene is a new “semi-metal” material that is made out of carbon and has the characteristics of the hardness of a diamond, better electrical conductivity than Continue reading

Announcing the next phase of Empire Avenue!

Empire Avenue is Spotlighting Profiles

I am a fan of Empire Avenue. I use it to meet some of the greatest social media superstars and to make sure I am doing all I can to hopefully become one myself.
Empire Avenue helps by letting you know where you need to do more work in the social media arena and you can check in on people that have mastered their specific platform to see what and how they do it.
Now Empire Avenue is starting a new group of leaders to help propel EAv to new heights and one of the things they are doing is spotlighting some of their more active members as a token of appreciation.
EAv has always been a great community and it looks like they are reaching out farther to really allow the leaders of the community to do more and get recognized for it.

The Commercial Real Estate Distressed Assets Association CREDAA Story 2009 to 2011

CREDAA Advisors

About The Commercial Real Estate Distressed Assets Association

History

CREDAA was founded in pre-launch in January of 2010 and was first developed starting on August 20th 2009.

CREDAA is the brainchild of Scott Miller and Warren Samek, both National Commercial Account Executives with Fidelity National Title in Seattle, WA and JW Najarian, formally a commercial lender with Pathfinder Commercial Mortgage and the Founder of The Commercial Real Estate Professional Investor Group out of Los Angeles.

After the real estate and stock markets fell in September of 2008 the founders envisioned a commercial real estate collapse coming as the CRE market tends to lag just around 2 years from the Continue reading

Da VINCI TOWER: INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS MEET DYNAMIC ARCHITECTURE

banner james carlini - Carlini's CornerBy James Carlini

The latest in modern skyscrapers is not going up in New York City or Chicago. It is not going up in the Far East either. The DaVinci Tower, which boasts a whole new architectural concept called Dynamic Architecture, is going up in Dubai. David Fisher is the architect.

Dynamic Architecture opens up a whole new approach to constructing Intelligent Buildings in urban areas. The applications of new architecture, technology, and Continue reading

Chicken with Pistachio Citrus Sauce Recipe

[recipe title=”Chicken with Pistachio Citrus Sauce” servings=”1 -2″ time=”35 mins” difficulty=”Medium”]

Chicken Dish

Ingredients:

  • 4 ea. orange
  • 1 lb. chicken breast
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • 2 tsp. canola oil
  • 2 tsp. orange zest
  • 2 tbsp. green onions, minced
  • 1 tsp. dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp. pistachio nuts, toasted
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • ½ cup reduced sodium chicken broth

Directions:

  1. Halve one or more oranges and squeeze to get 1/2 cup juice. Slice the remaining oranges,
  2. Sprinkle the chicken with pepper and salt, if desired.
  3. Saute chicken in the oil until cooked through but still moist and tender.
  4. Over medium-high heat, add the juice, zest, green onion, chicken broth and mustard to the pan drippings, stirring to make a sauce. A
  5. Add the orange slices and pistachios. Heat through and pour over chicken.

[/recipe]

banner Jackie Keller

By Jackie Keller
From: Jackie Keller, Founder – NutriFit, LLC
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Let’s do a “Re-Do”

banner beth anne grib OnPurpose

by Beth Anne Grib

Ok, so we’ve arrived mid-way through the first quarter of 2014. Your New Year’s Resolutions have lost their luster…maybe they are simmering, subconscious, long-term goals at this point. You are back into the work grind and it feels almost robotic again.

Continue reading

The Key to Staying Young? Excercise!

A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that adults who exercise more tend to be less susceptible to mental and physical health problems including depression, dementia, heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

The English Longitudinal Study of Aging studied 3,500 adults (average age 64 years old) and collected data on their physical activity level every two years between 2002-2003 and 2010-2011. The participants were then categorized by the amount they exercised each week and divided into three categories – no activity, moderate activity and vigorous activity. The researchers also tracked serious health problems (including mental health) suffered by the participants and found a strong correlation between health and exercise as the participants aged.

The results showed a clear correlation between “healthy aging” and exercise level. Adults who practiced moderate or vigorous exercise at least once a week were 3-4x more likely to age healthier than adults who did not exercise. While this association is not a clear cause-and-effect relationship, the fact is that adults who were active in the beginning of the study were 7 times more likely to have fewer health problems than adults who did not exercise for the entirety of the study. Twenty percent of all participants were considered to be healthy agers, and of the 1 in 10 participants that became active over the study, 70% stayed active.

