tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15145614864487190532024-03-12T18:10:13.611-05:00Vman103-ProductionsA slow but very much alive blog about interesting, thought-provoking topics such as the many ways to garden, natural health, and much more! So come on down and have a good time!
My website URL is: http://jrussell128.angelfire.com/Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-57659489363994208512015-07-16T18:50:00.001-05:002015-07-16T18:50:56.641-05:00New Search Engine I found<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
<a href="http://jrussell128.angelfire.com/"> Website </a><br />
<br />
I usually do not do this, but hey, why not? It's another post I can make without taking forever on the next one? There is a new search engine called Good Gopher. Here is the url:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://preview.tinyurl.com/pdyrjwc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://preview.tinyurl.com/pdyrjwc</a><br />
<br />
This will take you to a TinyUrl page that displays the actual URL of where it leads. Take off the preview part if you want to head straight in.<br />
<br />
In other news, I am still working on my novel. Take care!
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-77693160596048317932015-07-04T10:51:00.000-05:002015-07-05T12:39:23.247-05:00CHAPTER TWO: Word on the Street<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
<a href="http://jrussell128.angelfire.com/"> Website </a><br />
<br />
Chapter two is here! Let's just say that it's been a long journey in making sure this chapter is good enough to read. That's not to say this novel even compares to more professionally written ones—it doesn't. Nonetheless, this novel should hopefully surprise you. With that in mind, enjoy!<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><style type="text/css">h2.western { font-family: "Liberation Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; }h2.cjk { font-family: "Droid Sans Fallback"; font-size: 16pt; }h2.ctl { font-family: "Lohit Marathi"; font-size: 16pt; }p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }a:link { }</style>
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<h2 class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.12in; margin-top: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="Chapter 2"></a>
CHAPTER TWO: Word on the Street</h2>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">SUNDAY
MARCH 29; 9:30 AM </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
is interviewing Gordon Johnson. The exchange begins when Saitou says
“alright, what's your name?”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">"My
name is Gordon Johnson", he replied.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">"Okay...now
what is your address?"</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">"My
address is <i>1304 Star Aven</i><i>u</i><i>e</i>."</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">At
this Yuto interjected: “woohoo! Living the big life on Star Avenue,
huh?” Saitou replied with an annoyed “Yuto!”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Gordon
replied, "Uh...I don't really live that kind of life. I live
below my means."</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Yuto
answered, “I see. Well did you fare well after the robbery?”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Gordon
answered exhaustedly, “Ugh. Don't get me started. First of all I
lost half a million dollars from the bank. Due to the severity of
that hit, not to mention all the lost funds for the clients, I might
have to compensate just to save my business! That is assuming my
insurance doesn't pick up on the loss...entirely.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
replied: “Ah, so that was 500 thousand dollars lost...okay, noted.
Okay, so before I leave to get some evidence from the lobby, do you
care to let me in on the details?”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Gordon
replied, “well, there is not much to say. The criminals were
brutally effective at their job. Not only did they kill the security
guard, but they disabled the alarms! Then they went back earlier
today and took the money. There were minions to keep people away.
But...they made one mistake!”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Really?
What is it?”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Gordon
laughed. “The security tapes...they were neither stolen nor
destroyed. And the explosion was not close enough to get the cameras.
I got a brief glimpse of the criminals.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Really?”
Saitou replied. “This will help me a lot. By the way, I have some
questions for you. For a start, have you seen these men before?”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Not
a clue”, he answered. "Couldn't recognize them to save my
life.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Well,
the security tapes should do just fine.” Saitou answered
reassuringly.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Alright
then”, Gordon replied, “let me show you to the remains of the
security office. Don't worry—the back door was cut down by the
criminals so you don't even need the key. I don't care how many times
you use it.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">This
is much appreciated”, Saitou replied.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Little
did they know, however, that the genius behind the attack was
watching Saitou and company during their investigation.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">
<style type="text/css">h3.western { font-family: "Liberation Sans",sans-serif; }h3.cjk { font-family: "Droid Sans Fallback"; }h3.ctl { font-family: "Lohit Marathi"; }p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }a:link { }</style>
</span></div>
<h3 class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.12in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Meanwhile</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;"><span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">At
an unknown location, two men enter into a warehouse. After getting
inside, they notice the truck door closing behind them. After this, a
voice comes out, saying, “I have been waiting for you two.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">What?”
One of the two men answered alarmingly. This one was Eisine.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">The
voice in question was General Shock, a tall man in a trench coat and
top hat, the former being gray, and the latter black, with a red belt
stripe. Chou exclaimed, “General Shock! What are you doing here?”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Oh,
I just decided to drop by. Getting to the point, curiosity is getting
the best of someone, if you catch my drift...”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Chou
nodded and said, “I get it, you're talking about Saitou Morizaki of
the...Legion of Avenging...People...is that the one?”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Bingo!
You're right as rain. Little does he know that we know he's looking
for you two. Let's setup a trap for that meddling punk!”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Indeed,
we shall do that. Morizaki's gonna die tonight!”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Good
to hear that, Chou.” Said General Shock. But he added, “there is
a problem though: make sure not to show your face in front of them if
you can help it. With that, I'm off!”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">After
they heard this, Chou and Eisine got to work. Their goal was to get
rid of Morizaki. But how?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Back
in the security office, Saitou and Yuto start looking at the tapes
that were left behind. The camera outside caught the two men cutting
a hole through the door with an absurdly sharp blade. What is this
madness?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Confused
as anyone would be, Yuto asked what that was; the tool used to cut
through the door could not have been a knife!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
explained that the door had been cut very cleanly and very precisely.
You could hardly do that cardboard using a knife, let alone a metal
door!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">He
pointed toward the door and sent Yuto to look at it.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Yuto
did so, and what he found was interesting. Intrigued, he said:
“Saitou, this is no ordinary cutting tool. It cuts cleanly and
allows for fine precision such as the hand would allow. It could not
have been anything made out of metal.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Is
that so? Anything else?”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Yuto
groped for clues. Finally, after a minute, he came up with this
conclusion: “a device that can cut through metal with little, if
any, resistance, that doesn't melt the metal, leaving</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">You
know what that sounds like?” Saitou asked. Yuto shook his head. “It
means that a laser cutting tool was used.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Yuto
was skeptical: “lasers? Are you serious? Where would these tools
have come from?”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
replied, “I heard of a professor at <b>Yozou Town University</b>
over in the east part of Uptown that's doing research in optics. He
is hoping to improve the way parts are cut out. Sure enough, lasers
are already used in manufacturing to some extent, so this counts more
as an innovation.”</span></div>
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">
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</span></div>
<h3 class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.12in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Back
at the Docks</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;"><span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Near
the docks on the eastern part of town, the two men from earlier
stopped in the warehouse. A group of armed men showed up and
requested their orders. Chou explained what they needed to do: ambush
Saitou and his buddies. They would be quickly...dealt with, and
dumped out into the bay, where nature would take care of the rest.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Okay
boss. We'll send that man to his doom!”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">11:30
AM </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
and Yuto were at the Yozou Town university while Shouto visited the
library. The former identified himself, and asked the clerk about
anyone who might have invented laser cutting tools. After getting his
answer, Saitou and the clerk now made this exchange:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Oh
yes, you are referring to Eugene Williams' laser cutting tools.
Personally I called them the laser welders, but that's just me.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">I
see. If you don't mind I would like to see this professor. I need
information regarding the theft of his tools.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">To
the best of my knowledge, his tools were never 'stolen', more like
'loaned'.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">What?
But how does that account for these two crooks using them?”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">If
I had to guess, maybe the borrower of those tools got robbed while he
wasn't looking. I never had the feeling that Mr. Williams would hand
his tools over to bad people. The other guy, however...I don't trust
him.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">What's
this now? Please tell me about this guy.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">There
isn't much to say. His name is Striker. A silly nickname, if you ask
me. Doesn't even sound cool at all.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Yuto
interjected: “I'll have to concur with that! And the idea of having
a nickname like that is suspicious.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
answered, “indeed, that is weird. But that does not mean anything
on its own. For all we know, he may just be protecting himself
because he has such powerful tools. People are not in the dark about
the robberies!”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Even
then that man just had a bad vibe. I can't put my finger on it...but
he certainly seems kind of shifty.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">I
see. This man's name is what again?”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Striker...I
don't know his real name.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Where
is professor Eugene?”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">I
don't know. He isn't in his classroom right now; not his office
either.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">At
hearing this, Saitou explained to Yuto that they needed to leave for
a while to let time pass. They would investigate if the professor
does not happen to be there. With that in mind, they went to John's
Pizza Fortress.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">12:30
PM</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">They
came back to the University, and to their surprise, a couple of
police cars were there. Their cars were parked near the front of the
parking lot. Saitou thought to himself: what is the meaning of this?
Why are there cops here? Does this mean...</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
looked around. Nothing looked out of place, so he went inside. There
he found two policemen talking to the same clerk. “Alright ma'am,
thank you for your time.” As he said that another cop approached
the two. He said: “There is a cleanly cut hole in the window.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
and Yuto conversed with the police for a minute. There they found out
that Eugene Williams has mysteriously disappeared. With a hole
through the window and no other way to do that than a laser, it must
have been the bank crusaders!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">The
professor was described as a Caucasian with a white lab coat and
black tie underneath. After Saitou described the bank robbery and how
a hole was cut cleanly through the back door, it was believed the
same people are involved. Yuto added that no conventional tool can
cut a door so precisely, much less quietly.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">After
that exchange the cop had this to say: “laser cutting tools are
said to exist here. Professor Eugene Williams did design them. He
recently won an award for doing that. Those tools have a lot of
potential for improving construction work, as mobile laser tools can
now be used. But if the good professor disappeared like that, what do
you wanna bet it's those two men that robbed Yozou Town Bank?”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
and the policemen went into Eugene's office and checked for
fingerprints. After a few minutes, Saitou came up with something:
maybe there are witnesses who at least saw the faces of these
criminals. The catch is, the kidnappers would not just waltz in here
and state their intentions, and even if they did, it would under a
friendly guise. There was still another problem: there weren't any
witnesses.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
”<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Something
doesn't add up,” Saitou observed. “Why aren't there any
witnesses? Someone had to see if there was anyone here with business
with Mr. Williams.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
found the same clerk had returned. He went over to her and started
asking questions, like her name. This is the exchange:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Uh,
my name is Ashely Russell.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Well
Ms. Russell, do you remember who all you met today?”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">"Well,
I met some...students looking for the lost-and-found; uh, one
applicant, and finally, two men that wanted to see Professor
Williams."</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Can
you describe those two men for us?”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Yuto
got his notebook out and waited.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">The
clerk said, "the first man's name was Chou. He had dark brown
hair, a gray suit, and a white shirt with a black tie. His eyes were
gray..."</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Yuto
interrupted, "alright, hold on...okay I'm ready."</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">She
continued: “the second man had brown hair and a gray suit as well.
