Coconut Banana Macadamia Pancakes

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup milk (non-fat is fine)
1 large egg
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup mashed banana (about 1/2 large banana)
1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts (optional)


Method:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
In a medium bowl, beat together milk, egg, melted butter and almond extract. Stir in coconut and banana, then pour into flour mixture. Add the macadamia nuts and stir until almost smooth.
Heat a lightly greased griddle (or frying pan), over medium-high heat until a drop of water will dance around when dropped on the surface. Drop batter by heaping spoonfulls and cook about 2-3 minutes, until browned, before flipping to brown the other side. Continue until all pancakes are made and serve hot.

Old Ipana Commercial with Bucky Beaver

The Witch's Boat

This is a traditional Slavonian Gypsy tale that tells of a gypsy girl who was extremely inquisitive about the world around her. One day she came up with an idea to eat an egg and to leave the shell on the riverbank to see what would happen.
She sat and waited until dark by the riverbank. At nightfall her curiosity was answered. A witch came and whispered a magic word, and magically the shell of the egg turned into a beautiful boat. the witch got into the boat and took the witch down river and across the ocean to a foreign land. The girl wondered at what she saw and decided she would do the same. Remembering the magic word and went away. The next time the girl ate another egg she went down to the riverbank and whispered the magic word. Just as before a magic boat appeared. In she climbed and sailed off down the river and across the ocean to strange new lands.

Time passed but soon the girl returned with many exotic flowers and strange new fruits from travels which she sold to her neighbours. Many times the girl would travel away and return with fantastic flowers and fruit. The gypsy girl did not know that one of her neighbours was extremely jealous of her success and was a very wicked woman. She had watched the girl return from her travels by hiding down by the riverbank in the bushes. Deciding that she too wanted riches the woman watched the girl climb out of the boat and go away. As quickly as she could she climbed into the gypsy girl's boat and instructed the boat to take her away to lands where there was much gold and silk. Unfortunately the woman did not know the magic word so as soon as she had told the boat what to do the boat began to sink. Panicking in case she would drown the woman exclaimed 'In God's name get on with you!'. As soon as the woman said this the boat turned back into an eggshell. The spell had been broken and the woman sank into the water. The sea began to turn and roll, and the woman drowned.

The moral of the story : that no amount of riches are worth dieing for and that negative energies are extremely dangerous

Mortal Kombat Fatalities

Vegetable Myths

Myth #1: White potatoes make you fat. Nope. The truth is – one medium baked potato is only 161 calories, but has four grams of stomach-filling fiber. Cooked, then chilled potatoes are packed with resistant starch, which can help you lose weight – because they pass right through you. Studies also show that the chemicals in potatoes improve heart health, boost immunity, lower blood pressure, and protect against cancer. Just leave off the high-fat toppings, like butter, sour cream, and bacon bits - and eat your potato – skin and all - with salsa instead.
Myth #2: Carrots are full of sugar. Not exactly. One cup of chopped raw carrots contains just 52 calories, and 12 grams of carbs - fewer than you’d get from a cup of milk, or a medium size piece of fruit. Half of the “carrot carbs” are complex carbs, which help you feel full longer. The other half come from natural sugar, which is better than the processed sugar in candy bars. Carrots are also packed with fiber and vitamins, which boost blood sugar control and colon health.
Myth #3: Iceberg lettuce has zero nutrients. Not true. Iceberg has lots of good-for-you chemicals, like vision-boosting vitamin A, and bone-healthy vitamin K. In fact, studies show that adults who eat one serving a day of any type of lettuce have the lowest rates of hip fracture.
Myth #4: Corn is nothing more than carbs. Yes, corn’s got carbs, but they’re the best kind: high-quality complex carbs. The plant also has little in common with high fructose corn syrup, a sweetener made from corn that has all the nutrition and fiber processed out of it. In fact, corn does double-duty as both a veggie and a whole grain, so it’s loaded with fiber. Corn also helps your heart, and helps prevent age-related macular degeneration.

