What's in a Cup of Coffee...

A little trivia about one of our favorite daily companion - coffee. When we take a cup of coffee for breakfast, snacks or for some reason that makes us in the mood for a coffee, here are few that we get... (aside from water and caffeine).

2-Ethylphenol
Creates a tarlike, medicinal odor in your morning wake-up. It's also a component of cockroach alarm pheromones, chemical signals that warn the colony of danger.

Quinic acid
Gives coffee its slightly sour flavor. On the plus side, it's one of the starter chemicals in the formulation of Tamiflu.

Dimethyl disulfide
A product of roasting the green coffee bean, this compound is just at the threshold of detectability in brewed java. Good thing, too, as it's one of the compounds that gives human feces its odor.

Acetylmethylcarbinol
That rich, buttery taste in your daily jolt comes in part from this flammable yellow liquid, which helps give real butter its flavor and is a component of artificial flavoring in microwave popcorn.

Putrescine
Ever wonder what makes spoiled meat so poisonous? Here you go. Ptomaines like putrescine are produced when E. coli bacteria in the meat break down amino acids. Naturally present in coffee beans, it smells, as you might guess from the name, like Satan's outhouse.

Trigonelline
Chemically, it's a molecule of niacin with a methyl group attached. It breaks down into pyridines, which give coffee its sweet, earthy taste and also prevent the tooth-eating bacterium Streptococcus mutans from attaching to your teeth. Coffee fights the Cavity Creeps.

Niacin
Trigonelline is unstable above 160 degrees F; the methyl group detaches, unleashing the niacin—vitamin B3—into your cup. Two or three espressos can provide half your recommended daily allowance.

Mysterious Disease I'm Sure You'd Never Heard Of...

We are living in an unforgiving strange world, yet a beautiful place to live in. There are still lots of mysterious matter we are about to know. Things that perhaps will take years us to understand. How about some mysterious diseases? Check this out.

Alice in Wonderland Syndrome
This is one of my old time favorite story, I watched the animated film a hundred times, I can say... and I'm glad there is a Semi-3D movie that is coming. But, I never expected to read about a disease that is called an Alice inWonderland Syndrome. Sounds so bizarre!

This disease id also known as Todd's syndrome. It is a disorienting neurological condition which affects human perception. Sufferers may experience size distortion of other sensory modalities. Reports suggests that the symptoms of AIWS are fairly common in childhood, with many people growing out of them in their teens. It appears that AIWS is also a common experience at sleep onset.

Treatment is the same as that for other migraine prophylaxis: anticonvulsants, antidepressants, beta blockers, and calcium channel blockers, along with strict adherence to the migraine diet. No studies are available that display any correlation between age, gender or race. AIWS is thought to be relatively common among migraine sufferers.

Pica

This is really a strange illnes. A pregnant women or children developed an appetite to eat non-nutritive substances, such as paint, clay, plaster or dirt (ewwww!!!), or alternatively items that are more commonly considered to be food ingredients, such as raw rice, flour or salt.

Moebius syndrome

An extremely rare genetic disorder. Characterized by complete facial paralysis. Sufferers cannot close their eyes, look from side to side, or form facial expressions. Limb abnormalities such as clubbed feet and missing fingers are often also present. But they can live long healthy lives.

Modern History-Making High-Tech Firsts

We enjoy the comfort of technology now, but lets take a look at how does the gadgets we are frequently using today look in its original designs, back in the days...

It was once thought by many that only a handful of computers would be needed in the entire world, that digital cameras could never compete with real film and that cellular phones would forever remain as few, far between and big as bricks. Each of these originals seems awkward and unsophisticated in retrospect, but were pivotal in pioneering essential new directions for future technologies to come.

Here are the Original Gadgets: 5 Modern History-Making High-Tech Firsts

1. The first portable computer - released in the early 1980s and cost surprisingly just under $2000. Still, the Osborne 1 had a screen only a few inches across, weighted dozens of pounds and of course had the processing power of a contemporary digital watch. The lid doubled as a detachable keyboard and the unit itself could be attached to external modems and printers. Though its success was short-lived, the Osborne helped establish that there was a market for mobile computing and competitors quickly rose to claim their own pieces of this new technological pie.

