Sunflower Seeds: Benefits

The health benefits of sunflower seeds

1. Sunflower seeds are a fantastic source of vitamins and minerals, and are eaten by many people as a health booster.

2. They contain a wonderful amount of Vitamin E. This antioxidant destroys free radicals in the body.

3. This can lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and colon cancer.

4. They can be used to make sunflower seed milk, which is fantastic for vegans those who have lactose intolerance and cannot drink dairy milk.

5. The Vitamin E also reduces the effects of asthma, and prevents hot flashes during the menopause.

6. They also contain phytosterols. These are compounds which lower cholesterol levels in the blood and boost immune response.

7. If you are trying to lose weight, eating a handful of these can be very filling and will help to prevent food cravings during a diet.

8. Eating them regularly can prevent atherosclerosis. This is where the arteries become hardened due to plaque. 

9. The healthy dose of magnesium in these kernels can also have a calming effect on the body, and maintaining healthy bones.

10. This also boosts energy levels and can prevent high blood pressure, muscle spasms, migraines and fatigue. 

11. Selenium, a trace mineral found in sunflower seeds helps DNA to repair itself, potentially preventing cancerous cells.

12. You can eat them raw, as they have a nutty taste with a firm texture. We recommend sprinkling these over a daily salad.

13. They also contain good doses of copper, vitamin B1, B3, B6, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, iron and folate. 

14. You may also find that eating these often, causes your skin to have a natural glow, also protecting the skin from UV damage to some extent.

15. If you suffer with acne or other skin problems, eating a balanced diet with healthy seeds and nuts will help to heal your condition.

16. The seeds are also cold pressed to create a healthy sunflower oil. You can use this as an alternative in cooking to get similar benefits.

17. They can be purchased all over the world, as they are some of the most popular seeds. 

18. Be sure to store these in the refrigerator in an airtight container so that they do not spoil and lose their nutrient content. 

Hemp Seed Oil: Benefits and Uses

The health benefits and uses of Hemp Seed Oil

1. Hemp Seed oil is made using a cold pressed method, and is commonly used as a natural remedy in Eastern cultures.

2. Some people confuse this with Cannabis Oil, but they are in fact very different, as hemp does not have drug like effects.

3. Organic Hemp Oil can be purchased from health foods stores all around the world and can be taken to boost heart health.

4. It contains a healthy ratio of Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids, which boost cardiovascular 

function, helping to prevent heart disease.

5. It has a nutty flavour, and can be taken on a regular basis to provide the body with protein, Vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, calcium, and phosphorus.

6. If you suffer with mood swings, you may have a hormone imbalance. Hemp oil contains gamma-linoleic acid, which balances out the hormones.

7. This works brilliantly for women who are in the menopause, or suffer with heavy periods.

8. Vegetarians and vegans can often become deficient in Omega 3 fatty acids, as this is usually derived from fish. Hemp oil is a great vegan alternative.

9. It helps to lower the cholesterol by boosting the metabolism and getting rid of fat deposits in the arteries.

10. Be sure to store this in a cool dark place such as the refrigerator, to keep it fresh.

11. If you suffer with skin problems such as psoriasis, taking hemp oil daily will help to oxygenate 

the skin, and heal the cause of the problem. 

12. Be sure to never heat hemp oil, as this will turn the healthy fats into saturated fats, making it far less healthy.

13. I recommend adding this to your salad dressings, with perhaps a little mayonnaise or lemon juice. 

14. It can be used to moisturize the skin directly, and is also anti-inflammatory. This will reduce redness and skin irritation.

15. To learn more about natural remedies, please see our other videos. 

Thank you very much for listening, a like is always appreciated and remember to subscribe for more healthy videos. I wish you great health, wealth and happiness

Attributes that Should Accompany Broadmindedness©

"He mistakes the stretching of his conscience for the broadening of his mind."

--Vance Havner

Yesterday I wrote about the neglected meanings of the word "discrimination." Today’s essay is a companion piece about a different phenomenon–the almost unthinking acceptance of the positive values given to the word broadminded and the neglect of its dangers and associated attributes which should accompany it in order to avoid its negative effects. The thoughts are not mine, however. Today this column is relinquished for reproduction of a short but thoughtful essay by a man whose intelligence, wisdom, and articulateness I greatly admire and respect–Richard L. Evans, the voice of radio’s “Spoken Word,” for forty years.

*********

“Broadmindedness” is a word that has much meaning and much to commend it. But “the question is,” said Alice in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass, “the question is whether you can make words mean so many different things.”

We sometimes let words run away with us. If, for example, a stream is allowed to run too “broadly” it may dissipate itself in devious shallow courses instead of running full and effectively.  It is possible also for a person to become so “broad” that there is shallowness, that nothing stays fixed, that the mind is wide open for every breeze to blow through

It is good to be broad in understanding, but there is also a need for depth. It is good to avoid narrowness, prejudice, too have an open mind, but not so open that it doesn’t discriminate, not so open that it spreads out all over without convictions or principles or judgment or depth or definition. “Broad” is only one dimension. There are others equally essential.  Concerning an obsession with one dimension, Emily Dickinson said: “He preached upon ‘breadth’ till it argued him narrow, / The broad are too broad to define.”

One could conceivably become so indiscriminatingly [sic] “broad” that there would be no bounds to his thinking, no lines he wouldn’t cross, no principles he would be governed by, no direction he wouldn’t go. If a navigator were so “broad” as to ignore the safe channel, he would likely be wrecked.  If a pilot were so “broad” as to fail to follow the beam, he would hazard his own life and other lives also. To broadness must be added judgment, depth, definition and direction–broadness that is straight and true, broadness that includes principles and standards and character and competence.

