It is the summer again and the heat is kicking its angry waves at us. Lucky for us we have found many different ways to keep cool and fresh this summer. One of the things that I have found to help keep things cool for me is to make my own batch for fresh summer smoothies. So to help you keep cool here is one of my favorite summer recipes to try out.

Ingredients:

8 ice cubes
8 strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 banana
1/2 cup of pineapple juice

Directions:

Put above in blender and blend til smooth. Makes two 20oz glasses full. Very tasty and yummy too!

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 3 minutes

Here's a video of another smoothie version for you to try out as well :)

I love going to Batangas for several reasons. One of the main reason would be the accessibility from Manila. Second would be the affordability of the place and lastly, its hypnotic beauty.

A private residential community located within a two-hour drive from Manila via Tagaytay-Nasugbu Tourism Highway. Tali is conveniently situated in Nasugbu, Batangas and is the closest clean water beach destination south of Manila. It has seven beaches perfect for water sports, beach parties, or simply lying on the sand and basking in the sun.

Tali has often been used by property owners as a take-off point to equally popular destinations in Nasugbu being in close promity to Peninsula de Punta Fuego, Terrasas de Punta Fuego (10 minutes away), Ampay, Baklas Point, Bamboo, Maya-maya, Natipuan, Kawayan Cove and White Sands.
Here is a video of the place to further entice your senses :)

There has been so much panic spreading across the globe since the discovery of Swine Flu Infecting a group of school kids returning from their trip to Mexico last week. Based on my own personal understanding Swine flu has been around and is quite treatable. The cause of panic though is due to the main fact that people that got infected by this disease has a chance of death if not treated at its early stage, aside from that many cant tell the difference between a regular flu versus that of Swine flu. In today's Wellness Wednesday Article am going to feature two main things: What is Swine Flu and How to Prevent it.

Like always, I let my fingers do the walking to check out what the virtual streets have to say about this disease and here are the things that I have found.

What is Swine Flu:
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses cause high levels of illness and low death rates in pigs. Swine influenza viruses may circulate among swine throughout the year, but most outbreaks occur during the late fall and winter months similar to outbreaks in humans. The classical swine flu virus (an influenza type A H1N1 virus) was first isolated from a pig in 1930.

How many swine flu viruses are there?
Like all influenza viruses, swine flu viruses change constantly. Pigs can be infected by avian influenza and human influenza viruses as well as swine influenza viruses. When influenza viruses from different species infect pigs, the viruses can reassort (i.e. swap genes) and new viruses that are a mix of swine, human and/or avian influenza viruses can emerge. Over the years, different variations of swine flu viruses have emerged. At this time, there are four main influenza type A virus subtypes that have been isolated in pigs: H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, and H3N1. However, most of the recently isolated influenza viruses from pigs have been H1N1 viruses.

Swine Flu in Humans
Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans. However, sporadic human infections with swine flu have occurred. Most commonly, these cases occur in persons with direct exposure to pigs (e.g. children near pigs at a fair or workers in the swine industry). In addition, there have been documented cases of one person spreading swine flu to others. For example, an outbreak of apparent swine flu infection in pigs in Wisconsin in 1988 resulted in multiple human infections, and, although no community outbreak resulted, there was antibody evidence of virus transmission from the patient to health care workers who had close contact with the patient.

How common is swine flu infection in humans?
In the past, CDC received reports of approximately one human swine influenza virus infection every one to two years in the U.S., but from December 2005 through February 2009, 12 cases of human infection with swine influenza have been reported.

What are the symptoms of swine flu in humans?
The symptoms of swine flu in people are expected to be similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Can people catch swine flu from eating pork?
No. Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. You can not get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products is safe. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills the swine flu virus as it does other bacteria and viruses.

