Last Photos of David Bowie are Heart Warming

These, reportedly, are the last photos of  David, taken by his photographer and good friend Jimmy King. He had just released his album Blackstar and it was his birthday ( January 8th), just two days before he died. He is laughing like a man who had enjoyed his life thoroughly and had no regrets at all. If he had to leave us, it is heart warming  to know he left us this way.

Obama launches mission to cure cancer 'once and for all'

Beau Biden with his father, Vice President Joe Biden, at the Democratic National Convention in August 2008. Beau Biden died of brain cancer in 2015

President Obama on Tuesday pledged to undertake a historic push to develop a cure for cancer, tapping Vice President Joe Biden to lead the effort.

Obama, in the last State of the Union address of his presidency, said America must use its spirit of innovation to help tackle the challenge of cancer.

"For the loved ones we've all lost, for the family we can still save, let's make America the country that cures cancer once and for all," Obama said.

As Biden smiled from his seat behind the president, Obama said he would put the vice president in charge of "mission control" for the effort. Biden, who lost his 46-year old son to brain cancer last year, received a standing ovation from lawmakers when Obama made the announcement. Following his son's death, Biden said he would not run for president in 2016, but he promised he would focus his remaining time in office on working on a "moon shot" to end cancer.

In a blog post released during the State of the Union address, Biden said the White House would focus on increasing public and private resources to fight the disease and to improve information sharing among researchers and medical professionals.

"It's personal for me," Biden said, regarding the push.

He will travel on Friday to the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine to speak with physicians and next week he will meet with experts at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland to discuss the initiative.

The cancer initiative will build upon the $2 billion increase in funding approved for the National Institutes of Health last year, White House chief economist Jason Furman told reporters ahead of Obama speech. Earlier this month, private companies and academic cancer centers joined together to launch their own mission to fight cancer. The Cancer Moonshot 2020 program is aimed at developing a vaccine-based immunotherapy to combat cancer by the end of the decade.

Companies involved include Celgene Corp , Amgen Inc and NantKwest Inc .

In his speech, Obama also stressed that the United States should continue to help fight against disease in African countries and around the world.

"Right now, we are on track to end the scourge of HIV/AIDS, and we have the capacity to accomplish the same thing with malaria," Obama said, noting that he would push Congress to fund this effort in 2016.

Canada's plastic money is stumping counterfeiters



Nobody laughs at Canada's plastic money as much as Canadians do. They also curse it from time to time because the bills stick together with some kind of sadistic static cling. They are slippery to hold and are very unforgiving  if they are bent or folded.

However, They are giving counterfeiters a very difficult time to reproduce with any kind of success.

The RCMP estimate the number of fake bills passed on to retailers in 2015 dropped by 74 per cent compared with the previous year. That doesn't mean people have given up trying to copy Canada's banknotes — it's just that even their best attempts to make fake cash are falling well short.

Regina Police Const. Scott Wolfe hasn't seen much counterfeit currency since the Bank of Canada introduced polymer money four years ago, but he did have a case last fall.

"When we first touched the bill you could tell it wasn't the polymer feel. It was paper. We could see they had cut out the security window from a real $5 bill and pasted it to a $50 and $100 bill," said Wolfe.

The face in the hologram didn't match the face on the bill and the edges were uneven. Even so, the money was successfully passed on to retailers, perhaps in a dimly lit bar or sandwiched between two authentic notes.

Wolfe said people passing counterfeit bills often pay for an inexpensive item with a high-value bill in order to get lots of change in authentic currency.

All bills turned over to police across Canada, eventually end up at the RCMP's National Anti-Counterfeiting Bureau in Ottawa.

About 10 years ago, when counterfeiting was at its height in Canada, Moyes the lab would receive up to 45,000 notes every month. In December, the director said, the lab received 1,500 bills and many were copies of older-series paper notes, which are easier to fake.

"It's  significantly more of a challenge to the counterfeiter to produce these [new banknotes] and the simulation of the security features has been very poor

Most of the counterfeit polymer bills are printed on paper. Some used paper with a waxy or plastic coating. A few bills look passable from a distance, but up close are too shiny and slippery.

One $50 bill OK at first glance — but the other side is completely blank.

"You only need to pass it once and the cashier is not going to turn [the bill] over," said Moyes.