This would be our appeal to young people: Don’t let a false and shallow kind of “broadmindeness” rule your lives or determine your decisions. Never let yourselves be run by a word without looking at its several sides. Broadmindedness can have much virtue, much strength, much understanding–but broadness without balance, broadness without standards, broadness without judgment, without moral qualities and character simply isn’t safe. We should never become so “broad” that principles are set aside.(1)

Let’s think together again, soon.

Notes:

1.  Richard L. Evans, Thoughts for One Hundred Days, Volume Five, (Salt Lake City: Publishers Press, 1972), pp. 176-77.

We Need More, Not Less Discrimination©

"Never let yourselves be run by a word without looking at its several sides." 

--Richard L. Evans

It is worth considering another point of view about the highly loaded word discrimination. In today’s world discrimination has been politicized and narrowed in meaning to the point of making the word nearly useless.We are obsessed with discrimination as an act of prejudice or a prejudicial outlook, or treatment, where discrimination in a perverse sort of way is categorical–stereotypical–rather than individual.  In other words, the finer, and I do mean finer points of the word’s meaning are perverted from truly discriminating to true prejudice.

The word is not useless, however, and its broader meanings and applications should not be overlooked or abandoned. Wikipedia tells us the etymology of the word is from Latin into English and meant to “distinguish between;” coming from a verb meaning to make a distinction. Discrimination means “the act of making or perceiving a difference,” but it implies the ability to ultimately make fine and important distinctions. 

The ability to discriminate or make subtle distinctions is a very essential element of our own education. Early on we begin to do two things–generalize and discriminate. Things we play with are called toys–a generalization. However, a child without clear distinctions may consider a loaded pistol as a toy. So we must learn to discriminate between toy and not-toy. As every parent learns, that process of refining our ability to generalize and discriminate is endless during childhood and indeed it continues through life especially as the categories become more complicated and abstract.

Like so many other wonderful words in our English language, discriminate and discrimination have been co-opted as largely a negative–in this case they have become a political bludgeon. I would here argue for the reinstatement of the admirable meanings of this very useful and important word. Consider how essential it is to discriminate between the following, and the consequences when such distinctions are not made:

Truth and error

Strong and weak evidence

Good and bad
 Character and persona

Dangerous and beneficial

Fact and opinion
 Foolish and substantive

Right and wrong

Ends and means
 Valid and specious

Intention and action
 Important and unimportant

Freedom and anarchy

Maturity and immaturity

It seems that many of today’s American politicians, journalists, pundits, commentators, and bloggers are almost constitutionally incapable of  discriminating between such things as:

Islam as a religion and radical versions of Islam

The value of the life of a child before birth and after birth

Living under the rule of law and lawlessness

Legitimate disagreement and prejudice and bigotry

Wealth and success

Fame and/or status and knowledge and intelligence

Facts and “alternate facts”

What is legal and what is moral
 Possessing educational degrees and wisdom

Actions and policies and consequences

Slogans and solutions

Superficially presenting “both sides” and true neutrality, objectivity

Information and education

High emotion and winning an argument

Civility and weakness

Sexual preference and perversions 

Sexual license and sexual consequences

 Sanctuary cities and civil disobedience

 Personal preferences and correctness
 Majority rule and personal rights

In the face of the philosophical diverseness, fuzzy and simplistic thinking, hyper-emotionalism, political correctness, deep partisanship, materialism, relativism, secularism, and a dozen other “isms” which dominate the American polity today, as a society we need to be more discriminatory than ever.

Let’s think together again, soon.

Black Garlic: Benefits & Facts

The health benefits and uses of black garlic.  

1. Garlic is one of the most powerful super foods known to man, and has a massive amount of health benefits for the human body.

2. Many people do not like the taste, and therefore black garlic is becoming a popular alternative, because of its sweet flavor.

3. It has double the amount of antioxidants than fresh garlic, and has been shown to lower the size of tumors even faster.

4. It was originally made in Korea as a health product. This is made by heating white garlic at 170 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 days, and then left to dry for another 45 days. The garlic cloves then become black and taste sweet like balsamic vinegar and soy sauce. 

5. The flavors are simply delicious, and it tastes completely different than regular garlic.

6. Allicin is one of the main compounds in garlic, and is known as a natural antibiotic for treating many diseases and infections.

7. It also contains over 100 different compounds which boosts the metabolism of the body, helping you to lose weight, and give you a great boost of sulphur.

8. Black Garlic contains a powerful compound known as SAC (S-Allycysteine ). This can reduce 

the build-up of cholesterol in the arteries, and protect your heart. 

9. It also contains excellent doses of calcium, phosphorus and protein, which are all beneficial for your health.

10. It works well in delicious stir fries, as it adds a sweetness which may compliment the dish.

11. In Thailand, black garlic is added to energy drinks, as it can boost the attention span and help to wake you up, if you didn’t get enough sleep.

12. It tastes delicious with roast chicken, especially for those who do not like the taste of smell of raw garlic.

13. If you still do not like the taste, you can purchase black garlic supplements, to supply your body with the healthy nutrients and compounds.