2. The first home gaming console Released in the early 1970s, years before the now-infamous Atari Pong, the Odyssey by Magnavox had (almost) everything we think of as being essential to a modern-day game system – including interchangeable cartridges and a light gun – though it sadly lacked sound, was a strange mix of analog and digital and perhaps most fatal for its sales: the console was widely misunderstood to only work with Magnavox televisions.

3. The first digital camera from the mid-1970s, when Kodak engineer Steven Sasson developed a device essentially from scratch capable of capturing images using an analog-to-digital converter. The result was the size of a small toaster, took over twenty seconds to shoot a photo and had a dismal resolution of one one-hundredth of a megapixel. The initial images were blurry and fuzzy with faint silhouettes and shadowed outlines, the product was never even remotely intended for mass-production or even for sale, but the patent went through for the original digicam.

4. The first cellular phone was released in the early 1980s, decades after Bell Labs first began to probe the possibilities of creating such a device. While Motorola pushed forward with portable phones for cars (that required large amounts of energy to run) Bell slowly built, tested and released the first cellular network to support such mobile communications devices. While Motorola’s DynaTAC 8000X – the first commercial hand-held cellular phone – came with a whopping four-thousand-dollar price tag and was over a foot in length, many people still purchased one, perhaps portending that to this very day people will overpay for portable phone service.

5. The first solid state audio player was perhaps destined to take over the world of music players, but no one knew for sure at the time since compact disc-playing devices had such a strong hold on the market. Appearing for the first time for sale in the late 1990s, the MPMan had a few dozen megabytes of memory and was already quite compact (weighing only a few ounces). The public was not sure what to make of this and did not readily adopt this first of its kind, though subsequent versions and competitors began to take off and eventually led to the iPods and other MP3 players we know and love today.

What can we say? Thanks for the new sleek, elegant and real great gadget designs we are using now.

Tick Saliva May Cure Skin, Liver and Pancreas Cancer

Okay, don't underestimate the power of creepiness what I'm going to tell you about today. I am talking about the tick. The tiny creepy crawling creature, that gives you an itchy bite. There are many species of tick, anyway. Brazilian researchers Amblyomma cajennense tick, found in horses and donkeys contains interesting protein in its spit.

According to AFP, the Factor X active protein in the tick spit "shares some characteristics with a common anti-coagulant called TFPI (Tissue Factor Pathway Inhibitor), specifically a Kunitz-type inhibitor which also has been shown to interfere with cell growth." Since a cancer is basically a group of cells that are growing out of control, controlling this growth is very important.

The protein was tested on cultures of cancerous cells and "exceeded all expectations." It didn't kill normal cells, just those with cancer!

So that little blood suckers might be the key to cure cancers of the skin, liver and pancreas. But of course, these results are still just phase 1, scientists might yet hit speed bumps, or even walls, and not be able to turn this into a cancer treatment. And even if everything works fine, it could take a few years before a drug is made.

But we have to admit it's very promising, and goes to show that we still have much to learn from nature and that when we destroy it, we could be losing things like... tick spit.

Giant Rat, Silky Cuscus Found

Isn't it is so yucky to see a rat running around in your house at night? Well, this creatures are everywhere, especially in the cities. And they are one of the filthiest creatures around, and a pest. I was amazed by what I saw in the news...

So how about if you see a giant rat? as in big... about 3 foot long? ewww!!! Here's the info, National Geographic found a new species of giant woolly rat in forests of Papua New Guinea. The weird thing is this creature is so tame, that the the biologists who tracked this creature didn't have to chase him.

Weird Statues Around the World

I love to travel, but one thing I'm really hoping to happen, is to travel abroad and see great places. I never been out of the country, that is why I always browse photos of different places around the world and hoping I can go there in the future.

I found some weird statues built in different cities around the world and I want to visit these places sometime.

-Frustrated Businessman in Los Angeles-

-Big Thumb, Paris-

-Melting Cow Popsicle, Budapest-

-Pointer Finger, Stockholm-

I love to take my own photos of these statues.