He had green eyes and a rounded jaw. His name was Eisine.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">As
she was saying these things, Saitou got anxious. The two men who
attacked the bank the other day match the woman's description.
Professor Eugene, creator of the laser-cutting tools, disappears when
the same two men responsible for the robberies show up. This means...</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
called to Yuto.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Huh?
What is it?” Yuto replied.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">It's
time for us to leave. Thank you for your time, miss Russell.”
Saitou and Yuto went outside.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Alright,
Yuto, this is how it looks to me: those men who attacked the bank
also took Eugene Williams captive to keep us from getting information
out of him. We need to find out where the men are hiding! We are in
broad daylight, so I don't imagine them going far. Let's go!”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">After
a brief exchange, it was found that reports were made of suspicious
activity around the docks. Cars park there without any business
tagging, and since the docks were closed down, they couldn't have
been employees. Who are they?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
and Yuto went out. They were about to enter the lion's pit.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">1:00
PM </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">The
docks are in the eastern downtown area, which is in the southeastern
quadrant. They cover a considerable area, at least a couple thousand
square feet. The warehouse in the middle...its door is open! This
isn't right—someone tampered with the warehouse.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Yuto
went on to say, “look Saitou! I bet that warehouse has our man
inside! If the docks are closed down then they would have closed
their doors.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
replied, “well, that certainly seems plausible, but let's approach
carefully. I have a bad feeling about this.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Yuto
answered reassuringly, “relax—I called Shouto earlier. He can
bail us out if need be.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Yes,
but how will he do that? What if we are attacked?”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">If
we cannot handle things on our own, then he will power through in a
getaway car. You can relax—our butts are covered!”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Very
well, let's get to it.” Saitou went ahead. Inside his jacket pocket
was a gun that shot out a retractable cable. It will hook onto
objects and pull you up.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Once
inside, Saitou looked around carefully. They were at the west wall
right now. The truck entrance was open but the space was empty, or so
it seemed. Saitou got a sneaking suspicion that something wasn't
right. The entrance shouldn't even be open, plus the warehouse has
been well kept. There is no trash laying around, and the floor and
walls were repainted. Repairs were made to the roof as well.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">There
was an empty spacious area up ahead, with some stairs on the northern
half leading up to an upper-tier of platforms, connected to the
perimeter walls. They have railing. As Saitou went forward, he saw a
strange container that has a label: NITROGEN GAS. It was a
cylindrical metal container with a nozzle that lets out gas when the
valve is pulled. Saitou ignored it and continued investigating. While
he did so, the container earlier disappeared. Then Saitou around and
noticed this, saying: “Yuto, did you see that? The container just
up and vanished. You know why, don't you?”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Yuto
understood completely. He knew they weren't alone. He wanted to find
the professor and fast! Then again...wouldn't it be nice if he could
find a laser-cutting tool? It wouldn't be a problem if they got
trapped! Suddenly, as Yuto was in thought, the truck door started
closing in on them.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
and Yuto dart for the exit, but as they did so, seven armed men
walked out in front of them. Each of them had either an aluminum bat
or a crowbar. This is bad, really bad! Can our heroes survive this
encounter? Or will professors Williams be left at his captor's mercy?
Find out next time!</span></div>
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-53876608234930665122015-06-18T22:14:00.000-05:002015-06-19T12:25:44.849-05:00CHAPTER ONE: Case of the Bank Crusade<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
<a href="http://jrussell128.angelfire.com/"> Website </a><br />
Yet another exciting chapter with the <strike>Avenger Squad</strike> Legion of Avenging People! The main heroes are introduced and the investigation is under way. As usual, let me know how this story strikes you!<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<div style="background-color: #71e9d6; border-radius: 5px; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px;">
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<br />
<h1 class="western">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="Chapter 1"></a><span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;"></span>
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</h1>
<h1 class="western">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="Chapter 1"></a><span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;"></span></h1>
<h1 class="western">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">CHAPTER
ONE: Case of the Bank Crusade</span></h1>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Crime
Details: Bombing of a bank and murder of a security guard </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Victims:
Haruto Sane, security guard</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">
Gordon Johnson, CEO of Yozou Town Bank</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">"...So
that's about the size of it", said Saitou. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
Morizaki...he is a strict and disciplined leader who oversees two
other men that help him solve crimes. Together, they are called the
<span style="font-style: normal;"><b>Legion of Avenging People</b></span>.
Saitou himself is around 6'2". He has light brown hair with
green eyes, a lean build, and a round jaw with a pointy chin. He
wears a gray suit with a black tie. He holds himself well, and
together with his matter-of-fact speech, makes for a very poised
leader.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">"Man!
That is the second time this month." Yuto said in disbelief.
"This was, presumably, done by the same person! And they didn't
even rob the bank—they bombed it! What is their deal?"</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Yuto
Amamiya...a goofy and whimsical man that is around 6 feet tall. He
has a darker shade of brown for hair and blue eyes. He has a round
jaw and chin. He wears a cream button-down shirt with a white t-shirt
underneath that has black horizontal stripes. He wears blue jeans and
black shoes. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
replied, "indeed. There is clearly a connection between these
cases because they exhibit the same behavior." He paused for a
moment...then he continued in a questioning tone, saying: “but
terrorist activity? Please!”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Yuto
replied in confusion, “huh? Terrorist activity? What...?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Yes”,
Saitou answered. “This is, according to some, terrorist activity.
But rather than create fear, I'd say there is a more material goal in
mind...”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
paused for a few seconds. Then after taking a breath, he continued:
“According to the report, three days after the attack, two men
robbed the store, and knocked out any guards who happened to be
there; after which they ordered the clerks on the floor and they went
into the safe...”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
paused for another breath. Finally, he said, "and after all was
said and done, the alarm was disabled, preventing a chase."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Taking
a paper out, Saitou went on to say: "and it is similar to
another incident that occurred late <i>February</i>. On the 27th,
another bomb was detonated inside the <b>Downtown Bank</b> with the
guard knocked out and defenseless. On <i>March the 6th</i>, a robbery
took place in pretty much the same order as this one...yeah, that's
the same person, or <i>people</i>, I should say."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
explained he doesn't believe this is terrorism. Money is being taken,
so this can be chalked up as armed robbery, the bombings
notwithstanding. He went on to say that banks are bombed prior to a
robbery that happens in quick succession. As that would not
automatically prove the same people are involved, there is one other
piece of evidence.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
started to get excited; after all, he thought he had a lead. Still,
he spoke in a mostly calm voice, saying: “security cameras indicate
that the robbers may be the same people responsible for the attack.”
Saitou finished with this, in a stoic tone: “now this brings us to
our last point...”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
paused one last time. He was always full of zeal when investigating
crimes. Elated, he said, “have you noticed a pattern here?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Yuto
shook his head, to which Saitou replied: “the pattern is simple:
the robbers bomb the bank and kill the security guard, then in short
order, they rob the bank and knock out the remaining guards under
daylight hours. A detail I left out is that the employees are held up
before they can trick the alarm. Telephones are also disabled. Cell
phones are jammed. These forward-thinking thieves are stealing a lot
of money from just about every bank here in town. There is a
conspiracy, I know it!”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Yuto
thought it out for a moment, and then it hit him. Saitou's right!
What sinister plot could they be scheming?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<h3 class="western">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Meanwhile</span></h3>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Shouto
Taisan has just entered the door. This is the LAP headquarters: an
office space with three rooms, covering 1177 square feet total. The
main room, which is 900 square feet around, sports red soft carpet.
It has a length of 45 feet, and a width of 20 feet. The entrance is
at the southern wall, with two rooms divided by walls and their
respective doorways. Straight ahead is the file room, 139 square
feet. The second room, to the right if the entrance, is where tools
are used to craft other tools, like cables for traversing chasms or
other gaps.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">When
he got through the door, to his right were two tables pushed together
on their shorter ends, creating a really long conference table.
Saitou was on the far end of the table, letting things stew over in
his mind, and Yuto was at the chair to his right, staring patiently.
Behind Saitou was a white board. Shouto sat across from Yuto, and the
exchange began.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">"So
guys, how's the investigation going?" Shouto asked in a casual
tone, almost like he didn't care.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Shouto
has red hair and brown eyes. He wears a blue cotton shirt underneath
a green jacket with orange lining and a logo near the collar, on the
right side. He also wears blue jeans and black shoes.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
replied, "we figured out the attacks are connected and that the
crooks are up to something, much more than just making money."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">That's
news to me. How do the robberies connect exactly?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
answered very curtly. “The bombings force the bank to close down;
the robbers come in and knock out the people that are there. And how
is this possible, you might ask? Because they can snipe people from
nearby buildings. That's what I believe.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Uh...that's
rather specific. I don't suppose you have proof of that part about
them sniping people? And does that include cops?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
replied, “While I can't say for sure, they do account for getting
rid of potential witnesses somehow. Even in the case of severe
property damage, at least the owner and security would be around if
nothing else. By the way, what do you suppose they're using that
money for?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Shouto
answered, "maybe they're using the funds for something dumb like
a casino?"</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">I
would like to think they're smarter than that. That much careful
planning just to get gambling money doesn't sound likely. Besides,
there aren't any casinos in town.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">"Well
then," Shouto answered, "let us see what comes to pass. How
about the usual wager?"</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">"Heh,
haven't learned your lesson, I see..." Saitou pondered for a
minute. "Very well, challenge accepted. Loser buys us pizza. We
will see what that money is being used for!"</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
“<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Yeah!