So how much exercise is enough? The World Health Organization recommends adults age 65+ do at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise during the week with each session lasting at least 10 minutes. Adults should also practice muscle-strengthening activities 2-3 times a week.

Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

Chocolate Cheesecake

NF_ChocCheesecake4

Servings: 12

Serving Size: 2” slices

 

Ingredients:

 

4 oz fat free cream cheese

16 oz fat free sour cream

2 tbsp graham cracker crumbs

4 oz Neufchatel cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp chocolate extract

spray Canola oil cooking spray

1 tbsp cornstarch

8 oz fat free egg substitute

 

Directions:

 

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Coat the bottom of a 9″ springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Dust the pan with graham cracker crumbs.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, cream cheese, Neufchatel cheese, and vanilla and beat at medium speed until smooth.

3. Add the sugar and cornstarch, beat until well blended.

4. Add the egg substitute, 1/4 cup at a time; beat at low speed just until blended.

5. Then add the cocoa powder and chocolate extract and beat until well blended.

6. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Turn off the oven and partially open the oven door. Allow it to sit for 1 hour. After one hour, remove it from the oven, cover and chill it for 8 hours.

Easy Food Substitutions to Improve Your Health

While we all have our guilty pleasures when it comes to food, there are a number of easy food substitutions that can help make dieting and eating healthy a little easier.

Most of us enjoy our morning cup of coffee to kick-start our day and rather than making a full substitution (which may be hard for the die-hard coffee fan like me) it is easy to cut calories by ordering coffees made with nonfat milk rather than full milk. Grande nonfat Cappuccinos from Starbucks also only contain 80 calories compared to grande Caffe Latte which have 200.

One of the most common guilty pleasures, ice cream, can be easily substituted for nonfat frozen yogurt which is lower in saturated fat and calories. If you are going for ice cream, try low fat versions of your favorites and use fruit toppings rather than candy or chocolate.

Using nonfat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream or mayo will also save you on calories and fat and is a better source of protein as well. Additionally, if you are making a salad use nuts instead of croutons to cut on salt and increase protein.

There are a number of good substitutions for using oil in your baking as well. ¾ cup to 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce as well as mango, banana or avocado puree mixed with nonfat milk can be used for 1 cup liquid oil. Cutting out oil not only helps to lower cholesterol by avoiding high fats in oils but also can help to lose weight by cutting calories and improving overall health.

Best Sloppy Joe Recipe

[recipe title=”Sloppy Joes” servings=”4″ time=”30 mins” difficulty=”Easy”]

SloppyJoes 1

Serving Size: 1 bun & ¾ cup mixture

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup carrots, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup celery, chopped
  • 2 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ cup green bell pepper, chopped
  • ¾ lb ground turkey
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 2 cups mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1 cup tomato juice
  • 1 tsp NutriFit Calypso Salt Free Spice Blend
  • 1 tsp safflower oil
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
  • 6 hamburger buns

Directions:

Note – For each teaspoon of the Calypso Spice Blend you may substitute: 1/2 tsp. ground chiles, 1/4 tsp. cumin, 1/8 tsp. black pepper, and 1/8 tsp. garlic powder.

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, green bell pepper, celery, carrot, garlic, and turkey; saute 5 minutes until meat is browned, stirring to crumble.
  2. Stir in ketchup, red wine vinegar, worcestershire sauce, calypso blend and tomato sauce; bring to boil.
  3. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Serve on toasted hamburger buns.

[/recipe]

banner Jackie Keller

By Jackie Keller
From: Jackie Keller, Founder – NutriFit, LLC
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Clearing the Confusion about Multi-Vitamins

With entire stores devoted to selling multi-vitamins and supplements, the headlines coming out about multi-vitamins seem to be conflicted. One day, the media can report that they are essential to preventing disease and the next day reports state these vitamins are doing more harm than good.

For example, a large observational study by the Iowa Women’s Health Study followed a group of women for 19 years and found that those women who reported taking a daily multi-vitamin were actually 6% more likely to diet than those who did not report taking a daily multi-vitamin. Researchers have hypothesized that users of multi-vitamins may be healthier because they tend to have a healthier lifestyle and diets, which lower their risk of disease and called for a randomized study to look at the cause and effect relationship of the Iowa study.