How to Prevent it:

I have just purchased my own HP Mini 2140 since I lost my Acer 4310 two weeks ago. I bought this netbook since I needed a quick replacement for the laptop due to the fact that I desperately needed to get back online and start blogging again since an ample amount of my own personal income came from blogging itself. At first I was a bit skeptic about how this would perform for me and if it could keep up with my multitasking needs from blogging as well as from my office demands. I was quite pleasantly surprised that as of last week from the time of purchase, The HP Mini 2140 has been performing without a glitch and when people have told me that there are many things that this netbook may not be able to do has been disproven. There are even reviews where this was supposedly made to be a non primary computer but if you are like me whose lifestyle is primarily net based and basic documentation needs, The HP mini does the job. But of course if you will need to use the laptop for heavy duty graphics and multimedia editing then you'd have to look elsewhere.

Overall the things that I liked about HP Mini 2140 are:
Large Keyboard - 92% of original size
Ample battery life - 7 hours with a six cel batter
Beautiful aluminium finish
Hyper Threading of Intel Atom N270 has allowed for decent Multi tasking performance
Large HD Size - 160 GB
Ram is upgradable to 2GB
Widescreen 10.2 inches
Decent Quality speakers
Wifi is capable of using all frequency types
Energy Star - Highly energy efficient

To sum everything up for you - The HP Mini 2140 is definitely a business class netbook for the serious net users that are constantly on the go.

Here are the details that may help you decide on purchasing the HP Mini 2140.

YugaTech Netbook

• 10.2″ OLED display screen (1280×960 resolution)
• Intel Atom Z550 2.0GHz CPU
• 2GB DDR3 1333 MHz RAM (maximum of 4GB)
• 128 GB SSD or 500GB SATA HDD
• 5 x USB 2.0
• Bluetooth 2.1
• WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
• WiMax 802.16e
• 3G/HSDPA up to 7.2Mbps
• 2.0 MP webcam
• Fingerprint/Facial recognition
• 7-in-1 card reader
• Backlit keyboard
• Multi-touch
• 8-cell 7200 mAh Battery (up to 9.5 hours)
• Ubuntu or Windows XP Home

A friend of mine last week has asked for a copy of Whitney Houston's song Love That Man and had a lot of questions about this Diva. So to help her out along with other Whitney Houston Fans I have decided to let my fingers do the walking and started to browse the virtual city for the answers.

Here is what I found about this dashing diva: Whitney Elizabeth Houston (born August 9, 1963) is an American recording artist, actress, and fashion model. A relative to several prominent soul singers, including her mother Cissy Houston, cousin Dionne Warwick, and godmother Aretha Franklin, Houston began singing at her New Jersey church as a member of a junior gospel choir at age eleven. After she began performing alongside her mother at night clubs in the New York City area, she was discovered by Arista Records label head Clive Davis.

Houston released her debut album Whitney Houston in 1985, which became the best-selling debut by a female artist. Her second studio album Whitney (1987) became the first album by a female artist to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Houston's crossover appeal on the popular music charts as well as her prominence on MTV enabled several African-American women to follow in her success.

Following her marriage to fellow singer Bobby Brown, Houston appeared in her first starring role in the feature film The Bodyguard in 1992. The film's original soundtrack—which won the 1994 Grammy Award for Album of the Year—became the world's best-selling soundtrack. Its lead single, "I Will Always Love You", became one of the best-selling singles in music history. Houston continued to star in feature films and contributed to soundtracks including Waiting to Exhale (1995) and The Preacher's Wife (1996). After the release of her fourth studio album My Love Is Your Love (1998), she renewed her recording contract with Arista Records in 2001 for a historic $100 million dollars. She subsequently released her fifth studio album, Just Whitney the following year. Amidst widespread media coverage of personal and professional turmoil, Houston's marriage to Brown ended in 2006.

Houston is one of the worlds best-selling music artists, having sold over 200 million albums and singles worldwide and is ranked as the fourth best-selling female artist in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America, with 54 million certified albums. Known as "The Voice" for her "powerful, penetrating pop-gospel" vocals, she has been listed by Rolling Stone magazine as one of The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. Houston has been cited as an influence among numerous contemporary R&B and pop music artists.

And to satisfy my friend's request here is the song - Love That Man

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

I just love to eat sandwiches and nothing is tastier than a home made egg salad sandwich and a cool freshly squeezed lemonade to pass the time in this warm tropical region.