We're having pizza tonight!”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Saitou
replied, “actually Yuto, that's not the case. It's gonna take
longer than that to get the answers we need.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">That
poor disappointed Yuto! He went “aww”.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Shouto,
confident as he was, said to Yuto: “relax Yuto, Saitou will treat
us when this is over!”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">And
so our heroes have launched their investigation. Their first lead
will be the owner of Yozou Town Bank, Gordon Johnson.</span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-48951178059638082122015-06-08T09:31:00.001-05:002015-06-12T15:11:53.670-05:00Masked Get-Evener: Prologue<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
<a href="http://jrussell128.angelfire.com/"> Website </a><br />
<br />
This is the prologue to my up-and-coming novel. To make this short and sweet, my novel is basically like Dragnet: good (unbiased) cops going after nasty criminals and bringing them to justice. I start this novel on what I think is a good foot: with a crime. This crime sets off the events of first half of the story. Click the jump to begin reading.<br />
<br />
EDIT Fri Jun 12 15:10:16 CDT 2015: Addition of italics and bold. Some sentencing is reworded. <br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>
<br />
<div>
<div style="background-color: #71e9d6; border-radius: 5px; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px;">
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<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-top: 0.17in; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The
Adventures of the Masked Get-Evener </b></span></span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.08in; margin-top: 0.04in; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">CASE
1: the Armed Robbery of the Town Bank </span></span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<h1 class="western">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="Prologue"></a><span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">PROLOGUE</span></h1>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">It
was Saturday, <b>March the 21st</b>...It was a dark and cool night,
when, at the <i>Yozou Town Bank</i>, two masculine shadows appeared
at the back. <span style="font-weight: normal;">Using</span> a strange
device, they started slowly cutting away a hole through the door. It
was a oblong remote-like device that featured two prongs on the end
with a red ball covering each tip.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">After
they cut the hole out they got out a wash rag and a giant magnet, and
they pulled out the slab of metal, laying on the grass behind them.
The rag dampened a lot of the noise. Then they went inside.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Through
a door they entered into a large room with a table with video
equipment in it. There were doors on both sides and a window across
from the door. This was the security room. But the chair at the table
was empty...the security guard had taken a walk.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">The
first man, Chou, was about 6'1". He had dark brown hair and gray
eyes. He displayed a bulky build and square jaw. He wore a gray suit
jacket with a white undershirt and black tie. He wore matching gray
pants and black dress shoes. He was a well-dressed crook.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">The
second man, Eisine, was 5'9". He had a lighter shade of brown
for hair, and he had pale green eyes. He was equally bulky, but with
a more rounded jaw. He was garbed in a similar fashion, except he had
a dark green tie. Both men wore very focused but intimidating
expressions on their face.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">"Okay,"
says Chou, "the security guard has taken his walk. He patrols
around the building every thirty minutes, and then he heads back
here."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">Eisine
replied, "Okay. So where do we go from here? And how long until
that guard comes back?"</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">"Hmmm...it
takes anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes for him to return." After
thinking for a bit, he added: "and we are going to attach this
bomb to the desk in the lobby after the guard leaves. It is timed for
25 minutes, long after we have left."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">"Uhh...that
is not very specific."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">"Sorry,
it can't helped. That guard is a bit whimsical. He will skim over
things some days, and others he looks everything over with a
fine-toothed comb. I have no idea what mood he's in today."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">"Argh...that
is a pain in the—"</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">"Alright!
Let's get going..."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">The
two men snuck into the corridor through a door on the left. The
security guard, on the other hand, was in the lobby, looking over the
clerical desk. As this was happening, they snuck over to the end of
the long chain of desks.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">After
this, Chou whispered, "alright, this is where we deal with the
guard." But Eisine retorted, "But Chou, isn't it too
early?" At this Chou replied, "well, that's irrelevant now!
This spot is where we put the you-know-what and we don't want to get
held up by the guard, now do we?" Eisine agreed with him.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">After
this exchange they readied their weapons: a dart gun with a
tranquilizer dart loaded in. "I know this seems outdated,"
said Chou, "but this way the guy will knocked out for hours
while the bomb will explode in just 25 minutes. And shooting him
would be risky. And the boss would not like that!"</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">After
that, Chou shot the guard with the tranquilizer and knocked him out.
Afterwards, Eisine planted the bomb under the desk and activated the
timer. Chou then set his stopwatch. "Alright", he stated.
"This is where we make our leave. Let's use a different route to
avoid suspicion." And that is exactly what they did.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">After
25 minutes the bomb detonated, and a large portion of the bank was
demolished.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-77443136463136580232015-04-15T08:43:00.002-05:002015-04-15T08:45:26.192-05:00Animated Trailer Finished<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
<a href="http://jrussell128.angelfire.com/"> Website </a><br />
<br />
The animated trailer I'm working on is complete. This trailer looks very basic right now, I understand, but I am always finding ways to refine my craft. You could say I'm learning by the minute with this video. The first out of three trailers is complete.<br />
<br />
The link to it is below.<br />
<br />
UPDATE Wed Apr 15: In response to some advice to really work on my animation, I am devising a new project that will aim to simply add visuals for an original song I created. I have an idea in mind, but I think more carefully about it. I will start looking up tutorials when I am not working on my novel.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-57420280277203794782015-04-15T08:40:00.002-05:002015-04-15T08:40:38.988-05:00Working on a New Novel<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
<a href="http://jrussell128.angelfire.com/"> Website </a><br />
<br />
It's called The Adventures of the Masked Get-Evener. It is about a guy named Morizaki who investigates crimes. This novel is about specifically getting one crime solved. I have finished the Prologue, Chapter 1, and Chapter 2, but they need revising, which I am doing from time to time. I am currently working on chapter 3. This novel will provide a framework for working on my animated series of the same name...or will it be different?<br />
<br />
The gist of the story is that a couple of men break into a bank and detonate a bomb before leaving. But a few days later someone robs it, and that is when Saitou Morizaki is on the case! Feel free to read it whenever you're not busy. You can even report typos or other comments using the form provided on Disposable Webpages.<br />
<br />
Disposable Webpages allows you to create self-deleting webpages That last about 90 days. Two of my pages have 68 days left as of this post, and the other 81. Enjoy my novel!
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-52993322586358454772015-01-10T14:08:00.002-06:002015-01-14T11:34:15.102-06:00New Project Underway: Animated Webseries<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
<a href="http://jrussell128.angelfire.com/"> Website </a><br />
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Several months ago I decided to make a new web cartoon. The series itself will be precipitated with three trailers, each dedicated to one of the main heroes. And the first trailer is about: Yuto Amamiya. Click the link below to read the rest.<br />
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All things considered, this cartoon has the confections of an anime, and is partly inspired by that genre. Anime, however, is by definition just a shorthand for animation. But in America it refers to Japanese animation; understandable given the...distinctive qualities of this popular art form.<br />
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I'll start things off with a picture of Yuto Amamiya. Try not to be put off by my animation as I am not a professionally trained artist. With that in mind... <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OyhijBCqDl0/VLGD6Rt1-fI/AAAAAAAAAJs/JJpuujGdEPo/s1600/frame000328.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OyhijBCqDl0/VLGD6Rt1-fI/AAAAAAAAAJs/JJpuujGdEPo/s1600/frame000328.png" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
Here it is: Yuto Amamiya. This is merely the beginning. This is just one of three trailers, so don't expect a long video. I am in the production stage right now, but my projected broadcasting date is somewhere in the final week of January, at the least.<br />
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If you have questions or comments, please use the form down below, visit my Google Plus page, or you could email me at jrussellmailbox-vman103@yahoo.com. Also the subject line should say something along the lines of this article's topic, like "about your series". Like anyone else I get a lot of emails, especially in the spam folder. With that in mind, thanks for reading!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-89003335843539736612014-07-03T20:24:00.001-05:002014-07-03T20:25:59.881-05:00New Cartoon Representation of Vman103<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
<a href="http://jrussell128.angelfire.com/"> Website </a><br />
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Hello everyone! This is Vman103! I hope you like this cartoon representation of me. I need to practice some drawing so my art is a little better! If you like this art all the same, then spread the word! I am currently plotting to make a video on Youtube, but that depends on whether I can get a stable video editor. I use Ubuntu, and I used a video editor once...but it crashed, every time.<br />
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<figure><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xB00lTYKH2Q/U7X3jfhA9lI/AAAAAAAAAHw/BjCD8cV_Gn4/s1600/vman103.png" height="320" width="234" /></figure>
<figcaption>Hello! I'm Vman103! The real Vman103...<br />I hope I can move my mouth someday. I would like it if I was animated. Please let me move my mouth!</figcaption>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-62860730029745929662014-06-30T14:34:00.000-05:002014-07-04T10:53:03.486-05:00Organic Gardening: Is It Worth It?<script type="text/javascript">
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<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
<a href="http://jrussell128.angelfire.com/"> Website </a><br />
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What would you think if someone told your there was an easier, cheaper, and healthier way to feed yourself? With rising food costs, that idea may start appealing to many. You can save money and energy by growing <b>organic food</b> at home. This article will discuss how this works.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>We will talk about the economics of growing your own food, and the time and effort involved. Even if you live in a town or city, where complete self-sufficiency is all but impossible, you can still take simple steps to grow your own food.<br />
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<h3>
How Much Does Growing Food Cost?</h3>
So is growing organic produce financially viable? Yes, because organic agriculture is based on harmony with nature, which does not require heavy machinery or chemical fertilizers. In fact, organic farmers promote soil fertility and structure with farming <i>methods</i>, not chemicals. The exception is natural fertilizers, which you can get from a lot of sources; and it can range from very cheap to even free. Not just soil fertility, but even pest control can be managed in the same general fashion.<br />
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Expanding on its economic efficiency, organic farming is known for its practice of seed saving. Heirloom seeds, as they are called, are relatively old, with one standard requiring that a strain has been started prior to 1945. One thing people can rely on, though, is the fact that heirloom seeds tend to be genetically consistent, meaning their offspring will be like the parents. Seeds in general are very cheap because they are abundant; and a single plant can produce multiple seeds after its flowering stage. And because heirloom seeds cannot be patented, you cannot be sued for using a particular kind of seed, which unfortunately is common with genetically modified seeds.<br />