14. Garlic can also be placed under the pillow at night as a sleep aid, please see our other video on this to learn more

15. Eating black garlic will help you to get rid of phlegm and mucus if you have an irritating cold in the winter.

16. It can also improve the libido and enhance sexual drive and stamina.

17. Many people have also reported this to help with treating diarrhoea, and settling the stomach. 

18. Garlic has also been linked to preventing Alzheimer’s disease in the elderly, and improving memory and brain function    

Vintage Dinosaur Art: Dinosaurs (Herbert S Zim)

Yet another book scanned and sent over to me by Charles Leon (thank you!), Dinosaurs (by Herbert S Zim) dates from 1954, making it the oldest book featured in quite some time. It's essentially a product of the era, with grey, tail-dragging, fern-munching beasties hanging around swamps and hoping that it doesn't start getting too cold. Of course, there's always nifty stuff to be found if you look hard enough...

When reading books of this vintage, one expects the occasional blatantly Knight or Burian-based illustration, with of course not so much as a tip of the hat given to the original artist. However, that's not the case here. An acknowledgement from illustrator James Gordon Irving notes that he

"...wishes to express his gratitude to the American Museum of Natural History for making available its series of dinosaur models by W.P.A. workers and others. Many of the illustrations have been based on them."

I heartily encourage this attitude among modern day illustrators, although it would mean that huge numbers of Dorling Kindersley books would be filled with credits to Jurassic Park, Papo toys, and mangled stock 3D models of lizards.

Zim starts with what the reader will be familiar with. If you've picked up a dinosaur book, you've probably seen a mounted skeleton in a museum, and even if not, you'll certainly be aware that they inevitably the main attraction at natural history museums worldwide (not whales. Nope. Never). Hence this fetching and remarkably detailed illustration of a Brontosaurus skeleton, complete with retro fantasy skull. I do like that it's posed bending its neck down to human eye level, almost as if to match the inspecting gaze of the museum visitor.

Zim goes on to outline dinosaurs' place in the Tree of Life, and how reptiles became so superbly adapted to life on dry land. The above illustration depicting a nesting Styracosaurus with newly-hatched juveniles is quite unique for the time, and remains rather unusual; it's not a dinosaur that's often seen doing anything besides confronting tyrannosaurs or just standing around looking all resplendent and smug. I also like that the babies do not resemble miniature versions of the adult, although they do end up resembling tiny Protoceratops, purely by accident I'm sure.

Of course, the Tree of Life was imagined rather differently in the 1950s. These days, the case for birds being dinosaurs is so overwhelming, the people who continue to ignore it end up looking more than a little silly, or like they haven't read any scientific papers since the '60s (and some of them haven't, and it doesn't stop them giving lectures). Things were quite different back in the '50s, as we know - back then, the same stock of thecodonts were thought to have given rise to crocs, pterosaurs, birds, Saurischia, and Ornithischia, and no group was more closely related to each other than any other one. No way. No how.

But never mind all that - on to the good stuff! This beautifully shaded illustration of Brachiosaurus is ntoable for a number of reasons; primarily, because of how dignified it is for a '50s illustration of this animal. Not only is it standing quite happily on dry land, but it appears very muscular and surprisingly lithe. What's more, each hand, although inaccurate in shape, sports just the single claw. The suitably regal expression on the individual in the foreground reminds me very much of the Invicta Brachiosaurus toy from the 1970s - perhaps they shared a common source of inspiration.

As with the brachiosaurs, these stegosaurs aren't half bad by the standards of 1954 - again, the decent use of lighting and perspective points to the involvement of 3D models. The gently sloping, subtly realistic landscape and vegetation beyond 'you know, cycads' are also to be commended. We can argue later over whether that's intended to be grass.

Perhaps the most successful spread from a compositional standpoint features a group of Ornitholestes making a swift getaway from a prowling gang of allosaurs. Thankfully, the allosaurs are of the leaner, more Knightian variety, as opposed to being Zallinger-inspired fatties; as such, they take on an appropriately sinister air even without doing much, simply by virtue of their fearsome appearance. Many aspects of their anatomy, such as the horns (even if not quite right) and enlarged thumb claws, show an attention to detail that most illustrators didn't bother with at the time. Peculiarities include the four-toes-forward feet of both theropods, and the almost identical skipping pose of each Ornitholestes - it seems Knight's influence was important again here. "Almost birdlike," indeed...

Naturally, Brachiosaurus isn't the only beefy boy to put in appearance, with Brontosaurus and Diplodocus also making a contractually-obliged appearance. This illustration excellently emphasises the incredible, elongated forms of these animals over two pages, the languid curl of the Diplodocus' tail enabling easy comparisons with the length of its body. Of course, Brontosaurus is basically portrayed as 'fat Diplodocus' rather than the bizarre, chunky-necked beast it really was, but that's normal innit. I do like the swamp of conveniently even depth in the background, allowing each animal to stand on the bottom and stick its head out like a periscope.

On to the Cretaceous, and the illustration for Protoceratops feels very perfunctory. "Here is Protoceratops. Here is a nest. You know how it goes." The babies in the below illustration look almost like they're bursting through paper or out of a cake. Triceratops, meanwhile, looks rather odd, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it at first; sure, it's rather rotund even for the time, but that doesn't account for how...off it looks. Then it hit me - it's the lack of pointy jugals. Which, funnily enough, are present and correct on the Protoceratops opposite. Beautiful shading, all the same. I'm always fascinated by the tendency in older artworks to portray Triceratops' frill as being covered by an extremely smooth, continuous sheet of (presumably) keratin. Draw it like that these days and you'd get all kinds of funny comments on deviantArt, probably involving All Yesterdays and how scientists can never make up their minds, therefore evolution is an evil lie put about evil atheist scientists of evil. And raptors didn't have feathers.

