SLURPEE – FREE SLURPEE

By Terry Orr

What is your favorite flavor Slurpee?  Can you remember the your first Slurpee? In honor of 7- Eleven’s 86^th birthday, they are offering free Slurpee’s (7.11 ounce size) at participating stores, from 11AM to 7PM.

Here is a comprehensive list of current (and past) Slurpee flavors.

Slurpee Flavors

7-Up

7-Up Green

7-Up Ice

7-Up Tropical

Amp Energy Freeze

Artic Burst

Banana

Banana Split

Black Cherry

Black Pina Colada

Blue Berry Blast

Blue Meanie (Australia Only)

Blue Raspberry Rush

Blue Shock

Blue Vanilla

Blue Woo Hoo! Vanilla

Bruisin’ Berry

Bruisin’ Berry Grape

Bubble Yum

Bumblebee Blast

Café Latte

Candy Cane

Cherry Coke

Citrus Splash

Code Red

Coke

Coke Classic

Cotton Candy

Cranberry Sprite

Cream Soda (Barq’s)

Crystal Light Berry Pomegranate (Sugar Free)

Crystal Light Cherry Limeaide (Sugar Free)

Crystal Light Orange Pineapple Ice (Sugar Free)

Crystal Light Passionfruit (Sugar Free)

Crystal Light Peach Mango Fusion (Sugar Free)

Crystal Light Raspberry Ice (Sugar Free)

Crystal Light Strawberry Banana (Sugar Free)

Crystal Light Tangerine Lime (Sugar Free)

Diet Pepsi

Dr. Pepper

Fanta Banana

Fanta Birch Beer

Fanta Blue Cherry

Fanta Blue Raspberry

Fanta Ginger Ale

Fanta Grape

Fanta Green Lemon Lime

Fanta Green Melon

Fanta Kiwi Strawberry

Fanta Mandarin Tangerine

Fanta Orange

Fanta Orange Cream

Fanta Pina Colada

Fanta Pineapple

Fanta Purple Berry Cherry

Fanta Raspberry

Fanta Red Licorice

Fanta Super Sour Apple

Fanta Super Sour Cherry

Fanta Super Sour Watermelon

Fanta Vanilla

Fanta Watermelon

Fanta White Cherry

Fanta Wild Cherry

Fanta Wild Cherry Reduced Calorie

Frawg

French Vanilla

Full Throttle Blue Demon

Full Throttle Frozen Blast

Game Fuel

Grape

Grapefruit

Grapermelon

Green Apple

Gully Washer

Hawaiian Punch

Hawaiian Punch Fruit Juicy Red

Hawaiian Punch Green Berry Rush

Honeycomb

Iced Tea

Jolly Rancher Sour Apple

Kryptonite Ice

Lemonador

Licorice

Lime

Liquid Artillery

Livewire Orange

Mango Bango

Margarita

Mellow Yellow

Minute Maid Blue Cherry

Minute Maid Blue Raspberry

Minute Maid Blueberry

Minute Maid Cherry

Minute Maid Grape

Minute Maid Lemonade

Minute Maid Orange

Minute Maid Passionfruit Orange

Minute Maid Peach

Minute Maid Pineapple

Minute Maid Raspberry

Minute Maid Strawberry

Mocha Chocolate

Monster Black Ice

Mountain Dew

Mountain Dew Blue Lightning/Shock

Mountain Dew LiveWire

Mountain Dew Pitch Black

Orange

Orange-Pineapple

Pepsi

Pepsi Blue

Pepsi Samba

Pina Colada

Pineapple

Pitch Black Grape

Powerade Ice

Purple S-cream

Radiation Rush

Raspberry Crystal Light

Red Cherry

Rootbeer

Rootbeer (Barq’s)

Shrekalicious

Sierra Mist

Slurpucchino

Slurpurita Pomegranate

SnowBawls (Bawls)

Sobe Citrus

Sour Peach

Sour Strawberry

Sour Watermelon

Sprite

Sprite Ice

StawberrWii Banana

Strawberry

Strawberry Banana

Strawberry Cream

Strawberry-Kiwi

Tropical Punch

Tropicana Twister Berry

Twizzlers Strawberry

Vanilla Coke

What-a-melon

Wild Cherry Pepsi

So tomorrow will be another hot day from most of America – great reason to visit your local “Oh Thank Heavens, It’s 7-Eleven” for your FREE Slurpee!!

WANT A FREE HOUSE?