A mood for Ube

Maybe its the weather that made my mood go for an Ube Cake. I always tell my friends that rain makes me feel blue, there is something about the rain that makes the place look so sad and lonely. Sometimes when I feel sad, I notice that I crave for something, and this time I want Ube Cake. Aside from it is so yummy, I love its color. In fact violet is one of my fav color.

Ube Cake has the main ingredient that is basically came from a root crop Dioscorea alata or we call it in Filipino word Ube, which mean purple yam (Dioscorea alata). It contains a pigment color - violet. It grows in vine and mostly found in Asia.

Ube is mostly made as sweetened desserts, pastries, and even made as an ice cream flavor.

I love Ube Cake, its the best cake for me, more delicious than Black Forest.

Blah Blah... Whatever!

I didn't have any idea for today, I spent most of the time reading articles and before I sleep I decided to share it with you.

Here are three some nice articles that I wanna share:

• English is toughest European language to read

Children learning other languages master the basic elements of literacy within a year, but British kids take two-and-a-half years to reach the same point. They found that those learning Romance languages such as Italian and French progressed faster than those learning a Germanic language such as German and English.


• Aspirin May Harm the Healthy

Aspirin use to prevent primary cardiovascular events is only appropriate where individual patients are considered by their doctor to be at special risk from particular factors such as obesity, lifestyle, stress and a familial history.

Healthy people who take aspirin to prevent a heart attack are doing themselves more harm than good, according to new research, the study found that healthy people, or those who have not had a heart attack, who take aspirin every day almost double their risk of being admitted to the hospital for internal bleeding.


• Bacteria Clean Sewage and Create Electricity

Geobacter grows by breaking down organic materials and transferring electrons pretty much onto anything that looks like iron.
When attacking environmental pollutants such as aromatic hydrocarbons, Geobacter can break down some 90 percent. All in all, systems incorporating Geobacter can recover up to nearly all the electrons within sewage. Energy that bacteria could generate from wastewater could help power the considerable needs of wastewater treatment.

Have a great day everybody!

Ramadan

I had a great day today, although I'm not really feeling well. I've been busy for these past days, and now I have a bad backache and my arms almost feels like numb.

There are few changes here, last week, we enjoyed feasting on lots of foods every time my board mates gather here in our boardinghouse and we stay up late at night, talk about what happened in whatever we've been through the whole day. But now, its different. Ramadan started last 2 days, and I have a Muslim friend who refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and indulging in anything that is in excess or ill-natured from dawn until dusk. I admired them for being so disciplined. I am a Christian but I even attempted to try to do it, but i surrendered after one day. :( I am not that disciplined...

Well, I got so curious about their religion and culture so i asked lots of questions about it and do some reseach.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is the time to fast for the sake of Allah, and offer more prayer than usual. Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds. Ramadan was the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.

I read more articles about Muslim traditions, its interesting. And now, I am patiently waiting till its Eid ul-Fitr. Its the end of fasting and lots of foods are being served and enjoyed by families and friends.

Smile!

"Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day."

Earlier this morning when I woke up, I'm not feeling well. My head and back is aching and it made me so irritable. Maybe because of the stress from work. Well, I've been working like a dog. But when I was on my way going to work, wearing a grumpy face..., I met a lady who gave me a beautiful warm smile, her eyes looks like encouraging me to be positive. And I suddenly remember I haven't smile since I woke up. There is something in that smile that made me feel great. My grumpiness disappeared and yeah, my day turned out great. It feels like my mind was refresh with just one smile...

From now on, I'm ready to face the day with a good smile!

Facts about Smiles:

1. When someone smiles in is universally known as an expression of happiness which is recognized by almost all cultures.

2. When a person studies laughter they are known as a ‘gelotologist’.

3. There are over 18 different types of smiles that are used in a variety of social situations. For instance, people can use a smile to say a hello, and they can also use a different type of smile to show their understanding of a particular situation.