And finally...Rexy of course! I've noted before how Rexy seems to often end up looking quite goofy in books that feature otherwise rather dignified-looking dinosaurs. That's certainly true of this ill-proportioned three-fingered beast. I do enjoy how aghast it looks, sticking its little hands up and retracting its head. Perhaps it can't abide by those little ankylosaurs (filthy creatures), even if, typical mid-century discrepancies aside (stumpy tail!), they're actually pretty well drawn.

But Herbert Zim's Dinosaurs doesn't end there - come back next time for much more quirky stuff, including a drawing of a dapper four foot man wielding a cigar! Oh yes.

Foods to Cure Acne

A list of healthy foods that you can eat to cure and prevent acne.

1. Acne is a common problem nowadays, because we tend to eat a lot of starchy and sugary foods.

2. This is a condition where the skin becomes inflamed and pimples appear on the face and other areas.

3. In order to get cure this, there are certain foods which you can eat which contain nutrients that your body needs to get rid of acne.

4. The following foods when eaten together regularly, will clear up your skin in no time. 

Onions: These are an excellent source of selenium which has been shown to reduce acne.

Brazil Nuts: Also rich in selenium, Vitamin E and A, which increases skin elasticity.

Garlic: One of the most powerful super foods known to man, destroys skin infections amongst other health problems.

Spinach: This is loaded with Zinc, another essential mineral required to prevent pimples. Be sure to eat lots of leafy greens.

Flax Seeds: The omega-3 fatty acids will bring down inflammation and help with scaring.

Sweet Potatoes: Eating these alongside onions is a perfect combination for reducing pimples.

Apples and Oranges: Replace sugary foods with these tasty sweet fruits to prevent the cause of acne.

Almonds: 6 of these nuts a day will soon show results with the high dose of vitamin E.

Avocado: A source of natural, healthy fats. Can also be applied to the skin as a paste to clear the pores

Amla: This super food is potent in vitamin C and boosts the immune system to clear out any underlying skin infections. 

Pumpkin Seeds: Yet another great source of Zinc, see our other video on these to learn more.  

5. It is also very important that you stop eating bread, and other foods which contain lots of yeast, as these could be making your acne worse. 

6. Avoid refined sugar as much as possible, and replace with raw manuka honey. The anti-oxidants in this will work to fight the acne, and also give your body some essential nutrients.

7. You can also apply skin products containing salicylic acid directly to the skin. This comes from willow trees and will clear acne quickly. Be sure to find a product that contains no alcohol or menthol.

One of the Most Effective Moisturizers - Zim's Max Crack Creme

*Post originally written by Olivia J on The Unknown Beauty Blog. If you see this post elsewhere, it has been stolen.*
*PR samples & Bought by me

When I skimmed the email for Zim’s Max Crack Creme, I thought about 2 things: glue and Breaking Bad.  I know it wasn't a good association or maybe it was because it caught my attention.  It was enough for me to become a bit curious about an all-natural herbal cream that was first created 60 years ago.
I beg you, click to read more »

President Trump Missed His First Great Opportunity©

“Real life is about reacting quickly to the opportunity at hand, not the opportunity you envisioned.”

–Conan O’Brien

“To improve the golden moment of opportunity, and catch the good
that is within our reach, is the great art of life.”

–Samuel Johnson

“Hell begins on the day when God grants us a clear vision of all that we might have achieved,
of all the gifts which we have wasted, of all that we might have done which we did not do.”

–Gian-Carlo Menotti

***

Alas, the new President missed his first great opportunity yesterday. With the women’s march on Washington he had hundreds of thousands of America’s women come to his house. Unhappy women, discontented women, scared women, some angry women. Probably the vast majority of them pretty darn good women. But they came by the tens and hundreds of thousands. You have to admire their commitment to participate in such sheer numbers.

The day before he told the nation that nobody was going to be neglected, everyone was going to be heard. Here were hundreds of thousands of voices wanting to be heard standing on his doorstep.  He also said he was going to be a man of action and get things done.  So, why didn’t he.....

Have his chief of staff call the organizer of the march and ask if the President might come to the Lincoln Memorial and have 5 minutes to speak to the women?  Just five minutes. What would he say in those five minutes?

• Welcome to Washington, D.C.  Thank you for coming.

• Thank you for participating in our democracy.

• Yesterday I promised you I would listen and try to be the president of all the people.  In fulfillment of that promise, here is what I have come prepared to do.  I have brought teams of helpers.  They will be with you all day recording what you say.  They will receive your statements, your petitions, whatever.  One group will receive your objections to me personally, another group will receive your concerns about policies etc., and a third group will receive your suggestions for improving this nation.

• We have contacted Hillary Clinton and Carly Fiorina to head up a special committee to review all of this and in three weeks give us a report of the 10 or 15 most important items in each category. Three weeks after that I will address the nation and outline what we intend to do on these matters–how we will address them.

• We wish you a great day in Washington.  Sorry, we couldn’t have arranged better weather for you.  Thank you again for coming and participating.

I think the dunce missed one of the great opportunities he might get in his administration.

Let’s think together again, soon.