The randomized study, called the Physicians’ Health Study II, followed 14,000 men who took either Centrum Silver or a placebo everyday for 11 years and found that the risk of dying was not significant between the two groups. The study also found that taking a multi-vitamin had no effect on the risk of developing heart disease, stroke or cancer. This find has been consistently proved in other studies as well, including the Multiethnic Cohort Study and Women’s Health Iniative cohort.

So when is it worth it to take a multi-vitamin? The answer, in short, is when it will suppliement nutrients that you may not be getting from your regular diet. For example, between 7-16% of women aged 12-49 are iron deficient and may benefit from multis that contain the recommended daily value of 18 miligrams. Additionally, persons age 50+ generally get vitamin B-12 from either fortified foods or supplements, with the recommended daily amount being 2.4 micrograms.

The important takeaway from the multi-vitamin argument is to not rely on them to keep you healthy! While multi-vitamins may be beneficial for those who have a nutrient deficiency, it is important to keep in mind that research shows that these multi-vitamins will not reduce the risk of disease and that they are not a subtsitute for a healthly lifestyle.

Texas Beef Burger Recipe

[recipe title=”Texas Beef Burgers” servings=”4 Patties” time=”50 mins” difficulty=”Easy”]

NF_TexasBeefBurger2

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. extra lean ground beef
  • 1/3 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs, toasted
  • 1/4 cup fat free, cholesterol free egg substitute
  • 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
  • Extra virgin olive oil spray
  • 1 tsp. NutriFit Calypso Salt & Sugar Free Spice blend, or salt free chili powder

Directions:

  1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray with extra virgin olive oil spray. Add the onions, and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Let cool.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, mix the egg substitute, bread crumbs, spices and onions; then lightly mix in the ground beef. Shape the ground beef mixture into 4 patties, each about 1/2 inch thick.
  3. Spray a wide nonstick frying pan with extra virgin olive oil cooking spray. Place over medium-high heat; add the hamburger patties. Cook, turning once, until patties are lightly browned on both sides and juices run clear when knife is inserted in center (8 to 10 minutes). Serve on sprouted wheat buns.

[/recipe]

banner Jackie Keller

By Jackie Keller
From: Jackie Keller, Founder – NutriFit, LLC
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Foods that Fight Cancer

The link between nutrition and cancer is an important relationship to understand and one that many people today seem to forget. What many people may not realize is that nearly 35% of all cancers are tied to nutrition in some way. Consequently, there have been a number of studies devoted to the research of cancer-fighting foods and diets and the results tend towards a number of recurring trends.

The big picture of the research available shows that eating more fruits and vegetables, and less meat and highly saturated fat dairy products will improve your odds of avoiding nutrition-related cancers. Additionally, cooking methods that use exposure to high heat and charring (barbeque, grilling) have been linked to higher risk of cancer. Not to worry though, a balanced diet lowers the risk of cancer and there are a number of foods that actively reduce the risk of cancer. The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends filling 2/3 of your plate with fruits, veggies, whole grains and beans.

More specifically, dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, collard greens and Swiss chard are high in fiber, folates, cartenoids and flavonoids that protect against a number of cancers. Green tea is also high in flavonoids and polyphenols that act as antioxidants that can prevent liver, colon, breast and prostate cancer. Berries (strawberries, blueberries and raspberries) are also high in fiber and Vitamin C and can protect against esophagus and colorectal cancer.

In terms of food to avoid, one of the worst foods is full, fat regular bacon. It is extremely high in saturated fat and is full of nitrites and other cancer-contributing ingredients. Look instead for reduced fat bacon or turkey bacon that is specifically labeled to be nitrate-free. Look for nitrate-free labeling on other processed meats as well, such as lunchmeat, sausage and hot dogs. Also, avoid any foods that contain GMOs but beware, you won’t find GMOs on the nutrition label so be sure to look for foods that are specifically labeled to be non-GMO.

A few powerful changes in lifestyle and diet can be incredibly influential in reducing the risk of cancer. Simple changes – from being more aware of what’s in your food to including foods in your meals that prevent cancer in or diet all help in making informed decisions when it comes to nutrition and all help reduce the risk of developing nutrition-related cancers.