Glittery giftwrap and a roll of tape

Several $5 bills at the bureau feature strips of glittery wrapping paper taped to transparent plastic strips in a crude attempt to simulate security holograms. Others go a step further by buying holographic plastic sheets from China. Shipments of the holographic sheets have even been seized by the Canada Border Services Agency.

All of the bills received by the bureau are examined by specialists under microscopes and different sources of light. 

When a technician puts a genuine $50 bill under a high-powered microscope, the image of an eyeball comes up on a large computer screen. It's easy to see several security features, including the fine detail of raised red ink from an engraved plate. Even though that feature can only be seen under a microscope, it's something you can feel under your fingertips or by running a fingernail across the bill.

"It's got life to it. There's a tactility," the director said, adding that just the "feel" of a bill is one of the best ways a regular person can detect a fake.

When the genuine $50 bill is replaced under the microscope with a fake, it appears muddy on the screen.

Other bills are examined under three different sources of light. In the case of one $100 bill, a copy of an older-series paper note, the counterfeiter had done a respectable job adding ultraviolet features. Some retailers use UV boxes to test bills. This bill likely would have passed such a test, which is why the Mounties recommend looking for more than one of the security features on higher-value bills. They figure that with modern technology, eventually, counterfeiters will figure out how to make a bill that will pass the tests. But for the time being, we have pretty well shut down one very lucrative area of crime. Who knew our  funny looking plastic money would protect us. I think we took enough ribbing about our Loonies and Toonies.

Hummingbird Cake - Moist and Luscious

This hummingbird cake honors the legacy of the Southern cook Edna Lewis. The luscious, fruit-and-nut-studded layer cake is served in Atlanta's Watershed restaurant

3 tsp. butter, softened

3 cups plus 3 tbsp. flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 ¹⁄₂ cups vegetable oil

3 eggs, well beaten

6 ripe bananas, peeled and coarsely mashed

1 (8-oz.) can crushed pineapple

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

¹⁄₂ tsp. vanilla extract

¹⁄₂ tsp. almond extract

¹⁄₂ tsp. coconut extract

For the Frosting

³⁄₄ cup unsalted butter, cut into 1" cubes, chilled

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 ¹⁄₂ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 ¹⁄₂ cups chopped pecans

3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, cut into 1" cubes, chilled

Instructions

*Make the cake: Heat oven to 350°. Line the bottoms of three 9" round cake pans with parchment paper. Grease each pan with 1 tbsp. butter and dust with a little flour; shake pans so that flour evenly coats them. Invert pans and tap out excess flour; set pans aside.

*In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; stir in the pecans and set aside. Using a handheld mixer set on high speed, beat the sugar, brown sugar, and eggs in a large mixing bowl until smooth, 1 minute. Add the crushed pineapple and juice, bananas, oil, and vanilla and mix until combined. Add the pecan mixture and mix on low speed until evenly combined.

*Divide the batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake pans, smoothing the tops with a rubber spatula. Bake cakes, rotating occasionally, until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Transfer cakes to racks and let sit for 15 minutes; invert pans and unmold each cake; discard parchment paper. Let cakes cool.

*Make the frosting: In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth, 2 minutes. Add the cream cheese and vanilla and beat until creamy, 1–2 minutes more. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix on low speed until incorporated. Increase speed to medium-high and continue mixing until the frosting is light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Remove any dust from the pecans by shaking them in a wide-mesh sieve over the sink; using a rubber spatula, fold the pecans into the frosting.

*Assemble the cake: Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand. Using a butter knife, spread ²⁄₃ cup frosting evenly over the top. Place second cake layer atop first one and frost top of it with another ²⁄₃ cup frosting. Repeat with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over the sides of the assembled cake. Serve immediately or wrap loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate.


Deightful dessert...Enjoy

Gervais vs Gibson at the Golden Globes

Ricky Gervais took shot after shot at Hollywood’s biggest names during his fourth go-round as the host of the Golden Globes, and he trained some of his sharpest barbs on an old target: Mel Gibson.

The 54-year-old Brit ripped into the controversial Australian actor-director, who was on hand to present a clip from Mad Max: Fury Road.  

“A few years ago on this show, I made a joke about Mel Gibson getting a bit drunk and saying a few unsavory things,” Gervais said, reminding the audience of his 2010 crack about Gibson’s alcoholism (quipped Gervais, “I like a drink as much as the next man … unless the next man is Mel Gibson” — an intro Gibson was apparently ready for at the time). “We have all done it. I wasn’t judging him. But now I find myself in the awkward position of having to introduce him again.”