Parents, Lead Your Children to the Finer Things of Life©

I read something last night which prompted this blog, because it seemed so profound and has so many applications, especially for young parents. More than a decade ago I served as a mission president in northern California. Nearly all of the 450 young men and women whom I presided over during the three years we were in the mission field are parents now. Almost daily I see on FaceBook pictures, read accounts of activities, and rejoice in accomplishments of their children.  I think about these young parents whom I love with a depth only parents really understand. Most are outstanding, some have stumbled and picked themselves up, some have yet to get up, and some seem to have abandoned their religious moorings altogether.  In nearly every case, however, I see troubling signs of worldliness creeping in almost unaware. What I observe in these cases is not confined to my young friends, it is everywhere in our society. Indeed, they are perhaps the least of the problem. Nevertheless, what I read last night combined with these observations prompt what follows.

Richard L. Evans, now deceased, was an Apostle in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He delivered 2-3 minute messages on the church’s “Spoken Word” from Temple Square every Sunday for forty years!. In one of his messages(1) he quoted President N. Eldon Tanner of the Church’s First Presidency as saying,

The parents that you should honor more than any others are the parents of your children yet-to-be. Those children are entitled to the best parents that it is possible for you to give them–clean parents.(2)

Elder Evans went on to elaborate a bit about this idea.  In the process he also said something that struck me as deeply profound. He wrote:

Honoring the parents of your children-to-be!  Think of the importance of the partner you choose in marriage. Think of marrying someone who shares your own ideal so your children will not be pulled apart by their parents. Think of the importance of learning and working and providing for them.Think of giving children parents who are moral, reverent, clean and kind. Think of giving children homes of love and responsibility and respect; parents who would not neglect to teach them, but who would lead them to the finer things of life.(3)

That paragraph could be the subject of a sermon or a chapter in a book or an essay such as this. However, I was struck most by the last phrase in bold italics. It led me to ask myself, “What are the finer things in life which parents should be leading their children toward?” As I considered this I reflected on the kinds of things which are so often trumpeted on FaceBook pages and elsewhere, and I wonder.

Are sports competitions, small and great (a child’s participation, or attendance at professional sports events), where so often these days winning is the only thing, rules and morals and sportsmanship be damned, really the finer things in life. Or even if these negatives are not present, what does one say about the almost idolatrous affection for one’s favorite team or alma mater sometimes portrayed? Foul language, “trash talk,” self-promotion, arrogance, strutting and swaggering, chest beating, taunting, “in your face” attitudes, anger, and even fighting are standard fare in most of what we see in sports today. Young people learn to do these same things from the teams and models their parents idolize. Finer things?

Many young people are very conservative and are deeply committed to the Second Amendment of the Constitution, as I believe they should be. However, I confess it has astounded me how many seem to be teaching their children how to handle a weapon at very young ages, or who relish the family “hunt” which, of course, involves killing animals. Too often, even when the ostensible purpose is to stock the family freezer with meat, there grows up in the heart almost a blood lust in hunters. Are these things really the “finer things of life”?   Is intentional violence against animals a fine thing? 

How about entertainment in general?  “Fun” is one of the great values of most of America’s youth. If something isn’t fun, it isn’t worth doing. The corollary to this is, if it isn’t entertaining (a special kind of fun), it isn’t worth our time.  Is this value, these priorities the “finer things” of life? One contemporary example. Does permitting children to spend as much as 6 hours a day on personal electronic devices playing games and engaging in social media qualify as among the “finer things” of life?(4)

More, but only mentioned without elaboration: rampant materialism; irreverence; disrespect; harsh language; fostering fads and fashions of the world such as casualness in grubby dress and unkempt grooming, ubiquitous presence of facial hair; sexual innuendo; the trashy; the low-minded; off-color jokes; the undignified and ignoble; wasting time; dodging responsibility; blaming others; excuses; cheating employers; breaking laws (traffic laws for example); and a thousand more; critical attitudes about everything from the driver in the car that cut you off to the government to church leaders and church policies. Where do these things fit in the call to lead children to the “finer things” in life?

Do not over react or dismiss this. I am not against sports, entertainment, guns, hunting (well maybe), and fun. But it seems to me that there is overmuch emphasis on these things in the world and in many modern LDS families. I once complained that boys practice skateboarding tricks by the hour in the church parking lot and pavilion behind our house, but could you get one of them to spend even 15 minutes reading and memorizing a scripture in preparation for his mission? One of my great mission assistants said that described him perfectly as a boy. Nor do I expect perfection from young parents. Anger, excuses, critical attitudes, and dodging responsibility are things all of us have to learn to master and for most it takes some time.

This call to my young friends, parents and parents to be, is to give serious consideration to the matter of parenting, especially their manner of parenting, and not assume that what they are doing is the way the Lord wants them to do it.(5) I encourage them to ask themselves, “Am I teaching my children and fostering in my family the Lord’s culture or man’s culture?   Is our goal to lead them to the finer things in life? If so, how much thought has been put into what those “finer things” are? How much thought has been given to the things we stress and do in our family? Can we have fun and be righteous people, keeping the balance so the pendulum doesn’t swing too far away from righteousness?

What are the finer things? Well, in Elder Evans’ book(s) he has a lot to say about that. He constantly discusses sterling character, faith, righteousness, truth, excellence, integrity, culture, refinement, goodness, responsibility, reverence, respect, love, charity, compassion, confidence, education, testimony, knowledge, chastity, cleanliness, empathy, tolerance, manners, morals, communicating well, loving God and his Son, loving mankind, hard work, honorable work, commitment, duty, obedience, action, involvement, generosity, kindness, service and more. Such things as self-control, personal dignity and nobility; duty, magnanimity, common sense, keeping promises, elevated thought, reverence for family life, loyalty (especially family loyalty), are repeatedly stressed in his writings.  