Pasta with Dilled Pea Sauce Recipe

Pasta with Dilled Pea Sauce

NF_PastaDillSauce3

Servings: 4

Serving Size: 1 cup

 

Ingredients:

 

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup fresh dill

3 cups frozen peas

1 tbsp ginger, finely peeled & chopped

dash hot pepper sauce

1 ea leeks, thinly sliced

8 oz penne pasta, uncooked

3 cups reduced sodium vegetable broth

¼ tsp salt

4 tbsp water

 

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add the oil and the gingerroot and cook for 2 minutes.

2. Add the leek and cook for 3 minutes more.

3. Stir in the vegetable stock and dill, and bring to a boil. Add the peas and bring back to a boil.

4. Remove the sauce from heat. Pour the mixture into a blender and puree until smooth, about 5 minutes.

5. Mix the cornstarch and water to form a slurry. Add it to the sauce, return it to the heat and stir it until thickened, about 1 minute.

6. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain, and transfer to a large warm bowl.

7. To serve, add the salt and hot pepper sauce, toss with the pasta, and enjoy.

Food Exposed

This week’s episode of Food Exposed with Jackie Keller is all about sports nutrition for the recreational and professional athlete. This week’s guest is NCAA All American Runner, Maggie Vessey, who shares her best nutrition and fitness tips and her favorite foods when training. She and Jackie also prepare Jackie’s recipe for healthy Pasta and Turkey Meatballs, straight from the NutriFit kitchen. (Recipe posted below)

Watch the full episode of Food Exposed here:

Pasta with Turkey Meatballs
Pasta with Turkey Meatballs (3 servings)

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
½ cup fat free egg subsitute
½ cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
¼ cup onions, chopped
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp NutriFit Mediterranean Spice Blend
2 cup marinara sauce
1 cup, pasta cooked al dente

Directions:

Meatballs:
1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray with nonstick skillet with extra virgin olive oil cooking spray., add the onions and cook until translucent or lightly browned.
1. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients (except the pasta and marinara sauce) and mix thoroughly. Shape the mixture into 1″balls.
3. Saute the meatballs until lightly browned and cooked 3/4 of the way through (about 10 minutes). Add the marinara sauce and finish cooking the meatballs in the sauce.

Cook pasta until al dente. Serve with meatballs.

Trans Fats: What’s the Big Deal?

The upcoming FDA ban on trans-fats has garnered a lot of media attention over the last few weeks and with that attention many questions on the effects of trans-fats on health and diet. So what are the dangers of trans-fats and why should they be banned from our foods?

Trans fats, or trans-fatty acids, are “created in an industrial process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid” (American Heart Asosociation, heart.org). Eating trans-fats lowers HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels and raises LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels blocking arteries and increasing the chance of heart attack and stroke. Trans-fats, like all fats,  also carry a whopping 9 calories per gram – nearly twice that of carbohydrates and fats. Diets high in trans-fats have also been linked to an increased chance of developing type-2 diabetes.

Trans-fats can be found in a number of everyday foods including shortening, tub butter, stick margarine, Crisco, Bisquick, fast-food French fries and hamburgers as well as certain ice creams and fried Ramen and Asian noodles. Deep-fat fried and highly processed foods are among the highest in trans-fats There are small amounts of trans-fats that occur naturally in meat and and dairy products, however the effect of these trans-fats on cholesterol is unclear compared to the effects of those produced by the food industry.

Companies use trans-fats because they are generally less expensive to produce and last longer and give a certain texture and taste to food that consumers have become used to for decades. However, there are many good alternatives to hydrogenated oils including saturated vegetable oils as well as corn, sunflower and safflower oils.

The FDA ban on tran-fats is a step in the right direction towards curbing obesity and improving the health of all Americans. Hopefully the FDA will continue to pursue restrictions on other harmful ingredients – including GMOs and high fructose corn syrup!

Nutrition Tips for Marathon Running

Have a marathon coming up? Here are same training and race-day tips to help keep you in top marathon shape. At NutriFit, we share these tips with those athletes who are using our Sports Specific Meals.