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In direct contrast with organic farming is <i>conventional agriculture</i>. Farmers use synthetic chemicals for the purposes of soil fertility, pest and weed control. It is used with monoculture, a practice that discourages biodiversity. On top of that, GMO seeds are used under the premise that they have higher yield. Summarizing the problems with that idea, not only are these claims not substantiated, but GMOs are shown to be destructive since they are always sprayed profusely with pesticides. <br />
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Plants Take Time To Grow</h3>
The subheading says it all. Plants are slow growing, and as such, one must be patient if he is to grow food. In spite of that plants are still worth the time and effort you put into them. How so? Organic farming practices include the restoration of soil fertility, which cuts down on the time and money you spend on fertilizer. Conventional farming just sucks the soil dry and tries to compensate with chemical fertilizers, usually nitrogen.<br />
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Adding to the fact that organic farming saves time, you can make the most use of your time with successive and companion planting. Start with growing plants that take little time to grow—usually leafy greens, like lettuce. It takes a bare minimum of 30 days to grow, depending on variety. Arugula, another quick-growing vegetable, takes from 60-70 days to grow overall. So how does successive planting work in practice?<br />
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Successive planting refers to sowing seeds or rooting transplants in succession to each other at a set interval. For example, you can sow a number of seeds, repeating the process on another row of land after three weeks. This ensures that you do not run out of food for the whole season. By the time you harvest the first set of crops, the second row is already on its way to maturity, and so on. This makes for efficient use of time.<br />
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<h3>
It Takes Work to Grow Food</h3>
Yes, it takes varying amounts of effort and cost to grow a plant. Factors such as resistance to disease, level of maintenance, and demands for water and sunlight, can affect how hard you have to work at it. Just remember that effort determines what you get out of the ground, so do not try to spare yourself a little work. You can reduce your workload, however, by becoming more efficient in how you do things. Experience will help you do just that. Also, some plants take more maintenance than others.<br />
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To summarize what we have discussed so far, even though plants take time and effort to grow, both can be conserved by becoming more creative with our methods. Before you can do that, however, you must do research on the plant in question. Try to pinpoint the specific variety you have, if possible. Each variety has a slightly different growth habit, size, shape, and other external features. Differences can also include flavor and texture, depending on the crop. One last thing to consider is that heavy feeding plants, which need a lot of nitrogen, are generally harder to grow.<br />
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What Is Organic Agriculture?</h3>
This topic has been saved for last, and for good reason. What do you notice about the organic farming methods? Is it how they do not use chemical fertilizers, sprayed pesticides, or GMO seeds? Organic agriculture, for those who are not aware, is the modern term for traditional farming techniques; such have been used for centuries to support our large population.<br />
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Methods such as crop rotation and cover crops have been in use for all of human history up to this point. Crop rotation fights disease by throwing off the rhythm of pathogens and making your plants less likely to grow sick and die. Cover crops help in much the same way, but by attracting beneficial microbes as well as insects, which act as biological pest control. Finally, you can rot cover crops before they flower to deposit nutrients into the soil.<br />
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Traditional agriculture also relies on the use of manure and compost for fertilizing the ground; worms help improve the drainage as well as leaving potassium behind; and mulch retains water. You can make mulch out of dried up leaves in the fall. With all this in mind, does organic farming really seem inferior to conventional? This article has only described a few methods at the organic farmer's disposal. Also keep in mind that, even when the word agriculture is used, you can apply most of these techniques at home, even in a small space, in containers.<br />
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SOURCES<br />
<a href="http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/cover-crop-benefits" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">OrganicGardening.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.sustainabletable.org.au/Hungryforinfo/Conventionalfarmingdamagetheenvironment/tabid/117/Default.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SustainableTable.org.au</a><br />
<a href="http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/crop-rotation" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">OrganicGardening.com - crop rotation</a><br />
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FURTHER READING<br />
<a href="http://gardening.about.com/od/vegetable1/g/SuccessionPlant.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gardening.about.com</a><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0Neosho, MO 64850, USA36.852261 -94.3770703999999836.4456985 -95.022517399999984 37.2588235 -93.731623399999975tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-30518394275338303732014-06-11T00:00:00.000-05:002015-05-28T23:32:44.987-05:00The Sun: Is It As Dangerous As People Claim?.<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
<a href="http://jrussell128.angelfire.com/"> Website </a><br />
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This article is part of <a href="http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2014/06/real-food-wednesday-6112014.html" target="_blank">Real Food Wednesday</a>. Sorry I forgot to mention that.<br />
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The sun—we cannot live with it, nor without it. At least that is how many see it today. Without getting too deep into it, this article will discuss the makeup of sunlight, and whether it is truly dangerous. What do you think? Is the sun a dangerous, carcinogenic stellar body? Or is it truly the light of the world? Read on and find out!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The sun is believed to be dangerous—so dangerous, in fact, that many people have to lather sunscreen on the minute they leave their home. Many people also link the sun to skin cancer.<br />
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To be specific, it is <b>ultraviolet(UV)</b> light that causes any of the aforementioned skin problems. Aside from that, the sun's rays are also 50 percent infrared light, and 40 percent of it is in the visible light spectrum. The rest is UV light, a modest 10 percent.<br />
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Ultraviolet Light: What Is It Exactly?</h3>
Ultraviolet is a spectrum of light that lies beyond the visible light spectrum, just above the highest frequency—the color violet. It has a total wavelength range of 400 and 100 nanometres. UV waves have a shorter wavelength than visible light, but are longer than x-ray waves. They are normally invisible to the human eye, with the exception of those afflicted with <b>aphakia</b>.<br />
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<b>There are three divisions of UV light</b>. The first is UVA light. It has the longest wavelength of all three. Its wavelength is anywhere between 400 to 315 nanometres(nm). UVB has a range of 315 to 280nm. Finally, UVC has the shortest wavelength on the UV spectrum, running between 280 and 100nm. In this article we will discuss the three different forms of UV light.<br />
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UVA, UVB, and UVC: What Is the Difference?</h4>
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First we will look at <b>UVA</b>. It has the longest wavelength, measuring at 400 to 315 nanometres. Because of its long wavelength, it has high penetrability, and as such it can pierce through clouds. It goes through windows. It even stays at consistent levels throughout the day. It can even go through the atmosphere, mostly unhindered! Still, is it that dangerous?<br />
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Due to its long wavelength, it can penetrate to the dermis(the second layer of skin, where new cells are made). Nonetheless, a short wavelength also means low energy, meaning its damage factor is laughable, to be blunt.<br />
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<b>UVB</b> light, on the other hand, is more dangerous to the skin—but only in excessive exposure. Your body needs it to produce vitamin D. Think of it as human photosynthesis of sorts. UVB light cannot penetrate clouds and is mostly present between the hours of 10AM and 4PM, give or take. They are more dangerous at high altitudes or in the presence of reflective surfaces. That includes snow and ice as well. On a last note, the UVB is most prominent on seasons where the sun shines directly onto your area—Spring and Summer here in the US.<br />
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It is noteworthy that UVB's shorter wavelength means it only penetrates to the first layer of the skin, called the epidermis. But it also packs more energy, and thus can cause more damage. It is, in fact, what causes sun burns. But the atmosphere absorbs most of it, and it can't travel through glass.<br />
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We will briefly cover <b>UVC</b> light. Normally, it never reaches the earth. It has a negligible penetrability, which means it can't penetrate much of anything, let alone skin. However, it packs much more power than UVA and UVB light, such that it can mutate DNA and even kill bacteria and viruses! <br />
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How to Protect Yourself</h3>
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So how do we protect ourselves? By avoiding the sun like it's a deadly "death star"? No. First of all, we have an atmosphere, and it filters out most of the sunlight. Therefore, we need not avoid ALL sunlight. It is 10% UV light—enough to kill anything. But only 3% reaches the surface, that is, when the sun is at a peak known as the zenith.<br />
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So now that we covered UV light, here lies the question: how do we protect ourselves? Firstly, take note that the skin needs a certain amount of sunlight to produce adequate amounts of vitamin D. I suggest around 15 minutes, give or take a few, or until your skin turns pink. After that, suit up! Put on reflective clothes and large hats. The hats cast a shadow over your face, which is very nice.<br />
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If you must use sunscreen, then look for the kinds that don't have toxic ingredients in them. Protecting your skin doesn't mean anything if you do that with carcinogenic chemicals often found in sunscreen. Natural sunscreen formulas work best, and though expensive, they should last a while. It's not like you need to slather it on enough that you look like a glazed pottery vessel.<br />
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Concerns About UV Light</h3>
There are a few concerns to keep in mind about ultraviolet light. Firstly, it causes free radical formation in the body. Free radicals are molecules that have an odd number of valence electrons. Put simply, they mug other atomic particles of their electrons, starting a chain reaction that can destroy cells and even alter DNA. The mutations could then result in cancer. Free radicals can really cause destruction!<br />
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With that in mind, just how dangerous can it get? As mentioned in the previous paragraph, free radicals can result in cancer. In fact, it is not a stretch to say they are a heavy contributor to cancer! But there lies an easy solution to this problem: antioxidants. What are they?<br />
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Antioxidants are compounds that neutralize free radicals. Not only are they very effective, but they are very common to boot. Actually, though, antioxidants are a facet of a plant's natural defences, and therefore is found in every plant that exists. But some foods are known for having more than others. One example are blueberries. Indeed, antioxidants are not hard to come by!<br />
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Is One Type of UV Light More Dangerous Than the Other?</h3>
The answer depends on where you live. UVC is, objectively, the most destructive, but it never penetrates the atmosphere, and the only way to get it is by way of lights that produce it, like germicidal lights. It can kill bacteria and alter DNA, so it is not to be taken lightly.<br />
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UVB light, then, is the most dangerous for everybody. While UVA goes deeper, UVB ultimately has greater capacity to harm you. That is not to say you should ignore UVA—it can still harm you. Have you gotten a sunburn on a cloudy day? That is caused by UVA light. Unlike UVB, it can penetrate the clouds.<br />
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As the old proverb goes, it is not the mere fact of having it, but too much of it that causes harm. That principle can apply to anything. The sun itself is not dangerous, but excess exposure that causes harm. But that is not the only factor to look out for. Next time we will look into how the skin adapts to sun exposure, and that impacts your vulnerability to the sun's rays.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">SOURCES</span><br />