Ingredients

* 1 large hard-boiled egg, peeled and chopped
* 1-2 Tbsp mayonnaise (to taste)
* 1 Tbsp chopped green onion
* 2 Tbsp chopped celery
* Curry powder
* Salt
* Pepper
* 1 leaf of lettuce
* 2 slices dark rye bread, toasted

To make hard boiled eggs, place a few eggs in a saucepan, cover with at least an inch of water. Add a half teaspoon of vinegar and some salt to the water (if the shells crack while boiling, the vinegar will help keep the egg in the shell). Cover and bring the water to a boil. As soon as the water is boiling, remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 12 minutes. Drain water, add cold water to cool the eggs, let sit a couple minutes longer.
Method

1 Mash up the chopped egg a bit with a fork. Mix together the chopped hard-boiled egg, mayonnaise, onion and celery. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and curry powder. Mix.

2 If you haven't already, toast your bread slices. Put a layer of lettuce on one slice of toasted bread, spread the egg mixture on top of the lettuce, put another slice of toasted bread on top.

Makes one sandwich.

Here is another version of Egg Salad Sandwich for your viewing pleasure :)

Am back from what felt like an eon of waiting and longing from Empty Streets 1027. After getting robbed of my old precious Laptop Friend ACE, I am now back in action with a cool new Laptop Friend Hannah (HP Mini 2140). It was a tough week for me and am glad that things are starting to look up for me. After the terrible incident I was fortunate enough to get invited to visit a fantastic place that is only but a couple of hours away from the summer city of Tagaytay - Matabungkay Beach. I got to do so many fun things there, from swimming the cold waters, eating our lunch in a raft like rest house and finally topping it off with an amazing jet ski experience. The place is definitely a pleasant get away from the chaos of the city life. It worked so well for me that I completely forgot my dreadful incident from the day before.

“Once discovered, never forgotten…” Experience the best of Batangas at Matabungkay Beach Resort & Hotel. It offers you the total resort experience. Matabungkay Beach Resort & Hotel has everything you'll ever need for a perfect summer getaway -- from rigorous sports activities to relaxing day spas. Of course, the resort experience will not be complete without your full range of swimming options.
Here is a cool video presentation of what to expect when you get there - Have fun :)

Hi to all of my loyal readers, I have to apologize that I may not be able to post as regularly this week as my best friend ACE my laptop was stolen from me. This morning someone broke into my home and robbed me. Am happy though that none of us were hurt. But until I get back my laptop or buy a new one I wont be able to make any posts. Please feel free to browse the archives as there are hundreds of articles and maybe a couple might be of interest to you. Please also pray for me as I am going to work to get a lot of the things that were stolen from me back or replaced. I am still a bit rattled from this incident and I also pray that those people that invaded my home get captured. Thank you all for your support, dont worry though, I may just only be crippled for a week and will resume regular posting after. t

Vegetable Curry

Ingredients:

2 cup string beans
1 cup squash, cut into 1-inch length slices
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups Baguio beans
2 beaten eggs
1 cup thick coconut milk
1-1/2 tablespoons curry powder
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups chayote, cut into 1-inch length slices
1/2 cup chopped onions


Procedure:

Brown eggs in heated oil. Add garlic, onions, salt, water and coconut milk. Add the vegetables; cover and cook till tender.

Add curry powder. Simmer for about a minute. Yields 8 to 10 servings.

Here's a video presentation for those that desire a visual step by step recipe :)

Ocean Parks are always a fun venture. The popular Ocean Parks in Asia are found in Singapore and Hongkong, now we have one in Manila.

The Manila Ocean Park’s Oceanarium promises a "deeper experience" as it features an assortment of colorful fishes and invertebrates indigenous to the Philippines and Southeast Asia contained in 12,000 cubic meters of seawater.

The Oceanarium journey is divided into six sections and each section will carry a Filipino name: "Agos"; "Bahura"; "Buhay na Karagatan"; "Pating"; "Ang Kailaliman"; and "Laot".

replicates the water flow from a fresh water source that eventually leads to the open ocean, creating a model of interconnectedness between land and sea.