As the saying goes, “not planning is planning to fail” and this holds especially true for marathon runners. To keep energy levels up and avoid crashing, ensure that you have a hydration and nutrition plan for race-day. Eat a small meal or two four hours before the race – make sure that you do not try any new foods to avoid any unexpected reactions. On runs longer than one hour, make it a habit to bring and eat small snacks that are high on the glycemic index. It is important, especially on longer runs, to not wait until you are hungry to eat – know your body and your needs to know when to refuel before waiting for a rumbling stomach as a cue to eat. The body stores a maximum of 2000 kilocalories of glycogen, which it quickly burns after 90 minutes or so.  Research shows that the typical 145 lb male burns 100 calories/mile with 80 of those calories coming from carbohydrates and 20 from fat.

Another way to keep energy up is with caffeine – but only use this if you regularly consume it and have a plan in place to balance caffeine intake with water and carbohydrate intake. Energy gels and sports drinks also contain carbohydrates and, when used properly, are a good supplement to your GI snacks. Incorporate these energy gels in your race-day plan, and consider using them as a chaser after re-hydrating with water. NutriFit also makes a wonderful Mighty Muscle Mix, which is a great recovery snack.

It is also important to take race-day conditions into consideration – high humidity and heat will affect your energy and run. Be sure to drink plenty of water and stop at aid stations along the marathon path. Pay attention to the color of your urine and bladder to identify possible problems and know the affects medications you may be taking might have on your body during the race.

Pomegranate Smoothie Recipe

Pomegranate Smoothie

Pomogrante Smoothie

Servings: 3

Serving Size: 16 oz

Ingredients:

2 cups pomegranate juice

½ cup extra firm lite tofu

1 cup apple juice

1 ea banana

Directions:

1. Put the juices, tofu and banana in a blender. Process until completely smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

What Happens When You Die?

On Purpose Magazine Question Series

What Happens When You Die?

cemetary fog by tim heffernan, on Flickr

Cemetery fog by Tim Heffernan, on Flickr

So many schools of thought on this one. It seems that it is just not an academic type of question where the true answer can be found.

Do we just turn into dust and are no longer? Do we come back as someone or something else? Do we stay aware? Do we go someplace where we can see and help guide others back on Earth? Do we get rewarded or Continue reading

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: TOLERANCE

banner james carlini - Carlini's CornerBy James Carlini

Looking back at the year, I could have written about certain business milestones or technology advances, but I think we should reflect on the betterment of mankind by trying to revisit tolerance and acceptance in our lives. Going into 2014, we should Continue reading

Last Minute Christmas Gifts From Apriori Beauty You Will Love to Give and Receive

logo apriori beauty 01

Apriori Beauty Products

I have been using and selling Apriori Beauty Products since the company first opened.

apriori celloxylin

I absolutely love these products and highly recommend them because I know first hand the quality and care that goes into formulating these products and especially how much Apriori Beauty strives to make products that work and are safe.

jw portrait 01 w frame bkg

If you are looking for last minute Christmas or Holiday Gifts that will really be special and that the women and men in your life will just love, then you need to Continue reading

SMARTPHONES, SMART CITIES, SMART STRATEGIES

banner james carlini - Carlini's CornerBy James Carlini

In a recent Forbes article, a book, Against the Smart City, was reviewed on its focus on the concept of Smart Cities. The article’s author discussed the perspective and the arguments made by the book. I tended to disagree with the Continue reading

Yoplait® Greek and Universal Music Group Nashville Come Together to Help Fight Hunger

Celebrity Auction Will Benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee

According to Feeding America 15.9 million children lived in food insecure households in 2012. Hunger in America exists for over 50 million people. That is 1 in 6 of the U.S. population – including more than 1 in 5 children.

MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Yoplait® Greek yogurt has teamed up with Universal Music Group Nashville to help fight hunger.

The two came together to engage with country music’s finest in an effort to raise funds for food-insecure families in the Nashville area.

Signed Guitar - Yoplait Greek & Universal Music Group Nashville Team Up to Help Fight HungerArtists including Luke Bryan, George Strait, Vince Gill, Easton Corbin, Dierks Bentley and more did their parts to raise funds for Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee by signing an acoustic guitar, which will be auctioned off at leading charity auction site, Charitybuzz.com later this month.