<a href="http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/uva-and-uvb/understanding-uva-and-uvb"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/uva-and-uvb/understanding-uva-and-uvb</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/debra-black/standing-up-to-melanoma_b_1158672.html"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/debra-black/standing-up-to-melanoma_b_1158672.html</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/034493_sunshine_skin_cancer_sunscreen.html#ixzz34AUxF6yE"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.naturalnews.com/034493_sunshine_skin_cancer_sunscreen.html#ixzz34AUxF6yE</span></a><br />
<a href="http://dermatology.about.com/cs/beauty/a/suneffect.htm"><span style="font-size: small;">http://dermatology.about.com/cs/beauty/a/suneffect.htm</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> For further study:</span><br />
<a href="http://tv.naturalnews.com/v.asp?v=200C0CF299D1748BDD3D7B4E020A1E51"><span style="font-size: small;">http://tv.naturalnews.com/v.asp?v=200C0CF299D1748BDD3D7B4E020A1E51</span></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0Neosho, MO, USA36.8689554 -94.36799636.6656574 -94.6907195 37.072253399999994 -94.04527250000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-60020836967968218362014-05-21T14:17:00.000-05:002014-06-12T10:07:31.819-05:00Health Benefits of Licorice Root<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
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This herb belongs to the fifty fundamental herbs of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM). It has potent medicinal effects. This herb can treat infections, including of the mouth, and can pacify your liver. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. What am I referring to? This wonderful herb is Licorice Root!<br />
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Licorice root can do all sorts of things. Let me touch on just a few:<br />
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Licorice is traditionally used for <b>liver</b> problems. It pacifies this very important organ. This is significant for the many people that put stress on their livers. For example, according to one study, listed as <u>source one</u> below, it is able to decrease two enzymes. <b>Alanine transaminase</b> (ALT) is the first one; and <b>aspartate transaminase</b> (AST) is the second. These enzymes indicate whether the liver is in some type of distress.<br />
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Licorice root extract can be used for treating canker sores. It has strong anti-microbial properties, and is known for anti-viral effects, like treatment of certain kinds of <b>hepatitis</b> and <b>herpes</b>. Look for <u>source two</u> below for the original article that said it.<br />
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A few other effects of licorice root includes its <i>anti-inflammatory</i> effect and its status as a <i>tonic</i>. For mouth related ills, <span style="background-color: #ffe599;">make a tea and gargle or drink it</span>. The tea will help against respiratory-related problems. Gargling it is good for throat problems like sore throat or mouth ulcers.<br />
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Lastly, while this is not verified on my part, Natural News editor Mike Adams said that licorice root can fight two types of cancers by selectively killing cancer cells: breast and prostate cancers. I'll link to it, but the article itself does not have any sources listed, so do your own research.<br />
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<b>Disclaimer</b>: As a note of warning(so I don't accused by people who have no faith in natural cures), first of all I'm not a medical expert, but the authors of these pages might be. Also licorice does has its dangers like how it makes you excrete potassium. It also raises blood pressure, so be careful. Read the last source link for why you should be careful with it.<br />
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SOURCES</h3>
<a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/036201_licorice_root_liver_enzymes.html" target="_blank">http://www.naturalnews.com</a> - source one<br />
<a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/023676_treatment_licorice_root.html" target="_blank">Natural News: Canker Sores</a> - source one<br />
<a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/000662_chemotherapy_licorice_root.html" target="_blank">"Licorice works better than chemotherapy at killing cancer cells" - Mike Adams</a><br />
<a href="http://naturallivingmamma.com/2012/10/16/licorice-an-herbal-primer/" target="_blank">http://naturallivingmamma.com</a> - for cross-referencingAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-78309490605959686042014-05-17T20:16:00.001-05:002014-05-17T20:52:05.397-05:00Update Sat May 17<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
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Hello and welcome to another exciting article on homemade soda! Have you ever wondered how to make that bubbly stuff you buy at the store? Do you want to learn how to make your own root beer? Look no further than here! This blog has the combination of all my research into how soda works. And this page summarizes the last post that had to do with root beer. After that comes an update on what I recently found out.<br />
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Carbonating Pop for Free</h2>
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The gist of this article is that you can capture wild yeast and use it to carbonate your pop. What I didn't mention was that, in lieu of the ingredients used, you have to be very careful how much sugar you use. I thought that my licorice root was going to smell and taste like...licorice.<br />
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To be sure, I was right about the taste. People might interpret smells differently, as I did not think it smelled sweet. But when I brewed ¼ teaspoon of licorice root in 1 cup of water it tasted noticeably sweet. Lesson learned: research the herb before you use it for culinary or medicinal uses.<br />
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An important note to take is that modern root beer, if not the traditional recipe, had some sort of licorice flavor. Licorice root is, of course, the original source, but anise oil is used in more recent licorice candies and root beers.</div>
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After that I had a revelation: the reason why I thought my root beer tasted too sweet was because I used too much sugar, while putting in ingredients that contain phytochemicals that add sweetness. Licorice root and stevia are both like that, the former containing <b>glycyrrhizin</b>; this chemical is what adds a hint of sweetness.<br />
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The moral of the story? When thinking about how much sugar to put into your soda, factor in which ingredients contain chemicals that sweeten things. Licorice root contains glycyrrhizin, which is 50 times sweeter than sugar. It will sweeten your beverage something fierce!<br />
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As a side note, sassafras does not sweeten your tea, but it adds a rather bitter/bland flavor. Of course, when using sassafras to make root beer, you need sugar to ferment it. So sugar generally remains the main source of sweetness in soda.</div>
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In conclusion, this is my present circumstance: I learned about this simple lesson regarding sugar versus phytochemical sweeteners. Let this simple lesson serve as a reminder as you strive to make your own soda!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-21457394356929249302014-03-02T16:41:00.000-06:002014-05-17T20:50:40.948-05:00Pennyless Soda Carbonation and Using Net Cups for Gardening<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
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EDIT: this post is now part of <a href="http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2014/03/real-food-wednesday-3122014.html#respond" target="_blank">Real Food Wednesday</a>.<br />
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The first section is about making your own root beer, fizz and all, without buying yeast! It is a very simple article and is explained after the jump.<br />
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The second section is about my decision to use net cups for starting seeds. EDIT: this also contains an update on how that worked out. This section also explains why net cups should be use for starting seeds. You will want to hear this if you want an easier way to transplant.</div>
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<h2>
Carbonating Pop for Free</h2>
If you're reading this, you might have wanted to carbonate your own <b>root beer</b>. Well you can do that—for free! I actually found this by accident, but I ran an experiment on my next batch and found it to work! Let's find out how.<br />
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The way it works is that root beer's familiar head can be achieved using yeast. When you carbonate pop with yeast, the result is thousands of tiny bubbles, creating a rather fine fizz. Your pop will not be abrasive or full of large bubbles.<br />
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On top of that, you can carbonate root beer using wild yeast—the kind you don't buy! This is significant for those who make a lot of root beer or other fermented sodas. Champagne yeast will not cost a fortune when you're buying it once, but compare that to other expenses you may have. So going cheap is a good idea.<br />
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<b>So how do you harvest wild yeast to carbonate your pop</b>? My methodology is based on the principle of making sourdough starter—to capture wild yeast in the starter and leaven the bread. This eliminates the need to buy yeast; and the same idea can be applied to soda pop, as I have recently found out.<br />
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How, then, does this process work? It's not rocket science, actually—make your soda(with the sugar dissolved) and leave it out overnight. It can be left uncovered in the winter when flies are not harassing you or drowing in your root beer.<br />
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After this, bottle your root beer and let it ferment. Stuff like this, I've heard, has been going on since the early days of America.<br />
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Here's a side note about ginger. Actually, I tried to make a ginger bug, a naturally fermented, fizzing beverage. You can add it to soda to add the fizz to it.<br />
The fact is you don't have to make a ginger bug if you don't want to, but doing so lets you add ginger's flavor to it. Cut up some ginger, submerse it in filtered water(no chlorine), and add sugar. Wait, lather rinse, and repeat until it is fizzy. As another side note, ginger's very good for your stomach—it can treat a few common ailments, such as an upset stomach.</div>
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Just a <span style="color: red;">warning</span>: I don't actually know what goes into your soda and bubbles it up. It could be the same yeast and bacteria that make sourdough bread, which I also made recently.—DATE: Sat May 17.<br />
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<h2>
Using Net Cups for Gardening</h2>
In this section, I will explain what net cups are and why they are your best friends. And this time I actually used them, so you can take my word for it.—DATE: Sat May 17. I got this idea from watching <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/larrylhall/search?query=net+" target="_blank">Larry Hall's channel</a> on Youtube.<br />
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So the question is: why should you use net cups? Why should you fork over the money for them. Firstly, they're not expensive. But this is the second reason: <br />
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<b>Net cups improve root development</b>. How? Via the air pruning effect. This prevents the plant from becoming root-bound, meaning it is not hard as heck to pull out of the ground, container, or raised bed. But what is the air pruning effect?<br />
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Simply put, this means that air is literally <b>pruning back the tips of the roots.</b> The root retaliates by branching out, creating a root system that looks like a tree. This creates a stronger plant by preventing transplant shock. It also makes the plant easier to pull up and it doesn't hog all the space of a container.<br />
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In contrast, a standard pot would have the root hit a wall and spiral downward, making it hard to pull the plant without damaging its roots. But net cups fix all that and makes the plant more stable.<br />
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<b>How to use 3" net cups</b>. Use regular potting mix instead of seed starting mixture. Line up the net cups in a tray and add your seeds according to your package instructions. Add a quarter-inch of water to the tray and let the potting mixture absorb all the water.<br />
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NEW UPDATE: I grew two rather hearty basil plants. That, along with pruning the herbs to make them branch out, made for two strong basil plants. I am also growing a Tiny Tim tomato as we speak.—Sat May 17.<br />
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SOURCES:<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBEy4wug6Ek" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBEy4wug6Ek</a> Larry Hall's videoAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0Missouri, USA37.9642529 -91.831833431.5895279 -102.15898189999999 44.338977899999996 -81.5046849tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-70623137483171525542013-12-25T17:01:00.001-06:002014-08-14T13:23:36.766-05:00An Easier Way to Organize Your Meals and Improve Your Health<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
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NOTE: this article is a part of <a href="http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2013/12/real-food-wednesday-12252013.html">Real food Wednesdays</a>, hosted by Kelly the Kitchen Kop.