4. A frown uses more muscles to contract and expand then a smile does.

5. A smile is one of the most used human facial expressions. Smiles can use between 5 to all 53 muscles.

6. Smiling releases endorphins and makes us feel better, even when you fake a smile you can feel better.

7. A person that smiles more is deemed to be more pleasant, sincere, attractive and more sociable then a on-smiling person.

8. We are born with the ability to smile, it is not something that we copy. For instance, even blind babies are able to smile.

9. Humans are able to differentiate between a real smile and a fake smile by seeing the difference in a persons eyes when they smile.

10. Newborns tend to have more preference for a person with a smile then a person that is not smiling.

Bloggers blog 10 Things Only Women Understand

I just wanna share to you the 10 things only women understand, according to bloggers blog. Funny, i think it applies to most of us, but not all...

10. Cats’ facial expressions

9. The need for the same style of shoes in different colors

8. Why bean sprouts aren’t just weeds

7. Fat clothes

6. Taking a car trip without trying to beat your best time

5. The difference between beige, off-white, and eggshell

4. Cutting your bangs to make them grow

3. Eyelash curlers

2. The inaccuracy of every bathroom scale ever made

1. OTHER WOMEN

Chocolate Mood

"Once you consume chocolate, chocolate will consume you."

Yeah! That's right... I really had a great mood for chocolate bars this past days, I eat lots of it. When I was in the office, its my substitute to coffee and I munch more for my midnight snacks. You cant blame me, everybody loves chocolate. I love milk chocolates or waffle covered with caramel and chocolates.

And hey, let me share some info about chocolates. I found this when I'm about to go sleep. I was looking for some chocolate brands but I stumbled upon this great site:

1. Did you know that you would have to eat more then a dozen chocolate bars to get the same amount of caffeine from a cup of coffee? There are about 5 to 10 mg's of caffeine in one ounce of bitter chocolate, 5 mgs in milk chocolate, and 10mgs in a six-ounce cup of cocoa.

2. A single chocolate chip can provide enough energy for an adult human to walk 150 ft. Mmmm, its a good source of energy!

3. Chocolate helps with depression, high blood pressure, Tumors and Pre-menstrual syndromes.

4. Chocolate does not cause or aggravate acne.(myth)

5. One ounce of baking chocolate or cocoa contains 10% of the daily recommended intake of iron.

6. Chocolate can be deadly for dogs. Chocolate contains an ingredient called "Theobromine" which can be toxic to a dogs central nervous system and cardiac muscles.

7. People spend more than $7 billion dollars a year on chocolate.

8. The per capita consumption of chocolate indicates that each person consumes 12 pounds of chocolate each year.

9. Milk Chocolate is the most preferred type of chocolate, however dark chocolate is especially popular among men.

10. In Alfred Hitchcock's movie "Psycho" chocolate syrup was used to indicate blood in the famous shower scene.

Love The Coffee

I feel so stressed this passed days, physically and emotionally tired of things around here. I admit, I can't do my work well. Then, I got addicted to coffee, its the only thing that keeps me up and moving for the whole working hours. I love it!!! Especially the Mocha Frappucchino! its keeps me awake.

Before going to bed, i browsed the internet. Its my hobby to read a random topics. Since I got so addicted to coffee I searched for some facts about cit. And I found this interesting info.

1. The rarest coffee in the world is Kopi Luwak, which is found in Indonesia. It cost about $300 a pound.

2. The most expensive coffee comes from Civet poop. The Civet is a cat that eat coffee beans and poops them out whole.

3. Coffee has about five times the amount of caffeine as a can of Coke.

4. Coffee beans were chewed for more than 400 years before the first cup of coffee was brewed.

5. Decaffeinated coffee is not 100% caffeine free. When coffee is being decaffeinated, 2% of the caffeine still remains in it.

6. A person would have to drink more than 12 cups of hot cocoa to equal the amount of caffeine found in one cup of coffee.

Cool, huh? I never thought there is a coffee that comes from a cat poop!!! So interesting. Anyway, I'll be accompanied by lots of cups of coffee next week. I will be busy working and rushing piles of paperworks this coming week. Good luck for me, and hello Frappuccino!

source: here