I might add a suggestion or two, not listed in any priority: life long learning, books and reading, writing well, wisdom, judgment, maturity, appreciation of the various disciplines of knowledge, high level music, the fine arts, edifying performing arts, good literature, creativity, elevating entertainment and recreation, meaningful travel, museums and parks, love and respect for nature, humanitarian and philanthropic endeavors, cultivation of religious sensitivity, worship, and service, service, service; certainly these are among the finer things of life.

Parents could do worse than to take the 13th article of faith as their family guide.

Let’s think together again, soon.

Notes:

1. The book I am presently reading is, Richard L. Evans, Thoughts for One Hundred Days, Volume Five (Salt Lake City: Publishers Press, 1972).  It is a collection of some of his last “Spoken Word” messages before his death in 1971.

2. N. Eldon Tanner, cited in Evans, Volume Five, 123.

3. Evans, Volume Five, 123-24, emphasis added.

4.  I recently read a report of a study which indicates that nationwide children spend over 6 hours a day on personal devices, over and beyond use in school!  As I have observed my grandchildren, I suspect this statistic is correct. However, it may be that many LDS parents pay closer attention and/or restrict the use of such devices more than most parents because we have received counsel regarding this for 10 years or more.

5.     Several of the General Authorities of the LDS Church have spoken about the difference between the Lord's culture and man's culture.  My plea here is that young parents would take their role seriously enough to study many of the fine books and talks written by church leaders and members about parental responsibilities and parenting, because we are not born knowing how to parent and even in the best of homes there may be traditions and teachings that do not conform to the Lord's way. So they must inform themselves about how the Lord wants them to parent.  I know of no other church or institution which endows its people with such resources about marriage, family, parents, children, family life, and parenting as does The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Just one example:  Two general conferences of the Church have been held every year since the organization of the Church in 1830.  One would be hard pressed to find a conference where one of the above mentioned subjects has not been discussed; and in the Twentieth and Twenty First Centuries there have often been several talks on these subjects in each conference.  We of all people are most blessed, but we are also the most responsible for doing it correctly--given all the Lord's counsel on the subject. Thus the imperative that parents ought to be anxiously engaged and about the work of finding, reading, studying, and implementing this counsel.

Camphor Oil: for Skin (Karpur)

The benefits of using camphor oil on the skin, and how to do this yourself at home. 

1. Camphor oil is a well-established natural remedy, which can be used on the skin to treat different problems.

2. It comes from wood of the camphor tree, and is made by distilling the bark. 

3. It can also be manufactured and is used in products like Vicks VapoRub.

4. It is a powerful anti-fungal and can be used to treat fungal infections on both the skin and nails.

5. If your skin itches often, you can gently rub camphor oil into it to reduce itching and irritation. 

6. Do not apply this to broken skin however, this does not work to treat wounds.

7. If you suffer with pimples or acne scars, you can mix a few drops of camphor oil with some coconut oil, and apply this to the skin, twice a day. This will soon clear up the problem. 

8. You may also find that your skin tone evens out, giving you a more radiant and glowing look. 

9. It can be applied to minor skin burns and bruises to bring down inflammation. 

10. Camphor oil has also helped people to treat hemorrhoids which can be quite painful if ignored. 

11. You can purchase this from many health food stores and online. Be sure to look for “Camphor Essential Oil”.

12. To learn more about Camphor and other remedies, please see our other videos.

Banana Flower: Benefits and Uses

The health benefits and uses of banana flowers and a recipe to use these yourself at home. 

1. Bananas are one of the most popular foods in the world, however you can also eat the flowers or blossoms from the trees.

2. These flowers are commonly eaten in Laos, China, India and Thailand and have some wonderful health benefits for the human body.

3. They contain healthy nutrients including protein, fibre, calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper, magnesium, potassium and vitamin E

4. It also contains methanol which is a powerful anti-oxidant. This reduces free radicals in the blood and can keep you looking young.

5. They also work as a natural anti-depressant and mood booster, by simply eating a cup of banana flowers once a day you can get rid of anxiety too.

6. They are often used by women to increase the amount of breast milk they have for their babies.

7. When cooked, they also increase the amount of progesterone in the body. This reduces menstrual pain and heavy bleeding.

8. If you have diabetes, eating these can be beneficial as it can lower blood sugar levels.

9. The natural iron content can also help those suffering with anaemia. 

10. Pregnant women often eat these as it can help to prevent constipation due to the wonderful fibre content.

Recipe: You Will Need

1 Banana Flower.

Method: 

Simply remove one from the tree and peel away the petals and inner stems. You can eat the red petals if you wish. Once these have been removed, slice off the rough lower part of the stem. What remains is the nutritious heart of the banana flower. Slice this thinly using a sharp knife. The texture is similar to a potato. 

This goes dark very quickly, so be sure to have a bowl of water with lemon juice ready to keep them fresh.

Add these to a delicious salad, or stir fry into a tasty curry.

11. If you prefer you can make a banana flower tea, by adding the sliced stem and the red petals to a cup with some hot water. This can also work as a sleep aid.

12. They also work well by mincing and adding to pancake mixes.

13. You can also purchase banana flower extract from some health food stores, if you do not have access to a banana tree.

Beauty Trend 2017: The Modest Makeup Lifestyle

*Post originally written by Olivia J on The Unknown Beauty Blog. If you see this post elsewhere, it has been stolen.*

Previous years I have purged products I bought to support this blog.  Cosmetics, beauty accessories, all the things spent on products which touted themselves as great products all over the web only to become junk in my makeup drawers. This year is the year I downsize for the sake of my makeup sanity!