Symbolism of the Coat of Arms of Canada

Shield
The shield is divided into five sections:
The first division at the viewer's top left contains the three golden lions that have been a symbol of England since at least the reign of King Richard I. The second quarter bears the red lion rampant of Scotland in a double tressure border with fleurs-de-lis, used as a symbol of Scotland since at least the reign of William I. The third quarter shows the Irish harp of Tara. Legend states that this golden harp with silver strings was used in royal banquets at Tara, a capital of ancient Ireland, and was later given to Henry VIII by the pope during his attempt to succeed to the Irish throne. The gold fleurs-de-lis of royal France, the first European emblem raised in Canada by Jacques Cartier during his landing at Gaspé, fill the fourth quarter.The tinctures of the quarters are Gules (red), Or (gold), Azure (blue), Azure and Argent (silver) respectively.

The fifth charge, a sprig of red maple leaves at the bottom is a distinctly Canadian symbol that became gradually identified with the country throughout the 19th century. They were first proposed as a symbol in 1834, were established in 1868 on the arms of Quebec and Ontario and officially became the national emblem in 1965, with the proclamation of the Flag of Canada. Initially, the leaves were depicted as coloured green on the coat of arms because it was thought to represent youth, as opposed to the red colour of dying leaves in autumn (however, they are blazoned as "proper," so could be shown as either red or green, and it is the blazon, rather than any depiction, which is regarded as authoritative). The leaves were later redrawn in official depictions in 1957 with the current colour to be in line with the official colours of Canada. The shield forms the basis of the royal standard of Canada.


Ribbon
The ribbon is marked desiderantes meliorem patriam, meaning "desiring a better country." It is the motto of the Order of Canada. This component was added, by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister, to the arms used to represent the Queen in 1987, after a new Canadian "law of arms" was created, which included the rule that the motto of the Order of Canada would be included around the personal coat of arms of any Canadian who received an appointment to the Order, while the arms used by government ministers and departments remained without the ribbon. Since 1994 the arms used by government ministers and institutions now reflect the personal arms of the Queen.


Helm
The arms show a royal helmet, which is a barred helm of gold looking outward, and draped in a mantle of white and red which are the official colours of Canada. The golden helmet facing the viewer symbolizes Canada's sovereignty.



Crest and crown
The crest is based on the Royal Crest of England but differenced by the addition of a maple leaf, and appears on the Governor General's blue flag denoting that the Governor General is a representative of the Sovereign.

It consists of a crowned gold lion standing on a twisted wreath of red and white silk and holding a maple leaf in its right paw. Above the crest is St Edward's Crown, the style preferred by the Queen. (See the article on the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom for a discussion of different styles of crown historically used in the Commonwealth.)

The 1921 design was a Tudor crown, and the style was modernized to its current form in 1957 by the Canadian government, although the Queen had indicated her preference in May 1952, shortly after ascending the throne in February 1952.


Supporters
Supporting the shield on either side are the English lion and Scottish unicorn, which are also the supporters of the UK coat of arms. The lion stands on the viewer's left and holds a gold-pointed silver lance flying the Union Flag. The unicorn has a gold horn, a gold mane, gold hooves, and around its neck a gold, chained coronet of crosses and fleurs-de-lis; it holds a lance flying the three gold fleurs-de-lis of royal France on a blue background. Unlike the British version, the lion is not crowned, nor is it facing the viewer. Supporters holding lances displaying flags are elements adopted from the Royal coat of arms of Scotland.


Motto
The motto of Canada is in Latin a mari usque ad mare (From sea to sea), a part of Psalm 72:8. This phrase was first suggested by Samuel Leonard Tilley, a Father of Confederation. The motto appears at the base of the arms. The motto was originally used in 1906 on the head of the mace of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. It was included in the Arms of Canada in 1921.

