So, I am a snob. And?

As it turns out, not everything in my inbox is either a question or gushing with praise, sincere or otherwise. In fact, some of it is downright nasty.

Read the full post »

46 Comments
by on November 21, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Communication, Friday Follies, Humor
Tagged , , , , , , ,
Posted by Red on November 21, 2011

https://mommasmoneymatters.com/ff1-email-comebacks/

Danger! I think…

The healthy benefits of sushi are far outweighed by the risks. Ironically, there is more risk in the vegetables than in the seafood. (If you encounter difficulty with the terms in italics, try this first.)

454117_insecticide_distributer

1. Produce Contaminants

Insecticides and pathogens, such as E. coli. The sushi itself should be free of both through refining, but the cucumbers, carrots, peppers and other vegetables in the maki or temaki carry the greatest contamination  risk. You encounter the same amount of risk as ordering a salad in your favorite steak house.

2. Mercury

Large predatory fish can carry large amounts of mercury. Doctors, the CDC and the NIH warn pregnant women and those with suppressed or compromised immune systems against ingesting mercury in large quantities.

Large enough doses of mercury can be fatal to adults and fetuses. Birth defects have been linked to mercury. Nigiri, sashimi and chirashi made with predatory fish, like tuna, present the greatest risk in this category. Unless sushi is a staple of your diet (more than six ounces of raw fish per day), mercury is a small risk.

3. PCBs and Pollutants

Pollution-caused water contamination poisons water denizens. Due to the diluted nature of the sources, these contaminants represent only nominal risk and have not been linked to sushi-borne illness. This risk is tiny.

4. Anisakiasis

A microscopic, larval worm, which lives in some fish, can cause a possibly fatal infection. Sushi-grade fish undergoes deep freezing or cooking to a high enough temperature to kill the creatures in order to pass American food standards. (USDA)

5. Tapeworms and parasites

Saltwater fish have virtually no contamination because of the life cycle of the tapeworm. Freshwater fish, like trout, should not be eaten raw because parasites thrive in the warmth of freshwater. Statistically, sashimi consumers are in little danger from this contaminant.

Sushi chef working in a restaurant in Kyoto St...

Image via Wikipedia

Protect me!

Your best is a reputable restaurant which is health regulation compliant. Its fish will be delivered fresh daily and stored at the proper temperature until it is delivered to your table. You will run more risk of a bellyache from eating too much than by contaminated food.

As with everything else you consume, eat in moderation. The omega-3 fatty acids,  vitamin-rich vegetables and nori are good for your heart!

~~~~~~~~~~

Comments are welcomed on the new poll. Check it out.

NEXT: Picking the right sushi restaurant

~~~~~~~~~~

(c) Ann Marie Dwyer 2011
Reblogging of this or any other post on Momma’s Money Matters is expressly forbidden.
Copyright and Privacy Policy available in The Office. 

Who took you to your first sushi bar, and what did you order?

14 Comments
by on November 21, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Food, Leisure
Tagged , , , , , , ,
Posted by Red on November 21, 2011

https://mommasmoneymatters.com/risks-sushi/

Winterize

This is the beginning of the Auto Savings Series.

The winter months are here for some and rapidly approaching others. Is your car ready? Winter can cost you a fortune in repairs if your car is not winterized or you are not ready to drive in wintry conditions. Follow the three “P”s: Prepare, protect and prevent.

1. Prepare

  • An automotive tire tread typically ranges from...

    Image via Wikipedia

    Maintain your car to perform under cold conditions. 

  1. Check your battery (plus cables and terminals), windshield wipers, heater and tire tread.
  2. Add no-freeze (or de-icing) windshield wiper fluid to the washer reservoir.
  3. Level your antifreeze.
  • Stock your car with breakdown essentials in case of bad road conditions or an accident:
  1. SureFire U2 digital variable-output LED flashl...

    Image via Wikipedia

    Jumper cables

  2. Flashlight
  3. Flares
  4. Ice scrapers and snow brush
  5. Sand or cat litter
  6. Shovel
  7. Blankets (one per passenger)

The first three need to always be in your trunk. The last four are winter necessities. 

(1-3) If your car stalls, make sure other motorists can see you:

  1. Turn on hazard lights.
  2. Put flares out around the vehicle.
  3. Turn on the dome light.
  4. Carry a flashlight.
  5. Attempt to restart the car.
  6. If it still will not start, call for motorist assistance, emergency roadside service or enlist someone who stops to help.
  7. Use jumper cables to restart the car.

