Monthly Archives: October 2020

Sweeteners and Glycemic Index

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Glycemic Index:

The Glycemic Index is an indication of how quickly a specified amount of food will cause a rise in blood sugar level. The amount of food is the portion that contains 50 grams of carbohydrate (200 calories from carbs). So it is really an indication of how one carb compares to another.

Certain foods cause a spike, or rapid rise, in blood sugar level. This spike causes an insulin response and may over time lead to health problems such as diabetes, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and other issues. Maintaining a more even blood sugar level appears to be beneficial in many ways.

Only foods that contain carbs cause this spike, proteins and fats do not. They provide calories but do not cause an immediate rise in blood sugar levels. Meat and eggs contain no carbs at all, they can be considered to have a zero glycemic index. However this is not strictly true as the test cannot be carried out on them: no amount of eggs will give the required 50 gm of carbs.

The test is carried out on volunteers who have been fasting for a period of time. They are fed a portion of food containing 50 gm of carbohydrate and their blood sugar level monitored over a 2 hour period. This data is drawn on a graph and the area under the curve measured, the larger the area, the higher the glycemic index (GI). Glucose is used as the standard with a value of 100 and all other foods are compared to this.

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Disney fires back at Elizabeth Warren’s letter blasting the company’s 28,000 layoffs

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Walt Disney Co. is fighting back after Sen. Elizabeth Warren wrote a scathing open letter this week that slammed the company for reinstating pay for senior executives who had taken salary cuts during the coronavirus pandemic and other financial decisions benefiting shareholders before the company revealed massive layoffs.

The company said in a statement, “Senator Warren’s misinformed letter contains a number of inaccuracies.”

Warren, D-Mass., wrote to Disney CEO Bob Chapek and Bob Iger, the former CEO turned Disney executive chairman, critical of the company’s compensation to executives and how it has treated workers.

“In the years leading up to this crisis, your company prioritized the enrichment of executives and stockholders through hefty compensation packages, and billions of dollars’ worth of dividend payments and stock buybacks, all of which weakened Disney’s financial cushion and ability to retain and pay its front-line workers amid the pandemic,” Warren wrote.

Warren also expressed concerns about the company terminating Florida workers and blaming the layoffs in California on “public health measures, which were implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and save lives.” Disneyland remains closed without an opening date. Disney World theme parks reopened in mid-July.

Disney’s statement responded with, “We’ve unequivocally demonstrated our ability to operate responsibly with strict health and safety protocols in place at all of our theme parks worldwide, with the exception of Disneyland Resort in California, where the State has prevented us from reopening, even though we have reached agreements with unions representing the majority of our Cast Members that would get them back to work.”

Walt Disney Co. announced last month it was laying off 28,000 people across its theme park division.

The company later disclosed details about how it would affect Orlando, revealing nearly 6,700 non-union Disney World employees are losing their jobs in December.

In addition, about 8,860 hourly part-time union employees who had been furloughed will be laid off, according to the company’s largest union coalition, which said those workers can get recalled when the company eventually needs them again.

The layoffs in Florida amount to about 20% of the company’s pre-coronavirus workforce of about 77,000.

Eddie Van Halen, Guitar Hero, Dies At 65

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Eddie Van Halen, the guitarist and songwriter who helped give the rock band Van Halen its name and sound, died Tuesday; October 6th, after a battle with cancer. He was 65.

His death was announced by his son, Wolf Van Halen, on Twitter.

“I can’t believe I’m having to write this,” the statement said, “but my father, Edward Lodewijk Van Halen, has lost his long and arduous battle with cancer this morning. He was the best father I could ever ask for. Every moment I’ve shared with him on and off stage was a gift.”

In a band known for its instability — due in part to a rotating cast of lead singers that most notably includes David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar — Eddie Van Halen and his brother, Alex, remained constants, appearing on 12 studio albums that reached across five decades and sold tens of millions of copies.

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Legendary FSU coach Bobby Bowden tests positive for COVID-19

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Former Seminoles head coach Bobby Bowden has tested positive for the coronavirus.

ABC 27 spoke to Bowden on Monday, who confirmed the news.

Despite the positive diagnosis, Bowden, 90, said he’s doing pretty good and is waiting to see what’s going to happen.

While he did not say if any of his other household members have also tested positive, Bowden told ABC 27 they are all going to get tested again Monday.