(From Facebook)

I was in my neighborhood restaurant this morning and was seated behind a group of jubilant individuals celebrating the coming implementation of the health care bill. I could not finish my breakfast. This is what ensued: They were a diverse group of several races and both sexes. I heard a young man exclaim, "Isn't Obama like Jesus Christ? I mean, after all, he is healing the sick."

A young woman enthusiastically proclaimed, "Yeah, and he does it for free. I cannot believe anyone would think that a free market wouldn't work for health care."

Another said, "The stupid Republicans want us all to starve to death so they can inherit all of the power. Obama should be made a Saint for what he did for those of us less fortunate."

At this, I had more than enough. I arose from my seat, mustering all the restraint I could find, and approached their table. "Please excuse me; may I impose upon you for one moment?"

They smiled and welcomed me to the conversation. I stood at the end of their table, smiled as best I could and began an experiment.

"I would like to give one of you my house. It will cost you no money and I will pay all of the expenses and taxes for as long as you live there. Anyone interested?"

They looked at each other in astonishment. "Why would you do something like that?" asked a young man, "There isn't anything for free in this world." They began to laugh at me, as they did not realize this man had just made my point.

"I am serious, I will give you my house for free, no money whatsoever. Anyone interested?"

In unison, a resounding "Yeah" fills the room.

"Since there are too many of you, I will have to make a choice as to who receives this money-free bargain."

I noticed an elderly couple was paying attention to the spectacle unfolding before their eyes, the old man shaking his head in apparent disgust.

"I tell you what; I will give it to the one of you most willing to obey my rules."

Again, they looked at one another, an expression of bewilderment on their faces.

The perky young woman asked, "What are the rules?"

I smiled and said, "I don't know. I have not yet defined them. However, it is a free home that I offer you."

They giggled amongst themselves, the youngest of which said, "What an old coot. He must be crazy to give away his home. Go take your meds, old man."

I smiled and leaned into the table a bit further. "I am serious, this is a legitimate offer."

They gaped at me for a moment.

"I'll take it you old fool. Where are the keys?" boasted the youngest among them.

"Then I presume you accept ALL of my terms then?" I asked.

The elderly couple seemed amused and entertained as they watched from the privacy of their table. "Oh yeah! Where do I sign up?"

I took a napkin and wrote, "I give this man my home, without the burden of financial obligation, so long as he accepts and abides by the terms that I shall set forth upon consummation of this transaction."

I signed it and handed it to the young man who eagerly scratched out his signature.

"Where are the keys to my new house?" he asked in a mocking tone of voice.

All eyes were upon us as I stepped back from the table, pulling the keys from pocket and dangling them before the excited new homeowner.

"Now that we have entered into this binding contract, witnessed by all of your friends, I have decided upon the conditions you are obligated to adhere to from this point forward. You may only live in the house for one hour a day. You will not use anything inside of the home. You will obey me without question or resistance. I expect complete loyalty and admiration for this gift I bestow upon you. You will accept my commands and wishes with enthusiasm, no matter the nature. Your morals and principles shall be as mine. You will vote as I do, think as I do and do it with blind faith. These are my terms. Here are your keys." I reached the keys forward and the young man looked at me dumbfounded.

"Are you out of your mind? Who would ever agree to those ridiculous terms?" the young man appeared irritated.

"You did when you signed this contract before reading it, understanding it and with the full knowledge that I would provide my conditions only after you committed to the agreement."

The elderly man chuckled as his wife tried to restrain him. I was looking at a now silenced and bewildered group of people.

"You can shove that stupid deal up your a** old man. I want no part of it!" exclaimed the now infuriated young man.

'You have committed to the contract, as witnessed by all of your friends. You cannot get out of the deal unless I agree to it. I do not intend to let you free now that I have you ensnared. I am the power you agreed to. I am the one you blindly and without thought chose to enslave yourself to. In short, I am your Master."

At this, the table of celebrating individuals became a unified group against the unfairness of the deal.

After a few moments of unrepeatable comments and slurs, I revealed my true intent.

"What I did to you is what this administration and congress did to you with the health care legislation. I easily suckered you in and then revealed the real cost of the bargain. Your folly was in the belief that you can have something you did not earn, and for that which you did not earn, you willingly allowed someone else to think for you. Your failure to research, study and inform yourself permitted reason to escape you. You have entered into a trap from which you cannot flee. Your only chance of freedom is if your new Master gives it to you. A freedom that is given can also be taken away. Therefore, it is not freedom at all."