It then takes one through the different depths of the sea showcasing each area’s beautiful and natural inhabitants.

Its main attraction is a 25-meter long, 220 degree curved acrylic walkway tunnel. Visitors will be exploring the secrets of the ocean and surrounded by such underwater wonders without actually getting wet.

The Oceanarium also has a multi-purpose hall which will house interactive multi-media educational exhibits and capable of hosting various functions.

Operating Hours
Manila Ocean Park is open from 10am – 9pm, Mondays through Sundays. Special tours may be requested and booked earlier than tour schedules.

Entrance Fee
The Entrance Fee for adults is PHP400 (approximately US$10) and PHP350 (approximately US$9) for children.

Security Checks
Everyone entering the Park is subject to a security check. Bags, parcels and/or items shall undergo inspection before entry.

Photography
Flash photography is not allowed as this scares the marine animals. Photography, videotaping, recording of any kind, broadcast or transmission for commercial purposes is not allowed.

Guests with Special Needs
Guests of Manila Ocean Park requiring special assistance can bring their own wheelchairs to the Park. Guests bringing in small children may be allowed to use their strollers inside the Oceanarium. A limited number of wheelchairs and strollers may be rented for a nominal fee at the entrance.

Personal Conduct
Interactive kiosks and projections, as well as educational materials and other equipment, have been installed within the Manila Ocean Park to enhance the learning experience. Guests are free to use the equipment under minimal supervision; however, it is expected that care shall be taken during its use.

First Aid
First Aid Stations are available at the front desk and second floor activity center.

The Manila Ocean Park is located behind the Quirino Grandstand, in Luneta, Manila. For more information, contact +(632) 567.7777 and +(632) 567 2309

I have been feeling down for a long time since the last few days of Easter that I had to find ways to bring my world around. I tried listening to music, such as those my Mary Mary (shackles), looked for a new gadget such as Archos 7, and today I spent the whole day with my friends in the office laughing and making jokes left and right. It was just a whole day of laughing and it was the kind of laughing that we ended up gasping for breath and on the brink of tears. I had never laughed like that for a very long time, it was a sensation that left me feeling so light headed and to be honest stronger and more self assured of myself than I had ever been. So for today I decided to help others out by first enumerating the benefits of laughter along with a video presentation by notable experts to back up the benefits enumerated and topping it off with a great comedian so that you too can enjoy a bit of laughter as well ;)

The many benefits of laughter
1. When you make fun of yourself, you disempower those who would make fun of you and disarm possible confrontations.

2. Laughter dissolves tension, stress, anxiety, irritation, anger, grief, and depression. Like crying, laughter lowers inhibitions, allowing the release of pent-up emotions. After a hearty bout of laughter, you will experience a sense of well-being. Simply put, he who laughs, lasts. After all, if you can laugh at it, you can live with it. Remember, a person without a sense of humor is like a car without shock absorbers.

3. Medical researches have found that laughter boosts the immune system. The study of how behavior and the brain affect the immune system is called psychoneuroimmunology. Though still in its infancy, this science is rapidly gaining much attention as mankind strives to understand the mind-body relationship.

4. Laughter reduces pain by releasing endorphins that are more potent than equivalent amounts of morphine.

5. Humor helps integrate both hemispheres of our brain, for the left hemisphere is used to decipher the verbal content of a joke while the right hemisphere interprets whether it is funny or not.

6. Laughter adds spice to life; it is to life what salt is to a hard-boiled egg.

7. Develop your sense of humor and you will find you are more productive, a better communicator, and a superior team player.

8. Everyone loves someone who can make them laugh. The more you share your sense of humor, the more friends you will have.

9. Humor brings the balance we need to get through the turbulence of life comfortably.

10. Laughter is even equivalent to a small amount of exercise. It massages all the organs of the body, according to Dr. James Walsh.

11. A sense of humor can help you accept the inevitable, rise to any challenge, handle the unexpected with ease, and come out of any difficulty smiling.

Here is the video on why laughing is definitely a good thing: