National Bicarbonate of Soda Day - 2012

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By Nurse Diane

A friend of mine is not a huge fan of pills and medication; he prefers the more natural remedies.  That’s why when he suffers from indigestion or gas especially after eating all these big holiday meals and goodies, he grabs a box of Bicarbonate Soda, commonly known as Baking Soda.  Stomachs naturally contain hydrochloric acid and too much of it leads to indigestion. The so-called 'baking soda burp' is a sign that this antacid is working. The burp is caused by the release of carbon dioxide gas - a natural byproduct when sodium bicarbonate reacts with the acid in the stomach.  Simply mix a teaspoon in a glass of cold water 1-2 hours after eating.  Do not take sodium bicarbonate or any antacids without first talking to your doctor if you have:

An intestinal problem or appendicitis;

Heart problems;

High blood pressure;

Swelling of the arms or legs;

Kidney disease;

Liver disease; or

Problems urinating

If you are pregnant or nursing.

Side effects of sodium Bicarb include:

Nausea or vomiting;

Headache;

Sever mood changes

Muscle pain;

Swelling of feet, ankles or legs

Decreased appetite;

Unusual tiredness;

Constipation;

Dry mouth or increased thirst; or

Increased urination.

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Baking Soda also has other uses such as:

Baking- helps baked goods, like bread, to rise

Relieve stomach indigestion and heartburn when mixed in water

Removing odors in the refrigerator, vents, storage areas, and closets

Removing odor in kitty litter

It is used in fire extinguishers for grease and oil fires

It is often used as a cleaning agent

It can be used as a meat tenderizer

Put it in water with beans to minimize flatulence from eating beans

Polish Silverware

Remove burned food from a pot or a pan

And, the list goes on, and on.

According to punchbowl.com, The ancient Egyptians used natural deposits of sodium bicarbonate as a cleansing agent like soap, but it wasn't until 1791 that French chemist Nicolas Leblanc produced sodium bicarbonate in its modern form. In 1846, two New York bakers named John Dwight and Austin Church established the first factory to make baking soda.

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So, today, on National Bicarbonate of Soda Day, Grab a box and see how many ways you can use it.

Pepper Pot Soup Day

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By Chef Diane

According to holidayinsites.com, During the Revolutionary war, the Continental army was camped at Valley Forge. The winter was cold and harsh. Conditions were deplorable. Food was often scarce. George Washington asked his army's chef to prepare a meal for the army that would both warm them, and boost their moral. The chef found scraps of tripe, small bits of meat and some peppercorn. He mixed this in with some other ingredients, and created Pepper Pot soup, also known as "Philadelphia Pepper Pot soup”. The hot, and somewhat spicy soup, was well received by the troops. It was called "the soup that won the war”.

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Originally tripe was a main ingredient of this soup, but today, you can substitute with chicken or beef. Here is a recipe from allrecipes.com for the traditional soup, try some today to warm you up.  It just might help you win a war too.

PEPPER POT SOUP

INGREDIENTS

1 pound honeycomb tripe or chicken or beef

5 slices bacon, diced

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

3 leeks, chopped

1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

2 green bell peppers, diced

2 quarts beef stock

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 large potato, peeled and diced

2 large carrots, diced

4 tablespoons margarine

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions

1.         Place the tripe or other meat that you have selected to use in a saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and turn off the heat. Allow the meat to cool a bit in the water, and then drain and rinse. Cut into 1/4 inch pieces.

2.         In a large heavy kettle, saute the bacon until clear. Add the onion, celery, leeks, parsley, and green peppers; saute until tender.

3.         Stir in beef stock, thyme, marjoram, cloves, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, and black pepper. Bring the kettle to a boil, and turn down to a simmer. Cook, covered, until meat is very tender, about 2 hours.

4.         Add the diced potato and carrots, and cook for an additional 20 minutes.

5.         Prepare the roux by stirring the flour into the melted butter or margarine, and cooking for a moment on the stove. When the soup is done to your liking, stir in the roux. Simmer, stirring all the while, until the soup thickens a bit. Correct the seasonings.

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Texas Perspective

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You folks might want to visit your friends and family living in TEXAS if the election turns out badly.

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Here's what can happen:

1: Barack Hussein Obama is President of the United States, and Texas secedes from the Union in summer of 2013.

2: George W. Bush becomes President of the Republic of Texas.

What does Texas have to do to survive as a Republic?

1. NASA is just south of Houston, Texas. We will control the space industry.

2. We refine over 85% of the gasoline in the United States.

3. Defense Industry--we have over 65% of it. The term "Don't mess with Texas" will take on a whole new meaning.

4. Oil - we can supply all the oil that the Republic of Texas will need for the next 300 years. What will the other states do? Gee, we don't know. Why not ask Obama?

5. Natural Gas - again we have all we need, and it's too bad about those Northern States.  John Kerry and Al Gore will have to figure out a way to keep them warm.

6. Computer Industry - we lead the nation in producing computer chips and communications equipment -small companies like Texas Instruments, Dell Computer, EDS, Raytheon, National Semiconductor, Motorola, Intel, AMD, Atmel, Applied Materials, Ball Micro-conductor, Dallas Semiconductor, Nortel, Alcatel, etc, etc. The list goes on and on.

7. Medical Care - We have the research centers for cancer research, the best burn centers and the top trauma units in the world, as well as other large health centers. The Houston Medical Center alone employees over 65,000 people.

8. We have enough colleges to keep us getting smarter: University of Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Texas Christian, Rice, SMU, University of Dallas, University of Houston, Baylor, UNT (University of North Texas), Texas Women's University, etc.  Ivy grows better in the South anyway.

9. We have an intelligent energetic work force, and it isn't restricted by a bunch of unions here in Texas.  It's a Right to Work State and, therefore, it's every man and women for themselves. We just go out and get the job done. And if we don't like the way one company operates, we get a job somewhere else.

10. We have essential control of the paper, plastics and insurance industries, etc.

11. In case of a foreign invasion, we have the Texas National Guard, the Texas Air National Guard, and several military bases. We don't have an Army, but since everybody down here has at least six rifles and a pile of ammo, we can raise an Army in 24 hours if we need one. If the situation really gets bad, we can always call the Department of Public Safety and ask them to send over the Texas Rangers.

12. We are totally self-sufficient in beef, poultry, hogs and several types of grain, fruit and vegetables, and let's not forget seafood from the Gulf. Also, everybody down here knows how to cook them so that they taste good. Don't need any food.

13. Three of the ten largest cities in the United States, and twenty- three of the 100 largest cities in the United States, are located in Texas. And Texas also has more land than California , New York , New Jersey , Connecticut , Delaware , Hawaii ,  Vermont Massachusetts,  Maryland  and  Rhode Island combined.

14. Trade: Three of the ten largest ports in the United States are located in Texas.

15. More miles of railroad track that any other state in the Union.

16. We also manufacture cars down here, but we don't need to. You see, nothing rusts in Texas, so our vehicles stay beautiful and run well for decades.

17. Year-round golf.

This names just a few of the items that will keep the Republic of Texas in good shape.  There isn't a thing out there that we need and don't have.

Now to the rest of the United States under President Obama: Since you won't have the refineries to get gas for your cars, only President Obama will be able to drive around in his big 5 mpg SUV. The rest of the United States will have to walk or ride bikes.

You won't have any TV as the Space Center in Houston will cut off satellite communications.  You won't have any natural gas to heat your homes but, since Mr. Obama has predicted global warming, you will not need the gas as long as you survive the 2000 years it will take to get enough heat from Global Warming.

Signed,

The People of Texas

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P.S. This is not a threatening letter - just a note to give you something to think about!

SLEEP WELL TONIGHT - THE EYES OF TEXAS ARE UPON YOU!

Pledge of Allegiance

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By Terry Orr

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

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References and Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance

http://www.homeofheroes.com/hallofheroes/1st_floor/flag/1bfc_pledge.html

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/why-is-the-pledge-of-allegiance-important.html