With that, I tore up the napkin and placed it before the astonished young man. "This is the nature of your new health care legislation."

I turned away to leave these few in thought and contemplation – and was surprised by applause.

The elderly gentleman, who was clearly entertained, shook my hand enthusiastically and said, "Thank you, Sir. These kids don't understand Liberty.”

He refused to allow me to pay my bill as he said, "You earned this one. It is an honor to pick up the tab."

I shook his hand in thanks, leaving the restaurant somewhat humbled and sensing a glimmer of hope for my beloved country.

Remember... Four boxes keep us free: the soapbox, the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box.

This should go around the United States so people can see just what is going on. Maybe even the politically blind ones will learn something from it.

"Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the American government take care of him; better take a closer look at the American Indian."

~ Henry Ford

National Popcorn Poppin' Month

(Google Image) 

By Terry Orr

Life on the Internet can be a mixed blessing and deep dark hole of frustration.  Today, I want to share one of those unique and super resources that you will visit frequently if you’re a popcorn lover like me.  October is National Popcorn Poppin’ Month, so named because it is when popcorn is harvested in the Midwest. 

(Google Image)

According to Wikipedia - Popcorn was first discovered thousands of years ago by the Guatemalans. It is one of the oldest forms of corn: evidence of popcorn from 3600 BCE was found in New Mexico and even earlier evidence dating to perhaps as early as 4700 BCE was found in Peru.

(Google Image)

Fun Popcorn Facts (from www.popcorn.org)

• Americans consume some 16 billion quarts of this whole grain, good-for-you treat. That’s 51 quarts per man, woman, and child.
• Compared to most snack foods, popcorn is low in calories. Air-popped popcorn has only 31 calories per cup. Oil-popped is only 55 per cup.
• Popcorn is a type of maize (or corn), a member of the grass family, and is scientifically known as Zea mays everta.
• Of the 6 types of maize/corn—pod, sweet, flour, dent, flint, and popcorn—only popcorn pops.
• Popcorn is a whole grain. It is made up of three components: the germ, endosperm, and pericarp (also known as the hull).
• Popcorn needs between 13.5-14% moisture to pop.
• Popcorn differs from other types of maize/corn in that is has a thicker pericarp/hull. The hull allows pressure from the heated water to build and eventually bursts open. The inside starch becomes gelatinous while being heated; when the hull bursts, the gelatinized starch spills out and cools, giving it its familiar popcorn shape.
• Most U.S. popcorn is grown in the Midwest, primarily in Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky and Missouri.
• Many people believe the acres of corn they see in the Midwest during growing season could be picked and eaten for dinner, or dried and popped. In fact, those acres are typically field corn, which is used largely for livestock feed, and differs from both sweet corn and popcorn.
• The peak period for popcorn sales for home consumption is in the fall.
• Most popcorn comes in two basic shapes when it's popped: snowflake and mushroom. Snowflake is used in movie theaters and ballparks because it looks and pops bigger. Mushroom is used for candy confections because it doesn't crumble.
• Popping popcorn is one of the number one uses for microwave ovens. Most microwave ovens have a "popcorn" control button.
• "Popability" is popcorn lingo that refers to the percentage of kernels that pop.
• There is no such thing as “hull-less” popcorn. All popcorn needs a hull in order to pop. Some varieties of popcorn have been bred so the hull shatters upon popping, making it appear to be hull-less.
• How high popcorn kernels can pop? Up to 3 feet in the air.
• The world’s largest popcorn ball was created by volunteers in Sac City, Iowa in February, 2009.  It weighed 5,000 lbs., stood over 8 ft. tall, and measured 28.8 ft. in circumference.
• If you made a trail of popcorn from New York City to Los Angeles, you would need more than 352,028,160 popped kernels!

(Google Image)

When thinking of popcorn, often I think of the ending of the 1985 movie “Real Genius” with Val Kilmer and others. 

(Google Image)

Popcorn.org has a wonderful free download of Popcorn recipes – 142 pages worth.  I’ll be printing it shortly and trying out new recipes.

(Google Image)

References and Links:

• http://resources.popcorn.org/client_files/recipes/popcorn_recipe_book.pdf
• http://www.popcorn.org/AboutUs/PopcornPoppinMonth/PressRelease/tabid/155/Default.aspx
• http://www.popcorn.org/AboutUs/PopcornPoppinMonth/tabid/72/Default.aspx