Vince Gill - Yoplait Greek & Universal Music Group Nashville Team Up to Help Fight Hunger

Vince Gill Signs Guitar for Auction

Now, through December 3rd, consumers can take part in the auction by visiting Charitybuzz at http://chrty.bz/17TxLum and placing a bid on a musical package including the guitar, signed by more than 12 Universal Music Group Nashville artists, and tickets to a Universal Music Group Nashville artist’s concert.

Luke Bryan - Yoplait Greek & Universal Music Group Nashville Team Up to Help Fight Hunger

Luke Bryan Signs Guitar for Auction

“It’s an honor to be part of this campaign,” said Universal Music Group Nashville artist, Luke Bryan. “I’m happy to help raise money for Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee.”

Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee is one of the largest food banks in the U.S., with a mission to feed hungry people and work to solve hunger issues in our community.

According to the USDA, an estimated 50.1 million Americans are at risk of hunger, and 16.7 million U.S. children under 18 are food insecure. In the state of Tennessee, one in four children are food insecure, and in Middle Tennessee alone, 31 percent of the people Second Harvest serves are children.

“No one should be hungry and I am honored to lend my name to help the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee,” said Country Music Hall of Fame member, Vince Gill.

Yoplait® Greek’s participation builds on Generals Mills’ commitment to taking action against food insecurity. Over the last decade, General Mills has donated nearly $240 million in food donations to Feeding America and its member food banks to help feed children and families throughout the United States.

“We understand the importance and urgency of helping to fight hunger,” said Liza Dopp, Yoplait® Greek marketing manager. “We want to do our part to help deliver food to families in need.”

All proceeds from the auction will benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee.

About General Mills

General Mills is one of the world’s leading food companies, operating in more than 100 countries around the world. Its brands include Cheerios, Fiber One, Haagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Yoplait, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki, and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., USA, General Mills had fiscal 2013 worldwide sales of US $17.8 billion. Visit www.generalmills.com.

Yoplait is a registered trademark of YOPLAIT MARQUES (France) used under license.

logo unviversal music group nashvilleAbout Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group is the global music leader, with wholly owned operations in 60 territories. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, one of the industry’s premier music publishing operations worldwide.

Universal Music Group’s record labels include A&M/Octone, Angel, Astralwerks, Blue Note, Capitol Records, Decca, Def Jam Recordings, Deutsche Grammophon, Disa, Emarcy, EMI Records Nashville, Fonovisa, Geffen Records, Interscope Records, I.R.S., Island Records, Machete Music, Manhattan, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Motown Records, Polydor Records, Republic Records, Universal Music Latino, Verve Music Group and Virgin Records, as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world.

The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalogue of music in the industry, which includes the last 100 years of the world’s most popular artists and their recordings.

UMG’s catalogue is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes Global Digital Business, its new media and technologies division and Bravado, its merchandising company.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle TennesseeAbout Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee

Organized in 1978, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee is a private, not-for-profit, tax-exempt organization. Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee’s mission is to feed hungry people and work to solve hunger issues in our community.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee is one of the largest and most comprehensive of over 200 food banks and food distribution centers nationwide and also a member of Feeding America – The Nation’s Food Bank Network.

Second Harvest distributes food and other products to approximately 400 nonprofit partner agencies in 46 counties in Middle and West Tennessee.

Our partners include food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, childcare facilities, senior centers, group homes, and youth enrichment programs. For more information on Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee and its programs, please visit secondharvestmidtn.org

Homelessness – It’s not just a “Big City” problem anymore

banner beth anne grib OnPurpose

by Beth Anne Grib

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Samsung Reveals Its New Galaxy Gear Smart Watch

Samsung Reveals Its Smart Watch

Reblogged from BUSINESS INSIDER

Steve Kovach and Jay Yarow Sep. 4, 2013, 12:22 PM

galaxy gear smart watch

Samsung announced its first Android-powered smart watch today called the Galaxy Gear.

The Gear syncs with another new gadget Samsung announced today, the Galaxy Note III, a large-screen phablet. For now, the Gear will only work with the Galaxy Note III, but Samsung says it will add support for other Galaxy phones soon.

The new smart watch will cost $299 and will go on sale in October.

Click here for hands-on photos of the Galaxy Gear >>

So, what can it do?  Read more:

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