In March 2006, the premiers of Canada's three territories called for the amendment of the motto to better reflect the vast geographic nature of Canada's territory—Canada has three coastlines on the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans. Two suggestions for a new motto are A mari ad mare ad mare (from sea to sea to sea) and A mari usque ad maria (from the sea to the other seas). The motto remains unchanged.

Flo-Jo Quotes

Quotes by Flo Jo:

“People don't pay much attention to you when you are second best. I wanted to see what it felt like to be number one.”

"When anyone tells me I can't do anything... I'm just not listening any more."

“I like being unconventional"

"We really couldn't afford new Barbie clothes, so my mother taught me how to sew and how to make my own dresses. That was such a joyful time for me -- doing something creative that we both loved."

"After she [my mother] separated from my father, my mother had no choice but to be independent, and I think I got that from her -- being able to stand on my own two feet. She taught us all that nothing is going to be handed to you. You have to make things happen."

"The ladder of success is never crowded at the top."

“I had always come in second, and when you’ve been second best for so long you can either accept it or try to become the best. I made the decision to try and be the best in 1988.”

“I had a good start, a relaxed middle, and kept my knees up at the end. It was more or less a perfect race. When I saw that time, I couldn't believe it, but after the first race time I knew I could get into the 10.50's. It just made me realize that if I kept concentrating, I could go faster.”
--On the day Florence officially became the fastest woman in history

“There is no substitute for hard work… I have the medals to prove it!”

"Nothing is going to be handed to you -- you have to make things happen."

"I don't play around. I want to get on the track, get the job done and get off."

"I've been in track and field for more than 20 years, and out of all my races, I've lost more than I've won. But it's all been fun."

"I trained a lot harder -- maybe three times harder -- for the '88 Olympics. There is no substitute for hard work... I have the medals to prove it."

"For a long time I thought that being relaxed meant you were running slow, but it's the contrary. When you're fighting against your body instead of letting go. Relaxation was the key."

"I like designing clothes, and I wanted to bring something of myself into what I do. The one-legger? That was an accident. I was actually creating an even more radical style by cutting several holes in the stocking, and I happened to cut off the leg. I tried it on and though, 'Hmmm, this looks cute.'"

"Parents need to be role models for children and instill in them the fact that exercise and healthy eating should be lifelong habits"

“Your dreams deserve a try… the sky’s the limit!”

“The youth of today are the citizens of tomorrow.”

Quotes about Flo Jo:

"We were dazzled by her speed, humbled by her talent, and captivated by her style."
-- Former President Bill Clinton

"She's so sincere and sweet, but she's the most determined athlete I know besides by sister, Jackie."
-- Al Joyner, Florence's husband

"It's a great feeling as a coach to see your athlete run well, hearing the oohs and aahs as she picks people off."
-- Bob Kersee, Florence's former track coach

"For a long time, we've been thought of as 'jocks.' Florence brings in the glamour. She walks out on the track like she owns it."
-- Wilma Rudolph, 1960 Olympic gold medallist

"People are still trying to catch the records she set in '88. It's an amazing legacy. Many have tried and all have failed in terms of her records."
-- Carl Lewis, nine-time Olympic gold medallist

"The gods were with her... It was an unbelievable time."
-- Carl Lewis, who witnessed FloJo's record 100-meter run

"She was a role model for girls and young women in sports. She will be remembered among America's greatest Olympians, and she will be recalled with the legends, like Wilma Rudolph and Babe Didrikson Zaharias."
-- Bill Hybl, U.S. Olympic Committee president

"The beauty of her was that she never changed. She was the same Flo Jo before (she became a star) and she was the same Flo Jo after."
-- John Smith, track coach

"Florence brought a certain style to track, something so different, with her fashionable appearance and her stunning speed."
-- Patricia Rico, president, USA Track and Field

"Florence was a ground breaker, setting new standards in athletic achievement and in fashion."
-- Craig Masbac, CEO, USA Track and Field

"She showed so many young kids that sports was a real alternative to drugs and violence."
-- Arnold Schwarzenegger