Bowden said he does not know when he contracted it and did not mention when exactly he tested positive.

During his 34 years as Florida State’s head coach he had only one losing season in 1976. From 1987 to 2000, the Seminoles finished every season with at least 10 wins and in the top 5 of the Associated Press College Football Poll, and won the national championship in 1993 and 1999.

Breakfast while on Vacation 2020

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My wife and I are both on vacation this week. We schedule this every year to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Every year previous, we would book a hotel room at a resort on the beach somewhere in Florida. 2019 was a fine time at Amelia Island, The Omni Amelia Island Resort was are destination which proved to be everything that we had heard. Due to the time of year, there are no crowds and the Florida humidity is lower. We stayed at a wonderful section of the resort that is actually condos that snow birds rent out when they are living up north. Our room came complete with a fully stocked kitchen, a living room and a very nice bedroom. I would say, probably 1000 square feet. and we paid around $179 a night. Yes my friends, it pays to live and grow up 1 hour from several beach’s in Central Florida. It’s precisely the reason I have never left this area.

Fast forward to 2020, the scenario this year has changed quite significantly. I have always said that the best vacation I ever had is the year I wasn’t at work and this cycle is no different. I did, however, want to have a few special moments for my wife considering we have been on lockdown since mid March. A few days ago I began planning a special breakfast complete with all our favorites. I chose to have breakfast on Sunday morning because I am always at work on Sunday. I figured that an awesome breakfast, followed by a nap, and then an afternoon of NFL football would be just the ticket for my wife and I. Did I mention that my wife is more into football than I am. That’s right, I hit the wife lottery. In more ways than one. The breakfast menu was an easy to list to prepare. We had been to breakfast at several fine restaurants here locally and with most things, we are creatures of habit. So here is what I planned for……

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Creepiest places in Florida guaranteed to haunt your dreams

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1.) Castillo de San Marcos (St. Augustine)

Built in the 17th century, the Castillo de San Marcos covers over 20 sprawling acres of land and is filled with a rich 450 year history that has withstood the test of time. 

If we’re talking haunted or creepy destinations in Florida, of course, St. Augustine is going to top most lists. Let’s talk about Castillo de San Marcos, a former military fortress that’s infamous for some of its battles. 

Some say the spirits of Spanish soldiers still defend the 17th century fort. Others say a light shines from a fixture in one of the watchtowers that has no electricity running to it. The spooky accounts also include one Spanish soldier in particular who stands at the edge of the fort, looking out to sea just when the sun is about to rise or set. And then there’s the dungeon — where many people have reported the feeling of cold hands touching them. Others say they just felt cold in general while walking through, according to a website called  ghostsandgraves.com. Visitors to the fort say they’ve shot videos and photos of glowing orbs, misty shapes and even some shapes resembling bodies. Enthusiasts of the paranormal and supernatural definitely flock to Castillo de San Marcos for a number of reasons — all of which will make your skin crawl.

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Being hard of hearing…

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In February of 1978 “Big Rock” band Van Halen released their self titled debut studio album “Van Halen”. Among classic hits like “Runnin with the Devil”, “You Really Got Me” and “Jamie’s Cryin”, there was included in the tracks a gem of a guitar solo “Eruption”

Van Halen 1978

“Eruption” is an instrumental rock guitar solo performed by Eddie Van Halen. It is widely considered one of the greatest guitar solos of all time, having popularized tapping. It segues into “You Really Got Me” on the album Van Halen, and the two songs are usually played together by radio stations. The song was also released as the b-side to the “Runnin’ with the Devil” single.

Advent Graduate Speakers

Back in February of 1978 I was in 5th grade at Audubon Park Elementary in Orlando, Florida. At that time I used to play music from a stack system purchased at Robinson’s department store in the Fashion Square Mall. Complete with glass door and less than worthy speakers until I upgraded to a pair of Advent Graduate speakers for my very functional Hi-Fi system.

It was many a night I would lay down on the floor of my bedroom and place each speaker against my ears and blast Van Halen into my soul and the highest volume. Eruption was a favorite as well as the other hits on this now classic album. Later in life, my youthful indiscretions would come back to haunt me. I have since become a bit hard of hearing and I honestly believe it is due to the nightly rock blasts directly into the ears as well as the ritual attendance to Rock Super Bowl concerts at the Tangerine Bowl in my hometown.