I beg you, click to read more »

Why Social Media Beauty Brands Can't Create Lasting Memories Like Isabella Rossellini

*Post originally written by Olivia J on The Unknown Beauty Blog.*

Today, beauty brands aren’t just found at the drugstore or some department store.  They are found online and some are solely dependant on the exposure in the virtual world.  A world which turns out a new product everyday.  What you have today is yesterday’s news.  And talking about yesterday’s news becomes too late because tomorrow’s new product has been mentioned today! You have to have it because if you don’t you will never be like everyone else. But why be like everyone else when individuality is what really made the internet great?

I beg you, click to read more »

Postcards from my childhood

Who doesn't adore a load of loveable lizardy dinosaurs dragging their tails through a bland, generic desertscape - especially when said dinosaurs are endearingly retro, carefully sculpted models? Back in the day, Toyway (known now for filling the Natural History Museum gift shop with awful tat) produced a range of postcards with just such a subject matter...and here are some of them.

I collected these back in the early 1990s, and they were all purchased from Wisbech Museum in Cambridgeshire (East England); my grandparents lived in the nearby town of March. The first one I acquired was actually the "Trachodon" (below), I believe in 1993 (when I was five years old). I remember being convinced that it was a Baryonyx when I saw it in the shop, based on the long snout alone. Of course, Rexy (above) will always be the favourite - with his rather large, dark, wet, puppydog eyes, he's actually surprisingly cute.

Never you mind those suspiciously humanoid arms.

Being rather obscure, I haven't been able to find any further information on these postcards on the internet. Who sculpted the models? Who took the photographs? When were they first published? I've seen hints that they're considerably older than the 1990s (which makes sense, given the retro nature of the models), but there's very little to be found on the back of the cards themselves. The reverse of each card is divided in two with space for a stamp (it's a postcard after all), with a short paragraph on the animal in several languages at the bottom and the text "TOYWAY, LETCHWORTH, HERTS, 0462 672509". Brits of a certain age will note the missing 1 after the 0 at the start of the phone number, dating these to the early '90s at the latest.

Over on Facebook, Billy Sands mentioned getting some of these when he went to see The Land That Time Forgot, which came out in 1975. The postcards certainly have more than whiff of the old-school B-movie about them - the ultra-generic desert landscapes remind me a great deal of Hammer's 'prehistoric' films, which were inevitably filmed in more barren regions of the Canary Islands. The lack of imagination displayed in the scenery seems to extend to the models themselves. They're beautifully sculpted, but you'd have thought that they could've at least given the "Trachodon" and Iguanodon different colours...

That said, they still would have looked fantastic in a dinosaur book from the '60s. They are very typical of that era, from the Louis Dollo/Neave Parker-style Iguanodon with permanently flexed elbows, to the Godzilla-pose Rexy and extremely squat, short-tailed Ankylosaurus (above). This isn't the entire set, of course - I remember there being a Triceratops, a Triceratops v T. rex scene, and more. If any of you have some of these cards, or know more about them, please let me know - I'd love more information about where they came from and who was behind them. Besides Toyway.

And finally...this Triceratops postcard comes from a different (seemingly later) Toyway series, featuring a number of similarly stylised illustrations of dinosaurs. It appears to be heavily based on the Invicta toy, which isn't too surprising; today, it'd be a Papo instead. The trees look a bit like they're out of a Playmobil set.

But that's enough for this little diversion. Next time, whenever I can be bothered: a proper Vintage Dinosaur Art!

Favorite Maniraptor of 2015 Results

My predictions were on the money, as Yi (deservedly) took this one, followed by Dakotaraptor and then Zhenyuanlong. I liked that a Cenozoic maniraptor (Llallawavis) did fairly well for once. Meanwhile, Boreonykus shows that you can gain a decent number of votes as long as you are purportedly a dromaeosaurid, even if you are known from nothing but scrap.

This year's poll looks to be less predictable, as there was no outstanding new maniraptor superstar last year. My guess is that the crown will go to either the enigmatic Fukuivenator or one of the new oviraptorosaurs.

Lady with an Archaeoceratops

Lady with an Archaeoceratops ~ Watercolour with touches of gouache, approx. 138 mm. diameter

Happy New Year! May 2017 be kinder to us all.

I promised our regular reader, Andrew Stück, that I would post this piece, after he commented that it's been a while since my saurian incongruities were last seen on the blog. So here we are! 

This piece began simply enough as a sketch, when I decided to pair a Tang dynasty lady with her pet Archaeoceratops.

The idea of turning it into a full colour piece soon took hold. So much so, I began to entertain thoughts of an entire series of ‘fine ladies from various cultures with their saurian pets’. A few friends even read my mind when I shared the sketch on social media, not least of whom was Joschua Knüppe, who, when I'd finished this piece, went on to suggest even more irresistible pairings. 

Detail

The colours and markings for the Archaeoceratops were inspired chiefly by the black-fronted duiker (Cephalophus nigrifrons) and the Sri Lankan spotted chevrotain (Moschiola meminna). 

Detail, during progress, with penny for scale.

I tried to think of a more succinct title for the piece but couldn’t come up with anything clever. Fellow illustrator and friend, Joseph Vernot playfully called it ‘Madonna and Child’, which I did like very much; but in the end, I settled for the simple, if not terribly creative, ‘Lady with an Archaeoceratops‘. After all, there is historical precedent for the form.