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<h1>
An easy Chinese-style breakfast</h1>
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I recently went back to trying out the structure of China's meals. With hundreds of years or more of meal planning, and China's emphasis on balance, I found a system that lets you make a healthier and more organized structure. The key here, after all, is to work smarter, not harder; the more organized your meals are, the less work there is. On top of that you will learn how to eat healthier without the clichéd stereotype of depriving yourself of food and enjoyment.<br />
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This article will teach the principles of how China's people organize their meals. Not only is it efficient—sometimes more so than our way of cooking—but you will make an enjoyable meal that improves your health. <br />
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I have done my research on <a href="http://chinesefood.about.com/od/resourceschinesecooking/a/chinesemeal.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">planning a meal in China</a>.The impression I got was that the Chinese like communal-style meals and a rich diversity of food. I will get to that part later.<br />
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Firstly Chinese meals are like communal gatherings—everyone is gathered together at a table with the food laid out in front of them. Each main dish is meant to be shared among the people at the table. So they do in China what we only do at "get-togethers"! The ancient practice eating with your family is still strong there, if I am not mistaken.<br />
<h3>
<br />How the Meals are Arranged</h3>
Chinese meals start with a bowl of soup, which is the "beverage". Everyone has their own private soup to drink from. It's basically their
answer to a glass of water. It is interesting but odd from my own perspective. People have their own soup and bowl of rice, which serves a complementary role in China.<br />
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Following the soup are appetizers; and following that are the main dishes. These are the foods that define the meal. Are you having fish tonight with steamed vegetables and dumplings, or just yams and, annually, bread like in the non-fiction novel <i>Mao's Last Dance</i>?<br />
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In Chinese cuisine cooks never serve the same thing twice in one meal—in other words, no two dishes with beef in it; and no two spicy dishes, either. They do this to <i>balance out</i> the flavors and textures of food. <b>Balance</b> is a key word in Chinese philosophy for those who don't know. That means spicy foods are often paired with bland.<br />
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To support this fact, one man theorized that the five
tastes are linked with the five major organ systems; hence, the belief
that all flavors should be harmoniously combined in one meal. <br />
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<b>What kind of food is served at a Chinese meal</b>? Grains and vegetables make up most of the diet there in China, with animal-based foods(meat, seafood, etc.) playing a secondary role. If you're wondering about tea, China's national drink, they sip it down before or after a meal to aid digestion. <a href="http://www.enjoyingtea.com/health-benefits-of-tea.html" target="_blank">Read more about tea's health benefits here</a>.<br />
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<b>How much food should be served at a meal</b>? The number should be roughly equal to the number of people at your table. So for example, if you have four hungry people, serve the following: one vegetable dish, one meat dish and one poultry dish; one bowl of rice, and some soup.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-66520889850013232632013-12-04T20:52:00.002-06:002013-12-04T22:25:05.602-06:00The Champion of Savoury Dishes: Carmelized Onions<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
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<br />
<u>Note: this post is part of <a href="http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2013/12/real-food-wednesday-1242013.html" target="_blank">Real Food Wednesdays</a></u>.<br />
Do you like caramelized onions? They taste sweet and savoury at the same time. They are very delicious and can be added as pizza toppings; try them over grilled chicken; or anywhere else regular onions would be used. This article will consider two methods for caramelizing onions—fast and slow.<br />
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First, we will now consider, what caramelization is, and how it should be handled. <br />
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What is caramelization?</h2>
Simply put, caramelization is the browning of sugar. It is a chemical reaction called oxidation, where volatile chemicals are released, causing the signature caramel flavor. This process is used in the kitchens to produce a nutty flavor and a nice, brown color. - SOURCE: <a href="http://www.scienceofcooking.com/caramelization.htm" target="_blank">http://www.scienceofcooking.com/caramelization.htm</a> <br />
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This process is similar but not identical to the Maillard reaction. But as an article puts it:<br />
<blockquote style="background: #59c9e9;">
...only the most pedantic hairsplitter would actually take the trouble to correct you on it. Also simply referred to as "browning."</blockquote>
<span style="clear: right;">- SOURCE: <a href="http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/glossary/g/maillard.htm">http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/glossary/g/maillard.htm</a></span><br />
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If you want to learn the exact process of caramelization—a daunting study—then <a href="http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/glossary/g/maillard.htm" target="_blank">click here</a>. Otherwise, continue your reading here to learn how to caramelize onions the quick way.<br />
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<h2>
Caramelized onions, the faster method</h2>
How did I use the faster method? I cut up part of an onion into <i>really</i> small cuts. I buttered a pan, added salt, and fried them. I used the instructions from <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Caramelized-Onions" target="_blank">Wikihow</a>. I used the "basic-sautéed-onion" method.<br />
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What happens is you use butter and olive oil to fry the onions on medium-low heat. Then you add the onions, a little salt(close to ¼ teaspoon for a 1½ pounds of onion, chopped), and pepper to boot. In five minutes your onions will soften. At this point you stir in a couple teaspoons of sugar, and cook for 20 more minutes. When browned and soft, your onions are finished. I merely use my eyes to figure out when they were done because that is all that is needed!<br />
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This process doesn't take very long, but its taste is shallow in comparison to when you cook the onions more slowly. If you are okay with that, then it doesn't matter. But if you want to develop the flavor more, then you must take your time with the slow cooking method, which we will now consider.<br />
<h2>
The traditional method to caramelizing onions.</h2>
According to a source I've read, the quick 20-mintue method of caramelizing onions is a complete farce. It actually takes longer to caramelize onions—much longer. We're talking about close to an hour, just for the onions. The source for this statement is <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/life/scocca/2012/05/how_to_cook_onions_why_recipe_writers_lie_and_lie_about_how_long_they_take_to_caramelize_.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">found here</a>. The author is Tom Scocca. For the record, I don't actually know much about this site, and I don't really endorse it, either. But the information here agrees with another source I found containing instructions on how to caramelize onions the old-fashioned way.<br />
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These instructions were found on <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-caramelize-onions-35933" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this site</a>. I also have nothing to do with this site, but it contains information I'm willing to try out. I just attempted at caramelizing onions this way. I started out dry cooking the onions, and adding butter later. But these are the proper instructions for caramelizing onions according to them:<br />
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<b>You will need:</b><br />
<ol>
<li>2-4 yellow onions(I used white, but yellow ones are sweeter)</li>
<li>2 tablespoons butter, olive oil, or a mix</li>
<li>2 tablespoons white/red wine, vegetable/chicken stock, balsamic vinegar, or water</li>
<li>salt</li>
</ol>
<b>Equipment:</b>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Stainless steel or cast-iron skillet</li>
<li>Stiff spatula</li>
</ul>
Slice the onions thinly and melt the butter on medium heat. Add the onions and stir them gently. After that, cook the onions over a period of time, stirring on rare occasion. Here is a time table I copied from this site:<br />
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<i>Around 10 Minutes:</i> Onions will start to soften and turn translucent in spots. They will release a lot of liquid into the pan.<br />
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<i>Around 20 Minutes:</i> Onions will be very soft and starting to break down. Some onions will start to show spots of caramelization and you may see some fond starting to build up in the pan. They will also start to smell caramelized. Adjust the heat if the onions seem to be cooking too quickly or you notice any burnt spots.<br />
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<i>Around 30 Minutes:</i> Onions should be light blonde in color and starting to become jammy. More fond is starting to build up, but it should still be fairly easy to scrape it up with the evaporating liquid from the onions.<br />
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<i>Around 40 Minutes:</i> Onions are golden and starting to smell very caramelized. Taste one — if you like the way they taste, you can stop now! For even deeper caramelized flavor, continue cooking.<br />
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<i>Around 50 Minutes and Beyond:</i> Continued cooking will result in darker, richer, even more caramelized onions. Continue checking the onions every 5 to 10 minutes until they reach your desired level of caramelization. The fond may start to build up on the bottom of the pan — let it be unless it looks like it's starting to burn (in which case, deglaze the pan with a little water). <br />
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Deglaze the pan and salt the onions by adding, as this page says, ¼ cup of the liquid mentioned above(water,balsamic vinegar, etc.). The ingredients says two tablespoons of this stuff, so go figure. You should use good judgement when this confusion happens. After you deglaze the pan, scrape up the fond(the brown burnt-looking stuff you see on the bottom of pans when you fry things like onions). Stir it back into the onions—it is part of the flavor.<br />
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When you finish cooking the onions, either use them or chill them! They chill in the refrigerator or a week, and they freeze for around three months.<br />
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SOURCE : <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-caramelize-onions-35933#recipe">http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-caramelize-onions-35933#recipe</a><br />
<h2>
Conclusion</h2>
Overall, the slow-cooking method produces a deeper taste, but it takes longer than the every-convenient 20-minute method. Caramelization is a trade-off relationship between the quality of the taste, and the time it takes to develop it. For easy reference, if onions are cooked really slowly over medium to low heat, it will develop the strongest taste; but if it is cooked really quickly, it will not be as complex as the former. Slow-cooked onions, or fast-cooked onions? Which do you prefer?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0Missouri, USA37.9642529 -91.831833431.5895279 -102.15898189999999 44.338977899999996 -81.5046849tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-37290085330080908312013-11-30T18:10:00.000-06:002013-12-01T12:37:53.568-06:00Organic Basil in the works, and how to protect your plants from illness<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
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I have been growing plants for some time now, and it is time for me to start my next season of Basil. I grow organic, heirloom Basil. But what does organic mean? It's important to understand if you want to grow plants in an environmentally friendly way. Do you want to learn how to grow organically?<br />
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Have you wondered what it means to grow food organically? At the very least, it entails that you use only natural means to grow your plants and reduce disease, weeds, and the instances of pests. Compost is one great example. You do not buy commercial, synthetic insecticide. Instead, you decompose organic plant matter(among other things), and put it down into your soil where the plants are.<br />
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On the topic of organic disease-control, there is one option that I've looked into. I do not buy this chemical for my household(since I'm not the man of the house), but I do use it, in small amounts. I use it to control a deadly disease that hurts the economy as much as it does our beloved tomatoes. What disease is that, might you ask?<br />
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<h2>
The Dreaded Fusarium Wilt</h2>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusarium_wilt" target="_blank"><i>Fusarium wilt</i></a> is a plant-only fungal infection that attacks a lot of tomato and basil plants, just to name a couple. Naturally, this evil disease does not target just these two. The link above will give you the whole story. <br />
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Fusarium Wilt is a real stinker to deal with. I saw its vile works with my own eyes. Thankfully, I learned how to build up my plants' immune systems early in their lives—<i>hydrogen peroxide</i>. Taking a spray bottle, filling it with water, and adding a tablespoon of this chemical, I can set my plants up to have oppose fungal infections...or that is the idea, anyway.<br />
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I do not know for certain if this chemical has an effect on plants. More than likely it doesn't harm the plants, but I am hoping that it helps the plants fight off infection. How safe is this chemical anyway, one may ask? This quote is from Snopes, and is the summary of how they feel is the appropiate use of this chemical:<br />
<blockquote style="background-color: #d0f1ff;">
Gargle with it, wipe wounds with it, foam the wax out of your ears with it, bleach your hair and your clothes with it, but don't drink it or let someone shoot it into your veins.</blockquote>
SOURCE: <a href="http://www.snopes.com/medical/homecure/peroxide.asp" target="_blank">Snopes.com; author: Barbara "dose of common sense" Mikkelson</a>
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<br />
This article, if you've read it, only talks about human health in relation to the use of hydrogen peroxide. What affects a human does not have to necessarily affect a plant. We are not one and the same; in fact, there are quite a few differences between us. I can tell you this much: if hydrogen peroxide is good for killing germs, maybe it would be good for plant immunity as well? That may sound like a long shot, but one does not figure nature out with hasty decisions. I've seen just how crazy and complex nature can be.<br />
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For my part, I cannot confirm or deny any of these claims; and really, my only concern right now is figuring out if hydrogen peroxide can protect my seedlings from the <i>nefarious</i> fusarium wilt. It would certainly make for a great all-natural, organic germicide though, as it is said to a product of our immune systems. Anyone who begs to differ can tell their story down below.<br />
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For all the uncertainties that plaque me, I am certain of one thing—my Basil plants that have survived, are on the road to full growth. I managed to keep two of my plants from dying off; and thereafter, I will be getting Basil leaves all winter long. In order to achieve that, I have a full-spectrum plant light. In conclusion, I plan to continue using this chemical until I find out whether it works. I have done this for my previous Basil plant as well, and it has not harmed me.<br />
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<h3>
Sourdough Article</h3>
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In other news, I have not yet started to write the article on sourdough. I need inspiration...and ideas. When I have those two, I will start preparing the article.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-72309569060523398342013-11-22T11:22:00.003-06:002013-11-22T11:23:30.498-06:00Suggestions for an article about sourdough?<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
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I would like to cover an article about a topic—though spoken of often—needs great attention: sourdough. This is an interesting topic that applies to people who want to make bread and save money. Alas, I am in need of some help. If you have suggestions for what to cover in my article, please let me know below.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0Neosho, MO 64850, USA36.852261 -94.3770703999999836.4456985 -95.022517399999984 37.2588235 -93.731623399999975tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-77224021920634294202013-11-21T16:00:00.000-06:002013-12-01T12:40:32.265-06:00Cheaper Source of Protein<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
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<br />
Do you want a frugal source of protein? Then legumes is your bet. Beans are well-known for being a good source of protein. But they're hard to digest in their cooked state, unless you take this one, simple step. What is it?<br />
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What is that step? Sprouting your lentils. I found lentils to very cheap at the grocery store. Granted, I just got the first bag I found—I have no way of confirming right now that they're organic. All I can say is that lentils are pretty cheap beans, and you get well over a hundred of them. It should be mentioned, though, that these beans are small. I'd say they around are half the size of a Skittle®.<br />
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Nonetheless, not only do they take 1-3 days to sprout, but the process is very simple! To illustrate, here is the step-by-step process that I have followed, based off of <a href="http://www.culturesforhealth.com/how-to-sprout-lentils">Cultures for Health</a>'s instructions...<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>In this step, you will rinse and soak the beans overnight in a large glass jar.