(4) You need ice scrapers and a snow brush. Ice builds up on the windshield while you are parked. Brush snow off the hood to prevent it from flying onto the windshield and refreezing.

(5) Sand or cat litter helps you gain traction on an icy road or parking lot.

Snow in a spade

Image via Wikipedia

(6) If you did not control your skid and slid into a snow bank, dig out your tires with the shovel. If you cannot dig it out, shovel  a clear path for the exhaust, so you can stay warm in the car until help arrives.

(7) You checked the heater,  and it worked. Why blankets? In the event of an accident or breakdown, you cannot guarantee the heater will function properly. Hypothermia can render you helpless in as little as 15 minutes.

  • Plan your route. 
  1. Avoid roads where accidents occur on clear days. They will be more dangerous in winter. If you must drive in these areas, be overly cautious.
  2. Plan the time of the trip and add ten minutes. No one will ever fire you for being early.
  3. Check the weather. On snow days, allow one extra minute per mile to account for traffic not as winter savvy as you. Leave five minutes earlier for sleet.
  4. Tell someone your route and ETA. Agree to a time when they will call for help if you have not arrived.

2. Protect

  • Buckle your seat belt.
  • Use child safety seats, booster seats and child restraints properly.
  • Never place a rear-facing infant car seat in the front seat.
  • Keep children under 12 years old buckled up in the backseat.

3. Prevent

  • Road Sign GrammarYou are best person to prevent accidents.
  • Drive with day lights or running lights during daylight hours.
  • Never mix alcohol or drugs with driving. If you are taking prescription drugs or planning to drink, designate a driver.
  • Slow down.
  • Increase the distance between you and other cars.
  • Watch for pedestrians and bicyclists.
  • Share the road courteously.
  • Avoid fatigue by getting plenty of rest.
  • Driving over long distances, stop every 3 hours. When possible, alternate drivers at each stop.

All drivers have the responsibility to drive safely. Driving in the snow, sleet and ice does not have to be difficult: 3 “P”s

~~~~~~~~~~

NEXT: Are you bald?
Comments are welcome on this week’s poll. Check it out!

~~~~~~~~~~

(c) Ann Marie Dwyer 2011
Reblogging of this or any other post on Momma’s Money Matters is expressly forbidden.
Copyright and Privacy Policy available in The Office. 

Where did you first drive in the snow or ice?

18 Comments
by on November 21, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Cars, Cost Cutting Tips, Leisure, Saving Money, Vacations
Tagged , , , , ,
Posted by Red on November 21, 2011

https://mommasmoneymatters.com/winter-driving-tips-winterize/

Top 10 Things I Hate…

…about the world we live in today.

Being an eternal optimist, I had to do some soul-searching to find ten things I really hate about the world. Taking in a news program, the prime time hour and a conversation with a few people, I realized the majority of what I hate is the deplorable way humans treat one another.

These are the top 10 things I hate about our world, in no particular order.

1. Popularity of dishonesty
2. Unbridled avarice
3. Unadulterated sloth
4. Assignment of blame/Lack of personal responsibility
5. Celebration of crime
6. Rewards for mediocrity
7. Entitlement to reward without sacrifice
8. Abandonment of work ethic
9. Failure of parents to raise children to be participating citizens of society
10. Revisionist history

Why I hate them.

(Writer’s note: The term you is not indicative of accusing the reader of these actions, but rather the pronoun chosen to represent society.)

No political correctness
1. Lying is expected. From politicians to job applicants. Now, lying has a name: political correctness. I would much rather everyone just tell the truth.
2. It is ridiculous to have a contract worth $23,000,000 per year, while families struggle to make enough money to keep food on the table and clothes on their children. I could put that much money in my fireplace, and keep my house warm.
3. Unemployment, welfare, disability…where does it stop. Healthy, able-bodied people who choose not to support themselves or their families. Get a job. (This is not a jab at the legitimate claims.)
4. It is your fault. Admit it, apologize, rectify the wrong and do not repeat it.