Gervais made it even more awkward, too. First, he made a joke about Gibson’s penchant for anti-Semitic remarks, noting that while it would make sense to blame NBC for the situation they found themselves in, “we know who Mel blames.” Then, in trying to say something “nice” about the actor, Gervais dished out the most backhanded compliment of all time: “I’d rather have a drink with him in his hotel room tonight than Bill Cosby. Please welcome Mel Gibson!”

Gibson embraced Gervais and then delivered a jab of his own: “I love seeing Ricky every three years, because it reminds me to get a colonoscopy.”

Gervais then emerged from backstage, clutching his glass of beer, another nod to Gibson’s alcoholism.

In a moment that, like many others, was bleeped for the TV audience, Gervais ambled up to the microphone and asked, “What the f**k does sugar t*ts mean?” a reference to Gibson’s drunken tirade against a female L.A. sheriff’s sergeant who arrested him for DUI in 2006. (“What do you think you’re looking at, sugar t*ts?” he said, according to the incident report.)

The remark caused a few jaws to drop. Ricky is always outrageous in his remarks. Many of them crossing the line of defamation of character.   Ricky has been lucky to date....no law suits. While his comments are tongue in cheek, the hidden barb is the kernel of truth at the bottom of each of then.

 His opening monologue at the Golden Globes is below. He takes pot shots at some pretty big names.



A woman's symptoms are different...How you know if you are having a heart attack

When a heart attack strikes, it doesn’t always feel the same in women as it does in men. Women don't always get the same classic heart attack symptoms as men, such as crushing chest pain that radiates down one arm. Those heart attack symptoms can certainly happen to women, but many experience vague or even “silent” symptoms that they may miss. And remember heart attacks are not necessarily age specific. Women in their twenties are vulnerable too. Be aware of the following symptoms:

1. Chest pain or discomfort. Chest pain is the most common heart attack symptom, but some women may experience it differently than men. It may feel like a squeezing or fullness, and the pain can be anywhere in the chest, not just on the left side. It's usually very uncomfortable, like a vise being tightened.
2. Pain in your arm(s), back, neck, or jaw. This type of pain is more common in women than in men. It may confuse women who expect their pain to be focused on their chest and left arm, not their back or jaw. The pain can be gradual or sudden, and it may wax and wane before becoming intense. If you're asleep, it may wake you up. You should report any "not typical or unexplained" symptoms in any part of your body above your waist to your doctor.
3. Stomach pain. Sometimes people mistake stomach pain that signals a heart attack with heartburn, the flu, or a stomach ulcer. Other times, women experience severe abdominal pressure that feels like an elephant sitting on your stomach.
4. Shortness of breath, nausea, or lightheadedness. If you're having trouble breathing for no apparent reason, you could be having a heart attack, especially if you're also having one or more other symptoms. It can feel like you have run a marathon, but you didn't make a move.
5. Sweating. Breaking out in a nervous, cold sweat is common among women who are having a heart attack. It will feel more like stress-related sweating than perspiration from exercising or spending time outside in the heat. Get it checked out if you don't typically sweat like that and there is no other reason for it, such as heat or hot flashes.
6. Fatigue. Some women who have heart attacks feel extremely tired, even if they've been sitting still for a while or haven't moved much. Patients often complain of a tiredness in the chest. They say that they can't do simple activities, like walk to the bathroom.

Not everyone gets all of those symptoms. If you have chest discomfort, especially if you also have one or more of the other signs, call 911 immediately. Get an ambulance. Do not, under any circumstances, drive yourself to the hospital.

Heart Tests Your Doctor May Recommend :

Preventing a heart attack is a lot easier when you -- and your doctor -- know exactly what's going on in the vessels that carry blood throughout your body. Are they blocked with plaque or free-flowing? To find out, your doctor may recommend a high-tech imaging test that shows a clear image of your arteries.
Prevention of heart disease should start much earlier on than when you are already having symptoms. In future articles we will discuss many ways and means to keep your heart healthy and also about lifestyles after a heart attack.
Feel well and stay healthy.
Maxy

4 Top Diabetes Diet Myths Exposed

By Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDE, LDN, Special to Everyday Health

If you were recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, or even if you have had diabetes for a long time, you may be confused about how to eat to manage your blood glucose levels. It seems that everyone has an opinion, and many of these opinions contradict each other.

So what are you to believe? And what truly works at helping you maintain your glucose levels in a healthy range?