<br /><mark>If you want a longer sprout</mark>, then think bigger jars...namely, for two cups of long-sprouted lentils(meant for sandwiches and such), you would use a colander or a gallon jar. Think <mark>smaller jar for shorter sprouts</mark> for the same number of lentils. You figure it out.
</li>
<li>In the morning or whatever, drain the water, thoroughly rinse the beans, and drain it again—and if you're <mark>using a colander</mark>, then rest the beans on it, draining excess liquid, and then putting a towel over the lentils to keep bugs out. Or if you are <mark>using a sprouting jar</mark>, use the screen that's included.</li>
<li>Later in the day, you will repeat this step as needed. Two to three times per day is optimal, but in warmer weather, raise the number.</li>
<li><b>NOTE</b>: I have done things differently here. I would submerge the lentils in the jar, stir it around by shaking, then drain the water out through a sieve. Afterwards, I would put the beans back in the jar to dry out. If you like what you're hearing, try it out!</li>
<li>For shroter sprouts, this process will take around three days. For longer sprouts, you will wait around five days.</li>
<li>When you see your work and have seen godo for all that you've created, then rinse your lentils one last time and store them. Apparently, storage time is around a week.</li>
</ol>
Here are my thoughts on this: first, it seems that you do not have to follow these instructions to a "t". That said, I only slightly modified the method outlined in the source material, and said change is made known in the list above.<br />
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Sprouted lentils could be considered a cheap staple. I mean, really—it only cost me around a dollar to get a sizeable bag of these small but numerous and filling beans! Well, filling if you eat enough of them. There are many sources that would tell you why sprouting grains and legumes is a good move if you plan on eating them. Just to start you off, you're converting a legume into a vegetable of sorts, and your body digests it as such. Digesting a vegetable is easier than a fart-inducing bean, is it not?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-19551687407689038452013-11-06T13:40:00.000-06:002013-12-01T12:39:37.992-06:00A cheaper, healthier way to make bread<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
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UPDATE Wed Nov 6 12:02pm CST 2013<br />
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Would you like to learn about <i>sourdough</i> bread? This bread preserves better than regular bread because of naturally produced compounds. Plus, the name "sourdough" actually refers to a method of capturing <span style="background-color: yellow;">wild yeasts</span> and causing them to proliferate in your jar. So by learning to make sourdough bread, you can actually avoid having to buy yeast. For those who make sandwiches and other bread-like meals, know this: making bread is cheaper than making it—healthier too!<br />
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In this post, I cover three topics: first, the sourdough bread I made...without kneading it! This is of interest to people to want to make sourdough bread without the annoyance of kneading it. Perhaps it doesn't bother you, but I had trouble kneading this type of bread, but mostly because I was new at this. <i>Secondly</i>, I cover the part where I finished proofing the sourdough starter. This is a new process to me, so I will share my findings with you as I continue learning. And <i>finally</i>, I share some news on what kind of article I'm going to write in John's Corner. The subject is sourdough kneadless bread. With that in mind, let us now consider these topics.<br />
<hr />
<h2>
My attempt at making bread</h2>
So in an earlier post I promised an article about bread that doesn't require kneading, on top of some side information about sourdough bread. So far I've only made one loaf, instead making lots of pancakes with most of my starter. By then I already bought some grade B maple syrup that I wanted to try.<br />
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I tried to make the aforementioned loaf using just <i>whole-wheat flour</i>. Then I was to use part of that mixture to feed my master starter before putting it in the fridge. Predictably, it didn't turn out quite like I planned. First of all the loaf didn't rise very much. To be sure, I don't know if I should have waited a few more hours. That also raised the question of whether it was time to fridge that starter—I waited.<br />
<h2>
How I finished proofing the starter, and what I did afterwards
</h2>
Personally, I am aware it may not be an exciting topic for a
blog, but it is wildly appropriate to talk about this—an important part of
sourdough: proofing. How this generally works is that you take flour and water and mix it together in a jar. As it bubbles forth then starts to drop, you repeat the first step, adding the flour and water mixture to the jar of starter. Cover the jar with a coffee filter and put up on your counter top. This would probably be the best time to put the jar by an open window. Why? Because "sourdough" refers to catching wild yeast, so you need the jar to be exposed to nature for a while.<br />
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You will have to feed your starter at least once a day; it is more than likely you will do it more than once. It takes generally 5-7 days to proof a starter and be able to use it to bake. If your jar is close to full, then take some starter out and use it—or just throw it away. If your starter ever develops a brownish liquid on top, this is called <i>hooch</i>. When it appears, it means you need to <span style="background-color: yellow;">feed your starter now</span>. Stir it back in if you want your dough to be more sour, or simply discard it.<br />
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Sourdough and No-Knead Bread to be featured on John's Corner</h2>
The last topic on my list today is about my article. I will be writing an article about how to make no-knead bread. Some people may not care, but others do. If you want to make a deliciously sour bread, <i>without</i> kneading it, then look forward to my article on John's Corner!<br />
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If you have any questions or comments, then go ahead and leave them. I check my blog almost everyday!<br />
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This post is part of <a href="http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2013/11/real-food-wednesday-1162013-2.html" target="_blank">Real Food Wednesday</a>. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0Neosho, MO 64850, USA36.852261 -94.3770703999999836.4456985 -95.022517399999984 37.2588235 -93.731623399999975tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-73599107837828216212013-11-01T14:17:00.000-05:002013-12-01T12:42:48.224-06:00Salad Mixes and Basil<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
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This is a blog post about my attempt at growing Mesclun Salad Mixes, a seed package I bought from <u>Seeds of Change</u>. This post also contains my attempt at growing a new Basil plant from seed.<br />
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Mesclun Salad Mixes</h3>
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I have seen my fair share of lettuce, but this is something I've never succeeded at before: actually growing my own. I am not a green thumb, yet I'm fairly knowledgeable about plants. I am growing a Mesclun Salad Mix from Seeds of Change. It is just a mix of different seeds, and I think arugula is one of them. I've heard good things about that plant! It makes an interesting addition to salads(and maybe soups). If I manage to grow it, I plan to add arugula to a curry of some kind. Innovative? Yes. Does it make sense? Maybe.<br />
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Basil</h3>
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I am about to grow a whole new Basil plant soon. If you've read the date up on this post, you'll know that it is actually in the middle of fall right now, the worst time of the year to grow a Mediterranean herb. If you've been asking yourself, "what's that crazy guy thinking", or something like that, my answer's simple...<br />
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I can grow plants indoors! Fantastic, isn't it. I use the sun whenever I can, but I can't take my plants outside. What's a gardener to do? Get a plant light! I'll share the process of growing Basil and how it can be used. I'll also share how I plant to use the salad mix I just sowed.<br />
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I already have a plant growing, but it's slow as a snail, in spite of saying that it would be harvest-able in 28 days. Or perhaps it was supposed to be that small! I'm not sure, so I'll just see what happens with the other seeds I planted.<br />
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Cheerio!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com1Missouri, USA37.9642529 -91.831833431.5895279 -102.15898189999999 44.338977899999996 -81.5046849tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-3587763954197096072013-10-23T12:12:00.000-05:002013-10-23T12:12:30.142-05:00Update Wed Oct 23 11:58:08 CDT 2013<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
<a href="http://jrussell128.angelfire.com/"> Website </a><br />
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ANNOUNCEMENT I will be writing a new article sometime this month, or the first two weeks of November. It will be about a traditional bread-making technique. This technique breaks down gluten for those who are sensitive to it; then this bread develops a sour taste to it. And this bread has an extended shelf life. What am I talking about? I am talking about the wonders of sourdough bread!<br />
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This will actually be a two-part article about sour-dough and non-kneaded dough techniques. After I make such a dough I will start writing an article about it. What this means is that you can make dough without ever kneading it. This is nice to know because sour-dough is a pain for me to handle.<br />
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On Wikipedia it says that bread can be risen without any kneading. I intend on doing further research into this subject. So to summarize, here are the two main subjects of my next article on John's Corner: sour-dough and bread without kneading.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-76362718561509314002013-10-16T16:13:00.000-05:002013-12-01T12:44:16.927-06:00Recipe: Rice porridge<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
<a href="http://jrussell128.angelfire.com/"> Website </a><br />
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I got into <a href="http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2013/10/real-food-wednesday-10162013.html" target="_blank">Real Food Wednesday</a> today and wanted to add a recipe I had done this morning. It's not much, just some rice porridge with sprouted lentils. I also added pieces of mushroom, as well as green onions. Here is the recipe and how I made it.<br />
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Porridge</h3>
1/3 cup rice(I used Jasmine)<br />
nearly 2 cups water<br />
3/4 cup filtered water <br />
some green onions<br />
a handful of sprouted lentils<br />
pieces of a portabella mushroom<br />
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Fish Plate</h3>
Some fish of some kind(I used Canadian wild caught perch)<br />
Raw honey<br />
Soy Sauce(I used Tamari soy sauce, brand name: San-J)<br />
Powdered cayenne pepper<br />
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This is how I made the rice: I boiled some tap water and put the rice inside the pot and covered it with a lid for a few minutes. I then drained the rice, put it back inside with 3/4 cups filtered water, and boiled it. Then I let it simmer on low for a few minutes.<br />
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After that, I steamed the fish for several minutes, then fried it using virgin coconut oil just to make sure I cooked it thoroughly. I am not experienced using fish, really...The fish was basted with the honey and tamari sauce, and sprinkled with cayenne pepper powder.<br />