Ball-peen hammer
5. Gangsters and drug dealers are not role models. Charles Manson did not write a parenting guide book. John Gotti should have had to break rocks with a ball peen hammer. Our entertainment is filled with a love affair our society has with crime.
6. You do not “graduate” from the 3rd grade. Not everyone who plays the game deserves a trophy. The reward of a task completed should be sufficient when one does as one is expected. These celebrations make the real standouts feel as though they excelled for no reason.
The nurses, military, support staff and the hard-working are overlooked when they quietly go above and beyond the call of duty, day in and day out.
7. No one owes you anything until you earn it. As children grow up thinking they should be congratulated and rewarded for the tasks they are expected to finish, they become self-righteous, entitled adults who believe the mere fact they graced the job with their countenance should earn them a raise.
8. Punching the time clock does not entitle you to a check. Actually doing your job is what entitles you to a paycheck.

9. Children do not learn life lessons, discipline, values or ethics from school. Parents must be examples of good citizens and upstanding individuals. Children learn more from observation than they ever do from a book.

10. See number 4.

There is a lot of good in this world. These ten are the not good ones I happen to hate. Anyone with me?

~~~~~~~~~~

© Red Dwyer 2011
Reblogging of this or any other post on The M3 Blog is expressly forbidden.
Copyright and Privacy Policy available in The Office. 
No Comments
by on November 20, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Communication, Humor
Tagged , , , ,
Posted by Red on November 20, 2011

https://mommasmoneymatters.com/things-i-hate/

It’s Not All Raw

When you mention sushi, 60% of your friends will grimace and make some snide comment about eating bait. The other 40% probably know the definitions of two or three dozen Japanese words.

Uncooked Sushi rice

Speak to me.

Before you go to the posh sushi bar, learn a little Japanese, so you do not sound like Jethro. The term “sushi bar” is typical American slang. Not everything served at the sushi restaurant is sushi. As a matter of fact, not everything even has sushi in it. So, there.

So…what is sushi?

Vinegared rice. Never saw that coming, did you? Sushi is not fish. It is rice.

Why do they call it “sushi rolls”?

Because the sushi is the biggest ingredient and the glue which holds the everything else together inside the nori. Nori is the Japanese word for kelp.

Nori, geröstete Blätter aus Algen, die vor all...

Image via Wikipedia

You got it. The bluish, greenish, blackish, papery strip which holds the roll together is seaweed. And it is good for you. It is packed full of vitamins.

Maki containing various vegetables, from Sushi...

Image via Wikipedia

So, what do the Japanese call “sushi rolls”?

Maki is the Japanese name for rolled sushi, nori and vegetables. Maki can include seafood, or not. Some maki is rolled in sesame seeds, but many are rolled in roe. Roe? Yes, fish eggs. Many different species besides besides sturgeon produce very tasty eggs.

The rolls are hard to eat with chop sticks.

For the chop-stick-challenged, temaki is the next best choice. If you were not too keen on the nori in the roll, you may be surprised by this incarnation. Temaki is a large piece of nori, rolled into a cone and filled with sushi and vegetables and sometimes seafood. If you are not fond of nori, just eat what is inside.

Temaki de Huevas de Salmón (Ikura), Aguacate y...

Temaki Image by jlastras via Flickr

Where’s the fish?

A salmon rose, part of a sashimi dinner set. T...

If you are looking for sashimi, (above) Japanese for a fillet of seafood, you need to order nigiri, chirashi or sasazushi. Nigiri is a rolled-up ball of sushi, wrapped with nori and topped with wasabi (green Japanese horseradish) and sashimi.

Japanese Sushi Works By Hanazakura

Chirashi is a bowl of sushi topped with vegetables and sashimi. This is the best choice of the chop-stick-impaired and the nori-intolerant.

Chirashi by comicpie in Toronto

Sasazushi is another form of nigiri. Instead of wrapping the sushi with nori, the sushi, vegetables and sashimi are wrapped in bamboo leaves. Another good choice for the nori-intolerant.

Sasazushi, a type of oshizushi

The American term “sushi bar” does not do the art created by talented sushi chefs justice. Remember, sushi does not mean “raw fish”.

Typical home delivery Sushi platter.

~~~~~~~~~~

NEXT: Sushi risks

Have you ever tried maki, temaki, sashimi, nigiri, saszushi or chirashi? What did you like or dislike about it?

~~~~~~~~~~

(c) Ann Marie Dwyer 2011
Reblogging of this or any other post on Momma’s Money Matters is expressly forbidden.
Copyright and Privacy Policy available in The Office. 
15 Comments
by on November 20, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Cooking Tips, Food
Tagged , , , , , , , , ,
Posted by Red on November 20, 2011

https://mommasmoneymatters.com/what-is-sushi/

« Older Posts
Newer Posts »