12 Reasons Why You Need to Own Suva Beauty Neutral Necessity Eyeshadow Palette

*Post originally written by Olivia J on The Unknown Beauty Blog. If you see this post elsewhere, it has been stolen.*

The Suva Beauty almost broke my new year’s resolution; no more eyeshadow for 2017. Luckily, it came two days before the new year. However, I am pretty sure the brand will break it!

I beg you, click to read more »

Black Seed Oil: for Weight Loss

How to use black seed oil for weight loss and to melt stubborn belly fat.

1. Many of us find it difficult to lose weight, particularly around the belly area.

2. Black seed oil is one of the most powerful natural remedies in the world for shedding fat, and has been used by millions of people all over the world.

3. Many people call this one of nature’s miracles, especially for weight loss.

4. It works by supressing the appetite, regulating blood sugar and balancing cholesterol and triglycerides.

5. It also contains many healthy compounds which fight off all kinds of diseases and infections.

6. In order to lose weight using this, we recommend the following recipe:

You Will Need

250ml Spring Water

1 Tablespoon Cold Pressed Black Seed Oil

1 Tablespoon Organic Raw Honey

1 Teaspoon Ceylon Cinnamon Powder

Method: Simply mix these ingredients in a glass and drink 30 minutes before breakfast. Drink this again before you go to sleep at night.

Within days, you will begin to lose fat especially around the stomach area. You can continue this for a few weeks for rapid weight loss.

7. There are many different varieties of black seed oil. Some cheap varieties are poor and will not work. Be sure to purchase a good quality cold pressed black seed oil from India or Egypt.

8. A good quality oil has a very strong taste and smell. The honey and cinnamon will make this more palatable.

9. This mixture works to boost your body’s health rapidly, with a massive range of nutrients and healthy compounds.

10. You will find yourself using the toilet more often. This is a positive sign, you should be having a bowel movement at least twice per day for weight loss.

11. The mixture is also anti-inflammatory and will help with joint and muscle pain. 

12. To learn more about the health benefits of black seeds, please see our other video “Kalonji Seeds: Benefits and Uses”

13. Or to use this miraculous oil for hair growth, see “Black Seed oil: for Hair Growth”

Thank you very much for listening, a like is always appreciated and remember to subscribe for more healthy videos.

Whiten Skin Naturally

How to whiten the skin naturally, and a recipe to do this yourself at home.

1. If you would like to whiten your skin tone, there is no need to use harmful chemicals or products.

2. The following recipe is very easy to make at home, and can lighten your skin within 7 days.

You Will Need:

4 Tablespoons Rice Flour

4 Tablespoons Plain Flour

8 Tablespoons Goats Milk

Thick Tissues.

Method: Mix the flours and milk together in a small bowl. Apply this thick mixture all over the area you wish to whiten on the skin. Be sure put lots on.

Dip the thick tissue into some more goat’s milk, and wrap this over the top of the mixture on the skin. It is important that you do not scrub the mixture. Simply let it sit on the skin, covered by the tissue until it is dry. This can take around 30-45 minutes.

Wash using a gentle soap, and repeat this once a day for a week. You will see some wonderful results in no time.

3. The lactic acid works to gently remove old cells from the top layers of your skin, making it lighter and much softer.

4. This also works to treat acne scars, pigmentation and skin discoloration. 

5. Many people love to this recipe on the hands, arms and face to see some wonderful results very quickly. 

6. If you wish to lighten the underarms, please see our video using honey and charcoal.  

Pumpkin Seeds: Benefits & Uses

The health benefits and uses of pumpkin seeds, and how to prepare these at home.

1. Pumpkins are often used during Halloween to create a spooky ‘jack-o’-lantern’ and the seeds are often thrown away.

2. These seeds have many nutritional health benefits, and can be eaten to heal certain health problems.

3. Many people suffer with the common cold frequently, and this is sometimes caused by a zinc deficiency. Eating pumpkin seeds regularly, will boost your immune system and stop you from becoming ill as often.

4. The powerful dose of zinc in these seeds has helped many men to heal an enlarged prostate.  

5. They are also one of the best sources of omega 3 as it contains alpha-linolenic acid. 

6. Like many other healthy foods, studies have shown that they can help with insulin resistance for those with diabetes.

7. If you have trouble sleeping at night, eat a handful of these seeds a few hours before you try to sleep. The amino acid (Tryptophan) will help you get a relaxing nights rest.

8. They are also rich in magnesium, which helps to keep the teeth and blood vessels healthy. This has been shown to reduce the risk of heart attacks and cardiac arrests. 

9. They also contain manganese, phosphorus and iron with a healthy dose of vitamin E.

10. This helps to build good cholesterol in the body in postmenopausal women. Therefore reducing blood pressure, joint pain and hot flashes.

11. The healthy fats within the seeds are also great to keep the heart and liver healthy.

12. You can purchase pumpkin seeds from health food stores, or simply remove them fresh from a pumpkin.  Spread them across a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes at 160 degrees Celsius. This will dry them out quickly.

13. You can also make these more delicious by sprinkling some cayenne pepper, rock salt or cinnamon on them. 

14. I recommend grinding your pumpkin seeds with a pestle and mortar, and sprinkling over delicious vegetable salads.

15. You can also purchase pumpkin seed oil for more potency. Please see our other video on this to learn more.  

16. If you suffer with arthritis, muscle or joint pain. The anti-inflammatory properties of pumpkin seeds will reduce pain dramatically.