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I then stir-fried the green onions and mushroom. I never cooked the sprouted lentils. I just put them in the dish after it was finished.<br />
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As I finished the rice, I put in a little turmeric to turn the rice yellow. It was cheap, powdered turmeric from the store, but it may not be any worse than buying the beans that I <a href="http://www.culturesforhealth.com/how-to-sprout-lentils" target="_blank">sprouted</a>. The mushrooms, I suspect, were freshly picked from some place in town. Why? Because the mushroom still had dirt on it, showing that it wasn't even washed of that sediment. But where it was picked I have no clue.<br />
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I got a report from the Monterey Bay Aquarium that guides you through the buying of fish, separating fish into three lists: best, good, and worst choices. They go by what's healthful and ecologically responsible.<br />
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The link above will tell you why sprouting beans is a good idea. Lentils are the easiest bean to sprout. It didn't take me long at all. Let's see...I think I started on Sunday or Monday. I read Cultures for Health to learn how to sprout lentils and now I have done it!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-46307563756016607332013-10-15T01:09:00.001-05:002013-10-15T21:31:40.213-05:00Basil article update<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
<a href="http://jrussell128.angelfire.com/"> Website </a><br />
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<a href="http://jrussell128.angelfire.com/johnscorner/plants/growbasil/index.html" target="_blank">My newest article on Basil is up!</a><br />
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Tuesday October 15 12:30:02am Central, YEAR 2013<br />
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I have finished my Basil article! The link is above, but you probably knew that already. In any case, this Basil article will be my last for a while. I do not make articles very often because I'm not naturally driven. I need inspiration before I am willing to put out the time and effort. The next time I write an article, it will have nothing to do with herbs. It's time to branch out! I also want you to check out my homepage. Every post I write on this blog has a link to my central website on Angelfire. The changes I've made might surprise you.<br />
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In other news, I have an exciting announcement to make. I have come up with a central theme to my website: the sharing of practical and fun knowledge! My index page's introduction will fill you in. Basically I will teach things from gardening to cooking and even non-related topics such as speed reading and study techniques. But these are just a few examples.<br />
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Lastly, I have something to say to a friend of mine whom I talked to the other day. I told her I was going to make Thai green curry. This is how it turned out: I made a homemade chicken stock using only turmeric, onion powder, and garlic powder. I then cooked up some chicken to put in my curry, and steamed some vegetables to go along with it, as well as slices of a portabella mushroom.</div>
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In a quart-size stainless steal pan I made a 1/4 cup Jasmine rice. First I parboiled it, dumped the water, then cooked it as if to make it sticky. I made the stock in this same pan before doing the rice, so the turmeric powder ended up colouring my rice yellow. For those who don't know, turmeric has a lot of health benefits, and it can even help you with various health issues. So that was a good occurence for me.<br />
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A word of advice: don't use a lot of turmeric, if any, when you want your curry anything but yellow. When I made the actual green curry, I took a homemade green curry paste--really just a bunch of cut up green chili peppers--and fried it in a wok for several seconds. That was a horrible experience for my lungs and larynx. *<i>Cough</i>*<br />
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I then poured the stock into the outrageously hot carbon steel wok--that might have been a bad idea. It's generally not good to thermal shock any cookware, even if it's metal; in which case, at least it doesn't crack. It just warps instead, as I have had the <i>pleasure</i> of finding out. I added powdered sassafras leaf and coconut flour because they are natural and healthy sauce thickeners. I also added some of my home-grown sweet Basil leaves. As I mentioned in my previous post, I failed to germinate some lemon basil seeds, so I can only use sweet basil--not that this plant is bad or anything...<br />
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I put all the chicken, vegetables and mushroom slices inside the wok, along with some coconut milk I bought from <i>Fox Farms</i>. I somehow managed to take what was previously yellow in colour and make it look closer to green, instead. Probably because I had a butt-load of green vegetables, basil leaves, and sassafras leaf powder in it. I forgot to mention, I even added kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass, since they are a staple in Thai cuisine.<br />
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What people may not know is that <i>Thai cooking</i> is not just mindlessly throwing in different ingredients together and chancing upon a tasty dish. Acknowledged Thai food expert <i>David Thompson</i> even said that the dishes are a deceptively simple combination of flavors. Thai food specializes in a well-balanced combination of three or four basic flavors: spicy, salty, sweet, and sour.<br />
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I combined the sweetness of the creamy coconut milk and coconut flour, the saltiness of Tamari soy sauce I bought(brand is San-J), the sourness of lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and two laco-fermented carrots, along with the spiciness of the chili peppers. And even though I was not exactly scientific about it, I still managed to come up with a pretty decent menu. I am not as precise as the Thai cooks, but I am experienced in home cooking.<br />
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But I ultimately want to make a dish as good as the ones I've tasted in restaurants twice. Man, that was good. I had only red curry both times. They really know their food well!<br />
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That's the end of this post. When I have anything else to tell you I will do so. Until then...!<br />
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<u>If you have any questions or comments, please use the comment form below! As long as it has value, and it doesn't make parents cringe, I will allow it.</u> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-90904519362934757202013-10-11T22:22:00.000-05:002013-10-11T22:22:31.547-05:00<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
<a href="http://jrussell128.angelfire.com/"> Website </a><br />
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UPDATE Friday October 11, TIME 10:14:46pm Central, YEAR 2013 <br />
I am currently working on an article about Basil. It is nearing completion and I eagerly await its publication! Even though I use a lot of stiff language here, my article uses more casual language, and it is very easy to understand! It is truly an article worthy of your consideration!<br />
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In other news, my Lemon Basil seeds failed. When I am able to germinate some more I will give you all an update as to its progress. I've decided that, at least for the moment, this blog will serve to enlighten you all on gardening!<br />
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Changing the subject, I germinated some lettuce seeds. They are packaged by Seeds of Change and I got a variety where you don't know what you're going to get. They grow in at most a month and I will get free lettuce for quite a while!<br />
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In conclusion, I have also propagated my Sweet Basil, but it is progressing rather slow. Basil is a plant that needs some sort of boost, so that may have something to do with it. Or maybe it's because of the cooling climate--whichever comes first. When I see progress in one or more of my plants, I will come back. Until then...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1514561486448719053.post-34497636308653918692013-09-28T14:21:00.000-05:002013-09-28T14:21:51.842-05:00Future theme of this blog<span style="background-color: #04959a;"> Vman103-Productions </span><br />
<a href="http://jrussell128.angelfire.com/"> Website </a><br />
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I am currently confused about what to make my site about. For the moment it looks like this blog will be centred around gardening and health. Right now I am germinating lemon basil seeds in a small cup filled with Mircale Gro rooting mixture. I am not able to afford more organic options like certain people that will try and go the natural route no matter what. Any information on whether I should trust Mircale Gro for chemical purity is appreciated.<br />
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I don't use commercial insecticides like other people because it is not a good idea. It will go into your body when you eat it(unless it is an inedible flower), and they can harm good insects as well. For Basil, insecticide may not really be necessary. I did not even have to kill anything that attacks my Basil. Sometimes a small section of a leaf gets eaten, but that is about it.<br />
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Basil plants that belong in the same family as the original basil have more or less the same growing requirements. Like Sweet Basil is from the <i>ocimum</i> family, Lemon Basil is actually a hybrid between <span style="background-color: #ffe599;">Basil and African Basil</span>, which is classified as a different species. Lemon basil's scientific name is <i>Ocimum × citriodorum. </i>It would seem though that in spite of the difference in names, they're actually quite similar to each other and may even be in the same genetic family. After all, you can't mate a dog and a tiger, right? Actually, original basil is <i>ocimum basilicum</i>. African basil is <i>ocimum americanum</i>. Even though it obvious contains a reference to America, it is commonly called African Basil for some reason.<br />
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For the moment it looks like this blog will revolve around gardening, and if I'm smart enough to pull it off, I may even tackle some health related topics. Not that I'm really qualified, but I don't get caught up in pointless debate about these things. I do like debating things once in a while, but if it doesn't measure up to my standards I don't participate. That may sound arrogant, but if I don't do this, I can caught up in hot debates and stress myself out as a result. And stress is bad for the body, that I know.<br />
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My knowledge of Basil is backed by experience, but only about one or two growing seasons. I am new at this somewhat. But basil really is one of--if not the easiest the plant to grow.<br />
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Basil has many purported health benefits, and alternative media has a broader field of view, if you will, about how potent herbs are in general. Basil is also a very productive, if not greedy, plant because it takes all the nutrition you give it and asks for some more, at least according to one blog I read.<br />
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But enough of that--I have one announcement to make respecting my main site. John's Corner will see another article soon about Basil except it targets people who haven't grown it before. It will focus on why you should grow it and how easy it is. This blog will be used to frequently provide details on what I've learned so that you all can benefit.<br />
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In the end, I just grow plants as a hobby and to grow my own food and medicine. If I find anything else useful I'll post it. Until next time!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16097484370491623881noreply@blogger.com0