Let’s take a look at some of the biggest diabetes diet myths, why they don’t work, and what actually will.

Myth No 1 : If You Have Diabetes, You Must Avoid All Sugar
The Truth : Excess sugar good for anyone’s diet, regardless of whether they have diabetes or not. However, just because you have diabetes, not all sugar and sweets are off limits. All carbohydrates, including simple sugars as well as complex carbohydrates, are broken down into glucose during digestion. This glucose is then used as energy in your cells. Because all forms of carbohydrates break down into glucose and therefore raise your glucose levels, you need to monitor your total carbohydrate intake, especially at one sitting, for optimal glucose management.

Although you must be careful not to overeat carbohydrates at one sitting, you can still indulge in a few sweet treats at times. Complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, whole fruits and vegetables, and low-fat milk are the best choices for everyone, due to their rich nutrient and fiber content. But you can enjoy a food containing simple sugars, such as a cookie, in moderation without spiking your glucose levels, as long as you keep the portion under control. Keep in mind, however, that when it comes to simple sugars, moderation is key for everyone, not just people with diabetes.

Myth No 2 : Any White Food Is Bad
The True : When you think of white foods, what comes to mind? White flour, white sugar, white bread? What about white potatoes, cauliflower, and onions? Are all of these white foods bad for glucose levels? Definitely not! Sure, some white foods are highly processed, such as enriched flour and sugar. But just because a food is white in appearance doesn’t mean it will be rapidly converted into glucose in the body and therefore spike your levels. In fact, white vegetables such as cauliflower and onions are excellent for blood glucose control as they are very low in calories and high in fiber, and provide few carbohydrates.

White potatoes get a bad rap as well. It is true that sweet potatoes are digested more slowly and prompt a smaller elevation in glucose levels after eating, but that doesn’t mean you need to avoid white potatoes if you have diabetes. In moderation, and as part of a balanced meal – with vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats – you can enjoy white potatoes as your starch and still maintain healthy glucose levels.

Myth No 3 :The Only Way to Lower Glucose Levels and Weight Is to Follow a Low- or No-Carb Diet
The Truth : If you are newly diagnosed with diabetes, you may feel as though everyone around you is telling you to steer clear of all sources of carbohydrates. Since carbohydrates are found in everything from fruit to bread to milk and even vegetables, you may feel as though there’s nothing left to eat. But the good news is that you can still eat carbohydrates. Managing diabetes is about keeping your glucose levels in a healthy range. Too-high glucose levels can damage your body, but too-low levels can be dangerous as well. Eating carbohydrates as part of a well-balanced diet will help you keep your levels within a healthy range.

Instead of avoiding carbohydrates, focus instead on choosing the healthiest types. Select whole vegetables and fruits, whole-grain bread, and low-fat dairy for a diet rich in nutrients and fiber. Space your carbohydrate intake out throughout the day by balancing your plate with carbs, lean protein, and healthy fat at each meal. A balanced diet will not only help you achieve optimal glucose levels, it will also improve your overall health.

Myth No 4 : Sugar-Free Foods Won’t Impact Blood-Sugar Levels
The Truth : Sugar-free foods do not necessarily equal carbohydrate-free foods. Many foods marketed as sugar-free have replaced sugar with sugar alcohols. Sugar alcohols provide fewer calories and make less of an impact on glucose levels than regular sugar, but they can still elevate glucose levels if you consume them in large amounts. In addition, bread-based sugar-free foods, such as sugar-free desserts, are typically rich in carbohydrates from sources such as flour and grains. It’s essential to read labels carefully on sugar-free foods. Look at the total grams of carbohydrates and not just grams of sugar. If you focus only on the marketing claims, such as “sugar-free,” you may struggle to lower your glucose levels without knowing why.

As you can see, there are many diet myths surrounding diabetes. But managing your glucose levels doesn’t have to be complicated. A balanced diet rich in whole foods and limited in processed foods and simple sugars – the same diet that we should all follow, regardless of whether we have diabetes or not! – can help you keep your glucose levels in a healthy range.

Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDE, LDN, is a nationally recognized nutrition and fitness expert who has contributed to national media outlets such as the CBS Early Show,  Erin is the author of multiple publications including Belly Fat Diet For Dummies and 2-Day Diabetes Diet, and co-author of Flat Belly Cookbook For Dummies. She specializes in the areas of diabetes, adult and child weight management, sports nutrition, and cardiovascular disease.